MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz said Tuesday that he expects the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota will end in “days, not weeks and months,” based on his recent conversations with top Trump administration officials.

The Democratic governor said at a news conference that he spoke Monday with border czar Tom Homan and with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on Tuesday morning. Homan took over the Minnesota operation in late January after the second fatal shooting by federal officers and amid growing political backlash and questions about how the operation was being run.

“We’re very much in a trust but verify mode,” Walz said. He added that he expected to hear more from the administration “in the next day or so” about the future of what he said has been an “occupation” and a “retribution campaign” against the state.

While Walz said he’s hopeful at the moment because “every indication I have is that this thing is winding up,” he added that things could change.

“It would be my hope that Mr. Homan goes out before Friday and announces that this thing is done, and they’re bringing her down and they’re bringing her down in days,” Walz said. “That would be my expectation.”

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the governor’s remarks.

Walz said he has no reason not to believe Homan’s statement last week that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota immediately, but the governor added that still left 2,300 on Minnesota’s streets. Homan at the time cited an “increase in unprecedented collaboration” resulting in the need for fewer federal officers in Minnesota, including help from jails that hold inmates who could be deported.

The governor also indicated that he expects the state will get “cooperation on joint investigations” into the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers, but gave no details. That’s been a point of friction between federal authorities and state investigators, who complain that they have been frozen out of those cases so far with no access to evidence.

Walz called the news conference primarily to denounce the economic impact of the enforcement surge. He spoke at The Market at Malcolm Yards, a food hall where owner Patty Wall said the entire restaurant sector of the local economy has become “collateral damage” from the surge.

Matt Varilek, the governor’s employment and economic development commissioner, said Malcolm Yards would normally be bustling, but is now struggling because employees and customers are afraid to come due to the crackdown.

“So it is great news, of course, that the posture seems to have changed at the federal level toward their activities here in Minnesota,” Varilek said. “But, as the governor said, it’s a trust-but-verify situation. And frankly, the fear that has been sown, I haven’t really noticed any reduction in that.”

Even as Walz was expressing optimism that the crackdown would end soon, federal officers made a highly visible arrest inside the lobby of the main county building in downtown Minneapolis.

After a short foot chase, ICE officers grabbed a man who had arrived for a court appearance on charges of possessing over 50 pounds of methamphetamine.

The county’s top prosecutor, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, protested that the arrest was “disruptive and disturbing to many” and left staffers in the building afraid to leave their offices for fear of being racially profiled.

The man could go unpunished on the state drug charges if he’s deported first.

“Using local government courthouses for federal civil immigration enforcement interferes with the administration of justice, prevents witnesses from testifying and robs victims of their opportunity to seek justice,” Moriarty said in a statement. She has also objected to earlier arrests by ICE officers of people making court appearances there.

Matthew Buckley, 37, was later found to be involved in the supply of cocaine and cannabis, due to messages found on his phone.

A drug dealer was discovered to be involved in the supply of cocaine and cannabis after he dropped his phone while riding his electric bike. The device was subsequently picked up by the police who found messages in which the dealer was directing runners to peddle cannabis.

Matthew Buckley, 37, was witnessed by police riding a Sur-Ron electric bike in Newport on March 1 last year when he was seen pulling up next to a Ford Transit van. After carrying out what appeared to be a drug deal, the defendant got back on his bike and rode off.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard Buckley had dropped his phone which was picked up by a police officer and later analysed. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here.

The phone was attributed to the defendant and messages revealed he was involved in supplying cocaine to a friend on one occasion.

The messages also showed Buckley had been purchasing and supplying cannabis, as well as controlling and directing runners to deal on his behalf.

On one occasion, the defendant was told one of his runners had threatened a user’s mother for £200, and he said he would “sort it”.

There were also images on his phone depicting several bags of cannabis.

Prosecutor Jason Howells said there was evidence Buckley had been dealing for financial gain and utilising runners.

The defendant was arrested on May 22 last year and he gave a “no comment” interview.

Buckley, of Fosse Road, Newport, later pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A and B drugs.

The court heard he has three previous convictions of a dissimilar nature.

In mitigation, Gareth Williams said his client hadn’t been in trouble with the courts for nine years before his current offence, and there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation in his case”.

The barrister said the defendant has “cut ties” with his former associates and has stopped smoking cannabis.

