When Tom Steyer was running a hedge fund in 2000, he wrote a letter telling some wealthy investors their money would soon flow through an offshore company that would shield their gains from U.S. taxes.
It was routine in finance, but could prove toxic in politics.
Now that the San Francisco billionaire has joined the crowd of Democrats running for president, much of what he did to build his personal fortune, including a stint at Goldman Sachs in the 1980s, could turn off voters. His fund’s investments in coal mining and private prisons are two of the biggest hazards.
Part of Steyer’s challenge is timing. Wall Street’s reputation is in tatters in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Many Democrats are upset about growing income inequality. And billionaires — President Trump first among them — are routinely demonized by the party’s left wing.
Steyer is the founder of Farallon Capital Management, one of America’s largest hedge funds, the high-risk investment pools for big investors. He left Farallon in 2012 after running the San Francisco firm for 26 years.
He did not mention his experience there when asked by The Times what qualified him to serve as president. He focused instead on his work fighting climate change and big corporations over the last decade.
Attacks by Steyer’s opponents have been mild so far, but that will change if he starts gaining support.
“He will have to answer for his involvement in anti-climate-control activities, his relationship to the coal industry, and his relationship to Wall Street, which young people particularly find abhorrent,” said Democratic ad maker Hank Sheinkopf, who is unaligned in the presidential race.
“In a political campaign, there is no past tense and there is no future tense. Everything in your life you’ve ever done, thought of and said is in present tense.”
In written responses to questions sent by email, Steyer expressed remorse over some of Farallon’s investments.
A key liability is Farallon’s 2005 investment of $34 million in Corrections Corp. of America, which runs migrant detention centers on the U.S.-Mexico border for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Many of the roughly two dozen Democrats in the presidential race have denounced profits from incarceration as immoral.
“I deeply regret that Farallon made that investment, and I personally ordered the investment in CCA to be sold because it did not accord with my values then or now,” Steyer said.
More troublesome for Steyer’s public image is the fund’s history of investing in fossil fuel projects, including a giant coal mine in Australia that generates vast quantities of carbon emissions.
The owners overcame protests by environmentalists and won permission to clear 3,700 acres of forest that served as a koala habitat and mine 12 million tons of coal per year. Steyer’s critics have long seen his past personal stake in coal mining as hypocritical.
The hedge fund led by Tom Steyer invested in an Australian coal mine that drew protesters in Sydney.
(Saleed Khan / AFP/Getty Images)
“If you’re running as a liberal, idealistic candidate, as Tom Steyer is, it’s a serious problem when the story you’re trying to tell uses words like private prisons and coal,” said Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor. “It just goes directly against the rainbows and sunshine and clean air and better tomorrow narrative he’s trying to paint.”
Steyer said he left Farallon in part because of its holdings in fossil fuels. “I wish I’d made the move away from fossil fuels sooner,” he said.
Steyer, 62, muscled his way onto the public stage by becoming one of the Democratic Party’s top donors over the last decade. He put $74 million into the 2018 midterm election. He has carefully crafted his political profile around his spending to promote liberal causes, most visibly the fight against global warming and the drive to impeach President Trump.
Some of Steyer’s record has yielded bad publicity over the years as he weighed runs for elected office in California. But his entry into the presidential race on Tuesday and his vow to spend $100 million of his own money on his campaign will draw fresh scrutiny to the means he used to amass what Forbes estimates to be his net worth of $1.6 billion.
Steyer, who grew up on Manhattan’s East Side, started his career on Wall Street in the late 1970s at Morgan Stanley and worked later on mergers and acquisitions at Goldman Sachs. In 1986, he opened Farallon, which grew from $9 million to $36 billion on his watch, according to Steyer.
Some Democrats say Steyer has atoned for his sins. RL Miller, chairwoman of the state Democratic Party’s environmental caucus, was perplexed by his candidacy and said his money would be better spent advancing other Democrats.
“I do feel he has demonstrated substantial good faith in that yes, he made a lot of money from bad places, but he’s been very, very open about the fact that he’s turned over a new leaf and is no longer taking money from those bad places and is instead spending to do good,” Miller said.
The business records of wealthy candidates are often weaponized by rivals. Former President Obama cast GOP challenger Mitt Romney in 2012 as a ruthless plutocrat who made millions of dollars on corporate takeovers that put thousands of Americans out of work. Romney co-founded Bain Capital, a private equity firm.
Mitt Romney’s career running a private equity firm was criticized by President Obama in the 2012 presidential campaign.
(Erik S. Lesser / EPA-Shutterstock)
Gray Davis won California’s Democratic primary for governor in 1998 after portraying rival Al Checchi as a tycoon who pillaged Northwest Airlines, firing thousands and forcing thousands more to take pay cuts.
“When these wealthy, self-financing first-time candidates want to throw their hat in the ring, whether they’re Democrat or Republican, they have to be prepared for a complete drill-down on how it is they made those millions of dollars,” said Garry South, who was Davis’ chief strategist.
As for Steyer, South said, “It’s pretty hard for me to see a billionaire on the Democratic side credibly take on the whole issue of wealth inequality.”
Within hours of Steyer’s announcement, two of his opponents took shots at him.
“I’m a bit tired of seeing billionaires trying to buy political power,” Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont told MSNBC.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who is competing with Sanders for progressive voters, tweeted, “The Democratic primary should not be decided by billionaires, whether they’re funding super PACs or funding themselves.”
In an email seeking donations on Thursday, she said, “We need our candidates to compete to have the best ideas — not just to write themselves the biggest checks.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren says the Democratic presidential primary should not be decided by billionaires.
(Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)
Both Sanders and Warren, who frequently rail at what they see as unfair advantages for the super-rich, have declined to take money from Wall Street donors.
Steyer’s wealth will enable him to run more television ads than most of his opponents can afford. He is already spending $1.4 million on advertising over the next two weeks on national cable news networks and in the first four states to hold a primary or caucus.
“Maybe he feels he can overwhelm these questions by spending a lot of money telling his story the way he wants to tell it,” said David Axelrod, the architect of Obama’s campaigns. “The problem is in the presidential race, the coverage is so intense and social media such a big piece of that, these kinds of vulnerabilities get shared virally very readily, and I’m not sure you can overwhelm that, even with hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Steyer could also face questions about spending that much money on himself. “Does all that spending help in the end of the day or does it become an emblem of excess and self-aggrandizement?” Axelrod said.
Asked about his letter to Farallon investors on the British Virgin Islands company that was going to help them avoid federal taxes, Steyer did not address his past actions, but called for new taxes on the rich to reduce inequality.
“I use no offshore tax havens and pay all U.S. taxes in full,” he said. “I believe we should have a much simpler and fairer tax code and get rid of all loopholes.”
Match of the Day pundit Wayne Rooney believes Tammy Abraham’s arrival at Aston Villa could be key to Ollie Watkins rediscovering his form, as the pressure of competition for his place in the starting line-up is something “he has to respond to”.
Located on the Atlantic coast, the country has a subtropical climate with distinct dry and rainy seasons, with average high temperatures in March reaching 34C
The country plays host to 50 miles of coastline that boasts white-sand beaches(Image: Getty Images/imageBROKER RF)
A breathtaking destination boasting 34C temperatures in March and direct flights from Britain offers travellers 50 miles of spectacular coastline featuring white-sand beaches. Dubbed ‘The Smiling Coast of Africa’, the Republic of The Gambia – or simply The Gambia – is so called after The Gambia River, which forms the core of the country’s geography.
It’s also mainland Africa’s smallest country and is celebrated for its friendly inhabitants. Situated along the Atlantic shoreline, The Gambia enjoys a subtropical climate characterised by distinctive dry and wet seasons.
In the capital, Banjul, average peak temperatures during March climb to 34C, whilst the ocean reaches an agreeable 26C. British holidaymakers travelling to Gambia can select from 17 airlines, according to Booking.com..
TUI operates holiday packages to The Gambia featuring flights from London Gatwick and Manchester Airport to Banjul International Airport, the nation’s capital. The journey from Britain takes approximately six and a half hours.
Despite measuring just 31 miles at its widest point, The Gambia features 50 miles of shoreline blessed with white-sand beaches, with standout locations including the coastal areas of Kotu and Kololi.
Surrounded entirely by the West African state of Senegal, The Gambia’s official language is English and has experienced “long spells of stability” since gaining independence from nearly 150 years of British colonial governance in 1965, according to the BBC.
A haven for nature enthusiasts, The Gambia is home to hippos, chimpanzees, crocodiles, and more than 600 species of birds. The nation also features nine distinct tribes, with the Mandinka forming the largest.
YouTuber Waleed Maoed, who recently visited The Gambia, documented his experience with locals in a video about the nation: “Honestly, it has been a great day in Gambia, home of the Smiling Coast.
“People here are awesome. Very welcoming. I definitely recommend visiting this country. This country is pretty cool.” He noted that despite having travelled to “many places” across Africa, Gambians had proven “super kind”.
The Gambia is a predominantly flat, low-lying strip of land split by the Gambia River, and, in what will come as a relief to those of us who struggle with jet lag, it operates on the same timezone as the UK.
Notable attractions include the River Gambia National Park, Kotu Beach, Kachikally Crocodile Pool, Albert Market and the historical Kunta Kinteh Island (previously called James Island).
Regarding traditional food, white rice accompanied by fiery sauces proves popular, according to The Gambian Experience, with the peanut-based Domoda stew serving as the national dish.
Additional specialities include spiced meat snack afra, meat-and-rice dish benachin, okra stew, palm wine, a bread variety called tapalapa, non-alcoholic wonjo juice, and chicken yassa.
Back in March 2013, Didi Danso penned a piece in the Mirror documenting a journey to The Gambia: “Stepping off the plane, warm air blasted me in the face. Temperatures are usually around 30C – one of the main reasons for its popularity with winter and spring sun-seekers.
“In the airport and beyond, people greeted me with a smiling face. This was so infectious that by the end of each day, my cheeks ached from smiling back.
“My first stop was the beautiful Kombo Beach Hotel in Kotu resort, where a light and airy room with a private balcony offered views of the ocean and beaches.
“Waking up to the sound of the sea was a delightful way to start the day. It convinced me to take a walk on the beautiful Bakau Beach – something I’d recommend to all.”
President Donald Trump has said he will raise global tariffs on imported goods to 15 percent after the United States Supreme Court struck down his previous trade measures.
The president announced his decision on Saturday, revising an earlier decision to impose a new 10 percent worldwide tariff after the Supreme Court ruling, which triggered immediate concern and responses from governments and markets.
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The US top court’s ruling and Trump’s new tariffs have left countries grappling with the legal and economic fallout, raising questions about ongoing agreements, tariff reductions, and the legality of past duties.
Governments are now evaluating how the new levy will affect key industries, investment plans, and trade negotiations, while analysts warn that uncertainty could persist until legal and trade frameworks are clarified.
South Korea
In South Korea, one of the US’s closest allies, the presidential office, Blue House, has released a statement, saying the government will review the trade deal and make decisions in the national interest, casting a question mark over the agreement signed in November last year, which lowered tariffs from 25 to 15 percent in exchange for $350bn in cash and investments from South Korea in the US.
