Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Video has emerged that is said to show a Russian-made Mi-28NE Havoc attack helicopter flying over the Iranian capital Tehran. Last week, pictures had also appeared online that looked to show at least one Mi-28NE in Iran. The arrival of Havocs in Iran might also point to the delivery of weapons and other materiel from Russia, or plans to do so soon, amid a new spike in geopolitical friction between the Middle Eastern country and the United States.
TWZ has not been able to independently confirm where and when the footage in question, seen in the social media post above, was taken. However, the pictures that began circulating online last week look to have taken at a hangar belonging to Iran’s Pars Aerospace Services Company (PASC). Situated at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran, PASC is tied to Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and is subject to sanctions in the United States and other Western countries.
One of the pictures that began circulating online last week said to show an Mi-28 in Iran. via X
🇷🇺🇮🇷 It is believed that Iran has received the first batch of Mil Mi-28NE attack helicopters ordered in Russia.
Photos of a Mil Mi-28 helicopter in digital desert camo stationed in a hangar have emerged on social media.
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) January 28, 2026
Geo-Location of the warehouse where the recently delivered to Iran Mil-28 helicopter photo is taken. Pars Aerospace Services Company in Tehran. 35.69899, 51.29459 pic.twitter.com/VV7ruGVPWj
In addition, on January 3, Iranian journalist Mohamad Taheri wrote “Inshallah you have a good military service,” according to a machine translation of a Persian-language post on X, which included a stock picture of an Mi-28 wearing a two-tone desert camouflage scheme. Taheri has been associated with Iran’s quasi-official Tasnim News Agency. Tasnim was among the first to report on a possible Iranian acquisition of Havocs, as well as Su-35 Flanker fighters and Yak-130 jet trainers, all the way back in 2023. The Yak-130s appeared in Iran that same year. There had been talk of a batch of Su-35s originally built for Egypt, but that were never delivered, being sent instead to the Iranians. However, at least some of those jets appeared instead in Algeria last year.
The two-seat Mi-28 traces back to before the fall of the Soviet Union, with the original variant making its first flight in the 1980s. The project was shelved in the 1990s and then subsequently revived. The first version to enter actual operational service was the Mi-28N in the late 2000s. Russia subsequently introduced an NE export version, different subvariants of which have been delivered to foreign customers in the past. A further upgraded NM variant for the Russian military was also developed in the 2010s, but has been slow to enter operational service. You can read more about the Mi-28 family in this past TWZ feature.
An example of the latest Mi-2NM variant. Russian Ministry of DefenseMi-28NEs in Iraqi service. The nose of an Mi-24 Hind gunship is also seen at right. Iraqi Army
Mi-28s are armed with a 30mm automatic cannon in a turret under the nose and can carry various munitions, including anti-tank guided missiles and unguided rockets, on four pylons, two on each of a pair of stub wings on either side of the fuselage. The default sensor suite on the Mi-28N includes a mast radar and a turreted infrared video camera under the nose.
The exact configuration of any Mi-28s for Iran, and how many the country may have ordered in total, is unclear. The recently emerged video is too low quality to see any fine details, though it does appear to be fitted with a mast-mounted radar that has been lacking on certain other export versions of the Havoc. The still pictures show a partially disassembled helicopter, which also makes it very difficult to assess the overall configuration. The images do not offer a clear view of the nose, either, where various sensors, as well as the turreted main gun, are located.
Russian Helicopters, the main helicopter conglomerate in Russia today, also notably unveiled a further improved NE variation in 2018 that was said to incorporate lessons learned from the conflict in Syria. This included a directional infrared countermeasure system to provided add defense against incoming heat-seeking missiles, as well as other survivability improvements. It had new engine air filters, a particularly desirable feature for operations in desert environments, and a digital camouflage scheme, as well. The Mi-28 seen in the pictures that emerged last week looks to have the air filters, though they are covered by tarps, and has a digital paint job.
An image reportedly depicting an Mi-28NE attack helicopter recently delivered from Russia to Iran, featuring digital desert camouflage and lacking specialized screen-exhaust devices (SEDs), also known as infrared signature suppressors. https://t.co/e6AZK0g7OWpic.twitter.com/Etc5eo4RPo
New Mi-28s in any configuration would be a notable addition to the Iranian arsenal. The main attack helicopter in service in Iran today is the AH-1J International Cobra, which the country first acquired during the reign of the Shah. The Islamic Republic has made some upgrades to its AH-1 fleet since the 1970s, with the resulting helicopters variously referred to as Toufans or Panha 2091s. However, at their core, these are American-made helicopters that are increasingly difficult for the current regime in Tehran to sustain. The Havoc is more survivable overall and can carry a greater weapons load, as well.
IR Iran unveils Toufan 2 helicopter (upgraded Cobra)
If Iran’s Mi-28s feature the infrared sensor turret and the mast-mounted radar, the helicopters could offer an even greater boost in capability, even at night or in poor weather. That, in turn, could be valuable for responding to any kind of foreign ground incursion in the future, or to internal threats to the regime. At the same time, when an Iranian Havoc fleet might reach a level of real operational capability, and how well the country is able to sustain the helicopters going forward, remains to be seen. Moscow’s own demands in relation to the war in Ukraine have created additional challenges for foreign operators of Russian-made helicopters and other materiel.
As noted, the appearance of Mi-28s in Iran could also reflect larger deliveries of weapons and other materiel from Russia, or the potential for that to occur in the near future. In January, online flight tracking data showed at least five flights by Il-76 airlifters from Russia to Iran, which could have been carrying Havocs or other cargo. Those aircraft could also have been bringing cargo back to Russia from Iran, or carrying payloads both ways. Ties between Moscow and Tehran have grown, in general, in recent years, as Russia has found itself increasingly isolated globally over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. There has been much talk of Iran receiving exchanges in kind for its support to the Russian war effort.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 shows at least five Russian Il-76 cargo aircraft flying to Tehran in the past 48 hours, pointing to a spike in undeclared Russian deliveries to Iran. pic.twitter.com/jLP8bz45iA
The Mi-28 imagery has come amid the backdrop of a new surge in geopolitical friction with the United States. Just today, American authorities announced that an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter flying from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea shot down an Iranian drone that had “aggressively approached” the ship. U.S. officials also accused the IRGC of harassing a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking earlier on Fox News, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirms the shoot down of an Iranian drone that was “acting aggressively” towards the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) today over the Arabian Sea, though states that President Trump remains committed to… pic.twitter.com/sVPzPjZIy8
When it comes to Mi-28s for Iran, evidence is growing that at least one of the helicopters has now been delivered, and more details may now continue to emerge.
The harrowing trial of Lucy Letby is explored in a new Netflix documentary, titled, The Investigation of Lucy Letby, which includes rare updates from her life in prison
Defiant Lucy Letby has insisted she will ‘not give up’ defending her innocence(Image: PA)
A letter sent by killer nurse Lucy Letby reveals a grave account of her life behind bars. The child murderer said ‘there are no words’ to convey her current ‘situation’ in a handwritten letter as she vowed to never give up on defending her ‘innocence’.
The new comments come via a letter to a friend shared as part of a chilling new Netflixdocumentary about her court case and ongoing appeals. Letby gives details of her prison conditions for the first time and speaks about how much she misses her pets, after she is seen on screen stroking a cat goodbye during her home arrests by police.
The friend, who has been anonymised in the programme, was given the onscreen name of Maisie. And in a letter she reads out, Letby said: “Maisie, there are no words to describe my situation, but knowing that I have your friendship regardless, is so important and special to me.”
She continues: “I have my own room and toilet. I’m able to shower each day and go outside for a walk. Getting outside is so important, even though it’s bit chilly. I miss Tigger and Smudge so much, it’s heartbreaking that they cannot understand why I’m no longer there. They must think I’m a terrible mummy.
“Mum and Dad are taking good care of them, though, and are, no doubt, spoiling them.” Poignantly, Letby added: “I’m trying to do all that I can to remain strong and positive. I’m determined to get through this. I will not give up.”
