Month: January 2026

KYLIE Jenner has sent followers wild after posing in a series of eye-popping poolside bikini pics.

Beauty mogul Kylie shared the stunning snaps with fans on her social media displaying her enviable curves in a gold bikini.

The 28-year-old brunette bombshell – who has been busy putting rumours of a split with Timothée Chalamet to bed – took to Instagram to share a series of selfies while lounging by the pool.

Preened to perfection with a full face of make-up, the TV personality wore a metallic two-piece featuring a plunging neckline and matching drawstring bottoms.

Sporting light eyeshadow and mascara on the lashes, she completed the look with pink blush for a radiant glow on her cheekbones and a darker nude-coloured matte tint to her lips.

She styled her long, dark hair with a middle parting, sat on her shoulders in bouncy waves.

She commented on her post: “Ur so hot.”

Fans applauded: “2026 goals,” stunning” and “obsessed.”

Others condemned: “I’d be so embarrassed to pose like this and ask someone to take my picture and then be self-obsessed enough to post it online. Dreadful.”

“Hasn’t she ever heard of OnlyFans?” enquired a second.

“What happens when this woman can no longer post pictures like this for validation? It’s going to hit her hard when she has to be more than just her body!” ranted another.

The entrepreneur played the supportive partner this weekend, attending the 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards to cheer on boyfriend Timothée Chalamet.

The esteemed actor was honoured with the Spotlight Award for his role in Marty Supreme.

Although she skipped the red carpet, Kylie still made a major fashion statement inside the event.

The beauty icon wore a custom Ludovic de Saint Sernin creation – a shimmering, dark orange column dress covered in copper sequins.

The body-skimming design featured a plunging neckline and unique halter straps that criss-crossed at the collarbone.

She paired the look with a matching chrome orange manicure and wore her hair in signature voluminous waves, swept elegantly to one side.

One admirer penned: “Orange is the new love colour.”

“This glam is something else,” confirmed a second.

“You always know exactly how to own a moment,” praised a third.

However, the dramatic look divided fans. One commented: “Kylie used to be one of the best dressed in the family and ever since she got with Timothée her fashion sense has been on a steep decline.”

A second agreed: “She wants her boobs to be the focal point of every outfit. It’s a shame because I agree she could pull off some really gorgeous looks. I’m not saying it’s bad to show cleavage but she doesn’t dress accordingly for the events.”

“All that money but always manages to look like an airhead wearing a prom dress off SHEIN,” noted one unimpressed user.

However, Chalamet appeared not to mention his girlfriend while accepting his award at the prestigious awards bash.

STANDING on a small wooden platform way up in the treetops, I don’t want to make the leap.

My next foothold will be another ledge high in the branches, about 50 metres away.

To reach it, I need to hurl myself on a zip wire over a lake, praying that my harness will hold after all the croissants I’ve demolished since arriving in France.

I’m sorely tempted to back out, but my husband Chris is chasing my tail. If

I don’t jump soon, he’ll come flying into me feet-first.

Meanwhile, our four-year-old twins are safely on the ground, playing games and crafting in the kids’ club.

READ MORE ON FAMILY HOLIDAYS

PARK IN

English holiday village next to little-known theme park named one of the UK’s best

SPLASH OUT

World’s tallest waterslide is in winter sun city and park tickets are just £21

And to think we could have spent this precious, child-free morning sipping panache (French shandy) at our holiday parc’s lakeside brasserie . . .

But here we are, clipped on to the treetop adventure course at Eurocamp’s Domaine des Ormes, near Dol-de-Bretagne in Brittany.

The parc is within easy reach of ferry ports including Saint Malo and Roscoff, making it ideal for those not wanting to travel too far.

But there are far better reasons to stay here, including the pretty woodland setting, impressive range of activities and epic pool complex, complete with waterslides and lazy river.

For my family of four, this is our first Eurocamp experience.

I’d heard good things about the outdoor holiday specialist from friends raving about their bakeries and swimming pools. And it was time to see it for myself.

With two weeks to spare, we chose a two-point holiday, opting for a first week on France’s west coast before a second in Brittany.

Our adventure began on the overnight ferry to France. While the kids excitedly leapt between bunks in our cabin, I watched through the porthole as Plymouth slipped away beneath the sunset.

