MIAMI (AP) — The federal trial of a former Miami congressman accused of secretly lobbying for Venezuela’s government during the first Trump administration begins Monday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to testify over his interactions with his old friend.

Prosecutors allege David Rivera was a hired gun for former President Nicolás Maduro, leveraging Republican connections from his time in Congress to push the White House to abandon its hard line on Venezuela’s socialist government.

Rivera, who at one time had been Rubio’s roommate in Florida, allegedly persuaded then Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez — now Venezuela’s acting president — to award him a $50 million lobbying contract to be paid by state oil company PDVSA. As part of the alleged foreign influence campaign, prosecutors say Rivera was aided by Texas Republican Rep. Pete Sessions and a convicted Cali cartel associate as he sought meetings with the White House and Exxon Mobil on Maduro’s behalf.

The trial offers a rare glimpse into the often unseemly role Miami — long a haven for exiles, corruption and anti-communist crusaders — plays in shaping U.S. policy in Latin America. As such, it is perhaps fitting that Rubio, Miami’s most prominent politician, is set to take the stand Tuesday about his meetings with Rivera while the former congressman and an associate were allegedly helping Maduro mount a charm offensive in Washington.

Also likely to face scrutiny is Rodríguez, who relied on Rivera to set up meetings in New York, Caracas, Washington and Dallas in a bid to build U.S. support for normalizing relations with Venezuela — an effort that failed at the time but now appears within reach, albeit on unequal terms, following Maduro’s ouster and the ascent of his more pragmatic aide.

“This case is about two things: greed and betrayal,” prosecutor Roger Cruz said in his opening statement Monday. “The evidence will show that for $50 million these two defendants made a pact to secretly lobby for Nicolás Maduro, the communist director, and his second in command Delcy Rodriguez.”

Indictment details alleged covert lobbying and money-laundering scheme

An 11-count indictment, unsealed in 2022, charges Rivera and Miami political consultant Esther Nuhfer with money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent.

Prosecutors allege that to hide their work, Rivera set up an encrypted chat group called MIA — for Miami — with his main conduit to the Maduro government: Venezuelan media tycoon Raúl Gorrín, who was subsequently charged in the U.S. with bribing top Venezuelan officials.

Members of the group used playful code words to discuss their activities: Maduro was the “bus driver,” Sessions “Sombrero,” and millions of dollars “melons,” according to prosecutors.

Rivera, 60, denies wrongdoing. His attorneys counter that his one-man firm, Interamerican Consulting, was hired by an American subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-owned oil company — not PDVSA itself — and therefore did not need to register as a foreign agent.

His consulting work, they say, was focused on positioning Venezuelan-owned Citgo in the U.S. energy industry and was wholly distinct from his peacemaking efforts, which involved working with Maduro’s opponents to usher in leadership less hostile to the U.S.

But plaintiffs in a parallel civil case accuse Rivera of doing little of the promised work and using the contract as cover for illegal lobbying. Of the roughly $20 million he received, $3.75 million went to a South Florida company that maintained Gorrín’s luxury yacht.

‘No turkey’ without Rubio

Rubio’s expected testimony is highly unusual — not since Labor Secretary Raymond Donovan testified at a mafia trial in 1983 has a sitting member of the president’s Cabinet taken the stand in a criminal trial.

While Rubio isn’t charged and there’s no indication in the indictment that he acted improperly as a senator at the time, prosecutors say Rivera viewed him as a key ally in his outreach to the White House. For Rubio, prosecutors said in a pre-trial hearing last week, contact with Gorrín offered a backchannel to Caracas at a time U.S. authorities had detected a possible death threat against him from Venezuelan socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello.

Rivera and Rubio met at the senator’s Washington home on July 9, 2017, according to the indictment. Rivera, the indictment says, told Rubio that he was working with Gorrín, who had persuaded Maduro to accept a deal in which he would hold free and fair elections.

“Remember, U.S. should facilitate, not just support, a negotiated solution,” Rivera texted Rubio two days later as the senator was set to meet Trump, the indictment says. “No vengeance, reconciliation.”

Following a second meeting between Rubio, Rivera, Gorrín and others, Rivera remarked in the chat that the bus driver — Maduro — would have to pay him for setting up the meeting with Rubio. Without the senator’s support, Rivera said, there would be “no turkey,” he wrote.

