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Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr alleges he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.

Real Madrid has sent UEFA, football’s governing body in Europe, “all available evidence” of an alleged racist insult against Vinicius Jr in a Champions League match against Benfica.

“Our club has actively collaborated with the investigation opened by UEFA following the unacceptable episodes of racism experienced during that match,” the Spanish club said on Thursday without elaborating on the evidence.

UEFA appointed a special investigator on Wednesday to gather evidence about what happened in Lisbon on Tuesday in Madrid’s 1-0 win at Benfica in the first leg of the knockout round of the Champions League.

Vinicius accused Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni of calling him “monkey” after the Brazilian scored the only goal. Prestianni was among the Benfica players upset with Vinícius after the forward celebrated by the Benfica corner flag.

Prestianni covered his mouth with his shirt when he allegedly spoke to the Brazilian player and denied racially abusing Vinicius, who is Black and has been subjected to repeated racist insults in Spain.

“Real Madrid appreciates the unanimous support, backing, and affection that our player Vinicius Jr. has received from all areas of the global football community,” the club said. “Real Madrid will continue working, in collaboration with all institutions, to eradicate racism, violence, and hate in sports and society.”

Benfica said Prestianni was the victim of a “defamation campaign” and welcomed the investigation opened by UEFA, saying it “fully supports and believes the version presented” by Prestianni.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday he was “shocked and saddened to see the incident of alleged racism” and praised the referee for activating the antiracism protocol during the match, which was halted for nearly 10 minutes at the Stadium of Light.

Champions League Match of the Day pundit Guillem Balague, who attended Real Madrid’s match at Benfica on Tuesday, explains the aftermath of the alleged racist incident between Vinicius Jr and Gianluca Prestianni.

READ MORE: Vinicius: Eight years at Real Madrid, 20 cases of alleged racist abuse

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⁠Vinicius Jr scored a sublime second-half winner as Real Madrid beat Benfica 1-0 in their Champions League playoff first leg, a night overshadowed by the Brazilian accusing Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni ⁠of directing a racist slur at him.

The alleged incident occurred moments after Vinicius had curled Real ahead, five minutes into the second half at the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday, before referee Francois Letexier halted the match for 11 minutes under FIFA’s ⁠anti-racism protocol.

Television pictures showed the Argentinian winger covering his mouth with his shirt before making a comment that Vinicius and nearby teammates interpreted as a racial slur against the 25-year-old, who has repeatedly suffered racism in Spain during matches.

“It is unbelievable that, with dozens of cameras in the stadium, that none could have caught [Prestianni’s] racial slur, but if you cover your mouth ‌to say something, that says a lot,” Real captain Federico Valverde told Movistar Plus.

“According to my teammates who were close, they heard something very ugly. Many people have been fighting against racism in football; Vinicius is one of them. I’m proud of him and his great game.”

The Associated Press news agency reported that television cameras picked up Vinicius Junior telling the referee that Prestianni had called him a “monkey”.

Benfica began the game on the front foot, but the visitors gradually assumed control while the hosts appeared content to counterattack, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois producing a stunning one-handed save to keep out a 25th-minute strike from Fredrik Aursnes.

Real finished the first half strongly, and only goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s brilliance kept ⁠the score goalless at the break as he produced stunning saves to deny Kylian ⁠Mbappe and Arda Guler.

The breakthrough came five minutes after the restart. Mbappe burst forward and fed Vinicius on the left. The Brazilian cut diagonally towards the box, shifted inside and unleashed an unstoppable curling shot into the far top corner.

Vinicius celebrated by dancing with the corner flag and ⁠was booked by Letexier for excessive celebration.

As the forward argued with the referee, he became involved in a heated exchange with Prestianni, with Vinicius and several teammates suddenly running towards ⁠the referee.

Letexier crossed his arms in front of his face to activate ⁠FIFA’s protocol and stopped the match. Real’s players threatened to leave the pitch as tensions flared, before play eventually resumed 11 minutes later.

The atmosphere turned hostile, with Vinicius loudly booed whenever he touched the ball, and the broadcast camera appeared to show an outraged Mbappe calling Prestianni “a bloody racist” to ‌his face several times after the game resumed.

Tempers flared again in the 85th minute, when Vinicius fouled Richard Rios. Benfica manager Jose Mourinho stormed towards the fourth official, demanding a second booking for the Brazilian, but was himself cautioned ‌for ‌his protests.

An incensed Mourinho continued remonstrating, and was promptly shown a second yellow card.

Benfica pushed late on, but managed only three shots on target as Real secured a slender advantage to take back to Madrid for the return leg.

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa decried the alleged abuse against Vinicius Junior.

“I think everyone can see what happened with Prestianni,” he said.

Arbeloa added, “We have to fight against this type of attitude”, and, “If we don’t respect each other, then it is a problem”.

Madrid right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold told Amazon Prime that what allegedly happened during the match was a “disgrace to football” and overshadowed the performance and an amazing goal.

“Vini has been subject to this a few times throughout his career,” he said. “To ruin a night like this for our team is a disgrace. There is no place for it in football or society. It is disgusting.”

Mourinho criticised Vinicius Junior’s celebration and defended the club – if not Prestianni – against allegations of racism.

“Words were exchanged. I want to be independent. I don’t want to say I believe in Prestianni or believe in Vinicius,” he said.

“I told [Vinicius], ‘When you score a goal like that, you just celebrate in a respectful way’. When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person [Eusebio] in the history of this club was Black. This club, the last thing that it is, is racist.”

Galatasaray thrash Juve 5-2

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Dutch midfielder Noa Lang scored a brace as Galatasaray thumped Juventus 5-2 in a pulsating contest in Istanbul in the first leg of a Champions League playoff.

In a nerve-shredding atmosphere, Luciano Spalletti’s Juventus actually led 2-1 at half-time after Teun Koopmeiners replied to Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Sara’s opener with a brace of his own.

But Colombian full-back Juan Cabal was dismissed for two bookings in a calamitous second half for the Italian side, as Lang’s brace and goals from Davinson Sanchez and Sacha Boey sunk Juventus.

Meanwhile, Champions League holders Paris Saint Germain overcame a horror start and a two-goal deficit to beat 10-man Monaco 3-2 away in the first leg of their knockout round ⁠playoff tie.

Desire Doue came off the bench to engineer an impressive turnaround for PSG, who conceded a goal in the opening minute and were 2-0 down after 18 minutes as Folarin Balogun grabbed a double for ⁠the hosts.

The 20-year-old Doue replaced Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, who went off injured after 27 minutes, and proved decisive for the visitors as he struck two superb goals, as well as setting one up for Achraf Hakimi.

In Germany, striker Serhou Guirassy ⁠scored one ⁠goal and created another as hosts Borussia Dortmund claimed a ⁠2-0 victory over Italian visitors Atalanta in the first leg ⁠of their Champions League playoff tie on Tuesday.

Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary of the first leg of football’s Champions League playoff in Lisbon.

As Sister Veronica questions her purpose in life on the BBC drama, we take a look inside the life of actress Rebecca Gethings

Sister Veronica’s anguish has left Call the Midwife fans in tears as she longs for a child to call her own.

