Virgin River star Tim Matheson teased the upcoming eighth season of the Netflix show and the fallout from Doc’s decision to partner with Grace Valley
Virgin River season 8 puts Hope and Doc’s marriage ‘in jeopardy’
Warning – this article contains spoilers for Virgin River season 7.
Virgin River’s Tim Matheson has teased a turbulent path ahead for Vernon ‘Doc’ Mullins and his wife, Mayor Hope McCrea (portrayed by Annette O’Toole ) in the Netflix drama’s forthcoming eighth season.
The series made its comeback for its seventh run last Thursday (12th March), witnessing Mel Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack Sheridan’s (Martin Henderson) honeymoon period disrupted by fresh obstacles.
After Charmaine’s (Lauren Hammersley) abrupt vanishing, the pair encountered a difficult predicament when Marley (Rachel Drance) presented them with a chance to adopt her infant, before the baby’s father unexpectedly returned.
Simultaneously, Mel’s boss Doc carried on battling the medical board following the revocation of his licence for a dangerous yet life-preserving procedure, whilst competing hospital Grace Valley encroaches on his patch, reports the Express.
The season finale delivered a shock revelation, though, as Doc started contemplating a collaboration with Grace Valley despite his conflict with Dr Hayes (Kaj-Erik Eriksen), a move that enrages Hope.
In an exclusive conversation with Reach, Matheson verified that Virgin River’s confirmed eighth season will address the aftermath of their row directly from the outset.
“Well, it focuses a great deal on [that challenge] in season eight,” he revealed. “Like in any relationship there are changes and bumps and adjustments that need to be made. So, that continues on and it’s all about people finding their true path in life. And we all know that changes from day to day.
“So, things get a little bumpy, perhaps. I’ve only seen the first two episodes in script form, but… strap on your seatbelt. It’s going to be a wild ride.”
Production for series eight is set to commence in April, meaning viewers potentially won’t have long to wait before fresh information about the next instalment begins to emerge.
The forthcoming chapter will probably see Doc legally practising medicine once more but, following the strain of defending his licence and the prospect of Grace Valley taking control, could retirement be a possibility?
Matheson was swift to dismiss this theory, stating: “I don’t see that right now, no.
“Basically, he just keeps adjusting and in season seven, he actually came to a conclusion which threatened his relationship with Hope, that it’s better for his patients to try and adjust to more modern ways to help the patients by partnering with Grace Valley hospital.
“And using some of their improved equipment in the clinic and providing more immediate service to the patients, maybe through an ambulance and more modern care. And more money because a hospital can provide more modern equipment.
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“So I think he’s going to try that and see how that works, because really his goal is to be of service to the patient and whatever’s better for the patient is worth trying. And that may or may not have a deleterious effect on his relationships, and people have strong feelings one way or the other about bringing in an outside medical facility to help the clinic.
“He has mixed feelings about it, so that’s the thing that he’s going to be weighing throughout season eight.”
Will Doc and Hayes’ partnership prove harmonious or will Virgin River’s steadfast physician live to rue his choice? Keep watching for more small town drama arriving shortly.
Virgin River is available to stream on Netflix.
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Islamabad hits Kandahar facility after Taliban drones strike civilian areas and military sites as conflict intensifies.
Published On 14 Mar 202614 Mar 2026
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Pakistan has carried out strikes on an Afghan military facility in Kandahar after Taliban drones targeted civilian areas and military installations across the country.
The strikes on Saturday came after Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the overnight drone attacks, warning Kabul it had “crossed a red line by attempting to target our civilians”.
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Pakistan’s military said the drones, described as locally produced and rudimentary, were intercepted before reaching their targets, though falling debris wounded two children in Quetta and civilians in Kohat and Rawalpindi.
A security source told the AFP news agency that airspace around the capital, Islamabad, had been temporarily closed when the drones were detected.
Islamabad said the Kandahar facility had been used both to launch the drone attacks and as a base for cross-border rebel activity.
The exchange marks the sharpest single escalation yet in a conflict that has been building since late February, when Pakistan launched military operations against what it said were Pakistan Taliban fighters sheltering on Afghan soil.
Islamabad also accuses Kabul of harbouring fighters from the ISIL (ISIS) group’s Khorasan province affiliate.
The Taliban government has denied both charges.
The drone attacks followed Pakistani strikes on Kabul and eastern border provinces in Afghanistan overnight on Thursday into Friday. The Pakistani attacks killed four people in the capital, women and children among them, and two more in the east.
In the Pul-e-Charkhi neighbourhood of Kabul, one resident described being buried under rubble after his home was hit, saying he lay there believing it was his “last breath” before neighbours pulled him free.
A local representative told AFP that those killed were “ordinary people, poor people” with no involvement in the conflict.
Pakistani aircraft also struck a fuel depot belonging to the private airline Kam Air near Kandahar airport, which an airport official said supplied aid organisations, including the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The official added that there were “no military installations” at the site.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence claimed that its forces had captured a Pakistani border post and killed 14 soldiers.
Islamabad dismissed the assertion as baseless, with the prime minister’s spokesman accusing the Taliban of “weaving fantasies” rather than dismantling rebel networks on Afghan territory.
The UN mission in Afghanistan says at least 75 civilians have been killed and 193 injured since hostilities intensified on February 26, a toll that includes 24 children.
According to the UN refugee agency, about 115,000 people have been forced from their homes.
The crisis is unfolding as the wider region remains engulfed by the US-Israeli war with Iran, which began just two days after the Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes escalated.
Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi has urged both sides to pursue dialogue, warning that further force would only deepen the crisis, though his appeal came as Pakistani jets were already in the air over Kandahar.
“We changed to make the players more dynamic, with Rayan, Jeremy [Doku] and Phil [Foden],” Guardiola told his post-match news conference. “But we could not win the game.
“We could be more aggressive in the first half maybe, but with the creativity, the crosses and dribbles this season, we are struggling. The team, they did everything, but they need to be better in the final third, and it has happened in many games this season.”
Asked about picking Semenyo over Cherki as number 10, he said: “Absolutely, for that role there is no-one better than [Cherki]. That is bad selection, you can criticise me, I deserve it.
“Sometimes for the balance, we are learning. We played Cherki and Haaland – incredible, but we do not have the stability teams in the Premier League must have. I try to handle that, and the team is still growing.
“Rayan’s impact off the bench is unbelievable, but sometimes he does not have the pace so we play Semenyo. I am still finding the best way to have stability and to balance the team.”
Haaland’s form is thrown into sharp focus by the fact he struggled against West Ham, a team against who he has scored 11 Premier League goals – more than any other side.
“It’s not about the lack of goals,” Guardiola said of the Norway striker. “We need to create more. He will be back.”
City cannot win well, and they struggle to win ugly too.
They have only lost once in their past 18 league matches, but during that period they have given up 10 points from winning positions – enough to cost them first place in the current standings.
Given the latter came a couple of hours after Arsenal, starring Max Dowman, spectacularly dug out victory over Everton, this one will sting.
Guardiola laughed it off afterwards, saying he had been having a beer pre-match rather than following the Arsenal match with his team, as he served a touchline ban.
He also joked he would look to get more yellow cards as he preferred the view from the stands – and light-heartedly batted away a question on whether Haaland was limping.