The outreach quickly unraveled, however. Later that month, Trump sanctioned Maduro and labeled him a “dictator,” launching a “maximum pressure” campaign to unseat the president. Rubio took to the Venezuelan airwaves to press the White House’s agenda.

“For Nicolás Maduro, who I am sure is watching, the current path you are on will not end well for you,” Rubio said July 31, 2017, in a rare 10-minute address to the Venezuelan people that aired on Gorrín’s network.

The State Department declined to comment.

Outreach to Exxon for Rodríguez

After the contract was signed, Rivera and Gorrín arranged a meeting in New York City between Rodríguez, then foreign minister and a PDVSA board member, and Sessions, whose Dallas-area district included Exxon’s headquarters.

Later, Sessions tried to broker a meeting for Rodríguez with Darren Woods, who had succeeded Trump’s then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as CEO of Exxon. Rodríguez was looking to resolve a long-running investment dispute and lure Exxon back to Venezuela in order to revive the OPEC nation’s collapsing oil industry. The meeting never happened as Exxon rebuffed the outreach.

Almost a year after helping Rivera make inroads with Exxon, Sessions secretly traveled to Caracas for a meeting with Maduro arranged by Gorrín and Rivera, the indictment says. As part of the effort, Sessions also agreed to deliver a letter from the Venezuelan president to Trump.

The defense team also wanted Maduro and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles to testify. Maduro, through a lawyer, said he would invoke his constitutional right to remain silent if compelled, while prosecutors successfully quashed an attempt to subpoena Wiles, who was a registered lobbyist for Gorrín’s Globovision network at the same time the media magnate was working with Rivera.

Before being elected to Congress in 2010, Rivera was a high-ranking Florida legislator. During that time he shared a Tallahassee home with Rubio, who eventually became Florida House speaker.

Rivera has previously faced controversy, including allegations he secretly funded a Democratic spoiler candidate in a 2012 congressional race. Last year, federal prosecutors dropped the case after an appeals court threw out a sizable fine imposed by a lower court. Rivera was also investigated — but never charged — for campaign finance violations and a $1 million contract with a gambling company while serving in the Florida legislature.

Rivera has denied any wrongdoing and said both investigations were politically motivated.

A Channel 4 reality show contestant, 33, has shocked viewers after revealing he is a grandfather. Yes, you read that correctly.

The new series, The Hunt: Prey Vs Predator, drops a group of 10 into the ‘vast, unforgiving forest’ where they are pitted against one another in a game of ‘cat and mouse’ all for the prize of £100k.

During introductions among our group of adventurers, ex-military man-turned-dentist Nathan revealed he was a ‘father of six’, which was already a shock to his co-stars, including prison officer Marc.

Nathan, married to his wife Carly, then casually added: ‘And a grandfather of one’, although he quickly caveated that ‘we don’t use the word grandad because it’s really uncool, so we use Papa’.

In a separate chat to the camera, he joked: ‘Life is always on the go. This is a break, this is a holiday.’

Nonetheless, the grandfather revelation left fans gobsmacked.

‘He’s 33 and he’s a grandad!?,’ X user Tom James Clark wrote.

‘Surprised no one had follow-up questions for Nathan being a grandad at 33!?,’ MishyMoo added.

‘Nathan. A grandad, at 33?!!!’ Millie echoed.

Shedding more light into his hectic life, he shared ahead of the series premiere: ‘Me and my wife run a casting agency and two private drama schools. Life’s busy. I’m a normal lad from the north and I’m just up for a bit of a laugh.’

Discussing what motivated him to sign up for the show, he said: ‘I really want to do this to prove to myself that I can.

‘I’ve got a condition called FND [Functional Neurological Disorder], which means that I have seizures and I also get weakness in my left-hand side, so it’s a personal challenge to see whether I can still get up and run around a forest.’

In order to win, he’ll have to be the last one standing after a cutthroat game of ‘action-packed hunts’, and ever-shifting allegiances.

More generally, fans have gotten behind the strategy-based new show.

‘Between this and handcuffed, Channel 4 is kind of bringing back good reality competition shows,’ luke praised.

