Strictly Come Dancing fans are all making the same comment new It Takes Two presenter about Ellie Taylor. The comedian has replaced Fleur East and Janette Namrara on the BBC Two show

Strictly Come Dancing fans have showered the spin-off programme It Takes Two‘s new host with compliments after she succeeded Fleur East and Janette Namrara in the role. Some aspects of the weekday have come under fire following recent changes, but it appears the inclusion of Ellie Taylor is its one saving grace.

Following the announcement that Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe would be replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on the main programme, the BBC revealed in August that there were plans to revamp the midweek show as well. This decision saw Ellie given the It Takes Two presenting duties – four years after her stint on Strictly as a contestant.

Following the Beeb’s confirmation of Ellie’s role back in August, she said in a statement: “What a total joy to return to Strictly in this new role. I feel incredibly honoured to follow in the footsteps of the phenomenal line-up of hosts who’ve made Strictly – It Takes Two so loved over the years.

“I can’t wait to immerse myself in all the gossip and sequins flying out of the ballroom in order to bring my fellow Strictly fans everything they need to know. I’m so excited, I could cha cha! (But I won’t – don’t worry… no one needs to see that again.)”.

Now, after the series’ first two showers, fans have issued praise towards Ellie, 42.

“Just catching up on It Takes Two,” one person said on X.” I’m not enjoying everything, but my God Ellie is smashing it soo far. Absolutely brilliant.”

A second person agreed: “Don’t like the changes, but Ellie is fab. Should have got the main gig with Emma.”

A third shared: “Ellie Taylor hosts it well, but the new version of It Takes Two has nothing worth watching anymore.”

While a fourth viewer added: “Ellie Taylor is good, the new It Takes Two set is awful with the wooden unvarnished floor all that glitz and glamour gone, no pro interviews. I know they wanted to revamp both the Strictly main show and It Takes Two but the changes aren’t good.”

And a fifth asked: “I adore Ellie Taylor but I’m not sure I like this new It Takes Two at all. Why are they making so many changes – why change the ITT set this year when it literally got changed last year?”

Essex-born Ellie old rose to prominence as a comedian before transitioning into presenting roles on programmes including Snog Marry Avoid? and The Great Pottery Throw Down. On It Takes Two, she faces the challenge of following in the footsteps of previous hosts Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark and Claudia.

It Takes Two producer Rhe-An Archibald said of the changes: “This is Strictly – It Takes Two, reinvented for the 2026 season. With a wealth of new features and deep dives, we want to reflect the conversations happening in living rooms up and down the country – full of opinions, laughs, surprises and those moments everyone wants to talk about.

“With the fun and funny Ellie at the helm, it will be an utterly unmissable companion to Strictly Come Dancing.”

Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two airs Monday to Friday at 6:30pm on BBC Two and is also available on BBC iPlayer.

Oct. 1, 2026 3 AM PT

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Michael Harris II hit a three-run homer in the first inning, Ray Kerr threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Thursday night in the decisive Game 3 of their National League wild-card series.

Ozzie Albies hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Matt Olson added a solo shot in the seventh for the Braves, who advance to a best-of-five Division Series against the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers.

The Braves won a postseason series for the first time since winning the 2021 World Series and earned their first playoff series win against the Phillies. Philadelphia beat Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS.

Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola was pulled after giving up three runs in 1 2/3 innings. Nola walked Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson with one out in the first before giving up the homer to Harris, who hit into two double plays in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss in 10 innings which forced Thursday night’s game.

Kerr made his postseason debut in only his fourth career start. Braves manager Walt Weiss wanted a left-hander to face Phillies left-handed hitters Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper at least once.

Kerr gave up only one hit — to Schwarber in the first — and one walk — to Schwarber in the fourth. Right-hander Grant Holmes followed Kerr and gave up one run in two innings to earn the win.

Kerr left to a standing ovation from the sellout crowd and acknowledged the cheers by lifting up his arm as he approached the dugout.

Left-hander Chris Sale, the starter in Atlanta’s 5-3 win in Tuesday’s series opener, struck out Harper to end the eighth and closed out the win in the ninth by striking out Bryan De La Cruz and pinch-hitter Otto Kemp.

Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler, the winning pitcher in Sunday’s 7-3 victory over Tampa Bay that clinched the wild-card spot, walked Austin Riley in the fourth before giving up Albies’ homer to right field that gave Atlanta a 5-0 lead. Wheeler gave up two runs in four innings. Jonathan Bowlan, Philadelphia’s fourth pitcher, gave up Olson’s homer to center field.

Kerr, 32, flourished in the postseason spotlight. He pitched in only nine games after being recalled by Atlanta on Aug. 16. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024 and didn’t pitch in 2025.

Philadelphia’s 2022 World Series loss to Houston began a streak of five straight postseason appearances with progressively quicker exits — the NL Championship Series, two NLDS exits and now the wild-card loss.

Switzerland’s glaciers are rapidly receding due to a combination of winters with too little snow and record-high temperatures across Europe this summer, scientists say. In all, one of the world’s top ski destinations has lost nearly one-fifth of its glacial ice in just five years.

In a report (PDF) published by the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (GLAMOS) and the Swiss Commission for Cryosphere Observation of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT) on Thursday, researchers said Swiss glaciers lost 5.5 percent of their ice volume over the hydrologic year ending September 30, 2026, and nearly 20 percent since 2021.

Why is Switzerland, famed for its Alpine terrain and winter sports, losing its glaciers and what does this mean for the country?

Here’s what we know.

What have scientists discovered?

In September, a GLAMOS team visited 23 glaciers in Switzerland to record end-of-summer measurements of ice melt and snow accumulation.

Visiting one glacier named Scex Rouge in the Western Swiss Alps in early September, GLAMOS chief Matthias Huss, one of the report’s researchers, told the Reuters news agency that a measuring pole, about four metres (13 feet) high, was drilled into the ice in July to provide the team with a point of reference.

“Now when we have come back here, we saw the pole was out by three metres [10ft]. So just in August and September of this year, even excluding the heatwaves of June and July, we have lost three metres of ice at an elevation of almost 3,000 metres [9,843ft],” he explained.

