HRW Alleges Israel Illegally Used White Phosphorus in Southern Lebanon
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Monday that the Israeli military illegally deployed white phosphorus munitions over the southern Lebanese town of Yohmor on March 3, posing severe risks to civilians.
Ramzi Kaiss, HRW’s Lebanon researcher, described the incendiary effects of white phosphorus as capable of causing death or “cruel injuries that result in lifelong suffering.” The group said it had verified eight images and reports from civil defense personnel responding to fires in residential areas.
Legal and Humanitarian Context
White phosphorus can legally be used in warfare to create smoke screens, illuminate battlefields, mark targets, or burn fortified positions. However, HRW emphasized that deploying airburst white phosphorus over populated areas is prohibited under international humanitarian law.
Protocol III of the Convention on the Prohibition of Certain Conventional Weapons classifies white phosphorus as an incendiary weapon and forbids its use against military targets located among civilians. While Israel has not signed the protocol and is not legally bound by it, HRW and other rights groups argue that its use in populated areas constitutes a violation of humanitarian principles.
Previous Patterns and Scale
The report comes amid an intensification of Israeli strikes in Lebanon over the past week. According to the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research, between October 2023 and July 2024, Israel carried out 175 attacks using white phosphorus in southern Lebanon, sparking fires across more than 600 hectares (1,480 acres) of farmland.
HRW previously accused Israel of using white phosphorus in 2023, a charge the Israeli military denied. Civilian displacement and casualties have been severe: nearly 400 people killed and hundreds of thousands forced to leave their homes as strikes continue.
Israeli Response
The Israeli military told Reuters it was unaware of and could not confirm the use of white phosphorus shells in Yohmor. Officials said they had not reviewed the same videos cited by HRW and declined to comment on the allegations. Lebanese authorities have not issued a statement on the report.
On March 3, the Israeli military ordered residents of Yohmor and 50 other nearby towns to evacuate ahead of strikes, highlighting the heightened risks to civilians in affected areas.
Analysis
The allegations underscore the ongoing humanitarian and legal concerns in southern Lebanon amid Israel’s operations. Even without Israel being formally bound by Protocol III, the use of incendiary munitions in populated areas raises questions about compliance with customary international humanitarian law, which prohibits indiscriminate attacks on civilians.
The repeated accusations of white phosphorus use reflect both the intensity of Israel’s military campaign and the broader risk of civilian harm in the conflict. Beyond immediate casualties and destruction, agricultural damage and displacement threaten long-term social and economic stability in southern Lebanon, particularly for farming communities still recovering from previous conflicts.
The HRW report may intensify international scrutiny on Israel’s conduct in Lebanon, potentially influencing diplomatic and humanitarian responses in the region.
With information from Reuters.
Olivia Attwood drops cryptic hint on her ex Bradley Dack’s ‘breach of trust’
OLIVIA Attwood has dropped a cryptic hint about her ex Bradley Dack’s “breach of trust” following their split.
The TV and podcast star, 34, appeared to suggest her next relationship won’t have the same pitfalls in her Instagram story.
She shared a post that read: “No more learning experiences please god I am smart enough,” while Tame Impala’s aptly titled ‘New Person, Same Old Mistakes’ played over the top.
Yesterday, Olivia revealed that she will speak about her split from footballer Bradley, 32, a week after she was spotted leaving the same Manchester hotel as close pal Pete Wicks, 37.
The Sun reported how he was seen carrying two pizzas up to his room at 3am.
Yesterday, Olivia joined This Morning hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley in the studio to discuss her new ITV show The Heat.
READ MORE ON OLIVIA ATTWOOD
But the presenters couldn’t help but turn the spotlight onto Olivia’s personal life as they asked her how she was coping following her split.
Ben said: “It’s been a very busy start to the year for you professionally and personally, how you doing?” to which Olivia began to laugh.
She replied: “My feet haven’t touched the ground, I’m grateful forever for this wonderful thing that I get to call work and I can throw myself into it.
“I think when you are in entertainment and you have to show up as the person you’re booked to be, almost when you’re doing that you kind of trick your brain – it’s a distraction isn’t it, you can just get into it, that’s been my anchor since Jan.
“I feel like I haven’t breathed.”
Olivia then spoke about her house move, which saw her leave her shared home with Brad last month.
“I am now getting there with the apartment, I am very lucky that I’m in the position where I’m on my own two feet and I can do that. But moving is hell, no matter how much help you have,” she said.
Olivia acknowledged there is an expectation for her to share her private life due to her rise to fame on reality show Love Island.
But she said she’s taking her time to process everything before speaking about her split on her podcast.
“The reason I’m sat here with you guys today is from being on Love Island, so people are used to a level of access to me which I have no issue with providing still but I have to do it when I’m ready and I know what I’m wanting to share,” she said.
“I’m trying to do that a little bit more as I get older ‘think before you speak’, because once you’ve said it, it’s hard to take it back.
“I’m still digesting things and working things out. We’ll get to it, we’ll have a podcast chat, it’s coming but I just need to process it.”
The Sun revealed in January that Olivia had split from Gillingham footballer Bradley following a “breach of trust” on his part.
In 2017, she went on Love Island and emerged in a relationship with Chris Hughes, later saying it was revenge on Bradley for cheating.
They eventually reunited after having a heart to heart while she was still with Chris, and she joined Towie in 2019, on which Pete was already a regular.
Last summer, Olivia and Pete were seen in an intimate embrace on a yacht off Ibiza.
We revealed Bradley has now blocked Pete on Instagram — just a few weeks after the couple’s split.
Speaking ahead of the Brit Awards on their Sunday Roast podcast, Pete said: “What always happens at these events is Liv and I gravitate towards each other and basically just stick together, don’t we?”
Olivia replied: “Because I feel like we both have the same objective. And talk to as few people . . .”
Pete then added: “As possible.”
Pete then said: “Although we are not going big this year, are we?” – to which Olivia countered: “What do you mean?”
Pete continued: “You have a flight the next day.”
Olivia replied: “I know – you need to keep me lucid enough that I don’t get stopped at immigration.”
Pete said: “The danger being that I jump on the flight with you in what I am wearing from the Brits.”
Sustainable Finance Awards 2026: Central Eastern Europe
These Central and Southeastern Europe banks are expanding ESG financing, green bonds, and sustainable infrastructure.
Last year may well go down as the year Central and Southeastern Europe truly came to grips with climate change—three heat waves across late spring and summer, unseasonal heavy rain, and serious flooding (which affected harvests across the region) proved that climate change can no longer be ignored.
Banks across the region have recognized the opportunities and are demonstrating ingenuity in developing new green-financing techniques. They are working closely with multinational institutions such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to help implement the EU’s Green Deal and make the continent the world’s first climate-neutral one.
Last year’s Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Sustainable Finance Summit—held in May 2025, with this year’s summit scheduled for September—highlighted the region’s priorities. Many of these reflect CEE’s Communist past, in which pollution was exacerbated by a reliance on polluting coal and lignite and by a system that worked against conservation.
Financing in the energy sector remains key, with CEE aiming to increase the share of renewables from 30% of total energy consumption today to 75% by 2050. In addition, CEE and Southeastern European countries need about €8 billion annually for low-carbon technologies, particularly in infrastructure, transport, and energy.
The summit concluded that although there has been some pushback on ESG, there is growing awareness of the need to recalibrate it, especially where it excludes investments in defense and security. Reflecting the deterioration in Europe’s geopolitical situation over the past few years, among other things, the summit concluded that “security and defense can and should be reframed as part of broader sustainability and resilience agendas. Long-term peace and democracy are fundamental to sustainable societies.”
Raiffeisen Bank International
Best Bank for Sustainable Finance
Best Bank for Green Bonds
Best Bank for Sustainability Bonds
Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) is hardly a stranger to sustainable finance—the Austrian-based entity was among the first to sign the UN Principles for Responsible Banking and has embedded ESG across its strategy, now fully aligned with global standards. Since launching its first green bond in 2018, the bank has built a €5 billion sustainable bond portfolio across multiple currencies and countries.
By November 2025, ESG-labeled bonds were worth some €5 billion, 20% of the total €24.6 billion issued. Raiffeisen Bank Hungary issued a successful €300 million in green bonds in June 2025, while RBI’s €500 million benchmark green bond, issued in November 2025, was oversubscribed by a record amount, demonstrating strong demand for the product and the trust in which RBI is held.
