HOUSTON — In their first meeting of the season on Christmas Day, Lakers coach JJ Redick said the Lakers were “punked” by the Houston Rockets and vowed not to let it happen again.
On Monday, the Lakers displayed their toug to hness in a 100-92 win over the Rockets at Toyota Center.
Even when they missed 14 comsecutive shots at one point in the fourth quarter, the Lakers showed their resilience with a gritty defensive effort that kept them in the game. The Lakers scored only 17 points in the fourth, but they held the Rockets to just 12 points en route to their sixth consecutive win.
“They’re a really good basketball team and they make you either play hard and match their physicality, and how they muck the game up, or you can lay down,” Redick said. “And we didn’t lay down tonight. Had a deficit there in the third quarter. Our guys just kept playing.”
But three big baskets from Deandre Ayton (seven points, 11 rebounds) and a big three-pointer by Marcus Smart (11 points) helped the Lakers open their six-game trip with a win.
Sitting third in the Western Conference, the Lakers (43-25) will take a 1½-game lead over the Rockets (41-26) into their rematch on Wednesday night.
“Obviously, we have another one on Wednesday, but it was a very important game,” said Doncic, who shot 14 for 27 from the field. We’ve been playing very good. Our defense has been pretty good, so just gotta continue that way.”
The Lakers threw double teams at Houston’s Kevin Durant all game, limiting him to 18 points and forcing him into seven of the Rockets’ 24 turnovers.
Durant shot only 16 times yet made eight. He was one for three in the fourth quarter and had just as many turnovers as points (two) in the final 12 minutes. One of those turnovers was on an eight-second violation.
“He’s one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen play,” James said. “Obviously you got to try to show him different looks, try to keep him off-balanced and when he shoots, hope he misses. So, I thought we did a good job of having a game plan but also just switching up our pitches.
“You can’t show a great like that too many of the same coverages throughout the whole game. He’ll get a feel for it.”
Doncic got off to what has become his typical first-quarter starts, scoring 16 points on seven-for-10 shooting. But Houston took a 58-51 lead at halftime after taking control of the boards in the second quarter. The Rockets turned six offensive rebounds into 13 points.
The Lakers also had a hard time scoring, shooting only 32% from the field and 13% (one for eight) from three-point range in the quarter.
After trailing by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, the Lakers surged and took an 83-80 lead heading into the fourth. After what happened in L.A. back in December, the Lakers were determined not to let Houston run away with the game.
After taking an 85-80 lead, the Lakers struggled to find consistent offense until Ayton checked back into the game with 4:52 left. Ayton scored on a tip shot to give the Lakers an 89-88 lead, then scored off a pair of offensive rebounds in the final 90 seconds to help keep the Lakers ahead for good. He finished with six points and five rebounds in the fourth quarter.
“He was amazing,” James said. “I mean, just the fact that he was sitting over there for as long as he did and stayed locked in on the game and came in and finished the game. He was able to get a tip-dunk, a couple of jump hooks around the rim, and a couple of rebounds. He helped us finish the game.”
Note: Lakers backup center Maxi Kleber did not play as he continues to recover from a lumbar back strain. “He’s basically been shut down for five days to sort of heal,” Redick said. “He’s not with us right now, and we hope he’s able to join us later on in the trip.”
South Korea had 81 products that led global exports in 2024, including memory chips and face masks, a report showed Tuesday.
In this photo, containers are stacked at a port in Pyeongtaek on March 12. Photo by Yonhap
South Korea had 81 products that led global exports in 2024, including memory chips, solid state drives (SSDs) and face masks, a report showed Tuesday.
The report published by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) showed that the value of 81 Korea-produced items accounted for the largest share of global export value in their respective categories.
China was at the top with 2,087 items with the largest export market share, followed by Germany at 520 items, the United States at 505, Italy at 199 and India at 156.
South Korea had 19 items ranked between second to 10th in terms of export market share, KITA said, noting the country is likely to increase its number of globally leading products in the future.
The country’s top selling items included memory chips, electrical transformers, SSDs, lead-acid starter batteries for automobiles, rubber for automotive components and sheet masks.
Notably, Korea reclaimed the top spot for memory chips from China for the first time in five years in 2024, thanks to strong demand for high bandwidth memory (HBM) and other advanced products made by Korean companies, KITA said.
In the tanker segment, Korea lost the top spot to China on the latter’s strategy of securing large volumes of low-value vessels but is expected to retake the position in 2025 on the back of the recent boom in Seoul’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship orders, it added.
Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.
Afghan authorities say a Pakistani attack killed hundreds of civilians; Islamabad rejects claim as ‘false’.
Published On 17 Mar 202617 Mar 2026
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Families have gathered outside a drug treatment centre in the Afghan capital, Kabul, looking for their loved ones after it was hit in a Pakistani air strike, which Taliban authorities said killed 408 people.
The attack on Kabul’s Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital took place at about 9pm local time (16:30 GMT) on Monday.
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Baryalai Amiri, a 38-year-old mechanic, was at the 2,000-bed facility on Tuesday to look for his brother, who was admitted about 25 days ago.
“We are not given the proper information,” Amiri told the AFP news agency, as rescuers picked through the rubble nearby. “So far, we don’t know where he is.”
Afghanistan and Pakistan have been in conflict for months, with Islamabad accusing its neighbour of harbouring armed groups that have mounted deadly cross-border attacks.
The two nations share a 2,600km (1,600-mile) border. The conflict had ebbed amid attempts by friendly countries, including China, to mediate and end the fighting before flaring up again.
Pakistan denied Afghan claims that its latest attack targeted civilians, instead insisting that it carried out precision strikes on “military installations and terrorist support infrastructure”.
“Pakistan’s targeting is precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted,” the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said. Islamabad dismissed the claim as “false and aimed at misleading public opinion”.
The health authorities said there were about 3,000 patients from across Afghanistan at the clinic at the time of the attack, which triggered panic in Kabul just after residents had broken their daily Ramadan fast.
The United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, said he was “dismayed” by reports of the air raids and civilian casualties.
“I urge parties to de-escalate, exercise maximum restraint & respect international law, including the protection of civilians and civilian objects such as hospitals,” he posted on X.
‘It was like doomsday’
A spokesman for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior Affairs said on Tuesday that the attack killed 408 people and injured 265.
Witnesses said they heard three explosions just as people in the hospital were completing evening prayers. Two of the bombs struck rooms and patient areas, they said.
“The whole place caught fire. It was like doomsday,” 50-year-old Ahmad told the Reuters news agency.
“My friends were burning in the fire, and we could not save them all,” he said, giving only his first name as he was under treatment at the facility.
Ambulance driver Haji Fahim told Reuters that he arrived at the site shortly after the air raids.
