Russian strikes leave Ukrainian parliament and 1 million Kyiv homes without power
Ukraine‘s parliament building is among thousands left without electricity, heating and water after Russia’s overnight strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid, officials said.
An estimated one million residents of Kyiv were also without power, water or heating after a major drone and missile strike.
Yaroslav Zhelezniak, a lawmaker from the Holos party, said the parliament’s support office would work remotely on Wednesday due to a lack of water and heating in the building.
Russia has continued to bombard major Ukrainian cities even as envoys for US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin held a two-hour meeting in Davos yesterday to discuss a deal to end Russia’s invasion.
Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev claimed the meeting was a success, saying “more and more people understand the fairness of Russia’s position”.
Trump is due to arrive in Davos later today but Volodymyr Zelensky has decided to skit the summit amid the ongoing attacks on Kyiv
UK and Denmark to discuss Ukraine and Arctic security at defence talks
Britain and Denmark will hold defence talks today focusing on security in the Arctic region, the British government said, at a time when US president Donald Trump’s designs on Greenland threaten to upend historic alliances.
Defence secretary John Healey will be in Copenhagen today, his ministry said.
He will discuss how European nations can step up security in the “high north”, a term used to refer to the European Arctic which includes the island of Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark.
The UK and Denmark want to protect critical national infrastructure in the Baltic and high north.
They will discuss a planned exercise later this year by the Joint Expeditionary Force, a UK-led northern European rapid response military partnership.
Support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion, as well as counter-drone cooperation, will also be on the agenda.
Russia says drone fragments caused fire at Afipsky oil refinery in Krasnodar
Drone fragments caused a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region without inflicting any injuries or damage, local emergencies centre said this morning.
The fire was extinguished, it said.
Ukrainian drones struck towns in southern Russia, injuring 11 people and prompting the evacuation of several residents, local officials said.
Trump’s fight for Greenland hits Ukraine postwar deal – report
A major deal to fund Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction will no longer be signed in Davos with Europe and Donald Trump now at loggerheads over Greenland, according to the FT.
Six officials aware of the disagreements between European capitals and Washington confirmed that a planned announcement of an $800bn “prosperity plan” for Ukraine will now be delayed.
The agreement was going to be between Ukraine, Europe and the US, the report added.
While one of the officials confirmed “no signing as of now,” another said “nobody is in any mood to stage a grand spectacle around an agreement with Trump right now”.
Another official told the FT that European capitals could not simply ignore the US president’s actions on Greenland while trying to make progress on other Trump-related matters such as Ukraine.
One of the officials said Greenland and the Board of Peace controversy – with Trump inviting Putin to join despite his ongoing aggression against a European neighbour – had “eclipsed” a previously planned focus on Ukraine at the Swiss meeting.
Watch: Russian drone strikes leave over 1 million in Kyiv without electricity, says Zelensky
Evacuation ordered in Russia after Ukrainian drone attacks injure 8
Ukrainian drones struck towns in southern Russia, injuring eight people and prompting the evacuation of several residents, local officials said in the early hours today.
The governor of the Adygean Republic in Russia’s North Caucasus, Murat Kumpilov, said a drone struck an apartment building in a village in the Takhtamukaysky district, injuring eight people, including a child. Seven were being treated in hospital, he said.
Kumpilov said at least 15 vehicles were set on fire.
In the adjacent Krasnodar region on the Black Sea, governor Venyamin Kondratiev said a drone fell near an apartment building in a village south of the main regional centre of Krasnodar.
The building’s residents had been evacuated and temporary shelters set up.
Kondratiev said an attack on the coastal town of Primorsko-Akhtarsk had damaged two private homes. Drone fragments had also hit the ground in Sochi, the region’s major coastal town, but caused no damage.
Ukrainian star sends powerful T-shirt message at Australian Open
Oleksandra Oliynykova, the Ukrainian tennis player, made a distinctive impression at the Australian Open, not only for her unconventional playing style and striking body art but also for a poignant message subtly conveyed after her first-round loss to defending champion Madison Keys.
Following her defeat on Rod Laver Arena, Oliynykova appeared at a post-match news conference wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a powerful plea: “I need your help to protect Ukrainian women and children but I can’t talk about it here.”
This statement navigated the Grand Slam guidelines, which typically discourage players from using competition venues for political declarations.
