Former Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth says Israel’s recognition of outposts as new settlements, including Homesh, in the occupied West Bank, is an illegal strategy to prevent a Palestinian state.

Gaza City, al-Mawasi, Bureij refugee camp and Rafah all come under Israeli
air attacks and gunfire.

Israeli forces have wounded several Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, firing on civilians and launching air and artillery attacks in the latest near-daily violations of the ceasefire in place since October, as its genocidal war on the besieged enclave continues unabated.

Medical sources told the Palestinian news agency Wafa that Israeli drone fire on Sunday injured civilians in the Zeitoun neighbourhood in southern Gaza City. In southern Gaza, two people, including a girl, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis.

Additional injuries were reported in areas from which Israeli forces were meant to have withdrawn under the ceasefire.

Medical staff at al-Ahli Arab Hospital in eastern Gaza City said three Palestinians were wounded by Israeli gunfire near Netzarim, south of the city. Witnesses told the Anadolu news agency that an Israeli drone opened fire on the group.

At Nasser Medical Complex, medics confirmed that two more Palestinians were injured by Israeli fire in al-Mawasi. In central Gaza, doctors at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said Israeli forces shot a Palestinian man in the head in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, describing his condition as serious.

The Israeli military also carried out air attacks on buildings in Rafah in the south while Israeli artillery shelled areas east of Jabalia in the north and the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City.

Helicopter gunfire was reported near the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, and Israeli naval forces fired towards the coast of Khan Younis, according to Al Jazeera Arabic.

The latest attacks were carried out as Hamas has welcomed the establishment of a 15-member technocratic committee of Palestinians that would operate under the overall supervision of a “board of peace” to be chaired by United States President Donald Trump.

The administrative body will be tasked with providing public services to the more than two million Palestinians in Gaza, but it faces towering challenges and unanswered questions, including about its operations and financing and whether Israel will block its operations.

Palestinian officials said Israel has repeatedly violated the US-brokered ceasefire, killing more than 460 Palestinians and wounding over 1,200 since it came into effect on October 10.

Israel continues to restrict the entry of food, medical aid and shelter materials into Gaza, where about 2.2 million people face acute humanitarian need in cold weather, barely shielded by flimsy tents.

Israel still has a military control of large swaths of Gaza, including much of the south, east and north, according to Israeli military data, but effectively occupies the entire territory.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed more than 71,000 Palestinians and wounded over 171,000, most of them women and children.

The assault has destroyed about 90 percent of civilian infrastructure with the United Nations estimating reconstruction costs at $50bn.

Coronation Street actress Tanisha Gorey shared with fans that she is engaged to her boyfriend Lucas Whelan in an Instagram post while on a romantic holiday

Coronation Street actress Tanisha Gorey has revealed that she is engaged to her boyfriend, Lucas Whelan. Taking to Instagram, Tanisha, who was left emotional after Lucas popped the question during their romantic holiday, shared a picture of her diamond ring on social media.

The actress has played Asha Alahan since 2009. Showing off her diamond sparkler, the 24 year old star told fans that she was “still crying”, after Lucas surprised her with the proposal. And it looks as though Lucas had everything prepared, as Tanisha also showed off a pink and white cake with a message on it that read “just engaged.”

Giving fans more of an insight into her special moment, she showed that Lucas had placed red and silver balloons in their hotel room, with one spelling out “I love you.” The ITV star captioned the post saying: “Brb still crying,” which was accompanied by a tear, ring and heart emoji.

READ MORE: Traitors star Claudia Winkleman’s eyeshadow stick drops to less than £10 ahead of NYE

Within moments of posting her message, her Weatherfield co-stars and friends rushed to the comment section. Vicky Myers, who plays DS Lisa Swain in the ITV soap, wrote: “Congratulations to you both. What fabulous news xxx.”

Andy Whyment also said: “Ah, amazing, congratulations to you both.” Former Corrie star and Strictly Come Dancing winner Ellie Leach added: “Eeeeekkkk congratulations.”

Meanwhil,e Cait Fitton penned: “Whattt???!! Omgggg I’m so happy for you both! Congrats to you and Lucas.” Since arriving on the cobbles, Tanisha has had a string of heavy-duty storylines to contend with.

Her latest was in October when her character attempted to commit suicide. Unbeknownst to her father, Dev, Asha had tried to overdose on pills but was fortunately found in the street and taken to the hospital, where she recovered.

At the time, Asha was seen explaining: “I just remember that after Mason died, and then Craig died, I just started spiralling. I started feeling really low, hollowed out like a ghost. I know it sounds daft…”

She continued to explain to her father: “I tried, Dad, I really tried to focus on the good, but nothing worked. And I just wanted it all to stop but I didn’t know how so…” In response, an emotional Dev said: “No, accidents happen, people make mistakes.”

But before Dev was able to continue, Asha jumped in to inform her dad that her attempt was not an accident. In fact, she had wanted to end her life. She went on to say: “But dad… it wasn’t an accident. I’m so sorry. I know that once I’d taken those pills, I shouldn’t have. I’m glad that it didn’t work, I’m glad that I’m here.”

In a heartbreaking seen witnessed by the show’s legaion of fans, Dev broke down in tears as he confided in his wife Bernie. He told her: “The drugs she’s taken… they think they might have caused some damage,” he said as he fell apart. I nearly lost her, didn’t I? I nearly lost my little girl and I didn’t see it. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Tanisha stars alongside her on-screen twin brother Adam Hussain. And the pair recently posed for pictures at the Soap Awards over the weekend. The duo, along with their on-screen dad were nominated for the Best Family award.

Despite not winning the award, both Adam and Tanisha were all smiles as they posed alongside their partners. In one snap which Tanisha posted to her Instagram stories, she looked the picture of elegance in her thigh high split dress.

Meanwhile Lucas, was seen wearing a sophisticated blue suit. Tanisha captioned the post saying: “Date night.” And her co-stars and fans were quick with messages of congratulations over how good they looked together.

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

You can also get return flights for the same price

Would-be holidaymakers can snap up Ryanair flights to a destination boasting highs of 21C in February for as little as £17. The no-frills carrier, famous for its budget-friendly approach, frequently offers cut-price deals during quieter periods.

With Britain’s weather still chilly, plenty of people will be dreaming about jetting off abroad for some much-needed sunshine. According to Ryanair’s website, travellers can secure a one-way ticket to Fuerteventura, Spain’s second largest Canary Island, from just £17 next month. The island, located roughly 60 miles from the African coast, enjoys temperatures reaching 21C in February.

It’s a firm favourite with British holidaymakers, renowned for its stunning beaches and pleasant climate all year round. Those flying from London Stansted to Fuerteventura can grab a basic Ryanair fare for £17 on various dates throughout next month. Depending on the chosen date, flights take off at 6.25am, 7.10am, 2.05pm, 2.10pm, 2.20pm, or 2.40pm, and there is no time difference between the UK and Fuerteventura.

Return journeys start from £17, with planes leaving at 11.15am, 12pm, 6.55pm or 7.30pm, depending on your selected date. Visit Fuerteventura describes the island as: “A paradise with over 150 km of beaches of white sand and turquoise waters, where you can discover vast natural landscapes and experience the open character of the local people.

“An island where you can practise a host of activities in optimal conditions.” For those considering a trip to the island, temperatures typically don’t drop below 13C in February.

For comparison, London’s temperatures around the same period usually hover between 4-10C.

California has billionaires on the brain.

Last week union activists, hoisting giant cutouts of money bags and a cigar-smoking boss, announced a proposal to raise Los Angeles city taxes on companies with “overpaid” chief executives.

They rallied in front of a symbol of the uber rich: the futuristic, steel-covered Tesla Diner owned by Elon Musk, the world’s richest man.

Meanwhile, a “billionaire tax” proposal prompted some of the wealthiest Californians to consider fleeing the state, amid arguments that they would take their tax revenue — and the companies they run — with them, hurting the ordinary residents the proposal is designed to help.

The focus on taxing the richest of the rich comes amid a growing affordability crisis in California, home to the nation’s most expensive housing market and highest income tax.

More than 200 billionaires reside in California, more than any other state, according to a group of law and economics professors at UC Berkeley, UC Davis and the University of Missouri who helped draft the statewide billionaire tax proposal, which proponents are hoping to place on the November ballot.

And they are getting richer. The collective wealth of the state’s billionaires surged from $300 billion in 2011 to $2.2 trillion in October 2025, according to a December report by those professors. In Los Angeles, where the median sale price of $1 million puts home ownership out of reach for many residents, prominent billionaires include David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Magic Johnson.

One conspicuous billionaire is especially unpopular in California: President Trump, who, despite campaigning on bringing down the cost of living, recently called the word “affordability” a “con job” as he redecorated the White House in gold.

“In a deep blue state like California that has voted against Donald Trump by such large numbers in the last three elections, voters are even more predisposed to be suspicious of billionaires, because he’s now the person with whom they associate the status,” said Dan Schnur, a politics professor at USC, UC Berkeley and Pepperdine.

The state and local tax-the-billionaires proposals, he said, are “about retribution,” much like last year’s Proposition 50, which temporarily redraws the state’s congressional districts to favor Democrats as a counterweight to Trump’s efforts to increase Republican seats in Texas.

To get the statewide billionaire tax proposal on the November ballot, supporters need to collect nearly 875,000 signatures by June 24.

The measure would impose a one-time tax of up to 5% on taxpayers and trusts with assets, such as businesses, art and intellectual property, valued at more than $1 billion. It would apply to billionaires who were residents of the state on Jan. 1, with the option of spreading the tax payment over five years.

Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, its main backer, said it will raise $100 billion. Most of those funds would be used for healthcare programs, with the remaining 10% going to food assistance and education programs, the union said.

