Netflix is a Joke returns to LA this May, shining a worldwide spotlight on stand-up comedy in Los Angeles. On Tuesday, the third installment of the sprawling event put on by Netflix announced the first wave of A-list comedians including Bill Burr, Ali Wong, Kevin Hart, Nikki Glaser and many more performing between May 4-10 at venues across LA. Though the fest itself has been cut down from 11 days to 6, the amount of talent jammed into that week doesn’t appear to have slimmed down much at all.

Hosting more than 350 live events, the festival taking place in comedy clubs across LA including the Comedy Store, Laugh Factory and Hollywood Improv as well as major venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, Intuit Dome and the Greek Theater. As per usual a mix of stand-up, variety shows, major comedy podcasts, tapings, exclusive events and screenings, and talent from various Netflix series and films will draw comedy fans from all over the world.

“What makes this fest so special is the sense of community—it’s a rare moment where the comedy industry and the fans come together in one place. We’re not just putting on shows; we’re creating one-of-a-kind experiences that celebrate the range, depth, and sheer brilliance of the comedy world right now,” said Tracey Pakosta, Netflix VP of Comedy Series.

So far other noteable performances on the bill include Mo Amer, Fred Armisen, Maria Bamford, Ralph Barbosa, Nate Bargatze, Ronny Chieng, Margaret Cho, Deon Cole, Larry David, Bert Kreischer, Nick Kroll, Bobby Lee, David Letterman, Lizzo, Conan O’Brien, Adam Sandler, Andrew Schulz, Iliza Shlesinger, Tom Segura, Jerry Seinfeld, Shaq, Taylor Tomlinson, Kill Tony, Mike Tyson, and Noah Wyle.

A few of the planned show highlights announced on Tuesday include “Night of Too Many Stars” hosted by Jon Stewart featuring A-list comics performing to raise money for benefit NEXT for Autism, a national organization providing programs and support for people living with autism.
The comedy competition show “Funny AF with Kevin Hart” seeking to find the next big comedian will begin streaming on Netflix April 20 and will hold its live semi-finals and finals during the festival. Bargatze is performing two nights at the Intuit Dome along with other major gigs from Colombian pop star Feid and Saturday Night Live’s Marcello Hernandez teaming up to bring together the largest Spanish language comedy show to the Hollywood Bowl in the venue’s history as well as a variety show tribute to the late Pee-Wee Herman.

“In just 4 years, Netflix Is a Joke Fest has grown into the world’s biggest celebration of comedy. This year, we’re bringing together legends, trailblazers, and the next generation of voices for an entire week of unforgettable moments across Los Angeles,” said Robbie Praw, Netflix VP of Stand-up and Comedy Formats. “From iconic stand-up shows and live podcast tapings to musical mashups and surprise events, the scope of this festival truly reflects the variety and excitement of comedy today. We’re thrilled to welcome fans from all over to experience the magic, energy, and laughter that only Netflix can deliver.”

Tickets for events across the festival will go on sale beginning at 10am PT on January 23rd. A full list of performances can be found on the festival’s website.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. I think the price of a Dodger Dog might have just gone up a little.

In case you were vacationing on Mars and missed it, last week the Dodgers and free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker agreed to a four-year, $240-million contract. The deal lets Tucker opt out if he wishes after the second or third year. It also includes a $64-million signing bonus and $30 million of the total salary is deferred, reducing the net present value to a mere $57.1 million a year.

Last season with the Cubs, Tucker, who turned 29 Saturday, hit .266/.377/.464 with 23 doubles, 22 homers and 73 RBIs. He walked 87 times and struck out 88 times in 597 plate appearances. He was hampered throughout the middle of the season by a broken pinkie, which he played through. He spent part of September on injured reserve with a strained calf and hit .259 in the postseason, with one homer in eight games.

In his career (769 games), Tucker is hitting .273/.358/.507, finished fifth in NL MVP voting in 2023 when he led the league with 112 RBIs and has an OPS+ of 142, meaning he has been 42% better than the league average.

Does this make him worth $57.1 million a year? Probably not, but the Dodgers obviously have a lot, lot, lot, lot, lot, lot, lot, lot, lot more money than everyone else. So, this is probably like me or you paying someone $50 a day to paint our house.

No matter the money, he should be a big upgrade over Michael Conforto. Tucker’s downside is his injuries the last two seasons, as he played in only 78 games in 2023 because of a broken shin. But what Dodger plays a full season anymore? Not many.

This is your current Dodgers lineup:

DH-Shohei Ohtani
SS-Mookie Betts
1B-Freddie Freeman
C-Will Smith
RF-Kyle Tucker
LF-Teoscar Hernández
3B-Max Muncy
CF-Andy Pages
2B-Tommy Edman

That’s pretty decent.

Of course, we all know what’s going to happen. The Dodgers will go into spring training favored. Someone somewhere will write that they will win 120 games this season. Injuries will hit the pitching staff. The offense will go into a week-long slump. They will win 93-100 games and everyone will say what a disappointment the team is. But, they will win the World Series.

It’s like the third part of any trilogy. You know what is going to happen, the fun part is how entertaining they make it until the curtain falls.

But what does this mean for baseball?

Not long after the Tucker-Dodgers news broke, the artist formerly known as Twitter went into meltdown with fans of 29 other teams saying the Dodgers are ruining the sport by buying all the best players. This brings to mind several thoughts.

Before I get to that though, an admission: I grew up a Dodger fan. If I grew up in Kansas City as a fan of the Royals, would I feel the same way? I don’t know, it’s impossible to say. No matter how impartial we try to be, all of us bring our biases into situations, even if it is subconsciously.

I do find it comical when Yankees fans, or Mets fans, complain about the Dodgers.

So, the thoughts:

1. Shohei Ohtani did the Dodgers a huge favor when he agreed to only receive $2 million a year from his 10-year, $700-million deal, receiving the remaining $680 million in $68-million installments from 2034 to 2043, with no interest. His salary still counts for $46 million per season under the luxury tax, but that’s a far cry from $70 million. The Dodgers also bring in millions of dollars a year in endorsements from brands that want to advertise with the team Ohtani plays for. Is this unfair? I don’t see how it is. The Angels could have been doing the same thing, but they pretty much bungled the handling of Ohtani throughout his career.

2. The Dodgers paid a record $169.4 million in luxury tax overages in 2025. It will be even higher next season, unless they shed some salary. Some of that money is distributed to small market teams. Some of those team owners basically pocket the money rather than invest it and make their team better. It’s hard to blame the Dodgers for anything here.

3. Other teams had chances to sign Tucker. Reports are that the Mets offered four years, $220 million (with a $75-million signing bonus). The Blue Jays offered 10 years, $350 million. So, the Dodgers aren’t the only team offering large contracts to players. The day after the Tucker news, the Mets agreed to terms with free agent Bo Bichette on a three-year, $126-million deal.

4. This is interesting. Guess when this was written:

“Consider it Part XIV in a continuing series.

“So now comes this: The Dodgers’ payroll increase is so enormous, it’s dragging the rest of baseball with it into uncharted fiscal territory.

“Yahoo Sports estimates that Major League Baseball’s opening day payrolls will rise 7.1% this season and that more than half of the increase will come from the Dodgers alone.”

That appeared in The Times in 2013. So this is nothing new. Before the Dodgers, it was the Yankees.

The Dodgers signed Kirk Gibson to a large deal (for the era) before the 1988 season. Do you want to give the 1988 World Series title back? The Dodgers gave Orel Hershiser a huge contract. They lavished big contracts on Darryl Strawberry, Don Stanhouse and Dave Goltz. They gave a record deal to Kevin Brown. This has been going on for years. It’s now how much money you spend, it’s if you spend it smartly.

5. Tying into the previous item, the Dodgers now have the best front office leader in baseball in Andrew Friedman. He was in charge of the small-market Tampa Bay Rays from 2004 to 2014, and in that time, this team with few resources made the postseason four times and the World Series once. People would say “What could Friedman do with money?” Now we know.

6. The Dodgers aren’t breaking any rules. They are just playing the same game everyone else is. Yes, they have financial advantages, but why shouldn’t they play fairly within the established rules? It’s up to MLB and the players’ union to decide that something needs to change. And there will probably be a lockout after the 2026 season. Will it end up with a salary cap, meaning you won’t be able to sign a player if it puts you over the cap? People are predicting a long, ugly, protracted dispute. In the meantime, the Dodgers have the core of their team set for well past whenever baseball returns after the labor dispute.

