United States President Donald Trump has promised to steadily increase tariffs on European countries that have opposed his move to acquire Greenland, escalating a dispute over the semiautonomous Danish territory he has long coveted.

So what is behind Trump’s push to control Greenland, the world’s largest island, and how have Washington’s NATO allies responded?

What is Trump’s tariff threat over Greenland?

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

“Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back – World Peace is at stake! China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it.”

Trump added that “the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake.”

Trump wrote that starting on February 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland will be charged a 10 percent tariff on all their exports to the US.

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

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

Is Trump the first US president to seek control of Greenland?

Leaders in Denmark and Greenland have consistently insisted that Greenland is not for sale. In the past few days, Greenlanders have been protesting against Trump’s wishes to acquire Greenland. Yet Trump has pushed for acquiring the Arctic territory since his first term, and he is not the first US president to pursue such a purchase.

After buying Alaska from Russia in 1867, then-Secretary of State William H Seward unsuccessfully sought to buy Greenland. During World War II, the US occupied Greenland after Germany’s invasion of Denmark and built military and radio facilities there. It maintains a permanent presence today at the Pituffik Space Base in the northwest.

In 1946, while Greenland was still a Danish colony, President Harry S Truman secretly offered Denmark $100m for the island, but Copenhagen refused. The proposal became public only in 1991.

American citizens do not support Washington acquiring Greenland, polls have indicated. This week, a Reuters/Ipsos poll of US residents showed less than one in five respondents support the idea of acquiring Greenland.

Why does Trump want Greenland?

The location and natural resources of the island make it strategically important for Washington.

Greenland is geographically part of North America, located between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. It is home to 56,000 residents, mostly Indigenous Inuit people.

Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, is closer to New York City – about 2,900km (1,800 miles) away – than the Danish capital, Copenhagen, located 3,500km (2,174 miles) to the east.

It is a NATO territory through Denmark and an EU-associated overseas territory with residents holding EU citizenship.

Its location offers the shortest air and sea routes between North America and Europe, making it strategically vital for US military operations and missile early-warning systems. Washington has also sought more radar coverage around the Greenland-Iceland-UK gap to monitor Russian and Chinese movements.

Greenland is rich in minerals, including most of the EU’s listed “critical raw materials”, but there is no oil and gas extraction, and many Indigenous residents oppose large-scale mining. The economy mainly depends on fishing.

As climate change opens up more of the Arctic, major powers such as the US, Canada, China and Russia are increasingly interested in its untapped resources.

How has Europe responded to Trump’s tariff threats?

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

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded in a post on X on Saturday, saying: “Our position on Greenland is very clear – it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes,” Starmer wrote.

“Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is completely wrong. We will of course be pursuing this directly with the US administration.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also responded in an X post, saying: “The EU stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland. Dialogue remains essential, and we are committed to building on the process begun already last week between the Kingdom of Denmark and the US.

“Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to upholding its sovereignty.”

European Council President Antonio Costa shared a post identical to von der Leyen’s on his own X account.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X: “China and Russia must be having a field day. They are the ones who benefit from divisions among Allies.”

Kallas added: “Tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity.”

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

After the Flood features an impressive cast of familiar faces from hit shows including Peaky Blinders, The Crown and Bridgerton – here’s your guide to the ITV drama’s stars

After the Flood is back for series two and it boasts a star-studded cast that fans will recognise from popular shows like Peaky Blinders and Bridgerton.

The first series saw an unidentified man found dead in an underground car park after a devastating flood with PC Jo Marshall, played by Sophie Rundle, commissioned to investigate the truth of the man’s death with devastating and shocking revelations.

The second series of After the Flood follows newly promoted detective Jo as she embarks on a perplexing murder investigation. As Waterside teeters on the brink of disaster due to the looming threat of moorland fires and potential flooding, a body is found under strange circumstances.

Jo’s pursuit of the killer puts her at odds with the town’s powerful and influential figures, leading her into an investigation that becomes deeply personal.

To uncover the corruption that has plagued the town’s police force – and her own family – for years, she’ll need to conduct her investigation covertly.

But who are the new and returning familiar faces gracing series two? Let’s take a look…

Sophie Rundle – Jo Marshall

Sophie, 37, takes centre stage in After the Flood as Jo Marshall. Viewers may recognise her from a host of TV programmes such as ITV’s miniseries Titanic, Merlin, The Bletchley Circle, guest appearances in Call the Midwife, Happy Valley, and Brief Encounters.

Her most notable role came in 2013 when she landed the part of Ada Shelby in BBC’s historical drama series Peaky Blinders, where she starred for all six series until 2022. In the show, Sophie shared the screen with Cillian Murphy, who played her character’s brother and notorious gang leader, Tommy Shelby.

Sophie has also graced Sky One’s Jamestown as Alice Kett and a year later, she portrayed Vicky Budd in BBC’s thriller Bodyguard, sharing the screen with Keeley Hawes and Richard Madden. Fans of Gentleman Jack will recall Sophie for her role as Ann Walker, while viewers of the 2020 surrogacy drama series The Nest will recognise her as Emily.

Jill Halfpenny – DS Sam Bradley

Jill Halfpenny, 50, is joining After the Flood for series two as DS Sam Bradley. Jill first soared to fame playing Nicola Dobson in Byker Grove in 1989. Jill later gained roles in Coronation Street as Rebecca Hopkins in 1999 and later EastEnders as Kate Mitchell in 2002.

Other roles include Izzie Redpath in Waterloo Road, Emma in Mount Pleasant, Fiona in Wild at Heart, Diane Manning in In The Club, Julie Winshaw in Three Girls, Jennifer in Liar, Jodie Walsh in The Drowning, Roisin in Everything I Know About Love, Doreen Hill in The Long Shadow, Emma Bartlett in The Feud and Eve Riser in Girl Taken.

Nicholas Gleaves – DS Phil Mackie

Nicholas Gleaves, 57, is known for his role as Sergeant Phil Mackie, Jo’s boss and surrogate father figure in the series but he’s hiding a dark secret. Nick, as he’s often called, has certainly carved out a successful career since his TV debut in 1993 as Carl in Boon.

Since then, he’s amassed an impressive list of credits, having starred in Casualty, The Bill, Faith and Soldier, Soldier. In 1997, he landed the role of PC Rudy Whiteside in Wokenwell before securing the role of Rick Powell in the hit series Playing the Field, which also featured his wife Lesley Sharp.

Other TV roles include Eddie in Being April, Duncan in The Queen’s Nose, and Ray Fairburn in Conviction. He’s also known for his performances as DS Gary Tate in City Lights, Tom Bedford in The Chase, Oliver in Murderland, James Whitaker in Survivors, and Richard Whitman in Waterloo Road.

In 2011, Nick took on the role of DS Andy Roper in Scott and Bailey, where he starred alongside his real-life wife once again. He went on to secure minor roles in Cold Feet, Death in Paradise, The Split, and Midsomer Murders before landing a part in Bodyguard as Roger Penhaligon.

Soap enthusiasts will remember the actor from his stint on Coronation Street, where he portrayed Duncan Radfield from 2018 to 2019. He’s also ventured into film, with roles in Spider-Man: Far From Home and a portrayal of John Birt, the former director general of the BBC, in Netflix’s The Crown in 2022.

Philip Glenister – Jack Radcliffe

Audiences will recognise Philip Glenister, 62, who takes on the role of property developer Jack Radcliffe, from his successful television career. He is most renowned for his portrayal of DCI Gene Hunt in the BBC’s Life on Mars from 2006 to 2007, and its sequel Ashes to Ashes from 2008 to 2010.

Beyond these popular TV series, Philip has landed roles in David Walliams‘ sitcom Big School in 2013 as Trevor Gunn, in the horror series Outcast as Reverend Anderson, and in Belgravia playing the lead role of James Trenchard. Most recently, he assumed the lead role of DCI Paul Bethell in Steeltown Murders.

Some might also recall his film roles, including his part in 2003’s Calendar Girls as Lawrence, as Squire in Kingdom of Heaven in 2005, or as Charles Forestier in 2012’s Bel Ami.