He said his client has three children and provides care for his partner who has medical problems.

Recorder Christian Jowett sentenced Buckley to two years imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

The defendant was ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work, a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement, and to pay costs of £1,000.

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Are you one of those people who can’t drop off to sleep if it’s “too quiet”? If so, you’re not alone. According to a 2023 survey of UK participants, 50% of people listen to some kind of noise to help fall asleep.

Many people have turned to pink, white or brown noise to help them drift off. But a new study has found listening to pink noise, an alternative to white noise, even to drown out irritating background sounds, can disrupt the quality of sleep you get.

What is pink noise?

Not all noises are equal though when it comes to sleep. Noises range from structured sound like music and speech, with patterns and meaning, through to others that have some arrangement and perhaps calming effect, like birdsong, ocean waves or wind chimes to noise with no order at all.

We can describe sounds by how much energy each frequency of the sound has. White noise is a totally random sound. Each different frequency in white noise has the same energy, so it sounds like a hissy continuous sound. A 2017 study found white noise seems to help some people concentrate.

Pink noise is different. Instead of equal energy at each frequency, the energy halves with every doubling of frequency (so 500Hz has twice the energy of 1000Hz). This mimics a lot of sounds in nature (like running water) and gives a deeper, more rumbly sound. It sounds less harsh than white noise.

You can also get brown noise – stop laughing – which is named after 18th-century scientist Robert Brown rather than anything bowel related. It is sometimes referred to as red noise instead. Higher frequencies have less energy
(500Hz has four times the energy of 1000Hz). It is even more bass-heavy than pink noise, sounding like heavy rain or a roaring waterfall.

What did the study find?

The new study by the University of Pennsylvania, sponsored by the US Federal Aviation Authority, compared the affect of pink noise and earplugs upon participants’ sleep when intermittent noise of planes flying overhead was played over a loudspeaker.

The control condition here was a noise-free night where the participants were monitored, but were not having their sleep interrupted. The researchers then tested the same participants under different conditions on different nights of their stay during the experiment. They measured brain activity, heart rate and muscle activity while participants slept, which allowed them to analyse the different stages of sleep.

The researchers first looked at how pink noise affected participants’ sleep when there was no other background noise and compared the effect to the control night. They found that pink noise led to a reduction of the amount of participants’ rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which should make up about a quarter of our sleep. REM sleep isn’t considered a restful type of sleep but it is the sleep state in which we dream. REM is important for memory formation, brain plasticity and emotion regulation, particularly for children.

In the next phase of the experiment, they found that the environmental noise, by contrast, reduced the amount of so-called N3 sleep compared to the control night. This is the deepest non-REM type of sleep. It is where the body grows and repairs itself, and about a quarter of sleep should normally be of this type too.

The researchers then tried to block the environmental noise. When they used earplugs to see if they would help participants’ sleep, they worked well, restoring about three quarters of the lost N3 sleep. When they tried pink noise to see if it could help, they found that it actually made the sleep structure worse, reducing both N3 and REM sleep.

So is silence best?

Perhaps, and especially for babies and toddlers whose brains are still undergoing the most change and development. For adults though, there does seem to be some suggestion playing nighttime sounds helps. A 2022 review found that there was widespread, but low-quality, evidence that sounds at night time (especially pink noise) helps with the amount of sleep people get and also that people felt that it was better quality sleep. This was self-reported, rather than measured using equipment like in the new study from Pennsylvania, which might help to explain the different findings.

Other things may stop you getting to sleep. Many people experience tinnitus, a ringing or buzzing sound in the head or ears, which can be worst before bed and affect sleep quality. A silent room can make it seem even louder. Some people find a background sound, whether a “colour” of noise, nature sound, music or a podcast, helpful here to get to sleep. Being able to pick which “colour” of random sound you prefer has been shown to help people with tinnitus.

However, there are reports of potential harm from using any of these “random” sounds to help with tinnitus instead of more patterned noise like music or speech. This is because the random sounds can show the same kind of effect as ageing does on the brain. How this works, whether potential noise-induced hearing loss acts as an step in the chain, and how broadly it happens, remain areas of investigation.

So it’s not quite time to put the story of sleep quality and noise to bed just yet. In the meantime, trying some earplugs if there is unwanted sound, or keeping any noises calm, not too loud and relaxing for you may be the best bet for a good night’s sleep.

