News Desk

Jan. 29 (UPI) — An appeals court ruled that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem unlawfully ended immigration protections for Haiti and Venezuela.

The three judges of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Noem, who ended the Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans on Jan. 29, 2025. She ended TPS protection for Haitians on June 28.

The opinion, written late Wednesday by Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw, said Noem’s “unlawful actions have had real and significant consequences for the hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans and Haitians in the United States who rely on TPS.”

She said the move has hurt immigrants who came here to work.

“The record is replete with examples of hard-working, contributing members of society — who are mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, and partners of U.S. citizens, pay taxes, and have no criminal records — who have been deported or detained after losing their TPS,” Wardlaw wrote.

“The Secretary’s actions have left hundreds of thousands of people in a constant state of fear that they will be deported, detained, separated from their families, and returned to a country in which they were subjected to violence or any other number of harms,” she said.

The concurring opinion by Judge Salvador Mendoza Jr. noted that Noem and President Donald Trump had made racist remarks about the people of Venezuela and Haiti, meaning that the decision to end TPS was “preordained” and not based on need.

“The record is replete with public statements by Secretary Noem and President Donald Trump that evince a hostility toward, and desire to rid the country of, TPS holders who are Venezuelan and Haitian,” Mendoza wrote. “And these were not generalized statements about immigration policy toward Venezuela and Haiti or national security concerns to which the Executive is owed deference. Instead, these statements were overtly founded on racist stereotyping based on country of origin.”

The concurring opinion cites Noem calling Venezuelans “dirtbags” and “criminals,” and Trump saying that immigrants are “poisoning the blood” of Americans.

The ruling, though, won’t change the TPS removal for Venezuelans. The Supreme Court ruled in another case in October to allow Noem to end the TPS while the court battles continue.

TPS began as part of the Immigration Act of 1990. It allows the Department of Homeland Security secretary to grant legal status to those fleeing fighting, environmental disaster or “extraordinary and temporary conditions” that prevent a safe return. TPS can last six, 12 or 18 months, and if conditions stay dangerous, they can be extended. It allows TPS holders to work, but there is no path to citizenship.

Haiti was given TPS in 2010 after a magnitude 7 earthquake that killed about 160,000 people. It left more than 1 million without homes.

Award-winning Palestinian journalist regains account with 1.4 million followers after surprise removal from video-sharing platform.

Award-winning Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda says she has regained access to her TikTok account, one day after saying she was banned from the video-sharing platform.

Owda told Al Jazeera on Thursday that she thought that international media attention and pressure from nongovernmental organisations had helped get back her TikTok account, although now visitors and followers must type her full username to find her popular account on the site.

Owda also said that she had received a message from TikTok that many of her video posts are now “ineligible for recommendation”.

Al Jazeera was able to see Owda’s TikTok account on Friday, which has 1.4 million followers, although no new posts are visible from the Gaza-based journalist since September 2025.

Owda gained recognition internationally for posting daily videos from the war-torn Palestinian territory, where she greeted her audience in regular video diaries, saying, “It’s Bisan from Gaza – and I’m still alive” during Israel’s genocidal war on the enclave.

A contributor to Al Jazeera’s AJ+, Owda’s reporting earned her top journalism accolades, including Emmy, Peabody and Edward R Murrow awards.

Alerting followers to the removal of her account on Wednesday, Owda noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is suspected of war crimes in Gaza, had said that he hoped the purchase of TikTok “goes through, because it can be consequential”.

Despite a ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli attacks continue on the enclave, and last week, Israel’s ongoing strikes killed three Palestinian journalists in the territory.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 207 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, with the “vast majority” killed by Israeli forces.

The removal of Owda’s account also came as Israel’s top court again postponed making a decision on whether foreign journalists should be allowed to enter and report on Gaza independently of the Israeli military.

Al Jazeera contacted TikTok for comment, but a spokesperson said the company did not comment on specific accounts.

A spokesperson from TikTok told The New Arab media outlet that Owda’s account had been “temporarily restricted” in September following concerns of a potential impersonation risk.

The spokesperson said that following further review, the journalist’s account was reinstated and is now operating normally, according to The New Arab.

TikTok announced last week that a deal to establish a separate version of the platform in the United States had been completed, with the new entity controlled by investment firms, many of which are US companies, including several linked to President Donald Trump.

Alan Sugar’s iconic boardroom has seen some hugely talented business folk walk through his doors, whereas some The Apprentice hopefuls have been less successful…

Both outgoing candidates on The Apprentice insisted tonight Lord Sugar was wrong to fire them – with one businesswoman taking weeks to get over his decision.

To mark series 20 of The Apprentice, Lord Sugar sent his 20 candidates to Hong Kong, one of the world ’s most vibrant trading hubs, tasked with securing nine items at knock down prices. But both the male and female teams struggled with the unknown geography, tight deadlines and business basics.

After setting up the boardroom outside of London for the first time he sent Nikki Jetha and Georgina Newton packing, as their female team only bought two items, with half the team also almost two hours late to the finish line which led to further penalties.

Looking back, actress and events manager Georgina, 31, said: “I didn’t deserve to be fired. I think in the first episode, I probably contributed more than anybody on my team, and I think for the show, the person that contributes the least should go home. I thought I had a few more weeks, at least, left in me. I was devastated. I spent two weeks feeling sorry for myself but then I picked myself back up, put myself back together and then cracked on ready for the next thing. But I was really sad.”

However, it was not all bad news as Georgina got to travel long-haul for the first time in her life and insisted she had learned a great deal. She added: “I’ve been performing in theatre all of my life. I’ve always played a character, and I think for a lot of my life, I’ve hidden behind being somebody else, and being in this process, it’s the first time I’ve ever done anything just as Georgie. And I think what I realise the most from this is that I am enough just as I am. I can hold my own. I’m enough, and I think that’s a really lovely takeaway.”

Niki, who was project manager for the task and amongst those arriving late, insisted she should not have been fired because she led on the challenge for the unorganised female team. The 33-year-old said: “I did not get to show more of myself and what I’m capable of, but I definitely don’t feel defeated. You know, I stepped forward, I took a risk and I own the outcome.

“I was brave enough to stand up and take on a challenge during the first task. It was, you know, unfamiliar territory. Not knowing the process, let alone the country, and not having the internet and things like that. But I did the best I could do under the pressure, with limited information, and I’d rather be fired for stepping up than staying safe in the background. There’s a saying that ships are safest in the harbour, but that’s not what they’re built for.”

Laying into some of her teammates but refusing the name people she added: “There were some people who weren’t team players, and they didn’t contribute. You know, they spent more time complaining and moaning, as opposed to giving ideas and working out how we can push forward.”

Georgina now has a job selling items for brands on TikTok and hopes to land a job on a shopping channel whilst Niki is back at her old job and raising a family.

She concluded: “I’m doing exactly what I do best. I’m a mortgage advisor, I’m still advising my clients, growing my business and building my brand, but ultimately, I’m still a mum, family-focused, but I’m definitely not slowing down, and this is not the last you have seen of me.”

* The Apprentice continues on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer on Thursdays at 21.00.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on

TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Jan. 29 (UPI) — The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration is investigating an incident in which an autonomous Waymo taxi struck and injured a child last week in Santa Monica, Calif.

The child was injured Friday after they ran into the street and was struck by an autonomous Waymo taxi about two blocks from an elementary school during its morning drop-off hours, the NHTSA’s Office of Defects said.

“The child ran across the street from behind a double-parked SUV towards the school and was struck by the Waymo AV,” NHTSA officials said in a document on the matter.

The child stood up after being struck and walked to the sidewalk as Waymo officials contacted local authorities to report the incident. The extent of the child’s injuries was not reported.

The autonomous vehicle remained in the spot where the incident occurred and stayed there until police cleared it to leave.

