Month: February 2026

Amsterdam has long been the go-to destination for a final night of freedom, but research has shown that a new city has emerged as the top spot, while another destination is fast catching up

Amsterdam may have been dethroned as the king of stag do destinations. According to research analysing search trends, the number of people searching for information on stag dos in the Netherlands’ capital has plummeted by 77% since 2023.

Party organisers, Sofia Stag Do, put together a list of Europe’s top ten stag destinations based on the number of searches over the past two years. Its rankings saw Amsterdam plummet from being the top destination in 2023, to number six in 2026.

Unsurprisingly, Prague took the top spot. While interest was down slightly in this Eastern European city, its combination of lively nightlife, cheap pints, and a beautiful Old Town kept it at number one. However, at number two is a city that has seen a steady increase in interest, and may not be the first location that springs to mind when planning a stag party.

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Riga in Latvia is becoming increasingly popular among stag parties, and there’s likely a combination of factors that have pushed it up the charts. Firstly, it is easy to get to from the UK. Flights take as little as two and a half hours, and Ryanair flies to Riga International Airport from East Midlands, Edinburgh, Leeds Bradford, London-Stansted, and Manchester, with fares from as little as £14.99 one way.

Riga’s compact size is also ideal for groups who want to enjoy a bar crawl or go for a night out without needing to get expensive taxis home. The liveliest nightlife can be found in Old Riga, an area full of historic buildings, town squares, and cobbled streets. You’ll find a huge number of bars tucked away, from stylish spots to fun themed places with drink deals.

Some spots to look out for include Secret Event, an underground bar set in a former monastery, and the Tiki Bar Riga, where you can enjoy colourful cocktails. If you’re doing fancy dress, head to Clayton McNamaras Drinking Emporium, a superhero-themed bar full of retro memorabilia that offers a range of shots named after comic characters.

Many bars open until the small hours, but for those who don’t want to head to bed just yet, weekends see a range of nightclubs opening their doors until dawn. Poseidon’s Club comes highly recommended for fans of EDM and stays open until 5am on Friday and Saturday nights. Teritorija has two rooms offering house and techno, while Bacio Riga offers a range of DJ sets and drink deals.

One thing potential stag parties always want to know is the cost of a pint. Riga can’t quite compare with the cheap beer prices of Prague, where you can often find pints for under £2. Pints generally cost £3-4 in the old town, but you can often find drink deals which bring down the prices.

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Riga also tends to offer cheaper accommodation than Prague, and it’s walkable, so you may find that overall a stag do in Latvia could work out cheaper than going to Prague.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

TV star Olivia Attwood has opened up on the surprising Love Islander she’d date after removing her wedding ring and telling pals she’s going to divorce Bradley Dack.

The 34-year-old recently revealed who she would pursue if she was on this season of Love Island All Stars.

Just last week, the presenter addressed her marriage breakdown saying she cries herself to sleep and wants both her and footballer Brad to be happy.

But now putting on a brave face Olivia sat down to chat with her pal Pete Wicks, 37, on their Sunday Roast podcast.

The duo then asked each other which islander they would pick out of the line up.

ITV‘s Olivia gobsmacked fans by opting for Curtis Pritchard.

Read more on Olivia Attwood

NO GOING DACK

Olivia Attwood ‘to divorce’ Bradley Dack and removes wedding ring

dog house

Olivia Attwood and ex Bradley Dack locked in battle over their dogs after split

She said: “I don’t know any of the boys names.”

And Pete replied: “Well you know one. Curtis. He’s a big lad, tall. I think you’d be a real power couple.”

Olivia surprisingly agreed, she said: “I would probably go for Curtis.”

Curtis found himself in the limelight after appearing on Love Island series five, but he didn’t stop there returning for Love Island games in 2023 and now this season of All Stars.

While Olivia picked the dancer, Pete was certain he would couple up with Belle Hassan.

Loose Women panellist Olivia also appeared on Love Island back in 2017 on series 3.

She finished in third place alongside Chris Hughes but they later split as she got back together with her long-time love Bradley Dack, 32.

The Sun previously revealed the split was down to what was called a “breach of trust” on his part.

A source close to the star told us: “Olivia is already talking about divorce because it is feeling very final and over for her.

“She’s worked too hard on her career to let it fall apart because of her relationship going south.”

Olivia was spotted last Friday on Loose Women without her £200,000 engagement ring meanwhile Bradley was snapped leaving football training still wearing his wedding band.

The couple are already locked in a tug of love over their dogs.

Carpathian/German shepherd mix Lola and rottweiler Stitch, both rescue dogs, are staying with Olivia in South London as they sort out their care.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
MONDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS
CITY SECTION
Angelou 86, Diego Rivera 46
Animo Robinson 59, Animo City of Champions 57
Bell 56, South Gate 38
Birmingham 74, Granada Hills 59
Crenshaw 52, Dorsey 47
Downtown Magnets 94, Central City Value 62
El Camino Real 66, Taft 60
Fairfax 62, Westchester 44
Fulton 50, Panorama 45
Garfield 34, Legacy 26
Grant 78, Monroe 55
Jefferson 71, West Adams 65
Lakeview Charter 51, Valley Oaks CES 25
LA Roosevelt 57, Huntington Park 42
Los Angeles 67, Manual Arts 26
Marquez 94, Maywood Academy 44
Maywood CES 43, Elizabeth 38
North Hollywood 78, Chavez 24
Orthopaedic 52, USC-MAE 22
Palisades 82, LA Hamilton 45
Simon Tech 48, Brio College Prep 46
SOCES 54, Hollywood 49
Sotomayor 42, Torres 38
Sun Valley Poly 60, Verdugo Hills 58
Van Nuys 69, Canoga Park 51
View Park 52, Harbor Teacher 33
Washington Prep 61, LA Jordan 52