The next morning, we woke up in the French port of Roscoff, known for its pink onions and crepes, before clambering into our car and starting the six-and-a-half-hour drive south.

Our destination for the first week was Eurocamp’s La Pinede parc, near the seaside resort of Les Mathes in Charente-Maritime.

Sandwiched between the Atlantic and the Gironde estuary, the campsite has a laid-back vibe, with holiday homes scattered through the pine forest, as well as entertainment on tap for all ages.

Outdoor yoga

Pulling up outside our two-bed holiday home, complete with private decking, I quickly notice how relaxed our new neighbours seem.

Children cycle between pools to get their final swim before bedtime (which is much later than at home).

Parents sit on the terraces of their cabins playing cards and drinking red wine (which costs less than a tenner for a decent supermarket bottle).

Barbecues sizzle, swimwear is hung out to dry, more wine is poured.

Later, families stroll to the evening entertainment, which ranges from cabaret shows to “full-moon parties”.

We adjust very easily to the slowed-down pace at La Pinede, ditching our car and hiring bikes to get around.

Each morning, I cycle to the on-site shop to buy croissants and local melons for breakfast, loving the simplicity of it.

Our days are mainly spent together as a family, whooshing down slides in the aquapark, playing mini golf and eating on our deck (although there is also a restaurant for those times when we cannot be bothered to cook).

One afternoon, we took the kids on tagalong bikes, pedalling four miles to La Palmyre beach for ice creams and sandcastle-building.

But, for tired parents, the free children’s club for ages four to 17 offers some very welcome respite.

While the waves near La Coubre Lighthouse beckon for surf-mad Chris, I’m keen for something more zen, in the shape of outdoor yoga.

Chloe Mafana is a local yoga teacher who runs weekly classes at La Pinede (€10 per person).

And after an hour of mindful breathing and stretching, and a final relaxation to the sound of Chloe’s wind chimes, I feel blissed out.

Our second week has a different feel. Around 250 miles north of La Pinede, Domaine des Ormes is a bigger parc with even more activities, including wakeboarding, archery and horse riding.

Nearby attractions include the fortified abbey of Mont Saint-Michel.

While Chris and I were impressed by its 12th-century cobbled streets and bay views, the kids were wowed by the fact this tidal island inspired the kingdom in Disney movie Tangled.

Although Domaine des Ormes is a bigger site, the simple pleasures of our first week — evening barbecues, children playing outside and chilled-out parents sipping wine — were still there.

But back on that treetop ledge, way above ground, I felt far from chilled out.

With no option to turn back, though, I took a deep breath and leapt forward into the void.

The line caught me and I picked up speed, seeing the woods and lake rush by beneath me.

Then I started to get into it, jumping from successive platforms with increasing confidence.

After countless whoops, the final platform zoomed into view — and it was all over too soon.

Adrenaline rushed through me and my heart was pumping as I unclipped from the course.

My feet may have been back on the ground, but I was still on a high.

THE CURRENT spat between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and President Bush echoes a California discord that contributed to the Republicans losing the presidency in 1916. A lesser prize is at stake this time — the governor’s initiatives — but rankled feelings may end with conservatives losing another November election.

Schwarzenegger’s refusal to join the president at a Ronald Reagan Presidential Library ceremony, and Bush’s rejection of the governor’s plea to postpone a local fundraiser until after next month’s special election, made national as well as local headlines. Neither man blinked, although their sagging popularity cries out for compromise and cooperation within the Republican ranks.

On the eve of the 1916 presidential election, California Gov. Hiram Johnson and Charles Evans Hughes, the GOP presidential candidate, exhibited similar obstinacy. It ended in a stunning defeat for Hughes, who expected to carry a heavily Republican California but instead lost the state and the election to Woodrow Wilson by a handful of votes.

Progressive Republican Johnson, a popular reform governor who was a candidate for the state’s U.S. Senate seat that November, was not a favorite of the more conservative wing of his party. He faced opposition in the GOP primary from mossbacks who rejected his efforts toward social and economic change. That August, Hughes made major speeches in California. At the same time, Johnson was furiously campaigning throughout the state in a close fight for his party’s senatorial nomination.

