A14 Cambridgeshire traffic LIVE after collision shuts busy road with police at scene
The road is closed with delays on approach to the closure and diversion routes
Calls for one of the creepiest Epstein emails to be unredacted
Social media users are calling for the author of one particularly egregious email to be unredacted from the Jeffrey Epstein files.
A message sent to Epstein’s ‘vacation’ email account in 2014 featured the vulgar note about the ‘littlest girl.’ When put in the context of Epstein’s child sex trafficking crimes, the email is even more heinous.
‘Thank you for a fun night,’ the email reads, followed by the second line: ‘Your littlest girl was a little naughty.’
It was sent March 11, 2014 from an iPhone to Epstein’s account jeevacation@gmail.com, which is the email repeatedly featured in the files.
Everything in the email is included except for the name of the sender, which, like many other names in the files, is covered with two black bars concealing their identity.
The message was just one of the 3.5 million documents, images and correspondences included in the Justice Department’s drop of Epstein files last week.
Americans are furious, however, over the selective redaction of the emails.
Social media is demanding that the DOJ un-redact the name of someone who sent an email to Jeffrey Epstein saying: ‘Your littlest girl was a little naiughty’
The latest Epstein files drop shows several egregious emails between the convicted child sex offender and other rich, powerful and influential people – though many names remain redacted
Critics claim the black bars and blocks throughout the files do little to protect victims like the Justice Department promised. Instead, they complain, it many times conceals the identities of those who were in contact with Epstein and allegedly potentially involved with his parties and sex trafficking ring.
The DOJ did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment on whether there will be consideration to reveal portions that were previously redacted and black-barred.
The email to Epstein about his ‘littlest girl’ was sent six years after the offender was sentenced to 18 months in a Florida jail for charges of solicitation of prostitution from a minor.
‘America deserves to know who the f**k this person is,’ a furious X user wrote with an image of the redacted email.
Another said: ‘I second this.’
Following negotiations conducted in 2007, Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to state charges in Florida as part of a plea deal to avoid federal charges that could result in life in prison. At the time of the ‘secret arrangement,’ the Florida US Attorney’s office was headed by Alexander Acosta.
Epstein served 13 months of the 18-month sentence in a private wing of the Palm Beach County jail. He got a cushy deal and was allowed to leave jail six days every week for a ‘work release’ that spanned 12 hours every day.
He began the sentence the summer of 2008 and was released on probation in July 2009.
There are several nefarious messages sent between Epstein and other rich, powerful and famous men after his release from jail.
‘I Read My Teen’s Messages And Saw Something Inappropriate’
Most children of secondary school age (we’re talking 12- to 15-year-olds) have a smartphone – and some of them will be allowed to have one on the condition they’re happy to give their device up every now and then for their parents to check.
But what happens if, during one of these checks, you spot something that makes your heart sink? And what about if your teen hasn’t given you permission to check their phone, but you’ve seen a notification flash up that’s left you worried?
It’s a minefield – and there’s no set rule for tackling this, as everyone’s situation will be different. That said, experts have shared their thoughts on how to approach this tricky moment, without causing a huge rift.
If you DO have consent to look at your child’s phone…
Counselling Directory member Bella Hird told HuffPost UK parents who have an agreement in place with their child where they can do spot checks “are in a very good starting place”.
“Think of your child’s phone a little as you would think of the world. They need your support to navigate it. There will be places and situations that, until they reach a certain age, you would not let them wander off into unsupervised,” she said.
If there’s a message on their phone that worries you, the therapist advises having a chat with your child about it: “Approach the conversation with your child with honesty and curiosity. So for example, explain ‘this kind of message really worries me and I want to know we are keeping you safe, can you explain to me a little about the context?’.”
She then urges parents to allow their child the space to explain. Try not to react in fear or anger as this will simply shut the conversation down. Punishments will simply drive a wedge further, too.
Richard Drury via Getty Images
Education and child psychologist Dr Sasha Hall said the key here is offering a calm and proportionate response, rather than punishment.
If messages involve adult or sexualised content, the psychologist said key considerations include: whether the material is age-appropriate; whether there is any risk, pressure or coercion; and whether the young person understands boundaries and consent.