“This clearly indicates these conditions that we had this summer, they are just inconsistent with the survival of these small glaciers in the Alps,” he added.

Why are glaciers in Switzerland losing ice?

According to the report, the total mean thickness of individual glaciers in Switzerland has fallen by between 2.5 and four metres in 2026. At glacier tongues – narrow glacial extensions of a glacier which project from land into a body of water – it had decreased by as much as 10 metres in some places over the summer.

“We can clearly attribute the massive ice loss to the warming, and thus anthropogenic [caused by humans] climate change. The summer has been the hottest on record in Switzerland. In addition, there was little snow in winter, and therefore the glaciers were poorly protected when the heat started,” GLAMOS chief Huss told Al Jazeera.

He noted that while their measurements have indicated that the melting has affected all glaciers in Switzerland equally, the effects were most visible on smaller glaciers.

“Those shrink very quickly and sometimes even completely disappeared. Also, large glaciers lost an enormous quantity of ice, but they remain impressive,” he added.

The report’s scientists warned that the glaciers also lost a total of about 2.2 trillion litres of water (581 billion gallons) between July and September alone.

“This is more than four times the annual drinking water consumption of all Swiss households,” the report’s researchers said and warned this could impact the country’s future water supply.

What does this mean for Switzerland?

Switzerland is a country known for winter sports and Alpine tourism, which depends on the glaciers. About 4 percent of the country’s entire workforce is employed in the tourism sector.

“This affects tourism and also how we perceive the mountains – they are no longer white but increasingly grey and black,” he told Al Jazeera.

He added that the water provided by glaciers is also important for the economy. “It is used to fill up hydropower lakes that produce clean energy, and supplies the biggest streams of Europe,” he said.

“We’re not yet seeing the full consequences as glaciers are still around and they contribute water when we need it. But this potential is soon being lost,” he added.

Harry Zekollari, a glaciologist and associate research professor at the Department of Water and Climate at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, shared a similar view.

He stressed that glaciers are important natural water suppliers, as they provide water when people need it most – in summer, when it is hot and dry.

“With climate change, glaciers initially provide more water during summer as they rapidly melt. However, as glaciers become smaller, there is less ice to be melted, and as such the water supply in summer decreases. This peak in water supply has now been passed for glaciers in the European Alps, meaning that we expect glaciers to provide less and less water in the coming years,” he told Al Jazeera.

“Glacier changes can also cause natural hazards, and since most of the ice lost turns into water that reaches the oceans, the consequences of glacier loss [in Switzerland and elsewhere] will be felt for coastlines all around the globe,” he added.

Is there a solution?

Yes. According to Zekollari, in order to save as much glacier ice as possible in Switzerland, the world needs to stabilise rising temperatures as soon as possible.

“Projections for the European Alps and Swiss glaciers show that if we are able to rapidly stop emissions, we may still be able to save about one-third of their ice mass. However, in a case with strong warming, these glaciers are projected to lose more than 90 percent of their volume by 2100,” he said.

He noted that the situation is less grim globally as some glaciers in other regions are more persistent.

“However, even globally, future emissions play a big role and will decide whether we lose about 25 percent of glacier mass by 2100 – that’s the good case, with limited warming – or rather 50 percent – the bad case, with more warming,” he said.

“The losses in the longer term – past 2100 – are even larger due to the long response of glaciers, but also here it is the future warming that decides how much remains. Every 0.1 degree Celsius warming matters.”

BILLY Joel has shared a new health update just weeks after undergoing surgery for a rare brain condition.

The singer, 77, who was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) in May 2025, underwent a procedure to help improve his symptoms last month.

According to the NHS website, a hydrocephalus is a “build-up of fluid in the brain. The excess fluid puts pressure on the brain, which can damage it”, and NPH “usually develops in older people”.

He had a shunt implanted in his brain to drain excess fluid.

Earlier this week he shared how he has been feeling while on his SiriusXM show The Billy Joel Channel.

Billy said: “I know people are worried about me because they read that I have a brain disorder, which sounds a lot worse than it actually is.”

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He added: “I’m okay” but went on to confess that his “balance isn’t that good”.

The performer also explained that he’s “lost a little bit of my hearing” – which he actually thinks is due to the performing on stage for years.

The star also confessed that he “appreciates” everyone but doesn’t want people to “worry” about him.

Talking about the surgery, Billy said last month: “I didn’t want to do that, but then I read up on it and I realised it can help improve your balance and can help your memory.”

He added: “You know, I don’t want to lose my marbles.

“It’s hard to tell what’s age and what’s a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain and it actually improved things.”

After having the surgery, Billy explained: “My memory got better, my balance got a little better, my ability to function was better.” 

After being diagnosed with NPH, Billy cancelled all tour dates due to the condition.

Billy is best known for songs such as Piano Man, Uptown Girl and We Didn’t Start the Fire.

Last year, Kim was one of the sponsors of the Community Investment and Prosperity Act, a proposed law that later was encompassed in another piece of legislation that expanded banks’ ability to invest in communities in a way that promotes economic development and the public good. The law allows national and state member banks to invest up to 20% of their capital and surplus in affordable housing, small business lending and community revitalization.

“Families across California have felt the effects of rising costs for years. From delivering meaningful tax relief to supporting commonsense housing and energy reforms, I remain committed to fighting for opportunity and economic security that put Californians first,” Kim said in a press release issued by Americans for Prosperity in May.

Calvert sees affordability as the biggest challenge facing families and blames Sacramento for the rising costs and “driving businesses out of the state.” He points to his vote in support of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which maintained many of the tax cuts in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and raised the State And Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap.

“My priority is fighting to lower everyday costs, help families keep more of what they earn and supporting policies that fuel economic growth, which in turn provides higher wages and more opportunities for California families and workers,” he said.

The deciding game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves played silently on the Dodger Stadium scoreboard Thursday as Dodgers players practiced below.