When the BBC period drama commenced its 15th series this January, set in 1971, viewers were immediately met with an unexpected revelation as Sister Veronica (Rebecca Gethings) opened up about her innermost feelings, and her tale is heartwrenching.

In a candid exchange with Geoffrey Franklin (Christopher Harper), the nun disclosed her desire to become a mother herself, despite having devoted her life to the Church.

Sister Veronica had also developed a particularly close relationship with baby Christopher, providing invaluable assistance and support to the Turner family in caring for the little one.

The family decided Christopher should travel back to Hong Kong to continue receiving medical care at the British Army Hospital, and Sister Veronica accompanied the tot on his journey.

On Sunday (February 8), Sister Veronica arrived back from Hong Kong and insisted on speaking privately with Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) at Nonnatus House. During an emotional discussion, Sister Veronica revealed her intention to relinquish both her position as a nun and her duties as a midwife within the order.

She said: “I came back to Poplar via the Mother House. I needed to confer with Mother Mildred because I have been feeling increasingly unhappy.”

Sister Julienne responded: “I wasn’t unaware of it but our work is not about our happiness, it is about seeking no reward other than knowing that we do his will.”

The remark caught Sister Veronica off guard, prompting her to declare: “If you are quoting Ignatius of Loyola, then you are admitting the bit about giving and not counting the cost. And I can’t keep on giving and not counting the cost any longer.”

“I hoped I could bear it, but I can’t”, Sister Veronica confessed, before removing her wimple and exposing her hair for the first time.

“I have been given permission to go away for six weeks while I decide if I want to give up my vows and leave the order.”

Sister Veronica, now going by Beryl, later received consolation from Shelagh Turner (Laura Main), who had herself left the order years earlier to build a family with Doctor Turner (Stephen McGann). Beryl subsequently gathered her belongings and departed Nonnatus House. Will she return to Nonnatus House?

Who plays Sister Veronica in Call the Midwife?

Sister Veronica joined Call the Midwife in Series 12 (2023) as a new nun at Nonnatus House, replacing Sister Hilda.

She had previously worked as a midwife in Hong Kong and initially joined Nonnatus House as a health visitor. She certainly has her quirks, though she has become a much-loved member of the team and the community.

Sister Veronica is played by Rebecca Gethings, a 50-year-old English actress who was born in Canada.

Raised in Berkshire, UK, she studied drama at the Webber Douglas Academy. Starting off her career in theatre, she appeared in the West End production of Vassa.

She has gone on to star in a long list of television shows, including Queen Eleanor in The Serpent Queen, Helen Hatley in The Thick of It, Dawn in Not Going Out, Lizzie in Extras, and a guest role in EastEnders in 2001.

Rebecca has also starred in movies, including Casino Royale and The Critic. In 2015, she played PR manager, Miriam Clark, in Ricky Gervais’ film David Brent: Life on the Road.

Who is Rebecca Gethings’ husband?

In June 2025, Rebecca tied the knot with long time partner Tom Brass, opting for a pink dress after a disaster with her original wedding dress.

Rebecca and her animation director husband, also parents to two children, celebrated their union with an intimate East London ceremony.

The actress took to Instagram to share her joy, posting a stunning snapshot of her and Tom walking hand in hand as newlyweds.

Underneath the photo, she brimmed with enthusiasm, captioning: “I do, he do, and we very much did! All our thanks to @davidjonesphotography @iconoclast_london @justineluxton_costumedesigner.”

Speaking about her wedding dress disaster, Rebecca shared on the Call the Midwife Instagram page: “I wanted to keep our wedding very low-key – just Tom, the kids and myself. So I bought myself a wedding dress online in the sales. Just a white summer dress – nothing too fancy. It was then that disaster struck!

“Unfortunately, the dress arrived by post in a rainstorm whilst I was at work! I asked our babysitter to rescue it from behind the bin where the postman had left it. But when she turned up, she found that the rain-soaked parcel box had disintegrated completely!”

Justine Luxton, the show’s costume designer, and her assistant Anna Laflin, saved the day by making a new dress from beautiful coral fabric from Joel & Sons, which Rebecca had selected.

Call the Midwife airs Sunday at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer

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

Vinicius Jr strikes twice ⁠from ⁠the penalty spot as Madrid move provisionally above Barcelona, who play Girona on Monday.

Vinicius Junior scored two penalties as Real Madrid moved top of La Liga with a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad, despite missing superstar Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe watched from the substitutes’ bench on Saturday after missing some team training sessions during the week with discomfort in his left knee.

Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said on Friday that he was able to play, but evidently, he did not want to rush his star goal-scorer.

Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, out with a hamstring injury, watched as Madrid produced an assured team performance to end the visitors’ 11-game unbeaten run across all competitions, and move two points clear of Barcelona before the defending champions visit Girona on Monday.

Perhaps Tuesday’s team dinner at a fancy restaurant paid for by Mbappe and Vinicius helped focus the players before facing Benfica in the Champions League playoffs next week.

Gonzalo Garcia opened the scoring with a slight touch to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross in the fifth minute. However, it was to be a largely frustrating game for the young attacker, who failed to make more of other good opportunities.

Dean Huijsen conceded a penalty for bringing down Yangel Herrera, and Mikel Oyarzabal duly equalised from the spot with a hard, high, centrally-placed shot in the 21st.

Referee Francisco Jose Hernandez Maeso awarded another penalty at the other end four minutes later, when Jon Aramburu caught Vinicius’s ankle, bringing him down. The Brazilian dusted himself off to score from the spot in the 25th minute.

Madrid captain Fede Valverde gratefully scored the third in the 31st after being left too much space at the edge of the penalty box. It was Valverde’s first goal of the season.

Garcia should have scored again before the break, when Valverde set him up for what looked like a simple tap-in, but Vinicius made it 4-1 with his second spot kick after the break, awarded after Aramburu was again penalised for bringing him down.

Dani Carvajal made his long-awaited return around the hour mark, when he replaced Alexander-Arnold for his first league appearance since Madrid’s 2-1 loss to Barcelona in October.

Vinicius thought he had scored a hat-trick when he headed in a free kick in the 90th minute, only for it to be ruled out for offside.

Elsewhere in La Liga on Saturday, Borja Iglesias scored in stoppage time, after having another seemingly good goal ruled out through VAR, to salvage a 2-2 draw for Celta Vigo at Espanyol.

A rueful Iglesias shook his head and smiled after having a 77th-minute goal disallowed when a long check determined there had been an offside infringement.

His frustrations grew when Ramon Terrats pulled the ball back for fellow substitute Tyrhys Dolan to score what he thought was the winner for Espanyol in the 86th minute.

But Iglesias equalised in the third minute of stoppage time when Pablo Duran set him up with his heel after a good run from Sergio Carreira.

Espanyol remained sixth, and Celta a point behind in seventh.

Also on Saturday, Getafe held on to upset visiting Villarreal 2-1, and the 10-man Sevilla drew with Alaves 1-1 in a duel between two strugglers.

Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary of the game as Madrid have a chance to go top of La Liga.

Who: Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad
What: Spanish La Liga
Where: Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain
When: Saturday, February 14, at 9pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Real Madrid career has not got off the ground yet, but fit again after injury, the England right-back could be crucial for the Spanish giants in the second half of the season.