In mid-August, Hughes and Johnson spent several days in L.A. County. Taking a break from the campaign, Hughes made a quick trip to Long Beach, staying at the Virginia Hotel. Johnson had already checked in at the Virginia, and when word reached him that his party’s presidential candidate was there, he expected a courtesy call from him. But Hughes left without meeting with Johnson, a slight that irritated the progressive wing of the party.

The Times, an ardent supporter of Hughes and critic of Johnson’s progressive Republicans, neither reported Johnson’s campaign visit to Southern California nor Hughes’ snub. But other papers did. During the remaining two months of the campaign, Hughes’ seemingly insurmountable Republican majority evaporated. Among the reasons was his gaffe, which apparently turned off many would-be Republican voters.

(That wasn’t all that hurt Hughes. When he crossed a picket line in San Francisco, he made certain that the media were aware that he had intentionally done so. In an industrializing state, voters turned to Wilson, a more labor-oriented candidate.)

Johnson won the Senate race. Hughes lost California — and the presidency — by less than 4,000 votes.

The Schwarzenegger/Bush brouhaha, occurring in the midst of sagging poll numbers for both men, further weakens their appeal. The governor’s initiative proposals, already in trouble with the voters, may have suffered a fatal setback. The lame-duck president is fortunate not to be on the ballot this fall.

Bangladesh will not travel to India for the T20 World Cup next month “under current conditions” and have requested their matches be moved elsewhere, the country’s cricket board has said.

Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman was released by his Indian Premier League team at the request of the Indian board amid growing tensions between the countries.

That led to an emergency meeting at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), who now say they have “formally requested” the International Cricket Council (ICC) moves all Bangladesh’s matches.

“The board believes that such a step is necessary to safeguard the safety and well-being 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,” a statement said.

The move threatens to bring chaos to a competition which begins on 7 February and has already been affected by the political tensions between India and Pakistan.

Bangladesh are due to play all four of their group-stage matches in India, including on the opening day against West Indies and against England in Kolkata on 14 February.

The tournament is being co-hosted by Sri Lanka, where all Pakistan’s matches will be played because of the tensions with India.

The killing of a Hindu man during violent protests in Bangladesh pushed strained ties between Bangladesh and India into a deeper crisis.

The man was accused of blasphemy and beaten to death by a mob in Muslim-majority Bangladesh in an episode that resulted in protests by Hindu nationalist groups in India.

Anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh has grown since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to the country in 2024.

India has not agreed to send her back despite several requests, while violent protests broke out over the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent student leader, in Bangladesh.

Mustafizur was withdrawn from an IPL contract with Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday.

No reason for the decision was given by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) but secretary Devajit Saikia referenced “recent developments”.

“The board reviewed the situation in detail, taking into account developments over the last 24 hours and expressed deep concern over the overall circumstances surrounding the participation of the Bangladesh in matches scheduled to be played in India,” said the BCB, who also announced their 15-strong squad on Sunday.

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

The ICC has not responded to the BBC’s request for comment.

Bangladesh squad for T20 World Cup: Litton Das (capt), Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shoriful Islam.

A brief power vacuum had emerged in Venezuela in the sudden chaos and confusion after the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro by the United States.

But shortly after the US military rained strikes down on Caracas and other areas on Saturday, US President Donald Trump – in a surprise snub against Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was awarded last year’s Nobel Peace Prize – noted that Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, 56, had been sworn in as interim president.

The right-wing Machado – who had cosied up to Trump, especially after her October Nobel win, an honour that he himself coveted and she dedicated to him – was described by the US president as not having enough support or “respect” to be Venezuela’s leader.

Trump said Rodriguez had talked to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and was “essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again”.

“I think she was quite gracious,” Trump added. “We can’t take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn’t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind.”

However, Rodriguez’s remarks soon after the strikes and abduction were diametrical: She criticised the US military action as “brutal aggression” and called for Maduro’s immediate release.

“There is only one president in this country, and his name is Nicolas Maduro,” Rodriguez said defiantly on state television as she was flanked by top civilian officials and military commanders.

Who, then, is the current acting president of Venezuela?

Revolutionary roots

A Caracas native, Rodriguez was born on May 18, 1969. She is the daughter of left-wing rebel fighter Jorge Antonio Rodriguez, who founded the Socialist League party in the 1970s. Her father was killed while tortured in police custody in 1976, a crime that shook many activists of the era, including a young Maduro.