After sharing the note aloud, Letby’s friend Maisie then begins to cry on screen. She says that she no longer knows what to say to her friend who has been dubbed ‘The Angel of Death.’ “Up until the trial and verdict I would write to Lucy and she would write back. Now I don’t know what to say.”
Later in the film she says she still believes her friend even though there are some small doubts in her mind about her innocence.
Maisie said: “There’s always doubt, because as much as you know someone, you never know the whole of someone like they can still have things that you don’t know about them, but unless I saw actual evidence, I can’t believe it. I know that people think that I support a baby murderer, but she’s my friend and currently, in general, forever.”
Letby, 36, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life orders after she was convicted of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others, with two attempts on one of her victims, between June 2015 and June 2016.
She continues to plead her innocence and has a legal team working on a way to challenge her sentence.
In The Investigation Of Lucy Letby on Netflix viewers will see for the first time when she was first arrested in 2018, as police approached her whilst she was still in bed. She looks stunned as she is led away in a dressing gown after being told: “I’m arresting you on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.”
Police also set out in the documentary how they found evidence and used it to successfully prosecute Letby. She has failed twice in appeal.
The film may also show a more human side to Letby as she is also shown stroking her pet cat and in a police cell.
Mark McDonald who took over as Letby’s barrister in September 2024, also explains in the film why he thinks she should be freed. He was approached by Letby’s parents to help her and is now fighting to try to get her a retrial.
He tells the documentary: “We have to remember, no one saw her do anything wrong. There’s no CCTV. There was no motive.
“This was a unit in crisis. Nurses were crying at the end of this shift because of the stress, because of them being overworked, because of having so many babies on the unit and not having the staff or the resources to run it.”
* The Investigation Of Lucy Letby will be released globally on Netflix on February 4.
England successfully defended a target of 129 to win by 12 runs against Sri Lanka in an enthralling contest, completing a 3-0 T20 series sweep and entering the World Cup with momentum.
Sam Curran hit a career-best 58 after a top-order collapse as England finished on 128-9, before the tourists’ spinners took nine wickets to pull off an unlikely victory.
Will Jacks took 3-14, while Jacob Bethell secured the last four Sri Lankan wickets, including three in one over, to finish with 4-11 as the hosts were bowled out for 116.
Having chosen to bat, opener Ben Duckett was dismissed lbw for a golden duck, while Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton and Harry Brook were all removed for single figures prior to Curran taking his side to a score that still looked challenging to defend.
Having already lost the series with defeat in the first two games, Sri Lanka bowled superbly, with seamer Dushmantha Chameera taking 5-24, including the wicket of Curran with the penultimate ball of the innings.
Luke Wood and Liam Dawson took early wickets on a worn pitch, before Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake fell to consecutive deliveries from Adil Rashid and Jacks.
Sri Lanka were still favourites and reached 90-4 before Jacks struck again, removing Kamindu Mendis and Janith Liyanage in consecutive overs.
Part-time spinner Jacob Bethell then took control, dismissing Dunith Wellalage, Chameera and Dasun Shanaka in the 18th over.
Having been handed the final over, he wrapped up the match with the dismissal of Maheesh Theekshana, helping England set a record for the lowest total they have ever successfully defended in T20s.
England start their World Cup campaign against Nepal on Sunday, 8 February (09:30 GMT).
Feb. 3 (UPI) — Sen. Mitch McConnell was hospitalized Monday night after experiencing what his spokesperson said were “flu-like symptoms” over the weekend.
The 83-year-old Republican of Kentucky checked himself into a local hospital out of “an abundance of caution,” his spokesperson, David Popp, told Axios in a statement on Tuesday.
“His prognosis is positive and he is grateful for the excellent care he is receiving,” Popp said. “He is in regular contact with his staff and looks forward to returning to Senate business.”
Popp issued the statement after McConnell missed Senate votes on Monday and Tuesday.
The longtime Republican leader, a polio survivor who turns 84 later this month, announced nearly a year ago that he would not seek re-election in 2026 and would retire at the end of his term.
The health of McConnell has raised concerns about his future in the Senate following a series of falls and hospitalizations over the last few years.
Prior to announcing his retirement, McConnell froze twice during press conferences, leading to concerns about him suffering from possible medical issues. He has not frozen in such a public manner since, but Politico reported that he is often seen needing assistance moving about the Capitol.
Thousands of people marched through Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, demanding the release of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, exactly one month since US forces abducted the couple in a bloody nighttime raid.
“Venezuela needs Nicolas!” the crowd chanted in Tuesday’s demonstration, titled “Gran Marcha” (The Great March).
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Thousands carried signs in support of the abducted president, and many wore shirts calling for the couple’s return from detention in a US prison.
“The empire kidnapped them. We want them back,” declared one banner carried by marchers.
Nicolas Maduro Guerra, the detained president’s son and a member of Venezuela’s National Assembly, addressed the crowds from a stage, stating that the US military’s abduction of his father on January 3 “will remain marked like a scar on our face, forever”.
“Our homeland’s soil was desecrated by a foreign army”, Maduro Guerra said of the night US forces abducted his father.
The march, called by the government and involving many public sector workers, stretched for several hundred metres, accompanied by trucks blaring music.
A demonstrator holds a placard during a rally to demand the US releases abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas, Venezuela [Maxwell Briceno/Reuters]
Local media outlet Venezuela News said the march was part of a “global day of action” to demand the couple’s release. Protesters showed their solidarity around the world, demonstrating under banners with slogans like “Bring them back” and “Hands off Venezuela”.
The international event united voices “from diverse ideological trends”, who agreed “that the detention of President Maduro and Cilia Flores represents a flagrant violation of international law and a dangerous precedent for the sovereignty of nations”, the news outlet said.
“We feel confused, sad, angry. There are a lot of emotions,” said Jose Perdomo, a 58-year-old municipal employee, who marched in Caracas.
Rodriguez has been walking a thin line since taking over as acting president, trying to appease Maduro’s supporters in government and accommodating the demands being placed on Caracas by US President Donald Trump.
Trump has said he is willing to work with Rodriguez, as long as Caracas falls in line with his demands, particularly on the US taking control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
Striking a conciliatory tone with Washington, and promising reform and reconciliation at home, Rodriguez has already freed hundreds of political prisoners and opened Venezuela’s nationalised hydrocarbons sector to private investment.
Earlier on Tuesday, hundreds of university students and relatives of political prisoners also marched in the capital, calling for the quick approval of an amnesty law promised by Rodriguez that would free prisoners from the country’s jails.
Legislation on the amnesty has not yet come before parliament.
MARGOT Robbie sparkles again at a Wuthering Heights premiere — with a diamond necklace and matching ring.
She wore a red Chanel velvet ballgown in Paris, then changed into a black corset dress for the after-party.
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Margot Robbie sparkles again at a Wuthering Heights premiere — with a diamond necklace and matching ringCredit: GettyMargot wore a red Chanel velvet ballgown in Paris, then changed into a black corset dress for the after-partyCredit: EPAMargot was seen warmly greeting fans despite the rainCredit: Splash
He even filled his married co-star’s dressing room with roses for Valentine’s Day while shooting the tragic love story.
His fellow Aussie Margot, who posed in a minidress for the latest cover of Vogue Australia, said she was bowled over by the romantic gesture — despite having only had her first son with husband Tom Ackerley, 35, four months earlier.
Interviewing each other for the magazine, Margot said: “You made my day and, as Heathcliff, filled my room with roses. It was so cute.
“I remember thinking on Valentine’s Day, ‘Oh he’s probably a very good boyfriend, ’cause there’s a lot of thoughtfulness in this’.
“You did a lot of very thoughtful things — it wasn’t just the gesture of the roses.”
Margot strikes a pose in her red Chanel velvet ballgown in ParisCredit: GettyMargot plays Cathy in upcoming Wuthering HeightsCredit: Getty
The charming village is a haven for peace and tranquillity, with its idyllic surroundings and rich history, but what makes it so distinctive is its unique building designs
The village is steeped in character with scenic views (Image: Getty Images)
Nestled peacefully at the mouth of the River Dun, this delightful village brims with charm and tales aplenty, encircled by stunning natural beauty.
