‘The Irish landscape has always been important to me. It’s a big part of how I’m inspired,’ says singer Dermot Kennedy
FOR Dermot Kennedy’s third album, he wanted to explore both the beauty and burden of a successful music career.
The award-winning Irish singer might headline huge arenas but he has always had his feet firmly on the ground, valuing a normal life, privacy and simple things such as walking in his local woods — the theme of his new record.
He says: “I feel I’m at a sweet spot, because I can play The O2 in London but I can walk around all day and no one really knows who I am.
“Having a career in music is a blessing. It’s the most amazing thing, but at the same time, there are certain challenges that come with it. It tests relationships and tests your own resolve, it’s a pressure. And I wanted to write about that.”
The pull of nature as a place to reset became more powerful to the singer as he found success — both his previous collections, Without Fear (2019) and Sonder (2022), topped the album chart.
“With a career in music, you’re not anonymous, you’re constantly moving from city to city,” he explains.
“Being somewhere where you can only see trees in every direction has become more and more important to me, and more powerful. Where I live is quite remote, and that’s the way I want to be.”
This recurring woodland imagery reflects a sense of calm and nostalgia to Kennedy, and the cover of his new album, The Weight Of The Woods, features the singer in a woodland setting.
As we chat in his central London record label offices, he’s signing a huge pile of his new CDs.
“It’s a great album cover,” he says smiling. “Even signing these all morning, I’m not sick of looking at it yet.”
A standout on Kennedy’s new record is the track Sycamore, a gorgeous introspective ode to home and identity.
“The Irish landscape has always been important to me,” he says. “Where we took the picture for the album still resonates. It’s a big part of how I’m inspired.”
Working with producer Gabe Simon — who produced Noah Kahan’s 2022 breakthrough album, Stick Season — Kennedy made The Weight Of The Woods in Ireland, Nashville and Norway.
He says: “Sycamore is lush and smooth, which felt different for me. It was the first song we made when Gabe came over — there’s a sycamore tree right in front of my house that’s become a kind of talisman in my life. It felt like a lovely way to start.
“A lot of these songs carry a vulnerability I haven’t shown before, and that felt important, because you can’t pretend you’re 100 per cent all the time. It’s just not true.”
This shift shows a new confidence, one that allows him to do things his own way.
“Generally, I’m a quiet person, so on previous albums I wasn’t the loudest in the room whereas with this one, I have the confidence to shout for it and take my time.
“It’s taken this long to get to a point where I know what I want — what I need and what’s authentic.”
The Weight Of The Woods reflects a stage in his life where Kennedy feels more secure, more at home and more fully himself. Now married with a baby daughter, his perspective has shifted in ways he struggles to fully articulate.
“How has fatherhood changed me?” he ponders. “It’s hard to sum up, I can’t explain it in a couple of minutes.
“It just means the world to me and gives you a completely new perspective on life.
“It makes you realise there are more important things than chasing goals in music.
“The best thing I can do now is make music that moves me and try to live in a way that feels like the purest version of who I am. It becomes the centre of everything.
“Fatherhood has given me more confidence, but also a different kind of fragility, making me more emotionally open.
“A lot of these songs carry a vulnerability that I haven’t shown in my music before, and that’s important.”
Musically, Kennedy feels the album has a strong Irishness, though it was not a deliberate concept.
Honest is a track that feels especially personal, as it directly references where he is from in Ireland.
He says: The first lyric is about Kilteel [near Rathcoole, Co Dublin] which is an important part of where I’m from. It’s a more personal record so I needed to tell the story of where I’m from.”
He reflects on the pull of home: “Sometimes when you’re trying to have a career in music, people assume they need to move away and live somewhere else.
“But in Ireland we have one of the richest musical landscapes in the world, you know? So, it’s nice to be a part of that.
“And it’s the most Irish-sounding track. I played the bodhran [a traditional Irish frame drum] on it, the drum you hear at the beginning, and there’s also a tin whistle. It all came together very naturally so these songs feel dynamic to me and they’re really going to work live.”
Wasted is a favourite of Kennedy’s on the record. Inspired by US singer and producer Dijon, he says: “It felt like it had that excited, upbeat energy without being pop. It felt real in the room and exciting.”
Then there’s The Only Time I Prayed, which explores the singer’s relationship with faith.
“I’ve got songs like Glory, and lyrics about the devil, but I’d consider myself definitely agnostic. I believe in otherworldly things but I’m not a practising Catholic.
“Still, when things get difficult, people pray — regardless of faith. It comes from desperation, and I find that fascinating. Sometimes I even feel envious of people with a strong faith.”
Another highlight on the record is Funeral, a stunning track about letting go of the past to move forward.
“I just wanted that song to be about ditching any difficult stuff I’ve been through,” he says.
“Songwriters spend an awful lot of time wallowing in the past and I wanted it to feel triumphant — moving forward into something more positive.
“It felt good and the vocal carries an energy which is always a fun thing on a song.”
On this third album, Kennedy feels more confident, self-assured and clearer about what is authentic to him.
He says: “It’s less inhibition and less stress — not poring over every decision. So confidence showed up in quite a carefree, exciting way.”
It was important to Kennedy that the album was stripped back and imperfect to add to the studio atmosphere.
“Musically, if you listen closely, there are lots of imperfections, little noises other artists or producers might take out,” he says.
“You can hear someone talking, a chair creaking. It puts me back in that room, and I don’t want to lose that.”
That same approach mirrors a wider creative release: “I feel like I’ve let go massively, which is a good thing.”
That sense of letting go has also reshaped how he defines success.
“Any pressure that came with the second album was internal, applied by myself,” he says. “I don’t think being competitive puts me in the best place to be the best artist I can be. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t.
“Tracking streams or records isn’t success to me. With this record, it was just lovely to get back to a place where I really enjoyed making the music, the visual world around it, and playing the songs.
“Don’t get me wrong, I still want lots of people to hear it, but I feel like I’ve already succeeded with this project.
“If it reaches a ton of people, that’s fantastic, but I had a beautiful time making it, and that’s everything.
“When you chase numbers and all that stuff, it’s all quite surface level and not very fulfilling in the end.
“I don’t think trying too hard is the move. It’s important to work hard and promote things, but being overly try-hard isn’t appealing.
“It’s better to sit back and let the music do the work. By letting go — stepping back from social media and putting the music first — it feels more likely to set my career up the way I want it.”
Live performance remains central to Kennedy’s identity. He feels he has built his career the “old-fashioned way” by playing rooms and winning audiences over.
He says: “Nowadays, there’s so many ways that someone can forge a career. You can blow up on the internet or go viral. For me, it’s never really been like that.
“It’s been more about getting people into a room. I think I can play in such a way that they might want to come back and see it again next time.”
“For me, when I dreamed about having a career in music, all I thought about was playing in big, beautiful theatres. So playing live is an important part of what I do.”
Even as he now fills large venues, Kennedy is keen to preserve a sense of intimacy within those spaces.
He explains: “We’re going to do it differently. There are lots of ways you can use tech in a live show. You can run tracks for things like horns and production, but then the whole show ends up on track and can feel like elevated karaoke.
“You can come off stage feeling like you haven’t really achieved much. So, with this tour, we’ve got rid of the click track and any backing tracks. It’s about keeping it real and letting the performance have more freedom.
“We’re getting rid of any kind of bells and whistles, and it’s just fun. I could start a song at any tempo, I could be feeling a certain way that ends up being a faster version with more energy, or we could pull it right back.
“You go to a live show for the energy, and I think it’s far easier to tap into that special place if you don’t have that stuff.”
Kennedy is also more careful about looking after his voice when he tours
“I try not to do more than two nights in a row, because it compromises the rest of the tour. It means I can walk on stage excited, instead of just hoping I get through it.”
It’s part of a wider shift in how he approaches performance. “It’s a process as well, working with vocal coaches and stuff. I run a lot more now, because you need that lung capacity. I’m not sure about other people’s experience touring, but it feels like a sport sometimes.”
That mindset has also made him more aware of the level required to sustain a major live career — something he saw first-hand watching Taylor Swift live.
“Well, I saw her at the venue I’m playing this summer, and it was inspiring.” he says. “I saw Travis, her fiancé, talking about her fitness regime and just how she’s operating at a kind of scary level.
“I find that really inspiring, because it makes you realise this is a very high level of what we do — you have to take it seriously. When someone is that on top of their game, it’s just incredibly motivating.”
“The show is, what, three hours long? It was wild to see. And honestly, it was just cool to be in Dublin and see people so excited by those songs.
“What really struck me was that it was just her songs. You realise this is someone who started out just writing songs, and now it’s millions of people all over the world.
“But it doesn’t feel like some manufactured pop machine. It just feels like someone who writes songs, and that’s what makes it so powerful.”
- The album The Weight Of The Woods is out on April 3.
DERMOT KENNEDY
The Weight of The Woods
★★★★☆
‘A kaleidoscope of colour and life’: readers’ favourite UK spring days out | United Kingdom holidays
Winning tip: puffin-watching in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland
Last April, I based myself in Oban and took my teenagers puffin-watching at Lunga, off Mull, in the Treshnish Isles, with an organised tour (Staffa Tours) by ferry and foot. It was a real delight. The guides were brilliant and helpful, especially with my mobility issues, and we were surprised and amazed at how tame and friendly the puffins were – allowing us to get great views of their faces from as near as 5ft or so. Next spring, we are going again as this is the best time to see them arriving in their thousands.
April
Profile
Readers’ tips: send a tip for a chance to win a £200 voucher for a Coolstays break
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Guardian Travel readers’ tips
Every week we ask our readers for recommendations from their travels. A selection of tips will be featured online and may appear in print. To enter the latest competition visit the readers’ tips homepage
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Stunning architecture in the heart of Surrey
Grade I-listed Claremont Landscape Garden near Esher is great to visit in spring. But time your trip there right and you can also visit a National Trust gem just half a mile away: the Homewood, architect Patrick Gwynne’s 1930s modernist villa and accompanying woodland garden (for pre-booked guided tours only on specific Fridays and Saturdays, April-October). The house itself is stunning, with light pouring through the sitting room’s floor to ceiling windows, but on a sunny spring day the garden, complete with rhododendron tunnel, bamboo thicket, water gardens and stepping stones, proves a tranquil spot in which to linger and view the Le Corbusier-inspired abode.
David M
Sheffield’s Tudor turret
One of our favourite days out as a family in spring is to explore the beautiful Sheffield Manor Lodge. There is a wealth of history to explore in the Turret – my young daughter loves telling everyone who’ll listen that Mary, Queen of Scots was detained here. There are also children’s trails, outdoor games and craft sessions – we’ve made stained glass kites, learned about a frog’s life cycle, had Easter egg hunts and completed outdoor yoga trails. On a warm spring afternoon, it is a stunning place – with a lavender maze, apothecary gardens, wildflower meadows and the amazing rhubarb shed cafe.
