LAREDO, Texas (AP) — A month after ICE agents sent the young Ecuadorian mother and her 7-year-old daughter to a sprawling detention center 1,300 miles from their Minnesota home, they were finally free.
But when the bus pulled up to a migrant shelter in the border city of Laredo, dropping off a half-dozen families lugging bags stuffed with belongings, the stress of recent weeks tracked mother and daughter like the long shadows on that mid-February afternoon.
Night after night inside south Texas’ Dilley Immigration Processing Center with hundreds of other families, the grade-schooler wept and pleaded to know why they were being held.
“She would tell me, ‘Mom, what crime did I commit to be a prisoner?’ I didn’t know what to tell her,” said the 29-year-old, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear being identified could negatively affect their immigration case. Her husband was deported to Ecuador soon after they were taken into custody.
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Immigrant families settle in for the night at the Holding Institute in Laredo, Texas, on Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez)
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Immigrant families settle in for the night at the Holding Institute in Laredo, Texas, on Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez)
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Many Americans were alarmed last month when photos circulated showing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis detaining a 5-year-old boy wearing a bunny hat and carrying a Spiderman backpack. The concern followed Liam Conejo Ramos and his father when they were sent to Dilley, surrounded by chain-link fences on a dusty plain about 75 miles south of San Antonio.
But Liam was hardly an outlier. ICE has been holding hundreds of children at Dilley — many for months.
“We are all Liam,” Christian Hinojosa, an immigrant from Mexico, said by phone from Dilley, where she and her 13-year-old son were held for more than four months. They were released this month and allowed to return home to San Antonio where she works as a health aide.
She noted that Liam and his father were released from Dilley after 10 days, when members of Congress and a judge intervened.
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“My son says, ‘That’s unfair, Mama. What’s the difference between him and us?’”
Ramping up family detentions
When the Obama administration opened Dilley in 2014, nearly all families detained there had recently crossed the border from Mexico. Detentions at the facility were scaled back by the Biden administration in 2021, before it was closed three years later.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.
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Since being reopened by President Donald Trump’s administration last spring, life inside Dilley — a compound of trailers and other prefabricated buildings — has been shaped by three decisive changes.
The number of detained families has risen sharply since last fall. The government is holding many children well beyond the 20-day limit set by longstanding court order. And many detainees have lived in the U.S. for several years, with roots in neighborhoods, workplaces and schools, according to lawyers and other observers.
“Just imagine that you’re a child and you’re taken out of your surroundings,” said Philip Schrag, a Georgetown University law professor and author of “Baby Jails: The Fight to End the Incarceration of Refugee Children in America.”
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Suddenly you’re in “a completely strange environment with the doors locked and guards in uniform roaming around,” said Schrag, who counseled Dilley detainees as a volunteer lawyer during the Obama administration.
ICE booked more than 3,800 children into detention during the first nine months of the new Trump administration, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from the University of California, Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project. On an average day more than 220 children were held, with most of those detained longer than 24 hours sent to Dilley. More than half of Dilley detainees during that period were children.
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A young immigrant girl who just arrived at the Holding Institute, a shelter in Laredo, Texas on Feb. 12, 2026, pets a cat as her mother and other families receive a welcome and instructions on how to purchase tickets to get back to their homes in the U.S. (AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez)
A young immigrant girl who just arrived at the Holding Institute, a shelter in Laredo, Texas on Feb. 12, 2026, pets a cat as her mother and other families receive a welcome and instructions on how to purchase tickets to get back to their homes in the U.S. (AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez)
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Nearly two-thirds of children detained by ICE were eventually deported and almost 1 in 10 left the country when their parents accepted voluntary departure, according to an AP analysis of the latest comprehensive data. About a quarter were released in the U.S., requiring their parents to check in regularly with ICE as their legal cases proceed.
The number of detainees at Dilley has risen sharply since the period covered by the data, nearly tripling between last fall and late January to more than 1,300, according to Relevant Research, which analyzes immigration enforcement data.
“We’ve started to use 100 days as a benchmark for prioritizing cases because so many children are exceeding 20 days,” said Leecia Welch, the chief legal director at Children’s Rights, who visits Dilley regularly to ensure compliance. In a visit this month, Welch said she counted more than 30 children who had been held for over 100 days.
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The increased detention of children comes as the Trump administration has gutted a Department of Homeland Security office responsible for oversight of conditions inside Dilley and other facilities.
“It’s a particular concern that family detention is being increased,” said Dr. Pamela McPherson, a child and adolescent psychiatrist contracted by DHS from 2014 until last year to inspect and investigate conditions at Dilley and other ICE facilities holding children.
“Just who’s providing that check-and-balance now?”
Rep. Tony Gonzales, who represents the congressional district where Dilley is located, said multiple visits have convinced him criticism of the center is unfair.
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He said he’d been impressed by Dilley’s facilities and the professionalism and dedication of staff. “They’re not doing policy. They’re just fulfilling a duty,” said Gonzales, a Republican.
DHS did not respond to detailed questions about Dilley submitted by the AP. But both DHS and ICE sharply refuted allegations of poor care and conditions there.
“The Dilley facility is a family residential center designed specifically to house family units in a safe, structured and appropriate environment,” ICE Director Todd M. Lyons said in a statement this week. Services include medical screenings, infant care packages as well as classrooms and recreational spaces.
But concerns about Dilley are personal for Kheilin Valero Marcano, a Venezuelan immigrant detained with her husband and 1-year-old daughter, Amalia, in December and held for nearly two months.