Rodriguez’s brother, also named Jorge, also holds a key role in government as the head of the National Assembly.

She is an attorney who graduated from the Central University of Venezuela and rose rapidly through the political ranks in the past decade. Rodriguez has a long history of representing on the world stage what late President Hugo Chavez called his socialist “revolution” with those carrying on his legacy referred to as Chavistas.

She served as communication and information minister from 2013 to 2014, foreign minister from 2014 to 2017 and as the head of a pro-government Constituent Assembly, which expanded Maduro’s powers, in 2017.

Economic prowess

Rodriguez is sometimes perceived as more moderate than many soldiers who took up arms with Chavez in the 1990s.

Rodriguez’s roles as finance and oil minister, held simultaneously with her vice presidential post, have made her a key figure in the management of Venezuela’s economy and gained her major influence with the country’s withered private sector. She has applied orthodox economic policies in a bid to fight hyperinflation.

Maduro added the oil ministry to Rodriguez’s portfolio in August 2024, tasking her with managing escalating US sanctions on Venezuela’s most important industry.

Rodriguez developed strong ties with Republicans in the US oil industry and on Wall Street who balked at the notion of a US-led change in Venezuela’s government.

Among her past interlocutors were Blackwater security company founder Erik Prince and, more recently, Richard Grenell, a Trump special envoy who tried to negotiate a deal with Maduro for greater US influence in Venezuela.

A ‘tiger’

Despite being perceived as more moderate, Maduro has called Rodriguez a “tiger” for her die-hard defence of his socialist government.

When she was named vice president in June 2018, Maduro described her as “a young woman, brave, seasoned, daughter of a martyr, revolutionary and tested in a thousand battles”.

After Maduro’s abduction on Saturday, Rodriguez demanded the US government provide proof of life for Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and minced no words in denouncing the US actions.

“We call on the peoples of the great homeland to remain united because what was done to Venezuela can be done to anyone. That brutal use of force to bend the will of the people can be carried out against any country,” she said in an address broadcast by the state television channel VTV.

The Constitutional Chamber of Venezuela’s Supreme Court later on Saturday ordered Rodriguez to serve as acting president.

The court ruled that Rodriguez will assume “the office of President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in order to guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defence of the Nation”.

At least one, and possibly two, of the U.S. Air Force’s secretive RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drones appear to have taken part in last night’s operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Spotting an RQ-170 in the context of a real-world mission is very rare, but it would not be unexpected in this case. The RQ-170 was designed by Lockheed’s Skunk Works exactly for this application, to provide persistent surveillance of high-value targets deep inside contested environments, including in support of special operations missions just like the one overnight in Venezuela.

Readers can get caught up on what is known about the U.S. mission overnight in Venezuela, nicknamed Operation Absolute Resolve, with our ongoing coverage here.

A local spotter in Puerto Rico captured video said to show the RQ-170 returning to the former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads earlier this morning, as seen in the social media post below. The same spotter also filmed clips of other aircraft arriving at the base today, and has been otherwise visually monitoring air traffic there for some time now. This facility, also known as Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport, has been a major hub for expanded U.S. military operations in and around the Caribbean since September 2025. This is just one focal point in a much larger buildup of American air, naval, and ground assets in the region over the last five months.

Fans of The Traitors are searching for answers over the show’s new twist – the Secret Traitor. But viewers think they may have spotted a massive blunder in the background of The Traitors: Uncloaked

Eagle-eyed Traitors fans are convinced they have sussed out who the secret traitor is, after an apparent blunder on spin-off show Uncloaked. With the most recent season of The Traitors starting on New Year’s Day, the format was switched up slightly by BBC bosses, who added in a ‘secret traitor’, as well as the three traitors as usual.

But when fans were watching The Traitors: Uncloaked, they spotted what some thought was a blunder on the show’s behalf. Clocking the photos on the wall behind the hosts, one X user wrote: “Why are the 3 traitors pictured on the wall…..with Harriet.”

Another added: “Spoiler: The portraits of the traitors are in the background of #traitorsuncloaked…. Plus an additional one. Harriet the secret traitor! #TheTraitorsUK #Traitors”

READ MORE: Unmasked star of The Traitors reveals mistakes he made which led to downfall in first interview

A third posted: “Have Uncloaked revealed the identity of the Secret Traitor already?… Imagine though, what a plot twist!? #TheTraitorsUK #TheTraitors”. Although it’s unlikely the producers would make a mistake so obvious, fans are so desperate to crack the puzzle, they are getting “suspicious” over anything – including contestants’ handwriting and choice of words.