Susan
Artistic treasure hunt on the North York Moors
This magical mystery tour combines fresh air, beautiful, wild landscapes and art. The project is called Hanging Stones by Andy Goldsworthy, and it’s set in Rosedale. Several buildings that were in varying states of disrepair have been rebuilt as artworks and are connected by a six-mile walk encompassing Northdale, near Rosedale Abbey. You have to book a slot to find out where the key is, which you will pick up, together with a map, to get started. It’s the treasure hunt style that will get even the youngest in the group excited about the walk, allowing the adults to do something they wouldn’t otherwise dream of doing with children: admiring art and going for a decent walk. The cost is £10 per adult, while students and under-18s go free.
Annelore
Dazzling azaleas in Gloucestershire
I always take my family to Westonbirt Arboretum near Tetbury in spring to celebrate the beautiful spectacle of nature exploding into a kaleidoscope of colour and life. The Arboretum is a breathtaking place, especially under a sunny sky. The well-marked paths mean you can easily wander through its 245 hectares (600 acres) and enjoy the fresh air filled with the delicate scent of blooming cherry blossoms. With more than 15,000 specimens and 2,500 species of trees and shrubs from across the globe, it serves as a stunningly beautiful living gallery. In spring, the arboretum dazzles with azaleas and rhododendrons bursting into brilliant shades of white, red and pink. My teenagers especially enjoy exploring the treetop walkway and quiet woodland trails – and a treat of tea and cake at the well-positioned cafe at the end of it all.
Nicoletta
Wild garlic and lily ponds in Pembrokeshire
For a springtime lift, head to Bosherston Lakes set in three limestone valleys with spectacular displays of lilies. Start in ancient woodlands, where there’s a shimmering, scented carpet of white wild garlic. It feels like a fairytale. Emerge at the serene lily ponds, where you might spot an otter or a heron, then follow the path to Broad Haven South. The moment you hit the dunes and see the beach open up is one of the finest coastal views in the UK. Finish with tea and cake at the nearby Stackpole Walled Gardens; it’s run by Mencap, so your pit stop supports a fantastic cause while you soak up the Pembrokeshire sunshine.
Lucy Coast
Kites fluttering in the Chiltern skies
My favourite UK spring activity is flying kites with my family in the Dunstable Downs. The open hills and steady breeze make it the perfect spot to let our kites dance in the sky. There’s something really joyful about watching the colours flutter along with other kite-flyers. After some fun, we spread out a picnic blanket and enjoy homemade treats while soaking up the sunshine and taking in the beautiful views. It’s such a simple but special way to spend a bright spring day together outdoors.
Victoria
A memorable walk in the Cotswolds
The circular walk from Bourton-on-the Water to the Upper and Lower Slaughters provides a buffet of springtime goodness, from trees in blossom and daffodils to wildflowers and nesting swans. Oh, and don’t worry, the Slaughters aren’t as morbid as they sound. They take their name from the Old English word slohtre, meaning “muddy place”, suggesting suitable footwear is needed. While Bourton-on-the-Water remains a tourist hotspot – the perfect example of an idyllic Cotswolds village – the walk towards the Slaughters via the Windrush Way and the Gloucestershire Way makes for a calming amble soundtracked by rivers and birdsong.
Maxine Harris
Luscious blooms and afternoon tea in Devon
Each spring, my family makes a pilgrimage to Killerton gardens in south Devon to see the glory of magnolia blossom on the south-facing slopes of Dolbury Hill, known locally as the Clump. The luscious blooms of pinks and ivory are the main attraction. It’s wonderful to see the children enjoy the release of running on the first-cut lawn and to watch their grandparents taking in the sight of the sea of daffodils. After a wet winter of grey skies, it’s also wonderful to have tea outside the house, basking in the sunshine.
Simonetta Taylor
A Northumberland beach stroll
Can anything beat standing on a beach getting a lungful of fresh sea air? I don’t care if I’m still having to wrap up in layers with a woolly hat, being on a beach feels like the start of summer. Beadnell beach in Northumberland is a great place for a leisurely wander, with cracking views and lots of dog-friendly places to refuel in the village. The breakfasts at the Courtyard Cafe have fuelled many a walk along the beach.
Hannah S
High school baseball and softball: Thursday’s scores
Thursday’s Results
BASEBALL
CITY SECTION
Central City Value 14, Rise Kohyang 3
Chatsworth 6, Taft 3
Downtown Magnets 14, Collins Family 4
Granada Hills 4, El Camino Real 3
Harbor Teacher 2, Fremont 1
LA University 10, Palisades 2
Maywood CES 23, Elizabeth 0
Port of LA 7, King/Drew 0
South East 6, Legacy 4
South Gate 6, LA Roosevelt 0
Sun Valley Magnet 16, Valley Oaks CES 0
Sun Valley Poly 4, San Fernando 2
Sylmar 13, North Hollywood 3
Torres 13, Maywood Academy 0
Verdugo Hills 15, Granada Hills Kennedy 1
Westchester 8, LA Hamilton 7
SOUTHERN SECTION
Adelanto 5, Victor Valley 4
Alta Loma 10, Colony 5
Anza Hamilton 6, Bethel Christian 2
Barstow 3, Silverado 2
Beverly Hills 12, Lawndale 2
Burbank Providence 10, de Toledo 0
Chino 7, Ontario 6
Chino Hills 6, Bonita 4
Classical Academy 3, Fallbrook 2
Diamond Ranch 4, Montclair 1
Don Lugo 10, Chaffey 6
Fontana 10, Colton 0
Great Oak 10, Vista Murrieta 9
Hawthorne 14, Comtpon Centennial 3
Heritage Christian 5, Maranatha 4
Irvine University3, Sage Hill 2
Laguna Beach 19, St. Margaret’s 2
Loara 10, Anaheim 1
Murrieta Mesa 17, Murrieta Valley 5
Norte Vista 3, West Valley 1
Nuview Bridge 16, California Military 0
Oaks Christian 11, Newbury Park 2
Oakwood 6, Milken 2
Orange Lutheran 3, Trinity Classical Academy 2
Portola 7, Northwood 4
Redlands 14, Carter 3
Rio Hondo Prep 10, Webb 1
Rio Mesa 9, Foothill Tech 0
Riverside Prep 3, Rialto 2
Rosamond 12, Frazier Mountain 2
San Dimas 4, South Hills 1
San Jacinto Valley Christian 22, SJDLCS 0
Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 2, Tustin 0
Shalhevet 6, Environmental Charter 1
Southlands Christian 11, Legacy College Prep 1
St. Bonaventure 21, Thacher 4
St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 8, Glendale 1
Temecula Valley 5, Chaparral 0
Thousand Oaks 7, Calabasas 5
United Christian Academy 20, California Lutheran 4
Valley Christian 9, Village Christian 4
Vasquez 6, Desert Christian 2
Westlake 9, Agoura 4
Whittier Christian 18, Whittier 1
INTERSECTIONAL
Animo Leadership 12, Compton Early College 7
Casteel 3, St. John Bosco 2
Central Catholic 6, Highland 1
Ida B. Wells 6, Grand Terrace 5
Jesuit 4, Aquinas 3
Layton 6, Northview 5
Quartz Hill 12, Brighton 7
Sacramento Grant 7, La Palma Kennedy 6
Sacramento Grant 7, Eastvale Roosevelt 5
Venice 12, Harvard-Westlake 0
SOFTBALL
CITY SECTION
Arleta 3, LA Marshall 0
Carson 10, San Pedro 0
El Camino Real 16, LA University 3
Garfield 14, Huntington Park 1
Jefferson 16, Diego Rivera 15
LACES 26, Fairfax 2
LA Hamilton 13, Palisades 9
Legacy 9, South East 2
Mendez 22, Belmont 15
Northridge Academy 19, East Valley 2
Panorama 22, Grant 21
Port of LA 19, Locke 2
Rancho Dominguez 16, Gardena 3
SOCES 25, Vaughn 6
Venice 21, Westchester 0
Wilmington Banning 22, Narbonne 0
SOUTHERN SECTION
Arcadia 16, Burbank 0
Alhambra 12, Montebello 2
Aliso Niguel 7, Mission Viejo 1
Anza Hamilton 6, Bethel Christian 2
Bonita 14, Rancho Cucamonga 2
Burbank Burroughs 18, Pasadena 0
California Military 13, Nuview Bridge 3
Camarillo 8, Moorpark 4
Canyon Country Canyon 18, Golden Valley 4
Capistrano Valley 10, Tesoro 7
Chaminade 15, Louisville 2
Chino 12, Ontario 1
Claremont 6, Ontario Christian 4
Colton 12, Citrus Hill 1
Costa Mesa 16, Downey Calvary Chapel 5
Crean Lutheran 30, Troy 7
Diamond Ranch 12, Montclair 8
Don Lugo 12, Chaffey 2
Downey 7, Gahr 6
Etiwanda 11, Corona Centennial 4
Fillmore 14, Hueneme 2
Garden Grove Pacifica 2, Cypress 1
Great Oak 11, Murrieta Valley 7
Hacienda Heights Wilson 7, Southlands Christian 4
Huntington Beach 6, El Modena 2
Irvine 4, Woodbridge 3
La Habra 11, Anaheim Canyon 9
Lakewood 12, Compton 0
Lakewood St. Joseph 6, Bishop Amat 3
La Salle 10, Cantwell-Sacred Heart 0
Lawndale 15, Beverly Hills 11
Lennox Academy 26, Glenn 24
Los Alamitos 10, Edison 3
Los Altos 8, San Dimas 1
Maranatha 12, Mayfield 1
Marina 12, Corona del Mar 0
Mark Keppel 13, San Gabriel 1
Millikan 9, Long Beach Wilson 9
Murrieta Mesa 15, Chaparral 0
Newbury Park 14, Calabasas 0
Newport Harbor 10, Fountain Valley 6
Northwood 10, Irvine University 1
Norwalk 11, Bellflower 1
Paraclete 5, Tehachapi 5
Paramount 18, Lynwood 0
Ramona Convent 25, St. Anthony 0
Rio Hondo Prep 2, Flintridge Sacred Heart 1
Riverside Prep 11, Oak Hills 6
Rosamond 23, Frazier Mountain 13
Rosary Academy 19, Portola 0
San Juan Hills 2, El Toro 1
Santa Ana Foothill 10, Sunny Hills 5
Santa Monica 20, Leuzinger 3
Santa Paula 16, Channel Islands 1
Saugus 5, Hart 1
Schurr 10, Bell Gardens 0
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 10, Sierra Canyon 0
Silverado 9, Barstow 2
Sonora 5, El Dorado 3
South Hills 12, Colony 1
St. Bernard 28, St. Mary’s Academy 27
St. Bonaventure 11, Santa Clara 3
St. Paul 12, Bishop Montgomery 1
Temescal Canyon 8, San Jacinto 0
Trabuco Hills 12, Beckman 6
Valley Christian 11, Village Christian 0
Valley View 8, Citrus Valley 1
Victor Valley 7, Adelanto 4
Westlake 4, Thousand Oaks 3
West Ranch 16, Valencia 6
West Valley 15, Tahquitz 5
Yorba Linda 7, Brea Olinda 6
INTERSECTIONAL
Castaic 13, Cleveland 5
Environmental Charter 39, HMSA 20
San Dieguito Academy 14, Fallbrook 0
San Marino 19, Dymally 0
‘I stayed in a £30 garage Airbnb, and didn’t know what to expect’
It has a microwave and a radiator
Garage put on Airbnb for £30 a night stays
At garage has been put on Airbnb, complete with bed, bathroom and microwave cooker, and r eviewer Zac Jones said he loved it after booking in for a stay.