The player said she came close to being hit in an attack before coming to Australia to play. “There was an explosion just near my home and a drone hit the home just across the road,” she told Melbourne Age newspaper. “My apartment was literally shaking because of the explosion.”
She has also called for a ban on world number one Aryna Sabalenka and other Belarusian and Russian players from tennis, saying their presence was “very wrong” with the war going on.
Ukrainian star sends powerful T-shirt message at Australian Open
Trump and Putin envoys say Davos meeting on Ukraine was ‘very positive’ and ‘constructive’
Envoys for US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin said that their meeting in Davos yesterday on a possible future peace deal to end the Ukraine war had been “very positive” and “constructive”.
“Dialogue is constructive and more and more people understand the fairness of Russia’s position,” Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev said after talks with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner at “USA House” at Davos.
Witkoff said: “We had a very positive meeting,” Russia’s RIA news agency reported. The meeting lasted for two hours, a source who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
Trump’s continued push to bring the war in Ukraine to an end has seen his envoys hold meetings with both Russian and Ukrainian delegations but no deal has yet been reached.
Ukraine’s European allies, currently fighting off Trump’s threats against Greenland, are concerned the United States could force Ukraine into accepting territorial concessions.
Ukraine’s defence minister pushes domestic drones to replace China’s Mavic drones
Ukraine’s military is working to replace Chinese-made drones with domestically produced models to help the war-hit nation move away from imports and sanctioned supply lines, the newly appointed defence minister said.
Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine would continue to rely on drones as a tool of asymmetric warfare – using novel weapons and methods against a larger opponent.
“It is important to find a replacement for Mavics and other Chinese drones,” Fedorov said, referring to a common consumer model produced by the Chinese company DJI.
“This direction must be developed.”
Fedorov said that Ukraine plans to create a local version with the same camera, but a longer flight range, and that testing could begin as soon as this month.
Imported drones and components remain crucial, however, and many come from China, which is subject to western sanctions and is seen as friendly to Russia.
Russian attacks leave Ukraine parliament among thousands of buildings in Kyiv without power
Ukraine’s parliament building is among thousands left without electricity, heating and water after Russia’s overnight strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid, officials said.
“After another Russian missile and drone attack, Ukrainian cities have been left without electricity, water, and heating. The Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine is currently without these basic services as well,” Ruslan Stefanchuk, the parliament’s speaker, said.
Yaroslav Zhelezniak, a lawmaker from the Holos party, said on the Telegram app that parliament’s support office would work remotely today due to a lack of water and heating in the building. There were no parliamentary sessions scheduled on Tuesday.
Yesterday, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Russian attacks cut heating supplies to 5,635 multi-storey residential apartment buildings.
UK and Denmark to discuss Ukraine and Arctic security at defence talks
Britain and Denmark will hold defence talks today focusing on security in the Arctic region, the British government said, at a time when US president Donald Trump’s designs on Greenland threaten to upend historic alliances.
Defence secretary John Healey will be in Copenhagen today, his ministry said.
He will discuss how European nations can step up security in the “high north”, a term used to refer to the European Arctic which includes the island of Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark.
The UK and Denmark want to protect critical national infrastructure in the Baltic and high north.
They will discuss a planned exercise later this year by the Joint Expeditionary Force, a UK-led northern European rapid response military partnership.
Support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion, as well as counter-drone cooperation, will also be on the agenda.
Subdued Raducanu crashes out of Australian Open in second-round exit
Emma Raducanu was knocked out of the Australian Open by world No 55 Anastasia Potapova as the British No 1 suffered an early exit in Melbourne.
Raducanu, the 28th seed, struggled with forehand errors and was subdued as Potapova won 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 to set up a third-round clash with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, which would have been the target for Raducanu despite arriving at the tournament short of match fitness following a disruptive off-season foot injury.
It all unravelled for Raducanu after the 23-year-old was broken while serving for the first set. Her forehand, which coughed up too many errors in the 91-minute defeat, broke down further in the deciding tiebreak, as Potapova jumped into double-break lead at the start of the second set.
Raducanu had played to the crowd during her first-round victory over Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew but this was a surprisingly meek exit – following a positive 2025 season where Raducanu’s defeats at the grand slams only came against the very best players in the world.
