Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 10 people in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley and another two people in a Palestinian refugee camp, the Lebanese Health Ministry has said.

Hezbollah has confirmed senior leader Hussein Yaghi was killed in the Bekaa attacks.

He is the son of former Hezbollah MP Mohamed Yaghi, and his funeral is set to take place on Saturday, according to Hezbollah media.

Twenty-four people – including three children – were also injured in the attack.

Earlier on Friday, another Israeli strike hit Ain al-Hilweh – a densely populated Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon, killing the two people.

The strikes are among the deadliest reported in eastern Lebanon in recent weeks and risk rupturing a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, strained by frequent accusations of violations.

In a post on X on Friday evening, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said: “STRUCK: Hezbollah command centers used to advance terror attacks against IDF troops and Israel, in the Baalbek area in Lebanon.

“Within the command centers, weapons and funds utilized by Hezbollah were being stored, constituting a violation of the understandings between Israel.”

Referring to the separate strike, the IDF posted hours earlier: “In response to repeated ceasefire violations, the IDF struck a Hamas command center, from which terrorists operated, in the Ain al-Hilweh area in southern Lebanon.”

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Israeli airstrikes in several areas of southern Lebanon early on Thursday morning targeted Hezbollah weapon depots, missile launchers, and other military sites, the IDF said, as reported by The Times of Israel.

The strikes were the latest in the Israeli military’s campaign against Hezbollah.

There have been frequent airstrikes as the military says the terror group continues to try to rebuild its capabilities, contravening the US-brokered ceasefire in November 2024.

The truce came after more than a year of war along the border.

This included two months of open conflict in which a ground operation in Lebanon’s south was carried out by the IDF as it sought to enable the safe return of some 60,000 displaced residents of northern Israel.

Hezbollah started attacking Israel on 8 October 2023 – a day after Hamas’s invasion of southern Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza.

The ground invasion of southern Lebanon, launched in September 2024, significantly damaged the terror group’s leadership and stripped back its military capabilities.

Israel and Hezbollah were required to withdraw from southern Lebanon, to be replaced by the Lebanese armed forces.

Israel has left all but five strategic posts along the border, The Times of Israel reports.

The IDF said more than 400 Hezbollah operatives and members of allied terror groups have been killed in strikes since the ceasefire.

The Israeli military says it has struck hundreds of Hezbollah sites and has carried out over 1,200 raids and other small operations in southern Lebanon.

Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho received criticism for controversial comments he gave after the match, when he said: “I told [Vinicius], when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back. When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person in the history of this club [Eusebio] was black. This club, the last thing that it is, is racist.”

But Tudor revealed he had not heard of the term ‘Spursy’ as he spoke in his first press conference since joining, and insists an “emergency situation”, with the club just five points above the relegation zone and with a raft of injuries, means talk of a style of play is premature and far from the priority for the club right now.

Birmingham City Council has been granted a High Court injunction banning protests outside its waste depots as the city’s all-out bin strike nears its first anniversary

It has been almost a year since refuse workers in a major UK city launched an all-out bin strike.

Birmingham City Council has been granted a High Court injunction banning protests outside its waste depots as the long-running all-out strike approaches its first anniversary. The council sought the order last year after reporting that protesters were blocking depot entrances and preventing vehicles from carrying out collections.

Birmingham’s refuse workers first began striking on January 6, 2025, in a dispute over pay and the removal of a number of roles. An all-out strike followed several weeks later on March 11.

Today, the city council was granted an injunction against “persons unknown”, which it said is intended to “tackle recent blockading and obstruction being experienced at its waste depots”. The judgement comes after a hearing at the High Court on 13 February.

The injunction bans protesters supporting strike action organised by Unite the Union from “entering, occupying or remaining on, or blocking or obstructing the entering or exiting of any other individual or vehicle to and from four depots”. These are Atlas Depot in Kings Road, Tyseley, Lifford lane Depot in Ebury Road, Kings Norton, Perry Barr Depot in Holford Drive or Smithfield Depot in Sherlock Street.

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The ban also prevents people from “blocking or obstructing any of the council’s street management vehicles within the City of Birmingham”. Anyone who breaches the injunction could face a fine or imprisonment, Birmingham Live reports.

The council said the injunction does not seek to limit protests that do not block or obstruct the provision of its waste services. It added that it does not restrict lawful picketing.

The city council said: “The injunction will be in in effect until trial or further order but in any event for not more than an initial period of three months.”

