ahead

With spring football practice approaching, reporters met with USC’s staff to talk about the Trojans. We gave you our first 15 thoughts out of those interviews in this week’s Times of Troy newsletter.

(You can subscribe to the Times of Troy here for that news in your inbox every Monday morning.)

But there’s still more to share. Here are 10 more notes, quotes and things to know ahead of spring football …

1. “Everybody thinks he’s the No.1 player in the country for a reason,” defensive line coach Shaun Nua said of freshman Luke Wafle. “He has the potential, the mentality, the character. It’s our job to make sure we maximize that on a consistent basis.”

2. The most encouraging development on USC’s defensive front? “Depth is the greatest friend you can have,” Nua said. He’ll certainly have more of it this season. Assuming his freshmen up front settle in quickly. Wafle is sure to play, while freshman defensive tackles Jameion Wingfield and Tomhuini Topui look primed for early roles. That’s in addition to Jahkeem Stewart, an All-American as a freshman, and fellow rising sophomore Floyd Boucard, who was a standout in stretches last season.

3. Skyler Jones, USC’s new defensive tackles coach, got his break in college football because of Eric Henderson. Now, with Henderson back in the NFL, Jones got promoted in his place at USC. Jones said he cried when coach Lincoln Riley told him the good news. He’ll be a critical figure in improving USC’s interior, and in developing Stewart. It’s a huge opportunity, but I think Jones is capable of continuing Henderson’s work. “Dawgwork is alive,” Jones said. “Dawgwork isn’t going anywhere.”

4. Of all the new coaching hires, Mike Ekeler impressed me most. Ekeler said he left Nebraska because he already built a strong foundation for the Cornhuskers’ special teams, which he said were now “on cruise control.” He didn’t like the feeling of being comfortable, he said. He wanted a challenge — and he’ll get a double dose with USC’s linebackers and special teams units. Last season, Nebraska was great on kick return while also blocking five kicks. The Trojans had a good kicker … but that’s about all the nice things you can say about the special teams.

5. According to Ekeler, even “Ray Charles could see we have a talented linebacker room here.” If that’s true, we haven’t seen that talent harnessed yet. USC is putting a lot of faith in the untapped potential of Desman Stephens and Jadyn Walker, who both have very particular skill sets for defensive coordinator Gary Patterson to utilize. But Ekeler is convincing: “Over 30 linebackers that I’ve coached have gone to the NFL,” he said. “We’ve got guys in our room with that ability. Now it’s just about getting that out of them.”

6. Another great quote from Ekeler, who was asked about the perception that Riley can’t have a good defense: “Anybody who says that Lincoln Riley doesn’t care about defense, I’d have to check their oil.”

Jontez Williams returns an interception for Iowa State last season.

(Justin Hayworth / Associated Press)

7. Safe to say that Jontez Williams will open spring as USC’s CB1. Cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed said he saw the Iowa State transfer as “the best all-around player in the portal.” That’s high praise, but USC made Williams its top target this offseason for a reason. It’s been a while since USC had a true shutdown corner.

8. The other cornerback spot is wide open. I didn’t get the impression that Chasen Johnson, who was expected to fill a starting spot last season, is assured to play opposite Williams in the fall. There’s Marcelles Williams as well as RJ Sermons, who would’ve been one of the top recruits in this year’s class if he hadn’t reclassified. Prophet Brown also could play outside if he doesn’t play in the slot.

9. Don’t be surprised if freshman corner Elbert “Rock” Hill is a serious contributor by season’s end. Reed said the “sky is the limit” for the four-star freshman, who could play any number of positions in Patterson’s defensive backfield. “Wherever we can get him on the field fastest, that’s where he’ll be,” Reed said.

10. Safety Christian Pierce is out after offseason surgery. Safety is a critical spot in Patterson’s scheme, and Pierce is one of the most important players on the team. It’d be unfortunate if he had to sit out spring, but I’m bullish on Pierce having a big year regardless.

MAYA Jama has signed up for another series of Love Island — putting an end to speculation.

The host, 31, last night wrapped on the All Stars’ spin-off and will officially be back this summer.

A source said: “Love Island wouldn’t be the same without Maya so bosses are thrilled to confirm she’ll be in Majorca this summer.

“She remains one of the most-loved things about the show.”

Maya has been hosting Love Island UK since January 2023, beginning with the show’s ninth series.

She replaced former host Laura Whitmore and has since continued to host All Stars and Love Island games.

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Last month Maya cleared up confusion with fans over where she currently lives.

Penned over a screenshotted DM of a fan saying, “Have I missed a chapter?? You’ve moved from London?” in response to one of her past Instagram stories, Maya explained how she’s bought multiple houses.

“To answer my dms right now lol I also bought a house in the Cotswolds last year so I’ll be there sometimes, maybe I need to do a lil catch up life update vid or something soon.”

Maya followed up the post with a quick video where she’s utterly beaming about the news.

Switching out her usual glam for a maroon hoodie with a yellow graphic, she addressed the camera candidly saying: “Writing it like that just makes you sound like a braggy f**k but I’m very proud of myself.

“Council house Queen to multiple property owner.

“Honey, thank you!!!” 

Maya was born and raised in Brisol and has Somali descent as well as Swedish.

She moved to London at the age of 16 to pursue a career as an actress, even auditioning for Skins.

KATE Hudson led the fashion pack in a glam corset dress at the Bafta Film Awards Nominees’ Party.

Anticipation is building for the prestigious awards ceremony – honouring the best British and foreign films of 2026 – which will air on the BBC tonight.

Previously, the Bafta 2026 nominations were revealed with Leonardo DiCaprio flick One Battle After Another leading the nominations in 14 categories.

Hollywood veteran Leo, 51, now shares an all-time Bafta record with the likes of movie legends Michael Caine, Daniel Day-Lewis and Laurence Olivier for seven Best Actor nominations.

However he has won the award just the once, for The Revenant in 2016. 

Yet while the stars get set for tonight’s proceedings, a swanky shindig at the National Portrait Gallery ramped up the anticipation last night.

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Song Sung Blue actress Kate oozed elegance in her trendy frock, which paired a black corset top with a flowing white skirt.

She left her blonde hair flowing over her shoulders and kept her make-up fresh, accessorising with statement silver earrings.

The beauty was seen posing with fellow actress Chase Infiniti, who she is pitted against in the Best Leading Actress category.

One Battle After Another screen star Chase opted for a delicate pink lace bodycon with long sleeve.

Ruffle detail around the waist and wrists added extra glam, and she finished off her look with silver high heels.

Hamnet’s Jessie Buckley and Bugonia’s Emma Stone are among others in the pair’s hotly contested category.

Meanwhile, Star Wars actor Warwick Davies flashed a huge smile as he stepped on the Red Carpet.

Wimbledon actress Kirsten Dunst cut a glam look in a longline black coat with matching handbag while her Fargo star husband Jesse Plemons wore a stylish grey blazer and matching trousers.

He is nominated for the Best Actor role for flick Bugonia.

Big Brother anchor AJ Odudu stood out for all the right reasons in a purple halterneck dress with a side split.

Marty Supreme actress Odessa A’zion, who is nominated for Best Supporting Actress, went for an all-black attire with striking yet sophisticated silver detail cuffs.

Travel expert Simon Calder warns that dual British citizens with expired UK passports could face £589 certificate fees as new electronic travel authorisation rules come into force from February 25

Travel expert Simon Calder has issued advice to Brits travelling to and from Europe. The alert comes as a significant change affecting UK-bound travellers takes effect on February 25.

From that date, anyone wishing to visit the UK who isn’t British or Irish must register for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). The Government describes it as delivering ‘a more streamlined, digital immigration system which will be quicker and more secure‘.

An ETA serves as digital travel permission – it’s neither a visa nor a tax and doesn’t guarantee UK entry – rather, it authorises someone to journey to Britain. However, Mr Calder highlighted another aspect that could trip people up.

Speaking to the Independent, he warned that British citizens holding out-of-date passports might encounter problems. He explained: “There’s growing confusion and concern about electronic borders. The first change that’s going to be happening is on the 25th of February.

“It’s going to be mandatory for everyone who is not a British or Irish citizen and who wants to travel to the UK to register for the electronic travel authorisation. This is the online permit that increasingly many countries are demanding.

“That is clear, except that it also means that dual citizens who have the right to live in the UK have to enter on a British passport or have a certificate of entitlement to live in the UK. British passports cost £94.50. That certificate of entitlement is £589. And there is concern that a lot of people who are British citizens but don’t have a valid passport for all sorts of reasons-they’ve never needed one, they had one but it lapsed, they’ve got a perfectly good passport from somewhere else-they are going to have to have either that passport or the certificate of entitlement if they want to come to the UK.