Cameron Norrie is the last British player standing in the singles. The 26th seed Norrie takes on Emilio Nava after qualifier Arthur Fery, following on a run of four wins in Melbourne, lost in straight-sets to Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
Follow live scores and updates from the Australian Open below
Emma Raducanu misses chance to book Aryna Sabalenka clash
Emma Raducanu and world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka shared two great battles at Wimbledon and in Cincinnati last season, but there will not a third-round clash at the Australian Open.
Sabalenka, who is the favourite to reclaim her title, will instead play Anastasia Potapova in the third round, after the top seed cruised to a 6-3 6-1 win over China’s Bai Zhuoxuan.
Subdued Emma Raducanu unravels from promising position
After five breaks of serve in a row to start the match, Raducanu appeared to be on top at 5-3 in the first set, but was unable to serve it out as Potapova increased her level, started landing her aggressive shot-making, and played a better tiebreak.
Raducanu lacked any sort of firepower in the second set and was noticeably subdued. She went down by the double-break and her head was down while Potapova serve out the 7-6 (3) 6-2 win in 91 minutes.
Match stats: Anastasia Potapova 7-6 6-2 Emma Raducanu
1st serve in | Potapova 53% – Raducanu 68%
Win 1st serve | Potapova 64% – Raducanu 46%
Win 2nd serve | Potapova 44% – Raducanu 42%
Winners | Potapova 25 – Raducanu 17
Unforced errors | Potapova 24 – Raducanu 28
Forehand errors | Potapova 12 – Raducanu 16
Total points won | Potapova 70 – Raducanu 58
Great Britain’s Arthur Fery also out of Australian Open
Arthur Fery is also out after the qualifier fell to a straight-sets defeat to Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Fery had defeated 20th seed Flavio Cobolli in the opening round but Etcheverry looked comfortable after a closing out a 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-3 win.
Still, a very positive week for the 23-year-old after winning four matches in Melbourne and earning his first win at a grand slam outside of Wimbledon.
Emma Raducanu out of Australian Open in second round
Raducanu quickly heads off the court with her head down.
That was a tough defeat and there are many questions to answer. Raducanu looked to be struggling physically, especially in the first set. She dealt with a foot injury in the off-season and was short of fitness arriving in Melbourne. But what happened after her first-round win on Sunday?
Raducanu’s forehand also went missing today and the British No 1 did not look confident.
It’s a shame. Raducanu had worked so hard to be seeded for the Australian Open but crashing out in the second round is a huge disappointment.
In 2025, her grand slams were ended by the very best players in the world, in Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina. This felt like a step backwards.
Game, set and match! Anastasia Potapova 7-6 6-2 Emma Raducanu
Raducanu doesn’t move for the Potapova forehand, which is planted into open court.
Potapova cruises to 40-0 and will have three match points for a place in the third round.
Raducanu saves the first as she blasts a backhand winner down the line – strange that we’ve seen so little of that today.
But Potapova takes it on the second. Raducanu nets on the backhand, there’s a brief handshake.
Raducanu is out.
Emma Raducanu 6-7 2-5 Anastasia Potapova*
Raducanu forces Potapova to serve it out. There’s no fist-pumps or come-ons from Raducanu. It all feels quite inevitable.
*Emma Raducanu 6-7 1-5 Anastasia Potapova
Raducanu can only jog to an ace down the middle from Potapova, as the Russian-born Austrian recovers from 0-30 down with another ace to move one game away from the match. Even when Raducanu went 0-30 up, there was barely a peep from Raducanu.
BREAK! Emma Raducanu 6-7 1-4 Anastasia Potapova*
A double-fault from Raducanu hands the break back to Potapova. It’s hard to see a way back for Raducanu now.
BREAK! *Emma Raducanu 6-7 1-3 Anastasia Potapova
Raducanu gets one of the breaks back after a messy game from Potapova, which included a double-fault. Raducanu was able to catch the line with a forehand winner, as she tries to rebuild.
Badenoch more popular than Farage for first time in a year, poll shows
Kemi Badenoch’s approval rating has surpassed Nigel Farage for the first time in over a year after she dramatically sacked Robert Jenrick for planning to defect to Reform UK, according to a new poll.
The Conservative leader kicked her former shadow justice secretary out of her party as she accused him of plotting to leave “in a way designed to be as damaging as possible” to the Tories.
Hours later, he joined Reform, taking a swipe at his former party as he was unveiled by Mr Farage as the latest Tory defector.
But a new More In Common poll, carried out from the day after Mr Jenrick was sacked until Monday, shows half of Britons support Ms Badenoch’s decisive action – with even 45 per cent of Reform voters saying she handled the defection well.
The survey found her net approval rating has risen to -11, the highest since December 2024, just a month after she first became leader.
It has also overtaken Mr Farage, who is on -13, for the first time since the same month.
The public is also three times more likely to say that Mr Jenrick’s sacking reflected well on Ms Badenoch than badly (34 to 11 per cent).
By contrast, just 14 per cent of those questioned say the row reflected well on Mr Jenrick, while 37 per cent say it reflects poorly on him.
Pollsters also identified what they described as the potential ‘cost of defections’. More than half (56 per cent) said Tory politicians were defecting out of self-interest rather than principle, while a staggering seven in ten Conservative voters said they would not vote for their MP if they switched to Reform.
Earlier this month, polling guru Sir John Curtice wrote for the Independent about Ms Badenoch’s improving popularity following her well-regarded party conference speech and her response in the Budget.
“This is a key reason why the average level of support for Reform itself has slipped below the 30 per cent mark, for the first time since the party’s success in gaining control of 20 county councils last May,” he wrote.
However, despite the good news for Ms Badenoch, there was bad news for her party, with Reform UK winning the battle to be seen to represent the ‘Right’ of British politics, on 35 per cent ahead of the Tories on 29 per cent.
One killed and 15 injured in Spain train crash days after deadly Adamuz collision
A commuter train struck a retaining wall that fell on its tracks due to heavy rain and got derailed in Spain on Tuesday, killing the driver and injuring at least 37 passengers.
This is the second accident to hit Spanish railways in just two days after 42 people were killed in a high-speed train collision and derailment near Adamuz in the southern Córdoba province on Sunday.
Tuesday’s accident near the Spanish city of Barcelona left five people seriously injured, Spanish authorities said.
Emergency services said 20 ambulances had been sent to the site of the crash, and the injured were taken to hospitals in the area. Regional firefighters said most of the injured had ridden in the first train car.
Emergency workers on Tuesday were still searching for more victims in the wreckage from Sunday’s deadly train accident that took place some 800km away as the nation began three days of mourning.
Claudi Gallardo, inspector at the Catalonia regional fire department, said in televised comments from the site of the crash that 37 people had been injured, adding that all passengers had been removed from the train.
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez acknowledged the Barcelona area crash, writing on X: “All my affection and solidarity with the victims and their families.”
While Spain’s high-speed rail network generally runs smoothly, and at least until Sunday had been a source of confidence, the commuter rail service is plagued by reliability issues. However, accidents causing injury or death are not common in either.
The commuter train crashed near the town of Gelida, located about 35 minutes outside of Barcelona.
Police in Catalonia said the Central Airport and Public Transport Area, which is responsible for investigating railway accidents, has launched initial investigations into the accident.
Spain’s railway operator Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF) said the containment wall likely collapsed due to heavy rainfall that swept across the northeastern Spanish region this week. Commuter train service was canceled along the line, it said.
The suburban train derailment occurred in an area long plagued by underfunded rail services and frequent incidents.
A support centre for relatives of those affected by the accident has been set up at the Casablanca Urbanisation civic centre, the civil protection agency added.
In a separate incident on Tuesday night, traffic between Blanes and Maçanet-Massanes south of the city of Girona – also part of the Barcelona commuter rail network – was interrupted “due to a train axle coming off the track”, Adif said in a statement on X.
On Sunday, 42 people were killed and dozens more injured when two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain on Sunday evening, in one of Europe’s worst railway accidents in 80 years.
The crash happened at 7.45pm local time near Adamuz, a town of about 5,000 people in the province of Córdoba, according to Spain’s interior ministry.
The tail end of a train run by private high-speed rail operator Iryo, travelling from Málaga to Madrid, was derailed and jumped onto an adjacent track, where it smashed into an oncoming Renfe service travelling from Madrid to Huelva, a municipality in Spain. Renfe is Spain’s national state-owned railway company.
Adif said the Iryo train derailed first and crashed into the second train, pushing it off the tracks and down a railway embankment.
Russell Brand in court to face two fresh charges including rape
Russell Brand has appeared in court charged with two further sexual offences, including rape.
The comedian, 50, has already denied two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, and two counts of sexual assault in relation to alleged offences between 1999 and 2005, involving four women.
He was further charged with one count of rape and one count of sexual assault in relation to two more women in December last year.
Appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday afternoon over the fresh charges, the former Big Brother’s Big Mouth presenter spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.
The star attended via video link from Florida, in the US, where he now lives, wearing a blue denim shirt unbuttoned to his lower chest.
Addressing Mr Brand at the end of the six-minute hearing, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring KC said: “Mr Brand, one of the charges you face is what we call indictable only, which means it can only be tried in the crown court.”
He was bailed to appear at Southwark Crown Court for a plea hearing on 17 February, with the condition that he must notify the police of any change of address.
The two alleged offences took place in London in 2009, according to court documents.
A trial is scheduled to begin at Southwark Crown Court later this year in relation to the five original charges.
Mr Brand, who also has an address in Oxfordshire, is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room while she attended a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, and grabbing a TV worker’s breasts and orally raping her after dragging her into a male toilet, the court heard in May.
He is also alleged to have grabbed a radio station worker’s face, pushing her against a wall and kissing her before groping her breasts and buttocks.
The actor is also accused of indecently assaulting another woman after grabbing her forearm and attempting to drag her into a male toilet.
He was charged following an investigation by Channel 4 and The Sunday Times in which several women made allegations against him.
He was married to US pop singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012, but is now married to Laura Gallacher, the sister of presenter Kirsty, and the pair have two children.
Pick your paradise: uncover nature, wellness and luxury in the idyllic Maldives
When it comes to bucket-list destinations, look no further than the Maldives for a truly unforgettable trip. It’s an extraordinary place, scattered across hundreds of coral islands in the Indian Ocean, and feels almost unreal when you first arrive. Life moves more slowly here, shaped by the sea, with days spent swimming, snorkelling and taking in the idyllic views. It’s also home to some of the world’s most polished island resorts, making it easy to slink into the laid-back rhythm of island life.
Travelbag takes the hassle out of planning a Maldives holiday, with a carefully chosen mix of resorts to suit different types of trips. Whether you’re looking for something romantic, low-key, or family-friendly, their Travel Specialists can help shape the details. There’s also a ‘Sale On, Switch Off’ offer running from now to the end of February, with up to 50 per cent off selected hotel stays and added discounts across selected resorts and added extras, for a luxury stay that works for your budget.
Here are six incredible resorts to inspire you to finally book that dream trip to the Maldives…
Niva Kurumba Maldives
Only a 10-minute speedboat ride from Malé, on the first private island resort in the North Malé Atoll, Niva Kurumba Maldives is one of the easiest resorts to get to, but still serves that dreamy castaway feeling. As the country’s first private island resort, it leans into its history, offering thoughtfully curated excursions such as snorkelling trips, a dolphin-exploration cruise, and guided visits to Malé.
There’s plenty to fill your days on the island, from snorkelling around the house reef to watersports and relaxing classes like yoga or cocktail making. You’ll also be spoiled for cutting edge cuisine here, with several restaurants to choose from, including Hamakaze, an overwater teppanyaki spot for sushi and sashimi, and Athiri, a barefoot beach bar that’s ideal for long evenings.
Niva Velassaru Maldives
If true escape is the goal, Niva Velassaru Maldives offers a refined island retreat designed for effortless relaxation. From the moment guests arrive, a sense of calm sets in, with the resort’s spa thoughtfully positioned at the heart of the island, nestled beneath swaying palms and featuring overwater treatment rooms, couples’ pavilions, steam rooms, and shaded daybeds for moments of rest between treatments.
The surrounding lagoon invites discovery, with guided snorkeling along the house reef, daily dive excursions led by a PADI-certified team, and the presence of an on-site marine biologist. Additional experiences include dolphin cruises and glass-bottom boat tours, offering a closer look at the island’s marine life.
Accommodation ranges from villas set amidst lush greenery to elegant overwater retreats, each offering privacy, comfort, and uninterrupted views – ideal for complete relaxation. For guests seeking more active pursuits, the resort provides access to water sports equipment, a fully equipped gym, a tennis court, a Pilates studio and an infinity pool overlooking the beach. Wellness and movement are seamlessly woven into the guest experience, with complimentary morning cruises and sunset yoga sessions available for those wishing to begin or end the day with intention.
Niva Dhigali Maldives
Set in the western Raa Atoll, Niva Dhigali Maldives sits among greenery and white sand, with the landscape itself very much part of the experience. Villas are spread across the island and out over the water, offering gorgeous garden or sea views. The overwater villas are the most open, with wide views of the Indian Ocean and direct access to the water.