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Migrants from Venezuela, Stiven Arrieta Prieto and his wife, Kheilin Valero Marcano, with their 18-month-old daughter, Amalia Arrieta Valero, pose for a photo in Southern California on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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Migrants from Venezuela, Stiven Arrieta Prieto and his wife, Kheilin Valero Marcano, with their 18-month-old daughter, Amalia Arrieta Valero, pose for a photo in Southern California on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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When the child got a high fever, Valero Marcano said Dilley staff told her it was just a virus. Two weeks later, Amalia started vomiting, then losing weight. Valero Marcano said she took her to the Dilley doctor’s office at least eight times but was offered Tylenol and ibuprofen.
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The baby was eventually sent to two hospitals, where doctors diagnosed COVID, bronchitis, pneumonia and stomach virus, she said.
ICE disputed Valero Marcano’s account, saying in a statement the baby “immediately received proper medical care” at Dilley before being sent to the hospital. Back in Dilley, “she was in the medical unit and received proper treatment and prescribed medicines,” it said.
The family’s return to Dilley coincided with a measles outbreak there. They were released earlier this month after their lawyers petitioned the court.
“I’m so worried for all the families who are still inside,” Valero Marcano said.
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A teen in distress
After more than two months in a cramped room at Dilley with three other families, the 13-year-old girl’s depression turned increasingly dark.
The eighth grader stopped eating after finding a worm in her food, family members said. Staff sometimes withheld medications she’d long been prescribed to keep her anxiety in check and help her sleep.
When a total lockdown was imposed, a guard blocked the teen from leaving the crowded room to join her mother and sister in the bathroom. She spiraled into crisis, and used a plastic knife from the cafeteria to cut her wrist.
“She said she didn’t want to live anymore because she preferred to die rather than having to keep living in confinement,” her mother, Andrea Armero, told the AP in a video call from Colombia, where the family was deported this month. The AP generally avoids identifying people who attempt or die by suicide.
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The girl’s struggles began before she arrived at Dilley. Soon after starting middle school in Colombia, she learned a family member had sexually abused her younger sister. Armero said she saw no option but to leave and in early 2024 she and her daughters traveled to the U.S. border with Mexico, applying for asylum.
Living with family in Florida, the 13-year-old was doing well in school but sometimes experienced panic attacks about being sent back to Colombia. Under a psychiatrist’s care, she was prescribed anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications and regularly saw a therapist. Then, in December, ICE agents detained Armero and her daughters during a routine check-in.
At Dilley, the 13-year-old calmed herself by drawing, producing haunting pictures of a girl locked inside gates. But when she and other detainees took part in a protest after 5-year-old Liam and his father got to Dilley, guards took away drawing materials and ordered everyone to stay inside.
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This image provided by the family in February 2026 shows a drawing made by a 13-year-old Colombian girl when she was detained at South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, where the Trump administration is holding immigrant families. (AP Photo)
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This image provided by the family in February 2026 shows a drawing made by a 13-year-old Colombian girl when she was detained at South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, where the Trump administration is holding immigrant families. (AP Photo)
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The teen’s mental health collapsed. She tried to harm herself with the plastic knife, Armero said, and repeatedly hit her head. The family was put into isolation without seeing a doctor, then deported to Colombia on Feb. 11 after a judge ordered them removed, she said.
Dilley discharge documents described “active problems,” including a “suicide attempt by cutting of wrist” and “self-harm,” in addition to a “history of post-traumatic stress disorder” and “history of anxiety.” AP also spoke with detainees and attorneys who independently described the girl’s suicide attempt.
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Responding to questions from AP, a DHS official acknowledged there had been “a case of self-harm” inside the facility, but did not specify what had happened, or how staff handled the incident. When AP asked for details, DHS did not respond to follow-up questions.
“No child at Dilley … has been denied medical treatment or experienced a delayed medical assessment,” said Ryan Gustin, a spokesman for CoreCivic, the for-profit prison company that operates the facility under contract with ICE. Gustin declined to answer specific question about the 13-year-old girl, citing privacy rules.
Detention weighs on children
On a phone call from inside Dilley, 13-year-old Gustavo Santino-Josa introduced himself to a reporter by name and the 9-digit identification number ICE assigned him when he was taken into custody with his mother.
“Until today I don’t know what we did wrong to get detained,” Gustavo said. “I’ve seen my mom cry almost daily and I ask God that we can go out and go home soon.”
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He worried they might never be released.
“My mom says that as long as there is hope it is worth fighting for,” Gustavo said before handing the phone to his mother, Christian Hinojosa, the health care aide originally from Mexico.
“All his friends have left already,” his mother said. “Some were deported. Some got released recently. And it hurts. It hurts to see people leaving and you’re staying here.”
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Andrea Armero, right, and her daughter, who were deported from the United States, sit in a park in Colombia, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
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Andrea Armero, right, and her daughter, who were deported from the United States, sit in a park in Colombia, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
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Dilley was built to hold 2,400 people, housed in clusters ICE calls “neighborhoods.” Bunk beds are arranged side-by-side for up to four families, frequently putting parents with young children in close quarters.
Once in full operation, Dilley is expected to generate about $180 million in annual revenue for CoreCivic, according to the company’s recent filing with securities regulators.
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In a video on its website, CoreCivic says Dilley’s “open campus layout allows residents to move freely and unescorted throughout the day.”
It does not mention that parents and their children are locked inside.
In response to questions from the AP, CoreCivic’s Gustin said the staff at Dilley includes a pediatrician, pediatric nurse practitioner, other trained medical professionals, as well as mental health services to “meet the needs of children and families in our care.”
In talks with parents of children held at Dilley, however, the same problems come up repeatedly, said Welch, the children’s rights lawyer.
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Kids cry often and don’t get enough sleep, in part because lights are on around the clock, she said. The water tastes terrible and causes stomachaches and rashes, so some families stick to what they can buy in the commissary.
Their children don’t eat enough and have lost weight, Welch said. There are classrooms, but instruction is limited to an hour daily, mostly filling out worksheets.