7. The Dodgers were pretty much laughingstocks to many because they couldn’t win a World Series despite the high payroll. That all changed in 2024. So suddenly it’s bad?

8. The Padres were up 2-1 in the 2024 NLDS and could have knocked out the Dodgers. The Blue Jays were up 3-2 in the 2025 World Series and were one hit away from winning it all. Would that have changed the narrative?

9. Whenever I ask people for the “golden age” of baseball, they will frequently say “When Mickey Mantle played.” Or “When Sandy Koufax played.” Guess what, when Mantle played, the Yankees were in the World Series almost every year, and won most of them. When Koufax played (in his prime), the Dodgers were in the World Series three times in four years and won two of them. Most sports become popular when there is one team to root against. Usually it’s a New York-based team, or the New England Patriots, or the Boston Celtics. Now it’s the Dodgers. Last season’s World Series was the most watched since 2017. Ratings during the season for network/streaming broadcasts were up 12%. If what the Dodgers are doing is ruining baseball, a lot of people watching haven’t caught on.

10. The Dodgers draw the highest road attendance of any other team. If the Dodgers are ruining baseball, the fans in other cities sure seem to want to watch them do it.

11. What are the Dodgers supposed to do, say, “This isn’t fair, so we are going to stop trying to improve our team?”

We’ll stop there. There are many pros and cons to the issue. So let’s ask you, Are the Dodgers ruining baseball?

Vote here and let us know.

Clayton Kershaw is back!

OK, that may have been a little misleading. Kershaw is not coming back to the Dodgers, or the MLB. He is however going to be on Team USA for the World Baseball Classic.

“I just want to be the insurance policy,” Kershaw told MLB Network. “If anybody needs a breather, or if they need me to pitch back-to-back-to-back, or if they don’t need me to pitch at all, I’m just there to be there. I just want to be a part of this group.

“I learned a long time ago, you just want to be a part of great things.”

In case you missed it

Dodgers go deep again by striking deal with Kyle Tucker, as much of the baseball world cries foul

Plaschke: Dodgers’ ruination of baseball continues with Kyle Tucker, and it’s a beautiful thing

Dodgers’ scorching offseason continues by landing star outfielder Kyle Tucker

One last roundup for Clayton Kershaw: He’ll pitch in World Baseball Classic

Why $100 million in endorsements says Shohei Ohtani is the global face of sport

And finally

Vin Scully‘s call of Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Watch and listen here.

Until next time…

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

MY boys are all big eaters and keeping everyone fed and watered while we’re on holiday can quickly add up. 

So when I spotted the all-inclusive deal recently launched by holiday chain Parkdean, I couldn’t wait to give it a try. 

After all, what parent isn’t up for getting away from meal prep and cleaning dishes for a bit?

And with prices starting at £100 per adult and £40 per child for three cooked meals a day and unlimited hot and soft drinks, it’s a no-brainer if you want to take a break from the kitchen on your midweek stay.

We visited Parkdean Summerfields just above Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, a lovely little site with welcoming staff and a short walk from the golden sands of Scratby beach.

Just around the corner is sister site California Cliffs, whose facilities are also open to guests at Summerfields.

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We made the most of the pool activities, including aqua paddlers and inflatables, and my six-year-old enjoyed all the kids’ entertainment on offer, as well as the free soft play above the Boathouse restaurant.

Instead of the running buffet you often find with all-inclusive packages, dishes from the Boathouse menu are made to order and brought to your table.

Even as a vegetarian, I was spoilt for choice and had four different evening meals including curry, noodles, pizza and pasta, plus multiple options for lunch and breakfast. 

The boys cleared their plates every meal and declared the curly fries to be the biggest hit of the week.

My teenager probably racked up £100 worth of Costa hot chocolates over the course of our stay, before he’d even eaten any food. 

If you’ve got a tween with an adult appetite, you could consider forking out for the adult meal tariff, as my 11-year-old found some of the options on the children’s menu to be a bit small for him.

One thing I love about the Parkdean offer is that you don’t need to sign everyone on your booking up for the all-inclusive deal.

If some of your party would rather self-cater or pay-per-meal to eat out, that’s fine.

So you’re only paying for those who will make full use of the food and drink package.

While the all-inclusive was launched at selected sites for just a few weeks in the autumn, it’s back with a bang at 42 Parkdean sites this spring.

With so much to love about this deal, the one thing I reckon needs a rethink is the name.

If you’re used to all-inclusive staples found at hotels abroad, such as unlimited alcohol and an all-you-can-eat buffet, you’ll need to adjust your expectations a bit.

You’ll pay extra for booze, branded kids’ drinks like Fruit Shoots, starters and desserts, so calling the Parkdean package something like bites, brews and bubbles included might make it clearer exactly what you’re getting for your money.

And anyone with littlies, stashing a box of cereal at the caravan for early starts is the way to go – my six-year-old usually tucks into breakfast by 7am, so waiting another couple of hours to be fed would be a bit of an ask for him. 

There seems to be variations on the all-inclusive offer popping up around the UK now, after highly rated Potters Resorts in Essex and Norfolk pioneered the concept, particularly after the pandemic.

Some of the big family staycay names like Butlin’s have taken up the baton, launching a drinks package that includes beer, wine, spirits and cocktails on some breaks, starting at £25.95 per adult per day and £10.50 per child aged 6 to 14 per day.

Added to a half-board meal plan, you can prepay for all your drinks and most of your food, although you’ll still need to sort your own lunch… so it’s not quite the all-inclusive you’d encounter on a fly and flop holiday abroad.

Parkdean’s pared-back plan might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re happy with no alcohol but meals and drinks, it could easily become a staycay mainstay in your holiday calendar.

Jan. 20 (UPI) — The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments Tuesday over Hawaii’s so-called vampire rule gun law that requires people to ask permission before bringing firearms onto private property.

The Supreme Court will mull whether the “vampire rule” gun law violates the Second Amendment right to bear arms. The law was enacted as part of a larger package of gun reforms, including a ban on concealed firearms in places like schools, bars and other public places.

The law is referred to as the “vampire rule,” drawing from a trope in vampire fiction that vampires must be given permission by property owners to enter.

For a gun owner to carry a firearm on private property that is generally open to the public, they must receive express permission from the property owner.

The law has been challenged by a group of gun owners who argue that prohibiting guns in public spaces owned by private entities by default is unconstitutional. They say it should be up to the property owners to decide if guns are not permitted on their properties.

Hawaii is not the first state to have a law that does not allow firearms to be carried on private property without permission. New York, New Jersey, California and Maryland have similar laws.

Hawaii’s law applies to a host of private properties that are otherwise open to the public, including stores, restaurants and gas stations. Violating the law can carry a sentence of up to a year in prison.

The conservative majority in the Supreme Court has often ruled in favor of the rights of gun owners. In 2022, the high court’s Bruen decision struck down a New York law that required people to demonstrate a proper cause to carry a handgun in public outside of self-defense.

Hawaii’s state officials say their law adheres to the Bruen ruling.

Actor and comedian Russell Brand has been granted bail after being accused of two further sex offences, including rape.

The 50-year-old appeared via video link from the US for the six-minute hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday afternoon. Wearing a partially unbuttoned denim shirt, he spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

Brand previously denied two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault in relation to alleged offences between 1999 and 2005, involving four women.

The two latest offences are one for rape and one for sexual assault, with are both alleged to have taken place in London in 2009, according to court documents.

Brand will appear at Southwark Crown Court on 17 February.

In relation to the five original charges, a trial is scheduled to begin at Southwark Crown Court later this year.

Detectives began investigating allegations into Brand which came to light following reporting from the Sunday Times, the Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches in September 2023.

Brand, who was born in Essex, rose to fame as a stand-up comedian and became a household name as host of TV shows such as Big Brother’s Big Mouth, and with his own radio programmes on stations including BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music.

He went on to establish a Hollywood career, starring in films including Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek.

Netflix Inc. reached an amended, all-cash agreement to buy Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.’s studio and streaming business as it battles Paramount Skydance Corp. to acquire one of Hollywood’s most iconic entertainment companies.

Netflix, which previously agreed to pay $27.75 a share in cash and stock for the Warner assets, will pay the full amount in cash, according to a filing confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report on the revised terms. Warner Bros. plans to call a special meeting of shareholders to approve the deal. Netflix said stockholders should be able to vote on the transaction by April.

The changes are designed to expedite a sale and address claims by Paramount that its $30-a-share cash tender offer — for all of Warner, including cable channels like CNN and TNT — is superior. Paramount, the parent of CBS and MTV, has been urging investors to tender their shares.

