west

BREAKINGBREAKING,

White House official says Trump sees stability in the Palestinian territory as a ‘goal to achieve peace in the region’.

United States President Donald Trump opposes Israel’s annexation of ⁠the occupied West Bank, a White House official has said.

“A stable West Bank keeps ‌Israel secure, and is in ‌line ‌with this ⁠administration’s goal to achieve peace ‌in the region,” the official said on Monday, according to the Reuters news agency.

The comment from the White House comes after eight Muslim-majority countries denounced Israel for approving controversial new measures to expand control over occupied Palestinian territory, making it easier for Israelis to acquire land for new settlements, which are illegal under international law.

On Monday, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates condemned Israel’s move “in the strongest terms”, according to a statement from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow shortly.

The late afternoon sun was setting over Coldwater Canyon when the bus arrived. Students from Boyle Heights’ Bravo High spilled out into TreePeople, a nature reserve and nonprofit in Coldwater Canyon Park, and took off hiking.

As they looked around the sage and monkeyflower-lined path, their chatter quieted, and soon, they were writing poetry.

Alina Sadibekova, a junior at the magnet medical school, sat under native oak trees, breathing in the soil-rich air with a pen in hand.

“Our city is very busy, especially living in L.A. where everything just goes on and on and it feels like there’s never a point where we can take a breath,” Alina said. “Going to the parks helped me ground myself.”

During a field trip to Gabrielino Springs and the L.A. River Gardens, Bravo High School students from Feng Shui Poetry in the Parks work on poems inspired by the landscape.

(Genesis Sierra)

TreePeople, is one of many green spaces she has visited with Feng Shui Poetry in the Parks, a program dreamed up by the West Hollywood poet laureate, Jen Cheng, in partnership with Bravo High English teacher Steve “Mr. V” Valenzuela. Cheng’s aim is for poetry, nature and Chinese principles to inspire a love for nature in students otherwise surrounded by concrete.

“I think as humans, we’re part of nature, so being better connected to nature actually brings you more home to yourself,” Cheng said. She explains that feng shui, the ancient Chinese practice of arranging a space to encourage harmony, is based on five natural elements: water, wood, fire, earth and metal.

“Feng shui, in poetry, is a lens that you can use to process big ideas using your surroundings,” Cheng said. “You can say, ‘Let’s write about water running down a river,’ not literally, but maybe as a metaphor for migration.”

Feng Shui Poetry in the Parks has grant funding through 2026’s spring semester, but next school year is still up in the air. Cheng says she’s looking for other grants, but as the Trump administration cuts humanities funding, including National Endowment for the Arts grants, the options are scarce.

As the oldest of five growing up in Oakland, Cheng felt seen for the first time when she discovered poetry in elementary school. It was inspired by her most cherished memories: field trips. At the time, her immigrant family worked to the point where they were often “too busy for nature.” During field trips, it was exciting, she said, to be out of Oakland’s urban landscape and in parks that felt rare in her working-class experience.

Decades after her elementary school field trips, as a newly appointed poet laureate for West Hollywood, she envisioned a way to mirror this childhood experience.

Poets laureate, whose role is to champion and encourage poetry in their community, are eligible for a $50,000 nationwide grant through the Academy of American Poets to support “meaningful, impactful and innovative projects,” according to the AAP.

As a recipient of this grant, Cheng brought Feng Shui Poetry in the Parks to life with one final addition — a teacher with a passion for poetry, who could connect her to a classroom of students.

Everyone she spoke to, she said, pointed her to the same person — “Mr. V.”

Jen Cheng, left, and Steve Valenzuela, right, close the Feng Shui Poetry in the Parks reading with words of encouragement for the students who shared their poetry at Bravo High School on Dec. 4, 2025. Both instructors have said that they were surprised by the emotion and creativity the students demonstrated in their poems.

(Kayte Deioma)

A sanctuary for ‘lifesaving’ creativity

When you enter Valenzuela’s classroom, the walls are covered with dozens of CD sleeves, from Deftones to Rage Against the Machine. In the gaps, student artwork, notes and photos with current and former students hang.

Valenzuela leads Bravo High’s poetry club, KEEPERS, and for the last few years, he’s guided the students to win awards at international poetry slam Get Lit.

“Poetry is expression, poetry is life-changing, lifesaving, which sounds very dramatic, but it’s not. Some of the things the students have written about are very traumatic,” Valenzuela said. “I’ve seen them work through difficult experiences and come out of it using poetry.”

One such student is 17-year-old Paige Thibodeaux. “I used to think it was better to be closed off, but throughout this, I was able to show my friends and peers who I am,” Paige said. “I didn’t think that’s something I could do and I’m here now.”

Paige, who lives with her family in Compton, recalled having her guard up as she walked through her neighborhood, where she said expression through poetry felt inaccessible.

“I don’t see a lot of kids doing things like this,” she said.

Student poets, friends and family members gather before the start of the Feng Shui Poetry in the Parks poetry reading and zine release at Bravo High School on Dec. 4, 2025.

(Kayte Deioma)

Working on a book, she said, opened up a whole new side of her. She started to confide in friends about stress, or things that bothered her, which otherwise would have stayed inside.

‘I still don’t believe it’

Since August 2025, Paige and her classmates have developed their poems, received feedback from Cheng and submitted their final pieces to be published as a poetry collection.

The cover, designed by Bravo student Adrian Lopez, depicts a tree wrapping around the spine. The poems are rooted in their observations of current affairs and native plants; the publication was completed in December, when Valenzuela and Cheng planned for a reading and celebration of their work at Bravo High.

“Did you guys know your work is going to be read across the country?” Cheng said to students in class one day. “I’m sending it all the way to New York!”

“Feng Shui Poetry in the Parks Vol. 1” is being printed as a zine and will be sent to bookstores and libraries from San Francisco to Chicago as well as the Library of Congress.

Students giggled and gasped in disbelief. “No pressure, I guess,” one student joked.

“It’s really crazy, I still don’t believe it. It’s been a dream of mine,” Alina said. “I never realized I could be a published author as a junior in high school.”

The night of the poetry reading, students, parents and friends gathered in excitement in Bravo High School’s library, settling in rows before a single microphone. Out in the hallway, the raucous chatter of teenagers echoed in the halls, and cars honked on the busy street outside to pick them up. But inside the haven of the library, there was a quiet settling among the crowd for the long-awaited show.

Alina Sadibekova reads her poems “I Want to Fly” and “Messy” for the Feng Shui Poetry in the Parks reading at Bravo High School on Dec. 4, 2025. She says writing poetry over the course of the program “grounded” her and alleviated the stress of school.

(Kayte Deioma)

Aolani “Lani” Alarcon approached the mic to hushed voices. As the lights lowered, she thanked the crowd, the white flower tucked in her hair catching the light as she recited her first poem, “White Sage.”

She says poetry didn’t always come easily to her. “One of the biggest things I struggle with is judgment, so opening up or writing about touchy subjects or things that mean something to me was hard,” Lani said. “Knowing that I wouldn’t be judged, or that people would actually like what I write, means a lot.”

The 16-year-old smiled as she read, describing sage as an ancestor’s prayer. Her next poem, “Hummingbird,” delved into grief.

“You teach me that healing isn’t forgetting,” she read, tears welling. “It’s learning to carry love without breaking under it.”

Manuel Alarcon, her father, was seated in the crowd, clasping his hands in rapt attention. When the readings had finished, he pulled Lani into a long embrace.

“These field trips, it exposed them outside of city life,” Alarcon said. “There’s more than opening a book, listening to a teacher. You need that outside exposure to really understand life. And inner city kids don’t have that. I want [my daughter] to be part of breaking a cycle.”

Valenzuela clapped loudly and cheered as each student stepped off the podium.

“When young voices, and voices from marginalized communities tend to be silenced, sometimes we internalize that and silence ourselves,” Valenzuela said. “I want them to feel like they can speak up.”

As Feng Shui Poetry in the Parks carries on for another semester— maybe its last — students continue to explore writing poetry in the greens of L.A. parks. Some, like 17-year-old Saneli Soto, express themselves along the way.

Saneli’s poem reads:

I’m used to concrete floors
And concrete walls.
I’m used to five story buildings.
I needed a quiet place.
Where I could just lie in the grass.

In joint statement, countries urge international community to ‘compel Israel to halt its dangerous escalation’.

Eight Muslim-majority countries have denounced Israel for trying to impose “unlawful Israeli sovereignty” in the occupied West Bank, after it approved controversial new measures expanding its control and making it easier for Israeli settlers to buy land.

Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates condemned Israel’s move “in the strongest terms” on Monday, according to a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement.

Israel’s new measures, greenlighted Sunday by its security cabinet, have major implications on property rights and Israeli security procedures in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The Times of Israel, citing a joint statement by Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defence Minister Israel Katz, said the new rules would allow Jewish Israelis to buy private real estate in the territory and open up previously confidential land registries to the public.

The measures will also allow Israeli authorities to take charge of managing some religious sites and increase Israeli supervision and enforcement in areas run by the Palestinian Authority (PA), according to Israeli media reports.

Smotrich said the move was aimed at “deepening our roots in all regions of the Land of Israel and burying the idea of a Palestinian state”.

‘Dangerous annexation push’

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the decision amounted to de facto annexation, and called on US President Donald Trump and the United Nations Security Council to intervene.

Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim, reporting from the town of Birzeit in the West Bank, said Palestinians view the development “as the most dangerous push towards annexation and the most critical decision since Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967”.

She noted that under the new rules, there was nothing that would prevent Israeli settlers from owning land and “coming to Palestinian city centres”.