SOUTHERN SECTION
Acaciawood 69, Southlands Christian 58
AGBU 63, de Toledo 53
Aliso Niguel 57, El Toro 46
Animo Leadership 39, AHSA 20
Animo Robinson 59, Animo City of Champions 57
Apple Valley 71, Sultana 50
Arlington 56, Riverside North 46
Arroyo 53, Rosemead 49
Azusa 52, Garey 40
Big Bear 84, California Lutheran 65
Bishop Montgomery 74, Bishop Amat 67
Bonita 70, Ayala 53
Brentwood 71, Viewpoint 56
Cantwell-Sacred Heart 67, St. Genevieve 51
Channel Islands 69, Nordhoff 46
Chino 73, Don Lugo 54
Citrus Hill 67, Vista del Lago 57
Citrus Valley 60, Beaumont 56
Colony 67, South Hills 54
Corona del Mar 59, Newport Harbor 51
Covina 61, Northview 49
CSDR 71, University Prep 66
Crossroads 62, Campbell Hall 60
Desert Chapel 56, Mesa Grande 50
Diamond Ranch 71, Chaffey 56
Dominguez 79, Compton Early College 24
Dos Pueblos 59, Buena 56
Duarte 71, Baldwin Park 34
Eastside 79, Palmdale 56
Edgewood 70, Pomona 13
Fairmont Prep 70, Capistrano Valley Christian 40
Faith Baptist 81, Valley Torah 65
Gabrielino 69, Pasadena Marshall 43
Garden Grove 75, Costa Mesa 44
Glendora 80, Walnut 58
Golden Valley 50, Saugus 28
Hacienda Heights Wilson 51, West Covina 44
Hawthorne MSA 53, Geffen Academy 46
Hemet 83, Perris 55
Heritage 64, Canyon Springs 50
Highland 71, Lancaster 36
Holy Martyrs Armenian 63, Le Lycee 49
Indian Springs 83, Miller 49
Indio 79, Yucca Valley 49
JSerra 78, Servite 53
Keppel 71, Bell Gardens 38
Laguna Hills 65, Godinez 55
Lancaster Baptist 62, PACS 48
La Palma Kennedy 61, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 55
La Puente 54, Workman 32
La Salle 76, Paraclete 30
La Serna 51, Whittier 45
Legacy College Prep 69, Downey Calvary Chapel 41
Long Beach Poly 57, Millikan 66
Los Alamitos 68, Edison 61
Los Altos 83, San Dimas 64
Malibu 81, Fillmore 42
Marina 76, Huntington Beach 72
Mary Star of the Sea 54, Salesian 53
Mater Dei 92, Orange Lutheran 65
Mesrobian 55, Samueli Academy 52
Milken 59, YULA 50
Millikan 66, Long Beach Poly 57
Moreno Valley 62, Valley View 35
Newbury Park Adventist 55, Glendale Adventist 33
Norte Vista 93, Jurupa Valley 58
Ocean View 63, Katella 52
Ontario 63, Montclair 61
Orange Vista 64, Liberty 59
Palmdale Aerospace 75, Trinity Classical Academy 66
Palm Desert 95, La Quinta 32
Palm Valley 56, Joshua Springs Christian 36
Paloma Valley 59, Lakeside 49
Pilgrim 78, Summit View 38
Placentia Valencia 60, Fullerton 43
Quartz Hill 66, Antelope Valley 50
Ramona 94, Patriot 47
Redlands East Valley 83, Yucaipa 55
Rio Hondo Prep 77, EF Academy 39
River Springs Magnolia 65, Temecula River Springs 33
Rubidoux 51, La Sierra 34
San Bernardino 65, Buena Park 53
San Clemente 69, Tesoro 64
San Fernando Valley Academy 51, Highland Hall 39
San Gabriel Academy 62, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 53
San Marcos 67, Oxnard Pacifica 46
Santa Barbara 71, Rio Mesa 46
Santa Clarita Christian 67, St. Monica Academy 65
Santa Fe 68, California 58
Santa Paula 92, Carpinteria 48
Santa Rosa Academy 63, Warner 46
San Jacinto Valley Academy 51, Nuview Bridge 25
Segerstrom 66, Westminster 25
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 82, Crespi 78
Sierra Canyon 103, Loyola 74
Sierra Vista 69, Nogales 53
Silverado 68, Victor Valley 28
Southwestern Academy 32, Waverly 27
St. Anthony 75, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 68
St. Bernard 80, St. Paul 65
St. Bonaventure 60, Cate 47
Trabuco Hills 56, Mission Viejo 52
United Christian Academy 65, Anza Hamilton 47
Valencia 67, Canyon Country Canyon 64
Verbum Dei 53, Gardena Serra 50
Westmark 49, Lighthouse Christian 18
West Torrance 74, SEED: LA 42
Woodcrest Christian 74, Desert Hot Springs 26

INTERSECTIONAL
Compton 82, South East 36
Santa Maria Valley Christian 51, Maricopa 44

GIRLS
CITY SECTION
Angelou 31, Diego Rivera 24
Animo Robinson 67, Animo City of Champions 11
Bell 66, South Gate 20
Birmingham 61, Granada Hills 57
Central City Value 56, Downtown Magnets 9
Cleveland 58, Chatsworth 30
Crenshaw 65, Dorsey 21
Eagle Rock 37, Arleta 31
East Valley 24, Fulton 22
El Camino Real 59, Taft 41
Garfield 86, Legacy 23
Grant 72, Monroe 5
Harbor Teacher 68, Hawkins 27
Huntington Park 33, LA Roosevelt 19
LA Hamilton 86, Palisades 83
Los Angeles 40, Manual Arts 26
Marquez 55, Maywood Academy 16
Maywood CES 52, Elizabeth 11
North Hollywood 65, Chavez 16
Northridge Academy 75, Vaughn 13
Santee 61, New West Charter 22
Sotomayor 35, Torres 22
USC-MAE 38, Orthopaedic 15
Venice 75, LACES 37
Verdugo Hills 75, Sun Valley Poly 16
Washington Prep 57, LA Jordan 20
West Adams 59, Jefferson 15
Westchester d. Fairfax, forfeit

SOUTHERN SECTION
AGBU 60, Buckley 33
Alemany 55, Notre Dame Academy 17
Animo Robinson 67, Animo City of Champions 11
Apple Valley 43, Sultana 29
Barstow 36, Granite Hills 17
Beaumont 63, Citrus Valley 55
Bonita 49, Ayala 38
Brentwood 63, Viewpoint 22
Cajon 31, Redlands 26
Calvary Baptist 64, Packinghouse Christian 41
Chaffey 47, Diamond Ranch 34
Chino 66, Don Lugo 25
Claremont 72, Diamond Bar 37
Crossroads 60, Campbell Hall 56
CSDR 50, University Prep 38
Duarte 47, Baldwin Park 40
Edgewood 47, Pomona 11
Gabrielino 39, Pasadena Marshall 19
Ganesha 34, Bassett 22
Glendora 57, Walnut 46
Hacienda Heights Wilson 60, West Covina 44
Hart 54, Castaic 14
Hawthorne 40, Animo Leadership 13
Hawthorne MSA 33, Geffen Academy 25
Heritage 59, Canyon Springs 21
Immaculate Heart 63, Flintridge Sacred Heart 34
Indian Springs 55, Miller 28
Jurupa Valley 34, Norte Vista 17
Keppel 67, Bell Gardens 13
Knight 60, Littlerock 15
Lancaster Baptist 44, PACS 36
La Puente 37, Workman 32
La Serna 71, Whittier 42
La Sierra 36, Rubidoux 4
Liberty 45, Lakerside 41
Los Alamitos 74, Edison 31
Louisville 47, Burbank Burroughs 21
Mater Dei 60, JSerra 46
Milken 58, Burbank Providence 21
Newbury Park Adventist 46, Glendale Adventist 21
Nogales 66, Sierra Vista 47
Northview 55, Covina 46
Oak Hills 69, Hesperia 38
Ojai Valley 38, Pilgrim 34
Ontario 37, Montclair 12
Orange Lutheran 48, Santa Margarita 44
Pacific 53, Entrepreneur 9
Palm Desert 52, La Quinta 40
Paloma Valley 60, Orange Vista 36
Pilibos 56, Shalhevet 51
Quartz Hill 59, Antelope Valley 35
Rancho Christian 105, Hemet 43
Ridgecrest Burroughs 40, Serrano 26
Riverside North 32, Arlington 27
Riverside Poly 74, Perris 10
Rosemead 47, Arroyo 18
Samueli Academy 54, Legacy College Prep 14
San Dimas 58, Los Altos 41
San Gabriel 40, Alhambra 37
San Jacinto Valley Academy 58, Nuview Bridge 32
Santa Clarita Christian 40, St. Monica Academy 34
Sante Fe 48, California 28
Santa Rosa Academy 44, Warner 35
Saugus 54, Golden Valley 36
Schurr 49, Montebello 36
Silverado 37, Victor Valley 32
South El Monte 30, El Monte 11
South Hills 41, Colony 20
Southwestern Academy 37, New Covenant Academy 22
St. Bonaventure 67, Thacher 22
St. Lucy’s 39, Mountain View 15
St. Mary’s Academy 48, Mesrobian 29
Trinity Classical Academy 92, Palmdale Aerospace 23
Twentynine Palms 61, Coachella Valley 22
Valencia 64, Canyon Country Canyon 46
Vista del Lago 37, Citrus Hill 34
Webb 50, First Baptist 17
Westridge 36, EF Academy 33
Windward 55, Archer 24
Woodcrest Christian 52, Desert Hot Springs 39
Yucaipa 90, Redlands East Valley 21
Yucca Valley 50, Indio 36
YULA 68, New Roads 6