Lorraine Ashbourne – Molly Marshall

Another standout cast member is Lorraine Ashbourne, 65, who portrays Jo’s worried mother Molly. Her acting career spans over three decades, with one of her most beloved roles being Mrs Varley – the housekeeper for the Featherington family – in Netflix’s Bridgerton.

The actress has also portrayed Barbara Castle in The Crown, DI Tessa Nixon in Unforgotten and Lace Polly in Jericho. Her impressive television portfolio includes roles in Playing the Field, Clocking Off, The Syndicate, Cheat, Jericho, and Vera.

In 2022, she brought to life the character of Daphne Sparrow in the popular TV series Sherwood. Lorraine also played Karen in I Hate Suzie, Joan in the comedy Alma’s Not Normal and Michelle Lafferty in Silent Witness.

Off-screen, Lorraine is part of a renowned family, being married to actor and filmmaker Andy Serkis, famed for voicing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings films. Their son Louis Ashbourne Serkis is carving out his own acting path, having appeared in 2020’s The Queen’s Gambit as Georgi Girev and alongside Sheridan Smith in the 2022 drama No Return.

Faye McKeever – Kelly

Actress Faye McKeever, 40, is known for her role as Kelly, but recently she was seen as Tanya Helsby in BBC’s prison drama Time. One of her most memorable roles was Linda in the comedy Trollied, though she’s graced our screens in numerous gripping dramas.

She featured in the Shannon Matthews-inspired BBC drama The Moorside in 2017 as Petra Jamieson, and in ITV’s chilling miniseries Des in 2020 as Linda Jay. In 2022, Faye took on the role of Jodie Sweeney in The Responder and a year later starred in BBC’s The Reckoning as Alison – which is a factual drama examining the crimes of Jimmy Savile.

Matt Stokoe – Pat Holman

Matt Stokoe, aged 37, portrays Jo’s on-screen husband Pat Holman, and off-screen, the couple – Matt and Sophie – are engaged and proud parents to two children who are four and one. Matt first gained recognition for his role as Alex in Channel 4’s Misfits, which paved the way for roles in The Village and the third series of The Musketeers.

In 2018, he starred as Luke in the TV series Bodyguard, alongside his future wife Sophie who played Vicky Budd in the BBC thriller. The couple also shared screen time in Sky One’s Jamestown and the film Rose, penned by Matt himself.

Matt took on the role of Gawain in Netflix’s original series Cursed and the contentious character Raoul Moat in The Hunt for Raoul Moat. He’s also appeared in films such as Hollow and Outlaw King, and lent his voice to several Final Fantasy video games.

Jacqueline Boatswain – Sarah Mackie

Jacqueline Boatswain brings to life local politician Sarah Mackie in After the Flood, boasting an impressive resume in both television and film. Audiences may recognise Jacqueline from her roles as Mima Blodwen in Carnival Row, Victoria in Wolfblood, and Patreesha St Rose in Shameless.

Fans of Grange Hill will also recall her memorable portrayal of headmistress Mrs Bassinger from 2003 to 2006 in the popular BBC teen drama. She later joined the Hollyoaks cast as Simone Loveday, a role she held from 2015 until 2019.

More recently, Jacqueline graced an episode of The Good Ship Murder and shared the screen with After The Flood co-star Sophie Rundle in The Diplomat.

Alun Armstrong – Alan Benson

Alun Armstrong is joining After the Flood series two as Alan Benson. Alun, 79, is known for roles such as Cardinal Jinette in Van Helsing, Mornay in Braveheart, Baltus Hafez in The Mummy Returns, and the High Constable from Sleepy Hollow.

Other roles include Gary Jackson in Sherwood, John Southouse in Garrow’s Law and Brian Lane in New Tricks – to name a few.

Ian Puleston-Davies – Tony Rower

Ian Puleston-Davies is joining After the Flood series two as Tony Rower. Ian, 65, is best known for playing Owen Armstrong in Coronation Street from 2010 to 2015.

Other roles include Terry Williams in Hollyoaks from 1995 to 1996, Jimmy in EastEnders in 1998, Mick Glover in The Bill, Phil Wiley in I’m Alan Partridge, Charlie Fisher in Waterloo Road, Peter Cullen in Marcella, Arthur Pennyworth in Pennyworth, Brian in The Teacher, Supt. Ross Beardsmore in D.I. Ray, Terry McGregor in The Bay and Eric in The Responder.

After the Flood returns on Sunday, 18 January, airing weekly on Sundays and Mondays on ITV. All episodes are available on ITVX.

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

Northampton: Ramm; Todaro, Freeman, Dingwall (capt), Sleightholme; Belleau, Mitchell; Iyogun, Smith, Davison, Munga, Van der Mescht, Kemeny, Graham, Pollock.

Replacements: Wright, Fischetti, Millar-Mills, Lockett, Chick, McParland, Pater, Hendy.

Scarlets: J Davies; Mee, James, Hawkins, Murray; Costelow, Hughes; Mathias, Elias, Thomas, Douglas, Ball, Plumtree, Macleod (capt), Anderson.

Replacements: Van der Merwe, Hepburn, O’Connor, Taylor, Davis, G Davies, Page, Lewis.

Sin-bin: Mathias (35 mins)

Electoral commission says two parties aligned with President Patrice Talon win all 109 seats in the assembly.

President Patrice Talon’s ruling alliance has won full control of Benin’s National Assembly in legislative elections, according to provisional results.

The electoral commission said on Saturday night that of the five parties running in the January 11 vote, only the Progressive Union for Renewal and the Republican Bloc – both aligned with Talon – won seats in the assembly.

The Progressive Union for Renewal will have 60 MPs while the Republican Bloc will have 49.

According to a new electoral code, a party must obtain 20 percent of the national vote and 20 percent in each of the 24 electoral districts to be eligible for seat allocation.

The main opposition party, The Democrats, won about 16 percent of the vote and failed to reach the threshold.

The results strengthen the presidential bloc’s hand going into the presidential election in April, in which 67-year-old Talon, who has ruled the country for a decade, is barred from standing again by term limits.

His handpicked successor, Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni, is expected to succeed him. The Democrats, meanwhile, are barred from standing in the presidential polls after failing to gather enough signatures to register.

The same rule sidelined them from local elections that were held alongside last week’s legislative polls.

“These results confirm the struggle that [The Democrats] party has been waging for about two years,” Guy Mitokpe, spokesperson for The Democrats, said, according to The Associated Press news agency.

“We denounced this electoral code, saying that it heavily favoured parties aligned with the president. It’s an exclusionary electoral code. As proof, we won’t have a candidate in the presidential election, and we were excluded from the municipal elections.”

Turnout in last weekend’s elections was 36.7 percent, officials said, roughly on par with the 37 percent in the last legislative polls in 2023.

The legislative vote took place weeks after a deadly military coup attempt to overthrow Talon, which lasted a few hours on December 7 before authorities announced it had been foiled.

Under a November constitutional reform, the presidential term was extended to seven years with a two-term limit.

Venezuelanalysis editor Ricardo Vaz joined Steve Grumbine on the Macro N Cheese podcast to take a broader look at the Bolivarian Revolution and its historical context.

The discussion included the revolutionary advances under Hugo Chávez, including communes and the path to socialism, as well as an analysis of the struggle for sovereignty in Venezuela’s oil industry.

Source: Macro N Cheese

Speculation has been rife that Zoe Ball is being lined up to take over Strictly Come Dancing as host following the exit of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman – and now she has hinted this may well be what will happen this year

Zoe Ball has confirmed she would “love” to host Strictly Come Dancing following the shock exit of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman last year. The 55-year-old radio and TV host is a firm favourite to take over hosting duties on the long-running BBC dance show.

However, Zoe has also warned that whoever does end up taking the reigns from Tess and Claudia will have big shoes to fill. It is not as though Zoe is unfamiliar with Strictly, however, as she was a contestant herself during season three back in 2005 and hosted spin-off show Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two from 2011 until 2020 – and even stood in to host the main show in 2014.

Speculation has been rife that Zoe could take over as main host – thanks, in part, to her strong association with the hit BBC show. And after she recently quit her Saturday Radio 2 show, fans have noted that her weekends are now free to take over the TV show.

