Married At First Sight Australia brides Brook and Gia have both issued public apologies on Instagram after viewer backlash over dinner party drama

Married At First Sight Australia brides Brook and Gia have both issued extensive apologies online after viewers criticised their “vile” conduct during a fiery dinner party.

The duo clashed with several of their co-stars in awkward scenes which were broadcast on E4 on Thursday (March 26) evening, primarily targeting Alissa and Stella.

Numerous viewers expressed their disapproval on social media about how the disputes shouldn’t have been permitted to occur and both Gia and Brook have since spoken out and publicly apologised.

In response to the backlash, Brook accessed her Instagram page to release a statement, writing: “Last night and the past few episodes of Married at First Sight was an extremely difficult watch.

“What you saw last night was the worst version of myself and unfortunately Alissa and Stella were on the receiving end of that.”, reports OK!.

“I want to firstly sincerely apologise to Alissa and Stella for my words and the hurt that I have caused.

“My actions were appalling and not at all a reflection of the kindness and respect that you both deserve and I hope in time you can forgive me. I am truly sorry.

“To other couples in the experiment and audience who had to witness my behaviour, I am deeply sorry. Bullying should never be condoned and I am extremely embarrassed by the way that I acted.”

Brook continued to say that the dinner party was filmed in August last year and she’s since had time to reflect and learn from her actions.

She concluded: “This behaviour is not a reflection of who I am at my core and I hope that Australia will one day see this. I know trust is rebuilt through actions, not just words and I will continue doing the work to be better.

“I’m looking forward to moving on with my life with more kindness and hope that those watching will choose to do the same.”

Gia took to her Instagram Stories to express regret, penning: “I could speak on why I didn’t connect with Alissa, or things that were said and done to me, but two wrongs don’t make a right.

” Engaging in a cycle of dragging one another to deflect from our own behaviour is not something I want to participate in.

“I’m choosing to focus on growth. On being a better person. On working on my privately and being a present, loving mum. And a supportive partner. That is where my energy is going.

“To Alissa and Stella, I am genuinely sorry for the way I handled myself that night, and throughout the experiment. Regardless of what was said or heard, my delivery and my behaviour was appalling.

“I apologise for the disgusting language and the way I made you both feel. I am deeply sorry for the hurt I have caused you both, and I wish you nothing but peace moving forward.”

Married at First Sight Australia airs Monday to Thursday on E4 at 7.30pm

ONE of the UK’s most popular seaside towns is undergoing a £750,000 revamp to its historic promenade.

Brighton has long been a popular destination for holidaymakers but its famous Victorian promenade has been partially closed to the public since 2012 following safety concerns.

Now, the promenade is expected to reopen this winter after an extensive restoration project.

Known as the Madeira Terrace, the historic promenade structure stretches 865metres-long with 151 large arches and was built between 1890 and 1897.

Parts of the cast iron railing decorations depict Poseidon – the Greek god of the sea – and Aphrodite – the goddess of love – as well.

The structure is also Grade II listed and thought to be the longest continuous cast-iron structure in the UK.

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The first phase of the project includes restoring 28 of the arches between the Royal Crescent steps and Concorde 2, as well as installing a new lift.

The new lift will create step-free access to and from Madeira Drive.

Work on the lift has already begun with the next stage involving 20,000 bricks being placed around a frame that has been built.

Parts of the cast iron structure of Madeira Terrace have already been returned to the promenade after being sent to a specialist foundry for repairs.

The structure was originally built to create a sheltered promenade for Victorian tourists and was designed by Philip Lockwood – the same man behind the Bandstand, also known as the Birdcage, on Brighton seafront.

As wealthy visitors arrived by train, the terrace would allow them to promenade along the beach no matter the weather.

Over the decades it has become a key part of Brighton’s image as well as appearing in a number of productions such as films Wimbledon (2004) and TV series Dr Who.

Councillor Julie Cattell said: “We’re moving forward with very visible and eye-catching elements of the restoration, and I know residents and visitors are enjoying seeing the structure take shape.

“There has been huge interest in the work being done to create the lift and residents will continue to see real progress being made over the coming months.

“It is great that so many people are really captivated and engaged in this project – and have such goodwill towards the work being done.

“We know Madeira Terrace is a vital part of our city’s architectural heritage and is something people really care about.

“That is partly why we are taking a firm, heritage-led approach.

“Restoring the existing structure does take more time than simply replacing it – particularly with the testing required – but it is the correct approach.

“We’re determined to get this restoration right – and see Madeira Terrace once again become a thriving and important part of our iconic seafront.”

The renovations to the terrace are also part of a wider multi-million-pound project that will develop the area around the Brighton Centre – a conference and exhibition space where previously The Who, Queen and Bob Marley have performed.

Dubbed the Waterfront Project, work will expand Churchill Square shopping centre as well as establish a new conference centre and entertainment venue.

In 2024, plans were also submitted to widen the beach in Brighton’s neighbour – Hove.

The plans were later approved for the coastal defense works, which includes widening and adding new pebbles and groynes to the beach.

In other seaside news, here are seven great UK seaside towns with beachfront theme parks – and you can stay with Hols from £9.50.

Plus, our favourite beautiful British seaside towns with holiday parks you can book with £9.50 Hols.

All impacted guests have been offered a full refund or a future cruise credit, and will be supported by the firm’s teams, who will provide rebooking options and assistance.

A major cruise line has cancelled all its April sailings as the impact of the Iran war on travel worsens.

Celestyal has confirmed the cancellation of all April 2026 departures as its ships wait to reposition to Athens, Greece.

The line’s fleet is currently positioned in the Arabian Gulf, with Celestyal Discovery in Dubai, UAE, and Celestyal Journey in Doha, Qatar. All guests and non-operational crew have been disembarked, while both vessels remain fully operational. The cruise line announced that staff and crew’s departure from the region will take place in accordance with safety guidance from the relevant authorities.

“Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, all sailings scheduled for April 2026 have been cancelled,” a statement from Celestyal read.

The next planned departures are:

• Celestyal Discovery – May 1, 2026 (3-night Iconic Greek Islands)

• Celestyal Journey – May 2, 2026 (7-night Heavenly Greece, Italy and Croatia)

Lee Haslett, chief commercial officer at Celestyal, said: “Our priority remains the safety and confidence of our guests, crew and partners. While we know this will be disappointing, taking this decision now provides greater clarity and flexibility for those affected. Our teams are working closely with guests and travel partners to support rebooking options and ensure a smooth transition, and we remain focused on returning to service in the Mediterranean as soon as it is safe to do so.”

All impacted guests have been offered a full refund or a future cruise credit, and will be supported by Celestyal’s teams, who will provide rebooking options and assistance.

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The news comes as senior figures from the energy, shipping and banking sectors prepare to meet Sir Keir Starmer as Donald Trump hinted the conflict with Iran could intensify.

Oil prices surged after the US president revealed he was weighing up a military operation to take control of Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical component of the country’s export infrastructure.

The Downing Street talks are expected to centre on Iran’s continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has severely disrupted a key shipping route for the oil and gas industry, as well as supplies of other goods such as fertiliser.

The gathering will include representatives from energy giants Shell and BP, shipping behemoth Maersk, maritime insurance specialist Lloyd’s of London, and banking heavyweights HSBC and Goldman Sachs.

Major General Richard Cantrill, the UK’s maritime operations commander, will also brief those in attendance on the latest developments in the region.

This follows the Royal Navy’s announcement that it is equipping the transport vessel RFA Lyme Bay with minehunting drones — a move widely understood to be aimed at giving ministers options for securing the strait once conditions allow.

Downing Street confirmed the purpose of the meeting was to hear directly from businesses and explore how the Government and private sector can join forces in tackling the ongoing conflict.