The Dodgers were less than 48 hours away from the first pitch of the National League Division Series. The “2026 Postseason” decals had been freshly painted up the baselines that afternoon. All that was left to be decided was their opponent — the winner of the game serving as the backdrop of their intrasquad scrimmage.

About a half an hour after the Dodgers cleared the field, the Braves advanced to the NLDS with a 6-2 win over the Phillies. The Dodgers and Braves will open the best-of-five series at Dodger Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m. PDT.

“We are the team to beat,” veteran utility player Kiké Hernández said. “We are the team that you have to go through. And that’s all nice words and everything, but we got to take care of business on the field. But I feel great about my team.”

The Dodgers are the reigning back-to-back champions and are aiming to become the first National League team to win three World Series in a row.

“Obviously it’s there, but it’s not something we’re really focused on,” veteran third baseman Max Muncy said of the three-peat chase. “We’re trying to focus on ourselves getting ready this week, paying attention to whoever we might be playing and just trying to get ready for a postseason series the same way we’ve always gotten ready for it.

“We don’t need to be adding any extra pressure onto ourselves. We’ve been saying that for a long time. When you talk about three-peating, you’re putting that extra pressure on it that doesn’t need to be there. Winning a World Series is already hard enough as it is. So for us, we’re just trying to focus on what we have ahead of us and without the added noise to it.”

So, how did the Dodgers get ready for the postseason? Their bye week consisted of wild-card watch parties, batting practice, live pitching — from a long list of arms on Wednesday, especially — and an open workout Thursday that culminated in a scrimmage. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who’s penciled in to start Game 4 of the NLDS if necessary, started for the home team Thursday.

“Instead of showing up, checking a box to work out, then eject, I think that sacrifice from friends, family, it’s important,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’re at the home stretch. We’re in the playoffs, and so I think that the more guys spend time with one another, it just lends itself to just more togetherness.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, left, talks with third baseman Max Muncy during practice Thursday.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

The Dodgers have figured that out over five postseasons in this format. This is their fourth with a bye — after going through the wild card last year. And they introduced the watch parties in 2024.

“You’ve earned the bye and you should take that time to rest and recover,” Muncy said. “But you don’t want to give guys too much time to be at home and get that taste of what it might be like. That really worked for us back in 2024. You get guys here to the field. You’re not forcing anyone to do anything but you’re making all the guys hang out together for extended periods of time when they could be at home enjoying family time — which is great for everybody but not when you know what’s coming for us ahead.

“You’re going to be facing a team that’s already been through the fire. They’ve already been through the emotions. They’ve already been through the roller coaster which is the postseason. It’s hard to go from an at-home setting to trying to find a way to flip the switch.”

The Braves have, indeed, been through the fire. They claimed the No. 3 seed with a 94-68 record and the NL East title. They took Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Phillies but lost Game 2 in extra innings, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3.

FAO director said he was informed his contract would not be renewed because of allegedly breaching impartiality rules.

A senior UN agency director has said that he lost his job because he criticised Israeli policies in Gaza.

Ben Davis, who had been Director of Rural Transformation and Gender Equality at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told AFP news agency on Wednesday that he was informed in July that his contract would not be renewed because he had allegedly breached impartiality rules.

He said that he was accused of organising weekly silent protests at the Rome-based organisation.

“They accused me of organising these moments of silence on the situation of starvation and famine in Gaza,” Davis said.

Davis was also criticised for a report he worked on about food availability in Gaza and humanitarian law, published in May.

“We were told to take it down,” he said. “We weren’t allowed to make any references to humanitarian law.”

‘Game of human rights’

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu appeared to warn FAO staff on Tuesday that “we don’t allow you to play the game here of human rights”.

He was speaking in public comments made at the start of a filmed session on forestry.

“Of course, human rights is very important, but we have the human rights agency in Geneva,” he added. “If you want to take care, go there.

“That’s why some senior members play the political game here, I fire him … You should follow the FAO constitution … You are against staff regulations … But I’m a very soft person, I didn’t fire that many,” he said.

“I will fire more people if they are against the law,” he added.

FAO did not respond to an AFP request for comment.

Asked if he thought the director-general’s comments were about him, Davis said “absolutely”.

“He has already scolded me in public in the past for being too political.”

Davis also said he was “concerned” about the director-general’s comments on firing more people.

Hundreds of people attended the moments of silence at their height, while now there are only 30 to 40 people coming on a weekly basis, he said.

Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed over 74,000 people since October 2023, and at least 1,431 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the so-called ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was agreed upon in October 2025.

OpenAI has fired three researchers for allegedly mishandling information, including work that involved an external organisation that analyses artificial intelligence (AI) models.

“Our investigation confirmed that these individuals mishandled sensitive information outside established company procedures, violating our policies and breaking the trust essential to our work,” a spokesperson told the BBC.

The ChatGPT-maker did not name the sacked workers, but at least two of them were involved in safety research at the firm.

The firings come as the debate over AI safety and the risks the technology may pose to humanity has intensified in recent weeks.

“We have parted ways with three individuals for violating our policies on accessing and handling sensitive company information,” OpenAI’s spokesperson said.

The BBC understands the former employees were not let go for raising safety concerns but for allegedly mishandling sensitive information.

Concerns over AI safety have made headlines after some researchers and industry executives called for more guardrails around the technology.

OpenAI has come under under intense scrutiny after its models went rogue and hacked several platforms, including Australian government websites.

In an earlier incident an OpenAI system accessed the internet and breached the open-source developer platform Hugging Face.

That incident led OpenAI to conduct a broad review of the activities of its AI models – called agents, which are designed to execute tasks autonomously based on simple instructions.

The AI lab said this week that it has notified more than 100 organisations about incidents involving unauthoritised activity linked to its AI systems.

Being notified “does not mean that any private information was accessed” or that a system was compromised, OpenAI said.

WHEN we mourned the loss of Dolly Parton in August, it was an especially emotional time for Carly Pearce. 

The much-missed Queen of Country — and theme park owner — once referred to Carly as “The Little Dollywood Girl”. 

As I discover, their lives became inextricably linked for more than two decades. 

“I never thought there would be a day without Dolly Parton,” Carly tells me. “I always loved her, right from when I was a kid.” 

