Tehran, Iran – Iran says it will continue efforts to get out of a blacklist of a prominent global watchdog on money laundering and “terrorism” financing despite “20 years of obstruction” from domestic opponents.

The statement by the Financial Intelligence Unit of Iran’s Ministry of Economic Affairs on Sunday came two days after the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) renewed its years-long blacklisting of Iran, according to a report by the official IRNA news agency.

The FATF also ramped up measures aimed at isolating Iran from global financial markets with a particular focus on virtual asset service providers (VASPs) and cryptocurrencies.

It recommended member states and financial institutions around the world to:

• Refuse to establish representative offices of Iranian financial institutions and VASPs or consider the noncompliance risks involved.
• Prohibit financial institutions and VASPs from establishing offices in Iran.
• On a risk basis, limit business relationships or financial transactions, including virtual asset transactions, with Iran or people inside the country.
• Prohibit financial institutions and VASPs from establishing new correspondent banking relationships and require them to undertake a risk-based review of existing ties.

Even the flow of funds involving humanitarian assistance, food and health supplies as well as diplomatic operating costs and personal remittances are recommended to be handled “on a risk basis considering the “terrorist” financing or proliferation financing risks emanating from Iran”.

What does the FATF move mean?

Iran has been blacklisted by the FATF for years and is currently on the list in the company of just two other countries: North Korea and Myanmar.

Since October 2019, Iran has had “heightened measures” like supervisory examination and external audit requirements recommended against it and has been subject to “effective countermeasures” since February 2020.

This contributed to making access to international transactions increasingly difficult or impossible for Iranian banks and nationals and made the country more dependent on costlier shadowy third-party intermediaries for transactions.

The new countermeasures emphasise existing frameworks but also specifically cite virtual assets, signalling an increased focus.

The fact that the FATF also urges countries and global institutions to remain wary of risks of having any dealings with Iran may mean even more limited transaction opportunities for Iranian entities and nationals.

Small banks maintaining old correspondent relations with Iranian counterparts may also reconsider after being recommended to re-evaluate existing links.

The isolation has hobbled state-run or private income streams and contributed to the continuous depreciation of the Iranian rial over the years.

Links with Iran’s nuclear dilemmas

The FATF, formerly known by its French name, was established by the Group of Seven (G7) countries in 1989 to combat money laundering but later had its mandate expanded to countering financing of “terrorism” and weapons of mass destruction.

It has been formally raising concerns about Iran since the late 2000s, which is also when it started calling for countermeasures as international tensions grew over Iran’s nuclear programme and the country was sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council.

But a year after Iran signed a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that lifted the sanctions, the FATF also acknowledged a “high-level political commitment” from Iran and agreed to an action plan for the country to address its compliance requirements.

The centrist government of President Hassan Rouhani, who had clinched the deals, pressed ahead with ratifying several laws needed to fulfil the action plan despite opposition from hardliners who were firmly against the increased financial transparency and international supervision.

But United States President Donald Trump unilaterally reneged on the nuclear deal in 2018, imposing a “maximum pressure” campaign that has remained in effect until today. The move empowered the argument from the hardliners in Tehran, who succeeded in blocking the ratification of the rest of the FATF-linked legislation, leaving the issue dormant for years.

Washington has retained the sanctions over the years with some of the latest – including the blacklisting in January of two United Kingdom-based cryptocurrency exchanges – allegedly connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The UN Security Council sanctions were also reinstated against Iran in September when Western powers triggered the “snapback” mechanism of the nuclear accord. They include an arms embargo, asset freezes and travel bans as well as nuclear, missile and banking sanctions that are binding for all UN member states.

Support for ‘axis of resistance’

The Iranian hardliners railing against any progress on FATF-related legislation have presented two main concerns.

They assert that fully adhering to the watchdog’s guidelines would curb Tehran’s ability to back its “axis of resistance” of aligned armed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and Palestine. The axis lost its base in Syria with the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Hardliners have also suggested that Iran’s ability to circumvent US sanctions may be significantly compromised by disclosing all the information required by the FATF.

Iran has been selling most of its oil to China at hefty discounts, using a shadow fleet of ships that turn their transponders off to avoid detection in international waters. The country has also for years been forced to rely on a capillary network of currency exchanges and intermediaries, some of them based in neighbouring countries, such as Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates.

To assuage some of the domestic concerns, two FATF-related laws ratified by Iran in 2025 were passed with special “conditions” and reservations infused in the text.

One of the main conditions was that the ratified regulations must not “prejudice the legitimate right of peoples or groups under colonial domination and/or foreign occupation to fight against aggression and occupation and to exercise their right to self-determination” and “shall not be construed in any manner as recognition of the Zionist occupying regime”, a reference to Israel.

Iran also said it would not accept any referral to the International Court of Justice and asserted that its own Supreme National Security Council would determine which groups qualify as “terrorist” outfits.

Those conditions were rejected by the FATF, leading to the increased countermeasures.

The watchdog also said it expects Iran to identify and freeze “terrorist assets” in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Some of Iran’s nuclear and military authorities are among individuals sanctioned by those resolutions.

Thousands of Western nationals joined the Israeli military amid its genocidal war in Gaza, raising questions over international legal accountability for foreign nationals implicated in alleged war crimes against Palestinians.

More than 50,000 soldiers in the Israeli military hold at least one other citizenship, with a majority of them holding US or European passports, information obtained by the Israeli NGO Hatzlacha through Israel’s Freedom of Information Law has revealed.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed at least 72,061 people in military actions that have been dubbed war crimes and crimes against humanity by rights groups.

Rights organisations around the world have been trying to identify and prosecute foreign nationals, many of whom have posted videos of their abuse on social media, for their involvement in war crimes, particularly in Gaza.

So, what does the first such data reveal about the Israeli military? And what could be the legal implications for dual-national soldiers?

Which foreign nationals enlist most in the Israeli military?

At least 12,135 soldiers enlisted in the Israeli military hold United States passports, topping the list by a huge margin. That is in addition to 1,207 soldiers who possess another passport in addition to their US and Israeli ones.

The data – shared with Al Jazeera by Israeli lawyer Elad Man, who serves as the legal counsel for Hatzlacha – shows that 6,127 French nationals serve in the Israeli military.

The Israeli military, which shared such data for the first time, noted that soldiers holding multiple citizenships are counted more than once in the breakdown.

The numbers show service members enlisted in the military as of March 2025, 17 months into Israel’s devastating war in Gaza.

Russia stands at third, with 5,067 nationals serving in the Israeli military, followed by 3,901 Ukrainians and 1,668 Germans.

The data revealed that 1,686 soldiers in the military held dual British-Israeli citizenship, in addition to 383 other soldiers who held another passport in addition to their British and Israeli ones.

South Africa, which brought a case of genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also had 589 of its citizens serving in the Israeli military ranks.

Furthermore, 1,686 soldiers hold Brazilian citizenship, 609  Argentine, 505 Canadian, 112 Colombian, and 181 Mexican, in addition to their Israeli nationality.

Israel’s military comprises an estimated 169,000 active personnel and 465,000 reservists – of whom nearly eight percent hold dual or multiple citizenships.

Can dual nationals be tried for war crimes in Gaza?

Ilias Bantekas, a professor of transnational law at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, told Al Jazeera that “war crimes incur criminal liability under international law, irrespective of what the law of nationality says”.

Otherwise, Nazi Germans, whose law allowed and obliged them to commit atrocities, would incur no liability, Bantekas added. “Dual nationality is immaterial to criminal liability,” he said.

However, the major issue in prosecuting the accused “is getting [them] on your territory and putting them before a court”, he noted.

Bantekas also added that there is no difference in the question of liability between native soldiers and those of dual nationalities.

Dual nationals, in fact, “may in addition be liable under laws that prevent military service in foreign conflicts or joining armies of other nations”, the professor said.

Prosecuting foreign nationals has been “pretty much the norm”, he noted.

“Think of Nazi Germans tried by Allied war crimes tribunals after World War II, Japanese officers tried by US military courts, and crimes committed during the Bosnian conflict where alleged offenders were tried by various courts in Europe,” Bantekas told Al Jazeera.

Last May, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office said that allegations of war crimes should be submitted to the Metropolitan Police.

“The UK recognises the right of British dual nationals to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationality,” it said. “Allegations of war crimes should be submitted to the Met Police for investigation.”

Have foreign nationals been tried for Gaza war crimes?

Nationals with dual or multiple citizenships have not yet been arrested for committing war crimes in Gaza. But rights groups, including lawyers, are trying to get them prosecuted.

