Michael Mann, the acclaimed filmmaker behind crime thrillers including “Heat” (1995) and “Collateral” (2004), accidentally shot himself in the leg Saturday at a Los Angeles gun range, suffering a minor injury.

“On Saturday, at a gun range, a weapon accidentally discharged while holstered, resulting in a superficial injury to film director Michael Mann,” his representative said in a statement Sunday. “He was treated and is being released.”

Mann, 83, was engaged in target practice at a sanctioned shooting range when the accident occurred. The director has been an experienced target shooter for decades, according to a person familiar with the circumstances, who described the injury as minor and subcutaneous.

The shooting occurred around 4 p.m. Saturday at the Range LA, according to TMZ, which first reported the incident. Police and paramedics responded, and Mann was taken by ambulance to a hospital.

Mann is known for his painstaking attention to detail and realistic depictions of gun violence, perhaps most famously in the elaborate bank robbery shootout in “Heat,” in which Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer’s heavily armed crew exchange gunfire with police on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. He is developing a sequel to the film, which is expected to begin shooting early next year.

Mann also helped define the look and feel of the influential 1980s television series “Miami Vice,” serving as executive producer before directing a 2006 film adaptation. His other credits include “Thief” (1981), “The Last of the Mohicans” (1992), “The Insider” (1999), which earned seven Oscar nominations, “Ali” (2001) and “Ferrari” (2023).

Andreas Almgren continued his remarkable year by winning the New York Marathon men’s race on his debut over 26.2 miles.

The 31-year-old Swede broke the European half-marathon record in September, having already won 10,000m gold at the European Athletics Championships in August.

Almgren then lived up to the anticipation surrounding his marathon debut by finishing in two hours, six minutes and one second in New York – 13 seconds in front of Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa.

Lesotho’s Kamohelo Mofolo finished a further 12 seconds back in third.

Almgren became the first European-born man in 30 years to win the race in New York, after Italy’s Giacomo Leone in 1996.

“I just thought, ‘I’ve got the legs today’,” said Almgren.

“I’m about to start crying. It’s better than anything I could have ever imagined.”

In the women’s race, Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui claimed her second New York Marathon success.

The 35-year-old finished in 2:24:36, which was six seconds ahead of American Jessica McClain, with Kenya’s Hellen Obiri a further second back.

“The last mile was really tricky and I had to be patient because I knew Hellen was really strong,” said Chepkirui.

“I had to really push up to the finish line.”

The race marked the 50th anniversary of the marathon, which links New York’s five boroughs of Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan.

Hebron’s economic losses surpass $3.8m as Israeli forces demolish West Bank homes and close hundreds of businesses.

Israeli forces are maintaining their siege on Hebron for the 10th consecutive day, threatening to expand their offensive and forcing more Palestinian families from their homes.

The lockdown in the occupied West Bank city was enforced after an attack on October 23 near Hebron in which two Israeli soldiers were killed.

More than 3,300 Palestinians have since been displaced or affected, with homes destroyed and businesses shut, according to the local municipality.

Mayor Yousef al-Jabari told Al Jazeera on Saturday that daily economic losses were estimated to exceed 12 million shekels ($3.8m), with more than $1.9m worth of damage to infrastructure, along with losses in the health and environmental sectors estimated at about $160,000.

He said Israeli forces have demolished 15 homes and other structures and forced 327 businesses to close. About 80,000 students have been unable to attend school for 10 days, he added.

The mayor said Hebron accounts for about 40 percent of the Palestinian economy and the siege amounts to “collective punishment”.

Palestinian families in and around the city fear the army could soon extend its attacks.

Raids and settler attacks

Israeli arrests of Palestinians in Hebron and other cities in the occupied West Bank continued on Sunday.

Israeli forces arrested 10 Palestinian teachers in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron and seized their vehicle, reported the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Video shared by Palestinian media and verified by Al Jazeera showed the Israeli military raiding a school run by the United Nations in the Shufat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem.

The United Nations humanitarian office, OCHA, said Israeli settlers carried out 397 attacks on Palestinians across the occupied West Bank in October, the highest monthly figure since monitoring began in 2006, Wafa said.

Between October 20 and 26, settler attacks targeted 49 Palestinian communities, mostly while Palestinians harvested olives on their land.

Nine children were among 57 Palestinians injured by settlers and Israeli forces: 34 by military gunfire and physical assaults and 23 in settler attacks.