“Again, this does not apply to anybody with the immense wisdom and good fortune to have an Irish passport, because that is the passport with superpowers that will get you in and out of the UK and indeed the European Union without any problems at all.”

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According to the 2021 Census, approximately 1.26 million usual residents across England and Wales held multiple passports. The Home Office has cautioned that airlines will be verifying passengers have the correct documentation.

The right of abode that Mr Calder references permits you to live or work in the UK without any immigration restrictions whatsoever. If you possess the right of abode, you do not require a visa or ETA to enter the UK.

There’s no cap on how long you can remain in the country. Concerns have also emerged regarding Europe’s new biometric border system currently being introduced.

Several airports have allegedly experienced delays stretching up to six hours, prompting warnings of potential travel ‘chaos’.

The European Commission indicated it might be feasible to suspend the new system during busy periods until September. Mr Calder explained: “The European Union’s entry-exit system started to be rolled out in October. By the 9th of April, it is supposed to be in a position where everybody is able to enter or exit through those Schengen area frontiers, just being fingerprinted on the first occasion and having a facial biometric taken. After that, it’s going to be the facial biometric all the way.

“Now, the airports and the airlines are saying it’s a terrible thing, it’s not working properly. We’ve already seen two-hour queues; they’re warning of four-hour queues in the summer. They want it to be suspended. No sense that it will be or not at the moment. Europe says it is going well, but don’t be surprised if it is.

“The only advice I can offer, because this is simply something that’s done to you-you don’t need to prepare for it-is when you’re coming back from the Schengen area, I would turn up at the airport really early just to make sure you make your plane, because it applies on the way out as well as on the way in to the Schengen area.”

NEW passport rules being introduced next week are set to affect 1.26million people – but airlines could allow passengers to avoid them.

Currently, dual citizens in the UK, whose other nationality is from a country not subject to a UK visa requirement, can travel into Britain using their foreign passport.

These rules are set to change from February 25, 2026.

From next Wednesday, dual citizens will need to show either a valid British passport, or a new digital certificate of entitlement to attach to their second nationality passport.

Without one of those, travellers could face being denied travel back to the UK.

Getting a British passport costs around £100 for an adult and on average takes between three and 10 weeks to obtain.

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Meanwhile, the certificate of entitlement costs £589 and can take three to eight weeks to get.

As many as 1.26million people in England and Wales hold more than one passport and are expected to be affected.

However, the Home Office has now said that travellers may be able to enter the country with an expired British passport.

Due to the tight turnaround of the change in rules, the Home Office has now said that an expired British passport could be used as “alternative documentation.”

A Home Office official told Sun Travel: “We recognise that this is a significant change for carriers and travellers, but we have been clear on requirements for dual British citizens to travel with a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement, in line with those for all British citizens.

“At their own discretion, carriers can accept an expired British passport as alternative documentation. Separately, individuals who have previously had a British passport can apply for an emergency travel document if they urgently need to enter the UK.

“In line with current practice, on arrival at the UK border, Border Force will still assess a person’s suitability to enter the UK and conduct additional checks if required.”

The Home Office do “strongly recommend” travellers obtain a British passport or the Certificate of Entitlement for the “smoothest travel experience.”

One airline has heavily hinted that it will accept an expired passport as a form of ID.

Ryanair has suggested it may allow dual nationals to board if they can show other forms of proof that they are British.

It told The Independent that they had been advised by the government that “documents that can be accepted” include an expired British passport.

The airline also told The Times that they “will allow” a passenger to board a UK flight if they are “satisfied” that they are a British or Irish national – or other UK status.

This includes “passengers who hold an old stamp/vignette with indefinite leave to remain.”

Sun Travel has gone to Ryanair for additional comment.

On the GOV.UK website it says that valid documentation should be obtained before travelling to avoid problems like “being denied boarding” when travelling to the UK.

It adds that dual British citizens who don’t have valid British passport or certificate of entitlement will undergo “additional identity checks” and “will not be able to go through UK passport control until their British nationality is verified.”

On the same day of these new rules, ETAs will also become essential.

However British nationals and dual citizens with British or Irish citizenship are exempt from needing an ETA.

Here’s more on ETA rules and who is at risk from being banned from flights.

And here is the big difference between EES and ETIAS – along with everything you need to know about the new travel rules this year.

Brits are being urged to check their travel documents especially passports after it’s been revealed that over one million UK adults may not have valid documents when the summer holidays come around

Brits are being warned to check their passports after data revealed that over 1.4million UK adults could see their documents expire before the summer holidays.

The team at budget airline Wizz Air revealed that they studied data obtained from the HM Passport Office and found that over 1.4million documents are due to expire by the end of June 2026. For those who haven’t checked their passports, it could mean their holiday is over before it’s even started, with extra headaches along the way.

That’s because an invalid passport not only means you’ll be denied boarding at the airport, but your travel insurance is unlikely to cover any claims because you’ve travelled with an invalid document, therefore voiding your policy for that trip.

With the summer holidays just a few months away, Wizz Air is urging travellers to check their passport validity now before the peak season to avoid any potential last minute stress or cancelled trips.

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For Brits heading to Europe, there’s a post-Brexit rule that continues to catch holidaymakers out. That’s because you need to check not one but two dates on your document. The first is the issue date; UK travellers must have passports issued less than 10 years before the date they enter a country. If you’re using an older passport, it may still be valid for your travel dates, but could push you past the 10-year rule.

However, you also need to check the expiry date. Passports need to be valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to return from EU countries, while some non-EU destinations require six months remaining. It’s crucial to check your passport’s validity based on your intended return date to the UK, not the date you’re due to fly out.

If you’re unsure about the entry requirements for a destination, one of the best resources for UK passport holders is the Foreign Office’s travel advice for that destination, as they will advise of any updates or changes that you need to be aware of.

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Yvonne Moynihan, Managing Director at Wizz Air UK said: “Don’t let an expiring passport ruin your summer plans. Summer holidays should be about excitement, not last-minute stress. With peak booking season underway, now is the time to check if your passport is valid. A quick two-minute check today could save weeks of disruption later and ensure travellers can book with confidence and enjoy the full range of destinations across our network.”

If you do realise that your passport won’t be valid for the summer and want to book a holiday, then renewing your document is simple. You can either renew it online for £94.50, or through a paper application which costs £107. To renew your passport you’ll need both your old passport and any valid passports you have from a different country – send either a colour photocopy of every page (including blank ones) or the physical passport. You can also find out more on gov.uk/renew-adult-passport.

A word of caution – if you’ve already booked a trip and had to enter your passport details, make sure you update those on your booking if needed!

Have you had a holiday ruined because of a passport issue? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com.

HE’s got almost 2 million followers on TikTok alone, has an army of A-list celebrity fans and now US comic Corey O’Brien is preparing to invade the UK.

After blowing up on social media post lockdown with his hilarious videos impersonating everyone from Dua Lipa and Justin Timberlake to the Spice Girls– who all shared his clips online – the 34 year-old former dancer’s comedy career has gone from strength to strength.

And next week he’s performing in London for his first ever UK show, much to the delight of both Corey and his legions of British fans.

“I’m a real anglophile,” smiles Corey, as he chats to The Sun from his home in Los Angeles.

“I’m really excited because I feel like my comedy goes across really well with a UK audience.

“I’m unhinged and have no filter, and I feel like you guys really get that. I have no boundaries, I say whatever the f*** I want to say and I think that’s quite a British sense of humour.”

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He may live 6000 miles away from Blighty, but Corey admits he avidly follows UK pop culture – whether it’s binging classic early seasons of Love Island with his former NFL star boyfriend Ryan K Russell (“we stopped having sex at one point because we were so obsessed with watching Hannah Elizabeth) to keeping abreast of every development of the Beckham family feud.

“I am so invested in that drama,” he confesses. “I’m team Posh, of course. If Victoria wants to come to crash my wedding, do a full dance number and make the night all about her, I wouldn’t hate it.

“She could slap me in the face in the middle of my vows and I would probably say thank you. She’s Victoria Beckham. She was my gay awakening.”

Indeed, when Corey impersonated all five Spice Girls for his own take on the iconic Say You’ll Be There video three years ago, he never expected it to get more than three million views and be shared by the legendary pop group’s official social media channels.

“I think I cried when that happened,” he confessed. “It was one of the most amazing things to ever happen. My boyfriend was upstairs at the time and I screeched as if someone was killing me. He was quite concerned.”

It’s not just iconic British girlbands that Corey is obsessed with though – during our chat he happily recounts his favourite moments from various UK Celebrity Big Brother series.

“Oh my god, I’ve watched all of Chris Hughes and JoJo Siwa‘s romance, I can’t get enough of Farrah Abraham‘s fight with Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace and of course Tiffany Pollard’s ‘David’s dead’ moment is my all time favourite,” he laughs.

