Sarah Ferguson is alleged to have been in a sexual relationship with Jeffrey Epstein but there is more to the disturbing love triangle between the pair and Andrew.

The troubling connections between Andrew, Fergie, Epstein and Maxwell have taken an even more shocking turn. Newly released emails and texts from Sarah Ferguson to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, revealed in the latest files from the US Department of Justice, suggest she was once “madly in love” with the disgraced financier and they may have “slept together”.

Millions of documents from the Epstein files have been released online, providing insight into the billionaire pedophile’s life and his connections with associates. They have also revealed new details about his disturbing relationship with Fergie, who he is reported to have “bankrolled” for 15 years.

From messages pleading with the predator to “marry” her to furious texts claiming he had “disappeared” from her life and “used her,” the emails have once again brought their bizarre bond into the spotlight. Their twisted connection has contributed to Sarah’s dramatic fall from grace, alongside her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, who strongly denies any wrongdoing.

This week, on a live episode of his Lownie Report podcast on Substack, royal author Andrew Lownie stated: “Andrew was sleeping with Ghislaine, Ghislaine was sleeping with Epstein … I’ve heard that Epstein and Sarah were sleeping together. It doesn’t surprise me.”

The author, who wrote an explosive biography of the Yorks and spoke to numerous sources close to Andrew and Sarah, has now gone even further with his claims, telling the Mirror : “Sarah Ferguson was madly in love with Epstein and apparently spent several nights with him.”

In July 2025, Maxwell herself claimed Fergie had made advances toward Epstein, saying during an interview with Deputy Attorney-General Todd Blanche that Sarah had “put the moves on Jeffrey”.

On his podcast, Lownie added: “There’s a complicated psychosexual network going on as well as a financial one. Certainly Ghislaine and Sarah were not friends. I think Ghislaine was rather jealous of Sarah and vice versa. She felt that Sarah was moving in on someone she saw as her boyfriend.”

Andrew himself is alleged to have been an “occasional lover” of Epstein’s girlfriend, convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, a claim Lownie says was “common knowledge” within Epstein’s circles.

In Entitled, Lownie states the alleged relationship between Ghislaine and Andrew was on and off over many years. Andrew had previously said he met Ghislaine in Oxford in the 1980s, while the book claims “Andrew resumed his on-off affair with Ghislaine Maxwell” in May 1999, a few months after his 40th birthday.

Both Maxwell and Epstein were invited by Andrew to royal residences over the years. Former police protection officer Paul Page has previously claimed the pair were romantically involved, saying in 2022 he and his colleagues at the palace believe they shared an “intimate relationship”.

“From the way she was allowed to enter and exit the palace at will, we suspected that she may have had an intimate relationship with Prince Andrew,” he told ITV. “She was allowed to enter and exit the Palace night and day at will,” Page claimed, “Myself and my other colleagues formed the opinion they were in some sort of relationship.”

Back in 2007, Epstein admitted he and Andrew “have shared the same women”. He also dubbed the King’s brother his “closest friend in the world”.

Meanwhile, Maxwell has said she regarded Andrew as a “dear friend” following her sex trafficking conviction, but was reportedly “shaken” to learn the former prince’s legal team claimed the pair were never close.

Newly released emails in the explosive Epstein files suggest Ferguson once shared a close relationship with Epstein. In September 2011, Sarah emailed Epstein to congratulate him on having a “baby boy” – it was not previously known he had fathered children – before sending a furious follow-up message just minutes later.

“Don’t know if you are still on this bbm [BlackBerry Messenger] but heard from The Duke that you have had a baby boy,” the initial email reads. “Even though you never kept in touch, I still am here with love, friendship and congratulations [sic] on your baby boy. Sarah xx.”

Just eight minutes later, she wrote: “You have disappeared. I did not even know you were having a baby. It was sooooo crystal clear to me that you were only friends with me to get to Andrew. And that really hurt me deeeply. More than you will know.”

In a separate exchange from 2009, she wrote: “You are a legend. I really don’t have the words to describe, my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness…Xx I am at your service . Just marry me.”

The blaze at Malone House in 1976, caused by two fire bombs, completely destroyed the Ulster Museum’s entire costume and textile collection.