With Alvaro Arbeloa’s side still taking shape following the coach’s arrival in January, Alexander-Arnold has the chance to make himself a key part of the club’s battle for silverware.

Pellegrino Matarazzo’s in-form Real Sociedad visit the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday in La Liga, in what promises to be an enticing clash.

Arbeloa’s Madrid are looking to move two points clear of Barcelona and take the lead in La Liga before the Catalans visit Girona on Monday.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at Saturday’s headline fixture in La Liga.

Will Alexander Arnold start for Real Madrid against Sociedad?

Former Liverpool full-back Alexander-Arnold, who came off the bench last weekend as Madrid beat Valencia, could potentially start for the first time since December 3.

After a decent early showing for Madrid at the Club World Cup last year, hamstring and thigh injuries have stopped him from settling in, limiting him to 12 appearances across all competitions this season.

“After [he’s had] a long time out, we will proceed with caution,” said Arbeloa after Alexander-Arnold’s return, with Spanish newspaper AS reporting Madrid’s aim is for him to start against Benfica in the Champions League playoff round on February 17.

Even if Arbeloa uses veteran Dani Carvajal or youngster David Jimenez to start against Real Sociedad, the expectation is for Alexander-Arnold to get more crucial minutes under his belt.

How are Real Sociedad faring in La Liga this season?

Real Sociedad are unbeaten in nine matches but are eighth in the table – 14 points off fourth place and the crucial UEFA Champions League qualification spots.

Matarazzo’s side did, however, defeat champions Barcelona last month and have one foot in the Copa del Rey final after a semifinal first leg win at rivals Athletic Bilbao this week.

Sociedad are also coming off a 1-0 win at Basque Country rival Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals.

Will Vinicius and Mbappe’s dinner give Madrid food for thought?

Real Madrid is counting on a team-bonding dinner reportedly paid for by its biggest stars to boost its late-season pursuit of the La Liga and Champions League trophies.

Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe paid the bill at the restaurant in Madrid on Tuesday, midfielder Dani Ceballos told reporters. The tab ran in excess of 1,000 euros ($1,100), according to accounts by Spanish media.

Vinicius posted a photo of the entire squad during the dinner near the city centre in a fancy location that features an “Art Dining Club.”

Fans waited outside the restaurant to try to talk to the players after the dinner, which went well past midnight.

Coach Alvaro Arbeloa and his assistants were not part of the dinner, Spanish media said.

The show of unity came a week before Madrid faces Benfica in the first leg of the knockout playoffs of the Champions League. The team dropped out of the top eight that automatically qualified for the round of 16 after a 4-2 loss at the same as Benfica in the final round of the league phase.

Defender Raul Asencio told media that after the dinner, the team was “very united.”

Why has Real Madrid struggled this season?

Madrid went through turmoil at the end of last year, with some players reportedly not on the same page with coach Xabi Alonso.

Under Arbeloa, Madrid was eliminated by second-tier Albacete in the Copa del Rey round of 16, and lost to Benfica in the match that relegated the team to the Champions League’s knockout playoffs.

With the bad-tempered Bernabeu crowd on their own team’s backs in recent weeks, the chance to move top of the table could settle the natives.

How is the La Liga race shaping up for Real Madrid and Barcelona?

Madrid has won seven in a row to be one point behind leader Barcelona.

Barcelona will look to win its fourth in a row in the league against a Girona that was in 12th place and was winless in its last three matches.

Barcelona is coming off a resounding 4-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey on Thursday, when it conceded all goals in a disastrous first half.

It had won 17 of its last 18 matches in all competitions before the defeat. The last setback had been losing 2-1 at Sociedad in the league last month.

Third-placed Atletico will face lowly Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, while fourth-placed Villarreal is at mid-table Getafe.

What happened the last time Real Madrid met Sociedad?

Los Blancos were 2-1 winners against Sociedad in September’s reverse fixture in La Liga.

Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler scored either side of Dean Huijsen’s sending off in the first half.

Mikel Oyarzabal’s 56th-minute penalty offered the home side hope, but they were unable to further make the most of their numerical advantage.

Head-to-head

This is the 184th meeting between the teams, with Madrid winning on 103 occasions and Sociedad claiming the spoils in 38 of the contests.

The first fixture was played in April 1905, with Madrid winning the Copa del Rey meeting 3-0.

Real Madrid team news

Mbappe trained separately from the squad on Thursday because of a knee issue and became doubtful for Saturday’s game.

He had already been held to gym work on Wednesday. The club did not immediately give any details about his condition.

Vinicius was set to be back with Madrid after missing the previous league game because of a yellow card suspension, but Jude Bellingham will remain sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Predicted Real Madrid starting lineup (4-3-3)

Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Brahim, Mbappe, Vinicius

Real Sociedad team news

Brais Mendez is suspended for the trip to Madrid, while Takefusa Kubo and Unai Marrero are both absent with hamstring and facial injuries, respectively.

Arsen Zakharyan, Ander Barrenetxea and Luka Sucic have slight niggles and face late fitness tests.

Predicted Real Sociedad starting lineup (4-2-3-1)

Remiro; Odriozola, Martin, Caleta-Car, Gomez; Gorrotxategi, Turrientes; Marin, Soler, Guedes; Oyarzabal

It has been a roller coaster week for theme parks boss Josh D’Amaro, who was named the next chief executive of Walt Disney Co. last week.

Once he officially takes the helm of the Mouse House in mid-March, he must tackle several key areas to chart the future of the 102-year-old media and entertainment giant.

For one, he’ll need to bolster Disney’s pipeline of content. As the saying goes, “content is king.”

The Burbank company already has a strong stable of franchises and stories that power its entertainment and streaming businesses, theme parks, merchandise and cruise ships, but Disney will need to keep building on that.

Strong sequels like last year’s “Zootopia 2” and live-action adaptations such as “Lilo & Stitch” — both of which grossed more than $1 billion in worldwide box office revenue — show that good stories can keep paying dividends in new ways, Moffett Nathanson senior research analyst Robert Fishman wrote in a note to clients last week.

On the bright side: This year’s film lineup has several historically strong franchise contenders, including Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” and Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Doomsday.” (Marvel, however, has struggled in recent years to pump out consistent hits at the box office.)

But Disney also needs to develop new stories — which has been more of a struggle.

Disney and Pixar’s “Elio” misfired at the box office last year, as original animated movies have had a harder time bringing in the massive audiences they once did because of the drop-off in theater attendance since the pandemic.

That puts more pressure on Disney and Pixar’s upcoming “Hoppers,” an original animated film out in March. The film has gotten strong early traction in online trailer views, Fishman wrote.

The content investment also extends to scripted series, which Fishman noted are a “critical component of success and cannot become an afterthought to theatrical.” He singled out Disney-owned FX as a “prestige outlet” that can contribute to both television and streaming lineups. The network has had a number of successes, including 2024’s “Shogun,” which was one of my favorites.

D’Amaro likely will get help on the content side from soon-to-be president and chief creative officer Dana Walden, a longtime television executive who is respected in Hollywood and well-versed in the entertainment knowledge he lacks.

D’Amaro’s area of expertise is Disney’s experiences sector, which includes the theme parks, cruise line, merchandise and Aulani resort and spa in Hawaii and brings in the lion’s share of operating income for the company. In the fiscal first quarter of this year, the experiences business hauled in a record $10 billion in revenue.