“I’d love to do Celebrity Big Brother. If any casting people are reading it, get me on there! I’ll get nude if they want me too!”

Anyone who follows Corey on social media will know he’s more than happy to flash his naked buff body – either in the name of comedy or simply for a bit of a thirst trap.

“I’ve not said this publicly before, but I microdose Ozempic,” he confesses when asked about his increasingly toned physique, before admitting to making a big mistake when he started on the fat jabs.

“I ordered some off some random website for like $400 and, believe it or not, I’m not a doctor so I didn’t really understand the dosages,” he deadpans.

“The first time I took it, I shot up a whole month’s worth of it in one go and I didn’t realise. I lost like 12 pounds in a week and it was all muscle that I lost. So yeah, now I just do little microdoses here and there.”

And he’s more than willing to show off some skin when he hits Britain next week.

“I’ll show my nudes on stage, hell, I’ll show them in person for like 20 bucks,” he laughs.

“I need to make some money – the exchange rate is crazy right now!”

Corey O’Brien: Live In London is at the Top Secret Comedy Club in London on Monday February 23. Doors open from 5.30pm.

For tickets, book here

Feb. 16 (UPI) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated President Donald Trump‘s support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Monday ahead of what is expected to be a close election.

Rubio said during a news conference with Orbán in Budapest that Trump is “deeply committed” to his success, adding that it is key to the United States’ interests in Central Europe.

“That person-to-person connection that you’ve established with the president has made all the difference in the world in building this relationship,” Rubio said.

Trump has endorsed Orbán, who has transformed Hungary’s government into what he calls an “illiberal state.” Orbán has peeled away at Hungary’s system of checks and balances, moving closer to an autocratic government.

Orbán has also maintained close ties to Russia, relying on Russian energy. The United States has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from U.S. sanctions for continuing to use Russian oil and gas because of Orbán’s relationship with Trump.

“If you have financial struggles, if you face things that are impediments to growth, if you face things that threaten the stability of your country, I know that President Trump would be very interested because of your relationship with him and because of the importance of this country to us,” Rubio told Orbán.

Orbán is being challenged in Hungary’s election by Peter Magyar, a former member of his Fidesz party.

During his comments on Monday, Orbán said the United States has agreed to 17 “investments” in Hungary since Trump took office.

Iran launched naval drills in the Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, state TV reports, ahead of US-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva on Tuesday. Video shows Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, overseeing the drills.

Iran’s top diplomat says he hopes to ‘achieve a fair and equitable deal’ before high-stakes talks are held on Tuesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Geneva for high-stakes second round of nuclear talks with the United States aimed at reducing tensions and avert a new military confrontation that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned could turn into a regional conflict.

“I am in Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal,” Araghchi wrote on X on Monday. “What is not on the table: submission before threats.”

Iran and the US renewed negotiations earlier this month to tackle their ⁠decades-long dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme as US deploys warships, including a second aircraft carrier, to the region as mediators work to prevent a war.

Araghchi met with Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on Monday, after saying his team nuclear experts for a “deep technical discussion”.

The United Nations nuclear watchdog has been calling for access to Iran’s main nuclear facilities that were bombed by the US and Israel during the 12-day war in June. Tehran has said there might be a risk of radiation, so an official protocol is required to carry out the unprecedented task of inspecting highly enriched uranium ostensibly buried under the rubble.

Speaking to state-run IRNA news agency on Monday, foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the IAEA will play “an important role” in upcoming mediated talks between Iran and the US. But he also renewed Tehran’s criticism of Grossi for the director’s refusal to condemn military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites that are protected under agency safeguards as part of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Araghchi also said he would meet his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi, who mediated the first round of talks between Iran and the US since the war earlier this month.

Iran has repeatedly emphasised that it will not agree to Washington’s demand for zero nuclear enrichment, and considers its missile programme a “red line” that cannot be negotiated.

Meanwhile, the US continues to build up its military presence in the region, with President Donald Trump saying a change of power in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen” and sending in a second aircraft carrier.

Trump is again likely to send his special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner to represent the White House in the Geneva talks. Brad Cooper, the most senior US military commander in the region, had unexpectedly joined the US delegation during the Muscat talks on February 6.

The talks also come over a month after Iran’s deadly crackdown against nationwide protests, with Iranian officials claiming “terrorists” and “rioters” armed and funded by the US and Israel were behind the unrest.

The UN and international human rights organisations have blamed Iranian authorities for the widespread use of lethal force against peaceful protesters, which killed thousands, mainly on the nights of January 8 and 9.

But the hardliners in Tehran are more concerned about any potential concessions that could be given during upcoming talks with the US.

Addressing an open session on Monday, one of the most hardline lawmakers in Iran’s parliament cautioned security chief Ali Larijani against giving inspection access to the IAEA befire ensuring Iran’s territorial integrity, the security of nuclear sites and scientists, and use of peaceful nuclear energy for civilian purposes under the NPT.

“When US warships have opened their arms to embrace Iranian missiles, US bases have opened arms to take our missiles, and the homes of Zionist military personnel are anticipating the sound of the air raid sirens, it is obvious that such conditions cannot be met at the moment,” said Hamid Rasaei, a cleric close to the hardline Paydari (Steadfastness) faction.

In the other diplomatic track pursued in Switzerland on Tuesday, officials will be discussing ways of ending the Ukraine war, which is approaching the end of its fourth year after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

But no immediate breakthrough appears in sight, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy telling the annual Munich Security Conference on Saturday that Kyiv has “too often” been asked to make concessions.

Akshay Bhatia holds a two-shot lead after the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am as fellow American Collin Morikawa’s round of 62 moved him into contention for his first victory in almost two and a half years.

Bhatia had been tied for top spot on 15 under with Ryo Hisatsune going into the day’s play, but six birdies in his first seven holes helped him on his way to a lead that was as many as five shots at one point.

Battling blustery conditions in California, a bogey at 17 saw his advantage cut to two.

Gusts then slowed play down considerably on the final green and a missed putt for birdie saw Bhatia card 68 to stand at 19 under.

Morikawa’s round, 10-under-par, saw him climb the leaderboard into second at 17 under.

An eagle at the last hole – having managed the same at the first – moved another American, Jake Knapp, into joint-second with his round totalling 66.

Austrian Sepp Straka made it a three-way tie with a 67.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy, six back at the start of the day, fell further behind the lead despite starting with two birdies in the opening three holes.

A three-over-par seven at the fourth and a double bogey at the last saw him shoot an even par 72 and trailing by 10.

With heavy rain and strong winds forecast for Sunday, start times for the tournament’s final round have been moved forward and will now run from 07:22-09:45 local time, with threesomes off split tees.

The Night Agent season 3 trailer has left fans feeling disappointed.

The Night Agent fans have expressed their concern after the season three trailer featured a glaring absence.

Netflix’s popular spy thriller series The Night Agent is set to return on February 19 with its third season, once again starring Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland. This time around, Peter faces one of his most perilous missions yet as he works to uncover the truth behind a string of terrorist attacks.

The third instalment sees the return of several main cast members, including Fola Evans-Akingbola as Secret Service agent Chelsea Arrington and Amanda Warren as Catherine Weaver, Peter’s handler in Night Action. The new season also introduces Genesis Rodriguez as journalist Isabel and Stephen Moyer as an assassin known as The Father.

Netflix released a trailer in January which showed Peter seeking Isabel’s assistance in discovering who orchestrated the devastating events. Whilst grappling with his own internal struggles, he must contend with threats from ‘broker’ Jacob Monroe (Louis Herthum) as well as the enigmatic new assassin.

Whilst many fans were thrilled about the show’s return, a significant number have expressed concerns due to the absence of one key character. Luciane Buchanan, who played Rose Larkin, confirmed she would not be reprising her role following the show’s second season.

In the critically lauded season two finale, her character declared she was prepared to step back from her romantic entanglement with Peter, seeking the opportunity to embrace an ordinary existence free from danger. Viewers noticed her conspicuous absence from the season three trailer, prompting an outpouring of reactions in the comments section.

@BatrinaCoarPearsall expressed: “Peter and Rose’s trauma-bond is what makes this show so good.” @sherlina observed: “I feel like Rose and Peter’s bond and story were one of the main things setting this show different from other spy thrillers but now it seems like just any other spy themed shows with action but not really a story to tell.”

@tiu_forever6521 remarked: “Kinda looks like any other spy thriller without the Rose/Peter heart of it all at the core. Damn.” @ZayDaGoat1806 noted: “Without Rose it doesn’t feel the same people saying they couldn’t do her justice in this season but she’s more useful than a reporter.”