Aged just 15, she successfully auditioned for the Country Crossroads show at Dollywood, the sprawling park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, not far from the Great Smoky Mountains where Dolly was raised in a humble log cabin with her 11 siblings. 

“At 16, my parents let me quit high school,” says Carly, picking up her story, “and my mom and I moved to Pigeon Forge, about a four-hour drive from our hometown in Kentucky. 

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“I jumped into six shows a day, five days a week, at Dollywood.” 

“It was then that I first met Dolly, as one of her performers,” she adds, recalling the moment she couldn’t help staring at the singer who gave us Jolene and I Will Always Love You, hardly believing she was real. 

Today, Carly, 36, is forging a stellar career of her own and has just released a career-defining album, Honest Woman. 

She’s on her tour bus in Chicago, where it’s 9am, and I’m in London when we’re connected via video call. 

“For a day on the road, it’s too early for me to be ready yet,” she exclaims with her cloud of blonde curls framing a big smile. 

“Well, you look amazing to me,” I reply, before turning to talk about her life, her album and her beloved dogs, Johnny and June. 

But first let’s hear more about her connection to the incomparable Dolly Parton. 

By a twist of fate, it was up to Carly to lead the Grand Ole Opry’s tribute show for Dolly at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, the spiritual home of country music. 

It took place on August 29, just four days after Carly’s guiding light passed away. 

She opened her set with a moving rendition of Those Memories Of You, a song recorded by Dolly, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris for their 1987 album Trio. Carly says: “It was kind of odd because I was already scheduled to play the Opry to celebrate my album.  

“Then it just so happened that the show to honour Dolly fell on the same day — so I got to run the show. I was everywhere.  

“I think it was meant to be because she had been such a big part of my life and such a part of my origin story.  

“It was a heavy thing for me to be there and realise she’d gone but it was a big honour.” 

Years after her Dollywood stint, Carly and Dolly met again when both were appearing on TV promoting albums at the same time. 

“So I got to remind her of who I was,” says Carly. “After that, I’d see her during my time in Nashville.  

“But then I had the crazy, crazy surprise of my life. I thought I was doing a commercial for Dollywood, which I thought was a cool thing to do.” 

On June 17, 2021, Dolly suddenly appeared backstage at the shoot and told Carly, “You are now an official member of the Grand Ole Opry.”  

It was an invitation to the most exclusive and historic club in country music. Carly says: “There are three moments in my life which I think of as favourite career moments. And that is number one. 

“The other two are winning Female Vocalist Of The Year at the CMAs (2021) and a Grammy (2023, with Ashley McBryde for their duet, Never Wanted To Be That Girl).” 

Before we move on to more about her life story and her new album, I ask Carly what she admired about Dolly. 

“She had a way of telling a story that was unapologetic and honest,” she replies. 

“She was uniquely her own person in a way that freaked people out in the beginning. The way she looked and how she spoke. She was such a pioneer for women.” 

It’s clear that Dolly, along with the likes of Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette, paved the way for female country singers in what could be — and still is to some extent — a male-dominated world. 

Carly says: “Oh my God, I’m not trying to be mean, but there are so many songs on the radio that could be ten different dudes all sounding the same. 

“I have to say, as a female, you can distinctively tell who is who.  

“You have to have backbone and grit to break through — and I think you’re seeing that a lot right now with females in country music.” 

Listen to Carly’s new album, Honest Woman, a vibrant song cycle drawing on country pop, old school country and bluegrass, and you’ll detect some of that fierce determination. 

“I’ve always written from an honest and vulnerable place,” she says. “I don’t really know how to not be myself, which can be great and also a curse.” 

The rousing opener Dream Come True suggests that success doesn’t always bring happiness. 

Reflecting on being a single woman, unlucky in love, she sings: “Bought me a house at the end of a cul-de-sac. Four bedrooms but I only use one.” 

Later, she’s “sittin’ on the couch, cryin’ in the dark. Every plaque on the wall is a broken heart.” 

Carly says: “Dream Come True was the first song I wrote for the album. I was feeling a lot of pressure to write a hit.” 

She considered where her life had taken her, which, she confesses, made her cry — but she came up with a song straight from the heart. 

“I’ve chased this dream from the time I was a kid,” she says. “I think of the sacrifices I’ve made, that it comes with a price.  

“I saw young women my age with husbands and children and a more simple life that wasn’t as isolating as mine — and I wondered if I was missing out.” 

Carly’s dream of being a singer began, she says, “with my McDonald’s microphone when I was five-years-old”. 

“My parents loved music though not country music. But the only thing that would keep me from crying as a baby was (country star) Vince Gill. 

“My mom was so upset because she loved Fleetwood Mac, Heart and Black Sabbath. My dad loved the Grateful Dead and The Doobie Brothers.” 

However, Carly’s maternal grandparents, the Pearces, were into traditional country and bluegrass — artists such as Buck Owens and Ralph Stanley. 

She continues: “When I was six, my mom convinced a vocal coach to take me on. I don’t know why but she believed I had talent. 

“For the rest of my childhood, she supported that side of my dreams, whether it was making costumes for talent shows, driving me to recording studios, buying me karaoke CDs or getting me a guitar.” 

Carly’s move to Dollywood and into Dolly Parton’s orbit at 15 was her first big step into country music but another female pathfinder also inspired her.  

She was Loretta Lynn, the rags-to-riches singer whose turbulent story was told in Coal Miner’s Daughter with Oscar winner Sissy Spacek in the lead role. 

Carly says her new song You Can Have Him, with its trad country vibe, “is Loretta in spirit”. 

“I loved Loretta so much growing up,” she says. “I didn’t get to meet her, but there’s a song on my album 29: Written In Stone called Dear Miss Loretta. She sent me a voice text about it which I still have.” 

As for You Can Have Him, she adds: “Doing that was cool. I felt that traditional country was always such a big part of my story but I’d never honoured it on an album before.  

“So I went old school and wrote this tongue-in-cheek song about a guy with a wandering eye. 