It felt like if Guardiola didn’t laugh, he would cry.
They revealed they were starstruck when Ginger Spice popped into their rehearsal at a West London studio last month, accompanied by her husband Christian Horner’s daughter.
Asked about their celebrity fans, Danny said: “The legend that is Geri Halliwell and her step-daughter came to the rehearsal studio to watch our set. They had wanted to come to our London show, but were due to be away when it was on, so we invited them to our rehearsals.
“Geri was like a pocket rocket. Petite and loads of personality.
Last month, they attended their first Brit Awards, in Manchester, and have told how they brushed shoulders with singers Lola Young and Sam Fender, as well as Happy Mondays maracas player Bez.
Cruz said: “I was partying with Bez in the DJ booth — he is funny. He and I have got to go to Ibiza one day.”
To celebrate Mother’s Day, the boys have been treating their mums after receiving their first big pay cheque.
Hendrik said: “I have been saving money to try and finish my mum and dad’s house. They have been wanting to finish it for years.”
Despite the global stardom that awaits, it sounds like the boys are keeping their feet on the ground.
SIMON ‘PROUD’ OF LADS
DECEMBER 10 have revealed how their mentor Simon Cowell was proud of them after their sold-out London show.
The music mogul and his fiancee Lauren Silverman attended their gig at the O2 Academy Islington, in North London, last month.
December 10 have revealed how their mentor Simon Cowell was proud of them after their sold-out London showCredit: Getty
Band member Nicolas said: “He really enjoyed that we incorporated instruments into the live show, and when he spoke to us, that was one of the main things that made him really happy and proud.”
John added: “He has also always said that he just wants great songs. Over the past few months that we have been recording music, we have been working towards that.”
And the boys reckon it still feels surreal seeing thousands of teenagers queuing to hear them play.
Nicolas said: “I wouldn’t say it’s overwhelming, it’s more of a strange feeling, because the first show was a bit of a shock.
“It is a feeling for me, personally, that I don’t think I will get used to.”
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HE HAZ TO SEE MATES
HE is one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, but Harry Styles says he had to change his mindset so he did not become a recluse.
He explained: “When you shut out a lot of the things that are assumed can be negative, you also just unconsciously shut out a ton of positive things.
Harry Styles says he had to change his mindset so he did not become a recluseCredit: Getty
“It can be hard to go to a bar and hang out with friends because there’s maybe people who would act [in a certain] way.
“There’s also incredible people that you can meet in that bar – that you also shut yourself off from.”
He added on SiriusXM: “I was having some experiences where I was meeting some really great people that were kind of really planting the seed of, like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to shut myself off from this world’.”
It comes as his record Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally has topped the albums chart, while his track American Girls is No1 in the singles rundown.
DENISE VAN OUTEN and Johnny Vaughan are creating a new Big Breakfast-style TV show 25 years after the original was axed.
I can reveal the pair, who presented the Channel 4 show in the Nineties, are working on a new format set to shake up TV schedules.
Denise said: “In my new touring show [An Evening With Denise], of all the things I’ve done, The Big Breakfast section gets the biggest reaction. I think people are still craving that chaos and the fun – we’ve lost it.”
She added: “I’m working on something with Johnny, it’s going to have that feel to it. It’s all come from the show and speaking to people. I was like, ‘Oh, people are missing this, they want this’.”
I cannot wait.
YOU’RE SO ROUGE, CHRISTINA
CHRISTINA AGUILERA was red hot on stage in this basque and matching gloves.
The US hitmaker teamed them with thigh-skimming black boots in Austin, Texas, as she headlined the Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Music Festival.
Christina Aguilera was red hot on stage in this basque and matching glovesCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Highlights included a performance of her 2001 hit Lady Marmalade, from film Moulin Rouge!, as fireworks lit up the sky.
MAYA’S VILLA TO VILLAIN
MAYA JAMA has revealed what her dream movie role would be – and it’s not what you might expect.
The Love Island host, who is set to star in the second series of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix crime-comedy The Gentlemen, said: “I’ve always said I don’t want to be what people expect me to be on camera.
Maya Jama has revealed what her dream movie role would be – and it’s not what you might expectCredit: Getty
“I’d want to be the complete opposite to that . . . so a monster or a mean, evil person. A villain maybe would be nice.”
The pair, who married in 2018, have both appointed legal teams and have quietly started proceedings.
Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor have filed for divorceCredit: Getty
Reality star turned author Millie, who has two daughters with entrepreneur Hugo, has been through the process before, having split from rapper Professor Green, who she was married to from 2013 to 2016.
A pal said: “Fans will be sad to hear that their relationship is really over, but the pair just want a clean break.
“Millie and Hugo are committed to co-parenting their two young children and keeping everything stable. They are still very amicable with each other and have a lot of respect for one another.
“They want the divorce to go through as painlessly as possible and are focusing on work in the meantime.”
Professor Green has a son with model and actress Karima McAdams, who he dated for five years after splitting with Millie.
Now, he is back in touch with Millie and said: “There’s no resentment in me. She is gorgeous. We were not good for each other at that time.
“We spoke about our mutual diagnosis (ADHD) and our kids.”
The couple are eyeing up Son Marroig, a stunning, 17th century, clifftop temple on the Spanish island for their summer nuptials.
Molly Smith and Tom Clare are set to tie the knot in Majorca – home of the original dating show’s villaCredit: Supplied
The venue is popular among celebrities, with Pixie Geldof, weatherman Alex Beresford and Man City defender Nathan Ake all having held their ceremonies there.
A source said: “Majorca is a stunning destination for a wedding and there is plenty of privacy on the island. Many of the buildings are difficult to access by road and it has a secluded feel.
“There is guaranteed sun and it offers a beautiful backdrop with the most stunning sunsets.”
Tom and Molly do a weekly podcast called NearlyWeds and post regular vlogs about their planning.
Congrats guys . . .
EX-PM SNAPS GEM OF A SHOT
GEMMA COLLINS posed with an unlikely fan at the Cheltenham races this week – as I am told that former PM David Cameron asked for a photo.
And reality favourite Gemma was only too happy to oblige David and wife Samantha in the Royal Box.
Gemma Collins with David and Samantha Cameron at the Cheltenham racesCredit: Gemma Collins/Instagram
A source said: “Gemma was honoured that David asked her for a picture. They chatted about politics and her fondness of current Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.”
Chuffed Gemma quickly shared the snap with her 2.2million Instagram followers.
She wrote: “It was lovely to be in the Royal Box and have a good chat with David Cameron and his lovely wife. We spoke politics and . . . what we were going to bet on next.”
Gemma, who is a face of bookmaker Paddy Power, won a mighty impressive £20,000 at Cheltenham – and £5,000 off just one bet.
The GC was spotted shouting, “I’m loaded” as she basked in her glory alongside stars including Danny Dyer and Peter Crouch.
South Korea Prime Minister Kim Min-seok (L) with US Vice President JD Vance ahead of their talks at the White House in Washington DC, USA, 12 March 2026. Courtesy of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United States
March 13 (Asia Today) — South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance at the White House in Washington on Wednesday to discuss bilateral investment, trade issues and developments on the Korean Peninsula.
The meeting came about 50 days after the two leaders first met during Kim’s visit to Washington in January.