“For major South Korean companies in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors, the Supreme Court ruling has been positive: Even if Trump introduces the new 10 percent tariffs under Section 122, they would still pay a lower rate,” said Jack Barton, an Al Jazeera correspondent in Seoul.
“However, exporters of automobiles, more than half of which go to the US, remain subject to the 25 percent tariff, and steel exports are still hit with 50 percent duties under Section 232, which was not affected by the ruling.”
The South Korean government is expected to move cautiously. Exports account for 85 percent of South Korea’s gross domestic product, with the US as the second-largest market.
“Officials have indicated that rapid changes could jeopardise major agreements, including a recent multibillion-dollar shipbuilding deal with the US and other investments,” said Barton.
“While no definitive policy statement has been made yet, the Blue House has said that the trade deal will be under careful review and changes are likely.”
India
India has faced some of the highest US tariffs under Trump’s previous use of emergency trade powers. The president first imposed a 25 percent levy on Indian imports and later added another 25 percent on the country’s purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total to 50 percent.
Earlier this month, the US and India reached a framework trade deal. Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to stop buying Russian oil and that US tariffs would be lowered to 18 percent for India’s top exports to the US, including clothing, pharmaceuticals, precious stones, and textiles. Meanwhile, India said it will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a range of agricultural products.
According to political economist MK Venu, founding editor of Indian publication, The Wire, “Critics have argued New Delhi should have waited for the US Supreme Court decision before finalising the interim trade deal and even trade analysts previously connected with the government have maintained it would have been wiser to wait for the court verdict.”
Venu added that Trump was eager to finalise the trade deal, which includes a commitment to buy $500bn worth of new imports in defence, energy, and artificial intelligence (AI) from the US over the next five years.
While India, he said, welcomed the reduction of tariffs to 18 percent and the removal of penal duties on Russian imports, uncertainty remains over negotiations, as the Supreme Court ruling affects the legal basis of past tariffs.
“The Indian trade delegation is likely to wait for the final outcome of the Supreme Court verdict before proceeding with further negotiations, and countries around the world are expected to follow the court’s ruling rather than rush into trade agreements under legislation deemed unconstitutional,” he said.
China
China has reacted in a muted way to the Supreme Court ruling, with much of the country still on the Lunar New Year break.
Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride, reporting from Beijing, said, “The Chinese embassy in Washington has issued a blanket statement, noting that trade wars benefit nobody, and that the decision is likely to be broadly welcomed in China, which has long been a primary target of Trump’s tariff policies.”
Since last April, he said, China has faced multiple layers of tariffs, including 10 percent on chemicals used in fentanyl production exported to the US and 100 percent on electric vehicles.
Analysts have estimated that the overall tariff level, about 36 percent, could now fall to about 21 percent, providing some relief to an economy already under strain from the COVID-19 pandemic, a prolonged property market crisis, and declining exports.
Shipments from China to the US have reportedly fallen by roughly a fifth over the past year.
“Beijing has sought to offset losses in the US market by strengthening trade ties with Southeast Asian nations and pursuing agreements with the European Union,” McBride said.
“The Supreme Court ruling may also create a more favourable atmosphere ahead of a planned state visit by Trump in early April, when he is expected to meet President Xi Jinping, potentially opening space for a reset in relations between the world’s two largest economies.”
Canada
Canada has welcomed the US Supreme Court’s decision but has pointed out that there are still some challenges ahead.
Regional leaders across the country, including those of British Columbia and Ontario, have signalled that the ruling is a positive step, according to Al Jazeera’s Ian Wood, reporting from Toronto.
However, Minister for Canada-US trade Dominic LeBlanc has said that significant work remains, as Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminium, softwood lumber, and automobiles have remained in place.
Meanwhile, Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford has added that while optimism has grown, tension has persisted over what Donald Trump will do next, Wood said.
Mexico
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, said her government would be carefully reviewing the Supreme Court’s decision to assess its scope and the extent to which Mexico might be affected.
“The reality is that despite all we’ve heard over the last year about tariffs or the threat of tariffs, Mexico has actually ended up in quite a privileged, even competitive position, especially when compared to other countries,” said Al Jazeera’s Julia Gliano, reporting from Mexico City.
“We have to remember Mexico is the US’s largest trading partner, and the two countries, along with Canada, share a vast trading agreement that shields most products from the so-called reciprocal tariffs that President Trump announced.
“There were also punitive tariffs related to fentanyl and illegal immigration along the US border, which Mexico had managed to suspend while negotiations continued on those matters. Now the tariffs that Mexico has been subjected to on steel, aluminium, and car parts are not affected by today’s decision.”
So, the government here in Mexico, she said, is now standing by to see what the Trump administration comes up with next as it reels from today’s decision by the Supreme Court.
France
French President Emmanuel Macron hailed “the existence of checks and balances in democracies” after the Supreme Court’s decision, telling reporters at an event in the capital that his country wanted to continue exporting “under the fairest rules possible and not be subject to unilateral decisions”.
The country’s finance minister, Nicolas Forissier, told UK newspaper The Financial Times that the EU has the tools to hit back at the US over its tariff policy, suggesting a more combative approach.
Germany
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he expected the tariff burden on his country’s economy to be lower after the US Supreme Court ruling, raising the prospect of German companies recouping billions in refunds.
Flagging an upcoming visit to Washington, Merz told Germany’s ARD broadcaster that he would present a “coordinated European position” on the matter, pointing out that tariff policy is determined by the European Union rather than individual member states.
Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said Europe was strengthening its independence and sovereignty, building new trade relationships worldwide and concluding free trade agreements.
Limits of Trump’s tariff powers
A senior legal scholar told Al Jazeera that the US Supreme Court ruling marks a key moment in the legal battle over Trump’s tariffs, focusing on constitutional limits rather than economics.
Frank Bowman, professor emeritus at the University of Missouri School of Law, told Al Jazeera that the court has for the first time confronted what he called Trump’s broader challenge to the rule of law.
“This is a ruling that is important in several respects. The first, more broadly, is that this is the first time in the last year that the Supreme Court has stepped in and attempted to do something about Donald Trump’s generalised attack on the rule of law in the United States.
“And make no mistake, although tariffs certainly are about economics, what Trump has done over the last year is essentially to defy the law. And the Supreme Court happily decided that they had had enough and that they would say no. So, they’re not ruling on economic policy. They made a decision that the president simply exceeded his constitutional authority.”
These are the key developments from day 1,459 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Published On 22 Feb 202622 Feb 2026
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Here is where things stand on Sunday, February 22:
Fighting
A Russian drone attack on Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region killed four people, including a 17-year-old boy, while another attack on the southeastern Zaporizhia region killed a 77-year-old man, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Odesa region wounded two people and caused damage to homes, cars and an energy facility, officials said. Another Russian attack on the Dnipropetrovsk region wounded a 77-year-old man.
In the Donetsk region, Russian shelling wounded four people in 18 attacks throughout the day, Governor Vadym Filashkin wrote on Telegram. Authorities evacuated 562 people, including 244 children, from front-line settlements.
Russian forces also hit the facility of US snack food company Mondelez in Sumy, sparking a reaction from Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, who wrote on X that Russia was “targeting American business interests in Europe”.
“Moscow cannot speak of economic dialogue with the United States while attacking US-owned production facilities,” Sybiha added.
In the front-line Kherson region, Russian shelling wounded two police officers and one civilian, Ukraine’s National Police wrote on Telegram. Three apartment buildings, 18 homes, a hospital and numerous public buildings sustained damage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Ukrainian security forces “neutralised Russian mercenaries preparing assassination attempts” against “high-profile” figures, including military personnel, intelligence officers and journalists.
Moscow’s forces took control of the village of Karpivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, the Russian RIA state news agency reported on Saturday, citing the Ministry of Defence.
A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Belgorod region wounded a man and a three-year-old child, according to the Russian TASS news.
The Ukrainian General Staff said Ukraine’s home-produced “Flamingo” cruise missiles hit a Russian ballistic missile plant in the Udmurtia region, as well as a gas plant in the Samara region.
Politics and diplomacy
Zelenskyy held discussions with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on the next round of trilateral negotiations with the US and Russia, as well as Ukraine’s energy situation. He said on X that “in many areas, our views align”.
Zelenskyy said in his evening address that “we continue working every day… so that the next round of negotiations can deliver results for Ukraine, results for peace”.The Ukrainian leader said he was closely coordinating with European partners so that the European Union is “involved in all processes and grows only stronger”.
Demonstrators in Washington, DC, Paris, and Prague rallied in support of Ukraine ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24.
Zelenskyy awarded Ukraine’s civilian award, the Order of Princess Olga, to Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo in the Ukrainian capital. Hidalgo’s visit marked her sixth trip to Kyiv since the start of the war.
Sybiha, the Ukrainian foreign minister, condemned Russia’s alleged ongoing recruitment of Kenyans and other Africans into Moscow’s war, writing that it “evokes the worst memories of colonial attitudes from the past” and warning Africans against signing contracts with Russian recruiters.
Ukraine enforced new sanctions against the captains of vessels allegedly transporting Russian oil, a list that Zelenskyy said totalled 225 people.
Energy
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened to stop providing emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine unless Kyiv resumed Russian oil transit to Slovakia over Ukrainian territory, through the Druzhba pipeline. Hungary said it would block a 90 billion euro ($106bn) EU loan for Ukraine for the same reason.
Shipments of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia have been cut off since January 27, when Kyiv says a Russian drone strike hit pipeline equipment in Western Ukraine. Slovakia and Hungary say Ukraine is to blame for the prolonged outage.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “rejects and condemns” Hungary and Slovakia’s statements and that the “provocative, irresponsible ultimatums threaten the energy security of the entire region”.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticised Hungary’s move on X, writing, “Guess who’s happy”, in an apparent reference to Russia.
Military aid
The Czech Republic transferred 200 reconnaissance drones to five Ukrainian brigades, equipment worth about $800,000, Ukraine’s Interfax news agency reported.
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in an interview with the BBC that the United Kingdom and the EU should send “peaceful ground forces” to “show our support for a free, independent Ukraine”.
Embattled Hollywood mogul Casey Wasserman, who is facing mounting pressure to resign from his position at the helm of the 2028 L.A. Olympics, also holds another important cultural appointment on the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s board of trustees.
Wasserman, 51, joined LACMA’s board in 2004 when he was 30, two years after he founded his eponymous talent and marketing agency. Just last week, Wasserman announced he would sell his agency after racy emails between himself and convicted sex trafficker and Jeffrey Epstein associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, emerged at part of the Justice Department’s latest release of millions of documents related to the Epstein files.
Wasserman, the grandson of legendary studio exec Lew Wasserman, arrived at LACMA as part of a wave of relatively young additions to a notoriously older board. His addition also heralded the dawning of an era in which LACMA actively sought to strengthen its connections with the entertainment world. In 2011, LACMA launched its glitzy Art + Film Gala, an annual party co-chaired by Leonardo DiCaprio that serves as a melting pot for A-list celebrities and art world stars.
“There was an understanding — the message was there needed to be a change in the board,” museum director Michael Govan told The Times in a 2015 interview. “The board was in extreme need of refreshment.”