A huge fashion and textiles collection lost in a fire bomb attack in Belfast has been brought back to life 50 years later.

The blaze at Malone House in 1976, caused by two fire bombs, completely destroyed the Ulster Museum’s entire costume and textile collection.

However, after five decades of painstaking work, the museum said the collection has been reborn.

It described a major new exhibition of the collection, named Ashes to Fashion, as a cultural moment for the South Belfast museum, Northern Ireland and the fashion world.

It will reveal 50 years of dedicated collecting, and highlight the expertise and resilience involved in rebuilding a collection from scratch.

Bringing together five centuries of historic and contemporary garments and textiles, the collection has been rebuilt through thoughtful curation, acquisitions, donations and bequests.

Among the highlights of the 120 objects on display is the Lennox Quilt, the only surviving item from the original collection.

Measuring 6ft by 6ft and entirely handstitched, the quilt was made in 1712 by Martha Lennox, the daughter of John Hamilton, one of the first sovereigns, or mayors, of Belfast.

It was purchased at auction by the Ulster Museum in March 1976, and escaped destruction as it was on display at the museum at the time.

The earliest object on display will be a rare stumpwork embroidery casket from the 1660s, donated to the museum in 2025 by renowned needlework expert Lanto Synge.

Other items include silk gowns from the 18th century, juxtaposed with modern pieces including a Chanel Haute Couture suit worn by supermodel Christy Turlington.

A range of pieces by international and local designers will be on display for the first time ever, including items from Northern Ireland-born Jonathan Anderson, as well as Elie Saab, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Rodarte, Christopher Kane and Kindred of Ireland.

Charlotte McReynolds, curator of art at National Museums NI, said Ashes to Fashion allows the museum to tell the story of what happened next, and not dwell on the profound cultural loss.

“The 1976 fire destroyed around 10,000 items in the original collection, with garments affected by flames, smoke, heat and water,” she said.

“For curators, conservators and the wider museum team, the incident represented profound cultural loss.

“Now, 50 years on, it has become an opportunity to reflect on our resilience.

“The exhibition traces the journey from disaster to recovery, revealing the meticulous work undertaken by a succession of curators, beginning with Elizabeth McCrum, to rebuild a new collection from scratch.

“Ashes to Fashion reframes fashion.

“It positions textiles as significant cultural objects that carry stories, emotions and history, which can be both fragile and enduring.”

Kathryn Thomson, chief executive of National Museums NI, said the exhibition is an opportunity to transform people’s perceptions of museums.

She said: “Ashes to Fashion is an honest and powerful response to a devastating moment in our history.

“It acknowledges what was lost, whilst celebrating the extraordinary expertise involved in rebuilding it.

“It demonstrates how creativity and resilience can emerge from even the most devastating circumstances.

“At the heart of the exhibition is a commitment to transparency and reflection.

“Visitors are given rare insight into the behind-the-scenes realities of museum collecting and conservation.

“Resilience and constant renewal are markers of the fashion world, and now also of the Ulster Museum’s own reborn fashion collection.

“We are immensely proud to put on this exhibition, our first major fashion exhibition in 15 years, and look forward to welcoming new audiences to experience the Ulster Museum through the lens of fashion and design.”

Various public talks and workshops in partnership with Ulster University will take place while the exhibition runs, allowing students, designers and the public to connect with Ashes to Fashion beyond the gallery.

The Ashes to Fashion exhibition will open at the Ulster Museum on February 27.

Tickets can be booked at ulstermuseum.org/temporary-exhibition/ashes-fashion.

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Morgan McSweeney has resigned as the Downing Street chief of staff over his role in the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, in what could be a fatal blow to Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership.

Sir Keir’s right-hand man, who was credited with masterminding Labour’s landslide election victory in 2024, has stepped down from the role.

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It comes amid mounting pressure on the prime minister himself to quit over the scandal and is already being perceived as a damage limitation exercise to save Sir Keir’s premiership.

Mr McSweeney was seen as instrumental in the appointment of Mandelson to the most important diplomatic post, a decision which has become an embarrassment for the government following the latest revelations about his relationship with convicted paedophile and financier Jeffrey Epstein.

