Christen Press welcomed herself to the U.S. women’s soccer team by scoring twice in her debut in the first game of 2013. The team said goodbye Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park, honoring Press before its first game of 2026, a 6-0 win over Paraguay.

In between, Press played 154 more times for the U.S., winning two World Cups, an Olympic bronze medal and scoring 62 more goals, retiring as the ninth-leading scorer in team history.

But those are just numbers because as good as Press was, she wants to be remembered for the legacy she left behind, for the barriers she broke, for the inspiration she continues to provide for players who followed her to the national team.

“Well, it’s sort of the point, right?” she said ahead of Saturday’s farewell ceremony before a crowd of 19,397. “I feel really lucky that I had the opportunity to play long enough to overlap with some of these young players and be able to see the growth of the game, how far it’s come, and be able to see what the next generation of player feels like.

“It’s different, and it’s going to take different things for people to have success.”

Talk about following in Press’ footsteps: The first score Saturday came from Reilyn Turner of the Portland Thorns, like Press a Southern California native who scored her first U.S. goal on a left-footed shot in the first half of her international debut. The second goal, less than two minutes into the second half, came from Kansas City’s Ally Sentnor.

Reilyn Turner, second from right, celebrates with teammates after scoring in a 6-0 U.S. win in an international friendly with Paraguay on Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

And that opened the floodgates, with the U.S. getting an own goal from Paraguay’s Fiorella Martínez followed by scores from Trinity Rodman — who was celebrating the three-year contract, reported to be worth a record $6 million, she signed Thursday with the Washington Spirit — a second goal from Sentnor and another from Emma Sears.

Press scored her final international goal in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Ten months later, playing with Angel City FC in the NWSL, she shredded the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee, an injury that required four surgeries and nearly 25 months to repair. She never played another game for the national team and made just three more starts for Angel City before announcing her retirement last October.

By then Press, 37, had made the transition from soccer star to businesswoman and media personality with Re-Inc, a gender-neutral community-driven fashion brand, and the Re-Cap Show, an award-winning soccer podcast, both of which she runs with wife and former teammate Tobin Heath.

U.S. midfielder Trinity Rodman celebrates after scoring in the second half against Paraguay on Saturday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

That, Press said, will continue to provide her with a link to the game.

“We’re so integrated into the women’s sports ecosystem, through podcasts, through merchandise and through the women’s soccer community,” she said. “I have spent a lot of time looking at the business of women’s sports and how we need to reimagine it.

“In a dream world, I’d be able to continue to influence the ecosystem as a businessperson.”

Press got her start in soccer in the Palos Verdes Peninsula, about a dozen miles from where her career officially ended Saturday in Carson. As a preschooler she played with older kids in co-ed league because one team was short a girl.

“I didn’t touch the ball once,” she remembered years later. “I picked daisies and waved to my mom.”

U.S. forward Emma Sears, left, scores past Paraguay defender Fiorella Martinez in the second half Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

She went on to win two CIF Southern Section titles at the Chadwick School and a Hermann Trophy at Stanford before starting a club career that took her to eight teams in three countries. With the national team she went to three Olympics, won World Cups and played a key role in the landmark lawsuit against U.S. Soccer that ended with the women earning equal pay with the men’s team.

It’s a résumé that already is challenging the next generation of national team players.

“I admired her for a long time,” said Seattle Reign winger Maddie Dahlien, 21, who made her national team debut Saturday. “She made a name for herself a little later. You never know when your opportunity will be. So make the most of it when it comes.”

U.S. coach Emma Hayes never had a chance to work directly with Press, though she wanted to bring her overseas to Chelsea FC when Hayes managed there and Press was looking to move to the Women’s Super League.

U.S. defender Gisele Thompson, left, moves the ball past Paraguay midfielder Fatima Acosta in the second half Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

“I’ve always admired her and thought what a fantastic football player she is. Very different to what was a more traditional American forward at the time,” Hayes said. “What she’s achieved, as well-traveled as she is, what an honor to be coaching on the day she gets celebrated in her hometown.”

For Press, it was a celebration that marked the transition from one stage of life to the next. And, she acknowledged, there are a few things she’s going to miss.

“I am so sad that I don’t play soccer anymore,” she said. “I miss training. I miss being on a team, being around young people. I miss being outside every day. I miss the grass. I miss the discipline and ritual that football brings to my life.”

“I like to talk about all the things that I miss, because I think ‘I’m retired. It’s easy now.’ No. I had the best job in the world. And it’s an irreplaceable job.”

The £60 million Airlander 10 mega airship is the size of a football pitch and can carry up to 100 passengers. It doesn’t need a runway and can land on grass, gravel, sand or even water

The world’s largest aircraft, cheekily dubbed the “flying bum” due to its peculiar shape, doesn’t even require a runway for landing. The £60 million “mega airship”, complete with double bedrooms and an onboard bar, is set to redefine air travel.

Hybrid Air Vehicles, the manufacturers, aim to have a commercial fleet of the Airlander 10 soaring through the skies by 2029. At a whopping 92-metres, it will be the world’s largest aircraft, designed to revolutionise the way we travel.

The makers also anticipate that the aircraft will be able to reach locations currently “inaccessible to all but helicopters”.

That is because the Airlander 10 can take off and land without the use of a runway. They claim it can land on “grass, gravel, sand, marsh, or even water”, requiring only “very short” take off and landing distances.

George said: “The aircraft can land in any open space, it doesn’t need a paved runway, so all of a sudden you have taken away some of the barriers to entry for the aircraft. You can try out something because you’re not committing to millions of dollars of infrastructure.”

He added: “You could take that aircraft on a multi-place trip. You could go from the coast of Saudi Arabia in-land to places that are really inaccessible to all but helicopters now and that aircraft at its maximum capacity that can hold 100 people.”

George – whose company purchased the design after the US military abandoned the project following the Iraq War’s conclusion – embraced the “flying bum” nickname but told the Mirror he has “personally never seen it.”

Nevertheless, head of marketing Hannah Cunningham revealed that a refined version destined for commercial aviation would be “less bum” than earlier iterations. Currently, the company has no operational prototypes, having instead built two mock-ups of the passenger compartment that will be suspended beneath the helium-filled flotation system.

The firm previously operated a test aircraft which caused traffic gridlock when it soared above Bedford in August 2016. However, it has since been withdrawn from service.

That situation may soon shift as manufacturers HAV have secured a site in Doncaster to construct the new, enhanced Airlander 10 within the coming 12 to 18 months. The company then faces a lengthy Civil Aviation Authority approval process that could result in the South Yorkshire facility churning out two dozen units annually from 2030.

The aircraft promises an end to the cramped, deafening cabins of conventional aeroplanes, according to HAV, with the vessel described as a “more comfortable” flying experience. It cruises at 3,000 metres, sufficiently low that air-pressurisation isn’t required.

With a maximum speed of 80mph, it avoids the drone and vibration of contemporary jets. While it sacrifices speed, being six times slower than a Boeing Dreamliner, it compensates with endurance, claiming the capability to cover 4,000 miles in a single journey.

The Airlander 10 is set to be one of the most environmentally friendly aircrafts, thanks to a collaboration between HAV and UK-American company ZeroAvia. The partnership aims to power the aircraft with hydrogen-electric engines, significantly reducing the Airlander 10’s emissions to perhaps just 1 or 2 per cent of those from a typical kerosene-powered commercial plane.

Val Miftakhov of ZeroAvia commented: “Airlander is another exciting airframe for line-fit for our powertrains as it can open up a whole new market in air travel due to its range, efficiency, and ability to operate from almost anywhere.”

