Interior Ministry official says 66 missiles were fired at Qatar, and there were 114 reports of falling shrapnel. 

Doha, Qatar – Eight people have been injured in Qatar after missile shrapnel landed in multiple locations across the country, authorities said, following a barrage of Iranian missiles that Qatar said were intercepted by its air defences.

Brigadier Abdullah Khalifa Al-Muftah, the head of public relations at Qatar’s Ministry of Interior, said in a televised address on Saturday that 66 missiles were fired at Qatar and that authorities received 114 reports of shrapnel falling nationwide. He said one of the injured people was in serious condition.

The Interior Ministry issued an emergency alert urging the public to stay away from military sites and remain indoors, warning people not to approach or handle any unidentified debris and to report any to authorities.

Qatar’s Ministry of Defence said it had “successfully intercepted” a second wave of attacks targeting several areas. It said all missiles were intercepted before reaching the country’s territory, and urged residents to remain calm and follow official instructions.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it said was the targeting of Qatari territory with Iranian ballistic missiles, calling it “reckless and irresponsible”, as well as a “flagrant violation” of sovereignty and an escalation threatening regional stability.

Ibrahim Sultan Al-Hashemi, the head of public relations at the Foreign Ministry, said the attack was inconsistent with the principles of “good neighbourliness”, and that Qatar reserved the right to respond “in accordance with international law”.

The ministry also called for an immediate halt to escalation and a return to negotiations.

The missile barrage came as Iran launched strikes across the Gulf after the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, an escalation that prompted air-defence interceptions over several countries. The news agency Reuters reported that Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said they intercepted Iranian missiles, while Jordan also intercepted missiles.

This is not the first Iranian attack on Qatar. In June 2025, during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, Iran launched missiles at the Al Udeid airbase, a key facility hosting US forces near Doha.

Saturday’s barrage came after the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran, raising fears of a wider conflict and increasing pressure on Gulf states that host US forces and critical energy infrastructure.

The developments heightened anxiety across the Gulf, where Ramadan routines were disrupted by air raid alerts, interceptions and warnings about unexploded fragments, as leaders urged restraint amid fears of a widening confrontation.

HIKING down the mountain, butterflies fluttering past, the sound of moo-sic fills the air. It seems the native black Hérens cows, adorned with huge bells, are on the move, too…

My daughter Ava, 12, and I are on an idyllic, hour-long trail in the Swiss Alps that starts at Cabanes-des-Violettes cable car and has us venturing across a spring, wildflower meadows and alpine forest.

And just when I think Ava is on her last legs, we round a bend to discover the Relais de Colombire restaurant, perched as high as the paragliders.

It’s the perfect spot to refuel on fondue, £27, and local Marmotte Hippie IPA, £6, while Ava makes light work of the giant cookie and ice cream, £11.20 (Colombire.ch/en/restaurant).

Fun-icular times

We’re kipping in the pretty town of Crans-Montana, with its elaborate flower displays, boutiques and eight lakes, in the French-speaking region of Valais.

It’s a scenic two-hour train around Lake Geneva then a thrilling funicular ride to get here from Geneva airport, and Hotel Valaisia makes the most of the scenery, with roomy balconies leading off its comfy doubles.

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There are indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, cosy snug and games room, and at Eteila Brasserie, we feast on tasty dishes such as salmon with baked potato and mango salsa, £42 for three courses. You can also bike and hike from the doorstep.

Hopping on two wheels is a great way to get your bearings – more so if you’re over 16 and can e-bike!

We do our best to keep up with guide John, and even test our skills on a forest obstacle course.

Afterwards, we treat our wobbly legs to pulled veal burgers, £33, on La Plage’s terrace at Lake Moubra, where I try (unsuccessfully) to tempt Ava to sample my bourguignon-style escargots, £11 (Restaurant laplage.ch).

A one-hour bike tour costs £61 (Esscrans-montana.ch).

Love at frost bite

Even in August, you can still find snow up high. We catch a gondola to 3,000m above sea level, spying cute mountain goats and Roger Moore’s Bond pad on the way.

At the top, Plaine Morte Glacier – an 8km expanse of glistening ice – is breathtaking, as are views of the snowy peaks of Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn – the mountain Toblerone was modelled on.

It’s that same chocolate I find myself scraping out of my bowl that evening at Le Mayen, a short stroll from our beds, where the Toblerone mousse, £12, is a must.

Surrounded by check tablecloths, dirndl-wearing waitresses and a waft of cheese, we soak up the full Swiss experience, carb-loading on rosti – a heavenly mix of raclette, fondue and local dried meat, £31 (Mayen.ch).

Wakeboard me up, before you go, go!

On our last morning, we swap snow for the palm-tree-lined beach of Étang Long lake and watch a 140m wakeboarding cable give people the ride of their life, from £23 (Cransmontana.ch).

It looks easy, until I nose-dive into the water.

The lake inflatables – free with the MyExplorer Card hotel guests receive – are more our bag, then as we await our Beach Club crêpes with goat’s cheese, walnuts and honey, £17, Ava challenges me to a volleyball match. . .

I’ve done more exercise in just a few days here than I have in weeks back home.

There’s clearly something in the air – and it’s not just cheese.

HAVEN is adding four brand-new Wetherspoons pubs to some of its parks across the country – and has revealed their names.

The holiday park has invested £9million into its venues that will open later this year.

Haven revealed last year that even more of the popular British boozers would be coming to its holiday parks, taking its total up to nine.

The first pub to open will be The Alfred Wainwright at Haven’s Lakeland holiday park in Cumbria. 

It has been named after Alfred Wainwright, the British fellwalker who wrote about the 214 fells in his seven-volume guide to the Lake District.

Over in Blackpool, the Haven’s Cala Gran holiday park will open The Springfield.

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The pub is named after Springfield House which stood on what is now the main entrance to the park in the 1960s. 

The Cornwall-based holiday park called Riviere Sands will open up The Bluff.

Its name refers to the steep bank or cliff edge where the pub is located.

However the pub site isn’t actually new as it will takeover the existing pub site – also called The Bluff.

The last of the new Wetherspoons pubs will be at Haven’s Hopton in Great Yarmouth.

It’s name is The White Clover – named after the flower grown across the county representing good luck. 

Simon Palethorpe, Haven’s CEO, said: “Our partnership with J D Wetherspoon continues to grow. With a record 4 million holidaymakers and owners due to take a Haven holiday in 2026, the UK coastal holiday shows no signs of slowing down.  

“The naming of the J D Wetherspoon pubs is highly anticipated and always reveals an interesting historical, geographical or cultural reference to the area.  

“We look forward to more guests enjoying a pint whilst taking in some of the most beautiful views of our UK coastline.”

The four new Wetherspoons brings the total at Haven up to nine.

The very first of the pubs to open at the holiday park was the Five Stones at Primrose Valley in Yorkshire.

This was followed by The Red Rocks at Devon Cliffs, The Humber Stone at Cleethorpes Beach, The London Stone at Kent Coast and The Sir Thomas Haggerston at Haggerston Castle in Northumberland.

Since 2021, Haven has invested £660 million upgrading the guest experience and facilities.  

The holiday park is also set to renovate the Show Bar at Marton Mere in Blackpool and build a new supermarket at Kent Coast. 