“Adolescence is a stage where children need increasing autonomy and privacy compared to earlier childhood, but this should be matched with developmentally appropriate safeguards,” she added.
“The aim is not to remove independence, but to support safe decision-making while those skills are still forming.”
Bird added that it’s important to help your child understand that it is OK to make mistakes and that being open with you will ultimately end with them feeling supported with potentially difficult or dangerous scenarios.
“Explain to your child what it is about the message or what you have seen that has concerned you and ask them if they understand your worries,” she said.
“They will probably tell you there is nothing to be concerned about, in which case ask them to explain more.”
There might be times when you think your child is in danger – for example, they are being groomed – in which case, you will need to take action. Bird said “it is really important to try to take your child on that journey with you”.
She advised: “Explain to them why you are doing what you are doing it and give them as much agency as possible – so, for example, in the case that you need to involve the police, you should explain that you need to do that and why, and let them know what is likely to happen. But give them choices like ‘would you like me to explain to them or would you like to?’ and ‘who would you like with you?’
“Avoid making them feel punished or ashamed because these experiences are a real barrier to connection and collaboration. They are still learning about the world and that’s OK.”
If you DON’T have your child’s consent to look at their phone
If you don’t have your teenager’s consent to look at their phone – and you’ve done so and seen something that is cause for concern – Bird suggests asking yourself two questions.
Firstly, what is the worst thing that will happen if I address this? And secondly, what is the worst thing that will happen if I don’t address this?
“I am sure the answer to the first question involves making a teen angry and having an impact on levels of trust, but the answer to the second question is likely to make your decision to act or not pretty simple,” she added.
“When talking to your teen, take responsibility. Apologise for not being open with them about looking at their phone, but explain your reasons for doing so.”
Dr Hall noted that in this instance, repair becomes especially important.
“Acknowledging the breach of trust, explaining the concern clearly, and working together to renegotiate boundaries helps model accountability and respect,” she said.
“Repairing trust is often more impactful than the original rule-setting, as it teaches young people how relationships recover after mistakes.”
Once you have resolved the matter of concern, talk to your teen about how you will balance privacy and safety moving forward.
Dr Hall concluded: “Ultimately, phone safety is not about constant surveillance. It is about gradually teaching young people how to manage privacy, boundaries and risk online, while maintaining an open, supportive line of communication so they know they can ask for help when they need it.”
8 ways to feel happier in 2026 according to confidence expert Jules Von Hep
If happiness feels elusive right now, you’re not imagining it. At this time of year, most of us are operating in a constant state of low-level overload – screens, notifications, comparison, economic pressure – while being sold increasingly unrealistic ideas of what “feeling good” is supposed to look like. The result? Happiness has become something people feel they’re failing at.
Jules Von Hep, confidence coach and author of The Confidence Ritual, takes a very different approach. After two decades working in the beauty industry – often with people at their most vulnerable, undressed in a spray tan booth – he is less interested in mindset hacks and far more interested in consistent daily behaviours that, little by little, can change how we see ourselves and dramatically alter our self esteem and happiness levels.
“Confidence isn’t a personality trait,” he says. “It’s how you treat yourself on an ordinary Tuesday. This is what I tell people who come to my events.”
After years of helping people glow from the outside, Von Hep is now more concerned with helping the UK find its inner glow. He believes that confidence, gratitude and small daily wins also known as “glimmers” can make a bigger difference than any trend or product. A former beauty industry professional and self tan brand founder turned author and sound healer, he has spent years helping people feel better about themselves, not by changing their lives overnight but by shifting the way they approach the everyday. Here, he shares his practical tips for starting the year with more positivity and presence.
1. Start with what feels good
Von Hep’s career began almost by accident in beauty and fashion, but it taught him an important lesson: “If I’m doing something every day, I need to enjoy it. Otherwise, it doesn’t work.” In his book he shares practical tips to identify ways to feel happier and how to change the situation you’re in so that it supports a more confident version of yourself.
“I decided to stop following the career that I thought I should have, and just literally lean into what is feeling good… what am I enjoying? Let’s keep going. I always encourage people to do the same. Stop for a second and think about what you like in your life and what you want more of.