One of RBI’s notable sustainable-finance achievements in 2025 was the relaunch of its Sustainability Bond Framework. According to Markus Ecker, RBI’s head of Sustainable Finance, “RBI will expand eligible green-loan categories and further strengthen advisory services to help clients transition. The goal: deeper emissions reductions and accelerated decarbonization across Central and Eastern Europe.”
RBI has also been active in issuing ESG loans: These increased 14.9% YoY to €19.3 billion at the end of September 2025.
Garanti BBVA
Sustainable Finance Deal of the Year: Antalya-Alanya Motorway Project
Best Bank for Sustaining Communities
Garanti BBVA, one of Turkey’s largest banks, with 28 million customers and almost 800 branches, was established in 1946 as Garanti Bank and is now 86% owned by Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA). Garanti has made sustainable investment core to its strategy. It seems only right that it should win these two prestigious awards, as its efforts are linked.
The bank’s community investment programs’ strategy comprises four focus areas aimed at sustaining and enriching communities: education for all, reducing inequality, accessible culture and knowledge production, and combating the climate crisis. Garanti monitors the outcomes of its programs using internationally recognized measurement and research techniques through social-impact analysis, ensuring that every Turkish lira invested generates substantially more value.
This emphasis on bringing people together made Garanti BBVA a natural fit for the flagship Antalya-Alanya Motorway Project. The new 122-kilometer motorway connecting Antalya to Alanya is one of Turkey’s major infrastructure developments.
Garanti BBVA participated in €1.7 billion in financing for the project, which will reduce travel time from two-and-a-half hours to just 36 minutes. According to the bank, the motorway will enhance productivity, contribute to overall economic growth, and generate annual savings of approximately 16.9 billion Turkish lira ($385.4 million) in time and 800 million lira in fuel consumption, resulting in a total yearly economic benefit of nearly 17.7 billion lira.
The new corridor will reduce carbon emissions by 47,000 tons per year, helping to preserve the pine forests of the Taurus Mountains as well.
Akbank
Best Impact Investing Solution
Best Bank for Sustainability Transparency
Akbank’s Sustainable Finance Framework—which had a portfolio of almost $4 billion at the start of 2025—is among the most ambitious and far-reaching in Turkey and the wider region, helping the bank to secure three of our CEE regional awards.
Akbank’s submission underscored the seriousness with which it approaches impact investing, stating, “We encourage investors to direct their capital toward areas and companies that contribute to the well-being of the planet.”
To prove it, Akbank launched Turkey’s strategic partnership with the UN Development Programme’s Cool Up program, which seeks to advance sustainable-cooling finance to mitigate the climate impact of cooling technologies.
Regarding sustainability transparency, Akbank has launched a series of initiatives, including active participation in the development of the EU’s Green Asset Ratio calculation criteria in conjunction with the Turkish Banking Association’s Sustainability Working Group and the banking sector’s Green Asset Ratio Working Group.
In 2025, Akbank began implementing the green transformation score for commercial, corporate, and SME clients in the 2030 target sectors. The scores are based on client-level transition practices, such as the availability of science-based climate targets, the implementation or planning of low-carbon practices, and the availability of low-carbon products.
This serious approach to transparency and commitment to social bonds is reflected in the bank’s raising of its sustainable-finance target for 2030 to 800 billion lira, having exceeded the bank’s previous 200 billion Turkish lira target.
PKO Bank Polski
Best Platform/Technology Facilitating Sustainability Finance
In response to customer demand for support with ESG, the energy transition, and sustainability generally, PKO Bank Polski—Poland’s largest bank by assets and a leader in ESG financing and bond issues—launched energiatransformacji.pl in 2025.
The new service, an interactive business hub, offers tools to help customers with their energy transition strategy (carbon footprint calculators and a subsidy search engine) and includes an educational database on ESG, sustainable development, and financing.
The initiative reflects PKO BP’s 2025-2027 strategy to secure a 20% share of Poland’s energy transition financing.
VUB
Circular Economy Commitment
As part of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, VUB has long been committed to the highest ESG standards. Much of this focus has been on the consumer sphere, reflecting the Slovak bank’s strong position in its home market and in Czechia.
A typical example of VUB’s capacity for innovation was the introduction of a new Building Reconstruction Simulator that combines real-time market calculations and expert insight to help homeowners make informed, sustainable decisions when undertaking domestic renovations.
For corporate clients, particularly SMEs, the bank has introduced special minibonds that enable the issuance of direct debt securities to finance ESG-related projects. These include specific offerings to promote the circular economy, as well as the installation of renewable-energy projects and energy-efficiency upgrades.
Bank Pekao
Best Bank for Sustainable Infrastructure/Project Finance
Best Bank for Transition/Sustainability-Linked Loans
Poland’s second-largest bank, established in 1929, has prioritized ESG investing and lending over the past decade, becoming one of the largest players domestically and in the CEE region. In 2025, Bank Pekao unveiled its 2025-2027 strategy, outlining its main plans and priorities, building on its 2023 Sustainable Finance Framework.
In the first three quarters of 2025, Bank Pekao financed green projects totaling 5.1 billion Polish zloty ($1.4 billion), up from 3.7 billion zloty in 2024, aiming to reach 9 billion zloty by the end of 2027.
Along with other banks, Bank Pekao has provided financing for the approximately €6.3 billion construction of the Baltyk 2 and Baltyk 3 wind farms in the Baltic Sea, developed by Polenergia and Equinor. The wind farms have a total capacity of over 1.4 gigawatts and can supply green energy to over 2 million Polish households. The farms should start producing energy in 2027 and reach full operational capacity in 2028.
In 2025, Bank Pekao also helped issue a syndicated €300 million loan to a leading energy company, issued five-year green bonds for a leading telecoms company totaling 700 million zloty, and issued bonds worth 1 billion zloty for sustainable development for a large retail company.
QNB Bank
Best Bank for Blue Bonds (New for 2026)
In October 2024, QNB Bank issued Turkey’s first blue bond, in collaboration with the IFC as the sole investor, for $25 million and a five-year maturity.
The bond is financing nearly all water conservation activities, including wastewater management, boosting sustainable tourism, reducing marine pollution, and enabling sustainable fishing.
The bond was issued under QNB Group’s Sustainable Finance and Product Framework. Late last year, QNB Bank again cooperated with the IFC, alongside the EBRD, to complete a $100 million climate transition bond issue, the first of its kind, focused on financing decarbonization efforts in carbon-intensive sectors such as cement production and steel, which are generally excluded from green bonds because of their high emissions.
This climate transition bond is viewed as a strategic link to green and ESG finance.
Poison-pill effort to cancel proposed billionaire tax hits voters’ mailboxes
California voters are being urged to put a poison-pill effort on the November ballot that would nullify a controversial proposed tax on the state’s billionaires.
Neither proposal has yet qualified for the ballot — supporters of each need to gather the verified signatures of hundreds of thousands of voters. But petitions that have been mailed and texted to California voters in recent days demonstrate the stakes in a contest that has drawn tens of millions of dollars in campaign spending.
“Government has wasted billions of our tax dollars on homelessness and many other failed programs with little to show for it,” reads the new mailing to voters. “We can’t afford more wasteful spending!”
The proposal is aimed at countering a proposed one-time 5% tax on billionaires assets that would fund healthcare for the state’s neediest residents, but opponents say it would lead to lost tax revenues as California’s wealthiest flee the state.
Mailers and texts recently sent to voters describe the new proposal as an effort to create a more accountable, transparent and effective state government that would require auditing of new state taxes and ensuring they comply with existing law.
The small-font description of the proposed initiative included in the mailing specifies that any new tax enacted after Jan. 1 must be deposited into the state’s general fund and conform with current state tax policy, which is an oblique reference to a prior voter-approved ballot measure requiring that a significant portion of the state’s tax revenue be spent on education.
If competing proposals appear on a ballot and are successful, the one that receives the most votes nullifies the other. There are other ballot measure proposals aimed at thwarting the billionaires tax.
The mailers and texts were funded by a committee called Californians for a More Transparent and Effective Government, which was funded by another group, called Building a Better California, according to the California secretary of state’s office.
Earlier this year, the latter group received a $20-million donation from Google co-founder Sergey Brin, $2 million from former Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt and $2 million from Stripe CEO Patrick Collison, among donations from other Silicon Valley leaders, according to fundraising disclosure reports.
Attempts to reach spokespeople connected with the effort were unsuccessful Monday night.