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While Unite the Union members had previously been stopped, other protesters took their place blocking lorries, disrupting collections during the bitter long-running dispute.

The council claimed it acted as disruption had escalated since Christmas, with demonstrators blocking depots and causing 67,000 households – around 19 per cent – to miss bin collections in January.

However, protesters described the legal move for an injunction as “cowardly”. Some council bin staff council have been taking action on what Unite called “fire and rehire pay cuts of up to £8,000 for drivers and former WRCOs (waste recycling and collection officers)” since January last year.

Job & Talent agency staff also joined the action over alleged “bullying, harassment and the threat of blacklisting” following a vote in November last year. The bin strike has resulted in rubbish piling up on streets and no recycling or green waste collections for more than a year.

The council has now succeeded in its High Court bid to ban “persons unknown” – effectively anyone – from blocking bin lorries outside its depots for three months, in a judgment by Mr Justice Pepperall.

In a post on X, the city council said: “On 20 February 2026, following a hearing on 13 February, the High Court handed down a judgment granting Birmingham City Council an injunction against persons unknown to tackle the recent blockading and obstruction being experienced at its waste depots.

“The Court are yet to provide the Sealed Order setting out the full terms of the injunction but it will be uploaded to the webpage when it is available.

“Once the Sealed Order is issued anyone breaching the injunction could be imprisoned for up to 2 years, fined, and/or have their assets seized for contempt of court.

“Therefore, it is essential that anyone who has been involved or interested in the protests take note of the terms of the injunction.”

Rapper Lil Jon has confirmed that he has laid his son, Nathan Smith, to rest after his death aged 27.

Nathan, who was also known as DJ Young Slade, was reported missing in Georgia on February 3 after he was seen ‘running out of his home’.

At the time, officers reportedly claimed he ‘had left his residence under unusual circumstances’.

On February 6, police announced they had recovered a body from a pond they believed to be Nathan, following a search.

Lil Jon, whose real name is Jonathan Smith has now shared a final goodbye to his son, saying that life will ‘never be the same’ without him.

Sharing a string of photos of his son on Instagram, Lil Jon wrote: ‘On the first day of Ramadan yesterday, we laid my only son to rest.

‘In this holy month, I’m asking for extra du’a for him and for our family. Please pray that Allah grants him Jannah and grants us sabr, mercy, and strength. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.

‘I love you, son. Life will never be the same without you. Allah, give me strength.’

He went on to express his thanks to those who had ‘reached out with condolences, love, and prayers.’

‘After being unable to locate Mr Smith during that time, teams expanded the search to include a pond in Mayfield Park near Smith’s Milton residence,” a police statement read.

‘On February 6, 2026, at approximately 11:53 a.m., divers with the Cherokee County Fire Department located and recovered a body from the pond.

‘The individual is believed to be Nathan Smith, pending official confirmation by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office.’

He concluded: ‘I will make sure the world knows your talent and never forgets your name. Nathan Murray Smith.’

Police noted that while their investigation is ongoing, there is ‘no indication of foul play’ and added they could not release further details until the official cause of death has been determined by a coroner.

‘We extend our deepest condolences to the Smith family during this difficult time,’ the statement finished.

‘The department respectfully asks the community and members of the media to honour the family’s request for privacy as they grieve and navigate this tragedy.’

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One taxpayer said they had overpaid by ‘thousands’

HMRC has issued guidance on how to reclaim tax if you have paid too much on your pension payments. The authority outlined the rules after a pensioner contacted them, having overpaid a large amount of tax. The person reached out to the department on social media to ask for help.

Writing on February 17, they explained their pension provider had “overpaid tax on my private pensions by several thousand pounds in the last year”. They said they were eager to recover some of the money promptly “rather than have to wait to do my next tax return”. They questioned the tax authority: “What’s the best way to get it back?” HMRC replied to suggest that, considering the time of year, it would be advisable to wait for the moment.

HMRC informed the taxpayer: “As you’ve raised this with less than seven weeks before the end of the tax year, you will be best waiting until 6th April 2026 to complete your self assessment return for 25/26 and claim the refund through Self Assessment.” The tax year ends on April 5 each year, with the new financial year beginning on April 6.

Should you need to submit a tax return for the current 2025/2026 tax year, this must be lodged by October 31, 2026, if you want to file a paper return. The more common choice is to submit your tax return digitally, in which case you’ll need to get this completed by January 31, 2027.