Now that Wasserman’s leadership in other roles is being questioned , will his relationship with LACMA follow? LACMA did not respond to a request for comment. Although the board generally meets a few times a year, it may not be an issue that has come to the fore as of yet.
Thus far, LA28 has stood by Wasserman, noting in a recent statement that his emails with Maxwell were sent years “before Mr. Wasserman or the public knew of Epstein and Maxwell’s deplorable crimes … This was his single interaction with Epstein.”
“The Executive Committee of the Board has determined that based on these facts, as well as the strong leadership he has exhibited over the past ten years, Mr. Wasserman should continue to lead LA28 and deliver a safe and successful Games,” LA28 wrote.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said in a recent CNN interview that she believed Wasserman should step down, and that it is “unfortunate” that Olympic organizers remained in support of him.
In a memo to staff at his talent agency, Wasserman wrote that he was “heartbroken that my brief contact with them 23 years ago has caused you, this company, and its clients so much hardship over the past days and weeks.”
I’m arts editor Jessica Gelt with this week’s arts and culture news.
You’re reading Essential Arts
The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
The cast of “Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale.”
(South Coast Repertory)
Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale The classic fairy tale moves to the basketball court in this hip-hop fueled musical adaptation for young audiences with a book and lyrics by Karen Zacarías and music by Deborah Wicks La Puma. Directed by Sara Guerrero. Through March 8. South Coast Repertory, Julianne Argyros Stage, 655 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scr.org
Dear Little Friend: Impressions of Galka Scheyer The exhibition from the German-born art dealer’s collection includes portraits and ephemera, featuring such artists as Maynard Dixon, Peter Krasnow, Beatrice Wood and Edward Weston, as well as gifts from the Blue Four artsist, whose work Scheyer championed: Alexei Jawlensky, Lyonel Feininger, Paul Klee and Vassily Kandinsky. Thursday-Monday, through July 20. Norton Simon Museum, 411 West Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. nortonsimon.org
The Industry LAB 2026 The innovative opera company partners with REDCAT for this series featuring new works: a shared program of Guillermo E. Brown’s “The Instrument, Romance, Bee Boy” and Carmina Escobar’s “Our Voice Is Not at the End of Anything” (8 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday); and Matana Roberts’ “spiral resonance: a study in the abstract,” an immersive sound and moving image installation exhibition (noon-6 p.m., daily through March 1) with solo activation performances in the space by Patrick Shiroishi (8 p.m. Tuesday); Ryan Sawyer (8 p.m. Wednesday); Roberts (8 p.m. Feb. 27); Kyp Malone (8 p.m. Feb. 28); and Judith Berkson (3 p.m. March 1). Through March 1, 2026 REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. redcat.org
Wallace Berman/Bruce Conner A pair of solo exhibitions highlighting extraordinary mark-making: “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” salutes the centennial of post-war counter-culture artist Berman with a rare showing of his large-scale photographic collages; “Inkblots and Felt Tip Drawings” focuses on an often overlooked aspect of multimedia artist Conner’s work. A selection of Conner’s experimental films are being exhibited at Marciano Art Foundation (see below). Tuesday-Saturday, through April 25. Michael Kohn Gallery, 1227 North Highland Ave. kohngallery.com
Missa Solemnis Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic are joined by more than 100 voices from the Cor de Cambra of the Palau de la Música Catalana and Orfeó Català of Barcelona for this Beethoven mass that is rarely performed due to its ambitious scale. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Jon Serl: As One, As Many Starting in vaudeville before moving to California and working as a Hollywood voice actor and gardener, Serl became a painter following World War II with a long, expressive career illustrated in this retrospective. Fittingly, the artist had his first museum exhibition in 1981 at the Newport Harbor Art Museum (now UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art). Through June 7. UC Irvine Langson/Orange County Museum of Art, 3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa. ocma.art
Marco Perego “The Being” is a solo exhibition featuring video, installations and drawings by Italian-born artist. Through April. Jeffrey Deitch, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. deitch.com
Christina Kirk and Norbert Leo Butz, seated, with the cast of “The Recipe.”
(Rich Soublet II/La Jolla Playhouse)
The Recipe Christina Kirk and Norbert Leo Butz star as Julia and Paul Child in the world premiere of Claudia Shear’s play about the world-famous chef. Directed by Lisa Petersen. Through March 22. La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Dr. lajollaplayhouse.org
Puppet Up! – Uncensored Created by Brian Henson and directed by Patrick Bristow, this irreverent, ever-changing show features the Miskreant puppets plus classic Jim Henson sketches unseen by live audiences for decades. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5 p.m. Sunday; 7 p.m. Feb. 27-28; 5 p.m. March 1. The Montalbán, 1615 Vine St., Hollywood. puppetup.com
SATURDAY Kyreeana Breelin Alexander The interdisciplinary artist performs “We Cool,” a solo autobiographical coming-of-age story fueled by rhythm and movement. 8 p.m. UCLA Nimoy Theater, 1262 Westwood Blvd. cap.ucla.edu
Judith F. Baca With “The Great Wall Of Los Angeles: The 1970’s — A Decade Of Defiance And Dreams,” the artist’s organization SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center) exhibits the latest complete segment in the monumental work’s expansion. Opening reception, 6-8 p.m.; through April 4. Jeffrey Deitch, 925 N. Orange Dr. deitch.com
Bruce Conner, “Crossroads,” 1976. 35mm, black/white, sound, 37 min. Digitally Restored, 2013.
(The Conner Family Trust/Michael Kohn Gallery)
Bruce Conner “Recording Angel” brings together seven of the artist’s experimental films, composed of found, scavenged and original footage, and re-cut using his influential rapid-fire editing techniques. Through July 18. Marciano Art Foundation, 4357 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. marcianoartfoundation.org
Patti LuPone The Broadway star marks the 25th anniversary of her concert “Matters of the Heart,” which ran on Broadway and London’s West End and toured the globe. 7:30 p.m. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laopera.org
John Snow The bassist and his band explore “The Poetry in Music” through works by John Coltrane, Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, Langston Hughes, Hoagy Carmichael, Bob Dylan and others. 8 p.m. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. odysseytheatre.com
Tap Fest: Listen to This! Dancers Derick Grant, Sam Weber and Josette Wiggan join the Colburn’s tap faculty and students for a program exploring the concept of the Tap Artist as both a dancer and musician. 7 p.m. Colburn School, Thayer Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. colburnschool.edu
SUNDAY Zhanna Kadyrova A collaboration with Kyiv to LA, an ongoing project supporting Ukrainian artists through a Los Angeles-based residency, and the Thomas Mann House, the solo exhibition “Sliced Realities” explores the artist’s anti-war practice and coincides with the four-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Sunday-Feb. 28. Thomas Mann House (1550 N San Remo Drive, Pacific Palisades. vatmh.org
Museums Free-For-All An Southland tradition in which Southern California arts and cultural institutions open their doors for free general admission. Participants include the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the Autry Museum of the American West, The Broad, California African American Museum, the Getty Center and the Getty Villa, UCLA Hammer Museum, LACMA, MOCA, Skirball Cultural Center and many, many more. At some locations, tickets are limited and reservations may be required. All-day Sunday. See complete list of participating institutions at socalmuseums.net/free
Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel Colburn Conservatory of Music welcomes the Belgian conservatory and its master-in-residence, cellist Gary Hoffman, for a joint performance of Fauré’s “Piano Quintet No. 1” and Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time.” 3 p.m. Colburn School, Thayer Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. colburnschool.edu
Sueño Perro This film Installation by Alejandro G. Iñárritu both marks the 25th anniversary of his debut “Amores Perros” and serves as a “resurrection” using projections of never-before-seen fragments from that film’s production. Through July 26. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, BCAM, Level 1, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. lacma.org
We Hold These Truths: A Celebration of Black History Month Over 100 Years The contributions of Black Americans to the cause of democracy over the years are recognized in this collaboration of performers from across artistic mediums. Featured artists include actor Phil Morris, composer Tamar-kali, dancer Ishaun Jackson-Moaney, the West Angeles COGIC Victory Dance Company, opera baritone Derrick Lawrence and promising talent out of the USC Thornton School of Music, opera mezzo-soprano and producer Raehann Bryce-Davis, poet Alyesha Wise and arts scholar and activist Derrell Acon. 3 p.m. Nocturne Theatre, 324 N. Orange St., Glendale. eventbrite.com
TUESDAY Flashback Fun Six Disney classics return to the big screen: “Muppet Treasure Island” (Tuesday); “The Aristocats” (Wednesday); “Dumbo” (Thursday); “The Rescuers” (Feb. 27); “Bolt” (Feb. 28); and “Oliver and Company” (March 1). The El Capitan Theatre, 6838 Hollywood Blvd. elcapitantheatre.com
Filmmaker Jafar Panahi at the Toronto International Film Festival last September.
(Kate Dockeray/For The Times)
It Was Just an Accident: Live Read Film Independent presents writer-director Jafar Panahi’s “incisive drama,” winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2025 and nominated for international feature film and original screenplay at this year‘s Academy Awards, to the Wallis stage read by a new cast. 7:30 p.m. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
Haegue Yang “Star-Crossed Rendezvous” pairs two of the Korean-born, Berlin-based artist’s large-scale installations employing utilitarian objects. The first, “Sol LeWitt Upside Down — K123456, Expanded 1078 Times, Doubled and Mirrored” (2015) is a monochromatic installation inspired by the cube structures of the American conceptual artist. Across the gallery, “Star-Crossed Rendezvous after Yun” (2024) is an homage to composer and political dissident Isang Yun (1917–95). Synchronized to Yun’s “Double Concerto” (1977), an array of moving lights animate vibrant geometric structures to create an ever-changing, multisensory experience. The L.A. Philharmonic will perform Yun’s piece on March 10 at Walt Disney Concert Hall, with a pre-concert viewing of the installation at MOCA Grand. Through Aug 2. Museum of Contemporary Art, 250 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. moca.org
WEDNESDAY L.A. Art Week It happens every February. Thousands of artists, collectors, curators and gallerists descend on the city, swelling an already vibrant local scene with a global reach into a week of discovery, creative adventure and fashion flamboyance. The Big Kahuna, of course, is Frieze Los Angeles (Thursday-March 1. frieze.com), a fair with a primarily contemporary focus, approximately 100 galleries, installations and pop-ups restaurants from around L.A.; Butter Fine Art Fair (Thursday-March 1. Hollywood Park, 1237 District Drive, Inglewood. butterartfair.com) features artists representing the African diaspora; Enzo (Wednesday-Saturday. 1634 W. Temple St. enzolosangeles.com) presents nine New York City galleries in an Echo Park warehouse; Felix Art Fair (Wednesday-March 1. Hollywood Roosevelt, 7000 Hollywood Blvd. felixfair.com) showcases exhibitors from around the world in a classic Hollywood setting; the cheekily-named The Other Art Fair Los Angeles (Thursday-March 1. 3Labs, 8461 Warner Dr., Culver City. theotherartfair.com) promises “the bizarre, unexpected, and never normal” with work from 160 independent artists; Post-Fair (Thursday-Feb. 28. 1248 5th St., Santa Monica. post-fair.com) is a dealer-led event in a historic Santa Monica Post Office building; and Start Up Art Fair (Friday-March 1. The Kinney Venice Beach, 737 Washington Blvd. startup-art.com) brings together 150 independent artists, collectors, curators and art professionals. It’s mostly next weekend but we wanted to give you a heads-up. Be sure to watch for Times reporter Malia Mendez’s upcoming preview. Happy art hunting and people watching.