The No 10 summit is expected to be followed by a Cobra meeting on Tuesday, where senior ministers will assess the continuing economic damage caused by the war, Sir Keir has suggested. The summit follows Mr Trump’s comments that he could “take the oil in Iran” or potentially seize control of Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export hub.

In a sharp repudiation of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, voters rejected his most sweeping ballot proposals on Tuesday in an election that shattered his image as an agent of the popular will.

Voters turned down his proposals to curb state spending, redraw California’s political map and lengthen the time it takes teachers to get tenure.

With most of the votes counted, Californians were leaning against Proposition 75, his plan to require unions for public workers to get written consent from members before spending their dues money on politics.

The Republican governor had cast the four initiatives as central to his larger vision for restoring fiscal discipline to California and reforming its notoriously dysfunctional politics. The failure of Proposition 76, his spending restraints, and Proposition 77, his election district overhaul, represented a particularly sharp snub of the governor by California voters. It also threw into question his strategy of threatening lawmakers with statewide votes to get around them when they block his favored proposals.

On a Beverly Hills stage Tuesday night next to his wife, Maria Shriver, Schwarzenegger pledged “to find common ground” with his Democratic adversaries in Sacramento.

“The people of California are sick and tired of all the fighting, and they are sick and tired of all the negative TV ads,” he told supporters at the Beverly Hilton. He did not concede, saying instead that “in a couple of days the victories or the losses will be behind us.”

Dogging the governor, as it has for months, was the California Nurses Assn., which organized a luau at the Trader Vic’s in the same hotel. As Schwarzenegger’s defeats mounted, giddy nurses formed a conga line and danced around the room, singing, “We’re the mighty, mighty nurses.”

At labor’s election night party in Sacramento, union leaders were not in a forgiving mood, vowing revenge against the governor next year when he seeks reelection. They were particularly incensed that he had not given union members their due for what they believed to be a clean sweep of his agenda.

“He never apologized once for trashing every one of us,” said Mike Jimenez, president of the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn. “And I can tell you, tomorrow we’re not going to apologize for the way this election turned out. Tomorrow starts Round 2.”

California Teachers Assn. President Barbara Kerr told several hundred activists in the ballroom: “This governor wasted $50 million, and he does not have the courage to apologize to all of you for the trash he talked about you. He doesn’t have the courage to say he was wrong, that we’re the real heroes of California.”

For months, labor and its Democratic allies called Schwarzenegger’s agenda an assault on nurses, firefighters, teachers and other public employees. Labor’s $100-million campaign against the governor this year has battered his public image as he prepares to seek reelection in 2006.

Also on the ballot were four other initiatives. Voters were narrowly defeating Proposition 73, which would bar abortions for minors without parental notification. The state Republican Party promoted Schwarzenegger’s endorsement of the measure among evangelicals and other religious conservatives in a bid to boost turnout of voters who would back the rest of his agenda.

By a wide margin, voters also rejected rival measures on prescription-drug discounts. The pharmaceutical industry spent $80 million on a campaign to defeat Proposition 79, a labor and consumer-group proposal, and pass its own alternative, Proposition 78.

Voters also turned down Proposition 80, a complex measure to revamp rules governing the electricity industry. The initiative, sponsored by consumer advocates, tried to draw on public anger from the state’s 2000 energy crisis, but polls suggested that it confused voters.

Overall, the special election called by Schwarzenegger to win public validation of his agenda sparked a campaign that became the costliest in California’s history. All told, the yes and no campaigns on the eight initiatives spent more than $250 million.

Schwarzenegger put in $7.2 million of his own money. That brings his total personal spending on political endeavors to $25 million since he ran for governor in the 2003 recall race.

Former Gov. Pete Wilson, a political mentor to Schwarzenegger, watched returns with the governor at the Hilton. “It took courage to do it,” Wilson said of the special election. “Why run for office if you’re not going to do anything with it?”

But state Senate leader Don Perata, a Democrat from Oakland, said Tuesday night that Schwarzenegger had “sowed the seeds of his own demise” by taking on the full gamut of public workers, who make up more than half of the union members in California.

“He got a lot of really bad advice,” Perata said.

By the time voters started lining up at neighborhood polling places Tuesday morning, 2.2 million Californians had already cast their ballots by mail. The vote came after months of heavy television advertising, often with back-to-back spots prodding voters in opposite directions on the bewildering set of initiatives.

At a Rancho Palos Verdes polling station, David Berman, a 46-year-old doctor, captured the feeling of many fellow Democrats when he threw up his hands and declared the election pointless.

“It’s a waste of money,” he said.

In Baldwin Park, Renee Martinez, 50, spoke for the governor’s Republican loyalists, saying her goal Tuesday was “to back Arnold.”

“I’m his,” she said. “He tells you like it is, and I believe him.”

The election followed a steep political slide for Schwarzenegger. He sustained stratospheric popularity ratings in his first year as governor by maximizing his appeal as an outsider with a fresh take on the state capital. Facing a severe fiscal mess, he favored bipartisan compromise over pitched battles with Democrats and their union allies.

But late last year, he set in motion a cascade of political misfortunes by aligning himself more closely with the Republican Party, a costly move in a state that strongly favors Democrats.

He championed the reelection of President Bush, widely disliked in California, in a prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention in New York. Days before the divisive national election, he campaigned for Bush in Ohio, a crucial swing state.

In California, meanwhile, Schwarzenegger led the GOP push to wrest seats from Democrats in the Legislature, hoping to bolster his position there. Republicans failed to win any new seats, but the governor succeeded in antagonizing the Democrats who control both the Assembly and Senate.

In January, he deepened his troubles by taking on public-employee unions in his State of the State speech, further annoying the Democratic lawmakers who rely heavily on labor support. He demanded state spending limits and new districts for legislators, along with an overhaul of the state pension system. He threatened to call a special election if Democrats blocked his plans, saying voters would heed his call to “rise up” and reform Sacramento.

Further isolating himself, he went on to break his deal with educators to restore $2 billion taken from public schools to balance the previous year’s budget. At the same time, he kept his pledge not to raise income taxes, a popular stand with Republicans.

By winter’s end, unions had launched a punishing television ad campaign, pounding Schwarzenegger for breaking his promise on schools. The ads also exploited a bungle by the authors of the governor’s pension proposal: It would have denied survivor benefits to the families of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty. The governor abandoned it.

Personal missteps added to Schwarzenegger’s woes. He called Democratic lawmakers “girlie men” for bridling at spending cuts. When nurses heckled him, his response provided fodder for a scathing union television ad: “The special interests don’t like me in Sacramento, because I am always kicking their butts.”

To gain publicity as a champion bodybuilder and film star, Schwarzenegger had often made fun of people, but in politics the tactic backfired, said Laurence Leamer, author of “Fantastic: The Life of Arnold Schwarzenegger.”

“It began to turn against him, because his opponents were very, very shrewd and calculating in the way they exploited it,” Leamer said.

Unions made nurses, teachers and firefighters the face of their anti-Schwarzenegger campaign, which only intensified after lawmakers rejected his demands, leading him to call Tuesday’s special election. By last week, his job approval rating had dropped to 40% of likely voters in a Los Angeles Times poll, down from 69% a year earlier.

Schwarzenegger framed the election as a “sequel” to the recall, a package of proposals that would reform state politics and government.

But the centerpiece of his agenda, Proposition 76, offered political grist for the unions: It would have given more budget authority to the governor — a power grab by labor’s account — and make complex changes in the minimum school-spending rules that California voters approved in 1988.

His redistricting plan, Proposition 77, also faced an uphill fight, given California voters’ long history of rejecting plans to reshape the way political maps are drawn.

Schwarzenegger argued that state lawmakers should not be allowed to “pick their voters” by drawing district lines to protect incumbents.