In the UK last April, the Gaza-based Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) and the UK-based Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) filed a 240-page report to the Metropolitan Police.

Accusations against the 10 British individuals, whose names have not been publicly disclosed, include murder, forcible transfer of people, and attacks on humanitarian personnel, between October 2023 and May 2024.

In September last year, a case was filed in Germany against a 25-year-old soldier, born and raised in Munich, for participating in the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, by PCHR, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), Al-Haq, and the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights.

The sniper, with shootings documented near Gaza’s al-Quds and Nasser hospitals between November 2023 and March 2024, was a member of a unit known as “Refaim”, “ghost” in Hebrew.

Legal proceedings against members of the same unit are also under way in France, Italy, South Africa, and Belgium.

The Belgian public prosecutor’s office also opened a judicial investigation last October into a 21-year-old Belgian-Israeli citizen, a member of Refaim.

The mandatory military service law in Israel exempts dual nationals residing abroad, making the enlistment a voluntary act, an important distinction when such crimes are tried in foreign courts. Lawyers have reportedly noted that the voluntary nature of the soldiers’ service makes them more liable for alleged crimes.

What does international law say about soldiers in foreign wars?

South Africa brought its case to the ICJ in December 2023, arguing that Israel’s war in Gaza violates the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

While a final ruling could take years, the ICJ issued provisional measures in January 2024 ordering Israel to take steps to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza and to allow unimpeded access for humanitarian aid. But Israel has continued curb the supply of aid into Gaza in violation of the ICJ interim order.

Under the 1948 Genocide Convention, countries that are party to the treaty have a binding obligation to prevent and punish genocide. Countries can investigate and prosecute individuals who may have committed or been complicit in this crime.

In March last year, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) announced the “Global 195” campaign to hold Israeli and dual-national individuals accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

The coalition aims to work simultaneously within multiple jurisdictions to apply for private arrest warrants and initiate legal proceedings against those implicated, including the Israeli military members and the entire Israeli military and political command in its scope.

For countries that are parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), there is an additional layer, where the ICC can assert its jurisdiction. Palestine has been a state party since 2015.

The State of Palestine is recognised as a sovereign nation by 157 of the 193 UN member states, representing 81 percent of the international community. Most recently, it has been recognised by France, Belgium, Canada, Australia, and the UK.

A foreign national, whose country considers Palestine a “friendly state”, would also be vulnerable to prosecution for participating in the Israeli military’s war crimes in Gaza.

How is the Hind Rajab Foundation tracking alleged war criminals?

The Hind Rajab Foundation – named to honour a five-year-old Palestinian girl whose killing by Israeli soldiers on January 29, 2024 became emblematic of Israel’s genocide in Gaza – has been amassing troves of data with identifiable information about Israeli soldiers.

The Belgium-based foundation is the force behind an international effort for accountability over war crimes in Gaza – and has since filed several cases, including a landmark challenge targeting 1,000 Israeli soldiers.

The foundation identified numerous individuals with dual citizenship, including 12 from France, 12 from the US, four from Canada, three from the UK, and two from the Netherlands, in the complaint.

The foundation has scoured TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, where the Israeli soldiers boast about atrocities in Gaza, to collect information on the soldiers. It has been using those pieces of evidence to pursue the trail of the accused for war crimes.

“We are in possession of many more profiles of dual nationals beyond the 1,000 soldiers named in our complaint to the ICC. We will be pursuing legal action against all of them in the national courts of their respective countries,” the foundation had said in October 2024. “Impunity must end, everywhere.”

The Hind Rajab Foundation says it pursues criminal accountability for Israeli war criminals, from those who planned and ordered operations to those who executed them, including foreign nationals who have participated in or financed these crimes.

Its founder, Dyab Abou Jahjah, was also threatened by Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli, who told him to “watch your pager” in a post on X, an allusion to deadly attacks on Hezbollah members’ communication systems in September 2024. At least 12 people were killed and more than 3,000 people were wounded when thousands of pagers were detonated by Israeli operatives during those attacks.

In January last year, a complaint filed by the Hind Rajab Foundation led to a Brazilian judge ordering an investigation into an Israeli soldier vacationing in the country. The soldier had to flee, prompting the Israeli military to order all troops who participated in combat to conceal their identities.

“Criminal liability under international law cannot be dissolved by time bars. It extends forever, and no statute of limitations is applicable,” said Bantekas of Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

However, prosecuting Israeli military members “is practically difficult for two reasons”, he said, noting the difficulty of obtaining firsthand evidence and the wariness of national prosecutors who may fear political or other repercussions.

“If public opinion and political opinion in Europe shifts far more in favour of Palestine than it is now, then national prosecutions will feel more at ease to initiate prosecutions,” he told Al Jazeera.

LISA Armstrong has seemingly confirmed she’s back on the market with a savage Instagram rhyme.

The Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist, and ex-wife of Ant McPartlin, hinted she’s single again with a post celebrating those “on their own”.

The 49-year-old is reported to have ended her romance with Grant Kilburn, 34, earlier this month.

In wake of the alleged split, Lisa’s pointed Valentine’s Day post included a rhyme that appeared to take aim at her former flame. 

It read: “Roses are flowers, pebbles are stones. Here’s a big shout out to those on their own.

“Count yourself lucky and try not to snob. Look on the bright side, you’re not with a nob!”

BEST FRIEND

Inside Ant McPartlin’s bond with dog Hurley who helped him through addiction

ANT AND EX

Inside the life of Ant McPartlin’s ex-wife Lisa Armstrong

Reports last month claimed she was “happier than ever” with actor Grant who had been touring in the play 2:22 A Ghost Story. 

But friends say they have since quietly gone their separate ways after deciding it wasn’t working.

A source told The Mirror: “It’s very sad but it wasn’t to be.”

Lisa is believed to have met Grant through her friends, former Strictly professional Kevin Clifton and his partner Stacey Dooley.

The break-up follows her divorce from TV presenter Ant in January 2018 after 11 years of marriage.

The split happened just two months before he ploughed into two other cars while more than twice the legal drink-drive limit.

He later admitted drink-driving, was fined £86,000 and handed a 20-month ban.

After the crash, he entered rehab and stepped away from TV presenting for 10 months.

The presenter later tied the knot with his former personal assistant, Anne-Marie Corbett, in 2021.

The couple went on to welcome their first child Wilder Patrick McPartlin last year.

Meanwhile, Lisa dated Sky electrician James Green in 2020, but they split in August 2023.

Pals said the break-up was “unexpected” and had “come out of nowhere”, though it was believed to be on friendly terms.

Despite their divorce, Lisa and Ant continued to share custody of their much-loved dog Hurley until his sad passing last week.

The couple were forced to make the agonising decision to have Hurley put to sleep after vets explained the 12-year-old pet was too ill to recover.

Ant, 50, and Lisa were both able to spend time with him beforehand, and Ant was by Hurley’s side as he peacefully slipped away.

Lisa posted an image on Instagram of a girl releasing hearts into the sky to mark the heart breaking news.

England fly-half Zoe Harrison nailed a late long-range penalty as Saracens snatched a 36-33 win over Bristol Bears at StoneX Stadium.

The victors raced into a 26-12 lead at half-time through tries by Millie Whizz, New Zealand’s Ruahei Demant and England prop Sarah Bern, who crossed twice.

Despite two scores by hooker May Campbell and one by Olivia Apps to retake the lead, Bristol then levelled the game after Keira Bevan converted her own try.

However, Harrison confidently smashed over a 79th-minute penalty to show why she was England’s World Cup-winning starting fly-half.

The victory meant Saracens kept up the pressure on Premiership Rugby Women’s league leaders Gloucester-Hartpury, while Bristol remain second from bottom.

Exeter Chiefs defeated Loughborough Lightning 26-5 at Sandy Park in Sunday’s other PWR fixture.

Francesca Granzotto, Amy Rule and Hope Rogers all scored first-half tries for the Chiefs, with Ireland’s Dorothy Wall grabbing the vital bonus-point try in the final play.

The result moved Exeter into third place above Harlequins, who lost to Gloucester-Hartpury on Saturday.

Feb. 13 (UPI) — The Department of Justice sued Harvard University on Friday for failing to hand over documents for an investigation into whether its admissions process discriminates against white people.

The Justice Department said its investigation is to determine if the Ivy League school is complying with the 2023 Supreme Court decision to ban affirmative action in higher education admissions. The investigation was launched in April and was to determine if the school’s admissions process for its undergraduate, law and medical schools follows the decision.

Harvard has said it follows the Supreme Court ruling.