THURSDAY Beethoven and Ortiz with Dudamel Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Phil are joined by Grupo Corpa and the L.A. Master Chorale for this charged program pairing Beethoven’s “Seventh Symphony” with Gabriela Ortiz’s ballet “Revolución diamantina (Glitter Revolution).” 8 p.m. Thursday and Feb. 27; 2 p.m. Feb. 28-March 1. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Norbert Leo Butz The Broadway star and two-time Tony Award winner (currently performing in “The Recipe” at La Jolla Playhouse, above) will perform excerpts from his signature roles, original compositions from his four solo records and covers from Tom Waits, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen. 7 p.m. Thursday-Feb. 28. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Samueli Theater, 300 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scfta.org
Arts anywhere
Something to read, something to hear and something to watch wherever you are.
The Art Book: Mini Format
(Phaidon Press)
The Art Book What’s it like to hold art history in the palm of your hand? Find out with the new Mini edition of this beloved text celebrated for bringing art appreciation to the masses. First introduced in 1994, the updated edition of this A-Z survey features more than 600 artists from medieval times to the present. It’s far from stuffy, including overlooked and contemporary figures including Berenice Abbott, Romare Bearden, Guerrilla Girls and more; plus Takashi Murakami and Wolfgang Tillmans, who The Times happened to interview recently and have L.A. shows (see below). Phaidon Press: 592 pp., $20. phaidon.com
Yunchan Lim
(IMG Artists)
Goldberg Variations Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, 2025 Recorded fewer than 30 blocks form where Glenn Gould laid down his own landmark recording of Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterpiece, pianist Yunchan Lim’s new album has been topping the classical charts since its release earlier this month. If you missed his performance of the Variations at Disney Hall last October (or if even if you didn’t), this is a must listen. Decca Records: $8-38. Available on vinyl, CD and digital download. deccarecordsus.com
An image from Frederick Wiseman’s ‘Titicut Follies.’
(courtesy of Zipporah Films)
Frederick Wiseman The filmmaker, who died Monday at 96, was a master storyteller and craftsman who mainly inhabited the nonfiction realm of the documentary. His perceptive explorations of public and cultural institutions was unparalleled and he was honored with an honorary Academy Award in 2016. If you would like to revisit Wiseman’s work or want an exhaustive introduction, check out the Frederick Wiseman Essential Films Collection at kanopy.com. Virtually every film he ever made is available and all you need is a public library card (an apt requirement!). His final film, “Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros” from 2023, can be viewed via the PBS Passport membership portal.
— Kevin Crust
Culture news and the SoCal scene
A detail of miniature “sportraits” during a preview of award-winning animator and visual-effects artist Lyndon J. Barrois’ exhibit, “Futbol Is Life” at LACMA.
Jefferson Mays in “Amadeus” at Pasadena Playhouse.
(Jeff Lorch)
A new take on Peter Shaffer’s “Amadeus” premiered at Pasadena Playhouse last week, and it may be the Tony Award-winning regional theater’s most lavish production to date. I got a behind-the-scenes tour of the theater’s amazing on-site scene shop to write about what it took to put the set, lighting and costumes together; and Times theater critic Charles McNulty attended opening night. Director Darko Tresnjak, writes McNulty in his review, “treats the play as though it were a tragedy wearing the mask of comedy. He doesn’t resist the melodrama that’s inherent in the material, but he refuses to overindulge it. This production hasn’t convinced me that ‘Amadeus’ is a world classic… But I doubt I’ll have the opportunity to see a better revival in my lifetime.”
McNulty also caught a performance of “Sylvia Sylvia Sylvia,” Beth Hyland‘s new play that recently had its world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse, and explores the lives of married writers living in the Boston apartment once occupied by the poet Sylvia Plath and her husband Ted Hughes. “World premieres are risky, and the writing for this one hasn’t yet settled. The play’s split focus, moving between 1958 and the present, is a sign of conceptual ambition. But Hyland struggles to find the pacing and rhythm of her complicated vision,” McNulty writes.
Meanwhile, “Here Lies Love,” David Byrne’s disco musical about the Ferdinand Marcos regime arrived at the Mark Taper Forum in a show directed by Center Theatre Group’s artistic director Snehal Desai. The Times’ Malia Mendez sat down with members of the all-Filipino cast to discuss the ways the show’s exploration of the perils of authoritarianism dovetail with the modern political moment.
Japanese artist Takashi Murakami sits in front of his painting at Perrotin Gallery on Feb. 13, 2026 in Mid City in Los Angeles, Calif.
(Ariana Drehsler/For The Times)
I had the opportunity for a one-on-one chat with artist Takashi Murakami about his solo show at Perrotin, Los Angeles, which features 24 new canvases that explore the connection between the ancient Japanese art of ukiyo-e and Impressionism. A trip to Monet’s gardens in Giverny, France, cemented Murakami’s idea for the paintings.
Contributor Steve Appleford wrote a thoughtful profile on German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, who is currently staging his ninth Los Angeles exhibition at Regen Projects. “In 2000 Tillmans became the first photographer and first non-British artist to win the prestigious Turner Award. Tate Britain staged his mid-career retrospective in 2003 and the Hammer Museum in Westwood mounted his first major U.S. retrospective that same year, which traveled to Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.,” Appleford writes.
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A sketch from architect Paul R. Williams’ archive at The Getty Center.
(Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times)
Paul Williams, the first Black architect licensed west of the Mississippi, is the focus of a series of upcoming shows to be staged from August through July 2027 at the Getty, LACMA and USC Fisher Museum of Art. Throughout the course of his six-decade career Williams designed more than 3,000 projects, including for clients such as Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball and the Beverly Hills Hotel. The exhibitions will feature architectural drawings, photographs, plans and memorabilia, some of which have never been on view to the public before.
Los Angeles Master Chorale announced Artistic Director Grant Gershon’s 25th anniversary season featuring work by Brahms, Bruckner, Arvo Pärt, Bach, Morten Lauridsen and Orlando di Lasso. Guest artists will include the National Chorus of Korea, composer Eric Whitacre, violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, Baroque ensemble Le Concert d’Astrée and theater director Peter Sellars. Subscriptions are available now, and single tickets will go on sale June 1.
The nonprofit arts organization, Los Angeles Nomadic Division (LAND), announced the four artists chosen to receive its 2026 Mohn LAND Grants. They are Shana Hoehn, Angela Anh Nguyen, Harrison Kinnane Smith and Adam Thompson. Winners receive a $5,000 award as well as $5,000 in production funds to use towards a new work commission.
NEW YORK — JPMorgan Chase acknowledged for the first time that it closed the bank accounts of Donald Trump and several of his businesses in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol, the latest development in a legal saga between the president and the nation’s biggest bank over the issue known as “debanking.”
The acknowledgment came in a court filing submitted this week in Trump’s lawsuit against the bank and its leader, Jamie Dimon. The president sued for $5 billion, alleging that his accounts were closed for political reasons, disrupting his business operations.
“In February 2021, JPMorgan informed Plaintiffs that certain accounts maintained with JPMorgan’s CB and PB would be closed,” JPMorgan’s former chief administrative officer Dan Wilkening wrote in the court filing. The “PB” and “CB” stands for JPMorgan’s private bank and commercial bank.
Until now, JPMorgan has never admitted it closed the president’s accounts in writing after Jan. 6. The bank would only speak hypothetically about when the bank closes accounts and its reasons for closing accounts, citing bank privacy laws.
A spokeswoman for the bank declined to comment beyond what the bank said in its legal filings.
Trump originally sued JPMorgan in Florida state court, where the president’s primary residence is now located. The filings this week are part of an effort by JPMorgan Chase to have the case moved from state to federal court and to have the jurisdiction of the case moved to New York, which is where the bank accounts were located and where Trump kept much of his business operations until recently.
Trump originally accused the bank of trade libel and violating state and federal unfair and deceptive trade practices.
In the original lawsuit, Trump said he tried to raise the issue personally with Dimon after the bank sent him notices that JPMorgan would close his accounts, and that Dimon assured Trump he would figure out what was happening. The lawsuit alleges Dimon failed to follow up with Trump.
Further, Trump’s lawyers allege that JPMorgan placed the president and his companies on a reputational “blacklist” that both JPMorgan and other banks use to keep clients from opening accounts with them in the future. The blacklist has yet to be defined by the president’s lawyers.
“If and when Plaintiffs explain what they mean by this ‘blacklist,’ JPMorgan will respond accordingly,” the bank’s lawyers said in a filing.
JPMorgan has previously said that although it regrets that Trump felt the need to sue the bank, the lawsuit has no merit.
The issue of debanking is at the center of the case. Debanking occurs when a bank closes the accounts of a customer or refuses to do business with a customer in the form of loans or other services. Once a relatively obscure issue in finance, debanking has become a politically charged issue in recent years, with conservative politicians arguing that banks have discriminated against them and their affiliated interests.
“In a devastating concession that proves President Trump’s entire claim, JPMorgan Chase admitted to unlawfully and intentionally de-banking President Trump, his family, and his businesses, causing overwhelming financial harm,” the president’s lawyers said in a statement. “President Trump is standing up for all those wrongly debanked by JPMorgan Chase and its cohorts, and will see this case to a just and proper conclusion.”
Debanking first became a national issue when conservatives accused the Obama administration of pressuring banks to stop extending services to gun stores and payday lenders under “Operation Choke Point.”
Trump and other conservative figures have alleged that banks cut them off from their accounts under the umbrella term of “reputational risk” after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump was impeached on a charge of inciting insurrection on Jan. 6, though not convicted in the Senate; and he was criminally indicted for his role in the riot and his attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat, but that case was dismissed after he won the 2024 election.
Since Trump came back into office, the president’s banking regulators have moved to stop any banks from using “reputational risk” as a reason for denying service to customers.
This is not the first lawsuit Trump has filed against a big bank alleging that he was debanked. The Trump Organization sued credit card giant Capital One in March 2025 for similar reasons and allegations. The case is ongoing.
Rory McIlroy lies six shots off the lead after Jacob Bridgeman’s stunning seven-under-par 64 cemented his place at the top of leaderboard after round three of the Genesis Invitational.
Northern Ireland’s McIlroy started the day one shot behind America’s Bridgeman but carded a two-under-par 69 to lie in second place on 13 under in Los Angeles.
Bridgeman, who also shot a 64 in round two, holed seven birdies and one eagle, on the 11th hole, in a fine display as he took control at the Riviera Country Club.
The 26-year-old, ranked 52 in the world, is enjoying a good start to the year having had two top-10 finishes in his opening four events, including last week’s eighth place at Pebble Beach.
England’s Marco Penge, who started the day tied for the lead with Bridgeman, shot a three-over-par 74 as he slipped to joint-seventh on the leaderboard.
