News Desk

Netflix viewers were stunned watching the historic climb live

The anticlimactic method renowned climber Alex Honnold utilised to get down from one of the tallest buildings in the world after his historic climb has been revealed.

Free solo legend Honnold completed one of his riskiest challenges yet over the weekend. No only did he scale one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers with no ropes or safety equipment, the achievement was streamed live on Netflix across the world.

Taipei 101 stands at a staggering 1,667 ft tall and the brutal climb took just one hour and 35 minutes to complete. Honnold waved to fans who cheered him on from the ground and also inside the building during his feat.

While originally scheduled for 1am Saturday (January 24) morning UK time, the climb was delayed due to safety concerns about the weather. The climb instead took place at 1am on Sunday (January 25) UK time.

Ahead of the climb, Netflix teased: “No ropes. No fear. Free solo legend Alex Honnold risks it all in a high-stakes, live ascent of one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers in Taipei, Taiwan.”

Reaching the top of the building, the climber was heard simply stating: “Sick”. He then went on to admit that it was “windy” while he took out his own phone to record himself and take some selfies, while enjoying the view.

People watching along at home were amazed with the climb, however a similar question kept popping up. Sharing their reaction on social media, one person posted on X saying: “But how does he get down?”

Another added: “The journey up looks terrifying…thinking about coming back down may be even scarier.” Someone else asked asked : “BUT HOW DOES HE GET BACK DOWN?”

And one person likewise wanted to know: “How did he get down after that?” Another baffled viewer replied: “How did he get down in the end?”

Well now, there is an answer to all those questions and it may be a bit anticlimactic. According to The Sporting News, Honnold put on a harness and rappelled down from the very top of the building.

The report claims he then took a lift to the bottom of the skyscraper. It is somewhat different to some of his other climbs, like his famous free solo of Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan. However in that case, there was very little choice other than a rappelling or careful down-climbing that usually follows.

This is all because Taipei 101 is a working skyscraper. It has interior access points near the summit used for maintenance and observation. It means Honnold is able to simply move off the exterior and into a secure interior space.

The Sporting News goes on to claim that Honnold is all about the climb. Once he reaches his goal, he apparently sees no reason to extend the risk beyond it.

Skyscraper LIVE is streaming on Netflix. For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new ** Everything Gossip ** website.

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and a special counsel team on Monday both appealed against a court ruling sentencing him to 23 years in prison for playing a key role in an insurrection over former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief imposition of martial law.

Last Wednesday, the Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence, making Han the first member of Yoon’s Cabinet to be convicted in connection to the former president’s declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024.

Han’s legal team submitted the appeal earlier Monday, while special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team also filed an appeal to challenge not-guilty verdicts on some charges in the ruling, including allegations that Han delayed a Cabinet meeting convened to lift the decree.

In last week’s ruling, the court confirmed for the first time that Yoon’s declaration of martial law constituted an insurrection, saying it amounted to a “self-coup.”

The punishment was heavier than the 15 years sought by special counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team, with Han being placed under custody after the ruling due to concerns of evidence destruction.

The court said the former prime minister took part in the insurrection by proposing that Yoon convene a Cabinet meeting before declaring the decree.

It also found Han guilty of signing a revised proclamation after the decree was lifted in a bid to enhance its legitimacy, discarding it and lying under oath at the Constitutional Court.

A Seoul High Court trial division dedicated to handling cases connected to Yoon’s martial law bid is expected to handle Han’s appeal. The special division is scheduled to launch on Feb. 23.

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

Blessing William crouched by the stream in Bole-3 at dawn, scrubbing pots and dishes. The water surface had a milky tint, and a faint aftertaste lingered each time she drank from it. Still, this remains the only source of flowing water for her family and the wider community.

As a child, the 30-year-old mother of four used to come to the local stream to wash, fetch water, and swim. Back then, the water was clear and safe to drink without filtration.

“There are a lot of changes now,” she said. “We now struggle to get clean water.” 

Her experience reflects a wider reality of over 500 residents in Bole-3, a community you would describe as disadvantaged. There is no electricity, no proper road network, and no primary health care centre. For decades, the local stream has been its most precious resource.

Today, the stream has dwindled to a shallow trickle. Large stretches of the riverbed lie exposed, the current barely moving. In July 2024, white sediments began to cloud the stream, and many residents complained of a strange aftertaste that lingered on their tongues after drinking.

What went wrong?

These changes began shortly after a company run by Chinese nationals started mining operations in the community. Located in Yola-South, Adamawa State, in northeastern Nigeria, Bole-3 sits atop large deposits of fluorite beneath its rocky ground. When the mining company arrived a year ago, it built a dam to supply water for washing extracted minerals, which residents say has reduced the stream’s flow and contaminated the remaining water.

“As a result of how they blocked it to construct the dam, we don’t have enough water flowing into the stream this year,” Williams Ayuba, the village head, told HumAngle. “Although the water level naturally dwindles in November every year, it has not been this severe.”

When the community’s only borehole collapsed, water scarcity worsened. The village head mobilised some residents to meet with the company. The borehole was later repaired by the company’s representatives, but it stopped functioning three months later. However, the community has been unable to reach the company since then. 

Like several other residents, all of Blessing’s children, who drink from the river, have been coming down with diarrhoea, which she described as chronic. 

Celestina Jasckson, another resident of the Bole-3 community, echoes Blessing’s concern. “The water gives us diarrhoea all the time, and that’s how we are suffering,” she said, adding that she continues to consume it despite the risks.

However, diarrhoea is not the only health issue locals have been battling since the suspected contamination became pronounced in Bole-3. Eden Dimas, a healthcare provider who runs the only dispensary in the community, noted that “a lot of residents” have been arriving at the centre regularly with rashes covering different parts of their bodies.

“I am sure it is the chemicals. You could taste it while drinking the water,” Eden said.

The skin condition remains undiagnosed as the dispensary lacks lab equipment. The facility does not admit patients or offer delivery services; it only administers painkillers and provides other basic treatments. For childbirth and more complex care, residents travel an hour to a primary healthcare centre in Lakare, a neighbouring community. 

When cases exceed what he can manage locally, Eden often refers residents with issues like the itchy skin to hospitals in Yola, the state capital, where many cannot afford treatment.

In the past, Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria, the Christian denomination that owns the dispensary, used to supply drugs whenever stocks were running short, but that has dwindled, leaving the dispensary barely functional. Part of the building has even been converted into a single room now occupied by a family.

Eden now buys drugs from Yola only when a sick person provides money for medication.

The stream and the unnamed mine

As contamination of the stream worsened, locals dug small ponds nearby. HumAngle learned from residents that the water in the pond is less polluted than that of the stream, so while the main stream serves their other needs, they use the pond for drinking and cooking. 

“We did everything we could. We wrote to the company, but we have not seen any results yet. It’s like we don’t have anyone to help us,” the village head said. He added that locals have now resigned themselves to their fate.

Residents in Bole-3 refer to the mining company as the “China Company”. It is located on the outskirts of the host community, and it takes less than an hour by motorcycle to reach the mine.