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In a statement, Mr McSweeney said: “After careful reflection, I have decided to resign from the government. The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself.

“When asked, I advised the prime minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice. In public life responsibility must be owned when it matters most, not just when it is most convenient. In the circumstances, the only honourable course is to step aside.”

He noted that it “has not been an easy decision“ but after months of briefing against him from within Labour he insisted “my motivations have always been simple: I have worked every day to elect and support a government that puts the lives of ordinary people first and leads us to a better future for our great country. Only a Labour government will do that.”

Insisting that he “leaves with pride” he called for a complete overhaul of the vetting procedures in the future warning that they “cannot simply be a gesture but a safeguard”.

Sir Keir said: “It’s been an honour working with Morgan McSweeney for many years. He turned our party around after one of its worst ever defeats and played a central role running our election campaign. It is largely thanks to his dedication, loyalty and leadership that we won a landslide majority and have the chance to change the country.

“Having worked closely with Morgan in opposition and in government, I have seen every day his commitment to the Labour Party and to our country. Our party and I owe him a debt of gratitude, and I thank him for his service.”

But the decision leaves Sir Keir greatly weakened, with the man at the heart of the Starmer project out of government, and there are questions over whether the prime minister can survive in Downing Street without his right-hand man.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said that it raises even more questions about the prime minister himself.

She said: “It’s about time. But once again with this PM it’s somebody else’s fault: ‘Mandelson lied to me’ or ‘Morgan advised me.’ Keir Starmer has to take responsibility for his own terrible decisions. But he never does.”

It came despite his closest cabinet ally, welfare secretary Pat McFadden, saying that Mr McSweeney, who oversaw Labour’s election victory just 19 months ago with him, should not go.

Mr McFadden dismissed the calls for a change of personnel in Downing Street as “beside the point”.

But Lord Blunkett had led the charge for McSweeney to be sacked as the only way Sir Keir can buy himself time to save his badly damaged government.

The former home secretary told BBC Radio 4: “He needs a new chief of staff, he needs an opening up of the routes to him so that people can reach him and he can hear what people are thinking and feeling.”

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Meanwhile, a number of leading female Labour figures including Baroness Ayesha Hazarika condemned “the boy’s club” in Downing Street which had led to the appointment of Mandelson as ambassador to the US.

She said: “Everyone knew Mandelson mixed in these circles. The calculation was these are the slightly tawdry circles in which the US President moves… we need a guy who sits in those hot tubs.”

Mr McSweeney, 48, had already been a controversial figure in the Downing Street operation and was facing demands to resign as recently as December, following a hostile briefing from No10 officials about health secretary Wes Streeting.

A close ally of his Paul Ovenden was sacked from Downing Street when emails with lurid remarks about veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott emerged.

But the outgoing chief of staff has had to fall on his sword after pushing for Mandelson to be made ambassador last year, despite concerns from the Donald Trump administration and red flags raised by the security services over the former Labour grandee’s links to China and Epstein.

Revelations that Mandelson leaked confidential and market sensitive government material to Epstein, as well as maintaining contact with the disgraced financier when he had been found guilty of sex crimes, have seen the Labour grandee forced to quit the party and give up his seat in the Lords.

Embarrassing pictures of Mandelson in his underwear with Epstein have also made the affair even more tawdry but there are claims that the security services warned Downing Street of the problems before he was confirmed as ambassador.

However, McSweeney has been accused of wanting to replicate the Tony Blair era of government and relied on big beasts from that period, including Mandelson, who had been his mentor.

To make matters worse when Sir Keir sacked Mandelson as ambassador in September last year it is understood that McSweeney pleaded to keep him in post.

While some believe McSweeney is being made a scapegoat to protect a prime minister whose own position is in doubt, others believed that McSweeney’s position had become untenable.

He had already caused controversy by ousting the previous chief of staff Sue Grey and replacing her just a few months into the government.

As the man who ran the election campaign in 2024, McSweeney, whose wife Imogen Walker is an MP and party whip, was also blamed for the overpromising in the manifesto which is in part responsible for the various U-turns in recent months.