“When I arrived [last night], I saw that everything was burning, people were burning,” Fahim said on Tuesday. “Early in the morning, they called me again and told me to come back because there are still bodies under the rubble.”
The clinic was established in 2016 and has treated hundreds of people, also providing them with vocational training, such as tailoring and carpentry, to make them employable, according to local media reports.
Eurogliders founder Bernie Lynch died after battling with throat cancer.
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Perth musician Bernie Lynch has died aged 65 after a battle with cancerCredit: genBernie last performed with Eurogliders in November during a brief remission of his cancerCredit: http://www.perthnow.com.au
His death was announced this morning by fellow band member Grace Knight, who gave an emotional tribute.
Brit-born Grace wrote: “It’s with the heaviest heart I’m posting this to let everyone know that Bernie passed away last Thursday evening in palliative care in Perth.
“Some of you will be aware that Bernie was diagnosed with throat cancer in early 2024 and underwent treatment.
“I am heartbroken and don’t know how to proceed without him.”
An spokesman said: “Due to the continuing uncertainty of the situation in the Middle East and airspace instability, and to provide more clarity to our customers, we’ve extended the temporary reduction in our flying schedule in the region.
“We’re keeping the situation under constant review and are directly in touch with affected customers to offer them a range of options.
“Since the situation in the Middle East began, we’ve helped thousands of customers return home and operated eight relief flights from Muscat in Oman.”
British Airways confirmed that they are operating more flights via other international hubs in replacement of Dubai, which is one of the world’s busiest airports.
This includes four more flights via Singapore and three more flights via Bangkok.
Passengers affected will be able to rebook with another airline, or move their travel to a different date.
Otherwise full refunds are being given to anyone with bookings up to May 31.
The ongoing Iran crisis is still causing chaos for travellers, not just those in the Middle East.
Virgin Atlantic has already ended its Dubai flights for the season early, which were due to conclude on March 28.
Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill says that Chris Atherton’s switch to the Republic of Ireland is “disappointing, but we have to accept it”.
Atherton made history in September 2022 when he became the youngest senior footballer in the United Kingdom at 13 years and 329 days old, when he featured for Glenavon in the League Cup in Northern Ireland.
The 17-year-old moved from Glenavon, who he had been with since the age of four, to Chelsea’s academy in July 2025 before signing a professional contract in October.
Atherton represented Northern Ireland at under-16 and under-17 level, and was a youth ambassador at the announcement in Nyon for the UK and Ireland’s successful bid to host Euro 2028 in October 2023, but has now changed allegiance to the Republic of Ireland.
Speaking at his squad announcement for the World Cup play-off semi-final in Italy, O’Neill said “every player has the right to make that choice”.
“He’s a young player that had been initially in the Republic of Ireland set-up,” he continued.
“He came back to be part of our set-up and I think Chris played maybe 17 times for representative teams for us.
“But every player has the right to make that choice, and obviously he’s made that choice.”
O’Neill also referenced the decision of Omari Kellyman, who is on loan at Cardiff City from Chelsea and switched to England from Northern Ireland in 2023.
Northern Ireland have also benefited from changes of allegiance, as Jamie Donley and Ronan Hale switched from England and the Republic of Ireland respectively in the past 12 months.
“We can’t handcuff them to a decision that they made initially,” O’Neill added.
“They have the right to make that choice once in their career, and Chris has decided to make that choice.
March 17 (UPI) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has designated a Jewish Iranian-American imprisoned for nearly a year in Iran as wrongfully detained, according to his family.
Kamran Hekmati, a jeweler and longtime resident of Great Neck, N.Y., was detained by Iranian authorities at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport on May 17, according to the Bring Kamran Home website.
He was in the country for a family matter, and was detained while attempting to return to the United States. The website states he was formally arrested on July 28, less than two weeks after the United States bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities.
His family told UPI in a statement that they were notified on Monday of Rubio’s designation, an official recognition that the United States believes Hekmati is being held in Iran on false charges.
“We are so grateful to President [Donald] Trump and Secretary Rubio for their designation of Kamran Hekmati as a wrongful detainee,” Shohreh Nowfar, Hekmati’s cousin, said in a statement provided to UPI by Global Reach, a U.S. nonprofit that advocates for Americans imprisoned abroad.
“It reassures us that our government has our back in the effort to get Kamran home safely.”
UPI has contacted the State Department for comment and confirmation. Its Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs becomes involved once an American citizen is determined to be wrongfully detained.
Hekmati emigrated to the United States following the 1979 revolution.
According to his website, Hekmati was charged with allegedly visiting Israel within the last 10 years based on photos found on his phone of a trip he took to the country for his son’s bar mitzvah. He was sentenced to two years in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison. Advocates said the trip took place 13 years ago.
Hekmati was detained amid growing tensions between the allies, the United States and Israel, and Iran. Iranian authorities formally charged him two weeks after the Trump administration bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities.
He was again charged by Iran in December as tensions rose in the Middle East. Tehran authorities accuse him of meeting with agents of Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency.
He is reportedly a bladder cancer survivor but requires regular medical testing and preventive medical procedures to guard against its recurrence.
“Kamran appears to be caught up in Iran’s traditional approach of detaining Americans to obtain political concessions from the U.S.,” his advocacy website states.
The announcement comes months after Reps. Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, and Claudia Tenney, a Republican, both from New York, urged Rubio in an early December letter to secure Hekmati’s release and to designate him as wrongfully detained.
Rubio designated Iran a state sponsor of wrongful detention on Feb. 27, a day before the United States and Israel launched their ongoing war with Tehran.
Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh — arrested by Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in September 2024 and sentenced to 10 years in prison — was also officially designated as wrongfully detained in May.
Nowfar told UPI that the wrongfully detained designation made clear “that the senior-most people in the White House know that Kamran, Reza and the others are being held by the Iranians and conveyed to the Iranians that they will be held accountable for their safety.”
HOLLYWOOD actor Timothée Chalamet missed out on Oscars glory — and had to endure a string of jibes during the ceremony.
The Marty Supreme star was the butt of jokes having angered the arts world by stating nobody cared about ballet and opera.
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Timothée Chalamet missed out on Oscars glory — and had to endure a string of jibes during the ceremonyCredit: GettyAcademy Awards host Conan O’Brien said: ‘Security is very tight tonight. There’s concerns about attacks from the ballet and opera communities’Credit: GettyOnlookers told The Sun Timothée and girlfriend Kylie Jenner walked out of the ceremony for an hour amid the drubbingCredit: Getty
And his comments came back to haunt him as Academy Awards host Conan O’Brien said: “Security is very tight tonight. There’s concerns about attacks from the ballet and opera communities.”
He waded in again later, saying to Timothée: “We’re vibing, right?”
He then told viewers: “He doesn’t think so.”