The mine stretches across a wide, open area covered with fluoride and some monazite rocks. Fluorite is a valuable mineral that is used in refining hydrofluoric acid, aluminium smelting agents, optical lenses, gemstones for jewellery, flux for steelmaking, ceramics, and opalescent glass. 

When HumAngle visited the mine, heaps of smaller rocks were scattered around, and labourers were also seen working under the watch of a Chinese supervisor.

Philip Ezra*, a Bole-3 resident, worked at the mine but resigned due to frequent illness and severe body aches. He was responsible for manual excavation and sorting, working at least 10 hours daily for a monthly compensation of ₦70,000. 

During his employment, he recalled that a small pond had been dug at the mine for workers’ water consumption. “As time went by, I began to come down with typhoid and realised that it was from the water. I was always weak,” he said. “The water conditions and the strenuous nature of the work made me sick.”  

When he returned home in June 2025 after resigning, Philip observed that the stream level had dropped and the water quality had deteriorated. “I noticed that the water tasted like the one from the labourer’s pond at the site,” he said. 

Like other residents, Philip believes the significant reduction in water level in the stream is due to the dam built around the mine. “They trapped a large quantity of water from the source and turned it into a source for washing extracted minerals and carrying out other mining activities,” he said. 

When HumAngle visited the mine, the supervisors did not respond to the inquiries. A letter submitted in November last year has yet to receive a response. 

No signage at the site shows the company’s name, and workers who spoke to HumAngle claimed they did not know it. One employee, who asked not to be named, said the company was licensed and approved by the state government, but that “its name had yet to be formally ascribed”. 

This explanation is highly unlikely, as companies registering with the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office are required to provide a name and board details. We reached out to the Adamawa Ministry of Environment and Natural Development and have not received a response. 

To independently verify residents’ claims, HumAngle collected water samples from the Bole-3 stream in November 2025 and submitted them for laboratory analysis at Modibbo Adama University, a public research institution in Yola. The samples were tested twice for fluoride concentration and overall water quality, including heavy metal levels.

A Yola-based laboratory scientist who analysed and interpreted the results, and asked not to be named, said the water was unsafe for drinking, cooking, bathing, or other domestic use.

According to the scientist’s interpretation of the findings, the samples contained elevated levels of heavy metals, including Lead, Cadmium, Copper, and Chromium. Prolonged exposure to these substances, the scientist explained, can cause chronic diarrhoea, skin rashes, gastrointestinal irritation, and other long-term health problems.

“The health symptoms reported by residents, particularly skin rashes and chronic diarrhoea, are consistent with known effects of chronic heavy-metal exposure,” the scientist added. 

Expert recommends solutions 

In communities with long-standing mining activities, exposure to toxic dust and heavy metals poses severe health risks. A study at Arufu, a mining community in Wukari, Taraba State, found high concentrations of heavy metals, and the water was declared unsafe for consumption.

“There are rocks that bear the fluoride. So, naturally, it can enter through the dissolution of fluoride-bearing minerals in all these soils. However, human activities can also elevate fluoride in the water,” said Hamza Muhammad Usman, the Executive Director of Environmental Care Foundation in Adamawa State. 

Hamza explained that mining disrupts large volumes of rock and wells, exposing the minerals buried beneath them. “It can increase the release of fluoride and other heavy metals, including other contaminants into the water,” he added. 

The environmental expert also noted that contaminants move faster through fractured drainage, a geological feature caused by blasting, which forms gully erosion. “This lets contaminants move quickly because mining creates new channels where none existed before. Pollutants can then reach streams and rivers that recharge groundwater,” he said.

Hamza emphasised that the geology and duration of mining activity, rainfall, and even groundwater flow, determine contamination levels. He added that contamination can occur within months in some cases, or take years in others, depending on the intensity of human activity.

He also recommended some cost-effective options for removing contaminants from water, including the Nalgonda technique, which uses lime and alum.

“There is also the bone char,” he said. This involves burning animal bones until they are nearly charcoal. “It is good for absorbing things like this. If they are burnt completely, it becomes like charcoal, you can use them, which is very effective to absorb fluoride and is viable in rural communities,” Hamza said. 

The Yola-based scientist, who analysed the lab results, advised the immediate cessation of the water’s use, the provision of alternative safe water supplies, confirmatory lab testing, and medical screening for affected residents, highlighting the particular risks to children, pregnant women, and vulnerable adults.

“It is a public health hazard requiring immediate intervention,” the scientist added.

And yet, on the lips of the residents is the same urgent question: “If we can no longer use the Bole-3 stream, what should we drink?”

*Names with asterisks have been changed to protect the sources. 

New York — Most of the time, Kiernan Shipka isn’t thinking about how fans are going to react to a scene when she’s reading scripts. And she’s had practice. Shipka got her start when she was just 6 years old on “Mad Men,” a series filled with the kind of jaw-dropping sequences made for water cooler conversation.

But when Shipka read the wild menage a trois her character Haley has in the third episode of Season 4 of “Industry,” which aired Sunday, she knew it was going to explode on the internet. “I looked at that scene and went, yeah, that’s going to get people talking,” she deadpans in the HBO offices one January afternoon, before breaking out into a giggle.

At 26 years old, Shipka has grown up onscreen. On AMC’s “Mad Men” we watched her, as Sally Draper, turn from an adorable little girl to an angsty youth, well aware of her father’s transgressions. Shortly after, Shipka graduated to playing the title teenage witch in Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” But even she admits that her role on the buzzy HBO drama feels like a turning point in her already long career.

“I wasn’t necessarily saying at the beginning of last year I wanted to play something that’s more mature and more adult, but I think I did,” she says. “I think deep down I wanted to do something that felt more in-line with being what 25 at the time felt like to me. I felt like a person who was an adult in the world and I wanted to play one.”

Kiernan Shipka as Haley in Season 4 of “Industry.”

(Simon Ridgway/HBO)

But Haley also isn’t exactly an easy nut to crack, which is what makes Shipka’s performance so intriguing. Three episodes in and we still don’t exactly know what her deal is. She works for Whitney Halberstram (Max Minghella), the founder of Tender, an app that has aspirations for being a bank in your pocket despite its history as a payment processor for OnlyFans-type porn sites. Haley is a party girl, whose job is seemingly to follow Whitney around, booking his cabs, travel and perhaps more nefarious dealings.

But Haley is also savvy, especially when it comes to sex, and she finds an opening when Yasmin (Marisa Abela) invites her into her bedroom while they are staying at an Austrian castle for some important schmoozing with the fascist owner of a bank. (The castle, for what it’s worth, was actually located in Wales.) Yasmin encourages Haley to get it on with her husband Henry Muck (Kit Harington), the CEO of Tender, before asking Haley to spread her legs. Then she joins in herself. (Yes, this does mean that Sally Draper and Jon Snow are making out onscreen; No, Shipka hadn’t met Harington before when they were on their former long-running TV shows.) As is tradition for “Industry,” the scene is provocative but it’s about more than just titillation: As Haley and Yasmin watch each other, you can see a game of one-upmanship unfolding. It’s just unclear exactly what cards someone like Haley is holding.