“Under President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, this Department of Justice is demanding better from our nation’s educational institutions,” The Hill reported Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “Harvard has failed to disclose the data we need to ensure that its admissions are free of discrimination — we will continue fighting to put merit over DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] across America.”

The university responded that it is responding to the government according to the law.

“Harvard has been responding to the government’s inquiries in good faith and continues to be willing to engage with the government according to the process required by law,” a Harvard spokesperson said. “The University will continue to defend itself against these retaliatory actions which have been initiated simply because Harvard refused to surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights in response to unlawful government overreach.”

The Trump administration had been working with Harvard to arrange a deal after the administration was seeking $500 million and reforms from the school, to end the pressure campaign, which included a freeze on more than $2 billion in funding, a civil rights investigation and regulatory changes.

On Feb. 2, The New York Times published a story that said Trump had agreed to drop a demand for $200 million to finalize the deal. That night, Trump made a series of posts on Truth Social saying he wanted a criminal investigation of the university and increased the demand to $1 billion.

On Feb. 7, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon would end its academic partnership with Harvard, calling it a “woke” institution that is not welcoming to the U.S. military.

Markets reopen in Dilling, South Kordofan’s second largest city. Yet residents face critical medical shortages and persistent aerial attacks.

Life is cautiously returning to the streets of Dilling, the second largest city in South Kordofan state, after the Sudanese army broke a suffocating siege that had isolated the area for more than two years.

For months, the city had been encircled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), cutting off vital supply lines and trapping civilians in a severe humanitarian crisis.

While the lifting of the blockade has allowed goods to flow again, local authorities and residents said the city remains under the threat of drone attacks.

Al Jazeera Arabic’s Hisham Uweit, reporting from Dilling, described a city “recovering slowly” from the economic strangulation.

“For over two years, heavy siege conditions were imposed on the city. Movement disappeared, goods vanished and livelihoods narrowed,” Uweit said.

“Now the eyes of buyers pick through the few available goods … as if the market itself is announcing its recovery at a leisurely pace, drawing determination from the patience of its residents.”

Markets return to life

The immediate impact of the army’s advance is visible in the local markets, which were largely shuttered during the blockade. Fresh produce, absent for months, has begun to reappear in stalls.

“The market and vegetables have all returned,” a local trader told Al Jazeera. “Before, the market didn’t exist. Now we have okra, potatoes, sweet potatoes, chillies and lemons. Everything is with us, and the market has returned to normal.”

However, the resumption of trade masks deep scars left by the isolation. The blockade devastated the local economy, stripping residents of their savings and leaving infrastructure in disrepair.

‘The price of isolation’

While food supplies are improving, Dilling’s health sector remains in critical condition. The city’s main hospital is struggling with a severe lack of equipment and essential medicines, a shortage that has had life-altering consequences for the most vulnerable.

Abdelrahman, a local resident suffering from diabetes, paid a heavy price for the siege. During the months of encirclement, insulin supplies ran dry. His condition deteriorated rapidly, ultimately leading to the amputation of both his legs.

“He had a medical appointment after a month, but the month closed off his check-ups,” a relative of Abdelrahman said. “He is suffering severely. He is missing his insulin. There is a shortage of food, and he is tired. His health has declined sharply.”

‘Chased like locusts’

Despite the Sudanese army asserting control over access routes, the security situation in Dilling remains precarious. Authorities said the city is subjected to almost daily drone strikes launched by the RSF and SPLM-N, targeting infrastructure and residential areas.

For Maryam, a mother displaced multiple times by the conflict, the breaking of the siege has not brought peace. She described the terror of the unmanned aerial vehicles that hover over their homes.

“Now the drones bombard and chase us. They chase us like locusts,” Maryam said. “When they come, we just run to hide. When they hover over us, they burn the thatch [roofs], start fires and force you to leave your home.”

She added that the constant threat of aerial bombardment makes normal life impossible: “If you are having a meal, like porridge, … the moment you see them, you leave it.”

Uweit said that while the lifting of the siege is a “glimmer of hope” and a first step towards recovery, the dual challenge of rebuilding a shattered health system and fending off persistent military attacks means Dilling’s ordeal is far from over.

As Sister Veronica questions her purpose in life on the BBC drama, we take a look inside the life of actress Rebecca Gethings

Sister Veronica’s anguish has left Call the Midwife fans in tears as she longs for a child to call her own.

When the BBC period drama commenced its 15th series this January, set in 1971, viewers were immediately met with an unexpected revelation as Sister Veronica (Rebecca Gethings) opened up about her innermost feelings, and her tale is heartwrenching.

In a candid exchange with Geoffrey Franklin (Christopher Harper), the nun disclosed her desire to become a mother herself, despite having devoted her life to the Church.

Sister Veronica had also developed a particularly close relationship with baby Christopher, providing invaluable assistance and support to the Turner family in caring for the little one.

The family decided Christopher should travel back to Hong Kong to continue receiving medical care at the British Army Hospital, and Sister Veronica accompanied the tot on his journey.

On Sunday (February 8), Sister Veronica arrived back from Hong Kong and insisted on speaking privately with Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) at Nonnatus House. During an emotional discussion, Sister Veronica revealed her intention to relinquish both her position as a nun and her duties as a midwife within the order.

She said: “I came back to Poplar via the Mother House. I needed to confer with Mother Mildred because I have been feeling increasingly unhappy.”

Sister Julienne responded: “I wasn’t unaware of it but our work is not about our happiness, it is about seeking no reward other than knowing that we do his will.”

The remark caught Sister Veronica off guard, prompting her to declare: “If you are quoting Ignatius of Loyola, then you are admitting the bit about giving and not counting the cost. And I can’t keep on giving and not counting the cost any longer.”

“I hoped I could bear it, but I can’t”, Sister Veronica confessed, before removing her wimple and exposing her hair for the first time.

“I have been given permission to go away for six weeks while I decide if I want to give up my vows and leave the order.”

Sister Veronica, now going by Beryl, later received consolation from Shelagh Turner (Laura Main), who had herself left the order years earlier to build a family with Doctor Turner (Stephen McGann). Beryl subsequently gathered her belongings and departed Nonnatus House. Will she return to Nonnatus House?

Who plays Sister Veronica in Call the Midwife?

Sister Veronica joined Call the Midwife in Series 12 (2023) as a new nun at Nonnatus House, replacing Sister Hilda.

She had previously worked as a midwife in Hong Kong and initially joined Nonnatus House as a health visitor. She certainly has her quirks, though she has become a much-loved member of the team and the community.

Sister Veronica is played by Rebecca Gethings, a 50-year-old English actress who was born in Canada.

Raised in Berkshire, UK, she studied drama at the Webber Douglas Academy. Starting off her career in theatre, she appeared in the West End production of Vassa.

She has gone on to star in a long list of television shows, including Queen Eleanor in The Serpent Queen, Helen Hatley in The Thick of It, Dawn in Not Going Out, Lizzie in Extras, and a guest role in EastEnders in 2001.

Rebecca has also starred in movies, including Casino Royale and The Critic. In 2015, she played PR manager, Miriam Clark, in Ricky Gervais’ film David Brent: Life on the Road.

Who is Rebecca Gethings’ husband?

In June 2025, Rebecca tied the knot with long time partner Tom Brass, opting for a pink dress after a disaster with her original wedding dress.

Rebecca and her animation director husband, also parents to two children, celebrated their union with an intimate East London ceremony.

The actress took to Instagram to share her joy, posting a stunning snapshot of her and Tom walking hand in hand as newlyweds.

Underneath the photo, she brimmed with enthusiasm, captioning: “I do, he do, and we very much did! All our thanks to @davidjonesphotography @iconoclast_london @justineluxton_costumedesigner.”

Speaking about her wedding dress disaster, Rebecca shared on the Call the Midwife Instagram page: “I wanted to keep our wedding very low-key – just Tom, the kids and myself. So I bought myself a wedding dress online in the sales. Just a white summer dress – nothing too fancy. It was then that disaster struck!

“Unfortunately, the dress arrived by post in a rainstorm whilst I was at work! I asked our babysitter to rescue it from behind the bin where the postman had left it. But when she turned up, she found that the rain-soaked parcel box had disintegrated completely!”

Justine Luxton, the show’s costume designer, and her assistant Anna Laflin, saved the day by making a new dress from beautiful coral fabric from Joel & Sons, which Rebecca had selected.

Call the Midwife airs Sunday at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer

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

ARE you not entertained? You will be if you are at a gladiators’ colosseum with no queues and no crowds for just three quid.