Practical tip: Focus on what’s already working in your day. Even small wins like finishing a task, having a smooth commute, enjoying a cup of coffee. Make a note of these things and try to spend more time doing them so that you build momentum from “happy tasks” or “happy moments”.
2. Notice the ‘glimmers’
Von Hep also uses the concept of “glimmers” – a concept developed by Deb Dana in her book The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy. Glimmers are the small, often overlooked moments of satisfaction or joy throughout the day. They are not milestones, they are the details that make a day feel lighter.
“One of my favourites is, if you have a journey from A to B and it was seamless, there was no traffic, no congestion… that is something to be really happy about. If your favourite coffee comes with a small biscuit, oh, how lovely. That’s a glimmer.
“Living a life with glimmers has made me happier, and I know it has a ripple effect out of my community… when you tune in and focus, you won’t take them for granted.”
Practical tip: Keep a glimmer log. Take notes, photos, or even screenshots of moments that make you feel good. On tougher days, you’ll be able to look back and notice that joy exists, even in small doses.
3. Reframe how you see yourself
Von Hep’s journey to confidence started by changing the way he treated himself: focusing on appreciation rather than flaws. He explained in an episode of the Well Enough podcast that after years of struggling with body image, he set himself a challenge to “nourish, not punish” himself and to see himself through a different lens.
“I realised that life doesn’t have to be lived in this one way that I was living it. It’s not the landscape that changes, it’s the viewpoint. I focused on what brings me inner joy. Instead of wearing clothes to look a certain way, I wore clothes that made me feel good and I ordered my favourite drink and enjoyed my day.”
Practical tip: Replace one negative thought with a neutral or positive one daily. Notice the negative thought and actively replace it with something better and kinder. Over time, these micro-adjustments shift your perception and increase self-confidence.
4. Curate your energy
Who you spend time with affects mood and confidence. Von Hep explains that in your life there will be “energy radiators” and “mood hoovers”. This goes for in person and who you follow and the content you consume online.
He says: “The energy radiators are people you’re excited to see and they leave you feeling amazing days after. Then you’ve got the mood hoovers… who you dread. Life’s too short. People pretend it’s infinite but it’s really too short to spend with people who make you feel bad about yourself. You control the scroll. If people are making you feel good, engage with them. If not, unfollow or mute.”
Practical tip: Audit your social and professional circles. Reduce time spent with people who consistently drain you, and seek real-life and online communities that reinforce positivity. Create a feed or list of accounts that teach, inspire, or make you laugh. Your digital environment should reinforce positivity, not undermine it.
5. Use music and movement deliberately
Von Hep swears by “kitchen raving” and says that if you put on your favourite song and dance, even while cooking or doing chores, it can instantly flush out negative thoughts and boost your mood.
“It sounds so simple, but it has this amazing power to make me feel more authentically myself and shake off negative energy. It’s probably why I became a sound healer, I love the power of music,” he says.
“I had a panic attack on a work trip… I laid on the hotel floor, put on my favourite song, and closed my eyes. That song pulled me out of that space. From then on, I realised music isn’t just about performance, it’s about this inner, deeper self.”
Practical tip: Schedule 5–10 minutes daily for conscious movement to your favourite songs. Dance, stretch, or just move around the room. Consider it a mental reset rather than exercise and enjoy moving freely to whatever music you choose.
6. Combine gratitude with awareness
“Gratitude isn’t just a list, it’s noticing what’s already in front of you” says Von Hep. “Unless you’re grateful for what you’ve got, you never really learn how to be in the present.”
He encourages using glimmers and gratitude with everyday awareness and to take stock of what you do have, rather than what you want or what other people seem to have.
“It’s really easy to be rich in a non-financial sense… The little things matter.”
Practical tip: Each evening, note three things that went well. Include sensory details like the smell of coffee, a smile from a friend, sunlight on your face. This strengthens your perception of positive moments.
7. Make self-care practical
Von Hep is critical of the “toxic wellness” culture that promises instant transformation: “A candle and a bubble bath aren’t going to change your life. Consistency is what matters. Small actions make daily life more manageable.”