One writer went for a drink at the UK’s first on-site Wetherspoons at Haven…

Writer Christine Challand visited Haven’s very first Wetherspoons called The Five Stones – and chatted to visitors who love it…

“It’s a grey and blustery morning on the North Yorkshire coast but guests at Haven’s Primrose Valley holiday park in Filey are still in high spirits

“It might have something to do with the company’s first and only Wetherspoons pub, The Five Stones, which is set to make the resort even more popular with holidaymakers.

“Hilary, 65, has visited 829 Wetherspoons pubs and says the couple are always happy to travel to compare menus and bar lay-out.

“She said: ‘People might think it’s a bit strange that we go all over the UK to do this, but it’s a lot of fun,’ she added. ‘There’s a nice inclusive atmosphere here in Filey.’

“For Andy and Gill Bishop, a £2.80 pint of Ruddles and a cheeky £5.26 glass of Sauvignon Blanc make a perfect mid-morning start to the day at The Five Stones.

“The couple, who live in Harrogate and run their own holiday apartments in Filey, have been caravan owners at Haven’s Primrose Valley site for 14 years and think the Wetherspoons opening will be a major draw for holidaymakers.

” Gill said: ‘This is just a warm-up for celebrating my 61st birthday tomorrow. It doesn’t matter what the weather’s like, Filey was recently voted one of the ten best beaches in the world so we’d never go anywhere else.’”

For more on Wetherspoons, one Sun Travel writer went to the first ever foreign pub with mini beers and a huge queue of Brits.

And Sun Travel visited the world’s smallest Wetherspoons that’s built on the remains of a 2000-year-old palace.

STARGAZE for days at this island gem, says Associate Editor Sarah Barns.

The Pad

With a slipper bath, outdoor shower and a cloud-like king-size bed, Glamping The Wight Way’s four plush safari tents are ideal for giving off-grid life a go.

Set in lush meadows between Yarmouth and Freshwater, expect solar-panel lighting and USB charging points, plus three spacious bedrooms, a sofa bed, a well-equipped kitchen and a wood burner.

We loved toasting marshmallows on the fire bowl overlooking the River Yar – one of the best paddleboarding spots in the UK – and gazing at the starry night skies.

There are also countryside walks, cycling trails and horse-riding opportunities, as well as binoculars in the dresser for spotting red squirrels and an Isle of Wight edition of Monopoly.

Nab the swing chair and watch the kids run around with the rounders set as the fairy lights twinkle.

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The golden beaches at Freshwater Bay, Compton Bay and Colwell Bay are nearby, and you’re only five minutes’ drive from Tapnell Farm Park with its go-karts, jumping pillows, sledge slides, soft play and an array of animals.

The Wallaby Walkabout, where you get to feed the marsupials, is a particular hit.

Entry costs from £8 per adult, £10 per child (Tapnellfarm.com).

Robin Hill is a 30-minute drive away, offering 88 acres of adventure, with 35 rides, treetop walks, climbing walls, mini diggers and electric boats.

The exhilarating quarter-mile downhill toboggan ride will have even the big kids screaming.

Entry costs from £16.49 per person over 1m (Robin-hill.com).

No trip to the island is complete without a visit to The Needles, just 10 minutes’ drive from your tent.

Take a breathtaking chairlift down to Alum Bay beach to see the famous cliffs up close, from £6 one way, then putt your way around the 11-hole Jurassic Adventure Golf course or hop on the traditional horse carousel (Theneedles.co.uk).

Refuel

Follow in Kate Winslet and Benedict Cumberbatch’s footsteps and dine at The Hut in Colwell Bay, a beachfront restaurant dubbed the Chiltern Firehouse of the Solent.

The restaurant’s branded Jeep will pick you up in Yarmouth harbour, so you can enjoy a glass (or three) of Mirabello rosé, £37 a bottle.

The seafood is all sourced from the south coast – we devoured lemon sole, £36, with fries and tomato salad, £6 each, followed by banoffee pie, £10 (Thehutcolwell.co.uk).

Harbourside restaurant The Terrace in Yarmouth is another popular spot.

Order the divine Cornish cod with pea fritter and potato rosti, £27, and the rich dark chocolate mousse with salted chocolate crumble, £11 (Theterraceiow.co.uk).

For quick bites, Off The Rails, set on the old railway line in Yarmouth, does a cracking bacon sandwich, £8 (Offtherailsyarmouth.co.uk).

And PO41 Coffee House serves up island-brewed teas, home-made cake and delicious picnic essentials – we loved the orange and almond loaf, £8.75 (Po41coffeehouse.com).

Book It

Two-night stays for up to eight people at Glamping The Wight Way cost from £650 (Glampingthewightway.co.uk).

The Brit Awards viewers were left unimpressed by ITV’s decisions on a number of occasions during the ceremony hosted by Jack Whitehall

Viewers of the Brit Awards were left incensed by ITV as they watched the annual ceremony. As many tuned in to see how would be winning the biggest gongs of the year, they fumed as the ITV show kept being censored.

Bosses made the decision to blank out several of Jack Whitehall’s jokes throughout his hosting duties. And as a number of winners used their acceptance speech time to share their views, they also found themselves censored. Among those being bleeped was Geese frontman Cameron Winter.

The singer of the Brooklyn indie rock band took to the stage as the band won their first ever Brit Award for International Group of the Year. During his acceptance speech, he said: “I just want to say, Free Palestine, F–k ICE, go Geese!”

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But viewers at home didn’t get to hear his actual speech, with interference played over the top. The same thing happened during Noel Gallagher’s speech after he accepted the accolade for Songwriter of the Year.

After thanking his brother and his bandmates, Noel shouted: “Up the f***ing Blues” in reference to his beloved Manchester City. But the moment was banned from TV, and instead viewers at home just heard the aftermath of boos.

And another getting the bleep button was Angry Ginge as he took aim at London. The Manchester native made his feelings known as he called the country’s capital a “s***hole”.

Fans weren’t impressed with the cuts and on Twitter/X they let their feelings be known. One user ranted: “The buzzing to bleep things out is getting annoying. I’m sure what they’re saying is not that bad to air at 9.30 pm. #Brits2026”

“Free speech and all that. Bleep bleep. #Brits2026,” moan another. A third added: “I’ve never known the Brits bleep out so much stuff? What is happening #Brits2026”

A fourth tried to make light of the situation and create a drinking game for the irritation. “Take a shot every time there is a bleep #Brits2026 #BRITs.” And a fifth simply wrote: “Bleep bleep bleep bleeeeep #Brits2026”

The rage continued when Sharon Osbourne was also censored. A fan ranted: “It’s 23:00 and ITV are censoring Sharon Osbourne accepting an award for her late husband.”

But despite the complaints, one user had a different idea, hitting out at host Jack. “Why do they hire Jack Whitehall to present every year if they’re gonna bleep half the jokes just get someone else #Brits2026.”

Elsewhere at the awards ceremony, in between the awards wins, Jack “let slip” who will be the new Strictly Come Dancing hosts. Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down at the end of the last series and ever since speculation over their replacement has been rife.

Speaking to Bez and Shaun Ryder of the Happy Mondays, Jack joked they were ready for the role and “revealed” their secret. Shaun labelled Jack a “grass” as he played along with the joke announcement.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

Major airlines including British Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways have cancelled flights following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Travel expert Simon Calder has forecasted when flights between the UK and the Middle East might recommence. Several leading airlines, including British Airways, Emirates, and Qatar Airways, have suspended flights in the wake of joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of travellers are stuck in the region, with no immediate hope of return flights due to the unstable situation. Airports in Dubai and Doha have halted all operations after US bases in Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Kuwait were hit by Iranian retaliatory strikes.