He added: “Like ZeroAvia, Hybrid Air Vehicles is an aerospace innovator with exciting manufacturing and growth plans for the UK that can deliver hundreds of well-paid jobs in different regions in the UK.”

Jan. 24 (UPI) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope for ending the nearly four-year-old war started by Russia after the first trilateral talks concluded on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.

Zelensky was not among his country’s representatives but said six Ukrainian officials negotiated with Russian military intelligence and armed forces representatives, while the United States sent Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Dan Driscoll, Alexus Grynkewich and Josh Gruenbaum to help create a viable framework for ending the war.

He thanked officials from the United Arab Emirates for hosting the talks, which he described as “constructive,” and said Ukraine is ready to move forward on securing an agreement to end the war.

“The central focus of the discussions was the possible parameters for ending the war,” Zelensky said in a post on X.

Such parameters would include participation from U.S. officials to help encourage a peace agreement.

“I highly value the understanding of the need for American monitoring and oversight of the process of ending the war and ensuring genuine security,” Zelensky said, adding that U.S. officials asked which “security conditions” might be required to secure the peace.

He said the Russian military contingent identified several issues to be discussed if another meeting is held, and attendees are to report on the talks with their respective national leaders.

The talks were held for two days and were the first in which Russian and Ukrainian officials met to negotiate an end to the war that started when Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump met while in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this week to discuss the talks that were held on Friday and Saturday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is winning the war and is prepared to continue fighting until all military objectives are achieved, no matter how many Russian troops are killed, The New York Times reported.

Russia also launched an aerial attack early Saturday morning that sent more than 350 drones and 15 missiles to strike targets in Kyiv and Kharkiv.

The attack killed one and damaged a hospital and maternity ward, Ukrainian officials said.

The U.S. contingent acted as mediators to help ensure the talks are more productive and stand a better chance of ending with a viable peace deal that ends the fighting.

A 37-year-old Minneapolis man, who is believed to be a US citizen, has been killed by a federal agent.

Greg Bovino, Border Patrol commander said that officers tried to disarm an individual who “violently resisted”.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he spoke to the White House after “another horrific shooting by federal agents”.

More on this story.

Applicants are advised not to book any travel before receiving their valid passport

People have been told they can save money when buying their new passport by doing one thing. Holidaymakers and business travellers have been told it will also usually mean they get their document in three weeks.

According to His Majesty’s Passport Office, if you apply for your UK passport online, it is not only cheaper but typically quicker as well. His Majesty’s Passport Office says applying online costs £12.50 less than completing a paper form and sending it by post, with most people using the standard online service receiving their passport within three weeks.

In a message posted on X, the Passport Office said: “It’s cheaper and easier to apply for your passport online! You’ll usually get your passport within 3 weeks using our standard service. Our processing time starts from when we receive your documents.”

An adult passport costs £94.50 online versus £107 by post, a saving of £12.50. The online service can be used to apply for, renew, replace or update a passport, with payments made by debit or credit card. Applications can be made here.

Crucially for those still holding older documents, passports that are burgundy or bear the words ‘ European Union ‘ on the cover remain valid until their expiry date. Applicants are warned not to book travel until they have a valid passport in hand, as any new passport issued will carry a different number from the old one.

For those in a rush, faster – and pricier – options are available, including the Online Premium service and the one-week Fast Track, though the Passport Office advises checking processing times before applying. For those who are not as tech-savvy, assistance is available at the Post Office through the digital Check and Send service.

Here, staff can help with taking a digital photo and filling out the application, although this service does come with an additional charge. Paper applications can still be obtained from Post Offices, but these take more time to process and require applicants to supply their own photos. A distinct paper Check and Send service is also provided for an extra fee.

Standard Passport Fees (UK applications)

Method Adult (16+) Child (under 16)

Online (standard service): adult – £94.50; child – £61.50

Postal (paper form): adult- £107.00; child- £74.00

Premium (same-day service): – adult – £222.00*; child – £189.00

Fast Track (1-week): adult – £178.00*; child – £145.00

*Not available for first-time adult applications

For the latest money saving tips, shopping and consumer news, go to the new Everything Money website

Amber Gill, who won Love Island in 2019, has issued a hilarious takedown on Curtis Pritchard after her former co-star returned to the villa yet again

Amber Gill has issued a scathing attack on Curtis Pritchard after he returned to the Love Island villa again. The TV star, 28, shot to fame when she and then-boyfriend Greg O’Shea emerged victorious from the ITV2 dating series in 2019, on which Curtis also appeared, finishing in fourth place with then-girlfriend Maura Higgins.

The pair called time on their relationship shortly after leaving the show and Curtis has since returned to the villa to try to find love again on the spin-off All Stars spin-off, having made his entrance to the programme as a Bombshell earlier this week. It comes after he signed up to appear on Love Island Games in 2023, and also finished in third place on last year’s edition of All Stars alongside Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu.

READ MORE: Love Island star Greg O’Shea marries model girlfriend 6 years after winning ITV2 showREAD MORE: Inside Maura Higgins’ unstoppable rise as Love Island star is darling of the Golden Globes

As Amber watched Curtis’s arrival on screen, she took to TikTok to post a video where she demanded to know just why Curtis has appeared time and time again on various formats of the show. She began: “I’m not being funny but how many times do we need to see this guy do the salsa?

“I mean, like, all love but it’s been seven years man [since he first appeared on the show], how many times do I have to watch him with the f****n’ budgie smugglers on f****n’ waltzing about the place with a headpiece on doing the splits and that. Like how many timesssss!”

The news of Curtis’ latest return to the villa was also revealed on social media, with a post from the show’s official account. Alongside a shirtless picture of Curtis, the caption read: “Bringing Bombshell confidence and hoping for less drama this time round, Curtis is dancing back into the All Stars Villa!”

Ekin wrote: “Just chocked on my Nando’s,” and received over 300 replies. Amber said: “You’re kidding me”, and Ronnie Vint wrote: “Anyone wanna coffee.” Sammy Root wrote: “Who’s idea was that”.

A fan then commented: “This has to be the last love island all stars I’m sorry how many times can we recycle.” Meanwhile, on the post that announced that Lucinda Strafford would also be making a comeback was flooded with comments about how many times she had been on the show before, one fan wrote: “Only just won love island games? She shouldn’t be on the show.” Another said: “Nooo she needs to rest!! She just won love island games.”

During his first time in the Love Island villa, Curtis became best known for making coffees in the morning in what soon became a viral moment. Speaking of his All Stars stint, he said: “I feel like I’m in a different stage in my life.

“The idea of settling down is a serious idea in my life right now. I haven’t found my true love… that sounds so cheesy doesn’t it. So, I thought, let’s give it another go. It was great fun last time; a lot of emotions. I feel excited to go back. I’m going to have a great fun time and hopefully leave with someone. It’s exciting.”

Asked if his comment followed him everywhere, he added: “It follows me everywhere! In hindsight, if I do find a girl this time, I will perhaps cuddle her in bed rather than make coffee… so Amy taught me a lesson.” Curtis is said to have “jumped” at the opportunity after splitting from his partner Sophie Sheridan towards the end of last year.

Curtis’ most recent relationship was with performer Sophie, with them believed to have met when they appeared in a pantomime production of Cinderella in Wolverhampton in 2021. There was speculation about a possible romance between them the following year and it was reported that they rekindled a romance following his stint on Love Island Games

Love Island All Stars airs on ITV2 and is available on ITVX.