Suzanne Jimenez, chief of staff at SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, the primary union backing the billionaire tax, decried what she described as an effort by a small number of the state’s wealthiest residents to avoid paying their fair share.
“So far, those few billionaires are failing,” she said in a statement. “Despite the expensive and wasteful tactics by a small group of billionaires that aim to deny voters a choice on the billionaire tax in November, our growing coalition and volunteer base is on track with signature collection and gaining momentum. The public is crystal clear on the fact that keeping ERs and clinics open is more important than billionaires getting more tax breaks.”
California’s budget is notoriously volatile because it is largely dependent on taxes paid by its wealthiest residents. Revenue hinges on capital gains from investments, bonuses to executives and windfalls from new stock offerings, all of which are grossly unpredictable.
The billionaire tax would cost more than 200 of the state’s richest residents about $100 billion if a majority of voters support it on the November ballot.
The proposed tax would retroactively apply to billionaires’ assets as of Jan. 1, and has already prompted some of California’s wealthiest residents to leave the state. It has also created a wedge among Democrats. Some argue that it is necessary to address tax inequities that benefit the rich and harm everyone else. Among the supporters is Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who kicked off the billionaire tax proposal drive in February.
But others, notably Gov. Gavin Newsom, oppose the effort, saying policies that vary by state would drive innovators and businesses outside of California.
Luke Kennard’s prolific 3-point shooting is transforming Lakers
Benvenuti a The Times Lakers newsletter, where, after a month in Italy, we are so back.
The Lakers are largely in the same situation as when I left. They’re still safely in the playoff race with a 39-25 record, but flirting with the play-in. LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are still searching for their three-man chemistry. Deandre Ayton hasn’t dyed his hair again.
But the tl;dr version of February does have one major change for the Lakers.
Hot hand Luke
Lakers guard Luke Kennard reacts after making a three-pointer against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 7.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
JJ Redick always knew how good of a shooter Luke Kennard was. This former Duke sharpshooter wouldn’t expect anything less from another Blue Devils star. But Kennard’s influence since joining the Lakers in a February trade has gone beyond his league-leading three-point percentage.
The Lakers are 5-1 in the past six games with Kennard shooting a blazing 56.7% from three-point range. He jump-starts the Lakers’ offense with his constant motion and elite floor spacing, making the transition from midseason acquisition to integral bench piece look effortless.
“It all comes down to, like, the point-five decision making,” Redick said. “… That’s where we try to focus a lot of the development [on] being able to recognize when there has been an advantage created, and then playing off that and not giving up the advantage. And we have some guys that have to grow in that area.
“Luke,” Redick added, “that’s what he does.”
The Lakers were shooting 34.9% from three before the trade, 21st in the league. Since acquiring Kennard, the Lakers are shooting 39.2% from three-point range, ranking second in the NBA during that stretch.
Kennard, shooting 50% from the three-point line, is on track to become just the sixth NBA player to shoot 50% or better from three over an entire season. There are some players in the NBA who couldn’t hit 50 out of 100 three-pointers in an empty gym, Redick said.
Redick has known Kennard for more than a decade. Not only was he comfortable with the coaching staff, Kennard also has history with former Memphis teammates Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart and being in L.A., playing with the Clippers from 2020 to 2023. Kennard said he “lit up inside,” when he heard he would be heading to the Lakers, who sent Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to Atlanta in the deal.
The organization is “the biggest stage you can play on in basketball,” Kennard said. And he gets to share it with generational talents.
Playing with Doncic and James has created some of the most open three-point shots Kennard has had in his career, he said. When he gets one wide-open three early, that only helps his rhythm. Then teams start to help too much on his shooting and that opens the paint. It’s the type of chain reaction Kennard watched with envy from the opposite sideline when Doncic, then with Dallas, was slicing up the Clippers in the playoffs.
“It’s definitely something you think about like, ‘Man, I wish that was me there getting those open looks,’” Kennard said. “But now it’s a reality.”
Kennard marvels at his new reality sometimes. When Doncic was in his peak, “Luka Magic” form Friday, banking line-drive step-back threes off the backboard in the Lakers’ rout over the Indiana Pacers, Kennard said he caught himself just gawking at his teammate a few times.
But Doncic, who scored 44 points in the win, was quick to credit the team’s bench contributions. Kennard had 15 points on three-of-five three-point shooting, and Doncic said he has encouraged Kennard to shoot more.
A smile broke across Kennard’s face when he was told of the praise.
“Especially coming from a guy like that,” Kennard said, “one of the best scorers ever to play the game, it just builds confidence in you as a player to play off of him.”
Catching Kareem
Lakers star LeBron James shoots over Denver’s Zeke Nnaji to set the all-time NBA record for most successful field goals on Thursday.
(Chris Swann / Clarkson Creative / Getty Images)
He used it to break the NBA’s most iconic record. It seemed fitting that James used a midrange fadeaway shot to claim another record from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Already the leader in NBA seasons played, minutes played and points scored, James added another record to his resume last week by passing Abdul-Jabbar for most made field goals in NBA history. His record-breaking 15,838th made shot came against Denver on Thursday, and, with a 180-degree pirouette added, looked similar to the shot he used to claim the scoring record from Abdul-Jabbar in 2023.
“At the end of the day, just to be able to link my name to being mentioned with some of the greatest to ever play this game has always been humbling and a pretty cool thing,” James said after the Lakers lost. “I grew up watching, reading [about], idolizing a lot of the greats and if I ever was able to be part of the NBA, I wanted to put myself in position that I can be named with some of the greats by doing something right.”
The record is a true testament to James’ staying power. He established the regular-season scoring record in the same 20 seasons as Abdul-Jabbar played, but the field-goal record would have been well out of reach had James not continued into his historic 23rd season. When comparing their NBA careers, Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 10.15 made field goals per game across his career to James’ 9.86, made more shots than James in 16 of 20 seasons. Abdul-Jabbar had two 1,000 field goal seasons while James’ highest total was 875 in his third year. Michael Jordan, in 1989-90, was the last NBA player with more than 1,000 made field goals in a season (1,034).
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
James’ longevity and productivity at the twilight of his career is so unmatched that even the idea that the James era could end soon barely even registers for some competitors.
“I think he can play forever,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said when asked if he thinks about how any game could be the last he coaches against James. “That’s just my personal opinion. I know he won’t, but the shape that he is in and how he takes care of his body is just amazing.”
James, who is ineligible for postseason awards for the first time in his career because he missed more than 17 games, is questionable for Tuesday’s game with a right hip contusion and left foot arthritis. He has missed the last two games with a left elbow contusion he sustained in the final minutes against Denver. He did not practice Monday.
The next personal milestone for James may be career games played, where he trails Robert Parish’s 1,611 by five.
On tap
Records and stats current before Monday’s games.
Tuesday vs. Timberwolves (40-24), 8 p.m.
With two October wins that feel like a lifetime ago, the Lakers already own the head-to-head season tiebreaker against the Timberwolves, meaning that a win Tuesday could vault the Lakers to third place in the West.
Thursday vs. Bulls (26-38), 7:30 p.m.
This is the only should-win game of the week against a team well outside of the playoff race. The Bulls added Collin Sexton at the trade deadline, but the former Charlotte guard left Sunday’s game against the Sacramento Kings with a leg injury.
Saturday vs. Nuggets (39-26), 5:30 p.m.
This game will decide the season series tiebreaker between the Lakers and Nuggets, who split their first two games.
Monday at Rockets (39-24), 6:30 p.m. PDT
The Lakers and Rockets have consecutive games in Houston on Monday and Wednesday. The Rockets are not the same team that dominated the Lakers on Christmas Day, though. Steven Adams has been out since Jan. 20 with a season-ending ankle injury, and a team that was on pace to be the best rebounding squad in a generation is seventh over the last 15 games with a 51.5% rebounding rate.
Favorite thing I ate this week
Gnocchi with spider crab and tomato sauce and black spaghetti with tuna tartare in Venice, Italy.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
I’ve been back from Italy for a week, but I didn’t share any meals from my post-Olympic vacation. We definitely saved the best for last in Italy.
Possibly my favorite of my entire month was in Venice at Oniga, a cozy restaurant we found away from the otherwise crowded narrow streets. Staying true to Venetian seafood tradition, we began with an appetizer of mussels and clams in a tomato sauce that had me wiping the bowl with our fresh baked bread. Our mains (pictured) were fresh gnocchi with local spider crab and tomato sauce and black spaghetti with tuna tartare and garlic oil. For dessert, we had salted caramel panna cotta and pistachio tiramisu. Squisito!