INTERSECTIONAL
Panorama 39, Beverly Hills 36
Santa Maria Valley Christian 59, Maricopa 15

South Korean stocks shot up by the most in six years Tuesday, rebounding from the previous session’s deep trough, as investors brushed off concerns over the newly nominated Federal Reserve chair and went bargain hunting. The Korean won also rose against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) climbed 338.41 points, or 6.84 percent, to close at a new high of 5,288.08, a sharp upturn from the previous day’s plummet.

It marked the steepest daily increase since March 24, 2020, when the index rose by 8.6 percent, according to data provided by the Korea Exchange (KRX), South Korea’s main bourse operator.

Trade volume was heavy at 666.5 million shares worth 29.3 trillion won (US$20.3 billion). Winners outnumbered losers 825 to 75.

Strong buying demand triggered the KRX to temporarily suspend stock purchases in early trading.

The temporary halt in trading, also known as a “sidecar” in Korea, came a day after the bourse operator issued a sidecar for sell orders, with the KOSPI plunging by more than 5 percent.

The last time when the KRX consecutively issued a sell-side and a buy-side sidecar was on April 7 and 8, following U.S. President Donald Trump‘s announcement of sweeping tariffs, Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst from Daishin Securities, said.

“As there was no change in the market’s fundamentals, the benchmark index recovered on bargain hunting,” he said.

On a similar note, JP Morgan raised its target for the KOSPI to a range of 6,000 to 7,500 in a report released Tuesday, citing strong delivery in other sectors, such as defense and shipbuilding.

Foreign and Institutional investors turned net buyers, scooping up 703.3 billion won and 2.2 trillion won of equities, respectively. Retail investors sold off a net 2.9 trillion won.

Large-cap shares ended higher across the board.

Market top-cap Samsung Electronics soared 11.37 percent to 167,500 won, while its rival SK hynix advanced 9.28 percent to 907,000 won.

Defense giant Hanwha Aerospace rose 4.84 percent to 1,299,000 won, top carmaker Hyundai Motor added 2.82 percent 491,500 won, and major financial group KB Financial closed up 3.81 percent to 138,800 won.

The local currency was quoted at 1,445.4 won against the greenback at 3:30 p.m., up 18.9 won from the previous session.

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

Jordan on Monday became the latest Arab nation to proclaim that it won’t let its territory be used in a war against Iran. Last week, we noted that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also told the White House that their bases and airspace will be off limits for any attack on Iran. These decisions, if they hold, could greatly affect how the U.S. conducts any offensive actions against Iran. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that the U.S. and Iran might hold talks in Turkey on Friday. More on that later in this story.

“I held a phone call with His Excellency the Iranian Foreign Minister, Dr. Abbas Araghchi, discussing the situation in the region and the efforts being made to de-escalate tensions,” Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi explained on X. “I emphasized the necessity of adopting dialogue and diplomacy as the path to reaching a peaceful resolution for the nuclear issue and ending the tension. I also reaffirmed Jordan’s steadfast position on the necessity of respecting the sovereignty of states, and that Jordan will not be a battlefield for any party in any regional conflict, or a launchpad for any military action against Iran, and it will confront with all its capabilities any attempt to breach its airspace and threaten the safety of our citizens.”

Such a move could further limit Trump’s military options in the region. Muwaffaq Salti, in central Jordan, has been a critical base housing U.S. tactical jets and other aviation assets for years. F-15E Strike Eagles based there played a key role in defending against a massive Iranian missile and drone barrage on Israel in April 2024. Over the past few weeks, Muwaffaq Salti has also seen an influx of at least 12 additional F-15E Strike Eagles and air defense systems amid mounting pressures with Iran. These join F-15Es already there, as well as A-10 Thunderbolt II close support jets and possibly American F-16 Vipers. Taking these assets out of the fight, or not allowing overflights by other aircraft, reduces the U.S. and allies’ ability to strike targets in Iran. It is unlikely to factor into the possibility of defending against the large number of missiles and drones Iran could fire in retaliation for any attack.

There is also the possibility that his statements are for consumption by a home audience wary of war with Iran, especially if that means fighting on the side of the Israelis. It’s also possible that messaging is intended to keep them from being struck by Iran in a massive retaliatory strike, but U.S. access to basing and airspace may be clandestinely allowed, even if to a limited degree. We just don’t know. Regardless, these are possibilities we suggested after Saudi Arabia and UAE made their comments about not getting involved.

As we predicted, a flight of six E/A-18 Growlers landed at the Jordanian base on Jan. 31. They arrived after a journey from Puerto Rico, where they had taken part in the operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. You can read more about what the Growlers would bring to the table for any conflict with Iran here.

Controversial director Brett Ratner, whose documentary “Melania,” about the first lady, premiered last week, found himself in the headlines once again over his alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

A photograph, part of the trove of files released Friday in the Department of Justice’s investigation into Epstein, shows Ratner sitting on a couch with his arms wrapped around a woman, whose identity is concealed. She is sitting next to Epstein and a second woman, who is also redacted in the photo and is sitting at the far end of the couch next to the disgraced financier. It is unclear where the photo was taken or when.

The filmmaker is among several prominent individuals from the worlds of entertainment, technology, politics and business — including L.A. Olympics boss Casey Wasserman — who have turned up among the millions of files that the Justice Department has released.