A video, which has amassed more than 86k likes on social media, showed the property behind an electric security shutter which rose to reveal the entrance door. Inside it was radiator-heated with a double bed, couch, TV, ensuite toilet and shower.
It even had a fridge. Before his stay, Zac said he really didn’t know what to expect. But once inside, he said he was very pleasantly surprised.
He said: “Someone has put a lot of effort in. It’s got snacks, and tea and coffee-making facilities. Shout out to the owner of this place. This has been one of my most interesting check-ins in a while.”
The garage in Bradford, West Yorkshire is available for £30. Viewers were impressed. One person said: “For the price, it actually looks good.” Another viewer added: “30 quid! I’ve stayed in worse for 100.”
And a third commenter said: “This is totally fantastic idea. If all the planning and building controls have been met. The Government should pay attention to ideas like this. Can you just imagine the very quick fix for many of homeless people.”
‘Truly junk’: E-waste from rich nations floods local markets in Nigeria | Environment News
Kano, Nigeria – On a bustling day in northern Nigeria, Marian Shammah made her way to the Sabon Gari Market, one of the largest electronics hubs in Kano state.
The 34-year-old cleaner was in need of a refrigerator, but with rising costs and a meagre income, she saw the second-hand appliances sold at the market as a lifeline.
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After locating the one she wanted, she paid the vendor 50,000 naira ($36) and took it home. But just a month later, the freezer collapsed.
“Only the top half of the refrigerator was working, and the freezer wasn’t working,” said Shammah.
Her food spoiled, her savings disappeared, and she was soon back in the market searching for another appliance.
Although Shammah could have bought a new local appliance for just over 30,000 naira ($30) more, she – like millions of Nigerians – believes second-hand products from America and Europe “last longer” than new products sold in Nigeria.
Observers say this trend is part of a larger crisis. Nigeria has become a major destination for the developed world’s discarded electronics – items often near the end of life, sometimes completely dead, and frequently toxic because they contain hazardous materials. When they break down, they add to landfills, worsening an already dire e-waste crisis on the African continent.
Around 60,000 tonnes of used electronics enter Nigeria through key ports each year, with at least 15,700 tonnes already damaged upon arrival, according to the United Nations.
The trade in used electronic goods is powered largely by foreign exporters. A UN tracking study between 2015 and 2016 showed that more than 85 percent of used electronics imported into Nigeria originated from Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, China, the United States, and the Republic of Ireland.
Many of these imports violate international restrictions, like the Basel Convention, an environmental treaty regulating the transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous electronic waste to developing countries with weaker environmental laws.
Across West Africa, the Basel Convention’s “E-Waste Africa Programme”, a project focused on strengthening e-waste management systems across the continent, estimates that Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria collectively generate between 650,000 and 1,000,000 tonnes of e-waste annually – much of it the result of short-lifespan second-hand imports.
Health risks
The United Nations describes e-waste as any discarded device that uses a battery or plug and contains hazardous substances – like mercury – that can endanger both human health and the environment. Several of the toxic components commonly found in e-waste are included on the list of 10 chemicals of major public health concern maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to the WHO, used electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) presents a growing public health and environmental threat across Africa, with Nigeria at the centre of the trade.
“Much of the equipment shipped as used electronics is close to becoming waste,” said Rita Idehai, founder of Ecobarter, a Lagos-based environmental NGO, warning that devices imported and sold as affordable second-hand goods often fail shortly after arrival and quickly enter the waste stream.
The consequences are far-reaching. Many imported fridges and air conditioners, for instance, still contain CFC-based and HCFC-based refrigerants such as R-12 and R-22 – chemicals banned in Europe and the US for causing ozone depletion or being linked to cancer, miscarriages, neurological disorders, and long-term soil contamination. These gases live for 12 to 100 years, meaning leaking equipment adds to a multi-generational environmental burden.
After these imported items stop working or fall apart, informal recyclers then dismantle the electronics with their bare hands, Al Jazeera observed. In Kano, the recyclers inhale poisonous fumes and manage the heavy metals without protection. Their work earns them a meagre 3,500–14,000 naira ($2.50-$10) per week, they said, and the after-effects linger – including persistent coughing, chest pain, headaches, eye irritation, and breathing difficulties after long hours of burning cables and dismantling electronic devices.
The health crisis extends into Kano’s communities.
Among casual recyclers and residents who live close to e-waste dumps, many report symptoms that range from chronic headaches and skin irritation to breathing issues, miscarriages and neurological concerns, according to health surveys done by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. These ailments are consistent with longtime toxic exposure, the researchers said.
Recent field assessments conducted by Nigeria’s Federal University Dutse also stressed that in and around Kano state, where the Sabon Gari Market is located, there are rising levels of heavy metals in soil and drainage channels.
Dr Ushakuma Michael Anenga, a gynaecologist at the Benue State Teaching Hospital and second vice president of the Nigerian Medical Association, warned that toxic exposure from informal e-waste recycling poses grave health risks to communities in Kano.
“Exposure to heavy metals and refrigerant gases in e-waste causes extreme brief and long-term health issues, generally affecting the breathing and renal organs,” he told Al Jazeera.
“Common casual practices like exposed burning and dismantling result in direct, high-level exposure for workers and nearby residents. Children and pregnant girls are particularly inclined due to the fact that those toxicants can disrupt development or even skip from mother to unborn baby, [while] recyclers who work without defensive equipment face repeated, frequently irreversible damage.”
Profits over protection
In Sabon Gari Market, second-hand electronics are advertised as less costly lifelines for households and poor business owners burdened by inflation.
Many customers say foreign-used home equipment appears sturdier and seems like better value for money than new imports from the developing world. Meanwhile, others are just looking for cheap options in difficult economic times.
“I usually go for second-hand or foreign-used electronics because brand-new ones are too expensive for me,” Umar Hussaini, who sells used electronics at the market, told Al Jazeera.
“Sometimes you can get them for half the price of new ones, and they look almost the same, so it feels like a good deal at the time.”
But the last refrigerator he bought stopped cooling after just three months. With no warranty or guarantee, the seller refused responsibility.
“For weeks, we couldn’t store food properly at home, and we ended up buying food daily, which was more expensive,” he said. “However, I have to buy another one again.”
For small business owners like Salisu Saidu, the losses can be even more devastating. He bought a used freezer for his shop, believing it had been serviced. Within weeks, it failed.
“I lost a lot of frozen food, which meant I lost money and customers,” he told Al Jazeera.
Around his neighbourhood, broken electronics are often dumped out in the street, sometimes emitting smoke or sparks.
“There’s also a lot of electronic waste piling up around,” he said, calling for tighter import controls, proper certification, and mandatory warranties to protect buyers from being sold what he described as “damaged goods disguised as fairly used”.
Bought as bargains, sold as burdens
At Sabon Gari Market, another vendor, Umar Abdullahi, is surrounded by imported refrigerators, air conditioners and washing machines stacked tightly together.
The products in his shop are advertised as “London use” or “Direct Belgium”, while he negotiates the sale of a double-door fridge for 120,000 naira ($87).
Abdullahi’s store is where Shammah returned after the refrigerator she bought failed. But he admits that much of what he sells to customers arrives unchecked.
“We buy them untested from suppliers in Europe, and we also sell them untested so we can make our profit,” he told Al Jazeera.
This despite the fact that international rules under the Basel Convention, as well as Nigerian environmental regulations, prohibit the shipment of material considered e-waste – with penalties including fines and jail terms.
Nwamaka Ejiofor, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), said the country does not permit the import of e-waste. However, the entry of used electronics is allowed under regulated conditions.
“The importation of used electrical and electronic equipment is regulated and may be allowed only where such equipment meets prescribed conditions, including functionality and compliance requirements,” she told Al Jazeera.
“Nigeria applies a combination of regulatory, administrative and enforcement measures to ensure that imported used electronics comply with national law and the country’s international obligations,” she added, listing out measures including environmental regulations, cargo inspection and verifying that imported equipment is “functional”.
However, despite this, some traders find loopholes in the system, including declaring cargo they plan to sell as personal belongings or second-hand household goods to avoid scrutiny.
Although NESREA says enforcement has improved, critics say the steady flow of mediocre goods continues largely unchecked. Even dealers at Sabon Gari Market acknowledge that most appliances are sold “as is”, without certification or guarantees.
‘Loopholes’
Behind the second-hand electronics trade is a network of collectors and exporters who source discarded appliances across Europe.
Baban Ladan Issa, who ships used electronics from Ireland to Nigeria, said items are gathered from weekend markets, private homes that are replacing old gadgets, and contractors clearing out equipment from offices, hotels and hospitals.
“Some suppliers mix working and damaged goods together,” he told Al Jazeera, noting that while he tries to avoid faulty items, not all buyers do the same.
Once assembled, shipments worth millions of naira are sent to Lagos through ships then down to sellers in the market in Kano state, sometimes packed in containers or hidden inside vehicles to reduce inspection risks.
Shipping records seen by Al Jazeera showed consignments labelled as “personal effects”, a classification that can limit detailed checks at ports.
Chinwe Okafor, an environmental policy analyst based in Abuja, said the problem is systemic.
“Exporting nations regularly take advantage of loopholes by means of labelling nonfunctional e-waste as ‘second-hand goods’ or ‘for repair,’” she told Al Jazeera. “In some instances, research estimates that over 75 percent of what arrives in developing countries is truly junk.”
“This permits wealthy countries to keep away from highly-priced recycling at home while pushing unsafe materials into nations with weaker safeguards.”
Ibrahim Adamu, a programme officer with the NGO Ecobarter, added that mislabelling, poor inspection technology and corruption at ports make enforcement difficult.
“The highest profits are captured by exporters and brokers who arbitrage the gap between disposal costs in Europe or Asia and the strong demand for ‘tokunbo’ goods in Nigeria,” he said, using the local name for used imported electronics.
To forestall this, he said Nigeria “must reinforce border inspections” and implement a policy whereby producers and manufacturers bear financial responsibility. At the same time, “the international network has to adopt binding bans that [hold] manufacturers and exporters responsible”, Adamu said.
Little oversight, mounting risks
Although Nigeria has regulations governing the import of electrical and electronic equipment, enforcement gaps keep exposing markets like Kano’s Sabon Gari to ageing and near-end-of-life appliances, locals say.
Ibrahim Bello, a used electronics importer with a decade in the business, said many shipments that arrive from Europe are in less-than-ideal condition.