A 14-year-old girl, identified in court papers by the initials NVSM, reported there were tensions with up to 12 people sharing their room. At night when she and her mother tried to sleep, others insisted on turning up the TV.
“I feel very sad and stressed to be here,” the teen said in an account filed with the court that oversees a binding settlement governing detention and release of children. “My nerves are so high. I don’t know what is happening. My muscles will twitch because I’m so nervous and on edge.”
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Concerns about oversight
As the government’s detention of parents and their children came under scrutiny in 2014, an ICE official insisted that family detention centers, equipped with basketball courts and medical clinics, were “more like a summer camp.”
The characterization irritated McPherson, the child psychiatrist who, along with another physician, was retained in 2014 by DHS to inspect family detention centers. Their contracts were not renewed by the Trump administration last year after DHS announced sweeping staff reductions.
“Having a clean place to sleep, having food, that’s not the same thing as having family and community,” McPherson said.
The doctors’ investigations of family detention centers exposed consistently inadequate staffing and disregard by administrators for the trauma caused by detention, concerns they reported in 2018 to a Senate caucus set up to hear from whistleblowers.
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At Dilley, the doctors noted a persistent shortage of pediatricians and the inability to hire a child psychiatrist from the time they began their inspections until they alerted senators.
Employees unsure how to deal with 2-year-olds biting and hitting each other placed the children and their parents in medical isolation for days, McPherson and her colleague told senators. Without supervision, a nurse at Dilley gave adult-strength hepatitis A shots to about 250 children in 2015, the American Immigration Lawyers Association reported.
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Kheilin Valero Marcano, hugs her 18-month-old daughter, Amalia Arrieta Valero, in Southern California on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Kheilin Valero Marcano, hugs her 18-month-old daughter, Amalia Arrieta Valero, in Southern California on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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DHS responded to many of the findings by making changes before a special committee recommended in late 2016 that the government discontinue family detention except in rare cases. The first Trump administration increased family detention before the Biden administration began phasing it out in 2021.
That the Trump administration is again holding families at Dilley after so many warnings feels “dystopian,” McPherson said.
“The decision to knowingly traumatize children and subject them to chronic stress, I just have no words for it,” she said.
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Worries even after release
Huddled around picnic tables at the Laredo migrant shelter, parents released from Dilley searched anxiously for flights back to the homes they left behind. They called relatives, friends, teachers, anyone who might help with money to get there.
The young Ecuadorian mom talked of returning to Minneapolis, where her 2-year-old daughter, born in the U.S., was staying with a friend. With her husband deported, parenting will be entirely her responsibility.
That means getting her 7-year-old back in school. Then the woman, who had a work permit and a job in a Minneapolis restaurant before being detained, needs to keep her children fed.
“Let’s go home, Mom, but don’t go back to work because ICE is going to pick you up again,” the little girl said. Her mother tried to reassure her.
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That won’t happen, she said, because now they have a special paper telling ICE to leave them alone.
She hopes that’s a promise she can keep.
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AP Data Reporter Aaron Kessler contributed from Washington.
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Contact AP’s global investigative team at [email protected] or https://www.ap.org/tips/
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the Premier League match between Leeds United and Manchester City at Elland Road. City start the game in rude health, with four wins and a draw from their last five games in this competition, 13 points secured with the new signing Marc Guéhi in the team and a win today, which would make it three in a row for them in LS11 for the first time since 1928, would put them only two points behind Arsenal at the top after 28 games each. A first home victory for Leeds in five meetings, stretching back to 2004 the year when they fell out of the top flight and endured 16 years of trauma, would put them on 34 points, the same as Brighton, but they would remain in 15th.
Leeds’ transformation since walking into the away dressing room at the Etihad in November 2-0 down, changed ‘base formation’ as Daniel Farke always calls it, scored twice yet ultimately lost by virtue of Phil Foden’s exceptional skill and tenacity, has become a well-worn story. In the 14 matches since that defeat they have taken 20 points with four wins and eight draws but they have not played with an orthodox 3-5-2, the home victory over Chelsea apart, for all that many minutes, evolving styles and shapes as the game demands, innovation particularly on the right side of their defence with the right centre-back often galloping up the wing and the right wing-back drifting from inside-right to No 10 and even inside-left, whence Bogle scored against Nottingham Forest.
City’s system remains as fluid as ever and, with the addition of one of the best three goalkeepers in the world, England’s centre-half and the sprightly and spite-like Antoine Semenyo charging left, right and centre, to their cadre of world-class players, they will be as formidable as ever. Leeds fans will cling to that second half performance four months ago and to the imperishable memories of Stuart Dallas and a Marcelo Bielsa-orchestrated 10-man away victory over an even better City side in 2021, but they will need their team to show more belief and attacking gusto than they did against Arsenal a couple of weeks ago when they soiled the bed against a side they seem unable to match anymore.
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Time, though, is on their side. Of the 11 Leeds televised Premier League games this season that have kicked off after 4.30pm, they have won five, drawn six and lost only one, all five wins and two of the draws at home.
Noah Okafor alone is on Leeds’ casualty list while City’s Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic are at home still nursing long-term injuries.
Sir Keir has repeated his long-standing condemnation of Iran and, in particular, its retaliatory actions this weekend against Israel and several Gulf nations which host US military bases. He was careful to emphasise that the British warplanes airborne in the region are there in a defensive capacity, within international law – in other words offering protection for allies who are facing attacks from Iran.
Lexi Medforth, 13, from Pocklington, was born missing her left hand after being diagnosed with amniotic band syndrome while in the womb.
The condition occurs when bands of tissue in the uterus wrap around the baby and restrict blood flow – causing limb loss and abnormalities.
Her mum Becki said: “We found out at the 18-week scan that she would be born missing her left hand, and while it was a shock and left us worried about how she would manage, Lexi has grown into a strong and inspiring young girl who approaches life with courage and creativity.”