Alexandre Singh, who won Best Live Action Short Film for Two People Exchanging Saliva, also took a pop during his speech and said: “We believe art can change people’s souls.
“Maybe it takes ten years, but we can change society through art, through creativity, through theatre and ballet — and cinema.”
Timothée, 30, also had to sit through a musical number from movie Sinners, with ballerina Misty Copeland — who had also criticised the star for his cultural views — dancing during the song.
The backlash was sparked by his comment: “I don’t want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this any more.”
He quickly added, “All respect to the ballet and opera people out there”, but the damage was done.
His remarks were widely rebuked, with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli mocking the star by publicly inviting him to one of his opera performances.
What did Timothee Chalamet say about ballet and opera? Oscars controversy explained
Timothée Chalamet has sparked a heated cultural debate following comments made at a CNN and Variety Town Hall on February 21, 2026.
Speaking alongside Matthew McConaughey about needing “draws” to pull in an audience to his movies, Chalamet made harsh comments about industries he claimed feel forced to stay afloat.
“I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera… where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore,’” he said.
The remarks mirror sentiments Chalamet expressed as early as 2019 during a promotional event for The King, where he labeled the disciplines “dying art forms.”
The Royal Ballet and Opera issued a formal rebuttal, emphasizing that these art forms do not exist in isolation but rather “inform, inspire, and elevate” the broader cultural landscape, including the film industry itself.
They said: “Timothee and Kylie were replaced by seat fillers for an hour.
“It seems like he had enough of being the butt of the jokes.
“They only came back just before the Best Actress and Best Actor categories were announced.”
Timothée was seen leaving the Vanity Fair after-party in the early hours of yesterday morning with Kylie, who is part of the Kardashian reality TV family.
Kylie’s ex-partner, rapper Travis Scott, the father of her two children Stormi, eight, and Aire, four, also later appeared to mock Timothee’s defeat by sharing a photograph of Michael wiping away tears as he accepted his award.
Timothee was the butt of jokes having angered the arts world by stating nobody cared about ballet and operaCredit: GettyWhile accepting their award for Best Short Film, Two People Exchanging Saliva creators took aim at Timothee’s anti-ballet comments in their acceptance speechCredit: GettyBallerina Misty Copeland — who had also criticised the star for his cultural views — took part in a musical number with the cast and crew from SinnersCredit: GettyOnlookers told The Sun: ‘Timothee and Kylie were replaced by seat fillers for an hour. It seems like he had enough of being the butt of the jokes’Credit: Reuters
Timothée attempted to shrug off the loss at the Vanity Fair do, where he was also joined by Kylie’s sister, Kendall, and half-sister, Kim Kardashian.
An onlooker at the party said: “Timothée was swarmed by well-wishers as he arrived.
“He kept his sunglasses on for most of the night and tried to be low-key, but he stood out like a sore thumb in his white suit.
“Kylie and him stayed for a while but then left together without being seen.
“It was the Irish exit he wanted — and needed.”
Timothee came under fire in February for claiming ‘no one cares’ about opera or balletCredit: ReutersAlexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata, who won the second Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film for Two People Exchanging Saliva, also shaded the actorCredit: ReutersTimothee was nominated for Best Actor and Best Picture for Marty Supreme but lost bothCredit: AFP via Getty Images
Who won on Hollywood’s biggest night?
One Battle After Another ran away with the night with six Oscars, while Sinners, which was nominated for a record-breaking 16 awards, came away with four. See the full winners list below:
NSB are also an official partner school with Northampton Saints.
This year, they provided the most players from any school to Saints’ under-18s.
Four players will also be offered first-team academy contracts this year.
“The boys have to manage their time really well,” says assistant first team coach Adam Baker.
“When we get into sixth form and into that first-team setting, we will try and put them through a programme that matches up with an academy programme, so if they go into that pathway, they are fully aware and prepped as to what that day-to-day life looks like.”
However, NSB aren’t the only state school making an impact.
They beat Campion School from Essex in the Continental Tyres School Cup semi-finals.
It was a compelling contest which went down to the wire, with two state schools playing high-octane rugby in front of a passionate crowd of over a thousand people.
The Rugby Football Union has a network of rugby managers to try to embed the game in state schools.
Twenty-two of the best state schools compete in the ACE (Academy, Colleges and Education) League. England internationals George Martin, Joe Heyes and Harry Randall all came through that route.
The programme is designed to support players who may not attend traditional rugby-playing schools, providing daily coaching, competitive fixtures, and opportunities to train alongside academy players.
Northampton Saints have two state school partnerships which play in the ACE League: Moulton College in Northampton and Sigma Sixth Colchester, located at Philip Morant School and College.
“Growing state school rugby is a one step at a time process,” said Beaumont.
“This is over 10 years of hard work. But it can be done.
“My advice to other schools is find a way to get more numbers in training, organise a game.
“Put a tournament on, you don’t need posts. Make it a habit. Get kids playing.
“Rugby needs every state school to push and develop rugby. This is the perfect time. State school rugby could be really special.”
One of NSB’s biggest stars is their 18-year-old captain Jack Lewis, who plays in the back row.
He has been at NSB for the past two years and in the Saints academy since he was 14.
This year he made his debut for Northampton Saints. Now he’s preparing to lead his school for the final time in a Twickenham final.
“NSB taught me how to act, it’s the closest thing to a professional environment,” he said.
“A lot of people work hard behind the scenes, they sacrifice their time. It’s given me so much as a player and a student.
“I’ve never played at Twickenham, it would be a great achievement if we could lift the cup there. We want to show what NSB stands for.”
1 of 8 | On March 17, 1776, the Continental Army under Gen. George Washington forced British troops to evacuate Boston. The historic moment was depicted in the 1911 painting The Evacuation of Boston by William James Aylward. File Image courtesy of the New York Public Library
March 17 (UPI) — On this date in history:
In 1762, New York City staged its first parade honoring the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It was led by Irish soldiers serving in the British army. In 2002, President George W. Bush became the first sitting U.S. president to take part in the event, more than six months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the city.
In 1776, the Continental Army under Gen. George Washington forced British troops to evacuate Boston. The Boston area marks Evacuation Day along with its St. Patrick’s Day parade each year.
In 1901, 71 paintings by the late Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh were shown at the Bernheim-Jeune gallery in Paris and caused a sensation across the art world.
In 1974, the oil-producing Arab countries agreed to lift a five-month embargo on petroleum sales to the United States. The embargo, during which gasoline prices soared 300%, was in retaliation for U.S. support of Israel during the October 1973 Middle East War.
In 1990, Lithuania rejected the Soviet Union’s ultimatum to renounce its declaration of independence a week prior. The Soviets implemented sanctions against Lithuania and conducted a military operation in 1991 before other Soviet republics eventually declared their independence.