READ MORE: Man who struggled to lose weight sheds 7 stone and gets abs after spotting Instagram ad READ MORE: Strictly’s Shirley Ballas ‘grateful’ as she shares update after hospital visit

Opening up to The Sunday Times Style Magazine, she gushed: “Obviously there’s part of me that would love to do it. I love that show. I loved performing on it with Ian Waite, who is one of my best buddies. It’s so joyful.”

However, she did add: “It’s live telly, which is another thing that people don’t give the girls enough credit for. That show is a beast. Whoever gets to do it has a tough act to follow.’

Zoe’s teasing comments come hot on the heels of remarks from her father, broadcaster Johnny Ball, who suggested his daughter would be a shoe-in for the job. And he even suggested she would be even better at the role than outgoing stars Tess and Claudia.

He told the Express last month: “Nothing’s going to be decided until after Easter, but she’s in the mix, and people are coming to her, but it’s too early to say.” And he added: “I think she would love it, I think she would love the job because she took over from Claudia on It Takes Two, and if anything, she did a better job than Claudia.”

Johnny’s update comes after Zoe stoked speculation she will host Strictly when she shared a horoscope message on Instagram that promised big changes for Sagittarians in 2026. The post stated: “It will be a powerful year for you. There’s a lot of newness and freshness coming into your life. There’s a lot to feel and heal.”

The caption continued: “You’re clearing a lot of old karma this year, karma that is older than you in this life, karma that encompasses much larger cycles of who you are. You are being asked to find your way back home, to where you belong within yourself.”

And it concluded: “This year wants you to unlearn so many things and meet yourself in an organic and raw way, without any filters or glitters, just to experience yourself clean and clear.”

Last year, Strictly fans were blindsided when Tess and Claudia abruptly quit the scandal-hit show in the middle of the 2025 season. The duo suddenly announced that they planned to walk away from the show after decades of service, stating it was “the right time” to leave – after the show had been rocked by years of affair scandals and behind-the-scenes abuse claims.

After hosting their last ever show at Christmas last year, Tess took to social media to express her gratitude for being able to helm the show since it first launched in 2004 until the end of 2025. She wrote: “Strictly is a show that is made with love, where joy is the currency and the only agenda. That love is down to every single member of the brilliant team that makes it, because to none of them is it just a job. It is a gift, and it is truly treasured.”

Sir Bruce Forsyth was her original co-host when the show first began – and scandal risked engulfing the family friendly weekend show since the first season. It has long been claimed there is a “curse” on the show that destroys marriages and relationships.

Many contestants that have appeared on the show over the years have ditched their wives, husbands or partners to run off with professional dance stars. While in more recent years, darker stories of backstage attacks have leaked – with allegations and confirmation that some dance professionals physically attacked their celebrity co stars when tensions exploded behind the scenes of the squeaky clean image show.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

MEET Metz. It’s a French city you may not have heard of – but with impressive history, great food, and world-beating stained glass and art, it’s worth putting on your radar.  

It has Luxembourg and Germany as neighbours and has been at Europe’s crossroads since Roman times.

My discovery began with checking in at the surreal Maison Heler Metz hotel, part of Hilton’s characterful Curio Collection.  

Designed by French architect Philippe Starck, the nine-storey monolith-style building is topped with an incongruous silver house designed like a traditional 19th-century Metz home. 

The 104-room hotel, described as a “habitable work of art” by Starck, opened in March and feels like walking into one of the more leftfield episodes of Channel 4’s Grand Designs. 

Its theme is the story of fictional character Manfred Heler, an inventor who lives alone in a grand 19th-century home – meticulous, contemplative and obsessed with new technology. 

SUN UP

Spanish city with 3,000 hours of sunshine a year is 3 hours away & pints are £2.17

CITY SIGHTS

Our favourite ways to spend a day in five cities that you can get to for £35

Public areas are decorated with brown wood, stained glass and surreal  photographs of men wearing masks. It’s a feast for the eyes. 

French and fabulous 

Room decor is minimalist and functional, featuring brown leather, exposed concrete and moody lighting. 

Nearly half of the wall space in my suite was taken up by huge windows overlooking the city centre.  

The bathroom, with ultra-modern sink and walk-in shower, is hidden behind a sliding mirror. It’s a bit like washing in a very expensive cupboard.  

In fact, it felt more like a sanctuary than a hotel room and, at bedtime, thick curtains can be pulled over the giant windows leaving the room totally dark. 

Up on the ninth floor, restaurant La Maison de Manfred – styled as the family dining room in the whimsical house Monsieur Heler inherited from his  parents – serves an exciting, non-conformist menu. 

Expect everything from zesty ceviche and grilled octopus, to delicious Argentinian ribeye steak with chimichurri sauce. If weather permits, there’s also a balcony for drinks, with  grandstand views across the city. 

This is definitely a one-off hotel experience and I enjoyed every minute of my stay. 

Heading out to explore, I started at Centre Pompidou-Metz, the younger sibling of the contemporary art museum Centre Pompidou in Paris.  

The latter recently closed for renovation, so the curators at Metz have been able to pick from the massive Paris collection and create a remarkable exhibition. 

Opened in 2010, the building –  inspired by a woman’s hat – is only a short walk from the hotel (from £6pp, see centrepompidou-metz.fr/en). 

Next on my itinerary was the 800-year-old gothic Cathedral of Saint Stephen,  completed in 1552 after a 300-year build – but it has continued to be worked on over the past 500 years. 

Nicknamed La Lanterne du Bon Dieu (the Good Lord’s lantern), the church has the largest expanse of stained glass – mostly Renaissance – in the world, totalling nearly 70,000 sq ft of amazing glazing (free, £4.50pp for crypt and tower). 

Another fascinating selling point is that Metz, which straddles the Moselle river in north-east France, has considerable German architecture as it was annexed by its neighbours after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War. 

The new “owners” also changed all the street names before handing the city back after the Allies’ victory in World War One. 

But Metz was again seized, this time by the Nazis, during World War Two before it reverted to France in 1945. 

History lesson over, I strolled to the Brasserie Le Arts et Metiers for dinner – a meal that was very French and fabulous. 

To start, I had a fresh and vibrant shrimp-and-crab tartare served with yoghurt and dill – delicious smeared on freshly baked bread. 

I could not resist a main of classic Confit Duck with roasted new potatoes.

What makes this dish extra-special is that the duck leg is cured in salt, garlic and herbs before being cooked in its own fat. 

It’s a rich, unctuous recipe which pairs perfectly with potatoes of any kind. 

For dessert, I had my first Rum Baba. When I saw the small, spongy cake covered with syrup and booze and topped with whipped cream, the poor thing did not stand a chance (brasseriemetz.com). 

You may not have heard of Metz, but it’s the surreal deal for a city break with a difference. 

Jan. 16 (UPI) — Virginia voters will have the final say on a proposed congressional redistricting in the commonwealth after the state Senate passed a redistricting amendment Friday.

A majority of Virginia voters must approve of the amendment to the commonwealth’s constitution during an election to be held in the spring.

Virginia Democrats say the change is needed to counter redistricting efforts initiated by Republicans in Texas and Democrats in California, the Virginia Mercury reported.

Republicans call the move an effort to seize power and bypass the will of Virginia voters, who voted to establish the commonwealth’s independent redistricting commission in 2020.

The resolution’s sponsor, Del. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico, said the amendment creates a “narrow, temporary exception” for congressional redistricting.

That exception would occur while the Democratic Party holds 21 Virginia Senate seats to 19 for Republicans, and 64 House of Delegates seats to the GOP’s 36.

If voters approve the measure, it would allow Virginia to redraw its congressional districts, but not its commonwealth districts, whenever another state engages in redistricting beyond the traditional 10-year cycle or in response to a court order.

The proposed change would enable commonwealth lawmakers to revise Virginia’s congressional districts instead of its bipartisan redistricting commission.

Democrats hold six of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts and want to gain three or four more via redistricting.

If approved by voters, the measure, House Joint Resolution 4, would expire in 2030, thereby requiring a similar action if future legislatures want to redraw Virginia’s congressional districts in response to redistricting efforts elsewhere.