@MissFawlty lamented: “Miss Rose already! She was the show’s emotional core. Hope they bring her back big time if the show is renewed for season 4.” @Burner-g4e concluded: “What worked in season 1 was Peter’s personal motivations and determination and the relationship with Rose. Without that, this is just like every other action series. From this trailer, I feel like I’ve seen this a million times before. They’ve strayed so far from what made the show a success.”

However, fans are buzzing with anticipation for the show’s return, with @heptavian expressing: “Finally my favourite Netflix agents are back!” and @yoshikigrg8 chiming in: “Yes. I’m so glad this is happening. Really love this series.”

In September 2025, actress Buchanan confirmed she wouldn’t be making a comeback, revealing to Deadline during an interview about her series Chief of War: “As much as that show has been so amazing, especially for my career – being a lead on a U.S. show from little New Zealand was such a whirlwind.

“The writers decided that they wanted to follow Peter and his journey based on what happened at the end of season two. And so, we don’t get to see what happens to Rose, but I think it’s a really exciting time for the show, and who knows, it’s not a goodbye forever.”

Reflecting on the moment she received the news, she shared: “They [the creators] called me not so long after season two, and they were like, we’ve been trying to find a way to bring her in, but we want to do her character justice and not make her a sub-character.

“I totally respected that decision and agreed. I was like, if it makes sense to a story, I’ll do that. If it doesn’t, let’s not force that.”

The Night Agent season 3 is coming to Netflix on February 19

Votes are still being tallied, but unofficial results in the Bangladesh election suggest that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is ‘clearly leading’. Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdhury provides an update from Dhaka.

A MASSIVE expansion of the UK’s biggest train station has finally been given the green light after years of controversy.

London Liverpool Street Station welcomes nearly as many as 100million passengers a year.

However, for years there have been plans to upgrade some of the station’s dated features as well as make it larger after record passenger numbers.

And the City of London Corporation has now approved plans for the redevelopment of Liverpool Street Station.

It confirmed that it would “improve central London’s connectivity to the rest of the country [and] make the local area a much more enjoyable place to visit, work in and travel through.”

The new plans – predicted to cost £1.2billion – include more shops and cafes, as well as better pedestrian and cycle paths and parks.

Read more on train stations

SEA YOU THERE

I stayed at the affordable seaside hotel right by the train station

MAKEOVER

UK’s first seaside town reveals £14m transformation of historic train station

More office spaces will be part of a new 318ft tower block being built over the main concourse.

Upgraded facilities such as more ticket barriers, lifts, escalators and toilets, and wider train platforms, are also part of the plans.

It hopes it will eventually double in capacity, with up to 200million passengers.

It won’t be anytime soon, however – works could start by 2029, and be finished by 2036.

Chairman of the City of London Corporation Planning and Transportation Committee, Tom Sleigh, said: “Everyone likes an upgrade, and this astonishing improvement to Britain’s busiest train station is just that; a major improvement by every measure.

“The soaring Brick arches and bold architecture will cement Liverpool Street’s status as a modern temple to transport.”

Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation, Chris Hayward, added: “This redevelopment of Liverpool Street station is a major step forward for the Square Mile.”

If the proposals go ahead, work would start at the beginning of 2029 and last seven years, with the new station completed by mid-2036.

The long-discussed plans have caused controversy in the past, with previous plans even including a rooftop pool although this has now been scrapped.

And there are fears that the upgrade works could cause a “decade of chaos” due to closed platforms.

This would affect passengers travelling to airports like London Stansted, as well as those using the Elizabeth Line.

London Liverpool Street Station is the UK’s busiest, recording a record 98million passengers from 2024/25.

In second is London Waterloo, which has nearly 28million fewer passengers.

It’s not the only huge train station expanding – London St Pancras plans to double passenger numbers to 60million.

The station is home to the Eurostar, and will eventually welcome Virgin’s European trains when they launch as well.

And here’s a large train station in the UK that was inspired by Italy – and has been named one of the best.

Available for 29 days

Mark Chapman is joined by T20 World Cup winner Tymal Mills, former England spinner Phil Tufnell and Chief Cricket Reporter Stephan Shemilt to discuss the opening few days of the World Cup.

The big news today is that Pakistan will play India in the Group match on Sunday after Pakistan’s government lifted their boycott with Bangladesh’s blessing. Wisden editor Lawrence Booth joins the panel to talk about the internal politics of world cricket.

England are off to a winning start, just, so what did we learn about Harry Brook’s captaincy? 

And are the smaller nations catching the established powers in international cricket?

You can hear ball-by-ball commentary of every match of the T20 World Cup on BBC Sounds

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Every year, Brits end up stranded at the airport due to issues with their passports but you can make sure you’re not one of them by making these 6 vital checks now

There’s nothing quite like that holiday excitement as you arrive at the airport, ready to jetset off somewhere sunny and get a well-deserved week or two off. However, every year thousands of Brits get caught out with documents that are invalid; and it means their trip gets cut short.

Not only can you be denied boarding on your flight, but your travel insurance is unlikely to cover the costs if you can’t travel because of invalid documents including your passport.

Luckily, we’re here to help as we’ve rounded up six vital passport checks to do now, so if there’s anything amiss you have plenty of time to get it fixed ahead of the summer (and avoid the pre-summer rush that the Passport Office always faces).

Check out our top tips below…

1. Validity duration

This one often catches holidaymakers out. When travelling to the EU, Brits need passports with at least three months validity, and the key thing to remember is this is based on your return date, not your departure. For example, if you’re on holiday from July 25 to August 1, your passport will need to be valid until at least November 1 2026.

Some countries such as Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore require six months of validity, so always check before you book your trip.

It’s also worth remembering that child passports only last for five years, not ten, so for those travelling with kids these checks are especially important.

2. The 10 year rule

The ’10 year rule’ often catches Brits out at the airport. Pre-Brexit, passports that were renewed before expiry could carry over a certain amount of validity. This meant some passports issued before September 2018 were valid for as long as ten years and nine months. Passports issued after this date are valid for ten years only.

However, since Britain has left the EU, UK passport holders are now classed as third-country nationals, meaning all passports must be issued less than 10 years before your departure date. This means some holidaymakers with older passports are being caught out, as while they may have enough validity on their passport, the document could be over ten years old.

If your passport will be passing the ten year mark soon, make sure you get it renewed before you go.

3. Damage

Even minor damage to a passport can see you denied boarding. According to the Passport Office, a passport is considered damaged if:

• you cannot read any of your details
• any of the pages are ripped, cut or missing
• there are holes, cuts or rips in the cover
• the cover is coming away
• there are stains on the pages (for example, ink or water damage)

You can replace a damaged passport online at a cost of £94.50 for adults. While this might sound pricey, it’s often cheaper than the expenses that come with being denied boarding. Keep your passport in a plastic wallet to protect it from damage.

4. Number of blank pages

With many countries moving away from manual stamps and onto more sophisticated processes such as the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), you might assume that you don’t need to check the number of pages left in your passport.

However, most countries still require a certain amount of blank space, and many EU countries are still making the switch to EES, so Brits may find they still need to get their passport stamped. EU destinations including Germany, Italy, and Belgium require two blank pages for stamps, some long haul destinations in Africa ask for four, while Nambia holds the record with visitors asked to present six blank pages.

A standard adult passport comes with 34 blank pages, but frequent travellers can opt for a 54-page passport which costs £107.50 instead of the standard £94.50 fee.

5. Signature

It’s something most of us forget to do when a new passport arrives, but make sure you sign it. An unsigned passport can be rejected as invalid, and it takes just a couple of seconds to do.

While it’s not a legal requirement, take some time to fill in your emergency contacts too. This is important in case of an accident, and could also be useful if your passport gets recovered after being lost or stolen.

READ MORE: Cheapest dates to travel during the 6-week summer holidays – including ‘golden’ weekREAD MORE: EasyJet, Jet2 and BA cabin bag rules as big Ryanair change kicks in ahead of half term

6. Correct passport

It may sound obvious, but it’s easy to accidentally pick up the wrong passport and not realise until your train is halfway to the airport. A quick check before you leave could save a lot of hassle.

When you renew your passport and the old one is returned, consider shredding and disposing of the expired document. Never store your old passport alongside the new one, otherwise this could lead to a costly mix-up when you head out to catch your flight.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

The Super Bowl, the biggest event in American football, is set for Sunday with the Seattle Seahawks facing the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

The massive sporting event is set to energise fans in both cities and will send thousands this year to the San Francisco Bay Area. Those unable to make the trip are still expected to spend heavily on food, drinks and watch parties across the United States.

Historically, the Super Bowl has been a major economic boon for host cities. For the Bay Area, the event is part of a stretch of three major sporting spectacles lifting the regional economy.

A local boost?