Suzanne Jimenez, the union’s chief of staff, said Friday that “catastrophic” federal funding cuts stemming from Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act will force hospitals to close, eliminate healthcare jobs and cause insurance premiums to spike, leaving senior citizens and veterans with limited access to services.

The California Budget & Policy Center estimates that as many as 3.4 million Californians could lose Medi-Cal coverage and rural hospitals could close unless a new funding source is found.

Jimenez called the proposal “a modest tax” that “affects few people.”

But Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed to stop the billionaire tax, arguing that California can’t isolate itself from the other 49 states.

“We’re in a competitive environment. People have this simple luxury, particularly people of that status, they already have two or three homes outside the state,” Newsom said at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit last month. “It’s a simple issue. You’ve got to be pragmatic about it.”

The billionaire tax would temporarily increase revenues by tens of billions spread over several years, but if billionaires move away, the state could lose “hundreds of millions of dollars or more per year,” according to the nonpartisan California Legislative Analyst’s Office.

Some of California’s wealthiest say they are indeed heading for the exits.

Andy Fang, the billionaire co-founder of DoorDash, wrote on social media: “I love California. Born and raised there. But stupid wealth tax proposals like this make it irresponsible for me not to plan leaving the state.”

Peter Thiel, the billionaire co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, announced in December that his investment firm opened a new Miami office. He donated $3 million that month to a political action committee connected to the California Business Roundtable, which is fighting the measure.

State records show that Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have been cutting ties to California and moving business interests out of state.

Rick Caruso, the billionaire real estate developer who self-funded his losing 2022 L.A. mayoral campaign to the tune of more than $100 million, said in a statement that “the proposed 5% asset tax is a very bad policy. It will deliver nothing it promises and instead hurt California with lost jobs and hundreds of millions a year in lost revenue from existing income taxes.”

Ending months of speculation, Caruso announced Friday he will not challenge Mayor Karen Bass again, nor will he run for governor in a race that includes billionaire hedge fund founder Tom Steyer.

In Los Angeles, supporters of the “Overpaid CEO Tax” announced outside the Tesla Diner that they must collect 140,000 signatures in the next 120 days to get the measure on the November ballot. The measure would raise taxes on companies whose CEOs make at least 50 times more than their median-paid employee. It would apply only to companies with 1,000 or more employees.

The Fair Games Coalition, a collection of labor groups including the Los Angeles teachers union, is sponsoring the measure, which would allocate 70% of the revenue to housing for working families, 20% to street and sidewalk repairs and 5% to after-school programs and access to fresh food.

Business groups have denounced it, saying it would drive companies out of the city.

“Luxury for a few, while those who cook, who clean, who build, who teach, who write — the people who make the city prosperous — are stretched to the breaking point,” Kurt Petersen, co-president of the airport and hotel workers union Unite Here Local 11, said at Musk’s diner, describing it as an avatar for an unjust L.A. economy.

A similar effort to increase taxes on companies with disproportionately paid CEOs is underway in San Francisco, where voters already approved a levy on such businesses in 2020.

On Friday, Doug Herman, a spokesperson for Bass’ reelection campaign, said she has “not taken a position” on the state or city wealth tax proposals. But at her campaign launch last month, Bass framed the mayoral race as “a choice between working people and the billionaire class who treat public office as their next vanity project.”

Jeremy Padawer, a toy industry executive and animated TV producer who lost his home in the Palisades fire, said the mayor’s framing of the race as a battle against billionaires feels contrived, especially given the intense criticism of her handling of the fire.

Power is as relevant as money, and Bass is “the most powerful person in the room,” said Padawer, who organized the “They Let Us Burn” rally on the one-year anniversary of the fire.

“I know a lot of billionaires,” Padawer said. “And I think that billionaires have a propensity to do a lot of good, but they also have the propensity to do a lot of bad.”

Times staff writer Queenie Wong contributed to this report.

Pundits discussing Manchester United “can talk on the television” but “no-one says anything” to your face, according to defender Lisandro Martinez.

Martinez, 27, helped United to an impressive 2-0 win over rivals Manchester City on Saturday, shackling striker Erling Haaland as the Red Devils kept just their third Premier League clean sheet of a disappointing campaign.

After sacking Ruben Amorim and putting Under-18s boss Darren Fletcher in charge for two games, the result gave Michael Carrick a dream start as United’s new interim head coach.

Before the derby, Martinez was on the receiving end of jibes from former Red Devils midfielders Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes.

Butt said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast that Haaland would “pick Martinez up and run with him” and treat the Argentine like a “little toddler”, while Scholes suggested the Norway forward would “throw him in the net” after scoring.

Asked about Scholes’ comment, Martinez said: “Honestly, he can say whatever he wants. I told him already, if he wants to say something to me, he can come to wherever he wants. To my house, wherever. I don’t care.

“And I think for me, I respect the relations when they want to help the club because everyone can talk on the television, but when you see [them] here face to face, no-one says anything in your face.

“So for me, I don’t really care what they say. I just put the focus on my performance, the performance of the team and I give everything to this club until my last day.”

IF you’re looking for glitz and glamour, ditch the likes of Monaco or Nice – this is the town you need to visit.

With seaside casinos, newly renovated 4-star hotels and a royal history, it’s got everything you need for a holiday of luxury.

Biarritz sits on the Bay of Biscay and has always been known for its glamour, particularly as it was once the must-visit destination for royals.

Now, it still keeps its class, but also blends it with surf culture, spas and plenty of beautiful beaches.

The Times revealed that the town would soon have a “glitzy new reason” to visit – and that’s the renovation of the Hotel Maison Chiberta.

The 4-star hotel sits near the seafront and reopened after a huge renovation in 2025.

Read More on Seaside Towns

SHORE THING

‘It’s the best beach in England’ – Sun readers’ favourite Sussex seasides

LOOK OUT

Your fave North East seaside eats – from beach bars in boats to pirate chippies

Inside are 58 rooms and suites ranging from standard all the way up to the Chiberta Suite which is a private apartment.

It has plenty of food options, once restaurant serves Basque, Iberian and Latin American dishes.

Every Sunday, the hotel offers its guests to enjoy Brunch à la Braise which is cooked outside on a brazier.

It has a fully renovated spa too with a large heated indoor pool that looks over the golf course, as well as three treatment rooms, a sauna and steam room.

During the warmer weather there’s a large outdoor pool too surrounded by sunbeds and parasols.

The hotel doesn’t just offer comfy beds and great food, there are experiences too from surf school to an equestrian club, golf courses, tennis, nature workshops and even a treasure hunt.

Outside of the hotel, there’s plenty to see from The Grand Plage which is the main stretch of sand.

But there’s a total of six beaches lining the coastline.

The town often attracts surfers, and has even been named the surfing capital of Europe.

Another popular stop is the Casino Barrière Biarritz which is filled with slot machines, table games, roulette and blackjack.

In history, it was less about the games and more about the glamour.

The well-known seaside town was often visited by King Edward VII during his reign in the early 1900s.

He even took UK ministers to the city for meetings.

Other famous faces included fashion designer Coco Chanel, who lived in Biarritz, and Napoleon II often visited during the summer.

Another popular site is the 5-star Hotel du Palais which was originally the summer residence of Emperor Napoleon III and his wife, Empress Eugénie.

It officially opened as a grand hotel in 1893, after being converted from a casino in 1880.

And it’s still a hit with visitors and locals – earlier this year, Biarritz was named the best place to live in France.

The study was conducted by Le Journal du Dimanche and Biarritz was named the best, beating other well known French cities like Lyon and Paris.

For those who want to head further afield, Biarritz is one of the closest beach cities to Spain and San Sebastián is just a short drive away.

You can get a direct flight from London Stansted to Biarritz with Ryanair.

This town is the ‘Pearl of the Riviera’ – it has 300 days of sunshine and lemon festivals…

Located on the border between France and Italy, the seaside town of Menton has been dubbed the “Pearl of the Riviera” by holidaymakers.

Home to pastel-coloured buildings, quaint streets, a picturesque harbour and vast lemon groves, Menton is a picture perfect.

Before officially becoming part of France in 1860, Menton had been part of Sardinia and Monaco.

In the middle of the 19^th century, Menton broke away from Monaco after heavy tax impositions were imposed on its lemon trade, which was its main industry.

Every year, the town holds a lemon festival to celebrate the production of citrus fruits in the seaside town.

Menton is the last large town on the border with France and Italy, which means there several attractions geared towards tourists.

Travel Blogger Sophie wrote: “Menton is the pearl of France because of its sheer beauty.

“It’s the kind of destination that you’ll be thinking of for years to come after departure and is often touted by visitors as one of the towns that they would most like to return to along the French Riviera.”

For more on France, check out the epic French holiday resort you can get to by ferry with kids club and laid back vibes.

And if you’re tempted to up sticks and move abroad – here’s the place in France where you can still get cheap holiday homes according to one A Place in the Sun presenter.

Jan. 16 (Asia Today) — Jaseng Korean Medicine Hospital said Thursday it hosted a two-week winter internship program for overseas medical students and pre-medical students, aimed at showcasing the scientific development and global potential of Korean medicine.

Jaseng Korean Medicine Hospital said the 2026 Jaseng Medical Academy Winter Internship Program, which ran from Jan. 5, brought together five participants from four countries – the United States, Canada, Thailand and South Korea.

Participants included students and graduates from the University of Florida, the University of Texas at San Antonio, Northeastern University, Pomona College and Thailand’s Kasetsart University, according to the hospital. They spent two weeks experiencing Jaseng’s clinical system and treatment environment.