Epstein died by suicide in 2019 in Manhattan Correctional Center while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Ratner’s name also surfaces in a number of emails contained in the released files in which Epstein discusses his attempts to connect with the director and descriptions in which their social circles overlap.

It is not the first time Ratner turned up in Epstein’s orbit. In December, his photo appeared in an earlier batch of files the department released.

In the undated photograph, Ratner is seen seated, hugging a shirtless Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent and an Epstein associate.

Brunel died of an apparent suicide in 2022 in a French prison while awaiting trial on charges that he had raped a minor.

Ratner has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

A spokesperson for the director did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

During a Monday appearance on “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” Ratner said that the recently released photograph was taken about 20 years ago. He said that the woman he is hugging was his then-fiancée, whom he declined to name, and that she had invited him to an event where the picture was taken.

“I’ve never been in contact with Jeffrey Epstein before that photo and never in contact with him after,” he said on the show.

Among the emails in which Ratner is mentioned, in December 2010, Epstein discusses a dinner he is having at “7:30” in which he says that he has invited Ratner but has not yet heard back.

In December 2010, it was widely reported that Epstein hosted a dinner at his Manhattan townhouse just months after he finished serving a prison sentence and house arrest for soliciting a minor for prostitution. The dinner was attended by a number of boldfaced names including Woody Allen and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew.

A year later, Epstein’s assistant appears to email Ratner saying, “Jeffrey would like to speak with you regarding [redacted] could you please give us a call.” It is unclear whether Ratner followed up.

In another heavily redacted email from 2018, Epstein writes to someone saying: “Hi I’m Jeffrey. brett Ratner thought we should meet.” He follows up with a second email asking whether Ratner had spoken to this person yet.

During the Cannes film festival in 2012, celebrity superpublicist and ubiquitous presence on the awards circuit Peggy Siegal emailed Epstein that she was sitting with Ratner about to watch a Roman Polanski documentary, adding that “Brett says ‘hi’ and he loves you!”

In other gossipy emails Siegal sent to Epstein, she cites Ratner in her listing of which power brokers and celebrities are in attendance at various parties and who is staying on whose yacht in St. Barts (Ratner, she wrote, was staying with his business partner, the Australian billionaire James Packer).

Siegal’s relationship with the convicted pedophile came under renewed scrutiny in 2019 after Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges, particularly as she helped facilitate his return to society following his prison sentence.

“Had I known that he had been accused of abusing underage girls, I would not have maintained a friendship with him,” she told the Hollywood Reporter.

Siegal could not be immediately reached for comment.

On Nov. 1, 2017 — the day The Times published its investigation in which six women accused Ratner of sexual misconduct — Epstein emailed lawyer Reid Weingarten: “brett ratner now oy.”

Ratner’s career was derailed nine years ago after The Times published detailed allegations against the director made by multiple women who accused him of harassment, groping and forced oral sex. Actor Olivia Munn claimed that Ratner masturbated in front of her when she delivered a meal to his trailer on the set of the 2004 film “After the Sunset.”

At the time, the director’s attorney Martin Singer rejected the women’s claims, saying that his client “vehemently denies the outrageous derogatory allegations that have been reported about him.”

Ratner’s agents at WME dropped him, as did his publicist, and projects were put on hold. Ratner parted ways with Warner Bros.

“I don’t want to have any possible negative impact to the studio until these personal issues are resolved,” he said in a statement.

In 2020, Ratner became embroiled in another Hollywood sex scandal, involving British actor Charlotte Kirk.

In a sworn court declaration, Kirk said she was victimized by then-Warner Bros. Chief Executive Kevin Tsujihara, Ratner, Packer and Millennium Films CEO Avi Lerner, stating that the men “coerced me into engaging in ‘commercial sex’ for them and their business associates.”

Singer, who represented the men, “categorically and vehemently” denied any wrongdoing on the part of his clients.

“Melania” is the first film Ratner has directed since he was largely exiled from Hollywood. The documentary has received harsh reviews from critics, who have also questioned the $75 million Amazon paid to distribute and market the movie. However, during its opening weekend, it grossed a better-than-expected $7.1 million at the box office.

Prop Jeremy Loughman will make his first Ireland appearance in two years against France in the opening game of the 2026 Six Nations on Thursday, but there is no place in the starting team for James Lowe, James Ryan or Tadhg Furlong.

With Ireland’s three first-choice loose-heads, Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle, all missing through injury for the game at the Stade de France (20:10 GMT), the 30-year-old Loughman will play at Test level for the first time since the Six Nations of 2024 and make his first international start since November 2022.

Loughman’s Munster team-mate Michael Milne, who won his only two previous caps against Georgia and Portugal in July, will be the loose-head back-up on the bench.

With Hugo Keenan missing because of the fractured hand he sustained in training last week, Jamie Osborne starts at full-back in what will be his first action since Ireland faced Japan in November.

Osborne had been expected to be in a straight shootout for the 15 jersey with Jacob Stockdale, but the Ulster player instead takes the place usually occupied by James Lowe on the left wing.

The exclusion of British and Irish Lion Lowe is not the only big call made by head coach Andy Farrell, with Connacht’s Cian Prendergast wearing six in the absence of Ryan Baird.

With Tadhg Beirne, who was another option to start at blind-side, joining Joe McCarthy in the second row, that means there is no place in the starting line-up for James Ryan who is one of six forwards on the bench.

SEOUL, Feb. 3 (UPI) — Hundreds of North Korean soldiers were seen practicing marching formations in preparation for a possible military parade ahead of the country’s long-anticipated Ninth Party Congress, according to a new report.

Recent commercial satellite imagery shows large formations of troops conducting drills at the Mirim Parade Training Ground in east Pyongyang, analysts at the Stimson Center-based 38 North said in an assessment published Monday.

The activity is “likely in preparation for a parade to mark the upcoming Ninth Party Congress,” the report said.

Imagery shows soldiers arranging themselves into shapes resembling the hammer, sickle and brush, the emblem of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea.

The party congress, held every five years, is where North Korea sets its domestic and foreign policy agenda. Leader Kim Jong Un is expected to unveil a new plan guiding political, economic and military priorities through 2031, the 38 North report noted.

While the official date for the Ninth Party Congress has not been announced, South Korean government officials and the National Intelligence Service have said they expect it to take place in early to mid-February.

Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday it has detected signs of parade preparations at the Mirim Airfield and Kim Il Sung Square, where similar events have been held in the past.

“It’s not yet clear whether a military parade will take place,” JCS spokesman Col. Lee Sung-jun said in a press briefing. “As I understand, preparations are currently being made as a civilian event.”

The apparent parade preparations come amid a string of public appearances by Kim Jong Un that underscore the regime’s push to demonstrate progress ahead of the congress.

Last week, Kim attended the groundbreaking ceremony for a regional development project in Unnyul County, part of a broader effort to modernize local industry and infrastructure. He has also intensified on-site inspections, recently dismissing a vice premier over construction delays at a major machinery plant.

A report by the state-funded Korea Institute for National Unification said the firing suggests the regime may be under mounting pressure to show tangible economic results, as sanctions and chronic shortages continue to constrain growth.