PHILADELPHIA — Wishful thinking has characterized liberals for over a decade now: Signs are constantly materializing that the tide has turned and a new era of liberalism is dawning. The 1990 elections are being touted as the latest indicator. I respectfully dissent.

It is dubious, to begin with, whether there ever was a halcyon day in which everyone was liberal. The supposedly idealistic baby boomers, who came of age in the ‘60s, may not have been so idealistic at all–it is not as if draft-age students didn’t have a personal interest in seeing the Vietnam War terminated. And while joining the civil-rights movement might have been inspiring at the time, when civil rights and integration moved north, young, white liberals headed for the suburbs like everyone else.

In short, the premise that there is some golden liberal age whose return we are awaiting is seriously flawed. Nonetheless, it gave many liberals sustenance through the long drought of the ‘70s: Odd-numbered decades, the adage went, were conservative, while even-numbered decades were liberal. Well, that didn’t pan out, so many discovered a new iron-clad rule of U.S. history: Progressive decades come every 30 years (Let’s see–1930, 1960, that means . . . ). It’s thus tempting to see the 1990 elections as the harbinger of this messianic age.

The evidence is that Democrats retained or widened their smashing edge in governorships and state legislatures, gaining the upper hand in congressional redistricting. But this was true in 1970–Richard M. Nixon’s first midterm test–as well; and Democrats didn’t exactly suffer in the ‘80s redistricting.

Another supposed sign of the beating conservatives took was that Democrats enlarged their congressional majorities. That’s true–but by less than the historical average, despite a historically unparalleled freefall in the Republican President’s ratings–which also has nothing to do with growing liberal sentiment.

The final indicator of the allegedly bad news for conservatives is that such troglodytes as Clayton W. Williams Jr. in Texas and John R. Silber in Massachusetts were defeated, while liberal darlings Gov. Mario M. Cuomo of New York and Sen. Bill Bradley of New Jersey were reelected.

Of course, Williams and Silber both went out of their way to shoot themselves in the foot, and neither’s conqueror–Anne Richards in Texas, and Republican William Weld in Massachusetts–ran as liberals. In fact, Richards, who really is one of the few progressives in Texas, ran away from such an image; while the quintessential Texas progressive, Agriculture Commissioner Jim A. Hightower, shockingly lost .

As for Cuomo and Bradley, both barely won majorities against non-opponents. Then, of course, there’s Sen. Jesse Helms of North Carolina, whose race-baiting reelection can hardly be viewed as a liberal victory. The news for liberals gets worse from there.

Voters strongly rejected environmental appeals in California and New York. Overall, pro-abortion-rights candidates nationally failed to profit from that issue. In short, the environment and abortion–two issues most liberal pundits thought would be The Issues of the ‘90s, catapulting us to victory–are not proving successful hot buttons. The Republicans have proved, however, that race–at least, in the guise of quotas, a more polite way to raise the issue than the heavy-handed Willie Horton approach–still works for them .

All these other issues are electoral sideshow, however: Voters want to hear what Democrats have to say about the economy and jobs. The reality is that doing anything meaningful on that front will require both reducing the deficit–meaning some tax increases, and cuts in popular programs such as Social Security and Medicare–and some investment in the young and the poor, through education and job training, so that there is some reason for jobs and money to be in America instead of Germany or Japan

That is what America needs. It is what Democrats are inclined to say. And if they do, they will lose.

Ask Bradley or Gov. James J. Florio in New Jersey; ask defeated Gov. James J. Blanchard in Michigan. Ask George Bush and the majority of congressmen what message they’ve gotten from the election, and the answer will be: No more taxes. There is no sign whatsoever that voters will pay for increased spending on social programs of any variety to help the economically disadvantaged, and a lot of evidence that such efforts are viewed as benefiting blacks at whites’ expense–not a particularly popular concept.

Most of all, the ridiculous budget debate revealed one amazing and shameful area of solid consensus: Don’t invest in the young, and don’t touch programs like Social Security for the old. We have become an elder-oriented society, beyond even the long-standing political strength of the senior lobby. The preternaturally self-conscious baby-boomer generation has turned out to be prohibitively self-absorbed. There will be even more spending on the elderly as we go, while racial and generational prejudices combine to provide dramatic underinvestment in kids. We would appear to be a society that has given up on its future.

This should not be a surprise after a decade of orgiastic private consumption; of an elderly President who derided conservation as “running out more slowly,” and of studies finding increased sexual activity among middle-class teen-agers who expected nuclear war to cut short their chances for adult sexual activity.

Like the Vienna Hapsburgs of 80 years ago, we live for a glorious past and a sumptuous, vaguely nostalgic present. Like the Madrid Hapsburgs of 250 years earlier, we spent ourselves into near-oblivion on a combination of overconsumption and armaments that are now of little use to new politico-military realities: We can blow up the world 17 times–but the Soviet empire these missiles are meant to deter is falling apart and we can’t deploy force flexibly enough to deal effectively with Iraq.

What is to be done? We must reduce spending, public and private, relative to saving. That will require not only raising taxes but also cutting federal outlays–something the recent budget morass shows Democrats still resisting. Of course, who could blame them? Republicans, and the public at large, are still resisting the reality that spending cuts must touch the comfortable and not just the welfare class–welfare, after all, accounts for only about 7% of the budget, while Social Security and Medicare are not only the largest but the fastest-growing items. Most of all, the nation must face the difficult task of setting priorities, and choosing priorities that focus on long-term gain–investing in jobs, education, infrastructure and debt payment.

In an age of instant gratification and rapid memory loss, we must discover either large numbers of voters who care more about the future than the present (and more about the nation’s future than their own), or large numbers of politicians whose vision has not failed them. Unfortunately, as recent events proved, there are few of either.

Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer is full of praise for referee Farai Hallam on his Premier League debut after he stuck with his original decision not to award Manchester City a penalty against Wolves despite VAR sending him to the monitor.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Manchester City 2-0 Wolves

Available to UK users only.

The road has an extreme gradient, no barriers, sharp hairpin turns and is the width of a bridleway – and is loved by some and hated by others

The UK’s wildest road was built by the Romans, is filled with sharp hairpin turns and is the width of a bridleway – so it’s no surprise drivers are willing to take an hour detour to avoid travelling on it.

The Hardknott Pass in the Lake District has an extreme gradient, no barriers and is notorious for breakdowns, accidents and being impassable in dangerous weather. While some people drive the route for the breath-taking views, those local to the area regularly beg inexperienced tourists to stay away.

Technically the Hardknott Pass is the most direct route from the central Lake District to West Cumbria but it is considered so difficult that drivers often decide to take an hour-long detour to avoid twisting up a single-track slalom on a mountainside.

It’s 13 miles long and has been described as one of Britain’s most outrageous roads – leading many to wonder whether it should remain a carriageway or be closed to traffic and instead celebrated as a national treasure.

The road has a long and celebrated history – it was originally laid by the Romans around 110AD and led to the dramatic stronghold at the top of the pass known today as Hardknott Fort.

After the Romans left, the road lingered unloved and uncared for until the 1880s when a local hotelier association paid for some improvements.

Later in 1913, the first motor vehicles drove over the pass and tanks during World War II where tested on the road which was eaten up so much by the heavy armoury that it had to be rebuilt.

Many reviews of the road reflect the opposing opinions of the pass.

One reviewer wrote: “Absolutely fantastic! I’ve been driving for years and am confident in my abilities so this proved an easy drive for me. Once over the peak, it’s definitely worth a stop at the old fort to take in the views, which are just stunning.”

Another said: “Satnav sent me this way, so we stumbled across it by accident. I consider myself a confident driver but it was a real mental challenge. The single track for two cars was challenging as the front wheel hung over the edge whilst rocks were crumbling. Sadly I could not appreciate the views at all as surviving felt more important.”

Have you taken on a particularly incredible UK road trip? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

It is a deal that ended years of uncertainty over the future of TikTok in the United States.

More than 200 million people in the US can continue using the Chinese video-sharing platform.

Concerns about national security triggered a debate on banning the app almost six years ago.

To address the concerns, an agreement to create a TikTok-US joint venture was reached between Washington and Beijing.

A number of US investors will now control the newly formed entity.

But why did TikTok become such a big political issue in the US?

Presenter: James Bays

Guests:

Einar Tangen – senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation

Sarah Kreps – founder and director of the Technology Policy Institute at Cornell University

Anupam Chander – professor of law at the Georgetown University Law Center

These are the key developments from day 1,431 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is where things stand on Sunday, January 25:

Fighting

• Russian forces launched another major attack on Ukraine overnight on Saturday, killing at least one person and wounding four in the capital, Kyiv, and leaving 1.2 million properties without power nationwide, according to officials.
• Kyiv’s military administration reported strikes in at least four districts in the capital and said a medical facility was among the buildings damaged. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Russia targeted the capital and four regions in the country’s north and east.
• Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the worst-affected in the capital was the northeastern suburb of Troyeshchyna, where 600 buildings were without power, water and heat.
• Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia unleashed 375 drones and 21 missiles, including two of its rarely deployed Tsirkon ballistic missiles.
• At least 30 people, including a child, were also wounded during the same attack in the country’s second-largest city of Kharkiv. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said 25 drones had hit several districts in the city. Among those struck was a dormitory for displaced people and two medical facilities, including a maternity hospital, Terekhov wrote on Telegram.
• Ukrainian Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal wrote on Telegram late on Saturday that more than 800,000 Kyiv households were still without power, as were a further 400,000 in the Chernihiv region, north of the capital.

• Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said more than 3,200 buildings in Kyiv remained without heating in the late evening, down from 6,000 in the morning. Night-time temperatures were hovering around -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit).

• Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha denounced the attack as “barbaric” in a statement posted on X. He accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of acting “cynically” for launching the attack amid United States-led trilateral talks on the war in the United Arab Emirates.
• In Russia, Ukrainian forces launched a “massive” attack on the border region of Belgorod on Saturday, damaging energy infrastructure, but causing no casualties. Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov described the incident as “the most massive shelling of the town of Belgorod”.
• Gladkov said the attack damaged “energy sites” and that fragments of a downed drone triggered a fire in a courtyard of a building. Reports from the area also said the shelling and sounds of explosions had gone on for some time.

• The Russian Ministry of Defence said its forces had completed the takeover of the village of Starytsya in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, close to the border with Russia.

• The General Staff of Ukraine’s military said Russian forces had launched six attacks on an area including Starytsya. But it made no acknowledgement that the village had been captured by Russian forces.

Diplomacy

• Ukraine and Russia ended their second day of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi without a peace deal, with more talks expected next weekend, amid the massive Russian strikes across Ukraine.

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X following the meeting that “the central focus” of the discussions was “the possible parameters for ending the war”, but he did not say if the negotiators were close to a deal.
• More discussions are expected next Sunday in Abu Dhabi, according to a US official who spoke to reporters immediately after the talks. The official, who requested anonymity, said negotiators “saw a lot of respect” during the discussions, “because they were really looking to find solutions”.
• The US official also voiced hopes for further talks, possibly in Moscow or Kyiv, beyond next week’s discussions in Abu Dhabi, adding that the next step would be a possible bilateral discussion between Putin and Zelenskyy, or a trilateral meeting that includes US President Donald Trump.
• An unnamed UAE government spokesperson told the Reuters news agency that there was face-to-face engagement between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi – rare in the almost four-year-old war triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion – and said negotiators tackled “outstanding elements” of Trump’s peace framework.

• The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also hinted at the prospects of additional talks with Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul after negotiations in Abu Dhabi, adding that Moscow remains open to a continuation of dialogue, the Russian state RIA news agency reported.

If the UK winter weather is getting you down, there’s a place not too far away with winter sun, stunning beaches and laid-back vibes

For UK residents who love to travel, the beginning of the year is always tricky to navigate – as we look outside at the bleak, rainy weather and the dark and depressing skies, it’s often impossible not to think about where else we could be that has sun in the sky and brightness overhead.

If the urge to take an impromptu winter break abroad becomes too much, here’s the hot tip: Cape Verde’s average February temperature is between 21C – 27C and has flights from £218pp return from London or £353pp return from Manchester.

Cape Verde is an archipelago in the Central Atlantic Ocean comprising ten volcanic islands known for its tropical climate with year-round sunshine making it a popular winter sun destination.

READ MORE: Brits are ditching UK for beautiful country with ‘better cost of living’

Direct flights from the UK take between 5 hours and 50 minutes to 6 hours and 45 minutes depending on which island you’re aiming for.

The islands of Sal and Boa Vista are the most popular with tourists and are viewed to have the best beaches, watersports and resorts. Santiago is the largest island with the capital Praia and has the UNESCO site, Cidade Velha – the first European colonial settlement in the tropics – while the island of Brava, known as the ‘Flower Island’ is famous for its green valleys, natural pools and stunning flower-lined trails.

If you’re heading to Sal, you’ll be treated to some overwhelming nature and wildlife including Shark Bay in which you can wade with harmless baby lemon sharks in shallow water or you can search for seasonal sightings of sea turtles, whales or dolphins on one of the island’s many eco-tours.

READ MORE: Stunning Spanish city slammed by fuming holidaymaker as ‘tourist scam’

Many reviews of Santa Maria beach on Sal highly recommend it. One reviewer wrote: “What a spectacle. Miles of fantastic beach, with white sand and crystal clear water. A dream we can’t wait to relive.”

Another said: “Simply a paradise beach in terms of colours.”

Sal’s Kite beach is also well-known as a prime spot for wind and kitesurfing enthusiasts and its Algodoeiro beach has calm waters favoured by people keen to swim and snorkel.

READ MORE: Ryanair currently has £15 flights to the Canaries in February and March

If you’re heading to Boa Vista, it also has a great selection of stunning beaches – in particular Santa Monica Beach known for its pristine, white sands.

The island also has unique landscapes including the Cabo Santa Maria shipwreck – a historic Spanish freighter that ran aground in 1968 and has since become a major landmark – and its charming and laid-back capital city, Sal Rei.

Sal Rei can be translated to ‘Salt King’ from Portuguese which references the island’s historical salt trade and offers pristine beaches, historical sites and adventure in its natural landscapes.

Reviews praise its friendly, local atmosphere and ‘no stress’ vibe.

One reviewer of Sal Rei commented: “Sal Rei is a small and bustling town in which tourists simply fold into the fabric of real village life.

“The joy for me was that it remains a wonderful melting pot – Cape Verdeans, Italians, Portuguese, Africans, Dutch, Germans, Spaniards and English all seemed to integrate three dimensionally without any apparent drama.”

The Masked Singer viewers took to social media to brand the ITV show ‘rigged’ after Anton Du Beke and Kate Nash were eliminated in a double unmasking on Saturday night

Viewers of The Masked Singer have criticised the ITV competition show, claiming the ‘best singers’ are being knocked out following a double elimination on Saturday night (January 24). As The Masked Singer returned for another instalment, the judges were challenged with working out who was behind the remaining costumes after three previous unveilings.