“Around 20 to 30 percent of the items we receive have issues when they arrive,” he told Al Jazeera. “Some are already damaged, while others stop working after a short time because they are old.
“That’s just part of the business.”
Retailer Chinedu Peter gave similar estimates. “From what I’ve experienced, maybe 40 percent of the electronics have some fault as they come,” he said, adding that environmental and protection checks don’t happen as they are meant to.
“Such a lot of items enter without special checks.”
Both men feel that clearer rules and certified testing systems will improve trust. But until then, thousands of ageing, unsuitable products will continue to flood Nigeria.
Shammah, back at Sabon Gari Market just weeks after her refrigerator broke, was once again searching through rows of stacked appliances, hoping her next purchase might last longer than the last.
“I don’t really trust these fairly used appliances again, but I still have to buy something because we need it at home,” she told Al Jazeera.
“This time I’m thinking … I can buy a new one from a proper shop, even if it takes longer, because I don’t want to lose my money again.”
Navy F/A-18’s Close Call With An Iranian SAM Highlights Remaining Risks To Epic Fury Aviators (Updated)
Videos have emerged showing an apparent very close call for a U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet after it was targeted by an Iranian man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) while conducting a low-level strafing run during an Operation Epic Fury mission. The persistent threat posed by Iranian air defenses, whatever is left of them, is something that we have repeatedly drawn attention to.
The videos have been geolocated to the port of Chabahar in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province, which is located along the country’s eastern shore, near the Pakistan border. This would explain, at least to a degree, why the Super Hornet is operating so low over hostile territory. This coastal area was hit hard by strikes from the start of the war, and the near proximity to the ocean means combat search and rescue would be easier to execute in a pinch. There is also a better understanding of what air defense threats remain than, say, in the eastern part of the country.
The date of the incident is unconfirmed, but it is reported to have occurred yesterday.
Previously, we have seen plenty of evidence of Super Hornets conducting strafing runs with their M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannons in coastal areas of Iran. Some of these are seen in the videos posted directly below.
In the sequence, the distinctive zipping sound of the cannon can be heard, as well as a puff of smoke as the rounds are unleashed.
The F/A-18 makes a left-hand turn before the missile comes into view. It is unclear if the pilot was aware of the threat and maneuvered to avoid it or was unaware of the missile. There is no obvious sign of infrared countermeasures being deployed, although BOL IR-type countermeasures can be harder to see in daylight.
The missile is then seen exploding behind the aircraft, leaving shrapnel in its wake.
While it is not immediately obvious whether or not the F/A-18 was struck, it appears to have escaped relatively unscathed, suggesting this may have been a very lucky near-miss for the crew of the jet.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that the Super Hornet crashed in the Indian Ocean. Iran’s Fars News Agency published the statement from the IRGC:
“The enemy F-18 fighter jet was accurately hit in the sky of Chabahar by missiles from the IRGC Navy’s advanced modern air defense system, under the command of the country’s integrated air defense network, and crashed in the Indian Ocean.”
U.S. Central Command responded by denying that any U.S. fighter aircraft had been shot down by Iran, but its statement on X did not immediately rule out a near-miss or damage to the aircraft.
There have been multiple Iranian claims of U.S. aircraft being hit by air defenses. So far, however, there is credible evidence for only one previous such incident.
This was the U.S. Air Force F-35A that the IRGC claimed was hit over Iran, and which U.S. officials confirmed made an emergency landing, with the pilot having sustained shrapnel injuries. The IRGC released a video that they claimed shows the F-35 being hit by a missile, as seen through a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system.
As we have explained in the past, while the U.S. has claimed air supremacy over Iran, it certainly does not yet possess it across the entire country. There remain very real risks, especially as the air campaign moves more toward increasing direct attacks farther east in the country, bringing aircraft closer to potential lingering threats.
For all the defense-suppression missions that have been flown, Iran still possesses road-mobile air defenses as well as more exotic types that can pop up virtually anywhere and give aircrews very little time to react. These systems can be easily hidden and will remain a threat on the battlefield long after static air defenses are destroyed. Beyond that, there are MANPADS, which, while less of a menace in terms of outright performance and engagement envelopes, are impossible to entirely remove from the battlespace.
UPDATES:
We have ended our rolling coverage on Epic Fury for the day.
UPDATE: 4:30 PM EST –
The open-source researchers at the Bellingcat organization say they have identified the mines found overnight in Kafari, Iran, as U.S.-made BLU-91/B anti-tank mines, usually associated with the Gator Scatterable Mine System.
There have been suggestions that the mines may have been dropped along roads to try to prevent Iranian mobile missile launchers from deploying out of their mountain bases and heading to launch sites.
It looks as if President Trump has suspended his ultimatum on the Strait of Hormuz for another 10 days. Trump, under increasing domestic pressure as oil prices soar, had last week warned that the U.S. military would “obliterate” Iranian power plants if the strait is not open before a 48-hour deadline.
UPDATE: 4:00 PM EST –
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated today that a “growing amount of energy” is flowing through the Strait of Hormuz as indirect contacts between the United States and Iran show progress.
“There’s a growing amount of energy that’s been flowing through the strait, not as much as should be flowing, but some of it has picked up. There’s been some progress in regards to the exchange of messages, but that’s an ongoing and fluid process, and not one we’re going to negotiate or talk about in the media,” Rubio explained to reporters.
President Donald Trump today reiterated his estimated timeline for ending the war with Iran, saying that he still plans for it to last just four to six weeks.
Trump made the statement during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, telling reporters that the U.S. is already “way ahead of schedule” on the conflict.
“We estimated it would take approximately 4 to 6 weeks to achieve our mission, and we’re way ahead of schedule. If you look at what we’ve done in terms of the destruction of that country, I mean, we’re way ahead,” Trump said.
UPDATE: 3:50 PM EST –
President Trump has slated the U.K. Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers as “toys” compared to the flattops of the U.S. Navy.
In his latest spat with the United Kingdom, Trump said America “doesn’t need” British help in the conflict, despite repeatedly criticizing its reluctance to get involved.
Relations between Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer have been tense ever since Starmer refused America permission to launch its initial strikes on Iran from RAF bases.
UPDATE: 3:40 PM EST –
Trump has revealed the nature of the “present” from Iranian officials, which he alluded to earlier this week.
Trump said that Iran has allowed 10 oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as a sign of good faith for talks to end the war. Trump told reporters: “[Iran said] we’re going to let you have eight boats of oil, eight boats, eight big boats of oil. This was two days ago. And they’ll sail up tomorrow. That was three days ago. And I didn’t think much about it. And then I watched the news, and they said, a very good anchor actually happened to be Fox. But I watched it, and they said something unusual is happening. There are eight boats that are going right up the middle of the strait. Eight big tankers are going loaded up with oil right through. And I said, well, I guess, I guess they were right. And they were they were real. And I think they were Pakistani-flagged. And, I said, well, I guess we’re dealing with the right people. And, actually, they then apologized for something they said, and they said, we’re going to send two more boats. And we ended up being 10 boats.”
Today, however, publicly available ship-tracking data revealed only two Iran-linked LPG carriers were seen leaving the Persian Gulf, possibly the “extra two” vessels Trump referred to.
UPDATE: 2:05 PM EST –
In its latest update on the situation in the Middle East, the U.K. Ministry of Defense claims that Russia was likely providing intelligence and training to the Iranian military ahead of the United States and Israel launching their operations. Russian expertise for Iran likely encompassed drone technology and electronic warfare, drawing from their own experience in Ukraine.
The commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Adm. Brad Cooper, has provided his view on the death of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy commander in an Israeli airstrike.
According to Cooper, under Adm. Alireza Tangsiri’s command for eight years, the IRGC Navy “harassed thousands of innocent merchant mariners, attacked hundreds of vessels with one-way attack drones and missiles, and killed countless innocent civilians.”
We are seeing a major airlift operation underway at the remote American outpost in the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia. Five C-17s and a C-5 were visible on the main ramp at the airfield today. This is a sudden uptick in aerial logistics on the island.
There has been a contingent of KC-135R tankers that have been using the island, as well as a handful of F-16s protecting it. And while a transport or two would be seen coming and going, this is an airlift operation that is much larger. There had been some talk that air defenses were being moved from Asia to the island after Iran supposedly took two ballistic missile shots at it. The Navy also continues to use its port facilities there to support ships that are taking part in Epic Fury. The USS Tripoli and its escorts just stopped by there on their way to the Middle East, for instance. But this could also be the logistics surge before a bomber deployment. While B-52s and B-1s operate at a high tempo from RAF Fairford in the UK, the B-2s are still flying missions from the United States. This could be about to change.
Russia is close to completing a phased shipment of drones to Iran, according to Western intelligence reports about Moscow’s efforts to keep its embattled partner in the fight against Israel and the United States. As well as drones, Moscow is set to provide Tehran with medicine and food, the Financial Times reports. However, Russia appears to have turned down Iranian requests for long-range air defense systems.
The British newspaper cites two officials who were briefed on the intelligence report. They state that senior Iranian and Russian officials began secret discussions on the delivery of drones only days after Israel and the United States attacked Iran.
The first shipment of Russian-made drones reportedly began to be delivered to Iran in early March and was due to be completed at the end of the same month.
The reports provide the first firm indication since the start of the war that Moscow is providing Iran with lethal, as well as non-lethal, support. Russia is also understood to provide Iran with other critical military capabilities, including satellite imagery, targeting data, and intelligence support.
Although the types of drones included in the deal are not disclosed, they very likely include the Geran-2, which is a Russian-based version of the Iranian Shahed-136.
Asked about Moscow sending drones to Iran, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the FT: “There are a lot of fakes going around right now. One thing is true — we are continuing our dialogue with the Iranian leadership.”
Russian support for Iran is not just about ensuring that Iran remains able to hit back at Israel and the United States, but also about securing its own interests: namely, keeping a pro-Kremlin regime in control in Tehran.
Publicly, Moscow has voiced its support for Tehran but has presented its support as humanitarian, rather than military. In particular, Russia has publicized its provision of humanitarian aid to Iran since the start of the conflict.
On the other hand, the Russian provision of Geran-series drones makes a lot of sense for Iran. So far, Tehran has relied heavily on long-range one-way attack drones to hit targets across the Middle East. Reportedly, it has fired more than 3,000 of these drones since the start of the fighting.
While the Shahed-136 is notably cheap to manufacture, Iran is clearly burning through its accessible stocks of the drones, while its production capacity is also coming under attack by Israel and the United States. With a production line already up and running in Russia, and reportedly churning out thousands of Geran drones each month, Iran would clearly benefit from tapping into this supply.
Russia has also been producing more advanced versions of the one-way attack drones for use in its own war in Ukraine. Modifications include measures to better evade air defences and to carry heavier and more varied payloads, as well as more precise navigation systems. Such developments would likely be of interest to Iran, as well.
Ultimately, in the next stage of the deepening Russia-Iran relationship, Tehran could start to manufacture drones incorporating some of the advances that have been introduced and combat-tested by Russia.