‘I really enjoyed tonight’s The Hunt prey vs predator premiere, like the format of this new game,’ Darrennpassey agreed.

The Hunt: Prey vs Predator airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 4.

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MOMA Foods is recalling various porridge pots and sachet products because of possible mouse contamination at the manufacturing site, making them “unsafe to eat”.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned consumers “do not eat” the affected products and instead return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund.

Sunday 22 March 2026. MOMA Foods is recalling various porridge pots and sachet products because of possible mouse contamination #FoodAlert https://t.co/ZcBEqAqWP1 pic.twitter.com/1FrDYUyX61

— Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) March 22, 2026

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Full list of MOMA Foods porridge products being recalled

The nine MOMA Foods porridge products included in the recall, according to its website and the FSA, are:

• MOMA Almond Butter & Salted Caramel Porridge Pot 55g (1pk, 8pk and 12pk) – M5296, M5297, M5303, M5304, M5315, M5339, M5342 (batch codes)
• MOMA Apple, Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Porridge Pot 65g (1pk and 8pk) – M5261, M5328, M5329, M6026, M6027
• MOMA Banana & Peanut Butter Protein Porridge Pot 65g (1pk and 8pk) – M5248, M5251, M5304, M5307
• MOMA Blueberry & Vanilla Porridge Pot 65g (1pk and 8pk) – M5283, M5284, M5285, M5335, M5336, M6027, M6028
• MOMA Cranberry & Raisin Porridge Pot 70g (1pk, 8pk and 12pk) – M5293, M5294, M5295, M5321, M5322, M5329, M5330, M5331
• MOMA Golden Syrup Porridge Pot 70g (1pk, 8pk and 12pk) – M5241, M5244, M5245, M5261, M5293, M5311, M5314, M5346, M5349
• MOMA Plain No-Added Sugar Porridge Pot 65g (1pk and 12pk) – M5279, M5280, M5281, M5308, M5309, M5310, M5311, M5345,
• MOMA Almond Butter & Salted Caramel Porridge Sachets 7x40g (1pk and 5pk) – M5289, M5290
• MOMA Apple, Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Porridge Sachets 6x40g (1pk and 5pk) – M5293, M5294, M5295

MOMA Foods added: “Even though the chance of contamination of any of the above products being affected is low, we have taken this precautionary step to ensure the safety of our consumers.”

The company confirmed that no other products are affected.

MOMA Foods and FSA issue “do not eat” warning

Both MOMA Foods and the FSA have both warned consumers “do not eat” the nine porridge products mentioned in the recall.

MOMA Foods said: “Any consumers who have purchased affected MOMA porridge products are asked not to consume them.

“Instead, they should return the products to the store where they were purchased and a full refund will be issued.”

Shoppers can also email getintouch@momafoods.co.uk for more information.

The FSA added: “Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling these products and on their website.

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

RECOMMENDED READING:

What is a product recall?

If a food product has a problem that makes it unsellable, it may 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 inform consumers and local authorities about food safety issues.

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.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders believe President Donald Trump has done more harm than good on the issue of immigration and border security in his second term so far, according to a new AAPI Data/AP-NORC poll.

About 6 in 10 AAPI adults say Trump has hurt immigration and border security “a lot” or “a little,” according to the survey from AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, compared with about 4 in 10 U.S. adults in a January AP-NORC survey. About two-thirds of AAPI adults — who are generally more likely to be Democrats than U.S. adults overall — also say Trump has “gone too far” when it comes to deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, compared with about half of Americans in general.

Trump’s administration has instituted sweeping immigration measures since he took office, but the past two months have been especially tumultuous. This past January, Trump suspended processing immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries. Arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border have fallen dramatically, but the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests and detentions have soared. In December 2024, daily detentions averaged just under 40,000. Last month, they numbered about 70,000.

The survey was conducted on the heels of the January fatal shootings by ICE agents of two U.S. citizens and their detainment of a Hmong American man — clad only in his underwear — in freezing temperatures.

These immigration crackdowns hit close to home for Jeff Ugai, who lives in Hawaii. On his island, Kauai, nearly four dozen people were arrested in November in immigration raids.