Cushendun boasts both a scenic harbour and a serene shoreline, courtesy of its prime position along the Northern Irish coast whilst being embraced by undulating agricultural hills. It creates the perfect retreat from life’s chaos, allowing visitors to lose themselves in nature’s splendour.
Indeed, one of its natural caverns proved so captivating it served as a filming venue for the HBO hit series, Game of Thrones. These crimson caves took shape over 400 million years ago but gained fame during series two of the show when they provided the setting for the notorious shadow assassin’s emergence.
After exploring the cave, one visitor noted in their review: “The area around the caves is absolutely beautiful. I found the caves to be fascinating. The walls were made up of giant round rocks and solid dirt. Make sure you wear shoes to walk to the caves.”
Throughout the village, guests will notice the idyllic cottages that lend it such serenity. Ronald John McNeill crafted the surrounding area in 1912, commissioned by Ronald John McNeill, Baron Cushendun, aiming to replicate a Cornish settlement.
Constructed in 18th century fashion, a neo-Georgian dwelling joined the collection and Cushendun evolved to appear as though it had been transplanted directly from Cornwall’s coastline.
Combined with its tranquil coastal setting, this enabled the town to achieve Conservation Area status in 1980. Today, the area remains largely under the stewardship of the National Trust, which has protected it since 1954.
The village’s distinctive Cornish character was crafted as a tribute to the Baron’s wife, who hailed from Penzance, Cornwall.
This devotion persisted beyond her death, when Ellis commissioned a terrace of whitewashed cottages specifically in her honour – now known as Maud’s Cottages.
One recent visitor declared it their new “favourite spot”. They posted on TripAdvisor: “I would live there in a heartbeat. It’s a special place in every way. The beach is beautiful and safe. The little houses are cute, and the village is filled with flowers and hanging baskets. We’ll be back.”
Another added: “Cushendun is probably the nicest small town/village on the coastal drive. It is set in a conservation area managed by the National Trust at the mouth of the Glendun river and attracts many visitors annually. Anyone travelling the Antrim Coast road northwards should make a point of reaching here for a break to enjoy the tranquillity.”
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The beautiful village is perfect for a serene getaway for those looking to immerse themselves in nature and rich rural history – and it’s been named one of the county’s ‘best kept’.
This village has endeared itself to the hearts of many(Image: James Maloney/Lancs Live)
A hidden gem of a Lancashire village nestled on the northern shores of the River Ribble offers the perfect tranquil escape for anyone seeking to lose themselves in nature and centuries of countryside heritage.
Located a mere two miles north-west of Clitheroe in the breathtaking Ribble Valley, this picturesque village boasts everything you could wish for – a trickling stream, sweeping views of imposing fells, heritage sites, three highly-rated traditional pubs, cobblestone lanes and winding pathways, plus a captivating riverside garden that has earned the village numerous accolades through the years.
Set within the Forest of Bowland – designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1964 – strolling through this enchanting corner of the countryside whilst soaking up scenic vistas of striking fells, it’s easy to understand why this village has captured the affection of countless visitors.
The Lancashire village of Waddington derives its name from Wadda, an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon chieftain linked to the assassination of Northumbrian King Ethelred – just one glimpse into this charming settlement’s fascinating and layered past.
Having secured the prestigious ‘Best Kept Village in Lancashire’ award on multiple occasions, Waddington’s Coronation/Jubilee Gardens deserves much of the credit for this distinguished recognition, reports Lancs Live.
The public garden’s stunning sundial and vibrant floral displays are truly spectacular, and positioned alongside Waddington Brook, it serves as one of the village’s most popular attractions.
Created in 1953 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, the crowning glory of this award-winning garden is the rustic bridge erected in 2002.
Contributing to the village’s appeal and distinctive character, several properties benefit from having the Waddington Brook literally on their doorstep, with the picturesque stream running directly past their front doors.
The village boasts numerous significant historical landmarks including the 15th-century Anglican St Helen’s Church, Waddington Methodist Church, a magnificent 17th-century manor house known as Waddow Hall, and Almshouses initially built during the 1700s to accommodate widows of local dalesmen and farmers.
These almshouses were demolished and rebuilt beside the village green in the late 19th-century.
However, there’s more to Waddington’s story. The village has another notable distinction – Waddington Hall is renowned for sheltering King Henry VI for 12 months whilst he evaded his Yorkist adversaries, before his betrayal and capture in 1465.
The village also became the location for a 1990 ‘TV experiment’ when the now-defunct television channel established a studio in the village hall, broadcasting ‘hyper-local’ programmes featuring local stories from the venue for an hour each evening.
Consequently, Waddington Village TV proved enormously popular at the time. The closest train station to Waddington is located in Clitheroe, whilst the nearest bus station can be found in Whalley. The village is also readily accessible by road.
Trio of top-rated pubs
Waddington is also home to three highly-rated pubs – firm favourites amongst both locals and tourists.
The picturesque village nestled at the base of Waddington Fell houses the award-winning Higher Buck, a pub which appeared on Estrella Damm’s ‘Top 50 Gastropubs in the UK’ list in 2022.
Its outdoor seating area proves irresistible to travellers, with visitors unable to pass up enjoying a pint when the weather’s fine. Combine that with the exceptional food served at the establishment and you’ve discovered an unmissable culinary paradise.
Rounding off the trio are the Lower Buck Inn and the Waddington Arms, both offering delicious meals that pair perfectly with a satisfying pint. Situated right in the village centre, these two venues also provide accommodation for visitors.
The Lower Buck dates back to 1760 and takes pride in being a ‘traditionally traditional’ establishment, whilst the Waddington Arms is somewhat more sophisticated – and functions as a four-star hotel with an impressive 4.4 out of 5 rating on Tripadvisor.
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Lancashire is known for its wide open skies, stunning landscapes and lively coastal resorts. Sykes Cottages has a wide range of self catering accommodation across the county from £42 a night.
This charming village in the South Pennines near the Peak District is ideal for walkers and cyclists to explore stunning landscapes and historic tunnel
It’s full of attractions and yet is less popular with tourists (Image: Miravision via Getty Images)
Nestled beside the River Colne in the South Pennines, right on the edge of the Peak District, sits this delightful town – an ideal getaway for ramblers and cycling enthusiasts.
Visitors heading to the Yorkshire Moors or Peak District frequently bypass the village of Marsden, yet it serves as an excellent base for exploration. Boasting scenic countryside walks and numerous spots to take a breather or enjoy a refreshing pint, it occupies a prime position, with fascinating landmarks practically on the doorstep.
Among the attractions drawing travellers is the stunning Marsden Moor, which stretches across more than 5,000 acres of National Trust-protected countryside. A local shared their thoughts about regular visits to the moor on TripAdvisor.
They said: “I’m lucky enough to live in Marsden, so I’m on the moors pretty much every week with the dogs or the local running club I run for.
“There are stunning walks, trails, waterfalls and plenty of reservoirs, and plenty of tracks to walk and run on. It’s never really busy, as it’s such a big area.”
Another walker shared: “Walk on the wild side. This is a beautiful and very lonely part of the countryside not far from our home. We regularly walk the dog and enjoy some quiet time up here.
“Winderness, well not quite, but you might not meet many people up here. Beautiful.”
Numerous walkers opt for the stunning Stanza Stones Trail, a 47-mile long-distance path connecting Marsden to Ilkley whilst weaving local landmarks throughout the journey.
The trek features six poems carved into stone, all penned by the locally acclaimed Poet Laureate Simon Armitage.
Yet what truly remains a precious jewel of this village is the Standedge Tunnel, which dates from 1794.
It stands magnificently as Britain’s longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel – a remarkable example of Georgian engineering prowess. The complete construction of this exceptional structure required 17 years in total and reached completion in 1811.
Its importance also lies in the fact it was created entirely through hand-blasting methods, cutting through solid rock without any towpath. It sits 683 feet below ground level, positioned 196 metres above sea level, and continues to hold British records in 2026.
Following your stroll, you can return to the village heart, where numerous pubs await your arrival. TripAdvisor visitors have rated Riverhead Brewery Tap as the locality’s premier dining and drinking establishment, with one patron describing their experience as “simply superb”.