Opponents countered that the governor’s plan to give the job to retired judges would put, for the most part, white elderly men in charge of drawing maps for an increasingly diverse state.

Schwarzenegger’s tenure proposal, Proposition 74, sparked fierce opposition from the California Teachers Assn., which put nearly $60 million into the fight. The governor said it was nearly impossible to get rid of bad teachers, such as one who showed an R-rated movie in the classroom. The union accused him of attacking the profession and jeopardizing the effort to relieve the state’s teacher shortage.

But his labor adversaries were most concerned about Proposition 75, the restraint on union campaign spending.

National union leaders flew to California in recent days to campaign against the measure, underscoring their fear that similar proposals in other states could further weaken organized labor, already torn by a schism in the national AFL-CIO.

“It’s a basic attack on workers in so many ways,” AFL-CIO President John Sweeney told reporters Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Unions have spent about $100 million on the campaign against Schwarzenegger’s ballot measures at a time of vigorous debate over how much money labor should devote to politics.

“We’re still doing what we need to do with collective bargaining and organizing new members, but it is definitely a drain on our treasury,” said J.J. Johnston, California area director of the Service Employees International Union.

Regardless of Tuesday’s results, Schwarzenegger sets out today on his yearlong quest for political recovery, both as governor and reelection candidate.

Other unpopular governors, such as Pete Wilson and Gray Davis, have overcome abysmal poll ratings to win second terms. Few strategists doubt Schwarzenegger’s capacity to do the same, and on Tuesday in Beverly Hills he seemed intent on pursuing the centrist path that worked for him in his early days as governor.

“I recognize we also need more bipartisan cooperation to make it all happen, and I promise I will deliver that,” he said.

Times staff writers Noam N. Levey, Dan Morain, Jordan Rau, Hemmy So and Kelly-Anne Suarez contributed to this report.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Past turnout

Fewer voters usually turn out for special elections than for regular elections. An exception occurred in 2003, when Gray Davis was recalled and Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor.

Turnout in previous statewide elections:

*–* *1962 78.73% *1966 79.20% *1970 76.19% **1973 47.62% *1974 64.11% *1978 70.41% **1979 37.38% *1982 69.78% *1986 59.35% *1990 58.61% **1993 36.37% *1994 60.45% *1998 57.59% *2002 50.57% **2003 61.20%

*–*

*Non-presidential general elections

**Special elections

Source: California secretary of state

BRITS’ favourite things about a staycation include shorter travel times, avoiding the airport – and proper pub lunches.

Supporting the local economy, the beautiful green countryside and taking scenic drives also featured in the top 30.

For 28 per cent, the stunning coastlines are the best thing about staying in the UK, with over a third (35 per cent) of Brits claiming they would prefer to holiday on home turf over going abroad.

Unsurprisingly, 78 per cent felt the weather could make or break a holiday in the UK.

Eurig Druce, managing director of Vauxhall, which commissioned the research of 2,000 adults, said: “The UK is such a wonderful place to holiday, and it’s been great finding out why people love it so much.

“Everyone has memories of holidaying in the UK from their childhood, and more than ever, Brits are choosing ‘staycations’ over going abroad, whether that be because of the beautiful scenery on our doorstep or the comfort of travelling in your own car.”

The study also found 62 per cent think the best type of staycation is a ’coastal getaway’, but 50 per cent also love a city break and 28 per cent enjoy camping or glamping.

With the south west of England considered the best place to get away for 21 per cent, followed by Scotland (15 per cent) and Wales (11 per cent).

The car is the most common mode of transport (80 per cent) for Brits going on holiday in the UK, with the average person travelling just under 206 miles.

It also emerged those polled, via OnePoll.com, are willing to spend an average of £391.11 per trip.

Although, 50 per cent said rising travel costs have made them more likely to holiday within the British borders.

The research also found 15 per cent have been asked by their children to be more environmentally friendly when planning their trips, and one in 10 (nine per cent) said sustainability is a priority for them when booking.

And of the electric vehicle drivers polled, 77 per cent said having charging points at their accommodation is important.

Eurig Druce from Vauxhall added: “The Grandland Electric has been designed with families in mind, with a spacious interior, large boot and an electric range of over 300 miles, making it the ideal vehicle for a ‘staycation.’

“Whether it is stunning coastlines, rural escapes or bustling city centres, the home nations have some fantastic places on offer for people to enjoy.”

THE TOP 30 THINGS BRITS LOVE ABOUT STAYCATIONS
1.           Stunning coastlines
2.           Shorter travel times
3.           Visiting historical landmarks
4.           Green countryside
5.           Avoiding the airport experience
6.           Woodland walks
7.           Fish and chips
8.           Learning more about the UK
9.           Proper pub lunches
10.        Taking scenic drives
11.        Feeling refreshed
12.        No luggage restrictions
13.        Taking the dog
14.        Full English breakfasts
15.        Staying in unique places
16.        Wildlife watching
17.        Supporting local independent shops
18.        Watching the sunset
19.        Everything in a language you understand
20.        Familiar shops and produce
21.        Ice cream
22.        Not having to worry about exchange rates
23.        Live music
24.        The people
25.        Amusement arcades
26.        Local festivals
27.        Farmers’ markets and local produce
28.        Proper tea
29.        Trying regional dishes
30.        Sleeping in without the guilt of missing the day

This article explores the history and significance of Spiritual Baptist Day in Trinidad and Tobago, a public holiday celebrated on March 30th. The faith originated from the Merikin community, consisting of formerly enslaved African Americans who relocated to the Caribbean following the War of 1812. The text describes how the religion blends Protestant Christian traditions with African rituals, characterized by energetic worship practices like singing and bell-ringing. For several decades, these practitioners faced legal persecution under colonial laws that banned their services, labeling them a public nuisance. Today, the holiday serves as a tribute to the community’s resilience and their eventual success in gaining religious freedom. The source  … 

Korir tested positive for a drug that stimulates red blood cell production during out-of-competition tests.

Kenya’s 2021 New York marathon champion Albert Korir has been banned for five years after he admitted using a banned performance-enhancing drug, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said.

The AIU said on Monday that Korir had received a one-year reduction from the original six-year suspension “based on an early admission and acceptance of the sanction”.

Korir, 32, tested positive for the synthetic form of erythropoietin (EPO) that stimulates red blood cell production during out-of-competition tests in Kenya in October 2025.

His five-year ban will run from January 8, 2026, the date he was provisionally suspended, until January 7, 2031.

Korir won the 2021 New York marathon in a time of 2hr 08min 22sec and came third in 2023 with a personal best time of 2:06:57.

He won the Ottawa marathon in 2019 and 2025.

Korir’s sanction comes nearly six months after compatriot Ruth Chepngetich, the current world marathon record holder was banned for three years after admitting the use of Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a banned diuretic used as a masking agent.

Kenya worked to clean up its image after a string of doping scandals around the 2016 Rio Olympics led to it being declared non-compliant by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

More than 140 Kenyan runners, mainly long-distance athletes, have been sanctioned for drugs offences since then.

In June 2024, Kenya handed out its first lifetime ban to marathon runner Beatrice Toroitich and a six-year ban to 10km record-holder Rhonex Kipruto.

“Everyone is at least a dormant ballet nerd,” declares 22-year-old Eden Lim, while sitting for an interview in the suburban Dallas studio where she and her sister, Jordan, 24, film and edit their popular YouTube channel “Ballet Reign.”

Judging from the near-universal backlash to Timothée Chalamet’s recent bad-mouthing of ballet, Eden’s summation of the central tenet of their show may be true. With 67,000 subscribers in 166 countries and growing, the Lim sisters are mixing Gen Z humor and exuberance with astounding erudition to bring ballet to a new generation and fire up older, longtime fans.