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Lexi developed a love for football and art but faced “more noticeable” challenges as she grew.
The teen began exploring her options, and after trialling a prosthesis supplied by the NHS, decided to push forward with her dream of using a bionic Hero Arm.
“I have been doing things I could only dream of now I have two hands” (Image: Supplied)
The multi-grip arm is developed by Open Bionics and is equipped with special sensors which detect upper arm muscle movements, allowing patients like Lexi to use it for everyday activities.
The Hero Arm is offered on the NHS and despite meeting the necessary criteria, Lexi faced a years-long waiting list.
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Becki said: “Lexi found this news really difficult.
“At the time, each hospital visit had left her feeling deflated and frustrated, questioning whether she would ever feel ‘normal’.”
“So far, I have used it to brush my teeth, have a drink, eat a slice of pizza and even to shake someone’s hand” (Image: Supplied)
Amid the frustration, Lexi’s family came across The Open Bionics Foundation – a charity which works alongside people hoping to receive a bionic arm.
The charity informed Lexi that if £20,000 could be raised, she would be able to have her arm built and moulded privately before Christmas.
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Social media fundraisers – Hand It To Lexi – were set up alongside a dedicated GoFundMe page – and the Pocklington community came together to make Lexi’s dream a reality.
She received her Hero Pro – an upgrade to the previous Hero Arm – after visiting the Open Bionics clinic in Bristol on Wednesday (February 25).
Speaking about this, she said: “I have only had the arm for four days, but it has already been life-changing for me.
“I have been doing things I could only dream of now I have two hands.
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“I know it will take some time to get used to but so far, I have used it to brush my teeth, have a drink, eat a slice of pizza and even to shake someone’s hand.
“I can’t thank my mum and dad enough for all the organising they did to raise the money, as well as all the support from family and friends.
“The people of Pocklington have been amazing at getting behind the fundraising events – not just with donating money but goods and volunteering as well.
“Even stranger further afield have helped – so thank you to everyone for making my dreams come true.”
Robbie Williams led a performance in honour of the singer and Black Sabbath frontman during the Brit Awards in Manchester
Those watching The BRIT Awards 2026 unfold live from Manchester were left divided as Ozzy Osbourne was honoured with a posthumous Brit Awards lifetime achievement award before a musical performance in his memory.
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The singer and Black Sabbath frontman, known as the Prince of Darkness, died aged 76 in July last year just over two weeks after his Back To The Beginning farewell concert where he was reunited with his bandmates.
The music star died of a reported heart attack on July 22 after suffering a string of health issues over the years, including multiple surgeries following a fall in February 2019 and being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Black Sabbath formed in 1968 and are widely credited with defining and popularising the sound of heavy metal. Ozzy, who also had a successful solo career, found a new legion of fans when he appeared in the 2000s reality TV series The Osbournes, starring alongside wife Sharon and their two youngest children.
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His legacy was recognised by the Brits during its annual award show on Saturday (February 28) night as the ceremony was broadcast live from Manchester’s Co-Op Live for the first time.
Ozzy’s wife, Sharon Osbourne who was in attendance on the night alongside her daughter, Kelly, took to the stage to accept the award and said in her speech: “First of all [censored], all of us, everyone in this place tonight are joined. We’re one because everyone in this place loves music, and it brings us all together. Such amazing artists tonight. I mean, everyone’s a winner, everyone. How lucky are we all to be in this business? It’s a gift. It really is.”
She continued: “I’m honoured to accept this award for my gorgeous husband, this lifetime achievement award. God knows, I wish he was here to accept it himself. But you’ve got the booby prize, you’ve got me doing it! But I know that Ozzy is looking down on us all right now, and I know what he’s thinking. He hated making speeches, he hated listening to speeches, and he’ll be saying [censored] ‘Just say thank you and get off that stage’. But, I’m not going to because I have to waffle on a bit.
“We all know how fickle this industry can be, and my old man was blessed with a one-in-a-million career. He was at the top of this game for 56 years. I could go on about his achievements but that’s boring. Ozzy was authentic, he was gifted, totally unpredictable, a wild man. He was a true artist.
“He came from a small working-class neighbourhood in Birmingham. He rose to become one of the most recognisable and respected musicians of his life, and it was filled with extraordinarily wonderful high times, but very real lower times. He never stopped tirelessly pushing himself to do better, he always wanted to do better, both personally and professionally. He never felt that words were enough to thank everybody for the life that he was given and for the life that he led.
“To be honest with you, he was the most humble, egomaniac you could ever meet. And yes, at the end of the day he will always be a rockstar. We spent most of our lives touring the world, but Ozzy’s heart never left England. Wherever we were in the world, he was always proud to be a working class Brummie, and he never let anyone forget it.”
Sharon went on to share: “I’m accepting this for Ozzy, but this award goes to his incredible family. It goes to the so many musicians that helped Ozzy along the way, and I wanted especially to thank his crew that was always there and never let him down. We were blessed to have one of the best crews ever on the road. And thousands of people who lined the streets of Birmingham to say goodbye, and of course the millions of fans around the world, he loved them, for giving him his extraordinary career and for their loyalty that they gave him.
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“I know that they loved him back as much as he loved them. If Ozzy was here tonight with us he would be showing that gorgeous smile that he had, and I know he would be so proud to receive this from the country that he loved. So, he may not be here, but he left us one amazing body of work that will never be forgotten by the country that made him.”
The speech was then followed by a tribute performance, curated by Sharon, which consisted of a special arrangement of Black Sabbath’s 1991 song No More Tears, with family friend Robbie Williams also joined on stage by musicians who have previously played as part of Ozzy’s band, including keyboardist Adam Wakeman, Metallica’s Robert Trujillo, drummer Tommy Clufetos and guitarist Zakk Wylde.