Another commented: “Outstanding pub the service and beer were exceptional. Anyone coming to Marsden needs to go to the Riverhead; their choice of beer is amazing, and it’s brewed on site as well.”
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On Monday, BBC News reported figures from the Home Office stating a total of 933 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats in January.
Guardiola said: “The people who have to do that, run away from their countries, go in the sea and then go on a boat to get rescued – don’t ask if he is right or wrong, rescue him. It is about a human being.
“After we can agree, criticise but everyone is right, everyone has an idea and you have to express it. People are dying, you have to help him. Protecting the human being and human life is the only thing we have.”
Last month, two US citizens were shot dead by federal agents carrying out US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis over the past month.
Fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) says it is “extremely concerned by the ongoing militarisation of police forces in the US” before this summer’s World Cup in North America.
Guardiola added: “When I see the images, I am sorry it hurts. That is why in every position I can help speak up to be a better society, I will try and will be there. All the time. It is for my kids, my families, for you.
“From my point of view, the justice? You have to talk. Otherwise it will just move on. Look what happened in the United States of America, Renee Good and Alex Pretti have been killed. Tell me how you can defend that?
“There is not a perfect society, nowhere is perfect, I am not perfect, we have to work to be better.”
Palestinian women tell of harrowing experience at hands of Israeli military at reopened Rafah border crossing in Gaza.
Palestinian women have described a “journey of horror” as they passed through the Rafah border crossing on their way home to Gaza from Egypt, with the few allowed to enter the war-torn territory being separated from their children, handcuffed, blindfolded, and interrogated “under threat” for hours.
For the 12 Palestinian women and children allowed to enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing on Monday, the journey back home was “long and exhausting, marked by waiting, fear and uncertainty”, Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim Al Khalili said, reporting from Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
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The small group of returnees was subjected to harsh security procedures by Israeli forces who hold the power at the Rafah crossing to determine “when and if” people will be allowed to return to their homes in the Palestinian territory, Al Khalili said.
“They took everything from us. Food, drinks, everything. Allowing us to keep only one bag,” said one of the returnees, speaking to Al Jazeera about her ordeal at the hands of the Israeli military on Monday.
“The Israeli army called my mother first and took her. Then they called me, and took me,” the woman said.
“They blindfolded me and covered my eyes. They interrogated me in the first tent, asking why I wanted to enter Gaza. I told them I wanted to see my children and return to my country. They tried to pressure me psychologically, wanted to separate me from my children and force me into exile,” she said.
“After questioning me there, they took me to a second tent and asked political questions, which had nothing to do with [the journey]… They told me I could be detained if I didn’t answer. After three hours of interrogation under threat, we finally went on the bus. The UN received us; then we headed to Nasser Hospital. Thank God we were reunited with our loved ones,” she added.
Another member of the group, Huda Abu Abed, 56, told the Reuters news agency that passing through the Rafah border “was a journey of horror, humiliation and oppression”.
Accounts of being blindfolded, handcuffed and interrogated for hours by Israeli forces were given to reporters by three women, Reuters said.
Some 50 Palestinians had been expected to enter the enclave on Monday, but by nightfall, only 12 – three women and nine children – had been allowed through the reopened crossing by Israeli authorities, Reuters said, citing Palestinian and Egyptian sources.
Worse still, of the 50 people waiting to leave Gaza on Monday, mostly for critical medical treatment, only five patients with seven relatives escorting them managed to clear the Israeli inspections and cross into Egypt.
On Tuesday, just 16 more Palestinian patients were allowed to cross into Egypt via Rafah, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said, reporting from Khan Younis.
The numbers being allowed to cross at Rafah are far below the 50 Palestinians who Israeli officials said would be allowed to travel in each direction via the crossing every day, Khoudary said.
“There is no explanation as to why crossings are being delayed at Rafah,” Khoudary said. “The process is taking an extremely long time.”
“There are about 20,000 people waiting [in Gaza] for urgent medical attention abroad,” she added.
Survivors, including a seriously injured child, taken to hospital as state governor declares three days of mourning.
Published On 4 Feb 20264 Feb 2026
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A bus returning from a religious festival in northeast Brazil has veered off the road on a curve and overturned, killing at least 16 people, including four children, officials said.
The bus had been carrying about 60 people when it tipped over in the rural interior of Alagoas state on Tuesday, ejecting some passengers while others were trapped beneath the wreckage.
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The Alagoas regional government said in a statement that seven women, five men and four children were among those killed. The accident remains under investigation and was described as “highly complex”.
Brazilian media reported that the bus had been returning from celebrations for Our Lady of Candelaria, a religious festival in the state of Ceara that attracts thousands of devotees every February 2.
“The bus went off the road on a curve, overturned, and some people were thrown out,” said Colonel Andre Madeiro, director of the Alagoas Aviation Department, which took part in the rescue operation.
“Some were trapped under the vehicle. It was a very bad accident, even atypical,” he told a news conference.
Images posted on the X social media platform of the reported crash site featured a severely-mangled bus lying on its side as injured passengers sat nearby waiting for help.
Survivors of the crash, including a seriously injured child, were taken to hospital, where they remain under medical care.
Brazilian media reported that the bus had been returning from a religious festival when the accident occurred on Tuesday [Handout/Alagoas State government via AFP]
“I express my solidarity with the families and friends at this time of such great pain,” Governor Paulo Dantas wrote on social media. Three days of mourning will be observed in the state, he said.
Deadly road accidents are common in Brazil.
In October, 17 people died in the northeastern state of Pernambuco when a driver lost control of a bus.
More than 10,000 people died in traffic accidents in Brazil in 2024, according to the Ministry of Transportation, including in December 2024, when at least 32 people were killed when a passenger bus and a truck collided on a highway in southeastern Brazil’s state of Minas Gerais.
Also in 2024, a bus carrying a football team flipped on a road, killing three people.
The Cotswolds is home to some of England’s most stunning scenery – but Daylesford Organic Farm Shop is overpriced and overcrowded.
The inside is aesthetic(Image: Sophie Harris)
I’m a frequent visitor to Cotswold villages and spend considerable time exploring the area. From Stow-on-the-Wold to Bourton-on-the-Water, the Cotswolds boast some of England’s most charming villages.
Yet, it’s also where you’ll find certain social media hotspots that frankly aren’t worth the hassle.
Established by Carole Bamford, Daylesford Organic Farm Shop has skyrocketed in popularity recently, with countless visitors documenting their experiences on TikTok. Situated on their operational organic farm, the shop stocks fresh bread, seasonal produce, award-winning cheeses and homeware items.
The estate also features multiple restaurants, along with a garden shop brimming with handcrafted tableware and antique pieces.
Admittedly, it’s beautifully presented, visually impressive and undeniably photogenic for Instagram snaps or TikTok content, but it’s also shockingly pricey and constantly heaving with people, reports the Express.
Particularly at weekends, it resembles less of a peaceful countryside retreat and more of a hectic supermarket, complete with rammed car parks, congested aisles and never-ending queues.
That said, Daylesford isn’t without its merits. The cafe is pleasant, and when you visit at an opportune moment, the service is excellent, and the cuisine is delicious.
Beyond that, however, the pricing is excessive, the ambience can seem contrived rather than tranquil, and the whole experience frequently leaves me feeling frazzled.
Take, for instance, a sharing packet of crisps priced at roughly £7, a flower-pressed chocolate bar commanding a staggering £15, and a packet of biscuits costing £9. The fresh beverages were equally eye-watering, with a coffee costing £6.50.
All the produce is organic, which goes some way towards explaining the cost, but I still reckoned they were steep.
Regarding homeware, I couldn’t locate any transparent storage containers bearing Daylesford’s logo on the lid for less than £20. Actually, one of them carried a whopping £45 price tag. I also snagged a wicker tote for £60.
When the café proved too hectic to secure a hot beverage, I ventured outside to the van for a swift takeaway drink. Nevertheless, I stood in a static queue for 10 minutes, which genuinely discouraged me from returning.
Should you be exploring the Cotswolds and happen to be in the vicinity, it might be worth crossing off your bucket list, but I wouldn’t suggest making a dedicated journey there.
There are considerably superior farm shops, home stores, and destinations to invest your time and money.
