We had temporarily lost Prince William. Rushing through the narrow streets of the Old Town of Al Ula in Saudi Arabia, our guides eventually helped us catch up with him.

They had changed where he was due to arrive, after his lunch had run over. It was all fairly frantic, but for his aides, now tasked with getting him to his plane on time to head home, this was nothing like the other challenges they had faced.

This has felt like a week where the royal family have really seen what they are up against when it comes to the Andrew and Epstein scandal. The noise has been never-ending with shouts at both the prince and the King, and more documents being uncovered.

Follow latest updates on the Epstein files

There had been hopes that the Prince of Wales’ trip to Saudi Arabia, a significant diplomatic visit, might have been enough to shift some of the attention.

With all the pictures of William with kids and women, there could not have been more effort made to sell this as a trip all about the future, projecting a positive image of Saudi Arabia and the work of the British royal family.

The visit, of course, was always going to be a political tightrope for him, with questions over human rights here, despite significant social charges. But nothing could stop the runaway scandal of the Epstein files from being the bigger problem.

Read more: Tour of Saudi Arabia ends with nature reserve visit

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Prince William’s trip overshadowed by Epstein?

The demand to hear from the royals has been enormous. But the calls for them to tell us more risk overshadowing how huge it was to get those statements earlier in the week from both William and Kate and Buckingham Palace.

I have done this job long enough to know there must have been tense conversations before they got the final sign-off for release. They knew they would be blowing the story up again, but doing nothing was not an option.

For them, the problem is that people still want more. We expect to see our leaders on camera, to see them visibly taking control and being accountable.

There is no doubt that in recent years there has been a change in what the family are prepared to open up about on camera, remember for example the videos released about the King and Kate’s cancer, but it’s always on their own terms.

And from what we have had so far, I’m not sure on this one; they’re going to bow to public pressure to talk, despite some saying silence only exacerbates the huge reputational risks.

For 15 years, this has been hanging over them, first the Queen, now Andrew’s brother, the King, undoubtedly going so much further than their mother ever did. The “maximalist approach”, as they describe it, stripping him of his titles and Windsor home.

And this week, in written words, we have seen greater efforts to distance themselves from Andrew, partly, I suspect, out of a concern about what else may come, despite his constant denials of any wrongdoing.

Whether you agree or not, for now, they do not feel like they have more questions to answer. Yes, there are pictures and emails that strongly suggest Epstein spent time at palaces and royal properties. In the end, Andrew maintained that contact, not the wider family or the institution.

The acting head of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has told a congressional committee that the agency is “a key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup” when asked if he would pause operations for this summer’s tournament.

Todd Lyons and other senior officials were questioned by lawmakers on the House committee on homeland security after ICE agents shot and killed two American citizens as part of US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

The deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good sparked outrage across the country.

Representative Nellie Pou – of New Jersey’s ninth district, which includes the MetLife Stadium where the World Cup final will be played – asked Lyons, external if ICE would commit to pausing operations around matches and other Fifa events.

She claimed that visitors’ confidence was “plummeting and jeopardising the World Cup”.

Lyons responded by insisting that ICE was “dedicated to securing that operation, and we are dedicated to the security of all of our participants as well as visitors.”

Pou said: “You realise that if [fans] feel they are going to be wrongfully incarcerated, wrongfully pulled out, that is going to hurt this entire process?”

“Yes ma’am, and ICE is dedicated to ensuring that everyone that visits the facilities will have a safe and secure event,” replied Lyons.

Both US citizens, Good and Pretti were each shot multiple times during enforcement operations.

Their deaths – and ICE’s broader action – caused outrage in Minneapolis where some 3,000 agents were deployed at Trump’s direction to crack down on illegal immigration.

Some of those agents have since left the city.

Last month fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) told BBC Sport it was “extremely concerned by the ongoing militarisation of police forces in the US” before this summer’s World Cup in North America.

The European Democratic Party (EDP) also said it may ask national football federations to consider pulling out of the tournament if safety guarantees are not forthcoming.

