WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge agreed Friday to block the Trump administration from enforcing a policy limiting news reporters’ access to the Pentagon, agreeing with The New York Times that key portions of the new rules are unlawful.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman in Washington, D.C., sided with the newspaper and ruled that the Pentagon policy illegally restricts the press credentials of reporters who walked out of the building rather than agree to the new rules.

The Times sued the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in December, claiming the credentialing policy violates the journalists’ constitutional rights to free speech and due process.

The current Pentagon press corps is comprised mostly of conservative outlets that agreed to the policy. Reporters from outlets that refused to consent to the new rules, including from The Associated Press, have continued reporting on the military.

Friedman, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Bill Clinton, said the policy “fails to provide fair notice of what routine, lawful journalistic practices will result in the denial, suspension, or revocation” of Pentagon press credentials. He ruled that it violates the First and Fifth amendment rights to free speech and due process.

“Those who drafted the First Amendment believed that the nation’s security requires a free press and an informed people and that such security is endangered by governmental suppression of political speech. That principle has preserved the nation’s security for almost 250 years. It must not be abandoned now,” the judge wrote.

Times attorney Theodore Boutrous said in a statement that the court ruling is “a powerful rejection of the Pentagon’s effort to impede freedom of the press and the reporting of vital information to the American people during a time of war.”

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.

It has argued that the policy imposes “common sense” rules that protect the military from the disclosure of national security information.

“The goal of that process is to prevent those who pose a security risk from having broad access to American military headquarters,” government attorneys wrote.

Times attorneys claim the policy is designed to silence unfavorable press coverage of President Donald Trump’s administration.

“The First Amendment flatly prohibits the government from granting itself the unbridled power to restrict speech because the mere existence of such arbitrary authority can lead to self-censorship,” they wrote.

The judge said he recognizes that “national security must be protected, the security of our troops must be protected, and war plans must be protected.”

“But especially in light of the country’s recent incursion into Venezuela and its ongoing war with Iran, it is more important than ever that the public have access to information from a variety of perspectives about what its government is doing — so that the public can support government policies, if it wants to support them; protest, if it wants to protest; and decide based on full, complete, and open information who they are going to vote for in the next election,” Friedman wrote.

Friedman said the “undisputed evidence” shows that the policy is designed to weed out “disfavored journalists” and replace them with those who are “on board and willing to serve” the government, a clear instance of illegal viewpoint discrimination.

“In sum, the Policy on its face makes any newsgathering and reporting not blessed by the Department a potential basis for the denial, suspension, or revocation of a journalist’s (credentials),” he wrote. “It provides no way for journalists to know how they may do their jobs without losing their credentials.”

The Pentagon had asked the judge to suspend his ruling for a week for an appeal. Friedman refused.

The judge ordered the Pentagon to reinstate the press credentials of seven Times journalists. But he said his decision to vacate the challenged policy terms applies to “all regulated parties.” Friedman gave the Pentagon a week to file a written report on its compliance with the order.

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Associated Press writer Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.

He wrote: “They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices.

The 2026 Oscars saw Jessie Buckley win best actress for her searing portrayal of a mother’s grief in Hamnet. But the film is also a story about a “green witch”, for Agnes Hathaway is no ordinary woman. She is a herbalist, healer and daughter of a “forest witch”.

In Maggie O’Farrell’s prize-winning novel of the same name, we first meet Agnes in her “witch garden” as her stepmother disparagingly calls it. We learn of her love of nature and that she has the gift of second sight, tuning into nature’s signs. There are other hints too: she has a “familiar”, a kestrel, which represents Agnes’s wild nature.

When her future husband Will Shakespeare first meets her he is struck by her direct gaze, her almost masculine energy. Her searching fingers grip the flesh between his thumb and forefinger to glean his essence. Agnes is independent, unruly, a creature of the forest. In the film’s opening scene she is curled up asleep among the tangled roots of a huge tree which serves as an arresting motif in the film.

The powerful story of Agnes the healer and forest witch highlights an aspect of witchcraft often overlooked in more sensationalised and darker versions of witchcraft, such as in the TV series Mayfair Witches. It also points to a growing form of modern witchcraft today, known as “green witchcraft”.

This form has its roots in “natural magic” – the practice of using plants, herbs and the natural world for benevolent purposes. Doreen Valiente, who wrote the book Natural Magic in 1975, refers to “green magic” in her text, foreshadowing what was to become a popular form of witchcraft 40 years later.