Along with the prime minister he was also blamed for an apparent lack of direction and narrative in a Labour government which has plummeted to below 20 per cent in the polls and never enjoyed a honeymoon period despite winning a huge majority.

The resignation though has not protected Sir Keir from demands he also quit.

Asked by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg whether Sir Keir should quit, Fire Brigades Union (FBU) general secretary Steve Wright said: “Everybody’s thinking it.”

He joined a growing number of Labour peers and MPs who believe the PM’s position is “untenable”.

He noted that senior figures such as the current deputy prime minister David Lammy, who was foreign secretary at the time of the appointment, and his predecessor as DPM Angela Rayner, have said they advised against appointing Mandelson at the time.

Mr Wright said: “Unfortunately we’re seeing MPs being wheeled out again today to sweep up the mess behind the prime minister at the moment.

“I want to see the change that was promised and that this country needs.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Paul Thomas Anderson won the top prize at the 78th Directors Guild Awards, putting the “One Battle After Another” filmmaker on course to potentially win his first Oscar.

The DGA Awards, held Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, is among the most reliable Academy Awards precursors. In the last 10 years, nine DGA winners have gone on to win best director at the Oscars. In the guild’s nearly eight-decade history, only eight times has the guild not predicted the Oscar winner.

The award adds to a virtual awards-season sweep for “One Battle After Another,” which has won with critics groups, the Gotham Awards and the Golden Globes. It’s considered the favorite for best picture at the March 15 Oscars. Academy voting begins Feb. 26.

The other nominees were Ryan Coogler (“Sinners”), Guillermo Del Toro (“Frankenstein”), Josh Safdie (“Marty Supreme”) and Chloé Zhao (“Hamnet”).

As he’s often done through awards season, Anderson in his brief speech paid tribute to late assistant director Adam Somner, who died in 2024. “Obviously,” he said, “we are up here minus one.”

The awards, hosted by Kumail Nanjiani, were the first presided over by n ew Directors Guild of America president Christopher Nolan. He began the ceremony acknowledging “very hard times” for filmmakers.

“In 2024, our employment in our guild was down about 40%, and that was followed by another decline in ’25,” said Nolan. “The amount of money that people spend on our work, on entertainment, is very, very stable. Audiences are invested in us, we have to be sure that we’re able to repay that investment.”

Other winners Saturday included “The Plague” filmmaker Charlie Polinger for first-time director; “2000 Meters to Andriivka” director Mstyslav Chernov for best documentary filmmaking; and “The Studio” directors Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg for comedy series.

This county has a range of beautiful beaches, and cute wildlife waiting to be discovered

An “often-overlooked” county that is reachable from Cambridgeshire has been named as one of the most beautiful counties in the UK. The UK is full of spots full of natural beauty, with sandy beaches and scenic views, waiting to be discovered and explored.

One of these is the county of Norfolk, with many parts that are reachable by car from Cambridgeshire in under two hours. This pretty county has been named as the seventh most beautiful county in the UK by the Daily Express.

In its ranking, the Daily Express describes Norfolk as a place with “quaint seaside towns” and “stunning stretches of sandy beaches”. It also describes it as “often-overlooked”, but it has “plenty of stunning natural beauty spots”.

A spot recommended by the Daily Express for people to visit in Norfolk is Scolt Head Island, only an hour and 52-minute drive from Cambridge. Scolt Head Island is within the quiet village of Burnham Overy Staithe.

This secluded village is close to the more lively Wells-next-the-Sea. Scolt Head Island is an unspoilt nature reserve, made up of sand and shingles.

If visiting, people will experience a unique mix of salt marshes, tidal creeks, warm pools and rolling sand dunes. It is also filled with special wildlife, including rare birds, terns, insects, as well as mammals and marine creatures.

Another gorgeous spot to visit in Norfolk is Holkham, which also has a nature reserve. Holkham beach is a patch of pristine land, and is considered to be one of the most unspoilt stretches of sand in the country.

It is a great place for dog walkers, or to just enjoy a stroll along the beach all year-round. It is also a favourite beach amongst royalty, as The Household Cavalry enjoy summer breaks there.