The challenge there will be maintaining Disney’s market dominance in the theme park space while continuing to invest to drive growth and managing attendance in the face of ongoing competition from arch rival Universal Studios.

On the investment front, Disney is all in. The experiences business is in the midst of a 10-year, $60-billion expansion project that would add new themed lands to parks around the world, including at Anaheim’s Disneyland Resort. The company also is building a park in Abu Dhabi and added new cruise ships.

In the near term, however, are concerns about “international visitation headwinds” at Disney’s U.S. parks. The company signaled in its most recent earnings call that those foreign visitor trends could contribute to “modest” operating income growth for the experiences division in the fiscal second quarter, along with pre-launch costs for a new cruise ship and an upcoming “Frozen” land in Disneyland Paris.

To keep attendance rates up, the company shifted its marketing and promotional focus to a more domestic audience, said Hugh Johnston, senior executive vice president and chief financial officer, on the earnings call. But stock analysts — and D’Amaro — undoubtedly will be keeping an eye on international attendance rates and what that will mean for the theme parks going forward.

The part of the company with the potential to drive the most growth, analysts say, is its streaming business.

After recording billions of dollars in losses, Disney’s streaming services, which included Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, finally reached profitability in 2024. The company’s next goal is to reach 10% operating margins in its entertainment streaming business comprised of Disney+ and Hulu — a milestone that would give investors confidence in its vision.

To get there, continued investment in local language content will be a key priority to increase international subscriptions, as well as bolstering the tech that powers the platforms and provides recommendations.

In short, D’Amaro faces a choice.

“Some investors are thinking, ‘Will he choose to be the same? Or can he start a new era?’” asked Laurent Yoon, senior analyst at Bernstein.

At least one former Disney CEO has weighed in.

“My advice to Josh is continue Bob Iger’s strategy that creativity will handle profits, always protect the brand, and keep close the words of Walt Disney: ‘We love to entertain kings and queens, but the vital thing to remember is this — every guest receives the VIP treatment,’” Michael Eisner posted on social media last week.

But D’Amaro’s own words provide an idea of what he’s thinking. At a global town hall meeting with Disney employees last week, D’Amaro spoke about the company’s legacy — and its path forward.

“We are 100 years old, but we’re 100 years young as well, willing to embrace new technology, new creators and new markets,” he said. “That willingness to change and take risks is what keeps the brand going, and it’s something I intend to continue to push on.”

Stuff We Wrote

Film shoots

Number of the week

Post-apocalyptic horror film “Iron Lung” has grossed $34.3 million in worldwide box office revenue, a remarkable number given the film’s reported $3 million production budget and self-distribution route.

Written, directed and executive produced by YouTuber Mark Fischbach, who goes by the online alias of Markiplier and also stars in the film, “Iron Lung” follows the story of a convict who sails a blood ocean in a submarine. The movie had a $17.8-million opening during the weekend of Jan. 30, placing it right behind Disney’s 20th Century Studios’ “Send Help,” which grossed about $19.1 million in its debut. “Iron Lung” picked up an additional $6 million this past weekend.

Its success reignited the debate about self-distribution and the theatrical draw of content creators.

What I’m watching

Since the Olympics started last week, I’ve been all in on figure skating, a sport I’ve watched since I was a kid who marveled at the artistry and athleticism of stars like Kristi Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano and Michelle Kwan.

So I was supremely interested in this piece by my colleague Thuc Nhi Nguyen about the strength of the U.S. Olympic figure skating team this year, and the camaraderie between U.S. women Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito.

Captain Steve Scheibner, an American Airlines pilot popularly known as Captain Steeeve, noted that he turns his device off, stating that he can “live without” it until the plane reaches 10,000 feet

An airline pilot has shared the real reason why we have to switch our phones to airplane mode when we take to the skies. A common query among passengers, activating airplane mode on our phones is considered a crucial safety precaution, and one pilot appears to have confirmed that it remains important when we travel in 2026.

Captain Steve Scheibner, an American Airlines pilot popularly known as Captain Steeeve to his YouTube audience, was asked this very question in a recent Q and A session for his channel.

In the video, titled “The TRUTH About Airplane Mode!”, when asked why we need to enable airplane mode during taxi, take-off, and landing, he addressed the initial “uncertainty” among authorities concerning the use of mobile phones.

He explained that, at the time, it was questioned whether these devices could “impact the navigation equipment” on the plane, and Steve wants to ensure that it’s not being “interfered with”.

Indeed, the airline pilot also described how the US‘ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed a “whole bunch of tests” and made a decision based on an “abundance of caution”.

Captain Steve said: “Okay, so years and years ago, when we first started getting all these devices that we carried with us, there was a lot of uncertainty about if it would impact the navigation equipment of an airplane.

“So the FAA did a whole bunch of tests, and they came up with some stuff. They thought, you know, out of an abundance of caution, let’s get everybody to turn off their devices, or that’s what they came up with, airplane mode, and they just put them in airplane mode so they don’t transmit.

“And if you think about it, you’re in a long metal tube and at one end is all my electronic and navigation gear. So I want to make sure that that’s operating properly and it’s not being interfered with by anything.”

Steve claimed that you could, if you so desired, find “thousands” of YouTube videos and websites covering “what a bunch of bunk it is”, but he stressed that he simply wants to be “cautious and safe”.

He noted that he indeed turns his device off and pointed out that he can “live without” it until the plane reaches 10,000 ft, and “so can you”.

However, Steve also went on to highlight an occasion when they can be a “concern”.

He added: “On rare occasions, all those devices can cause some interference for the navigation gear, and that’s really a concern if I’m in bad weather.

“If it’s really clear outside, is it a big deal? Not really, but you know, you didn’t hear that here. Okay, there you go.”

It’s all in the family for El Camino Real soccer.

The head coach for the defending City Section Open Division champion boys soccer team is Ian Kogan, whose daughter, Jordyn, is a top defender for the El Camino Real girls team.

In two seasons, Kogan and girls coach Eric Choi will be talking even more, because arriving in the fall 2027 will be Jordyn’s sister, Peyton, and Choi’s daughter, Leighton.

“I can’t wait,” Choi said.

Both teams found out their City Section playoff seedings on Monday. The boys team is seeded No. 1. The girls team is seeded No. 3 behind Cleveland.

Here’s the link to pairings.

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

Walking up a winding trail in the Dobratsch nature park in Carinthia, surrounded by picturesque snowy slopes dotted with pines, we hear shrieks coming from round the corner. The path is as wide as a one-way street but Birgit Pichorner, the park ranger I’m taking a tour with, motions for me to move to the side, where we watch a couple with wide grins glide past on a wooden toboggan.

We have seen families out hiking with young children and speed walkers pacing for the summit, while on a trail above us, four skiers are zigzagging up one of the nature park’s designated ski touring routes. For residents of Villach, the southern Austrian town at the foot of Dobratsch, this is very much their Hausberg, a much-loved “locals’ mountain”, says Birgit.