Regardless, Israel is already actively interdicting shipments between Iran and Russia on the Caspian Sea via airstrikes. Moving large volumes of drones across that waterway will be an increasing challenge as those shipments will be a top target of the IAF and Mossad.
At the same time, Tehran looks set to miss out on advanced air defense capabilities that it had requested from Russia.
Russia has declined, however, Iranian requests for the S-400, the FT reports, based on information provided by current and former Western officials. It is assumed that Moscow wants to avoid further escalation with the United States, especially if Iran were to use the S-400 to target U.S. military jets.
However, Russia did close a deal last December to deliver 500 Verba man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) as well as 2,500 of the associated 9M336 missiles over three years. The Verba was developed as a replacement for the widely used Igla. Its primary advantage is its advanced multispectral seeker, operating in the ultraviolet, near infrared, and mid-infrared bands, for improved discrimination between targets and decoys.
An official marketing video showing the Verba (SA-29 Gizmo) MANPADS:
Verba MANPADS
U.S. President Donald Trump has issued another warning to Iran, while repeating his claim that Tehran is “begging” for a deal to end the war.
Trump warned that Tehran “better get serious soon, before it is too late.”
It is unclear whether Iran is serious about negotiations, after reports that the Trump administration offered Tehran a 15-point ceasefire plan earlier this week. The plan was reportedly presented to Iranian officials via Pakistan.
In public, Tehran has said it rejects the proposal, although there have been suggestions that Iranian officials are at least reviewing it.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state media that his government has not engaged in talks to end the war and that it does not plan on any negotiations. While he acknowledged the United States had tried to send messages to Iran through other nations, he said that was “not a conversation nor a negotiation.”
Writing on his Truth Social app, Trump said: “The Iranian negotiators are very different and ‘strange.’ They are ‘begging’ us to make a deal, which they should be doing since they have been militarily obliterated, with zero chance of a comeback, and yet they publicly state that they are only ‘looking at our proposal.’ WRONG!!! They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty!”
The White House has reiterated this hard line, with a warning that the U.S. military was prepared to “unleash hell” if Iran did not accept defeat. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. president preferred a peaceful path but was prepared to “hit [Iran] harder than they have ever been hit before” if necessary.
Negotiations as soon as this weekend seem less likely, at least according to Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister and deputy prime minister of Pakistan. In a statement on X, he wrote:
“There has been unnecessary speculation in the media regarding peace talks to end the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. In reality, U.S.-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan. In this context, the United States has shared 15 points, being deliberated upon by Iran. Brotherly countries of Turkiye and Egypt, among others, are also extending their support to this initiative. Pakistan remains fully committed to promoting peace and continues to make every effort to ensure stability in the region and beyond. Dialogue and Diplomacy is the only way forward!”
Options for what the U.S. military might do next include deploying ground forces and/or a massive bombing campaign, according to Axios, which cites two U.S. officials and two sources with knowledge of the ongoing discussions.
In terms of ground forces, the United States is looking at the option of invading or blockading Kharg Island; invading the island of Larak, another strategic outpost in the Strait of Hormuz; seizing the strategic island of Abu Musa and two smaller islands, which lie near the western entrance to the strait; and blocking or seizing ships that are exporting Iranian oil on the eastern side of the Hormuz Strait.
We have previously looked at reported plans to send American troops to take Kharg Island or even far deeper into the country to seize stocks of enriched uranium. Any such option would represent a huge escalation for Operation Epic Fury, and an attempt to seize Kharg Island would be very challenging — something that we have discussed with former CENTCOM commander Joseph Votel.
The possibility of the U.S. military seizing one or more islands belonging to Iran or taking control of the Strait of Hormuz is also unlikely to find favor with Israeli officials.
Operations of this kind would be “complex and fraught with danger,” and would likely trigger “massive Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure, the laying of mines, and, in any case, a severe escalation.” This is the assessment of unnamed Israeli security officials speaking to journalist Nadav Eyal.
Trump has also lashed out at NATO allies for doing “absolutely nothing” to assist the United States in the conflict.
Adopting all caps for his Truth Social post, Trump wrote: “NATO NATIONS HAVE DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO HELP WITH THE LUNATIC NATION, NOW MILITARILY DECIMATED, OF IRAN. THE U.S.A. NEEDS NOTHING FROM NATO, BUT ‘NEVER FORGET’ THIS VERY IMPORTANT POINT IN TIME!”
Israel has announced the latest senior Iranian military official to have been killed in an airstrike: the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.
According to the Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, the Iranian naval commander of the IRGC, Alireza Tangsiri, was killed along with other “senior officers of the naval command” in an overnight strike in southern Iran. Tangsiri was “directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz” and has been “blown up,” Katz said in a video statement. Iran has yet to comment.
According to The New York Times, citing three Israeli officials, Tangsiri was targeted while he was in an apartment hideout alongside other IRGC officers. Some Israeli media outlets report that Tangsiri was killed in a strike in the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas.
Israel’s military said today that it had carried out a wave of strikes across Iran, including extensively in the central city of Isfahan. It said Israeli forces “completed a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure” of the regime.
Meanwhile, Iran has launched further attacks on Israel, with reports of explosions in Jerusalem, as well as in the central town of Kafr Qasim. Both those areas have seen non-stop air raid alerts today, with reports that Iran launched at least six missiles, including some apparently carrying cluster munitions.
Reports indicate that missile fragments or cluster munitions struck the outskirts of Jerusalem, while more missile debris reportedly came down in the Modiin area, just outside Jerusalem.
An Iranian missile attack on Kafr Qasim reportedly left six people “lightly injured by blast effects.” The city’s mayor, Haitham Taha, said the blast this morning was caused by cluster munitions. A video purportedly taken in Kafr Qasim this morning showed a car being flipped over by a nearby blast.
Iranian bombardment of U.S. military facilities in the wider region appears to be having a significant effect, according to a report from The New York Times.
Citing military personnel and American officials, the newspaper states that many U.S. troops have been forced to relocate from their bases to hotels and office spaces throughout the region.
“So now much of the land-based military is, in essence, fighting the war while working remotely, with the exception of fighter pilots and crews operating and maintaining warplanes and conducting strikes,” the article contends.
The need to keep the U.S. military and its allies in the Middle East supplied with weapons could be bad news for Ukraine. The Washington Post reports that the Pentagon is considering whether to divert to the Middle East critical munitions earmarked for Ukraine. The report cites three people familiar with the matter, but notes that a final decision to redirect the equipment has not yet been made.
The weapons that could be diverted away from Ukraine would almost certainly include air defense interceptor missiles, badly needed by Kyiv, but also by allies in the Middle East that continue to come under Iranian drone and missile attack.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) remain heavily engaged on a second front in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel will expand its occupation of southern Lebanon, creating what he described as a “larger buffer zone” to push back the threat of Hezbollah.
Today, the IDF confirmed that another Israeli soldier has been killed in combat in southern Lebanon, amid ongoing fighting with Hezbollah militants along the border. Reportedly, the soldier, part of the Golani Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit, was killed in an exchange of fire with Hezbollah gunmen, during which another Israeli soldier was lightly hurt.
This brings the number of Israeli soldiers killed in southern Lebanon to three, after the military said two were killed on March 8.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has said any negotiations with Israel would amount to “surrender,” and the Iran-backed group is continuing to launch attacks on Israel.
After a brief lull, Iranian missile and drone attacks are once more targeting the United Arab Emirates.
In Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, two people were killed by falling debris after an Iranian missile was intercepted, according to local media. In a post on X, the official Abu Dhabi Media Office said three others were injured in the incident. Since the war began, at least 10 people have been reported killed in the UAE from Iranian attacks.
Kuwait has said it had arrested six people over an alleged Hezbollah plot to assassinate leaders in the Gulf state. The interior ministry said five of those arrested were Kuwaiti citizens. It added that 14 more members of the group had fled the country.
An Iranian envoy has said South Korean ships could pass through the Strait of Hormuz only after coordinating with Tehran, the Yonhap News Agency reported.
Iranian Ambassador to South Korea Saeed Koozechi said that his country has asked Seoul to provide details of the vessels stranded in the key waterway. Reportedly, 26 South Korean ships with about 180 crew members aboard remain stranded in the shipping lane, effectively blocked by Iran following attacks by the United States and Israel.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
Photos: Scenes from the 2026 iHeart Music Awards
You thought the Oscars brought awards season to an end? Think again. The iHeartRadio Music Awards took place Thursday night with performances and appearances by Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Sombr, Weezer, Alex Warren, Shaboozey and John Mellencamp, among other stars. Here’s a glimpse at the best looks from the red carpet and the best moments of the show itself, which took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
The Show
Lainey Wilson performs onstage at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Taylor Swift accepts the pop album of the year award onstage at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Miley Cyrus accepts the Innovator Award onstage at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
John Mellencamp, right, performs onstage at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Terry Ellis, from left, Cindy Herron and Maxine Jones of En Vogue perform at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Red Carpet
Miley Cyrus on the red carpet for the iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Ella Langley on the red carpet for the iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Shaboozey and Kehlani on the red carpet for the iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Cheryl Porter on the red carpet for the iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones and Terry Ellis of En Vogue on the red carpet for the iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Teddi Mellencamp on the red carpet for the iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Brianna Mazzola and Wennely Quezada of ‘3QUENCY’ on the red carpet for the iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Sublime on the red carpet for the iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Brent Smith and Zach Myers of Shinedown on the red carpet for the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Graham Stanush, Sebastian Gonzalez, Matty Bielawski and London Hudson of Return to Dust on the red carpet for the iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Easter getaway fears for millions over fuel price hikes and cancelled flights
Families heading off on the Easter holidays and days out face paying an average 150p a litre for petrol and as much as 180p for diesel – on top of the usual Bank Holiday misery of congested roads
Bumper to bumper queues are expected over the Easter break – especially if there is fine weather(Image: PA)
Brits beginning the Easter getaway face price hikes and possible disruption.
The economic shockwaves from the Middle East war mean the millions taking the road are in for pain at the pumps when filling-up for long journeys. It came as petrol prices rose to close to 150p a litre and diesel nears the punishingly high 180p mark.
And there are warnings those planning to jet abroad face higher fares – if they have not booked ahead – and the risk of cancellations. That is all on top of the usual misery of queues on routes near holiday hotspots for those staying in the UK. The rush is expected to start from Friday as schools break up for the holidays, and will peak over the long Easter weekend.
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The AA said more than 19 million people travelled on Good Friday last year, with 18.5 million on the Saturday and 18.2 million each on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Many will end up paying through the nose when they stop off to fill-up, given a sharp rise in fuel prices since the start of the Iran war at the end of March.
The nationwide average for unleaded has jumped to almost 150p a litre, up 17p since before the conflict erupted. Diesel drivers have been hit even harder, with diesel now averaging 176.66p per litre, a leap of 34p in recent weeks.
Motoring groups and ministers have urged drivers not panic buy fuel. Ministers insisted the UK was well stocked, despite Iran’s effective blockade of oil through the key Strait of Hormuz. A handful of forecourts have displayed signs saying they are out of fuel.
RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader Sean Kimberlin said: “Fuel prices may have risen sharply in recent weeks, but our research with drivers shows they are still determined to make the most of the Easter break. Despite diesel costing around £19 more per tank than last year and petrol about £8 more, only a small number of people are actually changing their plans. For many, Easter is the first real chance to get away since Christmas, so we’re urging drivers to use the myRAC app to find the cheapest forecourts near them.”
He added: “This year we’re expecting one of the busiest Easter getaways since 2022, with planned leisure trips rising again for the second year running.
“Traffic is likely to build from Thursday as schools break up, with the M5 towards Devon and Cornwall and the M25 set to be particularly congested. The worst delays are expected from around 10am, so getting on the road early is still the best way to avoid the queues.”
Predictions that Brits are in for a cracking Easter, with blue skies and temperatures climbing towards 20C, are expected to mean are even busier than normal.
National Highways said it was lifting around 1,500 miles of roadworks between next Thursday and Easter Monday, “meaning 98% of our motorways and major A-roads will be free of roadworks over the bank holiday,” it added.
Airports are also braced for a rush families taking advantage of the Easter break for a week in the sun. Yet it comes amid warnings of possible cancellations to some long haul destinations, partly due to fears of jet fuel shortages. The soaring cost of aviation fuel has also led to concerns that flight prices will rise.
Regulator the CAA says it expects over two million passengers through UK airports across the Easter break, including 1.6 million over the Easter weekend.
It is urging travellers to check the flight status with their airline and ensure they are up to date with the latest government foreign travel advice on any countries they are transiting through before you leave for the airport.
Anticipating possible disruption, it said: “If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you may be entitled to meals, accommodation or alternative travel arrangements provided by your airline.” It went on: “Travel insurance can protect against missed flights, medical emergencies, and lost or stolen belongings. Carefully review the terms and conditions to understand your coverage.”
Selina Chadha, group director for consumers and markets at the CAA, said: “With many UK travellers planning to get away over the Easter holidays, it’s important that those planning to travel know their rights and plan ahead to make their journeys as smooth as possible.”
Gatwick Airport says its near 60 airlines have flights to more than 220 destinations over Easter. “Short-haul breaks are expected to lead over the Easter holidays with bookings for Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante, Dublin and Geneva currently topping the most popular list,” a spokesperson said.
“Passengers are also preparing to travel further afield, with top long-haul options currently including Orlando, Shanghai and Cancun.” The airport’s busiest day over the holidays is set to be Easter Sunday.
Kings shut out last-place Canucks for much-needed win
VANCOUVER, Canada — Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves for his third shutout of the season and 39th of his career to lead the Kings to a 4-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
Trevor Moore had a goal and an assist for the Kings, and Scott Laughton, Artemi Panarin and Quinton Byfield also scored. Mikey Anderson had a pair of assists.
The victory moved the Kings within one point of the Nashville Predators, who hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference playoff race.
One of the best stops by Kuemper, whose last shutout was on Dec. 6 against Chicago, came at the 10:43 mark of the first period when Teddy Blueger launched a blast from the slot and the goalie kicked out his right leg to send the puck soaring with the toe of his skate.
Kevin Lankinen made 34 saves for the Canucks, who lost their fourth straight game. Vancouver has been shut out five times this season, with four coming at home.
The Kings opened the scoring with Laughton’s power-play goal 17:34 into the first period. Stationed at the top of the faceoff circle, Byfield took a shot that hit the skate of Laughton as he jumped in front of the net, deflecting the puck in past Lankinen.
Byfield sealed it with an empty-netter with 2:24 left in the game.
Up next for Kings: vs. Utah at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.
First responders rescue man from Tehran building hit by air strike | US-Israel war on Iran
The Iranian Red Crescent Society released video showing rescuers in Tehran lowering a man strapped to a stretcher from the wreckage of a building severely damaged in an airstrike.
Published On 27 Mar 2026
Malaysia’s ships allowed to pass Strait of Hormuz, PM Anwar says | US-Israel war on Iran News
Malaysian leader says oil tankers granted clearance by Iran as government introduces measures to conserve fuel.
Published On 27 Mar 2026
Iran has allowed Malaysian ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, Malaysia’s leader said, amid the global energy crunch driven by the United States and Israel’s war with Tehran.
In a televised address on Thursday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed thanks to Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian for granting Malaysian vessels “early clearance” through the waterway, which has been effectively closed by Tehran.
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“We are in the process of securing the release of the Malaysian oil tankers and the workers involved so they can continue their journey home,” Anwar said.
Anwar did not elaborate on how many vessels had cleared the strait, which normally facilitates the transport of about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, or under what conditions the vessels were cleared for safe passage.
The Malaysian government, which has traditionally pursued a policy of non-alignment in international affairs, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Anwar said that while Malaysia had been affected by the disruption to energy supplies, the Southeast Asian country was in a “much better position” than other nations due to the capacity of the state-run oil and gas company Petronas.
As one of the world’s top suppliers of LNG, Malaysia is a net energy exporter, but the country imports nearly 70 percent of its crude oil from the Gulf region.
Anwar said his government would take a series of measures to conserve fuel, including reducing the individual monthly quota for subsidised petrol and “gradually and selectively” moving civil servants onto work-from-home arrangements.
“Food supplies are affected; prices will certainly rise. Fertiliser as well, and of course, oil and gas,” Anwar said.
“So there are steps we need to take. There are countries whose impacts are far worse than ours, but that does not mean we are spared entirely,” he said.
While Iran has stated that the strait is open to ships that are not aligned with the US or Israel, Tehran has claimed the right to exercise control over the waterway and admitted responsibility for at least two of 20 documented attacks on commercial vessels in the region.
Iran’s parliament is also pushing legislation that would establish a toll system in the strait amid reports that Iranian authorities have been demanding vessels fork over as much as $2m to guarantee their safe passage.
Five ships were tracked transiting the strait via their automatic identification systems on Wednesday, up from four the previous day, according to maritime intelligence company Windward.
Before the war, an average of 120 vessels transited the waterway each day, according to Windward.
Break-in attempt at Christian ‘King’ Combs and Raven Tracy’s home
The home of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ son Christian “King” Combs and his girlfriend, Raven Tracy, was the target of what police said was a burglary attempt Thursday morning.
The pair were in Bali when police were summoned to their Porter Ranch home Thursday morning, according to a source familiar with the incident. Neighbors called police around 12:45 a.m. after they heard what they believed were shots fired in the 11900 block of Churchill Way in the affluent San Fernando Valley neighborhood. According to law enforcement, the commotion was actually a window being smashed near the rear patio of the $3-million residence.
King Combs, the 27-year-old rapper, model and son of disgraced music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, lives at the 5,400-square-foot property with Tracy, a 32-year-old influencer and fashion entrepreneur.
Images of at least two people were captured on security cameras, a law enforcement source told The Times. It’s unclear whether Combs and Tracy were targeted, or if the suspects were casing homes in the area. When police arrived, all suspects had fled the area. Police investigators told Fox 11 that nothing was stolen.
A source close to Combs told The Times that this was the second recent break-in attempt at the property. The first occurred during Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial in the summer.
The attempted break-in is the most recent in a string of high-profile home invasions, although it is unclear whether the incidents are related. Earlier this month, “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Rachel Zoe’s Bel-Air mansion was broken into while she was out of town.
The reality TV personality and fashion designer was in Las Vegas for the opening of the Wynn’s ultra-exclusive social club Zero Bond. Zoe is a close friend of club founder Scott Sartiano.
According to TMZ, Zoe’s alarm company received an activation alert and swiftly called local police. Officers responded and spotted two male suspects leaving the property, one of whom the outlet said was taken into custody.
In August, “All Night Long” crooner Lionel Richie was home when a man broke into his Beverly Hills residence around midnight. According to NBC4 Investigates, police responded to a 911 call and searched the neighborhood, finding a suspect blocks away. A 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of residential burglary.
Law enforcement sources told the outlet that security cameras at Richie’s home picked up images of the suspect, who entered the home but was spooked by an alarm.
Japanese Grand Prix: George Russell fastest from Kimi Antonelli in Suzuka first practice
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, his car sporting an aerodynamic upgrade that featured new side pods, floor and engine cover, was seventh fastest, 0.791secs off the pace.
Both Verstappen and Norris were among the drivers to run wide at Spoon, where a tailwind on entry was causing problems.
Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad were eighth and 10th, sandwiching the Haas of Esteban Ocon.
Williams’ Alex Albon had a torrid session, running off track and hitting the wall at Degner Two, traditionally one of the track’s most demanding corners, midway through the session, before a spin after colliding with Cadillac’s Sergio Perez, who appeared not to see Albon on the inside as the British-born Thai dived down the inside at the chicane.
The two Aston Martins brought up the tail of the field on a weekend on which engine partner Honda want to show improvement on its home track after a dire start to the season.
American reserve driver Jak Crawford, completing one of the team’s mandatory young driver days, was in Fernando Alonso’s car and was 22nd, just over a second slower than Lance Stroll.
Honda have introduced some changes that are hoped to address the engine-vibration issues that have been causing reliability problems and major discomfort for the drivers.
Aston Martin also have an aerodynamic upgrade for Japan, featuring a new engine cover and front-of-floor furniture.
IAEA seeks local cease-fire for Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant repairs
Members of International Atomic Energy Agency inspect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, southeastern Ukraine, on September 1, 2022. On Thursday, the IEAE said it had initiated cease-fire talks in order to conduct repairs at the plant. File Photo by IAEA Press Office/UPI | License Photo
March 27 (UPI) — The United Nations nuclear watchdog said Thursday it has begun discussions for another localized cease-fire for Ukraine‘s Russia-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to allow for urgently needed repairs.
The plant, Europe’s largest, has been occupied by Russian forces since early in the war, which has repeatedly endangered and damaged the site.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has said that the situation at the plant is challenging and has warned about the risk the war poses to it.
The IAEA said Tuesday that the ZNPP lost connection to its sole remaining main power line after it was damaged and was now dependent on a single backup line that had only recently been reconnected to the plant.
On Thursday, the IAEA said in a statement that its director, Rafael Grossi, had begun discussions with Russia and Ukraine to secure a cease-fire so the necessary repairs could be conducted.
Although the timing for the necessary repairs remains uncertain, Grossi has confirmed that they have “proposed a cease-fire window to both parties, allowing for safe assessment and restoration of the damaged infrastructure,” it said.
The IAEA has brokered five localized cease-fires for Zaporizhzhia, the latest initiated late last month that allowed for repairs to the sole backup power line, which was reconnected to the nuclear power plant on March 5.
The plant is located in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southeastern Ukraine. Russian forces seized the utility on March 4, marking the first time a civilian nuclear facility has been occupied.
On the grim anniversary of the plant’s fourth year of Russian occupation, Ukraine’s state-run nuclear energy enterprise said the facility “remains one of the most acute risks to European energy and nuclear stability.”