“It takes me back in time. It’s as if I was Loretta Lynn singing at the Opry in the Sixties when she was 30-something.”  

Next, we talk about Carly’s “absolute favourite” song on Honest Woman, He Don’t Like My Dogs. 

It’s about an ex who got the boot because he didn’t take to the two loves of her life — shih tzus Johnny and June, named after the first couple of country music, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. 

“Here they are on the back of my phone case,” says Carly, holding up her phone to show me pictures of two fluffy white balls of hair. 

“I love my dogs so much and always wanted to write a song about them, but it felt a bit cheesy. 

“Then I had a situation when someone was not nice to Johnny. So Johnny and I talked and he said, ‘Mom, you know what to do’.  

“So I wrote this song that I think a lot of people can relate to. If you’re a dog person and somebody doesn’t like your dog, get out!” 

Expressing just what Johnny and June mean to her, Carly continues: “I don’t have children, but they fulfil that need for me so much. I mean, I just FaceTimed them before I got on this call. They’re with my dad while I’m on tour.” 

Moving on to other aspects of Carly’s album, I guess you can judge her by the company she keeps. 

There’s a guest appearance by breakthrough star Riley Green on stirring duet If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay. 

“I always target my duet partners,” says Carly. “Riley’s having a serious moment, especially in the States.  

“I’ve known him for a long time and knew I wanted to do this song with him.” 

Elsewhere, How Long is one of several songs to feature bluegrass powerhouse, guitarist and singer Dan Tyminski, known for his work with Alison Krauss & Union Station. 

Carly says: “I know he’s not in Union Station any more but they were my favourite band growing up. 

“I wore out their live CD from Louisville, Kentucky. My band jokes with me because I play every song on air guitar or air fiddle.  

“For years, I said Dan was my celebrity crush but nobody even knew who he was. I would just say, ‘You know, the guy who was George Clooney’s singing voice on O Brother Where Art Thou?’” 

How Long also features sublime harmony vocals by Morgane Stapleton, wife of big, bearded country superstar Chris and a formidable talent in her own right. 

Carly explains: “When I did my song with Chris, We Don’t Fight Anymore, first I had to figure out how to get the song to him.  

“I thought, ‘OK, I probably have a better chance if I DM his wife on Instagram. 

“That’s what I did. Morgane wrote back and asked me to call her. She was the reason that song got to Chris and we became friends.” 

When it came to the sessions for Honest Woman, Carly called her new pal. 

“No offence to Chris — I love Chris,” she says. “But I wanted his wife on this album so I sent her a message. She came to the studio and crushed it.” 

The record ends with Why God Why Me, a heartfelt acoustic ballad reflecting Carly’s abiding faith.  

“The song is my North Star for this entire project,” she affirms. “Faith has been the one constant in my life in this wild ride through the ever-changing music industry.” 

Why God Why Me is also an example of how this unflinchingly “honest woman” goes about her work. 

Carly says her songs “help me state the way I feel, just like Dolly did”. 

CARLY PEARCE 

Honest Woman 

★★★★★

The largest chunk of this money — $7.2 billion — would be doled out as loans to builders who agree to rent some of the homes to low-income families; in Los Angeles County, a family of four earning about $133,000 a year qualifies as low-income.

Researchers recently found that the construction of nearly 40,000 low-income homes was in limbo because of a lack of funding.

The second-largest portion of these funds — $1.25 billion — would be set aside for housing for veterans, in the form of homeownership loans. Voters last approved this type of statewide bond for veteran home loans in 2018.

According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the remaining dollars would be spread across several other initiatives and could subsidize up to 40,000 rental apartments, 2,500 homes for farmworkers and 1,200 beds for university students:

• $1.1 billion to help low- and middle-income families buy homes through direct loans and funds to nonprofits
• $500 million for infrastructure related to new housing, such as road and water repairs
• $450 million in loans or grants to build or upkeep affordable housing for farmworkers
• $350 million to build affordable housing for students, split evenly among the University of California and California State University
• $200 million available for tribal members to use to build or repair housing
• $200 million available to city and county governments and other entities hoping to pilot programs to build low-cost housing

Left-hander Martín Pérez (9-9, 3.04) is on the injured list with back inflammation and isn’t expected to be activated for the National League Division Series but right-hander Bryce Elder (8-8, 4.11), who underwent knee surgery in early September, could be available, which would strengthen a rotation that’s missing four starters.

Fortunately, the Braves have a Cy Young candidate in Sale (14-9, 2.16 ERA in the regular season). The left-hander gave Atlanta a solid 6 1/3 innings in the Game 1 win over Philadelphia in the wild-card series this week. Journeyman Tyler Mahle, who went 4-1 with a 1.99 ERA after coming over from the Giants in August, allowed just a run in 6 2/3 strong innings in Game 2 in his postseason debut.

After that, however, Weiss will have to lean heavily on his bullpen and fortunately he has a good one: Atlanta relievers were second in the National League in ERA (3.44) and saves (49) during the regular season. Cuban closer Raisel Iglesias had 34 of those saves (in 37 regular-season opportunities), blowing just one save chance since July 26.

Set-up man Robert Suárez missed more than three months with elbow inflammation but made two appearances in the final week of the regular season to finish the year 4-0 with a 1.06 ERA in 33 games. Ahead of him, Didier Fuentes (7-2, 2.45), Dylan Lee (6-1. 3.09), Dylan Dodd (4-1, 2.54) and Brent Suter (2-0, 1.63 with the Braves) give Atlanta perhaps the deepest bullpen in the playoffs.

South Korea’s ⁠President accused Ukraine of ⁠undermining him and called on Kyiv to apologise.

South Korea’s ⁠President ⁠Lee Jae Myung has expressed anger at Ukraine over comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a speech at the UN which appeared to reveal a secret deal by which Kyiv would transfer North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul.

In a social media post on Friday, Lee accused Ukraine of undermining him and ⁠warned that Zelenskyy’s ⁠remarks about an imminent military clash between North and South Korea ‌amounted to invoking the risk of war on ‌the ‌Korean Peninsula.