“I think she knows how powerful sex is,” Shipka says. “She knows that because of her own experience and going into that situation, whatever the outcome of it ends up being, I think she has in her head: ‘This is probably going to be good for me.’”

Haley is a new type of character for “Industry” co-creators Konrad Kay and Mickey Down. Unlike pretty much everyone else on screen, she’s not spewing a bunch of financial jargon. They knew they wanted to cast an American and the idea of hiring a “Mad Men” alum was incredibly appealing, considering they are huge fans.

In “Industry,” Shipka’s character Haley shares a provocative scene with Yasmin (Marisa Abela) and Henry (Kit Harington). “I think she knows how powerful sex is,” Shipka says. (Justin Jun Lee/For The Times)

“There was a cosmic circularity in having Don Draper’s daughter do all this crazy stuff,” Down says, adding, “It’s exciting to take an actor that you wouldn’t expect to be in a show like this and sort of put them through the wringer.”

When Shipka met with Down and Kay over Zoom, she played Haley, who is introduced during a night out clubbing, very drunk. Her voice was very raspy. Down didn’t know whether she was going Method.

It was actually a twist of fate. The meeting fell during awards season and Shipka had been going out a lot and lost her voice. (Shipka was in last season’s contender “The Last Showgirl” alongside Pamela Anderson.) “This is not my usual way,” she says, breaking out into laughter. “I answered this Zoom call and it sounded like I’d been partying all night.”

It was exactly right for Haley, though. Over the course of the season, just what exactly Haley’s deal is becomes clearer, which allowed Shipka to layer elements of her character into the scenes. Still, her slipperiness was something that attracted the actor. Haley is someone who seemingly doesn’t have a lot of power and yet acts as a “power player.”

“I was really interested in someone who looks at their situation and goes, ‘I’m going to leverage everything,’” Shipka says. “‘I’m going to weaponize what I can. I’m going to scratch my way no matter what. Everything’s a game.’ It’s so opposite to how I think and how I move about life that I was so enticed by the way she moved about the world.”

And how does Shipka herself move about the world? With a sense of joy that’s palpable even in the drab office space where we’re conducting our interview. Wearing a black-and-white ensemble that bares her midriff, she tucks her feet under her and treats our chat like a gab session. The next night when we say hello at the “Industry” premiere party, the celebratory environment is much more suited to her aura.

Haley is a character who leverages everything, Shipka says. “It’s so opposite to how I think and how I move about life that I was so enticed by the way she moved about the world.”

(Justin Jun Lee/For The Times)

While playing Sally in “Mad Men” was like “going to school,” in the years following the show, Shipka started to figure out what worked for her when it came to acting. She started to determine what kind of coaching she liked, and how she wanted to do backstories for her character. The question of whether she wanted to stick with this profession came up from time to time as she was getting older. “But not for longer than like five minutes, honestly,” she says.

She explains she was talking to her mother recently, wondering what she would have done if “Mad Men” hadn’t happened. “I kind of thought about it and got really terrified and a little sad,” she says. “Because I really do feel like this is what I’m meant to be doing and I don’t know how it would have found me if it didn’t happen so early.”

But Shipka is also not nostalgic for the past.

“I think there’s something to be said for frontal lobe development,” she says. “I think my work got more fun the more fun I had in my life, and the more not fun I had in my life, too. My work got better the more that I just lived my life.”

Before the pandemic, she was working all the time on “Sabrina,” which wrapped right before lockdown. Emerging from that, she found a group of friends whom she adores. She went to parties and got heartbroken and had the kind of human experiences that she could funnel into her craft. “I found myself in a lot of really funny situations,” she says. “And also I went on my own ‘Who am I?’ journey, did my therapy, read my self help books.”

Shipka, who began acting on “Mad Men” at 6, says it’s what she’s meant to do. “I don’t know how it would have found me if it didn’t happen so early.”

(Justin Jun Lee/For The Times)

When Shipka was filming “Industry,” which mostly shoots in Wales, she could have gone home multiple times when she wasn’t needed. Instead, she went to London and had herself a “U.K. Girl Summer,” as she says, hitting up Glastonbury where she saw Father John Misty and Charli XCX.

“I felt like I got to live in the U.K., and there was something so fun about that,” she says.

Down describes Shipka as “the nicest person” he’s probably ever met, who was game for just about everything.

“There were a few days where she actually was sort of a glorified extra, right in the background of the shot, working on Whitney’s desk, pretending to type,” he says. “She was background for the whole day and just sat there, not one single complaint.”

She also nailed all of Haley’s nuances, from her naivete to her titillation, including all the character beats in her big sex scene. “It was a very raw, vulnerable scene for an actor to do,” Kay says. “She brought a lot of herself to it in more ways than one. Both me and Mickey are really proud of that scene. I think it’s one of the strongest sex scenes we’ve done in the four seasons of ‘Industry.’”

For Shipka, it was her true indoctrination into this wild world.

“I felt like I was really in the show by that point,” she says. “I was super down.”

Video shows Palestinian children crying in fear as their school bus is chased by Israeli settlers in an off-road vehicle in the occupied West Bank, where settlers regularly attack Palestinian civilians and property.

Monty, who had to take a leave of absence from Gardeners’ World after suffering from a serious health scare, has revealed how it made him “terribly aware” of his own mortality

Monty Don has opened up about the moment when he realised he was “going to die” after suffering a serious health scare. The Gardeners’ World star explained that a health ordeal that occurred in 2008 made him “terribly aware” of his own mortality.

Monty, who recently returned to our screens with Monty Don’s Rhineland Gardens, had to take a leave of absence from Gardeners’ World at the time after suffering from a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or a “mini-stroke”.

It seems that the experience led to something of a revelation for Monty, who admitted that “all the clichés are true”. He told The Times: “A stroke makes you terribly aware of your own mortality. I wasn’t well so I couldn’t do much. I couldn’t drive. In a way, it was a good time because I had to stop.”

Monty continued: “It was the first moment I realised that, yes, you are going to die. All the clichés are true — the things that matter are love, family, friends, a nice glass of wine or cup of tea.

“Not fame, not fortune. Nobody on their deathbed is going to say, ‘I wish I had been more famous’.”

What started as a “funny feeling” led to Monty suffering from what the NHS described as a “warning sign” that you’re at an increased risk of stroke, which is a condition that can cause “permanent disability”.

According to Hello!, Monty opted to ignore the unusual feeling and took a walk around the grounds of his home. Once he sought medical advice, however, it was determined that he’d had a TIA.

In 2009, he told The Guardian: “I was so exhausted I did not know whether I was coming or going. I remember waking up feeling strange and dizzy.

“I said to my wife Sarah, ‘God, something funny is happening; I may be having a stroke.’ We weren’t thinking: this is a disaster. I said, ‘Hang on, I can move my fingers.’

“I remember thinking, ‘Oh, get a grip, you’re fine’. I turned to Sarah and said, ‘Hold me because I think I’m dying and, if I am, I want to die in your arms’.”

Monty reportedly had a blockage to the brain that had impacted the supply of blood. The NHS mirrors this in its description of a TIA, noting that this disruption leads to a lack of oxygen to the brain.