El Jem is the world’s third-biggest Roman amphitheatre, but it is not in Italy. You’ll find it in Tunisia instead.

The 35,000-seat stone structure dates from the 3rd century AD.

Built by local imperial official Gordian, later emperor Gordian II, it is as spectacular as the 50,000-capacity Rome Colosseum it is based on, minus the £15.80pp admission and crowds. 

At some point you will likely be told Russell Crowe’s epic movie Gladiator was shot at El Jem. Unleash hell on that film “fact” as it wasn’t! 

But if you want to channel your inner Maximus Decimus Meridius in a real gladiatorial arena, there is ample space. 

SHORT HAUL

Spanish sandbar that ‘looks like Florida’ and gets 300 days of sunshine a year

SERF & TURF

The Med island with 340 days of sunshine & perfect beach bar owned by BGT star

It is well preserved despite being plundered for local construction after the Romans left, then bombarded by Ottoman troops in the 17th century when rebels sheltered inside.  

Today it hosts summer classical music concerts and offers a fascinating insight into Roman times. 

My wife Debbie and I were amazed how much freedom to, er, roam we had when we visited in early September. 

No queues to get in, no forests of selfie sticks – we went straight in to the underground chambers where lions, tigers, leopards and bears were kept. 

Then we headed up past the posh seats (close enough to the action for blood splashes!) to the lofty third tier for great photo opps from where the plebs jeered and cheered. 

We finished in the arena where gladiators – in what was imperial outpost Thysdrus in Roman times – battled those animals and each other and criminals were executed by being thrown to leopards. Lion v bear fights? Yep, that too. 

Take a sun hat, as this place is on the edge of the Sahara and can get ferociously hot. But there is a shady cafe for a cooling drink or ice cream.

While Sousse is brilliant for soaking up the sunshine year-round, with September temperatures in the high 20s, heading out to discover more of this fascinating country makes a perfect break from the sunlounger. 

You can visit El Jem (in the town of the same name) by taxi or train if you are staying around Sousse or Monastir, but we joined an excellent all-day coach tour with easyJet holidays’ partner Musement from our Sousse hotel (£60pp, with lunch). 

While Sousse is brilliant for soaking up the sunshine year-round, with September temperatures in the high 20s, heading out to discover more of this fascinating country makes a perfect break from the sunlounger. 

Our day-trip itinerary also included the 670 AD Great Mosque of Kairouan, one of the most prominent in Islam, and the ornate ‘Barber’ Mosque, where guide Ibrahim offered a toe-curling “snippet” about 17th-century circumcision techniques.  

There’s a genuine movie moment at the final stop in charming, historic Monastir. 

The Ribat, an 8th-century Islamic fort, featured in Monty Python’s Life Of Brian but, whether you are the Messiah or just a very naughty boy, it is a must with the tower offering fine views over the mausoleum of Tunisia’s first president, Habib Bourguiba, the beach and marina. Like El Jem, it’s social media selfie heaven. 

Definitely a thumbs up for this gladia-tour. 

From his first day attending classes at Harvard-Westlake’s middle school campus, which includes seventh- and eighth-graders, Louis Lappe was being recognized as a celebrity.

“A few of the seventh graders I guess they know me kind of,” Lappe said humbly.

Not kind of.

“Every day, I hear them,” freshman teammate Nate Englander said. “‘Are you Louis Lappe, the kid who hit the walk-off home run in the Little League World Series?’ Every grade, seriously.”

It’s time for the Louis Lappe Show to hit the high school ranks. The national hero as a 12-year-old who led El Segundo to the Little League world championship in 2023 is now 15 and set to begin his first year of high school baseball. He’ll be starting at third base for the Wolverines. He’s 6 feet 2 and is joined by two other top freshmen on Harvard-Westlake’s varsity team, the 6-2 Englander, an outfielder-pitcher, and the 6-2 Mateo Mier, a pitcher.

This reminds scouts of the spring of 2021, when Bryce Rainer, Tommy Bridges and Duncan Marsten started on the Wolverines’ varsity team as freshmen. Rainer became a first-round draft pick, Marsten is a standout pitcher at Wake Forest and Bridges went to Northwestern.

Englander still hasn’t forgiven Lappe for eliminating him and Sherman Oaks Little League in the 2023 regional playoffs.

El Segundo’s Louis Lappe celebrates as he rounds second after hitting a solo walk-off home run off Curacao’s Jay-Dlynn Wiel during the sixth inning of the Little League World Series championship game in 2023.

(Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press)

“Obviously, it was difficult at the time,” Englander said. “We’re boys now. It’s amazing to reconnect. It’s going to be fun.”

During fall and winter ball, Lappe displayed occasional power, similar to what he did as a 12-year-old that allowed him to hit five home runs at the 2023 Little League World Series, including his walk-off home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Venezuela.

He had a .445 batting average in winter ball, second only to Vanderbilt-bound senior James Tronstein.

It’s still going to be a transition season for Lappe.

“It’s a whole new game. A whole new chapter I have to get used to,” he said. “The main thing will be getting used to the speed of the game. It’s much faster than 14-, 15-year-old travel ball. Everyone runs faster, throws harder. When we get used to that, we’ll be just fine.”

Lappe and Mier won gold medals during the summer playing for the USA 15U national team.

Mier is going to be placed immediately on the mound as part of a three-man starting pitching rotation used by pitching coach Joe Guntz to deal with some of the best hitters in the Southland.

“I think it’s more about finding your spot on the team,” Mier said. “It’s a team game. Travel ball is very self-centered. The challenge is learning how to pitch and not be a thrower. I feel coach Guntz is the right person to teach me that.”

All three look like they could be playing basketball or football with their physical statures. That will mark them early on as no ordinary freshmen.

“We’re in the Mission League, which is one of the most difficult and prestigious leagues in the country,” Englander said. “There’s a lot more talent, whether it’s guys throwing harder, hitting the ball farther.”

The Mission League has had an influx of outstanding players from the class of 2029, including Jordan Leon at Sierra Canyon and Brody Brooks at Loyola.

“I think we’ll hold our own,” Englander said. “We look the part. Hopefully we can play the part.”

Mark down Harvard-Westlake’s games against Loyola because the Cubs have four former El Segundo players on their team, including the manager, Danny Boehle. Imagine the trash talk that might be transpiring with Lappe on second base talking to Brooks, one of his best friends who plays shortstop.

“It will be fun to mess with them and also beat them,” Lappe said.

It’s going to be a memorable four years of high school baseball for Lappe and his fellow class of 2029 players.

French filmmaker Frank Barat is among 100 artists, including Mark Ruffalo, who’ve signed an open letter in support of Francesca Albanese who faces growing calls from European governments to step down as UN rapporteur. It comes after a fake video of her sparked allegations of anti-Semitism.

As a child, I spent nearly every weekend with my best friend shooting hoops and jumping fences throughout Hollywood.

It was always amusing seeing tourists — especially foreigners — line up around buildings and outside nightclubs and lounges that held no meaning to me, at the time.

These monuments I ignored as a youngster became the must-see places of my teenage years and early 20s.

It was at the Viper Room where a 20-year-old me was tossed out of line trying to crash the same venue where Pearl Jam had played.

I was first scandalized by the price of a drink for a date’s $10 cocktail at the Troubadour in West Hollywood (I think I was making $6.50 an hour at the time). But I had to visit one of Jim Morrison’s favorite haunts.

So I was delighted when The Times entertainment team compiled its list of 26 legendary music sites in L.A.

It was fun to see favorites, but more importantly, to read about new places and legends.

Hopefully, there’s a spot that intrigues you. Let’s take a look at a few selections.

Capitol Records (Hollywood)

The most famous tower in all of music was never overtly intended to look like a stack of LPs and a stylus needle.

“The building was not designed as a cartoon or a giggle. To have it trivialized with the stack-of-records myth is annoying and dismaying,” architect Louis Naidorf has said of his Capitol Records Building. “There’s not a thing on the building that doesn’t have a solid purpose to it.”

That was no obstacle for it becoming emblematic of both Los Angeles and the record business. It’s still home to one of the most renowned recording studios on Earth, and its silhouette remains a Hollywood icon and a symbol of Los Angeles on par with the Hollywood sign nearby.

(Ken Hively/Los Angeles Times)

Elliott Smith Wall (Silver Lake)

The beloved singer-songwriter Elliott Smith posed at the swooping mural outside Solutions speaker repair in Silver Lake for the cover of his LP “Figure 8” in 2000.

After he died by suicide in 2003, the wall became an unofficial memorial for Smith, where fans left touching notes, song lyrics and nips of liquors mentioned in his songs.