Penge’s compatriot Aaron Rai is fourth and eight shots off the lead on 11 under after carding a 66, with South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter one shot ahead of him in third.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, who holed a seven-foot putt on Friday to make it to the weekend, is joint 22nd on five under after shooting a 66.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska, left, joined the European Group of Five in Krakow, Poland, on Friday to discuss efforts to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security and NATO’s deterrence and defense. Talks included a deal for the E5 countries — Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland — to produce low-cost drones to support Ukraine and proved better defense for NATO nations in Europe. Photo by NATO
Feb. 21 (UPI) — Britain announced it has made a deal with four NATO allies to launch an initiative that would see the five nations manufacture low-cost drones to protect Europe.
The European Group of Five (E5) — Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland — announced on Friday that they will launch the Low-Cost Effectors & Autonomous Platforms initiative, or LEAP, which is “inspired by Ukraine’s battlefield innovation,” the British government said in a press release.
The purpose of the program is to jointly develop low-cost autonomous drones that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization can use to counter Russian provocation in the airspace above NATO-allied nations, Politico reported.
The first focus of LEAP, according to British officials, will be the development of a new surface-to-air weapon that is lightweight and affordable in order to defend against Russia’s drone and missile threats.
“European security is at a pivotal moment,” Luke Pollard, Britian’s Minister for Defense Readiness and Industry, said after the E5 meeting. “The U.K. and our E5 partners are stepping up — investing together in the next generation of air defense and autonomous systems to strengthen NATO’s shield and keep our people safe.”
Over the course of the last year, Russian fighter jets have violated NATO partner’s airspace, including fighter jets over Estonia and drones over Poland, which the E5 countries said has spurred their new plans.
At a meeting Friday in Krakow, Poland, the E5 members met to with NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska to discuss the plans, which she said would be beneficial for Ukraine, which she said needs its allies to step up their support, as well as for all member nations of NATO in Europe.
Britain noted Friday that the new drone initiative comes as it also works with its European allies to develop long-range precision weapons and hypersonic weapons, with plans to spend more than $500 million on those initiatives just this year.
“The stronger each ally becomes, the stronger NATO will be,” Shekerinska said.
Team USA members celebrate their first goal in the first period of the men’s hockey semifinal game against Slovakia at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on February 20, 2026. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
Over the holiday period, I travelled to explore what this upcoming seaside town had to offer
I visited an up-and-coming UK seaside town (Image: Shania King-Soyza)
Nestled along the British coastline, one “emerging” seaside destination is discreetly transforming itself into the perfect coastal getaway. Boasting over 50 independent retailers dotting its charming streets, it presents a welcome change from identical high streets dominated by familiar chain stores.
The town’s artistic flair complements its historical appeal. From mouth-watering bakeries, trendy bars and eateries to unusual boutiques, each street corner feels distinctly local and brimming with character. Here’s what I uncovered during my visit to the sandy coastal town of Folkestone in Kent.
The beach
Folkestone features six beaches, but the one that captivated me most was the sheltered Sunny Sands. This spot was utterly stunning and serene. My highlight was perched on the brick wall above, observing the freezing turquoise waves rolling in.
Numerous visitors had their amiable dogs wandering freely, bounding across the sand and along the shoreline, and it was such a liberating scene to observe. The temperature was bitterly cold, and the breeze was battering my face, but it was worthwhile spending every moment there in tranquillity.
There was something oddly meditative about the sea, particularly in Folkestone. Well-known seaside destinations like Brighton don’t quite deliver that same sense of calm and peacefulness.
High street full of Independent shops
I thoroughly enjoyed discovering the town, with its undulating hills offering views reminiscent of the South of France, complete with palm trees and vibrant buildings. Yet what truly captured my heart was witnessing what the locals had to offer.
Folkestone boasts a thriving high street packed with a variety of local independent businesses, from clothing boutiques and game shops to traditional pubs and cafés. This area is known as the Creative Quarter, “a true symbol of the regeneration of the town,” said Folkstone and Hythe.
The town is surprisingly artistic and wonderfully eccentric. The quarter is said to hold an “inspiring community of designers, filmmakers, musicians, web developers and artists around the 115 studios and offices and over 50 shops, as well as around 80 flats, making the area a playground for creative and digital businesses.”
I ended up departing with second-hand bags and jewellery, anime and comic book merchandise (who would have thought?), along with charming trinkets to adorn my room.
The unique railway
Sitting at the heart of the harbour is an elongated, disused railway station, which proved both intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable to stroll across. According to Folkestone Harbour Seafront, the station platforms form part of the restoration of the Harbour Arm and its heritage structures.
The former Folkestone Harbour station launched in 1850, with a steep branch line descending from the main station to the harbour, connecting trains with ferries to Boulogne and Calais.
Following the abolition of duty-free shopping in 1999, the ferry operation from Folkestone ceased in September 2000, eliminating the primary purpose for the harbour branch line’s existence.
The arrival of the nearby Channel Tunnel also diminished the requirement for the conventional ferry-to-train connection, resulting in the line being formally closed in 2014. The station was subsequently cordoned off and deteriorated.
Nevertheless, the station was later restored and reopened in spring 2018. The platforms, where passengers once waited for trains, are now sheltered areas to relax, sit, and enjoy the scenery.
Discussing the transformation of the station, a spokesperson for the company said: “When the Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Company took possession of the harbour buildings, it was clear that very little of the original 1850 station structure remained.
“Even though the physical structure lacked authenticity, we realised that the existence of a station on the Harbour Arm had been integral to the successful development of Folkestone. It was interlaced with layers of history, making it an important piece of the town’s story.”
London-inspired attractions
After we strolled along the platform, we followed the signpost, which directed us to the “Goods Yard.” There, we discovered what resembled a compact version of London’s Boxpark.
This came as a welcome discovery, as throughout most of our stay, we’d been mingling with locals who appeared to be pensioners, but the Goods Yard attracted predominantly younger people, teenagers and families.
Similar to London, the venue featured a large screen showing family-friendly films and was surrounded by numerous restaurants and drinking establishments.
The dining options include Little Rock and Rocksalt, which provide locally caught seafood alongside coastal panoramas. Fresh fish cuisine can also be found at Chummys.
According to FolkeLife, Plamil Foods manufactures plant-based milks and vegan chocolate, whilst El Cortador delivers Spanish tapas. For beverages, craft beer is available at Brewing Brothers, whereas the Potting Shed provides vibrant atmospheres.
My top dining recommendation
During my time there, the finest experience I had was undoubtedly the cuisine. Beyond the harbour area, my preferred dining destination is the Blackmarket on Tontine Street.
This neighbourhood establishment serves mouth-watering burgers, chicken wings and alcoholic drinks, occasionally hosting live musical performances.
The interior design was remarkable, showcasing an eclectic collection of photographs, art pieces, text, banners, and emblems. It’s incredibly contemporary, yet accommodates visitors of every age and character.
I selected a burger topped with blue cheese, chorizo and crispy onions, which I still fantasise about today. I polished off the soy honey garlic-glazed wings within moments.
While chatting with proprietor Nathan Roberts, he explained they source locally, partnering with one of the town’s few remaining butchers. The menu gets refreshed every couple of months, guaranteeing fresh offerings on each return trip.
Discussing Folkestone’s prospects, Nathan commented: “It’s definitely somewhere to watch, there’s a lot going on, a lot of moves being made. I’d say in the next 10 years, Folkestone will be on the map, especially for people in the city. It’s going to be somewhere to keep an eye on; it’s only going to get better around here.”
United States President Donald Trump has doubled down on his new global tariffs, raising them from 10 to 15 percent, days after the Supreme Court struck down his sweeping levies on imports.
The move on Saturday came as businesses and governments around the world sought repayment for the estimated $133bn that Washington has already collected.
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In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump announced the raise “effective immediately” and said the move was based on a review of the “ridiculous, poorly written and extraordinarily anti-American decision” issued by the Supreme Court on Friday.
By a six-to-three vote, the court had ruled that it was unconstitutional for Trump to unilaterally set and change tariffs, because the power to tax lies with the US Congress.
The court’s decision struck down tariffs that Trump had imposed on nearly every country using an emergency powers law, known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Trump railed against the majority justices as “fools and lapdogs” in a news conference after the ruling, calling them an “embarrassment to their families”. He quickly signed an executive order – resting on a different statute, Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 – to impose the blanket 10 percent tariff, starting on Tuesday.
The 15 percent hike announced on Saturday is the highest rate allowed under that law.
However, those tariffs are limited to 150 days unless they are extended by Congress. No president has previously invoked Section 122, and its use could lead to further legal challenges.
It was not immediately clear whether an updated executive order was forthcoming.
The White House said the Section 122 tariffs include exemptions for certain products, including critical minerals, metals and energy products, according to the Reuters news agency.
Lawsuits
Trump wrote on Saturday that his administration will continue to work on issuing other permissible tariffs.
“During the next short number of months, the Trump Administration will determine and issue the new and legally permissible Tariffs, which will continue our extraordinarily successful process of Making America Great Again,” he said.
The president has already said his administration intends to rely on two other statutes that permit import taxes on specific products or countries based on investigations into national security or unfair trade practices.
Tariffs have been central to Trump’s economic agenda, which he has used as a tool to address a range of goals – from reviving domestic manufacturing to pressuring other nations to crack down on drug trafficking, and pushing warring countries toward peace.
He has also wielded tariffs, or the threat of them, as leverage to extract trade concessions from foreign governments.
Federal data shows the US Treasury had collected more than $133bn from the import taxes the president has imposed under the emergency powers law as of December.
Since the Supreme Court’s ruling, more than a thousand lawsuits have been filed by importers in the US to seek refunds, and more cases are on the way.
While legally sound, the path forward for such claims is not straightforward, especially for smaller firms, said John Diamond, director of the Center for Tax and Budget Policy at Rice University.
“It’s pretty clear that they will win in court, but it’ll take some time,” Diamond said. “Once we get the court orders in effect, I don’t think those refunds will be all that messy for larger firms. Smaller firms are going to have a much more difficult time getting through the process.”
But foreign governments are managing “the real mess”, Diamond said.
“What do you do if you’re Taiwan, or Great Britain, and you have this existing trade deal, but now it’s kind of been turned upside down?”
The US-Taiwan trade deal lowers the general tariff on Taiwanese goods from 20 percent to 15 percent, the same level as Asian trade partners South Korea and Japan, in exchange for Taipei agreeing to buy about $85bn of US energy, aircraft and equipment.
The US-United Kingdom deal imposes a 10 percent tariff on imports of most UK goods, and reduces higher tariffs on imports of UK cars, steel and aluminium.
‘Pickpocketing the American people’
After the Supreme Court’s decision, Trump’s trade representative, Jamieson Greer, told Fox News on Friday that those countries must honour their agreements even if they call for higher rates than the Section 122 tariffs.
Exports to the US from countries such as Malaysia and Cambodia would continue to be taxed at their negotiated rates of 19 percent, even though the universal rate is lower, Greer said.
Indonesia’s chief negotiator for US tariffs, Airlangga Hartarto, said the trade deal between the countries that set US tariffs at 19 percent, which was signed on Friday, remains in force despite the court decision.
The ruling could spell good news for countries like Brazil, which has not negotiated a deal with Washington to lower its 40 percent tariff rate but could now see its tariff rate drop to 15 percent, at least temporarily.