Days tend to unfold slowly here, with snorkelling and diving on nearby reefs, dolphin cruises, time on the beach and spa sessions beneath the palms all shaping the pace of your stay. You’re spoilt for choice in terms of dining, with several restaurants and bars across the island, including Haali Bar at the quieter west end, which is a favourite for cocktails as the sun drops into the ocean.
Huvafen Fushi Maldives
Huvafen Fushi is a small island resort in the North Malé Atoll, around 30 minutes from Malé by speedboat, and it’s ideal for couples seeking utter serenity. With just 46 beach and overwater bungalows and pavilions, this is the perfect setting for a complete escape. The main talking point is the underwater spa, where treatments take place eight metres below the surface, with coral reef views, alongside a handful of overwater treatment rooms and saltwater flotation pools.
Wine is a serious focus too, and oenophiles will be in their element at Vinum, the first underground wine cellar in the Maldives, which hosts tastings and intimate gourmet dinners beneath the island. It’s a place made for honeymoons, special occasions and switching off completely.
Milaidhoo Maldives
Milaidhoo Maldives sits in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, an area known for some of the country’s most diverse marine life. The nearby reefs are colourful and teeming with life, and during the right season, trips to Hanifaru Bay give guests the chance to swim with manta rays and whale sharks. Villas are spacious and built around outdoor living, with plenty of natural light, a private pool and a sundeck with lagoon or sea views – perfect for laidback days enjoying the wonderful peacefulness of this idyllic island.
Dining is a major draw, particularly at Ba’theli, the world’s only Maldivian fine-dining restaurant set on a traditional boat, where local dishes are inspired by the ancient Spice Route.
Baros Maldives
Baros has been welcoming guests for over five decades, and is a true local icon, offering guests the feel of authentic Maldives. It sits in the North Malé Atoll and is best known for its house reef, which you can snorkel straight from the shore. There are also resident marine biologists on site, working on conservation projects and running trips out to nearby dive sites, of which there are more than 40 in the area.
Villas are either tucked into the leafy surroundings or set out over the lagoon, each boasting its own private sun deck and a host available when needed. Sustainability runs through everything they do, including reef-protection work and all the biodegradable products used across the island.
To plan your own Maldives escape, explore exclusive offers and speak to a Travel Specialist, head to travelbag.co.uk
David Beckham says ‘let children make mistakes’ after Brooklyn’s bombshell statement
Brooklyn Beckham has launched an astonishing attack on his “controlling” parents claiming they have been trying to ruin his relationship.
The 26-year-old eldest son of David and Victoria addressed their long-standing feud in a six page statement posted to Instagram on Monday night.
Brooklyn announced he has no wish to reconcile with his family and is “standing up” for himself “for the first time” in his life. While David and Victoria are yet to address the statement, the former said that “children make mistakes” in a conversation about the misuse of social media the following morning at World Economic Forum in Davos.
The former photographer wrote: “For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into.”
Brooklyn, who married model and heiress Nicola Peltz, 31, in April 2022, claimed that: “My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn’t stopped.”
He said his mother Victoria had “cancelled making Nicola’s dress” and “hijacked” the first dance at the wedding.
“She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everybody. I’ve never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life,” he said.
What to know about Nicola Peltz
American actor and model Nicola Peltz is the daughter of billionaire investor Nelson Peltz and former model Claudia Heffner Peltz.
She is known for her roles in Transformers: Age of Extinction and the television series Bates Motel.
Nicola and Brooklyn Beckham tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Palm Beach in April 2022. The wedding was attended by Brooklyn’s parents, Victoria and David Beckham, as well as his siblings – Romeo, Cruz and Harper.
Brooklyn Beckham says wife was ‘constantly disrespected’
Brooklyn Beckham claimed in his statement that his parents, David and Victoria Beckham, rejected all of his attempts to spend “quality time” together and disrespected his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham.
In a series of Instagram Stories posted on Monday, Brooklyn alleged his father repeatedly turned down his efforts to meet, detailing events he said led to his estrangement from his parents.
Brooklyn said Nicola “has been consistently disrespected by my family, no matter how hard we’ve tried to come together as one.”
He accused his mother of repeatedly inviting women from his past into their lives in what he described as deliberate attempts to make both him and his wife uncomfortable.