With episode titles such as “Addictive Ballet Moments to Alter your Brain Chemistry” and promises like “This will increase your lifespan and double your morale,” they are on a mission to ensure that ballet not only survives but thrives.

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Mirthfulness is the Lim sisters’ medium, but their message is serious. During each show, they parse video clips of great performances, often by explaining the history of the piece and giving detailed behind-the-scenes stories. They dissect the most famous pas de deux with trenchant insight and introduce their audience to the greatest dancers, including Natalia Osipova and Roberto Bolle. With signature, irrepressible enthusiasm, the sisters help viewers see precisely what makes the shows and dancers so extraordinary.

Eden, left, and Jordan Lim of YouTube channel “Ballet Reign” trained as professional dancers before deciding to focus on their show full time.

(Larsen & Talbert / For The Times)

A video clip featured in the “Addictive Ballet” episode shows New York City Ballet principal dancer Ashley Bouder launching herself into a jeté so high she seems to leave Earth’s gravity. In midair she manages to turn herself 180 degrees before being caught by her partner, despite her momentum seeming to drift into his arms like a feather blown by a breeze.

While watching the singular feat, Eden exclaims, “Call the news channels! We found a person who can actually levitate!”

Jordan says the goal is to make viewers feel equipped to say, “I understand what’s going on, and I can appreciate it, and I can appreciate that this was done well.”

“Ballet Reign” launched three years ago with modest hopes. The sisters sought a mere toehold in the YouTube universe, aiming for a narrow niche audience of fellow ballet fanatics (“ballet nerds”) ages 16 to 25. To their initial astonishment, they have attracted a far wider viewership spanning all ages, even followers who hitherto had only scant interest in ballet. They have drawn in many young children and older adults, with those 65 and up now their third-largest subscriber group.

The show has rapidly won acclaim from within and outside of the ballet world — perhaps because the depth and breadth of their knowledge makes it hard to shake the suspicion that they secretly are Ivy League professors.

The Lim sisters speak with sophistication about classic ballets and dancers they love — delivering their message through a whimsical show that has attracted fans of all ages.

(Larsen & Talbert / For The Times)

They comment with equal sophistication on ballet steps, choreography, history, musicology and the minute details of costume design. Eclectic references pop out of nowhere — a metaphor from quantum physics, an aside that the flute is the instrument whose sound is closest to a sine wave, that a serinette is an 18th century music box used to teach caged canaries to sing.

Even actual professors laud the show.

Nicolas Krusek routinely shows “Ballet Reign” episodes in his classes for adults on ballet history at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. Krusek says what makes the show compelling “is the spirit of the videos, just the sense of joyousness and benevolence that they communicate, and a real sense of reverence for the art and the artists.”

John Meehan, a Vassar College professor of ballet and former principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, calls their episode on Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” ballet “amazing,” adding that it conveys at least as much information in much more palatable form than a “dry” university lecture.

Julie Cronshaw, director of the Highgate Ballet School in London, says even for learned, longtime balletomanes the show opens up a whole new realm of understanding and appreciation. For those weighed down by adult concerns, watching an episode leaves them feeling uplifted.

This is why Jordan believes “Ballet Reign” has attracted a significant older audience — and also because the sisters honor tradition.

“They’re looking at the content and saying, ‘These are pieces that I grew up watching. And these are the dancers that I adored when I was younger,’” Jordan says.

Eden says she hopes “it’s because our content, and the way we deliver it, is able to touch hearts.”

The Lim sisters keep a disciplined schedule, turning out polished, deftly produced episodes 52 weeks a year.

(Larsen & Talbert / For The Times)

The show also benefits from its high production values, with expertly edited clips from performances, clever blurbs of text and quirky cutaways to, say, a pole vaulter as an allusion to how high a dancer jumps.

Episodes generally begin the same way, with the sisters sitting behind a table with an old-fashioned radio-days microphone nicknamed “Mike-elangelo” between them. Eden kicks things off by announcing, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ballet Reign.”

A flash of superimposed text identifies them as “*Very certified*, extremely serious ballet experts.”

Jordan and Eden revel in each other’s company, finish each other’s sentences and play off each other with insightful or witty interjections.

“We grew up best friends from the beginning, and that’s never changed,” Jordan says.

They keep a disciplined, grueling schedule, turning out polished, deftly produced episodes 52 weeks a year.

Comments validating their efforts come in frequently. “You really helped me through a dark time,” reads one. Another notes, “I was going through a really difficult life transition and having your videos helped me get through.”

Jordan says, “That’s a sort of impact that I genuinely did not see coming.”

The sisters are openhearted and enjoy revealing ballet’s best-kept secrets, but they have kept a remarkably mysterious online profile. Until now, they have never even disclosed their last names, let alone anything about their background, education or experience.

There is also nearly nothing on the internet, and fans have long wondered about their credentials, including whether they are professional dancers themselves.

On the show the sisters certainly come across as if they were. Surprisingly, the answer is no — with an “almost” caveat.

The oldest of four siblings, Jordan and Eden spent nearly all of their childhood in Ottawa. From the time they were small the sisters beelined toward becoming professional ballet dancers. Jordan says when she was 4 she got up at the crack of dawn every day and put in a VHS tape of a ballet class that her mother, Mary Lim, had bought. With fierce determination, she performed tendus and relevés along with the older students on the tape.

Eden’s ballet fascination quickly followed. Mary says she soon realized she had no choice but to send them to ballet school.

“Obviously, if you look at a 4-year-old doing ballet at 7 a.m. every single day, you’re like, OK, let’s try lessons,” Jordan says.

Eden, left, and Jordan Lim of “Ballet Reign” are the oldest of four siblings and spent nearly all of their childhood in Ottawa before relocating to Texas to pursue their careers.

(Larsen & Talbert / For The Times)

By 2015, the girls needed a better ballet school than was available in Ottawa. Their parents packed up the family and moved to Dallas, where the pair enrolled in the Ballet Academy of Texas. Aside from ballet classes they were entirely homeschooled, but they had plenty of experience dancing in school performances, ballet competitions and with real companies.

Mary says the intent was “to give them an opportunity to move and carve their own path … We wanted them to find their passions.”

The moment the sisters had worked for all their lives arrived in 2020, when the time came to set off around the country — and the world — to audition for ballet companies. But the COVID-19 pandemic hit just as they got started, and almost everything in the ballet world shut down.

Jordan says the hiatus led them to reflect for the first time on whether their lifelong ambition was truly what they wanted. At the same time they groped for a way to put their passion for ballet to temporary use.

For years the sisters had fantasized, half-seriously, about having their own YouTube channel. Eden convinced an initially reluctant Jordan it was time to make the daydream real, and “Ballet Reign” premiered on Dec. 21, 2022.

The sisters say they convinced themselves they were using the show to take “a gap year” while waiting out the pandemic. As the first months passed, and their audience widened and sent glowing feedback, they began to realize they were having a big impact and touching lives. It dawned on them that this wasn’t just an interlude but their calling.

In an agonizing twist, just as the show had gotten underway, Jordan received word she had been accepted by a professional ballet company. She turned down the offer.

“It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” Jordan says, but in retrospect the right one.

IT’S no secret that Brits are obsessed with McDonald’s with over 3.8 million customers visiting every single day.

So when I heard the largest one in the world was opening just outside the UK, I had to see it for myself.

The biggest McDonald’s in the world was in Orlando – until the one at Disney Village in Paris opened just last month.

On the outskirts of the theme park, the new McDonald’s is 2,000sqm and set across three floors.

This makes it the biggest in the world overtaking the Orlando, Florida restaurant which measures 1,800sqm.

The new McDonald’s in France can seat up to 600 customers and has two outdoor terraces, each of which has space for 250 guests.

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This is where you get the best views, including of Lake Disney and the PanoraMagique hot air balloon.