Green witchcraft also has close links with goddess spirituality, which celebrates the divine feminine as a counterbalance to the divine masculine dominance of traditional religions.

As the name suggests, green witchcraft draws on environmental concerns and often has an eco-feminist emphasis – women caring for the earth and all living entities on it, and opposing the exploitation of nature for human ends.

Green witchcraft has become so popularised that my colleague Pauline Maclaran and I devote a chapter to it in our forthcoming book, Bewitching Consumer Culture: Witchcraft, Feminism and Markets.

Historically in Britain, the witch figure inspired fear, fascination and suspicion. The brutal witch-hunts and widespread persecution of women that occurred from the mid-16th to the mid-18th centuries have made the witch a powerful figure for feminism. Our book explores the growing interest in witchcraft in the marketplace, revealing how the witch has evolved into a feminist heroine for our times.

Growing interest

Interest in the subject has burgeoned in recent years. When working on our book, a google search on “green witchcraft” resulted in 675 million hits, and “green witch” had 705 million hits. An Amazon search returned over 2,000 publications, mostly published in the last five years. There is now a plethora of books on the topic, and numerous podcasts, blogs and YouTube videos devoted to the subject.

Many green witches have huge followings, and share their practices on social media sites such as TikTok (aka WitchTok), YouTube and Instagram. These visual mediums enable them to share potions, spells, tips and advice on their practice of walking the green path. They also display their green witch aesthetic in terms of lifestyle, home décor, and especially green altars or shrines dedicated to nature. Posts often take the form of inspirational quotes, invocations or affirmations.

Green witchcraft particularly attracts young women concerned about climate change and living sustainably. This might include organic gardening, growing plants and foraging, appealing to those seeking alternative, nature-based spiritual paths. Its emphasis on balance, wellbeing and mindfulness is another important part of its appeal.

It speaks to a feminist perspective too, as it advocates a feminine ethic of care and respect for nature and living in harmony with the earth, as well as offering a means for empowerment, self-determination and self-growth.

Central to green witchcraft practices is the creation of ritual altars dedicated to nature. These shrines may be inside on a windowsill or outdoors in a corner of the garden. The altar faces the direction of the element the green witch most identifies with (north for air, south for water, east for fire and west for earth).

Ritual artefacts used by green witches include white-handled knives (bolines) for cutting herbs, cauldrons, chalices, wands, candles, crystals, smudge sticks for cleansing energy (using white sage, juniper, lavender or cedar), and divination tools such as oracle cards and witches’ runes. These are a set of symbols, such as the sun, moon or other elemental designs that each have their own meaning. The symbols are inscribed on things like candles or stones and are then “cast” to answer a question asked.

Some practices, when shared, also enable green witches to inspire others in the community to follow the green path. Common to other forms of contemporary witchcraft, green witchcraft has its grounding and centring practices, setting intentions, manifesting, affirmations and of course “spellcasting”.

In many ways green witchcraft reinforces the age-old association of women as nature’s guardians. Importantly, it also recasts the witch figure as a caring, benign force for good. The green witch plants, tends and respects nature. She is nature’s healer, close to nature’s secrets and respectful of its power, much like Agnes in Hamnet.

In their solitary practices and through their online and offline communities, green witches can be seen as powerful counter-cultural influencers. They encourage young women in particular to feel empowered to harness the healing power of the feminine aspect through a spiritual practice rooted in respect for nature and its cycles.

Across a variety of social media platforms, ever-growing numbers of green witches inspire others to follow the nurturing, soulful and environmentally kind green path. The sympathetic and moving portrayal of Agnes in the 16th-century setting of Hamnet will probably be an additional source of inspiration.

US President Donald Trump has criticised the UK’s delayed response after ministers agreed to let America use British bases to strike Iranian missile sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz

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US President Donald Trump has stated the UK “should have acted a lot faster” in permitting America to utilise British bases for strikes on Iranian missile installations targeting the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s remarks followed ministers agreeing to allow the US access to British bases for striking Iranian sites threatening the Strait of Hormuz. Downing Street confirmed UK bases would now be available for US “defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships”.

Previously, the Government had only permitted the US to use British bases for targeting missile sites threatening British interests in the region. The decision to grant US access to bases for striking Iran emerged after Trump expressed he was “unhappy with the UK” and other European nations, accusing them of being “non-responsive” during the conflict.