The program featured observation of outpatient clinics, lectures on Korean and integrative medicine, hands-on training in treatments such as acupuncture and manual therapy, and question-and-answer sessions with medical staff. Students also worked in teams to develop Continuing Medical Education lecture content, presenting their projects at the conclusion of the program.

Interns visited the Jaseng MediBio Center, where they toured acupuncture needle manufacturing and research facilities and learned about efforts to scientifically standardize Korean medicine, the hospital said.

“The internship program is designed to raise awareness of Korean and integrative medicine among future healthcare professionals worldwide and help them grow into global medical talent,” said Jin-ho Lee, director of the hospital. He added that Jaseng would continue to strengthen international exchange and education to enhance the global competitiveness of Korean medicine.

The hospital said it is the only institution in East Asia accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education. It also plans to co-host the Jaseng International Academic Conference later this year with Indiana University School of Medicine.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Government forces have seized a strategic town in eastern Syria, part of an ongoing offensive against Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) east of the Euphrates River.

The rapid army operation on Sunday follows battles earlier this month between Damascus and the United States-backed SDF, which led to deadly clashes and the government taking control of three neighbourhoods in Aleppo city from the group.

Sunday’s advance into Tabqa, in Raqqa province, is seen as critical because of a nearby dam that regulates the southward flow of water into areas held by the SDF.

The government and the SDF have exchanged accusations of violating a March agreement intended to reintegrate northeastern Syria and Kurdish-led forces into the structures of the Syrian state.

The SDF controls large swathes of northeastern Syria and has for years been Washington’s key ally in combating the ISIL (ISIS) group. Over that period, the US has developed strong ties with the SDF and has tried to ease tensions between the two sides.

The US had urged calm after this month’s clashes in Aleppo killed 23 people and displaced tens of thousands. After the fighting subsided, SDF leader Mazloum Abdi (also known as Mazloum Kobani) said on Friday that the group would withdraw its forces from areas east of the Euphrates following an announcement by Syrian official al-Sharaa on measures to strengthen Kurdish rights in Syria.

Tabqa is the latest in a series of mostly Arab-majority areas captured by government forces in Raqqa province. It remains unclear how far into the Kurdish heartland the Syrian military intends to advance.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government has accused the SDF of executing prisoners in Tabqa before withdrawing.

The SDF has denied the allegation, saying it transferred detainees out of the prison and accusing government forces of firing on the facility.

The United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported that government forces have taken control of more than a dozen villages and towns in the eastern Deir Az Zor countryside following the SDF withdrawal.

Picture this: You’re scrolling TikTok when a video grabs your attention — it’s a packed dance floor at an L.A. venue, lights low and moody with people vibing together as clips from “Heated Rivalry,” the hit queer hockey romance, flicker across the walls. The crowd sings along to pulse-thumping anthems from Britney Spears, Charli XCX and Bad Bunny, with a Paramore sing-along thrown in for everyone’s inner emo babe. Cheers erupt whenever favorite moments with the show’s central couple, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander — played by Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, respectively — come to life around them.

A TikTok offering a glimpse of this gathering, posted by Raven Yamamoto at a Heated Rivalry Night at the Vermont Hollywood, reads: “Never kill yourself. Just go to Heated Rivalry Night.”

The sentiment is tongue-in-cheek, but the feeling behind it is not. The dance party held at the Vermont and organized by Club 90s, channels the sensuous vacation-from-reality energy adored by fans of the TV show, and the book series it’s based on, that premiered in November and became a breakout hit for HBO Max. The show, acquired from the Canadian streamer Crave, has already been renewed for a second season and made stars out of its two leads, whose steamy onscreen romance has given rise to a new fandom and sprung a series of events that reflect its culture.

Heated Rivalry Night, curated by Club 90s founder and DJ Jeffrey Lyman, began as a single event that quickly sold out, leading to extra dates — another is being held at the Vermont on Sunday — and more than 100 multi-city pop-ups are planned over the next few months in places like Brooklyn, Washington, D.C., Chicago and London. Social media, particularly TikTok, has amplified the events, turning clips from the dance floor into viral, word-of-mouth-fueled promotion. The events almost didn’t happen: After a supporter emailed requesting a themed night, Lyman hadn’t considered it before because the show’s soundtrack has limited danceable music. But between his love for the series and an “I’ll figure it out” mindset, he dove in.

1

2

1. Heated Rivalry Night features different genres of music and clips from the TV series play on the walls of the venue. (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times) 2. Kaliah Dabee, center, sings during the event at the Vermont Hollywood. (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

“Me and my co-video creator were just working nonstop all week long figuring out how to make the night work. We found all these edits on TikTok and trimmed them into full-on music videos for the night, and then put together the show in four days. I had no idea what to expect. The response was just insane,” Lyman recalls. “Every single post I saw on TikTok was from the night, with hundreds of thousands of views and comments. I was like, all right, we gotta get this thing going because everyone was requesting us in every single city.”

The event has become a space for fans to gather and feel understood, surrounded by others who are drawn to the show’s tenderness, longing, steamy sex and emotional intensity that define it. For many, the universe also sparks a quiet, personal question: Is that sort of romance real — and could it exist in my own life too?

“Nights like these make life worth living. I had so much fun, more fun than I’ve had at a club in a long time,” says Yamamoto, whose entire friend group was “obsessed” with “Heated Rivalry” from the start. “I think it’s really easy to feel alone in a room with hundreds of people, even at events where you have something in common with everyone there.”

• Share via Close extra sharing options

But Heated Rivalry Night, he says, is different, noting the warmth and mutual comfort among the crowd members in attendance. “I mean, you could have shown up alone and left with 10 new friends,” Yamamoto adds.

That sense of community is exactly what Lyman hoped to create, where people of all ages, genders and sexual preferences can come together to celebrate the themes of the show.

“I think it resonates so much because the show is just beautiful, everything about it,” he says. “That’s been my ultimate goal with every party — one big accepting space where everyone can let their freak flag fly and be whoever they want, with no judgment.”

Music is another key element of that celebration.

“I want everyone to have their culture represented. I’m Latino myself, I love Bad Bunny — of course I had to throw him in. This is kind of a no-holds barred thing, I’m throwing in every genre,” Lyman says, highlighting how the eclectic music selection mirrors the crowd’s range of tastes. A typical night can seamlessly bounce from CupcakKe to Robyn, Chappell Roan to Beyoncé and Lady Gaga’s aughts banger “Telephone,” and also “Rivalry,” the show’s theme song by Peter Peter.

“I think it resonates so much because the show is just beautiful, everything about it,” says Heated Rivalry Night organizer Jeffrey Lyman. “That’s been my ultimate goal with every party — one big accepting space where everyone can let their freak flag fly and be whoever they want, with no judgment.”

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

Some moments hit even deeper emotionally. One of the standout sequences of a Heated Rivalry Night is when Lyman played a video montage of Shane coming out to his parents, set to Lorde’s “Supercut.”

“The first time I played it, I had, like, this emotional breakdown almost and I was in tears because everyone was cheering him on,” recalls Lyman, explaining that he didn’t personally get to come out to his family and the initial response was not positive or affirming. “And so flash forward so many years later, to have people literally screaming and cheering for this scene for him coming out — it blew my mind. And it just made me so happy for how far we’ve progressed in terms of acceptance.”

How the show has created a community

Ask a viewer on their umpteenth rewatch of “Heated Rivalry,” or a fan in the comments of a meticulous scene breakdown on TikTok, or a Hollanov enthusiast decked in cheeky merch, and the answer is consistently clear: The “Heated Rivalry” universe is a world that feels good to inhabit and revisit. In Los Angeles, the interest in the show has inspired other events as well, like “Heated Rivalry”-themed hot yoga and comedy shows, and fan-made merch, ranging from cozy blankets to graphic tees to custom hockey jerseys, has become ubiquitous.

Jose Bizuet, an educator in training, is still relatively new to the series — he’s four episodes into “Heated Rivalry” — but loves it so far. Waiting in line to enter the Vermont, Bizuet explained his motivation for attending the event.

Fans have created “Heated Rivarly” merch and several events themed to the TV show have emerged in L.A. and beyond.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

“I feel like a lot of spaces aren’t accepting of queer bodies, but I know that this space will be accepting of it,” he says. “I’m just excited to have fun, be with my friends, explore different bodies, and just have fun with everybody.”

Inside, pop hits and 2000s classics played alongside clips of Ilya and Shane, as well as fan edits — like a montage of the character Scott Hunter (played by François Arnaud) set to Usher’s “Daddy’s Home” and the infamous IYKYK Google Drive edit set to Megan Thee Stallion’s “Big Ole Freak.” The latter, a fan-made video of Ilya and Shane, was originally shared widely on Google Drive before becoming difficult to find in full, making it a treasured “if you know, you know” gem among the fandom — and the kind of moment that had the crowd cheering in recognition.

Rachel Jackson and Nicole Chamberlain have loved hockey — and a good romance story — for years; they’re fans of the Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks, respectively. “This series was right up our alley. We fell in love with it and read a bunch of the books,” says Jackson as she waited in line to enter the Vermont.

Chamberlain adds: “It’s cool to be part of something, and it’s just lovely to see the community rally around this story.”

Partygoers wearing Rozanov and Hollander hockey jerseys at Heated Rivalry Night. Organizer Jeffrey Lyman says he’s be surprised by the response to the themed dance party.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

In a post-quarantine landscape marked by isolation and digital overload, fans described a hunger for physical spaces where online connection could translate into real-world presence. Queer nightlife has long functioned as both refuge and community, and Heated Rivalry Night slots neatly into that lineage.