The battle for Warner Bros., known for films from Casablanca to Batman, is one of the biggest media deals in years and has the power to reshape the entertainment industry. Paramount has been aggressively pursuing Warner Bros. since September, while streaming leader Netflix emerged as a surprise suitor, entering the chase after Warner Bros. put itself up for sale in October.

The new terms neutralize one of the primary criticisms from Paramount: that the stock portion of the Netflix offer makes its bid inferior. Netflix’s shares have lost 29% since its pursuit of Warner Bros. came to light. Paramount shares have also declined about 29% over that time.

The Warner Bros. board “continues to support and unanimously recommend our transaction, and we are confident that it will deliver the best outcome for stockholders, consumers, creators and the broader entertainment community,” Ted Sarandos, co-chief executive officer of Netflix, said in a statement.

Paramount shares were down about 1% in premarket trading in New York. Netflix was up 1.4%.

Warner Bros. also addressed another criticism by outlining how it values its cable networks, which would be spun off to its stockholders in a separate company called Discovery Global.

Warner Bros. has spurned multiple offers from Paramount. Its unwanted suitor has threatened to launch a proxy fight and has sued to force Warner Bros. to disclose more information about the Netflix bid and the value of the cable properties.

Warner Bros.’ advisers value the cable networks from as little as 72 cents a share to as much as $6.86 a share, according to the filing. Paramount has claimed those properties have no value even though cable networks account for most of its own sales and profit.

Under the spinoff plans, Discovery Global would have $17 billion of debt as of June 30, 2026, decreasing to $16.1 billion by the end of the year. Warner and Netflix also amended the agreement so that Discovery Global will have $260 million less debt than initially planned as a result of stronger-than-expected cash flow last year.

The filing projects 2026 revenue of $16.9 billion for the new Discovery Global networks and adjusted earnings of $5.4 billion before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

The latest proposal addresses Wall Street’s concerns around Netflix’s declining share value and speeds up a shareholder vote, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Geetha Ranganathan wrote. It also raises the stakes for Paramount to increase its offer, something it has repeatedly refused to do. It may take a bid of more than $32 a share to sway the Warner Bros. board at this point, she said.

Netflix has lined up more debt from Wall Street banks to help finance its amended agreement. The company now has $42.2 billion of bridge loans in place, according to a filing Tuesday, a type of facility that is usually replaced with permanent debt like corporate bonds.

A combination of Warner Bros. and Netflix would marry two of the world’s biggest streaming providers, with some 450 million combined subscribers, and provide Netflix with a deep library of programming to counter challengers like Walt Disney Co. and Amazon.com Inc. Hollywood labor unions and movie theater owners have expressed concern that the deal will hurt their members and businesses.

Sarandos and Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters told investors at a UBS conference on Dec. 8 that they’re “super confident” their deal will be approved. Leaders of Netflix and Warner Bros. were in Europe last week meeting with regulators to convince them of the merits of a deal.

Netflix is scheduled to report fourth-quarter financial results on Tuesday after markets close.

David Ellison, Paramount’s CEO, has argued that a merger with his company would preserve a more traditional Hollywood structure and keep some of Warner Bros.’ legacy intact. He has posited that his all-cash offer, backed by his family trust, is financially superior and says it would have an easier time getting approved by regulators.

Ellison has been mounting an offensive of his own but has yet to convince the Warner Bros. board or an overwhelming majority of the company’s shareholders. Institutional investors are divided and have called for Paramount to increase its offer.

Shaw and Davis write for Bloomberg.

Published on
20/01/2026 – 15:40 GMT+1

European wine industry leaders said on Tuesday that United States President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 200% tariffs on French wine if Paris does not join the “Board of Peace” for Gaza must be handled “with composure”, insisting the issue goes beyond the wine sector itself.

The wine and spirits sector has been at the centre of EU-US trade tensions since Trump’s return to power in 2025, with the US remaining the top export market for EU producers.

Negotiations over exemptions from the 15% US tariffs imposed under last summer’s EU-US trade deal had been dragging on, before the agreement itself was thrown into question this weekend by MEPs after Trump renewed his threats over Greenland.

“These are geopolitical issues that go beyond the sectoral stakes of wines and spirits,” the French Federation of Wine and Spirits Exporters (FEVS) said in a statement published on Tuesday. “As regards trade policy, this is an exclusive competence of the European Union. The issue must therefore be addressed at the European level, in a united and coordinated manner, and spoken with a single voice.”

Trump escalated tensions on Monday night, threatening a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne after an aide to French President Emmanuel Macron said France “does not intend” to accept an invitation to join the Gaza “Board of Peace” Trump is proposing.

“I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and he’ll join, but he doesn’t have to join,” Trump told reporters.

Industry looks to Davos for a breakthrough

French wine producers are hoping talks in Davos this week between US, French and European leaders will help defuse the crisis.

“These statements by the President of the United States must be taken seriously, but with composure,” Gabriel Picard, President of the FEVS, said.

Industry representatives in Brussels echoed that stance.

“When we talk about wine, we are talking about terroir products, very well-known brands; it is an iconic product in France as well as in Europe,” Ignacio Sánchez Recarte, Secretary General of the European Committee of Wine Companies, told Euronews, explaining why the sector has been a frequent target in the EU-US trade dispute over the past year.

Trump had already singled out the EU wine and spirits industry in 2025, with the sector viewing itself as collateral damage of deteriorating transatlantic relations.

The EU-US trade deal struck last summer does not grant wines and spirits an exemption from the 15% US tariffs, despite efforts by the European Commission to secure special treatment.

The sector is considered strategic, with the US remaining the leading export destination for EU wine and spirits.

Sánchez Recarte noted that while wine exports to the US were particularly strong last year – accounting for 29% of EU exports – the surge was partly driven by US companies building up inventories ahead of new tariffs, and results later in the year were more concerning.

“After the EU-US trade deal, in July-August, we are seeing a significant decrease in the average value of exported wines,” he said.

Exports of the EU spirits sector alone fell by 25% between August and November 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, according to Eurostat.

City face Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League group phase on Tuesday and when asked about Bobb’s injury, Guardiola replied: “He says he is not fit, so he is not fit.”

Semenyo’s signing adds competition on the right wing, where Brazilian Savinho also plays, meaning Bobb may well be allowed to leave this month either on loan or a permanent transfer.

Fulham have lost only one of their past seven games under Marco Silva, sitting 11th in the table and progressing into the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Bobb has featured six times for Norway this year, helping them qualify for this summer’s World Cup, and would unite with compatriot Sander Berge at Craven Cottage.

He missed almost the whole of last season after fracturing a bone in his leg during training in August 2024.

ABERDEEN Station will close for important upgrades as soon as next week.

It will affect travellers across three consecutive weekends with no trains passing through the station while the work costing £3.6million take place.

Network Rail is starting work at Aberdeen Station on January 31, 2026.

It said that the track improvements will “help boost the reliability and performance of one of the busiest parts of Scotland’s railway”.

As a result of the work, Aberdeen Station will close for consecutive weekends starting on January 31, 2026.

During the closures, teams will replace sections of rail and sleepers across multiple platforms.

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Network Rail also explained that engineers will be upgrading equipment that allows trains to move between lines – almost a mile and a half of rail is set to be renewed.

No trains will run through Aberdeen Station between Saturday 31, January and Sunday 1 February, 2026.

Or Saturday 7 and Sunday 8, February and between Sunday 15 and Monday 16, February, 2026.

There are alternatives available through bus routes.

For ScotRail, buses will replace trains between Aberdeen and Dundee, Aberdeen and Montrose, Inverurie and Aberdeen, Dyce and Aberdeen. 

Rail replacement buses for CrossCountry will travel between Dundee and Aberdeen.

LNER trains between London Kings Cross and Aberdeen will run between London Kings Cross and Dundee only.

Buses will then operate between Dundee and Aberdeen, calling at Arbroath, Montrose and Stonehaven.

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “The £8m redevelopment of Aberdeen station in 2022 delivered major improvements for customers and strengthened the station’s role as a key transport interchange.

“Continued investment in essential track and infrastructure upgrades will help improve performance and provide more reliable journeys.”

Aberdeen station was redeveloped in 2022 at a cost of £8million.

During this time there were upgrades made on the passenger experience like a new open-plan ticket office and addition of a first-class lounge.

There were improved retail and eatery stops and the pavilion had restoration work.

Other upgrades made by Network Rail in 2022 were to the tracks and sleepers.

Another train station that’s set to be upgraded is Liverpool Street Station.

Network Rail have put forward proposals for the £1.2billion upgrades and recently released a fly-over video showing what the future could look like for Liverpool Street.

It shows an enlarged, light and airy concourse to ease congestion during busy periods and additional ticket barriers.

Upstairs, the video reveals more eateries and cafes for passengers to use before or after their rail journey, and outside will be more green spaces.

It also shows renders of the new office building that’s set to be built above the station concourse near the Grade II* listed Andaz Hotel.

The City of London Corporation is consulting the public on the plans until January 21.

For more on rail, this small English train station named the best in the UK and it’s getting a £1million upgrade.

And this beautiful 73-mile railway route is getting new trains for the first time in 10 years.

It is one of the world’s most famous and scenic train journeys, featuring 86 tunnels and 37 bridges

El Chepe, in Mexico, stands as one of the world’s most renowned and picturesque rail adventures and among the longest railway lines. The construction of El Chepe (The Copper Canyon route or Chihuahua-Pacific Railway) represented a remarkable engineering feat that took nearly 90 years to complete, with costs reaching approximately $90 million (£67 million).

It officially launched in 1961, and remains one of the most breathtaking railway experiences, whisking travellers through the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico, and linking Los Mochis, on the coastline, to the Chihuahua mountains.

This extraordinary rail adventure covers about 650-670 kilometres (400 miles) between Chihuahua and Los Mochis, Mexico and boasts 86 tunnels and 37 bridges.

The journey, which takes 16 hours to complete, can be done in a day, taking passengers through the Sierra Madre region, home to the Tarahumaras’ indigenous communities, known for their traditional lifestyle and unique culture.

The most complicated section to build was the 258 kilometres (160 miles) from the Creel station in Chihuahua to Heriberto Valdez (San Pedro) in Sinaloa.

The project took enormous technical and human efforts to overcome the obstacles of the imposing Tarahumara Mountains.

ChepeExpress said: “This region frequently serves as the backdrop for stories, films, documentaries, major newspaper articles, magazines and television networks, who come here from all over the world, attracted by the charm of the rustic countryside and the majesty of the railroad.”

Alongside this, the Chihuahua-Pacific route is one of the most “amazing and bold engineering projects, taking passengers through the canyons, great mountains, forests and ravines.”

National Geographic explained: “El Chepe’s First Class has panoramic windows, reclining seats and one on-board meal included in the train’s Urike restaurant, which serves traditional dishes from the states of Chihuahua and Sinaloa; Executive Class has spacious seating and access to its own bar; and Tourist Class includes basic, but comfortable upright seating and an on-board snack service.”

SKYSCANNER has launched its first ever package holiday searcher – but is it as good as the rest?

The website has long been used by holidaymakers wanting to find the cheapest flights out there.

And with a boom in package holidays, they have now added a new option which lets you search for package holidays.

Claiming to scour the internet for 25million deals a day, it is certainly a gamechanger when it comes to finding the best deal.

Trying it out for myself, at first glance it definitely offered up some bargains.

For example, a week in Benidorm came up as just £232pp, including seven nights and return flights with lastminute.com.

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Or for seven nights in Antalya, it was a bargain £168pp when travelling in March.

Yet when it came to destinations further afield, it didn’t seem to bring up anywhere near as many cheap deals.

The cheapest for a week in Dubai in February I found was £1,638 with Skyscanner, using loveholidays.

While TravelSupermarket has deals for more than half this, costing £782 via Southall Travel for the exact same date.

This is likely to be because of the lack of deals they are searching.

When looking for this Dubai deal, Skyscanner had 896 results while Travelsupermarket had 2,133.

And one key feature missing is the “Anywhere” feature.

While Skyscanner has this for their flight search options, it isn’t yet an option for their package holiday searcher.

And TravelSupermarket has their own ‘Anywhere’ which makes it much easier if you know the dates you want to book, but aren’t sure on where to go.

This meant I could find a load of deals for everywhere from Costa Brave and Tuscany to Morocco for a bargain, rather than limiting myself to a destination per search.

I appreciated Skyscanner’s search tools such as being able to order the holidays by being cheapest.

Also being able to choose a price range and board option were useful, as well as choosing whether they were direct flights or even what airline and tour operator to include.

However, I also like the option of being able to see which times of year are cheaper – again something they offer with their flights.

It is also something other websites offer such as loveholidays, so you can compare dates to see if there is a nearby cheaper day to fly out on.

I have no doubt that these functions will eventually be rolled out by Skyscanner, as it evolves.

And when it comes to short-haul holidays like Spain, it definitely came out with some bargains.

But until then, I would suggest price checking their holidays before booking with other holidays, just in case.

Here is also what I think of using Google Flights as an alternative.

The Syrian government’s lightning-fast offensive took oil-rich territory long held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, before a ceasefire was agreed. While the truce is shaky, Al Jazeera’s Virginia Pietromarchi explains how recent developments have shifted the balance of power in the country.

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Mérida, January 21, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan government launched a series of initiatives over the weekend to support communities affected by the January 3 bombings carried out by the United States.

On Friday, January 16, folk artists performed at the Rómulo Gallegos Urbanization in La Guaira state, where US forces struck the local port. The attack destroyed a medical supplies warehouse and a residential building, killing an elderly civilian woman.

During the event, Venezuelan singer-songwriter Benjamín Zambrano said that music helps restore collective spirit and identity. “Through song we invoke our roots, our conscience, our way of life, and our right to live in peace,” he stated.

Cultural events continued Saturday at the Ezequiel Zamora Urban Complex in Ciudad Tiuna, Caracas, organized by the Venezuelan Housing Mission and the Ministry of Culture. The large-scale housing complex is adjacent to Fuerte Tiuna, the capital’s main military headquarters where most of the US strikes took place.

During the recreational activity, Culture Minister Ernesto Villegas said the government has a responsibility to help more than 10,000 families recover from the impact of the January 3 attacks. The US operation likewise included the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

Multiple Venezuelan artists performed in Ciudad Tiuna on Saturday and Sunday as well.

On Saturday, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez also visited Ciudad Tiuna, where 463 apartments were reported damaged.

She called for swift efforts to restore the affected homes and emphasized the importance of supporting children. “We wanted to hold special events for our children, including psychological support sessions,” the acting president told press.

“The Venezuelan people should know that there is hope and a future for our children,” Rodríguez added, noting that recreational activities will continue over the coming weekends. The visit additionally provided a food market as well as healthcare and psychological services.

Rodríguez expands on upcoming economic reforms

The Ciudad Tiuna visit likewise saw Rodríguez comment on announced economic reforms, including two “sovereign wealth funds” to manage oil revenues. The acting president announced the initiative during her 2026 annual address before the National Assembly. 

“The first fund will focus on social protection to improve workers’ incomes,” she affirmed. “This will ensure that foreign currency goes directly to hospitals, schools, food programs, and housing.” 

The second fund will focus on “water, electricity, and road infrastructure.”

Over the weekend, Rodríguez also led a meeting of the National Productive Economy Council with representatives from private sector associations. She presented the 2025 economic growth forecast and the strategic roadmap for the current year. 

Alongside the sovereign wealth funds, she outlined a package of legislative initiatives scheduled for the coming months. The government’s plans include a reform of the Hydrocarbon Law designed to “integrate the advances made under the anti-blockade law” in order to improve conditions for foreign investors.

According to Rodríguez, when the current law was enacted in 2001, Venezuela had “mature and developed oil fields to attract investment,” but now seeks to bring capital to “virgin or green fields.”

Former President Hugo Chávez implemented key changes to oil regulations in 2001 and 2006 to increase the Venezuelan state’s role in the sector while also raising tax and royalty payments to sustain social programs.

Acting President Rodríguez went on to present legislative projects to defend socioeconomic rights and streamline bureaucratic procedures. 

In addition, she proposed creating “a national committee to defend Venezuela’s economic rights worldwide,” with representation from the national executive branch and sectors including oil, agriculture, industry, commerce, banking, non-oil exports, and community organizations.

“This committee,” Rodríguez argued, “will defend Venezuela’s economic rights in multilateral organizations and international forums, traveling the world to promote and uphold those rights.”

Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.

AMANDA Holden’s daughter Lexi just celebrated turning twenty, and looked stunning dressed up as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader in a throwback snap posted for the big day.