“It seems like the current administration’s efforts have been more almost about cruelty than they have about actually establishing an immigration system that makes sense to this country,” said Ugai, 39, who is a Democrat.

Most AAPI adults believe Trump has crossed a line with deportations

AAPI adults, one of the fastest-growing demographics in the U.S., broadly don’t support Trump’s tough tactics on immigration, the poll found. A separate AAPI Data/AP-NORC survey last fall found that unhappiness about Trump’s immigration approach had risen from earlier in the year.

“We’re also seeing opposition to policies that may not involve violence or violations of due process, but still involve things like banning immigrants from entire countries where there is a history of visa overstays or deporting immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and executive director of AAPI Data.

In this poll, around 4 in 10 AAPI adults say deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally should be a low priority for the U.S. government, an increase from about one-third just after Trump took office. About one-third of AAPI adults now say these deportations should be a moderate priority, and only about 2 in 10 say they should be a high priority.

Fran Peace, 75, of Oroville, California, still sees deporting immigrants here illegally as a high priority. But the Japanese American retiree disagrees with stopping people based on “stereotypes” like their looks or if they have an accent. She also is open to a citizenship path for those who’ve lived here for years and haven’t committed a crime.

“I don’t think you should just have to go back automatically, but the laws don’t say that,” Peace said. “If you’re illegal you go back. But I think there should be some concession made for the people that have been here a long time.”

Most AAPI adults are unhappy with immigration enforcement tactics

Most AAPI adults, 73%, have a “somewhat” or “very” unfavorable opinion of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE.

AAPI Republicans have a much less negative view of the agency than AAPI adults overall, with only about one-third saying they view ICE negatively. But only about one-quarter of Republicans overall had an unfavorable opinion of ICE in a February AP-NORC survey.

There’s also widespread opposition to several hardline immigration policies, with about 6 in 10 saying they oppose large-scale immigration enforcement operations in neighborhoods with high populations of immigrants, and about 7 in 10 against allowing immigration enforcement agents to cover their faces when arresting people.

Prohibiting face coverings would be like body cameras, “helping keep people accountable,” Ugai said.

AAPI adults divided over whether illegal immigration threatens US workers, welfare

The AAPI adult population is split on whether immigrants here illegally have a large impact on social welfare resources and crime. About 4 in 10 AAPI adults think immigrants in the U.S. illegally pose a “major risk” of burdening welfare and safety net programs. A similar share see this as “a minor risk.” Only about one-quarter see “not a risk at all.”

On the question of whether immigrants here illegally will commit crimes, about one-third of AAPI adults see this as a “major risk,” while about half think it’s a “minor risk.” Only 15% say it’s “not a risk at all.”

Peace credits Trump with driving down crime like drug trafficking because before his second term, the U.S. “practically had open borders.”

But Daniel Kim, 65, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, thinks that immigrants pose little risk in terms of crime.

A Democrat and Korean American, he previously volunteered at a church to assist refugees with food and donations. He stopped going to his own evangelical church over church leaders’ insistence on remaining apolitical.

“The church leadership just could not make the connection or could not find it in their hearts to think (about) the issues involved with the treatment of foreigners in our country,” Kim said.

___

The poll of 1,197 U.S. adults who are Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders was conducted Feb. 2-9, 2026, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based Amplify AAPI Panel, designed to be representative of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.6 percentage points.

This poll is part of an ongoing project exploring the views of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, which are usually not highlighted in other surveys because of small sample sizes and lack of linguistic representation.

When there’s a major crisis in the UK, you may hear the name Cobra being mentioned in the news.

It sounds very ominous – and to a large extent it is, when you find out more about why Cobra meetings are held.

They’re essentially emergency briefings which are called when there’s a national or regional crisis, or during events abroad with major implications for the UK.

The name comes from where these meetings are held – in the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms, which can be abbreviated to COBR.

You might be able to tell where this is going – one of the rooms is designated the letter A, leading to the handy acronym Cobra.

The rooms are located at 70 Whitehall, which is the Cabinet Office main headquarters just behind 10 Downing Street.

There has only been one – rather blurry – photo released of Briefing Room A, which was sent out after a Freedom of Information Request in 2010.

Those involved in briefings can include security and intelligence officials, civil servants, military chiefs, senior government ministers and leaders of emergency services, depending on what sort of crisis has taken place.