Since the start of 2015, Israeli authorities have issued 9,518 demolition or stop-work notices against Palestinian property in the occupied West Bank, reported the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission. The Palestinian government commission added that 344 of those notices were given in the first nine months of this year.

World Athletics described her as “an inspiration to many, on and off the track”, highlighting her historic European gold medal in Rome in 2024.

Athletics Ireland, the country’s governing body for the sport, said Mageean was “much-loved and inspirational”.

“Her courage, warmth and spirit will leave a lasting legacy,” the organisation said.

Conal Heatley, the chief executive of Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland, described Mageean as “one of the best of us”.

He told BBC News NI she had carried herself with “incredible dignity” throughout her illness and was a “fantastic figure for the island of Ireland”.

The Camogie Association also paid tribute to Mageean, with its president Brian Molloy describing her as a great friend of the sport, both as a player and a supporter.

“In her all-too-short life, Ciara touched the hearts of so many,” he said.

“Her self-belief and commitment to her craft will always be inspirational and she will be fondly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her.”

This City is Ours fans are urged to watch a crime drama that has been praised by viewers as potentially “the greatest UK crime drama series of all time”.

A “gripping” crime drama with “sublime acting” could be the next stop for This City Is Ours fans.

Netflix’s London-set thriller has been hailed a must-watch for This City is Ours fans. The five-season series shares much of the twisty Liverpool drama’s appeal, from fraught loyalties and friendships to struggles for power in the criminal underworld. Praising Top Boy, the series in question, one fan wrote on IMDb: “S3 is hands down the best series of them all without a shadow of a doubt. If not, the greatest UK crime drama series of all time.”

The comparison has also struck a chord with viewers of This City Is Ours. One IMDb reviewer praised James Nelson-Joyce’s performance in the BBC drama before writing: “The series feels quite similar to Top Boy in some ways, but with a Liverpool setting.”

With BBC viewers gripped by This City Is Ours’ second run, those who have already watched it on iPlayer may be looking for another crime drama to get stuck into. Here are three shows exploring the tensions and power struggles that make gangland stories so compelling, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Top Boy

Top Boy originally aired on Channel 4 before Netflix revived it. Across five seasons, the British crime thriller follows drug dealers Dushane, played by Ashley Walters, and Sully, played by Kane Robinson, as they navigate drug dealing and gang violence in London.

The series earned critical acclaim for its writing, performances and authenticity, picking up numerous BAFTA awards and nominations. Like This City Is Ours, it examines loyalty, friendship and hierarchy, and the fallout when those bonds are tested.

The IMDb reviewer who praised its third season also wrote: “This show is literally breathtaking. Gripping throughout. Brutal. It catches you from the get-go and really makes you FEEL. You relate and feel what every character is feeling. The plot is thrilling. The acting is sublime.”

Gangs of London

Sky series Gangs of London, also available on Netflix, is an action crime drama based on the video game of the same name. It follows bitter power struggles between rival gangs and criminal organisations across the capital.

Much like the Phelans in This City Is Ours, the Wallaces are a powerful crime family. When their patriarch is killed, London’s criminal underworld is plunged into chaos.

One IMDb reviewer wrote: “Best gang-related TV series I’ve seen in years, the fight and gun scenes have been directed and filmed superbly, and it’s also extremely well written. My advice is, if you like this kinda thing, you’ll end up binge-watching Gangs of London.”

Kin

Available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer, Kin is an Irish crime drama about a Dublin family embroiled in a brutal gangland war. Production on a third season began in July 2026. Aidan Gillen and Ciarán Hinds play rival gang leaders Frank Kinsella and Eamon Cunningham respectively.

Like This City Is Ours, the show explores the battle for power and the extreme measures people will take to stay at the top. It quickly became one of Ireland’s most-watched series after its release.

One IMDb reviewer wrote: “Kin has to go down as one of the best series I’ve seen in this genre and sits alongside Top Boy for me. Character’s brilliant portrayed and expertly drags you into the murky world of the extended Kinsella family and Dublin’s underworld with a storyline that twists and turns.

“The actors combine in a fluent way which has you hating someone one moment and then thinking ‘maybe I was wrong about you’. Thankfully most of us will never experience a family life like it but you’ll love watching theirs.”

This City is Ours is streaming on BBC iPlayer, with episodes also airing weekly on BBC One on Sundays and Mondays

Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed at least eight people, including a child, according to hospitals, despite a year-old ceasefire.

In Gaza City to the north, hospital officials said a missile attack hit a group of civilians next to Cairo School in the Al-Rimal neighbourhood, killing three people, including a four-year-old boy.