The much-loved TV personality, 54, took to her Instagram page to mark Lexi’s birthday, sharing the gorgeous snap alongside one of Lexi as a child.

Lexi, who signed her first modelling contract last year, looked effortlessly beautiful in the iconic outfit – a throwback picture of her in her Halloween outfit.

Holding a blue and white cheer pom pom above her head with one hand, the stunner smiled at the camera.

The second snap of her as a child sweetly shows Lexi holding her arm in the air in a similar way, sitting outside in the snow.

“Put your hand up if you’re 20 today!!!,” Amanda wrote in the post’s caption.

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“Mama and Dada love you so much – our strong, bright, kind, loyal, funny girl!!! Little Lexi Lou.”

Amanda finished off the caption with a small black heart.

Fans of the family praised Lexi, as well as being stunned how fast she seems to have grown up.

“Oh my goodness. Beautiful!,” said one user.

“Wow what a beauty babe,” said another to Amanda. “I remember her being that tiny.”

A third added: “OMG 20??? How??? Happiest of birthdays beautiful Lexi.”

The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders (DCC) became famous in the late 1970s, but thanks to the 2024 Netflix docuseries America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders they’ve gained renewed global fame.

The show follows the team selection process and documents the daily life of the thirty-six person cheer squad.

Amanda is also a proud mother to daughter Hollie, 13.

A large, shiny pub with a thriving clientele appears to be doing well, but is the most f****d pub in London, according to a new, alarming study into the UK’s pubs

As you walk into the Spread Eagle in Wandsworth, it’s not completely obvious that it’s f****ed.

In fact, it seems like a perfectly nice pub. The bar staff are cheery, the Guinness is delicious and the place is generally spic and span. It’s early on a Thursday evening in January, but the drinkers are out in decent numbers. A sandwich board out front promises Six Nations fixtures will arrive in a fortnight to break the winter’s gloom.

The Spread Eagle is the kind of pub that offers a bit of something for everyone. When I visited, present was a lone man reading a book and tucking into one of the menu’s ‘traditional pub classics’; two mums cradling their children; and a group of marketers discussing Q2 strategy.

While calm enough on a Thursday evening, I get the sense that the Spread Eagle becomes a pretty lively place on a Saturday night when the rugby crowd piles in. Although probably not so lively as to disturb the guests staying over in the 21 ‘eclectically’ decorated rooms upstairs.

Overall, it is a fine-looking place that serves three regular cask-conditioned beers and has ‘an historic pub interior of national importance’, according to CAMRA. It’s not at all obvious that the Spread Eagle is f***ed, but it is. In fact, according to a new study, it is the most f***ed pub in the whole of London.

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The Young’s-run boozer has been handed that unfortunate title by Ben Guerin, a digital comms expert and coder who has built ismypubf***ed.com.

“My friends and I were talking about where to go to the pub, we said we should go to somewhere that’s been affected by the changes. We both run businesses and have been affected. I had the idea on Thursday morning at 11am, had the website live at 7pm. It takes a spreadsheet from 2023, which has every single business in the UK, and another from 2026. You can group those together to work out the change. More than 42,000 pubs were analysed, of those, 78% or 80% were facing increases. 12% were either f***ed or absolutely f***ed, meaning their increase has doubled or more between 2023 and 2026,” Ben told the Mirror.

Based on business rates alone, the Spread Eagle is in an unenviable spot. Its rateable value is due to increase by 622%, from £16,750 in 2023 to £121,000 this year, pushing its annual tax bill up by 833% to £46,452, according to Ben’s analysis of publicly available data.

While the Spread Eagle is the worst hit percentage-wise in London, it is just one of 5,000 pubs across the UK facing a doubling of property tax.

Last week, the head of the Valuation Office Agency told MPs that 13 per cent of pubs – a total of 5,100 – have been hit with a 100 per cent rise in their so-called ‘rateable value’, which is used to calculate their business rates bill.

The average pub faces paying £1,400 a year more, rising to £12,900 over three years. Those with the largest rises in property tax valuations face even bigger increases. The Bertie Arms in Stamford, Lincolnshire, faces a near 2,000% rise – the biggest in the country.

Katie and James Genever, the landlords of the grade II-listed thatched village pub, told the Telegraph that the change would almost totally wipe out their profits. “It just feels like we are being targeted and come at from every angle. Hospitality is being whacked from all sides and used as a cash cow,” Ms Genever said.

The gloomy financial prospects of many pubs is difficult to overstate. A report by UK Hospitality has warned six venues will close every day this year without support – a total of more than 2,000. That far outstrips the 378 that closed in 2025, according to the Institute for Licensing. The British Beer and Pub Association worries pubs will need to sell an extra 1.3 billion pints of beer a year to offset surging taxes.

For Ben, who moved from New Zealand to the UK around a decade ago, the perilous state of the Great British pub is a major concern.

“Pubs are the heart of the local community. One of the things I’ve always loved about the UK in general. Everyone has a charm and heritage. Whether standing out on a pavement on a cold, wet January, or sitting in a beer garden in the summer. It’s really sad so many of them have been shutting down in recent years,” he said.

After weeks of fierce campaigning from pub supporters, Labour now seemed poised to row back on rates increases and offer some support to boozers that have faced a toxic cocktail of cost rises in recent years including: an increase in employers’ national insurance, the minimum wage, energy costs, business rates, inflation, new workers’ rights legislation and a rise in alcohol duty.

The government is expected to announce an overhaul to the way it calculates business rates for pubs within days, which it says will help soften the sharp hikes that a majority of the embattled sector faced in the aftermath of the Budget.

According to multiple reports, Treasury officials have conceded its overhaul to business rates – the commercial equivalent to council tax – left many local pubs facing a huge hike in their overall bill, despite the hospitality industry technically being offered a 5p cut.

At November’s Budget, the Chancellor scaled back the business rate discounts that businesses have enjoyed since the pandemic. It also confirmed the results of a much-anticipated re-evaluation of so-called rateable values, a central government estimate for the amount of rent a site will pay in a year, which left pubs across the country facing considerably larger bills.

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Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, hailed the government’s decision to reopen the business rates increases, branding it a “huge win for pubs across the country”. She added: “This could save locals, jobs, and means publicans can breathe a huge sigh of relief. The BBPA has worked closely with ministers on a pub-specific solution that would ensure that bills are reduced in line with the government’s previous promise to pubs.”

Young’s declined to comment.

Experienced pair Jonny Gray and Dave Cherry return to the Scotland squad in time for this year’s Six Nations, while there are places for young Edinburgh duo Liam McConnell and Freddy Douglas.

The 40-strong squad chosen by head coach Gregor Townsend, comprises 23 forwards and 17 backs.

Adam Hastings and Fergus Burke will provide competition and cover for star fly-half Finn Russell.

Ben White and George Horne are the scrum-halves, with Jamie Dobie an option at number nine but thriving on the wing for Glasgow Warriors.

Captain Sione Tuipulotu is joined by Glasgow team-mates Huw Jones and Stafford McDowall and Northampton Saints’ Rory Hutchinson as the specialist centres.

The back three selection will come from Blair Kinghorn, Tom Jordan, Kyle Rowe and Ollie Smith, who are all options at full-back, along with Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham, Kyle Steyn and Dobie.

McConnell, 21, and Douglas, 20, each have one cap and join Magnus Bradbury, Jamie Ritchie, Josh Bayliss and Glasgow trio Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey in the scrap for back-row places.

Cherry, 35, playing in Pro D2 in France for Vannes, is chosen along with fellow hookers Ewan Ashman and George Turner.

There are three loosehead props; Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland and Nathan McBeth, with Elliot Millar Mills and D’arcy Rae supporting standout tighthead Zander Fagerson.

Bordeaux’s Gray, with 81 caps, joins fellow stalwarts Grant Gilchrist and Scott Cummings as Max Williamson and Alex Craig bid to break the established order in the second row, along with Gregor Brown, who also operates at blindside flanker.

Scotland open the tournament in Rome on 7 February, then host England before a trip to Cardiff on three successive Saturdays.

France visit Murrayfield on 7 March and Scotland are in Dublin for the final round of fixtures seven days later.

Scotland finished fourth last year, with third place in 2023 and 2018 their best showings in Townsend’s eight previous attempts.

A HOLIDAY with kids can be costly, especially when you factor in flights, luggage, hotel and spending money.

As a single mum, I have to watch every penny, so when someone shared The Sun £9.50 holidays in our mum Whatsapp chat, it seemed too good to be true.