The beach is most famous for providing the backdrop for the 1998 film starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Shakespeare in Love. Within Norfolk, there are many other beautiful beaches to visit as it is home to over 50.

These include Hunstanton, Cromer, Great Yarmouth, Brancaster and much more. For animal lovers, Horsey beach is a good place to visit.

This is because it is famous for its large seal colony, making it a unique spot for wildlife spotting. There is much beauty to discover in Norfolk, so why not take a day trip or weekend away from Cambridgeshire?

Cllr for Westhoughton South, John McHugh, was walking his dog around the reservoir, near Lostock, yesterday morning, Saturday, February 7.

The 60-year-old said he spotted one person in a camouflage tent on a nearby farmer’s field and two others, dressed in camouflage, in a field opposite, shooting geese there.

He said another passer-by had already called Greater Manchester Police, and when officers arrived, they climbed over the fence to speak to them.

They were escorted off the land because they were close to the public footpath that runs around the reservoir.

Cllr John McHugh said: “They are absolutely stunning creatures

“The path was close to where they were shooting them

GMP confirmed they were in attendance and all relevant checks were made (Image: John McHugh)

“Probably 200 yards away.

“Those geese are no problem whatsoever.

“They don’t deserve to have their heads blown off for somebody’s pleasure.

“There were a lot of people there who were as aghast as I was at what was going on.”

After speaking with the officers, John said they told him the people did have permission from the farmer to be there and gun licences.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed they were in attendance, and all relevant checks were made, including confirmed gun licences.

They said the people moved on and no further geese were killed, that they have also spoken with the owner of the land and enquiries are continuing.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — For days, Luis Ramirez had an uneasy feeling about the men dressed as utility workers he’d seen outside his family’s Mexican restaurant in suburban Minneapolis.

They wore high-visibility vests and spotless white hard hats, he noticed, even while parked in their vehicle. His search for the Wisconsin-based electrician advertised on the car’s doors returned no results.

On Tuesday, when their Nissan returned to the lot outside his restaurant, Ramirez, 31, filmed his confrontation with the two men, who hide their faces as he approaches and appear to be wearing heavy tactical gear beneath their yellow vests.

“This is what our taxpayer money goes to: renting these vehicles with fake tags to come sit here and watch my business,” Ramirez shouts in the video.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to inquiries about whether the men were federal immigration officers. But encounters like Ramirez’s have become increasingly common.

As the sweeping immigration crackdown in Minnesota continues, legal observers and officials say they have received a growing number of reports of federal agents impersonating construction workers, delivery drivers and in some cases anti-ICE activists.

Not all of those incidents have been verified, but they have heightened fears in a state already on edge, adding to legal groups’ concerns about the Trump administration’s dramatic reshaping of immigration enforcement tactics nationwide.

“If you have people afraid that the electrical worker outside their house might be ICE, you’re inviting public distrust and confusion on a much more dangerous level,” said Naureen Shah, the director of immigration advocacy at the American Civil Liberties Union. “This is what you do if you’re trying to control a populace, not trying to do routine, professional law enforcement.”

A ‘more extreme degree’ of deception

In the past, immigration authorities have sometimes used disguises and other deceptions, which they call ruses, to gain entry into homes without a warrant.

The tactics became more common during President Donald Trump’s first term, attorneys said, prompting an ACLU lawsuit accusing immigration agents of violating the U.S. Constitution by posing as local law enforcement during home raids. A recent settlement restricted the practice in Los Angeles. But ICE deceptions remain legal elsewhere in the country.

Still, the undercover operations reported in Minnesota would appear to be a “more extreme degree than we’ve seen in the past,” said Shah, in part because they seem to be happening in plain sight.

Where past ruses were aimed at deceiving immigration targets, the current tactics may also be a response to the Minnesota’s sprawling networks of citizen observers that have sought to call attention to federal agents before they make arrests.

At the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, the city’s central hub of ICE activity, activists told The Associated Press they had seen agents leaving in vehicles with stuffed animals on their dashboards or Mexican flag decals on their bumpers. Pickups with lumber or tools in their beds were also frequently spotted.