But it did leave some divided, with some loving Robbie’s performance, while others were hoping to see Yungblud lead the tribute, after he won the Grammy for best rock performance for his revved-up rendition of Ozzy’s ‘Changes’ at the 2025 Back to the Beginning concert in Villa Park.
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@shazzamac1973 said: “Prove all the haters wrong @robbiewilliams show them what you can do. Love the t-shirt #ozzyforever #Brits2026.” @Maffffffff commented: “Robbie Williams sings ozzy better than he sings Robbie Williams #Brits2026.” @JenniCostello wrote: “Robbie doing a tribute to Ozzy, great end to the ceremony! @robbiewilliams #BRITsAwards #Brits2026 #OzzyOsbourne.”
@trogsrus2 gushed: “Go on Robbie!!!!!! My man!!!! Suits you!!! #Brits2026.” @jazzy_j_97 wrote: “Robbie killed it with his performance tribute to OZZY, I loved it! #BRITs.” @Lou_Gou_ typed: “Well I loved that Ozzy tribute; Robbie Williams smashed it! #BRITs #BRITAwards.”
However, @lovesickluce posted: “This Ozzy Osbourne tribute isn’t right, surely Yungblud would have been a better choice? #Brits2026.” @garynetchells echoed: “Big fan of Robbie, but if anyone should be doing the Ozzy tribute it should be @yungblud #Brits2026.” @FleuritoFaveees shared: “Surely it would have made more sense to get yungblud to do this but idm at all cos robbie is doing an amazing job #BRITs2026.”
Meanwhile, @shazzamac1973 rounded off: “Everyone saying it should have been Yungblud doing the Ozzy tribute. There’s more singers than Yungblud. Yeah he’s a great singer but I think @robbiewilliams just proved he can do it. I’m sure Sharon had her say who she wanted to do it. That was a lovely tribute #Brits2026.”
“No one does it like Manchester”. That’s what we’re told minutes before the cameras start rolling inside Co-op Live – the home of The BRITs 2026.
For the first time in its history the most raucous music awards ceremony has decided to head up the M1 and make Manchester its new home – well for two years at least.
Seconds later host Jack Whitehall has declared Manchester the ‘G-spot of the North’ and bestowed Noel Gallagher the title of ‘Manchester’s final boss’.
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Yeah, we’re definitely in Manchester folks.
Don’t underestimate the power of a move up North to invigorate a ceremony of this pedigree because its Manchester makeover is looking rather good on it.
For tonight’s proceedings, it only felt right that Harry Styles kicked things off with Aperture. Because of the song’s title, meaning to embrace the uncertain and let the light in, it’s fitting that it’s the ceremony’s big opener as the dimmed lights slowly rise to create an illuminated stage where winners, and history makers, will be made over the next few hours.
Marking the first performance of the single, Harry is joined by a large cohort of dancers as they synchronise and essentially perform a rendition of Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses. It’s glorious and an energetic start to proceedings.
A quick reminder of our location for the night is dished up by Manchester’s Finest Bez and Shaun Ryder, who not only hand Wolf Alice the award for Best Group but keep host Jack Whitehall on his toes during a chat spanning everything from Aitch – not H – the rapper, bad role models and things we can’t repeat about Paddington Bear.
They’re also replacing Tess and Claudia on Strictly, apparently.
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The Greater Manchester – and a bit of Warrington – contingent kept coming too as YouTuber and I’m a Celeb winner Angryginge took the stage with his best mate, darts master Luke Littler.
Wholesome right? Not quite, but pride in where you’re from comes out in the strangest of ways sometimes, hence his comment about “people realising London is a ****hole” (which was bleeped for those watching at home).
Away from awards, and just over a week after gracing the Co-op Live stage, RAYE was back to reclaim her flowers, having previously won a record six awards at the last ceremony. She delivered a jazz-ed up version of Where Is My Husband! Backed by her band, the medley with her latest single Nightingale Lane showed her voice is at its finest and has already claimed her stake at next year’s awards.
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“My albums out next month,” the fiercely independent artist reminds fans.
The stars of K-Pop Demon Hunters brought a pre-recorded performance outside Co-op Live, surrounded by many of the young adoring fans who have made the Netflix film their latest obsession.
Meanwhile, Catalonian superstar Rosalia represented one of the big international performers on the 2026 show. Performing Berghain, the polyglot oozes elegance on the stage with what Jack Whitehall saying it was the ‘closest thing to opera on the ITV since the Go Compare adverts’.
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Performing Berghain, from her latest magnum opus Lux, the performer showed off her esteemed classical training at the Catalonia College of Music. It’s was a stunning performance that is without fault. A mix of colosseum chic, mixed with street party and night club rave, she’s then joined by Bjork, appearing out of nowhere dressed as the Purple One from a Quality Street tub. Camp, beautiful, eloquent and sheer utter talent. A showstopper.
As we come back down to earth, Bobby Gillespie had the honour of awarding a special prize to one of our most famous exports – Noel Gallagher.
‘Manchester’s Final Boss’, as Jack Whitehall so aptly put it, stepped onto stage to accept Songwriter of the Year – a credit to his more than 30 years of songwriting. He’s was in a sentimental mood, too.
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“Yes, Manchester, I’m going to start by saying I’ve got to thank my brother and Bonehead, and Guigsy, Tony McCarroll, Alan White, Gem, and Andy,” says Noel.
“They brought those songs to life, without them, I’d just be a singer-songwriter, and nobody gives a shit about singer-songwriters. More importantly, I’d like to thank you, the people who’ve kept those songs alive for the last 35 years.
“Without you, you’ve given us the most extraordinary life, and thank you very much for that. Have a great night. Up the f*****g Blues!” – which was bleeped again for ITV viewers.