While the wall has been cut out in spots to make room for various restaurants — and it’s often covered in more flagrant tagging — it’s still a living connection to one of the city’s most cherished voices.

(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

Chaplin Studio (Hollywood)

John Mayer calls it “adult day care”: the historic recording studio behind the arched gates on La Brea Avenue where famous musicians have been keeping themselves — and one another — creatively occupied since the mid-1960s.

Known for decades as Henson Studios — and as A&M Studios before that — the 3-acre complex in the heart of Hollywood has played host to the creation of some of music’s most celebrated records, among them Carole King’s “Tapestry,” Joni Mitchell’s “Blue,” Guns N’ Roses’ “Use Your Illusion” and D’Angelo’s “Black Messiah.”

Charlie Chaplin, who was born in London, began building the lot in 1917 in a white-and-brown English Tudor style; he went on to direct some of his best-known films, including “Modern Times” and “The Great Dictator,” on the property.

The Lighthouse Cafe (Hermosa Beach)

The Lighthouse Cafe might seem familiar from its cameo in the Oscar-winning movie “La La Land,” but this jazz cafe was once instrumental in shaping the West Coast jazz scene.

The beachside spot first opened as a restaurant in 1934 and was changed into a bar by the 1940s. It first started to play jazz in 1949 when the owner let bassist Howard Rumsey host a recurring jam session. The jams quickly began to draw both a vivacious crowd of listeners and a core group of budding jazz musicians.

Over the years, musicians like Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Miles Davis and Max Roach all made regular appearances at the Lighthouse. Today, the venue still hosts jazz brunches every Sunday and other musical gigs throughout the week.

For more, here is the entire list.

The week’s biggest stories

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles news

Trump administration policies and reactions

Milan-Cortina Olympic Games

Crime, courts and policing

What else is going on

Must reads

Other meaty reads

For your downtime

(Illustrations by Lindsey Made This; photograph by Rony Armas)

Going out

Staying in

L.A. Affairs

Get wrapped up in tantalizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew J. Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.

Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale won snowboard cross mixed team gold – Team GB’s first ever Winter Olympic title on snow.

After heartbreak in their individual events, the British pair made amends with an astonishing performance to add Olympic gold to the World Championship title they won in 2023.

In an event that sees the men race first, Nightingale crossed the line in second place to set up Bankes perfectly – and she used her remarkable speed on the board to take the lead and pip Italy’s Michela Moioli to the line.

It marked a second successive silver in this event for Moioli and Lorenzo Sommariva, while France’s Loan Bozzolo and Lea Casta took bronze.

Bankes, a former individual world champion and two-time overall World Cup winner, was left crestfallen on Friday when she exited the women’s event in the quarter-finals, just as she did four years ago in Beijing, despite being widely tipped for a medal.

Similarly, Nightingale was left wanting much more from himself after exiting the men’s competition in the round of 16, but found another level to produce arguably his best racing alongside Bankes.

SAVANNAH Guthrie is reportedly looking to quit The Today Show for good as she fears her fame made her mother a vulnerable target.

It comes just months after she filmed a segment for the show with her mother Nancy, 84, who has now been missing for two weeks.

Sources have said that the co-host is considering a permanent exit from the hit show after her mother was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona, at around 2am on February 1.

“This absolutely came out of the blue, and I think she’s really concerned that it was because of her job,” NewsNation’s Paula Froelich reported, citing sources. 

She added that Savannah, who is said to be a “mess” as the search for her mother enters its third week, fears her fame made her mother more of a target “with bad characters”.

Just months before she was taken, The Today Show filmed a segment with Savannah near Nancy’s $1 million home, which is now a major crime scene.

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In the NBC clip from November 2025, the mother-and-daughter duo paired up for a piece called “Savannah’s Arizona Homecoming” which also featured her sister Annie.

It documented the television star going back to her roots including her alma mater and El Charro, the oldest family-owned Mexican restaurant in America where she shared a meal with her family for the show.

“I have to come here every time I come home to Tucson,” Savannah said.

Her mother has featured in several segments for the show over the years since Savannah joined in 2012.

Despite admitting they are ‘exhausted’ by the search for Nancy, who is in poor health and in need of daily medication, cops have vowed they will find her and those responsible for her disappearance.

Investigators have now reportedly turned to high-tech scanners that can detect Bluetooth signals in an attempt to connect to Nancy’s pacemaker as they run out of leads and have no suspects.

A series of ransom notes sent to the family, law enforcement, and several news outlets are further muddying the waters, with a number of them turning out to be fake.

Fox News Digital reported that the Bluetooth devices have been attached to the bottom of police helicopters that are flying in low and slow, in grid-like patterns to try to locate her heart monitor device.

But, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said the search for Nancy could now go on for years as hopes seemingly begin to fade.

Earlier this week, investigators were seen combing through the grounds of her property, and searching inside a septic tank.

On Friday night, a number of people were reportedly detained in a SWAT raid at a nearby home after mystery DNA was recovered in the case, but cops later confirmed no arrests were made.

Meanwhile, investigators are still searching for the masked man captured in chilling doorbell footage taken from Nancy’s home on the night she vanished.

Federal agents have released new details about the suspect as they hope to cut down the number of public tips that have been called in with over 13,000 reported since February 1.

Officials are looking for a man who is around five-foot-nine-inches to five-foot-ten-inches with an average build.

He was seen in the footage wearing a black, 25-liter Ozark Hiker Pack backpack.

The reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case has been increased from $50,000 to $100,000.

Timeline of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance

Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her home on February 1, 2026.

Timeline:

• January 31: Nancy is last seen by her family
  • 5:32pm: Nancy travels to her daughter’s home for dinner, about 11 minutes from her own house.
  • 9:48pm: Family members drop off Nancy Guthrie at her home in Tucson. Her garage door closes two minutes later.
• February 1: Nancy is reported missing and a search begins
  • 1:47am: Nancy’s doorbell camera disconnects
  • 2:12am: Camera software detects a person moving in range of the camera. There is no video, and Nancy does not have a storage description.
  • 2:28am: Nancy’s pacemaker app disconnects from her phone, which is later found still at her house.
  • Around 11am: A parishioner at Nancy’s church calls the mom’s children and says she failed to show up for service.
  • 11:56am: Family members arrive at Nancy’s house to check on her.
  • 12:03pm: The family calls 911 to report Nancy missing.
  • 8:55pm: The Pima County Sheriff’s Office gives its first press conference and reveals some clues found at Nancy’s home caused “grave concern.” Sheriff Chris Nanos says helicopters, drones, and infrared cameras are all being utilized in the search.
• February 2: Search crews pull back. Nancy’s home is considered a crime scene. Savannah releases a statement thanking supporters for their prayers, which her co-hosts read on Today.
• February 3: A trail of blood is pictured outside Nancy’s home, where there were reportedly signs of forced entry. Nanos admits they have no suspects, no leads, and no videos that could lead to Nancy’s recovery. He and the FBI beg for more tips and accounts.
• February 4, 8pm: Savannah and her siblings release a heartbreaking video directed at their mother’s abductors asking for proof she is alive and saying they’re willing to work with them to get her back.
• February 5: FBI offers $50,000 reward for information on the case.
  • 5pm: First ransom demand deadline for millions in Bitcoin passes. Guthrie family releases demand to speak “directly” to the kidnappers, saying, “We want to talk to you and we are waiting for contact.”
• February 9, 5pm: Second ransom demand deadline, reportedly with “much more serious” conditions.

LOTS has and is changing in the world of travel and it can be confusing to keep up – but there are two vital changes for Brits.

Last year a new system known as the Entry/Exit System (EES) was introduced and later this year, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will be introduced.

Both impact Brits travelling to much-loved holiday destinations including Spain, France and Greece.

But what are they both and how are they different?

EU Entry/Exit System (EES)

EES stands for Entry/Exit System and is a new digital border system in Europe.

Anyone who is not a European national, which includes Brits, and is travelling for a short stay (up to 90 days within any 180-day period) within EU countries will now be tracked when they enter and exit that country.

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In order to do this, a new system was put in place where travellers scan their fingerprints and have their photo taken when they are at the border of an EU country.

If you have not done this before, you will have to register at a kiosk when travelling to a participating country.

However, this is usually done as a selection process as the new system is being rolled out in phases until April 2026.

If you are selected, your passport will be scanned, as well as your fingerprints and your photo will be taken.

You will also be asked some questions about your travels, such as why you are visiting the country you have arrived into and where you will be staying whilst you are in the country.