During a confessional, psychologist Ellie said she was hesitant as she didn’t want people to think she is the “Secret Traitor”, leading fans to question how she knew those words if the Faithfuls are unaware of this year’s twist. In the interview room, Ellie said: “People will question whether you are sitting and watching as a kind of Secret Traitor…”

Picking up on her choice of words, one fan asked: “Anyone notice Ellie talking in the interview room and saying ‘people will question whether you are sitting & watching as a kind of secret traitor’.”

Another added: “Ellie saying ‘don’t want to look like a secret traitor’ as a faithful who don’t know about a secret traitor??? Suspicious wording.” And a third agreed: “Ellie saying ‘thinking I’m some secret traitor’, why would you say secret and not just traitor unless it’s on your mind?”

Host Claudia Winkleman introduced the new twist to the show on January 1, revealing that for the first time, there would be a fourth traitor, who is unknown to everyone – including traitors and viewers. This secret traitor, who is awarded a scarlet cloak, would call the shots, picking a shortlist of three people that the other traitors could murder.

Speculation is rife among fans, with everyone dying to know who the new secret traitor could be. Last night’s episode (January 3) saw tensions only rise among the traitors, with viewers almost witnessing the uncloaking of the secret traitor.

After Hugo was betrayed by fellow traitor Stephen, the first traitor was banished. The remaining two were set a secret mission that could help them uncover the identity of the secret traitor.

Stephen and Rachel had to highlight the family tree of players with red ink, saying who could be murdered. If they marked nine names, they would not only get to murder a player that evening, but they would also meet the secret traitor.

They succeeded in their mission, but not before almost giving themselves away to Reece. As such, that night, the secret traitor made their way to the traitors’ turret.

But with the credits rolling, viewers will have to wait until at least Wednesday 7 January to find out who it is. That’s if the show reveals it at all.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

READ MORE: Hours remain to grab Amazon’s Fire TV Stick at better than half-price

CRUISING has had the glow-up of the decade.

If you’ve never set foot on a ship, you might wonder whether it’s really worth trying one for your next getaway.

But with picks like these, you’ll be struggling to choose which cruise you want to give a go first.

Cruising is one of the easiest ways to hit bucket-list spots, enjoy the sun, and sink a few Aperol Spritzes along the way.

From refined dinners and West End shows onboard, to child-free party boats with nightclubs – there really is a cruise for every kind of holidaymaker.

So we asked The Sun’s travel team to reveal the cruises they still rave about.

Read more on cruise holidays

DAY TRIPPPER

Luxury cruise package to Caribbean and Nascar Daytona 500 for just £2,499

MAGICAL FIND

I was one of the first guests on Disney’s new heroes and villain cruise ship

Here are their favourites – and exactly why they’d set sail again tomorrow.

Celestyal Cruises

Until a few years ago, I had never considered taking a cruise for a holiday.

But then during one sunny May, I hopped onboard a Celestyal ship that sailed around the Greek Islands, and I maintain to this day that it is still one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I saw Santorini, Patmos, Mykonos, Kusadasi and Crete over one week stopping at them for a day of exploration, seeing beautiful white-washed villages, calderas and historical ruins. 

The ship itself is smaller than most so that it’s able to dock at the island harbours – or get as close to them as possible. It’s not as big as the likes of Royal Caribbean or Virgin Cruises so don’t expect waterparks or go-kart tracks. 

That’s not to say there isn’t enough to keep you busy onboard, there are still swimming pools, a gym, spa, multiple restaurants and entertainment areas with brilliant evening shows.

But let’s face it, it’s all about the destinations and I’ve never been happier than sitting on a hilltop bar in Santorini clutching an enormous Aperol Spritz.

Travel Reporter, Alice Penwill

Virgin Voyages

If you love the idea of a cruise but not the screaming children then you might want to check out Virgin Voyages.

These adult-only cruises are like the ultimate playground for grown ups and include night clubs, sprawling pools and hilarious shows.