In case you missed it
Lakers prove against Knicks they can achieve gritty defensive wins
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves carry LeBron-less Lakers to win over Knicks
Luka Doncic joins elite Lakers company with 44-point effort in win over Pacers
Luka Doncic is one technical foul away from an automatic suspension
LeBron James breaks another Kareem Abdul-Jabbar record, but hurts his elbow in loss
Swanson: The Lakers are the wrong kind of interesting amid relentless fan scrutiny
Lakers hope comeback win over Pelicans gives the team a timely boost
All five starters score in double figures as Lakers defeat the Pelicans
Until next time…
As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!
Tuesday 10 March International Wig Day
This news digest primarily highlights International Wig Day, an annual event held every March 10th to celebrate diverse headwear while honoring a deeper mission. Founded by a Danish organization in 2016, the holiday aims to support cancer patients by raising awareness about the hair loss associated with medical treatments. While some participants use the day to showcase flamboyant styles, it also offers a moment of solidarity for those who wear hairpieces out of necessity. In addition to this feature, the publication briefly touches on global current events, such as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and legislative debates regarding social media regulations. These snippets provide a snapshot of the
Man removed from flight after call to prayer was mistaken for ‘bomb threat’ | Aviation
A passenger onboard Southwest Airlines was removed from their flight after their call to prayer was mistaken for a ‘bomb threat’. Officials later called the incident a ‘misunderstanding’ after finding no credible threat, following the Florida-bound flight’s emergency landing in Georgia.
Published On 10 Mar 2026
Markets Bet on Quick End to Iran War Despite Threats from Both Sides
Investors placed strong bets on Tuesday that Donald Trump could bring the war in Iran to a rapid conclusion, even as both sides escalated threats. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran declared that no oil would leave the Middle East until U.S. and Israeli attacks cease, prompting Trump to threaten that any attempt to block tanker traffic would be met with strikes “twenty times harder.”
Despite the rhetoric, markets quickly reversed the historic surge in crude prices seen on Monday. Brent crude briefly surged to nearly $120 a barrel, a level not seen since mid‑2022, but fell back to around $92 by Tuesday morning. Futures volumes were low, reflecting both caution and the fact that traders were recalibrating risk based on Trump’s comments that the U.S. was “very far ahead” of his initial four- to five-week timeframe for the conflict. Asian and European share prices staged a recovery from earlier steep falls, signaling that markets were treating Trump’s statements as a de-escalation signal, even if the on-the-ground situation remained dire.
Analysts noted that while the market’s reaction reflects optimism about a short conflict, underlying risks remain. Suvro Sarkar of DBS Bank observed that benchmark Middle Eastern grades like Murban and Dubai crude remain above $100 per barrel, meaning the fundamental pressures on supply have not dissipated.
On the Ground: Intensified Conflict
Meanwhile, the human and strategic realities on the ground remain stark. Tehran residents described the heaviest bombardment of the conflict yet, with strikes across the city leaving civilians fearful and homes damaged. One resident said, “It was like hell. They were bombing everywhere, every part of Tehran… my children are afraid to sleep now. We have nowhere to go.”
Israel is simultaneously operating under the assumption that Trump could end the war at any moment, sources familiar with its military plans told Reuters. This has encouraged Israeli forces to maximize damage on Iranian targets before any potential ceasefire, highlighting the tension between the short-term operational calculus and long-term strategic objectives.
Iran’s appointment of hardliner Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader signals defiance against U.S. pressure to influence Iranian leadership, underscoring Tehran’s unwillingness to yield to external demands despite the military pressure.
Strategic Implications: Oil, Leadership, and Geopolitics
The war has effectively halted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz policy measures such as easing sanctions on Russia and releasing strategic oil reserves, are interpreted by markets as mitigating factors that could prevent a prolonged energy crisis.
However, the underlying political and military dynamics suggest that a rapid resolution may not meet all stated U.S. objectives. Ending the conflict quickly to restore oil flows would likely leave Iran’s leadership intact, which contrasts with Trump’s previous maximalist demands for influence over Iran’s succession. Israel’s objectives diverge further, as it continues to seek regime change and to weaken Tehran’s ability to strike beyond its borders, while U.S. officials emphasize missile and nuclear containment.
Human and Regional Costs
The war has already inflicted significant human costs. Iran’s U.N. ambassador reported at least 1,332 civilian deaths and thousands wounded since the airstrikes began. Iranian missile and drone strikes targeting Gulf states have damaged infrastructure, closed airports, and disrupted hotels, while retaliatory Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed scores amid ongoing efforts to neutralize Hezbollah.
Domestically, Iran has suppressed dissent and anti-government protests following the death of Ali Khamenei, further complicating the social dynamics that external military action interacts with. Large-scale rallies in support of Mojtaba Khamenei demonstrate public mobilization in favor of the hardline leadership, which may limit the U.S. and Israel’s capacity to influence internal political outcomes even after the war concludes.
Analysis: Financial, Strategic, and Geopolitical Interplay
Markets are betting on a short conflict because of political signaling, but the broader picture is far more complex. Oil prices remain sensitive to supply disruptions, and the potential for renewed escalations persists. The market response highlights how sentiment can temporarily override fundamental risks, yet volatility is likely to continue as long as strategic objectives, military operations, and leadership decisions remain unresolved.
From a geopolitical perspective, the conflict illustrates the tension between military objectives and economic consequences. A rapid end to the war would stabilize energy markets and global growth expectations but may leave U.S. and Israeli goals partially unmet. Conversely, prolonging the conflict to pursue maximalist aims risks a sustained oil shock, regional instability, and wider economic fallout, echoing lessons from past Middle East crises in the 1970s.
Analysts emphasize that energy markets, geopolitical strategy, and human costs are tightly intertwined: traders respond quickly to political statements, but the underlying realities strikes, leadership decisions, and supply chain vulnerabilities ensure that uncertainty will remain high. The delicate balance between military pressure, diplomacy, and market psychology will determine whether the Iran conflict resolves quickly or evolves into a more protracted crisis.
With information from Reuters.
Channel 4 star holds back tears over homeless man who wants to return to jail
Jonathan Ross’ new Channel 4 show Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing has gripped the nation.
Anthony was left overwhelmed by one interaction(Image: 72 Films)
Emotions were at an all-time high during an episode of Channel 4’s Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing.
The new social experiment, with his hosted by Jonathan Ross, sees nine strangers put into pairs and compete against one another to win a £100,000 prize.
During an upcoming episode of the Channel 4 show, millionaire businessman Anthony Saxon Kearsley had an eye-opening experience with a homeless man.
Anthony has been partnered with 37-year-old Tilly, a North London barmaid who works three jobs and is involved with giving meals to the homeless through her charity.
While prepping meals, the wealthy contestant shared some out-of-touch opinions on those without a home, suggesting some people ‘don’t want to help themselves’.
He also compared homelessness to ‘camping’, however, Anthony quickly changed his tune when handing out meals himself.
When giving a McDonald’s to one homeless man, who had recently come out of prison, Anthony learnt the man was struggling to secure a job without an address.
He explained: “I’ve been out of jail for a while, I just feel like going back, I can’t stand it.”
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Sharing the hope that things worked out for him, it was clear Anthony was moved by the interaction with the homeless man.
While speaking to the camera, he confessed: “I am a bit [overwhelmed]. He wants to go back to prison because he can’t cope with life. It’s appalling.
“It’s really shocking. I was wrong to say some people don’t want help. It’s appalling, dreadful. Thank you [Tilly] for showing me. I won’t be as flippant again.”
As Tilly revealed that it was a small percentage of what she sees day in and day out, Anthony was in awe.
While getting choked up, he replied: “I’m amazed that you’re so positive and I’m amazed that you’ve survived this intact. Anyway, God love you. Terrible isn’t it. I’m quite cut up about it to be honest.”
Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing is available to watch or stream on Channel 4
DTLA law firm co-founder faces California State Bar charges
The California State Bar has charged a founding partner of Downtown LA Law Group, a law firm at the center of a scandal that has embroiled Los Angeles County’s historic sex abuse settlement, with signing up dozens of clients in states where none of the firm’s lawyers were licensed to practice.