Military signaling has remained prominent as well. In late January, Kim oversaw the test-firing of an upgraded large-caliber multiple rocket launcher system and said plans to further bolster the country’s nuclear deterrent would be detailed at the congress.

Against that backdrop, 38 North said the timing of the congress could be influenced by whether Pyongyang plans additional public events ahead of the gathering.

“If there are more economic projects to showcase or weapons to test before the Party Congress commences, the event could take longer to open,” the report said.

Emmerdale actor Dominic Brunt has addressed his character Paddy Dingle’s turmoil, as he covers up his father Bear Wolf’s killer crime after he murdered Ray Walters

Emmerdale fans are used to seeing Paddy Dingle at the centre of comedic mishaps and the more heartfelt moments, but his latest plot sees him covering up a brutal murder.

For the first time in his 29 years on the soap, Paddy, played by actor Dominic Brunt, could face prison as the truth unravels. A recent flashback episode saw Paddy’s father Bear Wolf [Joshua Richards] confirmed as villain Ray Walters’ killer, with Paddy now determined to stop anyone from finding out.

Next week, Paddy realises his dad needs professional help as Bear continues to spiral. With teenager Dylan Penders, also covering up the crime, feeling the strain and ready to crack, Paddy’s left picking up the pieces to prevent the police from learning what really happened to Ray. Dominic, 55, is delighted about the killer twist though, as he teases his future in the village.

He says: “It’s such a good story. Paddy’s juggling everything at the moment, trying to keep everybody out of being done for murder and keeping the story straight. But it keeps unravelling and he keeps pulling all the strings back in, going: ‘Oh my God, we’ve got to stick to the story’.”

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While it could lead to an exit for Bear if his crime is discovered, Dominic says Paddy isn’t worried about his own fate. He explains: “He fears that his dad will go away again. He thought he was dead and he’s back. And now Bear might go down for murder. Paddy is trying to save his dad, and save the fact that Dylan would be implicated in it as well, because we all hid the body.”

Bear vanished from the village in July last year, claiming he was visiting a friend in Ireland as he secretly battled depression. By the time Paddy realised his father was missing, Bear had already been manipulated by villain Ray and his evil mum Celia Daniels, in the soap’s heartbreaking modern slavery storyline.

Bear was kept at their farm for months until he fled at the end of December, while viewers, and village residents, were led to believe Celia had killed him. His sudden return earlier this month saw him accidentally killing Ray to save his son, and Dominic says Paddy will go to any lengths necessary to protect him in return.

He tells us: “Bear’s not ready to go to the police. He keeps going: ‘Should I go to the police? Should I just come clean? Should I tell them the truth?’ His dad is all over the place, he’s very sick, withdrawing from whatever drugs he was given and he’s completely unstable.

“So Paddy is trying to hide him away for now and then maybe in the near future they’ll just say to the police: ‘Alright, there he is, come and get him, we did it’. But at the moment he’s just trying to save his dad from more psychological pain after what he’s just been through with Ray and Celia.”

Dominic did reveal that other characters will soon uncover the truth, including his best friend Marlon Dingle, played by Mark Charnock. Marlon has also been caught up in Ray and Celia’s dark world after they exploited his teenage daughter April Windsor [Amelia Flanagan] into selling drugs, alongside her boyfriend Dylan.

When Marlon vowed to go to the police he was ignored, leading to sinister threats and payment demands by Ray. Dominic says the close friends will open up to each other about what they’ve been hiding, while Paddy is also set to confide in his wife Mandy Dingle [Lisa Riley].

Dominic says: “He definitely confides in Mandy. I think there’s an episode coming up with me and Mark, just a two-hander, where we spill the beans to each other and we become bonded again, which is lovely because they’ve got a three-decade-long friendship.”

Paddy has been at the heart of some huge storylines since his debut in 1997, including his five weddings, and the devastating loss of his baby daughter Grace after she was diagnosed with Bilateral Renal Agenesis, a rare life-limiting congenital condition.

Paddy also suffered depression and suicidal thoughts in a wideley-praised storyline in 2023, with Dominic keen to revisit Paddy’s mental health as he struggles through his latest turmoil. While the future looks bleak for Bear, Dominic says Paddy is confident that the father and son, and Dylan, will find a way to make it through their traumatic start to the new year.

He shares: “I think he truly believes that they’ll get through this, it’ll go away and nobody will be blamed and it’ll just become a village secret. But soaps being soaps, there’s got to be a moral outcome. His worst fear is that it all unravels and of course I think it does.”

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Ryanair has told passengers to stop packing a popular toiletry in their hand luggage. If you make the mistake, it could cause a few problems at airport security

There’s nothing like jetting off to a hot location during the winter months, but you need to ensure you pack your belongings in the right cases. In fact, airline Ryanair has told passengers they need to avoid placing a popular toiletry in their hand luggage if they want to travel through airport security with ease.

It’s worth paying attention to as, if you fail to follow the expert advice, it could land you in a spot of bother. In fact, it was recently brought up on Reddit after a traveller was left a little confused about the rules as to what he could carry in his hand luggage.

This isn’t the first time vital air travel information has been brought to people’s attention either. Back in December, a travel expert also shared the airport rule that all passengers should follow.

On Reddit, a social media user posted: “I recently started using safety razors and I was wondering if I could carry mine with one blade inside or a packet of blades. I don’t have a checked bag, only the carry-on.

“Previously I was always able to bring disposable razors with the blades stored in the plastic compartment. In the General terms & Conditions, Ryanair says safety razors are allowed but, I asked the support and, even though he wasn’t anywhere specific to answer my query, he said that sharp objects are not allowed.

“So, if I bring the safety razor with me with a blade in it, the worst that can happen is they are just going to remove the razor and give me the head/handle (enclosure thing) back?”

The question got a lot of people talking, as one person replied: “Safety razor will be fine. Really comes more down to the airport you are going through, not the airline, and even then it also comes down to the individual person you deal with.”

Another added: “OP (original poster) is not asking about safety razors per se. He’s asking about the blades, which are definitely prohibited items. Someone intent on causing harm could quite easily unscrew the razor and use the blade or spare blades as weapons.”

A third also replied: “NO, you cannot. Razor blades, including straight razor blades and replacement blades, are prohibited items because they could be used as weapons.

“However, as you said, fixed cartridge razors (disposable razors) generally are allowed in carry-on luggage. Safety razors (with blades in a plastic head) also are usually permitted in carry-on luggage. But NOT the type where you can unscrew the head and extract the blade.”

If you usually carry razors with you when you travel, which a lot of people do, it turns out there are some rules you need to follow. All you need to know is detailed on the Ryanair website.

What does Ryanair say?

The website reads: “The following items must not be carried on board, but may be carried as part of your checked baggage. Objects with a sharp point or sharp edge capable of being used to cause serious injury, including razors and razor blades (except safety or disposable razors with enclosed blades and razor heads held in plastic compartments).”

