CORNWALL is a gem to visit – but one Cornish town in particular has heaps of history and if you are lucky, you might spot a royal.
Lostwithiel (pronounced lost-with-ee-ul) sits at the head of the River Fowey estuary and was the medieval administrative capital of Cornwall in the 13th and 14th centuries.
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Lostwithiel sits on the River FoweyCredit: GettyThe town is known as the ‘antiques capital of Cornwall’ and once was the administrative capital of the county as wellCredit: Alamy
Now, it is nicknamed the ‘antiques capital of Cornwall‘ thanks to having numerous independent shops with fascinating objects.
For a bargain, head to the Community Centre which hosts a number of antiques fairs throughout the year.
You’ll find most of the independent shops on Bodmin Hill and Fore Street, including gems such as homeware shop Alice in Scandiland and Hagstone Pottery.
Restormel Castle sits on a circular keep and looks over the River Fowey.
The castle was most used under the reign of Edward the Black Prince, who gained his name from the black armour he wore which made him stand out in battle during the Hundred Years’ War.
The castle is an English Heritage site and is currently closed, but will reopen to visitors on March 28 with entry costing £6.50 per adult and £3.50 per child.
And Duchy Palace can be found in the town centre, which once made Lostwithiel the administrative capital of Cornwall.
Though currently closed, the Old Duchy Palace dates back to 1292.
And other famous links to the town include King Charles III and his family, who have been known to stay in the area.
The town used to be an important port as well, importing tin from the Mediterranean Sea.
There’s a good choice of pubs in the town too, including The Globe Inn which opened back in 1707.
One visitor said: “Lovely ambiance, cosy and felt like we’d stepped back in time.”
If you want to explore slightly further afield, then head off on a walk along the river to a wooded creek which leads to the village of Lerryn.
When the tide is out, you can cross the river via stepping stones and walk through the woods that inspired Kenneth Grahame’s famous novel The Wind in the Willows.
Also in Lerryn you will find an abandoned pleasure garden that is over 100-years-old and was inspired by one of the world’s oldest and most popular amusement parks.
In the town, there are lots of antiques and independent shops to exploreCredit: AlamyAnd nearby there is an abandoned parkCredit: Alamy
Tivoli Park in Lerryn features abandoned fountains, arches, a bandstand and even a swimmingpool among the trees.
Ali Juwon’s future shattered at the same time his father’s leg did. The year was 2012, and the 9-year-old, hand in hand with his mother, was fleeing his home in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria. Boko Haram members had stormed their community in Gwoza, killing neighbours and burning buildings Ali had known his entire life.
As he and his mother ran, a familiar voice cried behind them. Both turned to see that Ali’s father had crashed to the ground, crushing his leg in the process. Yet, with all the odds stacked against them, the three managed to make it out with their lives.
The family travelled for half a day to Nigeria’s federal capital, Abuja, and sought refuge in the Durumi IDP camp like many survivors at the time.
The camp, with the flurry of Borno survivors, was overcrowded, but Ali’s mother promised him it would not be home, only a resting place before they could find their footing again. Over 14 years later, the Juwon family continue to reside there.
Ali, now 23, explained how the situation derailed his life, “Before fleeing, my father had a business and was able to afford all my needs. Since he broke his leg, he hasn’t been able to work, and because we couldn’t get him properly treated, his leg never healed well. He hasn’t walked since the fall. Suddenly, all the luxuries we could afford before have vanished.”
Being the only child in his family, Ali took it upon himself to care for his parents. The only thing he needed was a decent education that would lead to a business or accounting degree. He planned to join whatever lucrative fields these courses would thrust him into and use his money to get himself and his parents a place away from the camp.
But Ali quickly learnt that he was no longer in Borno, dependent on his well-to-do father. His education now rested in the hands of IDP leaders, non-profit donors, government promises, and his own hustle. As the years wore on, he learnt that even with seemingly more helpers, his chances of finishing school had dimmed significantly.