Inside is a wall mural of Disneyland Paris and even an indoor soft play area for kids.

During my visit to preview the World of Frozen, which officially opened on March 29, I decided to pop in and see it for myself.

Like other new McDonald’s, this one has opted for a sleek look with dark wooden panelling, glass balconies and neutral tones.

But for those who remember the original next door, I reckon the exterior is a bit of a let-down.

The old restaurant which closed last year after 25 years, was very 90s with the classic golden arches outside, lots of red and white stripes and a real retro feel.

What’s quite sad is that you can still see the remains of it – including the golden arches which now lay on the ground – outside from the pretty sun terraces.

Pushing aside my views on the exterior, I carried on and entered the restaurant where I was greeted by a member of staff who gave me a table number and directed me to one of the twenty-three self-service machines.

The one we went to wasn’t actually working, like quite a few of the touchscreen stations, which was surprising, seeing as the restaurant had been open for less than a month.

Other than that, the downstairs was clean, with a few tables (as most of the seating is on the upper floors) and the entrance to the soft play.

There was also a separate McCafé counter where you could get a coffee as well as a doughnut, McPop or macaron.

There are lots of unique McDonald’s treats that vary depending on which country you’re in, so I had to go for some French-only goodies.

First up, the Croque McDo, which is essentially a cheese and ham toasted sandwich – which set me back €3.70 (£3.21).

For anyone who enjoys a croque monsieur, I’d definitely recommend a Croque McDo, it was a tasty ham and cheese sandwich with crunchy toasted white bread.

I then opted for the Fries Cheddar Fondu-Bacon, which are the classic French fries with melted cheese and bacon bits.

I can’t say the same for the chips, when they finally got to us, they weren’t overly warm and I wasn’t a fan of the cheese topping or bacon bits.

And as a Brit, I’m a sucker for a dry chip dipped in some ketchup.

A medium portion set me back €5.30 (£4.60).

And for dessert, a small pistachio sundae for €2.80 (£2.43) – my favourite of the three.

The soft-serve ice cream came in a little reusable pot and was drizzled in sweet and nutty pistachio sauce – it was delicious, and probably would be even tastier on a hot summer’s day rather than a chilly March morning.

One surprising drink that you can get here – and at McDonald’s restaurants across France – is beer, which is usually a Kronenbourg 1664.

Scrolling through the menu, I sadly didn’t spot any beer – but that was most likely because it was 11am in the morning.

Wanting to enjoy the view of Lake Disney, I headed onto the first-floor sun terrace which I had to say had beautiful views.

Other aspects of the McDonald’s that has people talking is its soft play.

I briefly had a look, and it is spread across all three floors with a huge winding slide going from top to bottom.

While I didn’t step inside, the excited wails of children implied that they were having a fun time.

However, not all experiences at the new McDonald’s have been positive, with some on my social media saying their food was cold, and service was slow.

After exploring Disneyland Paris for myself, I’d say McDonald’s is a quick and easy solution when hunger strikes.

But with so many other restaurants and snack stalls to explore within the theme park, I’d probably take a chance on them before returning to the fast-food chain.

For those who are planning a trip to Disneyland Paris to see the new World of Frozen – here’s everything you need to know before you go.

And here’s the best time to visit Disneyland Paris for cheaper hotels and shorter queues.

The city has seen a huge influx of new restaurants open in the first few months of 2026. From street food to Michelin-starred dining, there’s something for every foodie

Some people travel for culture, some for sandy beaches and sunshine, and others for culinary experiences. If you’re passionate about discovering exceptional dining spots, there’s one overlooked destination that deserves a place on your bucket list.

In the first months of the year, this Swedish destination has welcomed 20 new eateries to complement its already celebrated Michelin-starred establishments. Beyond its thriving food scene, this city also boasts a theme park, a warm café culture and genuinely beautiful streets perfect for exploring.

This remarkable city is Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest urban centre. Frequently overshadowed by its better-known counterparts Stockholm or Malmö, it absolutely shouldn’t be.

The city boasts five restaurants with a single Michelin star and one holding two stars. These establishments serve everything from Japanese cuisine to spectacular seafood dishes.

If you’re prepared to splash out on a truly memorable dining experience, the two-starred establishment Signum must feature on your itinerary.

The menu concentrates on seafood and fish complemented with produce grown in the on-site gardens.

All the ingredients are from Scandinavia, and a meal here will comprise 18 exquisitely crafted courses, all featuring seasonal produce.

If you’re the type who prefers to meander through the city, sampling local delicacies along the way, then you should schedule your visit for May.

Gothenburg is set to transform its iconic 19th-century fish market into a brand new seafood festival. The entire building, including its floating outdoor terrace, will be converted into a seafood extravaganza, with top-notch vendors showcasing their offerings, reports the Express.

Also launching in May is Vassen Market, a sprawling 6,500 square metre waterfront haven featuring street food, cocktails, live music, art pop-ups and even skateboarding.

Constructed entirely from recycled containers and encircled by verdant pocket parks, it’s the ultimate spot for a leisurely weekend stroll.

Later in the year, the Slakthuset district will play host to a three-day neighbourhood festival brimming with music, food and local beverages. Scheduled for July, this event perfectly encapsulates the relaxed community spirit of the city.

For those who prefer thrill rides over wine tasting, Gothenburg’s Liseberg is a must-visit. Opened in 1923, this theme park is the largest in Scandinavia and draws visitors from far and wide.

Boasting 42 attractions, there’s something to suit everyone’s tastes, promising an exhilarating day out. Just remember to don your most comfortable walking shoes, as the park spans a whopping 42 acres.

A NEW £550,000 splash play area is coming to the UK and it opens in just a few days.

The new water play area called Saltwich Splash, in Droitwich, will open this week.

The free-to-visit splash play area will feature boards with butterflies and flowers spraying water, water arches, a tipper bucket, scenic boulders and a water run with different levels.

For onlooking parents there will be plenty of outdoor seating too.

The new splash park will officially open on April 3 and be open each day between 10am and 6pm from now until September.

The £550,000 project included moving the existing play area at the lido to space next to tennis courts.

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Many locals have taken to social media to share their excitement for the new attraction.

One person said: “It looks amazing!! What a fabulous addition to a great park.”

Another added: “This looks like a good summer meet up spot!”

A spokesperson for Wychavon District Council said in a Facebook post: “Water play season is nearly here — and the kids are ready, even if the water is… let’s call it ‘refreshing’.”

They added that they are also listening to feedback from the community and will hold a public consultation in the summer regarding fencing being installed around the new splash area, as well as two other water play sites in the area.

In a Facebook post last year, Councillor Richard Morris revealed that the splash park was due to open in August 2025 but was pushed back.

The new Saltwich Splash is the third water play area to be upgraded in the area, with new water play spots open in Pershore last year and Evesham in 2023.

The water play area in Evesham features hydro blast jets, a water spider, a spray cannon, an archway with jets and a water curtain.

Then the water play in Pershore is themed around the history of the famous local horse racing derby, Land O’Plums Steeplechase.

Visitors can head to the splash play area in Droitwich for free, but if they wish to use the lido it will cost them £7.20 per person.

Droitwich Spa Lido is one of the UK’s last remaining inland, open-air, saltwater swimming pools, according to its website.

The pool is 40 metres long and also features a sun terrace and small cafe.

Droitwich Spa is sat on large salt beds and has been for centuries.

In fact, the town’s natural brine is 10 times stronger than sea water and is only rivalled by the Dead Sea.

When the lido originally opened in 1935, diluted brine was pumped into the pool from local streams and it was heated to the temperature of the Mediterranean Sea.

Today, the water is still heated to 23C and the original art deco building remains.

In other water attraction news, the UK’s biggest indoor waterpark with 18 slides and huge wave pool is getting a £500,000 makeover.