Until 2002, it was a ski resort – Birgit points out the slopes where she learned and later taught her kids to ski – but after successive bad winters at the turn of the century, the town faced the same choice as many ski resorts across the Alps today, as the climate crisis brings higher temperatures and reduced snowfall. Bring in the snow guns and supplement your natural snow offering with the fake stuff? Or chart a different path?

The environmental cost of Maschinenschnee, as the Austrians call artificial snow, is high – it’s energy- and water-intensive, with many resorts pumping water up from the valleys to service their slopes. It also negatively affects these fragile ecosystems by introducing potentially pathogenic and stress-tolerant bacteria to the snow, meltwater and soils, according to the hydrologist Prof Carmen de Jong.

At Dobratsch, residents were worried about the effects the Maschinenschnee would have on the cleanliness of their drinking water, which is funnelled through the mountain’s karst limestone system. They decided it wasn’t worth the risk, so closed the ski resort and instead developed a community-focused nature park.

Along with providing affordable year-round outdoor recreation for local people and tourists – accessed by a €5 bus from Villach or by paying a slightly higher fee at one of the parking spots – the nature park designation protects the local flora and fauna. This includes mountain hares, chamois, ptarmigan and black grouse, with schoolchildren regularly taking part in educational classes on the mountain.

Visitors are encouraged to avoid specific “nature zones” and stick to the trails, which are prepared for them daily. There are three winter hiking routes, ranging from 30 minutes to two hours, depending on how hard you want to work; four ski touring routes, ranging from an-hour-and-a-half to three hours; plus a cross-country circuit and a toboggan slope.

We plan to hike a two-hour route to the summit (2,166m) via the Dobratsch Gipfelhaus, though we modify our route slightly when the fog comes in – depriving us of views of nearby Slovenia and Italy – and visit another hut near the summit instead, which used to house the old ski lift. It’s such a beautiful wintry landscape and a treat to be hiking on real snow. There isn’t enough to require snowshoes today – I’m in snowboard boots, though Birgit is fine in walking boots – but the snow still makes that lovely squeaking sound under my feet, making me feel nostalgic for winter holidays past.

The problem with fake snow, aside from its environmental and financial impact (the cost of producing it has forced many ski resorts to push up their prices), is that it’s not very nice to walk on, let alone ski or snowboard on; it’s more like ice and much harder and heavier than natural snow. Before I came to Carinthia, I spent a few days in St Anton in the west of the country, where the whirr of multiple snow cannons puffing out clouds of white mist like dragon’s breath was a constant, even at night.

I had the discombobulating experience of snowboarding down ribbons of white pistes surrounded by muted-green hills, and riding through the mist feels unlike any weather I’ve ever experienced; it’s lighter and less powerful than rain but grittier than real snow. When it lands on your jacket it has none of the intricate beauty of a snowflake and disappears almost instantly.

But it’s easy to see why ski stations are resorting to snow cannons to keep the lights on. St Anton had last seen proper snow in November yet was almost fully open for the New Year holiday crowds, which is no mean feat, and many local businesses will, of course, depend on that tourist spend.

I visit the small mountain village of Mallnitz, about 50 minutes on a scenic train from Villach, for a day’s snowboard touring with Klaus Alber, a mountain guide who also runs the Hotel Alber. The hotel has been in his family for four generations, and Klaus, who greets me in lederhosen despite the temperature hovering at -10C, has noticed the dramatic effects of the changing climate on the valley first-hand.

Pointing to the hotel windows, he tells me the snow used to pile up to halfway most winters, but in recent years it’s barely covered the pavement. “Now we get long periods of cold, dry weather with no snow,” he says. The village’s small ski resort Ankogel, which doesn’t yet have snow cannons, is closed due to a lack of snow.

“Guests come because they want to ski, but we encourage them to be flexible and enjoy the nature as it is. If there’s no snow in December, we can hike to a summit, that’s still a very nice thing to do,” he says, adding that it forces him to be more creative and find new activities for guests, such as snow touring, where you hike up a mountain using adhesive “skins” for grip, then ski or snowboard down.

We set out in the Hohe Tauern national park, amid a wild, high mountain snowscape of extraordinary beauty. Klaus thinks we may find some good conditions for touring, as there was a recent dusting of snow, which has softened the snow that fell earlier in the season, and he’s right.

Climbing across a series of gentle spines, with sweeping views of a dramatic amphitheatre-like range to our left, it’s clear we have this entire glacial valley to ourselves – the polar opposite of factory farm skiing at a purpose-built ski resort. But it’s not just the setting; the true pleasure of the day comes from being in this landscape with wonderful natural snow all around. It looks so much brighter than its human-made equivalent, dazzlingly so under blue skies and sunshine.

After a couple of hours, we reach the Hagener hut at 2,446m, and Klaus points to an area of snow-covered wilderness that was nearly turned into a ski resort in the late 1960s, before the area became a national park – a resort that today would no doubt be debating the choice between snow cannons or closure.

After snacks and hot sweet tea, we begin our descent with no tracks in the snow ahead – Klaus thinks we’re the first people to do the route this winter. The snow will become bare and patchy lower down, but it feels amazing to be making swooping turns in this upper section, where it’s deep enough to spray in arcs across my face, a holy grail in snowboarding, but so rare these days if you only go to the mountains once a year.

It’s an experience you can only have with snow that’s fallen from the sky, and one that could never be approximated by a machine. The tears behind my goggles aren’t just from the cold.

This trip was provided by Visit Villach, National Park Region Hohe Tauern and Austria Tourism. A snowshoe hike at the Dobratsch nature park with a ranger costs €30 including snowshoe and pole rental, naturpark-dobratsch.at. A day’s ski or splitboard touring with Klaus Alber in the Hohe Tauern costs €240 a person (minimum two people, then €60 per extra person), tauernclimb.com

Sam Haddad writes the newsletter Climate & Board Sports

In contexts of war, pacification means a ceasefire achieved through agreements. In its most literal sense, pacification refers to the act of becoming peaceful. In Venezuela, however, pacification cannot be reduced to simply “returning to peace.” The concept acquires a political meaning because violence is neither symmetrical nor bilateral. Pacification in Venezuela means dismantling state violence and opening the political system to all actors.

In this sense, amnesty laws are conceived as a form of special justice for contexts in which pacification is necessary. They are legal instruments that States use exceptionally to close cycles of conflict. Amnesty is not about pardoning isolated acts, but about ending the criminal consequences derived from conflicts in which justice operated selectively and became a tool of political persecution.

In transitional contexts, amnesty has been used repeatedly. Spain, Chile, and Colombia are among the closest examples for Venezuela, and in all of them amnesty served as a bridge between a past of persecution and a future of democratic political competition.

Amnesty must pursue a single goal: preventing the repetition of abuses. For this reason, although amnesties may be decreed, they are not limitless instruments. On the contrary, they must exclude human rights violations and prevent impunity. From this perspective, the draft bill approved in first discussion by the National Assembly is insufficient for the moment the country is facing and for dismantling the regime’s repressive apparatus.

Article 6 does not mention events from 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and part of 2024. As a result, it excludes cases involving military personnel unjustly imprisoned.

Let us begin with one of the basic principles of the legislative process: transparency. The way the bill was introduced failed to inspire confidence among political actors and civil society. At the time of the debate in the chamber, the text of the bill was not publicly available. Only unofficial versions circulated on social media. It was not until 24 hours later that the approved draft was informally released via X, undermining the principle of publicity that should govern lawmaking.