Wolf Alice rolled out a kitsch IKEA showroom for a rendition of The Sofa, while Olivia Dean brought a romanticised arena to their feet with a dazzling and majestical rendition of Man I Need. Not content with that, American artist Alex Warren performed massive hit Ordinary, featuring a cameo from the one and only James Blunt.
Mark Ronson’s medley of hits featured American rap legend Ghostface Killah emerging out of the back of a car, Dua Lipa appearing from above an oversized disco ball in a white fur coat and a poignant tribute to Amy Winehouse featuring some of the band members she performed with. A “fake” stage invasion during Sombr’s set and we were on the home stretch, arriving at one of the most poignant parts of the night.
There was also a poignant tribute from The Charlatans legend Tim Burgess to The Stone Roses guitarist Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, who died in November. He told the audience, “I know he was loved by so many of you here tonight and many more watching on TV. Mani was a kid from a few miles up the road. He changed music and inspired generations ahead of him. These songs he recorded will be his legacy, along with his unforgettable smile and uncontainable enthusiasm.
“He was truly one of the phenomenal ones, and they are far and few between. So, I just want you to think about Mani for a moment,” he said as the crowd cheered.
“There will never be another f****** Ozzy Osbourne” shouted Sharon Osbourne at the top of her lungs to a room hanging on her every word. Following his passing last year, she and daughter Kelly accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on his behalf. A household name and a “proud brummie” it’s an emotional tribute to a man who had such a large impact on the music industry, his fans and his family.
A man of such influence deserves an all-star lineup and that’s exactly what he got as the show closed out in true BRITs style. The tribute performance, curated by Ozzy’s wife Sharon, featured a special arrangement of Black Sabbath’s 1991 song No More Tears, with Robbie Williams joined on stage by musicians who have previously played as part of Ozzy’s band, including keyboardist Adam Wakeman, Metallica’s Robert Trujillo, drummer Tommy Clufetos and guitarist Zakk Wylde. The crowd up on their feet, it couldn’t have been more fitting end for a historic night and Manchester’s epic BRITs debut.
Ahead of the show, the red carpet set up for the event was simply extraordinary. A huge tent was set up on the main Co-op Live car park, with a massive security operation around the whole of Eastlands in place given the number of famous musicians and VIPs in attendance.
An area was sectioned off for the public who whooped and cheered with every star arrival at the arena, naturally the biggest cheers of all reserved for homecoming hero Harry Styles.
There were three long rows of red carpet with representatives from seemingly the entire nation’s media in attendance – showing the sheer scale of this event.
The BRITs move to the north for the first time this year was warmly welcomed by stars who spoke to the MEN on the red carpet. Mark Ronson, who won an outstanding achievement award on the night, hailed the significance of Manchester music in his own life, and said that holding the BRITs in the city gave the event “a new energy”. He said “It feels fresh, and obviously this is a great arena.”
He added: “Winning this award in Manchester is particularly special to me because my very first gig was at the MEN Arena with Dizzee Rascal, so Manchester will always be a very special place to me.”
Meanwhile, Robbie Williams agreed, adding: “The north has been starving for something like this for so long.”
Already admired for its cobbled market square, stone cottages and surrounding Dales scenery, Grassington has found a new audience after doubling as the fictional town of Darrowby in Channel 5’s hit series All Creatures Great and Small.
Now, with filming underway for series seven and the show recently crowned Best Drama Series at the TV Choice Awards, the spotlight on this picturesque Dales town shows no sign of fading any time soon.
Long before television crews arrived, Grassington was regularly praised by visitors as “beautiful,” “full of character,” and “idyllic”.
Grassington (Image: ANDREW QUINN/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUB)
Its historic square, lined with independent cafés, galleries and small shops, has always made it a natural stop for day-trippers exploring Wharfedale.
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But since the 2020 reboot of All Creatures Great and Small, inspired by James Herriot’s beloved veterinary tales, the town has taken on a second identity.
Each series sees Grassington carefully transformed into 1930s and 40s Darrowby.
Modern signage disappears, shopfronts are redressed, and vintage props line the cobbled streets, transporting visitors back almost a century.
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Producers chose Grassington for its authenticity.
The town’s stone-built architecture and preserved market square require little alteration to recreate the world of Herriot’s stories.
Fans wandering through the square will quickly spot familiar backdrops.
The Devonshire Arms is reimagined on screen as The Drovers Arms, where many of the drama’s key scenes unfold.
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Just outside Grassington (Image: BRIAN GRAY/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUB)
The Stripey Badger bookshop becomes Endelby’s Grocers, while a private residence in the town serves as Skeldale House, the surgery and home of James Herriot and his colleagues.
The Devonshire Arms previously described being approached by a location scout in summer 2019, initially unaware that the production would be a remake of All Creatures Great and Small.
“Little did we know that this would be the beginning of a huge adventure,” the pub said, recalling how the show became “the worst-kept secret in the Dales”.
They added that watching the transformation process, from dressed shopfronts to props such as the temporary portico and even period post boxes, has been “fascinating”.
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The square has also hosted large-scale scenes, including the annual Darrowby Show, bringing much of the fictional community together on screen.
The series has become Channel 5’s most successful drama to date, reaching more than 14 million viewers across its first five series and remaining the channel’s top programme year after year.
It has also developed a strong international following, particularly in the United States, through PBS.
That popularity has translated into a surge of visitors to Grassington.
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Filming for All Creatures Great and Small (Image: CHANNEL5)
Tourists often arrive clutching maps of filming locations, eager to stand outside the pub, the grocer’s shop and the vet’s surgery they recognise from television.
Local businesses have reported steady increases in trade, from overnight stays to café footfall, as the town cements its place on the tourist map.
While filming can bring temporary road closures and disruption, many residents have embraced Grassington’s starring role, expressing pride at seeing their home celebrated on screen.
The cast and crew recently thanked fans after the show was named Best Drama Series at the TV Choice Awards.