Plus, a new £450million water attraction in the UK is finally starting to be built – here’s when it will open.

Brits have shared the top 30 things they love most about staycations as more and more choose to stay at home instead of going abroad

Brits’ favourite things about a staycation include shorter travel times, avoiding the airport – and proper pub lunches. A poll of 2,000 adults revealed over a third of Brits would prefer to holiday on home turf than go abroad. In addition, rising travel costs have made 50% of Brits more likely to holiday at home.

Nevertheless, many enjoy the opportunity to visit the countryside and take in scenic drives. For 28%, the stunning coastlines are the best thing about staying in the UK, with 62% saying the best type of staycation is a ’coastal getaway’. This was followed by 50% who love a city break and 28% who enjoy camping or glamping.

Eurig Druce, managing director of Vauxhall, which commissioned the research, said: “The UK is such a wonderful place to holiday, and it’s been great finding out why people love it so much.

“Everyone has memories of holidaying in the UK from their childhood, and more than ever, Brits are choosing ‘staycations’ over going abroad, whether that be because of the beautiful scenery on our doorstep or the comfort of travelling in your own car.”

The south west of England was considered the best place to get away for 21%, followed by Scotland (15%) and Wales (11%).

It emerged those polled, via OnePoll.com, are willing to spend an average of £391.11 per trip. And the only potential downside was that 78% felt the weather could make or break a holiday in the UK.

The car is the most common mode of transport (80%) with the average person travelling just under 206 miles. Of the electric vehicle drivers polled, 77% said having charging points at their accommodation is important.

The research found 15% have been asked by their children to be more environmentally friendly when planning their trips, and one in 10 said sustainability is a priority for them when booking.

Eurig Druce from Vauxhall added: “The Grandland Electric has been designed with families in mind, with a spacious interior, large boot and an electric range of over 300 miles, making it the ideal vehicle for a ‘staycation.’

“Whether it is stunning coastlines, rural escapes or bustling city centres, the home nations have some fantastic places on offer for people to enjoy.”

THE TOP 30 THINGS BRITS LOVE ABOUT STAYCATIONS

1. Stunning coastlines
2. Shorter travel times
3. Visiting historical landmarks
4. Green countryside
5. Avoiding the airport experience
6. Woodland walks
7. Fish and chips
8. Learning more about the UK
9. Proper pub lunches
10. Taking scenic drives
11. Feeling refreshed
12. No luggage restrictions
13. Taking the dog
14. Full English breakfasts
15. Staying in unique places
16. Wildlife watching
17. Supporting local independent shops
18. Watching the sunset
19. Everything in a language you understand
20. Familiar shops and produce
21. Ice cream
22. Not having to worry about exchange rates
23. Live music
24. The people
25. Amusement arcades
26. Local festivals
27. Farmers’ markets and local produce
28. Proper tea
29. Trying regional dishes
30. Sleeping in without the guilt of missing the day

SACRAMENTO — It’s probably time for California to reform the outdated “reform” that could be leading us into an absurd November election with no Democratic candidate for governor allowed on the ballot.

The absurdity is that Democratic voters outnumber Republicans in California by nearly 2 to 1. But the voters’ choices for governor could be restricted to just two Republicans — both disciples of President Trump, who is despised in this state.

We’d be electing our first GOP governor in 20 years.

The odds against this scenario are high. But it’s an increasing possibility.

It’s conceivable because of a crowded Democratic field of candidates and a 2010 reform placed on the ballot after a late-night deal demanded by a Republican state senator — Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria — in exchange for his vote to pass a stalled budget and tax increase.

The compromise led to voter approval of California’s unique top-two open primary. The top two vote-getters advance to the November runoff, regardless of party. It’s called an open primary because voters can choose any candidate, no matter their party.

So two Democrats or two Republicans might be the only choices in November — in statewide, congressional and legislative races. That doesn’t happen often, but it has a few times.

It doesn’t reflect the current reality of American politics, with voters sharply polarized between Democrats and Republicans. They want to vote for someone from their own party and are not interested in choosing among two perceived evils.

We should consider returning to a primary system that produces party nominees — one Democrat and one Republican — to give voters a more varied selection in November. Maybe even allow a third or fourth candidate to emerge from minority parties.

It’s too late to change for this year, but we could for future elections. It would require voter approval.

For the present, we’re saddled with the unwieldy dilemma of there being eight major Democratic candidates and just two Republicans. If the combined Democratic vote is splintered among the eight Democrats in the June 2 primary, the two Republicans could end up finishing first and second.

Political data guru Paul Mitchell, who has been running primary election simulations, pegs the chances of a Democratic lockout at 20%.

“There’s only a one-in-five chance, but you don’t want to see a one-in-five chance with something this important,” says the statistician, who works mostly for Democrats.

“To be safe, the Democratic Party needs to have a candidate polling at 20% or more. And none of the Democratic candidates are half way there. It’s scary.”

Mitchell bases his assessment on a poll released last week by state Democratic chairman Rusty Hicks, part of an effort to pressure low-polling Democratic candidates to step out of the race.

The survey showed both Republicans leading the field — former Fox News host Steve Hilton with 16% and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco at 14%. At 10% each were three Democrats: Rep. Eric Swalwell of the San Francisco Bay Area, former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter and wealthy climate activist Tom Steyer. No other Democrat registered above 3%. There were 24% undecided.

The straggling candidates need to ask themselves, Hicks says: “if you’re polling 1% to 2%, do you have a path to get to 20?

“All of these candidates are experienced. They know in their gut when they’re viable or not.”

Mitchell says, “A lot of folks are now looking at why we have a wacky system that causes [a party chair] to tell candidates they should drop out of a race.”

Yes, it does smack of being undemocratic even if it’s practical politics.

Mitchell says the top-two system should be scrapped.

Hicks agrees.

“Things that were promised [by top-two promoters] have not been delivered,” the state party chairman told me. “It’s time to consider going back to the kind of system voters like.”

Appealing to the middle

I called around and got different views from veteran Democratic strategists.

“It was sold as reform, but it’s not reform. It’s a distortion of the process,” one former political consultant told me, asking for anonymity because of his current employment. “Everybody thought it would yield more moderate, consensus candidates, but that’s not what’s happening.”

Consultant Steve Maviglito, who ran the 2010 campaign against the top-two system, says it’s undemocratic because it risks not giving voters “a chance to cast a ballot for a candidate they have some belief in. That’s what our system is built on.”

The grand theory, he notes, was that candidates would be forced to appeal to the middle.

“Just the opposite,” Maviglio argues. “Democrats want a strong Democrat and Republicans want a strong Republican. The only thing in the middle of the road is a dead armadillo.”

Moreover, he points out, the top-two system has been manipulated by Democrats — including Sen. Adam Schiff and Gov. Gavin Newsom — to boost a Republican in the primary to guarantee a non-competitive, easy election in November.

That’s a bit sleazy.

“The top-two has actually been hugely good to Democrats,” says Democratic strategist Garry South. “They need to think this through. Since the top-two primary was implemented, there have only been three same-party runoffs for state office out of 26 races — all three of them Democrats.

“The current specter of two Republicans [in November] is not the fault of the top-two primary system. It’s due to every Democrat and their brother — or sister — taking a flier and filing for governor.”

“Never,” replies consultant David Townsend when asked whether the top-two primary should be junked. He ran the ballot campaign authorizing it. Townsend insists today’s Legislature contains more moderate Democrats because of the top-two and that they provide a check on the liberal majority.

That’s true to some degree.

OK, we could leave the top-two system for the Legislature and scuttle it for statewide offices.

The thought of being limited to a choice between two Republicans — or two Democrats — for governor is unacceptable and un-American.