Kim highlighted the passage of a special law supporting South Korean investment in the United States, which cleared the National Assembly earlier this week.
He said the legislation demonstrates Seoul’s commitment to implementing bilateral investment agreements and could contribute to revitalizing U.S. manufacturing and job creation.
Kim added that the measure could also accelerate implementation of agreements outlined in a joint fact sheet between the two countries, including cooperation in areas such as nuclear-powered submarines, nuclear energy and shipbuilding.
Vance welcomed the legislation, saying it provides a legal foundation for implementing investment agreements between the two countries, according to South Korea’s Prime Minister’s Office.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in critical minerals and issues related to non-tariff trade barriers.
Kim explained Seoul’s recent decision to allow U.S. companies to export mapping data from South Korea, describing it as a forward-looking step aimed at strengthening cooperation.
Vance praised the move and said the two countries should continue consultations on non-tariff trade barriers.
Kim also said issues previously raised by Vance during their January meeting – including concerns related to the e-commerce company Coupang and certain religious matters – are now being handled in a stable manner.
Vance said the United States respects South Korea’s domestic legal framework and thanked Seoul for continuing to communicate with Washington on issues of interest to the United States.
The leaders also exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula and reaffirmed that the door remains open for dialogue with North Korea.
They agreed to maintain close coordination on developments related to the peninsula.
South Korea’s Prime Minister’s Office said the meeting helped deepen personal trust between Kim and Vance and is expected to strengthen communication on key bilateral issues.
The office’s statement did not mention whether the two discussed the Section 301 trade investigation launched this week by the Office of the United States Trade Representative targeting several major trading partners, including South Korea.
However, the issue of non-tariff barriers raised during the meeting could be related to that investigation.
Five teams will compete in the new series of the BBC travel show, racing from Europe to Mongolia
Race Across the World is returning with a new series
(Image: BBC screengrab)
The upcoming Race Across the World contestants are shown battling through thick snow in an early look at the new series.
The much-loved BBC programme – which features teams racing vast distances on limited budgets, without phones and banned from flying – is back for a sixth series, and the broadcaster has released a short preview in a teaser trailer, reports Wales Online.
Whilst the departure point hasn’t been revealed yet, this season the participants will face the challenge of travelling from Europe “to the uncharted edges of Mongolia”. Footage in the trailer captures the racers riding horses, navigating major cities, leaping from boats and attempting to hitch lifts.
“The further they go, the closer they’ll get,” flashes across the screen, as one of this year’s participants is heard saying: “This race, it’s a lifetime of exploring in such a short amount of time.
“It’s going to open up a lot of doors not many people have the privilege to unlock.”
Another contestant is then heard exclaiming: “This is an adventure.”
The BBC teased: “In this vast east-to-west journey, five pairs race from the familiarities of Europe all the way to the uncharted edges of Mongolia in Race Across the World series six.
“These teams must forge their own path… But on this journey of extremes, who will finish first? No flights. No phones. No safety net… Let the race begin!”
Fans have declared they “can’t wait” following the series preview, with one posting on Instagram: “So excited for this.”
“OMG…. Can’t wait for this one!!!” gushed one person, whilst another fan declared: “My favourite programme.”
“Yippee!” enthused another viewer, as somebody else wrote: “Yesssssss!! Cannot wait – best programme!!”
Last year’s series of Race Across the World saw the teams departing from The Great Wall of China before journeying across China, Nepal and India to reach the finishing point of Kanniyakumari, the southernmost tip of India.
It was claimed by mother and son pairing Caroline and Tom, who secured the £20,000 prize after becoming the first duo to arrive at the final checkpoint.
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North Korea on Saturday staged another of its show-of-force ballistic missile launches — pictured is one launch during a test in December — that sent 10 missiles off its west coast, which traveled more than 200 miles and landed just outside the Japanese exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan. Photo by KCNA/EPA
March 14 (UPI) — North Korea launched 10 ballistic missiles into the sea on Saturday — which landed just outside Japan’s economic zone in the East Sea — in a show of force amid a U.S.-South Korea military exercise.
The launch, confirmed by the Japanese and South Korean defense ministries, is one of the largest North Korea shows of force that it has ever launched, The Japan Times and The Independent reported.
The missiles were launched from the west coast of North Korea, flying roughly 211 miles before falling just outside the Sea of Japan.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense in a statement called the launch a continued effort to “threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region and the international community.”
Shinjiro Koizumi, the Japanese defense minister, added that the ministry would remain in close contact with the United States and other allies “to remain fully vigilant and maintain surveillance in preparation for any unforeseen contingencies.”
The launch is the largest since at least November 2022, when Kim Jong Un’s regime launched a volley of 23 missiles that included short-range ballistic missiles and surface-to-air missiles, among others.
Analysts have said that it is unlikely that North Korea would attack U.S. or other nation’s assets in the region while the United States has diverted missile defense systems, among other things, to the Middle East amid the war in Iran.
They say, rather, that the show of force is meant to show that it can defend itself if it is invaded.
North Korea’s launch also comes as the United States and South Korea are about halfway through the annual 11-day Freedom Shield combined joint exercise that includes land, air and sea training events to allow the two nation’s armed forces to integrate seamlessly in combat.
One warship that was involved with the exercise, the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship carrying 2,500 Marines and 2,500 sailors, has been redeployed to the Middle East to bolster U.S. military power there amid the war in Iran.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event celebrating Women’s History Month in the East Room of the White House on Thursday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
A relative tells BBC those killed were civilians and not Hezbollah operatives, but the Israel Defence Forces says it was targeting “terrorist infrastructure”.
LORNA Luxe has been seen out for the first time since her husband John’s death – joining race-goers at Cheltenham Festival this week.
The fashion influencer, 43, was seen out on Friday for the Gold Cup and was quids in after backing a horse in John’s memory.
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Lorna Luxe puts on a brave face as she’s spotted at Cheltenham Festival following husband John’s deathCredit: InstagramHer husband John died in FebruaryCredit: Instagram
Johnny’s Jury was priced between 25/1 to 33/1 with bookmakers like Betfair before jockey Gavin Sheehan took him from last to first to win the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
Lorna said in a video message to fans: “It’s been raining all week, but the weather was perfect with blue skies.
“I started betting on the horses but didn’t get any winners at all.
“I bumped into Amanda Wakely, whose dress I wore for my wedding to John, and we went to the betting box.
“She said ‘look, one of the horses is called Johnny’s Jury, shall we have a go?’
“It was a bit of an outsider but I put £20 each way – and it won.
“It flipping won. I’m absolutely buzzing. I had all this cash.
“It was just, so John.”
Lorna’s voice cracked as her eyes filled with tears.
Lorna shared a video of her collecting her winnings
She added: “It really made me smile. It was just a brilliant moment.
“I was really teary to be honest. I’m teary now just thinking about it.
“Even though he wasn’t there with me, it felt like he was there in spirit.”
Lorna was dressed in Holland Cooper, the official luxury fashion partner of The Jockey Club, to enjoy a day at the races.
The brand’s founder – Jade Holland Cooper – described Lorna as “the strongest woman I know”.
Lorna Luxe puts on a brave face as she’s spotted at Cheltenham Festival following husband John’s deathCredit: Instagram
Lorna’s late husband John was initially diagnosed with stage three cancer, but it developed to stage four while he was undergoing treatment.