The Virginia Department of Elections shows several special local elections, but no statewide elections are scheduled ahead of the commonwealth’s June 16 primary for U.S. Senate, House and local offices.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has deployed a military radar in the Somali region of Puntland as part of a secret deal, amid Abu Dhabi’s ongoing entrenchment of its influence over the region’s security affairs.

According to the London-based news outlet Middle East Eye, sources familiar with the matter told it that the UAE had installed a military radar near Bosaso airport in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region earlier this year, with one unnamed source saying that the “radar’s purpose is to detect and provide early warning against drone or missile threats, particularly those potentially launched by the Houthis, targeting Bosaso from outside”.

The radar’s presence was reportedly confirmed by satellite imagery from early March, which found that an Israeli-made ELM-2084 3D Active Electronically Scanned Array Multi-Mission Radar had indeed been installed near Bosaso airport.

READ: UAE: The scramble for the Horn of Africa

Not only does the radar have the purpose of defending Puntland and its airport from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, but air traffic data reportedly indicates it also serves to facilitate the transport of weapons, ammunition, and supplies to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), further fuelling the ongoing civil war in Sudan.

“The UAE installed the radar shortly after the RSF lost control of most of Khartoum in early March”, one source said. Another source was cited as claiming that the radar was deployed at the airport late last year and that Abu Dhabi has used it on a daily basis to supply the RSF, particularly through large cargo planes that frequently carry weapons and ammunition, and which sometimes amount to up to five major shipments at a time.

According to two other Somali sources cited by the report, Puntland’s president Said Abdullahi Deni did not seek approval from Somalia’s federal government nor even the Puntland parliament for the installation of the radar, with one of those sources stressing that it was “a secret deal, and even the highest levels of Puntland’s government, including the cabinet, are unaware of it”.

READ: UAE under scrutiny over alleged arms shipments to Sudan

Benicio del Toro doesn’t have a phone charger handy. But he can tell you the source of his own private one battle after another, and I think every parent can relate.

I’m Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of The Envelope newsletter. A third Trader Joe’s coming to Santa Monica? And there’s a Von’s next door, so they’ll be sharing a parking lot? Sounds about right.

Let’s do a last ranking of the best picture contenders 10 days out from Oscar nominations. RIP “Wicked: For Good.”

The actors, directors and producers guilds have weighed in with their picks for the best of 2025, though, as always, their slates reflect an American sensibility at odds with the motion picture academy’s global membership. “F1” as one of the year’s best movies? That’s a whole lotta love, PGA. Will it translate to an Oscar nom?

Falling out of the rankings since Nov. 3: “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Wicked: For Good”

10. “The Secret Agent” (Unranked)

This last slot is truly anyone’s guess. “F1”? It’s going to pick up Oscar nods for film editing, sound and visual effects. Maybe that below-the-line love catapults it. “Weapons”? It earned a PGA slot too, even with writer-director Zach Cregger off filming “Resident Evil,” removing him from the awards circuit. “Blue Moon”? “It never entered my mind,” but maybe. I’m going to stick to my belief that the academy’s overseas contingent will come through in a historic fashion this year, nominating three non-English language films, including Kleber Mendonça Filho’s resonant drama.

9. “It Was Just an Accident” (7)

Here’s the second international entry. Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or-winning thriller possesses a withering critique of the cruelty and corruption of an authoritarian regime, combined with a blistering sense of humor. Panahi didn’t receive a DGA nom, but I still think he’ll earn a nomination from the academy’s directors branch, putting this movie on solid ground for best picture.

8. “Train Dreams” (Unranked)

Clint Bentley’s haunting adaptation of the Denis Johnson novella was among the producers guild’s 10 best picture nominees, following similar success with the National Board of Review, the American Film Institute and the Film Independent Spirit Awards. It entered the season behind Netflix’s high-profile contenders — Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly,” Kathryn Bigelow’s “A House of Dynamite” and Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” — and became the year’s slow-burn, word-of-mouth favorite. What a terrific story.

7. “Bugonia” (9)

(Atsushi Nishijima/Focus Features)

On the first set of power rankings after the September fall festivals, I put “Bugonia” at No. 10, almost as a placeholder. “Something will knock it out,” was my thinking. I moved it up to No. 9 last time around and now, from all appearances, it looks like Yorgos Lanthimos (“Poor Things,” “The Favourite”) will have a third best picture nominee with this darkly funny master class in misanthropy.

6. “Sentimental Value” (4)

Joachim Trier’s family drama felt like the kind of beautifully made, down-the-middle movie for grownups that would go far this awards season. It even had a dash of film industry satire, poking fun at Netflix, the monolith on everyone’s minds these days. And it has done fine. But the fact that it couldn’t land a single nomination with SAG-AFTRA voters, not even for Stellan Skarsgård’s charming turn as the irascible family patriarch, tells us to temper expectations.

5. “Frankenstein” (8)

Clearly people like Guillermo del Toro’s monster movie a lot more than I do. Part of it is that people just dig Del Toro, a movie fanboy who goes out of his way to boost film culture. His directors guild nomination portends similar recognition at the Oscars, and the film itself could wind up with as many as 10 nominations. Some of these will be clearly in the spirit of rewarding work that is the “most” and not the “best,” an academy tradition that will never go away.

4. “Hamnet” (2)

(Agata Grzybowska/Focus Features)

So many tears. So many film festival audience awards. And yet Chloé Zhao’s tender drama about love and loss and the cathartic power of art seems destined to win just one Oscar — lead actress Jessie Buckley.

3. “Marty Supreme” (5)

It’s done well at the box office. Its director Josh Safdie scored a nod with his branch. And it did well with SAG-AFTRA voters, earning noms for cast and actors Timothée Chalamet and Odessa A’zion. Fire up the blimp and get Chalamet that Oscar.

2. “Sinners” (3)

Three movies hold the record for most Oscar nominations in a single year, 14 — “La La Land,” “Titanic” and “All About Eve.” Ryan Coogler’s genre-defying “Sinners” appears poised to break that record, notching 15. And that’s not even really wish-casting any categories. Follow with me and take off your socks and shoes if you need help counting: Picture, director, lead actor Michael B. Jordan, supporting actress Wunmi Mosaku, Coogler’s original screenplay, casting, cinematography, costume design, film editing, makeup and hair, production design, score, the original song “I Lied to You,” sound and visual effects. You could also make a case for Miles Caton, nominated for an Actor Award for his turn as young blues musician Sammie and no one would give you any side-eye.

So why isn’t “Sinners” No. 1 on this list? Because “One Battle After Another” exists. What a year for Warner Bros. (Makes that “Sentimental Value” story line all the more cutting.)

1. “One Battle After Another” (1)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s electrifying epic seems set for a pretty good Oscar nominations morning too, probably netting a baker’s dozen. It also set a Screen Actors Guild Awards (a.k.a. The Actors) record, earning seven nominations. It’s in great shape, even if that “Sinners” haul indicates that this race might be a close one.

WASHINGTON — Exercising for the first time the line-item veto authority that presidents have sought for more than a century, President Clinton on Monday struck three provisions from the sweeping tax and spending measures that he signed last week.

The historic action, which gave the president long-coveted control over Congress’ constitutionally enshrined power of the purse, provoked angry responses from some Republicans, but could save taxpayers $600 million over five years.

“The actions I take today will save the American people hundreds of millions of dollars . . . and send a signal that the Washington rules have changed for good,” Clinton said at an Oval Office ceremony. “From now on, presidents will be able to say ‘no’ to wasteful spending or tax loopholes, even as they say ‘yes’ to vital legislation. Special interests will not be able to play the old game of slipping a provision into a massive bill in the hope no one will notice.”

The Republican-led Congress passed the line-item veto authority–which for the first time allows a president to strike down a single legislative provision rather than an entire bill–early last year as a presidential weapon against wasteful spending, but it did not take effect until January. In June, the Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the veto on a technicality; another court challenge to the new executive authority is virtually certain.

Clinton deleted the following provisions from the two measures:

* A one-year tax haven for the easily portable profits that financial-services firms–like investment companies and brokerage houses–make in their foreign subsidiaries. Clinton argued that the provision was too broad and could allow the companies to inappropriately shelter dividend and interest income.