My friend Cherisse had been collecting tokens in The Sun every day and she booked a weekend away in the UK with her three children for less than £10.

They had booked a caravan for three nights, including use of the park’s facilities – an indoor pool, club house with nightly entertainment, kids activity sessions and a large playground.

We had all been saying that it would be fun to do a group holiday together, but with the cost of living crisis, we’d yet to get that out of the group chat.

But at £9.50 for a weekend away, I signed on straight away.

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Gradually, other families decided to go for it too and eventually all 10 families in our friendship group had booked on.

We were all buzzing for our group trip and the kids were giddy with excitement. There were actually 40 of us in the group, in total.

When I was a child, we’d often go to holiday parks with our friends and my school friends and I still talk about those trips 30 years on.

I was excited to be able to give my kids the same experience.

To get the best deal, we booked early in the season, selecting holiday cabins at Park Dean Kessingland Beach Holiday Park in Suffolk.

It was the first weekend in March and absolutely freezing! But the kids didn’t care.

They were just all excited to get away and spend the weekend together. Us parents were too.

Packing was easy since I could just throw everything in the car, including footballs, colouring books and the kids’ scooters.

As soon as we arrived, the kids were all outside playing together so the parents could unpack and have a cup of tea.

Our cabins weren’t all next to one another, but we were all on the same pitch and it was very safe for the kids to play on the grass outside, with at least one parent being able to see them from every angle.

Some of the families had teenage children with them, so we had built-in babysitters too (thank you Freya, Ava and Harrison).

This was how the weekend continued, only really seeing my children when they wanted food, snacks or money for the arcade.

Much easier for me, as a solo mum, than taking my two children on holiday by myself. It was actually relaxing and I came home feeling like I’d actually had a break.

The old saying ‘it takes a village’ was definitely true here.

It was my first time at a holiday park as an adult and I was really impressed with the caravans. We had a two-bed comfort caravan, which was spacious and very clean.

There is a large living area with a sofa and a small table and the heating, thankfully, was good, so it was really cosy.

I even had a partial view of the sea.

During the day, the kids joined in with craft and sport activities, all included with the price.

There were also more extreme activities like Nerf Gun battles and slime workshops, but these cost a bit extra.

To use the indoor pool, you had to book a session and because there were so many of us, we filled up the pool capacity and had it to ourselves for two hours.

It’s not often you get a stay with a private pool for less than £5 per person for the whole weekend. Plus, since we were the only ones there, the staff let the kids play with the inflatable jet skis – usually these would cost extra.

It was brilliant.

In the evenings, there is a quiz night, kids disco, karaoke and a full cabaret show.

The site has a few low-cost options for dinner including a pub in the clubhouse, a pizza takeaway and fish and chips.

However, most of us opted to cook in our cabins to keep costs down. A quick pasta and my kids were itching to get back to clubhouse to hang out with their mates and play on the arcades.

Us mums enjoyed the evenings too,as the pub even sold cocktails (only £7 each).

Even though it was cold, we still enjoyed rounders on the beach and two of the mums even went for a cold-water sea swim.

It really reminded me of the wholesome holidays of my childhood and everyone agreed it was a brilliant weekend. As we packed up the car to start the convoy home, we vowed to do it again every year.

And we have!

The following year, we paid a bit extra to go to a bigger resort, which has a wider range of activities, a huge adventure playground and a pool and water park.

The cost for the weekend was still less than £150 for a family of four.

I took the kids to Tenerife and Florida the same year and they still said this was their favourite trip.

I think a holiday with 20 of your mates is just brilliant for kids – and the mums!

This year we have booked to go again. This will be our fourth caravan trip. I can’t wait.

Following the very public Beckham family drama that dominated headlines this week, holiday experts at On the Beach have unveiled a brand-new booking perk aimed at easing pre-holiday chaos

Families who fall out can take solace in a thanks to a new ‘ Beckham Clause’ launched this week by a package holiday company.

Following the very public Beckham family drama that dominated headlines this week, holiday experts at On the Beach have unveiled a brand-new booking perk aimed at easing pre-holiday chaos. The move comes after Brooklyn Beckham went nuclear online, publishing a six-page Instagram statement that laid bare a deep family rift and reignited the internet’s obsession with celebrity fallouts.

On the Beach’s new clause applies to family holidays where one member suddenly drops out due to a feud, argument, or full-blown emotional meltdown. Under the new policy, if a family member pulls out before departure, their share of the hotel booking will be refunded rather than leaving the rest of the group to foot the bill.

The perk, officially titled the ‘Family Fallout Refund’ and already nicknamed the ‘Beckham Clause’ by bosses, aims to give holidaymakers peace of mind that no matter how messy things get at home, their getaway won’t suffer.

Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at On the Beach, said: “We love family holidays, but we’re also very aware that family fallouts cam hamper plans. The ‘Beckham Clause’ is there for those moments when someone decides they’d rather cool off at home than by the pool. Our new perk means that if a family feud takes place and one person drops out, the rest of the group can still head off, relax, and enjoy the holiday they were looking forward to.”

Family fallouts aren’t just limited to celebrities. Every year, hundreds of holiday bookings need amending with sons, daughters, and partners dropping out due to feuds. The new perk is available on family holidays with 5 people or more and the claim needs to be made at least 60 days before departure.

It’s not the only free perk being made available on holiday bookings in 2026. Anyone holidaying with On the Beach in 2026 and booking up to 60 days before departure is guaranteed a perk.

One of either free lounge access, free gadget insurance, free weather protection or a £50 amazon voucher plus Price Drop Protection. Even better, all bookings will receive 1GB of free mobile data.

The T&Cs

Any family member who withdraws from the holiday due to said fallout will have their portion of the accommodation cost refunded to the lead booker, regardless of who started it, who’s telling their side, or who last posted a cryptic caption.

The party needs to contact On the Beach via its chat, tell them they have had a family feud, inform them which party member is dropping out, and the cash refund will be processed.

Applies to new and existing bookings departing on or before 31 August, 2026. Cancellation must be requested 60 days prior to departure. Refund will be returned to the last card used on the booking. 1 cancellation per booking. Excludes Cruises. OTB fees for cancelling hotel will be waived. Cancellation fees will still apply to the flight element, transfers and any extras booked. Save for the above changes to cancellation fees, OTB’s standard terms and conditions apply to bookings – see www.onthebeach.co.uk/terms-and-conditions for details.

After United States President Donald Trump threatened a trade war against European countries which oppose his bid to acquire Greenland, Europe is now considering deploying a “trade bazooka” – a powerful, multilayered instrument in its arsenal of economic deterrents.

Norway says its prime minister has received a message from Trump hinting that Oslo’s failure to award him the Nobel Peace Prize is at least partly to blame for his stance.

Here is more about Trump’s tariff threat to Europe, alongside Europe’s response.

What was in Trump’s Norway letter over Greenland?

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store’s office confirmed on Monday that he had received a message from Trump in which he wrote: “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace.”

Trump added: “Although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.”

Trump reiterated that he does not believe Denmark can keep Greenland secure from Russia or China.

“The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland,” he wrote.

What tariffs has Trump threatened against Europe?

In a post on his Truth Social platform on January 17, Trump wrote that he had subsidised Denmark and other European Union countries by not charging them trade tariffs.

He wrote that, starting from February 1, exports to the US from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland would all be subject to a 10 percent levy.

On June 1 this year, the tariff would be increased to 25 percent, he said. “This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland,” Trump wrote.

“The United States has been trying to do this transaction for over 150 years. Many Presidents have tried, and for good reason, but Denmark has always refused.”

Danish and Greenlandic leaders have repeatedly stated that the autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark is not for sale, and recent demonstrations on the island have opposed Trump’s push to acquire it.

Why does the US want to buy Greenland?

The US interest is longstanding: after buying Alaska in 1867, Secretary of State William Seward unsuccessfully tried to buy Greenland. In 1946, President Harry Truman secretly offered Denmark $100m for Greenland, but Copenhagen refused, and the proposal became public only decades later.

During World War II, the US occupied the island and built military facilities, maintaining a presence today at Pituffik Space Base.

Greenland, a sparsely populated Arctic island of 56,000 people – mostly Indigenous Inuit – is geographically in North America but politically part of Denmark, making it part of Europe. Greenland withdrew from the European Community (EC/EU) in 1985 after it gained home rule, but maintains a special association with the EU as an Overseas Country and Territory (OCT), which grants limited internal market access and EU citizenship to Greenland’s residents through Denmark.