It also detailed all the other items that are banned in carry-on luggage. While each airline may differ slightly when it comes to its regulations, generally there are some rules you should follow.

Even though all razors aren’t banned in carry-on luggage, certain types are prohibited. Some airlines allow disposable razors, cartridge razors and electric shavers/epilators to be carried in hand luggage.

However, traditional safety razors, straight razors and loose razor blades are usually not allowed in the cabin and must be packed in checked luggage. This is due to the fact that they are so sharp.

If deemed dangerous, security can confiscate them and the mistake could see you facing delays at the airport. In a nutshell, it’s a packing mistake that’s really not worth making.

Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, Dominick Barlow added 26 points and 16 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Clippers 128-113 on Monday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

The game featured two big names who weren’t selected as All-Star reserves: Joel Embiid of the Sixers and Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers.

Embiid had 24 points as he continues to gain full strength after a right ankle injury. The Sixers improved to 11-10 without Paul George, who is serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program.

Leonard led the Clippers with 29 points and Jordan Miller had 21 points off the bench.

The Clippers were without James Harden, who missed his second straight game due to personal reasons. Coach Tyronn Lue said before the game that Harden was at home in Phoenix.

Leonard had two dunks and a three-pointer in the fourth, but the Clippers couldn’t put together a sustained run and he finished the game on the bench.

Maxey, Barlow and Embiid combined to score 22 points in the third when the Sixers were outscored 34-28, but still led 100-87.

The Sixers led the entire game, going up by 23 points before settling for a 72-53 halftime advantage.

The Clippers are 8-3 over their last 11 games as they try to stay within range of at least making the play-in tournament.

Feb. 2 (UPI) — A federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for Haitians in the United States, allowing at least half a million people from the island nation to remain in the country.

Judge Ana Reyes of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a temporary stay for more than 500,000 people from Haiti, who have fled their home country because of the ongoing dangerous instability there, The New York Times and the Guardian reported.

In her 83-page decision, Reyes called the Trump administration’s justification for ending the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for people from Haiti is flawed, noting that it ignores that “TPS holders already live here, and legally so.”

Congress created the TPS program in 1990 to provide protection for foreign nationals who are in the United States until their countries are safe to return to — be it because of natural disasters, armed conflicts or other dangerous situations — according to a 2025 report from the Congressional Research Service.

Based on current law, the Secretary of Homeland Security can designate people from countries experiencing some type of dangerous circumstances for at least 6 to 18 months, but can extend the time frame based on conditions in these people’s home countries.

As of March 2025, there were more than 1.3 million people in the United States granted TPS status from 17 countries, CRS reported.

Over the course of 2025, however, DHS has revoked TPS status for at least seven of the countries since President Donald Trump was inaugurated back into office in January 2025.

TPS protection for Haitians in the United States, as well as employment authorization, is scheduled to end on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, but Reyes’ ruling puts that on hold for an unknown period of time.

Monday’s ruling comes on the heels of three judges of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week ruling against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s efforts to end TPS protection not only for people in the U.S. from Haiti, but also from Venezuela.

On Monday evening, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Axios that the administration would appeal the ruling.

“Supreme Court, here we come,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. “Temporary means temporary and the final word will not be from an activist judge legislating from the bench.”

The growth of the Australian Open, however, would not be the same without its core product – the players.

Going back a few decades, many European and American stars would not travel to Melbourne because of the distance and a general feeling it lacked prestige.

That has changed considerably – not least because Tiley introduced a travel grant for the players.

“A lot of players are happy to escape the European winter and see the other players again and catch up in the New Year,” Federer said.

“People are incredibly excited and pumped up about the Australian Open. The players can feel that. The vibe is incredibly happy.”

Particular emphasis is placed on high-quality player facilities.

A hi-tech racquet lab provides personalised strings and grips, while a health suite offers physiotherapy, massage therapy and plunge pools.

Specialist medical treatment – an ophthalmologist, dermatologist, podiatrist and orthopaedist – is available, as are nutritionists and hydrationists, while chefs rustle up home comforts from every corner of the globe.

A beauty salon, including barbers, pedicurists and manicurists, is also on hand, along with a laundry service and dry cleaners.

There is even an on-site bank.

“We have a complete tourism service. We provide pretty much anything you can think of to service an athlete,” Tiley said in a recent interview with Forbes magazine.

Is there a better sensation for a traveller than when a train speeds out of a tunnel? The sudden flood of light, that howling rush of air. Clearly, it’s not just me who thinks trains are the new (old) planes, with 2025 having seen a 7% rise in UK train travel, and more Europeans than ever looking to hit the rails.

It’s late December, and I’m heading out on a slow-train journey across the historic railways of the Swiss Alps and the Italian lakes. It’s a trip of roughly 1,800 miles (2,900km), crossing five countries, almost entirely by scenic daytime trains.

What is clear from the off is how easy, and slightly disorientating, this type of train travel can be: drifting through stations, across platforms and over borders, it’s hard to believe we’ve hit three countries in less than a day – the UK, France and Switzerland – such is the ease of each passport stop. Gone are the sweaty finger scans of airport border control, replaced by the most polite immigration police I’ve ever encountered. “You’ve travelled a lot,” one says, with a wry smile and a German shepherd, to which I reply “legally”, just to cover my back.

Outside, the French countryside soon blurs into Swiss hills, all behind a thin veil of white, wintry light. The fields, with their clumps of bare trees, seem suspended in mid-freeze, as though bracing for the full blast to come. As we roll into Zurich, we catch our first glimpse of the milky Alpine peaks.

This is the thrill of train trips: the steadily shifting scenes, the rise and fall of the landscape, leavened like fresh bread. Next morning, we’re greeted with crisp blue skies for our mountain ascent via one of Europe’s most historic train routes, the Matterhorn Gotthard railway. The original line opened in 1882 and was the railroad that changed Europe, slicing a path through inhospitable mountains and isolated villages.

We catch one of the historic trains (the IR46) – keen to avoid anything routed through the Gotthard base tunnel, which bypasses the beauty. In summer, a tourist train – with bigger windows and a bigger price tag – takes the exact same route, famously depicted by JMW Turner and described in awed terms by Goethe. “Here,” he wrote, “it is necessary to submit to nature.” Though it’s the cafe car selling Swiss coffee at eye-watering prices that forces me to revise Goethe: here, it is necessary to submit to inflation.

Phones duly on charge (as is slow-train travel etiquette), we sit back and gawp out of the window for three hours, eating Swiss truffles as the tracks snake the mythic Alps via the famous Gotthard “spirals” – corkscrew tracks built inside the mountains for a steady ascent. It’s the stuff of oil paintings all right – vertiginous gorges, frothing rivers and snow-capped peaks.