He explains that self-care is important but that it should be tangible and be less about giving yourself a little treat and more about caring for your brain and body every day over the course of your life.
Practical tip: Focus on habits that consistently improve your wellbeing like drinking water, walking and writing in a gratitude journal, rather than chasing trends or products.
8. Build consistency through community
Whether online or in person, Von Hep explains that regular interaction with supportive people reinforces confidence and gratitude. Community is in his view a great way to feel better about yourself and feel less alone.
“Go to the same class every week and chances are someone else will too. Friendships don’t happen overnight, but you have to take steps to change your environment.”
Practical tip: Commit to one weekly activity where you interact with like-minded people. This might be a run club, a book club, a yoga class or a meet-up for people who like the same hobbies that you do. Over time, this exposure to community helps integrate confidence and presence into daily life.
“It’s not about transformation. It’s about maintenance. Small actions make daily life more manageable,” says Von Hep.
For 2026, that might mean keeping a glimmer log, dancing in the kitchen, or prioritising interactions that lift rather than drain you. These steps aren’t dramatic, but they compound. Over time, they create a foundation of confidence and presence that will stay with you no matter what life throws at you.
Read more: The science behind a good night’s sleep, according to every expert I spoke to this year
Colorado forwards fighting inconsistencies heading into ASU matchup
The Colorado men’s basketball team has been at its best when the entire rotation is sharing the production.
Certainly the Buffaloes aren’t unique in this regard. Yet on a team devoid of a marquee individual star, the need for top-to-bottom production is critical for the Buffs. It’s a notion head coach Tad Boyle has reiterated throughout the season.
Still, it’s equally true two of the most versatile and longest-tenured Buffs, forwards Bangot Dak and Sebastian Rancik, need to be at their best for the Buffs to thrive. The duo has struggled to perform consistently in recent weeks as CU has lost seven of its past eight games, but Dak, Rancik and the rest of the Buffs have another opportunity to get back on track when they host Arizona State on Saturday night.
“For us to be as good as we want to be, those two guys are very important to us,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “But so are Jalin (Holland) and Josiah (Sanders). So are Barrington (Hargress) and Isaiah (Johnson). Everybody’s important to this team.”
Neither Dak nor Rancik has been mired in an extended slump. But as often happens with players still trying to reach their high ceilings, consistency has become a challenge.
In the past eight games, Dak has posted four single-digit scoring games with four double-digit scoring games, his two performances this week exemplifying the struggles for consistency. After going 7-for-8 with 14 points in Sunday’s win against TCU, Dak struggled to a 2-for-8 mark with five points during Wednesday’s loss at Baylor.
Dak did lead the Buffs with six rebounds at Baylor. But while Dak remains on pace for his second consecutive top-15 blocked shot season in team history, the Baylor loss marked his third consecutive game without a blocked shot. Dak previously had not suffered back-to-back games without a blocked shot all season.
Rancik has experienced similar ups and downs. Against TCU, he went 6-for-8 with 17 points and six rebounds. Against Baylor, Rancik went 1-for-5 with five points, matching a season low, and he went without a rebound for the first time since the season opener. After scoring at least 11 points in 10 consecutive games, Rancik has alternated single-digit scoring games with double-figure games over the past seven contests.
“There’s no better two games to look at than the TCU game at home and the Baylor game on the road that sheds a light on their inconsistency,” Boyle said. “But they’re not the only ones. At home, they’re 13-for-16 with 10 rebounds between them. They had six rebounds (at Baylor), and one guy didn’t get one.
“I doesn’t matter where you play, it doesn’t matter who you play. I’m just looking for consistent effort, consistent production. And if you don’t have it, it’s like throwing darts at the dart board as a coach. Because you don’t know what you’re going to get from a certain guy on any given night. And that’s frustrating.”
As was the case for Sunday’s win against TCU, the matchup against ASU presents a chance for the Buffs to bounce back favorably after an ugly result on the road. CU opened Big 12 Conference play with a win at ASU on Jan. 3, and the Sun Devils had lost five of their previous six games before winning at Utah on Wednesday.