“I think it’s really special that ‘Heated Rivalry’ has become so popular in the U.S. under an administration that relentlessly attacks the rights and livelihoods of queer people,” says Yamamoto. “Celebrating a show about queer love with so many other queer people and allies who understand that felt like a protest in some ways.”

Assessing ‘Heated Rivalry’s’ effect and influence

Rachel Reid, the author of the Game Changers book series that the show is based on, has been struck by the scale and intensity of the fandom that’s grown around “Heated Rivalry.” From watch parties at a resort in the Philippines to drag shows, themed skate nights, and lively gatherings at West Hollywood’s gay sports bar Hi Tops, she’s seen fans across the globe bring the story to life in ways both big and intimate.

“I wish I could get to them all. I’m so proud to be a part of something that’s making people so happy and is also creating community and creating safe places for people to go,” Reid says. “It’s a really good feeling. It’s been my favorite part of all of this.”

She says people have told her the show has helped them try to find romance again. “Quite a few people have reached out to tell me they’d given up on relationships, and watching ‘Heated Rivalry’ made them want to try again, to believe in falling in love. That’s been incredible to hear.”

The tender queer romance depicted in “Heated Rivalry” has been refreshing for viewers. From left, François Arnaud, Robbie G.K., Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams in scenes from the show. (Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max)

The prioritization of queer joy and queer pleasure are foundational to the show, which is present even during emotional highs and lows, and that’s intentional. The trauma, harrowing ordeals or deaths that are typically depicted onscreen, and that audiences have come to expect from queer TV and films, were refreshingly absent.

“That’s extremely important to me, and I knew it was important to Jacob Tierney as well, who made the show,” says Reid. When the two brainstormed the creative direction, Reid says they were on the same page. “It would just be joyful. And it would be sexy in a way that nobody got punished for it. It was really important to me and really important to him, and I think it came through in the show for sure.”

Jacob Tierney, who adapted, wrote and directed the series for television, echoed this perspective. “Rachel’s book is unapologetically queer joy, and from the very first read, I knew I wanted to bring this shamelessly funny, glorious, romantic story to life, complete with the kind of happy ending that gay people so rarely see in the media,” he says.

He told Reid he wanted to honor the book with the seriousness it deserves.

“At a time when queer lives and love are still so often framed through pain or erasure, I felt it was important to tell a story that celebrates pleasure, tenderness, and happiness as something worth protecting,” Tierney adds. “Watching the series bring people together and spark meaningful conversations about how these stories are told has been profoundly moving.”

“Watching the series bring people together and spark meaningful conversations about how these stories are told has been profoundly moving,” says Jacob Tierney, who adapted “Heated Rivalry” for television.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

As the night wound down in Hollywood, partygoers lingered, sweaty and smiling, voices raspy from singing with friends and strangers who felt like friends.

Outside, the crowd spilled onto the sidewalk, already talking about the next Heated Rivalry Night. For a few hours, the story had leapt off the screen into something tangible — proof that the right song, room and people can make all the difference.

“Heated Rivalry” cannot fix all of the world’s ills, of course, but its influence is evident in Los Angeles and beyond. “It gave us a reason to dance. We haven’t had a lot of those in the past year,” Yamamoto says.

“Joy is resistance, too.”

To say Harry Reid and Jon Ralston had a fraught relationship is like suggesting Arabs and Israelis haven’t always been on the best of terms.

Or there’s a wee bit of tension between fans of the L.A. Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.

Reid, the former Senate majority leader and most powerful and important lawmaker ever to emerge from Nevada, went for long periods without speaking to Ralston, the state’s most prominent and highly regarded political journalist. Beyond that, Reid tried several times to get Ralston fired, finally succeeding when he was unceremoniously dumped by the TV stations that for years broadcast Ralston’s statewide public affairs program.

And yet when it came time to etch his name in history, Reid summoned Ralston and asked him to write his biography.

“He said, ‘Jon, you and I have something in common. We’re both survivors,’ ” Ralston recounted last week, laughing at the memory of their 2021 conversation.

“Which I thought was quite ironic, since he had tried to make sure I didn’t survive in my job several times. But he said, ‘You’re the only one who can do this book right. … I know I’m not going to like everything you write, but I want you to do the book.’ ”

The moment speaks to the quintessence of Reid, a flinty product of Nevada’s hardpan desert, who was famously unflinching and unsentimental in his pursuit and application of political power.

Reid, who died a little over four years ago, was a paradoxical mix of pugilism and self-effacement: cunning, ruthless and, at times, surprisingly tender-hearted. Beneath the bland exterior of a country parson, all soft-spoken solemnity, beat the heart of a bare-fisted brawler.

In short, he was an irresistible subject for a longtime student of politics like Ralston, whose book, “The Game Changer,” comes out Tuesday.

“I think there was a mutual respect there,” Ralson said of his parry-and-thrust relationship with Reid, who left the Senate in 2017 after more than 30 years on Capitol Hill. “Not to sound like an egoist, but he knew that I chronicled him in a way that nobody else did and recognized things about him that no one else did.”

Ralston took up the subject with no constraints.

Reid, who died about six months after asking Ralston to pen his biography, sat for two dozen interviews. He encouraged family, friends and former staffers to cooperate with Ralston. He granted unlimited access to his voluminous records — 12 million digital files and 100 boxes archived at the University of Nevada, Reno — including personal correspondence and internal emails. (Those include the senator and his chief of staff gleefully celebrating Ralston’s professional setbacks.)

The result is the definitive work — clear-eyed, evenhanded — on Reid and his legacy, which includes passage of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, if you prefer; the survival of the Las Vegas Strip during the Great Recession, and, most controversially, the Senate’s abandonment of the filibuster for presidential nominees, which eventually led to today’s Trump-stacked Supreme Court.

(Full disclosure: Your friendly columnist read the book in galley form and provided a favorable blurb that appears on the back cover.)

The biography recounts standard Reid lore.

The hardscrabble upbringing in Searchlight, Nev., a pinpoint about an hour’s drive south of Las Vegas. His hitchhiking, 40-mile commute to attend high school in Henderson. His years as an amateur boxer — and scuffle with his future father in law — and work as a Capitol police officer while attending law school in Washington, D.C. The car-bomb attempt on Reid’s life, connected to his work on the Nevada Gaming Commission.

And, of course, his oft-stumbling climb through the ranks of Nevada politics, which included a failed bid for Las Vegas mayor, a U.S. Senate contest he lost by fewer than 700 votes and another Reid won by fewer than 500.

Ralston, of course, was well-versed in that history, having written much of it. (Today, he serves as chief executive of the Nevada Independent, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news and opinion website he founded in 2017.)

Even as the world’s foremost Reid-ologist, as Ralston jokingly calls himself, there were things that surprised him.

He was unaware of the length and depth of an FBI probe, conducted in the late 1970s and early 1980s, into Reid over purported mob ties and other alleged improprieties. “He was never indicted or charged or anything,” Ralston said, “but they clearly were after him.”

And he had no idea of Reid’s prolific penmanship.

“Hundreds, maybe thousands of [notes and letters] … to friends, to colleagues in the Senate, to journalists and others,” Ralston said. “That really is something that’s not known about Harry Reid, how he established personal connections with people, which helped him become the effective leader that he was in the U.S. Senate.”

Even after decades of covering Reid, and years devoted to researching his biography, Ralston won’t presume to say he knows exactly what made him tick — though he suggested Reid’s impoverished, trauma-filled childhood had a lasting impact.

“He was an incredibly driven person,” Ralson said, “who went right up the line and, some would say over it, in trying to achieve what he thought was best for himself, for his party, for his country, for his friends, for his family.”

Along with that determination, Reid had an industrial-strength capacity to relinquish hard feelings, forget old animosities and move on. So, too, does Ralston. Their clashes were “just business,” Ralston said, and nothing he took personally.

The result is an improbable collaboration that produced an insightful examination and worthy coda to a remarkable career.

Jordan Chiles delivered her first career perfect 10 on the vault, helping the No. 9 UCLA women’s gymnastics team defeat Nebraska during its home opener at packed Pauley Pavilion on Saturday.

Her vault featured a double twisting Yurchenko — a roundoff onto the springboard, a back handspring onto the vault and a layout somersault with two full twists before landing. Given the power required to execute the somersault and twists, it is often difficult to stick the landing required to score a perfect 10. Chiles has been practicing the powerful vault throughout the preseason, coach Janelle McDonald said.

“It was so consistent,” McDonald said. “… Just the way she’s been training … and also competing the last two weeks, I felt like the stick was coming.

“… It was very special to see her nail it here today, the first meet in Pauley.”

After winning back-to-back Big Ten gymnast of the week awards, Chiles won the all-around individual title Saturday, finishing with a total of 39.675. UCLA swept the top three individual spots, with Tiana Sumanasekera and Katelyn Rosen joining Chiles.

In the team competition, the Bruins outscored the Cornhuskers 197.325-195.25.

Throughout the past week, UCLA emphasized improving the small details such as landing correctly. The team’s dismounts were nearly perfect against Nebraska, especially on the balance beam.

“I’m just proud that we were able to turn around from last week and really [show] what we really do in practice,” said Chiles, an Olympic gold medalist whose top goal this season is helping the Bruins win a national title.

UCLA’s Jordan Chiles earned a perfect 10 for her vault routine against Nebraska on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

UCLA started strong on the vault during their first rotation, with Sumanasekera and Rosen both scoring 9.8. Madisyn Anyimi received a mark of 9.75 with Ashlee Sullivan hitting a 9.9 right before Chiles delivered her perfect 10.

“We have such great depth on this team,” Sullivan said. “We truly have the talent, the grit, the want — everything that a dream team has.”

The team rushed Chiles to celebrate the perfect vault score that helped the Bruins take an early lead, with a team score of 49.250. Nebraska started off on the bars and trailed UCLA with a 49.05 score.