Governments around the world have reacted to the Supreme Court decision – as well as Trump’s subsequent tariff announcement – with a mix of cautious optimism, trepidation and frustration.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would coordinate a joint European stance before talks with Trump in early March, while Hong Kong’s secretary for financial services and the Treasury, Christopher Hiu, described the situation surrounding Trump’s new tariff moves as a “fiasco”.
With the November midterm elections in the US looming, Trump’s approval rating on his handling of the economy has steadily declined during his year in office.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Monday showed 34 percent of respondents saying they approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 57 percent said they did not approve.
Democrats, who need to flip only three Republican-held seats in the US House of Representatives in November to win a majority, have blamed Trump’s tariffs for exacerbating the rising cost of living.
They were quick to condemn Trump’s new tariff threat on Saturday.
Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee accused Trump of “pickpocketing the American people” with his newly announced higher tariff.
“A little over 24 hours after his tariffs were ruled illegal, he’s doing anything he can to make sure he can still jack up your costs,” they wrote on social media.
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, a Trump nemesis, added that “he [Trump] does not care about you”.
Britain’s Got Talent viewers were left divided by the drone performance featuring King Charles’ voice that closed the first episode of the ITV series
22:32, 21 Feb 2026Updated 22:36, 21 Feb 2026
The judges were blown away by the final act(Image: ITV)
Britain’s Got Talent viewers were left split over one particular act that brought the curtain down on the opening episode of the ITV programme.
This year, hundreds of hopefuls will be greeted by award-winning presenters Ant and Dec before showcasing their abilities to judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and newcomer KSI.
Performers from every corner of the UK and across the globe will be taking to the stage, hoping not only to impress the judging panel but also the voting public, in a bid to scoop the life-changing prize of £250,000 and a coveted spot at the legendary Royal Variety Performance.
Fans were quick to voice their opinions after Somerset act Celestial closed the show with a spectacular mega-drone display. As the judges and audience filed outside, Celestial put on a breathtaking show combining drones and lights.
Towards the finale of the performance, King Charles‘ voice was heard in a poignant tribute, leaving some viewers feeling it “couldn’t have come at a worse time”, reports Belfast Live.
The voice said: “Wherever you may live in the United Kingdom, I shall endeavour to serve you with loyalty, respect and love.
“Our nation and the wider family of realms, of whose talents, traditions and achievements, I am so inexpressibly proud. Have prospered and flourished, which makes us great as a nation.”
Amanda Holden remarked, “I am going to start crying.”
Responding to the act, one viewer wrote: “An act with the King’s voiceover could not have come at a worse time!”
“This is kinda sick #BGT,” wrote one viewer, whilst another chimed in with, “Not good timing but wow this is cool.”
One sharp-eyed fan noted, “Celestial- very cool very different I love it but I can’t see the King going outside to watch it that’s the only thing #BGT.”
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Another raised a valid point, asking: “How is a drone act going to work on the stage at The Royal Variety Show?”
Heaping praise on the heartfelt performance, one devoted viewer declared, “Celestial, best act of the Night #BGT.”
“Well, wasn’t that brilliant? Brought a wee tear to my eye #BGT,” gushed yet another fan.
Britain’s Got Talent is available to watch on ITVX.
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MILAN — He’s as smooth as a bobsled track and sharp as a skate blade.
Snoop Dogg, the rap rapscallion who puts the OG in Olympic Games, plopped down on a couch in the NBC green room and muted the TV. It’s exhausting being everywhere at all times at the most spread-out Winter Games in history.
Whether he was carrying the Olympic torch, skiing with Picabo Street, sliding a curling stone or driving a Zamboni, Snoop was everywhere. He finished each day with a highlight show from the Milan studios.
So ubiquitous was the so-called Ambassador of Happiness, you’d swear NBC duped a Snoop — or maybe two.
Snoop Dogg, right, and five-time Olympic gold medalist former speedskater Eric Heiden watch speedskating at the Milan-Cortina Olympics on Feb. 11.
(Ben Curtis / Associated Press)
“The Winter Olympics are underrated,” he said in an interview Friday at the network’s Olympic complex. “It’s not highly touted like it should be. This is an event that is just as good as the Super Bowl, as the Summer Olympics. There’s so much action and there’s so much happening, and it’s not just one day. It’s not just four quarters. It’s weeks of great competition — on ice, for the most part.”
It’s almost as if the angular, 6-foot-4 Snoop is on ice as he glides through the back halls of NBC’s temporary headquarters, wearing a white turtleneck under a red, white and blue leather jacket with “COACH SNOOP” across the front. He’s wearing a gold-rope chain with the Universal logo as a pendant, and gold-rimmed sunglasses that are square and lightly tinted.
He greets everyone he sees and a friendly assistant follows him, handing out Olympic pins of a tiny, cartoonish Snoop with his arms raised at his side, standing in front of an American flag.
Is it any wonder this guy creates a buzz in every venue he enters? He is the No. 1 celebrity sighting at the Games.
“Snoop has a joy about him, a childlike curiosity, and he’s also a people person,” said Molly Solomon, executive producer and president of programming for NBC’s Olympics coverage. “He wants to lift people up in all aspects of his persona.”
NBC began using the rapper as part of its Olympic coverage during the Tokyo Games in 2021 with the streaming Peacock show “Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart & Snoop Dogg.” Many of their playful clips and humorous commentaries went viral and were especially appealing to younger viewers. Snoop genuinely enjoyed the competition, even though a lot of it was new to him.
Three years later, as the network was preparing for the Paris Olympics, executives were looking for ways to enhance the prime-time coverage, much of which would air on tape because of time-zone differences. They decided to expand Snoop’s role to give the perspective of a “superfan.” With these Olympics, his role further evolved into an experiential one, and to serve as an informal mentor and ambassador to the athletes.
“This is the biggest stage in the world,” he said. “Nobody gets to perform in front of the world like they do, with the whole world paying attention. To have all of that pressure of [something] you’ve been working for four years … Some of these girls and guys get that one shot, their event is only one time.”
As a roving correspondent, he did … well, some serious roving.
That included making the drive from Milan to Cortina for curling, sliding and women’s ski racing. That’s a four-hour van ride each way, some of it winding into the Dolomites.
“Trying to sleep with my head up against the window, with turning curves and every mountaintop,” he said. “Sliding by trains and traffic, and oh my God, I couldn’t drive out here. One-way streets. Little-bitty trains coming this way, that way. Bicycles, mopeds. It’s a lot.”
He also made a 3½-hour trip to Livigno to watch snowboarding — and said that if he had to pick a sport to compete in, that would be his choice.
“I could get good in snowboard, because I just like the creativity of when you’re in the air you have full control but you in the air,” he said. “I just feel like that’s something I could really be good at.”
So he must have skateboarded as a kid growing up in Long Beach, right?
“Never,” he said. “That’s what I’m saying. None of these sports are near and dear to me. That’s why it’s gonna be a first-time trial. But I know who I am. I don’t like to fail. I don’t like to lose. So I’m just such a perfectionist that I will get good enough to be good enough.”
He’s 54 and concedes his body can’t always accomplish what his mind thinks it can. He tried running the 200 meters at the Olympic trials in Oregon before the Paris Games and did so in 33 seconds, but he limped away with an injury. So he has a goal for when the Summer Games come to Los Angeles in two years.
“When we get to L.A., my mission is for me to run the 200 in under 30 seconds,” he said. “In 2028, I should be 56 years old. So if I can run it in under 30 seconds at 56, that’s a gold medal for me.”
Solomon said NBC is still brainstorming about how Snoop’s role will evolve for the 2028 Games.
Honorary Team USA coach Snoop Dogg throws a curling stone as Americans Daniel Casper and Tabitha Peterson Lovick watch on Feb. 6 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
(Richard Heathcote / Getty Images)
“Of course, L.A. is Snoop’s hometown,” she said. “So he will be a hometown hero.”
Snoop said his love for the Olympics dates to the 1984 Los Angeles Games. He didn’t attend any events at the time, though, noting that for a 13-year-old kid growing up in Long Beach, the city felt “like a whole state away.”
“We were watching on television,” he said. “We never thought we could physically be there. … It just felt good to be an American, to watch us compete against the whole world and to see how great we were.”
He’s particularly interested in flag football — which will make its debut in the Los Angeles Olympics — and created a youth football league that counts among its alumni NFL standouts C.J. Stroud and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
“Flag football is a sport the whole world can grab ahold of,” Snoop said. “There are so many athletes that are in the NFL that are from different parts of the world that they’ve grown the sport from them just making it to the NFL and being an inspiration for the next generation.”
The move is in line with a new law, giving hope to throngs of others jailed over alleged plots to oust the government.
Published On 21 Feb 202621 Feb 2026
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Venezuelan authorities have granted amnesty to 379 political prisoners, according to a lawmaker, after a new law was enacted by interim authorities following the United States’ abduction of President Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuela’s National Assembly unanimously adopted the law on Thursday, providing hope that hundreds of political prisoners may soon be released.
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National Assembly deputy Jorge Arreaza, the lawmaker overseeing the amnesty process, said in a televised interview on Friday that the 379 prisoners “must be released, granted amnesty, between tonight and tomorrow morning”.
“Requests have been submitted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office to the competent courts to grant amnesty measures,” he said.
Opposition figures have criticised the new legislation, which appears to include carve-outs for some offences previously used by authorities to target Maduro’s political opponents.
It explicitly does not apply to those prosecuted for “promoting” or “facilitating … armed or forceful actions” against Venezuela’s sovereignty by foreign actors.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez has levelled such accusations against opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who hopes to return to Venezuela at some point from the US.
The law also excludes members of the security forces convicted of “terrorism”-related activities.
Arreaza said earlier that “the military justice system will handle” relevant cases for members of the armed forces, “and grant benefits where appropriate”.
Hundreds have already been granted conditional release by President Rodriguez’s government since the deadly US raid that seized Maduro.
‘Amnesty is not automatic’
The NGO Foro Penal had said before the announcement that about 650 were detained, a toll that has not been updated since.
Foro Penal director Alfredo Romero said on Friday that receiving “amnesty is not automatic”, but would require a process in the courts, viewed by many as an arm of Maduro’s repression.
Opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa, a Machado ally, announced his release from detention shortly after the bill was passed.
Earlier this month, he had been freed from prison but then quickly re-detained and kept under house arrest.
“I am now completely free,” Guanipa wrote on social media. He called for all other political prisoners to be freed and exiles to be allowed to return.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Venezuelans have been jailed in recent years over plots, real or imagined, to overthrow the government of Maduro – who was taken to New York to stand trial on drug trafficking and other charges.
Rodriguez was formerly Maduro’s vice president and took his place as the South American country’s leader with the consent of US President Donald Trump, if she toed Washington’s line.
The US has taken over control of Venezuela’s oil sales, with Trump promising a share for Washington in the profits.
Other snaps show her cheering with friends and sharing hugs, all round having a good day out.
It comes just after Emily gave her fans a sneak peak into her new countryside home.
She teased her new abode with some subtle photos including one of a rustic bookshelf in the interior, old fashioned panelled walls and lovely wooden flooring.
Captioning the snaps, Emily wrote: “Welcome to our new home!