“The challenge is to make our guys understand how much better Arizona State is today than they were when we played them in January,” Boyle said. “Their record may not reflect it. But I just know watching Arizona State on tape, they gave Central Florida all they wanted on the road. They played Arizona tough two times. They just beat Utah on the road. Arizona State, they’ve gotten better.”
Arizona State Sun Devils at CU Buffs men’s basketball
TIPOFF: Saturday, 7:30 p.m., CU Events Center.
TV/RADIO: ESPN2/KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM.
RECORDS: Arizona State 12-11, 3-7 Big 12; Colorado 13-10, 3-7.
COACHES: Arizona State — Bobby Hurley, 11th season (180-162, 222-182 overall). Colorado — Tad Boyle, 16th season (325-214, 381-280 overall).
KEY PLAYERS: Arizona State — G Maurice Odum, 6-2, Sr. (17.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 6.2 apg, .369 3%); C Massamba Diop, 7-1, Fr. (13.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, .591 FG%); G Anthony Johnson, 6-3, Sr. (13.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, .453 FG%); G Bryce Ford, 6-4, Jr. (7.8 ppg, .354 3%); F Santiago Trouet, 6-11, R-So. (7.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, .455 FG%); F Andrija Grbovic, 6-11, Jr. (7.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, .369 3%). Colorado — G Isaiah Johnson, 6-1, Fr. (16.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.5 apg, .493 FG%, .418 3%); G Barrington Hargress, 6-1, R-Jr. (13.7 ppg, 4.4 apg, .540 FG%, .523 3%); F Sebastian Rancik, 6-11, So. (12.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, .356 3%); F Bangot Dak, 7-0, Jr. (10.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg, .469 FG%); F Alon Michaeli, 6-9, Fr. (8.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg).
NOTES: With an eye on improving student attendance, CU announced a number of student ticket incentives. Most notably, at every home men’s and women’s game for the remainder of the season, 10 students will win Eldora lift tickets, and one student at each game will win a pair of Blenders Goggles. All students who attend all four remaining men’s games as well as all four remaining women’s games will be automatically allowed to skip the line this summer in purchasing a Sports Pass for 2026-27. … Four players scored in double figures for the Buffs during a Jan. 3 win at ASU, with Johnson’s 19 points leading the way. … The Buffs have been outrebounded in five of the past six games, but they posted a 42-32 rebounding advantage in last month’s matchup at ASU. … The Sun Devils have won three of their past four games at the Events Center, including a 70-68 decision last year. … CU hits the road to face a pair of ranked Big 12 foes next week, starting on Wednesday at No. 13 Texas Tech (6 p.m. MT, ESPN+) and continuing Feb. 14 at No. 14 BYU (2 p.m. MT, Fox Sports 1).
New Computer Simulation Could Light the Way to Safer Cannabinoid-Based Pharmaceuticals | Newswise
Newswise — New psychoactive substances, originally developed as potential analgesics but abandoned due to adverse side effects, may still have pharmaceutical value if researchers could nail down the causes of those side effects. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign used deep learning and large-scale computer simulations to identify structural differences in synthetic cannabinoid molecules that cause them to bind to human brain receptors differently from classical cannabinoids.
“The largest class of NPS are often sold as the street drugs Fubinaca, Chimica and Pinaca,” said chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Diwakar Shukla. “In addition to the adverse side effects, the formulas used to produce NPS vary, making them challenging to detect in standard drug screenings.”
New psychoactive substances are synthetic compounds; one class mimics the effects of classical cannabinoids. However, the study found that NPS tend to activate distinct signaling pathways in the human brain compared to classical cannabinoids. Specifically, they often trigger what’s called the “beta arrestin pathway” rather than the “G protein pathway.” This switch in signaling can lead to more severe psychological effects.
The study’s findings are published in the journal eLife.
“New psychoactive substances bind very strongly to cannabinoid receptors in the brain and are slow to unbind, making them difficult to observe and simulate in standard laboratory or computer experiments,” Shukla said. “It can take a huge amount of computer time to see these rare binding and unbinding events.”