People who experience a transient ischaemic attack may experience stroke-like symptoms, including visual and speech disturbances and numbness in the legs, face and arms.

You can learn more about the condition on the NHS website.

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website .

Jan. 26 (UPI) — The Israeli military has launched an operation in northern Gaza to retrieve the body of the last remaining hostage in the Palestinian enclave.

A total of 251 people were abducted from Israel and taken into Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas conducted a bloody surprise attack on the Middle Eastern country.

Many of the hostages, some of whom were killed in the initial attack, were released or rescued prior to an October 2025 cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, which facilitated the repatriation of all the remaining hostages aside from the 24-year-old Ran Gvili.

Gvili, a Border Police officer, was taken on Oct. 7 from Alumim, a religious kibbutz located in southern Israel, near Gaza.

In late January 2024, Israel announced that it had determined that Gvili was killed in the attack and his body taken into Gaza.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Sunday that the “wide-scale operation” to locate Gvili was being conducted at a cemetery in northern Gaza.

The extensive search “will utilize all the intelligence available to us,” it said.

“This effort will continue as long as necessary,” the prime minister’s office continued.

“The State of Israel is determined to return Ran Gvili, of blessed memory, for a proper Jewish burial.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum accused Hamas on Sunday of subjecting Gvili’s family to “psychological torture” by denying them and the country closure.

“Ran should have returned long ago,” it said in a statement.

The IDF confirmed the search, urging the public to refrain from spreading rumors and unsubstantiated reports.

“The IDF will continue to employ all necessary efforts until Sergeant First Class Ran Gvili is returned for burial in the State of Israel,” it said.

The search was launched as Israel said it aims for a limited reopening of the Rafah crossing between southern Gaza and Egypt.

Israel effectively closed the crossing, the only one that does not go through Israel, in May 2024 when Israeli soldiers took control of it in its military operation.

The Israeli government said Sunday that it will open the crossing to only pedestrians who will be subjected to “a full Israeli inspection mechanism” once Gvili’s body is returned.

The crossing opening is part of President Donald Trump‘s 20-point cease-fire plan. According to the Israeli government, its limited reopening is conditioned on the return of all living hostages and “a 100% effort by Hamas to locate and return all deceased hostages.”

Keys had previously insisted she would refuse to eat the delicacy, but she admitted defeat and said she would accept the terms of the wager.

“A bet is a bet, so I’ll do it. I hope it’s less gross than I think it’s going to be but we’ll find out I guess,” Keys said in her post-match news conference.

Had the ninth seed won the fourth-round match and continued her title defence, Keys’ side of the bet involved Pegula – whose billionaire parents own NFL side Buffalo Bills – wearing a Kansas City Chiefs jersey.

“She wanted me to wear a [Travis] Kelce slash Taylor Swift Chiefs jersey,” Pegula said. “Honestly I had a lot of motivation today not to wear that.”

The 2024 US Open finalist wrote “no Chiefs jersey today” on a courtside camera lens after her victory and the pair were seen chatting and laughing in the locker room straight after the match.

Keys, who beat Sabalenka in last year’s final at Melbourne Park, said she was “still really proud of herself” despite her exit.

“Coming back and being defending champion, and dealing with all of the extra pressure and nerves – I am really proud of myself for the way I handled it,” she said.

This story contains spoilers for “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” Episode 2, “Hard Salt Beef.”

Could things be looking up for Ser Duncan the Tall?

The second episode of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” HBO’s adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s “Tales of Dunk and Egg” series of novellas, saw the hopeful hedge knight make some progress toward achieving his dreams.

After reaching out to any and all nobles he hopes still remember his late master Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb), Dunk (Peter Claffey) finally finds someone to vouch for him: Prince Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel).

The heir to the Iron Throne is the only person who remembers the late hedge knight, which provides Ser Duncan the recognition he needs to enter the tournament. Baelor also kindly reminds Dunk he needs his own personal arms — he’s been carrying Ser Arlan’s.

Episode 2, titled “Hard Salt Beef,” features the arrival of an entourage of Targaryens to Ashford, including Baelor, his brother and his nephew. With the introduction of the current generation of the bloods of the dragon, here is a refresher on how they are related to the Targaryens at the center of “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon.”

Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett), left, mistakes Dunk (Peter Claffey) for a stable boy.

(Steffan Hill / HBO)

When does ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ take place again?

“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is set around a hundred years before the events of “Game of Thrones.” The tournament of Ashford takes place in 209 AC (short for After the Conquest, when Aegon Targaryen conquered Westeros), while Ned Stark’s execution happens in 298 AC.

The Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war at the center of “House of the Dragon,” lasts from 129 to 131 AC. So “A Knight of the Seven Kingdom” takes place around 78 years after the events of its fellow “Game of Thrones” prequel. It’s also been about 50 years since actual dragons have been seen in the Realm, so the Targaryens are not quite as feared as they once were.

Who currently sits on the Iron Throne?

King Daeron II Targaryen, also known as Daeron the Good, is the current Lord reigning over the Seven Kingdoms. His great-grandparents are “House of the Dragon’s” Queen Rhaenyra and Daemon.

According to the lore established in books, Daeron was considered a just and good-hearted ruler, especially compared with his father, King Aegon IV.

Maekar (Sam Spruell) is both the descendant and ancestor of other well-known Targaryens.

(Steffan Hill / HBO )

Who are the Targaryens in the show?

Prince Baelor Targaryen, King Daeron’s eldest son and heir to the Iron Throne, is among the Targaryens who arrive in Ashford in Episode 2. His son, Prince Valarr, is shown participating at the joust at the end of the episode.

Baelor’s brother Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell), the fourth son of King Daeron, is also among the Targaryen entourage that arrives in Ashford. His son Aerion (Finn Bennett) accompanies him, while audiences learn two of his other sons, Daeron and Aegon, are missing.

Not mentioned in the episode is Maekar’s third-born son, Aemon, who was sent to the Citadel as a child to be raised as a scholar. “Game of Thrones” fans know him as the longtime maester of the Night’s Watch who befriends Jon Snow.

Those familiar with the Targaryen family tree will also know Maekar is the great-great-grandfather of “Game of Thrones’” Daenerys Stormborn.

What about the other Great Houses?

Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) is among those Dunk meets in “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”

(Steffan Hill/HBO)

As “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” seemingly takes place during relative peacetime, most of the Great Houses are likely off in their own corners of Westeros. But the series has so far introduced Storm End’s Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings), the jovial lord also known as the Laughing Storm, who befriends Dunk in the first episode.

Described as “a swaggering giant of a man” and “one of the greatest fighters of his day” in books like “The World of Ice & Fire,” Lyonel is the great-grandfather of King Robert Baratheon, known for overthrowing the Targaryens and claiming the Iron Throne after Robert’s Rebellion.

Lord Leo Tyrell (Steve Wall) of Highgarden is among those Dunk tries to have vouch for him and appears in the second episode. Also mentioned in the episode is Damon Lannister, the Lord of Casterly Rock who is known as the Grey Lion. Damon is the great-great-grandfather of the trio of key Lannisters in “Game of Thrones”: Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion.