In recent weeks, federal agents have repeatedly shown up to construction sites dressed as workers, according to Jose Alvillar, a lead organizer for the local immigrant rights group, Unidos MN.

“We’ve seen an increase in the cowboy tactics,” he said, though he noted the raids had not resulted in arrests. “Construction workers are good at identifying who is a real construction worker and who is dressing up as one.”

Using vintage plates

Since the start of the operation in Minnesota, local officials, including Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, have said ICE agents had been seen swapping license plates or using bogus ones, a violation of state law.

Candice Metrailer, an antiques dealer in south Minneapolis, believes she witnessed such an attempt firsthand.

On Jan. 13, she received a call from a man who identified himself as a collector, asking if her store sold license plates. She said it did. A few minutes later, two men in street clothes entered the shop and began looking through her collection of vintage plates.

“One of them says, ‘Hey, do you have any recent ones?’” Metrailer recalled. “Immediately, an alarm bell went off in my head.”

Metrailer stepped outside while the men continued browsing. A few doors down from the shop, she saw an idling Ford Explorer with blacked out windows. She memorized its license plate, then quickly plugged it into a crowdsourced database used by local activists to track vehicles linked to immigration enforcement.

The database shows an identical Ford with the same plates had been photographed leaving the Whipple building seven times and reported at the scene of an immigration arrest weeks earlier.

When one of the men approached the register holding a white Minnesota plate, Metrailer said she told him that the store had a new policy against selling the items.

Metrailer said she had reported the incident to Minnesota’s attorney general. A spokesperson for DHS did not respond to a request for comment.

A response to obstruction

Supporters of the immigration crackdown say the volunteer army of ICE-tracking activists in Minneapolis has forced federal agents to adopt new methods of avoiding detection.

“Of course agents are adapting their tactics so that they’re a step ahead,” said Scott Mechkowski, former deputy director of ICE enforcement and operations in New York City. “We’ve never seen this level of obstruction and interference.”

In nearly three decades in immigration enforcement, Mechkowski said he also hadn’t seen ICE agent disguising themselves as uniformed workers in the course of making arrests.

Earlier this summer, a spokesperson for DHS confirmed a man wearing a high-visibility construction vest was an ICE agent conducting surveillance. In Oregon, a natural gas company published guidance last month on how customers could identify their employees after reports of federal impersonators.

In the days since his encounter, Ramirez, the restaurant worker, said he has been on high alert for undercover agents. He recently stopped a locksmith who he feared might be a federal agent, before quickly realizing he was a local resident.

“Everybody is on edge about these guys, man,” Ramirez said. “It feels like they’re everywhere.”

CAIRO (AP) — A limited number of Palestinians were able to travel between Gaza and Egypt on Sunday, after Gaza’s Rafah crossing reopened after a two-day closure, Egyptian state media reported.

The vital border point opened last week for the first time since 2024, one of the main requirements for the U.S.-backed ceasefire. The crossing was closed Friday and Saturday because of confusion about reopening operations.

Egypt’s Al Qahera television station said that Palestinians began crossing in both directions around noon on Sunday. Israel didn’t immediately confirm the information.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to travel to Washington this week, though the major subject of discussion will be Iran, his office said.

Delays and mistreatment accusations

Over the first four days of the crossing’s opening, just 36 Palestinians requiring medical care were allowed to leave for Egypt, plus 62 companions, according to U.N. data, after Israel retrieved the body of the last hostage held in Gaza and several American officials visited Israel to press for the opening.

Palestinian officials say nearly 20,000 people in Gaza are seeking to leave for medical care that isn’t available in the territory. Those who have succeeded in crossing described delays and allegations of mistreatment by Israeli forces and other groups involved in the crossing, including an Israeli-backed Palestinian armed group, Abu Shabab.

A group of Palestinian patients and wounded gathered Sunday morning in the courtyard of a Red Crescent hospital in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis, before making their way to the Rafah crossing with Egypt for treatment abroad, family members told The Associated Press.

Amjad Abu Jedian, who was injured in the war, was scheduled to leave Gaza for medical treatment on the first day of the crossing’s reopening, but only five patients were allowed to travel that day, his mother, Raja Abu Jedian, said. Abu Jedian was shot by an Israeli sniper while he doing building work in the central Bureij refugee camp in July 2024, she said.