The agency said its Defects Investigation unit will determine if the driverless Waymo taxi “exercised appropriate caution given, among other things, its proximity to the elementary school during drop-off hours and the presence of young pedestrians and other potential vulnerable road users.”

Waymo officials said Wednesday they were committed to improving road safety for passengers and everyone who shares the road. Transparency regarding crashes and other incidents is a component of that commitment to safety, they said.

“Following the event, we voluntarily contacted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that same day. NHTSA has indicated to us that they intend to open an investigation into this incident, and we will cooperate fully with them throughout the process.”

Waymo officials said the unidentified child “suddenly entered the roadway from behind a tall SUV, moving directly into our vehicle’s path.”.

“Our technology immediately detected the individual as soon as they began to emerge from behind the stopped vehicle,” Waymo officials said.

“The Waymo driver braked hard, reducing speed from approximately 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact was made.”

While the autonomous taxi struck the child, Waymo officials said a similar vehicle driven by a human likely would have struck the child at about 14 mph instead of less than 6 mph.

“This event demonstrates the critical value of our safety systems,” Waymo said. “We remain committed to improving road safety where we operate as we continue on our mission to be the world’s most trusted driver.”

Friday’s incident was the second for Waymo during the past week in California.

Another of its vehicles on Sunday struck several parked vehicles while traveling on a one-way street near Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

That vehicle was being operated in manual mode by a driver when the crash occurred, and no injuries were reported.

Tech firm Alphabet owns Waymo, as well as Google and other subsidiary companies.

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez has signed into law a reform bill that will pave the way for increased privatisation in the South American country’s nationalised oil sector, fulfilling a key demand from her United States counterpart, Donald Trump.

On Thursday, Rodriguez held a signing ceremony with a group of state oil workers. She hailed the reform as a positive step for Venezuela’s economy.

“We’re talking about the future. We are talking about the country that we are going to give to our children,” Rodriguez said.

The ceremony came within hours of the National Assembly – dominated by members of Rodriguez’s United Socialist Party – passing the reform.

“Only good things will come after the suffering,” said Jorge Rodriguez, the assembly’s head and brother of the interim president.

Since the US military’s abduction of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on January 3, the Trump administration has sought to pressure President Rodriguez to open the country’s oil sector to outside investment.

Trump has even warned that Rodriguez could “pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro”, should she fail to comply with his demands.

Thursday’s legislation will give private firms control over the sale and production of Venezuelan oil.

It would also require legal disputes to be resolved outside of Venezuelan courts, a change long sought by foreign companies, who argue that the judicial system in the country is dominated by the ruling socialist party.

The bill would also cap royalties collected by the government at 30 percent.

While Rodriguez signed the reform law, the Trump administration simultaneously announced it would loosen some sanctions restricting the sale of Venezuelan oil.

The Department of the Treasury said it would allow limited transactions by the country’s government and the state oil company PDVSA that were “necessary to the lifting, exportation, reexportation, sale, resale, supply, storage, marketing, purchase, delivery, or transportation of Venezuelan-origin oil, including the refining of such oil, by an established US entity”.

Previously, all of Venezuela’s oil sector was subject to sweeping US sanctions imposed in 2019, under Trump’s first term as president.

Thursday’s suite of changes is designed to make Venezuela’s oil market more appealing to outside petroleum firms, many of whom remain wary of investing in the country.

Under Maduro, Venezuela experienced waves of political repression and economic instability, and much of his government remains intact, though Maduro himself is currently awaiting trial in a New York prison.

His abduction resulted in dozens of deaths, and critics have accused the US of violating Venezuelan sovereignty.

Venezuela nationalised its oil sector in the 1970s, and in 2007, Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez, pushed the government to increase its control and expropriate foreign-held assets.

Following Maduro’s abduction, Trump administration officials have said that the US will decide to whom and under what conditions Venezuelan oil is sold, with proceeds deposited into a US-controlled bank account.

Concerns about the legality of such measures or the sovereignty of Venezuela have been waved aside by Trump and his allies, who previously asserted that Venezuelan oil should “belong” to the US.

After Paul Dano came under unexpected fire from filmmaker Quentin Tarantino in December, the “There Will Be Blood” star received support from fellow artists including Daniel Day-Lewis and Ben Stiller. A month after the drama, he is now returning the love.

Dano finally publicly addressed Tarantino’s controversial comments at the Sundance Film Festival during a 20th anniversary screening of “Little Miss Sunshine.” Speaking to Variety, he said the groundswell of support “was really nice.”

Tarantino appeared on Bret Easton Ellis’ podcast in December to rank his top 10 films of the century. The “Django Unchained” and “Pulp Fiction” filmmaker placed Paul Thomas Anderson’s oil drama “There Will Be Blood” at No. 5 on his list, and said specifically Dano — not his performance — was the “big, giant flaw” in the Oscar-winning film. “There Will Be Blood” stars Dano as fiery preacher Eli Sunday and Day-Lewis as oil tycoon Daniel Plainview.

When the movie was released in 2007, former Times film critic Kenneth Turan praised Dano as “smoothly effective” and gifted. Clearly, Tarantino thought otherwise.

“He is weak sauce, man. He’s a weak sister,” Tarantino said, adding that he thought “Elvis” star Austin Butler (who was a teenager launching his career on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon when the movie came out) would have been a better actor for the part. “He’s just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy,” he said.

Tarantino added: “You put [Day-Lewis] with the the weakest f— actor in SAG?”

A handful of Dano’s collaborators immediately defended him. “Escape at Dannemora” executive producer Stiller praised him as “brilliant” and Reese Witherspoon called her “Inherent Vice” co-star an “incredibly gifted, versatile actor” and a gentleman. Matt Reeves, Josh Gad, Alec Baldwin and Simu Liu also voiced their support for Dano, whose credits include Steven Speilberg’s Oscar-nominated “The Fabelmans,” Bong Joon Ho‘s “Okja” and Oscar-winning director duo Daniels’ (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) “Swiss Army Man.”

“I was also incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn’t have to,” Dano said at the Sundance screening.

Before Dano responded, though, Toni Collette (who played his mom in “Little Miss Sunshine”) chimed in, dismissing “that guy” Tarantino and speculating that “he must’ve been high.”

“It was just confusing. Who does that?,” she said, according to Variety. “Little Miss Sunshine” directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris also criticized Tarantino and praised their star.

During his podcast appearance in December, Tarantino also slammed Owen Wilson and scream king Matthew Lillard. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly published Wednesday, Lillard brushed off the shade and recalled the ensuing social media praise for his talents. “It was like living through your own wake,” Lillard told EW.

“All those R.I.P. emails or tweets and Instagram posts and TikToks, all of the things we see after somebody passes are so sweet,” he added. “And the reality is I just got to live through all of it firsthand — alive and kicking! I can’t imagine a more lovely reaction to what happened.”

Jan. 29 (UPI) — The Justice Department on Thursday filed charges against Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, for spraying a substance on Rep. Ilhan Omar as she conducted a town hall hearing in Minneapolis.

FBI special agent Derek Fossi, in a criminal complaint, said Kazmierczak “forcibly assaulted, opposed, impeded, intimidated and interfered with” Omar while she was conducting a town hall with her constituents Tuesday, The New York Times reported.

Omar told the audience that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should resign when Kazmierczak approached her.

“She’s not resigning. You’re splitting Minnesotans apart,” Kazmierczak said after squirting her with the unknown liquid, as reported by NBC News.

Omar’s security staff detained Kazmierczak, who was arrested after briefly disrupting the congresswoman’s event.

A hazardous materials specialist with the Minneapolis Police Department’s North Metro Chemical Assessment Team tested the substance and identified it as a mix of water and apple cider vinegar, Fossi said.