“It took me four years, finally to get a 10 on vault, and I’m just very proud of myself,” Chiles said. “And that just means I have, you know, more opportunities to really feel encouraged and feel … powerful going into everything that I need to learn.”

UCLA’s Jordan Chiles celebrates after her dismount on the balance beam during a meet against Nebraska at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

UCLA built on its lead with a team score of 49.325 on the bars after Rosen opened with a 9.85. Sumanasekera followed with a 9.825 and Mika Webster-Longin earned a 9.85 from her performance. Freshman Sullivan earned a career high 9.9 and Chiles capped the rotation with a 9.9.

The Cornhuskers totaled a 48.675 on the vault and trailed the Bruins 97.725 to 98.575.

During the third rotation, the Bruins moved to the balance beam, an event they struggled with during their third place finish in Utah last week.

Rosen and Sumanesekera were nearly perfect, each scoring 9.9. Webster-Longin earned a 9.875 before Chiles topped her best mark on the beam after receiving a 9.975. Ciena Alipio followed it with another 9.975 performance to total 49.626, extending the Bruins’ lead by 2.050 going into the last rotation of the day.

UCLA’s Tiana Sumanasekera rotates high over the vault during a meet against Nebraska at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

UCLA closed out the meet with the floor exercise, an event in which they placed first last week.

Rosen and Webster-Longin had rough starts, with slips during landings. Ciena, Sumanasekera and Sullivan boosted the team’s average after they earned 9.875 marks on their routines. Chiles closed out the Bruins’ win with a 9.8 on the floor.

Entering UCLA’s home opener, McDonald said her team put in extra work during practice to continue their growth. She noted that every minute of practice, the Bruins were working on improving from the previous week with intention, but she still sees room for improvement.

“I felt like we started to see a lot of the little details start to get dialed in,” she said. “I don’t feel like all of that translated yet onto the competition floor.”

McDonald said her team is getting closer to realizing its potential.

“What they’re doing in the gym is building confidence and consistency,” McDonald said. “When they are able to bring that out, it’s gonna be pretty exciting.”

We take a look at the holiday destinations in 2026 that are worth having on your radar every month of the year including Spain, Portugal, Norway, Iceland and Japan to name a few – and the deals to book

If you’re someone who needs a holiday to look forward to, but constantly struggle to narrow down your shortlist of destinations, then you’re in luck.

We’ve highlighted some of the best holiday destinations for every month of the year, whether you’re looking to escape for some sunshine, want ideas for your next family holiday, or even want to start planning for next winter so you have something to make the often dreary season that little bit more exciting.

Whether that’s heading to Northern Spain in the summer to catch a glimpse of a rare Total Solar Eclipse, or finally ticking off the cherry blossoms in Japan, to enjoying the Canary Islands without the peak holiday crowds, we’ve rounded up our top picks.

Check out our guide below, including where to book deals and packages to each of them…

January

It’s never too late to book in a last-minute holiday! If you are eyeing up a spontaneous January getaway, then the Caribbean islands could tick all of the boxes; beautiful beaches, near-guaranteed hot and sunny weather, bustling resorts and plenty of things to see and do if you fancy an adventure. Barbados, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic are particularly popular spots, and the good news is that this late in the month you can find plenty of late deals too.

February

2026 is going to be the best year in a decade to see the Northern Lights, as it brings the solar maximum. This rare event sees the Sun’s heightened magnetic activity release charged particles that collide with Earth’s atmosphere, creating brighter and more frequent auroras. Scientists are expecting it to peak until March 2026, so in February you could still get some of the best possible chances of witnessing the Aurora. Tromso in Norway is already a firm favourite with explorers thanks to its dark skies, but it also offers a plethora of activities from whale watching to a tour of its iconic Arctic Cathedral. Meanwhile for those who love rugged landscapes, Thingvellir in Iceland is another great Aurora viewing spot with plenty of scenic hikes to enjoy in the daytime too.

March

If seeing Japan’s Cherry Blossoms is on your bucket list, March is one of the best months when the flowers tend to be in full bloom. Head to the likes of Mount Yoshino in the Nara Prefecture which reportedly has over 30,000 trees with 200 varieties blooming over the mountain, while the Philosophers Walk in Kyoto is lined with the beautiful trees and offers visitors an easy 30-minute walk to explore. Hirosaki Park is another of Japan’s best spots to watch the cherry blossoms, but for some of the best views you may want to head to Hirosaki Castle specifically.

• Wendy Wu Tours offer eight-day holidays from £4590pp including the blossoms – book on wendywutours.co.uk
• Great Rail Journeys offers 14 days from £4,299pp in March – book on greatrail.com

April

Spain starts to get warmer weather in April and if you head outside of the Easter school holidays, then you’ll find plenty of deals and smaller crowds. Seville is a must-visit city already given its incredible food, beautiful Royal Alcazar palace and impressive Plaza de Espana, but April is a particularly exciting time to visit though as its world-famous fair takes place, with plenty of flamenco shows, live music, local markets and fun events taking place. This year the event will take place between 21-26th April.

• easyJet Holidays has Seville city breaks from £472pp – book on easyjet.com
• British Airways has Seville holidays from £410pp – book on ba.com

May

Fancy a UK break? Then it’s worth having Stirling on your radar. The Scottish city recently celebrated its 900th anniversary, not to mention it was named as one of the world’s best destinations to visit in 2026 by TimeOut. There’s plenty of history to explore at Stirling Castle or the National Wallace Monument, as well as an abundance of picturesque walks in the region. It’s also a short drive across to Edinburgh if you fancied a bit of city-hopping! Budget train operator Lumo is also set to launch a direct route from London to Stirling in spring 2026, so it’ll be even easier to get exploring.

• Lumo is launching a new London to Stirling route – find out more on lumo.co.uk
• Lastminute.com has hotels from £50 a night – book at lastminute.com
• Premier Inn has hotels in Stirling City Centre from £90 a night – book at premierinn.com

June

Porto in Portugal has been enjoying a burst of popularity in recent years, in part as it’s become a hit with the social media crowd. This underrated city boasts plenty of breathtaking landmarks including tiled buildings, its iconic São Bento with intricate mosaics making up the walls, the vintage tram, the Pont Luis I bridge crossing the Duomo River, and some major kudos in terms of pretty places from the world’s most beautiful bookshop to the world’s most beautiful McDonalds.

July

The USA, Canada and Mexico will be the host nations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, so it’s no surprise that they’re expected to get an influx of tourists over the month. Naturally this means bigger crowds and likely higher prices, but for sports fans it’s set to make for a unique way to experience the three countries.

Host cities in Canada will be Toronto and Vancouver, while in Mexico it will be Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey. Over in the USA, matches will take place in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area.

August

Spain is already a popular destination for Brits in August given its short flight time from the UK and beautiful beaches, for something truly spectacular, you may want to head to Northern Spain to the likes of Oviedo, Gijón, Santander, Bilbao, Burgos, Zaragoza. That’s because these will be the best spots in August 2026 from which to watch a total solar eclipse set to take place. (Majorca is also tipped to have some great views).

• TUI has Spain holidays from £354pp in August – book at tui.co.uk
• Thomas Cook offers Spain breaks from £220pp – book on thomascook.com

September

Italy’s beautiful Amalfi Coast offer 20-28C weather that’s ideal for wandering around and exploring the charming villages, eating al fresco and still getting plenty of beautiful sunset views. As the school holidays will be over, it also means that the area gets a little quieter, but as the season isn’t completely done there is still plenty of atmosphere to be found in the bars, hotels and restaurants.

• British Airways offers a range of Amalfi coast holidays – book at ba.com
• Travelsphere offers an 8-day Amalfi Coast, Pompeii & Capri escorted tour from £1,599pp – book at travelsphere.co.uk

October

The Canary Islands are an ideal location in October if you’re after some hot and sunny weather, given that they can still enjoy temperatures of up to 27C. It’s warm enough to enjoy the beaches, have a sunset cocktail on a terrace, but cooling down enough in the mornings that you can take on the hiking trails on the beautiful volcanic landscapes too. With October half term prices do tend to rise, but they’re some of the best options closest to the UK where you can still enjoy hot weather.

• Loveholidays has Canaries packages from £129pp – book at loveholidays.com
• Lastminute.com has packages from £206pp to the Canaries – book at lastminute.com

November

For a mix of culture, beaches and city breaks, Morocco ticks all of the boxes; plus it has the added bonus of still boasting balmy weather in November. For beaches head to Agadir where you’ll find soft sands, a wide array of hotels and plenty of beautiful ocean views. For a city break, there’s nowhere quite like Marrakech with its bustling markets, historic landmarks and beautiful Riads you can call home away from home.

• Loveholidays has Agadir getaways from £129pp – book on loveholidays.com
• easyJet Holidays offers Marrakech city breaks from £319pp – book on easyjet.com

December

Winter holidays aren’t always about escaping for some sunshine. If the lead up to the festive period has you wanting to check out Christmas markets, then Germany is Europe’s jewel in the crown for these festive events. Berlin and Munich are the famous ones and hence draw in the big crowds, but if you want something a little more underrated, why not head to Esslingen? This medieval town with its beautiful streets, twinkling lights and that all-important mulled wine packs just as much charm, without the hordes of tourists.

• Expedia can be a good source for hotels and flights closest to Esslingen – book on expedia.co.uk

Do you have a holiday story you want to share with us? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com.

Jan. 17 (UPI) — NASA early Saturday morning started the slow roll of the 322-foot-tall Artemis II rocket from Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B for final preparations before its launch to the moon.