Love Island All Stars has descended into chaos after Belle Hassan confronted Lucinda Strafford in a heated villa clash
Love Island’s Lucinda and Sean branded ‘fake’ in explosive All Stars row(Image: ITV)
Love Island stars Lucinda Strafford and Sean Stone have been branded “fake” in an explosive All Stars row.
The third instalment of the popular spin-off returned to ITV2 last month, bringing back familiar faces from previous series for another shot at romance.
Over recent weeks, audiences have been treated to explosive rows, surprising eliminations and numerous bombshell entrances. The latest shake-up saw six American contestants arrive, alongside the unveiling of villa USA.
However, conflict wasn’t far away as Belle Hassan and Sean found themselves at loggerheads after Sean opted to pursue Lucinda whilst Belle was in the other villa. Tensions reached boiling point on Monday (February 2), when Sean and Lucinda shared their first kiss in the secret garden, reports OK!.
During Tuesday’s (February 3) instalment, an angry Belle confronted Lucinda as she attempted to make amends. Belle interjected, stating: “I don’t want to hear that because it’s not true, is it? You’re not sorry.”
Lucinda responded: “I feel like what’s happened with me and Sean, when I came in, he was my top pick and there’s no doubt about that.”
Belle wasn’t convinced, particularly given Lucinda’s decision to couple up with Ciaran Diaries when she first arrived, after she wanted to “throw the girls off” regarding her preferences.
Challenging her directly, Belle demanded: “What’s real, Lucinda? What is real?” to which a taken-aback Lucinda replied: “Don’t start coming at me.”
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Belle didn’t hold back, saying: “What’s real? If we’re going to have a conversation, let’s be open and honest. What’s real? And let me get one thing straight, you’ve not once gave a f*** about my feelings or [made] me feel comfortable in this, so don’t expect that same thing from me cause that isn’t gonna happen.”
She added: “So, if this conversation you’ve wanted to have all day was for me to validate your s*** behaviour, that’s not gonna happen… This nice girl image just doesn’t wash, I see through it.”
Lucinda hit back, responding: “I don’t really respect you talking to me like that.”
Undeterred, Belle went on: “I don’t respect the way you’ve behaved since the first day you got here, so evidently we’re not going to be on the same page ever… I don’t need to know you for any longer… All you think about is yourself and that has been evident.”
Hinting at her suspicions about Lucinda’s romance with Sean being disingenuous, Belle wrapped up: “We aren’t going to be cool… You do want you need to do, I’ll keep out of your way and that’s where we’re at. I think the whole situation is very fake.”
Viewers flocked to X (formerly Twitter) to applaud Belle’s no-nonsense approach, with one fan posting: “I wish I could handle conversations the way Belle does. I’m actually in awe watching her say it how it is with Lucinda.”
Another viewer observed: “Belle has officially clocked Lucinda’s behaviour and Lucinda couldn’t even defend herself,” whilst a third declared: “Belle calling out Lucinda for her nice girl act finaalllyy someone has had the courage to say it all to her face.”
Meanwhile, one confused fan commented: “What has Lucinda done wrong. I’m still trying to understand.” Will Belle and Lucinda be able to patch things up?
Love Island All Stars airs Sunday to Friday on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm
Avoid paying a massive fee at the airport gates by checking your cabin bag size before you fly. With half term on the way, here’s the latest sizing regulations for some of the most popular airlines
Cabin baggage allowances can vary hugely by airline(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
One thing that often catches passengers out when flying on budget airlines is cabin baggage allowances. On busy flights, it’s common to see the dreaded bag sizer coming out, and being over just a centimetre can mean you end up paying a massive fee to check your bag at the gate.
To make things even more confusing, cabin bag size allowances change all the time, so even if you’re a frequent flyer, you can get caught out. It’s always best to check the size of the cabin bag that’s included with your ticket just before you go, so you can avoid hassle at the gates.
It’s also much cheaper to pay for extra bags when you book your flight, not once you’re at the airport, so always make sure you’ve booked the amount you need in advance.
Ryanair is notorious for strictly enforcing cabin baggage sizes, and if you’re taking a bag on board, you should make sure you get the tape measure out and check the dimensions before you head to the airport.
However, there’s good news for Ryanair passengers: the free underseat bag included in its basic fare can now be slightly larger. Previously, this small bag had to fit in a sizer with the dimensions of 40 x 25 x 20 cm, but since summer 2025 it can now be up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm. These free bags need to fit under the seat in front of you, and usually people bring a handbag, laptop bag, or small rucksack.
Technically, there’s no weight limit on these small bags, as long as they fit under the seat, but passengers will need to be able to carry and handle them, and an excessively heavy bag could be noticed by flight attendants.
Passengers can also pay to bring a second cabin bag of up to 55 x 40 x 20cm onboard with them, and this bag has a weight limit of 10KG. Passengers will need to lift this bag into the overhead locker above them, so bear this in mind when packing. If you prefer to check a bag, you can add a 10KG, 20KG, or 23KG bag to the hold. Prices vary depending on route and availability.
EasyJet
Budget airline easyJet is also known for strictly monitoring bag sizes, and you’ll see lots of orange sizers around the airport so you can check whether your luggage will fit. However, it’s best to measure bags at home when they’re packed so you can adjust accordingly.
Everyone who flies with easyJet gets one small underseat cabin bag included in the price. This can be up to 45 x 36 x 20 cm in size, and easyJet states it can’t exceed 15KG in weight.
Customers also have the option to book a second cabin bag of 56 x 45 x 25 cm maximum, including handles and wheels. As a bonus, if you book a second bag, you get speedy boarding included. When booking your flight, you also have the option to pay for up to three checked bags of 15KG, 23KG, or a whopping 32KG. Some airports offer a twilight bag drop for passengers on early flights, meaning you can check your luggage the night before heading off and head straight for security in the morning.
Jet2
Whether you’ve booked a package holiday with Jet2, or just a flight, cabin baggage allowances are the same. You get a small bag of 40 x 30 x 20cm, which must fit under the seat, and the price also includes a 10KG piece of hand luggage of up to 56cm x 45cm x 25cm. Again, you must ensure measurements include handles, wheels, and other fixtures.
Package holidays include 22KG of checked baggage, but if you’ve only booked a flight, you can still add a checked bag for a fee. Passengers can buy up to three bags of 22KG in weight, perfect for those who don’t like to travel light.
Families travelling with young kids can also bring a collapsible pushchair, car seat, and/or travel cot free of charge.
British Airways
British Airways (BA)’s economy basic fare includes a handbag and a cabin bag. The former can be up to 40 x 30 x 15cm in size and needs to easily fit under the seat in front, while cabin bags can be up to 56 x 45 x 25cm in size. However, BA can only guarantee that the smaller item will be allowed on board. If there’s not enough space in the overhead locker, your cabin bag may need to go in the hold.
BA also offers a range of options for checked bags, depending on the flight route you take and which classes are available. Economy with checked bag includes a 23KG bag in the hold, and unlike most airlines, BA put a size restriction on these checked bags of 90 x 75 x 43cm. Those lucky enough to fly business or first class get much bigger allowances.
If you’ve booked a flight only on TUI Airways, you’ll get a piece of hand luggage of up to 10KG in weight for free, and this can measure up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm. You can also bring a small personal item like a handbag or laptop bag of up to 40 x 30 x 20cm that’s placed under the seat in front of you. TUI emphasises that passengers must be able to lift their hand luggage into overhead storage compartments themselves.
Customers can also add a checked bag when booking their flight, with prices depending on the route and availability. However, if you book a package holiday through TUI and are flying with its airline, then 20KG of checked luggage is included. Some holiday types, such as TUI BLUE or cruises, have a 25KG allowance, so it’s worth checking your booking confirmation before you go.
Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
WASHINGTON — On New Year’s Eve, Lee Zeldin did something out of character for an Environmental Protection Agency leader who has been hacking away at regulations intended to protect Americans’ air and water.
He announced new restrictions on five chemicals commonly used in building materials, plastic products and adhesives, and he cheered it as a “MAHA win.”
It was one of many signs of a fragile collaboration that’s been building between a Republican administration that’s traditionally supported big business and a Make America Healthy Again movement that argues corporate environmental harms are putting people’s health in danger.