Kazmierczak was carrying a plastic syringe when he approached Omar while she was speaking and sprayed her with an unidentified liquid that stained her clothes and might have contacted her face and right eye, Fossi wrote.

“As he sprayed her, Kazmierczak gestured at Rep. Omar and shouted at her before turning away and being brought to the floor by two security officers,” he said in the affidavit.

Minneapolis Police Department officers responded to the scene and arrested Kazmierczak and jailed him on third-degree assault charges.

While being arrested, Kazmierczak told officers that he sprayed Omar with vinegar.

Fossi said he interviewed a “close associate” of Kazmierczak on Wednesday, and that person recalled a time “several years ago” when the suspect, during a phone conversation, allegedly said, “somebody should kill that [expletive].”

U.S. District Court of Minnesota Magistrate Judge Dulce Foster confirmed receipt of the criminal complaint and supporting affidavit on Wednesday but did not say when an arraignment hearing will be held to formally charge Kazmierczak.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has hailed several new trade agreements, pledging to further diversify Ottawa’s partners while saying he “expects” the United States to respect his country’s sovereignty.

Carney discussed the trade deals during a meeting on Thursday with provincial and territorial leaders.

“Our country is more united, ambitious and determined than it has been in decades, and it’s incumbent on all of us to seize this moment, build big things together,” Carney said, as he hailed 12 new economic and security accords reached over the last six months.

His comments come amid ongoing frictions with the administration of US President Donald Trump, which has previously pushed to make Canada a “51st state”.

Carney highlighted in particular a new agreement with China to lower trade levies. That deal prompted a rebuke last week from Trump, who threatened to impose a 100 percent tariff on Canada.

In the face of Trump’s accusations that Canada would serve as a “drop-off port” for Chinese goods, Carney clarified that Ottawa was not seeking a free-trade agreement with Beijing.

But on Thursday, he nevertheless played up the perks he said the agreement would offer to Canada’s agriculture sector.

“Part of that agreement unlocks more than $7bn in export markets for Canadian farmers, ranchers, fish harvesters and workers across our country,” Carney said.

Carney added that Ottawa would soon seek to advance “trading relationships with global giants” including India, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the South American trade bloc Mercosur.

“And we will work to renew our most important economic and security relationship with the United States through the joint review of the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement later this year,” he said, referring to the regional free trade agreement, which expires in July.

‘Respect Canadian sovereignty’

Carney’s pledge to diversify Canada’s portfolio of trade and security partners comes just eight days after he delivered an attention-grabbing speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

During the address, Carney warned that the “rules-based” international order was a fiction that was fading, replaced by “an era of great power rivalry”, where might makes right.

“We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false, that the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient, that trade rules were enforced asymmetrically,” Carney told the audience in Davos.

“We knew that international law applied with varying rigour depending on the identity of the accused or the victim.”

He ultimately called for the so-called “middle powers” of the world to rally together in these unpredictable times.

The speech was widely seen as a rebuke to Trump, who has launched an aggressive tariff campaign on global trading partners, including Canada.

In early January, Trump also abducted the leader of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, in what critics describe as a violation of international law.

His pledge to “run” Venezuela was followed by a series of aggressive statements towards the self-governing Danish territory of Greenland, which he threatened to seize.

Those threats have sent shudders through the NATO alliance, which counts both the US and Denmark as members.

Since before the start of his second term, Trump has also pushed to expand US control into Canada, repeatedly calling the country a “state” and its prime minister a “governor”.

In response to Carney’s speech at Davos, Trump withdrew Carney’s invitation to join his so-called Board of Peace.

Carney, however, has publicly stood by his statements, dismissing US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s claims that he “aggressively” walked back his position during a private call with Trump.

In a separate exchange on Thursday, Carney was asked about reports that US officials had met with separatists seeking independence for the oil-wealthy province of Alberta.

The Financial Times reported that State Department officials have held three meetings ​with the Alberta Prosperity Project, a group that pushes for a referendum on whether the energy-producing western province should break away from Canada.

“We expect the US administration to respect Canadian sovereignty,” Carney replied.

“I’m always clear in my conversations with President Trump to that effect.”

BEFORE making his most ambitious album Cosmic Opera Act I, Labrinth reached a crossroads: Was he chasing fame or authenticity?

He says: “Am I on a journey to be famous or am I on another journey where creative fulfilment doesn’t always mean being super-successful?”

The album, he explains, came from choosing the latter — and finally being at peace with that decision.

Labrinth has had hits and won major awards since being discovered and signed to Simon Cowell’s Syco label in 2010.

I thought it was weird that I wasn’t obsessed with awards and accolades, and I questioned if I was in the right industry

Labrinth

These include MOBO and Brit Awards for collaborations with Tinie Tempah, an Ivor Novello, an Emmy for his Euphoria soundtrack, alongside Grammy nominations for work with The Weeknd, Beyonce and Billie Eilish.

Chatting on a video call from a studio in LA, the singer and producer says: “There were moments in my career where I found myself more focused on novelty and gold.

FOODIE HEAVEN

Huge £15milllion entertainment ‘island’ to open in UK city

TICKET FRENZY

Over a MILLION Harry Styles fans gutted by sky-high Wembley ticket prices

“There are artists who want to be at the Grammys in three years — that’s their focus. They want to be successful and famous within a certain time and organise all of that in their head.

“For me, I was more focused on the music than the fame. I’d be obsessed with a guitar sounding like a Chuck Berry record and I started to question if I was in the right place. Should I be chasing success?

“I thought it was weird that I wasn’t obsessed with awards and accolades, and I questioned if I was in the right industry.”

On his recent single, the hip-hop confessional Implosion, Labrinth says: “I was losing my mind. It was ripping away from my ego.

“When you taste success, it’s an addictive drug, and you don’t know you’re obsessed. It’s chasing dopamine. You don’t know you’re addicted until you try to pull away.

“If you need success to be validated or to be fulfilled, then there’s something wrong. And that’s where the implosion for me was. I needed to evolve beyond these urges and needs. Then I got an ADHD diagnosis and everything made sense.”

That was two years ago, when the artist born Timothy McKenzie finally got an answer that explained his behaviour.

He says: “I was lucky and went to see a doctor in the US.

“It can take months, even years, to get answers. I went to see Dr Amen, who is a celebrity doctor, and he did a scan of my brain.

“He could literally point things out like where I’d hit my head when I was ten. He did a real deep dive into how my brain works. And after that, it allowed me to be a lot more forgiving with myself.”

The idea for Cosmic Opera Act I came from the inner turmoil Labrinth had experienced with his mental health in the entertainment business while trying to define his own success plus his love for films like Star Wars.

“I still haven’t been to an opera — I know that sounds insane,” he says with a laugh.

“The opera is connected to drama and deep emotion.

“Then the cosmic part was after reading an article which said there are as many connections in our brain as there are stars in our universe.

“So that was the perspective of the title — with mental health the subject.

“I’ve always been a fan of opera from a distance, and I’ve always enjoyed the idea of exploring it.

“Also, I grew up with films from the Eighties like Indiana Jones and Star Wars. Those film scores stuck in my mind and I wanted to make an album that incorporated and explored their sound.

“Of course, me working in film and TV pushed me further into that direction.”

I wrote that song to show how I had evolved from the pain and confusion about my dad. I looked at myself as being a mini Luke Skywalker coming out of his demons

Labrinth

Labrinth’s love of Star Wars was also the inspiration behind one of the many standout songs on the album, S.W.M.F. (Star Wars Motherf***er), the singer feeling at peace with his demons.

It was a battle that helped him agree to soundtracking the Christmas John Lewis advert, a remake of 1990 rave classic Where Love Lives with original vocalist Alison Limerick.

“The John Lewis song was the finish line of dealing with demons for me — which was my relationship with my father.

“The John Lewis storyline was about a father and son’s relationship, so me doing the ad was like me saying, ‘Hey, Dad, I get it’.”