In 2024, the Bay Area Host Committee commissioned a report forecasting the economic impact of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, the 2026 Super Bowl, and the FIFA World Cup, all taking place in the region. The report estimated that Sunday’s game alone would generate between $370m and $630m in economic output for the Bay Area.

Last year’s Super Bowl was hosted in New Orleans, Louisiana. State officials reported the event brought in 115,000 visitors who spent $658m in the city.

For consumers, Bank of America estimates a 77 percent jump in spending near the stadium. A study analysing spending patterns from Super Bowl games between 2017 and 2025 found that, on game day, spending surged in the postal code closest to the stadium, with the biggest surge in food and parking costs.

Hosting the game does come with its own expenses for cities.

In the case of Santa Clara, it is small compared with the forecasted output. Last year, it was projected the city would cost them $6.3m, which includes training personnel for the influx of visitors and other logistical needs. However, other games have cost municipalities much more. When Atlanta hosted the Super Bowl in 2019, it cost the city an estimated $46m.

In 2023, the day after the game, which was played in Glendale, Arizona, outside of Phoenix, was the single busiest at Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport in its history, with more than 200,000 passengers passing through the airport, which is a hub for American Airlines and where budget carriers Southwest Airlines and Frontier maintain a large presence.

Other cities have used major sporting events to kick off large-scale infrastructure projects. In 2004 – ahead of the Super Bowl in Houston, Texas – METRO, the city’s transit authority, launched its first light rail line just a month before the game. The line, now one of three in the system, runs from downtown Houston to the city’s football stadium.

Prior to its launch, Houston was the only major metropolitan city in the US without a rail system.

But not all infrastructure projects paid off. Las Vegas built Allegiant Stadium in the neighbouring suburb of Paradise when the city acquired the Raiders football team from Oakland during the 2020 season. A year later, in 2021, Las Vegas won the bid to host the 2024 Super Bowl. The stadium cost $1.9bn. Nearly $750m came from hotel taxes, but the rest was shouldered by local taxpayers.

“The economic benefits are relatively short-term, not just in duration, but also in scope. They’re limited to certain industries and specific locations,” Michael Edwards, a professor of sport management at North Carolina State University, told Al Jazeera.

“The NFL [National Football League] often uses the Super Bowl as a carrot to encourage cities to invest taxpayer money in new stadiums. You’re seeing that dynamic play out in places like Chicago and Cleveland, where officials are considering domed stadiums. Part of that push is almost certainly driven by the possibility of hosting a Super Bowl, which the league dangles as an incentive,” Edwards said.

Food spending

For those who can’t make it to the game itself, there is still a surge in Americans heading to bars and restaurants to watch the game or spending money throwing a watch party.

The National Retail Federation, which has been tracking Super Bowl spending for the last decade, expects that Americans will spend a record $20.2bn, or $94.77 per person, on the big game with 79 percent of that on food.

Spending has skyrocketed since 2021 when consumers spent $13.9bn, or $74.55 per person. However, that dropped from $17.2bn in 2020 when the Super Bowl happened about a month before the COVID-19 lockdowns in the US began.

For those hosting a Super Bowl watch party at home, it will cost more than last year to stock up on the quintessential game-day foods. Wells Fargo estimates that hosting 10 people will cost about $140 per person, up from $138 last year.

Chicken wings, a staple for football fans, are a bright spot for wallets; prices are down 2.8 percent compared with this time last year. Potato chip prices are flat, but dips like salsa have jumped 1.7 percent.

Healthier options are getting more expensive as well for those opting for a veggie platter. Cherry tomatoes are up 2 percent, celery has risen 2.6 percent, and both broccoli and cauliflower are up 4 percent. Beer prices are also climbing, up 1.3 percent from a year ago.

Advertising hits records

The Super Bowl is airing on NBC with the network getting a boost in advertising spending for the big game. NBC sold out of advertising spots for the Super Bowl in September for a record $10m on average for a 30-second spot – up from $8m on average last year when the games aired on Fox.

NBC also benefits from a collection of sporting events all taking part in February that drive up advertising revenue, including from the Winter Olympics. The opening ceremony is on Friday and will run until February 22. NBC has exclusive broadcasting rights for the Olympics in the US.

“With the resurgence of the Olympic movement, our strongest Sports Upfront in history, the early sell-out of Super Bowl LX, and the remarkable return of the NBA, NBCUniversal has solidified itself as a sports powerhouse, and brands have taken notice,” Mark Marshall, chairman of NBCUniversal’s global advertising and partnerships, said in a release.

The last time the games were in the same year, back in 2024, the two events were the most-watched events on linear television.

On Wall Street, the looming sporting events set to air on NBC have sent parent company Comcast’s stock surging up more than 4 percent over the past five days.

The impact the Rodríguez administration could have on the Venezuelan oil industry, even under the new Hydrocarbons Law, would be unsustainable and limited in scope. Structural weakness surrounding the Delcy government and the National Assembly’s lack of legitimacy, commitment to the rule of law, and popular support will restrain the reach of her reforms. Nevertheless, the law will test the willingness of the private sector to run both upstream and downstream operations. These measures could deliver a limited economic boost, that despite American supervision, will be weaponized politically by window-dressing the regime’s legitimacy and stalling further political and economic reforms. It’s precisely this flawed political and legal foundation that undermines the sustainability of the economic gains that the new law could provide.

For Venezuela and PDVSA to reclaim relevance in the international oil market what is required are not incremental improvements but a comprehensive overhaul of the industry, the company, and the constitutional framework that ties them together. The reforms must prioritize transparency, accountability, and insulating the industry and PDVSA from political pressures under strong political coverage that provides long term stability. These measures are something an interim administration, independent of who is in charge, will be unable to provide. Only then would international companies and capitals commit to the long term projects needed.

Once the country finds its political footing under a popularly elected and legitimate government can longlasting and durable reform take place. At this point multiple options may surface. There could be a scenario where we see PDVSA take a back seat while the country creates a competitive fiscal system prioritizing royalty collections while up and downstream operations are run by private enterprises. Remaining PDVSA assets and JV operations would be divested gradually as production capacity is recovered in the hands of private enterprises. However, revitalizing PDVSA as a competitive oil company should remain as a national strategic objective. Venezuelans would greatly benefit from building a company able to compete in and outside of the Venezuelan market.

However, the only way to relaunch PDVSA as a relevant actor in the international market is by allowing it to enter the 21st century oil dynamics and embracing a partial privatization via a minority share offering in international equity markets. Beyond the much needed capital that would be raised in the initial and consequent secondary offerings, plus the potential to tap debt markets along the way, going public will create an additional moat and isolate the company some steps from further political interference. A publicly traded PDVSA would not only need to answer to the government but to energy analysts, independent shareholders, and international compliance and regulatory frameworks alike. It will be the pressure generated by the external scrutiny that will enable PDVSA to be scaled up back into international relevance. Given the precarious financial and operational standing of the holding, a partial privatization is not feasible on day one or two of a political transition and economic recovery phase. But it is a question that will become relevant once the objective becomes long sustainable growth.

PDVSA would need to cut all non-essential personnel and assets, streamlining its operations. Every dollar spent should be evaluated under a return-on-capital framework, making financial discipline central to strategic planning.

The privatization of PDVSA has been a taboo for Venezuelan society despite serious attempts in late 1990s to execute such an operation. However, the devastation that the industry suffered under chavista mismanagement provides a clean slate opportunity to relaunch PDVSA and the oil industry under a modern governance framework. For too long the Venezuelan oil industry has been treated as the cash cow of whoever seats in Miraflores. Historically, this led to the centralization of political and economic power which hindered the development of democratic institutions and left the nation at the will of the administration’s oil revenue distribution policy. Taking control of PDVSA not only meant controlling the oil industry but the state itself. Reforms should aim to break the petro-state monopoly over oil revenue and to make PDVSA part of a dynamic national industry where other participants are allowed to play.

There are multiple precedents to back this move. Lessons from the partial privatizations of Chinese SINOPEC and Norwegian Statoil from the early 2000s could be drawn to prove that these operations are possible under different political systems. A PDVSA offering would be exceptionally complex, but in order to even start considering it there are three basic fundamentals that need to align.

First, the move would need overwhelming support from civil society to sustain the necessary political will. While that looks like a concrete goal in María Corina Machado’s energy proposals, the possibility seems remote under an interim Delcy government that still needs to appease other factions within the ruling coalition. In addition, chavismo’s current leader has not adhered to international transparency standards following her 2020 appointment as acting Minister of Economy and Finance—a role that earned her the title of Venezuela’s economic vice president before taking control of the national oil industry. Her tenure overlapped with the loss of an estimated $21 billion in oil payments, a scandal that ultimately led to the arrest and scapegoating of former Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami.