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In a social media message marking the end of series six, which concluded with an emotional Christmas Eve episode set in 1945, the team said: “What an honour to be named Best Drama Series.
“Thank you to every single person who voted and supported Series 6. Your support truly means the world to us.”
With series seven now filming in the Yorkshire Dales and both series seven and eight confirmed, Grassington’s future as Darrowby appears secure.
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Greg Barnett, Commissioning Editor at Channel 5, described the programme as “a jewel in 5’s drama crown”, praising its warmth, humour and heart set against the beauty of Yorkshire.
Yet even without its television fame, Grassington offers plenty to draw visitors.
Beyond browsing the square’s independent shops and stopping in its traditional pubs, visitors can explore riverside walks along the River Wharfe, head onto Grassington Moor for panoramic views or plan their trip around one of the town’s well-known events, including its Christmas market and summer arts festivals.
As staycations continue to appeal to travellers seeking slower, more scenic breaks, Grassington stands out as both a quintessential Dales market town and a small-screen star.
Early on Saturday morning, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes on Iran. Since then, Iran has retaliated, launching its own drone strikes and missiles at U.S. allies in the region, with Trump saying the attack killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
As bombs fell and people died, gamblers around the world took advantage of the chaos to make a buck.
Kalshi, a prediction market, reportedly saw $36 million in bet volume related to whether or not there will be a regime change in Iran.
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A similar online betting site, Polymarket, saw more than $31 million in trade volume relating to whether or not Khamenei would still be in power come March 31.
Gamblers have poured millions of dollars into prediction market bets related to President Donald Trump’s military strikes on Iran (US Central Command)
Other questions — drawing in millions of dollars in bets — asked whether or not a ceasefire will be announced or if the U.S. will carry out a full invasion of Iran.
It’s not the first time gamblers have made major money by betting on Trump’s military actions. When the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, an individual with a relatively new account pumped $30,000 into a bet that Maduro would be ousted. Hours later, the Trump administration captured Maduro, earning the gambler more than $436,000.
That wager led to speculation that someone with insider knowledge used the market to enrich themselves. While betting using insider knowledge is prohibited on the platforms, enforcement of those rules is left up to the sites themselves, not regulators.
Now there are suspicions that other insiders used the Iran strikes to get rich. Six accounts on Polymarket reportedly won approximately $1.2 million by predicting the U.S. would launch a strike on Iran on February 28, according to CoinDesk.
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Blockchain analyzer Bubblemaps noted that the bets were made just hours before the strike, and that the accounts had no activity before making the Iran strike bets.
The Independent has requested comment from Polymarket.
For those hoping to get some geopolitical bets in, there are plenty of questions still open on the market.
Kalshi has an entire Iran section, where bettors can wager on whether or not Tehran will close the Strait of Hormuz and who will become the next Supreme Leader. Currently, the leading response to that question is that the position will be abolished, suggesting a belief that there will be regime change.
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Polymarket is still accepting bets on whether or not Khamenei will be leading Iran come March 31. Right now, 93 percent of bettors say no.
Real gamblers can bet on which country the U.S. attacks next. As of this report, more than $2 million has been bet on that question, and 93 percent of gamblers have picked Somalia as Trump’s next target.
The Oasis star was honoured with the Songwriter of the Year award at the Brit Awards in Manchester, but his acceptance speech was censored by ITV
Jasmine Allday TV Reporter and Samantha King Content Editor
22:24, 28 Feb 2026
Noel Gallagher’s expletive-laden speech was bleeped out as he accepted the Songwriter of the Year award at the Brit Awards. The prestigious music event took place in Manchester for the first time ever.
The Oasis frontman – who reconciled with his brother Liam Gallagher last year for a series of performances following years of bitter disputes – faced criticism over receiving the honour, particularly as he hadn’t put out any fresh music in the previous 12 months.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola presented Noel with a tribute message, praising the rock legend. Taking to the stage, Noel initially expressed gratitude to his brother before acknowledging his fellow band members.
He concluded his remarks with a reference to his cherished Manchester City, exclaiming “up the f*****g blues”, alluding to the club’s traditional colours. His outburst was greeted with considerable jeering throughout the venue – presumably from rival Manchester United supporters.
Addressing the debate surrounding his victory despite releasing no new material during the period, Noel commented: “I haven’t written a song for two years. I’m not sure how I’ve got away with that one, but I’ll take it”, reports the Mirror.
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“Well, I think the BRITs is all based on record sales, and I’m not sure there was another single songwriter that sold… I mean, we sold a million records last year. Didn’t even get off the couch and I’m not sure there’s a songwriter that can match that. But you know, if anybody’s got a problem with it, meet me there. We’ll have it out on the red carpet.
“If any of those wet wipes songwriting teams, all 11 of them, want to write a song between the lot of them, want to have it out on the red carpet, I’m there.”
Nevertheless, Noel did acknowledge he’d be creating fresh material. “I’m in the studio now, so I’d better do something out soon. If I am honest I think they just were desperate to get someone from Oasis up there cos it is in Manchester,” he stated.
When questioned at the time whether his brother Liam would attend the Brits alongside him, he responded: “We’re just organising tickets for the Carabao Cup final today, but no, I haven’t spoke to him about that, no.”
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Liam has also stoked speculation about appearing with Noel at the ceremony. When a supporter posted regarding train times to Manchester, Liam quipped in a since-deleted comment: “I’m already there, drove up last night. Can’t wait to see some old faces.”
When one admirer asked “You winding us up now?” he subsequently dismissed the speculation and joked: “I am I’m not going to the awards I’m just in the area keeping an eye on things.”
Announcing Noel as Songwriter of the Year, Stacey Tang, Chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and Co-President of RCA Records at Sony Music UK, said: “For more than three decades, Noel has crafted songs that have become part of our collective story – bold, brilliant, and always recognisable.