The show hasn’t mentioned which Stark is the current Lord of Winterfell. There is a chance that Cregan Stark, who led his House during the events of “House of the Dragon” and comes to be known as “The Old Man of the North,” is still alive. A banner for House Tully can be seen during the joust at the end of Episode 2.

A human rights lawyer and a communications student are among those freed, Caracas-based Foro Penal says.

Authorities in Venezuela have freed more than 100 people listed as political prisoners, according to a rights group, including a lawyer who was imprisoned in 2024 after visiting clients at a detention facility.

The Caracas-based Foro Penal said at least 104 prisoners were released on Sunday and that the number could rise.

It said one of its lawyers, Kennedy Tejeda, and a communications student, Juan Francisco Alvarado, were among those freed from detention.

Tejeda, a lawyer and human rights activist, had been last seen on August 2, 2024, when he visited a detention centre in Carabobo state to provide legal assistance to political prisoners, according to the NGO.

“Our dear comrade Kennedy Tejeda, lawyer, human rights defender, political prisoner in Tocorón since August 2, 2024, has been released from prison. Now back at home with his family,” Foro Penal’s executive director, Alfredo Romero, said in a statement on social media.

“We continue verifying other releases,” Romero added. “It would be ideal for the government to publish lists of releases.”

Gonzalo Himiob, Foro Penal’s vice president, said the number of releases was “non-definitive” and could increase.

Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez promised to release prisoners detained under Nicolas Maduro, in her first media briefing after the former leader’s abduction by US special forces earlier this month.

Rodriguez said the move to free hundreds of prisoners, many of whom were picked up in a crackdown on dissent following Maduro’s refusal to concede the 2024 presidential election, marked the beginning of a “new political moment” that allowed greater political and ideological diversity.

The Venezuelan government has announced the release of more than 600 prisoners in recent weeks, including Rafael Tudares Bracho, the son-in-law of Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez.

Rights groups have disputed the government’s figures, with Foro Penal estimating that only about half as many people have been released as claimed by the authorities.

Rodriguez said in a speech broadcast on state television last week that she would speak to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, on Monday to request the UN to confirm the figures.

Foro Penal said there were 777 political prisoners in Venezuelan jails as of January 19.

Al Jazeera’s Sanad unit analysed satellite images, finding that Israel razed homes in the weeks since the ceasefire began.

The Israeli army is working to flatten the remains of homes in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoon, despite the ongoing ceasefire that began in October.

Al Jazeera’s digital investigations team Sanad analysed satellite images taken between October 8 – two days before the ceasefire began – and January 8, and found evidence of the operation, which some Palestinians fear may be a step towards the establishment of illegal Israeli settlements in Gaza.

Sanad found that the Israeli army has used bulldozers to clear around 408,000 square metres (4.39 million square feet) of land, including the remains of at least 329 homes, and agricultural sites, that Israel destroyed during its two-year war on Gaza.

Images from before the clearing operation show a Beit Hanoon with damaged buildings from the war, but some remained intact.

But by mid-December, many of the buildings had been totally razed, as well as former agricultural land, replaced by a flattened brown landscape.

The rubble-removal operations began directly at the edge of Beit Hanoon, facing the fence that separates the city from nearby Israeli settlements along the northern border, including Sderot, which is roughly 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) away from Beit Hanoon.

Israel has damaged or destroyed the majority of structures in Gaza – 81 percent by last October, according to the United Nations. Northern Gaza has borne the brunt of the damage, with many areas, such as Beit Hanoon, systematically razed to the ground.

Settlement plans

The Israeli far right has consistently openly declared its desire for Israeli Jews to settle Gaza. In December 2024, Israeli ministers and parliament members visited a location in the southern Israeli town of Sderot, overlooking the Gaza Strip. They pointed at Beit Hanoon and Beit Lahiya, stating that more than 800 Jewish families were willing to move there “as soon as possible”, according to a report in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

Additionally, at an Israeli conference held on December 23, Defence Minister Israel Katz outlined plans to establish agricultural-military bases called “Nava Nahal” – Israeli military outposts that combine farming with an armed presence in an effort to consolidate control over a territory – in the north of Gaza.

Katz stressed that Israel “will never withdraw and will never leave Gaza”, calling these bases “replacements” for the Israeli settlements cleared in 2005. That was the year Israel withdrew its settlers from the Gaza Strip under a unilateral disengagement plan following the second Intifada.

The withdrawal continues to be a sore topic for the powerful Israeli far right, which considers it a mistake that must be corrected.

And even if settlements are not eventually built, Israeli leaders have made it clear that they want to control a buffer zone deep into Gaza, territory that would eventually include areas like Beit Hanoon.

One Israeli officer, quoted in the Long War Journal, said that the campaign to raze Beit Hanoon was part of an operation “to create a significant security perimeter and make it very difficult for the enemy to return to its infrastructure”.

Israel’s critics say the goal is clear. Speaking to Al Jazeera, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese said that “under the fog of war, Israel is going to destroy Gaza, displace the Palestinians, and attempt to reoccupy and conquer the land”.

Israel has violated the ceasefire at least 1,300 times since it began on October 10, which includes shooting at civilians 430 times and bombing or shelling Gaza more than 600 times.

BROOKLYN Beckham and wife Nicola Peltz have been offered a seven-figure deal to write a tell-all book about their wedding fallout.

Penguin Random House, the publisher behind Prince Harry’s Spare, are believed to be in talks with the couple and keen to strike a deal.

An insider said: “Everyone is clamouring to get their hands on this.

“These firms don’t have any loyalty to Victoria and David Beckham, and are happy to pay for Brooklyn to get everything off his chest, especially given his willingness to permanently cut all ties with his parents.

“He clearly has a lot on his mind and now is the time to put the truth on paper. The ball is completely in his and Nicola’s court and their literary options are limitless, especially if Brooklyn really feels like he has a 300-page book in him.”

Sources also said Brooklyn, 26, and Nicola, 31, might follow in Harry and Meghan’s footsteps with an Oprah Winfrey-style chat.

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Mel C wades into Victoria Beckham’s feud with Brooklyn

It comes after claims emerged this week that the Duke of Sussex, 41, is mentoring the aspiring chef in how to deal with the fallout of publicly burning bridges with his family.

Last week, Brooklyn posted an excoriating statement, saying he was humiliated by his mum’s dancing at the 2022 wedding.

This week The Sun told how a butler at Brooklyn’s wedding said that before Victoria’s infamous dance with her son, the newlyweds did have a first dance and Nicola boogied with her billionaire dad.

He said the bride and groom had a romantic first dance to a version of Elvis Presley classic Can’t Help Falling in Love which was applauded by all the guests.

The latest on Brooklyn’s seismic statement…

Nicola then danced with her father Nelson before Victoria, 51, was invited to dance with Brooklyn.

On Friday Victoria was seen in public for the first time since Brooklyn’s incendiary post dropped on his Instagram on Monday evening.

She wore a dark cap and shades as she was driven from the Beckhams’ London home in an Audi.