British Airways has called off all flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until 3 March. Speaking on Radio 5 Live, Mr Calder admitted it was difficult to predict when flights would start again.

He stated: “It’s possible that flights will resume tomorrow (Sunday). Looking at what Emirates are saying in Dubai, it is possible there will not be any more flights until 3pm on Sunday afternoon – that is 11am GMT – with the implication that flights may well resume again then.

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“Etihad, just down the road in Abu Dhabi, are saying that flights will be resuming at 2pm local time, so 10am tomorrow morning GMT. We will see if that happens. Quite a lot would need to be said and done to make the airlines confident that the airspace was safe.

“At the moment though, if I had a flight booked back from Doha then, my goodness me, my absolute sympathy with anybody who is stuck in a war zone with missiles coming in, it is unbelievable and I am so, so sorry it is happening, but I would think March 5 is not a bad day to have planned your escape.”

Airports across London and Manchester have reported disruptions, with one British Airways flight from London to Doha forced to turn back to Heathrow after three hours in the air.

Leading global carriers including Delta, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific and Turkish Airlines have suspended services to the Middle East, alongside certain routes traversing the region.

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) urged British nationals in affected nations to “immediately shelter in place” and steer clear of travel to Israel and Palestine. “Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities,” the FCDO stated.

The department confirmed it was working tirelessly to bring home thousands of stranded Britons following the attacks. UK citizens are being encouraged to register via Register Your Presence and sign up for travel advisory emails to receive the most current updates from the Foreign Office.

There’s a new team with plenty of quality young players to get excited about in high school basketball.

Bishop Amat (28-5), led by sophomore Aiden Shaw and freshman Omar Cox-Labomme, put together a near-perfect performance on Saturday at Toyota Arena in a 71-48 victory over Hesperia to win the Southern Section Division 2 championship for coach Brandon Ertle, the team’s first title since 2002.

Shaw made nine of 11 shots, had four assists, three blocks and five steals while finishing with 20 points. Cox-Labomme made three three-pointers and had 16 points. For players 16 and 15 years old, respectively, to deliver with poise and confidence on such a big stage speaks to a bright future.

“They didn’t seem like they are a freshman and sophomore since the first game of the season,” Ertle said. “Not nervous or afraid of the moment. I think these are pretty good players.”

The Lancers also did a good job containing Hesperia’s 6-foot-7 Nolan Newman-Gomez, who finished with 17 points.

Murrieta Mesa 65, Aliso Niguel 58: Jagger Saul scored 18 points to help Murrieta Mesa win the Southern Section Division 3 title. Jayden Mysin had 18 points for Aliso Niguel.

Verdugo Hills 62, RFK 40: The Dons won the City Section Division III championship. Alex Kasumyan scored 13 points and Jordan Vargas added 12 points.

Rialto 59, Salesian 31: Lionel Madrid scored 16 points and Wayne Johnson had 14 points for Rialto in the Division 7 final.

Colton 55, San Bernardino Pacific 42: Andres Elenes scored 23 points for Colton in the Division 9 final.

Girls’ basketball

Sierra Vista 52, Desert Hot Springs 42: Cailei Buna finished with 19 points, making nine of 10 free throws, in the Southern Section Division 9 final.

Bishop Diego 42, Burbank Burroughs 41: Eden Synne finished with 16 points for Bishop Diego in the Division 5 final. Burroughs had a chance to tie in the final second but a free throw was missed.

Feb. 28 (UPI) — Authorities arrested singer Cher’s son, Elijah Allman, for allegedly trespassing and causing a disturbance at a New Hampshire private school, Concord police said.

Known professionally as P. Exeter Blue I, the lead singer of the group Deadsy, he was arrested around 6 p.m. Friday at St. Paul’s School. WMUR-TV in Concord reported that police received information that he was causing a disturbance in the elite prep school’s dining hall.

The Concord Police Department confirmed the arrest to People magazine.

Elijah Allman, 49, has no known connection to the school.

He faces multiple charges, including two counts of simple assault, criminal trespass, criminal threatening and disorderly conduct.

Elijah Allman was detained at Merrimack County Jail and released on personal recognizance, which means no bail was required.

Elijah Allman is the son of Cher and the late Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band. Cher did not immediately respond to a request for comment by People.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives in Mumbai on his first official visit to India seeking to reset strained relations and advance an ambitious trade agenda designed to reduce Canada’s dependence on the United States.

The visit marks a significant recalibration in Ottawa’s foreign policy. After years of diplomatic friction under Justin Trudeau, Carney is positioning Canada as a pragmatic middle power, intent on diversifying alliances and building new trade corridors with fast-growing economies.

From Mumbai, Carney will travel to New Delhi for talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with negotiations expected to accelerate toward a comprehensive trade agreement that Canadian officials hope to conclude by November.

Repairing a Fractured Relationship

Canada–India relations deteriorated sharply after Trudeau publicly alleged that Indian agents were linked to the assassination of a Canadian citizen associated with Sikh separatism. New Delhi strongly denied the accusation, and diplomatic ties cooled considerably.

Carney’s itinerary reflects a deliberate attempt to lower political temperatures. Unlike previous Canadian leaders, he will not visit Punjab, a state central to India’s Sikh population and a major source of immigration to Canada. Sikh separatist activism has long been a sensitive issue in bilateral relations, and avoiding the region signals Ottawa’s intent to keep the focus on trade and investment rather than diaspora politics.

This shift has drawn criticism from some Sikh organizations in Canada, which argue that Ottawa risks sidelining concerns about foreign interference. However, Carney’s government insists domestic security remains non-negotiable while economic engagement proceeds.

Trade as Strategic Rebalancing

The India trip forms part of a broader diplomatic tour that includes Australia and Japan — countries Carney views as fellow “middle powers” capable of shaping a more diversified global trading system.

The strategy is driven by two pressures.

First, Canada’s economic dependence on the United States leaves it exposed to protectionist policies, including tariffs and threats to trade access. Second, global supply chains are being reshaped by geopolitical rivalry, creating opportunities for countries that can act as connectors rather than competitors.

India, now the world’s most populous nation and one of its fastest-growing major economies, represents both a vast consumer market and a strategic counterweight in global trade realignments.

Reports suggest negotiations may include a long-term uranium supply agreement worth billions of Canadian dollars, alongside cooperation in oil and gas, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, education and environmental technology. Such sectoral diversification would deepen economic interdependence beyond traditional commodities.

The momentum is reinforced by the European Union’s recent trade deal with India, which has raised expectations that New Delhi is increasingly open to structured economic partnerships with Western economies.

A Style Contrast With the Trudeau Era

Carney’s approach also signals stylistic change. Trudeau’s 2018 India visit drew criticism for perceived overemphasis on symbolic gestures and cultural theatrics, which some observers argued distracted from substantive negotiations.

Carney, a former central banker, projects a more restrained and technocratic image. Business leaders describe the trip as tightly focused on capital flows, market access and long-term economic sovereignty rather than domestic political optics.

This repositioning aligns with Carney’s broader message that Canada must adapt to what he calls a reordered global economy one less dominated by a single superpower and more defined by regional blocs and mid-sized powers coordinating strategically.

The “Middle Powers” Doctrine

Carney’s Davos speech earlier this year laid out the intellectual framework for this pivot: a coalition of middle powers pursuing “principled and pragmatic” cooperation to hedge against great-power volatility.