The unlikely pairing grew out of the coalition’s success influencing public health policy with the help of its biggest champion, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. As Health and Human Services secretary, he has pared back vaccine recommendations and shifted the government’s position on topics such as seed oils, fluoride and Tylenol.
Building on that momentum, the movement now sees a glimmer of hope in the EPA’s promise to release a “MAHA agenda” in the coming months.
At stake is the strength of President Trump’s coalition as November’s midterm elections threaten his party’s control of Congress. After a politically diverse group of MAHA devotees came together to help Trump return to the White House a little more than one year ago, disappointing them could mean losing the support of a vocal voting bloc.
Activists such as Courtney Swan, who focuses on nutritional issues and has spoken with EPA officials in recent months, are watching closely.
“This is becoming an issue that if the EPA does not start getting their stuff together, then they could lose the midterms over this,” she said.
Christopher Bosso, a professor at Northeastern University who researches environmental policy, said Zeldin didn’t seem to take MAHA seriously at first, “but now he has to, because they’ve been really calling for his scalp.”
MAHA wins a seat at the table
Last year, prominent activist Kelly Ryerson was so frustrated with the EPA over its weakening of protections against harmful chemicals that she and other MAHA supporters drew up a petition to get Zeldin fired.
The final straw, Ryerson said, was the EPA’s approval of two new pesticides for use on food. Ryerson, whose social media account “Glyphosate Girl” focuses on nontoxic food systems, said the pesticides contained “forever chemicals,” which resist breakdown, making them hazardous to people. The EPA has disputed that characterization.
But Ryerson’s relationship with the EPA changed at a MAHA Christmas party in Washington in December. She talked to Zeldin there and felt that he listened to her perspective. Then he invited her and a handful of other activists to sit down with him at the EPA headquarters. That meeting lasted an hour, and it led to more conversations with Zeldin’s deputies.
“The level of engagement with people concerned with their health is absolutely revolutionary,” Ryerson said in an interview. She said the agency’s upcoming plan “will say whether or not they take it seriously,” but she praised MAHA’s access as “unprecedented.”
Rashmi Joglekar, associate director of science, policy and engagement at UC San Francisco’s Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, said it’s not typical for an activist group to meet with the EPA administrator. She said MAHA’s ability to make inroads so quickly shows how “powerful” the coalition has become.
The movement’s influence is not just at the EPA. MAHA has steered federal and state lawmakers away from enacting liability shields that protect pesticide manufacturers from expensive lawsuits. In Congress, after MAHA activists lobbied against such protections in a funding bill, they were removed. A similar measure stalled in Tennessee’s Legislature.
Zeldin joined a call in December with the advocacy group MAHA Action, during which he invited activists to participate in developing the EPA’s MAHA agenda. Since then, EPA staffers have regularly appeared on the weekly calls and promoted what they say are open-door policies.
Last month, Ryerson’s petition to get Zeldin fired was updated to note that several signers had met with him and are in a “collaborative effort to advance the MAHA agenda.”
Zeldin’s office declined to make him available for an interview on his work with MAHA activists, but EPA Press Secretary Brigit Hirsch said the forthcoming agenda will “directly respond to priorities we’ve heard from MAHA advocates and communities.”
The American Chemistry Council said “smart, pro-growth policies can protect both the environment and human health as well as grow the U.S. economy.”
EPA’s alliance with industry raises questions
Despite the ongoing conversations, the Republican emphasis on deregulation still puts MAHA and the EPA on a potential collision course.
Lori Ann Burd, the environmental health program director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said the administration has a particularly strong alliance with industry interests.
As an example, she pointed to the EPA’s proposal to allow the broad use of the weed killer dicamba on soybeans and cotton. A month before the announcement, the EPA hired a lobbyist for the soybean association, Kyle Kunkler, to serve in a senior position overseeing pesticides.
Hirsch denied that Kunkler had anything to do with the decision and said the EPA’s pesticide decisions are “driven by statutory standards and scientific evidence.”
Environmentalists said the hiring of ex-industry leaders is a theme of this administration. Nancy Beck and Lynn Dekleva, for example, are former higher-ups at the American Chemistry Council, an industry association. They now work in leadership in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, which oversees pesticide and toxic chemical regulation.
Hirsch said the agency consults with ethics officials to prevent conflicts of interest and ensures that appointees are qualified and focused on the science, “unlike previous administrations that too often deferred to activist groups instead of objective evidence.”
Alexandra Muñoz, a molecular toxicologist who works with MAHA activists on some issues and was in the hourlong meeting with Zeldin, said she could sense industry influence in the room.
“They were very polite in the meeting. In terms of the tone, there was a lot of receptivity,” she said. “However, in terms of what was said, it felt like we were interacting with a lot of industry talking points.”
Activists await the EPA’s MAHA agenda
Hirsch said the MAHA agenda will address issues such as lead pipes, forever chemicals, plastic pollution, food quality and Superfund cleanups.
Ryerson said she wants to get the chemical atrazine out of drinking water and stop the pre-harvest desiccation of food, in which farmers apply pesticides to crops immediately before they are harvested.
She also wants to see cancer warnings on the ingredient glyphosate, which some studies associate with cancer even as the EPA said it is unlikely to be carcinogenic to humans when used as directed.
Although she’s optimistic that the political payoffs will be big enough for Zeldin to act, she said some of the moves he’s already promoting as “MAHA wins” are no such thing.
For example, in his New Year’s Eve announcement on a group of chemicals called phthalates, he said the agency intends to regulate some of them for environmental and workplace risks, but didn’t address the thousands of consumer products that contain the ingredients.
Swan said time will tell if the agency is being performative.
“The EPA is giving very mixed signals right now,” she said.
Govindarao, Swenson and Phillis write for the Associated Press. Govindarao reported from Phoenix.
James Harden is headed to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the Clippers agreeing to send the 11-time All-Star back to the Eastern Conference during his highest-scoring season in six years, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Tuesday night.
The Cavaliers are giving up point guard Darius Garland and a second-round pick, said the person, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade has not yet been approved by the NBA.
That approval could come by Wednesday, when the Cavaliers and Clippers face off at Intuit Dome.
Harden is averaging 25.4 points this season, his most since averaging 34.3 points in 2019-20. He’s been a huge part of the Clippers’ resurgence back into playoff — or, at least, play-in — contention after a dismal 6-21 start.
“He means a lot to our team and we’ve seen it the last three years,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said Monday night when stories began breaking indicating such a move was close. “Who wouldn’t want to have James Harden?”
Cleveland will become Harden’s sixth team. He played for Oklahoma City, then Houston, then Brooklyn, then Philadelphia and, since 2023, the Clippers.
For the Cavaliers, it seems to be a move for right now — pairing the 36-year-old Harden with another star guard in Donovan Mitchell. For the Clippers, it seems to be a move with an eye on the future — the 26-year-old Garland is a two-time All-Star, averaging 18 points and 6.9 assists this season for Cleveland.
Harden opted out of the final year of his contract last summer with the Clippers to sign a new deal that would have been worth $81.5 million for this season and the 2026-27 campaign. Next year is at his option, which basically meant he was on a one-year contract.
He got that deal after averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 8.7 assists while returning to the All-NBA team for the first time since 2019-20.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a meeting with his senior secretaries at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, 29 January 2026. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
Feb. 3 (Asia Today) — Senior aides at South Korea’s presidential office have begun selling real estate holdings as President Lee Jae-myung intensifies his campaign to eradicate housing speculation.
Blue House spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong has listed her apartment in Giheung, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, while Kim Sang-ho, head of the presidential press office, is selling six multi-unit houses in Seoul’s Daechi-dong neighborhood of Gangnam, a Blue House official said Tuesday.
Kang owns an apartment in Banpo-dong, Seocho District, under her spouse’s name, as well as the Yongin property under her own name. Kim jointly owns an apartment in Gui-dong, Gwangjin District, with his wife in addition to the Daechi-dong properties.
A Blue House official said Kang listed the Yongin apartment, where her parents live, and added that Kim had placed his Gangnam properties on the market some time ago.