In the southern city of Khan Younis, the Hamas-run ministry of interior said a drone attack targeted a group of police officers in the Al-Mawasi area, killing five, as they were carrying out their routine duties.

The Israeli military said it had carried out two attacks on what it described as military operatives but has not yet provided evidence or further information.

Outside Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, video showed a crowd of men gathered to pray next to two body bags and the tiny body of the child, which was wrapped in a white towel.

“My son and his child were martyred. They were sitting in their tent, bothering no one, and nothing else was happening in the area when suddenly, a missile struck them, and they were martyred,” Ali Oweis told AFP news agency. “There is no ceasefire; the war is ongoing — don’t you see?”

At Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, women despaired as body bags lay on the floor, video showed. The interior ministry named the five police officers killed, who were between the ages of 23 and 53, and called the attack a “horrific massacre”.

A ceasefire came into force in Gaza in October last year, but Israeli air strikes have continued almost every day.

Since then, 1,580 people have been killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN. Israel says it is targeting Hamas, but often civilians are also killed.

Meanwhile, a peace plan for Gaza, brokered by the Trump administration, has stalled.

The ceasefire saw thousands of Palestinians held by Israel released in return for all of the 48 remaining hostages held in Gaza, and an agreement to end the war – which was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

Since the war began, 74,594 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry.

Additional reporting by Jacob Phillips

The latest round of belt-tightening across Hollywood has now reached the Happiest Place on Earth.

Walt Disney Co.’s theme parks division is laying off between 100 and 200 people, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly.

The cuts to Disney’s experiences segment stem from a regular evaluation of the division’s priorities, investments and project timelines, the person said. Burbank-based Disney has more parks-related projects in progress than ever before.

Disney declined to comment.

The layoffs are limited to the experiences division, which includes Disney’s theme parks, cruise line and Aulani resort and spa in Hawaii. All affected employees will be notified by the end of the day Wednesday.

The experiences division is Disney’s economic engine. In fiscal 2025, the segment brought in $36.2 billion in revenue and more than 56% of the company’s total operating income.

Because the division is so central to Disney’s bottom line, analysts closely track attendance at its theme parks, particularly among international visitors to the U.S. Though Disney previously said it faced “international visitation headwinds” at its domestic parks, that trend has since “moderated,” executives said during the company’s most recent earnings call in August.

The news comes as other parts of Disney, including its human resources and technology teams, have been affected by layoffs. Separately, the company offered early retirement packages for older workers earlier this month. The latest round of layoffs is not related to those earlier job cuts.

Those moves are part of an effort by new Disney Chief Executive Josh D’Amaro to sharpen the company’s focus and help it respond faster to the changing entertainment industry.

Disney is far from the only entertainment company cutting costs. Hollywood is in the midst of an industry-wide consolidation that has affected wide swaths of Southern California. Workers at Skydance, the new name for the combined Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, are also bracing for layoffs as the company looks to cut $6 billion in costs over three years.

Times staff writer Todd Martens contributed to this report.

Carlos Alcaraz powered to a straight-set win over Alex de Minaur to win the Vienna Open and maintain his perfect record in ATP 500 events this year.

The Spanish second seed triumphed 6-1 6-4 in 87 minutes for his 16th straight win at that level in 2026.

Alcaraz has won 26 straight matches at ATP 500 events – a run that goes back to the 2025 Barcelona Open, where he lost to Holger Rune.

The 23-year-old’s run this year includes titles in Doha and Tokyo.

“I tried to be aggressive and show him that if he wants to win, he has to play better, more aggressive, more solid, and be smarter than me,” said Alcaraz.

“I’m just really happy that at the end I found my way, played great, and obviously it has been a really emotional and amazing week for me.”

Alina Habba Mildon signed the lucrative contract while working at the Justice Department, before Trump pardoned the bank

US President Donald Trump has criticised one of his former lawyers for signing a contract worth more than $50 million with the family of a Venezuelan banker whom Trump later pardoned.

Alina Habba Mildon reportedly signed the lucrative deal while working as a federal prosecutor and later began working for the banker’s family while still being employed as an adviser to the US Department of Justice.

“I thought it was totally obnoxious and outrageous, and it’s not acceptable,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Saturday.

“Not acceptable at all,” he added.

According to The New York Times, Habba Mildon signed a four-year contract in October 2025 with a company owned by the family of Julio Herrera Velutini, a Venezuelan banker who was seeking a presidential pardon.