Victoria Beckham previously praised her son’s wedding
Cruz Beckham previously spoke about the feud
Last December, Brooklyn Beckham’s brother Cruz claimed that he and his parents, David and Victoria, woke up to find that Brooklyn had blocked them Instagram.
After reports emerged that David and Victoria had unfollowed their eldest son, Cruz wrote on his Stories: “NOT TRUE. My mum and dad would never unfollow their son…”
He then said: “Let’s get the facts right. They woke up blocked… as did I.”
Read more:
Cruz Beckham claims Brooklyn has blocked him and parents
Brooklyn Beckham was missing from mom’s documentary
Brooklyn Beckham was notably missing from his mother’s Netflix documentary series, Victoria Beckham, last year.
His three other famous siblings appeared in the series.
Read more here:
Brooklyn Beckham absent from Victoria’s Netflix documentary amid family feud rumours
Nicola Peltz to co-star with Faye Dunaway
It was recently announced that Nicola Peltz Beckham will lead the star-studded cast of the upcoming indie drama Prima.
Prima will follow Peltz’s character Margo, a dedicated prima ballerina who is raised by her strict grandmother (Faye Dunaway). Her world is upturned when the head of her ballet company (Jack Huston) marries a modern choreographer (Betty Gabriel) whose ideas disrupt the traditional institution.
The film is currently in production, and no release date has yet been set.
Behind the decision to cut ties with your parents
Behind the decision to block your parents — something the Beckham’s couldn’t escape
Beckham family wanted him to sign his name away
Brooklyn Joseph Beckham alleged his parents tried to force him to “sign his name away” before his wedding.
He claimed on Instagram: “Weeks before our big day, my parents repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name, which would have affected me, my wife, and our future children.
“They were adamant on me signing before my wedding date because then the terms of the deal would be initiated.
“My holdout affected the payday, and they have never treated me the same since.”
Brooklyn Beckham faces backlash
Beckhams have yet to speak out
Brooklyn claimed in his statement that the “Brand Beckham comes first” and that his family values “public promotion and endorsements above all else.”
As of Tuesday night, the Beckham family have not spoken out online.
Musk asks if he should buy Ryanair after demanding CEO is fired
Elon Musk has suggested he could buy budget airline Ryanair after demanding CEO Michael O’Leary be fired in his latest online war of words.
The world’s richest man claimed the Ryanair boss “needs to be fired” in a series of posts on X replying to an official airline post.
Musk asked the airline, “How much would it cost to buy you?” as he relayed his fantasy about putting someone called Ryan in charge of Ryanair.
“It is your destiny”, he insisted in a post on Monday.
The Tesla boss later drew up a poll where he asked his 232.5 million followers whether he should “Buy Ryan Air and restore Ryan as their rightful ruler”. So far the poll has received almost 800,00 responses, 76.8 per cent responding that he should.
Fellow tech entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, best known for co-founding Reddit and marrying tennis champion Serena Williams, chimed in on the battle of the CEOs to admit “this timeline does get really entertaining at times”.
The spat between Musk and O’Leary escalated on Friday when the latter said in an interview that he would pay no attention to what the Tesla CEO had to say about installing WiFi into the planes of his budget airline.
“I would pay no attention whatsoever to Elon Musk,” he said on Newstalk, an Irish radio station. “He’s an idiot. Very wealthy, but he’s still an idiot.”
Questions were raised about the possibility of installing SpaceX’s Starlink internet across the budget airline’s fleet, which O’Leary quickly rejected.
“What Elon Musk knows about flights and drag would be zero,” he said. “We have to put an aerial antenna on top of the aircraft. It would cost us about $200-250 million dollars a year, in other words an extra dollar for every passenger we fly.
“And the reality for us is we can’t afford those costs, passengers won’t pay for internet usage. If it’s free, they’ll use it, but they won’t pay €1 each to use the internet. So we’re not putting it on board.”
He then called X a “cesspit”.
Musk responded to the video clip to say: “Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him.”
The budget airline, known for its tongue-in-cheek social media presence, has shared a number of posts on X appearing to goad Musk over the WiFi issue.
The official account replied to one post, asking “what is a propaganda you’re not falling for?” with “Wi-Fi on planes” which led Musk to call O’Leary a “r*****ed t**t who needs to be fired”.
Ryanair Holdings PLC is currently worth $35.07 billion on NASDAQ.
The Independent has contacted both X and Ryanair for comment.