* A special-interest tax break allowing individuals to defer taxes on profits they make from selling food processing plants to farmers cooperatives, organizations owned by farmers. The president charged that although he wants to support efforts by small farmers to profit from the processing of their crops, the provision was drafted too broadly and could inordinately benefit large agribusinesses.

* An element in the spending measure that would have allowed one state, New York, to continue to tax health care providers to cover a portion of its costs for the Medicaid health insurance program for low-income, elderly and disabled Americans. The president struck this provision because it gave a break to one state while it immediately disadvantaged several others and had the potential to disadvantage all the other states.

Some Republican members of Congress assailed Clinton for vetoing provisions of the two measures that made up the so-called balanced-budget agreement, which was painstakingly negotiated between the White House and Congress over several months.

“Disappointment and surprise are the usual side effects of having been blindsided, and today’s line-item veto announcement is no exception,” said Christina Martin, spokeswoman for House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.).

But as longtime supporters of the line-item veto, other congressional Republicans chose muted responses to the first exercise of the authority.

“Everyone knows that I fought for years to give the line-item veto authority to the president of the United States,” Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) said in a statement. “I’m a firm supporter of the process, and as part of that process, Congress now has a period of time to review the president’s cancellations and make the decision on whether to move to disapprove them.”

Despite the grumbling, White House officials said they do not expect Congress to actually vote to override the president’s first use of the line-item veto.

“Many Republicans have, along with the president, championed the line-item veto,” said Gene Sperling, who heads the president’s National Economic Council. “It would seem to make little sense for them to want to stake themselves out as opponents of the line-item veto.”

Some congressional supporters of the veto expressed concern that the president first aimed his veto pen at tax and entitlement spending measures in the carefully cobbled together tax and spending legislation rather than at the traditionally pork-laden appropriations bills scheduled to reach his desk this autumn.

“In his rush for expediency, I fear the president has risked the future of this important budget-cutting tool,” complained Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a big supporter of the line-item veto.

Supporters of the targeted veto believe that there is a stronger case for its use on spending items. Until 1974, when Congress stripped presidents of the power to “impound” money, presidents regularly refused to spend money that had been appropriated by Congress. Because there is no similar precedent for the excising of specific tax provisions, some supporters and experts believe that such an exercise of the new veto authority may be more vulnerable to court challenges.

Clinton and his advisors defended his decision to act now, although there was been some internal disagreement about whether to wait for the appropriations bills.

“I expect the most glaring examples to come up in the appropriations process,” Clinton told reporters. However, Clinton said he hopes his use of the veto now will discourage lawmakers from putting costly special-interest provisions into the spending bills in the first place.

It is just this deterrent effect that legal scholars argue makes the line-item veto provision ripe for constitutional challenge.

“By touting its efficacy as a deterrent, the president is underscoring the way it distorts the constitutional process,” said Laurence H. Tribe, a constitutional law professor at Harvard University.

Tribe is one of many legal and political scholars who believe that the line-item veto authority is unconstitutional and will likely be overturned by the Supreme Court as early as next summer. Several members of Congress have already challenged the new executive tool. In April, a federal district court judge found in their favor, ruling that the measure offset the balance of powers established in the Constitution. But the Supreme Court in June rejected the case on appeal, saying that the plaintiffs–six members of Congress–lacked standing.

But at least one of the parties aggrieved by Clinton’s vetoes is sure to sue and would have standing, experts predicted.

“In a society as litigious as ours, the idea that none of the aggrieved parties wanted to sue would be almost unimaginable,” Tribe said.

Clinton, a former teacher of constitutional law, argues that the line-item authority can withstand the constitutional challenge.

“As long as the legislature has the right to override the executive. . . . I do not believe it is an unconstitutional delegation of the legislature’s authority to the president,” he said.

Congress can override each of the president’s line-item vetoes with a two-thirds majority vote.

Clinton also noted that in 43 states, governors have some form of line-item veto authority. “It has been upheld in state after state [and] the provisions of most state constitutions are similar to the provisions of the federal Constitution in the general allocation of executive authority and legislative authority,” Clinton said.

The first president to ask Congress for line-item veto authority was Ulysses S. Grant in 1873. Other presidents who were big supporters of the power included Rutherford B. Hayes, Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald R. Ford and Ronald Reagan.

In recent decades, congressional Republicans, who were in the minority in the House for 40 years, were fervent advocates of the line-item veto authority.

“They were all anxious to have it to provide a Republican president with that kind of power against a Democratic Congress,” said Charles Jones, a political scientist from the University of Wisconsin. “It’s ironic that here a Democratic president gets to use it against a Republican Congress.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

A Stroke of the Pen

Wielding power sought by presidents for generations, President Clinton on Monday exercised the line-item veto:

VETOED ITEMS

* Medicaid spending provision benefiting New York state. SAVINGS: $200 million

* A special-interest tax break allowing individuals to defer taxes on profits they make from selling food processing plants to farmers cooperatives. SAVINGS: $98 million

* Deferral for financial services companies on taxes incurred by overseas subsidiaries. SAVINGS: $317 million

****

HOW IT WORKS

The law allows the president to veto new spending and some tax cuts, principally those aimed at fewer than 100 beneficiaries. Congress has 30 days to overturn the vetoes by a two-thirds majority vote in each house.

****

WHAT’S NEXT

* A court challenge is considered likely.

* More line-item vetoes are possible as appropriation bills begin arriving on Clinton’s desk.

“The actions . . . send a signal that the Washington rules have changed for good.”

–President Clinton

Bristol: Rees-Zammit; Heward, Janse van Rensburg, Williams, Ravouvou; Jordan, Randall; Genge, Oghre, Kloska, Rubiolo, Batley, S Grondona, Harding (capt), Mata.

Replacements: Thacker, Lahiff, Halliwell, Owen, B Grondona, Marmion, Worsley, Moroni.

Bordeaux: Buros; Penaud, Depoortere, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Page-Relo; Poirot, Lamothe (capt), Sadie, Palu, Coleman, Du Preez, Woki, Matiu.

Replacements: Sa, Boniface, Tameifuna, Cazeaux, Vergnes-Taillefer, Carbery, Janse van Rensburg, Rayasi.

WHEN you think of visiting London, Bromley might not be the first place in mind – but that’s all about to change.

Major musician David Bowie grew up in Bromley at 4 Plaistow Grove and that address is now set to become a major tourist attraction.

The singer’s childhood home, where he lived from age eight to 20, will be restored and open to the public in late 2027.

The Heritage of London Trust acquired the property, which is where Bowie wrote his smash hit Space Oddity.

And when it reopens to the public, the “two up, two down” railway workers’ cottage will be a space for creative and skills workshops for young people.

The layout will be exactly as it was when Bowie lived there.

Read more on travel inspo

TAKING OFF

I’ve visited 50 countries & this much-loathed budget airline is the world’s best

ALL IN

I found the best value all inclusive London hotel… just £55pp with free food & booze

The focal point of the experience, though, will be Bowie’s bedroom, which will measure 2.74 metres by 3.04 metres.

It is rumoured that the project will cost around £1million.

Nearby is also the Edwardian ‘Bowie bandstand’, where he performed as a young musician in 1969.

Dr Nicola Stacey, director of Heritage of London Trust, said: “David Bowie was a proud Londoner.

“Even though his career took him all over the world, he always remembered where he came from and the community that supported him as he grew up.

“It’s wonderful to have this opportunity to tell his story and inspire a new generation of young people and it’s really important for the heritage of London to preserve this site.”

Caitlin Moran, journalist, broadcaster and author said: “The most exciting place for any fan to visit is their hero’s teenage bedroom – because that’s the cocoon where they built themselves.

“All the world-changing started there.

“The chance for us all to walk through a newly-opened door, and see the suburban launch-pad from which David Bowie almost literally took off into space is beyond thrilling.”

Bowie wasn’t the only famous artist to come out of Bromley though.

Actress Julie Andrews was also born in the borough and is known for Mary Poppins (1964) and being the lead role in The Sound of Music (1965).