In the joint statement, the eight Muslim-majority countries said Israel is trying to put in place “a new legal and administrative reality” that accelerates its “illegal annexation and the displacement of the Palestinian people”.

The countries affirmed Palestinians’ right to “self-determination and statehood” and urged the international community to “compel Israel to halt its dangerous escalation”.

The European Union also condemned the Israeli move, calling it “another step in the wrong direction”.

The West Bank is among the areas that Palestinians seek for a future independent state, along with the Gaza Strip and occupied East Jerusalem. Currently, much of the West Bank is under direct Israeli military control, with extremely limited Palestinian self-rule in some areas, governed by the Western-backed PA.

More than 700,000 Israelis live in settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank, which are illegal under international law, while some 3.3 million Palestinians live in the territory.

Israeli forces regularly carry out violent raids, conduct arrests, and impose restrictions in the occupied West Bank, where attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have also intensified, often under the protection of Israeli soldiers.

In January alone, at least 694 Palestinians were driven from their homes in the West Bank due to Israeli settler violence and harassment, the highest number since Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza erupted in October 2023, according to the UN.

Passengers are best to check their train operator before heading on board

In the UK, there are several big train companies, and many are used by thousands daily for commuting, visiting family or friends, or even during a staycation. Each company has its own features. For instance, some trains have Wi-Fi and USB charging ports, while others do not.

When it comes to food and drinks, there are differences as well. Some railway companies offer catering services, but many others do not. Every train operator has its own rules about bringing your own food and drinks onboard – and there are some items you should avoid.

On National Rail’s official website, a statement reads: “Many train companies have onboard catering facilities. These can include trolley services, counter buffet services and restaurant cars. The longer the journey, the more likely that there will be food and drink available on board.”

Some train companies offer food and drink on board. Below is a list of the ones that do:

There are numerous others that don’t, however. The following train companies and services do not offer onboard catering:

• c2c
• Chiltern Railways
• Elizabeth line
• Gatwick Express
• Great Northern
• Heathrow Express
• London Northwestern Railway
• London Overground
• Merseyrail
• Northern
• South Western Railway
• Southeastern
• Southern
• Stansted Express
• Thameslink
• West Midlands Railway

According to National Rail, passengers can bring their own food onboard, and they are urged to “take care” with hot drinks. However, they should not “leave wrappers and other packaging behind”, or “get carried away” when consuming alcohol.

In a major “do not” alert, the passenger rail service says people should avoid bringing certain types of food on board. It says: “Don’t bring very smelly food on your journey – leave that wedge of Stinking Bishop at home!”

In terms of alcohol, National Rail adds: “In general, you can bring and consume alcohol on trains, except those managed by Transport for London. But some train companies will run alcohol-free services, so check before you travel. And remember, antisocial behaviour is not permitted at any time.” Scroll down below for a look at the trains that ban alcohol at certain hours and on specific routes.

The largest train companies in the UK, by network size, passenger numbers, and franchise size, include Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), Great Western Railway (GWR), Northern Trains, Avanti West Coast, and ScotRail. GTR is the largest, running 22% of all passenger services in the UK, including Thameslink, Southern, and Great Northern.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR)

GTR covers Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern, and Gatwick Express. The railway operator doesn’t have a strict rule against certain food or drink items, but it is requested that passengers do not consume items that disturb or upset other passengers, and litter must be taken with them.

You are allowed to bring and eat your own food and drinks on Southern Railway trains. Usually, there aren’t any catering services on Southern Railway’s commuter trains, but passengers can enjoy their meals and drinks as long as they are ‘polite to others’, ‘keep the train clean’, and ‘take their rubbish with them’. You can have food and drinks, but please be ‘mindful of strong odours’. Alcohol is mostly allowed, but Southern might limit it on certain trains, like those for football games.

Regarding Thameslink trains, as there are no on-board catering services, passengers are encouraged to bring their own refreshments. However, the trainline asks passengers to avoid bringing ‘smelly, hot, or messy food’ that may disturb other passengers. Alcohol is generally allowed on Thameslink, but antisocial behaviour is not tolerated, and you may be asked to stop or leave if deemed intoxicated.

It is important to note that while London-based Thameslink services allow alcohol, other Transport for London (TfL) services do not. All of the above also applies to Great Northern and Gatwick Express trains.

Great Western Railway (GWR)

On GWR trains, you can bring your own food and drinks, including alcohol, but ‘avoid bringing food that smells really strong’. You can usually have alcohol, but ‘anti social behaviour is not allowed’, and specific, limited services may have restrictions.

Food and drink are available only on longer-distance routes operated by Intercity Express Trains. On most long-distance trips, there are snacks, drinks, and alcoholic beverages you can choose from. However, not all local routes have food and drink services, especially the ones between Penzance–Exeter St Davids and Exeter St Davids–Bristol/Cardiff/Gloucester/Worcester.