In the lab, graduate student Soumajit Dutta used a new simulation approach, the Transition-Based Reweighting Method, to estimate the thermodynamics and kinetics of slow molecular processes. The team found that TRAM can also be used to observe the rare, slow molecular processes involved in the unbinding of NPS from cannabinoid receptors — by efficiently sampling these events that would otherwise require massive computing resources.
The researchers also used the Folding@Home platform, which enables millions of volunteers worldwide to donate computing power. This approach allowed the team to run many simulations in parallel, stitching the results together and using algorithms to decide which simulations to run next. It allows for the study of very long or rare events that would be nearly impossible with a single computer or a small cluster.
Together, these methods allowed the researchers to uncover new physical insights into how NPS interact with receptors — insights that were previously out of reach due to computational limitations — pointing the way toward the design of safer cannabinoid-based drugs that could avoid harmful side effects.
By revealing the NPS signal via pathways associated with more adverse effects, researchers can now focus on designing new molecules that avoid triggering these pathways for medical use. Shukla said their findings could direct more researchers to aim for compounds that bind less tightly or unbind more readily, potentially reducing the drugs’ harm.
The National Institutes of Health award R35GM-142745 and the National Science Foundation supported this research. Shukla is also affiliated with chemistry, bioengineering, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, the Center for Digital Agriculture and the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology.
Missing 11-year-old last seen in Norwood East: Winnipeg police | CBC News
Listen to this article
Estimated 1 minute
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
Winnipeg police are asking for help finding an 11-year-old who went missing Friday afternoon.
Caszandra Mendoza was last seen at around 3 p.m. in the Norwood East area, police said in an alert issued Friday evening. Police said they were concerned for the child’s well-being.
Caszandra is described as five-feet-one-inch tall, of medium build with medium-length, straight black hair, and brown eyes.
She was last seen wearing a black Columbia winter parka with a brown fur hood, a white Winnipeg Jets T-shirt, black sweatpants and black Sorel boots, the alert said. Caszandra was carrying a black backpack and a black cross-body lunch bag.
Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the Missing Persons Unit at 204-986-6250.
Man, 18, charged with murder of De Montfort University student Khaleed Oladipo
A man has been charged with the murder of 20-year-old student Khaleed Oladipo in Leicester.
Harper Dennis, 18, of North Road, West Drayton, London, has been charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, police said.
Oladipo, a cybersecurity student at De Montfort University, died on Tuesday night after he was stabbed in the chest on Oxford Street in Leicester city centre.
Dennis is due to appear at Leicester magistrates court on Saturday, Leicestershire police said.
The force added he had also been charged with two counts of possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, which are unrelated to the murder investigation.
Oladipo, who was living in Leicester, was described by his family as an “extremely loved son, brother, uncle, boyfriend and friend” with a passion for football.
His family said in a statement: “We cannot begin to put into words how sad we are to have lost Khaleed.
“Khaleed was a good boy who loved his family. He was in his second year at university, and we were so proud of him.
“One of his main passions was football and he had played since the age of four. He was an Arsenal supporter and we believe he was on his way home to watch the game later that night when he was stabbed and killed.
“We want to thank the members of the public who stopped to try and help Khaleed and the ambulance service and hospital staff who did all they could to try and save him.”
Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy calls for faster action to boost air defences as Trump hails ‘very good’ peace talks
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for faster action in boosting Ukrainian air defences and repairing damage to electricity grids and heating systems after huge Russian air attacks in freezing temperatures. The Ukrainian president said personnel changes would be made in areas where air defences had less than satisfactory results. Kyiv has been hit particularly hard and Zelenskyy said more than 1,110 apartment blocks remained without heat in the aftermath of the latest assault on the Ukrainian capital last Tuesday. Night-time temperatures have eased somewhat but were still due to hit -8C (18F). “The small-scale air defence component, specifically countering attacks drones, must work more efficiently and prevent the problems that exist,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address on Friday. “In some areas, defence lines are built better. In others, much more work is needed.”
Zelenskyy also said even faster work was needed in restoring power and heat to residents weary from the recurring night-time attacks. “Every day matters. All decisions must be implemented as quickly as possible,” he said. “There are not weeks and months available for repairs or supplying equipment. Many, many things are being actively accelerated.” Assistance was being redirected to Kyiv from other regions, he said.