Singer Pixie Lott was born in the borough back in 1991 and since has had three albums reach the top 10.

If you want to explore other spots in the area, there is also the Chislehurst Caves.

The caves were originally dug out for chalk, which was used in lime burning and brick-making.

They then first opened to the public in 1900 and guides told Victorians history about the Romans, Druids and Saxons.

Then, over the following century, the caves were used for numerous different purposes including munitions storage for the Woolwich Arsenal in the First World War, mushroom growing in the 1920s and 1930s, and then it became an underground town and the largest air-raid shelter outside of London.

After this and until the 1970s, the caves were used as a venue for dances and concerts.

Today, they are currently a tourist attraction and education centre.

Tickets must be purchased on arrival and cost £9.50 per person.

Bromley is also home to a number of hotels and cosy pubs, including The George which serves pub classics including steak pie for £19.75 and fish and chips also for £19.75.

And it is considered one of London’s greenest boroughs, with over 100 parks and open spaces.

For example, you could head to High Elms Country Park, which sprawls out across 100 hectares and features woodlands, a nature centre, gardens and walking trails.

Bromley was also named one of the most peaceful spots to live in England.

Property company Sell House Fast considered a number of factors such as low noise levels, minimal light pollution and limited environmental disruption.

It was found that Bromley has darker skies than the rest of London and some of the lowest greenhouse emissions in England.

David Bowie fans can also check out the 8,000-year-old UK caves where he and the Rolling Stones performed – each visit costs just £8.

Plus, ‘world’s strangest place’ is a UK adventure park that’s a cross between Alice and Wonderland and a David Bowie movie.

The UK decision to ban supporters of Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv from a match against Aston Villa last year sparked such intense backlash that the West Midlands Police Chief Craig Guildford has stepped down. A gov’t report concluded inaccuracies and ‘bias’ factored into the police’s decision to ban fans, even though they had acted violently in Amsterdam.

Following the season 2 finale of Landman, a title card tribute was shared to Judy Ann Prachyl.

Landman season two has just come to an end on Paramount Plus and the Taylor Sheridan series included plenty of twists for Billy Bob Thornton’s character, Tommy Norris.

As the series, which has already been renewed for a third season, drew to a close, a title card appeared in memory of Judy Ann Prachyl and fans are keen to find out more about her role in the show.

Judy died on December 18, 2025 and she was a self-confessed fan of the Yellowstone series and Sheridan himself.

She was described in the series as the “nursing home OG” and she was from Weatherford, Texas, like Sheridan and his Bosque Ranch.

In an obituary shared online, a special mention is made of Sheridan’s wife Nicole, suggesting she was personally connected to the family.

While she did not have an acting role in Landman, she holds a place in the hearts of Sheridan and his family, as well as the wider Texas community.

The online tribute shared how Judy retired from Weatherford Independent School District where she worked in administration.

She also worked as a volunteer at St Stephen Catholic Church and often took part in church events and services.

Judy was “known for her vibrant personality and beautiful smile” and the obituary said her “spirit will continue to inspire those she leaves behind, and her impact on her community will forever be felt”.

Referencing Sheridan’s wife, it went on to say: “The family would like to give a special heart-filled thanks to Nicole Sheridan, Traci Werne-Morrison and Johnny Holt for the love and care they had for Judy during the last few years.”

The Landman season two finale also highlighted some significant turning points for the characters, with Tommy turning his attention to a solo venture.

For fans of the series, the tribute to Judy offered a look into the personal side of the show’s creative process.

Even though Judy was not involved in the show in any way, the tribute clearly meant a great deal to Sheridan and his team.

The series will return to Paramount Plus with season three in the near future.

Landman airs on Paramount Plus

With Bill Clinton scheduled to occupy the White House in January, the two Democrats newly elected to Congress from San Diego County said Wednesday they will press for federal dollars to replace the thousands of defense jobs that have been lost in the area with civilian jobs.

San Diego City Councilman Bob Filner and Port Commissioner Lynn Schenk, both Democrats, were still basking in their Election Day victories, but they had already plotted out a similar agenda for their first 100 days in Washington.

“Simply put, it’s jobs,” Filner said. “San Diego needs jobs. Lynn and I have good connections in the party, and we hope to use them to bring jobs and business investment to San Diego.”

Schenk is the first woman elected to Congress from San Diego County.

The election of Filner and Schenk means the county’s congressional delegation will now be made up of two Democrats and three Republicans. The Republicans, all incumbents, were returned to Washington on Tuesday.

GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter got a wake-up call of sorts from the voters in the 52nd District. The seven-term congressman beat his Democratic challenger Janet M. Gastil by 10 percentage points, 52% to 42%. But in his last two elections Hunter trounced his opponents by winning 73% and 74% of the vote in 1990 and 1988, respectively.

Gastil ran an aggressive campaign against Hunter, constantly hammering him with television and radio ads that criticized him for the 407 overdrafts totaling $129,225 that he wrote on his U.S. House bank account.

Schenk, who won in the 49th District, and Filner, who won in the 50th District, said they would work to make sure that San Diego is not left out of Clinton’s $50-billion reinvestment plan for America’s cities.

San Diego’s defense and aerospace industries have been hard-hit, both by the recession and the downsizing of the military. About 7,000 jobs have been lost in these industries over the past three years.

“The defense industry is very important to San Diego,” Schenk said. “We cannot allow the President and Congress to wipe out the industry here and not replace it with meaningful jobs in the civilian sector. . . . San Diego is an area where we can look to environmental technology as a future job-producing base.”

“Economic conversion to get the defense industry to move to domestic production is a top priority,” Filner said. “But the No. 1 priority for me will be to get our shipbuilding industry moving. I believe that if we can get Nassco (National Steel & Shipbuilding Co.) moving in the double-hull tanker market, we can turn the economy around in San Diego.”

The Nassco shipyard, which is in Filner’s district, is the only privately owned shipyard left on the West Coast. The company relies almost exclusively on Navy repair and shipbuilding contracts, but Nassco executives said they hope to capture some of the double-hull market.

A new federal law requires U.S. oil tankers to be converted to double hulls beginning next year.

Filner’s margin of victory was almost 2 to 1, 57% to 29%, over his Republican challenger, Tony Valencia. That is larger than the 16% registration edge that Democrats have in the district.

Schenk’s victory was not as certain. She won in a district where Republicans have a 4% registration edge, 43% to 39%. Schenk trailed during the early returns but rebounded and won the race by 10 percentage points over GOP challenger Judy Jarvis.

Hunter was unavailable for comment Wednesday. Campaign officials said he had decided to travel throughout the district to thank voters who returned him to office.

A bitter Gastil said she had not ruled out another challenge to the ultra-conservative Hunter in 1994. The former La Mesa school board member and orchard owner was still smarting from what she said were Hunter’s “sleazy campaign tactics.”

Gastil complained that Hunter misled voters when he alleged in his campaign literature that she supported a 10-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax and that she favored eliminating the military. Hunter’s ads also labeled her as a liberal who would eliminate jobs.

“He sent out a mailer saying that I wanted to eliminate the military,” Gastil said. “That was the first time it hit me like a ton of bricks that the man was telling outright lies. . . . I saw in the final days of the campaign a man desperately lying to save his job.”

“It’s too early to have definitive plans, but offhand, I would say that I will definitely challenge him again in 1994,” she added.

They say “a picture is worth a thousand words,” so the photo of St. Francis standout golfer Jaden Soong and 7-foot-4 classmate Cherif Millogo might one day be worth thousands of dollars.

Soong, a sophomore, won the CIF state golf championship as a freshman. There’s little doubt he’s destined to be on the PGA Tour.

Jaden Soong celebrates after winning the Southern California Golf Assn. Amateur Championship at Saticoy Club in Somis in 2024.

(SCGA)

Millogo, a junior, is a rising basketball prospect. USC just offered him a scholarship.

Millogo used to play soccer, so there’s little doubt Soong could teach him to play golf — if he could find clubs long enough for him.

Basketball coach Todd Wolfson, who’s 6-8, might be able to loan him his.

“One day I wish to be as tall as Cherif and as good in golf as Jaden is,” Wolfson said.