Second, Petróleos de Venezuela needs a robust rule-of-law framework that can deliver credible guarantees to investors The current interim president is unlikely to provide such assurances, given the deep mistrust surrounding Venezuela’s public institutions—many of which she does not fully control. As Juan Guillermo Blanco points out, her posture may swing from alignment with Washington on this occasion to an anti-imperialist rupture if the circumstances allow it.

Shifting to global best practices

PDVSA cannot move forward without the goodwill of the market. Francisco Monaldi has repeatedly stated that the main risks of Venezuelan oil are above ground. Beyond the politics, sanctions, and the legal framework, PDVSA needs to get its house in order to regain market credibility. For starters, the holding needs to address its debt issue—estimated at $34.5b—through an agreement where debtholders walk away feeling it was a fair deal. Without serious debt restructuring, a share offering roadshow would be impossible.

The company must also cut all non-essential ventures, subsidies, and social project funding from the nucleus. From PDVAL supermarkets to F1 teams, PDVSA bankrolled it all during chavismo. Despite how bizarre the outflows party got, these types of splurges and subsidies have been ingrained in the Venezuelan mindset and will be hard to get rid of. Such measures would represent a comprehensive detachment from century-old beliefs in the magical powers of the Venezuelan petro-state.

Furthermore, PDVSA would need to cut all non-essential personnel and assets, streamlining its operations. Every dollar spent should be evaluated under a return-on-capital framework, making financial discipline central to strategic planning. In addition, investors and banking partners must be able to track every dollar. Auditable records are not only essential for building reliable financial projections but also necessary for protecting stakeholders from anticorruption liability. This underscores the need for a new framework of transparent, efficient contract allocation and fully auditable accounting trails, ensuring that financial statements can withstand market scrutiny and compliance verification.

Making an example out of Petróleos de Venezuela would help generate a spillover effect that could contribute to more transparency, financial discipline, and compliance across the domestic market.

Figures such as the “productive participation contracts” (CPPs) or joint ventures that currently dominate private investments in the industry are compatible with this model as PDVSA should seek alliances in cases where it makes financial sense to do so. However, the secrecy under which these ventures have been working on needs to end.

Finally, PDVSA will need to bring in an independent leadership team and board with enough protection to isolate operational and financial decision-making from politics. Venezuela would be represented in the board as the majority shareholder, but would be restrained from running the day-to-day business operations and resource allocation. Studies that examine initial offerings of National Oil Companies (NOC) suggest that a substantial amount of the efficiency gains are delivered before an IPO is launched, as the company restructures itself to be introduced into the public market. PDVSA has a long way to go before we can consider this scenario. Nevertheless, aiming toward partial privatization would provide a blueprint for rebuilding PDVSA as an operationally, financially, and commercially viable company.

A share offering should consider a dual listing that includes the Caracas Stock Exchange, which is also in need of an extreme makeover (that’s part of a different discussion, however). The overhaul needed is not only about getting barrels out of the ground, but about including the company in the wider economy and making it subject to the highest managerial and corporate governance standards. Making an example out of Petróleos de Venezuela would help generate a spillover effect that could contribute to more transparency, financial discipline, and compliance across the domestic market. Ultimately, this would constrain the government’s ability to overreach into the private sector.

Whichever path is chosen for the future of PDVSA and the Venezuelan oil industry, it should be preceded by an inclusive debate that considers implications beyond the industry itself and sets the country on a sustainable growth path. This debate must happen in public, in conditions of full political and economic freedom, free from coercion by either internal or external powers. It should be the opposite of what occurred prior to the swift approval of the new Hydrocarbons Law, when secrecy prevailed and the legislative body responsible for drafting the statute showed no significant deliberation.

The one-sided vote in the illegitimate 2025 National Assembly should not overshadow the legislature’s failure to comply with its own parliamentary rules during the bill’s passage, as purported opposition lawmakers reportedly received a copy of the draft only hours before the first debate. That episode underscores why the legal and constitutional reforms needed to break the petro-state and refound PDVSA can only follow the renewal of all institutions, including a truly multiparty, independent congress.

The end goal is simple, yet history-changing: to dismantle Miraflores’ total control and discretion over oil-industry revenues.

Even as the U.S. and Iran are scheduled to hold talks in Oman on Friday in hopes of defusing tensions between the two nations, Washington, Jerusalem and Tehran are all preparing for what could be a very violent future conflict. With the talks widely seen as a last-ditch diplomatic effort to avoid another war, the buildup of U.S. military capabilities in the region is continuing.

“While these negotiations are taking place, I would remind the Iranian regime that the president has many options at his disposal as the commander in chief of the most powerful military in history,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House Thursday afternoon.

Her comments followed those made Thursday morning by President Donald Trump, who continued his verbal pressure campaign against Iran.

“They’re negotiating,” Trump said during the 74th National Prayer Breakfast. “They don’t want us to hit them. You know, we have a big fleet going over there.”

“U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, currently in Abu Dhabi, are expected to travel to Qatar to consult with Prime Minister Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Thani ahead of the talks in Oman,” according to the Jerusalem Post. At the moment, the U.S. and Iran are scheduled to talk about Tehran’s nuclear programs. Under the proposed framework for an agreement, Iran would commit to zero enrichment of uranium for three years, Al Jazeera reported.

“After that, it would agree to limit enrichment of uranium to below 1.5 percent,” the publication explained. “Its current stock of highly enriched uranium – including about 440kg (970lb) that has been enriched to 60 percent – would be transferred to a third country. The proposed framework goes beyond Iran’s nuclear program with mediators proposing that Iran should agree not to transfer weapons and technologies to its regional, non-state allies.”

BREAKING: Al Jazeera claims to have obtained the US-Iran deal framework proposed by Turkey, Qatar and Egypt:

1. Iran agrees to commit to zero uranium enrichment for 3 years, and then agrees to under 1.5% enrichment after that

2. Its stockpile of Highly Enriched Uranium would be…

— Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) February 5, 2026

A wide gap, however, remains about the ultimate outcome of these talks. While Iran wants to limit them to just its nuclear program, the Trump administration has a more comprehensive range of issues that need to be addressed.

“At the end of the day, the United States is prepared to engage, and has always been prepared to engage with Iran,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday.  “For talks to actually lead to something meaningful, they will have to include certain things, and that includes the range of their ballistic missiles. That includes their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region. That includes the nuclear program. And that includes the treatment of their own people.”

SECRETARY RUBIO on IRAN TALKS:
They will have to include certain things, and that includes the range of their ballistic missiles, their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region, the nuclear program, the treatment of their own people.pic.twitter.com/i9i97giQSe

— Dylan Johnson (@ASDylanJohnson) February 4, 2026

Trump’s initial threats against Iran came as information trickled out about the nation’s brutal crackdown on anti-regime protests that have seen upwards of 30,000 killed, according to some estimates. The unrest began in Iran on Dec. 28 over rising prices and a devalued currency that saw the rial crater now to basically nothing, as well as a devastating drought.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his country is working hard to prevent U.S.-Iran tensions from tipping the Middle East into a new conflict.

“Speaking to reporters on a return flight from a visit to Egypt, Erdogan added that talks at the level of the U.S. and Iranian leadership would be helpful after lower-level nuclear negotiations due in Oman on Friday,” Reuters reported, citing a transcript of Erdogan’s comments shared by his office on Thursday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Ankara was doing its utmost to prevent tensions between the United States and Iran from dragging the region into a new conflict.

Speaking to reporters on a return flight from Egypt, Erdogan said diplomacy remained… pic.twitter.com/A63xLbI6QJ

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) February 5, 2026

Regardless of diplomacy, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Thursday threatened Israel, America and the nations hosting U.S. military bases.

“When Americans threaten to attack us, they should know our first target would be the Zionist entity,” said IRGC General Hossein Daghighi, using the term Iran refers to when discussing Israel. “It is well within the range of our missiles. It is America’s weak spot in the region.”

“The enemy’s return to negotiations – the Americans’ return to negotiations – is a sign that they fear the capabilities of the Iranian people,” Daghighi added. “If attacked, we will immediately target all U.S. bases in the region. The countries and governments of the region are our brothers. We have no problems with them, but we will target the U.S. bases in these countries. If America wants to go to war with us, it should evacuate all its bases in the region and leave the region altogether. This is our objective. Our main goal is to drive America out of all the countries in the region.”

IRGC General Hossein Daghighi:

Our main goal is to drive America out of the region; if the U.S. attacks Iran, we will strike Israel first and target all American bases. Washington returned to negotiations out of fear of the Iranian people’s capabilities. pic.twitter.com/nsog54sw7X

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 5, 2026

Iran’s Army spokesman said the U.S. bases in the region are easy targets to attack.