India fits squarely into that concept. It maintains strategic autonomy, balancing relations with the United States, Europe, Russia and the Global South. Canada hopes to mirror that flexibility while leveraging its strengths in energy, natural resources, finance and advanced technology.

After India, Carney’s stops in Australia and Japan underscore the Indo-Pacific tilt of Canada’s strategy. Together, these engagements suggest Ottawa is prioritizing economic resilience over ideological alignment.

Can Trade Override Political Tensions?

The key question is whether economic pragmatism can overcome lingering distrust.

India remains sensitive about Sikh separatist activism in Canada. Canadian authorities remain concerned about allegations of foreign interference. These issues are unlikely to disappear entirely.

However, both governments appear motivated by economic incentives. Canada seeks market diversification and foreign investment. India seeks reliable energy supplies, advanced technology partnerships and expanded global trade networks.

If negotiations proceed smoothly, Carney’s visit could mark a turning point not a full reconciliation, but a reset grounded in mutual economic interest rather than political grievance.

In an era of fragmented globalization, Ottawa is betting that strategic trade partnerships with rising powers like India can secure both growth and autonomy. Whether that bet pays off will depend on how effectively Canada balances principle with pragmatism in one of its most complex bilateral relationships.

With information from Reuters.

OLIVIA Dean was queen of the Brit Awards last night, scooping four gongs — ten years after she attended the ceremony as a student.

The singer-songwriter, 26, won the best artist, album and pop act categories and the publicly voted song of the year with Rein Me In, with fellow award-winner Sam Fender.

London-born Olivia, who stunned on the red carpet, also performed on stage, a decade on from partying at the event as a Brit School student in 2016.

Her impressive haul followed the success of her second studio album, The Art of Loving, which spent seven weeks at No1 following its release last year.

The songstress celebrated by holding a private afterparty in Manchester where the ceremony was held.

The switch to the city’s Co-Op Live arena marked the first time the event has been staged outside London.

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A source said: “Olivia wanted to thank everyone around her for their support. She sees the success of the evening as a group effort.”

Olivia won a place at the free Brit School in Croydon, South London, aged 15, following in the footsteps of singer-songwriter former students Adele, Amy Winehouse and Jessie J.

She enrolled on a theatre course but later switched to songwriting as she began creating tracks on a second-hand piano which she begged her mum, Christine, to buy.

Speaking about the Brit School, Olivia said: “It set me up for life. I knew what I wanted for myself and it taught me so much. I just think it is a magic place.

“Look at all the people it has produced and will continue to do so.”

Last summer, Olivia made her first public appearance with her American drummer boyfriend Eddie Burns as they stepped out at the Wimbledon tennis championships together.

PHOENIX — By Game 7 of last year’s World Series, the Dodgers’ faulty bullpen issues were apparent even in the midst of dramatic triumph.

Not only did the Dodgers use all four starters in their postseason rotation — Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto — they also tapped Justin Wrobleski and Emmet Sheehan, who combined to start 14 games in the regular season, to navigate the 5-4, 11-inning win that secured the team’s second consecutive championship.

The Dodgers shored up the bullpen over the winter, signing three-time all-star Edwin Díaz to a three-year, $69-million contract. With the closer role firmly defined for the first time since Kenley Jansen was on the team in 2021, how the rest of the bullpen falls into place remains a work in progress during spring training.

“Obviously, adding Díaz to the back end is huge for us and getting Alex Vesia [back] is going to be good, and also Blake [Treinen],” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Blake wasn’t right last year, clearly. He’s throwing the baseball really well. Having guys that you trust is everything for the pen. … You’ve got to count on those veteran guys for sure.”

Now included in that veteran group is left-hander Tanner Scott, who joined the Dodgers before last season on a four-year, $72-million deal. Scott struggled to find his footing, primarily as a closer, before a left elbow injury placed him on injured list in mid-July, causing him to miss a month of action. He returned the final week of August, and never looked quite right. Scott posted a 4.74 ERA across 61 appearances and 57.0 IP in his first year with the Dodgers.

On Saturday against the Chicago Cubs in a split-squad game at Camelback Ranch, Scott made his Cactus League debut and pitched a scoreless inning, recording a strikeout and giving up one hit on 17 pitches. With the ninth inning spoken for, Roberts believes this will allow for Scott to bounce back this season.

“I think being able to use Tanner in any inning of leverage, is going to be good for him,” Roberts said. “And it’s going to be good for us.”

Díaz, for his part, has settled in, making his second appearance of the spring on Saturday. He worked around two walks to pitch a scoreless inning, striking out one. Vesia, who missed the World Series due to the death of his newborn daughter, has pitched two scoreless innings while Treinen pitched a perfect inning on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox in his first Cactus League outing.

The 37-year-old Treinen, who’s been on all three of the Dodgers’ recent World Series teams and was a stalwart in the 2024 postseason, struggled last season, going 1-5 with a 9.64 ERA in September.

“You never know what the body throttles back,” Treinen said earlier in camp. “I had a UCL injury, so I don’t know if that’s part of the problem, but something was different. I mean, velocity was there, movements were there, execution wasn’t, and when pitches were in the zone, it was a harder-hit rate. So, that tells me something was different, how to handle hitters. So, just trying to go back and cleaning things up to where the ball does more of what it has done most of my career.”

On the flip side, right-hander Brusdar Graterol — who has not pitched since the 2024 World Series — remains in a holding pattern during spring training as he works his way back from right labrum surgery. And right-hander Evan Phillips is not expected back for several months after Tommy John surgery ended his season last June. But for the most part, the relievers who are healthy have shown glimpses of what it could look like this season.

“I don’t think that there’s one way to manage a pen,” Roberts said. “But when you have a guy like Edwin Díaz as your closer, I do think it frees up other guys. … I think that’s freeing for me and allows for getting the matchups we need in the prior innings.”

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is calling for “genuine dialogue and negotiations” after the US and Israel launched massive military strikes across Iran, calling the attacks a grave threat to “international peace and security.”

Health officials in Spain have reported 82 cases of mpox clade Ib

British holidaymakers travelling to a popular destination have been advised to take “extra precautions” following a surge in cases of an infectious disease. Spanish health authorities have confirmed 82 cases of a particular strain of mpox.

Travel Health Pro stated: “As of 17 February 2026, a total of 82 cases of mpox clade Ib have been reported in Spain. 62 of these cases have been reported in men who have sex with men (MSM).” The organisation added: “Take extra precautions.”

The Ib variant is believed to spread more easily than the clade II strain which sparked an outbreak across the UK in 2022. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, can be transmitted between individuals through direct physical contact with mpox blisters or scabs.

After contracting mpox, symptoms typically emerge between five and 21 days following infection. Initial signs may include a high temperature, intense headaches, muscle pains and backache, along with swollen glands, chills, extreme fatigue and joint discomfort.

A rash may appear anywhere on the body between one and five days after symptom onset. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that very young children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems, particularly those with uncontrolled HIV, are at heightened risk of severe complications from mpox, which can be life-threatening.

Throughout 2024, several African nations have been grappling with an outbreak of clade Ib mpox cases. Concurrently, imported instances have surfaced in a range of countries, including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, and the United States.

The NHS recommends contacting 111 if you exhibit any symptoms of mpox and have travelled to central or eastern Africa within the past three weeks, especially if you’ve had close contact with an individual showing signs of mpox.