Herrera was accused of bribing former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez Garced in exchange for removing a financial regulator who was investigating his bank. He was facing federal bribery charges in the US before reaching a plea deal with prosecutors in August 2025.

Habba Mildon’s contract with his family’s company guaranteed her more than $50 million over four years, including an annual salary of $10 million and bonuses.

When she signed the deal, Habba Mildon was the acting US attorney for New Jersey, a position Trump had appointed her to after working as his personal lawyer.

She left that position in December after a court ruled she could not legally serve in the role. She then immediately took another job at the Justice Department as a senior adviser to the attorney general.

On January 1 , Habba Mildon officially began working for the banker’s family while still employed by the Justice Department.

Two weeks later, on January 15 , Trump granted Herrera a full presidential pardon.

The arrangement has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, given Habba Mildon’s government position and her ties to Trump.

The company that hired her, Concord Partners, has no public profile and its business activities remain unclear, according to The New York Times.

Habba Mildon has denied having any role in securing Herrera’s pardon.

Last week, she said she had never been paid to obtain a pardon, had never discussed one with anyone at the White House or the Justice Department and had never worked to secure a pardon for anyone.

Trump was reportedly furious when he learned about the size of her contract.

The New York Times reported that he told aides and allies that Habba Mildon should donate some of the money to his future presidential library or another Trump-related organisation.

He also reportedly told at least one ally that Herrera’s family should stop paying her the remainder of the contract.

Speaking on Saturday, Trump said he told Habba Mildon he did not want her to be paid, describing the situation as “terrible”.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

The family of Henry Nowak have said the trauma of learning he had been murdered was made worse by watching police footage of officers handcuffing him as he lay dying.

They told ITV their “world has changed twice”, first when they were told he had died, and again when they watched the body-worn camera video.

His killer, Vickrum Digwa, falsely told police Henry had racially abused him, and officers handcuffed the student as he repeatedly said he had been stabbed.

His father Mark, stepmother Katie, mother Lucy and sister Olivia were speaking to ITV for the documentary Dear Henry: Our Fight For Justice.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced an independent review into the murder, led by former lord chancellor Alex Chalk, which will look at “any missed opportunities to intervene”.

Henry, 18, was stabbed five times as he walked home from a night out with friends from his football team in Southampton on 3 December 2025.

Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years.

It took officers another 24 hours to identify Henry’s body and tell his family.

“I jumped out of bed and I saw the police car on our driveway,” said Katie.

“One of the police officers was holding his hat in his hand, and I just knew straight away that something horrific had happened.”

She said Mark fell to his knees when he heard the news.

“He let out a cry that I’ll never forget,” she said.

“I just remember saying ‘it’s Henry’ and breaking down in tears,” Mark said. “It’s just unbelievable pain.”

Emily Hewertson was sensationally evicted on her first night in the Big Brother house before making a shocking return

Big Brother’s 2026 winner will be crowned in just a few days, but whatever happened to last year’s memorable finalists?

The race for the ITV2 crown is heating up as the public is set to vote for their winning housemate this Thursday, October 5. Fans will then be treated to a reunion episode on Friday, October 6, which will bring all the housemates back together for one last time.

As well as bagging the title of BB winner, the champion will also take home a huge £100,000 cash prize. But there can only be winner. Emily Hewertson was one of the contestants who narrowly missed out on the crown last year, where she finished in fifth place. But her journey wasn’t exactly smooth-sailing.

Emily first joined the experiment on day one and was evicted just hours later in a brutal twist. But the political events manager made a surprise return to the show on Day 20 in yet another twist. And this time she held onto her place in the house until the final.

Just 25 years old at the time, Emily also became one of the most controversial figures in the series. Viewers often disagreed with her conservative politics and called out her “offensive” remarks on the show. However, the Northampton-based star brushed off the backlash and has opened up about how Big Brother changed her life.

Where is Big Brother star Emily Hewertson now?

Emily currently has over 50,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, where she often shares behind-the-scenes truths about her time in the famous house. In a recent Instagram video about her life after the show, she said: “I thought I would tell you exactly how my life has changed since being on the show. First of all, one thing that has changed since leaving the house is I have some new friends.”

The ITV star went on to reveal that she has stayed in touch with fellow 2025 housemates Sam Ashby, Nancy Nocerino and Cameron Kinch. She added: “I’m still on good terms with the rest of the cast but they’re the people that I speak to the most.”