The bar charged Salar Hendizadeh, who left the firm this fall, on March 5 with helping one of Southern California’s largest personal injury law firms sign accident victims across the country, despite lacking attorneys who could litigate the cases in other states. Hendizadeh was charged with eleven counts, including deceptive advertising and charging illegal fees.
State Bar Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona said in a statement the allegations, if proved, “represent dishonest and illegal conduct.”
Hendizadeh and a spokesperson for Downtown LA Law Group did not provide a comment Monday.
The firm had roughly 40 clients in Texas, where it operated under the name “Lone Star Injury Law Firm” and branded itself “Texas’s #1 Injury Law Firm,” according to the complaint.
The firm had one L.A.-based attorney licensed to practice in Texas, Darren McBratney, but he left the firm in early 2022. The bar claims the firm refused to remove the attorney’s name from its website for years, ignoring a cease and desist letter from McBratney’s new employer.
Typically, attorneys can take cases in states where they’re not licensed, but they need to partner with local counsel or get permission from the court. In many cases, the bar alleged, DTLA made no effort to do so and left their out-of-state clients in the lurch.
The firm told a Maryland car crash victim her case was worth $1 million and encouraged her to see a California spinal surgeon who charged roughly $300,000 for surgery, according to the complaint. She fired the firm after she got a settlement offer of $160,000 — not enough, she believed, to cover her medical fees, the complaint said.
Attorneys signed up a Tennessee client who was injured at a Nashville rental car business, but the one-year statute of limitations ran out before they filed the case, the bar complaint said. The firm offered to pay for all of his medical bills and one year of physical therapy “as a form of restitution,” according to the complaint.
The charges come as DTLA faces another pending investigation from the State Bar in connection with thousands of sexual abuse lawsuits the firm filed against Los Angeles County, along with a probe from the district attorney’s office. Both have said they are looking into allegations surfaced by The Times last fall that DTLA paid clients to file claims, some of which were allegedly fabricated, that became part of a $4-billion settlement, the largest of its kind in U.S. history. The firm has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing.
The firm was founded by three longtime friends: Daniel Azizi and Farid Yaghoubtil, who are cousins, and Hendizadeh, a friend from elementary school. They began working together in August 2013, the month Hendizadeh got his California bar license, according to the complaint.
The bar complaint charges only Hendizadeh, though it also mentions Yaghoubtil, who shared the responsibility for marketing and client intake, according to the complaint.
The bar says Yaghoubtil repeatedly asked for a referral fee from a woman injured in a Michigan drugstore after she dropped the firm for allegedly taking too long to file her lawsuit. The client had to find her own attorney, the bar said, eliminating the need for a referral fee.
“Why would you tell the lawyers to not pay us a referral fee? That makes no sense.” Yaghoubtil texted the woman on Aug. 16, 2022. “But why not let us get the referral fee? Very sad. Have a nice night.”
How Santiago Espinal is playing his way onto the Dodgers’ roster
PHOENIX — It’s taken Santiago Espinal less than three weeks to make an impression on Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
“It’d be hard to imagine him not being on our team,” Roberts said last week. “He’s having a great spring, man. He’s just a good player. It’s good, because I didn’t really know much about him, but seeing him every day, [he’s] fun to watch.”
An All-Star with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022, the 31-year-old Espinal muddled through a pair of lackluster seasons with the Cincinnati Reds in which he rated as a minus-WAR (Wins Above Replacement) player and slashed .245/.294/.322 over 232 games.
It led to him getting taken off the Reds’ 40-man roster at the end of last season and sent to triple-A Louisville — a minor league assignment he rejected, making him a free agent. He signed with the Dodgers on Feb. 16 on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.
It’s an opportunity Espinal has seized.
He leads the Dodgers in home runs (2) and RBIs (9) while posting a .500/.519/.900 slash line. With utilitymen Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández opening the season on IL, there is an opening for Espinal to stick on the club’s roster. A versatile glove, Espinal played all four infield positions and both corner outfield spots for the Reds last season. And at least to this point in spring training, he’s shown an improved bat.
“I feel like the offense part of it, I’ve been working consistently with the hitting coaches, just looking at videos, looking at little details,” Espinal said last week. “There’s either something going on with my lower body or something going on with my upper body. Where are my hands at, all this stuff, so that’s something that we literally every day just work on. So just make sure that my body feels great.”
One simple modification that has brought success to Espinal is getting the bat off his shoulder and attacking the count early. A more aggressive approach has served him well thus far in camp.
“Being more aggressive in my swing path,” Espinal said. “Make sure that it’s there. Make sure that it’s straight to the ball and not opening up and that stuff, but it’s a constant work that we’ve been doing every day and so far, it’s been great.”
The Dodgers’ Santiago Espinal rounds third base to score a run against the Seattle Mariners during during a game on Feb. 23.
(Chris Coduto / Getty Images)
The torrid hitting — which includes a two-homer game last week against the Reds — and how he’s carried himself has paid off for Espinal.
“[He’s fitting in] seamlessly,” Roberts said. “He’s a baseball player. It’s in his blood. You see it. He’s a smart player. He knows the type of player he needs to be to be a Major League player. He has fun playing, but there’s a focus when he plays. He plays with enthusiasm, which is tempered, which is great. You can see him and [Teoscar Hernández] obviously have a history. I love the player. I love the guy.”
Though he hasn’t been a Dodger for very long, Espinal says he’s been trying to learn as much as he can from the cornerstones of the team’s lineup — including his fellow Dominican and former teammate on the Blue Jays.
“When you see Mookie [Betts], when you see Freddie [Freeman], [Max] Muncy, I played with Teo, and he’s actually one of the best hitters in the game, you know you have it in the locker room,” Espinal said. “You also want to pick their brain. You also want to ask questions. And you also want to see how they work, how they go about their business. To me, I think that’s just the most important part of it, just to learn from them.”
It appears to all be leading to a spot on the opening-day roster, which considering where he was at the end of last season and even at the start of February, is quite the turn of events.
“It would be amazing,” Espinal said of making the 26-man roster. “It would be amazing, and I’ve just got to let my work talk for it. And so far, that’s what I’m doing and I’m just going to keep working for it.”
Latest Foreign Office travel advice for Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt
Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has provided travel updates, including for Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt
There is travel advice and warnings in place for Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt(Image: Getty Images)
The Foreign Office has provided travel advice for Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt amid the Middle East conflict.
The three countries are popular holiday destinations among Brits, thanks to their sand beaches, crystal-clear blue waters, diverse landscapes and sprawling resorts along the coastlines. They also deliver sunshine and warm weather from early Spring right through until Autumn, and are typically an affordable option for those seeking a sun-soaked getaway.
Many Brits have already secured their getaways to Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt, whether that’s for a stay over Easter or during the summer holidays, or have plans to hit ‘book’. However, the location of the holiday hotspots closer to the conflict in the Middle East than other popular destinations has made the latest Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice all the more important.
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As of Tuesday, 10 March, the Foreign Office has not added Cyprus, Turkey or Egypt to its ‘no travel’ list. However, there have been several updates that Brits should be aware of. Here’s everything you need to know…
Cyprus
The latest update from FCDO on Thursday, 5 March, which remains in place today, warned that “terrorist attacks in Cyprus cannot be ruled out”. It read: “There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.”
The advice adds that terrorist attacks “could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals.” Following the update, the FCDO said the UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack.
Despite this, there is currently no advice against travel to Cyprus. However, the Foreign Office warned that the “regional escalation poses significant security risks and has led to travel disruption,” and that “no travel can be guaranteed safe.”
Turkey
The Foreign Office has warned against travel to some areas of Turkey, “due to fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism”. This ‘do not travel’ warning applies within 10km of Turkey’s border with Syria, which was in place before the Middle East conflict. However, there is no FCDO guidance against travel to any of the popular tourism areas such as Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman and Izmir, which are 1500-1600km from the border with Iran.
There is also a country-wide warning of “high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals”. The FCDO said most of these attacks have taken place in southeast Turkey, Ankara and Istanbul. It should be noted that similar warnings have been in place for a number of other countries long before the Iran war.
In an update last week, the FCDO warned that the “regional escalation poses significant security risks and has led to travel disruption”. However, it does not advise against travel to other areas in Turkey, with most flights and holidays currently going ahead.
Egypt
As it stands, the Foreign Office “advises against all travel to parts of Egypt” and “against all but essential travel to parts of Egypt”. One warning in place is against travel to within “20km of the Egypt-Libya border, except for the town of El Salloum”, where the FCDO advises “against all but essential travel.”