Lorna kept her followers updated throughout his journey, and they supported her when he went into remission in November 2023.
But his cancer returned in May 2024, spreading to his brain.
Tragically, just before Christmas, he was rushed back to hospital with organ failure, following a complication with his chemotherapy treatment.
Lorna was advised to prepare for the worst but John defied the odds and was able to recover and spend Christmas at home, before passing away two months later.
Lorna and John, pictured together previously at Cheltenham, met when she was 25 and he was 46Credit: Getty
Thousands rallied in central Madrid calling for an end to the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, with protesters warning the conflict could escalate into a global war.
Federico Valverde scores his fifth goal in three games as Real Madrid beat Elche to move one point behind Barcelona.
Published On 14 Mar 202614 Mar 2026
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Federico Valverde hit the back of the net, and the headlines, once again for Real Madrid as they beat Elche 4-1 in La Liga, but it was Arda Guler’s last-gasp strike from inside his own half that captured imaginations.
Midfielder Valvrder netted his fifth goal in three games for Los Blancos, having scored a hat-trick in midweek against Manchester City, with a curling effort from the edge of the box just before half-time on Saturday.
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It doubled his side’s lead after Antonio Rudiger volleyed home the opener in the 39th minute, following a scramble in the box from a Real corner.
Dean Huijsen was the unlikely player furthest forward to head home Real’s third in the 66th minute, but the defender was left unmarked in the box, where he remained after another corner that Elche had effectively failed to clear.
Even a late own goal by Manuel Angel could not dampen Los Blancos’ spirits, especially when Arda Guler went on to net what will surely be the goal of the season from inside his own half.
The 21-year-old Turkey midfielder spotted Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro off his line and didn’t hesitate to launch a long lob with his left foot that sailed over the hapless ’keeper and bounced once before settling into the net.
The Santiago Bernabeu stadium erupted in applause for the memorable goal that came with the victory beyond doubt in the 89th minute.
Güler joined Madrid from Fenerbache in 2023. He has scored four goals this season, when he has gained more playing time after the exit of veteran Luka Modric.
The win moves Real to within a point of leaders Barcelona, who can restore their four-point advantage when they play Sevilla on Sunday.
The game had been a nervy affair at Bernabeu Stadium until Rudiger’s opener settled the Madrid crowd.
The victory marks a third straight win for Real, who had lost two on the bounce in the league prior to the current run, and parted company with their coach Xabi Alonso in January.
Interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa, also a former Real player, could not have asked for a better week, with one of the best performances of the season produced in Wednesday’s win against City in the UEFA Champions League.
Arbeloa’s side take a 3-0 advantage to Manchester for the return leg on Tuesday, and with the La Liga race tightening, what was looking like a nightmare season could still end with the two most coveted titles for Madrid.
Elche, who were promoted to La Liga last season, remain mired in a relegation scrap, just a point above third-bottom Mallorca, who entertain Espanyol on Sunday.
SHE is an Oscar-winner married to a former James Bond, but Rachel Weisz says Hollywood made her feel so ugly she considered having plastic surgery.
When the British beauty first went there in the Nineties, she contemplated a nose job, boob job or liposuction to get noticed and boost her career.
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Oscar-winner Rachel Weisz says Hollywood made her feel so ugly she considered having plastic surgeryCredit: Shutterstock EditorialRachel with Leo Woodall in new Netflix thriller VladimirCredit: PARachel in 2015’s YouthCredit: GIANNI FIORITO
Rachel, now 56 and one of the world’s most sought-after stars, said: “I went into quite a major depression.
“I was watching so many daytime TV shows. And then I would get in my car and drive to these auditions while listening to the radio.
“I feel sick now when I listen to the radio, all these commercials for different car dealers.
“I just felt like the world was so desperate and lonely and sad and people were trying to sell cars and no one wanted to buy them.
“People are very focused on their own thing. In LA unless you’ve just won an Oscar or you’re ‘Mr Studio Head’, no one talks to you. Even at parties. I was at this big Hollywood party, and no one looked.
“Everyone is blinkered and they just kind of scan the room for anyone important. LA makes you feel ugly. Because if you’re an actress, no one pays you any attention.
“And you immediately start thinking, ‘God, I must have a nose job. Or, I must get that boob job, or I must get that lipo’, whatever it is.”
For Rachel, who started her career with bit-parts on Inspector Morse and whose new thriller Vladimir was released on Netflix on March 5, real success and happiness came when she turned her back on the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles.
She decided to split her time between London, where she grew up, and New York with her then-partner, director Darren Aronofsky, and their son Henry, now 19.
Rachel, who has been married to 007 actor Daniel Craig since 2011, told Index mag: “There’s not much room for eccentricity in Hollywood, and eccentricity is what’s sexy in people.
“I think London’s sexy because it’s so full of eccentrics.”
The actress’s breakthrough came in 1999 when she landed the role of feisty librarian Evelyn Carnahan in blockbuster The Mummy.
By 2006 her A-list status was cemented when she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Constant Gardener.
She went on to star in 2009’s The Lovely Bones and 2015’s Youth, as well as 2021 Marvel film Black Widow.
Now Vladimir sees her as married college professor M, whose life spirals into a steamy, all-consuming obsession with her younger colleague, played by One Day and White Lotus star Leo Woodall.
The series is based on the book of the same name by Julia May Jonas, which Rachel describes as a brilliant piece of writing.
She added of the character she plays: “I deeply empathise with her and understand her. But I left her when I got home.
“She’s like a projection of what a viewer might want to live out.”
Rachel and Daniel, who officially ended his 15-year stint as James Bond with No Time To Die in 2021, were friends for years before falling for each other in 2010 while filming thriller Dream House.
Within months they secretly wed in New York and went on to have daughter Grace, now seven. They split their time between Brooklyn in New York and Primrose Hill in North London.
But the couple deliberately choose not to do films together.
Rachel said: “I think we really love our private life as a life, as a family, and then we go to work separately.
“It means we can alternate, so I can stay home with the family while he works. We can swap out. If we’re both doing something at the same time, it’s probably less ideal.”
Rachel grew up in Hampstead, North London, with dad George, a Hungarian-Jewish mechanical engineer, and mum Edith, who originated from Austria and was a teacher-turned-psychotherapist.
The star started modelling at 14 and studied English at Cambridge University, with her parents hoping she would choose a more traditional career.
Rachel told the Sunday Sitdown With Willie Geist podcast: “They were just the kind of parents who were like, ‘You’ve got to get a degree, like you have to go to college’, which in the end I did.
“They wanted me to have a fall-back, so I could be a teacher . . . that would be a really good job.
“My parents would be really happy if I was a teacher. My dad was very sceptical about my career choice. I think he wasn’t very impressed by what I was doing.
“He was my harshest critic for a very long time. I think he only, after a good 15 years, was like, ‘OK, yeah’.
“He was tough — yeah, he was tough, in a good way. He was always honest, he didn’t make it nice. He’d take things apart and say, ‘I didn’t understand what you were doing,’ or, ‘That was a bit wooden’.”
But winning her Oscar changed everything.
Actress Rachel holds her Oscar for her performance in The Constant GardnerCredit: EPA
Rachel said: “That definitely changed my life. Maybe my dad was like, ‘OK, all right, you were OK’.