On Saturday, his family received a call from the World Health Organization notifying them that he is included in the group that will travel on Sunday, she said.

“We want them to take care of the patients (during their evacuation),” she said. “We want the Israeli military not to burden them.”

The Israeli defense branch that oversees the operation of the crossing didn’t immediately confirm the opening.

Heading back to Gaza

A group of Palestinians also arrived Sunday morning at the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing to return to the Gaza Strip, Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News satellite television reported.

Palestinians who returned to Gaza in the first few days of the crossing’s operation described hours of delays and invasive searches by Israeli authorities and Abu Shabab. A European Union mission and Palestinian officials run the border crossing, and Israel has its screening facility some distance away.

The crossing was reopened on Feb. 2 as part of a fragile ceasefire deal to halt the Israel-Hamas war.

The Rafah crossing, an essential lifeline for Palestinians in Gaza, was the only one in the Palestinian territory not controlled by Israel before the war. Israel seized the Palestinian side of Rafah in May 2024, though traffic through the crossing was heavily restricted even before that.

Restrictions negotiated by Israeli, Egyptian, Palestinian and international officials meant that only 50 people would be allowed to return to Gaza each day and 50 medical patients — along with two companions for each — would be allowed to leave, but far fewer people have so far crossed in both directions.

Hamas negotiations

A senior Hamas official, Khaled Mashaal, said the militant group is open to discuss the future of its arms as part of a “balanced approach” that includes the reconstruction of Gaza and protecting the Palestinian enclave from Israel.

Mashaal said the group has offered multiple options, including a long-term truce, as part of its ongoing negotiations with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators.

Hamas plans to agree to a number of “guarantees,” including a 10-year period of disarmament and an international peacekeeping force on the borders, “to maintain peace and prevent any clashes,” between the militants and Israel, Mashaal said at a forum in Qatar’s capital, Doha.

Israel has repeatedly demanded a complete disarmament and destruction of Hamas and its infrastructure, both military and civil.

Mashaal accused Israel of financing and arming militias, like the Abu Shabab group which operates in Israeli military-controlled areas in Gaza, “to create chaos” in the enclave.

In the forum, Mashaal was asked about Hamas’ position from U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace. He didn’t offer a specific answer, but said that the group won’t accept “foreign intervention” in Palestinian affairs.

“Gaza is for the people of Gaza. Palestinians are for the people of Palestine,” he said. “We will not accept foreign rule.”

___

Melanie Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel.

A beauty enthusiast tried Primark’s budget-friendly K-beauty glass skin range, and was left floored after she saw her reflection in the mirror. She recently shared the results

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Korean skincare has dominated the beauty world, with everybody clamouring for glass skin and a flawlessly plump complexion. However, occasionally the cost of the complete routine leaves shoppers wincing, wondering whether they can manage to purchase it repeatedly to maintain their skin in excellent condition.

But, due to Korean skincare’s widespread appeal, Primark has embraced the movement and begun stocking K-beauty products at a fraction of the cost. But do these affordable products match up to the tremendous buzz surrounding major brands such as Laneige, Yepoda and Beauty of Joseon?

Jordan, who shares content on TikTok as @jordanlipscombe, opted to test the Primark K-beauty collection for herself and initially tried the cleanser, as any proper routine starts with clean and refreshed skin.

Glass skin cleansing foam, £4.50

The website states: “You’ve just found the perfect first step towards the coveted glass skin look. Enriched with a hydrating Hyaluronic and Cica Complex, this K-Beauty cleansing mousse helps support the skin barrier while leaving your face feeling fresh and balanced.

“Use at the start of your routine, then follow with other products from the glass skin collection to enhance a healthy, glow-from-within finish”.

Jordan characterised the formula as “a thick mask-like texture” and remarked it felt “really nice”. “It doesn’t feel drying, but it definitely has that ‘tight’ feeling,” she explained.

Glass skin gel toner pads, £2.50

When Jordan unwrapped the packet, she was astonished because the pads were “drenched” in product, remarking she was surprised that it was a “see-through little pad”.