The health organisation emphasised that whilst the condition is “rare”, there are measures you can take to minimise your risk of contracting it and transmitting it to others. These include:

• Get vaccinated if you’re offered the mpox vaccine
• Wash your hands with soap and water regularly or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser
• Look out for any possible symptoms of mpox for three weeks after returning from central or east Africa
• Talk to sexual partners about their sexual health and any symptoms they may have
• Be aware of the symptoms of mpox if you’re sexually active, especially if you have new sexual partners
• Take a break from sex and intimate contact if you have symptoms of mpox until you’re seen by a doctor and are told you cannot pass it on
• Do not share bedding or towels with people who may have mpox
• Do not have close contact (within one metre) with people who may have mpox
• Do not go near wild or stray animals, including animals that appear unwell or are dead, while travelling in central or east Africa
• Do not eat or touch meat from wild animals while travelling in central or east Africa

According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the first case of mpox clade Ib infection was confirmed in the UK on 30 October 2024. Up to 31 January 2026, 25 cases of were reported.

It said: “To 31 January 2026, most of these cases have reported direct or indirect links to travel to countries where mpox clade Ib is circulating.”

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OLIVIA Attwood and pal Pete Wicks reunited for the Brit Awards on Saturday night.

The reality TV icons were seen arriving at their table together, having earlier left a Manchester hotel to head to the venue.

Olivia showed off her incredible figure after earlier “paying tax” at the gym with a sweaty workout to get red carpet ready.

She rocked an asymmetrical black dress with a dramatic fan cut out shape across the chest and back.

The stunning gown also had thigh high split and Olivia completed the look with sheer black gloves.

Once inside the venue, Olivia and Pete reunited with Pete’s podcast co-host Sam Thompson, where an onlooker said, “Pete was a gent and poured the drinks for the group before they settled down to their meal.”

SMASH BRITS

BRITs red carpet kicks off as Maya Jama and Olivia Attwood lead the glam

RED CARPET REGIME

Olivia Attwood leads stars showing pre-glam routines ahead of BRIT Awards

The pair, who host Kiss’ The Sunday Roast radio show, have long been friends, with Olivia even describing her former Towie co-str as her “twin flame.”

“We’re soul sisters. We’re twin flames. We’re the same person,” she said in September.

Olivia’s big night at the Brits comes after she admitted she’s working hard to keep herself busy to distract herself from her marriage breakup.

She recently admitted her marriage to footballer Bradley Dack “wasn’t healthy.”

It was revealed last month that the pair had separated after a “breach of trust” on his part.

The ITV star, 34, moved out of the marital home and into her own apartment and blocked her husband on Instagram.

While in conversation with TikTok sensation Tinx on the latest episode of her podcast, Olivia’s House, the Love Island icon made reference to her own relationships while discussing dating.

After Tinx said she’s happy in life but would like to meet someone, Olivia responded: “And that’s like the best place you could be in to meeting the right person. There’s not like a void to fill.

“If you’re going into relationships and there’s motivations of, you know, say you have a gap in your life or you need saving, it doesn’t start on a healthy trajectory.”

LAREDO, Texas — A month after ICE agents sent the young Ecuadoran mother and her 7-year-old daughter to a sprawling detention center 1,300 miles from their Minnesota home, they were finally free.

But when the bus pulled up to a migrant shelter in the Texas border city of Laredo, dropping off a half-dozen families lugging bags stuffed with belongings, the stress of recent weeks tracked mother and daughter like the long shadows on that mid-February afternoon.

Night after night inside south Texas’ Dilley Immigration Processing Center with hundreds of other families, the grade-schooler wept and pleaded to know why they were being held.

“She would tell me, ‘Mom, what crime did I commit to be a prisoner?’ I didn’t know what to tell her,” said the 29-year-old, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear being identified could negatively affect their immigration case. Her husband was deported to Ecuador soon after they were taken into custody.

Many Americans were alarmed last month when photos circulated showing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis detaining a 5-year-old boy wearing a bunny hat and carrying a Spider-Man backpack. The concern followed Liam Conejo Ramos and his father when they were sent to Dilley, surrounded by chain-link fences on a dusty plain about 75 miles south of San Antonio.

But Liam was hardly an outlier. ICE has been holding hundreds of children at Dilley — many for months.

“We are all Liam,” Christian Hinojosa, an immigrant from Mexico, said by phone from Dilley, where she and her 13-year-old son were held for more than four months. They were released this month and allowed to return home to San Antonio, where she works as a health aide.

She noted that Liam and his father were released from Dilley after 10 days, after members of Congress and a judge intervened.

“My son says, ‘That’s unfair, Mama. What’s the difference between him and us?’”

Ramping up family detentions

When the Obama administration opened Dilley in 2014, nearly all families detained there had recently crossed the border from Mexico. Detentions at the facility were scaled back by the Biden administration in 2021, before it was closed three years later.

Since being reopened by President Trump’s administration last spring, life inside Dilley — a compound of trailers and other prefabricated buildings — has been shaped by three decisive changes.

The number of detained families has risen sharply since last fall. The government is holding many children well beyond the 20-day limit set by long-standing court order. And many detainees have lived in the U.S. for several years, with roots in neighborhoods, workplaces and schools, according to lawyers and other observers.

“Just imagine that you’re a child and you’re taken out of your surroundings,” said Philip Schrag, a Georgetown University law professor and author of “Baby Jails: The Fight to End the Incarceration of Refugee Children in America.”

Suddenly you’re in “a completely strange environment with the doors locked and guards in uniform roaming around,” said Schrag, who counseled Dilley detainees as a volunteer lawyer during the Obama administration.

ICE booked more than 3,800 children into detention during the first nine months of the new Trump administration, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from UC Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project. On an average day, more than 220 children were held, with most of those detained longer than 24 hours sent to Dilley. More than half of Dilley detainees during that period were children.

Nearly two-thirds of children detained by ICE were eventually deported, and almost 1 in 10 left the country when their parents accepted voluntary departure, according to an AP analysis of the latest comprehensive data. About a quarter were released in the U.S., requiring their parents to check in regularly with ICE as their legal cases proceed.

The number of detainees at Dilley has risen sharply since the period covered by the data, nearly tripling between fall and late January to more than 1,300, according to Relevant Research, which analyzes immigration enforcement data.

“We’ve started to use 100 days as a benchmark for prioritizing cases because so many children are exceeding 20 days,” said Leecia Welch, the chief legal director at Children’s Rights, who visits Dilley regularly to ensure compliance. In a visit this month, Welch said she counted more than 30 children who had been held for over 100 days.

The increased detention of children comes as the Trump administration has gutted a Department of Homeland Security office responsible for oversight of conditions inside Dilley and other facilities.

“It’s a particular concern that family detention is being increased,” said Dr. Pamela McPherson, a child and adolescent psychiatrist contracted by Homeland Security from 2014 until last year to inspect and investigate conditions at Dilley and other ICE facilities holding children. “Just who’s providing that check and balance now?”

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who represents the congressional district where Dilley is located, said multiple visits have convinced him criticism of the center is unfair.

He said he’d been impressed by Dilley’s facilities and the professionalism and dedication of staff. “They’re not doing policy. They’re just fulfilling a duty,” Gonzales said.

The Homeland Security Department did not respond to detailed questions about Dilley submitted by the AP. But both Homeland Security and ICE objected to allegations of poor care and conditions there.

“The Dilley facility is a family residential center designed specifically to house family units in a safe, structured and appropriate environment,” ICE Director Todd M. Lyons said in a statement this week. Services include medical screenings, infant care packages and classrooms and recreational spaces, he noted.