What else you should be reading

The must-read: USC cancels gubernatorial debate amid uproar over candidates of color being excluded

The L.A. Times Special: It’s been decades since California had a governor’s race like this one. That was a shocker

Until next week,
George Skelton

—
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The Final Four in men’s and women’s basketball is scheduled for this weekend, and Southern California has two players to root for who were high school graduates from the area.

McDonald’s All-American Brayden Burries, a freshman at Arizona from Eastvale Roosevelt, has been a key player in the Wildcats’ season, averaging 16.1 points.

Gabriela Jaquez has helped the UCLA’s women’s team reach the Final Four, averaging 13 points a game for the 35-1 Bruins.

The men’s semifinals and final are Saturday and Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The women’s semifinals and final are Friday and Sunday at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

A Palestinian man’s long-awaited return to Gaza ended in anguish after Israeli forces detained his brother at the Rafah crossing.

In the densely populated neighbourhoods of southern Tehran, the 11th Criminal Investigation Base once stood as a mundane symbol of local law enforcement. Its detectives investigated economic crimes, fraud and petty thefts.

The building housed no ballistic missiles, no uranium centrifuges and no military command centres. Today, it is a crater. In the opening wave of the United States-Israel war on Iran, warplanes wiped the local police station off the map.

It was not an isolated incident. An investigation by Al Jazeera’s Digital Investigations unit has verified that at least 75 internal security sites were destroyed or damaged in bombardments by Israel and the US from February 28 to March 10. The targeted facilities included local police stations, criminal investigation headquarters, public security offices and checkpoints operated by the Basij paramilitary force.

Al Jazeera mapped the strikes using open-source data, cross-referencing field reports with satellite imagery to confirm the destruction. However, conducting independent verification has grown increasingly difficult. On March 6, commercial satellite providers Planet Labs and Vantor restricted imagery over the Middle East, later expanding the blackout to impose a 14-day delay on all images of Iran.

While the companies said the blackout prevents hostile actors from endangering civilians, independent journalist Ken Klippenstein recently revealed a leaked US Space Force directive dictating how commercial satellite firms describe damage. The leak exposed a deliberate US effort to control the flow of information and obscure the reality of the battlefield.

Targeting population centres

The spatial distribution of the 75 verified strikes revealed a clear and deliberate strategy. Warplanes bypassed isolated military installations to hit the infrastructure Tehran uses to police its citizens.

The capital alone absorbed 31 strikes, more than 40 percent of the total targets. Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan province, suffered eight strikes. The remaining targets were clustered tightly in major western and central cities, including Isfahan, Kermanshah and Hamedan. Meanwhile, Iran’s sprawling eastern and southeastern provinces remained largely untouched by this campaign.

By overlaying the strike coordinates with demographic maps, the investigation shows a near-perfect alignment with urban density. More than 70 percent of Iran’s population lives in these targeted western urban areas.

The strikes systematically targeted the Law Enforcement Command, known as FARAJA, and the Basij network. FARAJA, elevated in 2021 by late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to operate alongside the military, is currently led by Ahmad-Reza Radan. It manages daily urban law enforcement and riot control. The Basij, an immense volunteer paramilitary force deeply embedded in Iranian neighbourhoods, acts as the state’s ultimate tool for social control.

Engineering state collapse

The pattern of the US-Israeli air strikes points to an objective far removed from dismantling nuclear facilities or degrading military infrastructure. It reveals a calculated attempt to engineer the collapse of the Iranian state.

On February 28, US President Donald Trump launched the war and in a video address urged Iranians to take over their government once the bombs stopped falling. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed this sentiment in Farsi, calling on millions of Iranians to take to the streets and describing the military strategy as breaking the Iranian government’s bones.

The military planning, however, preceded events on the ground that Trump and Netanyahu pointed to for justification for their war. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz revealed in early March that Israel had been planning to strike Iran in mid-2026, long before January’s deadly government crackdown across Iran against economic protests.

This approach aligns with a broader Israeli doctrine. Daniel Levy, a former Israeli government adviser, previously told Al Jazeera that Israel has no interest in a smooth political transition in Tehran. What Israel wants is the collapse of the government and the state, Levy said, adding that if the repercussions spread to Iraq, the Gulf and the entire region, that is better from Israel’s point of view.

A failing strategy

Still, a month into the war, the US-Israeli strategy to spark an internal revolution through the systematic destruction of Iran’s internal security apparatus appears to be failing.

Iranians are living under daily bombardments. As missiles destroy civilian infrastructure and oil refineries burn, daily survival has eclipsed any coordinated political uprising. The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Iran has warned that civilians are facing a simultaneous military and human rights crisis.

Rather than collapsing, Iran’s internal security apparatus has adapted. During Ramadan, FARAJA deployed 24-hour patrols across Tehran, and riot police shut down public gatherings before the Persian New Year holiday. After the March 17 assassination of Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani, Israeli forces released footage of strikes on mobile Basij checkpoints, indicating that Iranian security forces are still controlling the streets.

The US attempt to dismantle state security from the air mirrors its disastrous 2003 de-Baathification policy in neighbouring Iraq, which barred members of the former ruling Baath Party from holding government jobs, dismantled local policing and birthed a devastating sectarian war. Unlike in Iraq, Washington today has no troops on the ground in Iran to fill a security void it is trying to create.

Beneath the rubble of the 11th Criminal Investigation Base and dozens of stations like it, the US and Israel are aiming to bury the Iranian state and spark a popular revolt. Instead, they have trapped millions of civilians in a burning country.

RIO and Kate Ferdinand may be the most high profile Brits to quit Dubai – but they definitely won’t be the last, a top businessman told The Sun.

Wolfgang Douglas – a UK investor and former Dubai resident – says his phone is “red hot” with people trying to get their money out of the Gulf State.

And he says it is not just the war – which has seen the influencer capital of the world besieged by missiles – that is driving away Brits.

It comes as England and Manchester United legend Rio and his wife Kate fled their £6.5million mansion – moving to Portugal.

Wolfgang told The Sun: “I am not surprised to see celebrities like [Rio & Kate] fleeing Dubai with their children.

“The dream of Dubai was sold on safety which is now undeniably not true.

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“They sold it on being the Switzerland of the Middle East – untouched by the conflicts around them.

“Sadly, they now find themselves under attack and in the middle of a tinderbox.”

Dubai is known as the playground of the ultra rich – with social-media loving influencers flouting their lives with supercars, yachts and sun-drenched bikini snaps.

Some 240,000 Brit expats have moved out to the playground city – lured by the promise of a lavish lifestyle and low tax.

Expats make up between 85 and 90 per cent of Dubai’s population.

But beneath the glitzy exterior, Wolfgang – who runs The Wolf MBA business academy – says people are now waking up to the city’s dark side.

He claims that it is not just influencers desperate to return to London, but also private investors and ultra-wealthy families.

And he knows how bad things can get in the city – with him having to spend millions of pounds fighting to get his dad Albert freed from a Dubai jail after he was unjustly banged up for a crime he didn’t commit.

Wolfgang told The Sun those “seduced” by the allure of the city are fleeing – but the money is escaping even quicker, with the city now facing a “potentially catastrophic exodus”.

He said: “The Iran war has crashed the Gulf dream, and the real story isn’t expats fleeing Dubai, but how the money is escaping even faster.

“Working discreetly as an intermediary for the private investment houses or family offices of the ultra-wealthy, my phone has been red hot with thousands of calls and messages since late February.”

He went on: “People are threatened or even imprisoned for speaking out or filming drone strikes, but while they weigh options and chase plane tickets, the smart money has been moving – extremely fast.

“Influencers continue posting luxury content while insisting everything is normal, but there are echoes of the Titanic here.”

Wolfgang works in “asset liquidation” – essentially converting assets into cash.