There are also travel restrictions in place for other parts of Egypt, including North Sinai, the Northern part of South Sinai, the Eastern part of Ismailiyah Governorate, the Western Desert, the Hala’ib Triangle and the Bir Tawil Trapezoid.
The FCDO has also warned of a “heightened risk of regional tension” and “escalation that could lead to travel disruption and other unanticipated impacts” for Egypt. There is also a “high threat of terrorist attack” warning in place for Egypt, which was in place prior to the Middle East conflict.
However, the Foreign Office does not advise against all travel to Egypt. They added that around one million Brits travel to Egypt each year and “most visits are trouble-free.”
If you’ve got a holiday on the horizon, it’s best to keep in contact with your holiday provider – although they are currently focusing on those with imminent travel plans. However, given the ever-changing nature of the situation, travel guidance can shift rapidly, and it’s important to check any restrictions before travelling or booking a holiday.
The above travel advice remains current as of Tuesday, 10 March, but it’s best to consult the most recent Foreign Office advice for your destination before finalising any travel arrangements. You can visit the Foreign Office website for information on travel restrictions for each country.
Have you been impacted by travel disruptions? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
LaplandUK announces exact time and date 2026 tickets will drop
IT MIGHT be super early to start thinking about Christmas but it is that time of year again where LaplandUK tickets drop soon.
LaplandUK has announced that tickets to its sought-after festive experience will be released later this month on March 27 at 10am.
The high-demand tickets usually sell out within a few hours after launch and this year is expected to be the same with the newer £30million Manchester LaplandUK experience running for its second time.
Similar to the rush for Glastonbury but for Christmas, LaplandUK is predicting that over one million people want to get tickets.
Last year, 350,000 tickets were available and before the tickets were released, over 750,000 people were waiting in the virtual queue online.
This year, LaplandUK will run from November 7 to December 24, with tickets costing between £60 and £195.
Read more on travel inspo
On March 27, guests will be able to enter the virtual waiting room at 9am, via LaplandUK’s ticketing platform.
Each guest will then need to select their preferred venue – Ascot or Manchester.
At 10am, when tickets are released, each guest will be allocated a random place in the queue for the venue they have selected.
Once they reach position one in the queue, they will be able to select the number of tickets they want and the date they wish to visit.
Kerrie Thomas, 47, from South Wales said: “This year will be our 25th visit.
“The adrenaline of getting tickets to LaplandUK is literally like trying to get tickets to Glastonbury or Adele.
“We have everything ready before the sale opens, and get friends and family involved too.
“It really is worth it to see my daughter’s face when she steps into LaplandUK, it is just so magical.
“It has become an unmissable Christmas tradition in our household.”
Once guests purchase their tickets, they will be sent a personalised invitation.
Then, when it comes to the day of visiting, families will get to explore a snow-filled world with Elves, a frozen pond for skating and a Toy Factory.
Around the experience there will also be smells of the Lapland Bakery and the glistening of twinkling lights.
When guests arrive they will venture through “secret portals in the Whispering Woods of the UK and follow magical pathways to arrive in Lapland”.
The experience also includes performances and interactive activities such as helping out the Elves in the Toy Factory to make a toy to pop in Father Christmas’ Sleigh.
And of course, each child gets a special moment with Santa himself, who will give them a gift to take home and another surprise for Christmas Day – the specific toy they created in the Lapland Toy Factory.
To find out what it is like to visit LaplandUK, one Sun reporter visited the new experience in Manchester last year.
Plus, a mum has shared her top Lapland UK tips, including how to save money and the best areas to go to.
Hundreds killed in Haiti drone strikes, including 60 civilians: Report | Human Rights News
Human Rights Watch says drone strikes by Haitian forces kill more than 1,200 people in and near Port-au-Prince since 2025.
Published On 10 Mar 2026
Drone strikes operated by Haitian security forces and private contractors have killed at least 1,243 people and injured 738 in Haiti, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports.
Since March last year, Haitian security forces with support from Vectus Global, a United States-licensed private military firm, have carried out antigang operations using quadcopter drones strapped with explosives, often in densely populated parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
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The report found strikes from March 1, 2025, to January 21 in West Department, where Port-au-Prince is located, have killed 17 children and 43 adults not believed to be members of any criminal groups.
“Haitian authorities should urgently rein in the security forces and private contractors working for them before more children die,” Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at HRW, said in a statement.
The nonprofit said the number of drone attacks in Port-au-Prince, which is 90 percent controlled by gangs, has “significantly increased” in recent months, with 57 reported from November to late January, almost double that of the 29 attacks reported from August through October
HRW said its researchers analysed seven videos uploaded to social media or shared directly with the group that show quadcopter drones in action and geolocated four of them to Port-au-Prince.
“The videos show the repeated use of drones equipped with explosives to attack vehicles and people, some of them armed, but none who appear to be engaged in violent acts or pose any imminent threat to life,” the group said.
‘There are innocent people’
HRW said it did not find widespread drone use among criminal groups.
One of the attacks highlighted in the report occurred on September 20 in the Simon Pele neighbourhood, an impoverished community controlled by a gang of the same name.
The drone attack killed nine people, including three children, and injured at least eight as the leader of the Simon Pele gang prepared to distribute gifts to children in the area.
HRW quoted one unnamed resident as recalling how the explosion ripped both feet off a baby.
Among those killed was a six-year-old girl whose unidentified mother was quoted as saying: “In the spaces where the gangs are, there are innocent people, people who raise their children, who follow normal paths.”
The families of those killed said the criminal group organised and controlled access to their funerals, according to Human Rights Watch.
Last month, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti said it had no indications the deaths and injuries were being investigated.
HRW said there was no evidence drones were being used widely by gangs. The UN’s high commissioner for human rights said in October that the drone strikes were disproportionate and likely unlawful.
Venezuelans Pick State-Funded Projects to Address Local Community Needs
A voter participates in the March 8 consultation. (Archive)
Mérida, March 9, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Millions of Venezuelans participated on Sunday in the first National Popular Consultation of 2026, a direct democracy mechanism designed to transfer state resources directly to organized communities for the execution of self-managed projects.
The process took place in 5,336 communal circuits nationwide. Residents over the age of 15 were eligible to vote for one of up to seven projects previously proposed and debated in local citizens’ assemblies. The initiatives mostly focus on urgent territorial priorities such as water distribution, electrical grid repairs, and infrastructure renovations.
Once a project is selected by the majority of voters in a communal circuit, the government transfers US $10,000, in local currency. The community then manages the resources and oversees the execution of the work.
Communes Minister Ángel Prado visited several voting centers on Sunday, hailing the turnout and the efficiency of the communal model.
“This is an extraordinary result and a demonstration of the great participation registered in this 2026 Popular Consultation,” Prado stated to national media. “The organized people are showing that they have the capacity to manage their own resources and solve their problems with transparency and commitment.”
The winning proposal in the Lanceros Atures Commune in Lara state was the purchase of equipment for the local healthcare center. In rural Cojedes state, residents of the Zamora Vive Communal Circuit chose to fund the production of cereals and legumes.
In 5 de Marzo Comandante Eterno Commune in southwest Caracas the community selected a project to replace 10 kg liquefied gas (LPG) cylinders used mostly for cooking. For many families, this was a critical priority as existing cylinders were in poor condition or insufficient for daily needs.
Anaís Márquez, a spokesperson for the commune, explained to Venezuelanalysis the transformative impact of the winning project.
“The winning project is the replacement of the cooking gas cylinders, which will transform our realities,” Márquez said. Six of the seven community councils here rely on these cylinders. Many were in poor condition, or people only had one. Selecting this project means guaranteeing a better quality of life and safety for our families.”
Márquez highlighted that the consultation’s timing on March 8, International Working Women’s Day, added a layer of historical significance to the process.
“I believe this consultation is one of those demands we have fought for. What better way to commemorate International Working Women’s Day than through participation, since 80% of communal spokespeople in Venezuela are women,” she noted.
The local activist added that the projects chosen in the consultations “create a sense of belonging and joint responsibility for the transformation of our territory.”
The concept of the commune was central to former President Hugo Chávez’s vision of the path toward socialism. Chávez envisioned communes as the “unit cells” of a new state, where social property and self-governance would eventually replace the old “bourgeois” structures.