In the Durumi IDP camp, displacement does not end with fleeing violence. For many, it continues in the classroom. While primary education is often supported by NGOs or private donors, secondary school is where the system collapses.
According to camp leaders, the girls in the camp are often married off after their basic education ends, as secondary education is no longer attainable without sustained government intervention. Hundreds of displaced boys, on the other hand, are forced to choose between survival and schooling, a gap that is reshaping their futures and deepening Nigeria’s long-term social and economic vulnerabilities.
No way past secondary school
“In primary school, things were okay. NGOs sponsored my schooling, but once I got to secondary school, that was where the real problem began. No one sponsored secondary schooling for us,” Ali explained.
Liyatu Yusuf, the woman leader of the Durumi camp, finds the schooling situation distressing.
“We had certain sponsors who do everything for these children. Usually, it’s from an individual with a good heart. We used to do their secondary school education in the camp as well, but due to a lack of teachers and overcrowding, we had to stop it.”
According to her, over 1,000 students occupy the less spacious class, forcing them to have seven different sessions in just one class. But that’s not just the problem. There is a lack of teachers, too.
“The teachers we have are university volunteers. They would come three times in a week, but then refuse to come the next week because no one was paying them or giving them transport money,” Liyatu said.
A classroom meant to hold more than 2oo standing students at a time. Photo: Rukkaya Saeed/HumAngle.
Liyatu says the children never receive government sponsorship, and that many of the people who help the children through primary school are good-natured individuals or NGOs. Despite record education budgets announced in Abuja, camp leaders say they have not seen much implementation, especially for the displaced children like those in Durumi.
In a 2025 press release by the Presidential State House Villa, Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, called for collaboration between the government and the private sector to invest in education, as the burden of educating children cannot fall entirely on the government’s shoulders. But in the Durumi IDP camp, help has come mainly from the camp leaders and individual sponsors.
So, with no one to help him through secondary school, Ali did what several boys in the camp chose to do: work and fund his education in tandem. This way, he would be able to pay for school with the money he made and leave some for his unemployed parents.
But this was not an easy route, and soon the stress of paying for so much caught up with the boys. Salim Aliyu, for example, now runs a small provision shop near Durumi, as his education ended in Senior Secondary (SS) 1.
“I’m 25 now,” he said. “I stopped at SS1 because it was too expensive. Transport alone was about ₦1,000 every day. How much was I earning to pay that?”
At the time, Salim did menial jobs, sweeping houses and cleaning compounds to survive. Eventually, the numbers stopped adding up. “One day, I realised I couldn’t continue. I just had to leave school.” His story is common in the camp. For many boys, the challenge is not only tuition fees but the impossible balance between earning and learning.
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Sulieman Nobo repeated SS3 three times after running out of money repeatedly. By his final attempt, anxiety had overtaken ambition. “In junior secondary school, I learned a lot,” he said. “But in senior secondary, I was focused on passing, not learning. I didn’t have time to retain anything.”
School ended by mid-afternoon. Work began soon after. By nightfall, he was too exhausted to revise his notes. Despite the strain, Sulieman managed above-average grades. Others were not as fortunate.
“I was funding my education myself,” Usman Selman, another young man in the camp, told HumAngle. “My school fees were ₦20,000 a year, so I had to work. But the stress became too much.”
The dual burden affected his concentration. “No matter how hard I tried to listen in class, the only thing on my mind was money.” For some, the pressure pushed them out entirely. Aliyu Usman began paying his own fees at 15. By 17, even ₦3,000 per semester proved unsustainable.
“I was tailoring while in school,” he said. “But I couldn’t cope with fees and transport. I dropped out in SS2. Now I do laundry. It feeds my family.” He paused before adding, “If I could go back to school, I would. But I know in my heart I can’t.”
Salim, now financially stable enough to run his shop, no longer sees school as essential.