“He would never be more over the top than that.”
And that Oscar meant she had the freedom to choose the roles she truly wanted, just like the one in Vladimir.
She said: “In the beginning of my career, I just did whatever job I got so I could pay the rent. I wasn’t picky.
“Now I’m in this luxurious position where I can choose things. It’s really about the character and writing, if it appeals to me or if it seems it would be interesting to pretend that story.
“I was never the kind of kid that got on the table and did a tap dance and a song. I wasn’t the star of the school plays or anything. I was actually really shy.
“I think a lot of actors, when I meet them as grown-ups, they go, ‘I was really shy too’.
“I think I’m just a daydreamer. I think storytelling is, in a way, daydreaming, but putting your daydreams into writing and getting people to embody them.
“I think my daydreaming skills have just come into it, I get paid for it.”
Despite now being praised for her stylish looks, ranging from velvet trouser suits to Valentino haute couture, walking the red carpet still makes Rachel nervous even today.
She said: “I don’t think any actress would say doing the red carpet is not terrifying. The way to get through it is to pretend.
“It’s a fantasy, like walking into a fantasy world. These people, they transform you, and that is fun.
“What you see on the red carpet is not a character that has anything to say.
“I used to be very shy, and in a way that was what was so great about the idea of acting. You can hide the real you behind that character.”
But after years of struggling with fame, Rachel says she has finally learned to be content with exactly where she is in life.
She said: “Someone once said to me when I was younger, ‘Never think the best party is somewhere else’. You know that feeling of being somewhere and thinking you should go somewhere better?
“You can’t do that. Wherever you are is the right place to be.”
March 14 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Saturday said that a coalition of nations affected by Iran choking off the Strait of Hormuz will send warships to open it back up.
Trump said that although the United States and Israel have “destroyed 100% of Iran’s military capability” in its war in Iran, its attempt to close the strait — by attacking ships and possibly laying mines along the shipping route — is affecting global trade.
Iran started to limit traffic in the strait since the war started two weeks ago and on Thursday, Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojaba Khamenei, said it would remain closed as a tactic to pressure the United States and Israel to end their attacks on the country.
The Strait of Hormuz is a significant global trading route, and sees roughly 20% of the global oil and fuel supply pass through it every day.
“Many countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, Axios and The Guardian reported.
“Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated,” Trump said.
On Friday, several news organizations confirmed with the Department of Defense that the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship that was operating in the Philippine Sea, is headed to the Middle East.
The Tripoli brings with it 2,500 Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Group, along with 2,500 more sailors, after U.S. Central Command requested additional military options for the conflict.
The 31st MEU can conduct ground operations, which the Trump administration has not ruled out in Iran, but Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caines told reporters at a press conference that the Pentagon plans to go after Iran’s mine-laying capability and its ability to attack commercial vessels.
An Iranian man raises a portrait of new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei during a rally on Revolution Street in Tehran on March 9, 2026. Photo by Hossein Esmaeili/UPI | License Photo
Iranian media report the deaths in central Iran as Tehran launches new missile salvoes at Israeli targets.
Published On 14 Mar 202614 Mar 2026
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A missile strike on an industrial area of the central Iranian city of Isfahan has killed at least 15 people, with workers having been inside a factory at the time of the attack, Iranian media reports.
The strike hit a factory producing heating and cooling equipment on Saturday, a working day in Iran, according to the semi-official Fars news agency, which attributed the attack to US and Israeli forces.
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It came on the 15th day of a conflict that Iran’s Ministry of Health says has now killed at least 1,444 people and wounded more than 18,500 since the US-Israeli attacks began on February 28.
Cities across Iran have been repeatedly targeted following the onset of hostilities.
On March 8, shelling damaged Russia’s consulate in Isfahan, injuring staff, with Moscow calling the strike a “blatant violation” of international conventions.
Iran’s Ministry of Culture said on Saturday that 56 museums and historic sites had been damaged, including Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a 17th-century centrepiece of Isfahan, and the UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran.
UNESCO said it was “deeply concerned,” noting that four of Iran’s 29 World Heritage Sites had been affected.
Separately on Saturday, Iran’s army confirmed that Brigadier General Abdullah Jalali-Nasab had been killed in an Israeli attack, saying he was “martyred while defending the country”.
Earlier, US forces also struck Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90 percent of Iran’s crude exports, though a regional official said operations were continuing normally, and there were no casualties.
US President Donald Trump had previously threatened to target the island’s oil infrastructure if Tehran continued to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz.
Any prospect of negotiations appears remote. The Trump administration has rebuffed regional efforts to broker a ceasefire, with a senior White House official telling the Reuters news agency the president is focused on pressing ahead.
“He’s not interested in that right now, and we’re going to continue with the mission unabated,” the official said.
Iran has equally ruled out talks while the attacks continue, Reuters reported, citing an anonymous Iranian official.
Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi struck a defiant tone on Saturday, saying the US security framework in the region had “proven to be full of holes” and calling on neighbours to “expel foreign aggressors”.
Israeli Minister of Defence Israel Katz said the war was entering a “decisive phase”, which would “continue as long as necessary”.
Iran launched new missile salvoes at Israel on Saturday, with explosions heard over Jerusalem, according to reporters from the AFP news agency.
Six waves of missiles, some carrying cluster bomb warheads, struck wide areas of the country, the Israeli army said. In Eilat, a cluster munition impact injured three people, including a 12-year-old boy, according to The Times of Israel.
NBCUniversal is cutting “Access Hollywood” and several other of its daytime talk shows, effectively ending its first-run syndication business as daytime television atrophies.
The company confirmed that “Access Hollywood,” and its counterpart “Access Live,” will be coming to an end in September. The shows, produced in Los Angeles, are currently hosted by Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Scott Evans and Zuri Hall.
Talk shows “Karamo” and “The Steve Wilkos Show,” produced out of NBC’s facility in Stamford, Conn., are also shutting down. The programs have already completed their production for the season and will run through the summer.
NBC previously announced that “The Kelly Clarkson Show” is also ending later this year after seven seasons.
“The Steve Wilkos Show” ran for 19 seasons. The host is a former bouncer for “The Jerry Springer Show.”
Francis Berwick, chairman of Bravo and Peacock unscripted, said in a statement that the company will continue to distribute library episodes of its talk programs and network shows such as “Law & Order.” But NBCU’s days of launching series for daytime and the hour before prime time are over.
“NBCUniversal is making changes to our first-run syndication division to better align with the programming preferences of local stations,” Berwick said. “The company will remain active in the distribution of our existing program library and other off-network titles, while winding down production of our first-run shows.”
“Access Hollywood” was first launched by NBC in 1996 as a competitor to CBS Media Ventures’ “Entertainment Tonight.”
First-run syndication allows producers to sell TV shows to stations on a market-by-market basis, instead of distributing them through a single network. This model was a major success for talk show staples such as Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres.
But streaming has pulled viewers away from traditional television, as viewers can watch their favorite shows and movies anytime on demand. The audience levels needed to generate enough ad revenue to support first-run programming in daytime no longer exists.
Many TV stations are filling their hours with more local news as daytime talk goes away.
Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 in a nervy match in the Premier League as they continue their pursuit of the title.