At Göschenen, we opt for a lunch stop via a short, even steeper rack-and-pinion route high into the former garrison town of Andermatt, now reinvented as a chic ski retreat. Up here, the snow is thick. Between that and the dark Alpine stone, it’s as though we’ve stepped out into a monochrome photograph. A comforting lunch at the excellent Biselli, along with several glasses of Swiss Ticino red (liquid lunch being another perk of slow-train travel) takes the edge off a dense mist that has crept over the rest of the day’s rail route. Thankfully, Italy soon pushes back, with clear skies and terracotta valley towns, and – just like that – another border is crossed, bringing with it a welcome drop in the cost of a cappuccino (from €5 to €2), enjoyed while skimming the edge of the ice-blue Lake Lugano.

By dusk, we’re at Lake Como. Bags dropped, we catch the last of the light with an easy passeggiata (stroll) round the perimeter of the famous lake, mercifully lacking its high-season crowds. Ornate street lamps line the water’s edge like washed-up pearls and, in the distance, the funicular up to the hillside town of Brunate shines with a string of golden lights that dangle down the slope like lost jewellery. It’s hard to imagine Como any other way.

Next morning, having got into the swing of slow-train transience, we pack up in record time and take coffee at the station. For our final stop, we’re heading in the direction of a much-needed metropolis. Ditching Milan – Italy’s least interesting city – we roll into Turin, one of its most underappreciated.

Stepping off the rickety regional train at Torino Porta Susa, what we find is a vibrant, easygoing student city that appears contentedly trapped in some kind of temporal ragu; a place where 1920s art deco neon signs cling to 18th-century baroque buildings that house vintage shops run by students dressed as if they are in the 1990s.

Miraculously, all this gels, and the student cohort rub along just fine with their more conservative elders, united beneath the impressive porticos that run, unbroken, for more than 18km and are lined with boutiques and historic coffee bars. We round out our first night with an aperitivo at the classic art-school haunt Caffè Università, with its frayed edges and charmingly outmoded daily buffet.

Next morning, Turin’s enviable portfolio of museums and galleries beckon, most free to enter with the Torino card. Here, the time-warp vibes continue within the soaring spire of the 19th-century Mole Antonelliana, now housing the superb Museo Nazionale del Cinema – surely, the only neoclassical building that’s home to an xenomorph egg from the film Alien? Likewise, another repurposed building, the Lingotto complex, boasts an even more outlandish upcycle: the famous Fiat test track on its roof has been reimagined as La Pista 500, a panoramic garden walk, where art installations live alongside the historic skidmarks. Proof that Turin is not interested in simply preserving history, but also evolving.

With a chill in the air, we duck in for a perfect meal at the unassuming yet excellent Osteria Rabezzana, part of the Mangébin circuit that promotes Piedmontese cuisine. The brasato al barolo (beef braised in barolo wine) and local agnolotti del plin (beef- and cabbage–stuffed pasta) are excellent. This family-run restaurant and winery opened just after the second world war, and judging by the convivial atmosphere – full of local people on office festive outings – it has served the city well ever since.

Next morning, we are up and out to catch the 7.36 TGV all the way back to Paris. Drifting in and out of sleep, we take in a last glimpse of the Italian Alps. By the time we reach our Parisian pit stop, day is folding in on itself, and soon enough, we’re slumped back on the Eurostar, flanked by bags of clinking wine bottles cushioned by crushed panettone. Homebound and heady, we reluctantly plunge back into the black of the Channel tunnel, leaving all that light behind us.

Transport was provided by Interrail; passes allowing seven days of travel within one month are £255 youths, £339 adults, £305 seniors (under-12s travel free). Return Eurostar from London to Paris starts from £78. Accommodation was provided by The Home Hotel Zurich (from £165B&B), Hilton Lake Como (from €270 B&B), NH Collection Torino Piazza Carlina (from £203 B&B) and 25hours Terminus Nord in Paris (from €179 room-only ).

Making his first major post-arrest television interview Monday on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” Don Lemon detailed the moments surrounding his incarceration and his experience as a journalist becoming the center of a news story.

“There’s a lot that I cannot say,” Lemon told Kimmel. “But what I will say is that I’m not a protester. I went there to be a journalist. I went there to chronicle and document and record what was happening … I do think that there is a difference between a protester and a journalist.”

The appearance arrived less than a week after the former CNN anchor — now an independent journalist who hosts a YouTube show — was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles following his coverage of an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church earlier this month. Lemon, 59, was released without bond Friday and is expected to plead not guilty, according to his attorneys.

On Monday’s show, Kimmel began the conversation by asking Lemon how he was feeling: “I don’t know — that’s an honest answer,” Lemon said. “I’m OK. I’m not going to let them steal my joy, but this is very serious. These are federal criminal charges.”

Lemon was arrested — along with three others in attendance at the protest — at the direction of Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi, who said on X that it was in connection to what she described as a “coordinated attack” on the church, located in St. Paul. Lemon is charged with conspiracy to deprive the church congregants of their rights and interfering by force with someone’s First Amendment rights. Lemon has denied participating in the protest at the church — assembled to decry that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field officer apparently serves as a pastor there — saying he was present in a journalistic capacity.

Playfully acknowledging that he hasn’t been a favorite of President Trump’s since his time on CNN, Lemon said he hadn’t been concerned about his possible arrest — even with a re-post by Trump calling for it — until it gained steam by members of Trump’s cabinet, including Bondi and Todd Blanche, the U.S. deputy attorney general. Lemon said that after retaining a lawyer and volunteering to turn himself in to handle the matter without fanfare, he “never heard back from them.”

“That is customary in a situation like this, that someone would be allowed to turn themselves in,” Lemon said. “People who are who are accused of much worse things than I am accused of doing, they are allowed the courtesy. I mean, Donald Trump was allowed the courtesy to turn himself in …”

Lemon went on to detail the moments leading up to his arrest Thursday, which came after a night of covering a Grammys event for the Black Music Collective and attending a post-party celebration.

“I got back to the hotel, I walked in with my swag bag from the thing … and I pressed the elevator button and all of a sudden I feel myself being jostled, people trying to grab me and put me in handcuffs,” he recounted. “And I said, ‘What are you doing here?’ And they said, ‘We came to arrest you.’ I said, ‘Who are you?’ Then finally they identified themselves. And I said, ‘If you are who you are, then where’s the warrant?’ And they didn’t have a warrant, so they had to wait for the someone from outside, an FBI guy, to come in to show me a warrant on a cell phone … They took me outside FBI guys were out there. It had to be maybe a dozen people, which is a waste, Jimmy, of resources … They want to embarrass you. They want to intimidate you. They want to instill fear.”

He said he hadn’t realized how much attention his arrest had generated until he saw CNN broadcasting the story on a TV monitor where he was being held.

“I could see ‘Former CNN anchor Don Lemon arrested in Los Angeles,’” he said. “I said to the guy, ‘Is that happening a lot?’ He goes, ‘You’ve been on all morning, yeah. And he says, ‘This is a big deal.’”

During the conversation, Kimmel criticized what he felt was a lack of attention to the recent search by FBI agents of the home of a Washington Post reporter who covers the federal government. Lemon, who parted ways with CNN in 2023, attributed it to a fear among the leaders of corporate press enterprises.