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The reality star also revealed that her career as a political commentator has reached new heights since the show. “I think I have been on TV every single month since being on the show, which is literally amazing,” she shared. She is a regular panellist on GB News, as well as Jeremy Vine on 5.

Despite her newfound fame, the 26-year-old says she still juggles her nine-to-five job with attending industry events. Before missing out on the prize money, Emily had hoped to spend the winnings on her close friends.

She told ITV: “If I win the money, I want to go on holiday. First and foremost, treat the girls. But then, I think I’d be a bit sensible and maybe put some aside. But that’s kind of boring, so who knows, I might just end up splashing it all and having a good time!” Now a whole new group of housemates are hoping to bag the life-changing prize.

Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX

The stars never aligned for her at the Olympic Games. She ran in two – Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021 – but was never at her best and even when she was two years ago, a last-minute injury stopped her competing in Paris.

She was all set to try again for Los Angeles in 2028, which was to be the swansong of her career.

That was before the devastating cancer diagnosis in May 2025.

Even then Ciara decided to share her news publicly. It was those qualities again of resilience and determination to fight and in doing so provide inspiration to those who would find themselves in a similar situation.

That was who she was, in athletics and in life – an inspiration to others

I have many memories of Ciara including surprising her at home in Portaferry with the BBC Sport Northern Ireland Personality of the Year in 2023.

Filming in Portaferry was always fun because her mum, Catherine, would always lay out a welcoming spread of scones and cake and tea.

It’s Catherine and Ciara’s dad Chris, her husband Thomas and family that are in my thoughts today.

When I last spoke to Ciara, her relentless positivity remained undimmed.

Her infectious personality, quick wit, and smile left a lasting impression and her achievements on the track will serve as inspiration to others to never lose hope in the pursuit of dreams.

Morocco has welcomed the defeat of a US-drafted resolution which sought to extend the mandate of the UN mission in the disputed Western Sahara.

The mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) expired on Saturday after a veto by Russia, leaving the future of the peacekeeping mission in limbo. In 1991, the UN established MINURSO to monitor a ceasefire and prepare a referendum on the territory’s future.

Morocco has considered Western Sahara its own territory since 1975, when Spain withdrew from the desert region in northwest Africa which is roughly the size of Britain. The Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeks to establish an independent state called the Sahrawi Republic.

So, why is Morocco celebrating the failed UN resolution? What does it mean for the future of the disputed region?

Here is what we know:

What happened at the UN Security Council?

On Friday, the US, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, proposed a resolution to support the principle of self-determination in the disputed Western Sahara.

Russia vetoed the resolution, despite support from 11 of the 15 council members, including fellow permanent members France and the United Kingdom.

The US draft would have extended the mission for a year, removed “referendum” from its name and made Morocco’s autonomy proposal the only basis for further talks.

Last October, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution that offered genuine autonomy to Western Sahara. Under that plan, the territory would manage its internal affairs, but remain under Moroccan sovereignty.

The Security Council had already made the proposal a basis for negotiations last year and asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to submit a review of the peacekeeping mission.

Speaking after the vote, US ambassador Mike Waltz said it was truly unfortunate that in 2026 the veto was used to “preserve the letter R (in the Mission’s name) for referendum”.

He added that Washington’s proposal “would have moved the 50-year conflict forward” and added that the status quo is not acceptable.

Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said at the same meeting that Moscow opposed the draft because it favoured one side.

“We stress the fact that the Security Council cannot automatically predetermine matters relating to sovereignty,” he said.

Instead, Russia proposed renewing the existing mission without those changes. But that draft also failed to secure the nine votes needed for adoption, receiving two votes in favour, one against and 11 abstentions.

MINURSO’s mission has 155 military personnel and is set to cost $62m in the fiscal year that began in June, according to a UN report. But its mandate expired on Saturday.

How did Morocco and Algeria react to the failure of the UN mission?

Morocco’s royal palace welcomed the failure to renew MINURSO, saying on Friday that UN personnel and equipment should leave the territory in the coming days and that the Western Sahara issue should now be withdrawn from the Security Council’s consideration. Morocco said it remained committed to the ceasefire.

According to a UN media statement, Morocco’s UN representative also questioned why Algeria’s delegate was giving the Security Council “lectures” on the Western Sahara.

“Let these people [in the Western Sahara] go back to Morocco,” he said, “let them go home”.

Algeria expressed regret on Saturday over the failure to renew MINURSO’s mandate. Its foreign ministry criticised what it described as the US draft’s excessive bias towards Morocco.