He says he is helping connecting the wealthy with people who can flog property and cars so they can get out of the Gulf.

Wolfgang said one family – who he cannot name – has asked him to help redirect some £250million worth of investments out the region, and instead they are looking at opportunities in London.

Many Gulf natives kept their assets in the West, particularly London while they convinced Brits to move their over to the Middle East.

Wolfgang said: “Fact is, Dubai sold a lie via public and social media, actively undermining confidence in London and the wider UK by highlighting crime, high taxes and political instability, while trumpeting the Gulf as a glamorous tax-free sanctuary for wealth.”

He went on: “While telling the world London is unsafe, many native Gulf investors kept their wealth here all along and continued to live and operate out of Mayfair, Belgravia and Knightsbridge, even as their media was persuading Brits to sell up and ‘join them’ in the Gulf.”

“So, property prices in parts of central London fell 20-30 per cent in recent years.

“And who bought those properties?

“The very people who told Brits to sell yet never left their own London mansions.”

Wolfgang added: “So, after years of being battered by negative narratives, this could be the moment capital begins flowing back into London.

“You can build the tallest skyscrapers in the world, shout about luxury and tax-free wealth and claim accolades like having the world’s only seven-star hotel, but when uncertainty strikes, capital returns to long-established safe institutions.”

And he warned influencers simply “can’t admit the truth” and are continuing to sell the “Gulf mirage”.

Wolfgang has witnessed first hand the disturbing side of Dubai as his dad Albert was banged up in a disgusting prison .

Businessman Albert says the four-year ordeal in a hellhole Dubai jail stripped him of any shred of ­dignity and left him “feeling less than nothing”.

He had been arrested for ­financial fraud after simply putting his signature to a piece of paper related to son Wolfgang, who also ran a company in the United Arab Emirates.

He claims he witnessed suicides and ­prisoners being raped, rubbed shoulders with killers, and survived on meagre portions of rice and weak soup.

Before his arrest, he enjoyed a life of luxury, driving a Rolls-Royce and living in a £6million mansion on Palm Jumeirah island, where celebrities including David and Victoria Beckham and Brad Pitt own villas.

He made his fortune by cornering the market in wooden flooring in the Gulf after moving 4,500 miles from where to Dubai in 1998.

Son Wolfgang followed him out in 2008 to set up his own flooring firm, Timberwolf.

He returned to the UK full time in 2019.

Southwest Airlines has come under fire for its controversial policy change which can require plus-size passengers to purchase an extra seat at the airline’s “sole discretion”, with furious travellers branding it “discrimination”

A so-called “fat tax” aimed at plus-size airline passengers has left travellers furious and feeling “stressed”. Major carrier Southwest Airlines has found itself at the centre of controversy over its contentious new policy, which can compel passengers to shell out for an additional seat at its “sole discretion”.

The policy change comes after 30 years of letting plus-sized passengers request a complimentary extra seat at the gate, and reimbursing those who purchased one in advance – a practice that has now been scrapped.

Under the new rules, customers will only receive a refund for a second seat if their flight departs with at least one empty seat, while those who failed to book ahead can be forced to purchase another ticket on the spot.

In a statement addressing the policy change, a Southwest spokesperson said: “To ensure space, we are communicating to customers who have previously used the extra seat policy that they should purchase it at booking.”

On the airline’s website, the updated “customer of size” policy reads: “Customers who encroach upon the neighboring seat(s) must purchase the number of seats needed. Customers should purchase the seats prior to travel to ensure adjacent seats are available.

“The armrest is considered to be the definitive boundary between seats; you may review information about the width of Passenger seats. In addition, Southwest may determine, in its sole discretion, that an additional seat is necessary for safety purposes.”

But passengers are far from happy. Influencer Samyra Miller turned to TikTok to criticise the policy, branding it a “fat tax”.

She said: “They’ve been doing this way before their little new policy was even supposed to go into effect because, remember, they kicked me off my flight in December.”

She revealed a Southwest representative privately messaged her after she shared her negative experience online and continued: “My primary concern with that whole back and forth with Southwest was for how they were about to treat their plus size customers in changing their customer of size policy.”

Samyra referred to the wording of the policy on the Southwest website but claimed, at the airport, “they’re just eyeing people”. The content creator went on: “There is no criteria that they are using to determine who has to pay for an extra seat.”

Describing it as “discrimination”, Samyra continued: “It is literally just at the discretion of and fatphobia of whoever is working that day.”

In the comments section, people were eager to share their opinions. One TikTok user said: “This is absolutely horrible!”

Another said: “We have a company trip in May and I told my boss to use any other airline BUT Southwest.”

A third posted: “I have a flight in 5 days I AM STRESSED I DON’T have more money to buy an extra seat”.

While another added: “This isn’t fair at all”.

Fellow TikTok user Sassa Ésmith uploaded a video prior to a Southwest flight and added text overlay which read: “Shoutout to Southwest for contributing to my traveling anxiety with your superfluous ‘customer of size policy'”.

In the caption, she said: “Spent my entire lobby time mentally preparing for a random gate agent to tell me I gotta buy an additional seat for a 40 minute flight”.

French heptathlete Auriana Lazraq-Khlass has been provisionally suspended for anti-doping whereabouts failures, says the Athletics Integrity Unit.

The World Anti-Doping Code states an athlete cannot miss three anti-doping tests and/or filing failures within a 12-month period.

Lazraq-Khlass, who won silver at the European Championships in Rome in 2024, faces a two-year ban if the charge is upheld.

“The AIU has provisionally suspended Auriana Lazraq Khlass (France) for Whereabouts Failures,” the AIU said in a social media post., external

Lazraq-Khlass, 26, competed at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and finished 16th in the heptathlon.

The AIU website states that a provisional suspension means that an athlete cannot take part “in any competition or activity in athletics prior to a final decision at a hearing conducted under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct”.

In a recent case, former world 100m champion Fred Kerley, of America, was banned for two years for anti-doping whereabouts failures.

Russia’s intelligence agency accuses the second secretary at the British Embassy in Moscow of espionage.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has ordered a British diplomat to leave the country within two weeks over allegations of economic espionage, which the United Kingdom rejected as “unacceptable” amid tensions over Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, on Monday said its counterintelligence officers had expelled Albertus Gerhardus Janse van Rensburg, the second secretary at the British Embassy in Moscow.

“The FSB ⁠uncovered signs that the diplomat was carrying out intelligence and subversive activities that threaten the security of the Russian Federation,” the agency said.

It added that the diplomat had attempted to “obtain sensitive information during informal meetings with Russian experts in the field of economics”.

“In order to avoid negative ⁠consequences, including criminal liability, the FSB of Russia recommends that compatriots refrain from holding meetings ⁠with British diplomats,” it said.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had delivered a protest to Britain’s charge d’affaires over the alleged spy.

The British ⁠Foreign Office responded by saying that Russia’s accusations against ⁠its diplomats were “completely unacceptable” and that it would ⁠not tolerate “intimidation” of ⁠its ⁠embassy staff or their families.

Russia-UK discord

Russia has claimed British intelligence launched espionage activities at a level unseen since the depths of the Cold War to sow discord within the country, and it has long complained that its own diplomats are routinely harassed in key Western capitals.

The UK, ‌which supports Ukraine with money and weapons, sees Russia as its biggest immediate threat and accuses its intelligence of mounting cyberattacks, killings and sabotage campaigns across the Western world.

Since Russia launched its full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russian authorities have sought to suppress opposition to the war while aiming to rally support for the war among Russian citizens.

Last week, Russia declared the teacher and main protagonist of the Oscar-winning documentary Mr Nobody Against Putin a “foreign agent“. Pavel Talankin spent two years documenting pro-war propaganda at a school in the Chelyabinsk region in west-central Russia while working as the school’s videographer.