Usually, there is a free trolley service with snacks and drinks available at your seat on high-speed trains that run from 6am to 7.30pm. Passengers are urged to take their rubbish with them or use the bins that are available.

Northern Trains

You can usually bring food and non-alcoholic drinks on Northern Rail trains, so you can have your own snacks during the trip. But on some “dry trains,” alcohol is banned. It’s important for passengers to also be thoughtful of others by ‘not bringing strong-smelling foods’ and by ‘taking all their rubbish with them’.

A statement on the official Northern website reads: “On certain trains, we don’t allow any alcohol on board. We’ve made some of our services ‘dry trains’ because of past issues with people getting rowdy and causing trouble.

“If you’re on a ‘dry train’, our staff will ask you not to drink or hide any booze during your journey. If you’re visibly drunk or try to sneak alcohol on board, you won’t be allowed to travel and could face prosecution under railway byelaws. If you’ve got alcohol with you before you board these services, you’ll need to dispose of it before the barriers, please. No exceptions here – you won’t be able to travel with it.” The trains where you can’t bring alcohol are listed online.

Avanti West Coast (AWC)

You can bring your own food and drinks on AWC trains, but it’s best to avoid really smelly items. In Standard and Standard Premium classes, you can buy snacks and drinks from the onboard shop, and there are hot food choices too. In First Class, you get free meals and drinks, depending on the time and length of the trip. You can have alcohol, but don’t drink too much; also, some services might not allow alcohol, so it’s a good idea to check first.

ScotRail

You can bring and consume your own food and non-alcoholic drinks on ScotRail trains. Alcohol consumption is restricted, with a ban in place during certain hours. It is advised to avoid bringing very smelly food and to take your litter with you.

A statement on ScotRail explains: “Alcohol may be consumed on our trains between 10am and 9pm. Other restrictions may apply in certain circumstances, such as large sporting events or concerts, as determined by ScotRail and the British Transport Police (BTP), on a case-by-case basis. Railway Byelaw 4 (2) states that a passenger with intoxicating liquor can be prevented from entering, or be asked to leave, the railway.”

The rules will make it easier for Israeli settlers to buy land in the occupied West Bank and give Israeli officials more powers to enforce its laws on Palestinians in the area.

The Palestinian presidency calls the decision a ‘dangerous’ Israeli ‘attempt to legalize settlement expansion’.

Israel’s security cabinet has approved new rules aimed at strengthening Israeli control over the occupied West Bank, according to local media reports, drawing condemnation from Palestinian authorities.

The Palestinian presidency, in a statement on Sunday, called the decision “dangerous” and an “open Israeli attempt to legalize settlement expansion” and land confiscation. The office of President Mahmoud Abbas called for the United States and the United Nations Security Council to intervene immediately.

Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the decision, which it said was “aimed at imposing illegal Israeli sovereignty” and entrenching settlements.

The Hamas group called on Palestinians in the West Bank to “intensify the confrontation with the occupation and its settlers.”

The rules will make it easier for Israeli settlers to buy land in the occupied West Bank and give Israeli officials stronger powers to enforce laws on Palestinians in the area, Israeli media reported.

The West Bank is among the areas that Palestinians seek for a future independent state, along with Gaza and occupied East Jerusalem. Much of the West Bank is under direct Israeli military control, with extremely limited Palestinian self-rule in some areas, governed by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority (PA).

According to the Israeli news outlets Ynet and Haaretz, the new steps include removing rules that stopped private Jewish individuals from buying land in the occupied West Bank.

The measures also include allowing Israeli authorities to take charge of managing some religious sites, and increasing Israeli supervision and enforcement in areas run by the PA, according to the media reports.

The office of far-right Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, in a statement said “we will continue to bury the idea of a Palestinian state”.

Palestinian Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh said the reports about expected Israeli steps to increase annexation and create new facts on the ground in the occupied West Bank are a total violation of all signed and binding agreements, a serious escalation, and a violation of international law, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

He emphasised that these unilateral measures aim to eliminate any political prospects, obliterate the two-state solution, and drag the entire region into further tension and instability.

The reports come three days before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC.

Match of the Day pundit and former England captain Alan Shearer explains how West Ham were able to “play on the front foot” and pressurise Burnley’s defence in their 2-0 win at Turf Moor.

MATCH REPORT: Premier League – Burnley 0-2 West Ham United

Available to UK users only.

The town’s position in the top spot comes at the expense of the well-heeled Cheltenham down in Gloucestershire, in second place, and Ipswich in Suffolk in third, and Rochdale, Greater Manchester in fourth

A North West town has been crowned the best the country has to offer.

It’s fair to say that Liverpool and Manchester steal the bulk of the limelight when it comes to settlements in the 9 to 12 o’clock quadrant of England, and for good reason. But when it comes to the best large towns (crucially, not cities) in not just the North West, but the country at large, there is only one winner.