Amid rapidly accelerating international shifts, China’s foreign policy has become a complex equation. From the Middle East to Latin America, from the Asia Pacific to the Arctic Circle, Beijing is moving across a global stage with cautious pragmatism but also with an ambition to reshape centres of global influence. Intense strategic rivalry with the United States and expansionary ambitions amid renewed regional crises continue to influence its policies.

So what does this mean for the world?

The US: From rivalry to managing relations

China’s official discourse centres on the idea of “peaceful rise”, the “commitment to non-interference in internal affairs”, respect for “sovereignty and territorial integrity”, and economic partnerships based on mutual benefit. Beijing insists that relations with Washington should not slide into conflict, calling for a system of global governance built on cooperation rather than confrontation. 

Yet the geopolitical landscape reveals a wide gap between this discourse and reality. Donald Trump’s return to the White House has brought back rhetorical escalation and increased geopolitical pressure. Recent US moves — such as the military intervention in Venezuela and the threat to take over Greenland — have drawn sharp condemnation from China, which saw them as a reflection of a hegemonic impulse that violates international laws and conventions.

Against this tense backdrop, China’s strategy reflects meticulous calculations that go beyond official rhetoric. In practical terms, it seeks to exploit international conditions, especially transatlantic tensions, to undermine traditional alliances.

Beijing sees the Trump administration’s erratic behaviour as an opportunity to weaken trust between Europe and the US. By presenting itself as a stable economic power that can be relied upon, China seeks to encourage European partners to question their traditional security dependence on Washington. It aims to bolster the concept of European “strategic autonomy”, diminishing transatlantic security linkage and thus weakening transatlantic solidarity in the face of Chinese long-term policies.

Iran and Syria in China’s calculations

China’s policy towards regional crises such as those in Iran and Syria is characterised by a careful blend of economic interest and geopolitical considerations. Beijing does not view its cooperation with Tehran as merely a commercial partnership; rather, it is a pillar of its broader strategy to secure energy security and diversify global trade routes under the umbrella of the Belt and Road Initiative.

China places particular emphasis on developing overland corridors through Iran towards Eurasia, which constitute a strategic land-based alternative aimed at reducing reliance on sensitive maritime routes exposed to geopolitical risks such as the Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Malacca, and the Suez Canal.

In Syria, China’s stance focuses on a political solution to the crisis and reconstruction rather than direct intervention. This aligns with the official principle repeatedly stated by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs: support for a “political solution by the Syrians themselves” and opposition to foreign interference.

By investing in infrastructure and providing aid, China is building political and economic influence in this vital region without entering costly military conflicts.

This pragmatic approach is also evident in China’s growing relations with Africa and Latin America, where Beijing presents itself as an alternative development partner focused on trade, infrastructure investment, diplomacy, and culture, in contrast to the Western approach that often relies on a security presence or political pressure.

Although these partnerships generate mutual economic growth, Beijing’s strategy is heightening concern in Washington and other Western capitals, which see it as an attempt to build long-term geopolitical influence that could reshape the traditional international order.

Despite the Chinese official narrative of a “peaceful rise”, Beijing’s practices in international cooperation are often viewed as a concealed platform for geopolitical competition. The Belt and Road Initiative, alongside the systematic expansion within international financial and governance institutions, reflects a clear ambition to lead an alternative global order that gradually challenges US-led rules and frameworks.

Critics argue that massive Chinese investments — even under the banner of “shared development” — create patterns of long-term strategic dependency and lay foundations for geopolitical influence in key regions.

From Africa to Central Asia and Southeast Asia, Beijing has succeeded in offering an alternative development model to the Western one, presenting itself as a partner that does not demand political reforms. In this way, it is able to gradually shape regional dynamics.

That said, China’s direct influence remains limited in peripheral areas with high geopolitical sensitivity, such as the Arctic. While some Western narratives exaggerate China’s expansionist ambitions towards Greenland, the Chinese presence there is still modest and largely exploratory. It also runs into political constraints from local powers and traditional competitors such as the US, limiting Beijing’s ability to turn economic investments into decisive strategic influence in this new arena.

Chinese foreign policy in a multipolar world

In 2026, Chinese foreign policy appears governed by a strategic paradox: it seeks to advance its geopolitical interests while avoiding direct confrontation; it aspires to shape the rules of global governance without appearing as an expansionist power; and it tends to use its soft economic tools as an alternative to hard power whenever possible.

But this delicate balance faces a difficult test in the current global context, where the US is increasingly adopting reactive policies under Trump’s leadership and where crises are escalating from Venezuela to the Middle East, and regions such as the Arctic are becoming arenas of strategic competition.

In this climate, Chinese choices — from energy partnerships to international monetary diplomacy — are widely read not as isolated measures but as purposeful moves within a broader strategy to challenge the Western order by redrawing networks of influence and economic dependence.

As international alliances continue to fluctuate and power balances shift, Chinese diplomacy will continue to be a topic of hot debate. The pivotal question is: Is Beijing’s rise paving the way for a more pluralistic and cooperative global order, or is it fuelling sharper competitive dynamics, or creating an entirely new geopolitical model? It is still too early to tell.

Convoy carrying food and fuel reaches Kurdish-majority town, also known as Kobane, in Aleppo province.

A United Nations convoy carrying “life-saving” aid has arrived in the Kurdish-majority town of Ain al-Arab in northern Syria as a ceasefire agreement between the Syrian army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continues to hold.

The convoy’s arrival in Ain al-Arab, also known as Kobane, on Sunday came amid growing concerns about humanitarian conditions in the town, which has been surrounded by Syrian government forces.

Electricity and water in the town have also been cut off for days.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that the convoy consisted of 24 trucks carrying “life-saving aid, including fuel, bread, and ready-to-eat rations, to support people affected by the recent developments”.

It said the convoy was coordinated with the Syrian government.

The Syrian army said in a statement that it was opening two corridors, one to Ain al-Arab, located in Aleppo province, and another to the nearby Hasakah province, to allow “the entry of aid”.

Ain al-Arab, which has a population of 400,000 people, is hemmed in by the Turkish border to the north and government forces on all sides. It is approximately 200km (125 miles) from the SDF’s stronghold in Syria’s far northeast.

The SDF has accused the Syrian army of imposing a siege on the town.

Clashes between the two sides erupted earlier this month amid a dispute over the integration of the SDF into the Syrian army. Under pressure from the United States, the two sides agreed to a four day ceasefire last week, with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa giving the SDF until Saturday night ‍to lay down arms and come up with a plan to integrate with the army, or to resume fighting.

The two sides extended the ceasefire by another 15 days on Saturday.

Damascus said the renewed truce was intended to support a US operation to transfer some 7,000 detainees from the ISIL (ISIS) group held in prisons previously under SDF control to facilities in Iraq.

By Sunday night, however, the two sides were trading accusations of violations.

The Syrian army told state media that the SDF had targeted its positions with drones.

The SDF accused “Damascus-affiliated factions” of attacks around Ain al-Arab, including one that killed a child.

The SD, which has lost large areas of the country to the army, have now been restricted to Kurdish-majority areas in the northeast and Ain al-Arab.

Residents of the town say it was full of people who had fled the Syrian army’s advances in the northeast in recent weeks.

Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi, reporting from Qere Qozaq in Aleppo province, said the arrival of the UN aid convoy came amid reports of worsening humanitarian conditions in Ain al-Arab.

“But these negotiated solutions, getting humanitarian aid in, remain very fragile, with both sides still primed to return to fighting as and when they feel it is needed,” he said.

“Whether the ceasefire holds or not, whether the fighting continues, these are all question marks. But there is one certainty: as long as the fighting carries on, rebuilding cannot happen,” he added.

Ain al-Arab, which the SDF liberated from a lengthy siege by ISIL in 2015, took on symbolic value as their first major victory against the armed group. It took another four years for the SDF, supported by a US-led international coalition, to defeat ISIL territorially in Syria.

Syria’s new government, which took power in 2024 after the fall of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad, has demanded that the SDF disband.

The US, meanwhile, has said the purpose of its alliance with the SDF has largely ended.

ED Sheeran’s plans to build a Beatles-type recording complex are being held up — by protected newts.

The music superstar, 34, purchased a 19th-century farm with the intention of turning it into his own country version of the Fab Four’s Abbey Road Studios.

He had plans approved to convert the historic — but dilapidated — piggery and barn, but ecologists have now warned of a potential danger to great crested newts (GCN) living nearby.

The property is close to their ponds and construction could be damaging to wildlife, especially precious amphibians, and a licence has to be obtained before any work begins.

An environmental report by ecologist Liz Lord said: “There is potential for the proposals to result in disturbance or harm to individual GCN in the event of their presence in any of the identified nearby water bodies.”

Ed bought the farm estate in Suffolk for £1.1million two years ago.

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It is not far from so-called Sheeranville, his 16-acre estate that he has been developing for the past decade.

The Shape of You star had plans approved last year to overhaul the piggery, including creating a large studio in the middle.

However the newts fears arose from a fresh planning application Ed’s team submitted this month to Mid-Suffolk District Council.

The singer now wants to demolish the barn, which is said to be about 400 years old, and replace it with a more energy- efficient design to house a studio, storage, office and kitchenette.

The environmental report demanded a string of other eco-friendly measures should permission be granted.

The works can be carried out only between September and February to avoid the bird nesting season.

There must also be two bat boxes — and a triple house sparrow tower.

Ed, who has two children with wife Cherry Seaborn, has also promised to plant 12 new crab apple or domestic fruit trees and a flowering lawn.

Ms Lord produced a biodiversity net gain assessment because new builds have to leave the natural habitat in at least a tenth better state than it was previously.

She said: “The proposals provide the opportunity to provide small areas of habitat which are not currently present in the immediate surroundings. This exceeds any existing obligations.”

Jan. 25 (UPI) — A jet with eight people aboard crashed Sunday evening in Maine, prompting officials to close Bangor International Airport.

“An incident at the airport is under investigation,” Bangor International Airport said in a statement Sunday night, urging the public to avoid the travel hub at this time.

“First responders are on scene and assessing the situation.”

The Bombardier Challenger 600 crashed at about 7:45 p.m. EST Sunday as it was taking off from the airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

The Bangor Police Department said in a late Sunday press release that emergency crews were responding to the incident and were expected to be active at the site for several more hours.

The condition of the eight people on board was not yet known.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating.

Maine and much of the Eastern United States was under a winter storm warning when the crash occurred. The National Weather Service on Sunday evening said heavy snow was forecast, with up to 16 inches expected and locally higher totals possible for the coast. the warning would be in place until early Tuesday.

“A winter storm warning for snow means severe winter weather conditions will make travel extremely dangerous,” it said.

This is a developing story.

Ukrainian leader says Kyiv and Moscow continue to have ‘fundamentally different’ positions on territorial concessions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that an agreement on US security guarantees for his country is “100 percent ready” to be signed after talks with Russia in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking at a news conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Sunday, Zelenskyy said that Kyiv was ready to send the agreement to the US Congress and Ukrainian parliament for ratification.

“For us, security guarantees are first and foremost guarantees of security from the United States. The document is 100 percent ready, and we are waiting for our partners to confirm the date and place when we will sign it,” Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian leader also emphasised Ukraine’s push for European Union membership by 2027, calling it an “economic security guarantee”.

Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met in the capital of the United Arab Emirates on Friday and Saturday to discuss Washington’s framework for ending Moscow’s almost four-year-old war.

While no deal emerged from the talks, Moscow and Kyiv both said they were open to further dialogue, and more discussions were expected next Sunday in Abu Dhabi, a US official told reporters immediately after the discussions.

Zelenskyy described the talks as likely the first trilateral format in “quite a long while” that included not only diplomats but military representatives from all three sides.

The Ukrainian leader acknowledged fundamental differences between the Ukrainian and Russian positions, reaffirming territorial issues as a major sticking point.

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a Ukraine settlement with US President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, during marathon talks late on Thursday.

The Kremlin insisted that to reach a peace deal, Kyiv must withdraw its troops from the areas in the east that Russia illegally annexed but has not fully captured.

Zelenskyy said that while Moscow wants Ukraine to abandon eastern regions of the country, Kyiv has not budged from its position that territorial integrity must be upheld.

“These are two fundamentally different positions – Ukraine’s and Russia’s. The Americans are trying to find a compromise,” Zelenskyy said, adding that “all sides must be ready for compromise”.

Call The Midwife viewers were left horrified by a disturbing storyline that aired in tonight’s episode.

Call The Midwife fans have been left with their “blood boiling” over a “harrowing” storyline.

The beloved BBC period drama returned tonight (Sunday 25 January) and followed a difficult case as one woman was saved from abuse.

Starring Bogi Bondor as Agata Balassa, the patient was a victim being held by a cruel couple who were trying to force her into having a baby that they could keep.

Rosalind (played by Natalie Quarry) noticed burns on her arm before Nurse Trixie (Helen George) rushed to her rescue, after discovering she was pregnant.

The domestic case escalated when the residents of Nonnatus House discovered that Agota had been imprisoned, tortured, starved and raped.

Viewers were left horrified, with one writing: “This is harrowing.”

Another said: “Sexual violence and modern day slavery how much more in our society now, compared to then. Yet it has always been here. The worst kind of abhorrent crime.”

“Oh this episode is making my blood boil. That couple are evil,” someone else wrote.

Another added: “Absolutely disgusting vile couple. Need locking up.”

Someone else wrote: “Agatha is so brave, the first step is one of the hardest, and to take it, takes real courage.”

Yet another fan said: “Call the Midwife never, ever shy away from telling difficult stories and complicated health conditions in the most sensitive way. It is so good that watching should be part of the curriculum.”

Someone else wrote: “This is very handmaid’s tale but the scary thing is that it happens, even now.”

“Oh this is horrifying already,” another echoed.

Other viewers were left in tears, with one writing: “Just a wonderful show, I bubble every week.”

Another added: “The best programme ever ever ever, what an episode.”

Actress Bogi previously took to social media to express how honoured she was to portray such a hard-hitting storyline.

She wrote: “So so grateful for the trust that was put in me to bring this vulnerable young woman to life. Echoing voices like hers is what I live for.

“@delytht your guidance, patience and joy made it so much easier to tackle the heaviness of our story.