The Prime Minister will usually chair Cobra meetings, especially if the crisis at hand is more severe. However, this isn’t necessary, and another person can be nominated to chair.

It is roughly equivalent to the White House Situation Room, which became famous during the operation to kill Osama Bin Laden in 2011.

A meeting was first called to respond to the miners’ strike of 1972, and has since covered events including 7/7, the Paris attacks, the 2017 Westminster attacks, and the Covid pandemic.

Among the more recent Cobra meetings was prompted by the Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear sites last year, which led to the so-called Twelve-Day War.

Iran was to be the focus of a Cobra meeting again today, with Keir Starmer gathering ministers and officials to discuss the conflict in the Middle East.

Measures to keep fuel prices affordable and avoid an escalation in the cost-of-living crisis would likely be discussed.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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Klevi and Nivalda Pirjani were jailed for life after murdering their tiny son Miguel Pirjani in November 2024 after being “systematically abused” by his parents

This is the harrowing moment a couple were arrested after murdering their 13-week-old baby.

Klevi and Nivalda Pirjani were jailed for life after murdering their tiny son Miguel Pirjani in November 2024 after being “systematically abused” by his parents. Police have now revealed shocking bodycam footage showing the sick parents’ attempts to feign ignorance over the murder.

The video also included the 999 emergency call, where it was revealed the baby had stopped breathing, and had already starting turning a different colour. Mum Nivalda Pirjani tried to appear confused when police told her the baby had a fractured skull, whereas dad Klevi burst into tears on the floor.

Little Miguel was left with numerous broken bones and a bleed on the brain, after being subjected to repeated assaults during his short life. The husband and wife later blamed one another for his death, with the mum claiming the dad had “lost control” before headbutting and kicking their son.

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READ MORE: Baby killer claims her freedom is being blocked – because she refuses to admit her guiltREAD MORE: Heartbreaking moment woman weeps over body of Brit drowned on dream holiday

Both were sentenced to life in prison earlier today at Liverpool Crown Court. Nivaldi Pirjani was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of at least 15 years and three months behind bars.

Klevi was told he must serve at least 19 years before having any chance of release. He appeared to be wiping away tears as he learned his fate, closing his eyes and hanging his head at one stage before taking of his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

Nivalda meanwhile showed no reaction, sitting with her arms folded as she was jailed for life. Klevi also looked to his left towards his wife at once stage before he was taken down to the cells, while she remained facing forwards.

Sentencing, Mr Justice Baker, the High Court judge who presided over their trial, told them: “The best of medical science could not save Miguel Pirjani. He died from the irreversible effects of severe trauma to the head and neck.

“Migel was 13-and-a-half weeks old when he died. You were his parents, and you killed him by what must have been an act of appalling violence, intending him to suffer really serious harm. It is possible that you intended to kill him to be rid of him, but I am not sure that was your intention.

“I am sure that the fatal trauma Miguel suffered involved a heavy blow or series of blows to the right side of his head. Precisely how that was inflicted, I cannot say. Whether there was a single blow to head or several, I cannot say.

“Whether Miguel’s head was battered onto a hard surface or some blunt object was battered onto his head, I cannot say. I cannot even say which of you did that. I think it is more probable that it was you Klevi.

“I cannot say precisely when or how Miguel was fatally battered or even be sure about which of you fatally battered him. Only you two know. You have chosen not to tell anyone. What exactly happened to Miguel that morning remains the guilty secret of a warped relationship where you came first to one another. The interest of Team Klevi and Nivalda came first.

“The jury were sure it was encouraged by the other of you, both of you intending Miguel to suffer at least grievous bodily harm. The fatal assault was not a one off incident that came out of the blue.

“There must have been an escalation in the violence against Miguel in the final few days, culminating in the assault on the 24th of November. It did not matter which of you launched the final fatal assault. You were in this together, encouraging each other and intending that defenceless infant boy to suffer really serious harm.

“It was an abuse of power and gross abuse of trust of the bond between a baby and parents. I consider there to be no mitigation available to you Klevi. I acknowledge the difficult start you had in life, affected by armed conflict and the deaths of your father and young sister. However, I do not believe that offers any reason to reduce the sentence.