The diplomatic row pits two US-aligned states with powerful militaries against each other, potentially complicating US efforts to shore up a united global front to contain Russia, China and North Korea.

The South Korean president also expressed ⁠regret over Ukraine’s response and called on Kyiv to acknowledge the agreement and apologise.

“This is a matter concerning the honor of the Republic of Korea’s people and nation, we cannot overlook it,” Lee said.

Lee also referred to an interview with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha published by RBC-Ukraine and other Ukrainian outlets on Thursday which sought to reduce bilateral tensions.

Sybiha had said he would “not like to call it an incident”, describing it instead as a “diplomatic misunderstanding”.

“South Korea is an important country for us. And I very much hope for momentum, continued cooperation, and concrete results that we are indeed achieving with them,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during the UN General Assembly that Kyiv had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea after they were caught fighting for Russia in the Kursk region.

South Korea demanded an official apology and explanation from Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of disclosing the transfer of the two North Korean POWs to Seoul.

South Korea’s senior presidential secretary Seong Ghi-hong said in a statement that Ukraine had repeatedly discussed the prisoners’ transfer with Seoul through various channels and had requested secrecy. However, Kyiv has said no secrecy agreement existed.

Strictly Come Dancing hosts Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe have revealed all about the chaotic first live show, with them admitting to tears amid a ‘baptism of fire’

Strictly Come Dancing host Johannes Radebe admits he cried on the first live show, which was dubbed chaotic by fans.

The BBC programme’s hosts including former professional dancer Johannes, as well as Josh Widdicombe and Emma Willis have revealed all about the chaotic first live show, with Emma describing it as a “baptism of fire”.

Johannes admitted he was teary amid his live debut. He confessed to Ellie Taylor on It Takes Two that he was in tears in rehearsals for missing out on the chance to dance with a celebrity this year.

“In rehearsal, seeing them all come down in their outfits, knowing what they’re dancing that week, what they had to go through in the past two weeks, I was just like, ‘Ugh, I miss that^{.’ But I’ve got partners with me, so it’s fine,” he said.}

Josh even quipped that he wasn’t ready to say goodbye to one of the celebrities this week after they dance their movie-themed tunes. Whilst no one left this week, one will leave next Sunday.

Asked how he feels about the elimination, he said: “I feel really bad^{. I feel terrible already. Do you know what, I think I’m just going to do the Saturday show this week, and leave the other two to do the Sunday.}

“Last week, after the show, it was just joyous, everyone was really happy, and then Jojo went to us, ‘Wait till next week.'”

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“I don’t think I actually really thought about that until you’ve just brought it up, and you’ve just said how nervous you are, and now I’m like oh,” Emma added as they discussed the upcoming exit.

Emma also branded the first live show as a “baptism of fire”, whilst Josh seemed to reference the backlash to his performance for the first time, quipping: “It was incredible^{. It’s been very low-key since, no one’s talked to me about it.” He has been barraged with comments online about his appearance on the show, with critics pointing out one time he missed his cue.}

Former The Voice host Emma also said she felt bad how Josh was stood on one side of the stairs at the start, whilst her and Johannes walked down the same side of the famous Strictly stairs.

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

SACRAMENTO — Supporters of a high-profile Nov. 3 ballot measure that would require Californians to show identification when they vote accused state Democratic leaders of falsely stating that President Trump has endorsed the initiative.

Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio of San Diego, one of the measure’s authors, on Thursday called Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra a “bald-face liar” over comments he made during Wednesday’s gubernatorial debate hosted by CNN.

Becerra said during the debate with Republican Steve Hilton that Trump was instrumental in the voter ID measure, Proposition 39, qualifying for California’s November ballot. Trump for years has tried to cast doubt about American elections, and unsuccessfully pushed Congress to pass a strict voter ID and proof of citizenship measure known as the SAVE America Act.

“Prop. 39 is an initiative that is backed by Donald Trump,” Becerra said during the hourlong debate. “He couldn’t get his SAVE Act out of Congress, which tries to interfere in elections. So he’s gone around the country and put initiatives on the ballot. In California, it’s Prop. 39.”

Though Proposition 39’s provisions are less restrictive than those in the SAVE America Act, its proponents echo Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that voter fraud and noncitizen voting are widespread in California and therefore stricter ID measures are needed.

DeMaio said the ballot measure qualified for the ballot because of strong support from California voters, including many Democrats and independents. Supporters collected more than 1 million petition signatures in support of the measure, surpassing the 874,641 needed to qualify.

“It was not put on the ballot by Donald Trump,” said DeMaio, who also founded the conservative advocacy group Reform California.

Becerra is “showing that he’s not willing to be truthful with California voters,” DeMaio said.

Meredith Shields, press secretary for the Yes on Prop. 39 committee, reiterated that Trump hasn’t taken a position on the initiative.

“The opposition will do anything to advance their cause and protect their power,” Shields said. “It will come as a surprise to no one that career politicians don’t always tell the truth, and they certainly aren’t telling the truth here.”

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about Trump’s position on Proposition 39.

The measure would require anyone voting in person in California to present a government-issued ID, and those voting by mail ballot to include the last four digits of the ID number provided when they registered to vote. State and county election officials would be required to verify the U.S. citizenship of registered voters using government data and publicly report the findings.

The ballot measure is backed by DeMaio and several deep-pocketed Trump supporters. Julie Luckey, director of the group Californians for Voter ID, is the mother of billionaire tech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey, a major Trump fundraiser and Republican donor. Richard Uihlein, chief executive of the shipping and packing supplies company Uline, has given the campaign $17 million.

Representatives for Becerra and the No on Prop. 39 campaign on Thursday argued that Trump pushed for voter ID in California before Proposition 39 officially qualified for the ballot, pointing to a March 11, 2025 news release on Reform California’s website acknowledging Trump’s support.

In January 2025, Trump endorsed “CA Voter ID” as a “condition” for continued federal funding to the state, according to the release, which was updated this year with an editor’s note to clarify that Proposition 39 hasn’t been endorsed by Trump.

“Carl DeMaio knows Prop. 39 is central to Trump’s voter suppression playbook, and he’s doing everything he can to hide that from voters,” said Jonathan Underland, spokesperson for Becerra’s campaign.