In 1992, South African Whites, by a margin of 68.7% to 31.2%, voted to end minority rule. Nelson Mandela was elected two years later as the first president in a fully representative democratic election.
In 2003, as war with Iraq seemed a certainty, U.S. President George W. Bush gave Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his sons 48 hours to leave the country. The ultimatum was rejected.
In 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin won a fifth term in office, making him the longest-serving leader of the country in about two centuries. A Russian election watchdog called the election unconstitutional.
The popular airline has made the big announcement to relaunch the daily flights as part of its winter expansion, serving travellers and residents of both countries
07:05, 17 Mar 2026Updated 07:06, 17 Mar 2026
British Airways are launching new flights (Image: Mrkit99 via Getty Images)
British Airways have made a huge announcement that they are relaunching daily flights to a popular city for UK passengers – ahead of a couple of huge worldwide sporting events.
The airline will be returning to Melbourne after a 20-year hiatus.
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The flights will commence flights to Melbourne from January 9, 2027, launching in time for the Australian Open and the Melbourne Grand Prix. Flights will operate year-round from London Heathrow, via Kuala Lumpur, on a daily basis.
Passengers will be able to choose from First, World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy), and Club World (business class) in both directions.
Return fares start from £1,130 (including taxes and carrier fees) and are on sale from today.
The UK airline halted all services from Melbourne Airport in March 2006 with other companies being relied on for people to make the London-Melbourne journey.
Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer Lorie Argus said the announcement underscored Melbourne’s place as Australia’s largest and best connected 24-hour gateway.
“We are thrilled to welcome British Airways back to Melbourne Airport and we’re incredibly excited about what this extra choice means for travellers and exporters,” she said.
“British Airways is one of the world’s most recognisable airlines and in its more than 100 years of flying has earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence and reliability.
“With the largest choice of airlines flying to the UK and Europe, 24-hour operations and the shortest minimum connection time of any Australian airport, Melbourne Airport is now the clear choice for Europeans heading to Australia or Australians looking to travel abroad.
“London is one of the world’s great global cities and a critical hub for business, tourism and education, while Melbourne was last week voted Time Out’s “best city in the world” as well as being home to the largest British expat community in Australia, so there will be no shortage of two-way demand.”
The move is part of a significant planned expansion to BA’s network for winter 2026, with the addition of Colombo in Sri Lanka as well.
‘It’s not France, it’s not Italy, it’s Menton.” The seaside town on the French-Italian border has changed identities many times in its history. It was the only town in France completely annexed by the Italians during the second world war, but has also belonged to the Grimaldis of Monaco, was part of the kingdom of Sardinia, and only became French after a public vote in 1860. Today, ignoring the colours of Il Tricolore and Le Tricolore, almost everything is painted in various shades of yellow, a celebration of the town’s reliance on its beloved lemon.
Mauro Colagreco, the chef at the spectacular Mirazur restaurant, a few steps from the border, takes me up into the hills to visit one of his lemon and citrus fruit suppliers. “You can eat the peel of a Menton lemon; it has a thick, sweet rind. You can eat the whole thing; it’s totally organic and very juicy.” Menton’s microclimate, its warm winters, terraced hills and sandy soil make it perfect for growing citrus fruit. “What’s particular to the Menton lemon is that it has a smile, a small curvy fold at one end,” says Colagreco, who uses them in his restaurant alongside exploring the possibilities of Star Ruby grapefruits, yuzu confit and kumquats.
A citrus fruit creation from last year’s Fête du Citron. Photograph: SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images
This time of the year, late February and March, is called “yellow time”, owing to the lemons, daffodils and the mimosa on the hillside. It’s also the time of the Fête du Citron, a two-week festival with parades, giant floats and, this year, huge models of a whale, 12-metre-high parrots and entwined storks – all covered in citrus fruit. It was the 92nd iteration of the festival, but the Menton lemon is too expensive and rare to use, so all 123 tonnes of oranges and lemons now come from Spain (mostly) and Portugal.
In a perfect location to appreciate Menton’s two personalities is Luciano Fondrieschi, who runs R Bike Menton, a cycling shop on the promenade between the old town and the Italian border. He believes there’s a lot of lively competition between Italy and France in the town. Fondrieschi was a successful runner and triathlete in Italy and his shop is always full of French and Italians, looking over the racks of shoes, pedals and bikes and asking for advice.
“Menton is a French town with an Italian regard,” he tells me. “All the boats in the harbour are Italian.” However, looking around, most of the cars are French. Fondrieschi switches languages seamlessly in his repair shop. While we are chatting, a British couple come in, breathless but exuberant in their Lycra, having just completed a 36-mile (58km) round trip to Sanremo. They are followed by an Italian pensioner who had cycled up to Dolceacqua, 13 miles away, for a pizza lunch, and a couple from Luxembourg who want a puncture repaired before they set off for Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. “French people really just like speaking in French, but we [Italians] speak with our hands, so can talk to anyone!” says Fondrieschi. His in-store cafe offers a mix of brioches, rústico caprese, Italian aromatic cordials and café au lait.
A detail from Jean Cocteau’s Salle des Mariages mural in Menton. Photograph: Ivan Vdovin/Alamy
Like every town in France, Menton’s streets are named after the country’s authors, politicians and war heroes. But in Menton, for every avenue Pasteur, Victor Hugo and Général de Gaulle, there’s an avenue Cernuschi and Laurenti, a rue Pietra Scritta, Isola, Urbana, Pieta and Mattoni. There’s also a Square Victoria (the British queen stayed in Menton in 1882), avenue Blasco Ibáñez (the Spanish writer lived in a huge villa here in the 1920s) and avenue Katherine Mansfield (who stayed in the villa Isola Bella) – the last two linked by the rue Webb-Ellis.
William Webb Ellis, the schoolboy who supposedly invented the game of rugby when he picked up the ball in a school football match in 1823, became an Anglican vicar and moved to Menton in the 1860s, spending the last years of his life there. He is buried in the hilltop Vieux Château cemetery, a steep walk up from the old town, where his grave overlooks the sea, forever covered in rugby balls and club ties.
The grave of the English illustrator Aubrey Beardsley is even higher up the hill, in Trabuquet cemetery. He died aged 25 and is buried alongside many other young artists, writers and aristocrats who flocked to Menton at the end of the 19th century to cure their respiratory disorders and lose themselves in the town’s many botanical gardens.
Half a century later, France’s own master of pen and ink, Jean Cocteau, also turned up in Menton. In 1955, the mayor asked him to decorate the interior of the Salle des Mariages – a depiction of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice with centaurs and a Menton marriage. A key is available at the town hall for visitors.