He adds: “Our relationship wasn’t great. My dad, who has passed, was violent and not present. He’d had a horrible childhood with an extremely violent stepfather, and that affected the way he was a father to me.

“I saw him occasionally. He was a bit of a ladies’ man, and I don’t think he knew how to be present enough for me as a kid. He didn’t do stuff like taking me to the park or giving me advice.

“Also, he was violent with me, trying to knock me for six when I was very young.

“So I had to face those demons and it made me think about my own anger or frustration. But when I look back, I feel pity for him, because he didn’t have the tools that I have today.

“It was the same with ADHD — I wanted to understand my brain and the way it works, so that I could be the best father I can be to my three young kids. And, in that journey, it made me think of my dad compared to my relationship with my kids and the moments they needed me — because I never had that.

“So I wrote that song to show how I had evolved from the pain and confusion about my dad. I looked at myself as being a mini Luke Skywalker coming out of his demons.”

God Spoke is a special gospel-influenced track inspired by Labrinth’s struggles with religion.

He says: “I grew up very religious. My grandad is a reverend and my mum is a devout Christian. She came over for Christmas to be with her grandkids, and we had loads of talks about religion.

I had a really bad temper. I would be kicked out of class all the time and I’d end up in the music room

Labrinth

“I’m spiritual, but I don’t follow a practice. I have all the respect for those who do follow a religion but I see God as unlimited and infinite and in a lot more places than a room or a structure — that’s why, to me, it’s bigger than one religion or one place.

“So God Spoke is like a homage to my grandad. When I was a kid, a lot of people would come to church for redemption. So I wrote that I’m at the end of being the old me, and I’m ready to grow and morph into the new me.”

Burn out

Labrinth says music was his saviour as a child and he would spend hours making music after being excluded.

“I got in a lot of trouble at school,” he says.

“I had a really bad temper. I would be kicked out of class all the time and I’d end up in the music room.

“Eventually it got to the point where I would get in trouble purposely, just so I could go there, because it was the easiest place for me to be, and the most peaceful.”

Labrinth says there is still not enough help with artists and their mental health in the entertainment industry.

He says: “RSD — Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria — is associated with ADHD and there are many artists in the music industry with this.

“Artists don’t learn how to manage their careers or their mental health. When they get a deal, they can burn out because they don’t have the tools to support the way their brain works.

“A lot of artists can end up in drug abuse, because they don’t have the skills to deal with a song not working.

“There isn’t a support system in the music industry — and it’s needed.”

In April Labrinth will take Cosmic Opera Act I to Coachella festival in California.

He says: “I am still working on how that looks, because it’s not cheap to do what is on the record. But I have big ideas and big visions for how I want to present the music and what I want to explore sonically.”

The Hackney-born star last played the festival in 2023 and was the talk of the weekend, with surprise guests Billie Eilish and Zendaya — in her first live show in over seven years, performing I’m Tired and All For Us from Euphoria on the second weekend.

“Zendaya was not planned at all,” says Labrinth. “Billie was the first week but Zendaya, who was on a film set, said she couldn’t make it.

“Then she called me to say she was going to Vegas to watch Usher and would be passing by. So it was literally last minute.”

Labrinth is looking forward to working on the score for Euphoria season three because Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer has joined the show’s production team.

He says: “The show is special because it speaks to the language of this era. That’s what inspired me.

“And this time, having Hans Zimmer involved — an experienced genius — makes a difference. I’ve always wanted to work with him, so this is my chance to do so.

If I could work with anyone next I’d say David Attenborough

Labrinth

“Gladiator was the film that got me on to Hans, and True Romance is another I love.

“He and Beyonce picked my song [Spirit] for Lion King so then I was like, ‘Well, I need to meet this guy’. It seems like life is trying to pull us together.”

Labrinth has learned a lot from working with superstars.

He says: “Beyonce has been a fan for a long time, because she’s checked out a lot of my records. She’s very kind, and treats people with respect, and is a real professional.

“Abel [The Weeknd] was like an animal in the studio. He knows what he wants and then it goes crazy when he releases something.

“If I could work with anyone next I’d say David Attenborough. I know he’s not a musician, but I love his voice and I’ve always wanted to put him on a record. Morgan Freeman and him — their voices are musical instruments to me.

“But next I’m in London working with Skepta. The UK has some special artists and I’m dying to get over there to perform.”

LABRINTH Cosmic Opera Act I

★★★★☆

Jan. 29 (UPI) — White House border czar Tom Homan says federal agents will continue so-called targeted operations in Minneapolis during a news conference on Thursday.

Homan added that the focus of these targeted operations will be “criminal aliens” and threats to public and national safety. He has also directed federal agents to prepare a drawdown plan for Minneapolis but clarified that the administration will not stop with detainments and deportations.

Homan added that decreasing the number of federal agents on Minneapolis’ streets will require the local government and law enforcement entities to cooperate with the federal government to identify and detain immigrants.

“We will conduct targeted enforcement operations. What we’ve done for decades,” Homan said. “With a prioritization on public safety threats. We are not surrendering the president’s mission on immigration enforcement. Prioritization of criminal aliens does not mean we forget about everybody else. That’s just ridiculous.”

Homan took the reins of President Donald Trump‘s Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Minneapolis earlier this week. Before his arrival, federal agents had detained several children from an area school district.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison have met with Homan this week.

Homan said he “did not agree with everything” the local officials have said, but they did acknowledge ICE is a congressionally approved agency.

“What we did agree on is the community’s safety is paramount,” Homan said. “What we did agree upon is not to release public safety risks back into the community when they could be lawfully transferred to ICE.”

The Minnesota Department of Corrections has been working with ICE to identify and remove immigrants with criminal records, Homan added. He went on to clarify that he was referring to people who were already detained in the Minnesota prison system.

In regards to the fatal shootings of two Minneapolis-area residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37 years old, Homan said he will not comment or share his personal opinion. He only acknowledged that the federal operation in the city has not been “perfect” and he and Trump “have recognized that certain improvements could and should be made.”

Homan referred to anti-ICE protesters as “agitators,” and asked local officials to “tone down the dangerous rhetoric” and work with federal agents who are “performing their duties in a challenging environment.”

“They’re trying to do it with professionalism,” Homan said. “If they don’t, they’ll be dealt with. Like any other federal agency, we have standards of conduct.”

Homan later blamed the increase of federal agents in Minneapolis on “rhetoric” directed towards agents and the immigration operation.

“I said in March if the rhetoric didn’t stop there was going to be bloodshed,” Homan said. “And there has been. I wish I wasn’t right.”

Frey on Thursday acknowledged participating in “good and productive meetings” with President Donald Trump and Homan, but cautioned that “I will believe it when I see it” regarding improvements in immigration enforcement tactics in Minneapolis.

“They have talked about drawing down the numbers in terms of federal agents — ICE and Border Patrol — in Minneapolis, and that is essential,” Frey told media.

“The reality is we need Operation Metro Surge to end,” he said, adding that the operation did not make the city safer or reduce chaos.

He called the federal law enforcement effort an “invasion” of the city and said that he expects the “conduct to immediately change,” but did not address the conduct of protesters.

Interior Minister says multiplication of political parties has fuelled divisions and weakened social cohesion.

Burkina Faso’s military-led government has issued a decree dissolving all political parties that had already been forced to suspend activities after a coup four years ago.

The West African nation’s council of ministers passed the decree on Thursday amid the government’s ongoing crackdown on dissenting voices as it struggles to contain insurgencies linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS).

Burkina Faso‘s Interior Minister Emile Zerbo said the decision was part of a broader effort to “rebuild the state” after alleged widespread abuses and dysfunction in the country’s multiparty system.

Zerbo said a government review found that the multiplication of political parties had fuelled divisions and weakened social cohesion.