Trump had also previously labelled NATO allies “cowards” for declining to provide warships to reopen the Strait, reports the Express.

Speaking to journalists outside the White House today, US President Donald Trump said: “It’s been a very late response from the UK. I’m surprised because the relationship is so good, but this has never happened before. They were really, pretty much our first ally, all over the world.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch responded to the decision on social media, describing the ministers’ move as “the mother of all U-turns”, whilst the Lib Dems argued “granting further permission for the US to use British bases must first have a Parliamentary vote”.

A Number 10 spokesperson stated: “They confirmed that the agreement for the US to use UK bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes US defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

“They reaffirmed that the principles behind the UK’s approach to the conflict remain the same: the UK remains committed to defending our people, our interests and our allies, acting in accordance with international law and not getting drawn into the wider conflict. Ministers underlined the need for urgent de-escalation and a swift resolution to the war.”

Earlier in the day, Iran’s foreign minister cautioned the UK during a telephone conversation with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper that allowing the US to utilise British bases is viewed as “participation in aggression”.

The Foreign Secretary has issued a warning to Tehran against targeting UK interests, after her Iranian counterpart indicated that Britain’s provision of military bases to the US is regarded as “participation in aggression”. She urged for the immediate restoration of freedom of navigation and repeated the UK’s demand to cease attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities.

Addressing the US receiving authorisation to utilise British bases for strikes on Iranian positions threatening the Strait of Hormuz, shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge commented: “After weeks of dither and finger pointing, the Prime Minister has once again changed his mind and performed yet another screeching U-turn. The Prime Minister had the Navy’s only active minesweeper taken out of the Gulf a week before the war began.”

He further stated “Starmer is weak and indecisive”.

It added: “The trial judge’s decision to raise this issue resulted, for the first time, in a real risk that the claimants, vulnerable victims of terrorism, could face devastating personal liability for legal costs as (a) finding of abuse of process would remove the claimants’ costs protection and require them to pay Mr Adams his full legal costs, a risk that Mr Adams inevitably exploited.

Sophie Ward was rushed to A&E after showing symptoms of meningitis at university, but she was turned away – and the 20-year-old tragically died hours later, it’s been revealed

The parents of a student, 20, who died after contracting meningitis B at university have demanded more action to protect young people from the deadly infection.

Sophie Ward, 20, died with “blood oozing from her eyes” hours after she was misdiagnosed with the flu at an A&E department then discharged. The 20-year-old and her mum had rushed to A&E at Barnet Hospital on the advice of 111 and told medics Sophie’s symptoms fitted those of meningitis.

At 2am the next morning she was “violently sick” as her temperature soared to 39.4C, so she was rushed back to hospital but it was too late to save her – Sophie died around 12 hours later, on July 31, 2023. Sophie’s dad said the “government needs to step up” amid an outbreak in Kent which killed two students last week.

Juliette Kenny, an 18-year-old sixth form student, tragically died on Saturday March 14 after contracting the deadly infection. A 21-year-old student from the University of Kent also died amid the outbreak linked to the Club Chemistry nightclub, in Canterbury.

Sophie, an artist from London, tragically died less than 24 hours after she started to show symptoms. When Sophie’s condition deteriorated after coming home her mother, Alice, frantically dialled 999 and an ambulance arrived within 15 minutes, racing Sophie to resuscitation while “blood seemed to ooze from her eyes”, an inquest into her death heard.

Nearly three years after Sophie’s death, her father Paul Ward said he did not realise his daughter wasn’t fully protected from meningitis because she had the jabs for A, C, W and Y strains as a teen. The menB jab was introduced on the NHS for babies in 2015, meaning the majority of young people born before then are not protected against it unless they have had the jab privately.

Mr Ward, speaking to the Daily Mail, said: “Young people and their parents don’t realise they aren’t protected against meningitis B. The government has allowed that state of affairs to persist.

“They so far haven’t done anything to inform people that they aren’t protected against meningitis. The government needs to step up – even if they don’t make meningitis B what’s called a scheduled vaccine, they could do something in between.”

Just days before the Kent outbreak started, Mr Ward had appeared on ITV News to call for more young people to get the menB jab. He said: “Sophie should be alive, and if she had had the vaccine for menB she would be alive. This devastation – it doesn’t have to happen.”