Starting in 2024, the Nicolás Maduro government implemented the consultations as the main mechanism to support grassroots organizations. By empowering local communities to execute projects identified through their own “concrete agenda of action,” the state bypassed the local governorships and mayoralties to deliver funds directly.
Sunday’s vote was the first of several planned for 2026.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
Who is in the cast of One Piece Season 2 on Netflix?
A whole host of new faces are joining the crew for the adventure
One Piece season 2 first look
The second season of Netflix’s critically acclaimed live-action adaptation of a beloved manga series is finally here.
Brand new episodes of One Piece are now available to stream as of today (March 10). Fresh instalments adapt several story arcs from the original source material which was previously turned into a popular anime.
The first season of the live-action version debuted exclusively on the streaming service back in August 2023. It means fans have been eagerly awaiting the continuation of the Straw Hat crew’s adventures.
Based on the Japanese manga series by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece follows Monkey D. Luffy on his journey to find the legendary treasure, the One Piece, in his quest to become King of the Pirates. The second season is subtitled Into The Grand Line.
Who is in the cast One Piece Season 2 on Netflix?
All members of the Straw Hats crew return for the live-action series’ second outing. They are lead by Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, a young pirate bestowed with the power of stretching from eating a Devil Fruit as a child.
His ultimate goal is to find the One Piece and become the next King of the Pirates. Mexican actor Godoy has previously appeared in The Imperfects on Netflix.
Emily Rudd also returns as Nami, a cat burglar and expert cartographer. Rudd has previously starred in Fear Street Parts Two and Three as well as thriller series Hunters.
Mackenyu stars as swordsman Roronoa Zoro, an ex-bounty hunter who becomes Luffy’s first mate shortly after their first encounter. He trains regularly to become the world’s greatest swordsman. Mackenyu previously appeared in Pacific Rim Uprising and recently voiced Gennojo in the game Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Jacob Romero Gibson plays Usopp, master storyteller and estranged son of an infamous pirate. He aspires to be a brave warrior of sea. He has also appeared in episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and The Resident.
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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
Taz Skylar also returns as Sanji, the master chef and martial artist who only fights with his legs to protect his hands for cooking. He is searching for the All Blue, a mythical connection point of the Four Seas. Spanish-British actor Skylar, is also known for Boiling Point and The Lazarus Project.
The newest member of the Straw Hats for Season 2 is Tony Tony Chopper. They are a reindeer capable of walking and talking like humans after consuming a Devil Fruit, who also happens to study as a medical practitioner. Providing Chopper’s voice is Mikaela Hoover, known for turns as Cat Grant in 2025’s Superman while she’ll also appear in the new season of Beef on Netflix.
Aside from the main crew, they have a number of familiar adversaries on their tail. It includes Koby, the former cabin boy of the Alvida Pirates Luffey rescued back in the first episode. He has since become a Marine in his tracking his former pal down. He is once again played by Morgan Davies whose recent credits include Evil Dead Rise.
Marine Vice Admiral Garp is also on the Straw Hats’ tail. He was also revealed during season one to be Luffey’s estranged Grandfather. He’s played by Welsh actor Vincent Regan, whose credits include Shetland, House of the Dragon, The Bay and Poldark to name a few.
Also confirmed to return is Jeff Ward as Buggy the Clown, the circus-themed captain of the Buggy Pirates. Buggy has the power to split his body into pieces and control each part remotely. Like Luffey, his unique ability comes from eating a Devil Fruit. Ward has previously appeared in Hacks and Agents of Shield.
Who are in the Baroque Works?
There are not the only ones our heroes need to worry about though. A brand new faction is introduced and causing trouble on the Grand Line. Namely, a mysterious group of assassins who call themselves Baroque Works.
Their leader is the mysterious Mr. O, played by Joe Manganiello. The actor is easily recognisable for his turns in True Blood and his uncredited appearance as Deathstroke in Zac Snyder’s Justice League.
Bridgerton star Charithra Chandran is also part of the group as Miss Wednesday while she also has her own agenda. Her partner is Mr 9, played by Raised by Wolves actor Daniel Lasker.
David Dastmalchian stars as Mr. 3 described as “creepy artist serial killer of Baroque Works.” Dastmalchian previous roles include Oppenheimer, Ant-Man, The Suicide Squad and Late Night With The Devil.
The OA actor Camrus Johnson is Mr 5, while Lioness star Jazzara Jaslyn plays Miss Valentine. They are joined by Exterritorial’s Lera Abova as Miss All Sunday alongside The School for Good and Evil’s Sophia Anne Carusoas as Miss Goldenweek.
One Piece is streaming on Netflix.
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L.A.’s eviction defense program up in the air amid battle with city attorney
The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles routinely sues the city — and wins.
In the last two months, the nonprofit has notched victories in three lawsuits over the city’s handling of the homelessness crisis.
Legal Aid also defends tenants at risk of eviction as part of the city and Los Angeles County’s Stay Housed L.A. program.
Last Tuesday, the City Council was set to vote on a $177-million contract for Legal Aid to continue representing tenants for the next three years, with other groups providing related services.
But the night before the vote, City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto sent a confidential memo to council offices recommending that council members “reconsider the award of such a large contract to a frequent litigant against the city,” according to a portion of the memo obtained by The Times.
On the day of the scheduled vote, the council delayed it for a week, until Tuesday.
“[Legal Aid’s] mission includes improving the lives of our client communities through systemic change, which sometimes means filing litigation against government entities engaging in illegal conduct,” Barbara Schultz, director of housing justice for Legal Aid, said in an interview.
Schultz said that Legal Aid’s litigation and eviction work “are entirely separate.”
Through a spokesperson, Feldstein Soto declined to comment. She is running for reelection this year.
The contract, which would last for three years, would award nearly $107 million to Legal Aid for eviction defense and prevention, $42 million to the Southern California Housing Rights Center for short-term emergency rental assistance, nearly $22 million to Liberty Hill Foundation for tenant outreach and close to $7 million to Strategic Actions for a Just Economy to protect tenants from harassment.
The battle over the contract has serious implications for Los Angeles tenants at risk of eviction, Schultz said.
Legal Aid, which has participated in the program since its inception in 2021, will have to stop accepting new clients if the contract does not pass on Tuesday. Each month, about 160 tenants will be without legal representation and about 575 more won’t get advice that could help them avoid eviction proceedings, Schultz said.
Schultz said that Legal Aid subcontracts some of the legal work in the program to groups such as Bet Tzedek and Inner City Law Center.
“We get 600 to 800 eviction filings each month in our district alone. If council doesn’t act, those families will have no help from the city,” City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez said in a statement.
The Stay Housed L.A. program has opened about 26,000 cases overall, providing full representation for 6,150 cases and working on nearly 20,000 “limited scope” cases, according to data from Legal Aid. The original contract, which is set to lapse at the end of the month, was for about $90 million.
Measure ULA, the “mansion tax” passed by city voters in 2022, includes funding for the program.
Last June, Feldstein Soto tried to block the City Council from extending the contract without a competitive bidding process, a core tenet she has preached as the city’s elected legal counsel.
At the time, some City Council members grumbled, but still, they opened the contract to bidders.
Months later, the city Housing Department awarded the contract to Legal Aid and the other organizations before sending it to the City Council for approval.
“Our understanding of the city’s contracting process is that it is trying to get the best services it can at the best value and not using the process to influence the political or legal activities of nonprofit advocacy organizations,” Elizabeth Hamilton, deputy director of Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, which has also filed lawsuits against the city, said in a statement.
Feldstein Soto’s confidential memo cited other potential issues with the contract, calling for an audit of Stay Housed L.A. and asserting that a confidentiality clause in the original contract might violate state public records laws.
Recently, Legal Aid has scored several victories against the city.
In January, a judge ruled that the city violated the state’s open meeting law when council members made a plan behind closed doors to sweep 9,800 homeless encampments. Legal Aid represented the plaintiffs in that case.
In February, with Legal Aid also serving as plaintiffs’ counsel, a judge ruled that the city lacked the legal authority to carry out a state law allowing the dismantling of abandoned or inoperable RVs worth up to $4,000.
That same month, Legal Aid scored another victory when a federal judge found that the city violated homeless people’s constitutional rights by seizing and destroying their property during encampment cleanups.
U.S. holds on to defeat Mexico in the World Baseball Classic
Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer and Roman Anthony added a three-run blast in a big third inning to lead the United States to a 5-3 win over Mexico in the World Baseball Classic at Houston’s Daikin Park on Monday night.