Your data will then be stored in the Biometric Matching Service for three years.

If you travel again within these three years to EU countries, you will only need to scan your face or a fingerprint.

Children under 12-years-old will not need to give their fingerprints.

The system has been introduced to hopefully make border checks faster and more modern.

It also allows authorities to track who comes in and out of the Schengen Area – which is a zone in Europe that allows passport-free travel under a common visa policy.

Some of The Sun Travel team have experienced EES already.

Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor, said: “I travelled through Alicante Airport the other day, guided to the EES kiosks set just prior to border control, where the traditional passport stamping system is still in place for Brits.

“The assumption by airport staff was that every Brit getting off the plane wouldn’t have registered yet.

“There was a high number of kiosks, where staff were busy guiding Brits through the registration process: first, language selection; then passport scan (just like the one at electronic border control); next a facial picture; then fingerprint scans are taken.

“For me, along with about 30 per cent of the other travellers around me, the kiosk wouldn’t register my fingerprints, so I was sent to border control where my passport was stamped in the traditional way.

“On the return leg, Brits have to go to the same kiosks, this time in departures. They will be asked to go through the same process before passing through border control to reach the non-Schengen gates.”

Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter, said: “On my arrival at Vilnius Airport in Lithuania, I was quickly ushered towards the new EES machines for registration.

“Luckily I was one of the first off the plane and had plenty of time to do so.

“The first thing I had to do was select my language, then it began the process.

“It will scan your passport first, then take a photo of you, and then scan your fingerprints.

“I was then asked a few questions about my trip, like if I had proof of accommodation, what my citizenship status is, if I had a return travel ticket, money to fund my holiday and medical insurance – where you answer yes, no or other in some cases.

“Registration took just a few minutes, but I then had to queue up at border control for almost an hour.

“Here they still stamped my passport and asked further questions like the name of my hotel and proof of my return journey.”

The system is expected to be fully operational by April 10, 2026 – which means if you travel after then and haven’t yet been registered, you will be at that point.

European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)

On the other hand, ETIAS is a completely different system and stands for European Travel Information and Authorisation.

This is a new system that will allow visitors to enter countries within the Schengen Area and other participating countries.

Sounds like EES, right?

Wrong – ETIAS is essentially a visa waiver that is linked to your passport and says you can visit a country.

Whereas EES is the system that tracks you when you eventually visit that country.

Any national who is visa-exempt, including Brits, will have to get ETIAS authorisation.

It will be valid for up to three years, or until your passport expires – whichever is soonest.

To get ETIAS authorisation, you will need to visit the official ETIAS website and follow the instructions on its portal.

The application should only take a couple of minutes to complete, but it may take up to 30 days to be approved – so it is best to be prepared.

Unlike EES, you will also need to pay for ETIAS – like you would do with an ESTA for America.

ETIAS will cost €20 (£17) per person, but travellers under 18 and over 70 do not need to pay the fee (though they still have to apply for one).

ETIAS hasn’t started yet, but is expected to begin in late 2026, with a specific introduction date to be announced by the EU closer to the time.

In other important travel news, there are 37 new flights launching from a major UK airport this year.

Plus, the UK’s busiest train station with 100million passengers finally gets go ahead for controversial £1.2billion expansion.

CAREFREE, Ariz. — Elizabeth H. paused recently outside the post office in this small, high-desert community, not far from where Easy Street meets Nonchalant Avenue.

She felt neither easy nor nonchalant.

“I think the climate imposed by the Trump administration is really sad and scary,” said Elizabeth, who asked to withhold her last name to avoid being attacked for the views she expressed.

“I don’t like the way that ICE is being used to bully citizens and even just people who are brown,” she continued. “And I don’t like that governors of blue states are being shut out while governors of red states are being welcomed. I just don’t think he treats us like we’re all Americans.”

For his part, Anthony D. finds little not to like about President Trump. He, too, asked not to use his last name, as did several others who agreed to talk politics.

“We finally don’t have a— in office that are destroying our country and worrying about everybody else in the world,” said Anthony, 66, a plumbing contractor and proudly blunt-spoken New York native. (Just like Trump, he pointed out.) “I mean, his tariffs are working. The negotiations are working. I just see a lot of positive coming out of that office.”

Even so, there’s something that bothers him: The way so many fellow citizens view the president and his America First agenda.

“Most people don’t like what he says, but look what he’s doing,” Anthony said as the late-morning crowd trickled into an upscale North Scottsdale shopping center. “You can hate the person, but don’t hate the message. He’s trying to do the right thing.”

Here in central Arizona, a prime battleground in November’s midterm election, there is precious little agreement about Trump, his policies and motivations.

Supporters see the president turning things around after four disastrous years of Joe Biden. Critics see him turning the country into a place they barely recognize.

There is puzzlement on both sides.

Over what others believe. Over how others can possibly believe what they believe, see the things they see and perceive Trump the way they perceive him.

And although some are eager for the midterm elections as a way to corral the president — “I don’t think they should only impeach, I think they should imprison,” Brent Bond, a 59-year-old Scottsdale artist, said of his hopes for a Democratic Congress — others fear an end to Trump’s nearly unfettered reign.

Or that nothing will change, regardless of what happens at the polls in November.

“The fact is, Trump is going to keep Trumping until he’s done,” said Elizabeth H., who’s semiretired at age 55 after a career in financial services. “My only relief is that he’s an old, old man and he’s not going to be here forever.”

Brent Bond would like to see Trump imprisoned, not just impeached.

(Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times)

Arizona’s 1st Congressional District climbs from northeastern Phoenix to the mountainous heart of the Sonoran Desert. It takes in the affluent enclaves of Scottsdale and Paradise Valley and — where the urban sprawl finally yields to cactus, palo verde and other flora — Carefree and the Old West-themed Cave Creek.

It is the whitest, wealthiest and best-educated of Arizona’s nine congressional districts, home to numerous upscale resorts, major medical campuses and a large population of retirees comfortably settled in one of many gated communities.

Affordability, as in struggling just to get by, is not a pressing issue here.

In 2020, Biden carried the district 50% to 49%. Four years later, Trump beat Kamala Harris 51% to 48%.

(The Down Ballot, which crunches election data, rated Arizona’s 1st District the median of 435 congressional districts nationwide, meaning in 2024 half were redder on the presidential level and half were bluer.)

For more than a decade, the area has been represented by Republican Dave Schweikert, a local political fixture since the 1990s.

He’s had to fight hard for reelection in recent years as the district, like the whole of Arizona, has grown more competitive. Rather than run again, Schweikert announced he would give up his seat to try for governor. The result is a free-for-all and one of the relatively few toss-up House races anywhere in the country.

A passel of candidates is running and the result will help determine whether Democrats, who need to flip three seats, will seize control of the House in November.

Despite those high stakes, however, the race doesn’t seem to have generated much voter interest, at least not yet. In dozens of interviews across the district, it was the relentless Trump who drew the most attention, admiration and exasperation.

Moe Modjeski, a supporter, allowed as how the president “is no altar boy.”

Even so, “I’ll take his policies over someone that might be nice and polite,” said the 69-year-old Scottsdale resident, a financial advisor who cited the sky-scraping stock market as one example of Trump’s success. “I mean, gas is about half the price it was a year or two ago.”

But for Liz R., who’s “never been a sky-is-falling type,” it certainly feels that way. The 75-year-old cited “everything from tariffs to ICE to destroying the healthcare system and controls for pollution.”

“I lived through the ‘60s and 70s and can’t remember a time when I feared so much for the future of our country,” said Liz, a retired medical technologist.

She’ll vote for a Democrat in November — to put a check on Trump, not because the Carefree resident has great faith in the party or its direction.

“I wish the Dems would get it together and maybe we could get more of a centrist that could unite and not get hung up on some of these social issues,” she said. “There’s a lot of economic issues, bread-and-butter issues, and I think that’s why the Republicans won [in 2024], because of the problems with immigration and inflation.”

As a border state, Arizona has long been at the forefront of the political fight over immigration. It was here lawmakers passed — and opponents spent years battling — legislation that effectively turned police into immigration officers, requiring them to demand the papers of anyone suspected of being in the country illegally

Thomas Campbell, with Keegan and Guinness, blamed blue-state politicians for any overreach by ICE agents.

(Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times)

Now that aggressive approach has become national policy, which is fine by Thomas Campbell, a retired architect and staunch Trump backer. He blamed any enforcement overreach on blue-state lawmakers.