“The seizure of a nuclear facility and its use as a tool for political pressure is a violation of the fundamental rules of the industry,” Energoatom CEO Pavlo Kovtonyuk said in a statement.
“Our task is to protect people and be ready at any moment to resume safe operation of the plant.”
Palestinians flee tear gas as Israeli settlers arrive in occupied West Bank | Occupied West Bank
The Israeli army fired tear gas at Palestinian residents of the Beit Imrin village, northwest of Nablus in the occupied West Bank. Israeli settlers can be seen setting up tents, while gunfire is heard as the Palestinians fled.
Published On 27 Mar 2026
LAPD chief backed cops who shot Jillian Lauren; commission overruled
For the second time in recent months, the civilian commission that oversees the LAPD has overruled Chief Jim McDonnell in a police shooting, concluding that officers were in the wrong when they shot at Jillian Lauren, an author and the estranged wife of Weezer bass player Scott Shriner.
McDonnell wrote in a report made public Thursday that two officers were justified in using deadly force against Lauren, 52, who pointed a gun and fired at officers during a standoff in the backyard of her Eagle Rock home last April.
But the Police Commission took the rare step of going against McDonnell’s recommendation, finding fault with the shooting and concluding that the officers made serious tactical mistakes.
Although the five-member panel is the final authority on whether a police shooting is in or out of policy, the chief has final say on officer discipline. Such decisions are rarely made public because of state police privacy laws.
The incident began at about 5:20 p.m. on April 8, 2025, when police responded to a request for help from the California Highway Patrol in tracking down three suspects wanted in a hit-and-run crash. Officers Joshua Wolak and Dorian Zhou joined in the search, along with several others from the nearby Northeast patrol station.
Body-worn camera footage released by the department showed Wolak, Zhou and a CHP officer standing on a retaining wall next to a fence that separated a neighbor’s home from Lauren’s property. The LAPD video shows Lauren, wearing a purple Weezer T-shirt and black tights, walk around the yard with a black handgun, looking around as though she were on high alert.
Police said that officers yelled at Lauren to drop her gun for several minutes, before she shot a round in their direction. Wolak then fired seven rounds, while Zhou shot five from a distance of roughly 50 feet.
Lauren was not connected to the hit-and-run incident, authorities said. Audio from a 911 call by one of Lauren’s neighbors indicated that Lauren believed she was being fired at by armed suspects, who had been spotted running through neighboring properties.
After the shooting, Lauren retreated into her home, where she stayed for about an hour until an officer called her personal assistant, who was also inside. She was later taken to an area hospital with a gunshot wound to her left arm, police said.
During his interview with internal investigators, Zhou said he saw Lauren raise the handgun at a 45-degree angle, “rack” the slide to chamber a round and fire at officers. In response, he said, he fired five rounds, aiming at her center mass.
He responded that he stopped firing “because I lost sight of her.”
The commission voted unanimously to rule the officers’ decision to shoot out of policy. Officials typically do not publicly discuss the rationale for reaching certain decisions.
Both the commission and the chief were critical of the command decisions of Sgt. Albert Hoang at the scene, noting his failure to ensure that the officers involved were interviewed and the fact that he didn’t notify his higher-ups about the shooting until three hours after it occurred.
The civilian panel also diverged from McDonnell in assessing the tactical mistakes made by Hoang and the two officers. In his report, McDonnell found that the differing tactics used by CHP and LAPD only contributed to the confusion in what was already a fraught situation.
McDonnell wrote that he wants to develop protocols to ensure that if a similar incident were to arise “the other agency should be directed to disengage from the tactical portion of the incident or, as practicable, placed in a position and role that minimizes the co- mingling of tactics.”
In a 4-1 vote, the commission also decided that the officers’ decision to draw their weapons did not comply with LAPD policies — another rare finding.
Lauren was initially arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer, a charge that carries a lengthy prison sentence, then later charged with assault and negligent discharge of a firearm. In December, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge granted her diversion due to mental health issues, sparing her potential jail time.
The bestselling author of “Everything You Ever Wanted,” she filed for divorce from her husband in December in Los Angeles County Superior Court. In her petition, she cited “irreconcilable differences” but did not list an official date of separation. The two married in November 2005 and share two teenage sons.
Before the confrontation with police, Lauren had been recovering from cancer treatment and a hysterectomy in March.
Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.
Unspoilt UK town with cobbled lanes and independent shops is ‘frozen in time’
Set against the backdrop of narrow cobbled lanes and ancient Georgian architecture with independent shops and a thriving antique scene, is a picturesque UK town
The town is steeped in history, among its picturesque backdrop(Image: Getty Images)
A charming English town offers a glimpse into bygone eras, with its narrow cobbled lanes and more than 400 listed buildings, set against diverse landscapes.
The historic town of Petworth in Sussex has an undeniable charm with its 17th-century Georgian architecture, ancient stone cottages and winding cobbled alleyways. There are hidden treasures around every narrow corner of this pretty town, brimming with independent boutiques and cosy cafés, as well as delicatessens and welcoming pubs.
It’s conveniently located just over half an hour’s drive from Chichester and approximately 50 minutes from Portsmouth, offering a delightful day out among its unspoilt surroundings. It was even named by Condé Nast Traveller as one of the UK’s most beautiful towns, due to its picturesque location.
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But it’s Petworth’s flourishing art and antiques scene that truly stands out. The medieval town, boasting over 400 listed buildings, has an array of galleries and more than 30 antique shops where visitors can discover ancient gems.
One of the most sought-after destinations for vintage items is Petworth Antiques Market, home to more than 40 dealers selling everything from beautiful furniture to ornaments and a vast collection of homeware. One visitor wrote on TripAdvisor: “I absolutely love going to the Petworth Antique Market, the customer service is amazing with extremely friendly, helpful staff, and I always always find beautiful treasures there!!”
After an afternoon spent uncovering vintage goodies, visitors can sample the flavours at one of their eateries, with The Hungry Guest on Middle Street standing out as one of the town’s finest establishments. Offering seasonal, locally sourced, fresh and artisanal dishes, the restaurant truly enhances Petworth’s culinary reputation.
There’s also a selection of welcoming pubs, including The Welldiggers Arms, The Black Horse Inn and The Angel Inn. But beyond the town centre, Petworth serves as a haven for avid walkers.
There are diverse terrains easily accessible from the charming town, including the dramatic chalk hills of the South Downs National Park and the ancient woodland of The Mens Nature Reserve. However, Petworth House and Park remain the town’s crown jewel, with its expansive 700-acre parkland encircling the magnificent 17th-century Petworth House.
Guests can take time touring the historic stately home and uncover an outstanding collection of world-class art and sculptures. The estate stands as one of the finest surviving examples of an English landscape crafted by the celebrated Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.
Another striking feature at Petworth Park is the hundreds of deer that roam freely around the sprawling grounds. They can be readily observed, or visitors can take in the breathtaking vistas of the South Downs while wandering through the grounds.
The National Trust park has undoubtedly placed Petworth firmly on the map and is a favourite among visitors. Particularly after featuring in major film productions, such as Napoleon, Rebecca, and Maleficent, as well as Netflix’s hit drama Bridgerton. Visitors
After a visit, one holidaymaker enthused: “Another National Trust gem! Had a wonderful day there. So much to see and wonderful walks in the grounds and deer park. The art collection is outstanding, and as usual, the volunteers in the house were great. Had an interesting talk in the square dining room about the family’s history. Found the kitchens fascinating! Great cafe too. Highly recommend.”
Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
Excerpts From Jackson’s Speeches – Los Angeles Times
Here are some excerpts from Jesse Jackson’s recent campaign speeches:
PHILOSOPHY:
When we turn to each other, and not on each other, that’s victory. When we build each other, and not destroy each other, that’s victory.
Red, yellow, brown, black and white–we’re all precious in God’s sight. Everybody is somebody.
Where do we find common ground? It’s at the plant gate that locks workers out . . . . It’s at the farm auction, when farmers are driven from their land with no place to go. When someone is sick and dying in the admitting office because they don’t have a green or yellow card.
We the people must come together, demand health insurance. We the people must demand better pay for our teachers, demand jobs and security. We the people must say: drive drugs out, drive jobs in.
No one has earned the right to do less than your best.
Our children need strong men and strong women. But you’re not a man just because you make a baby.
It’s just not right to bring a child in this world and abandon that child. It’s just not right . . . . We must rebuild people–that’s a first step to rebuilding the cities.
THE UNDERCLASS:
When you look at Jesse Jackson, you look at the American dream of hope and possibility unfolding before your very eyes. In a real sense, I was born in the underclass . . . born to a teen-age mother who was born to a teen-age mother.
I went to school where teachers received less pay than their white counterparts, by law . . . .
We lived in a three-room house, bathroom on the back porch, slop jar by the bed for the family. Wallpaper used not for decoration, but for a wind breaker.
As your President, I will open up the door of opportunity, but you must walk through those doors . . . . I have faith in you. I want you to have faith in yourself . . . . If you rise above your circumstances, you can make it.
POVERTY:
People aren’t fighting for welfare. They’re fighting for fair-share.
Most poor people are not black or brown. Most poor people are white, female and young. Color it pain, color it hurt.
Most poor people aren’t on welfare. They work every day. They change the beds in hotels. They raise other people’s children.
They work every day. They drive cabs. They’re orderlies in hospitals. They’re not lazy. They work every day. They bathe the bodies sick with fever. They empty their bedpans. They clean out the commodes. No job is beneath them.
And yet, when they get sick, they cannot afford health insurance, and they cannot lie in the beds they’ve made up every day.
We can do better than that. There are 38 million people in America without health insurance. We need to sit down and devise a national health insurance plan. Because it’s right.
I choose to invest in Headstart, and day care, and prenatal care on the front side of life, rather than jail care and welfare on the backside of life.
THE ECONOMY:
Every generation has a challenge. Our challenge today is to end economic violence.
You know something has gone awry when profits go up and wages go down, and 600,000 farms are foreclosed, and plants are closed and workers are abandoned.
It’s called reverse Robin Hood. It’s taking from the poor and giving to the rich. And that is not fair.
Now the top 1% of wage earners 10 years later pay 20% less in taxes, instead of paying 20% more. Government (has been) used as a lever to take from working people and the poor and to give to the rich.
DRUGS:
The No. 1 threat to this nation is drugs–cocaine, crack, heroin, PCP. We’re consuming $150-billion worth of drugs a year. The No. 1 tax-free industry in America is drugs.
Drugs are corrupting leaders, killing our children. But don’t just focus on children and ballplayers. Children do not buy $150-billion worth of drugs a year. And ballplayers do not launder $150 billion in drug money through banks.
We must get serious about ending the war of drugs in this country. Stop the cocaine, the crack, the heroin. Ban the drugs. Ban the handguns. Make our streets secure and safe again.
In 1986 the Coast Guard interdicted 10,000 pounds of cocaine. In 1987, the Coast Guard interdicted 26,000 pounds of cocaine. Then, the Administration cut the Coast Guard budget by $100 million. They busted the Coast Guard and gave the drug smugglers the green light.