Judges Maya Jama, Jonathan Ross, Mo Gilligan, and Davina McCall were joined on Saturday night’s episode (January 24) by guest panellist Perrie Edwards, famous for being in girl group Little Mix. This week, Perrie and the fellow judges opted to vote out Arctic Fox after the studio audience automatically sent home Monkey Business with the lowest public vote.

Singer Kate Nash, famous for her track Foundations, was unveiled as the celebrity inside the Monkey Business outfit, while Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke was revealed when the panel voted out Arctic Fox, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Following the double elimination – the first of the series – fans flocked to social media to claim the programme is ‘rigged’ after the ‘best singers’ were sent packing. Over wrote: “Absolutely rigged.” Another said: “This whole thing is rigged. Why would you vote off Monkey Business and then go on to save Red Panda.”

A third said: “What what #maskedsingeruk this is stupid ! ! ? ? Joke best singers eliminated!” Another asked: “Why are all the good performs being unmasked and yet the others just because they are wearing a cute costume they stay?”

Anton Du Beke delivered a stunning performance of Barbara Streisand’s Woman in Love, whilst Kate Nash belted out Georgia Brown’s As Long As He Needs Me.

Anton Du Beke and Kate Nash joined the growing list of unmasked celebrities on this series of The Masked Singer, following revelations including The One Show host Alex Jones, rapper Professor Green, Sex Pistols legend John Lydon, and last week’s unveiling of Shakespears Sister vocalist Marcella Detroit.

A peaceful protest in support of a 37-year-old man shot and killed by immigration officers in Minneapolis was under way Saturday evening in downtown Los Angeles.

Demonstrators gathered at the historic Placita Olvera marketplace. A banner fluttered above reading, “From Los Angeles to Minneapolis, stop ICE terror.”

As the afternoon light began to fade, speakers led chants to “abolish ICE” and urged “ICE out of Minnesota, ICE out of L.A.”

They carried signs printed with messages “America hates ICE” and “Drop the charges on Minnesota activists.”

Aida Ashouri, a candidate running for city attorney, said she couldn’t imagine if she had been snatched as a child and deported to Iran, where her family is from. She said local city officials had created funds to aid families impacted by raids, but criticized some of those same officials for approving surveillance technology used by law enforcement.

Adi Renee, an educator who spoke at the rally said that Minneapolis protests, during which thousands of workers and hundreds of businesses shut down on Friday, had shown that labor unions could help to lead a political strike against ICE and the Trump administration.

“I’m really grateful to Minneapolis,” she said. “They’ve shown us that our public unions can call a political strike and they need to do it now.”

A speaker at the rally who identified herself as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America denounced violence by federal agents in Minnesota.

“We are here again after another shooting,” she said into a megaphone. “Our elected officials continue to fund ICE [which is] murdering and kidnapping our neighbors in the streets.”

By around 5 p.m. the protest had grown to at least 400 people. The crowd began marching down Los Angeles Street, blocking traffic. Demonstrators congregated in front of the federal building, many of them chanting, “The people united will never be defeated.”

A police helicopter circled overhead.

Prior to the protest, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement assailing the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a nurse, by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis, the second such death in that city this month involving U.S. immigration officers.

“This morning we learned of yet another tragic shooting in Minneapolis at the hands of federal agents,” Bass said. “This violence has to stop and the president must remove these armed, federal forces from Minneapolis and other American cities.”

The Los Angeles County Republican Party cautioned against a rush to judgment in what is certain to be another highly volatile case.

“In the aftermath of any officer involved shooting, it’s important to figure out what happened, which often is not possible to ascertain immediately,” the party’s chairman said in a statement provided to City News Service. “We were not present at the scene of this regrettable incident in Minneapolis, and neither was Mayor Karen Bass.”

City News Service contributed to this report.

If the UCLA men’s basketball team hopes to make up ground in the Big Ten race, now is the time to do it.

Riding the momentum from a 69-67 upset of No. 4 Purdue four days earlier, UCLA’s first victory over a ranked opponent all season, the Bruins took a must-win approach into Saturday afternoon’s contest against Northwestern and won 71-64 at Pauley Pavilion.

It was the second straight win and fourth in five games for a squad in the middle of a six-game West Coast swing, with five games at home. The next four are against teams below them in the conference standings.

Tyler Bilodeau and Trent Perry each scored 18 points, Donovan Dent had 13 points and Eric Dailey Jr. had 11 points and eight rebounds.

The Bruins (14-6, 6-3) improved to 12-1 when leading at halftime. Bilodeau has scored at least 10 points in 15 of 17 games, totaling 20 or more seven times.

Saturday’s win coupled with Ohio State’s loss Friday at Michigan moved UCLA into seventh place. The Bruins would climb into a tie for fifth with Wisconsin should USC knock off the Badgers on Sunday in Madison.

UCLA was eight for eight from the floor during its 12-2 run over a three-minute span late in the first half, capped by a pull-up jumper by Perry that gave the Bruins a 14-point lead. They led 41-31 at halftime.

The Bruins will go for three in a row Wednesday at Oregon before returning to Westwood for games against Indiana, Rutgers and Washington. Wins in this stretch are critical since UCLA wraps up the regular season with four games against ranked teams (one against undefeated Nebraska) and two against rival USC. Only three of their remaining 11 are outside of the Pacific time zone.

Bilodeau, who began the day ranked ninth in the Big Ten in scoring (18.2 points per game), had 16 in the first half and was four for four from three-point range. He hit the go-ahead three-pointer Tuesday to give UCLA its first victory over a top-five opponent since the then fifth-ranked Bruins beat No. 3 Arizona 75-59 on January 25, 2022, in their third year under Cronin.

UCLA fans have yet to leave Pauley Pavilion disappointed this winter, as the men’s and women’s teams have combined to win all 21 games played on their home floor—12 of those by Cronin’s squad.

Who: Arsenal vs Manchester United
What: English Premier League
Where: Emirates Stadium, London, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, January 23, at 4:30pm (16:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.

Premier League leaders Arsenal are the hot favourites to lift their first English title since 2004, but face an unlikely – and unpredictable – threat from a rejuvenated Manchester United on Sunday.

Even before the sacking of Ruben Amorim as manager, the Red Devils were showing signs of life, having lifted themselves from the 15th-place finish they suffered last season to challenging for a Champions League place this term.

The Gunners hold a four-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, following their win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, but do hold a game in hand, and they were done a sizeable favour last weekend by United, who beat their cross-city rivals.

That performance, under Michael Carrick’s interim management, has lit a fire under Sunday’s match to evoke memories of clashes when the Gunners and the Red Devils were the two teams to be stopped either side of the turn of the century.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the highly anticipated – and likely highly-charged – encounter.

Arsenal must be wary of reinvigorated Manchester United

Ahead of Sunday’s match against United, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta flagged ‍concerns over their opponents’ renewed intensity under Carrick.

United beat second-placed Manchester City 2-0 in a thrilling derby display, which allowed Arsenal to extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points. Arteta, though, acknowledged that his team will now be heavily tested.

“Yes, with Michael coming in, it’s going to bring new ideas; the intensity rises up – you could see [it] in the Manchester derby with their behaviour and the game that they ‍played,” Arteta said.

“We expect a tough match, but we will adapt to that for sure. We are at home, and we know how important that is going to be for us.”

How do Arsenal shape up for Manchester United’s visit?

Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres are competing for a place in the starting lineup after both forwards impressed in Tuesday’s 3-1 Champions League win against Inter Milan. Jesus scored twice, while substitute Gyokeres also found the net.

“We were waiting for that with ​the amount of games that are coming up, and they are all ‌going to have opportunities and minutes, so great to have them back and, especially, to have them in good form,” he said.

Arteta ‌also addressed Arsenal’s decision to send teenage midfielder Ethan Nwaneri on loan to Olympique de Marseille.

“At the end, you have to be thrown to the sharks ‌in an incredible atmosphere and club. It’s going to make so ⁠much good,” Arteta said of the move.

Arsenal ‘far from perfect’ despite topping Premier and Champions leagues

Arteta said his side had room for improvement, despite being unbeaten in their last 12 matches and winning all seven of their Champions League games this season, while Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola called Arsenal the ‌best team in the world.

“I think we’re the team that wants to be constantly better. We are doing a lot of things right, but we are far from perfect, and our only aim is to sustain ‍the level we are doing and try to improve again,” Arteta said.

“You need to dominate all the phases in the game if we want to have the chance to win major trophies.”

Manchester United must not get carried away at Arsenal

United may ‌have lifted the mood around Old Trafford with their derby win over City, ‍but ‍Carrick on Friday urged his squad to balance renewed confidence with caution ahead of their trip to north London.

Carrick’s attack-minded side swept away the gloom hanging over the club with second-half goals from Bryan ​Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu last weekend, underlining their dominance against a disappointing City whose title ‍hopes suffered a significant setback.

“It has been a good week: a big result, a big performance and a big uplift with the feeling inside the stadium,” Carrick said ahead of Sunday’s clash.

“It is finding a balance ‍between getting the ⁠encouragement and confidence from the game and performance, and keeping level-headed and keeping our feet on the ground.

“We have got another big game coming up. One game does not make you a great team, but it gives us a great foundation to build on.

“[I’m] looking forward to the game; it’s a big challenge. They’re a very ​good team. They have so many strong points to their game. They ‌are where they are for a reason, we’re fully aware of that,” the 44-year-old Englishman added.

Casemiro still integral to United, despite imminent departure

Carrick also addressed the future of Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who announced on Thursday that he will leave the club at the end of the season, ‌when his contract expires.

Although the 33-year-old has a one-year extension option, a team source said the club has chosen not to ‌activate it.

Casemiro arrived at Old Trafford from Real Madrid in ⁠2022 for about 60 million pounds ($81.11m) and played a key role in United’s 2023 League Cup triumph, scoring in the final, as well as being part of their 2024 FA Cup win.

“The Casemiro announcement was for clarity as much ‌as anything,” Carrick said. “It was decided before I arrived; it wasn’t a knee-jerk decision.

“But the type of personality and character he is, it shows with his performance last week, where he is mentally, ‍and what it means to be here and finish the season strong.

“I’ve had the conversation with him. He’s desperate to do well and finish well.”

Mainoo can be United’s main man for years to come

With Casemiro on the way out, Carrick was eager to turn his attention to Kobbie Mainoo, who he said has the quality and character to become a key player for the club after a frustrating spell during Ruben Amorim’s reign.

Mainoo started for the first time in the Premier League this season in the win against City.

The 20-year-old had, however, shot to prominence in the 2023/24 season under Erik ten Hag, scoring as United beat City in the FA Cup final and playing a starring role in England’s run to the Euro 2024 final.

However, he struggled for game time during Amorim’s ill-fated 14-month spell as the Portuguese coach defied calls to play Mainoo alongside club captain Bruno Fernandes.

“This club needs young players coming through and being the foundation for what it means, not just for the players or the squad, but for the club and for the supporters,” said Carrick at his pre-match news conference ahead of Sunday’s trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal.

“I think that is something that we need to grasp, and we need to keep building on.

“Kobbie is a prime example. To come through so quickly and have the rapid rise, to play in some unbelievably big games and impact those big games at such a young age, shows an awful lot of quality, and in the terms of the character, and to be able to handle it.

“Part of a career is a few ups and downs, and sometimes, it goes in different trajectories. But I think we’ve seen last week what Kobbie can bring.”

What effect did United’s win against City have on Carrick’s team?

Victory over City lifted fifth-placed United to within one point of the Premier League’s top four. With fourth-placed Liverpool’s defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday, the Red Devils can move two points clear in fourth with victory against the Gunners.

The mood around Old Trafford was also transformed by the positive performance. Carrick is hoping it can be the foundation towards a positive end to the season as United aim to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in three years.

“It was a big result, big performance and a big uplift with the feeling inside the stadium,” added Carrick.

“It’s getting that balance between taking the encouragement and the confidence from the game, and keeping level-headed and our feet on the ground.

“One game doesn’t make you a great team, but it gives us a great foundation to build, so there’s a lot of confidence.”

What happened last time Arsenal played United?

Manchester United provided a stern test for Arsenal in the first Premier League meeting of the season, with Amorim’s side the better of the teams but the Gunners seeing off the challenge with a 1-0 win.

Riccardo Calafiori scored the only goal of the game at Old Trafford in the 14th minute.

Head-to-head

This will be the 255th meeting between two of English football’s great rivals, with United winning 99 of the matches. Arsenal have emerged victorious on 90 occasions.

Arsenal team news

Arsenal have this week welcomed the return of ‌Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie to training following injuries.

Arteta was unsure whether Calafiori, out since last ‍month with a ⁠muscle injury, and Hincapie, who suffered a groin injury earlier this month, will be ready to join Arsenal’s defence this weekend after returning to training on Friday.

The manager added that forward Kai Havertz is nearing full recovery, leaving winger Max Dowman as the sole player sidelined by injury.

Arsenal’s possible predicted lineup (4-3-3)

Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard

Manchester United team news

Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt remains United’s biggest absentee, remaining sidelined with a back injury.

Joshua Zirkzee has picked up a knock, so he will have to pass a medical. Noussair Mazraoui is expected to be available, having returned from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he was a defeated finalist with Morocco.

Manchester United’s predicted starting lineup (4-2-3-1)

Lammens, Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, Mainoo, Casemiro, Diallo, Fernandes, Dorgu, Mbeumo

Real Madrid win 2-0 at third-placed Villarreal to climb past rivals Barcelona to the summit of the La Liga table.

Kylian Mbappe netted twice to claim a 2-0 win for Real Madrid at Villarreal and take his side to the top of La Liga.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s team moved two points clear of rivals Barcelona, who host Real Oviedo on Sunday.

La Liga’s top scorer Mbappe reached 21 goals for the season in the competition to help Madrid see off a spirited Villarreal side on Saturday, now fourth in the table.

Arbeloa’s side have won three consecutive matches across all competitions, and victory at Villarreal could be a vital step in the revival of their season.

After the shock Copa del Rey defeat at second-tier Albacete, in Arbeloa’s first match at the helm, his Madrid have started to take shape.

The coach has made clear how important his star players are, and none has been more crucial this season than Mbappe.

It was a lively but imprecise start at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica, as the game glowed but neither side was able to seriously threaten.

Georges Mikautadze lashed a volley narrowly wide after veteran forward Gerard Moreno found him with a floating cross.

At the other end, Madrid midfielder Arda Guler fired straight at Villarreal stopper Luiz Junior after some tidy footwork, and then shot high over the bar at the end of a swift break.

Villarreal’s Juan Foyth limped off hurt in a blow for the hosts, who created a good chance for Pape Gueye just before the break.