“Corporate media has been neutered right now. They are afraid, and that’s the reason I’m so happy with what I do, because I’m closer to the ground,” he said. “This is not time for folly. It’s not time for false equivalence, and putting people on television and on news programs, giving them a platform, who come on just to lie. …. Some things are objectively bad and I think its important in this time to point that out.”

Lemon hitting the late-night circuit intensifies its spotlight as a free-speech battleground. The Trump era has prompted more pointed and passionate takes from most of the major hosts that, in turn, have captured the attention and ire of the president, who has provoked threats against them and their broadcasters.

Last year, CBS announced it was canceling “The Late Show” after a three-decade run — a decision the company attributed to financial reasons and not, as many have speculated, because of host Stephen Colbert’s criticism of a settlement between the Trump administration and Paramount, the parent company of CBS, over a 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

More recently, Kimmel faced a brief suspension last fall over comments regarding the killing of right-wing activist and influencer Charlie Kirk (ABC ultimately reinstated Kimmel following public backlash.) In fact, Lemon referenced that situation prior to his arrest, when a judge dismissed prosectors’ initial charging effort: “This is not a victory lap for me because it’s not over. They’re gonna try again,” Lemon told his followers on his YouTube show after the judge’s ruling. “Go ahead, make me into the new Jimmy Kimmel, if you want.”

Last Friday, addressing a crowd outside the courthouse upon his release, Lemon said, “There is no more important time than right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable. I will not stop now, I will not stop ever.”

“He is someone who has a lot of potential and I believe we can help take his game to the next level.”

Now he has taken what should be a step up to the Scottish Premiership, the striker told Rangers’ website: “I plan to make the most of this opportunity.”

Naderi has dual German and Bulgarian citizenship through his father, while he also qualifies for the Czech Republic through his mother.

He started with local club Dynamo Dresden as a youth before joining Monchengladbach’s academy, playing for their second team before his move to Hansa.

Naderi becomes Rangers’ fourth signing of the January transfer window following the arrival of winger Andreas Skov Olsen on loan from Wolfsburg, midfielder Tochi Chukwuani from Sturm Graz and defender Tuur Rommens from Westerlo.

He arrives on a transfer deadline day when midfielder Joe Rothwell joined Sheffield United from Rangers on a permanent deal, while centre-half Clinton Nsiala was sent to Westerlo on a loan with an option to buy.

Feb. 3 (UPI) — U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Monday said she attended an FBI search of election offices in Georgia last week at the request of President Donald Trump, defending her and the Trump administration’s role in the law enforcement action against mounting Democratic criticism.

Gabbard has come under growing scrutiny since photographs surfaced showing her with FBI agents executing a search warrant at the Fulton County elections hub, where authorities seized documents related to the 2020 election.

Democratic concerns about alleged Trump administration efforts to undermine the upcoming midterm elections have been stoked by Gabbard’s unprecedented involvement in the raid at Fulton County, prompting House and Senate Democrats on their respective intelligence committees to demand she explain her role.

In a Monday letter addressed to Rep. James Himes, D-Conn., the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard said she accompanied FBI personnel “for a brief time” while they executed the search warrant.

“My presence was requested by the President and executed under my broad statutory authority to coordinate, integrate and analyze intelligence related to election security, including counterintelligence, foreign and other malign influence and cybersecurity,” she said.

“ODNI’s Office of General Counsel has found my actions to be consistent and well within my statutory authorities as the Director of National Intelligence.”

In the letter, she told the Democrats that her office “will not irresponsibly share incomplete intelligence assessments,” but she would share them with Congress once they are completed.

Fulton County was the focal point of Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, which he lost to President Joe Biden. Trump and 18 others were later charged in Georgia for their alleged efforts to overturn the state’s results, a racketeering case that was dropped late last year following Trump’s return to the White House.

The letter came as The New York Times reported Monday that a day after the Wednesday raid, Gabbard arranged a phone call between the involved FBI agents and Trump.

“Tulsi Gabbard has no legal role in domestic law enforcement, yet 5 days ago she participated in an FBI raid of Fulton County, Georgia’s election office — the center of Trump’s 2020 election conspiracy theories,” Warner said on X on Monday.

“And now we find out that she orchestrated a call between Trump and the FBI agents conducting the raid? Something’s not passing the smell test…”

Gabbard confirmed the call in her letter Monday, stating: “While visiting the FBI File Office in Atlanta, I thanked the FBI agents for their professionalism and great work, and facilitated a brief phone call for the President to thank the agents personally for their work.”

“He did not ask any questions, nor did he or I issue any directive,” she added.

JOE Swash and stepson Zach put on a dapper display as they posed for snaps before attending the TV Choice Awards tonight. 

Zach, 17 – the eldest child of 44-year-old Joe’s wife Stacey Solomon – scrubbed up in a navy suit, white shirt and striped tie. 

While the former EastEnders star opted for a black suit which he teamed with a low-cut black T-shirt. 

He captioned his upload: “Zach & Me off to represent the Solomon Swash’s tonight at the @tvchoicemagazine awards. 

“Proud to be your +1 Zachy. Love you boy.”

But eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice Joe was trying his best to minimize the height difference between him and Zach – by standing on his tip toes. 

FLYING SOLO

Inside Stacey Solomon’s plans to protect £7m fortune and strict rule for Joe

NO JOE-KE!

Stacey Solomon takes swipe at Joe Swash after admitting she ‘can’t look at him’

One wrote: “The tiptoes haha love your relationship with all the kids.”

Another said: “Joe on his tippy toes.”

Someone else wrote: “Joe on your tip toes is cracking me.”

And a fourth added: “Love how Joe is trying to be taller than Zach.”

Stacey is also mum to 13-year-old Leighton from a previous relationship while she and Joe share Rex, six, Rose, four, and Belle, two.

Joe is dad so son Harry, 18, from his relationship with ex Emma Sophocleous.

Last month The Sun told how Stacey is desperate to get fans back on side after a flood of negative backlash over her ‘out of touch’ posts.

A source revealed: “The bottom line is Stacey is no longer relatable. 

“People think she flaunts her wealth and moans all the time – now Stacey’s being advised to rein it in and shut her mouth or risk ruining everything she’s worked so hard for.

“The plan is for Stacey to go back to basics and remember who her audience is. No more bragging about expensive holidays and keeping in mind not everybody is in her position.”

A college football recruiting dead period has begun, which means Servite will be a lot quieter after college recruiters visited during the past two weeks making sure they stop by to evaluate the team’s outstanding starting offensive tackles, Drew Fielder, a junior, and Elisha Mueller, a sophomore.

Let’s just say that Fielder, the 6-foot-6, 280-pound starting left tackle, has “blown up” as a college prospect as coaches recognize his growing size, strength and ability entering his senior year. Mueller, 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds, has been attracting big-time interest since his freshman season as a right tackle starter and was a sophomore All-American.

Together, they should form quite a duo in the Trinity League this fall.

“You feel real confident in your ability to win in the trenches,” coach Chris Reinert said.

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