Soong is playing in junior tournaments right now and probably won’t join his high school team until March.

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

WHAT could be better than getting out of the cold and into a cosy pub, eating traditional British fare and supping a pint of locally brewed real ale?

It’s even better if you can walk out of the bar and into a room at the inn.

Here, Trisha Harbord selects ten fabulous UK pubs that offer a room and a hearty breakfast from as little as £99 a night.

PUNCH BOWL, CUMBRIA

THIS gorgeous inn, situated next to a quaint parish church in Crosthwaite, helped kick-start the gastro-pub scene in the Lakes 20 years ago.

Produce from the owner’s farm goes into traditional pub food. Overnight guests are treated to cream tea and a full Cumbrian breakfast. The nine boutique-style rooms have beamed ceilings and bathrooms with rainbow showers.

SEE: The nearby 13th century remains of Kendal castle. Get a ferry from Bowness to Hawkshead to visit the Beatrix Potter attraction.

COUNTRY LIVING

Five English villages that will make you feel like you’re in The Holiday

TAKE THE BISCUIT

UK’s real-life ‘gingerbread town’ home to cosy pubs and biscuit festivals

STAY: B&B from £145 a night. Offer until January 27 of a free night’s stay when booking two nights (excluding Saturdays). See the-punchbowl.co.uk.

FELIN FACH GRIFFIN, BRECON BEACONS

IT’S hard to think of getting away from it all in a pub – but the Felin Fach Griffin, near Hay-on-Wye, has limited mobile reception, no televisions in the bedrooms and only wi-fi in the bar.

Diners can choose to eat delicious food with produce from the kitchen garden in the cosy library, quirky tack room or Aga room.

Seven plush en-suite bedrooms in the former flour mill have views of the countryside or mountains.

SEE: The stars as it’s in the middle of the Brecon Beacons National Park, a dark sky reserve. Activities include golf, horse-riding and mountain biking.

STAY: B&B from £182.50 a night. See eatdrinksleep.ltd.uk.

BLIND BULL, PEAK DISTRICT

A Visit England winner, the Blind Bull was also awarded silver Pub of the Year 2025 – a category honouring pubs that make a significant contribution to tourism.

The restored 12th-century inn at Little Hucklow has a bar, a la carte menu, real ales, comfy chairs and open fires. New accommodation includes five luxury en-suite rooms and a cottage. Dogs are welcome too.

SEE: Castleton’s four famous caves and magnificent Chatsworth House, used in many TV productions in- cluding Peaky Blinders and The Crown.

STAY: Re-opens after annual leave on January 28. B&B from £130. See theblindbull.co.uk for more information.

THE CASTLE INN, DORSET

THERE is nothing like a thatched roof to signal cosiness. The Castle Inn in West Lulworth is one of the oldest pubs in Dorset, dating to 1660.

Have a pint of local ale while tucking into classic British food including beer-battered fish and chips. There are 12 boutique ensuite rooms with extra facilities including a mini-fridge and free toiletries.

The pub, which welcomes families and dogs, is the perfect base to explore the stunning Jurassic Coast.

SEE: Beautiful Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door, Lulworth Castle and the Fossil Forest. Lots of adventure including watersports.

STAY: B&B from £99. See butcombe.com/the-castle-inn-dorset.

THE BELL, EAST SUSSEX

BIRCH trees in the rooms, saxophones in the loos and a garden lodge named The House of Madness – they just love being quirky at The Bell in Ticehurst.

The pub dates back to 1560 and nearly 100 years later was licensed to lodge travellers at one penny a bed including food.

It’s still serving up wonderful pub grub and has won AA awards for culinary excellence. There are seven bedrooms, each with their own silver birch for decoration.

SEE: Bedgebury National Pinetum, which has the largest conifer collection in the world; Bewl water, a lake with watersports; and 14th-century Bodiam Castle.

STAY: B&B from £135 a night. See thebellinticehurst.com.

FITZHERBERT ARMS, STAFFS

THIS award-winning pub in Swynnerton has an extensive list of port.

Owners Tim Bird and Mary McLaughlin have even named ten fabulous en-suite rooms – housed in a renovated 100-year-old farmhouse – after ports such as Malvedos and Bomfim.

A mouth-watering menu uses local produce to make classic British food including pies and fish and chips. Mary says: “It’s a proper pub with ales from within a 35-mile radius.”

SEE: The countryside on the dog-friendly pub’s three-and-a-half mile circular walk. Nearby attractions include World Of Wedgwood and Trentham Gardens.

STAY: B&B from £135 a night. See fitzherbertarms.co.uk.

INN AT WHITEWELL, LANCS

COMEDIANS Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon checked in to The Inn At Whitewell for their 2010 TV series The Trip.

The former 16th-century coaching house, which offers great views over the River Hodder, was the first stop on their gourmet tour of the North of England.

Head chef Jamie Cadman has a great reputation, and the pub has a selection of more than 400 wines. There are 26 individually-decorated rooms and a three-bedroom holiday home, all dog-friendly.

SEE: The fells and moorland on a walk from the front door, Clitheroe market and Clitheroe Castle.

STAY: B&B from £160. See innatwhitewell.com.

FLEECE INN, COTSWOLDS

BEST Country Pub at the 2025 Great British Pub Awards is just one of the many awards The Fleece Inn in the village of Bretforton has won.

Landlord Nigel Smith is happy to talk about the 600-year history of the one-time Tudor farmhouse over a pint of one of his real ales.

Enjoy some fantastic food and lively folk nights at the inn, which offers accommodation in the master’s bedroom, cottage or glamping in a caravan.

SEE: Nearby Honeybourne Pottery, National Trust Croome Park and take a 20-mile trip on the GWSR steam railway.

STAY: B&B from £100 a night. See thefleeceinn.co.uk.

LORD CREWE ARMS, NORTHUMBERLAND

Showcasing Northumberland’s producers and breweries, the 12th-century pub in the medieval village of Blanchland even has its own Lord Crewe Brew on tap in the vaulted Crypt Bar.

There’s also a local gin and whiskey.

Menus change throughout the year with lots of comfort food, and the Sunday lunch is regarded as one of the best in the North.

The pub is a great choice for family and friends’ gatherings as there are 26 individually- decorated rooms.

SEE: Stunning landscapes while exploring the North Pennines and Hadrian’s Wall.

STAY: B&B from £204. See lordcrewearmsblanchland.co.uk.

BASSET ARMS, CORNWALL

CHECKING in on the Cornish coast is a real treat. The Basset Arms in Portreath has just been refurbished so, even though it’s an 18th-century building, everything inside is shiny and new.

Cornish specialities such as West Coast mussels and crab are served along with locally brewed ales and spirits. And you can also enjoy a Cornish cream tea. The pub offers three ensuite rooms with Egyptian cotton bedding.

SEE: The golden sands of Carbis Bay Beach, the South West coastal path and travel on the super train journey from St Erth to St Ives.

STAY: B&B from £150. Special winter offer including a two-course dinner from £165. See bassetarms.co.uk

Jan. 16 (UPI) — The Trump administration, backed by a group of eastern-states’ governors, are planning to ask the PJM Interconnection electric grid operator to hold an auction to help boost the power supply strained by data centers and lower prices for consumers.

The emergency power auction would offer 15-year contracts for electricity generation from newly built power plants. Normally, auctions offer one-year contracts to energy companies. The proposed auction would be open to tech companies to help pay for their extra power use.

Trump also wants regulators to put a cap on the amount that existing power plants can charge.

The auction would be let the tech giants pay to fuel their energy-gobbling data centers that process data for artificial intelligence. The cost of electricity generation for data centers is driving up the price of power to consumers. The White House can’t mandate the auction.

PJM Interconnection is the power grid that serves 13 states and Washington, D.C. It serves 65 million people and includes northern Virginia, which is the largest data center market in the world. The money raised would help finance construction of new power plants.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and governors from the mid-Atlantic region are scheduled to announce an agreement Friday to lobby PJM to take these actions, a White House official told CNBC.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the administration is leading an unprecedented bi-partisan effort urging PJM to fix the energy subtraction failures of the past, prevent price increases and reduce the risk of blackouts,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said.