“Can’t wait to bore you all to death with my unhinged wallpaper decisions.”
Emily also shared a number of photos during the process of her moving house with her fiance Alistair Garner, including pics of moving boxes and a removals and storage van.
She brought her beau along for the game
Emily posed with a huge grin and two thumbs up outside the van as it was being loaded.
Excited about the new chapter, she reflected on how far she had come.
“From single girl flats in Camden, to where I had my baby in North London. Now the big one.
“As me Al, Barney and Penny have moved out of London and to the countryside to our dream home.”
Met Office names Glenshiel Forest the UK’s wettest place below 200m with 3,778mm of rain a year – but the Scottish beauty spot offers red deer, historic battlefields and breathtaking mountain views
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Milo Boyd spent his formative years being rained on
Britain’s wettest location also happens to be one of its most stunning destinations.
It has been a truly miserable winter. Cornwall and County Down recorded their wettest January on record, while Northern Ireland saw its wettest January is 149 years. Across the UK, 26 stations set new monthly records for highest January rainfall. Daily records also fell. Plymouth recorded its wettest January day in 104 years. And February has been no better so far. As of February 9, southern England had seen 72% of its monthly average.
In the midst of such sogginess, the prospect of venturing towards a region notorious for precipitation might not sound particularly appealing. However, in my view, the nation’s rainfall champion deserves a visit regardless of the season.
My initial trip to Glenshiel Forest in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, occurred when I was four years old, during a family getaway to the neighbouring village of Glenelg. Those familiar with Scotland’s western coastline throughout the year will recognise how weather systems shift with astonishing speed compared to elsewhere in Britain.
Sunshine and azure skies can transform into torrential downpours within moments, sending everyone scrambling for waterproofs.
Glenshiel Forest takes this phenomenon to extraordinary heights. Rainfall batters the foliage and trees lining the nine-mile glen with remarkable intensity, only to abruptly cease as clouds disperse above the surrounding peaks, before resuming their assault once more.
Due to their intensity and frequency, the Met Office has designated Glenshiel Forest as Britain’s dampest location below 200m elevation, recording 3,778mm of precipitation annually. This dwarfs London’s approximately 500ml yearly average, making Glenshiel Forest roughly seven times wetter. It’s also roughly four times wetter than the UK as a whole.
But don’t let that deter you from pulling on your wellies, slipping into some galoshes and paying a visit to the Scottish forest. The area has been largely untouched by human activity, giving it a wonderfully remote and pristine feel. Red deer roam freely among native tree species such as common alder, downy birch, sessile oak and rowan.
History buffs will be captivated by the area’s rich past. “There’s a powerful sense of history in Glen Shiel, with steep mountains rushing upwards from an historic battlefield where British government forces and an alliance of Jacobite and Spanish troops fought in 1719,” notes the Woodland Trust.
“You can also access a mountain path to the Five Sisters of Kintail ‘ a classic ridgewalk with three Munros (mountains over 3000 feet / 914 metres).”
For 15 years, I spent my Easter holidays in the nearby village of Glenelg, which is most easily reached by traversing the stunning 339m tall Ratagan Pass – the only route into the sea-loch side settlement for several months of the year when the iconic Glenelg-Skye turntable ferry isn’t in operation.
The vista from the summit of the Ratagan, gazing down upon Glenshiel’s drenched woodlands in one direction and Glenelg in the other, is utterly unforgettable once witnessed. Few thrills can match cresting the hill after navigating the treacherously narrow, serpentine roads and beholding the village’s whitewashed cottages dotted along a loch’s shore, its waters remarkably azure, set against the backdrop of Skye’s mountains and the landscape beyond.
Perhaps the only thing that surpasses it – and another reason my family kept making pilgrimages to this remote corner of Britain year after year until the bungalow we considered our holiday retreat eventually crumbled into complete disrepair – is the panorama from the Glenelg Inn’s garden. Should you ever venture to the area, savour a pint from the local brewery whilst seated at the Inn’s picnic tables, taking in the spectacular scenery – at least until the heavens open.
For those who’d rather not brave the elements and venture into the sodden outdoors, Sykes Cottages has numerous properties available that are perfect for settling in and shutting out the dreary world beyond.
One particularly appealing option is Silver Birch Lodge, a six-person cottage that can be yours for less than £100 a night. Travel a little further north and you’ll get to the spacious Old Distillery Lodge, which sits in the stunning Caingorns National Park.
As rainy as parts of Scotland can be, they pale in comparison to the world’s soggiest area. Mawsynram is a town unlike any other. Nestled amidst the lush green forests of the Khasi Hills in the far east of India above Bangladesh, it is a beautiful area but an absolutely soaking one. Mawsynram receives about 11,873 mm of rainfall annually, which is close to 11 times more than the 1,109mm that falls on famously sodden Glasgow.
Jyotiprasad Oza is a lifelong resident of the town who makes a living leading groups of curious holidaymakers around with TourHQ. People come from far and wide to experience what life is like in the rainiest place on Earth, with visitors regularly making the trip from the US and UK.
“We get about 10,000 tourists a year. During rainy time people like to visit because it’s very heavy rainfall, especially June to September,” Jyotiprasad told the Mirror just as the rain clouds – somewhat predictably – began to open above him.
The rain in Mawsynram is not like the rain in most places. When it starts sometimes it doesn’t stop for days on end. Often residents will dash inside when the heavens open, only to find that there has been no let up for a week straight. And it isn’t just the duration that makes it stand apart.
In one single June day last decade 1,003mm of rain fell on the town – twice as much as London receives in a single year. The impacts on Mawsynram of such intense rainfall can be quite devastating.
“During the time of heavy rainfall, it is impossible to go outside. We can’t do our daily walk. We are not supposed to go outside during the rainy time. Sometimes children can’t go to school during the rain. It is quite dangerous,” Jyotiprasad explained.
At the end of moving day at the Genesis Invitational, Jacob Bridgeman found himself right where he was when he started four hours earlier — at the top of the leaderboard. Only this time, he was all by his lonesome.
Experiencing the ambiance and tradition of Riviera Country Club for the first time this tournament, Bridgeman recorded a second consecutive round of 64 with surgical precision Saturday, leaving patrons in awe after shooting the lowest score of the day and moving to 19 under par, six shots clear of second-place Rory McIlroy, who shot a 69.
“I felt great all day,” Bridgeman said. “I had a nice start and that got me a little bit of a gap.”
Playing his third official round at Riviera Country Club, the 26-year-old from South Carolina navigated the renowned course like a grizzled veteran. He is 18 holes away from not only his first PGA Tour victory and the $4-million winner’s check, but he also has an opportunity to break the tournament scoring record in the process.
Lanny Wadkins set the 72-hole record at Riviera, shooting 20-under 264 to win the Los Angeles Open in 1985.
Bridgeman equaled the event’s 54-hole record of 194 held by Joaquin Niemann, who was also 19 under through three rounds in 2022.
Jacob Bridgeman prepares to hit from a bunker on the 14th hole during the third round of the Genesis Invitational on Saturday.
(Caroline Brehman / Associated Press)
“To be doing this on this stage is a dream for me,” Bridgeman said.
Englishman Marco Penge began the round tied with Bridgeman for first at 12 under, one shot in front of McIlroy, but struggled all day and wound up tied with Max Greyserman for seventh at nine under.
McIlroy got a four at the par-five first to pull even with the leaders, who both birdied it themselves 10 minutes later to move to 13 under. Penge missed the fairway at No. 2, took a one-stroke penalty and bogeyed, while Bridgeman parred to take sole possession of the lead. He followed with back-to-back birdies to reach 15 under.
A birdie at No. 6 put McIlroy alone in second at 13 under, then Penge dropped another shot off the pace with a bogey at No. 7.
South African Aldrich Potgieter, who started the day in a four-way tie for 12th and five pairings ahead of the leaders, eagled the first hole and moved into third place alone after birdies at the 10th and 12th. Joining him at 12 under minutes later were Xander Schauffele, who birdied No. 10, and playing partner McIlroy, who three-putted for bogey.
“It’s awesome,” Potgieter said upon learning his swing and strategy were analyzed on live television by tournament host Tiger Woods. “I almost walked into him a few times in the clubhouse. This is a special place.”
Potgieter shot a 65 and sits alone in third at 12 under. Aaron Rai is fourth at 11 under, and Schauffele is tied with Kurt Kitayama for fifth at 10 under.
McIlory remained steady, parring the final seven holes, but failed to gain ground. The five-time major champion from Northern Ireland bounced right back from his bogey with a birdie at the 11th to reach 13 under just before Penge birdied the 11th to get back to even par and join Potgieter and Schauffele at 12 under.
“The greens got so fast, so soft and they got bumpy later in the day,” said McIlroy, who would be thrilled to get his 30th PGA Tour win at Riviera, where he will be paired with Bridgeman in the final round Sunday. “It was hard for me to trust my reads but I’m proud of myself. I stayed patient.”
Bridgeman got in trouble at the eighth when his bunker blast landed short of the hole and rolled off the green, leading to his first bogey, but he parred No. 9 and made the turn with a two-stroke margin over McIlroy, Potgieter and Schauffele. Undeterred by his misfortune two holes earlier, Bridgeman began the back nine with a birdie at No. 10 and an eagle at No. 11 to give himself a four-shot cushion.
Inscribed in a brass plaque behind the tee box at No. 4 are the immortal words of the legendary Ben Hogan, a three-time winner at Riviera in the late 1940s, who deemed it: “The greatest par 3 hole in America.“ The hole had been a source of controversy all week following the decision to lengthen it from 236 to 273 yards. Only five of 51 players birdied it while 11 bogeyed it Saturday.
Starting the day 12 shots back after barely making the cut, No. 1-ranked Scottie Scheffler carded six birdies — one less than he had in the first two rounds combined — to shoot a 66 and get to five under.
“I played solid today,” said Scheffler, who’s riding a streak of nine straight top-four finishes on tour. “The course is gettable in the morning as the greens are fresher. So I was able to hole a few putts, which is key. I was glad to get an early tee time and see what I can do. I wanted to shoot a little bit lower, but overall five under is pretty solid.”
Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, denounce US ambassador’s remarks suggesting Israel has right to much of the Middle East.
United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has triggered an avalanche of criticism from Arab and Muslim countries after suggesting Israel has a right to expand its territory across a large swath of the Middle East.
Carlson asked Huckabee, a self-professed Christian Zionist and staunch supporter of Israel, to clarify his stance on the Biblical promise of the land spanning the area between the Euphrates River in Iraq and the Nile River in Egypt to the descendants of Abraham, and if the modern Israeli state had the right to claim that lineage.
“It would be fine if they took it all,” said Huckabee.
Such territory would encompass modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and parts of Saudi Arabia.
The US ambassador later appeared to walk back the claim, saying it was “somewhat of a hyperbolic statement”. He also said Israel was not looking to expand its territory and has a right to security in the land it currently holds.
‘Extremist rhetoric’
Huckabee’s comments sparked immediate backlash from neighbouring Egypt and Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States, which in separate statements called them “extremist”, “provocative” and “not in line with Washington’s official position”.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry described Huckabee’s comments as “extremist rhetoric” and “unacceptable”, and called for the US Department of State to provide clarification.
Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the remarks a “blatant violation” of international law, adding that “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory or other Arab lands.”
Jordan’s foreign ministry dismissed them as “absurd and provocative,” a violation of diplomatic norms and “an infringement on the sovereignty of states in the region”.
“Statements of this nature — extremist and lacking any sound basis — serve only to inflame sentiments and stir religious and national emotions”, the League of Arab States also said in a statement.
Huckabee, whom US President Donald Trump nominated as ambassador in 2024, has long opposed the idea of a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinian people, and denied the existence of an illegal Israeli occupation of the West Bank. Back in 2008, Huckabee went so far as to question Palestinian identity altogether, saying, “There’s really no such thing as a Palestinian.”
But Israeli law does not clearly demarcate the country’s borders. Israel also occupies the Golan Heights in Syria, which it illegally annexed in 1981.
The US is the only country that recognises Israel’s claimed sovereignty over the Syrian territory, and only since 2019, during Trump’s first term as president.
After its 2024 war with Hezbollah, Israel also set up military outposts in five points inside Lebanon.
Pakistan’s military has carried out air strikes in Afghanistan, targeting what it called “camps and hideouts” belonging to armed groups behind a spate of recent attacks, including a suicide bombing that killed dozens of worshippers at a Shia mosque in Islamabad.
There was no immediate comment from Afghanistan’s Taliban government, but Afghan sources told Al Jazeera the strikes on Sunday hit two border provinces.
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The sources said a drone strike hit a religious school in the Paktika province, and that attacks also took place in Nangarhar province.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in a statement on X, said the country’s military conducted “intelligence-based, selective operations” against seven camps and hideouts belonging to the Pakistan Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and its affiliates.
An affiliate of the Islamic State group was also targeted in the border region, it said.
The ministry said it had “conclusive evidence” that recent attacks in Islamabad, as well as in the northwestern Bajaur and Bannu districts, were perpetrated by fighters “on behest of their Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers”.
It said Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Taliban government to take action to prevent armed groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks, but that Kabul has failed to “undertake any substantive action”.
Pakistan “has always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region”, it added, but said the safety and security of Pakistani citizens remained its top priority.
The Pakistani air strikes on Afghanistan came hours after a suicide bomber targeted a security convoy in the Bannu district of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel.
On Monday, a suicide bomber, backed by gunmen, rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the wall of a security post in the nearby Bajaur, killing 11 soldiers and a child. Authorities later said the attacker was an Afghan national.
On February 6, another suicide bomber detonated his explosives during noon prayers at the Khadija Tul Kubra mosque in Islamabad’s Tarlai Kalan area, killing at least 31 worshippers and wounding 170 others.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.
While bombings are rare in the heavily guarded capital, the attack on Khadija Tul Kubra was the second such attack in three months, raising fears of a return to violence in Pakistan’s major urban centres.
At the time, the Pakistani military said the “planning, training, and indoctrination for the attack took place in Afghanistan”.
In its statement on Sunday, the Pakistani Information Ministry reiterated a call on the international community to press the Taliban to uphold its commitments under the agreement it signed with the United States, in the Qatari capital, Doha, in 2020, to prevent the use of Afghan territory for attacks against other countries.
The ministry said the move was “vital for regional and global peace and security”.
Pakistan has seen a surge in violence in recent years, much of it blamed on the TTP and outlawed Baloch separatist groups. Islamabad accuses the TTP of operating from inside Afghanistan, a charge the group denies.
The Taliban government has also consistently denied sheltering anti-Pakistan armed groups.
Relations between the neighbouring countries have remained tense since October, when deadly border clashes killed dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected fighters.
The violence followed explosions in Kabul, which Afghan officials blamed on Pakistan.
A ceasefire mediated by Qatar on October 19 has largely held, but subsequent talks in Turkiye’s Istanbul failed to produce a formal agreement.
The latest episode of Ryan Murphy’s JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette show features a mysterious warning letter
23:09, 21 Feb 2026Updated 23:18, 21 Feb 2026
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette previewed
*Warning – this article contains minor spoilers for Love Story.*
Ryan Murphy’s newest series has thrust the turbulent romance of John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette back into public consciousness.
The fourth instalment of Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette arrived this Friday (February 20) and explored a troubling chapter in the pair’s relationship.
During a casual American football match, John (portrayed by Paul Anthony Kelly) discovers a letter in his gym bag containing damning claims about his new partner, Carolyn (Sarah Pidgeon).
Whilst the programme takes creative freedom with particular aspects of the celebrated couple’s narrative, the letter reportedly existed and apparently caused JFK Jr. and Bessette to separate, reports the Daily Record.
Did JFK Jr receive a letter about Carolyn Bessette?
As viewers will be aware, Love Story draws inspiration from Elizabeth Beller’s biography entitled Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
In the book, Beller alleges that JFK Jr. was given a scathing letter about Bessette in 1992, precisely when their romance was flourishing.
Whilst the programme depicts John challenging Carolyn about the accusations at his apartment, the biography suggests they actually engaged in a public row during an evening meal at iconic eatery El Teddy’s.
Based on Beller’s account, the couple separated for a year following the devastating letter, before reuniting in 1993.
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Who wrote the letter?
Beller doesn’t disclose the writer’s name. Nevertheless, she explains that they “came from a milieu of boarding schools, Ivy League universities, and ‘old money’ families of New York”.
She continued that it supposedly took Bessette several years to uncover who penned the note, but upon learning the identity, she proceeded to “freeze them out”.
Bessette and JFK Jr wed in an intimate ceremony in September 1996. The pair tragically perished together in an aircraft accident in July 1999.
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette is streaming on Disney+
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In a typical election year, the interest in the down-ballot race for California insurance commissioner musters modest interest at best.
That all changed on Jan. 7, 2025, when wildfires swept through L.A. County, damaging or destroying more than 18,000 homes and killing at least 31 people.
The resulting anger directed at the insurance industry over how it has handled claims has helped draw four Democrats into the race, who will be vying this weekend for a critical endorsement at the party’s annual convention in San Francisco ahead of the June 2 primary election.
“We haven’t seen this level of competition and, frankly, choice on the Democratic side since it first became an elected office in 1990,” said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, a Los Angeles insurance advocacy group. “They represent wide-ranging views and a broad diversity of candidates.”
Up for endorsement are state Sen. Benjamin Allen (D-Santa Monica), whose district includes the Palisades fire zone; former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim; former state Sen. Steven Bradford; and San Francisco businessman Patrick Wolff, who has not held elective office.
Three Republicans have declared their candidacies, but that party’s convention isn’t until April. The filing deadline to file for the race is March 6.
The GOP field includes businessman Robert Howell, who lost by 20 points in the 2022 general election to current Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. Also running are insurance agent Stacy Korsgaden from Grover Beach, and attorney Merritt Farren, whose Pacific Palisades home burned down.
Peace and Freedom Party candidate Eduardo Vargas, a Los Angeles school teacher, is on the ballot too.
The race also follows Lara’s two troubled terms in office, during which he has been accused of cozying up to and receiving money from the insurance industry for his first campaign and conferences abroad.
Lara has denied any wrongdoing, and all the Democratic candidates have vowed not to accept insurance industry donations.
“For me and maybe for many survivors, it’s not a position that we ever thought much about, but now with many of our lives devastated by our dealings with insurers I think many survivors will be watching much more closely this time around,” said Joy Chen, executive director of the Eaton Fire Survivors Network, a community group that has accused Lara of being soft on insurers and has called for his resignation.
Allen was perceived by some as the leading candidate for the party’s nomination when he announced his candidacy in September. He has held his seat for more than a decade and is the only sitting legislator in the race. He said he would not be running if not for the wildfire that struck his district.
“The fire certainly was a searing experience, helping hundreds of people get their claims paid right, but it kind of begs the question of why should you have to call your state senator to get treated right,” he said.
Allen’s platform includes a number of ideas to ensure policyholders are treated better, including requiring insurers to clearly explain claim denials. But also key to his campaign is stabilizing an insurance market that over the last several years has seen insurers drop policyholders by the hundreds of thousands, especially in fire-prone neighborhoods.
That forced them onto the California FAIR Plan, the insurer of last resort. It’s rolls grew even more since the January fires and the insurer has been sued by fire victims over its claims practices. Allen wants to build insurer confidence in the market by having insurer requests for rate hikes reviewed in months, rather than the year or more they can drag out now.
He also points to his legislative record, especially his authorship of Proposition 4, which was approved by voters in 2024 and set aside $10 billion in general obligation bonds to fund climate resiliency and environmental protection projects — an important part, he said, of lowering insurance risks.
Allen has drawn a key endorsement from California Sen. Adam Schiff and as of Dec. 31 had about $1 million in the bank, more than any other candidate. But the race was shook up last month when progressive politician Kim declared her candidacy. She boasted an endorsement from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), for whom she worked as his California political director during the 2020 presidential campaign.
She also has drawn attention for a plan to create a state-run disaster insurance policy for Californians.
Residents would continue to buy regular home insurance from the commercial market but would buy coverage for wildfires and other disasters from the state, similar to plans in some other countries.
The idea has come under sharp criticism from Court, who said it will shift the risk of costly disasters to taxpayers while allowing insurers to make profits from more predictable perils such as water and roof damage.
“We have to explore some different models, because the current system is not working. It’s too expensive and a market failure,” said Kim, adding that the plan could evolve.
Bradford, who represented communities in south L.A County and the South Bay in the Legislature, has been endorsed by L.A. Mayor Karen Bass. He said he’s running as a pragmatist and unifier.
“What we’ve been doing for far too long has been a whole lot of finger pointing and doing the blame game,” he said.
Bradford wants insurers to open their pricing books and give homeowners “real, guaranteed” premium discounts for upgrading their property.
He also is proposing a public–private partnership that shares the risk for insurers who write policies in fire-prone neighborhoods.
Wolff, a political newcomer, is a Chartered Financial Analyst, real estate investor and former hedge manager who cites his experience building a home and auto insurance brokerage for financial services firm Capital One.
“I spent the first half of 2025 really deeply studying the commissioner’s role and the history, and the race — the politics of everything. And after really doing that deep dive, I decided to step forward,” said Wolff, who wrote his campaign a $500,000 check and loaned it another $100,000.
He also thinks rate hikes sought by insurers need to be reviewed more quickly but wants the insurance department to publish annual reports on how specific companies handled claims.
“The insurance industry has basically lobbied to keep that data anonymous at the company level, and I think it’s really important to make that information public,” Wolff said.
Under California’s open primary system, the top two candidates will move on to the Nov. 3 general election, which means two Democrats could run up against each other if a Republican isn’t able to consolidate the GOP vote.
Steve Maviglio, a longtime political consultant currently working for State Treasure Fiona Ma, who is seeking the office of lieutenant governor, said that the race is wide open.
“This is a statewide election with millions of people with candidates they’ve never heard of,” he said.
With multiple candidates seeking the endorsement, it may be hard for any single one to reach the 60% threshold of delegate votes needed.
“If no one is endorsed, somebody is going to have to be the breakout candidate, and the way you do that is with money or organization,” Maviglio said. “Until I see that happen, it’s totally up in the air.”