But concerns about Dilley are personal for Kheilin Valero Marcano, a Venezuelan immigrant detained with her husband and 1-year-old daughter, Amalia, in December and held for nearly two months.

When the child got a high fever, Valero Marcano said Dilley staff told her it was just a virus. Two weeks later, Amalia started vomiting, then losing weight. Valero Marcano said she took her to the Dilley doctor’s office at least eight times, and was offered only Tylenol and ibuprofen.

The baby was eventually sent to two hospitals, where doctors diagnosed COVID-19, bronchitis, pneumonia and stomach virus, she said.

ICE disputed Valero Marcano’s account, saying in a statement the baby “immediately received proper medical care” at Dilley before being sent to the hospital. Back in Dilley, “she was in the medical unit and received proper treatment and prescribed medicines,” it said.

The family’s return to Dilley coincided with a measles outbreak there. They were released earlier this month after their lawyers petitioned the court.

“I’m so worried for all the families who are still inside,” Valero Marcano said.

A teen in distress

After more than two months in a cramped room at Dilley with three other families, the 13-year-old girl’s depression turned increasingly dark.

The eighth-grader stopped eating after finding a worm in her food, family members said. Staff sometimes withheld medications she’d long been prescribed to keep her anxiety in check and help her sleep.

When a total lockdown was imposed, a guard blocked the teen from leaving the crowded room to join her mother and sister in the bathroom. She spiraled into crisis, and used a plastic knife from the cafeteria to cut her wrist.

“She said she didn’t want to live anymore because she preferred to die rather than having to keep living in confinement,” her mother, Andrea Armero, told the AP in a video call from Colombia, where the family was deported this month. The AP generally avoids identifying people who attempt or die by suicide.

The girl’s struggles began before she arrived at Dilley. Soon after starting middle school in Colombia, she learned a family member had sexually abused her younger sister. Armero said she saw no option but to leave, and in early 2024 she and her daughters traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border and applied for asylum.

Living with family in Florida, the 13-year-old was doing well in school but sometimes experienced panic attacks about being sent back to Colombia. Under a psychiatrist’s care, she was prescribed anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications and regularly saw a therapist. Then, in December, ICE agents detained Armero and her daughters during a routine check-in.

At Dilley, the 13-year-old calmed herself by drawing, producing haunting pictures of a girl locked inside gates. But when she and other detainees took part in a protest after 5-year-old Liam and his father got to Dilley, guards took away drawing materials and ordered everyone to stay inside.

The teen’s mental health collapsed. She tried to harm herself with the plastic knife, Armero said, and repeatedly hit her head. The family was put into isolation without seeing a doctor, then deported to Colombia on Feb. 11 after a judge ordered them removed, she said.

Dilley discharge documents described “active problems,” including a “suicide attempt by cutting of wrist” and “self-harm,” in addition to a “history of post-traumatic stress disorder” and “history of anxiety.” AP also spoke with detainees and attorneys who independently described the girl’s suicide attempt.

Responding to questions from AP, a Department of Homeland Security official acknowledged there had been “a case of self-harm” inside the facility, but did not specify what had happened, or how staff handled the incident. When AP asked for details, the department did not respond to follow-up questions.

“No child at Dilley … has been denied medical treatment or experienced a delayed medical assessment,” said Ryan Gustin, a spokesman for CoreCivic, the for-profit prison company that operates the facility under contract with ICE. Gustin declined to answer specific questions about the 13-year-old girl, citing privacy rules.

Detention weighs on children

On a phone call from inside Dilley, 13-year-old Gustavo Santino-Josa introduced himself to a reporter by name and the nine-digit identification number ICE assigned him when he was taken into custody with his mother.

“Until today I don’t know what we did wrong to get detained,” Gustavo said. “I’ve seen my mom cry almost daily, and I ask God that we can go out and go home soon.”

He worried they might never be released.

“My mom says that as long as there is hope it is worth fighting for,” Gustavo said before handing the phone to his mother, Christian Hinojosa, the healthcare aide originally from Mexico.

“All his friends have left already,” his mother said. “Some were deported. Some got released recently. And it hurts. It hurts to see people leaving and you’re staying here.”

Dilley was built to hold 2,400 people, housed in clusters ICE calls “neighborhoods.” Bunk beds are arranged side-by-side for up to four families, frequently putting parents with young children in close quarters.

Once in full operation, Dilley is expected to generate about $180 million in annual revenue for CoreCivic, according to the company’s recent filing with securities regulators.

In a video on its website, CoreCivic says Dilley’s “open campus layout allows residents to move freely and unescorted throughout the day.”

It does not mention that parents and their children are locked inside.

In response to questions from the AP, CoreCivic’s Gustin said the staff at Dilley includes a pediatrician, pediatric nurse practitioner and other trained medical professionals and mental health services workers to “meet the needs of children and families in our care.”

In talks with parents of children held at Dilley, however, the same problems come up repeatedly, said Welch, the children’s rights lawyer.

Kids cry often and don’t get enough sleep, in part because lights are on around the clock, she said. The water tastes terrible and causes stomachaches and rashes, so some families stick to what they can buy in the commissary.

Their children don’t eat enough and have lost weight, Welch said. There are classrooms, but instruction is limited to an hour daily, mostly filling out worksheets.

A 14-year-old girl, identified in court papers by the initials NVSM, reported there were tensions with up to 12 people sharing their room. At night when she and her mother tried to sleep, others insisted on turning up the TV.

“I feel very sad and stressed to be here,” the teen said in an account filed with the court that oversees a binding settlement governing detention and release of children. “My nerves are so high. I don’t know what is happening. My muscles will twitch because I’m so nervous and on edge.”

Concerns about oversight

As the government’s detention of parents and their children came under scrutiny in 2014, an ICE official claimed that family detention centers, equipped with basketball courts and medical clinics, were “more like a summer camp.”

The characterization irritated McPherson, the child psychiatrist who, along with another physician, was retained in 2014 by Homeland Security to inspect family detention centers. Their contracts were not renewed by the Trump administration last year after Homeland Security announced sweeping staff reductions.

“Having a clean place to sleep, having food, that’s not the same thing as having family and community,” McPherson said.

The doctors’ investigations of family detention centers exposed consistently inadequate staffing and disregard by administrators for the trauma caused by detention, concerns they reported in 2018 to a Senate caucus set up to hear from whistleblowers.

At Dilley, the doctors noted a persistent shortage of pediatricians and the inability to hire a child psychiatrist from the time they began their inspections until they alerted senators.

Employees unsure how to deal with 2-year-olds biting and hitting one another placed the children and their parents in medical isolation for days, McPherson and her colleague told senators. Without supervision, a nurse at Dilley gave adult-strength hepatitis A shots to about 250 children in 2015, the American Immigration Lawyers Assn. reported.

Homeland Security responded to many of the findings by making changes before a special committee recommended in late 2016 that the government discontinue family detention except in rare cases. The first Trump administration increased family detention before the Biden administration began phasing it out in 2021.

That the Trump administration is again holding families at Dilley after so many warnings feels “dystopian,” McPherson said.

“The decision to knowingly traumatize children and subject them to chronic stress, I just have no words for it,” she said.

Worries even after release

Huddled around picnic tables at the Laredo migrant shelter, parents released from Dilley searched anxiously for flights back to the homes they left behind. They called relatives, friends, teachers, anyone who might help with money to get there.

The young Ecuadoran mom talked of returning to Minneapolis, where her 2-year-old daughter, born in the U.S., was staying with a friend. With her husband deported, parenting will be entirely her responsibility.