A hundred metres away is Allo Robert, a warehouse-emporium of French and Italian bric-a-brac, the kind of things couples had on their wedding lists 100 years ago. I found a light-up Tabac sign, cabinets packed with 1930s soda siphons, candlesticks and champagne buckets, Italian crockery and blue chairs from Nice’s promenade. It’s a dusty snapshot of Menton from the early 20th century – as it says on the sign outside: “de curiosités … et tutti quanti” (“curiosities … and so on”).
Stay at the seafront Hôtel Napoléon, which has a solar-heated pool; doubles from €106,napoleon-menton.com. Eat pizzas, vitello tonnato and flavoured burrata at Mauro Colagreco’s La Pecoranegra, pecoranegra.fr
Islamabad, Pakistan — The war launched by the United States and Israel on Iran has already killed more than 1,400 people, set off retaliatory attacks by Tehran targeting Gulf nations and Israel, and pushed global oil prices above $100 a barrel.
Now, eighteen days into the conflict, aid agencies and countries neighbouring Iran are increasingly concerned about a potential refugee crisis.
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The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, estimates that 3.2 million people have already been displaced in Iran since US-Israeli strikes began on February 28. For now, the number of people physically crossing Iran’s borders remains comparatively modest. But this is what could happen next, and has put Iran’s neighbours on high alert.
Iran borders seven countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkiye and Turkmenistan. Iraq shares the longest frontier, stretching for almost 1,600km (994 miles).
Each of these states faces its own political pressures, economic limitations and security concerns.
But pressure on the ground in Iran is mounting. The country’s Red Crescent Society reports that more than 10,000 civilian sites have been damaged since the war began, including 65 schools and 32 medical facilities, while more than 1,400 people have been killed in the US-Israel attacks. Strikes have hit residential areas in Tehran, Shiraz and Isfahan.
Meanwhile, commercial flights out of Iran have been suspended as airspace is closed.
Eldaniz Gusseinov, head of research at the geopolitical advisory firm Nightingale International, noted that because strikes have so far been concentrated largely on Tehran and western and southwestern Iran, other parts of the country — especially provinces bordering Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan are absorbing much of the internal displacement.
“If the strike pattern remains the same, internally displaced people inside Iran will increasingly concentrate in provinces located near those states, creating the preconditions for cross-border movement,” the Almaty-based analyst told Al Jazeera.
And things could get worse. If Tehran, a city of about 10 million people, were to lose its electricity grid or water supply in a US-Israel attack, for instance, residents could be forced to leave en masse.
“Infrastructure destruction does not produce the gradual, manageable flows that the Syrian war initially generated. It produces sudden, massive displacement, driven by the collapse of basic urban services,” Gusseinov said.
Turkiye fears repeat of Syrian migration crisis
Among Iran’s neighbours, only Turkiye, Iraq and Pakistan have extensive experience of hosting large refugee populations.
Imtiaz Baloch, an independent researcher focusing on conflicts in Pakistan and Central Asia, said that if the crisis in Iran deepens, many Iranians could seek refuge in neighbouring states, particularly Iraq and Turkiye.
Analysts say no country faces greater political exposure than Turkiye.
“Turkiye is currently hosting many refugees from Syria and other countries. A new influx of Iranian migrants would likely intensify the humanitarian burden and create new challenges for both host countries and international relief agencies in the coming days,” Baloch said.
Turkiye shares a 530km (329-mile) border with Iran and allows visa-free entry for Iranian citizens. It already hosts the world’s largest refugee population, including roughly 3.6 million Syrians, and anti-immigrant sentiment has hardened within domestic politics over the past decade.
Turkiye’s interior minister, Mustafa Çiftçi, said earlier in March that the government had prepared three contingency plans for the war in Iran.
The first involves intercepting migration flows within Iranian territory before they reach the border. The second proposes establishing buffer zones along the frontier. The third would allow refugees to enter Turkiye under controlled conditions as a last resort.
Turkish authorities say they have already strengthened the border with Iran, adding 380km (236 miles) of concrete wall, 203 optical towers and 43 observation posts – undertaken, according to a Turkish Ministry of National Defence statement issued in January, as the US was building up its armada in the Gulf late last year.
“Although there is currently no mass migration detection at our borders, additional measures have been taken on the border line, and these measures will be implemented if needed,” the Defence Ministry stated on January 15.
So far, this has not been necessary. According to Turkish government data on the movement of people from Iran, 5,010 entered Turkiye from between March 1 and 3, while 5,495 exited.
But Turkiye has felt the effects of the war’s spillover in other ways. On March 9, NATO confirmed it had intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile over Turkish airspace. The debris landed near Gaziantep, in the western-most part of the country, about 50km (31 miles) from the Syrian border. Iran denied that it was behind the attack on Turkiye.
Crisis on an unprecedented scale?
What makes the current situation in Iran particularly urgent is the scale of its population, say analysts.
Syria had approximately 21 million people at the start of its civil war. Iran has roughly 90 million. The Syrian conflict caused more than 13 million people to be displaced, including more than 6 million who fled the country.
A proportionate displacement from Iran would represent a humanitarian crisis with few modern parallels. To put it into perspective, if a country of 90 million experienced the exact same scale of crisis as Syria, nearly 56 million people would be forced to flee their homes, and nearly 26 million of them would become international refugees.
Gusseinov said such a scale of displacement and the capacity of international aid agencies is “fundamentally mismatched”.
Furthermore, Iran itself hosts one of the world’s largest refugee populations: about 3.7 million displaced people, most of them from Afghanistan.
“Any mass displacement from Iran, therefore, creates a dual crisis: Iranian civilians fleeing outward, and Afghan and Iraqi refugees who were already in Iran being displaced a second time, or pushed back to countries that cannot absorb them,” he said.
Hamid Shirmohammadzadeh, 35, who arrived in Turkiye from Iran, shows his passport while staying at a hotel in Van province, Turkiye, March 5, 2026 [Dilara Senkaya/Reuters]
Iraq and the South Caucasus face difficult choices
Although most population movement is still taking place within Iran rather than across its borders, Iran’s neighbours do have cause for concern, analysts say.
“Iran’s neighbouring countries are already dealing with their own crises, which limits their ability to absorb a potential refugee influx. Countries such as Syria, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are facing varying degrees of economic, political, or security challenges. These internal pressures make it difficult for them to accommodate a large influx of refugees,” Gusseinov told Al Jazeera.
Iraq, which shares Iran’s longest border, faces a particularly complex situation.
The country is not only a potential destination for Iranian refugees, but has also been caught in military exchanges between Washington and Tehran. US forces have targeted armed groups operating from Iraqi territory, while Iran and pro-Iran armed groups have struck – or attempted to strike – US military and diplomatic positions inside the country.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration says disruptions on the Iranian side of the border have led to the closure of several crossing points, although Iraqi crossings remain technically open. Meanwhile, the UNHCR says it is monitoring developments closely, and that the Iraqi government would lead any emergency refugee response.
The semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, which, unlike the rest of the country, still allows visa-free entry for Iranian passport holders, adds another layer of complexity.
The region hosts several Kurdish armed groups, some of which have reportedly been in discussions with Washington about receiving military support in return for joining the war against Iran. The development has prompted Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to strike Kurdish positions inside Iraqi territory.
Baghdad has publicly stated that it will not allow its territory to be used to infiltrate Iran, but experts on the region say its ability to enforce the position is limited.
Further north, the South Caucasus states of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia have each expressed concern while attempting to carefully balance relations with both Washington and Tehran.
Azerbaijan has closed its land borders to routine traffic, requiring government approval for any crossing, while Armenia’s border with Iran, which is just 44km (27 miles) long, remains open.
“Armenia is a small economy already absorbing Russian and Ukrainian migrants,” Gusseinov said.
(Al Jazeera)
Pakistan and Afghanistan confront overlapping crises
To Iran’s east lie Pakistan and Afghanistan, each grappling with existing refugee pressures.
According to the UNHCR, since October 2023, about 5.4 million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan, many not by choice.
Following the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, a huge wave of Afghans sought refuge across the country’s borders, fearful of economic collapse and security threats.
The UN and international migration agencies estimate that between 1 and 1.5 million Afghans fled to Iran in the immediate aftermath of the US withdrawal, pushing the total Afghan population in Iran to upwards of 5 or 6 million.
Concurrently, hundreds of thousands of newly displaced Afghans crossed into Pakistan, joining a long-established refugee community there and swelling the total number of Afghans in the country to more than 3 million.
In response to this influx and citing domestic economic and security pressures, both Pakistan and Iran initiated aggressive mass deportation campaigns, forcing millions back into Afghanistan. Between late 2023 and the end of 2025, between 2.8 million and 3.5 million Afghans are thought to have been sent back.
Pakistan’s stringent repatriation plans pushed out more than 1.3 million people, while Iran drastically accelerated its expulsions, deporting nearly 2 million individuals in 2025 alone.
According to the UNHCR, in 2026 so far, more than 232,500 Afghans have returned to their country, including 146,206 from Pakistan and 86,253 from Iran.
The primary concern now is that the war in Iran could accelerate these returns, pushing people into communities already struggling to cope and potentially triggering further onward migration. The UNHCR has also warned that largescale and hurried returns of refugees could trigger further instability in the region.
Further complicating the situation, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been engaged in fighting, as Islamabad claims that Afghanistan is providing a safe haven to armed groups launching attacks at Pakistan. Kabul has consistently denied the presence of any such groups on its soil.
Another bout of hostilities in October 2025 led Pakistan to close its borders with Afghanistan. Since then, Afghanistan’s trade and economic ties with Iran have deepened.
“Destabilisation of the Iranian economy, therefore, hits Afghanistan through two channels simultaneously: reduced trade flows and refugee return surges,” Gusseinov said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan faces its own geographical and security challenges.
The country’s border with Iran runs through Balochistan, its largest but most volatile province, where separatist sentiment has simmered for decades. The province has seen an increasing number of attacks by armed groups seeking independence from Pakistan. In February this year, Pakistan’s military concluded a weeklong security operation in the province, and claimed it had killed 216 fighters in targeted offensives.
While Balochistan’s provincial officials say they have sufficient resources to accommodate refugees if large numbers begin arriving across the southern border, researcher Baloch said the reality was more complicated. Any refugee crisis, he said, could make the situation in Balochistan difficult for Islamabad to manage.
“Balochistan’s porous border is next to Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province, a region that has historically been home to various separatist groups. Any significant influx of refugees across this border could impose additional security and economic costs on Pakistan,” Baloch said.
Coronation Street spoilers for next week see residents catching onto two different villains, both of whom are potential victims in the murder twist next month on the ITV soap
Coronation Street spoilers for next week see residents catching onto two different villains(Image: ITV)
Two potential murder victims take centre stage on Coronation Street next week, with their lies rumbled.
Recently viewers were told one of five villains would be killed off in April. It will be Jodie Ramsey, Carl Webster, Theo Silverton, Megan Walsh or Maggie Driscoll.
Now, new spoilers for next week could suggest it will be one of two villains. Secrets are exposed next week it seems, with motives and suspects set up for two of the five potential victims.
Theo and Megan both come under the spotlight next week, as Theo’s abusive behaviour looks set to be rumbled. In the fallout to Megan being rumbled this week, next week sees more than one resident desperate for her to face justice.
Theo places himself up there as a firm favourite to die for sure. Not only does he dash Todd’s marathon hopes in a cruel plan, but he then springs a surprise wedding on him, trying to trap him for good.
His mask soon slips though and it’s not long before a character possibly unearths his vile and abusive behaviour. So does next week place him at the top of the list of who dies in April?
Our soap insider teases: “Theo cruelly sabotages Todd’s martathon prep, before heading to the event and pretending Todd has already gone. When Todd realises he’s missed the marathon he’s gutted, and seemingly unaware of Theo’s part in it.
“Todd’s friends are disappointed too, and he fears he’s let them down. All the while, a smug Theo shows off his medal, before offering a disappointed Todd a shoulder to cry on. Seemignly Theo’s plan to reel Todd back in after their split drama has worked.”
Later in the week we see George Shuttleworth suggesting to Todd that Theo isn’t good for him. It’s clear he’s not keen and soon he’s deasperate to keep Theo on side, despite Theo’s attempts to win him back around.
Our insider said: “Theo tries to paint himself as a changed man to George and Christina. George seems taken by his claims but when Theo leaves, he admits he’s doing it so that Theo doesn’t know about his suspicions.”
Those suspicions raise though when George visits the flat and overhears Theo shouting abuse at Todd. “Theo returns from a run after more drama with Todd,” shares our insider.
“Clearly in a mood, he thinks Todd is in the bathroom and begins shouting abusive comments through the door. He’s left exposed though when George emerges from the room, having heard everything.”
So will this be the moment Theo is rumbled and could it lead to Theo being killed off? Another character whose game is well and truly up is child groomer Megan.
This week sees her exposed for abusing teen Will Driscoll, and next week his whole family, and her partner Daniel Osbourne, want to get to the bottom of what’s happened. After the news that she is pregnant but is refusing a DNA test, they want to know whether Will could be the baby’s father.
Our insider said: “Will’s dad Ben calls the family together to discuss the baby, but Will soon leaps to Megan’s defence, in denial and still trying to cover for her. Maggie loses it though, and tensions simmer with Ben hopeful that Will might attend counselling, and that he might expose what really happened with Megan.