Deliberate vagueness

Setting aside procedural flaws, we must examine the substance of the law. To begin with, Delcy Rodríguez and the National Assembly do not need an amnesty law to release the more than 600 political prisoners who, as of the morning of February 9, remained detained in Venezuela. An amnesty law should aim to correct structural failures in the justice system, address abuses, and guarantee non-repetition.

Reducing the acts covered by amnesty to “acts of violence for political motives” (Article 1) is overly simplistic for the Venezuelan context. More than twenty years of systematic repression and persecution for dissent require precise typologies. Enumerating historical events does not clearly define what constitutes a “political or related offense.” This lack of specificity grants excessive discretionary power to judges—who, in a country without judicial independence, may reproduce the very arbitrariness the law seeks to correct.

This vagueness also excludes many situations that have been used by the repressive apparatus, since not all unjustly imprisoned individuals were detained for “acts of violence.” The law further establishes the exclusion of “offenses against public property” (Article 7.4), which is particularly dangerous. It places corruption crimes and the use of administrative sanctions as political punishment in the same category. As a result, the bill leaves unprotected those subjected to political disqualifications or public officials persecuted and harassed for ideological reasons. This is not accidental: it prevents the creation of precedents that could support amnesty for figures such as María Corina Machado and other politically disqualified actors.

The bodies authorized to execute it are the courts and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the same institutions responsible for the abuses the law seeks to remedy.

Beyond typification, the bill also omits important events that deserve amnesty. Although the introductory provisions establish a period “from January 1, 1999 to January 30, 2026,” Article 6 does not mention events from 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and part of 2024. As a result, it excludes cases involving military personnel unjustly imprisoned, such as Operación Gedeón or the 2018 drone attack against Maduro. The law’s temporal scope remains unclear due to its own internal contradictions.

Another troubling aspect is the interpretative principle set out in Article 5, which states that in case of doubt, the interpretation favoring the protection of human rights shall prevail, leaving out a basic criminal law principle: in dubio pro reo, meaning that doubt must be resolved in favor of the accused.

Paying oneself and giving change back

The procedure for implementing the amnesty is not verifiable. The bodies authorized to execute it are the courts and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the same institutions responsible for the abuses the law seeks to remedy. A clear example of the dangers of this arrangement is the revocation of Juan Pablo Guanipa’s release order, announced by the Public Prosecutor’s Office through social media. Allowing the execution of the law to be controlled solely by those who committed the injustice is akin to cheating oneself.

Moreover, the procedure requires the initiative to come from the Public Prosecutor’s Office or from the person prosecuted or convicted, leaving a gap for those physically unable to file requests themselves, including detainees and people in exile. To remedy this, legal representation in the amnesty process must be explicitly authorized.

The legislative process must be further opened to include citizens, families of those still unjustly detained, and especially those recently released. Their testimonies are essential.

Recognizing these deficiencies, our duty as jurists and as Venezuelans is also to propose solutions. The first recommendation is to guarantee publicity and transparency throughout the legislative process. The National Assembly could turn the process that began on Thursday into a genuine national consultation. Recent invitations extended to law school deans from UCAB, UNIMET, and UCV, as well as to human rights groups such as Provea, Foro Penal, and Acceso a la Justicia, are encouraging signs—provided these voices are genuinely heard and reflected in substantive changes.

Beware of forgetting by design

Still, this effort is not enough. An amnesty law should be the framework for reconciliation and peacebuilding. The legislative process must be further opened to include citizens, families of those still unjustly detained, and especially those recently released. Their testimonies are essential to understanding past abuses and designing guarantees of non-repetition.

The second recommendation concerns the substance of the law. Amnesty cannot be treated as a communications tool of “clemency.” Its purpose must be non-repetition. As Juan Miguel Matheus (2019) aptly put it, reconciliation requires “forgetting enough so that there is no room for revenge or historical resentment, and remembering enough to prevent atrocities from happening again.”

In this regard, the bill’s provision mandating the elimination of files and records related to amnesty beneficiaries is deeply problematic. Rather than promoting truth, it risks enabling impunity for officials who committed human rights violations. Documentation must be preserved to ensure accountability and non-repetition.

Article 12 further establishes that oversight of the law’s implementation would fall to the Executive, through the Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace—headed by Diosdado Cabello, who has led repression and state violence for years. This makes genuine oversight impossible. A third recommendation, therefore, is the creation of a Special Commission within the National Assembly, composed of lawmakers and civil society representatives, to monitor compliance.

The bill also lacks transitional provisions and does not repeal existing repressive laws. A fourth recommendation is the repeal of legislation such as the anti-hate law, the so-called anti-NGO, and the asset forfeiture law, as well as the reversal of unjust political bans imposed by the Comptroller General and the reinstatement of officials removed for ideological reasons.

Finally, a call to lawmakers and those invited to participate in this process, from universities, civil society and other sectors. The amnesty bill is not a gift from the regime to the opposition. It is an opportunity to pacify the country and find real pathways toward a transition. This responsibility demands that we act with everyone in mind: those inside and outside the country, and all those who could be covered by the law.

In moments of confusion, we must focus on what matters. An amnesty law is being debated and will be approved. Perfect solutions are difficult to produce in the current circumstances, but the recommendations of civil society and experts must be translated into substantive changes. Reconciliation in Venezuela means healing after years of injustice in order to rebuild a society battered by conflict.

The new law must serve to ensure that the regime acknowledges that, for years, it implemented a policy of repression and persecution. From there, it must enable the reconstruction of the rule of law, the restoration of trust in institutions, and the transition toward a country where all people have real opportunities to live with dignity.

As citizens, we have the task of demanding (even through informal channels, the only ones available to us in the absence of functioning institutions) that institutional norms be respected and that justice and peace be guaranteed. This is a law still under construction. It is not a symbolic gesture by the regime. We must turn it into the starting point for genuine reconciliation.

The new Netflix show follows five women who set out to rob a bank

Netflix has just dropped a new crime thriller perfect for your weekend binge-watch session.

Cash Queens or Les Lionnes follows five women who take on a daring money heist, led by single mum Rosalie.

When she realises that her family has to live on just €30 a week in order to pay off her incarcerated husband’s debt, Rosalie comes up with a plan.

She sets out to rob €100,000 from the bank where she works as a receptionist. Her best friend Kim soon catches wind of the heist and jumps on board, hoping to use her share to open a massage therapy salon.

Rosalie’s cousin, Alex, also joins in and uses her skills as an architecture student to perfect their plan.

They later recruit Sofia, another desperate single mum in need of cash before social services hunt her down. And their final member is Kim’s client Chloé, who is married to the town’s shady mayor.

The newfound friend group then take on the tricky heist, cleverly disguised as men. However, “it’s not long before politicians, police, and gangsters are on their tails, scarcely imagining that a group of ordinary women are behind this band of mercenaries,” states the synopsis.

Its ensemble cast is led by Rebecca Marder, who plays leading lady Rosalie. She is joined by Zoé Marchal as Kim, Naidra Ayadi as Sofia, Pascale Arbillot in the role of Chloé and Tya Deslauriers as Alex.