As the two senior aides move to dispose of homes they do not reside in, attention is turning to whether similar action will follow among other high-ranking officials. Asset disclosures released earlier showed that 12 of 56 Blue House aides at the secretary level or higher own two or more properties.
President Lee has repeatedly emphasized his determination to stamp out real estate speculation since the start of the year. He has issued warnings on social media for four consecutive days, criticizing opposition parties and parts of the media while vowing to crack down on what he called “ruinous” speculative behavior.
Despite the recent sales, officials said Lee has not directly instructed aides to sell their properties.
During a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Lee addressed criticism surrounding calls for public officials with multiple homes to sell first.
“I also think this is problematic,” Lee said. “If I tell them to sell and they do, it means the policy itself is ineffective.”
He added that the government’s goal is to create conditions that make holding multiple homes economically irrational. “We must make them conclude on their own that resolving multiple home ownership is in their interest,” he said.
Opposition pressure has also mounted. Reform New Party leader Lee Jun-seok said Monday he would directly ask ruling party lawmakers and government officials whether they plan to sell their properties by May 9.
“If they do not sell by then, the market will conclude that even policymakers themselves do not believe the policy will work,” he said.
For months, United States President Donald Trump has called him a “sick man” and an “illegal drug leader”.
But on Tuesday, Trump welcomed his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, to the White House for their first face-to-face meeting in Washington, DC.
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Both leaders hailed the meeting as productive, while acknowledging the lingering tensions that divide them.
At a news conference after their meeting, Petro waved away questions about his rocky history with Trump, whom he has publicly accused of human rights violations.
Instead, he called the interaction “ a meeting between two equals who have different ways of thinking”.
“He didn’t change his way of his thinking. Neither did I. But how do you do an agreement, a pact? It’s not as between twin brothers. It’s between opponents,” Petro said.
Separately, Trump told reporters from the Oval Office that he felt good about the meeting. “I thought it was terrific,” he said.
On the agenda for the two leaders were issues including the fight against transnational drug trafficking and security in Latin America.
Here are five takeaways from Tuesday’s meeting.
A White House charm offensive
Over the past year, Trump has invited the media to participate in his meetings with foreign leaders, often holding news conferences with the visiting dignitaries in the Oval Office.
Not this time, however. The meeting between Trump and Petro lasted nearly two hours, all of it behind closed doors.
But the two leaders emerged with largely positive things to say about one another.
In a post on social media, Petro revealed that Trump had gifted him several items, including a commemorative photograph of their meeting accompanied by a signed note.
“Gustavo – a great honor. I love Colombia,” it read, followed by Trump’s signature.
In another post, Petro showed off a signed copy of Trump’s book, The Art of the Deal. On its title page, Trump had scrawled another note to Petro: “You are great.”
“Can someone tell me what Trump said in this dedication?” Petro wrote jokingly in Spanish on social media. “I don’t understand much English.”
A turning point in a tense relationship?
Petro’s joke appeared to be a cheeky nod to his notoriously rocky relationship with Trump.
It was only six days into Trump’s second term, on January 26, 2025, that he and Petro began their feud, trading threats on social media over the fate of two US deportation flights.
Petro objected to the reported human rights violations facing the deportees. Trump, meanwhile, took Petro’s initial refusal to accept the flights as a threat to US “national security”. Petro ultimately backed down after Trump threatened steep sanctions on imported Colombian goods.
They continued to trade barbs in the months since. Petro, for instance, has condemned the deadly US attacks on boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, comparing the strikes with murder.
He has also criticised Trump for carrying out a US military offensive in Venezuela to abduct then-President Nicolas Maduro. That attack, Petro said, was tantamount to “kidnapping”.
Trump, meanwhile, stripped Petro of his US visa following the Colombian leader’s appearance at the United Nations General Assembly, where he criticised the US and briefly joined a pro-Palestinian protest.
The Trump administration also sanctioned Petro in October, blaming the left-wing leader for allowing “drug cartels to flourish”.
After removing Maduro from power on January 3, Trump offered a warning to Petro: he had better “watch his a**”. The statement was widely interpreted to be a threat of military action against Colombia.
But Trump and Petro appeared to have reached a turning point last month. On January 7, the two leaders held their first call together. Tuesday’s in-person meeting marked another first in their relationship.
Agreeing to disagree
Despite the easing tensions, the two leaders used their public statements after the meeting to reaffirm their differences.
Trump was the first to speak, holding a news conference in the Oval Office as he signed legislation to end a government shutdown.
The US president, a member of the right-wing Republican Party, used the appearance to reflect on the political tensions the two leaders had in the lead-up to the meeting.
“He and I weren’t exactly the best of friends, but I wasn’t insulted, because I’d never met him,” Trump told reporters.
He added that Tuesday’s meeting was nevertheless pleasant. “I didn’t know him at all, and we got along very well.”
Petro, meanwhile, held a longer news conference at the Colombian Embassy in Washington, DC, where he raised some points of divergence he had with Trump.
Among the topics he mentioned was Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which the US has supported, and sustainable energy initiatives designed to be carbon neutral. Trump, in the past, has called the so-called green energy programmes a “scam”.
Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing leader, also reflected on his region’s history with colonialism and foreign intervention. He told reporters it was important that Latin America make decisions for itself, free from any outside “coercion”.
“ We don’t operate under blackmail,” he said at one point, in an apparent reference to Trump’s pressure campaigns.
Differing approach to combating drug trafficking
One of the primary points of contention, however, was Petro’s approach to combating drug trafficking.
Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine, responsible for 68 percent of the global supply.
The Trump administration has used the fight against global drug trafficking as a justification for carrying out lethal military strikes in international waters and in Venezuela, despite experts condemning the attacks as illegal under international law.
It has also stripped Colombia of its certification as an ally in its global counter-narcotics operations.
Trump’s White House has said it will consider reversing that decision if Petro takes “more aggressive action to eradicate coca and reduce cocaine production and trafficking”.
But Petro has rejected any attempt to label him as soft on drug trafficking, instead touting the historic drug busts his government has overseen.
He made this argument yet again after Tuesday’s meeting, claiming that no other Colombian administration had done as much as his to fight cocaine trafficking.
Rather than take a militarised approach to destroying crops of coca, the raw ingredient for cocaine, Petro argued that he has had more success with voluntary eradication programmes.
This push, he said, succeeded in “getting thousands of peasant farmers to uproot the plant themselves”.
“These are two different methods, two different ways of understanding how to fight drug trafficking,” Petro said. “One that is brutal and self-interested, and what it ends up doing is promoting mafia powers and drug traffickers, and another approach, which is intelligent, which is effective.”
Petro maintained it was more strategic to go after top drug-ring leaders than to punish impoverished rural farmers by forcibly ripping up their crops.
“I told President Trump, if you want an ally in fighting drug trafficking, it’s going after the top kingpins,” he said.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks during a news conference at the Colombian Embassy in Washington, DC, on February 3 [Jose Luis Magana/AP]
A Trumpian note
Tuesday’s meeting ultimately marked yet another high-profile reversal for Trump, who has a history of shifting his relationships with world leaders.
Last year, for instance, he lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a public Oval Office clash, only to warm to the wartime leader several months later.
But Colombia is quickly approaching a pivotal presidential election in May, which will see Petro’s left-wing coalition, the Historic Pact, seek to defend the presidency against an ascendant far right.
Petro himself cannot run for consecutive terms under Colombian law. But there is speculation that Tuesday’s detente with Trump may help Petro’s coalition avoid US condemnation ahead of the vote.
Colombia, after all, was until recently the largest recipient of US aid in South America, and it has long harboured close ties with the North American superpower. Straining those ties could therefore be seen as an election liability.
While Petro acknowledged his differences with Trump during his remarks, at times he expressed certain views that overlapped with the US president’s.
Like Trump has in the past, Petro used part of his speech on Tuesday to question the role of the UN in maintaining global security.
“ Did it not show incapacity? Isn’t a reform needed?” Petro asked, wondering aloud if there was “something superior to the United Nations that would bring humanity together better in a better way”.
But when it came to donning Trump’s signature “Make America Great Again” baseball cap, Petro drew a line – or rather, a squiggle.