The Senegal midfielder, a champion at the Africa Cup of Nations last weekend, powered narrowly wide of the post.

Vinicius, who excelled in Madrid’s Champions League 6-1 rout of Monaco in midweek, also came close, with a rasping effort across Luiz Junior’s goal and wide.

The 25-year-old Brazil forward went a 13th straight La Liga match without scoring, but he was involved as Mbappe opened the scoring two minutes into the second half.

Vinicius came into the box from the left flank, and his low cross was blocked, but Mbappe was on hand to squeeze home his 20th league goal of the campaign from close range.

Villarreal had the better of the second half as they worked hard to pull level, but Moreno spurned their best chance by firing inches over when well-placed.

In stoppage time, Mbappe was clumsily felled by Alfonso Pedraza in the box, and the French forward cheekily dinked home the resulting penalty to seal Madrid’s victory.

Nearly 500 people have stopped to sign a giant replica of the birthday card President Trump gave to the convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday. The clandestine arts activism group Secret Handshake erected the pop-up monument Monday on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The messages speak volumes about this singular moment in history, and the president who has consumed much of the world’s oxygen for the past decade. Secret Handshake provided The Times with a sampling of its favorite offerings, which I’m listing below. Taken together with the 10-foot-tall card made of plywood and metal piping, the words of passersby represent their own form of protest art.

“Quiet Piggy”

“The Epstein Files is to Trump what Heel is to Achilles”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that.”

“You have ruined so many lives!”

“Shame to all who don’t stand up to him”

“We are all immigrants!”

“CONGRESS – DO SOMETHING!”

“Your MAGA base is becoming disillusioned”

“Do not let the victims be forgotten”

“25th Amendment”

“Where are Republicans?”

“Listen to Women!”

“America’s Worst President”

“The truth will be revealed. Justice will be served.”

“Redacted!”

“It’s WE the people!”

“This is how Trump’s kids found out their dad does send birthday cards”

“We don’t want GREENLAND, what we want is THE EPSTEIN FILES”

“Congress do better for the people – stand up!”

“Do not reject the evidence”

“I hope you get your 25th birthday present!”

“The time is always right to do what is right”

“SEND HELP!”

To date, Secret Handshake has claimed responsibility for five other subversive Trump-related artworks on the National Mall, including a 12-foot statue depicting Trump and Epstein holding hands, titled, “Why Can’t We Be Friends,” which was removed by the National Park Service less than 24 hours after it was put up — only to be reinstalled almost a week later after the group triumphed in a protracted permitting battle. There was also “Poop Desk,” a bronze art installation featuring a pile of feces on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk.

“We’re big fans of birthdays in general because they’re really a time when you can take a moment to appreciate and celebrate the ones you love. And we believe President Trump is as well — he even had a big military parade for his own last year,” Secret Handshake wrote in an email. “So taking a cue from his own seeming love of birthdays, we wanted to step in and help highlight another birthday he allegedly also took the time to celebrate — Jeffrey Epstein’s — by giving it a proper public glow up.”

And just like a birthday card you would pass around an office to sign with well wishes, we felt like this was a really organic opportunity to let the public in on the celebration and have their voice heard,” the group continued. “And finally, we just want to thank President Trump personally for allegedly providing the artwork. It’s not every day that a sitting President is also such a provocative and accomplished artist. Allegedly.”

I’m arts editor Jessica Gelt, allegedly rounding up all this week’s arts and culture news. And away we go!

On our radar

“Bouquet of White Roses” by Amoako Boafo, 2025. Oil on canvas 84.65 x 70.87 inches (215 x 180 cm).

(Amoako Boafo/Roberts Projects)

Amoako Boafo
The exhibition “I Bring Home with Me” features new work by Ghanaian painter Amoako Boafo, exploring and celebrating Blackness and its perspectives, installed within an architectural re-creation of the artist’s studio in Accra. The artist combines finger painting and collaging on the surface of his canvases to evoke vivid colors, bold compositions, patterns and textures.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, through March 21. Roberts Projects, 442 South La Brea Ave. robertsprojectsla.com

Aviva Gelfer-Mundl, center, with Marco Biella, from left, Cesar Ramirez, Jacob Soltero and Bryce Broedell, from “Rubies.”

(Nathan Carlson)

20 Years of Los Angeles Ballet
In December of 2006, a fledgling company of dancers led by artistic directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary gave its first performances “The Nutcracker” (set in 1912 California) at the Wilshire Theatre, Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center and the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Now, all grown-up, the troupe kicks off 2026 with a triple-bill performance of George Balanchine’s “Rubies,” Hans van Manen’s “Frank Bridge Variations” and a new work by current LAB artistic director Melissa Barak.
7:30 p.m. Thursday-Jan. 31. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills. thewallis.org

Justin Tanner in “My Son the Playwright.”

(Jeff Lorch)

My Son the Playwright
Longtime L.A. theatergoers are very familiar with Justin Tanner, whom The Times’ Don Shirley referred to in 1994 as “L.A.’s coolest, grooviest playwright.” His mostly L.A.-set plays of comic dysfunctional suburbia with titles like “Pot Mom” and “Zombie Attack!,” often attract stars or soon-to-be stars such as Mark Ruffalo, Laurie Metcalf and French Stewart. For his new play, Tanner is the star, taking on the roles of both his father and his younger self, in a deeply personal solo performance.
8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 5 p.m. Sundays; also Feb. 2, 16 and 23, Jan. 24 through March 1. Rogue Machine at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. roguemachinetheatre.org

— Kevin Crust

The week ahead: A curated calendar

FRIDAY
Adams, Ólafsson & Copland
John Adams conducts the L.A. Phil in a program made up entirely of American composers, including his own new piano concerto, “After the Fall,” with soloist Víkingur Ólafsson, Charles Ives’ “The Unanswered Question, Roy Harris’ “Symphony No. 3” and Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring.”
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com

Birdie
The Barcelona theater company Agrupación Señor Serrano juxtaposes two realities, one plagued by war and economic turbulence and another that enjoys leisure and prosperity, in this multimedia performance that utilizes live video, scale models, 2000 mini animals and Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. UCLA MacGowan Little Theater, 245 Charles E. Young Dr. East, Westwood. cap.ucla.edu

Brownstone
Playwright Catherine Butterfield’s bittersweet comedic drama features three stories, set in 1978, 1937 and 1999, that all occur on the second floor of the same classic New York building. Directed by Ron West. Friday is a preview, Saturday is opening night.
8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays, through Feb. 28. Open Fist at Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave. openfist.org

Margaret Cho: Choligarchy
The comedian takes on racism, homophobia and sexism, while delivering singular takes on addiction, abuse, activism and Asianness on this stand-up tour.
7 p.m. Friday. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills. thewallis.org

Brian Vaughn, from left, Kim Martin-Cotten, Elysia Roorbach and Gabriel Gaston in South Coast Repertory’s production of Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

(Jon White)

God of Carnage/Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Two classics of dysfunctional domestic drama by Yasmina Reza and Edward Albee, respectively, are presented in repertory with overlapping casts.
Through March 21. South Coast Repertory, Emmes/Benson Theatre Center, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. scr.org

Walter Murch Retrospective
The American Cinematheque salutes the three-time Oscar-winning editor and sound designer. Murch will appear for three Q&As, as well as deliver a master class prior to the screening of “Apocalypse Now.”
“The Conversation,” 7 p.m. Friday. “THX 1138,” 3 p.m. Saturday. “Return to Oz,” 7 p.m. Saturday. “Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut,” 5 p.m. Sunday. Jan. 23-25 Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd. americancinematheque.com

Ryan Preciado
An exhibition of new and recent work by the artist, “Diary Of A Fly” includes an installation, plus sculptures and textiles that respond in part to the environment of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House and its artistic history.
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, through April 25. Hollyhock House, 4800 Hollywood Blvd. hollyhockhouse.org

Steve Schapiro: Being Everywhere
An exhibition of photographs chronicles the work of the photojournalist whose adventures took him from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to Hollywood film sets in the 1970s and 1980s. The show takes its title from Maura Smith’s 2025 documentary on Schapiro, which screens with director Q&As at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Laemmle Monica (1332 2nd St., Santa Monica).
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, through March 21. Fahey/Klein Gallery 148 N. La Brea Ave. faheykleingallery.com

SATURDAY

Vocalist Arooj Aftab in 2021.