“The town evolved out of an unplanned sell-off of land by various lords of the manor, and was destined to be chaotic. The Golden Mile and Pleasure Beach are latter-day versions of the free-for-all fête that once took over the strand,” writes Chris Moss on his number one pick.

“As the new Showtown museum reveals, the modern seaside mass-market holiday was invented here, as was much of the light entertainment and comedy that dominated the small screen for decades. You can eat well (the Wok Inn is superb), drink well and party well here but neither the prom in a gale nor the back streets after dark are for the faint-hearted. It’s a UK one-off. An obligatory stop once every decade if you want to know your nation and yourself.”

Do you agree with the rankings? Let us know in the comments below or by emailing webtravel@reachplc.com

READ MORE: UK’s worst towns for 2026 as tourists slam concrete centres and humdrum atmosphereREAD MORE: Spain holiday warning for Brits after major clampdown this week

Chris’s choice is, of course, Blackpool. He scored the iconic Lancashire seaside resort 9.5/10 in an article that looked at possible contenders for the 2028 UK Town of Culture, following Bradford’s successful run in 2025.

Blackpool’s position in the top spot comes at the expense of the well-heeled Cheltenham down in Gloucestershire, in second place, and Ipswich in Suffolk in third, and Rochdale, Greater Manchester in fourth.

Those who live in and love Blackpool, or who have spent summer days in the seaside resort, will need no reminding why the town of 141,000 deserves the top spot. But for those who have yet to make it to the Las Vegas of North England, here is a brief rundown of its history, what it offers now, and why, arguably, its number one ranking is a bit of a surprise.

The history

Until the mid-eighteenth century, Blackpool was a tiny, largely overlooked hamlet that sat on the Irish Sea. It would only become a fashionable destination later in the 1700s, when visitors began heading there to dip in the sea – something few considered a pleasant pastime prior to this wellness kick.

Several hotels popped up to cater to the increase in visitor numbers by 1781, before the railway reached the town in 1846. Throughout the nineteenth century, Blackpool grew in size from a small town to a major seaside resort as trainloads of sunseekers bused in to enjoy the sea air. Its three piers and many of the current attractions, such as the Blackpool Tower, would open by the end of the century.

By the middle of the twentieth century, the population of Blackpool reached 147,000, considerably higher than it is today.

What to do

Since the coronavirus pandemic, when domestic holidays enjoyed a real boost in the UK, Blackpool has been thriving. The figures for 2023 show the seaside resort attracted 21.5m tourists – a 6% increase compared to 2022 when the total was 20.3m. The annual STEAM report showed the number of full-time tourism and hospitality jobs supported in Blackpool has grown to 23,419 – a 5.3% rise on the previous year.

It’s clear to see why. Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool Tower, SEALIFE Blackpool and the Blackpool Illuminations remain major attractions that draw in huge numbers each year.

The town is also known for its nightlife and as an increasingly popular hen and stag do destination, thanks to excellent pubs such as the Cask and Tap, Rhythm and Brew Room, and Shickers Tavern, and the fact that it’s still possible to get a decent round for £20, with change to spare.

A bit of a surprise

For all of its charms, Blackpool has some difficulties. Since the rise of the low-cost foreign holidays in the late 20th century, the North West jewel has been shining a little less as it struggles to compete with the sun and sand on offer on the Continent.

Blackpool faces significant, entrenched socioeconomic struggles, and consistently ranks as one of the most deprived local authorities in England. It has high rates of poverty, unemployment, and poor health outcomes. The town also deals with a seasonal, low-wage economy, poor housing, and high crime rates.

The full list

25. Watford – 0.5/1024. Crawley – 0.5/1023. Luton – 1/1022. Oldham – 1.5/1021. Basildon – 2/1020. Basingstoke – 2/1019. Telford – 2.5/1018. Middlesbrough – 2.5/1017. Northampton – 3/1016. Slough – 3.5/1015. Reading – 4/1014. Swindon – 4.5/1013. Warrington – 5/1012. Huddersfield – 5.5/1011. Bolton – 6/1010. Blackburn – 6/109. Stockport – 6.5/108. Poole – 6.5/107. Bournemouth – 7/106. Worthing – 7/105. Gateshead – 7.5/104. Rochdale – 8/103. Ipswich – 8.5/102. Cheltenham – 9/101. Blackpool – 9.5/10

KANYE West accused Kim Kardashian of ‘flirting’ with Lewis Hamilton years before she entered into a relationship with the F1 driver, The Sun can reveal.

We revealed over the weekend that Lewis, 41, and Kim, 45, are in a new relationship, with the pair enjoying a string of international dates over recent weeks.

The reality star and entrepreneur has known Ferrari driver Lewis for over a decade, but things only recently turned romantic.

However, her ex-husband Kanye, 48, had previously accused her of flirting with Lewis when they were together.

Kim and Kanye were married from 2014 until 2021, and a source tells us that the Yeezy owner’s jealous streak especially came out around Lewis.