“In your case Nivalda, you were of previous good character. You were suffering from post natal depression and estranged from your own family.

You have shown a measure of remorse through your parting words to Miguel and through some of what you said to the jury. That is rendered a little shallow by your determination to fight your trial, which extended to trying to limit your criminal responsibility.”

Localist – The Food Merchant, based in East Kilbride, launched in 1994 (as Food From Scotland Ltd) with the aim of helping independent food businesses in Scotland grow.

Over the years, the company has expanded and begun helping local food suppliers across the UK get their products to major retailers, including Morrisons, Co-op, and Waitrose, and food services.

Localist delivered 4,000 products per week to more than 2,500 retail stores and 1,000 contract catering units, according to The Grocer.

Co-op was one of the major retailers Localist – The Food Merchant used to provide products to. (Image: PA)

The company changed its name to Enterprise Foods Ltd in 2001, before rebranding again in 2025 to Localist – The Food Merchant.

Localist – The Food Merchant shuts down after entering liquidation

Now, after 32 years, Localist – The Food Merchant has ceased trading after entering liquidation, according to Companies House.

The closure of the wholesaler has resulted in the loss of 71 jobs.

George Lafferty of BTG was appointed liquidator by Hamilton Sheriff Court on March 18.

Managing partner of BTG in Scotland and Northern Ireland, Thomas McKay, speaking to the Glasgow Times, said: “The directors had made efforts to restructure the debt of the company in order to save the business and rescue the jobs, and the loss of the jobs was sadly inevitable when this was not successful.

“There are many small suppliers to the business that are owed money, and the loss of this route to market will also have a serious knock-on effect on these food producers as well. 

“We are working to assess all claims and establish whether there will be any dividend paid to unsecured creditors, but it is not likely to be significant, given the level of secured debts in the business.

“Regrettably, the failure of the company has resulted in 71 redundancies and we are working closely with those affected to help them access the financial entitlements and support available to them, including assistance from Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) and the Redundancy Payments Service.

“Our priorities now include ensuring these employees receive the guidance and advice they need during this process, and that we maximise the return from the sale of assets to the benefit of creditors.”

Turbulent start to 2026 for UK high street

It has been a rough start to 2026 for the UK high street, with several retailers entering administration and others announcing widespread store closures.

Major high street retailers, including River Island, Primark, and Poundland, have already been forced to close stores in 2026, while Revolution and BrewDog have shut the doors to 21 and 38 pubs, respectively.

Several other retailers have fallen into administration recently, including:

Meanwhile, four UK travel companies have closed in the opening weeks of 2026:

EcoJet Airlines, billed as “the world’s first Electric Airline”, has also entered liquidation after just three years, resulting in the cancellation of all planned flights.

UK delivery company Yodel is set to be phased out over the coming months after being acquired by InPost.

Tesco also recently revealed plans to cut 380 jobs in stores across the UK, while it’s been reported that Morrisons is looking to sell some of its in-store pharmacies as it continues to cut costs.

It’s not been all bad news for the UK high street, with several major brands announcing new store openings for 2026, including Aldi, M&S, and Superdrug.

Which of these recent insolvencies or closures has affected you the most? Let us know in the comments below.

Bonus points caught some flak at the end of the Six Nations.

Had champions France drawn their high-scoring game against England in the final round, rather than winning it by one point, they would have finished top of the standings despite having won one fewer match than second-placed Ireland.

However, the concept came good at the end of Leicester’s win over Bristol on Sunday.

With the clock in the red, Leicester 28-19 up and each team having scored three tries, the Bears were attacking hard deep inside the host’s half.

Bristol couldn’t win the game, but a try would deliver them two bonus points and keep them within one of Leicester in the table and the race for a top-four finish.

When replacement Tigers’ hooker Finn Theobald-Thomas turned over the ball, it seemed Leicester would take the money and kick to touch.

Their coach Geoff Parling certainly thought so.

“Could you not hear me at the end? I wanted us to kick it off,” he said later.

Instead, despite the rest of the backline standing flat and fatigued and the left-hand touchline invitingly close, Izaia Perese flung a long pass the other way.