“We are ready to defend, and it is the American president who must choose between compromise or war,” said Amir Akraminia. “Our access to US bases is easy, and this issue has increased their vulnerability.”

US military bases are within Iran’s reach, the army spokesman said on Thursday, warning President Donald Trump to choose between compromise and war.

“Our access to US bases is easy, and this has increased their vulnerability,” Amir Akraminia said. “We are ready to defend… pic.twitter.com/vDBoDV8W5O

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) February 5, 2026

Perhaps in anticipation of a new attack on its nuclear facilities, satellite images show Iran burying the entrance to the Isfahan site, which was one of three attacked during last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer. Iran did something similar prior that operation when it covered entrances to the Fordow facility with dirt to prevent an Israeli commando raid.

👀👀👀

Iran is burying the entrances to its nuclear facilities once again.

Satellite imagery analyzed by @TheGoodISIS shows dirt is being placed at the entrance to the Esfahan nuclear site that was hit during operation MIDNIGHT HAMMER in June of last year. https://t.co/JlmbrgZsQY

— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) February 5, 2026

Israel, which has vowed that Iran will never get nuclear weapons, remains a large wildcard in the current situation.

While Jerusalem has been urging Trump to attack Iran, has been told it has to “refrain from any unilateral military action” against its archenemy, Sky News Arabia stated. “Ahead of the talks, which are to be held on Friday in Oman, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth described the coordination between Israel and the United States as ‘very close.’ Senior Israeli officials pointed to the frequent visits by military and intelligence officers between the two countries.”

“The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was holding a meeting with the heads of the security services on Thursday to discuss the tensions with Iran,” Sky News Arabia added.

It should be noted, of course, that Israel attacked Iran last June in what became known as the 12-Day War even as Washington was negotiating with Tehran.

Israeli officials said that the US has asked Israel to refrain from any unilateral military action against Iran, coinciding with the scheduled negotiations between Washington and Tehran. https://t.co/ZQMK6octb4

— Levent Kemal (@leventkemaI) February 5, 2026

In addition to being concerned about Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, Israel is worried about its ability to produce ballistic missiles, of which Iran already has thousands.

“With help from China…and other countries, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zami has warned that it could increase its ballistic missile production to 300 per month, and within a few years, dwarf its prior ballistic missile totals,” the Jerusalem Post reported. “At 6,000, 8,000, and 10,000 missiles in 2027-2028, analysts worry that even Israel’s awesome multi-layer defense shield would find it hard to keep up.”

Amid all the rhetoric, Israel is bracing for war.

“The Air Force, and especially you, must continue to maintain a high level of alertness,” Israeli Air Force commander, General Tomer Bar, said during a visit to an Iron Dome air defense battery on Thursday. “Every day, we are strengthening our readiness and our defensive and offensive capabilities. The reserve forces present at this battery, in the air defense system, and in all units of the Air Force and the Israel Defense Forces, are the central element of our power and of the State of Israel. Your mission and the heavy responsibility you have carried since the beginning of the war and on all fronts, together with the families who support you, are truly inspiring. The professionalism, dedication, and motivation you demonstrate here give me complete confidence that the Air Force is capable of confronting any challenge that lies ahead of us.”

“As we understand the situation, we are on a thin line between preparedness and attack,” an Israeli security official said. “A dramatic weekend awaits the region.”

Visiting a reserve Iron Dome battery in northern Israel, Israeli Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar says the military continues to “strengthen preparedness and capabilities in both defense and offense,” amid the ongoing tensions with Iran.

“The air force, and you in particular,… pic.twitter.com/NYHeFkwLP0

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) February 5, 2026

The stream of U.S. Air Force cargo jets to the region, however, is continuing at a brisk pace. Online flight trackers estimate that well over 100 aircraft have arrived in the Middle East over the past few weeks, bringing additional forces, including additional Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems for increased protection from any Iranian attack.

While that may seem like a large number of flights, remember that last year, when the U.S. wanted to bolster its forces in the Middle East ahead of a potential conflict with Iran, it took 73 C-17 loads to move one Patriot air defense battalion across the globe. That is just one example of how hard-pressed U.S. military transport logistics are in a time of a major conflict that would require massive movements — in the air and at sea — of materiel.

2/5 AM Air Defense Move Update

Flights carrying air defenses have continued to stream into the Middle East overnight with more leaving Texas for Europe.

I have logged 50 flights since 1/23 total with 10 still in progress and no final destination is known yet. For context, last… pic.twitter.com/WlvFep7TEC

— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) February 5, 2026

As part of the effort to handle all these aircraft movements, the U.S. base at Spangdahlem, Germany, is now operating around the clock, the BBC noted. In addition, it appears another E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) jet is now in the region.

“A third US Air Force E-11A aircraft departed from Chania International Airport on the Greek island of Crete yesterday. It touched down about four hours later at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.”

Separately Spangdahlem Air Base, a large Nato facility in Germany operated…

— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) February 5, 2026

The U.S. has already deployed additional F-15E Strike Eagles, E/A-18G Growler electronic warfare jets and A-10 Thunderbolt close support aircraft to the region, where some F-15Es and A-10s were already located. The U.S. Navy also has squadrons of F-35C stealth fighters, F/A-18E-F Super Hornets and Growlers embarked aboard the Lincoln. However, as we have frequently pointed out, there still does not appear to be enough tactical jets for the U.S. to maintain a sustained operation, even of limited scope, against Iran.

A flight of Air Force F-35A stealth fighters, used in the raid to capture Maduro, is still stuck in Rota, Spain, according to online flight trackers. The jets, reportedly bound for Jordan, became marooned there after a KC-46 mishap at Moron Air Base, some 50 miles to the northeast, shut the runway for days. While the Moron runway has since been reopened, it remains unclear how many flights have been launched. We have reached out to the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command and U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Force Africa (USAFE) for details.

We have not seen any major movement of strategic bombers yet either and there does not appear to be any major increase of assets on Diego Garcia, a U.S. base in the Indian Ocean. Last year, ahead of rising tensions with Iran, the U.S. sent a large force of bombers and other supporting assets to Diego Garcia, which TWZ was first to report on.

Though Trump on Thursday mentioned that the U.S. has a “big fleet” heading to the Middle East, there have been no ship movements today, a U.S. Navy official told us. There are still 10 ships in the U.S. Central Command region, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three of its Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer escorts. There are also two Arleigh Burke class ships in the eastern Mediterranean as well, the official added.

In a veiled message to Iran, CENTCOM released a time-lapse video showing the launch and recovery of jets from the Lincoln.

On the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, what looks like a random rush of jets and people is actually a well-orchestrated routine. Sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln are trained to work as a team to launch and recover safely and on time, every time. pic.twitter.com/64ubKaG1wC

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 5, 2026

Iran is no match for American military forces, the Navy’s highest-ranking active-duty officer said this week.

“Adm. Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations, told hundreds of sailors at an all-hands call Wednesday that although he doesn’t take Iranian posturing lightly, U.S. forces overmatched Tehran’s threats ‘significantly’ when it comes to capabilities,” Stars and Stripes reported. “We have a very good approach of providing the president of the United States military options. Iran knows this. So, the fact that we have that type of capability is a strong deterrent.”

Adm. Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations, told hundreds of sailors at an all-hands call that although he doesn’t take Iranian posturing lightly, U.S. forces overmatched Tehran’s threats “significantly” when it comes to capabilities.https://t.co/onC0T1tj5L

— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) February 5, 2026

As CENTCOM was showing off the Lincoln, the IRGC on Thursday claimed it seized two oil tankers with their foreign crews in Gulf waters for “smuggling fuel,” the official Iranian Tasnim news agency reported.

“More than one million liters of smuggled fuel were discovered on these two violating vessels, and 15 foreign crew members were referred to judicial authorities for legal proceedings,” Tasnim added. It was not immediately clear what flags the tankers were carrying, nor the nationalities of the crews.

BREAKING:

Iranian IRGC terrorists claim they have captured two oil tankers in the Persian Gulf carrying around 1 million liters of diesel fuel.

Fifteen foreign crew members were detained. pic.twitter.com/LbUcrTlkVQ

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 5, 2026

The seizures, part of an ongoing Iranian effort in the Gulf, came just two days after an F-35C from the Lincoln shot down an Iranian drone. In a separate incident that day, IRGC forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel lawfully transiting the Strait of Hormuz. “Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker,” Col. Tim Hawkins, the CENTCOM spokesperson, said in a statement to TWZ. “Guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) was operating in the area and immediately responded to the scene to escort M/V Stena Imperative with defensive air support from the U.S. Air Force.”

We will keep you up to date with new developments in this fast moving story.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

Feb. 4 (UPI) — The United States has sent a warship to Port Au Prince, Haiti, ahead of the Haitian government’s transition to new leadership on Saturday.