The No on Prop. 39 campaign repeatedly has sought to link Trump to the measure, which has not been a surprise given that the Republican president remains extremely unpopular among a majority of Californians.

“The fact that Donald Trump has endorsed it tells you everything you need to know,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) and Senate pro Tempore Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) said in a statement released by the “No” campaign this year.

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) suggested to reporters at a rally organized by the “No” campaign last month that Trump is behind Proposition 39.

“Carl DeMaio has been the face of this in California, but don’t be fooled into thinking this has nothing to do with Donald Trump and the MAGA agenda nationally,” Padilla said.

Separately, DeMaio on Thursday accused Secretary of State Shirley Weber, another Democrat, of falsely stating that Proposition 39 would end California’s vote-by-mail system. The vast majority of Californians use mail-in ballots.

Weber, in a television interview that aired this week on KCRA in Sacramento, said the state already requires ID for those who register to vote.

“But if you tell me everybody has to take their ID to the poll, Californians should be concerned because 90% of them don’t want to do that,” she said. “They want to vote by mail, and you would effectively eliminate vote by mail.”

DeMaio questioned whether Weber understood what Proposition 39 proposes.

“If she truly is concerned about trust and confidence in our elections, she should start with her own behavior by refraining from spreading misinformation about Prop. 39 and our election,” he said.

Weber, when asked about her statement this week, said in an email to The Times that Proposition 39 would “cause disruption” in the state’s mail-in voting system because it would require voters “to write private personal information on the ballots.”

A Weber campaign spokesperson followed up with another response Thursday.

“What Dr. Weber actually said was that, if passed, this very poorly drafted proposition could cause people to decide not to vote by mail because it creates unnecessary and burdensome steps,” the spokesperson said.

The Ducks have signed promising young defenseman Tristan Luneau to a six-year contract extension worth $43.2 million after just 14 NHL appearances.

The Ducks announced the deal Thursday with the 22-year-old Luneau, whose promising career has been slowed by injury. Now healthy and ready for a full-time NHL role, he inked a long-term deal with the team that drafted him in the second round in 2022.

Luneau was the Quebec major junior league’s top defenseman in the 2022-23 season and he made the Ducks’ roster out of training camp the next fall. But Luneau came down with a viral infection that winter while practicing with Canada’s national junior team, forcing him to miss the rest of the year.

Anaheim took a deliberate approach with Luneau’s health for the past two seasons, keeping him with its AHL affiliate in San Diego for most of that time. But the Ducks never wavered in their belief that Luneau will be an above-average defenseman, and they proved it with a long-term contract for a player who suited up in just one game for the NHL club last season.

Luneau will be expected to play a significant role this season for the Ducks, who lost four veteran defensemen — Jacob Trouba, captain Radko Gudas, John Carlson and Olen Zellweger — from last season’s already mediocre blue line group over the summer.

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek moved aggressively to lock up Luneau after being burned repeatedly in restricted free agency over the offseason.

Verbeek spent months failing to reach a deal with center Leo Carlsson, who then signed a $90-million offer sheet with Philadelphia that briefly made him the NHL’s highest-paid player before Anaheim matched it. Carlsson is among the best young centers in hockey, but his deal is worth much more than he was expected to get as a restricted free agent — as is the five-year, $36 million deal given to Pavel Mintyukov by Verbeek after other teams began to sniff around the Russian defenseman in the wake of Carlsson’s massive offer sheet.

Verbeek then signed high-scoring forward Cutter Gauthier to a six-year, $81 million extension last month, but the resulting salary cap constraints from Verbeek’s summer of misadventure effectively forced the Ducks to waive 22-goal scorer Chris Kreider, damaging their depth.

Luneau will join Jackson LaCombe and Mintyukov as the new core of the Ducks’ defense. Rising star LaCombe agreed to an eight-year, $72-million extension a year ago.

Anaheim ended a seven-year playoff drought last spring, advancing to the second round under coach Joel Quenneville. The Ducks open the regular season Friday at Vegas before their home opener Sunday against Florida.

Beacham writes for the Associated Press.

United States President Donald Trump has kicked off a 32-day campaign tour ahead of the November midterm elections that could see his Republican Party hurt by his handling of the war on Iran and the economy.

On Thursday, Trump travelled from Washington, DC, for back-to-back rallies in Texas and Oklahoma.

At his first stop in Denton, Texas, Trump sought to shift the narrative around his drooping approval ratings, offering a personal assessment of his administration’s performance.

“I give us an A+ on the government, on economics, on everything,” Trump told a crowd of supporters at the Peterbilt Motors Company, a truck manufacturer.

The president also blamed unfair media coverage for his growing unpopularity, arguing that his pre-election rally blitz was necessary to set the record straight.

“We’re doing an extremely poor job of promotion and an extremely great job of running the country,” Trump said.

But Trump’s poll numbers have raised concerns about Republican prospects ahead of the November 3 midterm election.

Trump himself is not on the ballot, but Republican candidates across the country are seeking to defend the right-wing party’s majorities in both chambers of Congress, as well as key state and local offices.

The economy and Trump’s war on Iran are expected to weigh heavily on the election outcome.

On Thursday, The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released new poll results showing that 71 percent of Americans disapprove of the war, which has driven up the price of fuel.

About half of survey respondents also said they were worried they would not be able to afford food and petrol. Only 26 percent approved of Trump’s handling of the economy.

Taking centre stage

Still, despite record low approval ratings, Trump has positioned himself as key to the Republican midterm strategy.

At a first-of-its-kind Republican midterm convention in September, Trump encouraged voters to consider his record while at the ballot box. “I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot,” he said.

During Thursday’s tour, he touted the impact of his tariff campaign, which he credited with creating thousands of manufacturing jobs.

“For decades, you were heartlessly betrayed by politicians, lousy politicians, who let foreign trade cheaters plunder your wages, loot your factories, close up your jobs,” Trump told Peterbilt workers. “They’d still be doing it if I wasn’t here, believe me.”