The Primark website states: “Promote hydration and plumping in your skincare regime with these K-Beauty gel facial toner pads. With 20 pads per pack, they’re formulated with a Hyaluronic Acid Complex to deliver targeted hydration where applied.

“Simply place, peel away and reveal a coveted high-shine glass skin effect. Lightweight and refreshing, use alongside other products in the glass skin collection to enhance a healthy, glow-from-within finish”.

For merely £2.50, you can’t go wrong, and Jordan was genuinely pleased that you received 20 pads too, and she swept one pad across her face, commenting: “These feel refreshing!” She even remarked on the instant “glow” to her complexion, noting that they don’t feel “sticky,” which is a benefit.

Glass skin rice toner, £4.50

Jordan mentioned that she anticipated this one would be “more hydrating” at first, but the pads had taken her by surprise. She did observe how the consistency of the rice toner was “thin”; nevertheless, she appreciates that.

But she did point out that, if you have drier skin, it might not be your preference because you may favour “richer” textures. The Primark website states: “Looking to achieve the sought-after glass skin look? This rice toner is one you’ll want in your routine.

“Formulated with soothing Cica Complex and balancing Niacinamide, this K-Beauty milky toner helps care for the skin barrier while leaving it feeling refreshed and comfortable”.

Jordan remarked on the “glow” once more, expressing her desire to use the milky toner beneath her makeup for a more natural feel. “I feel like my skin is taking this all in, like drinking this,” she commented.

Glass skin serum, £5

Jordan described this serum as incredibly “lightweight”, and she was astounded at how all the products were layering together to give her the ideal glass-skin glow.

Primark’s website details: “This face serum from the glass skin collection offers hydration and skin balancing properties in one simple step! It features a blend of Niacinamide and a Hyaluronic Complex to help soothe and care for the skin, supporting a high-shine glass skin effect. Complete with a pump dispenser for controlled application, it’ll make an easy addition to your skincare routine when you’re looking for an extra boost”.

Glass skin gel moisturiser, £5

It includes a small spatula to facilitate easier dispensing of the product, and when Jordan tried it, she instantly observed that it feels “very cooling” and “like a hybrid between a gel and a jelly”. She noted, despite being a gel, it has the “thickest texture out of all of these products,” which took her by surprise.

Primark’s website states: “Bring the benefits of a K-Beauty routine into your day-to-day regime with this face moisturiser from the glass skin collection! Formulated with a soothing Probiotic and Ceramide Complex, it helps support a glass skin effect while caring for the skin barrier.

“Meanwhile, the lightweight gel texture suits all skin types, from dry to oily. Use as your penultimate step before SPF to enjoy an added boost of hydration and plumping.”

Glass skin collagen mask, £2.50

Jordan didn’t sample the sheet mask in the TikTok clip, explaining she was planning to use it another time so she could properly experience the benefits of the other products.

The Primark website states: “Hydrating, firming and plumping? This two-part face sheet mask does it all! Infused with Soluble Collagen and Niacinamide, it helps firm and balance the skin, with the added benefit of overnight application.

“Wear it while you snooze (or at least three hours if you’re crunched for time) to give the ingredients longer to work. Use as your last step before you catch some shut eye, then peel off in the morning to reveal a glass skin effect”.

Final thoughts…

Jordan explained she wanted to wait to see whether the “glass skin effect dries”, or whether it remains, leaving your complexion looking radiant. She returned and revealed that she was “pleasantly surprised” and noted “for the price” it’s definitely worth a go, adding she has “zero complaints” thus far.

Jordan did mention it would “need more trialling,” but she was satisfied with the instant results. “Now I feel like a glazed donut,” she exclaimed after glancing in the mirror, as she couldn’t believe the outcome.

It’s important to note that you should examine a product’s packaging before testing new skincare to determine whether it suits your skin type. A glass skin routine with lighter products may not be appropriate for you if you have drier skin, and always verify the active ingredients in products before you buy, as you may have sensitivities to them.

It’s also worthwhile doing your homework to compare “higher-end” brand ingredients to these affordably-priced products, and determining which would be the best for you individually.