While the French drama’s plot seems far-fetched, it is actually inspired by a gang of robbers from the late eighties.

According to Tudum: “The series is inspired by the Gang des Amazones, five women who robbed seven banks in the South of France starting in 1989. “

The women famously disguised themselves as men by wearing wigs and fake moustaches.

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

Since the eight-episode series premiered last night (February 5), it hasn’t received many reviews just yet. However, Screen Rant described it as a ‘must watch’.

Entertainment publication Gazettely also shared a thoughtful review, writing: “Cash Queens provides a sharp look at economic desperation. It replaces heist glamour with the frantic reality of survival.”

The review continued, praising the show’s plot device of masculine disguises as “biting commentary on the invisibility of working-class women”.

“This production represents a shift in streaming content toward stories prioritizing character depth over spectacle. It succeeds as a grounded portrait of resistance against a system designed to ignore the poor,” they concluded.

Cash Queens is streaming now on Netflix

But in a message, released as part of the latest batch of the Epstein files, headed “draft statement” sent by a “G Maxwell” to Jeffrey Epstein in 2015, she wrote: “In 2001 I was in London when [redacted] met a number of friends of mine including Prince Andrew. A photograph was taken as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family.”

Real Madrid earn a ⁠hard-fought football victory over their local ​rivals to move to within one point of league leaders Barcelona.

Kylian Mbappe stayed calm to roll home a 100th-minute penalty and grab Real Madrid a 2-1 win over nine-man Rayo Vallecano in a spicy La Liga football derby on Sunday.

Los Blancos cut Barcelona’s lead back to one point at the top of the table a day after the Spanish champions beat Elche.

Vinicius Junior scored early on for Madrid after Jude Bellingham limped off with an apparent hamstring injury.

Jorge de Frutos pulled Rayo level early in the second half as Madrid fans showed their anger at their team. But after Rayo’s Pathe Ciss was issued a red card, Mbappe netted from the spot at the death.

Pep Chavarria was also sent off for 17th-placed Rayo, who took a shaky Madrid to the wire before falling short.

After the hosts’ midweek defeat at Benfica, which forced them into the Champions League playoff round, the Santiago Bernabeu crowd was in an unforgiving mood.

Mbappe and Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa had begged fans to support the team, but, just as they did two weeks ago against Levante, they whistled at their own players.

Former Barcelona winger Ilias Akhomach fired narrowly wide early on, and the atmosphere would have been further soured had his effort crept inside Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ post.

Los Blancos suffered an early setback as England international Bellingham pulled up holding the back of his thigh, going off in agony.

Vinicius fired the hosts ahead in the 15th minute, showing tidy footwork just inside the area before firing high over Augusto Batalla and into the net.

Arda Guler came close to getting a second, with Batalla saving his effort and Vinicius turning the rebound wide.

Los Blancos were in charge, but though they took the lead, their fans were not appeased, and whistled the team in at the break.

Four minutes into the second half, Rayo pulled level. Alvaro Garcia nodded a cross down for de Frutos, a former Madrid youth player, to reach and drill home.

The visitors should have taken the lead after an hour, when Andrei Ratiu ran through on goal with only Courtois to beat. But the Belgian stopper made a superb save to deny him.

Mbappe came centimetres away from putting Madrid in front when Batalla rushed out of his goal, with the French forward knocking the ball around him but then hitting the bar from distance.

Rayo made life harder for themselves when midfielder Ciss was sent off for an ugly foul on Madrid’s Dani Ceballos.

Eduardo Camavinga headed against the post as Arbeloa’s side turned the screw, before nine minutes of stoppage time were added on.

With the clock ticking down, Madrid were awarded a penalty when Nobel Mendy clumsily fouled Brahim Diaz, and La Liga’s top scorer Mbappe dispatched the ball to snatch three points for his side.

Rayo finished the match with nine men after Chavarria was shown a second yellow card for shoving Rodrygo Goes.

Travel expert Simon Calder has called the new booking system a “real faff” as Rome introduces charges to manage overtourism.

A travel expert has issued a warning about major changes taking effect at a world-renowned tourist attraction from tomorrow.

Numerous cities have been grappling with overtourism in recent years, with authorities working to tackle enormous crowds and unacceptable conduct.

Rome has now joined the growing list of cities taking action. Visitors wishing to see the famous Trevi Fountain will be required to pay a €2 (£1.75) entrance fee. The new charge for tourists comes into effect on February 2.

Coins thrown into the fountain will continue to be donated to charity, but the entrance fee for the Baroque landmark will go to the city council. Officials say the money will fund the fountain’s maintenance as well as visitor management.

Rome anticipates generating €6.5million annually from the fountain alone. Furthermore, the Trevi Fountain isn’t the only attraction where tourists will now face charges, as fees have been introduced at five additional sites including the Napoleonic Museum, reports the Express.

The Trevi Fountain attracts approximately 30,000 visitors daily. Travel expert Simon Calder offered his perspective on the new charging system, revealing it took him 15 minutes to secure a ticket.

He confessed: “It’s a real faff, but they say it is necessary at the Trevi Fountain, and five other locations around Rome, in order to keep tourism manageable.”

Explaining the rationale behind the fee, Simon told BBC Breakfast : “The idea is that tourism is so intense in some key locations, that you have got to do something to control it.”

Discussing the impact of the charge, Simon said: “I don’t think it will put people off, it will hopefully make the experience a bit more manageable.

“There has been cases of people climbing into the fountain, they have police there prepared to haul them out and fine them heavily.

“I think Romans are in two separate camps here. There’s the people that say it is a public space, you can’t possibly start regulating entry, it is anti-democratic and anti-freedom.

“Then there’s others that say, frankly, when you’re into the summer in Rome things become a bit unmanageable and anything we can do to try to bring some decorum has to be a good thing.”

From February, tourists and non-residents wanting to enter the basin of the Trevi Fountain must shell out two euros for a ticket, which grants access daily between 9am and 10pm.

Rome residents, youngsters aged five and under, and disabled visitors can still enter without charge. Viewing the Trevi Fountain from afar will remain completely free.

Jane McDonald was a favourite with TV viewers on Loose Women but she quit the show in 2014

Jane McDonald has become a household name thanks to her travel shows and singing career, but many fans still remember her from her Loose Women days.

The 62-year-old star used to be one of the ITV programme’s most popular presenters, chatting over the hottest topics of the day for a decade before announcing that she was permanently vacating her seat on the panel.

While fans of the daytime show have become used to a rotating cast of presenters, many were disappointed to see Jane go when she stepped down in 2014.

So why did she leave Loose Women? And will she ever go back to the show?

When was Jane McDonald on Loose Women?

Jane was already well known for television programme The Cruise and a string of albums when she joined the show as a presenter in 2004.

She featured on Loose Women along fellow stars such as Carol McGiffin, Andrea McLean, Sherrie Hewson and Denise Welch and became hugely popular with viewers.

When did Jane McDonald leave the ITV show?

However, in January 2014, the star announced that she was leaving, telling fans that the time was “right” for her to move on as she had an album and a tour in the pipeline.

She said in a statement at the time: “It has been an incredible 10 years for me on Loose Women and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve got a busy and exciting year coming up with a new album and national concert tour.