“Even if I had the chance, I wouldn’t go back,” he said. “Everything I need for business, I learned here. And after school, where is the job? Unless you already have money, there’s nothing waiting.”
For the few who make it through secondary school, graduation does not guarantee anything. Umar borrowed ₦87,000 to register for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exam, one the final secondary school tests that qualify one for further education in the university and other higher insitututions. It took him half a year to repay the debt. In those six months, he was forced to cut back on food. “After all that, I still didn’t get a job,” he said. “If university graduates are struggling, who am I with only a WAEC certificate?”
The repeated disappointments take a toll. According to Liyatu, who coordinates the camp, more than half of the 1,000 boys there are currently out of school and unemployed. “If they even register for WAEC, we are lucky,” she said. “Most cannot finish secondary school. When they see there’s no support, they lose hope.” She worries about the ripple effects.
“With no school and sometimes no work, small arguments turn into fights. I saw boys punch each other over ₦200. I don’t excuse it, but I understand the frustration.”
Humanitarian worker Mohammed Abubakar, who has spent over a decade in Nigeria’s humanitarian sector, says prolonged educational exclusion carries broader consequences. “When young people are cut off from opportunity, their productivity drops,” he said. “They become more vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation.” He cautions that marginalisation, not ignorance alone, creates risk. “If society neglects them, others will step in, sometimes with harmful intentions. That is how cycles of insecurity and poverty sustain themselves.”
Beyond security, he points to economic cost. “When you underinvest in education, your population becomes less competitive. It affects productivity, innovation, even GDP. The impact goes far beyond one camp.”
Yet, despite the barriers, many of the boys continue to dream. Sulieman plans to register for JAMB, hoping for a scholarship. If that fails, he wants to join the armed forces.
“My dream is simple,” he said. “To live a better life and take my parents out of this camp.”
Umar still hopes to study computer engineering. Aliyu once imagined becoming a doctor. Sadiqi Shauku, 18, who left school in SS2, says he would return “if someone helped.” And Ali Juwon, still carrying the weight of his family’s survival, has not let go. “If there is anyone who can help me continue my education, I will continue,” he said. “I want to study something that will help me start a business or work in government. I want to be a better man.”
For now, he survives on friends’ support and periodic food distributions. Hope remains, but evidence of escape is scarce.
“Since I started primary school, I have never seen anyone gather enough money to leave this camp,” Sulieman said. “I believe in my future. But no one has gotten out.”
As I take my seat in Galimard’s Studio des Fragrances, in the Provençal town of Grasse, I limber up my nostrils for the task ahead: to create my own scent from the 126 bottles in front of me. Together they represent a world of exotic aromas, from amber and musk to ginger and saffron. But given that I have left the grey British winter behind to come here, I am more interested in capturing the sunny essence of the Côte d’Azur.
Here in the hills north of Cannes, the colours pop: hillsides are full of bright yellow mimosa flowers, violets are peeping out of flowerbeds and oranges hang heavy on branches over garden walls, even though it’s not yet spring. It is the perfect antidote to the gloom back home, and the chance to bottle these very scents is a joy.
Over the next two hours, with the help of perfumery expert Manon Zamoun, I blend my own perfume that I name “Mimosa trail”. The scents (natural essences or synthetic aromas), are set out on three shelves, the top shelf for the high notes, the bottom for base notes, with the heart notes in between. I sniff, blend and decant; it’s the most rewarding chemistry lesson of my life.
The bottles’ labels are turned away from me so my choices are led by my nose not my brain. I’m surprised to find I liked parma violets and patchouli, while rose d’orient and fleurs de lilas don’t make the cut.
Galimard is Grasse’s oldest perfume house, established in 1747. The trade grew out of the town’s leather tanning industry; with scents created to cover the pong, it became the “perfume capital of the world”. Its other two famous perfume houses, Molinard and Fragonard, opened in 1849 and 1926 respectively, later joined by big names such as Dior, Guérlain and Chanel.