Published On 14 Mar 202614 Mar 2026
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Max Dowman, a 16-year-old Arsenal winger, became the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer with a remarkable stoppage-time strike in his team’s 2-0 win over Everton.
Dowman collected the ball midway in his own half, dribbled around two Everton players and raced clear unchallenged from the halfway line to tap into an empty net, with Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford stranded upfield having gone forward for a corner.
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An English football prodigy, Dowman — at 16 years, 73 days — was playing just his third Premier League match after two previous substitute appearances at the start of the season.
He broke the record of former Everton player James Vaughan, who was 16 years, 270 days when he scored against Crystal Palace in 2005.
In November, Dowman became the youngest player in Champions League history at 15 years, 308 days when he entered as a second-half substitute against Slavia Prague.
Dowman is still in school. He was 14 when he was asked by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to train with the senior team in December last year, and he starred on the club’s preseason tour of Asia in matches against AC Milan and Newcastle.
To abide by Premier League regulations for players under 18, Dowman has to change into his Arsenal kit for training sessions and matches in a separate locker room from his senior teammates.
Catherine Zeta-Jones arrives on the red carpet at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
The red carpet at the Oscars is the epitome of Hollywood glitz and glamour. We combed through our archives for photos of the Academy Awards since 2000 — from arrivals of the biggest stars to backstage candids to winners clutching their awards — to compile this trip down the Oscars’ memory lane.
So what do winners wear? Take a look at our collection below and you’ll see some of the best dressed stars through the years, including Lupita Nyong’o’s custom pale blue Prada gown in 2014 and Emma Stone’s gold Givenchy flapper-style dress in 2017. Around the dawn of the millennium, Halle Berry made a statement with an Elie Saab dress that had a sheer top with embroidered flowers when she won in 2002 while Reese Witherspoon went vintage with a beaded dress from Dior in 2006.
As we wait to see what the stars are wearing Sunday on the 98th Oscars red carpet, take a look at how Oscar fashion has evolved in the 21st century with photos of those who took home trophies for lead actress, lead actor, supporting actress and supporting actor.
2025
Mikey Madison shows off her leading actress Oscar for her role in “Anora” at the 97th Academy Awards.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Adrien Brody walks the red carpet at the 97th Academy Awards. He won the leading actor Oscar for “The Brutalist.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Zoe Saldaña accepts the supporting actress Oscar at the 2025 Academy Awards for “Emilia Perez.”
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Kieran Culkin poses with his Oscar for “A Real Pain” at the 97th Academy Awards.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
2024
Emma Stone won her second leading actress Oscar, for “Poor Things,” at the 96th Academy Awards.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Cillian Murphy accepts the leading actor Oscar for “Oppenheimer” at the 96th Academy Awards.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Da’Vine Joy Randolph won the supporting actress Oscar at the 96th Academy Awards.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Robert Downey Jr. poses on the red carpet at the 96th Academy Awards before winning the supporting actor Oscar for “Oppenheimer.”
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
2023
Michelle Yeoh, who won the leading actress Oscar for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” arrives at the Governors Ball following the 95th Academy Awards.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Brendan Fraser clutches his Oscar backstage at the 95th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Jamie Lee Curtis, the supporting actress winner for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” cries as she holds her Oscar backstage.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Ke Huy Quan stands atop the engraving station after getting his Oscar for supporting actor engraved.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
2022
Jessica Chastain arrives at the 94th Academy Awards before winning the Oscar for lead actress.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith pose on the red carpet at the 2022 Oscars. Smith won the leading actor award later that night after slapping Chris Rock during the show.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Ariana DeBose holds her Oscar for supporting actress backstage.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Troy Kotsur accepts the supporting actor award for “CODA” from Youn Yuh-jung.
(Myung Chun / Los Angeles Times)
2021
The 2021 Oscars had a modified format without a red carpet due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020
Renée Zellweger shows off her Oscar for lead actress for “Judy.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Joaquin Phoenix arrives at the 92nd Academy Awards. He won for lead actor for his role in “Joker.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Laura Dern, winner of the supporting actress Oscar for “Marriage Story,” shows off her hardware.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Brad Pitt wins the supporting actor Oscar for his role as Cliff Booth in “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
2019
Olivia Colman wins the lead actress Oscar for “The Favourite.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Rami Malek, winner for lead actor for “Bohemian Rhapsody,” poses in the photo room at the 91st Academy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Regina King arrives at the Academy Awards, where she won for supporting actress in “If Beale Street Could Talk.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Amatus Sami-Karim and Mahershala Ali pose at the 91st Academy Awards, where Ali won the supporting actor Oscar for “Green Book.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
2018
Frances McDormand was victorious for her role in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
( Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Gary Oldman tightly grips his Oscar for lead actor.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Allison Janney, winner of the supporting actress Oscar for “I, Tonya,” poses for photos.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Sam Rockwell and Leslie Bibb pose on the red carpet at the 90th Academy Awards. Rockwell won for his role as troubled police officer Jason Dixon in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
2017
Emma Stone delivers a touching acceptance speech after winning lead actress for her role in “La La Land.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Casey Affleck holds up his Oscar for lead actor for “Manchester by the Sea.”
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Viola Davis smiles backstage after winning the Oscar for supporting actress for “Fences.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Mahershala Ali arrives at the Oscars, where he won for his performance in “Moonlight.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
2016
Brie Larson won the lead actress Oscar for her role in the drama “Room.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Leonardo DiCaprio wins his first Oscar ever for “The Revenant.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Alicia Vikander is Belle of the ball at the Oscars, where she won for supporting actress in “The Danish Girl.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Mark Rylance walks backstage after picking up the supporting actor Oscar for “Bridge of Spies.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
2015
Julianne Moore shows off her lead actress trophy.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Eddie Redmayne arrives at the 87th Academy Awards, where he won gold for “The Theory of Everything.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Patricia Arquette poses on the red carpet. The actress won an Oscar for her role in “Boyhood.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
J.K. Simmons holds his supporting actor Oscar for the movie “Whiplash.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
2014
Matthew McConaughey accepts the lead actor award for “Dallas Buyers Club.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Cate Blanchett stuns on the red carpet before picking up the lead actress Oscar for “Blue Jasmine.”
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Jared Leto arrives at the 86th Academy Awards, where he won for his role in “Dallas Buyers Club.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Lupita Nyong’o twirls her dress on the red carpet at the Oscars, where she won for her feature film debut in “12 Years a Slave.”
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
2013
Daniel Day-Lewis and Meryl Streep walk offstage at the 85th Academy Awards after Day-Lewis’ lead actor win.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Jennifer Lawrence holds up her Oscar after her win for “Silver Linings Playbook.”
(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Christoph Waltz gives an acceptance speech after winning for supporting actor.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Anne Hathaway wins for supporting actress at the 85th Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
2012
Jean Dujardin cheers after his Oscar win for lead actor at the 84th Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Meryl Streep holds up her Oscar for lead actress for “The Iron Lady.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Christopher Plummer examines his Oscar for supporting actor.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Octavia Spencer cries as she accepts her Oscar for supporting actress.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
2011
Colin Firth is photographed with his Oscar at the Governors Ball following his win for “The King’s Speech.”
(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
Natalie Portman arrives in style to the Oscars, where she won for her role in “Black Swan.”