Several big tax changes are being introduced from April 2026. The Making Tax Digital scheme is coming into force meaning some people must register and begin submitting regular returns to HMRC.

Tax changes from April 2026

From 6 April, self-employed workers and landlords earning above £50,000 will be required to join the programme. The scheme requires you to submit digital quarterly returns to HMRC regarding your tax position.

Tax on dividend income is also rising by two percentage points. This will push the ordinary rate up from 8.75 per cent to 10.75 per cent, while the upper rate will climb from 33.75 per cent to 35.75 per cent.

The additional rate will remain at the current 39.35 per cent. Pensioners looking over their finances may also want to factor in the state pension increase. Payments will rise 4.8 per cent under the triple lock mechanism.

This policy guarantees payments increase each April in line with whichever is highest: 2.5 percent, the inflation rate or the growth in average earnings. The full new state pension will increase from £230.25 weekly to £241.30 weekly, or £12,547.60 annually.

You can claim the state pension when you reach 66, while you can begin withdrawing from your pensions at 55. The state pension age is rising gradually from April 2026, moving up in phases to reach 67 by April 2028. The age you can access your private pensions is also increasing fairly soon, moving to 57 from April 2028.

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The USA’s ice hockey team dominated Slovakia and are now set to have Donald Trump in attendance for their gold medal match against Canada on Sunday in Italy

Donald Trump is set to attend the Winter Olympics in Italy after the USA ice hockey team dominated Slovakia to earn a place in the final. The US will meet Canada to fight for a gold medal after sweeping their opponents aside 6-2.

Trump’s presence is set to see local police ramp up security measures for the president attending one of the most anticipated events of the Games, according to Corriere Della Dea. Trump’s journey to Italy was said to be contingent on the US making the final, which takes place on Sunday.

It is said to be a whistlestop tour, however. It has been suggested that Trump will go straight from Air Force One to the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. he will appear at the closing ceremony later that day before immediately departing Italy.

The IOC has not confirmed the rumours, with spokesman Mark Adams referring the matter to the White House. He said: “You wouldn’t expect me to comment on the movements of heads of state, and I’m not going to disappoint you.

“If you have a question on that one, I think you probably have to pose it to the White House. But certainly at this stage, we won’t comment on the movements of any head of state.”

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Trump’s anticipated presence at the closing ceremony comes after Vice President JD Vance was booed at the opening ceremony. Vance, who led the US delegation, was caught on camera and received a hostile reception as the US team made their entrance in an uncomfortable moment in Italy.

Protests took place in Milan when it was confirmed that staff from ICE, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement department, were involved in American security planning before the Games.

Amid some outspoken comments from US athletes about current events in their nation, Vance hit back. He said: “Yes, you’re going to have some Olympic athletes who pop off about politics.

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“I feel like that happens every Olympics. My advice to them would be to try to bring the country together, and when you’re representing the country, you’re representing Democrats and Republicans.

“You’re there to play a sport, and you’re there to represent your country and hopefully win a medal. You’re not there to pop off about politics.”

Trump, meanwhile, is no stranger to being booed at sporting events. He picked up a negative reception when attending the men’s final at the US Open in New York last year. The match was delayed by half an hour to accommodate heightened security checks.

The US president also received jeers at a Washington Commanders NFL game and heard boos in an appearance at last year’s Club World Cup.

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Holidaymakers were left speechless when a tourist lifted a baby over the safety barrier at the Iguazu Falls in Argentina.

Tourists at the ‘Devil’s Throat’ viewpoint could not believe their eyes when aman appeared to put a baby’s life at risk for a photo op.

The incident happened at the Garganta del Diablo platform overlooking the 260-foot Iguazu Falls on the Argentinian side on Tuesday, February 17.

In images taken by other tourists, a man can be seen lifting a tiny baby over the barrier.

Meanwhile, a woman appears to be taking pictures of the baby.

The drop from that point was reportedly around 262 feet, roughly equivalent to the height of St Paul’s Cathedral dome.

The eyewitness who saw the risky manoeuvre unfold told Diario Epoca: ‘Sending your child to the bottom of the Devil’s Throat for a photo.’

The images were criticised on social media, and it sparked the company responsible for the viewing platform to weigh in too.

They said that while the safety measures are in place to prevent dangerous situations, visitor safety also depends on individuals and their responsibility.

The walkway is lined with a safety railing, and there are reportedly multiple signs warning visitors not to lean outside it.

Tourists flouting the rules could face penalties and being banned from the area.