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“His songs have soundtracked memories for multiple generations and defined the spirit of British music globally. Honouring Noel as Songwriter of the Year celebrates a remarkable body of work and a creative force that continues to connect and inspire artists and fans worldwide.”
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Officers were called Haxby Road, close to York St John University Sports Fields, on Saturday (February 28) after “multiple” calls were made to North Yorkshire Police from businesses and members of the public, police said.
A force spokesperson added: “This was due to players and spectators visiting the University sports park.
“We’re asking all visitors to the sports facility to keep pavements, footpaths, and access routes clear at all times.
“Blocking the pavement – even for a short period – create hazards for pedestrians, wheelchair users, people with pushchairs, and those with visual impairments.”
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Police said an officer helped ease traffic and had entered the sports fields, asking those with cars parked up to check they were not causing obstructions on the pavement.
Motorist have been warned not to obstruct the pavement outside the facility (Image: Google Maps)
In a statement, a force spokesperson said: “After a lengthy period of time, some of the vehicles still had not been moved.
“Obstructing the pavement can force people out into the road – putting them at risk.
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“Your cooperation helps keep the area safe and accessible for everyone.”
Dean, who won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the ceremony in January, has proved to be one of the UK’s biggest breakthroughs in years, winning over fans and critics with her soulful pop sound. She was one of a number of stars who attended the annual music awards show, which was held outside London for the first time in the award show’s history, instead taking place at the Co-Op Live arena in Manchester.
Accepting her award for Artist of the Year, Dean said: “I want to say thank you to my whole team, everybody down there, I love you, my band… it takes a lot of people to be a good artist, and it’s not lost on me that I’m very lucky to have good people around me. So thank you.”
The awards show was hosted once again by comedian Jack Whitehall, who kicked off proceedings with a sketch that showed him obsessively on the look-out for pop star Harry Styles, in hope that he would return with new music. Whitehall, 37, was seen out jogging and mistaking an older woman for the former One Direction star, visiting his waxwork at Madame Tussauds, and eventually hearing the news that Styles would be singing live at the ceremony.
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Jack Whitehall made a number of gags during his sixth stint hosting the Brit Awards (ITV)
One of the anticipated moments of the evening was Styles’s performance, which opened the show with a live rendition of his No 1 single “Aperture”. Backed by a troupe of dancers, he leant into the track’s dance and electronic influences with a dizzying light display, receiving a standing ovation from the live audience. “Aperture” serves as the lead single from the 32-year-old’s fourth studio album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. It is scheduled for release next week on Friday 6 March, the same day Styles returns to the Co-Op Live for a headline show.
Harry Styles performed live at the Brit Awards (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Whitehall seemed intent on ruffling a few feathers by cracking jokes about the stars in attendance, referring to singer-songwriter Alex Warren as “Ed Sheeran if you ordered him on Temu” and producer Mark Ronson as “Nick Grimshaw if he learnt to use GarageBand”. He also took a swipe at the controversy at the previous week’s Baftas, in which Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson involuntarily shouted a racial slur while Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award.
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However, it was Whitehall’s gags about Manchester, the ceremony’s host city, that drew particular ire from viewers at home, with some going so far to accuse him of classism. He made jokes about drug use in the city as well as making digs at people from Preston, Lancashire, while also mocking a man in the audience for his suit, which he suggested was not Prada but rather “100 per cent polyester”. He also suggested that Manchester’s idea of black tie was the brand Stone Island, known for its casualwear.
Fans watching from home were left confused by the frequent bouts of censoring, including for Whitehall’s joke about Peter Mandelson in the wake of his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in a public office. Geese frontman Cameron Winter was also censored as he shouted “Free Palestine” while collecting the New York rock band’s award for Best International Group.
A number of famous faces turned up to present awards, including Robbie Williams who was on hand to present the first award of the night, Song of the Year, which was voted for by the public – this went to Dean and Sam Fender for their collaboration, “Rein Me In”. Rock band Wolf Alice took Group of the Year, following the release of their 2025 album The Clearing, ahead of a live performance of single “The Sofa”. Jeff Goldblum presented the prize for Album of the Year, while Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie introduced Noel Gallagher as the recipient for Songwriter of the Year.
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Wolf Alice took home the prize for Group of the Year (AFP via Getty Images)
Producer Mark Ronson, who was honoured with a gong for Producer of the Year, also delivered a special mashup of some of his biggest hits, from his debut single “Ooh Wee” with rapper Ghostface Killah to “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse, to his and Winehouse’s rendition of “Valerie” by The Zutons and “Uptown Funk”, his No 1 hit with Bruno Mars. For his track “Dance the Night Away” from the Barbie soundtrack, Dua Lipa descended from a giant mirror ball before switching to her song “Electricity”, overseen by Ronson’s “super-producer group” with Diplo, Silk City.
There were plenty of spectacular live performances, from Olivia Dean’s rendition of her hit single “Man I Need” to a dazzling, big band-backed medley from RAYE, who dominated the awards in 2024. Spanish artist Rosalía gave a jaw-dropping performance of her song “Berghain”, an operatic opus she sings in German while backed by a choir and orchestra. Bjork, who features on the track as a guest artist, also made a surprise appearance. Rosalía later gave a moving acceptance speech for the International Solo Artist award, in which she urged listeners to “accept otherness”, and to embrace other languages and cultures.
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Rosalia won International Solo Artist at the Brit Awards 2026 (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Dean echoed this sentiment as she was announced as the winner of Album of the Year for The Art of Loving, telling the audience at the Co-Op Live arena: “Making this album has changed my life, I feel so proud to have made it, and to work with everybody that I did on it…
“Thank you so much for believing in me when I didn’t really believe in myself sometimes… this album is just about love and loving each other in a world that feels lovelessness right now, so I don’t know, thank you.”
