BBC Shetland series 11 returned with DI Tosh McIntosh and DI Ruth Calder investigating murder mysteries

Shetland fans think one major character is about to be killed off in horrific circumstances.

The BBC crime drama made a welcome comeback on Thursday (November 12) as DI Ruth Calder and DI ‘Tosh’ McIntosh tackle more murder mysteries across the Scottish archipelago. Actress Alison O’Donnell has announced the current series will mark her final outing as Tosh, confirming her departure.

In the opening episode of Shetland series 11, skeletal remains of an unidentified male were discovered inside a vehicle hauled from the sea, leaving Calder and Tosh tasked with tracking down the troubled owner who fled the Isles nine years earlier.

The investigation quickly focused on two men who vanished back in 2017, including local doctor Raymond Linden, the car’s owner, and Ukrainian contract worker Ivan Dudka, who had an emergency home appointment with Raymond shortly before his disappearance.

Ivan had been residing at a hostel in Lerwick, yet the address logged in the surgery diary was in Isbister, roughly an hour away. Attempting to crack the mystery, Tosh travelled to the location and started investigating an underground tank, though she wasn’t alone.

Tosh called out, “Are you okay? Do you need help?” but received no response. As the ladder she was scaling gave way, she plunged deeper into the tank and tumbled. Luckily, Tosh escaped injury and managed to regain her footing before a mysterious figure darted towards the ladder while her back was turned.

She attempted to escape from them and shouted, “Hey”, but they swiftly slammed the hatch shut behind them and bolted from the scene, leaving a visibly panicked Tosh trapped inside, reports the Express.

The detective retrieved her mobile phone torch to examine the area, and she was in for a nasty surprise. Tosh discovered the remains of another body, just as Calder was leaving a message on her phone.

It had come to light that the skeleton found in Raymond’s car did, in fact, belong to him, and that Ivan was most probably the man Tosh found in the tank, but the motive remained a mystery. Will Tosh escape from the tank alive?

Shetland viewers fear the officer has reached the end of the road. Taking to X, one viewer pleaded: “#Shetland I hope Tosh gets out okay. I know she’s leaving, sadly.” A second fumed: ” #Shetland hasn’t been the same since Jimmy and Duncan left. Now Tosh is the last straw.”

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A third chimed in: “That was a pretty good episode except for that at the end……why oh why #Shetland”, with another commenting: “So good to have this brilliant drama back on TV. I could feel it in my bones that something was coming right down the road at Tosh, oh & I was right; please no, not Tosh #Shetland.”

“Who is writing the scripts for #Shetland this Season?! There’s no way Tosh /Any Woman would enter & explore that building on their own…Finished with it,” exclaimed one viewer. (sic).

“So, new season of #Shetland started tonight, first: Did no one tell Tosh you don’t go down a dark, scary hole on your own without backup and/or without telling anyone where you are?”, added another.

Shetland series 11 airs Thursdays at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer

Chantelle Cameron will defend her light-middleweight world titles in a rematch against Mikaela Mayer on the undercard of Jake Paul’s fight against Cedric Doumbe on 24 December.

Britain’s Cameron beat Mayer by unanimous decision in August in an engrossing encounter to add the WBA and WBC titles to her WBO belt.

American Mayer, 36, disagreed with the decision, before an angry exchange of words between the pair, which opened up the possibility of a rematch.

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) has confirmed the second bout between the two rivals will serve as the co-main at the Coca Cola Arena on Christmas Eve in Dubai.

MVP co-founder Paul takes on MMA fighter Doumbe in the main event in the American’s first fight since being knocked out by Anthony Joshua last December.

Cameron, 35, will be aiming for her 24th win in 25 professional fights, with her only defeat coming against Katie Taylor in 2023.

“We agreed to the rematch before the first fight, so we both kept our word,” said Cameron.

“And now the rematch is on the biggest stage in boxing.”

Mayer has won 22 of her 25 professional fights, and is looking to reclaim her world titles.

“Although I don’t feel I performed to my highest potential, I’ve been working hard to fix the mistakes I made and I will 100% come back stronger,” she said.

“I’m taking my belts back on Thursday 24 December.”

As Ukraine, Russia and the United States engaged in their first peace talks since February this week, the front lines continued to deteriorate for Moscow as its casualties rose to a possible new record without any significant territorial gains.

Ukraine’s military said it had caused more than 26,000 Russian casualties – meaning those killed and seriously wounded – in the first 10 days of November, suggesting this month’s figure could mark a new record topping October’s 54,400.

On November 9, Ukraine also claimed a new daily record of 2,980 Russian soldiers killed or wounded. That marked the fourth reported daily record this year.

Al Jazeera cannot independently verify casualty claims by either side.

This cluster of new casualty records in the autumn, accompanied by a lack of any significant territorial gains by Russia, suggested that Moscow was not coming any closer to its goal of seizing the last remaining quarter of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region this year.

A group of pro-Ukrainian hackers from Belarus said they had accessed records of the Russian state statistical service, Rosstat, and discovered an official tally of 450,000 Russian fatalities for the entire full-scale invasion, since 2022.

Independent assessments indicate that Russia has seized a net 117sq km (45sq miles) this year, a poor showing for its pains.

Yet, Russia was as defiant as ever at peace talks in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11.

Presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who headed the Russian delegation, told Vesti television after the talks concluded that he would be satisfied “only when we win and sign a peace agreement on our terms”.

Russia has demanded territory Ukraine is not willing to surrender, and said NATO needs to pull out of all the former Soviet bloc countries which joined it since 1997.

Medinsky called for “a new, comprehensive, and just security system in Europe,” because the one put in place after World War II “is functioning very poorly, and, in fact, the entire system is sick. In Ukraine, a festering wound has simply burst.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saw it differently.

“When the Russians now talk about a security architecture for themselves … What they really want is to freely interfere in the affairs of other countries, and to use force whenever they want, and to make sure that no one can support liberty inside Russia,” he told the Danish parliament, the Folketing, on the day the talks concluded.

Although US negotiators agreed to table the subject of a European security architecture at Abu Dhabi, the three European powers present – Germany, France and the United Kingdom – did not, and they were excluded from the proceedings.

“We did not communicate with them. We don’t really understand what their status is here,” Medinsky said.

Europe agrees with Ukraine that such a discussion puts the cart before the horse.

“The idea of discussing European-Russian security infrastructure is a complex and potentially dangerous one,” Zelenskyy said on the eve of the talks. “First, we must discuss how to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. Second, what the security infrastructure will be for Ukraine.”

Ukraine has asked for an ironclad guarantee of military intervention if it is attacked again, as offered in NATO’s Article 5.