Freddie Steward caught it, kicked a pinpoint bomb across to Billy Searle, who fed inside to Gabriel Hamer-Webb to streak in to secure Leicester’s own four-try bonus.

It was a sensational finish.

Bea Pollard has made quite an impression on EastEnders fans since rocking up in the Square earlier this year, introduced as an old acquaintance of Linda Carter (Kellie Bright).

The newcomer made a memorable and uncomfortable entrance in January when she encountered Linda at a high school reunion.

Having only recently returned to Walford at the time, Linda was clearly unsettled by the idea of revisiting her past, and she even considered pulling out altogether.

However, her mum, Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) was determined not to let her hide away, convincing Linda that she needs to get herself out there.

Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton) was left thrilled at the prospect of attending the reunion and eagerly volunteered to go along for moral support and a night out.

Together, Linda and Honey headed to the event, but things quickly take an unexpected turn when Bea rocked up – and this led to a series of events in the months since as Bea will and truly made her presence felt.

Who is Bea in EastEnders?

Bea is an old school friend of Linda’s. Her debut appearance came in January when Linda improvised at the school reunion and handed Honey a name tag which said ‘Bea’ to get her into the event.

The real Bea Pollard subsequently turned up at the reunion, exposing the lie and setting the stage for an explosive confrontation.

Bea struck up a conversation with Honey, she began to share her version of events from their school days, and it paints a very different picture of Linda to the one viewers might expect.

According to Bea, Linda was far from innocent at school and allegedly bullied her, a claim that leaves Honey shocked and Linda visibly rattled. It’s clear that Bea and Linda remember their past very differently, and the uncomfortable exchange forces Linda to confront aspects of her younger self that she’d rather forget.

Though Linda disputed her version of events, she decided that she should make amends for what Bea felt during their time at high school and thus invited her to stay at Peacock Palace after she was kicked out of her home.

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Bea was thrilled but it soon became clear that there was more to her than meets the eye.

After feeling like she was getting under Elaine’s feet, she decided to move out of the B&B, instead taking up residence at Honey’s home while she, Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) and the kids headed away on a trip.

Billy returned home last week and found Bea’s presence unsettling as she grew closer to the Janet and Will. When Honey returns home this week, the situation escalates further, making for some intense scenes along the way.

Who plays Bea in EastEnders?

Bea Pollard is played by Ronni Ancona, a hugely recognisable face to British TV audiences.

Best known for her work on sketch shows such as ‘The Big Impression’, Ronni has built a career on sharp comedy, uncanny impressions, and memorable character performances. She’s also appeared in hit series, including Still Game and Skins, making her a familiar and respected figure across the industry.

Ronni’s casting was announced in early December, when it was revealed she would be joining EastEnders for a short stint as Bea, one of Linda Carter’s old school acquaintances.

Initial details were deliberately vague, teasing that Bea and Linda would come face-to-face at a high school reunion in the new year, with hints that their shared history wasn’t as straightforward as it first appeared.

At the time of the announcement, Ronni said: ‘I am honoured to have been invited to join the iconic institution that is EastEnders, and to go on this whirlwind of a journey with such an unpredictable, nuanced and complex character as Bea. I hope audiences have as much fun watching her as I have had bringing her to life.’

This role marks Ronni’s first appearance on EastEnders, but the soap holds a special place in her career history. She famously spoofed the show and its characters in sketch shows, including a well-known parody filmed on the very bench in Albert Square where her first EastEnders scene takes place.

‘Stepping onto the actual set for the first time was an especially strange experience,’ Ronni admitted. ‘My first scene was on the bench in the middle of Albert Square, exactly where Alastair and I once filmed our sketch The Bench of Tears.

She also shared a surreal moment filming inside The Queen Vic, recalling her much-loved impression of the late Barbara Windsor as Peggy Mitchell. ‘I couldn’t help remembering my impression of Peggy, which mostly involved me shuffling around on my knees in padded knee guards because Barbara was so much shorter than I am,’ she laughed.

Thankfully, the current cast have embraced her arrival, with Ronni revealing that Jessie Wallace even did Ronni’s own impression of Kat Slater back to her on set.

As for what’s next, Ronni has teased that viewers should expect ‘lots of twists and turns and lots of unexpected developments’ as Bea settles into life in Walford.

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One.

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