“For some reason, the Democrats have decided they want to side with the criminals, so they don’t allow their police departments to cooperate,” said Campbell, 72, who stopped outside Paradise Valley’s town hall while running errands with his Irish setters, Guinness and Keegan. “If that wasn’t the case, there wouldn’t be any” controversy over ICE’s tactics.

Martha Cornelison agreed the border with Mexico needed to be secured and that serious lawbreakers should be deported.

But why, she wondered, are immigration agents scooping up honest taxpayers, parents with children born in the U.S. and others keeping on the straight and narrow?

“I think they’re going after the wrong people,” said the 76-year-old Scottsdale retiree as a friend, Lily, nodded in agreement. The two were sharing a bench in Scottsdale’s pueblo-inspired civic plaza, a nearby fountain burbling in the 80-degree sunshine.

“I think we need to look at our county jails, look at our city jails,” said Cornelison, who made her living selling large appliances. “How many illegal immigrants are, say, in Florence, which is our state prison? Send them back. Don’t go after Mr. Gonzalez who’s doing my lawn. Empty out our prisons.”

Back at the North Scottsdale shopping center, Denise F. was walking Chase, her Shih Tzu, past a parking lot brimming with Teslas, Mercedes and Cadillac SUVs.

The 73-year-old voted for Trump because she couldn’t abide Harris. But she’s disgusted with the president.

“I don’t like the division in the country. I think Trump thinks he’s a king,” said Denise, a retired banker. “He’s poking the bear with Venezuela and Greenland, Iran” — she poked the air as she named each country — “to see who he can engage in a possible war, which is not the way I think the United States should be.”

As Denise was finishing up, Anthony D., her friend and neighbor, strolled up and joined the conversation, offering his laudatory view of the president. “Trump’s a businessman and he’s running the country like a business,” Anthony said, as Denise looked on impassively.

“How did I do?” he asked after saying his piece.

“Great,” Denise replied amiably and the two walked off together, Chase between them.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Mikaela Shiffrin’s Olympic woes continued Sunday, with the American skier finishing 11th in the women’s giant slalom at the Milan-Cortina Games.

Italy’s Federica Brignone won the race for her second gold of these Olympics, posting a combined time of 2 minutes and 13.50 seconds. Sweden’s Sara Hector and Norway’s Thea Louise St. Jernesund tied for silver (+0.62). Hector and St. Jernesund, stunningly, posted identical times in both of their runs — 1:03.97 in Run 1 and 1:10.15 in Run 2.

Shiffrin’s second run started strong but she lost time in the middle part of the course to finish in 1:10.17 combined time of 2:14.42 (+0.92).

Shiffrin, the all-time leader in World Cup wins, has failed to reach the podium in her last eight Olympic events. Although Shiffrin won gold in the giant slalom in the 2018 Olympics, her subsequent performances in Beijing in 2022, and last Tuesday in Cortina, have people wondering if the Games present a brick-wall mental block for her.

After all, she came into these Olympics having won seven of eight World Cup slalom races, and finishing second in the one she didn’t win.

Yet Tuesday, in the women’s combined, she was 15th out of 18 finishers. That was a disappointing debut for a legendary racer looking to bounce back from her last Olympic showing.

Four years ago, she was a favorite in Beijing but went 0 for 6 on podiums and failed to cross the finish line three times. Her best individual result was ninth in the super-G.

Sunday was all about Giant Slalom, a discipline in which Shiffrin holds the women’s record for most World Cup wins with 22.

But she has endured a long dry spell in the discipline in recent years. She didn’t have a top-three result in giant slalom between January 2024 — when she was runner-up at the race in Slovakia — until her third-place finish in Czechia last month. She failed to reach the podium in her 11 races in between.

That said, since the end of 2025, she has been steadily improving, going from sixth to fifth to fourth to third in World Cup finishes leading into the Olympics.

That upward trajectory was not evident in her first GS run Sunday morning. On a cool but sunny start to the day, she skied the course at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in 1:04.25 — best of the four Americans but 1.02 seconds off Brignone. That put Shiffrin in seventh place heading into the afternoon session.

The Israeli government has approved a proposal to register large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property,” for the first time since the Israeli occupation of the territory in 1967.

Israeli public broadcaster KAN on Sunday said the proposal was submitted by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defence Minister Israel Katz.

“We are continuing the settlement revolution to control all our lands,” said Smotrich.

Most Palestinian land is not formally registered because it is a long, complicated process that Israel stopped in 1967. Registration of land establishes permanent ownership. International law states an occupying power cannot confiscate land in occupied territories.

The Palestinian Presidency slammed the Israeli government’s decision, calling it a “serious escalation” and saying the Israeli move effectively nullifies signed agreements and clearly contradicts resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, Wafa news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Katz described the move as an “essential security and governance measure designed to ensure control, enforcement, and full freedom of action for the State of Israel in the area”, the Jerusalem Post newspaper reported.

Last week, the Israeli Security Cabinet approved measures promoted by Smotrich and Katz that further facilitate the unlawful seizure of Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.

Analysts describe it as a de facto annexation of the Palestinian territory, warning that it will profoundly reshape its civil and legal landscape by eliminating what the Israeli ministers called longstanding “legal obstacles” to the expansion of illegal settlements there.

Speaking from Ramallah, political analyst Xavier Abu Eid told Al Jazeera Israel is “packing annexation into some sort of a bureaucratic move”. He said the International Court of Justice in 2024 said the Israeli actions amount to annexation of the occupied West Bank.

“People should understand this is not just a step towards annexation, we are experiencing annexation as we speak today. What the Israeli government is doing is implanting their political programme – a policy that has already been presented,” he said.

Palestinian landowners are going to face more threats and intimidation from Israeli settlers supported by the Israeli government, he warned.

Five European countries say lab tests conclude that Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was killed in 2024 by a rare dart frog toxin while serving a 19-year sentence in a Siberia prison. Moscow rejects the claim as Western disinformation, insisting he died of natural causes.

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is a dark comedy thriller series topping Netflix charts, and here’s everything you need to know about the actor who plays Liam

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast fans are only just realising where they have seen Darragh Hand before.

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is already making waves on Netflix, with the dark comedy thriller featuring an impressive cast.

The brainchild of Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee, the series follows three friends as they delve into the mysterious death of a former classmate.

Their own tumultuous personal lives prove to be obstacles as they encounter a host of intriguing characters during their journey across Ireland. Fans are just now recognising one of the stars from previous roles.

Emerging star Darragh Hand portrays Liam, a Garda police officer who comes to the trio’s aid when they find themselves stranded on a road.

Liam plays a pivotal role in the investigation that forms the crux of the plot, and here’s everything you need to know about the actor’s past roles.

Darragh Hand is an Irish-Jamaican actor who has featured in big-name shows like Netflix’s Heartstopper and ITV’s detective series, Grace.

His television debut was as Kai Davis in the BBC’s long-standing drama, Silent Witness. He then landed the role of Leo in the third season of Grace.

Viewers might recognise him as Michael Holden from the third season of Netflix’s romantic drama, Heartstopper.

In his cameo in Radio Silence, Michael came across as geeky and awkward for an athlete, owing to his height and his thick-framed glasses.

The actor has also made his mark in theatre, with acclaimed performances in Dear England, Richard III, and The Land of Lost Content.

In conversation with Bustle, the 27 year old Olivier-nominated performer from Croydon discussed his Heartstopper role and what viewers can anticipate from the forthcoming film.

He revealed: “The fans of that show are some of the most loyal, dedicated fans I’ve ever experienced. It means so much to them as an audience, so I don’t know if there’s much I can give away.

“But it is the final instalment, so we will be saying goodbye to these characters, which is sad and beautiful – especially for a lot of the other cast [members who have] grown up with this show.”

He continued: “I will always be so grateful for Heartstopper because it introduced me into the TV/film realm in the best way possible. Even down to the comics – my character, Michael Holden, looks a bit different from how I look.

“And I would see people online absolutely crushing any narrative of, like, Oh, this is not how he looked in the comics. This is not how his hair was in the comics. They really vouched for me.

“They genuinely had my back, which was a bizarre but lovely thing. For that to be my introduction was beautiful.”

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is on Netflix

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

Watch out for the 100ml limit on some types of food

Picking up a snack or beverage during your flight can make a real difference to your travel experience when jetting off on holiday. Carriers like easyJet offer a wide selection of refreshments and nibbles available for purchase.

That said, these items can come with a hefty price tag, and when you’re travelling with the whole family, the bill can quickly spiral. Fortunately, passengers are typically allowed to bring their own food on board, though certain products are completely banned.

Exact regulations differ between airlines, but there are standard restrictions that apply across most UK carriers in 2026.