An inquest, last year, into Sophie’s death heard how the Wimbledon College of Art student was seen two hours later which, retrospectively, should have been 15 minutes when she was first admitted to A&E. Mum Alice told proceedings: “Sophie was a young women, almost 21-years-old…she was dearly loved and gave and received so much joy to her family who knew her so well.

“She was admired by all for her tenderness, her sincerity, her kindness, and her beauty. As a young woman at age of 16 she became adventurous and outgoing, with a wide circle of friends whose company she cherished.” She added: “Her death was preventable and tragic, pain and sorrow that cannot be softened. She was loved and no good comes from her death, but change must come about in hospital diagnoses and protocols.”

A number of food recalls have been issued for various reasons, with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) giving “do not eat” warnings to customers.

Several recalls are currently active, affecting products sold nationwide at a range of UK supermarkets and retailers.

Customers who have purchased any of the affected items are advised to take note of the possible health risks and follow the official guidance.

Food Recalls Explained

Walkers crisp recall

(Image: PepsiCo/Mark Mackenzie)

A packet of crisps sold at UK supermarkets has been recalled by Walkers and shoppers are being warned “do not eat” the affected item.

Walkers is recalling its six-pack of Hot Honey crisps, which can be purchased from Tesco, Ocado and more retailers, because they could contain a Mild Cheese & Onion seasoning which contains milk and is not correctly labelled.

The company said: “Although this product includes precautionary allergen labelling for milk, milk is not included in the ingredients list and therefore the product poses a risk to people with an allergy to milk.”

The affected batch is the six-pack of 25g bags with a best before date of May 16, 2026 and the batch code GBB 584 031.

Hot Honey Walkers! 🔥🍯 At B&M @walkers_crisps #walkerscrisps #hothoney #crisps #wellthisisnew pic.twitter.com/T16lnbpDJU

— Well This Is New (@All_Things_New_) February 8, 2026

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The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned the product may contain milk, which makes it a “possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to milk or intolerance to milk or milk constituents.”

It added: “If you have bought the above product and have an allergy to milk do not eat it.

“Instead, please call the Consumer Care Line on 0800 274 777 or visit contact.pepsico.com/walkers to receive a full refund.”

Walkers confirmed that “no other Batch Codes on this Best Before Code are affected”.

A PepsiCo spokesperson said: “We are recalling a specific batch of Walkers Hot Honey 6 x 25g multipacks from specific UK retailers and wholesalers.

“Some of the packets may contain Mild Cheese & Onion seasoning rather than Hot Honey, meaning the product is incorrectly labelled and may pose a risk to people with an allergy to milk.

“This applies only to product with the impacted batch code.

“No other Walkers or PepsiCo products are in scope for this recall.

“The quality and safety of our products is of paramount importance to us and we sincerely apologise for the error.

“We are working with the Food Standards Agency, impacted retailers and allergen groups to inform consumers.”

Lidl recall

null (Image: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

Lidl has apologised to shoppers after it was forced to recall a snack product.

The supermarket is recalling Snaktastic Multigrain Bites Sour Cream & Black Pepper because it may contain pieces of foil.

The affected bags have a best before date of April 4 and a batch code of 207 345.

A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) warned: “Lidl GB is recalling the above product. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling this product.

“These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.

“If you have bought any of the above product do not eat it. Instead, return it to a Lidl GB store for a full refund.

“For further information contact Lidl GB’s Customer Care team on 0203 966 5566 or at customer.care@lidl.co.uk .”

A Lidl spokesman added: “No other Snaktastic products in Lidl GB stores are affected by this recall.

“If you have bought the above product we advise you not to eat it.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your cooperation.”

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Aptamil recall

Parents have been warned not to use a batch of baby formula because it may contain a toxin that could make their child ill.

Danone has recalled its Aptamil First Infant Formula because of the possible presence of cereulide toxin.

The toxin can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps, and is unsafe to consume.

It is produced by some strains of Bacillus cereus and is highly heat stable meaning it is unlikely to be destroyed by cooking, or when making the infant milk.

Friday 23 January: @Danone recalls Aptamil First Infant Formula because cereulide (toxin) has been found in this batch #FoodAlert https://t.co/1z8zL5bd4t pic.twitter.com/rqjkOYQFcW

— Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) January 23, 2026

The impacted batch of formula has a best before date of October 31, 2026.

A Danone spokesman said: “It was sold in May – July 2025. The expiry date, batch and time can be found on the lower back of the pack.