The decree disbands all political parties and political formations, with all their assets now set to be transferred to the state.

Before the coup, the country had more than 100 registered political parties, with 15 represented in parliament after the 2020 general election.

Burkina Faso is led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in a coup in September 2022, eight months after an earlier military coup had overthrown democratically elected President Roch Marc Kabore.

The country’s military leaders have cut ties with former colonial ruler France and turned to Russia for security support.

In 2024, as part of its crackdown on dissent, the government ordered internet service providers to suspend access to the websites and other digital platforms of the BBC, Voice of America and Human Rights Watch.

As it turned away from the West, Burkina Faso joined forces with neighbouring Mali and Niger, also ruled by military governments, in forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in a bid to strengthen economic and military cooperation.

KATIE Price has cancelled her podcast after her shock wedding to Lee Andrews and being told to ‘run a mile’ from her ‘swindler’ new husband by his ex. 

New episodes of The Katie Price Show podcast – which the 47-year-old hosts with younger sister Sophie, 36 – drop every Thursday. 

But Katie’s sister Sophie took to social media to announce that an episode would not be dropping today.

“Hi guys, how are you all? I know you’ve all been chomping at the bit to find out what has been going on. All our DMs have been going off,” she began in her video address.

“Let’s just say, it’s been one hell of a week. We have done over a 100 episodes of the podcast which sounds absolutely nuts when it’s just me and Kate doing our b*s chat.

“We will back next week as normal and we will be able you guys on what’s been going on. It will be business as usual,” she signed off.

LOVE HURTS

Katie ‘love-bomber’ Lee is a terrifying type of man – my ex scarred me for life

LOVE HURTS

Katie ‘love-bomber’ Lee is a terrifying type of man – my ex scarred me for life

No doubt fans will be disappointed at not getting an update on married life from Katie, after she tied the knot with Lee, 41, in Dubai last weekend – allegedly just days after meeting. 

Shortly after the wedding The Sun exposed him as a fantasist who lied about his career and faked celebrity links with AI-generated photos.

We also told this week how Lee had proposed to fitness enthusiast Alana Percival four months ago — in exactly the same way.

And now Alana has urged Katie to proceed with caution.

She took to social media to post photos of her on a beach holiday.

But her caption came with a serious message, which read: “Catching flights not fiancés – lucky escape.

“Somebody with your ex right now thinking they found The One,” while tagging Katie in the post.

Alana added: “More to come today’s news is just a warm up.”

She then followed up with an Instagram post as she slammed her ex for his behaviour during their brief relationship.

She claimed: “This man had me shrinking myself, making me not want to speak up.

“Telling me not to speak to my friends about how he acted because they all told me to leave him.

“He even ruined some of my friendships, pulled me away from people I love by protecting him.”

She continued: “Made unlimited promises making me look as bad as him because I was on his side.

“Finally I get to speak freely and tell you all.

“I hope Katie listens, I wish I had listened to all the others that warned me.”

She added: “Please ladies if you experience anything like this run a mile and more. Keep running.”

Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda, who’s known for sharing the realities of life in Gaza, says she’s regained access to her TikTok. On Wednesday, she shared a video explaining that her account had been deleted, days after the platform was acquired by new investors in the US.

Lockheed Martin has offered a very rare confirmation of the RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drone‘s operational exploits, in this case, in support of the recent mission to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.

“This is what you can expect from Lockheed Martin: continued significant investment to advance technology development and produce proven major weapon systems at ever greater scale. We build on this momentum with a powerful start to 2026,” CEO Jim Taiclet said during a quarterly earnings call this morning. “Lockheed Martin products, once again, proved critical to the U.S. military’s most demanding missions. The recent Operation Absolute Resolve [in Venezuela] included F-35 and F-22 fighter jets, RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drones, and Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters, which helped ensure mission success while bringing the men and women of our armed forces home safely.”

After the conclusion of Operation Absolute Resolve on January 3, video footage had emerged showing at least one, and possibly two, RQ-170s arriving at the former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico. This was a major hub for aircraft employed in the operation and had already offered very strong evidence of the Sentinel’s involvement.

The U.S. military subsequently confirmed that F-35s, F-22s, and Black Hawks – the latter belonging to the U.S. Army’s elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the Night Stalkers – among many other types of aircraft had taken part in the operation. While mention was also made of the use of drones, the RQ-170 was not explicitly named.

A now-deleted post in December 2025 from Air Forces Southern (AFSOUTH) on X, which included a picture of an individual wearing a name patch with an RQ-170 silhouette and the sleeve insignia of the 432nd Wing, had prompted earlier questions about whether the drones were operating in the region. The only units known to fly Sentinel are the 30th and 44th Reconnaissance Squadrons, both of which are assigned to the 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada. A total of between 20 and 30 RQ-170s are said to be in the Air Force’s inventory.

The exact role the RQ-170 played in Operation Absolute Resolve remains unclear, and Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet offered no further details. TWZ has previously detailed how the mission and the lead-up to it are exactly what the Sentinel was designed for. As we wrote:

“RQ-170s would have provided a valuable way to discreetly track Maduro’s movements and otherwise establish his ‘patterns of life,’ as well as those of the forces guarding him, for an extended period of time in the lead-up to the actual launch of the operation to capture him. During the mission itself, having one of the drones orbiting overhead would have provided an indispensable source of real-time information, including to help spot threats that might unexpectedly appear. Those same feeds would also have given senior leaders, including President Donald Trump, a way to watch the operation as it happened.”

…

“With all this in mind, RQ-170s could also have surveilled Venezuelan military bases and other sites that U.S. forces struck as part of the operation overnight, and helped with post-strike assessments. The Air Force has disclosed having at least conducted tests in the past of the Sentinel in the bomb damage assessment role in combination with B-2 bombers.”

Since then, it has also emerged that the U.S. military planning for the mission included preparations to destroy three airfields in the country if it appeared that fighters belonging to the Venezuelan Air Force were attempting to scramble and intercept the raiding force. That threat did not materialize, and none of those facilities were ultimately struck, but it would have been necessary to closely monitor them to be sure.

Substations were also targeted to cut power to the Fuerte Tiuna (Fort Tiuna), a sprawling military base in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, housing Maduro’s fortress-like compound.

Multiple Venezuelan air defense assets were also struck at various locations in the country during the operation. TWZ has also highlighted previously how suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD) would have been a key mission for the F-22s and F-35s in the force package. U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers, and likely at least one U.S. Air Force EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, also contributed electronic warfare support to this mission and other aspects of the operation.

The RQ-170’s participation in Operation Absolute Resolve adds to the still relatively limited publicly available information (and even less that is officially confirmed) about the use of these drones over the years. The U.S. Air Force only officially acknowledged the Sentinel’s existence in 2009, two years after it was first spotted in Afghanistan and had been dubbed the “Beast of Kandahar.”

RQ-170s were used to monitor aspects of Iran’s nuclear program, something that was thrust into the public eye after one of the drones went down in that country in 2011, a major intelligence loss. RQ-170s likely also played a role in relation to the Operation Midnight Hammer strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last year, where they could have provided direct overhead coverage and intelligence for post-mission bomb damage assessments.

Sentinels are understood to have surveilled Al Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan in the lead-up to the raid that led to his death, which also occurred in 2011. This, as well as operations over Iran, are prime examples of the Sentinel’s ability to persistently surveil key sites even in denied areas. The preparations for and execution of Operation Absolute Resolve also followed a playbook with direct parallels, as well as notable differences, to the Bin Laden mission.

The stealthy RQ-170s have also deployed to South Korea in the past, from where they likely conducted flights at least very near to North Korean airspace. The drones have also been at least deployed elsewhere in the Pacific, as well.