I want to cut the supply of drugs. I want you to join me and cut the demand.
TRADE:
The No. 1 exporter from Taiwan is not Taiwan. It’s General Electric. Which owns RCA. Which owns NBC. Which says, “Buy American,” while NBC workers are forced to strike and make concessions.
The first four years of the Reagan Administration, GE made $10 billion. That’s all right. But as profits went up, wages and jobs went down. They paid zero taxes. That’s not all. They got a $100-million tax rebate, while workers on unemployment compensation had to pay taxes. That is economic violence.
FOREIGN POLICY:
The Russian bear is in check because we have the mental preparedness and the military preparedness. But the drug war is hitting us where we have no defense, in our character, in our lives, in our dreams.
In Latin America, our fight is not with 3 million Sandinistas. They do not threaten us. If they did, 15,000 Contras could not save us from them.
Miguel Rojas cherishing final season as Dodgers win season opener
In a quiet moment before the pomp and circumstance of opening day, Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas learned he’d be starting in the final season opener of his long career.
He was on the bench for the Freeway Series finale at Dodger Stadium earlier this week, when manager Dave Roberts came over to check in and give Rojas the news.
“I didn’t know if, ‘Thank you’ was the right thing to say because it’s something I earned,” Rojas recounted before the Dodgers’ 8-2 win Thursday against the Diamondbacks. “It’s not something that I asked for as a favor. So I was just kind of speechless.”
Rojas embraced Roberts.
“It was a gift to myself because of all the hard work and the preparation I put in throughout my whole career,” Rojas said. “This way is the best way possible because I got up to the big leagues as a utility defensive replacement who can play shortstop but couldn’t really hit much.”
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Rojas, who intends to retire after this year, wrapped up his final opening day as a starter.
Opening day is a celebration across baseball. But the Dodgers made it a full production. The pregame program Thursday included roster-introduction pyrotechnics, along with a stage and blue carpet set up in center field.
It was also a time to commemorate the 2025 World Series, raising the banner and revealing the new sign marking the organization’s ninth title.
Rojas rode onto the field perched atop a metallic blue convertible, hoisting the 2025 World Series trophy over his head. To his left sat Freddie Freeman, holding the 2024 trophy. Will Ferrell sat in the driver’s seat.
“It’s here,” Rojas said Thursday afternoon. “This is my last chance to play baseball with an amazing group of guys.”
A spot in the starting lineup hadn’t been guaranteed for the 2025 World Series hero. The Diamondbacks started right-hander Zac Gallen. And throughout the year, Rojas will generally play second base against left-handers, platooning with Alex Freeland to begin the year and eventually Tommy Edman when he returns from the 10-day injured list.
“This means a lot to him, his family and to the Dodger fans,” Roberts said. “And also, most importantly, I think he’s a great option for today. All in, it was the right decision.”
Rojas’ final opening day — he’s lined up to transition into a player development role with the Dodgers next year — was a well-rounded game for the Dodgers.
A marquee pitching matchup between Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Gallen produced a scoreless first three innings. The Diamondbacks broke through first, with Geraldo Perdomo roping a two-run homer off Yamamoto in the fourth inning.
The Dodgers hadn’t recorded a hit since Shohei Ohtani’s leadoff single. But in the fifth, they finally got to Gallen, and batted through the order.
Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernández kicked off the rally with back-to-back groundball singles. Then Andy Pages launched a go-ahead home run into the left-field seats.
Rojas, dropping a single into shallow center field, and Ohtani, drawing a walk, held on the pressure. And the Diamondbacks pulled Gallen for right-hander Juan Morillo.
How the Dodgers celebrated their World Series title ahead of season opener.
The Dodgers tacked on one more run, as Rojas raced home on Will Smith’s single up the first-base line, before Morillo finally escaped a bases-loaded jam.
The next inning, Yamamoto slammed the door shut against the top of the order with a pair of groundouts to Rojas and a strikeout, Yamamoto’s sixth. He retired nine straight batters after Perdomo’s homer.
That would end Yamamoto’s night at six innings.
The Dodgers continued piling on against the Diamondbacks’ bullpen. A four-run rally in the seventh inning featured Kyle Tucker’s first hit as a Dodger, an RBI double and a two-run shot from Smith. The Dodgers’ bullpen held the D-backs scoreless the rest of the way.
After reliever Tanner Scott forced a fly out to shortstop Mookie Betts to end the game, Rojas pointed two fingers to the sky and then joined his teammates in the handshake line.
Rojas held his emotions at bay through spring training, immersing himself in the daily work. But opening day made it more real.
“Baseball is what I remember me doing my whole life,” Rojas said. “I don’t remember myself doing anything else. I know I was a good son, a good brother, a good student. I know that. But I don’t remember myself doing that. I remember myself playing baseball, preparing for a baseball game, working out to be a professional baseball player. Then when I was in the minors I remember myself working really hard to get to the big leagues and then working really hard to be an every-day player. It goes on and on.”
Until it doesn’t.
Future Hall of famer Clayton Kershaw knows what that’s like. Venturing into retirement a year ahead of Rojas, Kershaw was on NBC’s broadcast Thursday, sporting a suit on the field before the game.
He commented on Rojas’ tan, and Rojas told Kershaw he’d stolen his look and had been going sleeveless.
“My wife and my kids call him Uncle Kersh because of the joy he had throughout the year,” Rojas said. “He was really happy all year. He wasn’t really caught up in numbers or stats. He was just enjoying his time. I really wish I can do a little bit of what he did last year. I hope I can enjoy it as much as he did last year.
“So I’m going to be Uncle Miggy this year.”
I stayed in the new ice hotel – it’s not the cold that some guests can’t handle
For the past 36 years, architects, engineers and all sorts of artists have descended on the tiny Swedish town on the outskirts of Kiruna to construct the latest iteration of the ice hotel
The ICEHOTEL is full of surprises
It’s not the cold that gets you first. It’s the quiet.
For some of the guests to the ICEHOTEL in the Arctic town of Jukkasjärvi, it isn’t the -10C bedroom temperature that causes them to abandon their £600 ice bed in the middle of the night and make for the hard wooden slats of the mercifully heated changing rooms, but the oppressive, complete silence that comes with being in a room constructed entirely snow packed onto ice foundations.
“If you didn’t know you had tinnitus before, you certainly will once you spend a night in here,” explained guide Glen as he gestured into our icy room for the night.
Poking out from around the doorway was another unnerving element: an adult-sized ice baby.
For the past 36 years, architects, engineers and all sorts of artists have descended on the tiny Swedish town on the outskirts of Kiruna to construct the latest iteration of the ice hotel. The building process begins when massive blocks of ice are harvested from the Torne River. Each block weighs up to two tonnes and is stored cold during the summer, ready for the winter and the construction of the ICEHOTEL in October. They are not there to build uniform, utilitarian ice rooms, however. Instead, they construct something between the fictional ice palace in James Bond’s Die Another Day and a fairground house of fun.
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My wife and I were to sleep in one of 12 art suites, ours titled ‘There is no one here’ and created by Turkish artists Ayla Turan and Kemal Tufan. Five round-faced, jellybaby-like figures were in there with us, one standing guard at the door, another popping its head over the bedstead. A third seemed stuck in the wall, as if splinched by a Harry Potter apparition gone wrong.
Before bedding down for the night, guests have a chance to visit the other 11 art suites—that is, before they are shuttered up in April and left to quietly melt into the river beyond. A particularly striking creation is ‘Arctic Archive’, the work of Kristina Möckel and Sebastian Scheller. Each wall is made of rows of shelves filled with hundreds of snow books.
Carl and Malena Wellander’s ‘Survival of the Fittest’ lets guests sleep alongside some of the toughest creatures on the planet: tardigrades. These unusual little “moss piglets” can survive in any habitat on Earth, in space and, it seems, the ICEHOTEL.
What’s less certain is whether Robin Lind and Charlie Hammarlund’s Crystal Souls are evil or benevolent figures. The two blurry, Dr Who-like characters are trapped behind an ice block, seemingly desperate to get through.
There are several ice hotels in the world, but the ICEHOTEL is the first and biggest. Its life began in 1989 when Yngve Bergqvist, who had built an art gallery from ice and snow in his garden, opened its frozen door to Swedish soldiers who needed a place to stay. He woke in the morning in a panic. The temperature had plummeted deep into the -20Cs overnight, and Yngve was convinced he’d killed the troops. He rushed out to the gallery to find them happily making breakfast, having survived the night in their thick Arctic sleeping bags.
Since then, the ICEHOTEL has let thousands of guests do the same. In truth, when tucked up inside a winter duvet-thick sleeping bag, atop reindeer furs, the only real difficulty I had was keeping my snorkel-like nose warm as it peeked out of the bedding folds.
There are several reasons why the hotel is where it is: the proximity of the river and the climate, of course, but also Kiruna, where the vast iron ore mine has delivered untold wealth, an international airport and engineering expertise. Yngve himself spent five years down the mines before turning his skills to hospitality.
It is truly a marvel, both creatively and technically. Using 1,000 tonnes of ice and 30,000 tonnes of snow-ice mixture, the structure is built using steel moulds, snow cannons and huge, perfectly clear blocks.
On the other side of the courtyard from the art suites is the year-round 365 Hotel, which uses cooling techniques to keep the ice from melting even in the height of Arctic summer, which, in fairness, did once reach 24C.
The less transient nature of this part of the hotel has given its creators licence to go bigger. Guests first walk into the bar, where a spiral staircase (made of ice) leads up to an elevated seating area (also made of ice), where you can enjoy a cocktail in a glass (also, ice). Once used, these are tossed into the river from whence they came.
Having donned an extra pair of socks after a foot-numbing tour, I shared a drink with a couple from Leicester who’d spent three days husky sledging, ice fishing and reindeer spotting on a blowout 50th birthday anniversary trip. And blowout it was.
The one hesitation I have about this undeniably magical place is the price point. The cost for an ice room for the night is 4000 SEK (£320) for two, with breakfast included. In itself, not a bad price at all. But once the flight to Kiruna via Stockholm, or the 16-hour night train, is factored in, along with the frankly eye-watering £150pp cost of a fairly average dinner at the ICEHOTEL restaurant, there might not be much left over for excursions. And there has to be given the £400 cost of a private sauna ritual and £800 private transfer to the airport via husky sledge.
But really, no one was in the mood for griping about a few krona or öre once ensconced in this ice palace. I suspected it’d be a magnificent place before I arrived, but I wat I didn’t realise is that it’d be so funny. From my creepy ice baby guard and lounging otter statue to the ice slide that directs tipsy guests back to their room, the ICEHOTEL is packed with witty and unexpected surprises.
Book it
The cost of staying at ICEHOTEL varies depending on the type of room, time of year, and package selected. To sleep in a room made of ice and snow costs from 4000 SEK per night (2 people, B&B). Go to www.icehotel.com
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Published On 27 Mar 2026