Fifa has said the safety and security of fans and participants is its “top priority”, adding it works closely with local authorities “to plan, co-ordinate and deliver comprehensive security measures for the tournament”.

The US is due to host 78 matches across 11 cities, with co-hosts Canada and Mexico hosting 13 matches each.

Lindsey Vonn says she is “making progress” after having a successful third surgery on the broken leg she sustained in a crash at the Winter Olympics on Sunday.

The American great was racing just nine days after rupturing ligaments in her left knee when she struck a gate 13 seconds into her downhill run in Cortina.

She was airlifted off the piste and taken to hospital in Treviso, where she was diagnosed with a “complex tibia fracture” in her left leg.

“I had my third surgery today and it was successful,” she wrote in a post on Instagram., external

“Success today has a completely different meaning than it did a few days ago. I’m making progress and while it is slow, I know I’ll be OK.

“Thankful for all of the incredible medical staff, friends, family, who have been by my side and the beautiful outpouring of love and support from people around the world.

“Also, huge congrats to my team-mates and all of the Team USA athletes who are out there inspiring me and giving me something to cheer for.”

Vonn was the Olympic downhill champion in 2010 and had been hoping for a fairytale ending to her illustrious career.

She retired from the sport in 2019 as the most decorated female skier at the time, having suffered several serious leg injuries.

After having a partial right knee replacement, she announced her shock return to the sport in 2024.

Since then, she had achieved eight podium finishes on the World Cup circuit, including two golds, and had been tipped to win a medal at her fifth and final Olympics.

But despite suffering the ACL injury in Switzerland in the last World Cup race before the Games, she was determined to take to the course in Cortina where she had enjoyed so much success.

On Monday, she said she had “no regrets”, adding: “I dared to dream and had worked so hard to achieve it.”

American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn has undergone her third surgery after suffering a broken leg in a devastating crash at the Milan-Cortina Games

Skiing icon Lindsey Vonn has provided an update via social media following her third operation after the catastrophic accident that shattered her Olympic aspirations at Milan-Cortina. The 41-year-old American sustained a broken leg during the Olympic Games and was airlifted to hospital following a severe crash – just over a week after tearing her ACL.

Vonn, representing Team USA, clipped a gate, lost her balance and tumbled into the slope merely 13 seconds into her women’s downhill run. She received comprehensive medical attention before being airlifted to a nearby hospital for additional treatment.

Updating her followers on Instagram on Wednesday evening, Vonn shared: “I had my 3rd surgery today and it was successful. Success today has a completely different meaning than it did a few days ago.

“I’m making progress and while it is slow, I know I’ll be ok. Thankful for all of the incredible medical staff, friends, family, who have been by my side and the beautiful outpouring of love and support from people around the world.

“Also, huge congrats to my teammates and all of the Team USA athletes who are out there inspiring me and giving me something to cheer for.”

It was subsequently confirmed that Vonn would require multiple surgeries to mend her leg, and she has now completed her third. A protracted recovery period lies ahead, though it remains possible that the skier could make a return to the slopes within a year.

Fellow competitor Federica Brignone, who sustained multiple leg fractures and a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament at last April’s Italian Championships, made her comeback after only 10 months. The Italian went head-to-head with Vonn on Cortina’s Olympia piste.

“It’s always difficult to give an assessment without seeing the X‐rays,” Andrea Panzeri, head of the Medical Commission of the Italian Winter Sports Federation, told Reuters.

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“It’s a complex fracture that, regardless of age, can limit an athlete’s career. But Brignone also had a serious fracture and she recovered.”

Meanwhile, Filippo Pierfrancesco Calanna, an orthopaedic surgeon at Milan’s Gaetano Pini Orthopaedic and Trauma Centre, added: “It’s obvious that the older you are, the slower the recovery.

“Even though Vonn has exceptional physical qualities, physical recovery takes longer at her age. But much also depends on motivation and mindset.

“There is a risk that arthritis develops earlier which, over time, can lead to reduced joint function, stiffness and pain.”

Yet Vonn’s previous injuries to the same leg, including a partial knee replacement, may influence her rehabilitation period.

Nigel Farage was compared to “rubbish” piling up in the street by an MP in a brutal Commons slapdown.

Ayoub Khan, the independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, made the comment as he asked Keir Starmer to intervene to end a long-running strike by bin workers in the city.

Looking directly at the Reform UK leader, who was sitting in the row in front of him, Khan said “rubbish is building up right beneath my very nose”.

Farage sat grim-faced as MPs across the Commons roared with laughter and shouted “more”.

After a short pause, Khan went on: “It’s becoming a serious problem. In Birmingham, bin strikes are now running over close to two years.

“Can I ask the prime minister to intervene and perhaps speak to the leader of Birmingham City Council to see if he can re-enter negotiations with Unite the Union?”

Starmer said the government was “doing everything we can to resolve the situation, which absolutely needs resolving”.

“I was a children’s librarian for 10 years, and knowing that these children that I likely knew, that I likely read to… these are our friends, our friends’ children have been injured, lost their life, and we just have to think how to come together as a community and rely upon each other for support,” he said.

The story of the historical series picks up some years after a well known tale leaves off

A critically acclaimed and beloved period drama has returned to our screens and continues the story of some classic characters.

The Artful Dodger originally released on Disney Plus back in 2023. Fans were forced to wait three years but all episodes of its second season are finally available now on the streaming platform.

It is actually inspired by one of the most well known classic pieces of literature written by a celebrated author. The title of the series would probably give it away to most that it involves characters taken from Oliver Twist, which was written by Charles Dickens.

However, not only that but the second season introduces another iconic character from a different but equally well known book. But where and when do the events of The Artful Dodger take place compared to the original stories? Here’s all you need to know.

When is The Artful Dodger set?

At the end of the book Oliver Twist, Jack Dawkins who is also known as the Artful Dodger, is arrested for stealing a silver snuff box. He is sentenced to be transported to a penal colony in Australia for life.

Therefore the series imagines what happens to Jack some years following his conviction. In fact, in the first season we find out that his surrogate father and mentor Norbert Fagin, refused to stage a breakout for Jack, claiming there was too much heat and fearing that he would be caught and put to death himself, he ultimately leaves him to his fate.

The original book finished publishing as a serial in 1839. We actually find out in Season One’s premiere episode exactly when the action picks up.

A shot of a diary confirms the date of October 27, 1855. So if we take that the original tale happened in the same time it was published, then at least 16 years has passed since we last dealt with these characters.

While Fagin failed to help Jack, he did manage to escape himself. He was eventually seconded to the Royal Navy where his skilled fingers allowed him to go from picking pockets to assisting surgeons. He would become one himself, serving as a medic in the Crimean War, which actually took place between 1853 and 1856.

Afterwards, he was recommended to serve in the colony. This means he still arrived in Australia but as a respected doctor as oppose to a convicted criminal. The British penal system transported convicts from Great Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia until 1868.

Season Two picks up around six months where the first ended as The Artful Dodger remains in deep trouble. According to its synopsis, he’s got an appointment with the noose, he’s being hunted by new lawman, Inspector Boxer, and if he sees the woman he loves, Lady Belle, he’ll be hanged.

The Artful Dodger is streaming on Disney+.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A disruption in reimbursements to states for disaster relief costs. Delays in cybersecurity response and training. And missed paychecks for the agents who screen passengers and bags at the nation’s airports, which could lead to unscheduled absences and longer wait times for travelers.

Those were just some of the potential ramifications of a looming funding lapse at the Department of Homeland Security, according to officials who testified before a House panel on Wednesday.

Congress has approved full-year funding for the vast majority of the federal government, but it only passed a short-term funding patch for the Department of Homeland Security that extends through Friday. In response to the killing of two American citizens in Minneapolis and other incidents, Democrats have insisted that any funding bill for the department come with changes to immigration enforcement operations.

Finding agreement on the issue of immigration enforcement will be exceedingly difficult. But even though lawmakers in both parties were skeptical, a White House official said that the administration was having constructive talks with both Republicans and Democrats. The official, granted anonymity to speak about ongoing deliberations, stressed that President Donald Trump wanted the government to remain open and for Homeland Security services to be funded.