According to a UN media statement, Algeria’s delegate to the UN thanked Russia for its draft resolution and all other member nations “who have chosen not to associate themselves” with an egregious injustice and a flagrant attack on “the very foundation of our organisation”.

Algeria’s UN representative noted that the country has been a refuge for hundreds of thousands of Sahrawi people who have been denied their right to self-determination.

The “tragedy being endured by the Sahrawi people has oddly been diluted to the concept of refugee populations”, he added.

Sidi Omar, the Polisario Front’s representative at the UN, told reporters on Friday that he welcomed Russia’s veto because the US proposal would undermine Sahrawi self-determination.

What is the Western Sahara dispute all about?

The Polisario Front, the political and military representative, does not recognise Morocco’s annexation of the territory following Spain’s withdrawal in 1975. It has been seeking a UN-supervised referendum for self-determination.

In 1976, it declared the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

Decades of fighting drove at least 170,000 Indigenous people into refugee camps in Tindouf in neighbouring Algeria, which backs the Polisario Front.

The Polisario Front signed a UN-brokered ceasefire with Morocco in 1991. It called for a referendum within six months, but it was never held.

Morocco, which retains control of its lucrative phosphate and fishing resources in Western Sahara, claims historic and pre-colonial ties to the land and views the region as an integral part of its territory [“Greater Morocco”].

For decades, the US has provided military and diplomatic support to Morocco. But in 2020, Donald Trump recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the territory during his first term in office. Morocco soon established diplomatic ties with Israel as part of the so-called Abraham Accords.

The region is now the last United Nations-designated “non-self-governing territory” in Africa, where between 100,000 and 140,000 Moroccan military personnel are based.

Low-level fighting has also continued since the Polisario Front said it was resuming armed struggle in 2020.

Why is Morocco celebrating the failed UN resolution?

MINURSO was set up to monitor the 1991 ceasefire and hold a referendum in Western Sahara. The expiry of its mandate will likely boost Morocco’s stance on the referendum question, though its autonomy proposal has already been adopted by the UN.

On Saturday, according to a video report by the Reuters news agency, a festive atmosphere prevailed in the streets of El Aaiun, the capital of Western Sahara.

In the central Mechoua Square, dozens of people were wearing melfas, the traditional Sahrawi women’s garments, and long robes known as darra, as they waved Moroccan flags and displayed portraits of Morocco’s King Mohammed VI.

Selim Balouati Lakhloufi, a historian and researcher based in Morocco, said that Morocco is pleased because “diplomatic developments at the United Nations are supporting its strategy regarding the [disputed Western] Sahara”.

“The support of powers such as the United States, France and the United Kingdom for Morocco’s autonomy proposal strengthens its international position and is gradually shifting the debate away from the right to self-determination and the possibility of independence toward a solution based on autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty,” he told Al Jazeera.

What does this mean for the future of the Western Sahara?

The collapse of MINURSO’s mandate could escalate the dispute in the Western Sahara, according to aid organisations.

Oxfam has warned that losing MINURSO’s “monitoring and de-escalation functions risks undermining security and stability”.

Lakhloufi said that the UN mission’s expiry is also unfavourable for Sahrawi independence aspirations.

Regarding the future of the Western Sahara, he said that Morocco will likely continue to consolidate its territorial, economic and administrative control, while the Polisario Front will face greater difficulties in securing international support.

“The proposal for autonomy could end up becoming the main framework for negotiations, pushing independence further and further out of reach,” he added.

Thousands have marched through New Delhi demanding the resignation of India’s chief election commissioner over changes to voter lists that opposition parties say favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party.

Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress led Sunday’s protest, the latest in more than a month of demonstrations accusing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of overseeing a biased revision of electoral rolls.

Opposition leaders say the removal of more than 130 million names disproportionately affected Muslims and other minorities, who are less likely to back Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Election Commission has denied favouring any party and says voters whose names were wrongly deleted can re-register.

The BJP has accused the opposition of undermining democracy by challenging legitimate procedures.

India’s next general election is scheduled for 2029.

WE ALL have our travel preferences but did you know there are some items you should absolutely not wear on a plane?

Whether it is for your health or safety on the plane, there are actually several items you should avoid wearing on your flight.

While you might want to wear your favourite pieces from your wardrobe, it might actually increase your chances of becoming unwell or injured in an emergency.

Flight cabin crew have also warned against certain items. So here’s your breakdown on what not to wear on a flight.