“Towards the end of the week, Daniel urges teen Sam Blakeman to speak to the police and share everything he knows about the grooming. After all, it was Sam who initially figured out what was going on only to be threatened by teacher Megan.
“Sam is very paranoid, while it’s clear Daniel is hurt and then there’s the Driscolls who are reeling from recent events. So what are the chances that one of these characters will go too far in their bid to expose Megan, and could she be the one who dies?”
Victor Wembanyama had 21 points and 13 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs overcame an early 14-point deficit before blowing most of a 24-point lead and recovering to hold off the Clippers 119-115 on Monday night at Intuit Dome.
Stephon Castle had 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to lead the Spurs (50-18), who reached 50 wins for the first time since 2016-17 and trail the first-place Thunder by three games in the West. Devin Vassell added 20 points.
Fighting to secure a spot for the play-in tournament, the Clippers’ second straight loss dropped them back to .500 with Kawhi Leonard watching from the bench. The NBA’s sixth-leading scorer sat out with a sprained left knee.
Darius Garland drives to the basket against De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs in the second half.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
Darius Garland led six Clippers in double figures with 25 points and 10 assists. Jordan Miller had 22 points off the bench, which outscored the Spurs’ reserves 57-30.
After the Spurs ran off seven in a row to lead 115-102, Garland scored seven of the Clippers’ nine points to get within four with 38 seconds remaining. But the Spurs made four straight free throws to preserve the win.
The Spurs led by 24 points in the third before the Clippers closed with a 16-3 run to trail by 10 going into the fourth.
The Spurs started slowly, missing eight of their first nine shots, while the Clippers surged to a 17-3 lead. They shot 65% from the floor in the opening quarter, hit five of seven three-pointers and made 10 of 12 free throws.
San Antonio turned things around in the second. The Spurs erased all of their 14-point deficit, helped by 15 straight points over the end of the first and start of the second. In the period, they outscored the Clippers 37-15 to lead 66-52 at halftime.
Jeffrey Epstein urged Canadian-American media and real estate mogul Mortimer Zuckerman to relinquish control of his financial affairs over what he claimed was the magnate’s “potentially dangerous” cognitive impairment, according to files released by the United States Department of Justice.
While Epstein’s business ties with Zuckerman, now 88 years old, have been a matter of public record for over two decades, the files suggest that the late sex offender also served as a confidant with access to the most intimate details of the billionaire mogul’s personal life.
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After a meeting with Zuckerman and the Norwegian diplomat Terje Rod-Larsen in October 2015, Epstein wrote an email urging the tycoon to enter a guardianship or conservatorship for his own protection.
Epstein told Zuckerman, the owner and publisher of US News & World Report, that the mogul had requested his help during their meeting several days earlier, but that he “might not remember”.
“Your friends including me are very concerned that your cognitive impairment has now reached a serious and potentially dangerous level. There is serious concern for your financail, emotional physical and psychological safety,” Epstein wrote, using his typically idiosyncratic approach to spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Epstein suggested that Zuckerman grant Rod-Larsen, Zuckerman’s nephews, and “anyone else you trust” authority to manage his affairs, warning that his “remarkable abilities” were no longer enough to protect him.
“I am aware that your condition makes you prone to suspicion but that being said, the future predictable decline will be an ever increasing danger,” Epstein wrote.
“Admittting you have a problem will take courage and determination.”
Zuckerman, who previously owned The Atlantic and the New York Daily News, appeared to take Epstein’s advice seriously, thanking him for his “thoughtfulness and friendship” and asking for recommendations for a lawyer with “experience in such matters”.
Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photograph taken for the New York state’s sex offender registry on March 28, 2017 [Handout/New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services via Reuters]
Zuckerman suggested the two men meet after he returned from an upcoming trip to San Francisco, but Epstein advised him to cancel the trip and said the mogul had told him about his travel plans on four separate occasions.
“I know you dont remember each time. . MORT , you need a Guardian,” Epstein wrote. “you should choose one now, while your judgment peeks through the haze. waiting too long. will mean most likely a court imposed solution. NOT FUN.”
Epstein also discussed Zuckerman’s health with his nephew, Eric Gertler, advising the relative to oversee the sale of the businessman’s stocks, art collection, helicopter and plane.
“my expertise is the financial . take any other suggestion as merely transmitting from others skilled in this terrible situation,” Epstein wrote to Gertler, who is the current executive chairman of US News & World Report, in one email.
It is not clear if Zuckerman followed Epstein’s advice to pass over control of his affairs.
Zuckerman announced that he would step down as chairman of Boston Properties, one of the largest real estate investment trusts in the US, about six months after his correspondence with Epstein.
Zuckerman did not cite any health concerns at the time and kept the title of chairman emeritus at the company, which he cofounded in 1970.
His philanthropic organisations – the Zuckerman Institute and Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program – and Gertler did not reply to Al Jazeera’s requests for comment.
Zuckerman’s relationship with Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, occasionally made headlines during the early 2000s, before Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
In 2003, Zuckerman partnered with Epstein and several other prominent businessmen, including the disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, in an unsuccessful bid to buy New York Magazine.
The two men teamed up again the following year to invest $25m in the short-lived relaunch of the entertainment and gossip magazine Radar.
Investigative files released by the US Department of Justice in January showed that the late financier viewed Zuckerman as a client and close associate, as well as a business partner.
In 2013, Epstein drew up a $21m proposal to provide Zuckerman with “analysing, evaluating, planning and other services” related to the passing on of his estate, according to emails in the files.
It is unclear whether Zuckerman accepted Epstein’s proposal or otherwise employed him to manage his estate planning.
Epstein also pressured Zuckerman to alter coverage of his alleged sexual abuse of girls in the New York Daily News, suggesting a “proposed answer” to questions put to him by the newspaper in 2009. Zuckerman owned the New York Daily News at the time.
This stunning 17th century estate was home to the Jones family for centuries and is now a real-life time capsule open to visitors
The home was built as a statement of wealth and power(Image: Getty)
Near Moreton-in-Marsh in Oxfordshire sits a magnificent estate, which once belonged to the very same family for centuries.
Originally constructed as an enormous display of wealth and influence in the early 17th century, it has since transformed into a public space where visitors can explore and immerse themselves in British history.
Chastleton House remained a constant fixture within the same family for hundreds upon hundreds of years, as the estate continued to stay in their possession, handed down through the generations.
Today, the property stands in Oxfordshire as a genuine time capsule, barely altered, featuring an impressive great hall, gallery room and numerous collections that once belonged to the distinguished family.
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Guests can wander the grounds and take a guided tour of the rooms that contain countless memories for the Jones family.
One visitor wrote on TripAdvisor: “Beautiful house and gardens with discrete but attentive guides. From the entrance to the exit, a fantastic visit. A huge family home with a fascinating past.”