“It was so awkward as when they were together, Kanye would always fly into jealous rages and accuse Kim of flirting with Lewis,” revealed the source.

WATCH OUT

Nicole Scherzinger’s pals fear for Kim K as they warn of Lewis’ ‘nasty streak’

SKIN WIN

Gadget loved by Kim Kardashian for ‘perfect skin’ is slashed to 49p in Superdrug

They continued: “She wasn’t – of course – but Kanye was always so erratic that if Kim was even friendly with someone he’d accuse her of something.”

Kim and Kanye share children; and cited “irreconcilable differences” as a reason for their divorce five years ago.

Lewis was a friend of both Kim and Kanye, with them bonding over a shared love for fashion. The sportsman even spent Easter at the house they shared as a married couple back in 2016.

The Sun understands Kim and Lewis have been growing close for a number of months, with the pair attending actress Kate Hudson’s New Year’s Eve party together.

The new couple have enjoyed several dates in different cities over recent weeks, including London and Paris, to fit around Kim’s work commitments.

Earlier this week, a source told The Sun: “Kim and Lewis have such intense working schedules so they’re keen to spend as much time together as possible.

“Right now, they’re inseparable and are fitting their dates around Kim’s work commitments.”

Kim had to be in Paris to attend a NikeSkims event – her brand’s collaboration with Nike.

Taking Lewis along with her, the pair stayed at luxurious hotel Le Bristol, and ate in private during their stay.

A source revealed: “Kim absolutely loves spending time in Paris and wanted Lewis to go with her. Her work is so important to her but it’s all things she can slot around spending time with Lewis.

“They’re both used to travelling all over the world while working so doing it together means they can spend proper time with each other.”

“It’s an exciting challenge. We know that the club is not at the place that it should be, but I’m here to help the team and to bring what I can to achieve our goal.”

Disasi has not played for more than a year for Chelsea and was placed in the club’s so‑called “bomb squad” after failing to secure a move last summer and deemed surplus to requirements by former head coach Enzo Maresca.

He later worked his way back into the under‑21s and first‑team training, although he did not make a senior appearance.

Disasi joined Chelsea from Monaco in 2023 in a £38m deal and spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa.

But he is determined to prove his worth at West Ham as he added: “The club has given me the opportunity to show my quality on the pitch. I spoke with all the people here, and I feel that they really wanted me, so that’s why I’m here.

“Everyone knows my situation in the last few months, so I just want to get back on the field, feel the sensation of games and help the team.”

Israeli occupation authorities have intensified their campaign of forced displacement across the occupied West Bank, issuing expulsion orders to an entire Bedouin community east of Ramallah and escalating demolition policies in occupied East Jerusalem.

The measures come amid a surge in settler violence targeting educational institutions in the Jordan Valley and residential homes in Qalqilya, further shrinking the living space for Palestinians under military occupation.

‘Zone of expulsion’

On Sunday morning, Israeli forces raided the Abu Najeh al-Kaabneh Bedouin community in al-Mughayyir village, east of Ramallah.

Local sources confirmed to the Wafa news agency that soldiers delivered a military order requiring the community’s 40 residents to dismantle their homes and leave the area within 48 hours. The army declared the site a “closed military zone”, a tactic frequently used to clear Palestinian land for settlement expansion.

During the raid, Israeli troops arrested three foreign solidarity activists attempting to document the eviction order.

The expulsion order is part of a widening campaign of ethnic cleansing in the region. It follows the complete displacement of the Shallal al-Auja community north of Jericho, which concluded on Saturday. After years of systematic harassment, the last three families of the community were forced to leave, marking the erasure of a presence that once included 120 families.

Al-Aqsa provocations

In occupied East Jerusalem, Israel’s municipal policies of urban restriction continued to displace Palestinians.

On Sunday, Yasser Maher Dana, a Palestinian resident of the Jabal Mukaber neighbourhood, was coerced into demolishing his 100-square-metre (1,076-square-foot) home. The structure, located in the al-Salaa district, housed four family members.

Israeli authorities routinely force Palestinians in East Jerusalem to execute their own demolition orders to avoid paying exorbitant fees charged by municipal crews and forces if they carry out the destruction themselves. These demolitions are justified by a lack of building permits, which rights groups say are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain in the city.

Simultaneously, in Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the municipality issued a demolition order for a residential room belonging to the al-Taweel family, granting them a 10-day deadline. This follows notices issued three days before demolishing two homes belonging to brothers in the Wadi Qaddum neighbourhood.

Tensions also rose at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, stormed by dozens of Israeli settlers under heavy police protection. According to the Jerusalem governorate, the incursion included a provocative “wedding blessing” ritual performed by settlers for a bride in the courtyards, a violation of the site’s status quo.

Settlers attack schools and homes

In the northern Jordan Valley, Israeli settlers, backed by the military, disrupted the school day at the al-Maleh School.