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
Christian Bale accepts his award for supporting actor during the 83rd Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Melissa Leo poses on the red carpet before her win for supporting actress.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
2010
Jeff Bridges cheers after receiving the lead actor Oscar.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Sandra Bullock arrives at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards before winning an Oscar for her role in “The Blind Side.”
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Mo’Nique receives an Oscar for her role in “Precious” during the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Christoph Waltz accepts his award for supporting actor during the 82nd Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
2009
Sean Penn accepts the lead actor Oscar for his role in “Milk” during the 81st Academy Awards.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Kate Winslet stands backstage after her win for lead actress at the 81st Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Sally Bell, Kim and Kate Ledger accept the Oscar for supporting actor awarded to Heath Ledger at the 81st Academy Awards.
(Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times)
Penelope Cruz receives her Oscar at the 81st Academy Awards for her role in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.”
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
2008
Forest Whitaker escorts Marion Cotillard off stage after presenting her with the Oscar for lead actress at the 80th Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Presenter Helen Mirren joins Daniel Day–Lewis backstage after his win for lead actor at the 80th Academy Awards.
(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Tilda Swinton accepts the supporting actress Oscar for her role in “Michael Clayton” at the 80th Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Javier Bardem celebrates with the cast of “No Country for Old Men” after the film’s win for best picture and his victory for lead actor.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
2007
Helen Mirren accepts the Oscar for lead actress for her role in “The Queen.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Forest Whitaker accepts the leading actor Oscar for his role in “The Last King of Scotland.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Jennifer Hudson exits the stage with her Oscar after winning for supporting actress during the 79th Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Rachel Weisz wipes lipstick off of supporting actor winner Alan Arkin’s cheek while walking offstage.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
2006
Reese Witherspoon arrives at the 78th Academy Awards, where she took home an Oscar for lead actress in “Walk the Line.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Philip Seymour Hoffman accepts the Oscar for lead actor for his role in “Capote” at the 78th Academy Awards.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Rachel Weisz accepts the supporting actress Oscar for her role in “The Constant Gardener.”
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
George Clooney greets fans at the 78th Academy Awards, where he took home the supporting actor Oscar.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
2005
Morgan Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Hilary Swank and Jamie Foxx pose with Oscar statuettes at the 77th Academy Awards.
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
Jamie Foxx and daughter Corinne arrive at the 77th Academy Awards.
(Béatrice de Géa / Los Angeles Times)
Hilary Swank arrives at the 77th Academy Awards, where she would win an Oscar for lead actress in “Million Dollar Baby.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Morgan Freeman arrives at the 77th Academy Awards with his daughter, Morgana.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Cate Blanchett arrives at the Academy Awards, where she won an Oscar for her role in “The Aviator.”
(Béatrice de Géa / Los Angeles Times)
2004
Charlize Theron, Sean Penn, Rénee Zellweger and Tim Robbins pose with their Oscars at the 76th Academy Awards.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Charlize Theron, wearing Tom Ford for Gucci, arrives at the 76th Academy Awards.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Sean Penn accepts the leading actor Oscar for his role in “Mystic River.”
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Actress Renée Zellweger poses with her Oscar for supporting actress for her role in “Cold Mountain” at the 76th Academy Awards.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Tim Robbins, his then-partner Susan Sarandon and their son flash peace signs as they arrive at the 75th Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
2003
Adrien Brody, Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Chris Cooper prepare to pose with their Oscars at the 75th Academy Awards.
(Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times)
Adrien Brody reacts to his Oscar win for “The Pianist.”
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Nicole Kidman accepts the leading actress Oscar at the 75th Academy Awards.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Chris Cooper points to the camera after winning an Oscar for supporting actor for “Adaptation.”
(Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)
Catherine Zeta–Jones accepts the leading actress award at the 75th Academy Awards.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
2002
Denzel Washington wins the leading actor Oscar for his role in “Training Day.”
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
Halle Berry arrives at the 74th Academy Awards, where she won an Oscar for her role in “Monster’s Ball.”
(Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)
Supporting actress Jennifer Connelly and supporting actor Jim Broadbent smile at the 74th Academy Awards.
(Don Kelsen / Los Angeles Times)
Jennifer Connelly accepts her Oscar for her role in “A Beautiful Mind.”
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
2001
Benicio del Toro, Marcia Gay Harden, Julia Roberts and Russell Crowe pose with their Oscars during the 73rd Academy Awards.
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
Russell Crowe wins an Oscar for his work on the film “Gladiator” during the 73rd annual Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Julia Roberts celebrates after winning the leading actress Oscar at the 73rd Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Benicio Del Toro clinches his fist after accepting the supporting actor Oscar for his role in “Traffic.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Marcia Gay Harden accepts her supporting actress Oscar at the 73rd Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
2000
Michael Caine, Angelina Jolie, Hilary Swank and Kevin Spacey smile backstage at the 72nd Academy Awards.
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
Kevin Spacey poses with his leading actor award for his role in “American Beauty.”
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
Hilary Swank accepts her Oscar for her role in “Boys Don’t Cry.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Michael Caine accepts the Oscar for supporting actor during the 72nd Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier/ Los Angeles Times)
Angelina Jolie kisses her Oscar for supporting actress during the 72nd Academy Awards.
The administration of President Donald Trump has warned that news outlets could have their broadcasting licences revoked over critical reporting on the war against Iran, accusing the media of “distortions”.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said in a social media post on Saturday that broadcasters must “operate in the public interest”, or else lose their licences.
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“Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions — also known as the fake news — have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up,” Carr wrote.
The warning was the latest apparent threat from Carr, who has repeatedly attracted scrutiny for statements that appear to pressure broadcasters to conform with Trump priorities.
Last year, for instance, Carr called on the channel ABC and its distributors to “find ways to change conduct, to take action” on comedian Jimmy Kimmel, whose late-night show had been critical of the president.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said of Kimmel on a podcast. ABC temporarily suspended Kimmel’s show in the aftermath of those comments.
Carr’s latest statement prompted swift condemnation from politicians and free-speech advocates, who likened his remarks to censorship.
“This is a clear directive to provide positive war coverage or else licenses may not be renewed,” Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii wrote.
“This is worse than the comedian stuff, and by a lot. The stakes here are much higher. He’s not talking about late night shows, he’s talking about how a war is covered.”
Aaron Terr, the director of public advocacy at the Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), likewise denounced Carr for seeking to silence negative war coverage.
“The First Amendment doesn’t allow the government to censor information about the war it’s waging,” Terr said.
Trump denounces war coverage
Carr’s latest statement came in response to a social media post from Trump, accusing the “fake news media” of reporting that US refuelling planes had been struck in an Iranian attack in Saudi Arabia.
“The base was hit a few days ago, but the planes were not ‘struck’ or ‘destroyed’,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “Four of the five had virtually no damage, and are already back in service.”
He added that reporting to the contrary was intentionally misleading. “Lowlife ‘Papers’ and Media actually want us to lose the War,” he wrote.
The president and his allies have faced accusations that they use the power of the state to penalise dissent and critical news coverage, raising concerns about press freedom.
Polling shows that the war, launched by the US and Israel on February 28, is largely unpopular in the US.
A recent Quinnipiac poll found that 53 percent of voters oppose the military action against Iran, including 89 percent of Democrats and 60 percent of independent voters.