That means getting her 7-year-old back in school. Then the woman, who had a work permit and a job in a Minneapolis restaurant before being detained, needs to keep her children fed.

“Let’s go home, Mom, but don’t go back to work because ICE is going to pick you up again,” the little girl said. Her mother tried to reassure her.

That won’t happen, she said, because now they have a special paper telling ICE to leave them alone.

She hopes that’s a promise she can keep.

Burke, Geller and Gonzalez write for the Associated Press. AP data reporter Aaron Kessler in Washington contributed to this report.

Munster secured a much-needed 21-7 win over Zebre in the United Rugby Championship, being made to work hard before pulling clear in the second half at a drenched Thomond Park on Saturday.

With three defeats in their last four URC outings – against Leinster, Ulster and Glasgow Warriors – and having made 10 changes from the side that lost to Glasgow Warriors last month, this result will steady the ship somewhat for the Irish province.

After going in level at half-time at seven points apiece, Munster edged ahead in the second period with a late brace of tries from Alex Kendellen and Lee Barron, those scores securing Clayton McMillan’s side their first win in Limerick since October.

Munster had the majority of early territory and pressure, with a beautifully judged kick from Tom Farrell handing the hosts a line-out just seven metres from the Zebre line.

That pressure intensified when Giulio Bertaccini was shown a yellow card two minutes in for a deliberate knock-on, as Munster threatened to score under the posts.

Despite being reduced to 14 men, Zebre initially stood firm, but winger Shane Daly demonstrated his explosive pace and stormed over in the left corner after six minutes, getting Munster off the mark, JJ Hanrahan adding the conversion.

A sudden downpour swept across Thomond Park, making handling increasingly treacherous, yet Munster continued to probe.

The hosts generated quick ruck ball and a clever grubber from Mike Haley almost put captain Jack O’Donoghue in under the posts, but the ball slipped forward at the crucial moment.

Munster controlled territory for much of the opening quarter, working patiently through phases as Zebre were forced into heavy defensive shifts.

Gradually the Italian visitors found a foothold and just after the half-hour mark, Samuele Locatelli broke Munster’s defensive line, with flanker Bautista Stavile scoring under the posts. Giacomo Da Re added the extras.

Munster had one final opportunity before the interval, but another spilt ball in the wet conditions allowed Zebre to clear.

Feb. 28 (UPI) — OpenAI announced it secured a deal to provide artificial intelligence services to the Defense Department hours after the Trump administration directed all federal agencies to stop using those provided by Anthropic.

OpenAI is the San Francisco-based tech research company founded by Sam Altman, Elon Musk and others behind applications including ChatGPT and DALL-E.

“Tonight, we reached an agreement with the Department of War to deploy our models in their classified work,” OpenAI CEO Altman said late Friday in a post on X.

The Pentagon had previously used Anthropic’s AI model Claude in much of its classified work, including its operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Contract negotiations between the tech company and the Defense Department soured after the Trump administration demanded it be allowed to use the AI system for “all lawful purposes.” Anthropic, though, wanted certain guardrails in place to prevent the government from using its AI system for surveilling Americans or to create autonomous weapons.

Friday evening, President Donald Trump directed all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic, accusing it of being a “radical left, woke company” attempting “to dictate how our great military fights and wins wars!”

“The Leftwing nut jobs at Anthropic have made a DISASTROUS MISTAKE trying to STRONG-ARM the Department of War, and force them to obey their Terms of Service instead of our Constitution. Their selfishness is putting AMERICAN LIVES at risk, our Troops in danger, and our National Security in JEOPARDY,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

In his post on X, Altman said OpenAI’s agreement with the Defense Department includes similar protections against domestic surveillance and weapons sought by Anthropic.

“Two of our most important safety principles are prohibitions on domestic mass surveillance and human responsibility for the use of force, including for autonomous weapon systems,” he said. “The DoW agrees with these principles, reflects them in law and policy, and we put them into our agreement.”

The New York Times reported that unlike Anthropic, OpenAI included in its contract with the Pentagon phrasing that allows the government to use its AI product for all lawful purposes.

Fortune reported that Altman told OpenAI employees that the government is allowing the company to build its own “safety stack” and that if the AI model refuses to allow the government to do a certain task, the government won’t force it to.

There is a school of thought among some fans that a good season is one where your team still has plenty to play for come April.

Liverpool will not be winning back-to-back Premier League titles, but they will head into March still in the FA Cup and the Champions League and now in a strong position to finish in the top five, which would effectively confirm Champions League football next season.

At the end of a week in which the club confirmed record revenues of over £700m for the last accounting year, with a profit after tax of £8m, the importance of that European spot cannot be underestimated.

Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, who scored Liverpool’s third goal, told Match of the Day: “The last four or five months is when teams show what they can do.

“That’s what we want. We know how important it is to qualify for the Champions League for the club and us as a team. The goal is there and we are going to do everything to qualify and be closer to the teams on top.”

Team-mate Cody Gakpo took a similar view, telling Sky Sports: “It was a good afternoon. Step by step, we’re getting [to be] a better team.

“We had a difficult moment during the season, but hopefully these last few games are the start of something beautiful.”

With consecutive games against Wolves in the league and FA Cup next week, before a trip to Galatasaray in the Champions League, the next 10 days or so will go a long way to shaping how their season ultimately is remembered.

Get through that unscathed and, whisper it quietly, Liverpool fans may well start to genuinely believe that they can do something beautiful indeed.

As It Was singer and former One Direction star Harry Styles took to the stage to open the Brit Awards 2026 live from Manchester on Saturday, with fans admitting they were ‘shaking’

It’s safe to say Harry Styles impressed fans with his performance at the Brit Awards.

The As It Was and Sign of the Times singer, and former One Direction star, opened the live ceremony on ITV1 and ITVX on Saturday night. He performed his new track Aperture after recently announcing the release of his fourth album would be very soon.

Marking his return to music, the singer took to the stage to kick things off, the performance no doubt gave fans a peak of what to expect with his upcoming world tour. Amid a backlash from many viewers about the prices of his tour tickets, Harry won over viewers with his vocals and choreography.

In fact, fans claimed they were “shaking” and “going to be sick” after watching it live. Taking to social media, one fan said: “Wish I could be normal but unfortunately I’m literally shaking over Harry Styles performing at the Brits.” Another said: “I AM SHAKING,” as a third added: “I’M GONNA BE SICK.”

READ MORE: Ant and Dec vow never to host ‘nightmare’ Brit Awards again and hint at Chris Martin rowREAD MORE: NEED TO KNOW: Brit Awards how to watch, start time, what to expect and nominees

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A fourth fan said: “HE IS A PERFORMER,” as a fifth said: “HARRY IS SO BACK THAT WAS INSANE.” A further post read: “Harry sounds GOOD. Aperture live is such a vibe.”

Another fan commented: “OMG DID HE HAVE TEARS IN HIS EYES!?? HARRY STYLES IS SO BACK.” A final tweet read: “Ok Harry actually ate that choreo.”

It was revealed the awards would take place in a new home on Saturday night, at the Co-op Live in Manchester. Artists revealed to be performing included Olivia Dean, Wolf Alice, EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, the singing voices of HUNTR/X (filmed in advance of The BRIT Awards).

Alex Warren, Mark Ronson, ROSALÍA, SOMBR and RAYE were also confirmed. Mark was also revealed to be receiving an award for his outstanding contribution to music, while Noel Gallagher was said to be receiving a songwriting award.