Ben Shephard’s new ITV reality series The Summit has left viewers issuing the same complaint.

Viewers of ITV’s new reality show The Summit have delivered their judgement mere minutes into the opening episode.

The high-stakes competition, fronted by This Morning presenter Ben Shephard, follows 14 participants attempting to scale a mountain peak in New Zealand’s stunning South Island Alps.

Across a fortnight, they’ll be trekking towards the summit with the chance of claiming their portion of a £200,000 jackpot.

The line-up includes former Gladiator Ace and Gillian McKeith’s daughter, alongside a social media influencer and a tour guide.

Tonight’s premiere (Tuesday 10 February) saw contestants tackle the initial stage of their journey whilst getting acquainted, as competing personalities vied for control and friction started to emerge, reports Wales Online.

They also confronted a nerve-wracking task involving balancing on ropes suspended high above the ground to traverse between sections of the mountain.

Yet audiences remained unconvinced, with one raging: “Like Lord of the Rings but with annoying people”.

Another remarked: “This is going to be like I’m A Celebrity up a mountain, already one saying he don’t like heights.”

“This looks as bad as I suspected,” someone else criticised, whilst another viewer commented: “This is boring. Just wannabees climbing a mountain for no reason.”

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“Crikey this is s***te – all seems set up as well,” another declared, while someone else raged: “This is going to be enjoyable. NOT they are bloody arguing already.”

Yet another viewer slammed: “This is a bloody tough watch. Maybe there’s some paint drying on another channel…”

Other fans were more convinced, with one writing: “Been waiting for this, hope it’s decent!” Someone else said: “Oh, this is going to be good!”

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Teasing what to expect ahead of the series airing, host Ben previously said: “It’s fourteen ordinary people, trying to achieve something truly extraordinary.”

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“It’s an adventure, and challenge based show that’s going to take all sorts of mental focus and ingenuity, to not only climb the mountain and get over the challenges, but also navigate the pitfalls of keeping the rest of the climbers on side to ensure, when they get to the top, they take home as much money as they can.

“The added twist, that all the participants are carrying their winnings with them up the mountain, if one of them falls or drops off, their money goes too, that adds even more drama to it. It’s some of the best reality drama you’ll ever see, crossed with adventure on an epic scale.”

The Summit continues tomorrow night at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

Chelsea had come to play, then, and they had also come to scrap. Leeds always offer a physical challenge and Estêvão Willian, Chelsea’s teenage winger, showed he was not intimidated by the bigger lads in white. At the end of the first half, Estêvão shoved Leeds centre-back Joe Rodon into the advertising boards.

It felt, in these moments, like one of Chelsea’s best performances of the season. Especially when Palmer struck the second from the penalty spot, after João Pedro was foolishly shoved to the ground by Leeds defender Jaka Bijol.

Game over? The home crowd probably felt so. Perhaps the home players did too. But then the game switched on one mistake by Caicedo, who tripped Jayden Bogle inside the area. Nmecha converted and suddenly the mood changed. Leeds grew strong.

Within six minutes, they had their equaliser. A horrible goal to concede, and a delightfully easy one for Okafor to score. A collection of Chelsea players could not clear the ball, with two of them instead getting in their own way. At the end of it all, Okafor simply rolled into the net.

Chelsea complained that Bogle had handled in the build-up, and they might have had a point, but the bigger issue for them was their loss of control in the game. It was remarkable how quickly the night had turned, with Chelsea cruising and then suddenly panicking.

The DWP has outlined five key points on Personal Independence Payment including eligibility criteria, how to apply, and the assessment process

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The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) has produced a series of four videos about Personal Independence Payment ( PIP ). They are designed to help people understand what the benefit entails, who it’s intended for, how to apply, and the assessment process. These YouTube videos are accompanied by an online document outlining five key points everyone should know about PIP.

Recent statistics from the DWP reveal that as of the end of October, nearly 3.9 million people in England and Wales were claiming PIP. Comparable data shows that nearly half a million people are now claiming the Adult Disability Payment (ADP), which replaced PIP for people in Scotland.

The DWP’s YouTube videos direct viewers to the dedicated PIP pages on GOV.UK, where more comprehensive information is available, including the process for people nearing the end of life. Viewers of the videos on the official DWP YouTube channel are encouraged to visit the website to ensure they have all the necessary information about PIP eligibility before submitting a new claim, according to the Daily Record.