(Tonje Thilesen/For The Times)

The Pakistani-born, Brooklyn-based artist Arooj Aftab won a Grammy in 2022 for best global music performance for her song “Mohabbat.” In 2024, she released her fourth album, “Night Reign,” which was nominated for the best alternative jazz album Grammy.
7:30 p.m. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills. thewallis.org

Romantic Realms
Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the Colburn Orchestra in Bruckner’s “Symphony No. 4 in E-flat Major.” Also on the program, Salonen Conducting Fellows Aleksandra Melaniuk (Liszt’s “Les Preludes”) and Mert Yalniz (the world premiere of his own composition, “Limit”) take the baton.
7 p.m. Saturday. UCLA Royce Hall, 10745 Dickson Court, Westwood. colburnschool.edu

TUESDAY

Pianist Seong-Jin Cho performs with the Los Angeles Philharmonic last summer at the Hollywood Bowl.

(Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times)

Seong-Jin Cho
The South Korean pianist performs selections from Liszt, Beethoven and Bartók, followed by 14 Chopin waltzes in a Colburn Celebrity Recital.
8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com

Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience
A theatrical homage to the writer and human rights activist created by Fountain Theatre artistic director Raymond O. Caldwell and composer Adrienne Torf, who was Jordan’s longtime collaborator and life partner.
Through March 29. Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave. fountaintheatre.com

— Kevin Crust

Culture news and the SoCal scene

Patrick Page in “All The Devils Are Here.”

(Julieta Cervantes)

Inventing the modern villain
Times theater critic Charles McNulty weighed in on Patrick Page’s traveling solo Shakespeare seminar, “All the Devils Are Here,” which opened Jan. 15 at BroadStage in Santa Monica, calling it “refreshingly 19th century.” McNulty also noted that villains come naturally to the veteran actor, who received a Tony nomination for playing Hades in “Hadestown.” Page “might not smack his lips when impersonating evil, but he certainly doesn’t stint on the flamboyant color. An American Shakespearean who can hold his own with the Brits, he combines mellifluous diction with muscular imagination,” McNulty writes.

Extraordinary things
Times classical music critic Mark Swed caught the premiere of “From Ordinary Things” as part of CAP UCLA’s series at the Nimoy Theater. The evening featured the latest project of singer Julia Bullock, who Swed calls “one of the least ordinary and most compelling singers of this new generation …. A rivetingly theatrical soprano, Bullock, in collaboration with percussionist/composer Tyshawn Sorey and director Peter Sellars, has developed a full-scale operatic evening.”

Studying the big freeze
In breaking museum news, Times staffer Malia Mendez got the scoop Thursday that the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County announced its largest-ever donation — a gift from the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation, which will be used to establish the Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research. The center will serve as the “intellectual backbone” of the La Brea Tar Pits’ long-planned makeover, according to NHM President and Director Lori Bettison-Varga. To date, the board has raised $131 million toward its $240-million goal for the campaign.

Nature’s theater
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum has announced its 2026 summer season. The otherworldly outdoor theater nestled in the cool woods of Topanga plans five mainstage plays, as well as a slate of family-friendly and music-centered satellite events. The plays are “Romeo and Juliet”; “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”; Ellen Geer’s reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island”; Noël Coward’s “Waiting in the Wings”; and a new comedy titled “The People of Pompeii” by playwright and Topanga resident Bernardo Cubría. Satellite events include Family Fundays, described by the company as “a half-hour of interactive storytelling, music, and friendship for kids seven and under (but open to the whole family). These are set to take place every Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. from June 21 through August 9. For tickets and additional details, click here.

— Jessica Gelt

And last but not least

L.A.’s best cheesesteak is in Pasadena writes Times food critic Bill Addison. There’s a catch, though: It’s $24, and you have to stand in a line. Even though I will undoubtedly eat one of these, my husband, who is from Pennsylvania, says that’s not how cheesesteaks are supposed to work. He remembers them being the go-to blue collar food of his coal-mining family members.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Saturday assailed the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old man by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis, the second such death in that city this month involving U.S. immigration officers.

“This morning we learned of yet another tragic shooting in Minneapolis at the hands of federal agents,” Bass said in a statement after news broke of the killing of a man identified as Alex Pretti. “This violence has to stop and the president must remove these armed, federal forces from Minneapolis and other American cities.”

Bass referenced legal action she and other mayors are taking in federal court to “stop the Trump administration’s unconstitutional and unlawful deployment of federal agents in the Twin Cities.”

“Our amicus brief supports Minnesota, Minneapolis, and St. Paul’s lawsuit to immediately end this militarized presence in their communities,’’ Bass said.

The Los Angeles County Republican Party cautioned against a rush to judgment in what is certain to be another highly volatile case.

“In the aftermath of any officer involved shooting, it’s important to figure out what happened, which often is not possible to ascertain immediately,” the party’s chairman said in a statement provided to City News Service. “We were not present at the scene of this regrettable incident in Minneapolis, and neither was Mayor Karen Bass.”

Assemblyman Mark Gonzalez, D-Los Angeles and currently the Assembly’s
majority whip, was even more blunt than Bass in a statement in which he wrote, “SHAME ON ICE.”

“Where there should be protection, there is only the echo of gunfire,” Gonzalez said. “Where there should be justice, there is only another name taken too soon.”

A demonstration and vigil for Pretti beganon Olvera Street in Los Angeles around 4 p.m. About 200 to 300 protesters were in attendance. Another protest was scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Federal Building, also downtown. at 300 N. Los Angeles St. in downtown L.A.

Jan. 23 (UPI) — Five people have been arrested in connection to the shooting of an Indiana judge and his wife in their home on Sunday.

Lafayette, Ind., police announced the arrests of five people on Thursday in connection with the shooting of Tippecanoe County Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly Meyer. The Meyers survived the shooting.

Three of the suspects were arrested on charges of attempted murder in the first degree, conspiracy to commit murder and other related charges.

Those suspects are Raylen Ferguson, 38, from Lexington, Ky., and Thomas Moss, 43, and Blake Smith, 32, from Lafayette, Ind.

Also arrested were 45-year-old Amanda Milsap from Lafayette, Ind., and 61-year-old Zenada Greer from Lexington, Ky. Milsap is charged with bribery and obstruction of justice and Greer is charged with assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice.

The investigation into the shooting spanned multiple states, including agencies in Kentucky, Allentown, Pa., and the U.S. Marshals Service, the Lafayette Police Department said.

“I want the community to know that I have strong faith in our judicial system,” Steven Meyer said in a statement. “This horrific violence will not shake my belief in the importance of peacefully resolving disputes.”

Steven Meyer was shot in his arm and his wife was shot in her hip.