Between 2022 and 2023, Sentinels may have flown missions in the Black Sea region, gathering intelligence on Russian forces on the heavily-defended occupied Crimean Peninsula. A satellite image available through Apple Maps showing an RQ-170 at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Italy has lent some further credence to those reports. Sigonella has been and continues to be a hub for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance flights over the Black Sea. It is unclear when the image was taken, but it looks to be from a relevant timeframe based on the visible state of construction elsewhere at the base.

Though much still remains to be learned, the remarks today from Lockheed Martin CEO Taiclet have added a small, but notable addition to the story of the RQ-170.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

PHOTO op queen Sydney Sweeney appears to have gone all camera shy — but then it was all an act to promote her underwear range.

The Euphoria actress, 28, chose a paparazzi-theme to show off the Seduction Bra and String You Along thong from her brand Syrn.

Another photo showed her in a fantasy lace halter bodysuit.

And fans appear to be falling for the hype.

One would-be buyer on social media was disappointed to find it was sold out, adding: “So sad.”

Another commented: “How is it all gone already?”

Read more on Sydney Sweeney

perfect model

Sydney Sweeney sizzles as she strips off to lace thong, bra & suspenders

Among the items which were snapped up was the $89 fantasy lace halter bodysuit and the “String You Along” lace thong costing $19.

Sydney previously revealed Syrn will offer designs split into four “personas” — seductress, romantic, playful and comfy — with 44 sizes between 30B and 42DDD.

She said: “The secret is finally out . . . this is lingerie you wear for YOU, no explanation, no apology.

“I wanted to create a place where women can move between all the different versions of who we are.

“I love working on cars, I go water skiing, I’ll dress up for the red carpet then go home to snuggle my dogs.

“I’m not one thing, no woman is.”

France is moving closer to banning social media for users under the age of 15, citing growing concerns over young people’s mental health. The move comes as other European countries consider similar restrictions. Al Jazeera’s Aly Zein Mohamed explains.

The recent declassification of the United States’ Jumpseat spy satellite provides details on what was previously a highly secretive system, one that monitored critical Soviet military assets during some of the tensest years of the Cold War. While still redacted, the declassification provides never-before-seen imagery of a pioneering system that served the U.S. intelligence community for 35 years.

The declassification of certain elements of the Jumpseat program was announced by the director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the Pentagon intelligence branch responsible for U.S. government reconnaissance satellites.

There were eight satellite launches under Jumpseat (also known as AFP-711), between 1971 and 1987, one of them unsuccessful. Developed by the U.S. Air Force as part of the NRO’s Program A, the satellites were carried by Titan IIIB launch vehicles. Based on an original intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) design, these rockets lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base (now Vandenberg Space Force Base) in California.

System for Space – Titan III (remastered USAF documentary)

The NRO confirms the mission numbers 7701 to 7708 for the eight Jumpseat launches. Analysts had previously attempted to match the Jumpseat missions to known space launches out of Vandenberg, although so far only the first and last of these have actually been declassified. There is a possibility that some of the launches normally assessed to involve Jumpseat actually carried other payloads.

The NRO confirms our belief that there were 8 JUMPSEAT launches in 1981-87. and gives the dates for JUMPSEAT 1 and 8. Another program, QUASAR, had data relay satellites in the same orbit, and NRO has not released the dates for JS2 to 7 so we aren’t sure which launch is which.

— Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) January 29, 2026

As a signals-collection satellite, Jumpseat was an important part of the broader signals intelligence (SIGINT) community. In simple terms, SIGINT assets are used to detect and intercept communications and other electronic emissions. Whether radios or radars, those emitters can also be geolocated and categorized, as well as listened in on.

Jumpseat was also active in two subsets of SIGINT. The first was communications intelligence (COMINT), including keeping tabs on day-to-day communications between military personnel, by eavesdropping on electronic signals. Secondly, Jumpseat gathered foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT), which involves intercepting and analyzing electromagnetic emissions from foreign weapon systems, such as missile telemetry, radar, and tracking signals. Particular military emitters of interest to Jumpseat likely included air defenses and command and control nodes, with the data gathered being used to help build an electronic order of battle of an adversary nation, specifically the Soviet Union.

Jumpseat collections “were initially against other adversarial countries’ weapon systems capabilities,” the document states, without providing more details.

Previously classified imagery of Jumpseat has also been released, with the NRO providing a mix of diagrams, artwork, and photos of models and test specimens.

As far as is known, the Jumpseat satellites were built by Hughes, using a spin-stabilized bus, similar to that used in the TACSAT and the Intelsat-4 communications satellites. Key features of Jumpseat included a large, partially foldable dish antenna for data collection, as well as a smaller dish antenna to send data back to the ground.

What is interesting is that the main reflector of the JUMPSAT SIGINT antenna seems to have deployable parts…

Comparing the model vs the EMC chamber vs the shaker setup, the EMC chamber pic clearly has the reflector in a “deployed” state, vs folded for the shaker pic… https://t.co/k0oEiVZ0BE pic.twitter.com/36oo35yu3u

— DutchSpace (@DutchSpace) January 29, 2026

“The historical significance of Jumpseat cannot be understated,” said Dr. James Outzen, NRO director of the Center for the Study of National Reconnaissance, in a statement from the office. “Its orbit provided the United States a new vantage point for the collection of unique and critical signals intelligence from space.”

Jumpseat came as a follow-on to earlier electronic surveillance satellites, including Grab, Poppy, and Parcae.

These had begun to be fielded as the deepening Cold War heralded the possibility of a future weapons threat from space. This is something that was hammered home by the Soviet Union’s successful launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite, which would soon be followed by the first generation of ICBMs based on the same rocket technology.

“Following the end of World War II, threats of globally spreading communism and nuclear weapons proliferation fueled Americans’ anxiety of the unknown,” the NRO explains. “Across the world, the United States suspected that more American adversaries were building out extensive, topline defense arsenals including long-range missiles and atomic weapons.”

“Jumpseat’s core mission focus was to monitor adversarial offensive and defensive weapon system development,” the NRO states. “From its further orbital position, it aimed to collect data that might offer unique insight into existing and emerging threats.”

Jumpseat operated in a transponder mode, sending downlinked data to the NRO for initial processing. Once processed, the data was provided to the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, and other national security elements.

While the NRO’s first electronic surveillance satellites — like Grab, Poppy, and Parcae — operated in low-earth orbit, Program A was tasked with developing a satellite for signals collection from a highly elliptical orbit. This was known as Project Earpop.

Jumpseat emerged from Earpop as “the United States’ first-generation, highly elliptical orbit (HEO) signals-collection satellite.” HEO refers to an elongated, egg-shaped trajectory, which is especially relevant for a spy satellite. In this way, the satellite has significant ‘dwell time’ at two points of its orbit, as it ascends and descends to its apogee.

In Jumpseat’s case, HEO kept the satellite for longer periods at high altitude over the northern polar regions: ideal for keeping watch on the Soviet Union. HEO above the northern polar regions is sometimes known as a Molniya orbit, after a series of Soviet satellites that operated here.

HEO, in this instance, should not be confused with a high-Earth orbit (HEO), one that takes a spacecraft beyond the geostationary orbital belt, which is defined as being around 22,236 miles above sea level.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that one of the key missions of Jumpseat was to monitor Soviet ballistic missile warning radars in the far north of the country. That would certainly make sense based on orbits, although there were plenty of other military emitters of great interest to the United States and its allies in this region.

FMI visualisation of HEO satellites monitoring the Arctic

The Jumpseat declassification memorandum notes that the satellites “performed admirably” and were only removed from the NRO’s SIGINT architecture as late as 2006.

The NRO says that the partial declassification of Jumpseat now is justified since these “will not cause harm to our current and future satellite systems.” The office also notes that it wants to bring attention to the program for its pioneering role in HEO signals-collection satellites.