The DWP has outlined five key points for anyone considering making a PIP claim. These include:

• Entitlement to PIP is not based on an individual’s health condition or disability alone but on how much a long-term health condition or disability impacts an individual’s daily life or mobility.
• To qualify for PIP, the impacts of a health condition or disability must have been present for three months and be expected to last at least another nine months.
• PIP claimants will undergo a functional assessment of how their health condition or disability affects 12 key everyday activities, which are fundamental to living an independent life.
• If an individual can manage the PIP daily living and mobility activities safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time period, without being supported by someone or using equipment, it is unlikely they will get PIP.
• When applying for PIP, individuals should provide any relevant information they already have about how their health condition affects them. This may mean that a health professional can assess the claim using this information without a face-to-face or virtual consultation, and that a decision can be made more quickly. DWP says people should not request new documents for their application as these can incur a fee, for example, from GPs.

On Monday evening (February 9), Fifty Two at Rudding Park in Harrogate was revealed among the 20 new one-Michelin Star restaurants.

Fifty Two is an immersive dining experience where its bespoke open kitchen and garden “take centre stage” and the twist is, there is no official menu.

The newly announced Michelin Star restaurant (a first for Harrogate) is designed to “create a sense of food theatre”.

The Michelin Guide commented: “Five repurposed shipping containers in the grounds of the Rudding Park hotel provide the setting for a quite theatrical experience, with Adam Degg’s open kitchen and his chefs acting as the stage and its players.

“The restaurant is named after the number of raised beds in the garden, which provide plenty of the produce for the creative dishes.

“Don’t be fooled by the occasional playfulness – there is real skill on show here.”

Head chef of Fifty Two says winning Michelin Star ‘means the world’

In a post on Instagram, Fifty Two’s head chef and host Adam who has featured on the Great British Menu, shared: “Winning this honestly means the world to us. When we opened, the goal was to create something genuine, fun and rooted in the incredible produce we grow in our kitchen garden. I have to give huge credit to Emma [Pugh] and her garden team, whose work shapes every dish we serve.

“Thank you to my team – Other Adam™, Jess, Callum, Finn & Robbie. This recognition is a reflection of your energy, creativity and belief in what we’re building. I’m also deeply grateful to the Mackaness family for trusting me with this project and giving me the freedom to create my dream restaurant.

“Most importantly, thanks to everyone who walks in, sees no menu, and says ‘go on then.’

“Last night was a highlight of my career – a personal milestone. A reminder of how far we’ve come.

“For those yet to discover… the best parties happen in the kitchen!”

If you’re wondering what to expect when visiting Fifty Two, its website reveals: “An arrival drink will be served on the FIFTY TWO terrace at 7pm with dinner served at 7.15pm (Sundays arrival time will be 6pm with dinner served at 6.15pm). If the weather is suitable, there will be an opportunity to walk around the Kitchen Garden before dinner.

“The evening continues with a series of dishes; a selection of snacks, freshly-baked bread; assortment of plates leading up to the main event, followed by dessert and selection of liqueurs.”

Why are so many UK pubs closing?

It adds: “Like a dinner party with friends, there’s no menu and you place your faith in the cooking skills of your host!

“At FIFTY TWO, we use the highest quality ingredients cultivated in our kitchen garden (as such we are in the hands of mother nature!) or selected from trusted local producers and purveyors.”

Head kitchen gardener Emma Pugh and her team grow over 500 different edible plants.

Fifty Two’s website continues: “Using organic and no-dig principles, the gardeners enrich the soil with a variety of organic matter so the crops are packed with nutrients giving the freshest seasonal flavours and textures on your plate.”

Over on Tripadvisor, the restaurant located on Rudding Lane, which also has 3 AA Rosettes, has an impressive 5/5 rating.

‘For those yet to discover… the best parties happen in the kitchen!’ (Image: Tripadvisor)

A recent diner posted: “A superb gastronomic and fun evening at Fifty Two with great service and stunning surroundings.

“The service is relaxed and fun and good with all chefs Adam, Other Adam and Finley and Jess involved.

“All super friendly and confident yet fun and it all meant we had a great dinning experience with food that was inspirational ,and exceptional.”