On social media, he shared an adjustment he made to the cap’s slogan. A jagged, Sharpie-inked “S” amended the phrase to include the entire Western Hemisphere: “Make Americas Great Again.”
JESY Nelson has described the terrifying moment her mum raised the alarm about her twins’ SMA struggle.
The pop star secretly moved to Cornwall after giving birth to the two little girls following a high-risk pregnancy.
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Jesy Nelson with her mum Janice WhiteOcean and Story have been diagnosed with SMACredit: Instagram
She says her mum Janice noticed Ocean and Story’s lack of leg movement on a trip to visit them.
Speaking on Jamie Laing’s podcast Great Company with Jesy Nelson, the former Little Mix star said: “Me and Zion decided we wanted to move to Cornwall because our babies had been through all this trauma, and we just wanted them to grow up in a peaceful setting and just be around the sea and live like a kid.
“I honestly was not even taking notice of their legs because they’re my first set of children, so I don’t know how they should be moving their legs, or what they should and shouldn’t be doing anyway.
“Because we had just moved six hours away, my mum wasn’t with me every day.
“I think she noticed how much it had deteriorated, and she said, ‘Jesy, they don’t move their legs very much. Have you noticed that?’
“She kept comparing them to my nephew, but I said George was a full time baby and because the twins were premature you can’t compare them.
“She said, ‘I know Jesy, but something’s not right’.
“My mum is such a such a worrier. She worries about everything – a bit like me, she thinks the worst in every situation.
“And so I just thought that was her over-worrying then a week went by, and I remember changing their nappy and just thinking ‘oh, god, they actually don’t move their legs at all’.
“For some reason they just stopped.”
Jesy with her now ex-partner Zion gave birth in May 2025Credit: jesynelson/Instagram
Fearing her mum was right, Jesy booked to see a paediatrician straight away.
After being told the babies needed blood tests and a brain scan, Jesy left the doctors in tears.
She was later told the identical twins have Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1— the most severe form of a rare disease affecting muscle strength and movement.
Jesy is now working tirelessly to raise awareness ofSMAandcampaigning for the conditionto be added to the NHS newborn heel-prick test, which currently screens for ten other conditions.
She spoke to The Sun about the diagnosis and her new new six-part docuseries on Prime Video, which follows her journey intomotherhoodas she reflects back on her time inLittle Mix.
It’s the first time she’s opened up about quitting the band in 2020.
Read our full interview with Jesy about hope of reconciling with her former Little Mix friends and mending her relationship with Simon Cowellhere.
Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix will be aired on Prime Video from February 13.
Listen to Great Company with Jesy Nelson whereever you get your podcasts.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Signs and symptoms
Spinal muscular atrophy is a disease which takes away a person’s strength and it causes problems by disrupting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord.
This causes an individual to lose the ability to walk, eat and breathe.
There are four types of SMA – which are based on age.
Type 1 is diagnosed within the first six months of life and is usually fatal.
Type 2 is diagnosed after six months of age.
Type 3 is diagnosed after 18 months of age and may require the individual to use a wheelchair.
Type 4 is the rarest form of SMA and usually only surfaces in adulthood.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of SMA will depend on which type of condition you have.
But the following are the most common symptoms:
• Floppy or weak arms and legs
• Movement problems – such as difficulty sitting up, crawling or walking
• Twitching or shaking muscles
• Bone and joint problems – such as an unusually curved spine
• Swallowing problems
• Breathing difficulties
However, SMA does not affect a person’s intelligence and it does not cause learning disabilities.
How common is it?
The majority of the time a child can only be born with the condition if both of their parents have a faulty gene which causes SMA.
Usually, the parent would not have the condition themselves – they would only act as a carrier.
Statistics show around 1 in every 40 to 60 people is a carrier of the gene which can cause SMA.
If two parents carry the faulty gene there is a 1 in 4 (25 per cent) chance their child will get spinal muscular atrophy.
The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday signed off on a plan to give financial relief to Palisades fire victims who are seeking to rebuild, endorsing it nearly 10 months after Mayor Karen Bass first announced it.
On a 15-0 vote, the council instructed the city’s lawyers to draft an ordinance that would spare the owners of homes, duplexes, condominium units, apartment complexes and commercial buildings from having to pay the permit fees that are typically charged by the Department of Building and Safety during the recovery.
Forfeiting those fees is expected to cost as much as $90 million over three years, according to Matt Szabo, the city’s top budget analyst.
The vote came at a time of heightened anxiety over the pace of the city’s decisions on the recovery among fire victims. Bart Young, whose home was destroyed in the fire, told council members his insurance company will cover only half the cost of rebuilding.
“I’m living on Social Security. I’ve lost everything,” he said. “I’m not asking for special treatment. I’m asking for something fair and with some compassion.”
The ordinance must come back for another council vote later this year. Councilmember Traci Park, who pushed for the financial relief, described the vote as a “meaningful step forward in the recovery process.”
“Waiving these fees isn’t the end of a long road, but it removes a real barrier for families trying to rebuild — and it brings us closer to getting people home,” she said in a statement.
Bass announced her support for the permit fee waivers in April as part of her State of the City address. Soon afterward, she signed a pair of emergency orders instructing city building officials to suspend those fees while the council works out the details of a new permit relief program.
That effort stalled, with some on the council saying they feared the relief program would pull funding away from core city services. In October, the council’s budget committee took steps to scale back the relief program.
That move sparked outrage among Palisades fire victims, who demanded that the council reverse course. Last month, Szabo reworked the numbers, concluding that the city was financially capable of covering all types of buildings, not just single-family homes and duplexes.
Fire victims have spent several months voicing frustration over the pace of the recovery and the city’s role in that effort.
Last week, the council declined to put a measure on the June 2 ballot that would spare fire victims from paying the city’s so-called mansion tax — which is levied on property sales of $5.3 million and up — if they choose to put their burned-out properties on the market.
Bass and other elected officials have not released a package of consulting reports on the recovery that were due to the city in mid-November from AECOM, the global engineering firm.
AECOM is on track to receive $5 million to produce reports on the rebuilding of city infrastructure, fire protection and traffic management during the recovery. The council voted in December to instruct city agencies to produce those reports within 30 days.
Bass spokesperson Paige Sterling said the AECOM reports are being reviewed by the city attorney’s office and will be released by the end of next week. The mayor, for her part, said Monday that the city has “expedited the entire rebuilding process without compromising safety.”
More than 480 rebuilding projects are currently under construction in the Palisades, out of about 5,600, the mayor’s team said. Permits have been issued for more than 800 separate addresses, according to the city’s online tracker.
The council’s vote coincides with growing antagonism between the Trump administration and state and local elected officials over the recovery.
Last week, President Trump signed an executive order saying wildfire victims should not have to deal with “unnecessary, duplicative, or obstructive” permitting requirements when rebuilding their homes. On Tuesday, the county supervisors authorized their lawyers to take legal action to block the order if necessary.
Lee Zeldin, Trump’s administrator for the federal Environmental Protection Agency, is scheduled to meet Wednesday with Bass and LA. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger in Pacific Palisades to discuss the pace of the recovery. He is also set to hold a news conference with Palisades residents to discuss the roadblocks they are facing in the rebuilding effort.
Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid eye Adam Wharton deal, Manchester United could move for Jean-Philippe Mateta and Sandro Tonali, Leeds keeper Illan Meslier looks to be heading to Turkey.
Manchester United could make a move for long-term striker targetJean-Philippe Mateta, 28, in the summer after the Frenchman’s proposed deadline-day transfer from Crystal Palace to AC Milan fell through. (Mirror), external
AC Milan, Chelsea and Newcastleareall interested in Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic, 26, on a summer free transfer, even though he has recently returned to Juventus to complete his rehabilitation from an abductor injury. (Football Italia), external
Leeds United‘s French goalkeeper Illan Meslier, 25, could be set for a move away from Elland Road, with Turkish club Besiktas holding talks. (Teamtalk), external
Germany midfielder Leon Goretzka, 30, who is out of contract at Bayern Munich in the summer, could be on his way to Arsenal on a free transfer. (Bayern Insider), external