As to what kinds of capabilities have taken over from Jumpseat, most aspects of these remain as secretive as their predecessor once was.

There are various unverified reports that a series of satellites known as Trumpet have taken over from Jumpseat. There are, meanwhile, many other large, classified payloads that the NRO has launched into space and which could perform similar functions

Meanwhile, this area of intelligence collection is increasingly being farmed out to commercial enterprises.

As the NRO states, “overhead collection of signals is no longer a government-only endeavor as several unclassified commercial ventures have launched signal collection systems whose capabilities are comparable if not superior to Jumpseat.”

As we have discussed in the past, the commercial space sector has opened up the possibility of constellations featuring potentially hundreds of intelligence-gathering satellites, and it will herald another revolution in both tactical and strategic space-based sensing. Starlink-like constellations, but used for sensing — which the United States is already pursuing — would be able to provide persistent surveillance of the entire globe at any given time. This would allow for continuous surveillance of any spot on the planet, not just snapshots in time taken during orbital flyovers by individual satellites. It is by no means clear what types of electronic intelligence collection can be done by such a constellation due to the small individual antenna sizes on each satellite, but if those limitations can be overcome, it could change how and when the U.S. monitors the electronic emissions of its adversaries.

Watch SpaceX deploy Starlink satellites into space

Regardless, having more satellites available and having ways to rapidly deploy new systems into orbit are increasingly urgent priorities, considering the stated level of threat posed to them by Russia and, increasingly, China.

Whatever is out there, or is set to be out there in the future, it will be indebted to the trailblazing work done by the secretive Jumpseat program.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

ACTRESS Margot Robbie hits a Hollywood height at her new film’s premiere — wearing a £6million necklace once owned by Elizabeth Taylor. 

The Taj Mahal diamond is a heart-shaped gold pendant set in jade and hanging from a gold, ruby and diamond chain made by Cartier. 

It was given to Elizabeth by fifth hubby Richard Burton for her 40th in 1972. 

Margot wore it to the world ­premiere of Wuthering Heights in Los Angeles, where she was earlier joined by co-star Jacob Elordi and singer Charli XCX, who recorded the film’s soundtrack. 

The actress, Cathy in the adaptation of Emily Bronte’s 1847 novel, said the necklace was poignant as it had “a lot of romantic history”. 

She said: “It’s our big Hollywood world premiere — we’ve got to go all out. 

NATURAL NIGE

Nigella Lawson goes make-up free & seen for first time since Bake Off job

BABY BOOM

Meghan Markle’s Suits co-star Patrick J Adams welcomes third baby

“This is Elizabeth Taylor’s necklace. It’s the Taj Mahal diamond that Richard ­Burton gave to her. 

“There’s something kind of Cathy and Heathcliff about ­Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in my mind, so it felt appropriate.” 

The diamond was created for a 17th century Mughal emperor who ­commissioned the Taj Mahal.

It was later acquired by Cartier, with Burton buying it from them to give to Elizabeth. 

Following her death in 2011, it was sold at ­auction for £6million to an anonymous buyer. 

Jan. 29 (UPI) — Chinese e-commerce platform Temu has taken its dispute with Mercado Libre to federal court after Argentina’s largest online marketplace accused it of unfair competition.

Mercado Libre filed a complaint in August 2025 with Argentina’s Secretariat of Industry and Commerce, alleging Temu violated Commercial Fairness Decree No. 274/2019, which governs truthful advertising and fair competition in the country.

After reviewing the filing, the National Directorate of Policies for the Development of the Domestic Market opened an investigation and ordered Temu to suspend digital advertising and promotions deemed misleading.

In response, Temu turned to federal court Wednesday to try to halt the administrative measure and maintain its operations in Argentina, Argentine daily La Nacion reported.

According to the complaint, the company founded by Argentine entrepreneur Marcos Galperin challenged Temu’s commercial strategy, which Mercado Libre said relies on extreme discounts and promotions that are not met under the conditions advertised, local outlet Ambito reported.

Among the main allegations are discounts ranging from 80% to 100% that apply only if users meet additional requirements, such as minimum purchase amounts, buying other products or completing purchases within the app.

Mercado Libre also accused Temu of what it described as “misleading gamification,” using games and interactive features that promise prizes or free products, but in practice impose increasingly complex and unclear conditions.

The dispute is now under the jurisdiction of the National Chamber of Appeals in Civil and Commercial Federal Matters, which must determine the next steps in the case, Infobae reported.

Temu rejected the allegations and said its business model is transparent and that prices, discounts and conditions are clearly disclosed to users, which the company contended rules out consumer deception.

Mercado Libre said the complaint is not related to Argentina’s opening of imports, a policy it supports. The company noted that it also offers imported goods through its international purchases category and competes in what it described as a dynamic and open market with both local and global players.

The legal battle unfolds amid rapid growth in cross-border e-commerce in Argentina. Data cited in the case show door-to-door purchases through platforms such as Temu and Shein posted increases close to 300% year over year, driven by low prices, direct shipping and intensive social media marketing.

The expansion of the Chinese platforms has revived debate over the regulatory framework for digital commerce and competition between domestic and foreign companies, Perfil reported.

Mercado Libre executives reiterated the need for rules that are “the same for everyone,” as the case becomes a key recent precedent on competition and advertising in Argentina’s e-commerce sector.

Caracas, January 28, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – International creditors have shown growing optimism to collect on defaulted Venezuelan debt in the wake of the January 3 US military strikes and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro.

According to Bloomberg, the volume of Venezuelan bonds traded increased tenfold since the start of the year. Securities have rallied to around 40 cents on the dollar, having hit lows of 1.5 cents on the dollar in the past.

A combination of defaulted bonds, unpaid loans and arbitration awards is estimated to total up to US $170 billion after years of accruing interest. The Maduro government began defaulting on debt service in 2017 as US sanctions crippled the Caribbean nation’s economy and ultimately blocked financial transactions altogether.

The Venezuelan Creditor Committee (VCC) expressed “readiness” to discuss a debt restructuring deal when authorized. The group brings together creditors including GMO, Greylock Capital, Mangart Capital, and Morgan Stanley, which hold over $10 billion in sovereign and state oil company PDVSA bonds.

Elias Ferrer Breda, financial analyst and director of Orinoco Research, told Venezuelanalysis that the “enthusiasm” means creditors feel a debt restructuring deal is “closer,” but warned that any agreement will hinge on US recognition of the Venezuelan government.

“The recognition, along with the lifting of primary sanctions, is the final obstacle,” he said. “There have been steps to reopen the US embassy in Caracas and a Venezuelan delegation headed by Félix Plasencia also visited DC.”

The first Trump administration recognized the self-proclaimed “interim government” led by Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate authority in 2019, prompting Caracas to break diplomatic relations. After the parallel Guaidó administration dissolved in 2022, Washington transferred the recognition to the opposition-majority National Assembly whose term expired in 2021.

The small group of US-backed politicians retains control over Venezuelan-owned assets in the US. For its part, the Venezuelan government headed by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has advocated a renewed diplomatic engagement with Washington. The two administrations have taken steps to reopen the respective embassies.

Ferrer, who also directs the Guacamaya media outlet, suggested that the State Department has no immediate plans to change its formal recognition of the defunct parliament. 

“However, there is a de facto recognition of the Rodríguez acting government being built,” he went on to add. “This will become de jure sooner or later; it could be a few months or even a couple of years.”

Venezuela’s inability to sustain debt service, including settlements with creditors, as a result of sanctions, saw many corporations pursue legal avenues to collect. Crystallex, ConocoPhillips and several other companies are set to benefit from the proceeds of the forced judicial auction of Venezuela’s US-based refiner CITGO.

Washington’s formal recognition of the Rodríguez acting administration could also pave the way for Venezuela to access about $4.9 billion in “special drawing rights” issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF created the liquidity instruments in 2021 to help governments deal with the Covid-19 pandemic but blocked Venezuela from accessing its share as it followed Trump’s lead in not recognizing the Nicolás Maduro government.

According to reports, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently held meetings with the heads of the IMF and the World Bank to discuss a possible re-engagement with the South American country.

For their part, Venezuelan authorities have expressed a willingness to engage with creditors in the past, but US sanctions preempted any meaningful engagement.

Caracas’ debt also includes long-term oil-for-loan agreements with China. However, with Washington’s naval blockade recently blocking China-bound crude shipments, Beijing has reportedly sought assurances of the repayment of debts estimated at $10-20 billion.

ONE of the UK’s most celebrated rock bands has been officially confirmed to perform at the Brit Awards alongside major stars.

The indie band, joining Harry Styles and Olivia Dean, is none other than Wolf Alice.

They were the first band confirmed by the BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard and it could be a huge night for them.

Wolf Alice are up for three exciting awards including, Group of the Year, Alternative/Rock Act and Mastercard Album of the Year for their fourth studio album ‘The Clearing’.

Their newest album debuted last August and was a huge hit with fans, reaching number one upon release.

Theo Ellis, Wolf Alice’s bassist, said: “We’re truly honoured to get the opportunity to play this year’s BRIT Awards!

‘robbed’

Little Mix fans in tears as Wolf Alice beat them to Best Group at the Brit Awards

WOLF GIRL TO WED

Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell is engaged to Slaves frontman Isaac Holman

“Can’t wait to see what everyone’s wearing, can’t wait to see who else is playing, can’t wait to have ten mini wines (after we play).

“Most of all can’t wait for a big night out in Manny. Make sure to tune in and watch it all live on the telly.”

The band recently announced a huge summer show at Finsbury Park on 5th July, where they will be joined by The Last Dinner Party, Lykke Li, Rachel Chinouriri, Keo, and Florence Road.

Wolf Alice had a jam-packed year in 2025 from performing at Glastonbury in the summer to launching a huge global tour for their newest album.

The band travelled across North America, Europe and the UK from September to December and it seems they’re not slowing down anytime soon.

Comedian Jack Whitehall will be back on Saturday, 28 February to host The Brit Awards as it debuts at its new Manchester home.

Last week, the nominations were announced for this year’s awards and leading the charge for 2026 are Olivia Dean and Lola Young with five nominations each.

Sam Fender follows closely behind with four nominations following his Mercury Prize win last year.

Other British artists up for awards this year include Lily Allen, Calvin Harris, JADE, Ed Sheeran, Little Simz, PinkPantheress, RAYE and Skye Newman.

The public vote for Song of the Year with Mastercard and International Song of the Year open tomorrow at midday only via Whatsapp.

Information on the vote can be found here.

The Brit Awards will be available to stream exclusively on ITV and ITVX.

BUENOS AIRES, Jan. 29 (UPI) — Uruguay has raised warning signals in its economic policy after its currency appreciated the most in the world against the dollar this week — a situation the government views as a risk to export competitiveness and the pace of economic growth.

In recent days, the Uruguayan peso strengthened more than comparable currencies and moved to the top of global foreign exchange performance. As a result, the dollar fell 3.1% in the local market, a deeper decline than those recorded in Brazil, Chile or Colombia.

The scenario set off alarms within the economic team. To counter the dollar’s weakness, the Central Bank of Uruguay announced a cut to its benchmark interest rate to 6.5% to discourage financial capital inflows and ease pressure on the local currency.

Along the same lines, the Economy Ministry confirmed forward dollar purchases and coordination with state-owned companies to increase demand for the U.S. currency. Those steps are complemented by measures aimed at reducing domestic costs and supporting economic activity, investment and employment, as concerns begin to mount in the productive sector.

Uruguayan economist Luciano Magnífico, of the Catholic University of Uruguay, said the dollar’s behavior in the country cannot be analyzed in isolation.

“The evolution of the dollar in Uruguay has closely tracked what has happened internationally, and particularly its performance against other regional currencies,” he told UPI.

According to Magnífico, the recent weakness of the U.S. currency largely reflects external factors.

“This weakening was closely linked to economic policies promoted during the first year of the Trump administration, especially on trade. That generated significant volatility in financial variables, and Uruguay was not immune to that dynamic,” he said.

The problem, he said, is that Uruguay’s economy already was expensive in terms of the dollar before this episode.

“According to the main indicators, Uruguay had been carrying an overvaluation for years, and this new drop in the dollar further aggravated that situation,” he said.

That combination hits exporters hardest because they are paid in dollars while many of their costs are in pesos. “When the exchange rate falls, the margin between income and expenses shrinks,” the economist explained. In some cases, that gap can become critical for business continuity.

Gonzalo Oleggini, a Uruguayan foreign trade consultant, focused on companies’ day-to-day operations.

“In Uruguay, as in many countries, foreign trade is conducted in dollars. An exporting industry, such as glass manufacturing, collects in dollars, but pays most of its costs in pesos,” he told UPI.

That mismatch becomes more visible when the dollar loses value.

“A year ago, each dollar brought in 40 pesos. A few days ago, it was 36. That means that for the same sale, a company receives less money to cover virtually the same costs, or even higher ones, because there is inflation and wages are rising,” he said.

Oleggini stressed that the impact is greater in labor-intensive sectors.

“Wages and social contributions weigh heavily in the cost structure. Since Uruguay does not have a highly automated industry, the blow remains strong,” he said.

As a result, much of the productive sector is affected.

“The meatpacking industry, plastics, services, logistics, tourism. The country becomes more expensive in dollar terms, making it harder to sell goods and services abroad,” he said. “Ultimately, the entire export sector, both goods and services, is the most affected.”

The concern is also explained by the weight of foreign trade in the economy.

Uruguay generates about $75 billion a year in economic output, and close to $24 billion of that comes from foreign trade in goods and services.

“It is one of the central pillars of the country’s production,” the consultant said.

One of the sectors generating the strongest concern is agriculture.

“That the dollar keeps falling and has been clearly below 40 pesos for several days is quite frustrating for us,” Rafael Ferber, president of the Rural Association of Uruguay, told local newspaper El Observador.

“We feel that macroeconomic measures continue to be taken in the wrong direction,” he said.

Ferber warned that the combination of factors pushing the exchange rate lower has made the situation “absolutely critical” for producers and exporters.

“Uruguay is basically an exporting country, something that is often poorly measured. It exports close to 70% of what it produces. Therefore, it depends on foreign currency much more than other countries,” he said.

Carmen Porteiro, president of the Uruguayan Exporters Union, said recent government decisions are moving in the right direction, although she noted the sector has been warning since last year about the impact of peso appreciation on competitiveness.

That loss of margins, she said, translates into lower investment, workforce adjustments and, in extreme cases, business closures, with direct effects on employment and future growth.

Oleggini said it is difficult to act against a global trend.

“The ability of a small economy like Uruguay’s to influence this is very limited,” he said.

“You can try to move the exchange rate a few pesos, as happened when it fell from 40 to 36 and then rose to 38, but there are no real chances of a strong peso depreciation, which is what exporters are seeking,” he said.

“From the United States, there is a positive view of a weaker dollar as part of its economic strategy. That makes it very difficult to think of a reversal,” he added.

The main tool applied in Uruguay has been the interest rate cut.

“The idea is to reduce incentives to place money and push those pesos into the market, which could generate a slight depreciation of the exchange rate,” Oleggini said. “It is the strongest tool being used and the one that may have some effect, although always limited.”

The gap with exporters’ demands remains wide.

“Many talk about a dollar at 50 pesos, and today we are at 36 or 38. Even bringing it to 40 would already be a challenge,” he said. “Reaching that level in an economy like Uruguay’s, with a weak dollar globally, is today almost a utopia.”