Instead, Zelenskyy said, the Trump administration offered “something similar to NATO”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin received the US negotiating team in Saint Petersburg after talks in Abu Dhabi, and repeated the Russian position that the presence of European peacekeepers in a post-war Ukraine would also be “absolutely unacceptable”.

Zelenskyy attributed Russia’s absolutism to its inaccurate understanding of realities on the ground.

“Putin lives in a different reality,” he told journalists in Copenhagen on November 11. “When I received the second report from our negotiating group after the meetings in Abu Dhabi, they told me that the Russians believe and claim that they have already occupied half of the [part of the] Donbas region which is actually under our control. These were military officers, Russian intelligence.”

Russia’s defence ministry has claimed to have seized 3,600sq km (1,400sq miles) of Ukraine this year, and Putin has repeated the claim.

Still, Abu Dhabi did produce some results.

Russia and Ukraine said there would be a new POW exchange of at least 1,000 or possibly 1,500 prisoners on each side. And Zelenskyy said de-escalation steps were discussed.

‘Ukraine faced constant alarms’

In the run-up to Abu Dhabi, Russia pounded Ukraine’s cities.

“For 10 days and nights, Ukraine faced constant alarms,” said its General Staff. During that period, Russia launched 3,519 drones, and Ukraine managed to intercept 3,068 of them, they said, including 83 percent of the jet-powered drones, which now comprise roughly half of the swarm.

On the night of November 7, Russia unleashed 36 ballistic missiles into Ukraine, including some reportedly manufactured by North Korea, striking energy infrastructure.

Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi has asked European allies to provide generators and battery packs for homes, as well as mobile shelters and buses to keep urban transport moving during blackouts.

On November 12, Ukraine reported it was experiencing renewed restrictions on its use of the Starlink satellite service, which it needs to coordinate interceptors to incoming Russian drones.

“This directly impacts our ability to intercept Russian kamikaze drones,” said Zelenskyy. “Due to the speed limitations, we simply cannot intercept them in time.”

This came as Ukraine continued its own strikes inside Russia, targeting ballistic missile launchers and factories as a forward defence.

On November 7, a fire burned almost a hectare of storage space next to an Almaz factory in Rostov, which makes communications equipment. It was unclear whether Ukraine caused it. On the same day, Ukraine fired Neptune missiles into the Proton-Electrotex conglomerate which makes parts for Kormoran cruise and Iskander ballistic missiles, and destroyed two ballistic missile launchers.

On November 9, Ukraine struck the Morozov plant near St Petersburg, which makes solid rocket fuel for ballistic missiles, and the Redkino plant in Tver, which makes chemical products used in missiles.

On November 10, Ukraine struck the 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant in Novgorod, which services Russia’s increasingly rare A-50 early warning and targeting aircraft.

On November 11, Ukraine struck the Naro-Forminsk cruiser, which launches Kalibr and Onyx cruise missiles.

“We are acting asymmetrically,” Ukrainian defence minister Yevhenii Khmara told his Dutch counterpart. Ukraine had struck a total of 12 ballistic missile launch sites inside Russia, he said without specifying the timeframe, and said the strikes on factories were reducing Russian production capacity.

Zelenskyy renewed his call for German Taurus missiles with which to strike Russian launchers.

Ukraine also struck a series of refineries during the past week, including the Afipsky, Saratov, Kirishi, Ust-Luga and Omsk refineries. Russian military reporters said three Russian helicopters had been downed by friendly fire during attempts to defend the Ust-Luga refinery.

Since the end of October, its General Staff said, Ukraine had struck Russia’s five biggest refineries.

Sources told Reuters that Ukraine has destroyed at least 30 percent of Russia’s refining capacity.

The purpose of refinery strikes is to diminish Russian export revenue for petroleum products and to disrupt its economy. Those goals appeared to be working last week, as Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service reported Moscow projecting a $63bn-$67bn deficit for 2026, double its intended figure, and Russian media reported staff layoffs at the parliament, or Duma, and the Russian Federation Council.

Playing their first game since Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement, two-time champions Portugal face Denmark at home.

Who: Portugal vs Denmark
What: UEFA Nations League, Group A4
Where: Braga Municipal Stadium, Braga, Portugal
When: Saturday, November 14, at 7:45pm (19:45 GMT).
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from 16:45 GMT before our live text commentary stream

A new chapter in Portuguese football starts on Saturday, as the national team moves on from the departure of their record scorer and longstanding captain, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo ended his 23-year association with the Selecao last week, announcing his retirement in a lengthy video on social media, weeks after a public rift with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus.

The 41-year-old, a polarising football icon who wore the much-adored No 7 shirt for his country, said it was now time to “pass it on to the future”.

Playing their first game without their biggest star, Portugal face Denmark in Saturday’s home fixture, having already confirmed their spot in the quarterfinals.

With three goals each, forwards Goncalo Ramos and Joao Felix have orchestrated Portugal’s attacking play in Ronaldo’s absence, while Denmark’s charge has been led by Rasmus Hojlund, who has netted three of his team’s seven goals so far.

Two-time holders Portugal will be confirmed as group winners if they avoid defeat against Denmark, who are second in the standings.

The Danes have a bit more complicated path to secure their spot in the last eight on Saturday – they need to win against Portugal and hope that neighbours Norway do not beat third-placed Wales in a clash of the bottom two.

How have Portugal played in the Nations League?

Portugal have a perfect record in the competition, with four wins out of four.

They began their title defence with a 1-0 home win over Wales before beating Norway 2-1, a game in which Ronaldo was an unused substitute.

Shortly afterwards, Ronaldo stormed out of the national camp, but his absence did not trouble the team as they thrashed Denmark 4-2 in another away game before winning 2-1 at home against Norway to reach the quarterfinals.

How have Denmark played in the Nations League?

Denmark have won two games and lost two.

Their campaign started with a 3-2 loss in Norway, but they bounced back with a 2-0 home victory against Wales.

The third match saw them fall 4-2 at home to Portugal before they beat Wales 1-0 away.

What happened when Portugal and Denmark last met?

Goals from Joao Cancelo, Goncalo Ramos, Vitinha and Felix gave Portugal a 4-2 win over Denmark on October 1.

Mikkel Damsgaard and Rasmus Hojlund scored for the hosts in that game at Copenhagen.

Portugal vs Denmark: Predictions

Opta’s supercomputer has given Portugal a 59.4 percent probability of victory, while Denmark’s odds stand at 19.4 percent.

There is a 21.2 percent chance the game ends in a draw.