But beyond perfume, Grasse is a delight to wander – a maze of yellow-hued streets, overlooked by towering palm trees and, today at least, a welcome blue sky, though there’s still a little chill in the air. I take comfort in the fact it’s 10 degrees warmer than it is back home because I’m here to fast-forward spring with a short road trip between the lesser-known villages and towns of the Côte d’Azur.
Grasse, where the perfume industry developed initially to cover the smell of the town’s leather tanning trade. Photograph: StockByM/Getty Images
En route to Grasse, I’d stopped at Tourrettes-sur-Loup for another of the region’s flowers: violets. When seen from the south, the village is a jumble of terracotta-roofed houses clinging to a clifftop. It’s known for its tradition of growing the small, purple blooms, and has supplied the perfume industry since Queen Victoria visited in the late 19th century while wintering in Nice, 18 miles (30km) south west of here. The queen gave her name to the variety that was, in her day, cultivated by 40 families in Tourrettes and, thanks to its long stalk, was traditionally given in small posies between Christmas and Valentine’s Day.
At La Bastide aux Violettes, a small museum on the outskirts of the village, I discover more about the flower and its history, and inhale its sweet, delicate scent in the greenhouse, where they grow in vertical columns. There are now only three producers, including Jérôme Coche and his family, who turn the petals into products such as crystalised violet sweets. The village still celebrates the end of the season with La Fête des Violettes in late February/early March, which attracts about 12,000 people (some on coach trips from Italy) with carnival floats, dancing, music and a flower and produce market.
Out of season the village is quieter, awaiting the summer crowds. Wine bar-restaurant La Cave de Tourrettes is buzzing with life though, even on a wet Wednesday evening, and my two-course meal is a superb beef tartare with grana padano, caper berries and cornichons, followed by pork filet mignon and orange-scented sweet potato with braised leeks (mains from €25.50). The next morning, the sky is a blaze of blue and I eat breakfast on the balcony of my townhouse apartment, with a lovely view of the valley towards the Mediterranean.
A cafe in Mandelieu-la-Napoule decorated with mimosas. Photograph: Hemis/Alamy
The sun is also shining in Mandelieu-la-Napoule, on the coast, my last stop. Mimosas were just starting to come into bloom on the dramatic route between Tourrettes and the village of Gourdon, which winds through the Gorge du Loup, with its waterfalls, tunnels and steep cliffs – but down on the coast, spring has really sprung.
La Route du Mimosa is a trail through the most impressive blooms, covering 80 miles from Bormes-les-Mimosas to Grasse. Around the town of Mandelieu-la-Napoule – which hosts the Fête du Mimosa, a weekend of celebrations to mark the start of the season in February – there are group hikes into the hills organised by the tourist office, as well as farms to visit and shops where producers have turned its delicate flavour into jams and cordials, and its scent into candles and soaps.
For a thrilling ride and to gain some local knowledge I’ve booked a three-hour tour with La Grande Vadrouille (€160 for one or two). Local guide Daniel Saffioti welcomes me to ride in the side-car of his Chang Jiang Pekin Express motorbike. Daniel knows all the best routes from Mandelieu to Tanneron, a town farther inland where you find mimosas in abundance. After donning my helmet and sunglasses, we set off along the coast road, La Corniche d’Or.
This sinuous route southward to the Cap d’Esterel offers astonishing views of Cannes and its backdrop, the snow-capped Mercantour mountains of the Alpes-Maritimes. Along the road, mimosas burst between palm trees and over the garden walls of luxurious villasWe double back toward Mandelieu, and then motor on into the hills, stopping for a rest just outside Tanneron, where the landscape is a tapestry of olive groves, eucalyptus trees and lavender fields awaiting their summer blooms. A closer inspection of a mimosa tree allows me to breath in its delicate scent and see its fern-like leaves and tiny flowers up close – like little yellow pompoms electrified by the sunshine. Daniel tells me how they were introduced by the British, having been brought from Australia (they are a kind of acacia) and how council workers work hard to keep them from taking over the landscape and roadsides, such is their propensity to thrive in the Provençal climate.