EasyJet permits passengers to bring their own food on flights, whilst also providing an assortment of snacks and beverages for sale during the journey.

The airline urges travellers to familiarise themselves with particular rules concerning the importation of certain food products at their destination, reports the Express.

EasyJet said: “There’s a 100ml limit for liquid food, like soup or custard. Different countries have different regulations about importing food and drink, so make sure you check the rules for your destination.

“You can bring alcohol bought in the airside departure lounge into the cabin, as long as it’s unopened. Alcohol must be lower than 70% abv, and packed either in an airport shopping bag or in your cabin bag. It’s strictly forbidden to drink any alcohol that has not been purchased on board the aircraft and those found consuming their own alcohol may face prosecution.

“You can bring hot drinks on board if you’ve bought them at the airport and they have a lid on.

“The 100ml liquid limit doesn’t apply to baby food, milk or sterilised water, provided that the total amount is no more than two litres. You may be asked to taste it for security reasons.”

Banned food and drinks on easyJet flights

• Any liquid food over 100ml, like soup, yoghurt or custard
• Bottles of alcohol that have been opened. Alcoholic beverages may only be consumed if purchased on board during the flight.
• More than two litres of baby food or formula
• Hot drinks without a lid on

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TREAT the kids to a fantastic half-term day out this week without breaking the bank.

There are superb free and low-cost events across the UK promising a lot of laughs at festivals, farms, forests, castles and animal parks. Trisha Harbord has selected a dazzling dozen.

FESTIVAL FUN

WITH a name like Super Duper, it is bound to be a great family festival.

For four days in half-term, Manchester is transformed into a giant playground with free activities in public spaces, cultural venues and landmark destinations such as the Central Library and Great Northern Warehouse.

There is storytelling with CBeebies, crafts, dancing, music workshops, shows and sports. Get a photo beside a Formula 1 car, or try the Lego workshop.

There will also be a carnival with a Victorian carousel and stalls, in St Ann’s Square.

CHEAP BREAK

Hotels offering FREE stays for kids this half-term including cosy seaside spot

SAVVY PLAN

I’m a mum on a budget – how we survive Half Term, including using paper plates

GO: From February 18-21. Free. See visitmanchester.com

MARITIME MARVEL

EXPLORE 300 years of fascinating maritime heritage for free.

Pick up a pass from Portsmouth Historic Quarter’s Visitor Centre to access the boathouse, exhibitions and beautiful gardens.

Fantastic artwork installations include the new Standing With Giants — silhouettes of military figures, including Winston Churchill — to celebrate wartime sacrifice.

You can also see iconic vessels including the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, currently docked here.

GO: Free. See portsmouthhq.org.

BRICK SAFARI

THERE’S a new destination for Lego fans — Longleat Safari Park.

The Wiltshire estate is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a Brick Week, including tiny versions of animals, from lorikeets to giraffes.

Families can build creatures, structures, trees or plants, to become part of the brick safari.

Longleat’s Scott Ashman said: “It’s 60 years since the first drive-through safari outside of Africa.

“The brick safari will grow throughout the week.”

Enjoy adventure playgrounds, the railway or lake’s jungle cruise before driving to meet the real animals.

GO: Until February 22. Adult from £39.95, children £29.95, under-threes free. See longleat.co.uk.

FABULOUS FORESTS

RAIN or shine, get the kids outside with Forestry England.

There are trails, cycle courses, play areas and stargazing in woodlands across the country, including Hicks Lodge, Leics; Gisburn Forest, Lancs; and Kent’s Jeskyns Community Woodland.

A highlight is the Room On The Broom trail, based on Julia Donaldson’s famous story, at sites across the country, with themed activities to help the witch find her hat and wand.

An adventure pack costs £4 and includes a lanyard, stickers and spell cards.

Many forests also have a Gruffalo orienteering course, with giant sculptures littered among the trees.

GO: For free and low-cost events, see forestryengland.uk.

HORSING AROUND

MARVEL at the magnificent 100ft horse head sculptures that are the pride and joy of Falkirk.

The Helix: Home Of The Kelpies offers tours to learn about the engineering and how they represent the country’s history and industry, with horses having played a huge role in the development of the area.

There are exhibitions about the steel horse heads — the largest in the world.

And the surrounding Helix parkland has an adventure zone and splash play.

It is also perfect for walking and cycling.

GO: Tour for adult £8.50, child £3.50 (free with an adult ticket), under-fives free. See thehelix.co.uk.

ANIMAL KINGDOMS

LET the kids play at being vets, with a third off zoo tickets.

Vets In Action runs throughout this week at London Zoo and Whipsnade, Beds.

Youngsters will be shown how to do a health check on real animals while practising on cuddly toys.

At London, they will join a rescue mission to save precious Darwin’s frogs from extinction.

And at Whipsnade — a 600-acre site with 11,000 animals — kids can learn about the conservation and well-being of the chimpanzees.

GO: Until February 22. Adult tickets from £29 and children £20.30, under-threes free. Use code WEB30 at londonzoo.org and whipsnadezoo.org.

ADVENTURE TRAILS

NATIONAL Trust properties have a huge selection of events for little outdoor adventurers.

Croft Castle, near Leominster in Herefordshire, has a Wildlife Detectives trail where kids track down clues among the trees.

The 17th century manor house, complete with turrets and towers, has a secret garden and play area with rope swings and balance beams among 1,500 acres of parkland.

There is a welly hunt at Charlecote Park, Warks; orienteering at Wentworth Castle, South Yorks, and a Winnie the Pooh exhibition at Nymans, West Sussex.

GO: Croft Castle family ticket costs from £42.50. Detective trail with a prize costs £3. See nationaltrust.org.uk.

MAGICAL RESORT

HAVE a spell-binding time in Blackpool as the resort bursts into life for the February Festival of Circus and Magic.

There are free spectacular shows, live performances and hands-on workshops for four days at venues including the Blackpool Tower.

Street entertainers roaming through the town centre include singer Elton

Wrong driving a white piano. Try your hand at puppetry and circus skills.

Last year’s Britain’s Got Talent winner, magician Harry Moulding, headlines a show at the Pleasure Beach Resort.

GO: From February 19-22. Festival free. Harry’s show from £12.50. See visitblackpool.com/febfest.

PERFECT PASS

PACK in a host of attractions in York, there is something for all the family.

Most famous sights are just a short walk from one another and you can take your pick from 35 with a one-day pass.

They include the 7th century Minster — one of the world’s most magnificent cathedrals — the Jorvik Viking Centre, which is a fascinating journey back in time, and The Cocoa Works — a yummy lesson in chocolate-making.

Why not take a sightseeing tour down the River Ouse to hear about York’s history with City Cruises?

GO: A day’s Visit York Pass costs from £65 per adult, child £40. See yorkpass.com.

BARGAIN GARDENS

HERE is an offer you can’t refuse — pay what you can afford to enjoy a major attraction.

Throughout February, Cornwall’s Lost Gardens of Heligan, which normally cost £28 an adult and £12.50 a child, are letting families choose their own admission price.

The Neon Jungle roller rink is a highlight this half-term — skate to a playlist of retro hits.

Meet the Home Farm animals, including piglets, goats and donkeys, take part in question-time sessions and try horse tail-braiding. There’s a shop and cafe, too.

GO: Skate session £10. See heligan.com.

CUT PRICE FUN

BUTLIN’S is slashing day visit prices until February 26. There is 20 per cent off at Minehead and Skegness, and ten per cent off at Bognor Regis.

Families have access to the Skyline Pavilion at all resorts, with a packed schedule of shows and activities including Dino Expo, where kids come face-to-face with pre-historic predators.

There are fairground rides, Splash Waterworld pools with slides and flumes, football, plus arts and crafts sessions.

Bognor Regis has a four-storey soft play centre for 200 children, and the sister parks have playgrounds with climbing towers and trampolines.

GO: Adult day pass now costs from £29, child £12. See butlins.com.

CUDDLY ENCOUNTERS

IT always feels like spring is on its way at a lambing festival.

Get up close to the cuddly newborns at Park Hall Countryside Experience, Shrops, and, if you are lucky, see a birth.

The team will be on hand to educate youngsters on the new arrivals.

There are lots of other animals too including ponies, pigs, alpacas and chinchillas, on the farm near Oswestry.

And there are fun activities galore, with indoor play areas, science and music rooms, tractor and barrel train rides, go-karts, an adventure course and a 130ft zip wire.

GO: Until February 22. Ticket £14.95. See parkhallfarm.co.uk.