The rocket — now fully assembled with the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket — started it’s 1-mile-per-hour journey from the VAB to the launch pad on the crawler-transporter 2 around 7:00 a.m.

The 11-million-pound stack’s four-mile trip could take up to 12 hours to complete, NASA said earlier this week.

Once on the pad, NASA and the four-astronaut crew will run tests on SLS, most significantly a wet dress rehearsal that includes fully fueling and unfueling the rocket, in the run up its launch window opening on Feb. 6.

“Artemis II will be a momentous step forward for human spaceflight,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. “This historic mission will send humans farther from Earth than ever before and deliver the insights needed for us to return to the moon.”

Artemis II is the second of three missions building to the first human return to the surface of the moon in more than 50 years.

NASA said it designed the Artemis missions for scientific discovery and potential “economic benefits,” as well as to prepare for future crewed missions to Mars.

The crew — Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen — has been at Kennedy Space Center since July training and preparing.

The 10-day Artemis II mission will take the four astronauts farther from Earth than any previous human as Orion enters orbit around the moon before heading back home.

During the mission, the astronauts will be tasked with testing Orion’s systems for deep-space travel, to gather data on how humans fare on the journey and to get a first-hand look at parts of the moon.

The most important part of testing the SLS ahead of launch is the wet dress, which allows NASA officials in mission control to make sure the rocket will function properly during launch.

In 2022, the wet dress rehearsal for Artemis 1 revealed a crucial fuel leak that had to be repaired on the launchpad before the first launch of the SLS, which was uncrewed — and successful.

While the first Artemis II launch window opens on Feb. 6, NASA said it will not announce a specific launch date until all testing, including the wet dress and a formal flight readiness review, is complete.

If NASA misses the February launch window, it already has windows identified in March and April that are suitable for launch.

The Artemis II moon mission, as well as 2027’s Artemis III moon mission, will be broadcast on NASA’s free app, its website and through the NASA+ channel it launched last year on Netflix using high-definition cameras to deliver much better views of the moon than the grainy images beamed back during the Apollo missions.

People in the Syrian town of Deir Hafer have been celebrating after the Syrian army pushed out the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces from areas in eastern Aleppo Governorate. Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi spoke to residents there.

Fresh off the finale of Netflix’s seemingly endless run of “Stranger Things,” one of its stars, Finn Wolfhard, did one of the rites of passage that child actors sometimes do on the road to adult roles: host “Saturday Night Live.”

If the appearance wasn’t exactly a blow-out comedic performance — Wolfhard seemed game throughout but awkward and too understated in some sketches — it was notable at least for starting what is likely to be a barrage of post-”Stranger Things” appearances and roles for its entire cast, something alluded to in a pre-taped sketch about all the potential spinoffs, sequels and side quests Netflix may have in store.

For his “SNL” debut (his appearance as a page in the “Saturday Night” feature film doesn’t count), Wolfhard got to podcast with the preteen “Snack Homiez” crew (including Sabrina Carpenter, who returned for the sketch), played an indie rock son rebelling against his pop star dad (James Austin Johnson), a well-fed space emperor in a wacky sci-fi sketch, and the boyfriend of a too-enthusiastic guys’ girl (Veronika Slowikowska) who fails to impress his friends.

But his appearance will probably best be remembered for a spot-on “Heated Rivalry” parody set in the “Harry Potter” world (more on that perfect storm of comedy in a bit).

Musical guest A$AP Rocky performed “Punk Rocky” with Danny Elfman on drums and “Don’t Be Dumb/Trip Baby.” Before the closing goodbyes, a title card honored Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir, who died this week.

In 2026, James Austin Johnson’s impression of President Trump is still a rambling marvel, but for the first cold open of the year, the material felt like too much of a recap or retread of previous greatest hits. Marcello Hernández played a mostly-silent Marco Rubio who Trump berates for speaking Spanish. Tina Fey returned as Kristi Noem with some great zingers (“Do I have the situation under control? Noem, I do not.”), but it was almost a beat-for-beat repeat of the bit she did to better effect when Amy Poehler hosted. Colin Jost again played Pete Hegseth as an overly pumped bully. The only new element, apart from Trump looking out windows, was Jeremy Culhane‘s debut as vice president J.D. Vance. “I’m here to kick bubble gum and chew ass and I’m all out of bubble gum,” Vance said. The cold open concluded with Trump promising, “The midterms are canceled.” Which only serves to remind us that there’s likely to be a lot of Trump cold opens between now and November.

For his monologue, Wolfhard was joined by his “Stranger Things” co-stars Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin after showing a few jokey clips illustrating how much he grew up on the show, including going through puberty. Wolfhard tried to prove that he’s a full-grown 23-year-old man now, but he’s still got no real facial hair and doesn’t like alcohol (he spits some into Hernández’s face after congratulating him on his new stand-up comedy special). Wolfhard and his co-stars reaffirmed their friendship before he declared they are “child stars who are now ready to do adult films!”

Best sketch of the night: ‘Heated Wizardry’ is the sexy reboot we didn’t know we needed

Sometimes the best “SNL” sketch isn’t just the funniest, but the one that is perfectly timed, with exactly the right host for just the moment in the zeitgeist for it to hit the hardest. Such is the case with this “Harry Potter” parody timed to everyone’s current obsession with HBO Max’s “Heated Rivalry.” Here, Harry (Wolfhard) and Ron Weasley (Ben Marshall) become romantically entangled Quidditch teammates, but the teaser for the fake series promises that everyone is older than 18 and Hogwarts is now some sort of college. There’s pixelated nudity, grudging approval from Professor Snape (Johnson) and Jason Momoa as Hagrid, who says that like Neville, “You are one long bottom!” Oh, the terrible puns.

Also good: Do you not find these snacks pleasing, emperor?

There are those who will tell you that “Snack Homiez” is the funniest thing “SNL” has done in a long time; I am not one of those people. Instead, I found this goofy sketch about an enthusiastic “Snack Man” to an evil space emperor on a show called “Dark Orbit” to be much sillier and funnier, driven by Mikey Day’s always welcome attempts to push his fellow cast members or hosts into breaking character and laughing. This time, force feeding Wolfhard led to several cast members losing their cool.

‘Weekend Update’ winner: Tamara owes you no explanation for the button collecting

Kam Patterson portrayed NFL legend Michael Irvin in a scattered segment about his devotion to the University of Miami, but it was Jane Wickline (who’s proven divisive among “SNL” fans) emerging as the week’s “Update” winner playing the mysterious woman, Tamara, behind the 365 buttons TikTok meme. As with the comments that inspired the meme, Wickline played Tamara as someone who refused to reveal why they’re collecting a button a day, sparring defensively with “Update” co-host Michael Che. At the end of the segment, she revealed she has a solution to the crisis in Venezuela, but won’t reveal that solution. “I just have to go there and understand how to want to know,” Tamara said.

Mikael Granlund scored at 4:02 of overtime, and the Ducks beat the Kings 2-1 on Saturday night at Honda Center to sweep a two-game weekend set in the rivalry.

Rookie Beckett Sennecke created the winning score by swooping in on a backcheck to take the puck away from the Kings’ Kevin Fiala on a breakaway. Sennecke knocked the puck straight to Granlund, who beat Anton Forsberg for his ninth goal of the season.

Mason McTavish scored the first goal and Ville Husso made 17 saves for the Ducks. They have won three straight after a nine-game skid.

Adrian Kempe scored a power-play goal and Forsberg stopped 30 shots in the backup’s strong performance for the Kings, who have lost six of seven.

Sennecke played a major role for the second straight night when the Southern California clubs completed their back-to-back set by going to overtime for the third time in their four meetings this season. Sennecke had two assists and scored in the shootout as the Ducks rallied from a two-goal deficit for a 3-2 victory over the Kings in downtown Los Angeles on Friday night.

McTavish ended the Ducks’ victory in L.A. with his fourth shootout goal of the season, and he opened the scoring in the rematch with a wrist shot for his 12th goal early in the first period.

Kempe tied it in the second period, scoring his 16th goal on a hard one-timer off a pass from Fiala. Kempe then put a gloved finger to his lips, shushing the sixth consecutive sellout crowd in Anaheim.

The Kings had six power plays before the Ducks got their first man-advantage late in the second period, yet Anaheim had a significant edge in shots after carrying play for long stretches at even strength.

After a scoreless third, the Kings played into extra time for a league-high 20th time this season.

Jeffrey Viel made his debut for the Ducks, who traded a fourth-round pick to Boston on Friday to get the veteran forward who hasn’t scored in the NHL since March 18, 2022. The 6-foot-1 Viel fought 6-foot-6 Kings forward Samuel Helenius in the first period.

Up next for the Kings: vs. the New York Rangers at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night.

Up next for the Ducks: vs. the Rangers at Honda Center on Monday night.

THE first taste of oyster is like diving headfirst into an oncoming tidal wave.

And I am immediately struck by how fresh my meal is as I sit outside the Marisqueira Azul restaurant on Lisbon’s bustling Praca do Comercio square.

Despite it being the middle of winter, I feel the pleasant warmth of the sun tickling my neck as I take a sip of white wine.

Just two and a half hours from the UK, the Portuguese capital feels like a world away from the icy London I’ve left behind.

After a plate of oysters, our travelling party is met with dishes of octopus, shrimp and cod galore.

For a pescatarian like me, Portugal is a dream — with the locals very proud of their seafood.

SEA FOR YOURSELF

Ten reasons to visit Azores from whale-watching to volcano cooking classes

EVORA-LASTING LOVE

I visited underrated Portuguese city an hour from Lisbon known for wine

To press home this point, we are next whisked off to the Codfish History Interpretation Centre, where we learn about Lisbon’s long history with the fish.