Trump’s tariffs, however, have been highly controversial, prompting a series of court challenges. Critics have argued that the sweeping import taxes surpass the president’s constitutional powers.

Trump also used his stump speech to ease concerns about the US-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28. Both sides have declared victory, though a ceasefire remains elusive.

“Just as I promised, I’m ensuring that Iran will be very quickly ended. I will tell you the energy prices are going to be rapidly, rapidly coming down,” Trump said.

“We’ll win very easily right now,” he added. “I believe right after the election we’ll win, but maybe before the election.”

The war, however, resulted in Iran stopping commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for the global fuel trade.

The price of diesel — the fuel the trucks built at the plant use — soared to record highs of more than $6 per gallon (3.8 litres) last week. Petrol prices have similarly skyrocketed.

Hurting or helping his fellow Republicans?

Trump, however, has acknowledged that the stakes are high for his presidency in the upcoming midterms.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for grabs, as are 35 seats in the 100-member Senate.

Losing Republican control of either chamber could create roadblocks for Trump’s legislative agenda during the final two years of his second term.

But Trump has also expressed concern that he could be impeached for a third time, after two prior impeachments during his first presidency.

At Thursday’s second stop, in Durant, Oklahoma, the Republican leader repeated that fear. “Pretend I’m running, please,” he told the crowd. “If we don’t win, they’ll end up impeaching me.”

Many of the places Trump is scheduled to visit this month are perceived as reliably Republican voting districts. Following his stops in Texas and Oklahoma on Thursday, Trump will be heading to Alabama, Ohio and Nebraska in the coming days.

Still, some elections that ordinarily would be considered shoo-ins for Republicans have grown more competitive in recent months.

In Texas, for instance, no Democrat has won a statewide race since the 1990s. But this year, Republican Ken Paxton, the state’s attorney general, is struggling to win a Senate contest against Democrat James Talarico.

During both of Thursday’s stops, Trump sought to bolster Paxton’s prospects. At the Peterbilt factory, for instance, he called Paxton “the greatest attorney general in the United States of America”.

“We gotta get this guy elected,” Trump said, before pivoting to criticisms of Talarico, whom Republicans have sought to paint as out of touch with Texas’s large beef industry.

“He’s a vegan,” Trump said of Talarico, repeating an unsubstantiated rumour. “And vegans don’t do well in Texas.”

But leaked audio appeared to show Paxton lamenting the negative impact Trump had by holding the Republican midterm convention in Texas last month.

“It dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped,” Paxton reportedly said.

Trump touts social conservatism

Trump has nevertheless used his pre-election tour to highlight social issues he feels will help rally voters to the Republican cause.

On Thursday, he returned to familiar subjects like immigration and transgender rights, which he depicted as a part of the Democrats’ “radical” agenda.

“They want women in men’s sports. They want open borders. They want transgender mutilation for your children,” Trump said. “What the hell are you thinking about, you liberals?”

The president also used his Texas appearance to push back against critics of data centres, despite bipartisan concern.

Critics worry that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has fuelled the proliferation of data centres, which require large amounts of electricity and water to process mass data quantities.

While Trump has dismissed fears about AI as largely unfounded, a poll last month found 53 percent of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the technology’s environmental impacts.

Even fellow Republicans in Texas are responding to public pressure about the growing number of data centres, more than 300 of which are operational, with hundreds more in progress.

In August, Governor Greg Abbott called for an audit of all data centres to map their water and electricity usage, and the following month, Paxton in his role as state attorney general launched an investigation into whether they were complying with water reporting requirements.

Trump nevertheless used his Texas rally to tout the expansion of such enterprises.

“It’s a huge thing. It’s bigger than the industrial revolution,” he said, dismissing the concerns as part of a “scam”. He then explained he had urged AI companies to “take care of the people”.

“They’re making a fortune for the communities,” he added.

Gaza’s health toll mounts, with 1,439 dead and 5,052 injured since the ceasefire began in October 2025.

An Israeli drone strike has killed a Palestinian man and wounded several others in southern Gaza while settlers shot dead another Palestinian man near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

The body of Tamer al-Hamayda, 42, and three wounded people were brought to Nasser Medical Complex on Thursday after the strike hit a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis on the southern coast of the Gaza Strip.

Another Palestinian succumbed to wounds sustained in an earlier Israeli drone strike on Tuesday that targeted a gathering of Palestinians in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, according to medical personnel in Nasser Medical Complex.

Israeli forces also carried out a large-scale demolition operation targeting buildings east of Gaza City’s al-Tuffah neighbourhood.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported eight new deaths and 26 wounded over the past 24 hours, putting the toll since the “ceasefire” took effect in October 2025 at 1,439 killed and 5,052 wounded, with 834 bodies recovered from the rubble.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 74,040 Palestinians and wounded 175,168 since October 2023, the ministry said.

Occupied West Bank pogroms

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers shot dead a Palestinian man and wounded another during a raid on the village of Yasuf, north of Ramallah, on Thursday.

51-year-old Mashhour Yassin was shot dead by settler gunfire, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

Describing the attack, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Israeli forces had detained an ambulance, seizing its key and throwing it aside, “in a crime that reflects clear coordination between the settlers and occupation forces.”

It said the killing “falls within the framework of a serious and continuous escalation in organised settler crimes,” saying Israel gives free rein to settler “terrorism against our people in the service of settlement, annexation, forced displacement and ethnic cleansing plans.”

Yasuf Mayor Jumaa Abdel Fattah told the AFP news agency that dozens of Israeli settlers armed with sticks and firearms had attacked the village, which lies between four Israeli settlements.

“Yassin was at his doorstep when the settlers attacked the village homes. He went out to defend his house,” Abdel Fattah said, adding that Yassin’s nephew was also wounded in the attack.

Abdel Fattah said the settlers had come from Havat Anton, an illegal Israeli settlement established in July that has previously attacked the village’s residents.

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have reported a surge in settler pogrom attacks in recent months.

More than 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements considered illegal under international law.

According to the UN, at least 1,112 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the territory since October 2023, including at least 37 killed by settlers.