The U.S. improved to 3-0 and will meet Italy (2-0) on Tuesday night, seeking to secure a spot in the quarterfinals in Houston this weekend.
Jarren Duran homered twice for Mexico (2-1), which will face Italy Wednesday night in the last game of Group B play.
The game was played in front of a sellout crowd of 41,628 that was decidedly pro-Mexico.
Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes gave up one hit and struck out seven in four innings as the U.S. avenged an 11-5 loss to Mexico in the 2023 WBC.
The U.S. led by three entering the eighth inning before Duran took Matthew Boyd deep for his second homer. Boyd then hit Randy Arozarena on the arm with a pitch before striking out Jonathan Aranda.
Griffin Jax took over and induced a double-play grounder from Alejandro Kirk to end the inning.
Bryce Harper singled on a ball that hit reliever Jesus Cruz on the leg with no outs in the third inning. Judge followed with his drive to right field to put the Americans up 2-0 and give him two home runs in the tournament.
Kyle Schwarber singled and Cal Raleigh was hit by a pitch with one out before Anthony’s homer to right-center pushed the lead to 5-0.
Duran homered for a second straight game with his solo shot off Boyd that cut the lead to 5-1 with one out in the sixth. There were two on and two outs when Joey Meneses singled in a run to make it 5-2.
Number of foreign residents in S. Korea nears 1.7 mln in 2025
The number of foreign nationals residing in South Korea is nearly 1.7 million, government data showed Tuesday. In this February photo, foreigners pose with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Seoul. File Photo by Yonhap
The number of foreign nationals residing in South Korea approached 1.7 million as of May last year, government data showed Tuesday.
The total number came to 1.69 million as of last May, up 8.4 percent from a year earlier, according to data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics. The figure refers to foreigners aged 15 and older who have resided in the country for more than 91 days.
By category, overseas Koreans with foreign nationalities accounted for the largest share, at 24.2 percent, followed by non-professional employment visa holders, at 19 percent, the data showed. International students accounted for 14 percent, and permanent residents accounted for 9.6 percent.
Among foreign nationals, ethnic Koreans with Chinese nationality accounted for 29.9 percent of the total, followed by those from Vietnam with 16 percent, the data showed.
The data also showed that 65.5 percent of foreign nationals had jobs as of May.
Among those employed, 10.8 percent of foreign workers said they were seeking new jobs, with most citing low income as the main reason.
About 32 percent of foreign nationals reported earning a monthly income between 2 million won (US$1,362) and 3 million won, the data showed.
The data also showed 12.9 percent of foreigners said they experienced financial difficulties over the past year.
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Could the US-Israel war with Iran fuel global inflation? | Business and Economy
Oil prices are swinging as markets react to every twist in the conflict.
The United States and Israel’s war on Iran has caused the largest energy supply shock in decades.
The Strait of Hormuz is in effect closed, and attacks are being carried out on energy facilities in the Middle East, rattling oil markets.
From Americans filling their tanks at the pump to European factories and Asian economies, the impact is already being felt.
US President Donald Trump says the rise in oil prices is a “very small price to pay” for “safety and peace”. But investors warn that if the conflict drags on, there’s danger of stagflation.
Published On 10 Mar 2026
Jennifer Runyon dead: ‘Ghostbusters,’ ‘Brady Christmas’ actor was 65
Jennifer Runyon, a film and television actor known best for her roles on “Ghostbusters,” “A Very Brady Christmas” and “Charles in Charge,” has died. She was 65.
Runyon died Friday, according to a Sunday statement reportedly posted to her social media account, which has since gone private.
“This past Friday, our beloved Jennifer passed away. It was a long and arduous journey that ended with her surrounded by her family,” the statement read, according to ABC7. “She will always be remembered for her love of life and her devotion to her family and friends. Rest in peace our Jenn.”
“Bewitched” actor Erin Murphy shared in a Sunday post on Facebook and Instagram that Runyon died “after a brief battle with cancer.”
“Some people you just know you’ll be friends with before you even meet,” Murphy wrote in her tribute. “She was a special lady.”
On the 1980s sitcom “Charles in Charge,” Runyon portrayed Gwendolyn Pierce, a fellow college student of the show’s titular live-in housekeeper (portrayed by Scott Baio) and the target of his affections.
In his Facebook tribute, fellow “Charles in Charge” actor Willie Aames described Runyon as a “dear dear friend, muse, and encourager.”
“From the moment we met on set all those decades ago- I knew you ‘got me,’” wrote Aames. “Watching you slip away these last few months was one of the hardest times of my life… I can still hear your voice so clearly. No one will ever be able to fill the massive hole that’s been left in our hearts… ever.”
A Chicago native, Runyon made her television debut as Sally Frame in the long-running soap opera “Another World.” She also appeared in episodes of “Magnum, P.I.,” “Quantum Leap” and “Murder, She Wrote.” Runyon also portrayed the grown-up Cindy Brady in “A Very Brady Christmas.”
Her film credits include the 1984 classic “Ghostbusters,” where she appeared as one of the students participating in the ESP study conducted by Bill Murray’s Peter Venkman.
On Instagram, Runyon’s daughter Bayley Corman, an actor who has appeared on TV shows such as “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” “Bel-Air” and “Running Point,” described her mother as “the kindest most compassionate person i’ve ever known.”
“All of the best parts of me came from you,” Corman wrote in her tribute. “i would give anything for one more day together.”
Abandoned attraction that was ‘world’s first entertainment park’ to reopen in English seaside town
PLANS have been revealed to turn an abandoned attraction into a new leisure spot in a popular seaside town.
The Kursaal in Southend-on-Sea has stood empty for six years and during that time has fallen into disrepair.
But now, the once thriving attraction that had a circus, arcades, a ballroom, a dining hall and even a zoo, will be transformed into a new leisure destination.
Though the details of what the attraction will be have not been announced yet, Daniel Cowan, Council leader at Southend-on-Sea City Council, said: “The Kursaal is woven into the story of Southend and for too long the Kursaal’s future has been uncertain.
“Today we can say it has a credible local operator, a leisure vision for the building and a clear path to reopening,” reports the BBC.
The Kursaal – which translates to ‘cure hall’ and usually refers to the main hall of a spa town – opened back in 1901 and hosted famous musicians such as Queen, Black Sabbath, Rod Stewart and AC/DC.
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Former attractions included bumper cars, a ski jump, a ghost train and a figure-of-eight rollercoaster.
Under the plans to reopen the historic venue that currently sits on the list of neglected sites, essential repairs will be carried out first.
Currently managed by the property group AEW, the Grade-II listed venue’s lease will be handed over to Star Amusements by the end of this summer.
Star Amusements already runs a number of attractions along the seafront, including an arcades venue close to Southend Pier.
Bayo Alaba, the Labour MP for Southend East and Rochford, said that the Kursaal is “a building of historical significance and architecture“.
He added: “Great-grandparents met in the ballroom, children have grown up laughing in its arcades and bowling alleys, and countless memories made here connect generations across our city.”
Nick Singer, the operations director at Star Amusements also shared that the new attraction would be “high quality” and that whilst there is a lot of work to do, they are “ready to move forward”.
When the venue opened over 100 years ago, it was one of the world’s first purpose-built amusement parks.
And to date, several distinctive features remain such as a dome which was even featured on a Royal Mail stamp in 2011.
Between 1919 and 1934, the Kursaal was also home to Southend United F.C.
Most of the building was then closed down in 1973, before it fully closed in 1986.
It reopened in 1998 but closed again in 2020, with just a small Tesco Express remaining open on the ground floor.
The Kursaal is about a two-minute walk from Southend-on-Sea’s Golden Mile beach and promenade, where you will find amusement arcades, cafes, and entertainment venues.
Taking to social media, many people have expressed their excitement about the news with one person commenting: “Please have ballroom facilities there to host dance competitions!”
Another added: “So glad that this iconic, Grade-II listed building has been saved.
“I was worried that it was going to be torn down and flats built there.
“They say, it is to be entertainment-themed, so lets hope it may be a multi use venue – concerts, exhibitions, even perhaps an ice or roller rink.”
A third person said: “Fantastic news!! Such a Southend icon!”
In other attraction news, here are 15 attractions in the UK that have £1 per person tickets from huge castles to kid-friendly museums.
Plus, London’s biggest rooftop attraction is set to open this summer with live DJs and food festivals.