Its position between the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans provides the shortest air and sea routes between North America and Europe, making it crucial for US military operations and early-warning systems, especially around the Greenland-Iceland-UK gap, according to the Trump administration.

Greenland’s economy relies mainly on fishing, locals oppose large-scale mining, and there is no oil or gas extraction. However, it has large deposits of minerals, including rare-earth metals, which are necessary for the manufacture of technology, including smartphones and fighter planes. The island has therefore drawn increasing interest from leading powers as climate change opens up new shipping lanes in the Arctic.

How has Europe responded to Trump’s tariff threat?

Many nations in Europe want to pursue diplomatic options with the US before retaliating with tariffs of their own, but have not ruled it out.

“Our priority is to engage, not escalate. Sometimes the most responsible form of leadership is restraint,” European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said on Monday.

However, Gill warned that “the EU has tools at its disposal and is prepared to respond should the threatened tariffs be imposed”.

The 27 members of the EU convened for an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss their response to Trump’s threat.

In a joint statement on the same day, the eight countries targeted by Trump with new tariffs said they “stand in full solidarity” with Denmark and the people of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory.

“Building on the process begun last week, we stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind,” Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK said in the statement.

“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response. We are committed to upholding our sovereignty.”

During an address to the nation on Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK believes Greenland is part of Denmark and its future must be determined by Greenland and Denmark only.

“Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is completely wrong. We will of course be pursuing this directly with the US administration,” Starmer said. However, he stated repeatedly during his address and questions from the media afterwards that, for now, he is not in favour of launching retaliatory tariffs against the US. “A tariff war is not in anyone’s interests.”

This week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also urged dialogue, warning that a tariff war would hurt both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

“We want to avoid any escalation in this dispute if at all possible,” Merz said. “We simply want to try to resolve this problem together.” He did not rule out using tariffs if absolutely necessary, however.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa wrote identical, but separate X posts, saying: “Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to upholding its sovereignty.”

Some European leaders have been more bullish about how to respond to Trump’s threats, however, and called on the EU to activate a never-before-used economic tool designed to face down coercion from states outside the EU.

David van Weel, the foreign minister of the Netherlands, said during an interview on Dutch television on January 18: “It’s blackmail what he’s doing … and it’s not necessary. It doesn’t help the alliance [NATO], and it also doesn’t help Greenland.”

“The Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), designed precisely for such cases, must now be used,” German MEP Bernd Lange, who chairs the European Parliament’s trade committee, said in a post on X.

“I call on the European Commission to activate it immediately.”

During the emergency EU meeting on Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron also requested that the bloc activate the ACI, also known as a “trade bazooka”, according to news reports.

What is the ACI, or trade bazooka?

The trade bazooka is a legal mechanism that the EU proposed late in 2021 and adopted in 2023 to protect European countries from economic pressure by non-EU countries.

By the end of his first term in January 2021, Trump had launched a trade war against several of Washington’s leading trading partners, including the EU, which faced US tariffs on steel and aluminium exports.

In December 2021, China blocked Lithuanian goods from entering Chinese ports after Lithuania was deleted from China’s electronic customs declarations system. This was in retaliation for Lithuania’s decision to allow Taiwan, which China considers its territory, to open a de facto embassy in Vilnius under the name “Taiwanese Representative Office”. China’s block also applied to exports from other EU member states when the goods contained Lithuanian components or were linked to Lithuania.

The bazooka idea was proposed in the EU on December 8, 2021, as China was blocking goods.

It was, therefore, adopted in 2023 with countries like China in mind, rather than allies like the US, Erica York, vice president of federal tax policy at the Tax Foundation, told US media.

“The ACI restricts the access of US corporations to sell products in the European market. This is the European Union’s most powerful economic weapon,” Jo Michell, a professor of economics at the University of the West of England in Bristol, told Al Jazeera.

“It includes fees and charges on imports of goods and services, restrictions on US investment into the EU and a possible ban on public sector contracts for US companies.”

Essentially, the trade bazooka involves a series of measures, including steep retaliatory tariffs and increased customs duties. If applied to the US, the EU could limit or block access for US goods, services or companies to its single market.

It could also place restrictions on exports and imports through quotas or licences. Additionally, the EU could impose measures restricting the US’s use of EU‑based financial infrastructure, increasing funding costs for US banks and firms which depend on doing business in Europe.

How would the ACI be implemented?

A last‑resort deterrence measure, it has never been implemented before. There are several steps that must be taken before it can be deployed.

The process begins when a company, another party in the EU or the Commission itself files a complaint alleging economic coercion from a country outside the EU. The European Commission then launches a formal investigation into the allegation, which it is supposed to complete within four months.

If the commission finds that economic coercion is indeed taking place, it will first try to resolve the issue through diplomacy. If those efforts fail, the EU can move towards activating the ACI.

To do so, a “qualified majority” – at least 15 of the EU’s 27 countries representing at least 65 percent of the bloc’s population – must support the move. This gives countries with larger populations, such as Germany, France and Italy, significant influence.

Once a proposal to trigger the bazooka is on the table, member states have up to 10 weeks to say yes or no. In total, the entire process can take up to a year before the bazooka fully comes into effect.

“The EC may be able to move relatively quickly given the urgency of the situation, but the implementation vote may be months rather than weeks away,” Michell said.

What effect could the ACI have on the US and Europe?

The US runs a significant trade deficit with the EU in terms of goods. This means it imports more from the EU than it exports.

In 2024, the EU exported 531.6 billion euros ($603bn) in goods to the US and imported products worth 333 billion euros ($377.8bn), resulting in a trade surplus for the EU of almost 200 billion euros ($227bn).

The picture is different for services, however. The US had a surplus of more than 109 billion euros ($124bn) in services as of 2023, with notable IT exports, led by large US tech companies, intellectual property and financial services.

The bazooka could therefore hit the US where it hurts, allowing Europe to go beyond traditional tariffs on goods and restrict or tax US services instead.

“Imposing restrictions on the large US tech companies would be particularly painful for the US, and would likely hit share prices. The US is also exposed in areas such as pharmaceuticals and aerospace,” Michell said.

However, the bazooka would hurt workers and consumers in Europe as well. Restrictions on services would mean limited choices or higher prices for US services. Additionally, retaliatory tariffs on US goods as well would mean increased prices for those, too.

What will Europe choose to do?

UK financial media reported this week that the bloc is considering imposing 93 billion euros ($108bn) in tariffs on US goods.

“Imposing 93 billion of tariffs is the first line of defence,” Mohit Kumar, chief European economist at New York-based investment banking and capital markets firm Jefferies, told Al Jazeera.

“Anti-coercion measures need a qualified majority [in the EU]. Germany has already said that it would prefer negotiations. Hence, my base case remains that the bazooka is unlikely to be used,” Kumar said.

“My base case remains that cooler heads will prevail. A solution where the US gets exclusive mineral rights and increased military presence in Greenland but its sovereignty remaining as is could be a way forward,” Kumar said.

A doctor has appeared in court accused of more than 40 counts of sexual assault against hospital patients including children.

The charges faced by Nathaniel Spencer on Tuesday relate to 38 patients at Royal Stoke University Hospital and Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, between 2017 and 2021.

The 38-year-old of Great Hampden Street, Birmingham, appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centre where he was released on conditional bail until his next appearance set for Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on 20 February.

Some of the patients over whom he is accused were under 13 at the time of the alleged offences.

Wearing a grey suit and white shirt, Spencer spoke only to confirm his address and date of birth during a short hearing in front of District Judge Joseph O’Connor.

Spencer was a former resident doctor, previously known as a junior doctor, at the University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) NHS Trust between August 2017 and August 2020.

He later worked as a resident doctor on a placement at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust from August 2020 to April 2021.

He is charged with 15 counts of sexual assault, 17 of assault by penetration, nine of sexual assault of a child under 13, three of assaulting a child under 13 by penetration, and one of attempted assault by penetration.

Marilyn’s face is omnipresent more than 60 years after her death. She is one of the few who can be immediately recognized by first name only, in the ranks with Madonna and Mary. Her films are cult classics, her performances still lauded. So it’s no surprise that with the 100-year anniversary of her birth looming in June, readers are being treated to not one but two (at least) novelizations of her life and tragic death.

Other novels have come before — Joyce Carol Oates’ memorable if wildly fictionalized “Blonde,” for example — not to mention the avalanche of nonfiction that has been written since Marilyn burst onto the scene. But two new ones break new ground (or try to).