Head-to-head

• Matches: 18
• Portugal wins: 12
• Denmark wins: 4
• Draws: 2

Form guide

(Last five matches, latest game first)

Portugal: W-W-W-W-L

Denmark: W-L-W-L-D

Team news and predicted lineups

Portugal

Cancelo and Francisco Conceicao are suspended, while Rafael Leao, Nuno Mendes and Nuno Tavares are out with injuries.

Probable Portugal XI: Diogo Costa; Diogo Dalot, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Flavio Nazinho; Ruben Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes; Joao Felix, Goncalo Ramos

Denmark

Denmark will be without Patrick Dorgu, and they will have to be cautious with six players one booking away from suspension.

Probable Denmark XI: Mads Hermansen; Rasmus Kristensen, Joachim Andersen, Oliver Provstgaard, Joakim Maehle; Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg; Gustav Isaksen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Mohamed Daramy; Rasmus Hojlund

Portugal vs Denmark: TV channel, livestreaming

• Portugal: Sport TV Portugal
• Denmark: TV2 PLAY
• Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
• United Kingdom: Prime Video UK
• United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX
• India: Sony Sports Network
• South Africa: DStv Stream

You can find your regional broadcaster on UEFA’s official broadcaster listing.

Why remake “A Christmas Carol” again? Ti West’s “Ebenezer” has a solid pitch. The horror director of “Pearl” and “MaXXXine” cranks up the shivers in Charles Dickens’ moralistic ghost story with jump scares, a zombie horde of ghouls and a cemetery outside the curmudgeon’s bedroom window. It even invents a murder as a treat.

And why has Johnny Depp, who has spent the last several years reeling from his reputation-dinging public divorce trials, chosen loathsome Ebenezer Scrooge as his comeback? Perhaps he likes aligning himself with fiction’s most famously redeemed scoundrel. When this chastened Scrooge yelps, “I’m not the man I was!” Depp gets so riled up that he jumps on his bed until it breaks.

“Ebenezer” sounds like the title of a sympathetic prequel, the sob story of a nasty man’s first “Humbug!” It sort of is. Mostly it’s the same tale, slightly expanded.

Nathaniel Halpern’s script starts by flashing back to Scrooge’s business partner, Jacob Marley (Ian McKellen), while the cranky old creep is still alive, humanizing Scrooge by showing him palling around with a friend. Marley proves to be even meaner, harassing their employee Bob Cratchit (a well-cast Rupert Grint), while Scrooge simply snickers. When Marley drops dead, then returns seven years later as a ghost, this Scrooge is so scared he wets his nightgown. We’re gifted a close-up of the puddle.

That’s the tone in a nutshell. Frankly, I wish it worked. The best holiday heartwarmers have a morbid spritz to them, from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” to “Home Alone.” (On your next rewatch of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” be sure to enjoy the moments where Donna Reed plays Mary like a gothy witch.)

Dickens also prodded his Scrooge to be funny, writing that the character’s jokes were a means of “keeping down his terror.” The novel’s best punchline comes when he accuses Marley’s spirit of being caused by undigested beef or mustard, a hallucination “more of gravy than of grave.” That quip isn’t in here; this Scrooge instead eats punishing gray oatmeal.

Inequality looks especially harsh in Victorian England’s wintry cobblestone alleys. An opening montage cuts between images of hard labor, horse dung and frozen laundry that’s too stiff to fold. “Ebenezer” seems aware that this story, as beloved as it is, won’t inspire society to solve poverty. (The sleigh bells at the ending aren’t that happy.) Cynically, it even puts a sour spin on the two charity workers who ask Scrooge to donate money to the poor. Usually, those chaps are sketched as hapless but benevolent. Here, Scrooge accuses them of pocketing the cash and gauging by their panicky reaction, he’s right.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (a wraithlike Andrea Riseborough) whisks us to Scrooge’s childhood, which has been ladled with extra misery. Scrooge’s dad is now brutally abusive, a trauma with faint support in the book, and his kindly mentor Fezziwig (Ian Midlane) gets stabbed to death by a street urchin, a trauma that’s brand new. I don’t mind the violence — it’s very Ye Olde Fox News. Still, I was surprised that we actually see the knife plunge into Fezziwig’s big, soft belly.

Who is this grim adaptation for? It’s too dark for most kids and not frightening enough for adults. Possibly, a slice of preteens will find it just right. West has never made a PG-13 movie before and who knows if he will again. But I suspect he’ll be happy if his jarring adaptation imprints on even just one future filmmaker the way his own favorite horror films imprinted on him. There’s a glimpse of one of those classics in a shot where Scrooge gets sucked into his own mattress just as Johnny Depp’s jock did in the original 1984 “A Nightmare on Elm Street” — the future star’s feature debut.

Since then, audiences have had a lot of passionate feelings about Depp. Younger generations worshiped him as the blockbuster scamp of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise and the live-action redos of “Alice in Wonderland” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Older fans adored him as the adorable outcast of “Cry-Baby” and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” Just last week, I teared up watching a YouTube video of a dog trainer dressed like Edward Scissorhands doing an intricate pas de deux with a border collie. As best as I can explain, I was moved by how much the woman appeared to identify with Depp’s lonely character and how she’d filled her time teaching her pet to pirouette.

Depp is aware that he can pull strong emotions out of people, wrenching his Scrooge’s mouth into a painful frown. But his eyes are empathetic and gooey, a portal right to the miser’s inner child. He keeps making the cheapskate too cute, standing knock-kneed in fright with his hands folded up under his chin. Ultimately, the actor’s need to be loved — to claw himself out of what he fears is an early career grave, an image we see him physically do — hijacks the movie. The traditional beats don’t land.

In lieu of sniffles, we get a childhood sweetheart, Belle (Ellie Bamber), saddled with a subplot about her novelist ambitions, and a Tiny Tim (Freddie Lee-Grey of the recent “Lord of the Flies”) who’s darling but inessential. At least Scrooge’s nephew Fred (Sam Claflin) has a decency that registers and his wife (Daisy Ridley) even manages one of the film’s genuine laughs.

Still, as much as I liked this couple, their scenes get stolen from them twice: first by the impish Rose Williams as a dinner guest whose husband corrects her pronunciation of the word “macabre” and again by the sight gag of a jiggly, focus-grabbing dead goose. That bird is the most delightful thing in the movie. Bless it, everyone.

Semiconductor stocks staged their strongest five-day rally since 2020, a sharp rebound after a five-day slide of roughly 20%, according to a chart from The Daily Shot shared by Mike Zaccardi.