Azmi Balawneh, the director of education in Tubas, reported that settlers blocked teachers from reaching the school, which serves children from the vulnerable Bedouin communities of al-Hadidiya, Makhoul, and Samra.

This harassment coincides with the establishment of a new illegal settlement outpost in the al-Maleh area just a week ago. In the nearby Khirbet Samra, settlers erected a new tent on Sunday morning to seize more pastoral land.

Meanwhile, in the village of Faraata, east of Qalqilya, settlers from the illegal “Havat Gilad” outpost attacked the home of Hijazi Yamin.

Yamin told Wafa that settlers pelted his house and unleashed an attack dog on his family, trapping his wife and seven children inside.

“We live in a constant state of insecurity,” Yamin said, noting this was the second attack in a week. “I am afraid to leave my wife and children alone or let them go to school.”

Military raids and closures

Israeli forces conducted multiple raids across the West Bank on Sunday, arresting at least four Palestinians. In Hebron, two brothers were arrested following a raid on their family home. More arrests were reported in the village of Duma, south of Nablus, and in the town of al-Ubeidiya, east of Bethlehem.

In the northern city of Jenin, military vehicles stormed the city centre and the Jabel Abu Dhuhair neighbourhood. During the incursion, troops deliberately destroyed street vendors’ carts at the Cinema Roundabout, targeting the local economy.

Movement restrictions also tightened significantly. For the second consecutive day, the Israeli army closed the main entrance to Turmus Aya, north of Ramallah, and blocked the Atara military checkpoint since the early morning hours, severing connections between northern and central West Bank cities. According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, Israel now operates 916 military checkpoints and gates throughout the West Bank.

“We want to take Swansea to the Premier League, and to do that we are going to need money – that’s the reality of the game these days.

“I want to introduce sponsorship deals and publicity that will make them a global name.”

The West Coast rapper has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide but is yet to attend a Swansea game, though his son Cordell Broadus was in the directors’ box for the Welsh side’s draw with Watford last August.

American billionaire businesswoman Martha Stewart, who joined Snoop Dogg and Real Madrid legend Luka Modric as a Swansea co-owner in December, was in Wales for the game against Wrexham just before Christmas.

Swansea have said Snoop Dogg is likely to attend a game at some point this season, though there is still no confirmation of when he may appear at the Swansea.com Stadium.

“For real I want to meet with the fans,” Snoop Dogg said.

“These fans are passionate, they are real, and I want to hear what they got to say when I am in Swansea.

“I knew I always wanted to invest in a soccer team – it’s been a dream of mine for years, it was all about waiting for the right opportunity.”

Modric was the first celebrity name to get involved at Swansea, with the former Ballon d’Or winner named as a co-owner last April.

Swansea’s American owners, led by Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen, believe bringing in high-profile names at boardroom level will help increase the profile the club which will in turn boost income.

West Ham midfielder James Ward-Prowse is expected to undergo a medical with Burnley on Wednesday as he closes in on a loan move.

Ward-Prowse, 31, joined the Hammers from Southampton in August 2023 and has made 78 appearances.

The England international was loaned to Nottingham Forest for the 2024-25 season and played 10 times under then manager Nuno Espirito Santo, but the deal was cut short during the winter transfer window.

He was a regular under former West Ham manager Graham Potter and made six appearances this season before Potter was sacked in September.

Ward-Prowse has not played a single minute of football since Nuno was brought in at West Ham.

Burnley sit 19th in the Premier League and are 10 points from safety following Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham. The 18th-placed Hammers are five points above the Clarets.

Burnley manager Scott Parker brought in 18-year-old defender Cameron Scott from Rangers earlier this month but is looking to add experience with Ward-Prowse.

Ward-Prowse came through Southampton’s academy and made 410 appearances before leaving for West Ham.

The date was Dec. 20. It was the day everything changed for the Clippers.

Kawhi Leonard has been the leading scorer in the NBA since, averaging 31.8 points per game. James Harden has averaged 25.1 points in that stretch. The Clippers have the best scoring differential in the Western Conference over that span. They’ve been rolling.

This is where Robert Flom enters the story.

Flom is a blogger who covers the Clippers, and Dec. 20 was when he wrote the following on X: “If they go 15-3 in any stretch this season will print and eat this tweet.”

The Clippers have gone 15-3 since. True to his word, Flom printed the tweet Monday and ate it.

“Pretty crunchy,” he said.

Social media wasn’t around in 1953 or 1985, which means it’s highly unlikely anyone in Baltimore or Cleveland had to endure a crunchy moment like the one Flom put himself through on Monday night.

The 1952-53 Baltimore Bullets got into the playoffs by finishing fourth in a five-team division, in a year when eight of the NBA’s 10 teams made the postseason. The 1984-85 Cleveland Cavaliers got into the playoffs despite spending more than three months of that season holding down last place in the Eastern Conference.