“No other batches are affected by this notice.

“Customers who still have products from this batch can return it to the shop where they bought it for a full refund with or without a receipt.”

A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) added: “Danone is recalling the above product. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling this product.

“These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.

“If you have bought any of the above product do not feed it to babies. Instead, return it to the shop where they bought it for a full refund with or without a receipt.

“For further information, contact the Aptamil Careline team on 0800 996 1000 or at www.aptaclub.co.uk .

“Even if you have not identified ill-health in your baby as a result of consumption of this product, it is essential to stop using it.

“If the infant formula was prescribed by a health professional for your infant, consult a pharmacist or other medical professional before changing formula.

“If you have fed this product to a baby and have any concerns about potential health impact, you should seek advice from healthcare professionals, using the most appropriate route depending on where you live, (i.e., visit your GP, call NHS 111).”

TK Maxx recall

Drinks products sold at TK Maxx and Homesense have been recalled as they pose a “potential health risk” to some shoppers.

TJX Europe is recalling its Ten Acre Gifts/Coffee Syrup collection because of the safety concerns.

The items were sold in TK Maxx and Homesense between October 2025 and January 2026 and have a best before date of September 9, 2026.

The collection may contain nuts, peanuts, soya and wheat (gluten) which are not mentioned on the label.

A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said: “This product may contain nuts, peanuts, soya and wheat (gluten) making it a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to nuts, peanuts, soya, and/or an allergy or intolerance to wheat or gluten, or with coeliac disease.

“TJX Europe is recalling the above product from customers and has been advised to contact the relevant allergy support organisations, which will tell their members about the recall.

“These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product. 

“If you have bought the above product and have an allergy and/or intolerance to any of the allergens listed above, do not eat it.

“Instead, return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund. Please contact customerservice@tjxeurope.com or 01923473561, for further information.”

What is a product recall?

If there is a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold, then it might be ‘withdrawn’ (taken off the shelves) or ‘recalled’ (when customers are asked to return the product).

The FSA issues Product Withdrawal Information Notices and Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food.

In some cases, a ‘Food Alert for Action’ is issued.

This provides local authorities with details of specific actions to be taken on behalf of consumers.

“I remember watching [Lewis-Skelly] at the Bernabeu and thinking: ‘How is this possible?’, ‘How can you play with no experience at all?’ Now he is entering that difficult time. We had the discussion with him, if we call him up, and straight away he scored for us. So, we have to be careful and responsible.

​Ove and Grethe Andresen’s retrospective application to “regularise” the construction of raised timber decking at their property in Whitby has been refused by North Yorkshire Council over concerns about its impact on the town’s historic conservation area.

​The applicants said that “the development supports the continued residential and holiday use of Kirkby House at Long Steps, Church Street, which is consistent with prevailing patterns of occupation in this part of Whitby”.

​They added that it “provides private outdoor amenity space in a location constrained by steep topography and limited garden provision”.

​However, planning officers described it as “a private benefit ” with “no advantages to the wider public that would outweigh the visual harm caused by the boundary treatment”.

​A planning report also highlighted that the property “already benefited from a much smaller timber side balcony”.

​Cllr Neil Swannick, who represents Whitby Streonshalh, said: “The unauthorised construction is inappropriate in Whitby’s conservation area and likely to cause disamenity to the adjacent residential properties whose residents are entitled to the quiet enjoyment of their homes.”

​The planning report stated: “It is emphasised that the area holds great significance with regard to the Whitby conservation area and, as such, the use of materials is an important factor in relation to the character of the area.

​“It is noted in the assessment that poor-quality boundary treatment can have an adverse impact on the character of the conservation area.”

​The applicants defended the development in a design statement submitted to the authority, stating: “The proposal constitutes a proportionate and contextually responsive intervention that makes efficient use of limited external space within a sensitive historic environment.

​“On this basis, there are no material planning grounds that would justify refusal, and planning permission should be granted for the retention of the decking.

​However, officers concluded that the development “causes an unacceptable level of harm to neighbouring amenity”.

​The retrospective application was refused by North Yorkshire Council.

The Section 106 financial contributions have increased by £275,811 to a new total of £3,466,277 to address the impact of the 37 additional homes and the revised Energy Strategy. However, all non-financial obligations from the previous scheme, such as those relating to affordable housing and viability reviews, remain unchanged.