It’s thought that some form of settlement has stood in Chastleton for over 1,000 years, but by the 16th century, the site of the house as we recognise it today was owned by the Catesby family.
That was until Walter Jones bought the land and previous house from Robert Catesby, and it remained within his family for 400 years.
He demolished what remained of the original property and constructed a stunning building in its place, completed in 1612.
His acquisition was intended to mirror his illustrious legal career, and he sought to establish himself as a country gentleman, having now become a landowner.
Throughout the following century, the Jones family continued to form unions with several well-established gentry families, helping to cement this standing.
The final direct descendant of Walter Jones, however, was Arthur Jones, who inherited the estate in 1813 and carried out some structural enhancements to the residence.
Following his death, the property stayed within the family, though not with a direct descendant; rather, it was handed down to a distant cousin by marriage named John Henry-Whitmore Jones.
The final chapter of this family tree’s ownership concluded in 1991, when the National Heritage Memorial Fund purchased Chastleton and transferred it to the care of the National Trust.
Regrettably for the final occupants, the expense of maintaining the building was becoming far too substantial.
Preservation
The National Heritage Memorial Fund acquired Chastleton in 1991, and the majority of its original contents remained precisely as they were before it was transferred to the National Trust.
In an effort to maintain that mystical ambience that can only be attributed to centuries of tales and memories on the grounds, there was a plan to preserve the house, not restore it.
With this, they merely repaired parts that were damaged, which took a total of six years, to ensure the building was structurally sound and stable.
The stunning home was later reopened for the public to witness all its magic up close in 1998.
Visiting
It’s thought that one of the true treasures of the house is the Long Gallery, boasting the longest-surviving barrel-vaulted ceiling in the country. Due to neglect, the plasterwork required some refurbishment, which occurred in 1904.
Part of the room’s splendour is attributed to the mask heads located at the west end of the room, extremely rare survivals from the 1600s era, believed to have been used as a weapon to ward off evil spirits.
Beyond the confines of the house lies a vast, impeccably maintained garden, offering a sense of tranquillity and relaxation. Contributing to this glory is the Jacobean Pleasure Garden, also known as the Best Garden – a name that speaks volumes about its beauty.
To fully appreciate it all, visitors can embark on the Wilderness Walk, designed to provide not just a soothing stroll around the gardens but also the very best views of the house and the ever-changing gardens through the seasons.
One recent visitor said: “The house is amazing, a time capsule of a grand country house decaying over the years, with the fantastic result of being able to see how things really were without Victorian (or other) alterations. And top tip, do enjoy the Chastleton Teas at the church right next door.”
The property welcomes visitors from mid-March onwards with opening hours of 1pm until 5pm. Adult admission is priced at £15, while children’s tickets cost £7.50 and families can purchase a ticket for £37.50.
“Right is right, wrong is wrong, and Trump’s wrong.” Former Marine Brian McGinnis, whose hand was broken by police and a congressman earlier this month in a protest at the US Capitol, says Donald Trump is “wrong” when it comes to the joint US-Israeli war on Iran.
PEAKY Blinders star Annabelle Wallis is expecting her first child with boyfriend Sebastian Stan, it has been reported.
According to TMZ, the actress and Hollywood heartthrob are bracing themselves to become first-time parents.
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Sebastian and Annabelle are said to be expecting their first childCredit: Getty ImagesThe couple went public with their relationship in 2022Credit: WireImage
Annabelle and Sebastian went public with their relationship in 2022 after being spotted on holiday together in Greece.
While the couple have yet to confirm the news, insiders told TMZ they’re keeping the due date and gender under wraps.
It’s going to be a busy year for the stars with Sebastian gearing up for the release of two movies, Fjord and Avengers: Doomsday.
Meanwhile Annabelle is starring alongside Jason Statham in action film Mutiny which is set to be released in August.
Sebastian and Annabelle are known for keeping their private life out of the public eye and last year he shared their reason for doing so.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, he said: “I feel like it’s really difficult nowadays to be able to have any privacy whatsoever.”
Sebastian added that their relationship “is not something either of them discuss” publicly.
As well as being known for playing Grace Burgess in Peaky Blinders, Annabelle also starred as Jane Seymour in drama series The Tudors.
Sebastian got his big break in 2007 when he took on the role of lovable rogue Carter Baizen in Gossip Girl, starring alongside huge names including Blake Lively.
Sebastian and Annabelle are known for keeping their relationship privateCredit: FilmMagic
A view of South Korea’s first commercial nuclear reactor, Kori-1, in the southeastern port city of Busan. YONHAP / EPA
March 17 (Asia Today) —This commentary is the Asia Today Editor’s Op-Ed.
South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party and the government have decided to raise the operating rates of nuclear and coal-fired power plants to respond to rising oil prices triggered by the war in the Middle East, a move critics say marks a late reversal of the party’s long-standing opposition to nuclear energy.
Ahn Do-geol, secretary of the party’s economic task force on the Middle East crisis, said Monday the government will expand electricity generation from nuclear and coal plants to manage supplies of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, which has relatively limited reserves.
Under the plan, the government will lift a cap limiting coal-fired power generation to 80% of installed capacity and accelerate repairs on six nuclear reactors currently under maintenance. Two reactors are expected to return to service by the end of this month and four more by May, raising nuclear utilization rates from the current high-60% range to about 80%.
The decision signals a clear shift for the Democratic Party, which long supported a phase-out of nuclear energy.
Former President Moon Jae-in formally declared a nuclear phase-out policy in 2017, pledging to abandon nuclear-centered electricity generation after attending a ceremony marking the permanent shutdown of the Kori Unit 1 reactor.
At the time, Moon argued South Korea should move toward a nuclear-free era and halted or scrapped most plans to build new nuclear plants.
The party’s stance began to soften after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, which triggered global energy supply disruptions. Near the end of his presidency, Moon said nuclear power would need to remain a major baseload energy source for decades and called for delayed reactors including Shin Hanul Units 1 and 2 and Shin Kori Units 5 and 6 to begin operations as soon as possible.
The latest shift reflects renewed energy concerns linked to instability in the Middle East, which has pushed oil prices higher.
Supporters of nuclear power argue it remains a critical energy source despite safety risks highlighted by past disasters such as the Fukushima accident in Japan.
Opponents warn that nuclear accidents can cause catastrophic damage, pointing to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine, which has faced repeated safety concerns amid the ongoing war.
However, critics of the phase-out policy argue that abandoning nuclear energy without reliable alternatives risks creating energy shortages.
South Korea currently has only about nine days’ worth of LNG reserves, raising concerns about energy security during geopolitical crises.
Supporters of the policy shift say governments must adjust energy strategies as global conditions change but argue that long-term policies on energy and food security should be developed with careful planning rather than reactive decisions.