Meanwhile, Republicans are emphasizing that a Homeland Security shutdown would not curtail the work of the agencies Democrats are most concerned about. Trump’s tax and spending cut bill passed last year gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement about $75 billion to expand detention capacity and beef up enforcement operations.

“Removal operations will continue. Wall construction will continue,” said Rep. Mark Amodei, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security.

Rather, agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration, the Secret Service, Coast Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency would take the biggest hit, he said. Officials from those agencies appeared before the House subcommittee to explain the potential impact of a Homeland Security shutdown.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, the ranking Democrat on the panel, said the tragic loss of two American citizens in Minneapolis — Renee Good and Alex Pretti — should concern every lawmaker. He said that strong borders and a respect for human life are not competing values.

“When enforcement actions lead to outcomes like that, we have an obligation to ask the hard question and to make sure our laws and policies are working as intended,” Cuellar said.

He said on Homeland Security funding that “we were almost there. We were there, Democrats and Republicans and everybody, but the second shooting brought different dynamics. I think we can get there to address that.”

Essential work continues

About 90% of the department’s employees would continue working in a shutdown, but they would do so without pay. Vice Admiral Thomas Allan of the U.S. Coast Guard said law enforcement and emergency response missions continue during a shutdown, but that the possibility of missed paychecks creates significant financial hardships.

“Shutdowns cripple morale and directly harm our ability to recruit and retain the talented Americans we need to meet growing demands,” Allan said.

Ha Nguyen McNeill of the Transportation Security Administration shared a similar concern. She estimated about 95% of the agency’s 61,000 workers would continue to work, but potentially go without a paycheck depending upon the length of a shutdown. She noted that they just went through a lengthy shutdown last fall.

“We heard reports of officers sleeping in their cars at airports to save money on gas, selling their blood and plasma and taking on second jobs to make ends meet,” she said. “…Some are just recovering from the financial impact of the 43-day shutdown. Many are still reeling from it. We cannot put them through another such experience.”

Homeland Security also includes the agency charged with working to protect the public and private sector from a broad range of cyber threats. Madhu Gottumukkala, acting director of that agency, said a shutdown would “degrade our capacity to provide timely and actionable guidance to help partners defend their networks.”

“I want to be clear, when the government shuts down, cyber threats do not,” he said.

Long-term impact

Gregg Phillips, an associated administrator at FEMA, said its disaster relief fund has sufficient balances to continue emergency response activities during a shutdown, but would become seriously strained in the event of a catastrophic disaster. He said that while the agency continues to respond to threats like flooding and winter storms, long-term planning and coordination with state and local partners is “irrevocably impacted.”

For example, he said a lapse would disrupt training for first responders at the National Disaster & Emergency Management University in Maryland.

“The import of these trainings cannot be measured,” Phillips said. “And their absence will be felt in our local communities.”

At the Secret Service, “the casual observer will see no difference,” said Matthew Quinn, the agency’s deputy director. But he said reform efforts taking place at the Secret Service are affected.

“Delayed contracts, diminished hiring and halted new programs will be the result,” Quinn said.

Anthony Dale followed his intended victim before putting a knife to his neck and demanding that he handed over cash, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The 44-year-old told the student that he was homeless and his intended victim offered to find him somewhere to stay.

Victoria Lamballe, prosecuting, said some of the incident was caught on CCTV as Dale followed the man through the Teesside University campus at around midnight on November 26, last year.

“The defendant approached him from behind and said ‘give me all of your money’ as he put a knife to his neck,” she said.

“Unaware of that weapon was, he instinctively grabbed hold of it and pushed the defendant away. It was at that point that he saw it was a butter knife.”

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Dale, of Borough Road, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery after he was arrested several hours later when he was traced through CCTV in the town centre.

Robert Mochrie, mitigating, said that his client ‘fully acknowledged he will receive an immediate custodial sentence’ for his offending.

Judge Nathan Adams locked Dale up for three years and nine months following his guilty plea to attempted robbery.

He added: “He responded with kindness after what must have been a terrifying ordeal at that time of night.”