Both teams started those seasons with 6-21 records. Of the 121 teams that started an NBA season with a record that bad or worse, including five this season, those Bullets (who finished 16-54) and Cavaliers (who finished 36-46) are the only two that wound up reaching the postseason.

The Clippers started 6-21 this season. The playoffs were a million miles away. Not anymore.

Going into Tuesday’s game at Utah, the Clippers are three games under .500 at 21-24. They are 10th in the West, but that would be enough to get them into the play-in tournament and give them a chance at a playoff berth.

For a team that was a half-game out of last place in the West a couple of days before Christmas, just getting back to play-in range this soon represents a minor miracle.

“We’re confident, we’re playing well, but we’ve still got to play better,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said after Sunday’s 126-89 romp over the Brooklyn Nets. “We still have to run through the tape and continue to execute the right way. … Overall, we’re playing well. We’ve got to keep it going.”

The Clippers, to their credit, were aware of Flom’s tweet. The Clippers’ social media team had a blast with it — all in good fun, like the tweet itself — and players couldn’t help but react when they got that 15th win in 18 games that ensured Flom would be chewing on paper for a half-hour or so.

“We gotta get him on camera,” Lue said.

“I don’t know how healthy that is for you,” Leonard said.

Clippers fans got into the act as well, chanting “eat the tweet” during Sunday’s game. It’s a feel-good story, such as it is. And there have been a few of those in the NBA this season.

Among them: Toronto started slowly but is vying for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs now. BetMGM Sportsbook had Phoenix’s over-under for wins this season at 30.5; the Suns have already won 27 games. The Celtics, even without Jayson Tatum, are No. 2 in the East, something few outside Boston probably expected.

The Clippers were supposed to be good, like title-contending good. Starting 6-21 was beyond unexpected. Then again, so was the turnaround. And the tweet is a neat part of why everyone seems happy in Clipperland these days, after tons of drama going back to the summer.

There was a probe of whether a business relationship between Leonard and a California company was legitimate or merely a way for the Clippers to circumvent salary cap rules, then Chris Paul being sent home in a stunning early December move, and a whole lot of losing.

Now, there’s a whole lot of winning. For the record, Flom now says the Clippers will finish 45-37. The way they’re playing, he might not have to eat those words.

Ye, the provocative rapper formerly known as Kanye West, explains himself once again — this time in a full-page ad in Monday’s issue of the Wall Street Journal.

The Grammy-winning musician penned a lengthy apology in the advertisement, voicing regrets for his social media attacks on Jewish people and his public embracing of Nazism in recent years. He began his letter detailing injuries from a 2002 car accident, including a frontal-lobe injury he says led to his bipolar type-1 diagnosis. Ye wrote that, in the throes of the disorder, “I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika.”

He said: “I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret.”

The “Power” and “I Love Kanye” musician, 48, has long had a history of stirring controversy, but notably began facing waves of scrutiny for embracing white supremacy, fawning over Adolf Hitler and threatening violence to Jewish people on social media in late 2022. Though his professional life seemed to take blows, West continued embracing Nazi symbolism in the following years, in 2025 selling a swastika-bearing T-shirt and releasing a single titled “Heil Hitler.” West had also allegedly told a former employee, who is Jewish, that he was a “Nazi” and compared himself to their leaderAdolf Hitler, according to a lawsuit filed last year.

“Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst,” he continued. “You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to love someone who was at times, unrecognizable. Looking back, I became detached from my true self.”

The musician said his disorder led him to moments of “poor judgment and reckless behavior,” some he said he can’t recall. The rapper said he is “committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change” and denied that he is “a Nazi or an antisemite.”

West also extended his apologies to the Black community, which he wrote is the “foundation of who I am.”

West (he legally changed his name to Ye in 2021) wrote that early last year he experienced a “four-month manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life.” He said there were moments during this episode when “I didn’t want to be here anymore.” West said after “hitting rock bottom” he began seeking help, with the encouragement of wife Bianca Censori. He said he also has since found solace in Reddit, where he said users shared their experiences with manic and depressive episodes.

West said he is moving forward with “much-needed clarity” reached by a routine of medication, therapy, exercise and “clean living.” He added that he is also focused on “positive, meaningful art” including music, clothing and other ventures “to help the world.” He said he is not seeking “sympathy, or a free pass,” but rather forgiveness and patience “as I find my way home.”

West previously opened up about his mental state last year, telling “The Download” podcast that he learned “it’s really a case of autism that I have.” At the time, he also told podcast host Justin Laboy that he had stopped taking his bipolar medication since learning it wasn’t the “right diagnosis.”

Days after his podcast interview, West fired off several antisemitic tweets that have since been deleted. In other posts, he also called for the release of Sean “Diddy” Combs amid the mogul’s sex trafficking case and declared his “dominion” over Censori. Following those posts, Ye returned to X (formerly Twitter) and thanked the app’s owner Elon Musk for giving him a platform.

“It has been very cathartic to use the world as a sounding board,” the rapper said at the time.