The war has also been condemned by legal experts as a clear violation of international law, which prohibits unprovoked attacks.
Trump, however, has offered shifting rationales as to why he believes Iran posed an imminent threat to US security.
He has also asserted that the war is proceeding successfully, despite ongoing Iranian attacks on US forces across the region and the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a key trade artery.
“We’ve won. Let me tell you, we’ve won,” he told a rally this week in Kentucky. “In the first hour, it was over.”
His administration, meanwhile, has blamed the news media for turning public opinion against the war.
“Yet some in this crew, in the press, just can’t stop,” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said during a briefing on Friday.
A former Fox News host, Hegseth called for “patriotic” reporters to write more optimistic headlines instead. He denounced TV banners that read, for example, “Mideast war intensifies.”
“What should the banner read instead? How about ‘Iran increasingly desperate’? Because they are. They know it, and so do you, if it can be admitted,” Hegseth said.
He criticised the news outlet CNN, in particular, for a report asserting that the Trump administration had underestimated the chances of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz.
Hegseth quipped that he hoped a prospective deal would soon place CNN under the control of David Ellison, son of close Trump ally and tech executive Larry Ellison.
“The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better,” he added.
EU maintains pressure after slamming US for lifting sanctions on Russian oil exports as Middle East war bites.
The European Union has voted to renew sanctions against individuals and entities supporting Russia’s war on Ukraine, as Russian forces continued to target Ukrainian energy infrastructure, killing six people in the Zaporizhia and Kyiv regions.
The EU Council announced that the bloc’s 27 member states had agreed on Saturday to extend sanctions targeting some 2,600 individuals and entities with measures like travel restrictions and asset freezes until September 15, breaking an earlier deadlock caused by Hungary and Slovakia’s opposition to the move.
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The extension of sanctions came one day after EU Council chief Antonio Costa slammed the United States for lifting sanctions on Russian oil exports, saying on X that weakening restrictions increased “Russian resources to wage the war of aggression against Ukraine”, with a knock-on impact on European security.
The measure was announced as Russia hammered Ukraine with missiles and drones on Saturday, killing five people and injuring 15 in the Kyiv region surrounding the capital, according to regional military administrator Mykola Kalashnyk.
The city of Zaporizhzhia was also hit by Russian-guided bombs, killing one person and injuring three, said the governor of the southeastern region, Ivan Fedorov. Photos posted online showed parts of buildings reduced to rubble.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s main target was energy infrastructure outside the capital Kyiv, but that the Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Mykolaiv regions were also targeted in an attack that included about 430 drones and 68 missiles, most of which were downed by air defences.
Russia’s winter attacks on Ukraine have left swaths of major cities without power or heating, as Moscow’s troops continue their offensive amid demands Kyiv cede more territory in the east. Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said on Saturday that consumers in six regions were without electricity.
Ukraine’s forces have targeted Russian strategic infrastructure such as oil refineries, depots and terminals in long-range strikes. On Saturday, Ukraine’s military said that it had struck the Afipsky oil refinery and Port Kavkaz in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region.
Putin ‘exploiting’ Middle East distraction
Saturday’s fighting came as the Iran conflict has distracted international attention from a US-backed peace push in the four-year war, which Kyiv says Moscow has no interest in ending.
Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever called on Saturday for the EU to be mandated by its member states to negotiate with Russia as it became apparent amid spiking oil prices caused by the Iran war that the US was easing pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Since we are not capable of threatening Putin by sending weapons to Ukraine, and we cannot choke him economically without the support of the United States, there is only one method left: making a deal,” he told the Belgian newspaper L’Echo.
EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas has said in the past that the bloc must first reach an agreement on what is expected from Russia before directly approaching Putin, formulating its own “maximalist demands”.
However, the bloc’s inability to reach a common position was highlighted during the EU Council’s recent deliberations on extending sanctions.
Hungary and Slovakia, which have been sparring with Ukraine over blocked Russian oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline, had earlier opposed the extension of the restrictions, reportedly calling for some Russian oligarchs to be removed from the list of offenders.
Reacting earlier this week to soaring oil prices caused by the war in Iran, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urged the EU to suspend sanctions on Russian energy.
Posting on X, Zelenskyy said, “Russia will try to exploit the war in the Middle East to cause even greater destruction here in Europe, in Ukraine.”
BERLIN — Juergen Habermas, whose work on communication, rationality and sociology made him one of the world’s most influential philosophers and a key intellectual figure in his native Germany, has died. He was 96.
Habermas’ publisher, Suhrkamp, said he died on Saturday in Starnberg, near Munich.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that “Germany and Europe have lost one of the most significant thinkers of our time.”
Merz said that “his sociological and philosophical work had an impact on generations of researchers and thinkers.” He praised “Habermas’ intellectual forcefulness and his liberality” and said in a statement that “his voice will be missed.”
Habermas frequently weighed in on political matters over several decades. His extensive writing crossed the boundaries of academic and philosophical disciplines, providing a vision of modern society and social interaction. His best-known works included the two-volume “Theory of Communicative Action.”
Habermas, who was 15 at the time of Nazi Germany’s defeat, later recalled the dawn of a new era in 1945 and his coming to terms with the reality of Nazi crimes as something without which he wouldn’t have found his way into philosophy and social theory. He recalled that “you saw suddenly that it was a politically criminal system in which you had lived.”
He had an ambivalent relationship with the left-wing student movement of the late 1960s in Germany and beyond, engaging with it but also warning at the time against the danger of what he called “left-wing fascism” — a reaction to a firebrand speech by a student leader that he later said was “slightly out of place.” He would later recognize the movement as having driven a “fundamental liberalization” of German society.
In the 1980s, Habermas was a prominent figure in the so-called Historians’ Dispute, in which Berlin historian Ernst Nolte and others called for a new perspective on the Third Reich and German identity. They tended to compare what happened under Adolf Hitler to atrocities carried out by other governments, such as the deaths of millions in the Soviet Union under Josef Stalin. Habermas and other opponents contended that the conservative historians were trying to lessen the magnitude of Nazi crimes through such comparisons.
Habermas supported the rise to power of center-left Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in 1998. He was critical of the “technocratic” approach and perceived lack of political vision of Schroeder’s conservative successor, Angela Merkel, complaining in 2016 of the paralyzing effects on public opinion of “the foam blanket of Merkel’s policy of sending people to sleep.”
He was particularly critical of the “limited interest” shown by German politicians, business leaders and media in “shaping a politically effective Europe.” In 2017, he praised newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron for laying out of plans for European reform, saying that “the way he speaks about Europe makes a difference.”
Habermas was born on June 18, 1929, in Duesseldorf and grew up in nearby Gummersbach, where his father headed the local chamber of commerce. He became a member of the Deutsches Jungvolk, a section of the Hitler Youth for younger boys, at 10.
He was born with a cleft palate that required repeated operations as a child, an experience that helped inform his later thinking about language.
Habermas said he had experienced the importance of spoken language as “a layer of commonality without which we as individuals cannot exist” and recalled struggling to make himself understood. He also spoke of the “superiority of the written word,” and said that “the written form conceals the flaws of the oral.”
His wife, Ute Habermas-Wesselhoeft, died last year. The couple had three children: Tilmann; Rebekka, who died in 2023; and Judith.