If the man, whose identity was concealed in the images, was identified, he could be barred from visiting other national parks in Argentina, it is understood.

Last month, a daredevil tourist climbed over the railing at the same spot to rescue a hat.

He was seen walking along the edge of the drop before he clambered back to safety.

Visitor attractions around the world have seen tragedies as tourists have fallen to their deaths.

Gymnast Natalie Stichova, 23, died after she fell a 262-foot mountain in Bavaria in August 2024.

Her fall happened when she slipped as she tried to take a picture near the Neuschwanstein Castle, which inspired Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.

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MILAN (AP) — Falling behind for a second consecutive game at the Olympics, after never trailing throughout group play, Canada dug itself an even deeper hole in the semifinals against Finland.

Down two goals against an opponent also full of NHL players, the tournament favorite did not look the slightest bit shook.

“There wasn’t really any panic,” center Nick Suzuki said. “We were going to get our chances eventually.”

Then, the most talented roster in Milan buried those chances. Sam Reinhart deflected Cale Makar’s shot in to start the comeback, Shea Theodore tied it on a blast through traffic and Nathan MacKinnon scored the go-ahead goal with 35.2 seconds left to advance to the gold medal game with a 3-2 victory Friday night.

“You could definitely feel the sense of calm, having been through that before,” McDavid said. “We understood we were in a tough spot, and we had to find a way to get out of it. And we did.”

Makar thought he and his teammates were more comfortable down 2-0 against Finland than when they fell behind against Czechia twice in the quarterfinals, including with seven minutes left.

It showed. After Erik Haula scored shorthanded to make it a two-goal deficit early in the second period, Canada outshot Finland 31-8 the rest of the way.

Juuse Saros was terrific in net for Finland, and Canada coach Jon Cooper was worried only about getting shut out by a hot goaltender. Reinhart’s goal with 4:40 left in the second cut some of the tension, and it was clear the game was turning.

“We definitely felt the momentum shift a little bit,” forward Sam Bennett said. “We thought our pressure was good. It was just a relentless pressure that we knew eventually we’d be able to crack them.”

Cooper was also glad his players didn’t want until three minutes left to tie it like in the quarterfinals. Theodore’s goal came with 9:26 left in regulation after Brad Marchand was on top of Saros following a shove from Haula.

“Brad’s being Brad, and I like to have Brad,” Cooper said of Marchand, who got pushed but didn’t do much to stop falling into the opposing goalie.

Nathan MacKinnon took over late, looking like a man on a mission and drawing a second high-sticking penalty on Niko Mikkola. On the ensuing power play, McDavid sent a perfect cross-ice saucer pass over penalty killer Roope Hintz’s stick to MacKinnon, who sneaked the puck short side through a miniscule hole with Macklin Celebrini setting a screen by jumping.

It held up on video review after Finland challenged that the play was offside.

“It was a five-man effort,” MacKinnon said. “Connor made an amazing play, Cale was doing his thing, Reino same thing. Obviously happy one squeaked in. Yeah, great pass.”

Canada came back again without injured captain Sidney Crosby, who left the quarterfinal game Wednesday night with an apparent right knee injury. McDavid wore the “C” in Crosby’s absence and had two assists to break the record for the most points by an NHL player at a single Olympics with 13.

“We’re a deep team with leaders all up and down the lineup,” McDavid said. “It doesn’t matter who’s wearing the ‘C,’ who’s in the lineup, who’s out of the lineup. Everybody can play a big role and lead, and you saw that again.”

Cooper said there’s still time to decide if Crosby can play in the final on Sunday.

Canada’s stacked lineup, even missing Crosby, eventually broke through the Finnish trap that slows players down and intercepts the puck before an opponent can go deep into the offensive zone. Instead of getting frustrated, some of the best players on the roster led the way, with Celebrini shooting just about every chance he had.

Celebrini, Canada’s youngest player at 19, put eight pucks on net himself. That’s almost as many shots on goal Finland had as a team in the second and third periods combined, with nine.

“I’ve seen him play enough for a while,” winger Mitch Marner said. “He’s got a lot of skill and a lot of confidence. He’s not afraid of the big moments.”

The comeback kept alive the possibility of an all-North America gold-medal game a year after Canada and the U.S. met in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off following their epic matchup earlier in that NHL and NHLPA-run tournament.

The U.S. still has to hold up its end of the bargain to make that happen. The unbeaten Americans faced Slovakia in the second semifinal on Friday night.

___

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics