Month: January 2026

If journalism is the first draft of history, TV news is a rough, improbable sketch. As last year’s wildfires multiplied, still 0% contained, field reporters — tasked with articulating the unintelligible on camera — grieved alongside Los Angeles in real time.

“What are you supposed to say when the entire community you were born and raised in is wiped off the map, literally burning to the ground before your eyes?” Jacob Soboroff writes in “Firestorm,” out in early January ahead of the Palisades and Eaton fires’ first anniversary. “I couldn’t come up with much.”

Viewers saw that struggle Jan. 8, 2025. Soboroff, then an NBC News national correspondent, briefly broke the fourth wall while trying to describe the destruction of his former hometown, the Pacific Palisades.

“Firestorm,” the first book about the Great Los Angeles Fires of 2025, pulls readers inside Soboroff’s reporter’s notebook and the nearly two relentless weeks he spent covering the Palisades and subsequent Eaton wildfire. “Fire, it turns out, can be a remarkable time machine,” he writes, “a curious form of teleportation into the past and future all at once.”

The book argues the future long predicted arrived the morning of Jan. 7. The costliest wildfire event in American history, so far, was compounded by cascading failures and real-time disinformation, ushering in what Soboroff calls America’s New Age of Disaster: “Every aspect of my childhood flashed before my eyes, and, while I’m not sure I understood it as I stared into the camera…I saw my children’s future, too, or at least some version of it.”

In late December, Soboroff returned to the Palisades Recreation Center for the first time since it burned. Tennis balls popped from the courts down the bluff. Kids shrieked around the playground’s ersatz police cars, ambulance and fire trucks — part of a $30-million public-private rebuild backed by City Hall, billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso and Lakers coach JJ Redick, among others.

The sun peeks through the morning marine layer as Soboroff stops at a plaque on the sole standing structure, a New Deal-era basketball gym. His parents’ names are etched at the top; below them, family, friends, neighbors. It’s practically a family tree in metal, commemorating the one-man fundraising efforts of his father, the business developer Steve Soboroff, to repair the local play area. It was also the elder Soboroff’s entry point into civic life, the start of a career that later included 10 years as an LAPD police commissioner, a mayoral bid and a 90-day stint as L.A.’s’ fire recovery czar.

“All because my dad hit his head at this park,” Soboroff says with a smirk, recalling the incident that set off his father’s community safety efforts.

He checks the old office where he borrowed basketballs as a kid. “What’s happening? Are people still coming to the park?” he asks a Recreation and Parks employee, slipping into man-on-the-street mode.

On a drive down memory lane (Sunset Boulevard), Soboroff jokes he could close his eyes and trace the street by feel alone. Past rows of yard signs — “KAREN BASS RESIGN NOW” — and tattered American flags, grass and rose bushes push through the wreckage. Pompeii by the Pacific.

Jacob Soboroff.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

At the corner where he once ran a lemonade stand, Soboroff FaceTimed his mother on national television to show her what remained of the home he was born in. Before the fires, he had never quite turned the microphone on himself.

During the worst of it, with no one else around but the roar of the firestorm, “I had to hold it up to myself,” he says. “That was a different assignment than I’ve ever had to do.”

Soboroff is a boyish 42, with a mop of dark curls and round specs, equally comfortable in the field and at the anchor desk. J-school was never the plan. But he got a taste for scoops as an advance man to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. MTV News once seemed like the dream, but he always much preferred the loose, happy talk of public television’s Huell Howser. MSNBC took notice of his post-grad YouTube and HuffPost spots and hired him in 2015.

Ten years later, he was tiring of breaking news assignments and stashed away his “TV News cosplay gear” to ring in 2025. But when he saw the winds fanning the flames in the Palisades from NBC’s bureau at Universal Studios, he fished out a yellow Nomex fire jacket and hopped in a three-ton white Jeep with his camera crew.

The opening chapters of “Firestorm” read like a sci-fi thriller. All-caps warnings ricochet between agencies. Smoke columns appear. High-wind advisories escalate. Soboroff slingshots the reader from the Palisades fire station to the National Weather Service office, a presidential hotel room, toppled power lines in Altadena, helitankers above leveled streets and Governor Newsom’s emergency operations center.

Between live shots with producer Bianca Seward and cameramen Jean Bernard Rutagarama and Alan Rice, Soboroff fields frantic calls from both loved ones and the unexpected contacts, desperate for eyes on the ground. One is from Katie Miller, a former White House aide who cut contact after the reporter published “Separated,” his 2020 book on the Trump family separation policy. Miller, wife of Trump advisor Stephen Miller, asks him to check on her in-laws’ home. “You’re the only one I can see who is there,” she writes. Soboroff confirms the house is gone. “Palisades is stronger than politics in my book,” he replies. For a moment, old divisions vanish. It doesn’t last.

Jacob Soboroff at McNally Avenue and East Mariposa Street in Altadena.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

He returns home to Frogtown, changes out of smoke-soaked clothes and grabs a few hours’ sleep before heading back out. “Yet another body blow from the pounding relentlessness of the back-to-back-to-back-to-back fires,” he writes. Fellow native Palisadian and MS Now colleague Katy Tur flies in to tour the “neighborhood of our youth incinerated.”

After the fires, Soboroff moved straight into covering the immigration enforcement raids across Los Angeles. He struggled to connect with others, though. Maybe a little depressed. The book didn’t crystallize until April, after a conversation with Jonathan White, a captain in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, who is now running for congress.

Fire, White tells him, has become the fastest-growing threat in America and, for many communities, the most immediate. Soboroff began tracking down people he’d met during the blaze — firefighters, scientists, residents, federal officials — and churned out pages on weekends. He kept the book tightly scoped, Jan. 7–24, ending with President Trump’s visit to the Palisades with Gov. Newsom. He saved the investigative journalism and political finger-pointing for other writers.

“For me, it’s a much more personal book,” Soboroff says. “It’s about experiencing what I came to understand as the fire of the future. It’s about people as much as politics.”

Looking back — and learning from the fire — became a form of release, he said, as much for him as for the city. “What happened here is a lesson for everybody all across the country.”

Rudi, an L.A. native, is a freelance art and culture writer. She’s at work on her debut novel about a stuttering student journalist.

Published on
05/01/2026 – 17:33 GMT+1

It’s another crucial week for the contentious Mercosur deal. European Union agriculture ministers will meet on Wednesday for key political talks that could lead to a vote on the agreement on Friday.

An EU diplomat told Euronews that the meeting, which is being organised by the European Commission, will be attended by EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen, and Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi.

Together, they are expected to give “clarifications” on the continued support for farmers’ income in the next budget of the Common Agricultural Policy.

The deal, which aims to create a free-trade area with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, was at the centre of heated discussions at December’s EU summit.

Its supporters – lead by Germany and Spain – have been pushing for a quick endorsement in order to access new markets at a time of geoeconomic tensions, while Italy and France succeeded in postponing a crucial vote in order to protect their farmers, who fear they will be unable to compete with imports coming from Latin America.

Depending on the outcome of this week’s talks, the EU farm ministers’ meeting could open the door to a vote on the Mercosur agreement on Friday. To be implemented, the deal needs the backing of a qualified majority of EU member states.

Decision day looms again

Among the items on Wednesday’s agenda will be limits on pesticides that can be contained in products imported into the EU, with France demanding that the deal include reciprocity in production standards.

France has been facing an agricultural crisis for several weeks, with farmers protesting against both the Mercosur agreement and the government’s handling of lumpy skin disease, a contagious virus affecting cattle.

In a letter sent on Sunday, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called on the EU to tighten border controls on products that do not respect EU sanitary and phytosanitary standards.

The French government also announced it would issue an order to suspend imports from Latin America containing residues of pesticides banned in the EU.

That measure, however, would require clearance from the European Commission. Pressure from Paris has already led the Commission to propose a safeguard to strengthen the monitoring of the European market to avoid unexpected disruptions.

That legislation was the subject of a deal between the European Parliament and the EU Council, and is expected to be endorsed by the 27 member states on Friday during a meeting of EU ambassadors.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has added seven countries, including five in Africa, to the list of nations whose passport holders are required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply to enter the United States.

Thirteen countries, all but two of them in Africa, are now on the list, which makes the process of obtaining a U.S. visa unaffordable for many.

The State Department last week quietly added Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia and Turkmenistan to the list. Those designations took effect on Jan. 1, according to a notice posted on the travel.state.gov website.

It’s the latest effort by the Trump administration to tighten requirements for entry to the U.S., including requiring citizens from all countries that require visas to sit for in-person interviews and disclose years of social media histories as well as detailed accounts of their and their families’ previous travel and living arrangements.

U.S. officials have defended the bonds, which can range from $5,000 up to $15,000, maintaining they are effective in ensuring that citizens of targeted countries do not overstay their visas.

Payment of the bond does not guarantee a visa will be granted, but the amount will be refunded if the visa is denied or when a visa holder demonstrates they have complied with the terms of visa.

The new countries covered by the requirement join Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Gambia, Malawi and Zambia, which were all placed on the list in August and October of last year.

Lee writes for the Associated Press.

The NFL regular season has ended.

For some teams, the search for a new head coach has begun.

The Las Vegas Raiders fired Pete Carroll on Monday morning after a 3-14 season. The Atlanta Falcons fired coach Raheem Morris, as well as general manager Terry Fontenot, on Sunday night after a second straight 8-9 finish. The Cleveland Browns fired coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons, the team announced Monday morning following a 5-11 finish this season.

Two other teams parted ways with their head coaches during the season. The Tennessee Titans fired Brian Callahan in October after a 1-5 start to the season. The New York Giants fired Brian Daboll in November after a 2-8 start.

With NFL’s Black Monday already in full swing, other teams are likely to make similar moves. Here’s a look at everything that has happened so far. This list will continue to be updated as more changes occur.

Las Vegas Raiders

Former USC coach Pete Carroll, 74, ended his short tenure with the Raiders with a victory against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. But it didn’t make up for what had been a rough season that contained at least two goose eggs on the scoreboard.

So, Monday’s announcement was not completely unexpected.

“The Las Vegas Raiders have relieved Pete Carroll of his duties as head coach,” team owner Mark Davis said in a statement released by the team. “We appreciate and wish him and his family all the best.

“Moving forward, General Manager John Spytek will lead all football operations in close collaboration with Tom Brady, including the search for the club’s next head coach. Together, they will guide football decisions with a shared focus on leadership, culture, and alignment with the organization’s long-term vision and goals.”

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons were eliminated from playoff contention after a 37-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 9. Atlanta went on to win its final four games to finish in a three-way tie with the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers for first place in the NFC South (the Panthers won the division based on head-to-head win percentage).

It wasn’t enough to save Morris, who went 16-18 in two seasons with the Falcons. Fontenot had served as the team’s general manager since January 2021. Atlanta hasn’t had a winning season since 2017.

“I have great personal affinity for both Raheem and Terry and appreciate their hard work and dedication to the Falcons, but I believe we need new leadership in these roles moving forward,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement.

“The decision to move away from people who represent the organization so well and have a shared commitment to the values that are important to the organization is not an easy one, but the results on the field have not met our expectations or those of our fans and leadership. I wish Raheem and Terry the absolute best in their future pursuits.”

Cleveland Browns

Stefanski was named the Associated Press coach of the year in 2020 and 2023, led the Browns into the playoffs in both of those seasons and coached them to a wildcard-round win in 2020. He also had four losing seasons with the team, including this year’s 5-11 campaign, and leaves with a 46-58 overall record.

“We have tremendous gratitude for Kevin’s leadership of the Cleveland Browns over the last six seasons,” Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam said Monday in a statement. “He is a good football coach and an even better person. We appreciate all his hard work and dedication to our organization but our results over the last two seasons have not been satisfactory, and we believe a change at the head coaching position is necessary.”

Stefanski said in a statement released by the Browns: “After six seasons as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, I leave with an immense sense of gratitude. When I arrived in January of 2020, this organization, this community and Browns fans embraced me and my family with open arms. I cannot express properly in words how good we have been treated. A sincere ‘Thank You’ to everyone who I have been so blessed to work for and with over these six seasons. … I wish all of you nothing but success.”

The Browns said they will retain general manager Andrew Berry.

New York Giants

Daboll had a 20-40-1 record during his three-plus seasons with the Giants. The team went 2-5 under interim coach Mike Kafka, who was promoted from offensive coordinator. The new coach will inherit quarterback Jaxson Dart, whom the Giants selected with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2025 draft.

“The past few seasons have been nothing short of disappointing, and we have not met our expectations for this franchise,” Giants president John Mara and chairman Steve Tisch said in a joint statement Nov. 10. “We understand the frustrations of our fans, and we will work to deliver a significantly improved product.

“We appreciate Coach Daboll for his contributions to our organization. We wish the Daboll family all the best in the future.”

Tennessee Titans

Callahan was 4-19 overall when he was fired six games into his second season with the Titans. The team went 2-9 under interim coach Mike McCoy. Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, started all 17 games at quarterback.

“We are grateful for Brian’s investment in the Titans and Tennessee community during his tenure as head coach. We thank him and his family for being exemplary ambassadors of the Tennessee Titans,” president of football operations Chad Brinker said in an Oct. 13 statement.

“While we are committed to a patient and strategic plan to build a sustainable, winning football program, we have not demonstrated sufficient growth. Our players, fans, and community deserve a football team that achieves a standard we are not currently meeting, and we are committed to making the hard decisions necessary to reach and maintain that standard.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,

Israel’s military launched attacks on what it described as Hezbollah and Hamas “targets” in Lebanon after issuing ⁠evacuation orders for four villages in the ​country’s east and south.

An ‍Israeli army spokesperson said earlier it was planning air strikes on Hezbollah and ‍Hamas “military infrastructure” ⁠in the villages of Hammara and Ain el-Tineh in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley and Kfar Hatta and Aanan in the south.

An AFP news agency photographer in Kfar Hatta saw dozens of families flee the village after an Israeli warning was issued with drone activity in the area. Ambulances and fire trucks are on standby.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire in 2024 ending ​more than a year ‌of heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. Israel has repeatedly violated the truce with bombardment and continues to occupy five areas in the country.

‌Lebanon ‌has faced growing pressure ⁠from the United States and Israel to disarm Hezbollah, and its leaders fear Israel could escalate strikes.

Lebanon’s army was expected to complete the disarmament south of the Litani River – 30km (12 miles) from the border with Israel – by the end of 2025. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Sunday called the disarmament efforts “far from sufficient”.

WHETHER you fancy a 2026 staycation or holiday across to Europe or further afield, we’ve got some incredible experience for you to consider.

We’ve been all over the world and have taken note of our favourite things to do, from guided tours to free hikes, getting our hands dirty at cooking classes or doing some daredevil stunts.

Secret Food Tour, UK

Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski said: “Exploring a city for the first time? Getting a flavour of the food scene is a priority for me whenever and wherever I travel. And a Secret Food Tour is just the way to do that.

“The several-hour experiences are bookable in over 70 major cities globally, and thanks to a knowledgeable local guide you’ll get a strong idea of where’s good to eat and which joints are tourist traps.

“I’ve been on several of these tours, but was most blown away by the Soho one in London, naively assuming I’d learn nothing new. How wrong I was.

“Did you know that Berwick Street market was the first place in London to sell tomatoes on the street? Or that Ronnie Scott’s jazz club is where Jimi Hendrix played his last ever gig in 1970?

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“Of course there’s food, too. LOTS of it.“

You can enjoy six to seven food stops, including one ‘secret stop from £79pp in the UK. See secretfoodtours.com.

Walking Tour, Italy

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding added: “Sardinia has been named several times as a top destination to visit this year and with that in mind one great thing to do on the Italian island is head on the Underground Cagliari Walking Tour.

“The tour takes between two and four hours and across that time you will explore three different underground sites. The sites include a limestone tunnel used by priests, a crypt and even underground Roman ruins.”

The tour costs from £26 per person with GetYourGuide.com.

Wine Tour, UK

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey said: “The UK wine is having a moment, even beating those in France – so why not go on a tour of some of the best vineyards in the country? 

“Wine Tours of Kent takes you around two vineyards in the ‘Garden of England‘ and it includes vineyard tours, wine tastings, as well as lunch, with prices starting from

“I recommend pacing yourself, as I ended up buying perhaps too many bottles of the stuff, easily tempted after a glass of wine or two.

“Don’t worry about having to drive yourself home – you are even dropped at the train station at the end.”

Wine Tour of Kent starts from £129pp. See winetoursofkent.co.uk

Paragliding, Turkey

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey revealed: “What’s one of the best ways to see the beach resort of Fethiye? By the air.

“There are a number of paragliding experiences in Turkey, but the best ones are in Oludeniz.

“It’s certainly nerve-wracking to start – once attached to your guide, you have to throw yourself off the cliff edge like a lemming.

“But it’s worth it for the views alone, floating suspended in the sky with the gold sand beaches below… and even a few turtles swimming in the bright blue waters.”

Oludeniz Paragliding Fethiye Turkey from £90pp. See viator.com

Montmorency Falls Park Zip Line, Canada

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding suggested something more thrilling, she said: “If you are a dare devil or adrenaline junkie then you must head to Montmorency Falls Park in Quebec, Canada.

“Here you will find a waterfall that is higher than Niagara Falls and you can zip line across it.

“The experience is both thrilling and mesmerising as you get to fly past the cascading water and see it from a different angle.

“Afterwards, you even get a video of your zip across the waterfall.”

Tickets cost £17.25 per person see sépaq.com for more.

Whiskey Tour, Ireland

Travel Writer Jenna Stevens recommends a whiskey tour when you head to this specific destination. She said: “Any trip to Northern Ireland is incomplete without a whiskey tour and tasting.

“Located in the old Victorian Crumlin Road Gaol, McConnell’s blends history, culture and deliciously distilled drinks all in one place.

“The tour starts with a history lesson on Irish whiskey and learning all about ‘Mother McConnell’, the widow who took over the McConnell business and made the drink what it is today.

“Next comes a true insight into the world of whiskey making, as you walk through the entire process – from grain to glass.

“After learning everything there is to know about Irish whiskey, you’ll be ready to taste some. Luckily with this experience, you get treated to three drams to enjoy in a group tasting.

The McConnell’s distillery experience, including a guided tour and three tastings, is £23pp. See mcconnellsirishwhisky.com.

Dolphin and Whale-Watching Boat Trip, Tenerife

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey said: “The Spanish island of Tenerife is known for its dolphin and whale-watching tours, thanks to its huge conservation drive.

“During my trip, I was lucky to see huge pods of dolphins swim right alongside the boat, playing with the sides.

“While shyer, we also spotted whales in the distance, with it being one of the few locations outside of the US and Japan where they can be seen.

“The trip even includes time for a dip in the water, as well as drinks and snacks.

Dolphin watching tours from £40pp. See whitetenerife.com

Victoria Tunnel Tour, UK

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding says head underground: “Here in the UK, head on the Victoria Tunnel tour in Newcastle.

“The former Victorian wagonway was used to carry coal for the Tyne before it was later used as a shelter during bombings in World War II.

“There are two different tour types, either an hour and 15 minutes or two hours – opt for the latter for the full experience with an informative guide.

The tour costs from £7 per child and £14 per adult. See ouseburntrust.org.uk for more.

Pasta Making, Italy

Travel Writer Jenna Stevens explained: “If there’s anywhere to learn to make some great pasta, it’s in Italy’s capital.

“I came across this cooking class when browsing GetYourGuide for activities in Rome, and decided to try my hand at making some fettuccine.

“The class takes place in the main square of Piazza Navona, right in the heart of the city – perfect to drop into after a day of wandering the city centre.

“Here, you’ll meet strangers from all over the world, and together you’ll get stuck into mixing dough, sprinkling flour and rolling out sheets of fresh pasta.

“After you’ve made something that resembles fettuccine, pick between a range of Italian sauces, sit down with an (included) glass of wine, and let the chefs take care of the rest.

“Soon enough you’ll be served a plate of hot fresh pasta, with your nametag neatly stuck to the plate, so you know you’ve got the real deal.

“Eating something you’ve made yourself is a super rewarding feeling, and those fresh Italian ingredients make the dish taste extra special.”

Book a pasta cooking class in Rome on GetYourGuide for £35 per person.

Top of the Rock Observation Deck, New York

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding said: “When visiting New York in America, people tend to beeline for the Empire State Building to see the city’s skyline.

“Though, the Empire State Building is an iconic part of the skyline itself and if you are inside it, you can’t see it.

“That’s what makes going to the top of the Rockefeller Center better – you see the entire skyline and can also enjoy access to The Beam Experience which feels like having lunch above the skyscraper.

Tickets cost £31.27 per adult and £26.80 per child see rockefellercenter.com for more.

TV Tours, UK

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill said: “If you’re a fan of soaps, then I’d recommend taking a tour of the Emmerdale village.

“Up in Leeds, you can a guided tour around the chocolate-box village which incredibly looks exactly like it does on TV.

“You can take Instagram-worthy pictures outside David’s Shop, Café Main Street, and the village church, which has seen many wedding disasters.

“Then of course there’s the iconic Woolpack pub which has picnic tables outside so you can have a relaxing sit down during the summer.

“Equally, I visited in November, and the village is beautiful when it’s covered in glittery frost.

“If you pay a little extra, then a cast member will make an appearance too.”

The Emmerdale Village tour starts from £40pp. See emmerdalevillagetour.co.uk.

Alcatraz, San Francisco

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding said: “San Francisco is home to one of the most famous prisons in the world – Alcatraz.

“No longer operational, travellers can head to the prison island that inspired the Azkaban prison in Harry Potter and tour the buildings and grounds.

“To visit the prison, you have to head on a boat to the island from Pier 33, which is operated by Alcatraz City Cruises.

“Once on the island, there are regular boat trips back to the mainland.

It costs from £34.24 per person with cityexperiences.com.

Sidecar City Tour, Singapore

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey advises you to take to the roads, she said: “If you love a city tour and a vintage car, then a Side Car Tour of Singapore is the best.

“Book one for the middle of the week and enjoy much emptier roads as you whizz though the financial and art districts.

“Clad in a stylish helmet, my driver was both speedy and hilarious as we explored the street art and building history along the way.

“There are different themes, from night tour to Crazy Rich Asian tours, but I highly recommend the Singapore in a Nutshell.”

Singapore Sidecar Tours from £119pp. See sidecar.sg

Race Across the World, UK

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill recommended getting competitive with a game, she said: “You don’t need to literally Race Across the World for thrills as there’s an experience right here in the UK.

“With the interactive game you can run across the city of London, the West End or Manchester solving puzzles and hunting for clues, and it is competitive as you’re up against the clock.

“It’s a great day out with friends or family, and you get to take little breaks for refuelling along the way too.”

Tickets start from £50 (for two adults racing). For details, head to raceacrosstheworldexperience.com.

Hike to the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding can’t get enough to the US – and luckily, you don’t have to pay for everything. She suggested: “Los Angeles is expensive enough as it is, but there is an incredible, bucket list activity you can do for completely free – hiking to the Griffith Observatory and seeing the Hollywood Sign.

“The Ferndell to Observatory Loop isn’t for the fainthearted stretching 2.6 miles but you get to head through woodland before reaching the observatory.

“On the way down from the observatory, make sure to head via Glendower Avenue to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House and into Feliz, where there is a number of independent shops and restaurants including Skylight Books.”

Vatican and Sistine Chapel Tour, Italy

Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski suggested taking a tour of one well-known site, she said: “The famous Vatican City, sat within the Italian capital, is one of the most historically significant sites in not just Rome, but the entire world, and it’s still considered the heart and headquarters of Catholicism today.

“It’s also now one of the most overcrowded sites you could visit. That’s why a guided tour with queue jump, that lets you avoid those daily snaking lines, is the only way to do it.

“Even with queue-jump you’ll still have to wait a short while, but once you’re in your very knowledgeable guide will whisk you off to all the must-see places, pointing out the top photo spots as you go.

“Plus, you’ll learn things that the standard visitor won’t.”

A two-hour Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel tour costs from £53pp. See getyourguide.co.uk.

Hike to Arthur’s Seat, Scotland

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding has top tips for anyone doing a staycation, she said: “Edinburgh is a fantastic city to visit, especially if you want a holiday but don’t want to leave the UK.

“And for those who like to keep active, head for hike up Arthur’s Seat – a dormant volcano with breathtaking views across the Scottish capital and the sea.

“What is even better is that it is free to hike – just note it isn’t for the fainthearted.”

Cooking Class, Thailand

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill cooked up a storm on a recent trip to Koh Samui, she said: “What’s one of the best things about going to Thailand? It has to be the food. From delicious curries to stir fry and of course, mango sticky rice.

“While I’m not a natural in the kitchen, Chef Lat made it very easy and soon had me chopping lemongrass and frying prawns.

“My new favourite, though is a massaman chicken curry. You eat everything you make, too.“

Book the Thai Cooking Class Farm to Table with Expedia for $82pp (£60.89). See expedia.com for more.

Traitors: The Live Experience, UK

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding loved her experience as a Faithful, she said: “The new series of Traitors graced our screens last week and what could be a more perfect excuse to try out the live experience?

“Located in London, the Traitors live experience allows fans to actually play the game – albeit in a very shortened version.

“You get a host as well as gain an insight into what it actually feels like to be a Faithful… or perhaps, a Traitor.”

The experience costs from £39.50 for off-peak dates and time slots. https://www.thetraitorslive.co.uk/ticket-info

Dune Hiking Sunset Tour, Egypt

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey added: “If you want to feel like you’re on Mars without the 10-month journey, then desert hiking in Egypt is the next best thing.

“Just outside El Gouna, the drive into Wadi Bileh makes you feel like you are the only person on the planet.

“The sandy walk is best done barefoot, and head to the top to see towering dunes of red sand.

“It ends with a Bedouin bonfire and coffee when the sun goes down, making it a true, other-worldly experience.”

Wadi Bileh Sunset Experience from £47pp. See elgounamountaingoats.org

Go Ape, UK

Head of Sun Travel (Digital) Caroline McGuire said: “Go Ape has taken over the UK with treetop rope courses in more than 30 inner-city and countryside locations.

“It also happens to be at some of the country’s top tourist attractions, like Leeds Castle, Bedgebury Pinetum and in Battersea Park, a stone’s throw from Battersea Power Station.

“The latter is where I took my five year old, during a day out at the power station, which has its own cinema, Lego store and holds special family events during school holidays.

“It was a brilliant experience as a bolt-on to a city day out, where my son was able to blow off steam and get plenty of fresh air, among the more cultural activities of the day.

“Yes, it’s not cheap, but the infrastructure, thought and care that has gone into these courses is not cheap. And there wasn’t a miserable child or adult among those I encountered on our afternoon in the trees.

“Go Ape has inspired several copycats, both here and abroad, but few work so cleverly with nature, which is what makes this experience, particularly in central London’s Battersea, so unique.”

Tickets start from £20.95pp. For more see goape.co.uk.

Mountain Coaster, Switzerland

Travel Writer Jenna Stevens has one of these activities on her own 2026 bucket list: “Switzerland is home to some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes. And what better way to see them than whizzing down a 1350m-long toboggan ride?

“The Fräkigaudi toboggan run in Hergiswil is the longest alpine coaster in Switzerland, and bends around vivid green mountain valleys.

“It’s a thrilling ride full of surprise twists, turns, and drops into “dragon holes”.

“You’re able to control the speed at which you ride, so whether you’re visiting for full-on adrenaline or a leisurely sightseeing slide, the choice is entirely up to you.

“At the top station there’s seating and a snack bar, and at the bottom a lift to transport you back up to the top to do it all over again. The toboggan run operates in the summer months from 10-4pm.”

Tickets cost 9 CHF (£8.41) for adults, 7 CHF (£6.54) for ages 8-16 and 5 CHF (£4.67) for ages 6-7. See rodelbahn.ch for more.

Boat Tour around the Sirmione Peninsula, Italy

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding added: “If you’re visiting Lake Garda in Italy this year, make sure to head to Sirmione – a picturesque town located on a narrow peninsula.

“The town is famous for its Roman ruins, medieval Scaligero Castle and thermal baths. But to catch the most spectacular experience of the town and Lake Garda, head on a boat tour.

“There are several from the town, but make sure to head off on one that explores Villa Maria Callas, Aquaria Thermal Baths, Catullus Grottoes, Giamaica Beach, Boiola Sulphur Spring and the partially-submerged Sirmione Castle.”

A boat tour that includes the above locations costs from £26.60 per person, but shorter 25-minute tours cost from £8.68 per person.

Hot Air Ballooning, Morocco

For incredible views, Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey says head up to the skies, she said: “One of Morocco’s most beautiful landscapes is the Atlas Mountains, and hot air balloon rides are one of the best ways to see them.

“Arriving in pitch black, I waited in darkness apart from the flame of the balloon, before piling into the basket and floating up to wait.

“There are few things as magical as seeing the sun peek over the mountains, with hues of red and pink.

“Most experiences come with a Berber breakfast afterwards too, so make the most of the breads and mint tea.”

Hot Air Balloon Flight over Marrakech from £74. See viator.com

Musée d’Orsay, France

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill said: “If you’re in Paris and looking for something to do, head inside the Musée d’Orsay and for a very informative experience, take a guided tour.

“Inside are lots of huge sculptures like ‘The Gates of Hell’ and beautiful pieces of art by the likes of Renoir and Monet.

“It also houses Van Gogh pieces like Starry Night Over the Rhône, and his Self-Portrait.

“The building itself is incredible too as it used to be a train station, it has a giant golden clock and beautiful views of Paris from the fifth floor.

“The gallery sits on the bank of the River Seine too so afterwards, you can take a stroll along the water all the way down to Notre Dame.”

Guided tours are €26 (£22.56) which include the tour, admission and activity. See musee-orsay.fr/en.

Paddleboarding, UK

When it comes to summertime, Travel Writer Jenna Stevens said to head to her home county: “It’s hard to pick between the beautiful beaches to explore in North Norfolk.

“Whilst Cromer is popular for crabbing and cool cafes, Wells-next-the-Sea is famous for its postcard-perfect beach huts. But the best way by far to explore any of these beaches is by paddleboard.

“Whether you pick up a cheap blow-up paddleboard from Lidl, or borrow one from the many rental shops along the coast, you should make paddleboarding your new best friend in 2026.

“I recommend heading to the marshes of Brancaster or Burnham Overy Staithe for gorgeous golden sunsets and still, quiet waters.

“These grassy areas are way quieter than their nearby sandy beaches, and if you time your visit just right you might even be able to pick some fresh samphire from the marshland to take home for dinner.

“And whether you choose to paddle out to the horizon, try out SUP yoga, or simply lay down and soak in the views – it’s an activity everyone falls in love with.

“You can grab a cheap paddleboard from Amazon for £89.99, or rent one for just £20 per hour at Brancaster Boards.”

Thriller Speedboat Adventures, Miami

Travel Report Cyann Fielding said: “The glamorous city of Miami is always in the headlines for the amount of celebs who live there or visit – but on dry land you can’t get a taste of what exactly their lifestyles look like.

“The Thriller Speedboat Adventure ride takes you directly past the houses of the rich including Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith.

“The boat itself is open-topped so you get to enjoy the heat and breeze of Miami too.

“The host is equally funny as they are informative, giving you a real glimpse into some of the luxury and scandal of the lives of the city’s residents.”

The experience costs £33.45 per person. https://www.thrillermiami.com/

Niagara Falls, New York

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill added: “If you’re heading to the US this year, there’s no way you can miss a trip to Niagara Falls in Upstate New York.

“Take the trails through the park, wander at your leisure at no cost as entering Niagara Falls State Park is completely free too so there are no fees necessary to see the impressive falls.

“If you want to get up close to the falls, either take a Maid of the Mist Boat across the waters, or walk The Cave of the Winds which takes you as close to the water as possible – and make sure to bring your waterproof for Hurricane Deck.”

Tickets for Maid of the Mist Boat Tours are $30.25 (£22.48) see maidofthemist.com. To walk the Cave of the Winds costs $14 (£10.40) see niagarafallsstatepark.com.

Sigulda, Latvia

If you’re seeking adventure, head to this town recommended by Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey: “While most people head to Riga on a trip to Latvia, the town of Sigulda is the one for adventure lovers.

“I spent the idea day exploring, trying out every activity on offer for a day of adrenaline.

“There is the indoor go-karting rink Klikk, where I bounded off the tyre walls at speed, to hoping on the cable car before a zipline through the forest.

“Yachting, skydiving and bungee jumping are all on offer too, if you want ore of a thrill.”

Activities from £13pp, see siguldaadventures.com.

Fossil Hunting, UK

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding added: “Kid’s love dinosaurs and right here in the UK we have some great spots to go hunting for millions-of-years old fossils.

“The best spot? Definitely Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. Head to Charmouth Beach and Lyme Regis both of which are known as great fossil-finding spots with species including ammonites (which are the popular spiral shell-shaped fossils) and belemnites (the ones that look like bullets).

“Just check rules of the specific place you plan to head to beforehand, as some spots don’t allow you to chisel into the rocks.”

For more activities, here are the English counties with the most free family activities from pony sanctuaries and steam railways to soft plays.

And here are the 20 most-visited attractions in England that are completely free to enter.

For many years before becoming president, Donald Trump publicly criticised the George W Bush administration over its decision to launch the war on Iraq. And yet, today, in his second term as president, he finds himself presiding over a military debacle that is quite reminiscent of Bush’s.

Trump ordered a military intervention to remove an antagonistic foreign leader, based on a flimsy argument of national security, with the goal of accessing that country’s oil. In both cases, we see a naive confidence that the United States can simply achieve its goals through regime change. US intervention into Venezuela reeks of the same hubris that surrounded the Iraq invasion two decades ago.

Yet there are also important differences to consider. The most important distinguishing feature of the operation in Venezuela is its lack of an overarching vision. On Saturday after Trump finished an hour-long news conference alongside his secretaries of defence and state, it was not clear what the plan was for Venezuela going forward, or if there was a plan at all. His statements threatening more attacks in the following days brought no clarity either.

Past instances of US-led regime change fit into the larger ideological visions of the incumbent US commander-in-chief. In 1823, President James Monroe declared the Western Hemisphere off-limits to European colonialism. As the United States spent the 20th century consolidating its sphere of influence across the Americas, the Monroe Doctrine would justify various interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Cold War added new justifications for the United States to overthrow leftist regimes and install friendly governments in the Americas.

As the Cold War ended, President George HW Bush sought to serve as a caretaker for a “new world order” in which the US had emerged as the world’s lone superpower. When Bush sent troops to Somalia in 1992 and his successor Bill Clinton reversed a military coup in Haiti in 1994, they did so under the paradigm of “humanitarian intervention”. When George W Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq, it was done under the umbrella of the post-9/11 “war on terror”. When President Barack Obama intervened against the forces of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, he was guided by the “responsibility to protect” doctrine concerning civilians in danger.

But in the case of the US attack on Venezuela, there has been no ideological justification. Trump and his team have haphazardly thrown around references to humanitarianism, counterterrorism and more to justify the attack. The president even brought up the Monroe Doctrine. But just as it seemed that he was grounding his foreign policy in a larger ideology, albeit one borrowed from two centuries ago, he made a joke of the concept.

“The Monroe Doctrine is a big deal,” Trump explained on Saturday. “But we’ve superseded it by a lot, by a lot. They now call it the Donroe Doctrine.” Trump did not make up this pun; it was used by the New York Post a year ago to describe Trump’s aggressive foreign policy as he threatened to annex Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal.

The president’s decision to embrace the tongue-in-cheek term illustrates a disturbing reality of his foreign policy: Any notion that he is promoting an ideological vision is a joke.

The truth is Trump is pursuing an increasingly aggressive and militaristic foreign policy in his second term, not because he wants to impose a grand vision, but because he has discovered he can get away with it.

Striking a variety of foreign “bad guys” who have little capacity to fight back – ISIL (ISIS) affiliates in Nigeria who are “persecuting” Christians and “narcoterrorists” in Latin America – appeals to members of Trump’s base.

After he mentioned the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua during Saturday’s news conference, he went on a minutes-long tangent to brag about his military interventions into US cities. While the president’s inability to stay on topic may be concerning for those questioning his health and mental fitness, this digression into domestic affairs had some relevance for his Venezuelan intervention, at least as far as he was concerned: His increasingly militarised war on drugs and crime abroad justifies an increasingly militarised war on drugs and crime at home.

Past presidents have used US power to pursue a wide variety of ideologies and principles. Trump appears to be paying lip service to past ideologies to justify the use of US power. Many times, the “good” intentions of previous  presidents paved the way to hellish outcomes for the peoples who found themselves on the receiving end of US intervention. But those intentions at least created a level of predictability and consistency for the foreign policies of various US administrations.

Trump, by contrast, seems driven solely by immediate political concerns and short-term prospects for glory and profit. If there is a saving grace of such an unprincipled foreign policy, it may be the ephemeral nature of interventions conducted without an overarching vision. An unprincipled approach to military intervention does not foster the kind of ideological commitment that has led other presidents to engage in long-term interventions like the Iraq occupation.

But it also means that Trump could conceivably use military intervention to settle any international dispute or to pursue any ostensibly profitable goal – say assuming control of Greenland from Denmark.

Last year, he decided tariffs were a potent tool for asserting his interests and started applying them almost indiscriminately on allies and adversaries alike. Now that Trump has grown comfortable using the US military to achieve a range of goals – profit, gunboat diplomacy, distraction from domestic scandals, etc – the danger is that he will grow similarly haphazard in his use of force.

That does not bode well for the US nor for the rest of the world. At a time when multiple global crises are overlapping – climate, conflict and impoverishment – the last thing the world needs is a trigger-happy superpower without a clear strategy or a day-after plan.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Have you heard of Orange County? It’s where the good Republicans go before they die.

It should come as no surprise that Orange County, a beloved county for the grandfather of modern American conservatism, Ronald Reagan, would be the fertile landscape for far-right ideology and white supremacy. Reaganomics aside, the O.C. has long since held a special if not slightly off-putting place, of oceanfront leisure, modern luxury and all-American family entertainment — famed by hit shows (“The Real Housewives of Orange County,” “The O.C.” and “Laguna Beach,” among others). Even crime in Orange County has been sensationalized and glamorized, with themes veneered by opulence, secrecy and illusions of suburban perfection. To Eric Lichtblau, the Pulitzer Prize winner and former Los Angeles Times reporter, the real story is far-right terrorism — and its unspoken grip on the county’s story.

“One of the reasons I decided to focus on Orange County is that it’s not the norm — not what you think of as the Deep South. It’s Disneyland. It’s California,” Lichtblau says. “These are people who are trying to take back America from the shores of Orange County because it’s gotten too brown in their view.”

His newest investigative book, “American Reich,” focuses on the 2018 murder of gay Jewish teenager Blaze Bernstein as a lens to examine Orange County and how the hate-driven murder at the hands of a former classmate connects to a national web of white supremacy and terrorism.

I grew up a few miles away from Bernstein, attending a performing arts school similar to his — and Sam Woodward’s. I remember the early discovery of the murder where Woodward became a suspect, followed by the news that the case was being investigated as a hate crime. The murder followed the news cycle for years to come, but in its coverage, there was a lack of continuity in seeing how this event fit into a broader pattern and history ingrained in Orange County. There was a bar down the street from me where an Iranian American man was stabbed just for not being white. The seaside park of Marblehead, where friends and I visited for homecoming photos during sunset, was reported as a morning meet-up spot for neo-Nazis in skeleton masks training for “white unity” combat. These were just some of the myriad events Lichtblau explores as symptoms of something more unsettling than one-offs.

Samuel Lincoln Woodward, of Newport Beach, speaks with his attorney during his 2018 arraignment on murder charges in the death of Blaze Bernstein.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Lichtblau began the book in 2020, in the midst of COVID. He wanted to find a place emblematic of the national epidemic that he, like many others, was witnessing — some of the highest record of anti-Asian attacks, assaults on Black, Latino and LGBTQ+ communities, and rising extremist rhetoric and actions.

“Orange County kind of fit a lot of those boxes,” Lichtblau says. “The horrible tragedy with Blaze Bernstein being killed by one of his high school classmates — who had been radicalized — reflected a growing brazenness of the white supremacy movement we’ve seen as a whole in America in recent years.”

Bernstein’s death had been only two years prior. The Ivy League student had agreed to meet former classmate Woodward one evening during winter break. The two had never been close; Woodward had been a lone wolf during his brief time at the Orange County School of the Arts, before transferring due to the school’s liberalness. On two separate occasions over the years, Woodward had reached out to Bernstein under the pretense of grappling with his own sexuality. Bernstein had no idea he was being baited, or that his former classmate was part of a sprawling underground network of far-right extremists — connected to mass shooters, longtime Charles Manson followers, neo-Nazi camps, and online chains where members bonded over a shared fantasy of harming minorities and starting a white revolution.

“But how is this happening in 2025?”

These networks didn’t appear out of nowhere. They had long been planted in Orange County’s soil, leading back to the early 1900s when the county was home to sprawling orange groves.

Mexican laborers, who formed the backbone of the orange-grove economy (second to oil and generating wealth that even rivaled the Gold Rush), were met with violence when the unionized laborers wanted to strike for better conditions. The Orange County sheriff, also an orange grower, issued an order. “SHOOT TO KILL, SAYS SHERIFF,” the banner headline in the Santa Ana Register read. Chinese immigrants also faced violence. They had played a large role in building the county’s state of governance, but were blamed for a case of leprosy, and at the suggestion of a councilman, had their community of Chinatown torched while the white residents watched.

Gideon Bernstein and Jeanne Pepper Bernstein, center, parents of Blaze Bernstein, speak during a news conference after a 2018 sentencing for Samuel Woodward at Orange County Superior Court.

(Jeff Gritchen/Pool / Orange County Register)

Leading up to the new millennium brought an onslaught of white power rock coming out of the county’s music scene. Members with shaved heads and Nazi memorabilia would dance to rage-fueled declarations of white supremacy, clashing, if not worse, with non-white members of the community while listening to lyrics like, “When the last white moves out of O.C., the American flag will leave with me… We’ll die for a land that’s yours and mine” (from the band Youngland).

A veteran and member of one of Orange County’s white power bands, Wade Michael Page, later murdered six congregants at at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin in 2012.

“It’s come and gone,” says Lichtblau, who noticed these currents shifting in the early 2000s — and over the years, when Reagandland broke in certain parts to become purple. Even with sights of blue amid red, Trump on the landscape brought a new wave — one that Lichtblau explains was fueled by “claiming their country back” and “capturing the moment that Trump released.”

It can be hard to fathom the reality: that the Orange County of white supremacy exists alongside an Orange County shaped both economically and culturally by its immigrant communities, where since 2004, the majority of its residents are people of color. Then again, to anyone who has spent considerable time there, you’ll notice the strange cognitive dissonance among its cultural landscape.

It’s a peculiar sight to see a MAGA stand selling nativist slogans on a Spanish-named street, or Confederate flags in the back of pickup trucks pulling into the parking lots of neighborhood taquerias or Vietnamese pho shops for a meal. Or some of the families who have lived in the county for generations still employing Latino workers, yet inside their living rooms Fox News will be playing alarmist rhetoric about “Latinos,” alongside Reagan-era memorabilia proudly displayed alongside framed Bible verses. This split reality — a multicultural community and one of the far-right — oddly fills the framework of a county born from a split with its neighbor, L.A., only to develop an aggressive identity against said neighbor’s perceived liberalness.

It’s this cultural rejection that led to “the orange curtain” or the “Orange County bubble,” which suggest these racially-charged ideologies stay contained or, exhaustingly, echo within the county’s sphere. On the contrary, Lichtblau has seen how these white suburban views spill outward. Look no further than the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, also the book’s release date.

While popular belief might assume these insurrectionists came from deeply conservative areas, it was actually the contrary, as Lichtblau explains. “It was from places like Orange County,” he says, “where the voting patterns were seeing the most shift.” Some might argue — adamantly or reluctantly — that Jan. 6 was merely a stop-the-steal protest gone wrong, a momentary lapse or mob mentality. But Lichtblau sees something much larger. “This was white pride on display. There was a lot of neo-Nazi stuff, including a lot of Orange County people stuff.”

As a society, it’s been collectively decided to expect the profile of the lone wolf killer, the outcast, wearing an identity strung from the illusions of a white man’s oppression — the type to rail against unemployment benefits but still cash the check. Someone like Sam Woodward, cut from the vestiges of the once venerable conservative Americana family, the type of God-fearing Christians who, as “American Reich” studies in the Woodward household, teach and bond over ideological hate, and even while entrenched in a murder case, continuously reach out to the victim’s family to the point where the judge has to intervene. The existence of these suburban families is known, as is the slippery hope one will never cross paths with them in this ever-spinning round of American roulette. But neither these individuals nor their hate crimes are random, as Lichtblau discusses, and the lone wolves aren’t as alone as assumed. These underground channels have long been ingrained in the American groundscape like landmines, now reactivated by a far-right digital landscape that connects these members and multiplies their ideologies on a national level. Lichtblau’s new investigation goes beyond the paradigm of Orange County to show a deeper cultural epidemic that’s been taking shape.

Beavin Pappas is an arts and culture writer. Raised in Orange County, he now splits his time between New York and Cairo, where he is at work on his debut book.

Our writer Ben Whisson visited Haven’s Devon Cliffs Holiday Park in November and discovered that off-season breaks offer brilliant family fun

As I embarked on a three-night getaway to Haven’s Devon Cliffs site in November, I was slightly apprehensive about what an off-season UK holiday park might have in store. However, as my wife, young son and I pulled up to the park’s entrance, any worries were quickly laid to rest.

Upon check-in, we navigated through the expansive grounds to find our lodge, which would serve as our base for a weekend packed with thrilling activities and lively entertainment.

READ MORE: Where to go on holiday in 2026 – from surprising EU foodie hotspot to ‘cheaper Cotswolds’

READ MORE: Beautiful European holiday destination three hours from UK and still 17ºC in December

What to do at a Haven Holiday Park

The handy Haven app allowed us to manage our booking and plan activities before even setting foot in the park. Despite visiting during the quieter season, there was no shortage of things to do – from a ‘Make A Bear’ party and an Aerial Adventure to their Football Fun Factory and Ranger Activities.

With a mix of complimentary and paid activities, there’s truly something for everyone. Moreover, a Haven PlayPass grants you 14 sessions at the site’s indoor pool throughout your stay, reports OK!. We specifically chose this site for its swimming facilities, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Entertainment at Haven Devon Cliffs Holiday Park

Given the timing of our visit, I expected the entertainment offerings to be somewhat limited – but I couldn’t have been more mistaken. The park boasted two entertainment venues, each offering a plethora of options from morning till night. With full-scale pantomimes, karaoke, and a host of fun and games for both children and adults, I was thoroughly impressed by the variety on offer.

The entertainment team were the absolute highlight of the park – and our holiday. This gifted bunch put on fantastic shows, interacted with the kiddies and made it a memorable trip for us and numerous other families.

Food and drink at Haven Devon Cliffs Holiday Park

Our caravan was well kitted out for whipping up home-cooked meals (which we did) – but we also had the opportunity to try the broad range of food options at the park. With Slim Chickens, Chopstix and Papa Johns among the outlets on site, we were spoilt for choice. The entertainment venues boast bars, plus there’s a sports bar and even a Wetherspoons.

Accommodation at Haven Devon Cliffs Holiday Park

We lodged in a spotless Emerald grade lodge, which was beautifully presented, featuring two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a cosy lounge/kitchen area. It had parking for two cars and was just a short stroll from the centre of activity on the site. The icing on the cake was the outdoor decking that encircled the lodge, which – during the fleeting moments of sunshine – allowed us to fully appreciate the view of the Devon coast.

With a beach accessible from the park, a snug lodge and everything you could need for an action-packed break – whenever you decide to visit – Haven’s Devon Cliffs park surpassed our expectations. Despite a typically rainy November weekend, the multi-skilled entertainment team and staff brought the sunshine for us and our little lad – and we’ll definitely be returning for more.

How much does it cost to stay at Haven Devon Cliffs Holiday Park?

Four-night breaks off-peak in March and April at Haven Devon Cliffs Holiday Park start from £99 staying in a Saver grade caravan. The park reopens in March 2026.

For alternative caravan holidays, have a look at Parkdean Resorts and Hoseasons.

WASHINGTON — Approaching the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, the official plaque honoring the police who defended democracy that day is nowhere to be found.

It’s not on display at the Capitol, as is required by law. Its whereabouts aren’t publicly known, though it’s believed to be in storage.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has yet to formally unveil the plaque. And the Trump administration’s Department of Justice is seeking to dismiss a police officers’ lawsuit asking that it be displayed as intended. The Architect of the Capitol, which was responsible for obtaining and displaying the plaque, said in light of the federal litigation, it cannot comment.

Determined to preserve the nation’s history, some 100 members of Congress, mostly Democrats, have taken it upon themselves to memorialize the moment. For months, they’ve mounted poster board-style replicas of the Jan. 6 plaque outside their office doors, resulting in a Capitol complex awash with makeshift remembrances.

“On behalf of a grateful Congress, this plaque honors the extraordinary individuals who bravely protected and defended this symbol of democracy on Jan. 6, 2021,” reads the faux bronze stand-in for the real thing. “Their heroism will never be forgotten.”

Jan. 6 void in the Capitol

In Washington, a capital city lined with monuments to the nation’s history, the plaque was intended to become a simple but permanent marker, situated near the Capitol’s west front, where some of the most violent fighting took place as rioters breached the building.

But in its absence, the missing plaque makes way for something else entirely — a culture of forgetting.

Visitors can pass through the Capitol without any formal reminder of what happened that day, when a mob of President Trump’s supporters stormed the building trying to overturn the Republican’s 2020 reelection defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. With memory left unchecked, it allows new narratives to swirl and revised histories to take hold.

Five years ago, the jarring scene watched the world over was declared an “insurrection” by the then-GOP leader of the Senate, while the House GOP leader at the time called it his “saddest day” in Congress. But those condemnations have faded.

Trump calls it a “day of love.” And Johnson, who was among those lawmakers challenging the 2020 election results, is now the House speaker.

“The question of January 6 remains – democracy was on the guillotine — how important is that event in the overall sweep of 21st century U.S. history,” said Douglas Brinkley, a professor of history at Rice University and noted scholar.

“Will January 6 be seen as the seminal moment when democracy was in peril?” he asked. Or will it be remembered as “kind of a weird one-off?”

“There’s not as much consensus on that as one would have thought on the fifth anniversary,” he said.

Memories shift, but violent legacy lingers

At least five people died in the riot and its aftermath, including Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot by police while trying to climb through a window toward the House chamber. More than 140 law enforcement officers were wounded, some gravely, and several died later, some by suicide.

All told, some 1,500 people were charged in the Capitol attack, among the largest federal prosecutions in the nation’s history. When Trump returned to power in January 2025, he pardoned all of them within hours of taking office.

Unlike the twin light beams that commemorated the Sept. 11, 2001, attack or the stand-alone chairs at the Oklahoma City bombing site memorial, the failure to recognize Jan. 6 has left a gap not only in memory but in helping to stitch the country back together.

“That’s why you put up a plaque,” said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa. “You respect the memory and the service of the people involved.”

Police sue over Jan. 6 plaque, DOJ seeks to dismiss

The speaker’s office over the years has suggested it was working on installing the plaque, but it declined to respond to a request for further comment.

Lawmakers approved the plaque in March 2022 as part of a broader government funding package. The resolution said the U.S. “owes its deepest gratitude to those officers,” and it set out instructions for an honorific plaque listing the names of officers “who responded to the violence that occurred.” It gave a one-year deadline for installation at the Capitol.

This summer, two officers who fought the mob that day sued over the delay.

“By refusing to follow the law and honor officers as it is required to do, Congress encourages this rewriting of history,” said the claim by officers Harry Dunn and Daniel Hodges. “It suggests that the officers are not worthy of being recognized, because Congress refuses to recognize them.”

The Justice Department is seeking to have the case dismissed. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and others argued Congress “already has publicly recognized the service of law enforcement personnel” by approving the plaque and displaying it wouldn’t alleviate the problems they claim to face from their work.

“It is implausible,” the Justice Department attorneys wrote, to suggest installation of the plaque “would stop the alleged death threats they claim to have been receiving.”

The department also said the plaque is required to include the names of “all law enforcement officers” involved in the response that day — some 3,600 people.

Makeshift memorials emerge

Lawmakers who’ve installed replicas of the plaque outside their offices said it’s important for the public to know what happened.

“There are new generations of people who are just growing up now who don’t understand how close we came to losing our democracy on Jan 6, 2021,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., a member of the Jan. 6 committee, which was opposed by GOP leadership but nevertheless issued a nearly 1,000-page report investigating the run-up to the attack and the attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

Raskin envisions the Capitol one day holding tours around what happened. “People need to study that as an essential part of American history,” he said.

“Think about the dates in American history that we know only by the dates: There’s the 4th of July. There’s December 7th. There’s 9/11. And there’s January 6th,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-calif., who also served on the committee and has a plaque outside her office.

“They really saved my life, and they saved the democracy and they deserve to be thanked for it,” she said.

But as time passes, there are no longer bipartisan memorial services for Jan. 6. On Tuesday, the Democrats will reconvene members from the Jan. 6 committee for a hearing to “examine ongoing threats to free and fair elections,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York announced. It’s unlikely Republicans will participate.

The Republicans under Johnson have tapped Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia to stand up their own special committee to uncover what the speaker calls the “full truth” of what happened. They’re planning a hearing this month.

“We should stop this silliness of trying to whitewash history — it’s not going to happen,” said Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., who helped lead the effort to display the replica plaques.

“I was here that day so I’ll never forget,” he said. “I think that Americans will not forget what happened.”

The number of makeshift plaques that fill the halls is a testimony to that remembrance, he said.

Instead of one plaque, he said, they’ve “now got 100.”

Mascaro writes for the Associated Press.

Cameron Norrie, Jacob Fearnley, Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash are also in the squad.

The winner will face either Australia or Ecuador in the competition’s second qualifying round in September.

In a post on X late last month,, external Draper described the injury as one of the most “challenging” and “complex” of his career.

He said the decision not to compete in the Australian Open, which begins on 18 January, had been “really, really tough”.

Draper struggled with discomfort in the top part of his serving arm – his left – for several months, eventually shutting down his season after withdrawing from the US Open in August.

It came after a successful first part of the year, with Draper reaching a career-high of fourth in the world in June and also securing a maiden Masters 1000 title with victory at Indian Wells in March.

Jan. 5 (UPI) — The trial of former Uvalde school police officer Adrian Gonzales is underway Monday, four years after 19 students and two teachers were killed in a shooting at a Texas elementary school.

The jury selection process will begin the trial proceedings for Gonzales in Corpus Christi, Texas. He faces 29 felony charges, one for each of the 19 fourth-grade victims and 10 surviving students of the shooting on May 24, 2022.

Gonzales is accused of putting the children at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in “imminent danger” when he failed to respond to an active shooting. He was one of the first officers on the scene, the prosecution says.

It took the nearly 400 officers who responded in various capacities 77 minutes to engage the shooter, 18-year-old Salvador Rolando Ramos. Ramos was armed with an AR-15-style rifle.

State and federal investigators reviewed bodycam footage, 911 calls and eyewitness accounts before determining that a series of failures in the law enforcement response contributed to the incident.

The jury is expected to view bodycam footage and hear from investigators and survivors during Gonzales’ trial.

The site of the trial was moved by a judge in October after his attorneys argued it would be unlikely to fill an impartial jury in Uvalde.

Gonzales is one of two law enforcement officers facing criminal charges related to their response to the shooting. Pedro Arredondo, former police chief of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Department, faces 10 counts of abandoning and endangering children.

Former Colombian President Ivan Duque Marquez, discusses how Colombia’s could play a supporting role in Venezuela transition after the abduction of Nicolas Maduro. US President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Colombia, accusing its government of making and selling cocaine to the United States.

Spirits. Cosmetics. Apparel. Fragrance. As the categories most closely associated with the rise of celebrity brands become increasingly saturated, A-list talent is venturing into new terrain — and taking on names like Clinique, L’Oreal, Kiehl’s and Harry’s in the process.

With the likes of Beau Domaine, Papatui and Loved01, male stars such as Brad Pitt, Dwayne Johnson and John Legend, respectively, have broken into the growing market for men’s skincare, which was estimated at $18 billion in 2025 and is projected to nearly double by 2034, according to Precedence Research.

“Beauty is almost becoming its own genre, like music and sports,” says Katie Martin, executive vice president and managing director of e-commerce and marketing agency Front Row. “It’s becoming more genderless, community-based and something people talk about and share.”

Even as men’s shaving products and fragrances aligned with celebrities — think Johnny Depp for Dior’s Sauvage — have long been accepted, there’s been a cultural shift when it comes to beauty. Quickly vanishing is the stigma of men buying and using their own skincare products. In many quarters, it’s desirable and even expected for men to care about their skin. And celebrity skin, often seen in revealing high-def and on the big screen, is certainly a model to emulate.

“Men’s personal care habits have shifted significantly in the past decade, and many more men are open to and interested in taking care of themselves, skin included,” says Allison Collins, co-founder and managing director of advisory firm the Consumer Collective. “This shift started with younger millennial and Gen Z men, but has stretched upwards — and now skincare is something many men are into.”

(Photos by Dana Richards / Golden Hours)

With Papatui, Johnson, whose long career as a wrestler and actor defines a certain brand of masculinity, hopes to change the perception that skincare for men is complicated. “That’s something we’re actively changing. Taking care of yourself on the outside is just as important as the inside,” he says. “Just like training, nutrition or recovery. Papatui removes the intimidation and makes it straightforward and focused on what men really need.”

Johnson founded the company after learning important tips from dermatologists over the years, which he says made a difference given his long work days, demanding training regimen and constant travel.

“I wanted products that feel good, are powered by high-performing formulas, and fit into a busy guy’s routine. I’m hands-on with everything along with our incredible team of experts,” Johnson says.

Another selling point is the line’s availability at Target and Walmart. “Dwayne Johnson’s line is super-approachably priced, which is good for today’s market when consumers are a bit more strapped for cash,” notes Collins.

Johnson is especially proud of the fact that he’s getting guys to use under-eye patches for hydration, brightening and smoothing fine lines. His own routine is pretty basic: cleanse, tone and moisturize along with using the line’s other products including facial scrub, antiperspirant and body washes.

(Photos by Tamera Darden and John Campos / Loved01)

After collaborating with other brands including Kiehl’s and SKII, Legend’s Loved01 launched in 2024 with a pop-up store at Westfield Century City and at CVS locations around the country. It is now sold mostly via QVC, on Amazon and on the company’s website. A TikTok shop launched in early December.

“We’re really trying to meet our customers where they are and adjust to the way they’re buying things,” Legend says. “We were getting much more traction through e-commerce and so we’ve really been focused on that along with television.”

The company just released its hydrating cream cleanser, joining other bestselling products like hand wash, face and body moisturizer, cleansing wipes and face and body oil.

“We believe that it shouldn’t cost luxury prices to get the kind of care that everybody deserves,” Legend says. ”That was one of the beats for the company from the very beginning, that everybody deserved great skincare with great ingredients and that are vegan and cruelty-free with wonderfully sourced ingredients from Mother Nature.”

“John Legend is famous for being a really good family guy and his brand is about increasing equity and how people buy into their family,” says Martin.

Pitt espouses a concept of simplicity in his men’s skincare routine — a three-step ritual starting with cleansing, serum to target signs of aging and then cream to lock in moisture.

Teaming with the Perrin family, winemakers in the South of France, Beau Domaine incorporates organic grape water, known for its soothing and moisturizing properties, into some of its products. The three-step regimen lists for $279 on the brand’s website, which also boasts enthusiastic reviews from users.

“Brad Pitt does have a higher price point, and you could say he’s leaning on ease, but it is probably much more about being premium. And of course Brad Pitt is premium,” says Martin. “He is obviously very well known for being very good-looking. They’ve been really smart there with the equity that Brad holds as a celebrity.”

Whatever the target demographic, all three companies are representative of the evolution of celebrity brands to include the full gamut of product categories and meet the needs of a changing marketplace. And with men’s skincare set for further growth, you can bet you’ll see more Hollywood names in the space before long.

The travel expert has championed the budget-friendly Portuguese coastal town as one of his top getaway picks

Travel guru Simon Calder has hailed Cascais, nestled close to Lisbon in Portugal, as one of his favourite holiday destinations. This wallet-friendly resort is especially attractive during chillier periods, with direct flights available from UK airports to nearby Lisbon, while enjoying mild average highs of 15°C in January, reports the Express.

The picturesque town’s manageable size makes it perfect for pensioners seeking a destination that’s easy to explore by foot.

Travel blogger and photographer Caroline wrote on her site Packthesuitcases that Cascais “is a nice walkable size, you don’t need to worry about taxis and buses unless you’re venturing further afield to things like Cabo da Roca – everything in the town itself is easily reached on foot”.

Caroline emphasised that getting to Cascais from Lisbon by train is hassle-free.

“The train takes about 40 minutes from Cais do Sodré, and it’s an enjoyable journey along the coast,” she explained.

On his travel podcast, Simon Calder praised the beautiful resort as one of his “favourite Portuguese locations”.

“Cascais is the port planted elegantly on the shoreline west of the capital, Lisbon, on what’s known as the Portuguese Riviera.

“It was settled in turn by Romans, Visigoths and Moors, and today the centre of Cascais is an intriguing combination of sun-worn houses, cafés, shops and smart hotels.”

The travel expert also highlighted that “excellent beaches within easy reach of Cascais” make it an attractive proposition.

One delighted holidaymaker shared their experience on TripAdvisor, describing the Portuguese town as “a little slice of heaven”.

They gushed: “Cascais is amazing, beautiful coastline, stunning, immaculate beaches and a really charming town. The people are lovely, and the food is out of this world!”

Simon also recommended Cassis in the south of France as another walkable gem, perfect for those seeking a winter escape.

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday announced that he is issuing a letter of censure to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over the lawmaker’s participation in a video that called on troops to resist unlawful orders.

Hegseth said that the censure was “a necessary process step” to proceedings that could result in a demotion from Kelly’s retired rank of captain in the U.S. Navy.

The move comes more than a month after Kelly participated in a video with five other Democratic lawmakers in which they called on troops to defy “illegal orders.” President Donald Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH” in a social media post days later.

In November, Kelly and the other lawmakers — all veterans of the armed services and intelligence community — called on U.S. military members to uphold the Constitution and defy “illegal orders.”

The 90-second video was first posted from Sen. Elissa Slotkin’s X account. In it, the six lawmakers — Slotkin, Kelly and Reps. Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan — speak directly to U.S. service members, whom Slotkin acknowledges are “under enormous stress and pressure right now.”

Afterward, Trump accused them of sedition “punishable by DEATH,” reposting messages from others about the video and amplifying it with his own words.

Kelly, along with some of the other Democrats in the initial video, have sent out fundraising messages based off the Republican president’s reaction to their comments, efforts that have gone toward filling their own campaign coffers and further elevating their national-level profiles.

Toropin writes for the Associated Press.

It wasn’t an accident that the Lakers’ first play went to Deandre Ayton. Or that the star big man got the first shot of the third. Or that teammates fed him for back-to-back dunks to help spark a run of five consecutive scoring possessions early in the second half.

After Ayton finished last Friday’s win on the bench, the 7-foot center bounced back with 15 points and eight rebounds against the Grizzlies on Sunday as the Lakers made a point to involve the big man early.

Ayton scored just four points with six rebounds during Friday’s win and watched a tight fourth quarter from the bench because, as coach JJ Redick said, backup Jaxson Hayes “was playing better.” Redick said Saturday that Ayton was “frustrated” he wasn’t getting the ball more in recent games, and his disillusionment showed up on the court.

“It’s a tale as old as time for a big guy,” Redick said after Sunday’s game. “That’s the reality of being a big: someone has to pass you the ball. You’re not initiating the offense.”

Redick said the team identified moments where teammates could have been better at finding the former No. 1 overall pick. There were also other times when Ayton could have been more active on his own. Redick said he mostly wanted to see Ayton being active, engaged and assertive in the game.

Ayton responded by converting six of his eight shots Sunday and helping the team lock down on defense in the fourth. The Lakers clawed back from an 11-point deficit late in the third and held the Grizzlies (15-19) to just 16 points in the first 10 minutes of the fourth quarter. Ayton had two blocks in the fourth quarter.

“We’re winning the right way,” Ayton said. “Bigs can’t feed themselves and I just try my best to do what I can to bring effort. And I trust my playmakers out there to find me.”

The Lakers had 30 assists on 38 made shots, their highest percentage of assisted field goals of the season.

Jan. 5 (UPI) — Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has said “enough” on Monday to President Donald Trump‘s threats to take the country and urged him to let go of his “fantasies of annexation.”

Nielsen posted on Facebook that Trump should stop his claims that the United States will annex his country, which is a territory of Denmark, a member of NATO and the European Union.

“Alliances are built on trust. And trust requires respect,” Nielsen said in his post. “Threats, pressure and talk of annexation do not belong anywhere between friends. That’s not how you talk to a people who have repeatedly shown responsibility, stability and loyalty.”

“This is enough.”

After the invasion of Venezuela on Saturday, Trump told The Atlantic on Sunday that the United States needs Greenland for national security. The operation in Venezuela also renewed fears that Trump may actually move to take Greenland.

“They are going to have to view it themselves. I really don’t know … But we do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense,” Trump said when asked if the action in Venezuela should be interpreted by other nations as a signal that his administration might use military action to pursue more goals.

Nielsen’s post told Trump to let it go.

“No more pressure. No more hints. No more fantasies about annexation,” he said.

“We are open for dialogue. We are open to conversations. But it has to be through the right channels and with respect to international law. And the right channels are not random and disrespectful posts on social media. Greenland is our home and our territory. And that’s how it continues to be.”

The EU backs Nielsen and Denmark on the matter.

“The EU will continue to uphold the principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders,” EU foreign policy spokesperson Anitta Hipper told reporters. “These are universal principles, and we will not stop defending them, all the more so if the territorial integrity of a member state of the European Union is questioned.”

Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said it made “absolutely no sense to talk about the U.S. needing to take over Greenland.” She said the United States has “no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish kingdom.”

The Danish Kingdom also includes the Faroe Islands.

“The principle of the inviolability of borders is enshrined in international law and is not up for negotiation,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Berlin after a meeting with Frederiksen in June. “We stand firmly alongside our Danish friends on these issues and that will remain the case.”

On Air Force One, Trump told reporters he didn’t want to discuss Greenland saying he would talk about it “in 20 days.” He then mocked Greenland and Denmark.

“You know what Denmark did recently to boost security in Greenland? They added one more dog sled. It’s true. They thought that was a great move,” Trump said.

“Right now, Greenland is full of Chinese and Russian ships everywhere. We need Greenland for national security reasons. Denmark will not be able to handle the task.”

Sweden, Norway and Finland have all said they support Denmark.

“Only Denmark and Greenland have the right to decide on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland,” said Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. “Sweden fully supports our neighboring country.”

The move comes after star Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped by his IPL team on the BCCI’s directives.

Bangladesh’s interim government has banned broadcast ‍of this ‍year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), the latest flashpoint in a growing row with neighbouring India, which has now extended to cricket ties between the two nations.

The move follows the decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to have the Kolkata Knight Riders drop Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman, ​who had signed for the IPL franchise for ‍this season.

The unceremonious dumping of a “star player” like Mustafizur from the IPL “defied logic” and had “hurt people”, the country’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in a statement explaining its decision.

Bangladesh have also refused to play their matches of next month’s Twenty20 (T20) World Cup in India, demanding that those ‍be staged ⁠in Sri Lanka, co-host of the 20-team tournament.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board’s directors met in an emergency meeting on Sunday and confirmed their decision shortly afterwards.

“Following a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and the growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India and considering the advice from the Bangladesh Government, the board of directors resolved that the Bangladesh national team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions,” it said.

“The board believes that such a step is necessary to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of Bangladeshi players, team officials, Board members and other stakeholders and to ensure that the team can participate in the tournament in a secure and appropriate environment,” the statement added, urging the ICC to take swift action.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not publicly responded to Bangladesh’s ‌demand to play World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.

Tensions have risen ‌in recent weeks between India ⁠and Bangladesh.

Following the protests, the Indian board asked ‍Knight Riders to drop Mustafizur.

The IPL, the ​world’s richest T20 league, is scheduled ‌from March 26 to May 31.

MICKEY Rourke is begging for cash on GoFundMe as he turns to fans to save him from being evicted from his Hollywood home.

The controversial actor, 73, could lose his Los Angeles house after falling behind in his rent by thousands and thousand of dollars.

Mickey, who last year had a controversial appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay off his debt of just under $60K (£44,500).

The actor’s fundraiser was kicked off yesterday morning citing the actor had given his “full permission”.

The page, called Help Mickey Rourke Stay in His Home reads: “Today, Mickey is facing a very real and urgent situation: the threat of eviction from his home.

“This fundraiser is being created with Mickey’s full permission to help cover immediate housing-related expenses and prevent that from happening.

EVICTED AGAIN?

Mickey Rourke facing EVICTION after ‘owing $60k in rent’ after CBB sacking

NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK?

Hollywood legend, 73, looks unrecognisable as he’s seen with bald head

“Mickey Rourke is an icon—but his trajectory, as painful as it is, is also a deeply human one.

“It is the story of someone who gave everything to his work, took real risks, and paid real costs. Fame does not protect against hardship, and talent does not guarantee stability.

“What remains is a person who deserves dignity, housing, and the chance to regain his footing.”

The statement added: “The goal is simple: to give Mickey stability and peace of mind during an extremely stressful time—so he can stay in his home and have the space to get back on his feet.”

The page is being run by his friend Liya-Joelle Jones who told the Hollywood reporter: “Mickey is going through a very difficult time right now, and it’s been incredibly touching to see how many people care about him and want to help.”

EVICTION NOTICE

Mickey is facing possible eviction from his Los Angeles home after allegedly failing to pay nearly $60K in rent.

The actor — born Philip Rourke Jr. — began renting the three-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home on March 30 under a lease of $5,200 per month. 

The lawsuit involving his possible eviction states the rent was raised to $7,000 per month starting in his second month of occupancy.

Court documents obtained by the Daily Mail and filed in LA’s Superior Court showed the actor was served a three-day notice on December 18.

Mickey was ordered to pay overdue rent or vacate the property.

According to the complaint filed by landlord Eric T. Goldie, Mikey owed $59,100 at the time. 

When a process server attempted to deliver the notice, the actor was not home, so the document was posted outside the residence.

The property carries historic significance in Los Angeles. 

Built in 1926, the house was occupied in the 1940s by legendary crime novelist Raymond Chandler, according to the Los Angeles Times.

It sits in the Beverly Grove neighborhood, just south of West Hollywood and a few blocks from The Grove shopping center and the adjacent Farmers Market.

REMOVED FROM CELEB BIG BROTHER

The lawsuit marks another blow for the star, who has had a tumultuous twelve months.

Early last year he was kicked out of the Celebrity Big Brother house over “unacceptable language and behavior” directed at fellow housemate JoJo Siwa.

At the time ITV issued a statement and said: “Mickey Rourke has agreed to leave the Celebrity Big Brother house this evening following a discussion with Big Brother regarding further use of inappropriate language and instances of unacceptable behaviour.”

Travel can affect our lives in many positive ways – and some holidays really can be life-changing. We’d love to hear about trips that have changed you – perhaps it was a wellbeing retreat, a learning or yoga holiday, going fishing or sailing for the first time, or a long-distance hike or kayaking adventure, in the UK and Europe. Tell us what you did and why it was so special.

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