“So the time is right for me to step aside from Loose Women and concentrate on new opportunities.

“I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again on tour and I thank you all for your continued support, loyalty and best wishes.”

Would Jane McDonald return as Loose Women panellist?

The star has previously suggested that she isn’t likely to make a permanent return to the programme, as she was widely quoted as telling Woman magazine: “It was a period in time when everything was different. We could get away with things that we could never do now.

“And it was an era of girls who were not just colleagues – we were a force to be reckoned with. We were like Sex And The City when we hit the town. We’d have taken a bullet for each other.”

However, she did add: “Never say never.”

Guest appearances

Jane has gone on to make guest appearances on the ITV show over the years.

In 2021 she returned to the programme to talk about the death of her fiance Eddie Rothe, who had passed away that year after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Opening up in a moving segment, Jane told how it had been a “privilege” to nurse her partner before he died.

“At first I thought, ‘How am I going to do this?’” she said. “But then you get a strength when you are nursing your loved one. I learnt how to do it. I changed all the dressings and I cared for him and I nursed him and I’m glad I did.”

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

Cruising with Jane McDonald is on Channel 5 at 1.05pm on Sunday (February 1).

Newcastle will play Qarabag in a two-legged play-off to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

The Magpies drew 1-1 with defending champions Paris St-Germain on Wednesday in the league phase to seal 12th place.

PSG, who finished 11th, will face Monaco while 15-time European champions Real Madrid will meet former manager Jose Mourinho’s Benfica.

The first legs of the play-offs will take place on 17-18 February, with the second legs one week later.

The Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary will hosts the 2025-26 final on 30 May.

More to follow.

French forward Kylian Mbappe questions team’s desire after damaging defeat sends Real Madrid into playoffs.

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe has said his team “deserve” to be in their current situation because they were not consistent enough for a top-eight spot as his side slipped into the Champions League playoff round.

The record 15-time European champions fell to a 4-2 defeat at Jose Mourinho’s Benfica on Wednesday, finishing ninth in the league phase table, meaning they must face their Portuguese conquerors or Bodo/Glimt in February instead of reaching the last 16 directly.

After three wins in their previous three matches under new coach Alvaro Arbeloa, Madrid were brought back down to earth by Benfica in Lisbon.

“The problem is we aren’t consistent in our play, we have to fix that, you can’t have one day [playing well] and another not, a champion team does not do that,” Mbappe told reporters.

“We deserve to be in this situation today. Benfica were better. Now we have to play two more playoff games. It hurts to have to play those. We wanted to have the time in February to work on our game.”

Mbappe said he could not put his finger on a clear reason why Madrid played so poorly against Benfica.

“I think it’s a bit of everything. I can’t tell you it’s just a matter of attitude, because if I only say that, you’ll think we came here without any desire,” said the French superstar, who scored twice in the defeat.

“If I tell you it’s a football issue, you’ll think the team is bad. No, I think it’s a broader issue, and in the Champions League, every detail matters if you want to beat your opponent.

“It shows you that if you don’t come in with everything you need to win a Champions League match, the opponent will come and, as they say, make fools of you.”

However, Mbappe called on Madrid’s fans to support the team at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga, rather than booing as they did earlier in January.

“Come and support the team – we had a bad game – but we are not knocked out of the Champions League, and in La Liga we’re in a good dynamic now,” pleaded Mbappe.

“If the Bernabeu is with us, we will win on Sunday.”

Firsts are not easy to come by for Jose Mourinho at this stage of his long, often highly dramatic, career.

But on Wednesday night in Lisbon, Anatoly Trubin provided such a moment.

Simply beating 15-time European champions Real Madrid was not going to be enough for Benfica.

In added time to added time, they led 3-2 but needed another goal or their Champions League campaign would be over.

A free-kick provided them with one last chance and goalkeeper Trubin was sent forward.

Moments later it was pandemonium at Estadio da Luz with Benfica players running in all directions and Trubin ending his own euphoric wild charge with a knee slide having scored the decisive goal with a bullet header.

“A fantastic goal, a historic goal, a goal that nearly brought the whole stadium down – and I think it was very deserved for us,” Mourinho said.

“For Benfica it’s an incredible prestige to beat Real Madrid.”

Given the way the league format works with 18 games taking place simultaneously on the final matchday, it is little wonder Trubin was not fully aware of what his side needed.

They were heading out on goal difference at the end of the eight-round league phase, until his sensational intervention. Marseille were the unlucky side, falling out of the play-off places as Benfica snatched their spot.

A couple of minutes before his goal, Trubin had dropped to his knees after claiming a cross, seemingly trying to waste a few seconds to close out the win, unaware Benfica were still going out as it stood.

“Before, I didn’t understand what we needed,” Trubin said. “I see everyone start to point at me and I go and after I see [I can go forward]. We need one more goal.

“I don’t know, I don’t know what to say. A crazy moment.

“I am not used to scoring, so for me it was something completely new. I am 24 years old and for me it’s the first time.”

Benfica beat Real 4-2 which sends both teams into Champions League playoffs, as Madrid miss out on top eight.

Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored an astonishing 98th-minute header as Benfica beat Real Madrid 4-2 to keep themselves in the Champions League and deny their illustrious opponents an automatic spot in the last 16.

In an extraordinary finale on Wednesday, the Portuguese side were ⁠heading out despite leading 3-2 with seconds of stoppage time remaining before Trubin came forward for a free ​kick to score the goal needed to sneak into the playoff round on goal ‍difference.

That sparked wild celebrations from Benfica players, fans and their charismatic coach Jose Mourinho – a former manager of Real Madrid – at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon.

The Spaniards had hoped to finish in the top eight and go straight into the ‍last 16, but ⁠their 15 points from eight games were not enough, and they finished the match with nine men as Raul Asencio and Rodrygo were sent off.

Andreas Schjelderup scored two goals for Benfica and Vangelis Pavlidis netted from the penalty spot, while Kylian Mbappe netted twice for Real in a hugely entertaining, end-to-end contest.

Benfica advance at the expense of Marseille, who lost 3-0 at Club Brugge. The giant screen in the stadium in Belgium congratulated both teams for advancing to the ​next stage, but that proved premature as Trubin turned the tables.

Both Benfica ‌and Real needed a goal for different reasons going into the final minutes, and it is a vindication of the competition’s format that a single goal could have such a dramatic effect on the table.

Benfica were denied two strong early penalty shots, ‌and Real took the lead on 30 minutes against the run of play when Asencio’s cross to the back post was headed in by Mbappe.

The home ‌side drew level six minutes later when Asencio’s slip in the ⁠wet conditions allowed Pavlidis to provide a perfect cross for Schjelderup to head into the net.

Benfica were awarded a penalty in first-half added time when Aurelien Tchouameni was adjudged to have hauled Nicolas Otamendi to the floor, and Pavlidis buried his spot-kick.

Schjelderup ‌scored his second of the game from Pavlidis’s perfect pass to make it 3-1, before Mbappe swept home his second, too – his 36th goal of the season in all competitions.

Benfica were still outside the top 24 ‍when they were awarded a free kick with virtually the final play, and Fredrik Aursnes’s delivery was headed in by Trubin to complete a night of high drama in Lisbon.