In its most recent auction, PJM was 6 gigawatts short of its reliability requirement for 2027, CNBC said. Six gigawatts is equal to six large nuclear plants.

“Instead of a blackout happening every one in 10 years, we’re looking at something more often,” said Abe Silverman, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University who served as general counsel for New Jersey’s public utility board.

Consumer rates are determined by state regulators, but also by the costs that utilities pay for energy from their plants or at auctions. Rates have risen because of the higher demand from AI and data centers.

The Syrian army is advancing towards Raqqa, the stronghold of the United States-trained, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), after capturing the northern strategic city of Tabqa and its military airport on the Euphrates River in a lightning offensive.

Government forces captured the Euphrates Dam, also known as the Tabqa Dam, about 50km (31 miles) west of Raqqa city, after heavy fighting with SDF forces. Government forces are amassing heavy military equipment in Raqqa governorate, which has been under SDF control since 2015.

Fighting erupted between the army and SDF forces in Aleppo on January 6 after talks aimed at integrating the Kurdish fighters into Syria’s national army stalled. The two sides also clashed last month before a deadline for the SDF to lay down its heavy weapons and hand over control of areas in Aleppo to the national army.

So what’s the latest situation on the ground? Will the offensive by the Syrian army heighten the conflict in northern Syria?

What is the latest from Syria’s northeast?

On Sunday, the Syrian army took control of Tabqa, about 40km (24 miles) west of Raqqa. It also captured the Euphrates Dam, the largest in the country and adjacent to the strategic city, as well as the Freedom Dam, formerly known as the Baath Dam.

Government-allied groups said they have taken control of the Asayish headquarters, the security and police force in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, in the town of Markada while tribal fighters allied with the government have taken control of several major oil- and gasfields in the northeast, including Jafra and Conoco located in Deir Az Zor province bordering Iraq.

The Syrian Petroleum Company said Syrian forces seized the Rasafa and Sufyan oilfields in Raqqa, which could now be returned to production, according to the Reuters news agency.

Syrian state media on Sunday accused the SDF of using drones in areas east of Deir Az Zor, another SDF stronghold in the northeast.

Video clips and live footage published on social media and verified by Al Jazeera show celebrations in the cities of Hajin and al-Shuhayl in the eastern countryside of Deir Az Zor after news of the withdrawal of the SDF from the area. The Deir Az Zor governorate has announced the closure of all public institutions for the safety of residents as fighting continues to rage.

Syrian Ministry of Interior spokesman Noureddine al-Baba told Al Jazeera that police have secured all areas captured by Syrian soldiers after the rapid territorial gains over the past few days.

On Saturday, the SDF withdrew from Deir Hafer and some surrounding villages in Aleppo governorate that are home to predominantly Arab populations, after which Syrian forces moved in, triggering celebrations. Deir Hafer is about 50km (30 miles) east of Aleppo city.

“It happened with the least amount of losses,” Hussein al-Khalaf, a resident of Deir Hafer, told Reuters. “There’s been enough blood in this country, Syria. We have sacrificed and lost enough. People are tired of it.”

The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, affiliated with the SDF, on Saturday accused the Syrian government of violating a withdrawal agreement, saying it “attacked our forces on multiple fronts since yesterday morning”. The SDF also warned that the attacks on Raqqa might threaten security as the city hosts thousands of ISIL (ISIS) detainees.

The US-backed SDF, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, was formed in 2015, nearly four years after the armed uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began. Al-Assad remained in power until he was ousted in December 2024 by Syrian opposition fighters led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is now interim president.

The US envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, will meet SDF leader Mazloum Abdi (also known as Mazloum Kobani) and al-Sharaa on Sunday in Damascus, according to the Syrian Ministry of Information.

The renewed fighting has widened the rift between al-Sharaa’s government, which has pledged to reunify Syria after 14 years of war, and wary Kurdish authorities who distrust the new administration. On Friday al-Sharaa issued a decree declaring Kurdish a “national language” and granting the minority group official recognition.

How significant is the control of Raqqa?

Raqqa is an Arab-majority governorate in northern Syria and has some of the country’s largest oil- and gasfields.

Kurdish anxieties have been sharpened by sectarian bloodshed last year when almost 1,500 Alawites were killed by pro-government forces in western Syria and hundreds of Druze were killed in clashes in the south.

When the Syrian army seized these regions, Arab civilians took to the streets to celebrate.

“This indicated the social and demographic fragility of the SDF. Now the question is, will the SDF see this reality and agree to demands by Damascus to integrate into the Syrian state,” Omer Ozkizilcik from the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs said.

Omar Abu Layla, a Syrian affairs analyst, told Al Jazeera Barrack tried on several occasions to bring the SDF to the negotiating table with the authorities in Damascus but “they didn’t listen to him.”

Abu Layla said the central government made many overtures to the group but the SDF “wasted time”, assuming the authorities in Damascus were weak and allowing nearly a year to pass since an agreement in March that would have seen the SDF’s forces integrated into the regular army.

“What [we] are witnessing now in the region is the end of the SDF,” he argued.

What was the March agreement between the Syrian army and SDF?

On March 10, al-Sharaa reached an agreement with Abdi.

The agreement emphasised the unity of Syria and stipulated that “all civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria” be merged “into the administration of the Syrian state, including border crossings, the airport and oil and gas fields”.

The agreement also included affirmation that the Kurdish people are integral to Syria and have a right to citizenship and guaranteed constitutional rights.

After a breakdown of this deal, heavy fighting between the SDF and Syrian army resumed in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods of Aleppo city last month. A US-brokered ceasefire took effect on January 10.

The SDF’s secular Kurdish leadership is linked to the Kurdish nationalist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which fought a decades-old rebellion against the Turkish state until last year. Although the PKK announced in May that it would lay down its arms and disband, it is still listed as a “terrorist” group by Turkiye, the European Union and the US.

Despite this, the US backed the SDF because it was an effective partner against ISIL, which the SDF and a US-led coalition defeated in northeastern Syria by 2019.

How has the US reacted?

Washington has urged the Syrian army to stop advancing into Kurdish-held territory.

Admiral Brad Cooper, who is in charge of US Central Command, which oversees the US military’s Middle East operations, wrote in a statement published on X that the Syrian army should “cease any offensive actions in areas” between Aleppo city and Tabqa.

Aleppo is roughly 160km (100 miles) west of Tabqa.

“Aggressively pursuing ISIS and relentlessly applying military pressure requires teamwork among Syrian partners in coordination with US and coalition forces,” Cooper said. “A Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors is essential to peace and stability across the region.”

William Laurence, a professor at American University in Washington, DC, and a former US diplomat, said “it’s going to be very difficult” for the US to resolve the political impasse between Syria’s government and the SDF.

“[US President Donald] Trump wants the quick fix, and he wants Tom Barrack to sort of wave a magic wand and get what he wants. But that’s not really how things work,” Laurence told Al Jazeera.

“Sustainable solutions rely on trust-building, and we’ve had very little of that.”

What has al-Sharaa said?

After fierce clashes earlier this month, al-Sharaa issued a decree on Friday formally recognising Kurdish as a “national language” and restoring citizenship to all Kurdish Syrians.

At least 22 people were killed and 173 wounded in Aleppo after fighting broke out there on January 6.

The decree for the first time grants Kurdish Syrians rights, including recognition of their Kurdish identity as part of Syria’s national fabric. It designates Kurdish as a national language alongside Arabic and allows schools to teach it.

It also abolishes measures dating to a 1962 census in Hasakah province that stripped many Kurds of Syrian nationality and grants citizenship to all affected residents, including those previously registered as stateless.

The decree declares Newroz, the Kurdish New Year festival, a paid national holiday. It bans ethnic or linguistic discrimination, requires state institutions to adopt inclusive national messaging and sets penalties for incitement to ethnic strife.

Reacting to the decree, the Kurdish administration in Syria’s north and northeast said the decree was “a first step, however it does not satisfy the aspirations and hopes of the Syrian people”.

It added that “rights are not protected by temporary decrees, but… through permanent constitutions that express the will of the people and all components” of a society.