Our tour finishes in Mandelieu and after bidding Daniel farewell, I sit on the terrace of the Biskota cafe for lunch and a mimosa-infused lemonade. In the evening is the opening of the Fête du Mimosa. Gingham-clothed tables and benches are laid out for locals to sit and drink wine and street performers, some on stilts, dance through the crowds. Tomorrow there will be floats adorned with flowers, but tonight a firework display shoots up over the crenellated walls of the waterside chateau. I breath in the sulphurous tang that hangs in the air; it may not be the floral scent of spring, but it doesn’t matter – I’ve got a bottle of that in my bag.
The trip was provided by Côte d’Azur Tourism and Mandelieu-La-Napoule Tourism. La Borgarda in Tourrettes-sur-Loup has a one-bedroom apartment from €195 a night and a three-bedroom townhouse from €330 a night. The Pullman hotel has doubles from £130. Perfume blending at Galimard’ Studio des Fragrances is €99pp
Sustained gunshots have been heard near the central prison in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, according to media reports.
It was unclear who was shooting or what triggered the gunfire on Tuesday. There was no immediate comment by the authorities.
A witness reported seeing several military pickup trucks carrying armed security forces and a machine gun-mounted armoured carrier deployed around the central administrative district of Kaloum, Reuters news agency reported. The presidential palace is also located in Kaloum.
A security detail made up of police officers and special forces blocked access to the road leading to the prison on Tuesday morning, an AFP news agency journalist reported. An armoured vehicle belonging to the special forces was also visible in front of the prison.
“I heard the sound of vehicles speeding by, I rushed to the window and heard automatic gunfire,” Thierno Balde, an accountant who works in the neighbourhood, told AFP, confirming similar statements by other witnesses.
The shooting reportedly began shortly before 9am local time (09:00 GMT) and lasted just more than half an hour, with rapid gunfire ringing out.
Abdouramane Doukoure, a retired civil servant, said he was heading past the prison in a car when he “heard the gunshots. Since there was a traffic jam, we all rushed in different directions to escape.”
Another resident whose home is next to the prison reported hearing gunfire inside the facility but “as we speak, things have calmed down”.
But “we don’t know for how long”, the resident added.
DUBLIN is known for great Guinness and cracking craic in the music-filled pubs of Temple Bar.
But what can you do if you’re not there for a boozy break with your mates and are instead travelling with your nine-year-old daughter?
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The bridge over the River LiffeyCredit: GettyThe Oscar Wilde MemorialCredit: Ryan ParryThe Sun’s Ryan Parry and daughter Piper in Viking helmetsCredit: Ryan Parry
It turns out that the Irish capital is also ideal for families to have, as hometown heroes U2 sang, a Beautiful Day.
My daughter Piper and I had made the short hop by plane on a Friday afternoon, checked in at the basic, but clean and friendly, easyHotel Dublin City Centre and headed straight out for shopping time at landmark department store Arnotts, which dates back to 1895.
Refuelling beckoned, so we headed to The Woollen Mills, a renowned restaurant by the pretty Ha’penny Bridge over the River Liffey.
Great coffee, great steak and, according to Piper, great chicken wings.
Emigration history lesson not quite over, we crossed the road to The Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship, which tells the fascinating but dark story of the million-plus Irish people who fled the Great Famine of 1844-52.
Pillaging warriors
The replica ship moored on the Liffey gives an eerie insight into conditions on board and its role in the mass emigration, mostly to the US and Canada.
Next up, Norsemen. You might not associate Dublin with horned helmets and pillaging warriors, but they settled here in the 9th century.
And there’s no better way to find out more than with the Viking Splash Tour on board a World War Two amphibious DUKW vehicle.