The city is full of brilliant museums and galleries — some famous, others a little more off the beaten track, but no less interesting.

Next, we take a private tram tour of the city, which can be booked by groups.

And after passing boutique hotel the Palacio Ramalhete, where Madonna lived during her move to Portugal in 2018, we find ourselves at the Royal Treasure Museum.

This little gem allows you to set foot inside the spectacular Ajuda National Palace, formerly home of the Portuguese royal family.

Portugal has been a republic for more than 100 years, but what remains from the former monarchy is plenty of bling now on display to the public.

After going through a security check, we are escorted in to one of the largest vaults in the world, where we can check out everything from jewels, gold and diamonds to gifts from other countries and the silver tableware that would be used for royal banquets.

As someone who enjoys history and shiny things, this museum is a smash hit. After a pit stop for a pastel de nata (Portugal’s iconic egg custard tart pastry), we head to our hotel.

The MACAM Hotel is an 18th-century palace that now houses 64 luxurious rooms and a contemporary art museum.

Come the spring, the place to be for guests will be the rooftop pool and bar.

For art connoisseurs heading to Lisbon, Gulbenkian’s Centre of Modern Art is a must-see attraction.

Preserved head

The stunning gallery, originally designed by Brit Sir Leslie Martin, was recently renovated by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and is a sight to behold.

We also visit the Aguas Livres Aqueduct, which was built in the 1700s to transport water into Lisbon.

Crossing the Alcantara Valley, the stunning, 3,087ft stone construction features 18 arches reaching up to 215ft high.

The Roman-inspired aqueduct survived Lisbon’s huge earthquake of 1755, despite the disaster having devastated much of the city, with tremors felt as far away as Seville.

After it stopped being used as an aqueduct, the imposing structure became a public path until a 19th- century serial killer caused its closure.

Diogo Alves went on to be named the “Aqueduct Murderer” — and Portuguese folklore has him guilty of throwing as many as 70 people off it after ambushing and robbing them.

Following his execution, Alves’ head was severed and preserved in a glass jar that was donated to the University of Lisbon.

It remains on display in the university’s Anatomical Theatre.

The aqueduct now provides a sprawling view of the city.

Ahead of dinner, we also visit the Church of St Anthony in Lisbon’s Misericordia district to take in a fado concert.

Fado music is as traditional as it gets in Portugal, and its tales of heartbreak and sorrow are even more special to witness in such a poignant setting.

After the brilliant one-hour concert, we head to Pica-Pau, a restaurant that celebrates traditional Portuguese food and more excellent seafood, of course.

In the mood for beer rather than wine that evening, I ask about whether to get a Super Bock or Sagres.

“Super Bock for the north, Sagres for the south,” I’m told.

The good folk of Lisbon are fiercely proud of their favoured beer Sagres, while those from Porto in the north prefer Super Bock.

When in Lisbon . . . so I dutifully order the Sagres. Perfect.

Thousands of Greenlanders marched against United States President Donald Trump. They carried protest signs, waved their national flag, and chanted “Greenland is not for sale” in defence of their self-governance amid growing fears of a US takeover.

As they completed their march on Saturday from the small city centre of Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, to the US consulate, news broke that Trump, speaking from his home in Florida, had announced a 10 percent import tax from February on goods from eight European countries, in retaliation for their opposition to US control of the Arctic island.

Trump has long argued that the US should own the strategically located, mineral-rich island, which is a self-governing territory of Denmark. He stepped up his calls a day after a US military operation ousted and abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month.

In Nuuk, Greenlanders of all ages listened to traditional songs as they walked to the consulate.

Tillie Martinussen, a former member of Greenland’s parliament, said she hopes the Trump administration will “abandon this crazy idea”.

“They started out by sort of touting themselves as our friends and allies, saying they wanted to make Greenland better for us than the Danes would,” she said, as chants rang out in the background. “And now they’re just outright threatening us.”

She said the fight to preserve NATO and Greenland’s autonomy was more important than concerns over tariffs, though she stressed she was not dismissing the potential economic impact.

“This is a fight for freedom,” she said. “It’s for NATO; it’s for everything the Western Hemisphere has been fighting for since the second world war.”

On December 25, 2025, the United States launched strikes on some specific targets in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria. Fired from its naval assets in the Gulf of Guinea, approximately 16 GPS-guided precision munitions, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, were launched. Some landed in the Bauni forest near Nigeria’s border with the Niger Republic, while others struck locations including a farmland in Jabo village and in Kwara State, in the country’s North Central region. 

The Nigerian government said the strike was carried out at its request in a “joint operation”, marking one of the clearest instances of direct American military action on Nigerian soil. 

In the weeks before the action, surveillance drones had repeatedly loitered over parts of the North East and North West, signalling a level of intelligence activity that went beyond routine cooperation. The strike, which HumAngle’s investigation found to have killed nobody, has so far not been followed by any. But recently, the US president, Donald Trump, said Nigeria will see more if Christians “continue to be killed”. 

For northern Nigeria, long trapped in a grinding war against multiple non-state armed groups such as Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), IS-Sahel (locally referred to as Lakurawa), and other local terror groups, the incident raised a pressing question: What kind of American war on terror is about to arrive? And, judging by US interventions elsewhere, what does history suggest it will bring to the region? 

For more than two decades, the United States has fought non-state actors across the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, and the Sahel. The outcomes have ranged from tactical victories to strategic collapse. Nigeria now stands at the edge of this long and uneven history, watching closely and wondering which version of America’s counter-terrorism playbook it might inherit.

This analysis examines whether US intervention tends to contain violence or merely reshape it, and what that history suggests for a country already grappling with deep social fractures. As Nigeria edges closer to direct American military action, the central issue is not whether the US can strike militants, but whether its involvement will stabilise an already fragile conflict or further entrench it.

How the US has fought terror elsewhere

In Iraq and Syria, the US response to the rise of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, in 2014 was deliberately constrained. America avoided a large-scale occupation, instead leading a multinational coalition that relied on airpower, intelligence dominance, and partnerships with local forces, including the Iraqi military and Kurdish fighters. 

The goal was not to remake the state but to degrade ISIS’s ability to hold territory, and it was largely successful. By 2019, the group’s so-called caliphate had collapsed, although ISIS itself was not eliminated. Today, the group survives through attacks on rural and border regions between Iraq and Syria, forcing many of its members to migrate to other locations, particularly in Africa, where IS encouraged its members to migrate.

James Bernett, a Nigeria-based researcher who specialises in African conflicts and armed groups, argues that the outcome reflected design rather than chance. “Not all US military interventions are the same,” he explained. “Those with more limited scopes, clear targets, stronger regional cooperation, and coordination with competent local forces are more likely to be successful than open-ended interventions with more nebulous strategic objectives.”

Afghanistan followed the opposite path. What began in 2001 as a focused mission to dismantle Al-Qaeda gradually expanded into a prolonged attempt to secure territory, build institutions, and reshape governance. Despite nearly two decades of operations and trillions of dollars spent, the Taliban returned to power shortly after US forces withdrew in 2021. 

Analysts said that the collapse exposed the limits of foreign military power in contexts where political legitimacy is weak and local institutions remain fragile.

In Somalia, US involvement in the longest American counter-terrorism operation has been narrower but no less revealing. Since 2003 when the first US operation against Al-Shabab was recorded under President George W. Bush, the war against the group has continued to date. 

American strategy in Somalia has relied primarily on drone strikes and support for regional partners against Al-Shabab. While senior militant leaders have been killed, the group remains resilient, violence persists, and governance remains fragile. Under Trump’s current administration, airstrikes increased dramatically, with more than 125 declared strikes in Somalia in 2025 alone—far exceeding previous years, including Trump’s first term. This marks the highest annual figure since the major offensive began in 2007.

Despite progress recorded elsewhere, especially in Mogadishu, which was previously controlled by Al-Shabaab, the group still controls over 30 per cent of Somalia and continues to push towards the capital. Al-Shabab is arguably the most successful Al-Qaeda affiliate in the world after Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).

A somewhat similar pattern emerged in the Sahel. Despite years of US and allied counter-terrorism efforts, jihadist groups expanded across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Foreign military engagement coincided with coups, political instability, and growing public resentment toward external actors. 

More recently, the United States has significantly scaled back its direct military presence and large-scale counterterrorism operations in the core Sahel region due to the expulsion of Western forces by the ruling juntas. Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have now pivoted toward partnerships with Russia via the Africa Corps (formerly Wagner) for security support, while rejecting or limiting US and French involvement. 

However, the US, although not having fighters on the ground, still engages in some intelligence sharing to counter the threats from what it described as the “epicentre of global terrorism”. 

Bernett places these cases within a broader pattern. Where interventions lack clarity or rely on weak local partners, he argues, violence is often “reshaped rather than resolved”. Nigeria’s case differs in one key respect: the government has welcomed US support, while simultaneously seeking changes in tactics.

The withdrawal of Western forces from the Sahel has emboldened jihadist groups. Mali, in particular, is struggling to contain JNIM, the Al-Qaeda affiliate that’s blocking fuel imports and advancing towards the country’s capital, Bamako.

A signal or a strategy?

The sustained presence of US surveillance drones over northern Nigeria in late 2025 suggested a deepening intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance effort, rather than a fleeting show of interest.

The Christmas Day strikes reinforced that impression. President Trump framed the operation as a response to extremist violence and what he described as the persecution of Christians, language that immediately reverberated within Nigeria’s already polarised political landscape.

Malik Samuel, a Nigerian security researcher, told HumAngle that such rhetoric risks undermining the US counter-terrorism operation by “setting one religious group against another, as has been seen before”. 