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Another wrote: “Lovely atmosphere, good and informal welcome, excellent food together with a commentary for each course. An interesting touch was asking guests to chose a music track.”

This guest put: “Adam has a wonderful team at fifty two. The food tonight was dazzling. The wine pairing was exceptional.

“The tasting menu was a rollercoaster of excitement honouring garden grown and regional fresh produce.

“My wife and I are honoured your team looked after us so well. Phenomenal food. Phenomenal friendly team. Thankyou.”

Will you be heading to Fifty Two at Rudding Park after its Michelin Star success? Let us know if you have been by leaving a comment below.

Henry Pease, one of the fathers of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, once described seeing “a prophetic vision of a town arising on the cliff and the quiet, unfrequented and sheltered glen turned into a lovely garden.”

Today, Saltburn is better known for its colourful beach huts, quirky funicular cliff lift, and Victorian charm.

The town’s history, once linked to smuggling, is centred around the Ship Inn.

Saltburn Cliff Tramway. (Image: Dave Charnley Photography)

John Andrew, the pub’s landlord in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, was known locally as the “King of the Smugglers.”

Now, the town perched on the North Yorkshire coast, has been named one of the top places to live in the UK.

A guide from Muddy Stilettos shines a light on the country’s “loveliest city spots, towns and villages” with the best schools, shopping and pubs.

The Northern Lights over Saltburn beach. (Image: Chris Martin)

Muddy Stilettos described Saltburn as having: “A cool, laid-back vibe.

“This seaside gem ticks all the boxes.”

The town also boasts a thriving surf scene and a growing creative community.

Its attractions include the only remaining pleasure pier on the North East and Yorkshire coast as well as one of the oldest funicular lifts in the world, the Saltburn Cliff Tramway.

Saltburn has recently attracted high-profile visitors, including Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant.

Mr Plant stayed at the Spa Hotel over Christmas while touring with his band Saving Grace, and performed a sold-out show in Middlesbrough Town Hall on the Sunday before Christmas.

It appears the “prophetic vision” of a thriving town on the cliff has well and truly come to life.

The seven-time world champion finished third in the biathlon – which combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting – behind champion Johan-Olav Botn, a fellow Norwegian, and Eric Perrot of France.

It is a second Olympic medal for Laegreid, who won gold in the relay at the 2022 Games.

Asked about his admission in the news conference later, he added: “Of course, now I hope I didn’t ruin Johan’s day.

“I don’t know if it was the right choice or not, but it was the choice I made.

“I made the choice to tell the world what I did so maybe there’s a chance she will see what she really means to me – maybe not, but I don’t want to think I didn’t try everything to get her back.

“I don’t want to steal the show. I hope this is just like a day-or-two thing. Then you are an Olympic gold medallist forever.”

Five-time Olympic champion Johannes Thingnes Boe, who is now a biathlete expert with broadcasters NRK, questioned the timing of Laegreid’s admission.

“It came as a complete surprise. His action was wrong – we saw a repentant lad standing there. Unfortunately, the time, place and timing are all wrong,” said Boe, a former team-mate of Laegreid.

Botn shouted the name of late team-mate Sivert Guttorm Bakken as he crossed the line to win gold.

Bakken was found dead on 23 December in a hotel room in northern Italy, about two hours from where the biathlon was held.

“I was racing with him the entire last loop. And, yeah, it was more like a feeling of crossing the finish line together, and seeing the number one beside my name was really special,” an emotional Botn said.

Laegreid added: “We were five guys on the start line, and one of them was watching from above. This was for Sivert, really.”

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Today, Keir Starmer says that he will “never walk away from the country that I love” after surviving a turbulent 24 hours that saw the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar call for him to step down.

Speaking to the BBC, his energy secretary Ed Miliband said the Labour Party had “looked over the precipice” and decided to back their leader leading to a rallying of support from the cabinet and other senior party figures.

So, the Prime Minister is in the clear for now, but is he truly safe? Alex and James break down another turbulent 24 hours in Westminster before catching up with Daniela Relph senior royal correspondent and Caitríona Perry, BBC News chief presenter in Washington to discuss the wider fallout from the Epstein files in the US and for the royal family.

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Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenters were James Cook and Alex Forsyth. It was made by Anna Harris with Shiler Mahmoudi and Chloe Scannapieco. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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