Donald Trump has said “very good talks” are ongoing over Russia’s war in Ukraine and that there could be movement as a result. “Very, very good talks today, having to do with Russia-Ukraine,” the US president told reporters on Friday. “Something could be happening.” The Kremlin said earlier that a third round of peace talks should take place “soon”, although there was no fixed date yet. The latest round of talks this week resulted in the two agreeing to a major prisoner swap but failed to yield a breakthrough on the thorny issue of territory. “For two days there was constructive and very difficult work,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday, a day after the talks ended. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff earlier cautioned that “significant work remains” while Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the talks were “not easy” but that Ukraine would remain constructive.
A top Russian military official who plays a major role in the country’s intelligence services has been shot in Moscow and hospitalised, Pjotr Sauer reports state media as saying. Lt Gen Vladimir Alekseyev, 64, was shot several times on the stairwell of his apartment on Friday by an unknown gunman in the city’s north-west and was in serious condition, according to reports. Oleg Tsaryov, a pro-Kremlin Ukrainian figure close to Alekseyev, said the general had undergone surgery and remained in a coma. No party has claimed responsibility for shooting Alekseyev but Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of being behind it, while Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine had nothing to do with the shooting.
The European Commission has proposed a sweeping ban on any services that support Russia’s seaborne crude oil exports, going far beyond previous piecemeal EU sanctions in its effort to stunt Moscow’s key source of income for its war on Ukraine. Russia exports over a third of its oil in western tankers – mostly from Greece, Cyprus and Malta – with the help of western shipping services. The ban would end that practice, which mostly supplies India and China, and render obsolete a price cap on purchases of Russian crude oil that the Group of Seven western powers have tried to enforce with mixed success. EC president Ursula von der Leyen did not specify how the ban would be phased in or whether it would later include refined products – whose price cap is different – and other energy exports such as liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Von der Leyen said on Friday the ban would be “in coordination with like-minded partners” and that Russian LNG tankers and icebreakers would encounter “sweeping bans” on maintenance and other services. She said the package would also include a new import ban on metals, chemicals and critical minerals not yet under sanctions, and restrict even more European exports to Russia.
The US state department has approved the potential sale of spare parts for military equipment and related items to Ukraine for an estimated cost of $185m, the Pentagon said on Friday.
Michael Carrick: Man Utd interim boss hints he wants to stay full time
Asked for his thoughts on what would happen if United’s current run of three straight wins since he took over from interim boss Darren Fletcher last month continued, Carrick adopted a neutral stance.
“I’m loving what I’m doing. I’m here,” he said. “I feel at home here, but I fully understand the situation, so I’m not getting too carried away.”
United have pledged to take their time to assess all suitable candidates to replace Amorim, although a well-placed source with first-hand knowledge of appointing managers and coaches at club and international level has told BBC Sport signing a deal with a World Cup manager prior to the tournament was “a huge risk”, for a number of reasons, including negative publicity from the country involved.
Meanwhile, Carrick confirmed Denmark international Patrick Dorgu could miss 10 weeks with the hamstring injury he suffered in the win at Arsenal last month.
Carrick has also revealed a Football Association (FA) connection between his brother Graeme and Steve Holland led to the former England and Chelsea assistant boss joining him at United.
Holland’s arrival as part of a coaching team that also includes former England international Jonathan Woodgate, former United defender Jonny Evans and the club’s under-21 coach Travis Binnion has been viewed as a masterstroke.
Graeme Carrick was involved in junior player development at St George’s Park around the same time as Stockport-born Holland was joining Gareth Southgate working with England’s under-21 side over a decade ago.
“When talks were progressing and it looked like I might be coming in, I had conversations with my brother and we ended up mentioning Steve,” said Carrick.
“He knew him from the FA and I have come across Steve a number of times.
“I was fully aware of his experience and quality and we clicked straight away.
“He grew up being a massive United fan, which helped to start with but it was also being successful at Chelsea, knowing what it takes to win trophies with different styles, different managers and different types of players.”