I headed off on a cruise from Southampton, so it didn’t involve flying which was ideal and stopped off at Amsterdam and Bruges.

My ship was the Resilient Lady and boy was she impressive. 

The main hub of the ship can be found on Deck 15 – at one end there is The Galley which is full of different cuisines for people to try and then at the other end is an open deck, with a pool and several hot tubs. 

The spa on board is still one of the best I’ve been to, to date – and that includes ones on dry land.

The Himalayan Salt Room was a favourite spot of mine, and left with skin that felt like a baby’s bum. 

The entertainment really did steal the show though – think camp and colourful. It was a bag of laughs – especially when a half-naked man gave a elderly passenger a lap dance.

Virgin Voyages have cruises that you can either fly to or head off from the UK so there is truly something for everyone.

Travel Reporter, Cyann Fielding

Oceania Allura

A cruise was once one of the most glamorous ways a person could travel. Chandelier-lit dinners were formal, the food was excellent and cabins were extremely tasteful.

Oceania is a brand that has managed to maintain much of this glamour and its newest ship, Allura, is no exception.

If, like me, you consider yourself a foodie, this is certainly the ship for you.

Allura lays claim to the largest galley at sea and chefs work tirelessly around the clock, baking fresh loaves every morning (something few other ships do).

Allura welcomed back a fan-favourite restaurant, Jacques, on board – and I’m so grateful for that decision, as it was here that I devoured one of the best cheese soufflés of my life.

The foodie fun doesn’t end with the restaurants, though.

Passengers can pick up basic and advanced culinary skills at the on-board cookery school, whipping up feasts and cocktails in a specially-designed kitchen, under the instruction of one of the ship’s top chefs.

With capacity for just under 1,500 passengers, the vessel doesn’t feel overwhelming, like some of the larger cruise ships often can, and it’s easy to navigate.

There’s everything you’d expect from a lavish ship including a serene spa, high-end entertainment, a casino and enough bars to keep even the fussiest drinker content.

Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski

Sun Princess

When planning a girly holiday, I had no idea a Princess cruise would be so perfect.

Hopping on their European excursion, we racked up the cities we visited along the way.

This meant morning Aperol Spritzs in Palermo, delicious tapas in Barcelona and beautiful tours of the Parthenon temple, to name a few.

But the fun didn’t stop even when we were onboard.

We were often found at the private Sanctuary Club onboard, open to guests staying in sanctuary-level rooms, where we rang bells for free prosecco chased by a dip in the pool.

There were West End shows onboard – something which after many failed attempts at us trying to decide what to see in London, it helped having just one choice per night.

Otherwise days were spent tanning by the ship pool, flitting between the many bars and restaurants.

One of our favourites being the very magical Spellbound speakeasy – I won’t say too much else to keep the magic…

And with flights and cabins included in the packages, it even meant we didn’t have to fight it out on what hotel we wanted to stay at.

Our highlight every night? Heading to the 24-hour snack bar in our dressing gowns to grab chocolate chip cookies before watching Clueless back in our room…

Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey

Celebrity Xcel

For relaxed, upscale cruising for adults, Celebrity is hard to beat.

And the fifth ship in their game-changing Edge series has yet again rewritten the rule book.

Setting sail just a month ago from the Floridian port of Fort Lauderdale, this sparkling new ship is perfectly formed for its 3,276 guests.

The Edge class brought us the Magic Carpet, a bar and restaurant terrace that glides up outside the decks of the ship, but Celebrity Xcel has some extra special treats up her sleeve.

Seven different reimagined spaces make it very different from its siblings. The cruise line enlisted the help of its guests – dubbed Dreammakers – to have the final say on the new ship.

More than 650,000 votes were cast to decide on key elements of the ship’s design, culinary experiences and entertainment.

Among the new spots I loved were the Bazaar – formerly Eden on other Edge ships – now transformed into a buzzing venue both day and night celebrating the ports of call the ship sails to.

For this winter this means a host of festivals, local cuisine and entertainment from the Caribbean and from next summer, this will offer an immersive dive into the ports of the Mediterranean.

New dining venues include Bora – up on the rooftop garden – brings the flavours of the Mediterranean but my fave was the addition of a build-your-own over the top Bloody Mary bar.