You’re handed a Viking helmet as you board, and the guide had us passengers in stitches with a flurry of jokes.
They also encouraged us to shout frequent war cries at pedestrians as we took in Viking history and more modern sights, such as cathedrals and Georgian buildings.
We then plunged into the Grand Canal Basin to pass near the recording studios where U2 began their journey to megastardom. An unmissable tour at £30 per person.
And our discoveries were not over, as we joined excellent guide Gerry McGeough, of Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours of Dublin.
He took us round key sights such as the Oscar Wilde Memorial, the whimsical Giants Garden adventure playground, shopping heaven Grafton Street and the statue of fictional cockles and mussels seller Molly Malone, immortalised in the song that bears her name.
Our Beautiful Day began at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, a short walk or tram ride east of the city centre
After a fun-filled, action-packed day, there was time for a call at the fabled Bewley’s Cafe for the best hot chocolate money can buy, before flopping back at our hotel ahead of a morning flight home.
U2 may have had a global hit with I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, but Piper and I certainly discovered the superb city break we were seeking in dazzling Dublin.
And, yes, I did manage to find time for a quick pint of Guinness.
GO: DUBLIN
GETTING THERE: Ryanair flies from Bristol, Leeds Bradford, Nottingham and other UK airports to Dublin from £30 return.
DID you know the world’s ‘diamond capital’ is just a train ride away from the UK?
The unlikely city of Antwerp is becoming the new capital of cool and not just because of its gemstone claim to fame.
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Antwerp is often overlooked as a city break destinationCredit: AlamyAntwerp Central Station is one of the most beautiful train stations in the worldCredit: Alamy
Often overlooked by its Belgium counterparts of Brussels and Bruge, Antwerp has more than 500 years for diamond trading history.
Currently handling around 80 per cent of the world’s rough diamonds, the diamond district itself has become a popular tourist spot with cafes and bars.
Yet the city is fast becoming the hot new weekend break destination.
Last year, Time Out named the neighbourhood of Borgerhout the second the coolest in the world.
Head to the river in the summer to cool downCredit: Alamy
He said: “Antwerp is a culture slap in the face with all the trappings of Amsterdam (yes, even a red light district!) but none of the tourist-trampled thoroughfares.
“A visit to the Cathedral of Our Lady, is essential. Take in the enormous marble turrets, ancient clock faces and magnificent stained-glass windows.
“Belgian beer culture is recognised by UNESCO as one of the great human wonders of the world and there are tons of places to sample the dizzying local delights.
“The best is Bier Central (De Keyserlei 25), where the 120-page ‘Beer Cyclodpedia’ offers over 100 different concoctions.”
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.
At the direction of @SecWar, USS Stockdale (DDG 106), USCGC Stone (WMSL 758) and USCGC Diligence (WMEC 616) have arrived in the Bay of Port-au-Prince. Their presence reflects the United States’ unwavering commitment to Haiti’s security, stability, and brighter future. The… pic.twitter.com/DAQLeIpVIG— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) February 4, 2026
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.”
President Donald Trump signs a bill to end the partial government shutdown. Earlier, the House passed the spending bill, ending the four-day shutdown sparked by Democrats’ opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies and funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo
One of the popular attractions in the city is Bourtzi Caslte, which is on a small island in the harbour.
You can head off on a boat trip from the port to see the castle, and some events are hosted at the castle in the summer months.
Architecture throughout the historic city references Venetian, Ottoman and neoclassical influences.
One spot in particular with a lot of fascinating architecture is the city’s Old Town.
Here visitors can walk down cobbled streets to discover marble-paved squares, independent shops and quaint cafes.
In the centre of the Old Town is also Syntagma Square, which is surrounded by historic buildings including the Vouleftikon – former Parliament.
Today it is mostly used as a cultural centre, but the public can access the building at certain times to see the Municipal Art Gallery on the ground floor or attend events.