Flip flops & heels

A number of flight attendants have warned against wearing flip flops on flights as they don’t provide your feet with any comfort.

Plus, other passengers don’t want to see your toes – or smell your feet.

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More importantly, flip flops are not good in an emergency.

If you need to get off the plane in the dark, people might slip on loose flop flops.

Plus, they aren’t practical for when you are off the plane.

The same goes for high heels – instead, you should wear comfortable and practical shoes.

Jewellery

Another item you should avoid wearing on a flight is jewellery.

This is because it can snag on items and possibly even puncture an emergency slide.

Also, you wouldn’t want to lose valuable jewellery – so it is better to keep jewellery safe in your luggage or even at home.

Anything constricting

You want to be comfortable on a flight, so wearing tight clothing is already a bad idea.

But it is actually bad for you as well.

Tight clothing can restrict blood circulation, which is vital for avoiding deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

DVT is when a blood clot forms in a vein, usually in the legs, hence why the only constricting item you should wear on a flight is compression socks.

This also includes tight underwear, as it could dig into your skin,

Dr Rachel Ward previously told The Sun: “The main blood vessels supplying and draining our legs pass together in the groin area.

“If you have tight underwear, when in a sitting position for a prolonged period, it will add extra pressure to these vessels and worsen leg swelling and leg numbness and tingling.”

Leggings

Christine Negroni, who released a book on the world’s most mysterious air disasters, previously told Sun Travel that when it comes to fires onboard a flight, leggings could leave you with terrible scars.

She said: “Everyone is wearing yoga pants on planes now, but I avoid all artificial fibres because they are more likely to burn and stick to you if there is a fire.

“I’d advise wearing cotton clothes or anything made of natural fibres.”

Contact lenses

If you are used to wearing contact lenses, you might not realise that you should stick to your glasses for a flight.

The dry environment in a plane cabin isn’t great for your eyes, and if you are wearing contact lenses, they will become dry.

On the London Vision Clinic website, it states: “With the average humidity on planes coming in as low as 20 per cent, our skin and eyes can dry out pretty quickly.

“Combine this with the moisture-sapping effects of contact lenses, and you can have a real recipe for disaster on your hands.”

As a result, keeping your contact lenses in could cause you to have itchy or irritated eyes and could result in “distorted vision”.

Shorts or short skirts

If you are travelling somewhere warm, there is the temptation to wear shorts or a skirt.

However, TikTok user Tommy Cimato has warned against wearing bottoms that end above the knee in a viral video.

This is because the chairs on planes aren’t regularly cleaned.

He said: “Don’t or try not to wear shorts when you’re on a plane.

“You never know how clean it’s gonna be, so if you have pants [trousers], you’re going to have fewer germs.”

WHILE Guy Fawkes prepared to blow up King James I and his government with a deadly haul of explosives under the Houses of Parliament, a sprawling country estate 100 miles away was poised to become a crucial yet little-known part of the Gunpowder Plot.

James’ nine-year-old daughter Elizabeth lived at magnificent Coombe Abbey near Coventry and Fawkes’s co-conspirators had planned to kidnap her and install her on the throne as a puppet queen.

An anonymous letter rumbled the London end of the plan while, in Warwickshire, the plotters – led by Robert Catesby – abandoned the kidnapping on hearing about the failure.

To this day, the foiled plot is commemorated with fireworks and bonfires on November 5.

And Coombe Abbey is now a magnificent hotel worthy of its regal connections.

Built by Cistercian monks in 1150, it became the biggest abbey in Warwickshire before being seized during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries.

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Later it was sold to nobleman John Harington, who agreed to act as Elizabeth’s guardian, raising and educating her at his home.

In a rather peculiar twist four centuries later, Game Of Thrones star Kit Harington, a descendant of Catesby, played his ancestor in BBC One drama Gunpowder.

Guests arriving at the hotel nowadays pass over its ancient moat then enter through the original stone cloisters, where a pulpit still stands.

You can take a pew on an ornately carved throne-like chair, admire the hanging wall tapestries and marble busts or examine the tomb of murdered monk Abbot Geoffrey, whose cloaked figure is said to still roam.

Fittingly, our room for our night’s stay was The Princess Elizabeth, decked out in deep mulberries and glimmering golds and with an oak four-poster bed set upon a plinth.

Luxurious floor-to-ceiling curtains embossed with the same heraldic design as the wallpaper enhance the royal feel, while the bathroom with roll-top bath and golden taps also adds to the drama.