The spa has also had a makeover with the addition of Celebrity’s first-ever hydra-room, a therapeutic pool in the Thermal Suite as well as a new outdoor Vitamin D deck.

For those wanting to make their mani or pedi a little more boujee, there’s a new Bubbles bar with complimentary fizz as you get your nails done.

I also loved the new Attic at The Club. The ship’s nightclub has an atrium open 24/7 with a host of retro arcade games, pool tables, darts and more.

It also offers a fantastic viewing point for the new club nights including the slick Shoot Up Saloon country music night and amazing 254 West show featuring 80s classics.

Even the pool deck has had a makeover, with a stunning Monkey sculpture presiding over the generous pool with plenty of loungers and poolside valets offering sunscreen, chilled towels and more.

But my absolute favourite destination on the ship is a new, hidden speakeasy bar.

The Gatsby-inspired glitzy den is hidden behind a special photo opportunity – and with phones banned it will be the intrepid bar crawlers who will discover its delights.

Head of Travel, Lisa Minot

California has tried all manner of design in choosing its governor.

Democrat Gray Davis, to name a recent example, had an extensive background in government and politics and a bland demeanor that suggested his first name was also a fitting adjective.

Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, by contrast, was a novice candidate who ran for governor on a whim. His super-sized action hero persona dazzled Californians like the pyrotechnics in one of his Hollywood blockbusters.

In the end, however, their political fates were the same. Both left office humbled, burdened with lousy poll numbers and facing a well of deep voter discontent.

(Schwarzenegger, at least, departed on his own terms. He chased Davis from the Capitol in an extraordinary recall and won reelection before his approval ratings tanked during his second term.)

There are roughly a dozen major candidates for California governor in 2026 and, taken together, they lack even a small fraction of Schwarzenegger’s celebrity wattage.

Nor do any have the extensive Sacramento experience of Davis, who was a gubernatorial chief of staff under Jerry Brown before serving in the Legislature, then winning election as state controller and lieutenant governor.

That’s not, however, to disparage those running.

The contestants include a former Los Angeles mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa; two candidates who’ve won statewide office, schools Supt. Tony Thurmond and former Controller Betty Yee; two others who gained national recognition during their time in Congress, Katie Porter and Eric Swalwell; and Riverside County’s elected sheriff, Chad Bianco.

The large field offers an ample buffet from which to choose.

The rap on this particular batch of hopefuls is they’re a collective bore, which, honestly, seems a greater concern to those writing and spitballing about the race than a reflection of some great upwelling of citizens clamoring for bread and circuses.

In scores of conversations with voters over the past year, the sentiment that came through, above all, was a sense of practicality and pragmatism. (And, this being a blue bastion, no small amount of horror, fear and loathing directed at the vengeful and belligerent Trump administration.)

It’s never been more challenging and expensive to live in California, a place of great bounty that often exacts in dollars and stress what it offers in opportunity and wondrous beauty.

With a governor seemingly more focused on his personal agenda, a 2028 bid for president, than the people who put him in office, many said they’d like to replace Gavin Newsom with someone who will prioritize California and their needs above his own.

That means a focus on matters such as traffic, crime, fire prevention, housing and homelessness. In other words, pedestrian stuff that doesn’t light up social media or earn an invitation to hold forth on one of the Beltway chat shows.

“Why does it take so long to do simple things?” asked one of those voters, the Bay Area’s Michael Duncan, as he lamented his pothole-ridden, 120-mile round-trip commute between Fairfield and an environmental analyst job in Livermore.

The answer is not a simple one.

Politics are messy, like any human endeavor. Governing is a long and laborious process, requiring study, deliberation and the weighing of competing forces. Frankly, it can be rather dull.

Certainly the humdrum of legislation or bureaucratic rule-marking is nothing like the gossipy speculation about who may or may not bid to lead California as its 41st governor.

Why else was so much coverage devoted to whether Sen. Alex Padilla would jump into the gubernatorial race — he chose not to — and the possible impact his entry would have on the contest, as opposed to, say, his thinking on CEQA or FMAP?

(The former is California’s much-contested Environmental Quality Act; the latter is the formula that determines federal reimbursement for Medi-Cal, the state’s healthcare program for low-income residents.)

Just between us, political reporters tend to be like children in front of a toy shop window. Their bedroom may be cluttered with all manner of diversion and playthings, but what they really want is that shiny, as-yet unattained object — Rick Caruso! — beckoning from behind glass.