If you find historical artefacts interesting, you can also head to the Archaeological Museum of Nafplio in Syntagma Square.
If you want to mix history with a hike, head on the 999-step climb to Palamidi Castle.
It takes around 20-35 minutes to climb and is equivalent of climbing a 50 storey building.
In the Old Town, visitors can see architecture with numerous influencesCredit: GettyAnd there is a fortress with 999 stepsCredit: Getty
WASHINGTON — Eleanor Holmes Norton, the 18-term delegate for the District of Columbia in Congress and a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, has filed paperwork to end her campaign for reelection, likely closing out a decades-long career in public service.
Norton, 88, has been the sole representative of the residents of the nation’s capital in Congress since 1991, but she faced increasing questions about her effectiveness after the Trump administration began its sweeping intervention into the city last year.
Mayor Muriel Bowser congratulated Norton on her retirement.
“For 35 years, Congresswoman Norton has been our Warrior on the Hill,” Bowser wrote on social media. “Her work embodies the unwavering resolve of a city that refuses to yield in its fight for equal representation.”
Norton’s campaign filed a termination report with the Federal Election Commission on Sunday. Her office has not released an official statement about the delegate’s intentions.
The filing was first reported by NOTUS.
Her retirement opens up a likely competitive primary to succeed her in an overwhelmingly Democratic city. Several local lawmakers had already announced their intentions to run in the Democratic primary.
An institution in Washington politics for decades, Norton is the oldest member in the House. She was a personal friend to civil rights icons such as Medgar Evers and a contemporary of other activists turned congressional stalwarts, including Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and the late Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and John Lewis (D-Ga.).
But Norton has faced calls to step aside in recent months as residents and local lawmakers questioned her ability to effectively advocate for the city in Congress amid the Republican administration’s aggressive moves toward the city.
The White House federalized Washington’s police force, deployed National Guard troops from six states and the federal district across the capital’s streets and surged federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security into neighborhoods. The moves prompted outcry and protests from residents and a lawsuit from the district’s attorney general.
Norton’s retirement comes as a historically high number of lawmakers announce they will either seek another public office or retire from official duties altogether. More than 1 in 10 members of the House are not seeking reelection this year.
Norton’s staunch advocacy for her city
As the district’s delegate, Norton does not have a formal vote in the House. But she has found other ways to advocate for the city’s interests. Called the “Warrior on the Hill” by her supporters, Norton was a staunch advocate for D.C. statehood and for the labor rights of the federal workers who called Washington and its surrounding region home.
She also secured bipartisan wins for district residents. Norton was the driving force behind the passage of a law that provides up to $10,000 per year for students who attend public colleges outside the district. It also provides up to $2,500 per year for students who attend select private historically Black colleges and universities across the country and nonprofit colleges in the D.C. metropolitan area.
In the 1990s, Norton played a key role in ending the city’s financial crisis by brokering a deal to transfer billions of dollars in unfunded pension liabilities to the federal government in exchange for changes to the district’s budget. She twice played a leading role in House passage of a D.C. statehood bill.
Steeped in the civil rights movement
Norton was born and raised in Washington, and her life spans the arc of the district’s trials and triumphs. She was educated at Dunbar High School as part of the school’s last segregated class.
“Growing up black in Washington gave a special advantage. This whole community of blacks was very race conscious, very civil rights conscious,” she said in her 2003 biography, “Fire in My Soul.”
She attended Antioch College in Ohio and in 1963 split her time between Yale Law School and Mississippi, where she worked as an organizer during the Freedom Summer of the Civil Rights Movement.
One day that summer, Evers picked her up at the airport. He was assassinated that night.
Norton also helped organize and attended the 1963 March on Washington.
In an interview with the Associated Press in 2023, Norton said the march was still “the single most extraordinary experience of my lifetime.”
She went on to become the first woman to lead the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which helps enforce anti-discrimination laws in the workplace. She ran for office when her predecessor retired to run for Washington mayor.