The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) moved above the

DP World Tour Championship second-round leaderboard

-5 T Hatton (Eng), R McIlroy (NI); -4 K Reitan (Nor), J Luiten (Ned); -3 M Lindberg (Swe), F Schott (Ger), V Perez (Fra); -2 J Schaper (SA), J Rahm (Spa), D Puig (Spa)

Selected others: -1 E Chacarra (Spa); E A Scott (Aus), C Hill (Sco); +3 T Fleetwood (Eng); +6 A Rai (Eng); +8 P Reed (US)

Full leaderboard

Rory McIlroy is tied for the lead at the halfway mark of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship as he chases a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title.

The six-time major winner followed a three-under opening 69 with an up-and-down 70 to join England’s Tyrrell Hatton at the top at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.

Hatton mixed five birdies and two bogeys to shoot 69, while overnight leader Joost Luiten carded a 73 to lie one shot back alongside Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan.

McIlroy, who is guaranteed to equal Colin Montgomerie’s record haul of eight season-long crowns with victory this week, sits four shots ahead of Race to Dubai leader Eugenio Chacarra.

The Spaniard, who won three times earlier this season to lead the standings entering this week, birdied his final two holes to finish one under.

“I think it’s been a bit eye-opening to see the scoring the first two days,” said world number two McIlroy.

“I don’t think the wind is supposed to be as up over the weekend, so the scoring might be a little bit better.

“As I said, the scoring this week, because of this course set-up, just isn’t as good as in previous years. I’ve been coming back to the golf course for 15 plus years, and you just associate this course with pretty low scoring.

“And then when it’s not, you just have to reframe what is a good score. Anything in the 60s, it seems, this week is a good score.”

LOOKING for a winter holiday where you can surf, swim in the Caribbean Sea, sip on cheap beer and enjoy temperatures of 30C? I’ve got just the place.

Puerto Rico is in the northeastern Caribbean Sea and while it’s known mostly for its vibrant city of San Juan – there’s plenty more to see.

I visited the island earlier this year first landing in San Juan where there are vibrant bars and restaurants before exploring quieter corners of the island like Ciales.

Forty miles to the west of the island it has sweeping, unspoilt countryside with beautiful waterfalls and coffee plantations.

I ventured to FinCafe which serves up brews with a twist – like a ginger and cinnamon flat white – it even grows its own coffee across the road.

Puerto Rico is surrounded by two seas, the North Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south.

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So if you fancy the water a bit warmer, head to those on the side of the Caribbean Sea.

One of the most beautiful seaside spots I found was called Crash Boat Beach in Aguadilla.

It was actually a former military site, but has been transformed into a beautiful stretch of white sand bordering clear blue seas.

It’s popular with the locals and one of the must-do activities is to jump off the old fishing pier.

For surfing, there’s Jobos Beach where there are lessons for beginners or huge waves further out for those more experienced.

One interesting thing about Puerto Rico is that as it’s an unincorporated territory of the United States and there are elements of the US on the island.

For example, on a drive, you’ll see restaurants like Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Popeyes and Chick-fil-A.

But when it comes to food, I’d suggest visiting some more authentic spots like La Alcapurria Quemá in Santurce for fresh seafood, mofongo and tasty plantain chips.

Medalla Light is a popular beer on the island, but my favourite was a bottle of Ocean Lab Mambo, which has a hint of passion fruit.

You can pick up a Medalla Light for $3.00 (£2.27).

Of course, the island rose in popularity following Bad Bunny’s performance at the Super Bowl half-time show.

If you’re lucky enough (and he’s not on tour) you might even spot him there.

During one of my tours, of Puerto Rico, the guide pointed out one of Bad Bunny‘s back-up dancers enjoying a coffee at a roadside stall.

As it’s a quick flight away from the States, it’s quite a popular escape for celebrities – the week before my visit, Joe Jonas was spotted at Habitante Cafe in San Juan.

It’s not just me that loves the island of Puerto Rico, National Geographic just named it one of the ‘Best Places in the World to Travel to in 2027’.

The publication picked the top destinations from across all six continents and praised Puerto Rico for its “blend of cultures and community-led traditions” that “is sparking renewed global attention”.

So it’s definitely one to watch and it’s a great destination for Brits to visit during the winter months as the island sits at around 30C year-round.

However, if you’re looking for sunshine, avoid April through November as this is the rainy season.

The best months for visiting Puerto Rico are February and March which have the heat with low humidity and barely any rain.

Sadly for Brits, there are no direct flights from the UK to Puerto Rico.

Anyone heading over to the island will have to change in the US – I took a connecting flight from New York JFK.

JetBlue flies from London Heathrow to San Juan via New York from £390 each way – at it’s quickest, the journey is 14 hours.

Following on the heels of a similar accident three weeks ago, the incident is encouraging calls for improved safety oversight on construction sites.

The collapse of an unfinished eight-storey building in Kenya has killed six people.

The structure fell on Friday morning in Syokimau on the outskirts of Nairobi. Coming on the heels of a similar recent incident in the capital, the accident has revived calls for stronger safety oversight.

Construction workers were reportedly at the site when the building’s uppermost concrete slab gave way, bringing down part of the structure, according to a preliminary report from Nairobi City County’s emergency team. The report did not establish why the slab failed.

The Kenya Red Cross initially reported that three people had been rescued and one person was reported missing. TV reports later said that five people had been pulled alive from the rubble and taken to hospital.

The emergency report said the number of workers present when the building fell had not been confirmed, leaving open the possibility that others were trapped.

Firefighters and specialist rescue teams were continuing to search for survivors.

Patrick Makau, a member of Kenya’s parliament representing Mavoko, the constituency that includes Syokimau, urged rescue agencies in a post on social media to act quickly.

“Every second counts,” he wrote, offering condolences to the victims’ families.

The accident follows a similar deadly building collapse in the city on October 23, which killed eight people. The twin disasters have prompted calls for tougher construction oversight.

The Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis, a state research body, has identified poor workmanship, inadequate supervision, substandard materials and faulty designs as wider causes of building collapses.

GINO D’Acampo’s restaurant firm Upmarket Hotels & Leisure is in a battle with HMRC.

The taxman has tried to shut the firm down for a THIRD time in ten months.

It is over an unpaid tax bill, but the last accounts reveal that it has just £5 in the bank.

HMRC has tried three times to have his business wound up in London’s High Court.

Upmarket Hotels & Leisure runs five eateries in Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Leeds and on London’s Strand that still bear the name of the axed ITV star, 50, who holds shares in it.

They include First Street Bar & Kitchen, Old Hall Street & Liverpool 360 Sky Bar, Gino D’Acampo Leeds, Gino D’Acampo Quayside Newcastle and Luciano by Gino D’Acampo (The Strand).

HOT PROPERTY

Gino D’Acampo pulls £4m home off market despite plan for new life abroad

CHAIN COLLAPSE

Gino D’Acampo’s former restaurant empire failed to pay HUGE HMRC debt

The firm fell into administration last year after owing £11 million when it went bust, including £4.2 million to HMRC.

It was rescued in a £5 million deal with Gino’s bad publicity being blamed on its demise.

The Sun has contacted Gino’s rep for comment.

Last year ITV News reported that dozens of former staff and freelancers had accused him of inappropriate behaviour over more than 12 years.

The chef, who denies wrongdoing, was then dropped by ITV.

Since then the TV personality has laid low.

SACRAMENTO — More than a quarter of registered voters in California are unsure if they will fill out the upcoming 2030 Census, largely due to privacy concerns, according to a new poll.

The survey from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies showed 72% of voters said their household is certain to fill out the census. Of the 28% who expressed reluctance, 16% said they will “probably” fill it out; 5% said there is a 50-50 chance they would; 3% said they probably or certainly will not; and 4% were unsure.

The once-per-decade national population count is used to reapportion the U.S. House of Representatives’ 435 seats among the states. It is also used to determine federal funding for schools, healthcare, transportation and other public services.

By law, all responses to the national Census are kept confidential, a fact that was mentioned by pollsters when they asked respondents about the topic.

“We’re in a moment where there are a lot of reasons to be distrustful and a lot of concerns,” said Eric Schickler, co-director of the IGS Poll. “But the census, people have been filling that out their whole adult lives, so to see this level of concern and then that spill over into willingness to respond was certainly bracing.”

Younger voters and voters of color were more likely to express reluctance about completing the census. Fewer than half, 46%, of those under the age of 30 said they would definitely fill out the census. The same was said by about two-thirds of Black (68%) and Latino (65%) voters, as well as voters between the ages of 30 and 39 (63%). Just 57% of Asian American and Pacific Islander voters were certain they would participate.

Half of voters said they were either “very” or “somewhat confident” that their household’s census responses would be kept private, while 43% were “not too” or “not at all confident” and the remainder unsure.

“These findings are a warning, and we still have time to act. Doubt about confidentiality is an undercount in the making,” said Ditas Katague, who directed California’s Census 2020 outreach. She added that “protections are strong, but a law people don’t trust protects no one. That infrastructure has to be built now, not in 2029.”

The Trump administration has proposed new rules for the 2030 Census that would exclude many noncitizen residents from political apportionment and remove questions about race, ethnicity and sexual orientation from the survey.

The president previously moved to exclude undocumented immigrants from apportionment and include a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, but the effort was abandoned when he left office.

“Hearing about, do noncitizens get counted, or hearing discussion about the intensified immigration enforcement, all of that kind of creates an atmosphere where a lot of people are concerned about how their responses would be treated,” Schickler said. Especially “if they have family members or are themselves non-citizens.”

With a stagnant population, California is expected to lose as many as four congressional seats after the 2030 Census, according to the nonpartisan American Redistricting Project, while fast-growing Texas and Florida could gain four and two seats, respectively.

If enacted, Trump’s proposed rule to exclude undocumented immigrants and others without permanent residency, including people with Temporary Protected Status, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, refugees, asylum seekers, could further diminish congressional representation for California and other states, according to a 2020 Pew Research Center report.

The Golden State previously lost one congressional seat following the 2020 Census.

The poll surveyed 2,787 registered voters in California from Oct. 19-25, online in English and Spanish, and has an estimated margin of error of about 2.5 percentage points in either direction.

Funding for the poll was provided in part by the Los Angeles Times and the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund.

Lincoln Riley can’t tell you who for sure will be at quarterback for Indiana when USC meets the defending national champions this weekend. And Indiana coach Curt Cignetti has kept things pretty close to the vest over whether it’ll be Josh Hoover, the usual starter, or Grant Wilson, the seventh-year backup.

“We could spend our time speculating back and forth who it’s going to be,” Riley said. “I doubt we’re going to see some radically different offense based on who the quarterback is.”

His calm comes from the fact that under-center uncertainty is nothing new at this point for No. 18 USC. Riley has spent pretty much the entire season preparing for opponents racked by quarterback questions.

It wasn’t clear, back in Week 1, who would be under center for Fresno State. Nor was it obvious two weeks later if Rutgers was sticking with its original starting quarterback.

Oregon got only three drives out of its top passer, Dante Moore, against USC before his injury thrust No. 2 Dylan Raiola into action. And a month after that, an injury to Ohio State star Julian Sayin left USC to face his backup, Luke Fahey, whom the Trojans terrorized.

It’s still up in the air if Hoover, who came to Indiana as a top transfer, will be healthy enough coming out of Indiana’s bye. Banged up for most of the past month, Hoover was replaced by Wilson in the Hoosiers’ last game before the bye. And Wilson proceeded to bring Indiana back from the brink in an overtime win over Minnesota.

Hoover wasn’t listed with any injury designation on the Big Ten’s availability reports this week. But over his last four games, Hoover has completed only 48% of his passes; clearly, he was affected by injury.

“We’ll see how the week plays out, and we’ll see who we trot out there,” Cignetti said Monday.

Indiana quarterback Grant Wilson runs with the ball during a win over Howard in September.

(Doug McSchooler / Associated Press)

Whoever plays quarterback for No. 9 Indiana will have an array of weapons at their disposal, including star wideout Charlie Becker, who’s tracking to be a top-15 pick in the 2027 NFL draft. Though, that part should be nothing new, either, given USC’s recent work against Ohio State and the presumptive No. 1 pick Jeremiah Smith.

“Real physical guy, has some great speed, a really experienced receiver,” cornerback Chasen Johnson said. “That’s going to be a great matchup.”

How well Indiana is able to move the ball could decide not just the Big Ten race but both teams’ College Football Playoff fates. With a loss in Bloomington, USC would be knocked out of contention, reigniting questions about Riley’s future. With a win, USC would be propelled into the playoff conversation.

That would leave only No. 4 UCLA — and another backup quarterback, Ty Dieffenbach — standing in the Trojans’ way.

Meanwhile, USC quarterback Jayden Maiava remains the most consistent — and healthy — passer in the conference. Even if he hasn’t seemed all that consistent — or healthy — by his standards.

“He’s in a great place mentally,” Riley said. “He’s in a great place physically right now. He’s had some bumps and bruises along the year, but right now he’s as healthy as he’s been in terms of his body feeling good. He’s ready to roll, and I think he’s gearing up to play extremely well in this last stretch.”

Calling all fans of the wizarding world, a special Harry Potter Christmas market will be taking place for the first time ever this year for some sorcery during the festive season

Nothing beats wandering around a Christmas market with a cup of steaming mulled wine to the sound of merry jingles, while browsing the wooden chalets stocked with gifts and seasonal goodies. And it’s about to get a lot better, as a new Harry Potter Christmas market is opening for the very first time.

In a world first, the new Christmas market launching this year will feature designs in the style of those in the new Harry Potter HBO series, which is set to be released on 25 December, 2026, along with cabins and themed culinary offerings. Yet, those eager to discover a slice of the wizarding world will need to plan a festive getaway and catch a short flight to Germany, where it will be held.

In an announcement from Skydance, which has merged with Paramount, they confirmed: “The magic of Hogwarts is coming to Munich: To celebrate the launch of the new HBO Original series ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,’ HBO Max is transforming Munich’s Praterinsel into an enchanting Christmas market. Visitors can immerse themselves in the world of the new HBO Original series even before the premiere.

“From November 28th to December 6th, Praterinsel will be transformed into a festive world of experiences, designed entirely in the style of the new series. In a Christmas atmosphere, guests can get a first glimpse of the HBO Original series, right in the heart of Munich and even before its official premiere.”

They further explained: “The Christmas market is inspired by ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ and offers many activities and attractions for fans of all ages. Atmospheric photo opportunities in the style of the series invite visitors to capture memories of their visit. Food and other culinary offerings inspired by the ‘Harry Potter’ world bring the magic to the table. Guests can also expect further surprises.”

The Harry Potter Christmas Market will take place on Praterinsel in Munich, but you’ll have to plan accordingly if you want to visit, as it won’t be there for long. The spellbinding event will only be held from Saturday, 28 November until Sunday, 6 December, 2026, yet there’s still plenty of time to book your festive escape to experience the magic.

Skydance added: “With the transformation of Praterinsel, HBO Max brings the magic of one of the world’s most popular stories to the Bavarian capital and gets fans in the mood for the start of the new HBO Original series in a very special way.”

As Potter fans eagerly wait for the market to arrive, a huge amount of excitement has already been sparked. One commented on a Reddit post: “I’m going and am so excited!! I’ve been looking forward to this show for YEARS now, so I’m so happy that finally there is an event in my area where I can celebrate it.”

“Omg this is amazing,” another shared on Instagram, while another declared, “We need to go to Germany”. Others raised concerns about what it will actually include. However, one local had some reassurance. “Christmas markets in Germany are usually great as it is. I would go regardless if I was anywhere near Munich and had the time off work,” they shared.

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I’VE explored over 70 destinations worldwide, but nothing comes close to Cymru.

I might be biased, but it’s easy to fall in love with my homeland – there are sing-song accents, wild landscapes, decent pubs, market towns and sandy beaches galore.

Despite its relatively small size, Wales has loads to explore if you know where to look.

If you’re planning a Welsh staycation, read on for my favourite places you won’t want to miss…

Best beaches

Wales’ 1,600-mile coastline is among the world’s most beautiful, stretching across sandy beaches, pebbled shorelines, and secluded coves – here are some of my top picks:

Poppit Sands, Pembrokeshire

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Dune-backed Poppit Sands has retained its Blue Flag for 2026 and is one of my favourite wildlife-spotting locations, as bottlenose dolphins can often be seen from the coastal path.

The beachside bakery Crwst is another highlight here; pop in for brioche doughnuts and Welsh roasted coffee.

Monknash Beach, Vale of Glamorgan

A lesser-known local favourite, dog-friendly Monknash is only reachable on foot via a wooded path that leads to towering limestone cliffs and fossil-embedded rocks.

You won’t find any amenities at this secluded spot, but that’s part of its wild charm.

From the beach, walk to the 14th-century Plough & Harrow pub for a pint by the fire.

Shell Island, Eryri National Park

Shell Island Peninsula in Eryri National Park has sandy beaches and dunes, with over 200 shell varieties strewn along the shoreline.

Known for excellent crabbing, it’s also home to one of Europe’s largest campsites, packed with amenities including a tavern bar, supermarket, hot showers, and launderette.

Three Cliffs Bay, Gower

Regularly listed as one of the UK’s best beaches, this sandy beach and salt marsh remain thankfully uncommercialised.

It’s located on a particularly scenic section of the Wales Coast Path, and if you head east, you can reach pretty Oxwich Bay on a wooded clifftop walk.

Best market towns

I’ve clocked up a fair few market towns across Wales, and these beauties are worth the drive.

Rhayader

This crossroads market town prides itself on its selection of boutiques and pubs where Welsh-brewed ales are still reasonably priced.

Browse haberdashery and Welsh souvenirs at family-run Hafod Hardware, then enjoy a lovely Sunday lunch at the Crown.

Abergavenny

The Gateway to Wales has a long trading history, with weekly and period markets centred around the Victorian market.

A highlight is the town’s annual food festival where you can watch chef demonstrations and try local produce.

Machynlleth

Known for its festivals and arts scene, Mach is a cultural hub, best known for its annual comedy festival that attracts big-name comedians.

Explore indie shops, visit the Museum of Modern Art, and head to the historic Wednesday Market, which has run since 1291.

Llandeilo

This pastel-coloured hilltop town has scores of shops and cafés and is home to the cherry-red 18th-century Cawdor Hotel, along with a haunted National Trust 17th-century manor and parklands.

Top places for a pint in Wales

Wales has loads of decent boozers where you can sip a Welsh ale or have a pub tea and here are some of my top picks:

Ty Coch Inn, Porthdinllaen

One of Wales’s most famous seaside pubs, Ty Coch Inn sits in Porthdinllaen, a tiny village on the Llyn Peninsula.

Voted one of the best beach bars in the world, it sits right on the golden sands with epic views of the Irish Sea and is only reachable on foot.

Felin Fach Griffin, Bannau Brycheiniog

This dog-friendly pub with rooms is the epitome of a countryside inn, where you can have a reasonably priced Welsh ale by a cracking fire on a squashy sofa.

Listed in the Good Food Guide, it also has a decent seasonal menu packed with Welsh produce.

The Sloop Inn, Porthgain

I love a character-filled pub, and the 18th-century Sloop Inn’s decor is as eclectic as the crowds, with wood beams paired with vintage fishing nets, a penny bar and historic signs.

Order specials from the chalkboard menu for proper good pub grub.

City Arms, Cardiff

Opposite Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, the historic City Arms has long drawn sports crowds for its buzzing match-day atmosphere and huge selection of Welsh and craft ales.

Get a pint of Brains Dark and a pickled egg.

Mold Alehouse, Mold

Up for CAMRA Wales Pub of the Year 2026, Mold Alehouse is a top-tier micro-pub in a Grade II-listed building with no TVs, live music or spirits.

Instead, the landlords focus on cask beer and quality chats.

Best places to stay

I’ve stayed in hotels, B&Bs and glamping sites across the country; here are some of my favourite stays:

Parkgate Hotel, Cardiff

My favourite four-star stay is housed in a former post office and county court.

Parkgate has all the hallmarks of a swish city-centre hotel, with a Michelin-listed brasserie and a glass-fronted spa pool overlooking the Welsh Capital.

Llanthony Castaway, Llanthony

There’s no signal in this stylishly converted railway cabin in the remote Welsh countryside, so you’ll have to make do with wholesome campfires and stargazing.

Gladstone’s Library, Flintshire

Unleash your inner Belle at Gladstone Library, the UK’s only residential library, with subtle literary-themed rooms and a bistro.

Home to over 150,000 books and journals, you won’t be short of bedtime reading.

The Harbourmaster Hotel, Aberaeron

A landmark hotel and a favourite of Jeremy Clarkson, the Harbourmaster has 13 maritime-themed rooms and overlooks Aberaeron harbour.

Bag a seat on the terrace with a Spritz and graze on their signature HM Charcuterie.

Browns Hotel

Forever linked to Dylan Thomas, the hotel’s bar was the Welsh poet’s favourite drinking hole.

Uniquely designed rooms have everything you need, like a fancy coffee machine, Welsh wool blankets and a good bath.

My top hidden gem – Elan Valley

The Elan Estate in the underrated Cambrian Mountains covers around 70 square miles of Victorian dams, reservoirs, rugged cycle routes and walking trails.

When night-time conditions are right, you’ll find world-class stargazing opportunities; the estate earned ‘International Dark Sky Park’ status in 2015 and its 45,000 acres are protected from light pollution.

A suspected Hamas member, wanted in Germany over an alleged plot to murder Jewish people, has been found guilty of a knife attack on a bailiff outside his UK home.

Germany-born Mohammed Alfatih, also known as Mohammed Naim, is reported to have acted as a bodyguard to the leader of Hamas before being granted asylum in the UK in 2015 and British citizenship in 2020.

The 40-year-old was found guilty by majority verdict of unlawful wounding, possession of two knives and criminal damage. He was cleared of the more serious charge of wounding with intent.

The incident involving the bailiff happened in Birmingham last year, while Alfatih was under surveillance by a counter-terrorism unit.

During the trial, jurors were shown footage of Alfatih brandishing two large kitchen knives outside his home in the suburb Kings Heath.

However, they were not told of his alleged links to proscribed terrorist group Hamas, as described in a German extradition request, or his reported work as a bodyguard to the former leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh.

While detained for the attack on the bailiff in Birmingham, he was re-arrested after authorities in Germany said he had been part of an alleged plot to attack Israeli targets in Central Europe.

He is expected to be extradited after he has served his sentence in the UK.

Alfatih, who is also said to be the son of a senior Hamas official, could not been named during his trial due to reporting restrictions.

During his evidence, he did not mention the group, but told the court he had been tortured for 25 days while detained in Egypt in 2010.

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A BBC comedian has claimed Brand once assaulted her by “biting her face” – as she warned other celeb predators “we are coming for you”.

Josie Long, 44, told how the convicted rapist “chased me around” while the pair were backstage, despite her telling him she “didn’t like it”.

After describing the “overwhelming” experience with Brand – who was this week jailed for ten years – Long called out the “toxic” culture in comedy.

The comedian then vowed to expose others in the industry as she warned “we are coming for you… I hope you never sleep again”.

Speaking on the Novara Live podcast, Long – who was 22 at the time of the alleged assault – said it “took a lot” to make Brand stop.

She said: “I actually had an experience with Russell Brand… where backstage he would bite my face and I would tell him I didn’t like it and he would chase me around.

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“I would like giggle because I was 22 and it was overwhelming. But I remember I had to be very… it took a lot for him to stop.

“And it’s funny now to reckon with that and to be like, ‘Oh, that was a physical assault, wasn’t it?’.”

She added: “Let’s look forward to the next ten years.

“And also please let me say this very clearly, all other misogynists in comedy, we are coming for you and I hope you never sleep again.”

The BBC comic has become the latest high-profile name to speak out against Brand both before and after his trial.

Fellow female comedian Katherine Ryan said she feels “grief and relief” following Brand’s jail sentence.

The stand-up star added there are “a lot of women speaking privately and quietly” following the verdict, who feel “a very nuanced mix of emotions”.

A clip of the Canadian discussing outing an industry “predator” on a show has recently resurfaced after Brand’s conviction.

Ryan shared the screen with the disgraced star on the Comedy Central series Roast Battle in 2018, before he was axed.

In a 2018 podcast with Louis Theroux, she claimed to have confronted the unnamed man “again and again” while they worked together.

Ryan added word of the notorious abuser was an “open secret” in the industry as she told the shameful star to his face he was a “predator”.

The late Sean Lock has also been praised for publicly slamming Russell Brand in resurfaced TV clips.

The comedian ripped into convicted rapist on an episode of the Channel 4 show 8 Out Of 10 Cats in 2014.

Lock, who died from cancer in 2021, has since been lauded for his behaviour around Brand.

TV presenter Vanessa Feltz recently said there was “something extremely chilling about him” when asked about a chilling exchange with the rapist.

the TV presenter and broadcaster appeared on Brand’s chat show, 1 Leicester Square, back in 2006.

In the clip, Brand asked if he could “have it off” with Vanessa’s two daughters to which the TV presenter firmly said “no you may not”.

Doubling down, Brand declared: “Come on, some of them are adults.”

Appearing visibly more offended, Vanessa then struck a more serious tone, telling Brand: “I’ve got two daughters, the answer is no.”

Vanessa has spoken about the clip on several occasions since and remained vocal about Brand’s “chilling” behaviour.

Recalling the incident, said that his comment was “a  pretty revolting thing to say to anyone, especially a mum.”

She added: “I was quite friendly with him. I found him vastly entertaining. I was absolutely mesmerised by the stream of words, the charisma.

“He just announced, in this unbelievably dispassionate way, that he would like to have sex with me and both my daughters.

“I couldn’t pretend I thought that was funny. It didn’t seem to be a joke.

“I realised then that there was something extremely chilling about him. Something very ruthless and a bit scary and intimidating.”

Fallen comic and actor Brand was jailed for ten years and six months at Southwark crown court on Monday.

He was last week convicted of raping a woman he met at one of his gigs in 2009.

The fiend was also found guilty of sexually assaulting three other women at the height of his fame between 2004 and 2009.

Sentencing him, Mr Justice Bennathan branded Brand “a sexual predator” who had used his fame to prey on fans.

Brand, who denied all charges, has been held at HMP Wandsworth in South London since his conviction.

And The Sun has since revealed the fiend is set for a move to the “Monster Mansion” prison where paedo singer Ian Watkins was killed last year.

The former Hollywood star Brand is being assessed for the switch to HMP Wakefield.

It is seen as safer despite the stabbing death of Watkins.

But a source said: “Brand will have an incredibly tough time.”

Only two consumer discretionary stocks currently carry long standing Sell Quant Ratings, spanning sub-industries such as specialty retail and distributors.

DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. (DKS) leads the list with a Sell rating that has persisted for 36 consecutive days, followed

A day after the Democrats swept to victory in the midterms, online right-wing discourse in the aging corners of Facebook turned to calls for an armed conflict with Muslims and socialists.

“Vote from the rooftops” said the caption on an image of a sniper taking aim from a rooftop. The slogan is a euphemism in rightwing subculture that if voting fails, it’s time to take up arms.

Another post warned of a coming civil war with “no one left to protect Muslims and social democrats” if they defund the police.

“I got a feeling that Abdul El Sayid won’t be around too long,” said another post, referring to the Michigan senator-elect, who faced one of the ugliest islamophobic campaigns.

Hate speech and calls for violence online aren’t new. But the problem has grown worse in recent years, experts said, after social media platforms including Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram rolled back content moderation and fact-checking policies over fears of censorship and bias.

Anti-immigration rhetoric, election denialism and health skepticism are recurring themes for violent and false narratives in extreme right-wing online subcultures, weaponized by politicians. Incendiary speech has been further boosted by AI-powered slop that’s worsened an ailing information ecosystem.

In the runup to the midterms, wishes of harm and violent threats targeted at candidates running for office jumped fivefold on Elon Musk’s X, according to the Center for Countering Digital Harm, a non-profit based in Washington DC. The research analysed replies to posts from ten candidates in battleground races from Michigan to Texas, and found hundreds calling for violence.

A similar analysis in June found violent threats and hate against U.S. politicians on Facebook quadrupled after Meta cut its fact checking program in January 2025, according to CCDH. Hate and violent speech targeted at President Trump also doubled during that period.

“These findings point to a continued pattern of platforms’ safeguards failing to proactively remove content that contributes to our increasingly violent political culture,” said Imran Ahmed, chief executive of CCDH, a nonprofit based in Washington.

A spokesperson for Meta said the company regularly issues “public reports tracking violating content on our platforms, and the prevalence of hateful conduct did not increase throughout 2025.” Meta removed content it found to violate its policies, the spokesperson said.

Platforms have long struggled to strike a balance between free expression and censorship. Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg began as a free speech absolutist, but had to beef up moderation and introduce third party fact checking after anti-minority hate speech on Facebook fueled real world violence in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Ethiopia a decade ago.

The debate intensified during the COVID 19 pandemic over censoring speech that doubted or joked about the origins of the virus and anti-vaccine content, and culminated in the removal of Donald Trump’s account after inflammatory posts on the day of Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter in 2022 changed the moderation landscape even further. As the billionaire railed against “woke” culture, he fired the platform’s moderation and fact-checking teams. Musk replaced it with the crowdsource program known as Community Notes that enables users to fact-check and flag problematic posts.

When Trump returned as President in 2024, the pendulum had swung back. Accused of censoring conservative views, Zuckerberg in public hearings attributed the pandemic-era speech policing to government pressure, and expressed regret over not speaking sooner. In 2025, he said that across Instagram, Facebook and Threads, the company would remove content filters around immigration and gender.

“The reality is that this is a trade-off. It means we’re going to catch less bad stuff, but we’ll also reduce the number of innocent people’s posts and accounts that we accidentally take down,” Zuckerberg said in a video message. He described Trump’s 2024 victory as a “cultural tipping point” to correct the over-censorship, and replaced fact checking with Community Notes.

Now, explicit calls for civil war or posts calling to prepare for the coming fight are on the rise on social media, experts say, especially in the lead up to and days after the midterms.

“So are we wearing camo or what? Sorry, this will be my first ever civil war,” read a Facebook post. Another image with a rifle read: “If it’s time to hide them, then it’s time to use them.”

“Problematic content on Meta platforms, which is primarily Facebook and Instagram, has increased after Meta rolled back its kind of fact-checking and anti-hate speech policies,” said Magdalena Wojcieszak, UC Davis professor of communication.

She pointed to an April study that found that Instagram failed to remove 93% of flagged hateful and extremist content by white supremacist and Nazi accounts.

Wojcieszak’s research showed that Meta’s stricter moderation before the 2020 election reduced misinformation exposure by 72%. However, contrary to popular belief, reducing exposure alone did not alter political attitudes or diminish polarization.

Meta has argued that the greater tolerance of offensive speech has resulted in fewer overall complaints about content takedowns.

“Should we prefer to catch 95% of hateful speech at the cost of mistakenly flagging 1% of unobjectionable content, or is it better to live in a world in which 99% of hateful speech is caught but 5% of unobjectionable content is taken down? There’s no right answer,” said Olivier Boutin, UC Berkeley PhD student, studying political misinformation.

Other platforms also have loosened their rules about policing content. Last year, YouTube also began encouraging its moderators to leave up videos that may break its policies, increasing the threshold for offensive content to half a video, from a quarter.

Zuckerberg had called for the Trump administration’s support to push back against governments in Europe and Latin America pressuring American platforms to censor. Meta has moved its U.S. content moderation teams to Texas out of California, and has taken the stance that it will wait for people to report content before taking it down to reduce censorship.

UC Davis’ Wojcieszak said lasting change is possible only with regulation and penalties for platforms spreading hate.

“Without stricter and overt regulation, I do not think that the ‘blue wave’ will change anything by itself,” Wojcieszak said, referring to the big win by Democrats in the midterms. “Like I cannot imagine that suddenly Musk or other platform CEOs would say, ‘Oh, you know, now the Democrats are my best buddies. Let me change back to stricter moderation policies.’”

Still, many believe the Democrats’ win has set the stage for tougher tech and platform regulation.

Alex Karp, chief executive of Palantir, reasserted his “progressive” credentials earlier this week after playing a key role in Trump’s deportation campaign. Meta’s Washington whisperer, Joel Kaplan, who helped Zuckerberg get close to Trump, will quit after a 15 year stint.

Some argue that there needs to be more consistency to avoid big swings between strict content moderation and free-for-all speech.

“We don’t want this ridiculous pendulum swinging where [tech CEOs are] sucking up to whoever’s in power,” said Ahmed of CCDH. “What the people want is transparency and accountability. So, if they [social media platforms] do contribute to causing real world harm, we should be able to hold them liable for it.”