“A huge-huge thank you to all cast and crew @callthemidwife.official (I really wish I could tag u one by one) – being on set with you was truly one of the best experiences of my life.

“No words to express my gratitude to @jks.management for seeing something in me, taking me on, and always being there with whatever silly question I come up with:)

“And thank you to all my family and friends who will be there in front of the TV watching me do my thing. For your encouraging words, for telling me you’re proud of me, for being excited and telling your people – you know who you are!!!

“I can’t even explain what this opportunity meant for me. My heart is in a little knot but also wanting to burst.”

Ahead of the new series, showrunner Heidi Thomas had shared: “This year, our team are involved with many tough and painful cases, including slavery, poverty, rabies, carbon monoxide poisoning, male breast cancer, child cruelty and lupus.

“But in Poplar, no-one is ever lost, or abandoned, or even allowed to be alone for very long. Love isn’t just the best medicine, it is medicine. And that’s the philosophy that’s kept us going all these years.

“Those legendary red cardigans enfold everyone. They wrap us up in something safe and warm, in a world where the winds can blow very cold indeed – whether it’s 1971, or 2025.”

Call The Midwife airs Sundays at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

Jan. 25 (Asia Today) — Former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan died Sunday while on a trip to Vietnam, a government advisory body said. He was 73.

The Secretariat of the National Unification Advisory Council said Lee died in Ho Chi Minh City at 2:48 p.m. local time.

The council said Lee was hospitalized Friday after his health deteriorated during the trip. He was diagnosed with a myocardial infarction and underwent a cardiac stent procedure but did not regain consciousness, it said.

Lee was born in 1952 in Cheongyang County, South Chungcheong Province. He served seven terms in the National Assembly and held senior roles in the Democratic Party, including leadership posts in 2012 and from 2019 to 2020.

He served as education minister under the Kim Dae-jung administration and later became prime minister under President Roh Moo-hyun, described as the first former activist to hold the post.

Lee also served as a standing adviser to President Lee Jae-myung’s election strategy committee during the 21st presidential election and was appointed senior vice chairman of the National Unification Advisory Council in October, the council said.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260126010011782

Here is where things stand on Monday, January 25:

Fighting

• More than 1,300 apartment buildings in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, were still without heating following Russia’s missile and drone attacks on Saturday, according to Mayor Vitalii Klitschko.
• Over the past week alone, Russia launched more than 1,700 attack drones, at least 1,380 guided aerial bombs, and 69 missiles on Ukraine, mainly targeting the energy sector, critical infrastructure, and residential buildings, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
• The Ukrainian leader told reporters during a visit to Lithuania that the continuing Russian attacks make it necessary for Ukraine to acquire more air defences, even while the country negotiates a ceasefire deal with Moscow.
• In Russia, the governor of the border region of Belgorod said Ukrainian forces launched a “massive” attack on its main town, damaging energy infrastructure, but causing no casualties.

Diplomacy

• Zelenskyy told reporters in Lithuania that a US document on security guarantees for Ukraine is “100 percent ready”, and that Kyiv is waiting for a time and place for it to be signed.
• He also indicated that trilateral talks with Russia and the US in Abu Dhabi over the weekend made some progress, saying: “[In Abu Dhabi] the 20-point [US] plan and ‌problematic issues are being discussed. There were many problematic issues, but now, there are fewer.”
• Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, after meeting Zelenskyy, said that Russia is avoiding committing to a lasting and just peace in Ukraine and is not accepting a ceasefire in the war.
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia will never discuss anything with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and so Moscow will simply wait for her to leave her post.
• Pope Leo said in his weekly Angelus prayer at the Vatican that ongoing Russian attacks against Ukraine were leaving civilians in the country exposed to the cold of winter, and called for an end to the conflict.
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited an art studio to guide the creation of sculptures to be displayed at a memorial for the estimated 6,000 North Korean troops who died fighting overseas, according to state media KCNA. Pyongyang deployed some 14,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, according to Western sources.
• France has detained the Indian captain of an oil tanker suspected of belonging to Russia’s sanctions-busting “shadow fleet”, prosecutors said. Authorities said the vessel, named the Grinch, failed to fly a flag. It is now moored, under guard, near Marseille.

BBC The Night Manager finale details as series two prepares to come to an end

The Night Manager is building towards its highly anticipated second series finale, and if the concluding episode matches the first season’s dramatic ending, the BBC can anticipate substantial viewing figures.

The second series made its comeback on New Year’s Day with Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as MI6 agent Pine, operating under the cover identities of Alex Goodwin and Matthew Ellis, nearly a decade after its gripping finale drew over 10 million viewers across the UK.

The latest season has welcomed back numerous familiar faces from the original cast, including Olivia Colman, Douglas Hodge, Michael Nardone, and Noah Jupe, whilst introducing new stars Diego Calva as Teddy, Camila Morrone playing Roxana, Indira Varma in the part of Mayra, Paul Chahidi as Basil, and Hayley Squires as Sally. A surprising development midway through the new series also witnessed the comeback of Pine’s adversary Richard Roper, portrayed by Hugh Laurie.

The Night Manager draws from the characters conceived by John le Carré, though unlike the inaugural series, the second season isn’t based on an existing novel as none exists, leaving writer David Farr’s conclusion shrouded in mystery, reports Wales Online.

Discussing the script, Tom Hiddleston remarked: “David Farr has achieved the impossible. The Night Manager was based on a novel by John le Carré, there was no second novel, no sequel. David has written it with all the sophistication and complexity that le Carré would approve of and admire. Teddy, Roxana, Colombia, Alex Goodwin and Matthew Ellis have all emerged from David’s imagination. This is where he chose to go, and we all followed him there. He’s forensic about detail, and brilliant at the plotting of a complex spy thriller. It feels like a roller-coaster. David’s scripts are exciting, dangerous, edgy, mythic and complex. It’s about shame, guilt, and redemption.”

When does The Night Manager season 2 final air?

Unlike numerous BBC dramas, The Night Manager isn’t accessible for binge-viewing on iPlayer, forcing viewers to await weekly broadcasts.

The debut episode of The Night Manager was transmitted on a Thursday, screening in the coveted primetime position on New Year’s Day. Subsequently, though, the hit drama has moved to the Sunday evening schedule, where it has remained.

The second series has been transmitted weekly throughout January, but the concluding chapter, episode six, will air on Sunday, February 1 at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

The Night Manager season 2 release schedule

The Night Manager’s second run consists of six hour-long episodes altogether, with only the finale remaining to be shown.

• The Night Manager season 2 episode 1 – Thursday, January 1 at 9:05pm
• The Night Manager season 2 episode 2 – Sunday, January 4 at 9pm
• The Night Manager season 2 episode 3 – Sunday, January 11 at 9pm
• The Night Manager season 2 episode 4 – Sunday, January 18 at 9pm
• The Night Manager season 2 episode 5 – Sunday, January 25 at 9pm
• The Night Manager season 2 episode 6 – Sunday February 1 at 9pm

Episodes one to five are available to catch up on BBC iPlayer now, as is series one for those who didn’t watch the original.