Speaking of honours, it had also been revealed that tributes would be made to some of the lost music acts who have recently passed away. Ozzy Osbourne is set to be honoured with Robbie Williams fronting a super group paying tribute to the star. It comes seven months after the Black Sabbath frontman died aged 76.

The performance will be a special arrangement of ‘No More Tears’ – the title track from Ozzy’s multi-million selling 1991 album of the same name. It was curated by Ozzy’s wife, Sharon Osbourne, and will boast a phenomenal line up of British and international musical talent.

It will feature musicians that played as part of Ozzy’s band over the years, including Adam Wakeman, Robert Trujillo , Tommy Clufetos and Zakk Wylde. The makeshift group will be fronted by Robbie, who was invited personally by Sharon to be part of this special moment.

BRIT Awards bosses are also set to honour Stone Roses bassist Mani at Saturday night’s show – led by Charlatans legend Tim Burgess. Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield died suddenly aged 63 last November, and close pal Tim will be on hand to deliver an emotional speech.

A source said: “Tim is set to present the In Memoriam section, but before he does so, he is primed to talk about Mani who was both a dear friend and mentor. The fact that Mani was from Manchester too – and the awards is being held there for the first time – means it will be a really special moment. Mani will then feature heavily in the section, as will other greats we have lost including Ozzy Osbourne.”

Ahead of the ceremony, three acts had received the most nominations. They were Olivia Dean and Lola Young with five nominations apiece, and Sam Fender trailing closely on four nominations following his Mercury Prize success.

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WASHINGTON — For a decade, President Trump promised to end what he calls forever wars, casting himself as a leader opposed to prolonged conflicts in the Middle East and who would rather pursue peace in the world.

Now, early in his second term, Trump is taking military action against Iran that could expand well beyond a limited effort to halt the country’s nuclear program.

In a video posted on Truth Social, the commander-in-chief said American forces also plan to “raze their missile industry to the ground” and “annihilate their navy.” He warned members of Iran’s military to surrender or “face certain death.” And urged the Iranian people to take the moment as an opportunity to rise up against their government.

“This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States armed forces,” Trump said.

Trump, who has been considering a strike on Iran for several weeks, acknowledged he reached the decision to attack while aware of the human toll that could come with it.

“The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war,” he said. “But we are doing this, not for now, we are doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission.”

Trump’s military campaign in Iran is a sharp turn in tone for a president who has long been critical of open-ended conflicts in the Middle East, and marks a shift from an America-first agenda message that helped him return to the White House.

“I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars,” Trump said in his November 2024 victory speech as he promised to focus national resources on domestic priorities rather than foreign conflicts.

As Trump advocated to bring home American forces from deployments around the world and to withdraw from key defense treaties, his position resonated with a war-weary electorate in the lead up to the election.

Fewer than six in 10 Americans (56%) believed the United States should take an active role in world affairs ahead of the election — the second-lowest level recorded since the question was first asked in 1974, according to polling by the Council on Foreign Affairs.

Trump’s posture on war in the Middle East had been consistent before he ran for office.

In 2013, he criticized former President Obama’s negotiations with Tehran, predicting in a post on Twitter, that Obama would “attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly.” That same year, Trump warned that “our horrendous leadership could unknowingly lead us into World War III.”

And in a heated February 2016 debate, Trump attacked former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, stating that his brother George W. Bush lied about Iraq’s nuclear capabilities to get the U.S. into the Iraq War. Trump called the Iraq War a “big, fat mistake” that “destabilized the Middle East.”

“They lied. They said there were weapons of mass destruction. There were none, and they knew there were none,” he said.

Trump’s confrontation with Iran bears little resemblance to those early rebukes.

Trump has yet to present evidence of an imminent threat to the United States from Iran’s nuclear program — a capability he claimed to have “obliterated” just eight months ago — and has instead framed the military campaign as one to ensure Tehran never develops nuclear weapon at all.

“It is a very simple message,” he said. “They will never have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump’s shift has already drawn the attention of congressional Democrats, many of whom are calling the president out for backing out on his promise to end foreign wars — and are demanding that he involve Congress in any further military actions.

“Regardless of what the President may think or say, he does not enjoy a blank check to launch large-scale military operations without a clear strategy, without any transparency or public debate, and not without Congressional approval,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said.

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) criticized Trump for “drawing the country into yet another foreign war that Americans don’t want and Congress has not authorized.”

The military involvement in Iran is not the first time that members of Congress have complained about the Trump administration’s willingness to sideline the legislative branch on decisions that could trigger broader conflicts this year.

In January, Trump ordered military forces to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and said the United States would run the sovereign nation until further notice. He threatened military action in Colombia, whose leftist President Gustavo Petro has been one of Trump’s most vocal critics.

Trump has alienated allied nations when he said he was willing to send American troops to seize Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. And on Friday, he said U.S. is in talks with Havana and raised the possibility of a “friendly takeover of Cuba” without offering any details on what he meant.

His actions have coincided with his annoyance at not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to seek peace in the world. At one point, the president said he no longer felt an “obligation to think purely of Peace” because he didn’t get the recognition.

Trump’s shifting tone, and his use of violent war imagery in his pretaped remarks about Iran, have rattled even part of his base.

“I did not campaign for this. I did not donate money for this,” said former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a conservative who recently left Congress after a bitter fight with Trump. “This is not what we thought MAGA was supposed to be. Shame!”

Republican leaders, however, are largely standing behind the president.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Iran “posed a clear and unacceptable threat” to the United States and has refused “the diplomatic off-ramps.” House Speaker Mike Johnson (D-La.) said Trump took the action after exhausting “every effort to pursue peaceful and diplomatic solutions.”

Other top Republican lawmakers rallied behind the president, too.

“The butcher’s bill has finally come due for the ayatollahs,” Sen. Tom Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote in a post on X. “May God bless and protect our troops on this vital mission of vengeance, and justice, and safety.”

Anthony Edwards scored 31 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 18 and the surging Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Clippers 94-88 on Thursday night at Intuit Dome.

Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 12 points and Rudy Gobert had 13 rebounds to help the Timberwolves improve to 5-1 since Feb. 9 and 3-1 since the All-Star break.

Edwards, returning to the site of the All-Star Game, where he was the MVP, shot 12 for 24 from the floor and sealed the victory with a step-back three-pointer over two defenders for a 92-88 lead with 42.9 seconds left.

Minnesota improved to 2-0 on a three-game trip.

Derrick Jones Jr. scored 18 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 14 for the Clippers, who struggled from the outset with a season-low 38 points in the first half. Kris Dunn had 11 points for the Clippers (27-31), who have lost three consecutive games for the first time since December.

The Clippers struggled on offense without star Kawhi Leonard, out because of ankle soreness. The Clippers shot 40.5% from the floor, including 18.2% (four for 22) in the second quarter. Minnesota shot 43.4% in the game.

The Timberwolves (37-23) scored just 15 points in the second quarter and still topped the Clippers, who had 11. Minnesota led 44-38 at halftime behind 12 points from DiVincenzo and 11 from Edwards.

The Clippers led by six in the third quarter and were up 68-63 heading into the fourth. Edwards’ drive and reverse layup put the Timberwolves up for good at 76-74 with 7:40 remaining.

The Clippers pulled within one three times in the last 2½ minutes, but Edwards answered each time. He scored the Timberwolves’ last nine points.

Up next for Clippers: vs. New Orleans on Sunday night.