The USS Stockdale arrived off the coast of Haiti on Tuesday, U.S. Southern Command said on X. It joins two U.S. Coast Guard ships already in place: the USCGC Stone and USCGC Diligence.

“Their presence reflects the United States’ unwavering commitment to Haiti’s security, stability and brighter future,” U.S. Southern Command said in a post.

On Saturday, Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council’s mandate is scheduled to end, giving way to the installation of new elected leaders. However, it remains unclear who the country’s new leaders will be as a president has not been elected.

Discussions continue over what is next for Haiti after the council voted to oust Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime last week. Three of the five council members were then sanctioned by the United States over attempting to remove Fils-Aime.

Antoine Rodon Bien-Aimé, former member of Haiti’s Lower House of Deputies, said in an interview that all members of the council must step down. The council has agreed with some members explicitly saying they will step down, though other members have continued to be involved in discussions about the government transition.

The council has been in place since 2024 to lead the country until a new president is elected. Haiti is set to hold elections in the summer but gang violence threatens the process.

“Their time is up. They did not give results,” Bien-Aimé said. “They did not respect their accord, what they signed. They have to leave. This is why we were present and will be present to continue to ask for their departure.”

Avoid paying a massive fee at the airport gates by checking your cabin bag size before you fly. With half term on the way, here’s the latest sizing regulations for some of the most popular airlines

One thing that often catches passengers out when flying on budget airlines is cabin baggage allowances. On busy flights, it’s common to see the dreaded bag sizer coming out, and being over just a centimetre can mean you end up paying a massive fee to check your bag at the gate.

To make things even more confusing, cabin bag size allowances change all the time, so even if you’re a frequent flyer, you can get caught out. It’s always best to check the size of the cabin bag that’s included with your ticket just before you go, so you can avoid hassle at the gates.

It’s also much cheaper to pay for extra bags when you book your flight, not once you’re at the airport, so always make sure you’ve booked the amount you need in advance.

Cabin bag allowances by airline

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Ryanair

Ryanair is notorious for strictly enforcing cabin baggage sizes, and if you’re taking a bag on board, you should make sure you get the tape measure out and check the dimensions before you head to the airport.

However, there’s good news for Ryanair passengers: the free underseat bag included in its basic fare can now be slightly larger. Previously, this small bag had to fit in a sizer with the dimensions of 40 x 25 x 20 cm, but since summer 2025 it can now be up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm. These free bags need to fit under the seat in front of you, and usually people bring a handbag, laptop bag, or small rucksack.

Technically, there’s no weight limit on these small bags, as long as they fit under the seat, but passengers will need to be able to carry and handle them, and an excessively heavy bag could be noticed by flight attendants.

Passengers can also pay to bring a second cabin bag of up to 55 x 40 x 20cm onboard with them, and this bag has a weight limit of 10KG. Passengers will need to lift this bag into the overhead locker above them, so bear this in mind when packing. If you prefer to check a bag, you can add a 10KG, 20KG, or 23KG bag to the hold. Prices vary depending on route and availability.

EasyJet

Budget airline easyJet is also known for strictly monitoring bag sizes, and you’ll see lots of orange sizers around the airport so you can check whether your luggage will fit. However, it’s best to measure bags at home when they’re packed so you can adjust accordingly.

Everyone who flies with easyJet gets one small underseat cabin bag included in the price. This can be up to 45 x 36 x 20 cm in size, and easyJet states it can’t exceed 15KG in weight.

Customers also have the option to book a second cabin bag of 56 x 45 x 25 cm maximum, including handles and wheels. As a bonus, if you book a second bag, you get speedy boarding included. When booking your flight, you also have the option to pay for up to three checked bags of 15KG, 23KG, or a whopping 32KG. Some airports offer a twilight bag drop for passengers on early flights, meaning you can check your luggage the night before heading off and head straight for security in the morning.

Jet2

Whether you’ve booked a package holiday with Jet2, or just a flight, cabin baggage allowances are the same. You get a small bag of 40 x 30 x 20cm, which must fit under the seat, and the price also includes a 10KG piece of hand luggage of up to 56cm x 45cm x 25cm. Again, you must ensure measurements include handles, wheels, and other fixtures.

Package holidays include 22KG of checked baggage, but if you’ve only booked a flight, you can still add a checked bag for a fee. Passengers can buy up to three bags of 22KG in weight, perfect for those who don’t like to travel light.

Families travelling with young kids can also bring a collapsible pushchair, car seat, and/or travel cot free of charge.

British Airways

British Airways (BA)’s economy basic fare includes a handbag and a cabin bag. The former can be up to 40 x 30 x 15cm in size and needs to easily fit under the seat in front, while cabin bags can be up to 56 x 45 x 25cm in size. However, BA can only guarantee that the smaller item will be allowed on board. If there’s not enough space in the overhead locker, your cabin bag may need to go in the hold.

BA also offers a range of options for checked bags, depending on the flight route you take and which classes are available. Economy with checked bag includes a 23KG bag in the hold, and unlike most airlines, BA put a size restriction on these checked bags of 90 x 75 x 43cm. Those lucky enough to fly business or first class get much bigger allowances.

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TUI

If you’ve booked a flight only on TUI Airways, you’ll get a piece of hand luggage of up to 10KG in weight for free, and this can measure up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm. You can also bring a small personal item like a handbag or laptop bag of up to 40 x 30 x 20cm that’s placed under the seat in front of you. TUI emphasises that passengers must be able to lift their hand luggage into overhead storage compartments themselves.

Customers can also add a checked bag when booking their flight, with prices depending on the route and availability. However, if you book a package holiday through TUI and are flying with its airline, then 20KG of checked luggage is included. Some holiday types, such as TUI BLUE or cruises, have a 25KG allowance, so it’s worth checking your booking confirmation before you go.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

Mayor Karen Bass, delivering the first of two State of the City addresses planned this year, urged Angelenos on Monday to come together ahead of the 2028 Olympics while announcing a push to clean up Los Angeles’ busiest streets in the run-up to the Games.

The mayor spoke at the Expo Center in Exposition Park in front of hundreds of city workers and politicos. A second address is planned for April.

After both the UCLA and USC marching bands played to welcome the mayor, she fittingly homed in on a theme of unity as the region prepares to host the World Cup, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Super Bowl, among other events. But she also said that Angelenos needed to unite in the face of immigration raids, the homelessness crisis and the fires that burned in the city last year.

“Even in this difficult chapter, in our history, great events — moments of unity — are possible. And they are coming,” Bass said.

“As we prepare for … the greatest Olympic and Paralympic Games in history — we will continue to focus on the fundamentals, the things that shape how a city feels to the people who live here and the millions who will visit,” Bass said.

The preparation will include a continued focus on cleaning up encampments through Bass’ signature program, Inside Safe, she said.

Bass also announced a new clean streets initiative dubbed Clean Corridors, which she said would “accelerate beautification” of major thoroughfares throughout the city in advance of the Olympics.

“We will crack down on any illegal dumping, those who cut corners, avoid disposal fees, and leave a mess for workers and neighbors to deal with,” she said.

The announcement comes just months after the head of the city’s Bureau of Sanitation left her post.

The mayor also focused on the Trump administration’s continued immigration raids that have led to protests in downtown Los Angeles and across the country. She spoke about the shooting in Los Angeles of Keith Porter by federal agents.

“Staying silent or minimizing what is happening is not an option. This administration does not care about safety. They don’t care about order. And they most certainly do not care about the law,” she said.

The mayor also spoke about the Palisades fire, saying she and Councilmember Traci Park would head to Sacramento next week to call for more investment in the rebuild of the Palisades. Already, 400 homes are under construction in the Palisades and hundreds more are approved and ready to be built, she said.

“We are not just rebuilding — we are rebuilding smarter, faster, and safer,” she said. “Families are returning home.”

The announcement came after a week in which President Trump criticized the city’s rebuild for going too slowly, and said he would preempt the city’s ability to issue permits for people rebuilding after the Palisades fire.

The president announced in an executive order that victims of the fire using federal aid money could self-certify to federal authorities that they have complied with local health and safety standards.

The mayor decided to deliver two States of the City this year. Traditionally, she and other mayors have made a single speech in April before releasing the proposed annual budget for the new fiscal year.

The mayor said the first of the two speeches would serve as a countdown to the 2026 World Cup, which will feature eight matches at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium.

Her second State of the City is likely to focus more on the city’s budget issues.

Last year, the mayor and City Council had to close a $1-billion budget shortfall. During her State of the City in 2025, the mayor announced likely layoffs to city workers in order to produce a balanced budget.

The city ultimately avoided making any layoffs through other cuts and agreements with city unions. But the city is likely to face another tough budget year in the upcoming fiscal year.