Trump has repeatedly framed the entirety of Nigeria’s conflicts as a Christian genocide in Nigeria, a narrative that has been widely debunked and is seen to likely cast US intervention in a negative light—especially in the Muslim majority areas in the northern region, where terrorism has been most severe and misinformation about US intervention is prevalent. Although President Trump recently acknowledged that Muslims are also being killed, he continues to emphasise religious persecution as a major reason behind his intervention.

For several local security analysts, such as Bernett, this ambiguity is itself a warning sign. “The lack of clarity over what the US military objectives are in Nigeria raises the spectre of mission creep and a more open-ended and indecisive US military presence,” he cautions, one that could begin to resemble Somalia or the Sahel.

At the same time, he notes that the strikes may have been largely symbolic. After an initial show of force, the US may retreat to behind-the-scenes support, particularly as West Africa “is not much of a priority for the administration on the whole”. 

This interpretation appears consistent with developments on Tuesday, January 13, when the US, through its Africa Command (AFRICOM), announced that it had supplied military equipment to the Nigerian armed forces for counterterrorism operations. Although the nature of the equipment was not disclosed, the move suggests that the US intends to work with the Nigerian government rather than acting unilaterally, an approach that has historically yielded limited success in counterterrorism efforts.

Whether signal or strategy, the strikes nonetheless marked a shift. For years, US involvement in Nigeria’s security crisis had been indirect, centred on arms sales, training, and intelligence sharing. The December 25 operation moved Nigeria closer to the category of countries where the US is willing to act directly, even if cautiously.

Yet Nigeria’s security crisis predates foreign attention and is unlikely to be resolved by it alone. What began in 2009 with Boko Haram’s uprising has since metastasised into a complex web of conflicts across much of the country’s northern region. 

Despite sustained military operations, the Nigerian state has struggled to impose lasting control. Airstrikes have killed commanders but rarely dismantled networks. Ground operations remain constrained by logistics, allegations of human rights abuses, and deep mistrust between communities and security forces.

If the US continues with airstrikes, it will lead to problems, ranging from mistakenly hitting civilians instead of terrorists to opening up opportunities for terrorists to launch attacks on the population. If this happens, achieving the expected success will be difficult because locals will avoid engaging with the operation.

This environment, Bernett warns, is particularly vulnerable to retaliation dynamics. “There are indications that jihadist militants in both the North West and the North East have been targeting civilians, including Christians, in retaliation for the airstrikes,” he said. The pattern mirrors Nigeria’s own past experience, where terrorists “punish civilians after getting hit” and exploit any civilian casualties for propaganda and recruitment.

This is what happened after the US attack in Sokoto. Villagers told HumAngle that Lakurawa terrorists increasingly sought refuge within civilian settlements, avoiding the Bauni Mountains where they usually operate. This suggests that the terrorists are using civilians as cover, so that if another attack occurs, many innocent civilians are likely to lose their lives.

Airpower alone, he adds, is “hardly ever decisive in defeating insurgencies” and can even trigger short-term spikes in violence if not paired with effective ground coordination and civilian protection.

Christians have been targeted in brutal attacks, but Muslims have also been killed in large numbers by the same militant groups. Entire Muslim communities have been displaced or accused of complicity. Analysts warn that jihadist groups are adept at exploiting polarising narratives, turning rhetoric into a recruitment tool.

Samuel believes that even if the US proceeds with a ground operation, it will not achieve the success it seeks because, from the start, the issue was approached in the wrong way. “If the problem had been framed as a fight solely against terrorists, almost everyone would have welcomed it, as they would have seen it as a call for help,” he noted. 

Nigeria differs in important ways from past theatres of US intervention. It is not a collapsed state propped up by foreign forces, as Afghanistan was, it retains functioning national institutions and regional influence, in contrast to Somalia. Its military is large, experienced, and politically embedded, even if its effectiveness is uneven.

The conflict itself is also more fragmented. Armed actors pursue overlapping but distinct agendas shaped by local grievances, economic desperation, and regional instability. Any attempt to impose a single counter-terrorism framework risks misunderstanding the violence it seeks to confront.

Religion further complicates the picture. Nigeria is almost evenly divided between Muslims and Christians, and both communities have suffered devastating losses. External narratives that frame the conflict primarily as religious persecution risk inflaming tensions and erasing shared suffering.

At the local level, Bernett warns, foreign strikes risk “further undermining trust between communities and the state or between Muslims and Christians”, particularly in areas where state presence is already minimal.

Nationally, Nigeria is deeply polarised, with tensions likely to rise ahead of the 2027 elections. US strikes, Bernett notes, will become part of Nigeria’s political discourse, shaped not only by America’s actions but also by domestic actors seeking advantage.

What comes next

Bernett is sceptical that Washington is prepared for a sustained commitment. “I’m quite doubtful that the US government will dedicate the resources, bandwidth, and patience to degrading any militant group decisively over the long haul,” he says. 

The Christmas strikes, he adds, were “flashy” and accompanied by bold rhetoric that may raise expectations the US is unlikely to meet.

If American involvement remains limited, discreet, and tightly coordinated, it may help disrupt specific threats. If it expands without clarity, legitimacy, or attention to civilian harm, it risks deepening instability.

Ultimately, Nigeria’s long war will not be decided by drones or warplanes alone. Its future hinges on governance, trust, and political choices that no foreign power can impose. America’s experience elsewhere suggests that how it fights matters as much as whether it fights at all.

An EastEnders announcement may have revealed the future of an Emmerdale villain amid recent speculation that Joe Tate could be killed off on the ITV soap very soon

Fans of Emmerdale may be seeing plenty more of Joe Tate despite a theory he will be killed off.

Following a major soap announcement, it could tease whether actor Ned Porteous is remaining on the ITV soap or not. EastEnders revealed the big news on Saturday that Mark Fowler Jr was heading back to the show after he left in 2016.

He will join his sister Vicki Fowler in Walford, as well as the Mitchells – while it’s yet to be explained how he ends up being linked to the Brannings. Stephen Aaron-Sipple has taken on the role, already debuting in a mystery flashforward scene earlier this month.

But the last time we saw Mark 10 years ago, the role was played by Emmerdale actor Ned, before Ned swapped soaps and took on the role of Joe a year later in 2017.

READ MORE: Coronation Street fans ‘work out’ who Carl’s father is after Debbie sceneREAD MORE: EastEnders Mark Fowler Jr returns as recast confirmed – and he’s already been onscreen

The fact that Ned’s EastEnders character has been recast could possibly tease that he has no plans, currently, to return to the show. This could suggest that Ned is very much staying with Emmerdale, and won’t be leaving despite the recent theory.

Fears sparked after Joe turned sinister once more. Fans know that vile Joe is blackmailing the Sugdens for their farm, after he watched and filmed Victoria Sugden killing her brother John Sugden. She had not meant to kill him, but attacked him after he turned on her.

Joe has since allowed Moira Dingle to be framed for Celia Daniels’ crimes, in a bid to get her farm too. Fans have questioned if Joe crossing the Sugdens and the Dingles will lead to a grim fate for the character.

One theory read: “Anyone else think this latest storyline with wanting to set Moira up is going to lead to him being killed off and another whodunnit? When the truth inevitably comes out, I think people will be annoyed at Robert initially.

“But once he explains to Cain and Moira why, they’ll eventually understand (we know Moira is also quite protective of Victoria) and anger will soon turn to Joe. And to be honest, almost everyone in the village will be a suspect.”

Another fan said: “I think he could be killed off because he’s already had a whodunnit and survived and then all the bad things he’s done, he’s got away with it all. His latest stuff is so evil I can’t see him being redeemed from it.

“So I definitely think someone will want revenge. I feel like they want us to think Robert or Aaron or even Victoria would be involved, maybe Moira or Cain too, but what if in a twist of all twists its Graham who ends up killing him? Or Kim, given she wanted him dead the last time.”

As for EastEnders, new Mark actor Stephen shared: “Having grown up in East London, EastEnders has been in my life since childhood and I’m excited to be joining not one, but two iconic Albert Square families! I’m looking forward to viewers seeing why Mark is back, and what Walford has in store for him.”

Executive Producer Ben Wadey also had his say, teasing what was ahead. He said: “We are thrilled to welcome Stephen Aaron-Sipple to EastEnders and bring Mark back to Albert Square. Viewers had a glimpse of Mark in the New Years Day flashforward episode, with the circumstances around his upcoming involvement with the Brannings set to unfold throughout the year.”

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Former Talbot left-back Gordon Pope has fond, but ultimately painful, memories of the last time the part-timers came up against top-flight opposition 14 years ago.

A brave, backs-to-the-wall effort held Hearts at bay until goalkeeper Andy Leishman, who had earlier saved a penalty, fumbled as he collided with team-mate Bryan Slaven and Gordon Smith slotted the hosts ahead with six minutes left.

Throwing caution to the wind, Talbot won a free-kick and Pope was played through the Hearts defence only for the linesman to flag for offside as he was slotting home what he thought would be an equaliser five minutes into stoppage time.

“It leaves a ‘what if’,” Pope tells BBC Scotland as he watches a replay of the incident. “It is a tight decision and it’s just one of those moments in the history of the club.

“We had never played at that level [fourth round] before, so going back to Rugby Park for a replay would have been massive for the club.”

James Latta, who was captaining Talbot for the first time that day, recalls: “Most of our team had played at senior level at some point and we knew if we stayed tight and stuck to our formation, we’d have a chance depending on how Hearts played.”

However, the former defender recognises that they face an even tougher task against Scottish champions who have had a new lease of life after club legend Martin O’Neill returned as interim manager after the sacking of Wilfried Nancy.

“If you asked me that last week, it would have been a good time to play them,” Latta says. “It would have been hard before – it is going to be a lot harder now.”