The first I picked up, “The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe,” promises readers a “true crime thriller” that explores whether Marilyn’s death was really a suicide. Written by Imogen Edwards-Jones with James Patterson, it starts like many thrillers: Marilyn Monroe’s housekeeper finds her dead body and calls her doctors. Each has a meltdown worthy of a telenovela, messes with the crime scene and hours later the police are called.

I expected, given the title and the opening scene, to read a novel that picks from the popular theories of Marilyn’s death and fictionalizes how those could have happened. Maybe the doctor was paid by the FBI to kill her? Maybe the housekeeper, a plant of the obsessed doctor’s, did it?

Instead, the book spends over 300 pages meticulously detailing abusers, lovers, film schedules, fashion fittings, trips, rivalries and acting lessons. (The source list for the novel runs to an impressive 10 pages.) Told in Patterson’s signature snappy chapters, it is an absorbing read, but I kept wondering when the villain would show up. Unfortunately, he never does.

Marilyn Monroe on the set of her last movie, “Something’s Got to Give,” in Los Angeles.

(Associated Press)

Despite being called “The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe,” the 400-plus-page book spends less than 100 pages on the last year of Marilyn’s life and less than 10 pages on the day she died. It doesn’t follow any thriller genre formula or true crime genre format. It’s a biography. A fictionalized one that draws from real newspaper clippings, Marilyn’s own writings and interviews with her friends. As a fictional biography, what Edwards-Jones and Patterson have created is engaging and sympathetic. Edwards-Jones’ journalism background shows up — it’s well researched and presented with tact.

The cardinal sin of “The Last Days” is that it doesn’t choose a storyline. Despite promising to explore what happened to Marilyn, there is no clear crime or criminal in thriller style.

Another issue is that there is no protagonist. There’s an omniscient narrator who plops down the facts of Marilyn’s life, vignette-style. But there’s no perspective. There’s no one investigating her death or questioning the official theory. And there were options — her longtime friend and gossip journalist Sidney Skolsky makes a great possible narrator. The real assistant coroner, who claimed he was forced to sign the certificate calling her death a suicide, is another possibility that never materialized. (A book that does almost exactly this, if you’re looking for it, is J.I. Baker’s “The Empty Glass.”)

Thankfully, Lynn Cullen’s novel about Marilyn, “When We Were Brilliant,” dodges all these myriad bullets. It’s told from the point of view of Eve Arnold, the groundbreaking, famous-in-her-own-right documentary photographer — and only female photographer to have ever extensively photographed Marilyn. Throughout the novel, the two women bond and build each other up, each supporting the other as they ascend to previously unrealized heights for women.

It’s an empathetic novel, told by an author whose care for each of the figures she portrays shines through on every page. Finally, Marilyn is not presented as a cipher to be solved or quarry to be caged. She’s a woman. A dizzyingly beautiful one and a disarmingly talented one — with all the accompanying cunning, love complexity and joy it means to be human.

Marilyn Monroe in court testifying against men accused of trying to sell “indecent” photos of her in 1952.

(Los Angeles Times)

There’s probably an essay to be written here about the male gaze versus the female gaze in fiction (despite the female author partnering with Patterson). Where “The Last Days” is nearly toxic in its masculine telling, bullying through the facts of a woman’s life without consideration or delivery on promises made, “When We Were Brilliant” is an homage to female friendship and ambition. Eve Arnold is the perfect lens to view Marilyn through because she can show us who Marilyn might have been when there weren’t any men around. Cullen’s protagonist describes Marilyn both on stage and off, where a more personal view of her shines through. A significant part of Arnold’s astounding talent as a photographer was her ability to get her subjects to trust her and show her their true selves; that talent is convincingly resurrected by Cullen here, this time with Arnold as a narrator and arbiter of truth.

Inspired by Eve Arnold’s recollections of Marilyn later in her life especially in her photographic book, “Marilyn Monroe: An Appreciation” — Cullen’s novel goes beyond exploring Marilyn. It‘s also a loving portrayal of Eve Arnold’s life and career. We celebrate with Arnold the day she’s admitted as a full member into the Magnum Photos agency — and join in her despair when her marriage begins to fall apart in response to the demands of her work. In one heartbreaking chapter, Arnold takes a two-week assignment for Magnum, during which she covers a family living on an island off the shore of Cuba. When she mentions that the family’s 8-year-old daughter, Juana, is lovely, the parents try to give her to Arnold. In slow revelations, it becomes clear that they’re worried that if Juana remains on the island, prostitution will be her only future due to their bad economy. Arnold’s relationship with her own son is imperfect and her family falling apart; still, she can’t fathom taking a child away from her mother.

Motherhood is another recurring theme — Arnold’s alleged failure at it and Marilyn’s desperate hope for it. The two characters have miscarriages around the same time; they weep together in a moving scene before the actress has to go be “Marilyn Monroe” again for the cameras. Through these shared battles, we get the picture that Arnold may have been the only person who witnessed Marilyn for who she really was. It’s also through Arnold’s eyes we get a real theory about what happened the night Marilyn died — and it’s a sympathetic one, even a logical one.

Despite the tragedy of Marilyn’s early death, I closed “When We Were Brilliant” feeling like I was walking away from a celebratory dinner with friends; even days later I’m wistful about the experience.

Castellanos Clark, a writer and historian in Los Angeles, is the author of “Unruly Figures: Twenty Tales of Rebels, Rulebreakers, and Revolutionaries You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of.”

Published on 20/01/2026 – 13:18 GMT+1
•Updated
13:22

European markets are weathering their second day of heavy losses this week, with sell-offs persisting as EU-US trade tensions simmer.

At around 12pm CET, France’s CAC 40 was down 1.28%, Germany’s DAX slid 1.52%, Italy’s FTSE MIB dropped 1.49%, while Spain’s IBEX 35 fell 1.66%. The UK’s FTSE 100 was down 1.11%, while the broader STOXX 600 dipped 1.23%.

Investors are watching nervously as world leaders gather in Davos for the World Economic Forum’s annual summit, and US President Donald Trump doubles down on his intention to conquer Greenland — threatening extra tariffs on eight European countries that stand in his way.

While the targeted nations are mulling their retaliatory options, Trump added extra fuel to the fire on Monday evening. Following reports that French President Emmanuel Macron had rejected an invitation to sit on Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace”, the US leader commented: “I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and he’ll join.”

The Board of Peace was an idea initially proposed by President Trump as part of his plan to end the war in Gaza, although the initiative now seems to be aimed at mediating global conflict more broadly.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has branded Trump’s tariff threats “a mistake”. “The European Union and the United States agreed to a trade deal last July. And in politics as in business — a deal is a deal,” she said during a Davos address on Tuesday.

In light of the recent threats on winemakers, major French beverage firms saw their stock suffer on Tuesday. LVMH, which owns Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, and Veuve Clicquot, dropped 2.57% in Paris, while Rémy Cointreau fell 2.83%.

The losses came after a rocky day of trading for European firms on Monday, with the luxury goods and automobile sectors taking a significant hit.

On Tuesday, the STOXX Europe Luxury 10 was trading 1.88% lower, and the STOXX Europe 600 Automobiles & Parts Index fell 0.89% by just after midday.

Is ‘Sell America’ back?

Ahead of Tuesday market opening in the US, S&P 500 futures were down 1.53%, while Dow Jones futures slipped 1.38%. Nasdaq futures tumbled 1.91%.

Against the euro, the dollar fell 0.71% to 0.8523. The Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against six other currencies, traded 0.9% lower at 98.340. Such movements have once again raised fears of a ‘Sell America’ trade, meaning a major investor retreat from US assets, repeating a narrative that emerged last year in the wake of Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent nonetheless sought to ease jitters at Davos on Tuesday. “I am confident that the leaders will not escalate, and that this will work out in a manner that ends up in a very good place,” he said.

“This is the same kind of hysteria that we heard on April 2,” he said. “There was a panic. And what I’m urging everyone here to do is sit back, take a deep breath, and let things play out.”

Yields on US bonds jumped on Tuesday, with the 10-year Treasury yield trading around six basis points higher at 4.291%. 20- and 30-year Treasurys also increased — making it more expensive for the government to service its debts.

Meanwhile, heightened demand for safe-haven assets gave a boost to precious metals, with gold and silver rising 3.04% and 7.97% respectively.

Only a select number of European stocks managed to escape the wider downturn on Tuesday. One standout performer was British fintech Wise, which rose around 14% after a strong earnings report. The firm said it was looking to move its primary listing to the US in the first half of this year as it seeks partnerships with American banks.