The hotel lies in 500 acres of parkland, set to host a mile-long light festive trail throughout December.

Little ones will love the Hermit’s Hollow play area and families can enjoy Go Ape adventures.

Nearby Coventry is full of medieval buildings and cobbled lanes.

The ruins of its 14th-century cathedral – bombed during World War Two – are preserved alongside a modern replacement, as a symbol of peace and reconciliation.

Coventry Transport Museum is brimming with bikes and vehicles that have helped shape the world including ThrustSSC, the fastest-ever car.

Lesser known but eye-wateringly beautiful is St Mary’s Guildhall.

Built in the 1340s for traders and crafts people, it’s re-opened after a £6.2million refurbishment.

The Great Hall has hosted monarchs and its intricate stained glass windows and painted wood carvings in the roof are breathtaking.

There’s also a rare nine-metre tapestry from the early 1500s depicting Henry VI, who moved his royal court to Coventry, effectively making it England’s capital.

Uncovering another secret gem was the perfect end to a historic stay.

Classics like Halloween, The Omen and Nightmare on Elm Street are nowhere to be seen.

Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to the scariest film ever made. What we find terrifying depends on a whole host of factors, whether it’s the “found footage” format of The Blair Witch Project, the blood-soaked slashing of Nightmare on Elm Street, or the supernatural dread of The Autopsy of Jane Doe.

Yet one film has been officially crowned the most frightening of them all, based on scientific evidence. The Science of Scare ranking of 2026 gauged people’s physiological reactions to horror films by monitoring their heart rate, heart rate variability and peak heart rate. Researchers put together a list of English-language horror films and screened them to 250 participants, recording their physical responses using heart monitors.

After gathering each film’s average heart rate increase, largest heart rate spike and heart rate drop, the figures were combined to produce a Science of Scare Score out of 100. This year’s top film achieved a score of 96. For context, Shrek holds a Scare Score of just 3, reports the Express.

However, it’s unlikely to be the film that immediately jumps to mind for most people when they think about the scariest movie of all time. Many will instinctively think of iconic classics such as The Evil Dead, The Omen, Halloween or Don’t Look Now, while others might lean towards more recent offerings like The Exorcism of Emily Rose or Paranormal Activity.

The scariest film of all time

This year’s winner, with a score of 96 out of 100, was the 2012 film Sinister. It pushed viewers’ average heart rate up by 34%. The supernatural horror film establishes its dark and menacing atmosphere from the outset, opening with old home video footage depicting a family of four standing beneath a tree with sacks over their heads and nooses around their necks. It goes on to follow the story of a true crime writer, played by Ethan Hawke, whose family relocates to a new house and uncovers a box of terrifying home movies in the attic. The film was directed by Scott Derrickson.

Séance horror Host came in second place with a score of 95, while Skinamarink claimed third with 91. The scariest new releases, meaning those that came out in 2026, were Undertone and Obsession, both of which scored just 63.

However, the biggest jump scare of all belonged to this year’s Resident Evil, which sent viewers’ heart rates soaring to 134 BPM — a staggering 70 BPM spike, the highest surge ever recorded in the project’s history. Despite this, the film failed to crack the overall top 50 scariest films.

What critics say about Sinister

Sinister may well be the most terrifying film ever made according to this experiment, yet it divided critics sharply. Writing in the Chicago Sun-Times, legendary film critic Roger Ebert described it as “an undeniably scary movie, with performances adding enough human interest to give depth to the basic building blocks of horror”.

Meanwhile, Mark Olsen, writing in the Los Angeles Times, said: “As the best horror stories so often do, Sinister makes clear that we are our own boogeymen, the worst monsters of all.”

Yet not everyone was won over. In the Toronto Star, Peter Howell claimed Sinister is “more stupid than scary” and “can’t even figure out who its real demon is”, while Michael O’Sullivan in the Washington Post wrote: “The hero of Sinister is almost unaccountably dumb. So, unfortunately, is the movie.”

The Science of Scare 2026 ranking

Here are the scariest films ever according to The Science of Scare 2026 study, with their “scare score” out of 100.

1. Sinister: 96

2. Host: 95

3. Skinamarink: 91

4. Insidious: 90

5. The Conjuring : 88

6. Hereditary: 81

7. Smile 2: 79

8. Smile: 78

9. The Exorcism of Emily Rose: 76

10=. Talk to Me: 75

10=. Hell House LLC: 75