Soon enough, once a candidate has entered the race, boredom sets in and the speculation and desire for someone fresh and different starts anew. (Will Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta change his mind and run for governor?)

For their part, many voters always seem to be searching for some idealized candidate who exists only in their imagination.

Someone strong, but not dug in. Willing to compromise, but never caving to the other side. Someone with the virginal purity of a political outsider and the intrinsic capability of an insider who’s spent decades cutting deals and keeping the government wheels spinning.

They look over their choices and ask, in the words of an old song, is that all there is? (Spoiler alert: There are no white knights out there.)

Donald Trump was, foremost, a celebrity before his burst into politics. First as a denizen of New York’s tabloid culture and then as the star of TV’s faux-boardroom drama, “The Apprentice.”

His pizzazz was a large measure of his appeal, along with his manufactured image as a shrewd businessman with a kingly touch and infallible judgment.

His freewheeling political rallies and frothy social media presence were, and continue to be, a source of great glee to his fans and followers.

His performance as president has been altogether different, and far less amusing.

If the candidates for California governor fail to light up a room, that’s not such a bad thing. Fix the roads. Make housing more affordable. Help keep the place from burning to the ground.

Leave the fun and games to the professionals.

Two of Sunday’s Championship matches have been postponed because of frozen pitches, with a number of others called off elsewhere in the EFL.

The 12:00 GMT kick-off between Sheffield United and Oxford United and Portsmouth’s game against Ipswich at 15:00 are both off.

In a statement, the Blades said a referee looked at the Bramall Lane pitch before the scheduled start and found parts of the playing surface were frozen.

The game at Fratton Park was postponed following a pitch inspection at 11:00 GMT.

Nine fixtures have also been called off in League Two and two more have fallen to the freezing weather in League One.

In League One, Doncaster’s meeting with Luton and Rotherham v Mansfield were also called off on Sunday.

In addition to five of Sunday’s League Two fixtures which had already been postponed on Saturday, Barnet v Crewe, Barrow v Bristol Rovers, Colchester v Accrington and Newport v Tranmere failed pitch inspections.

Jamil Azar, 89, was the author of Al Jazeera’s motto, ‘The opinion and the other opinion’.

Longtime Al Jazeera Arabic anchor and journalist Jamil Azar, a pioneer of the network since its establishment three decades ago, has passed away.

Director-General Sheikh Nasser bin Faisal Al Thani lauded Azar, 89, in a statement on Sunday as a “distinguished linguist” and the author of the network’s motto, “The opinion and the other opinion”.

“Jamil Azar leaves behind a remarkable and lasting media legacy, a reputation defined by integrity and excellence, and a deep influence on generations of journalists who learned from him at Al Jazeera and other institutions where he served and helped shape professional standards,” Sheikh Nasser said.

“He was, in every sense, a living school of journalism and a trusted reference in editorial practice, the Arabic language, television presentation, and newsroom leadership. Always generous with his guidance and advice, he was known for his humility and openness, and remained steadfastly loyal to Al Jazeera, deeply committed to its values, standing and reputation.”

With Azar’s passing, Sheikh Nasser emphasised, Arab media “loses one of its most respected figures and Al Jazeera bids farewell to one of its brightest and most influential stars”.

Born in the town of al-Husn in Irbid, Jordan, in 1937, Azar began his career in journalism at the BBC’s Arabic Service, where he worked between 1965 and 1996 as a news translator and presenter.

During his time at the BBC, Azar held different positions, including producing programmes such as Politics Between the Questioner and the Respondent and Arab Affairs in the British Press.

In 1996, Azar joined Al Jazeera at its launch on July 30, playing a key role in the network’s early years as a news anchor and presenter, hosting the programme The Week in the News.

The Jordanian journalist stepped down from the network in 2011.

The surf town has seen a massive increase in holiday bookings as it becomes one of the UK’s fastest-growing destinations

As we usher in 2026, it’s high time to start plotting our holiday escapes for the year. For those on the hunt for the ideal staycation spot, look no further than the charming Cornish town of Newquay.

Known for its stellar surfing scene, this coastal gem has seen a surge in popularity among Brits craving a dose of summer sunshine without venturing abroad.

Holidaycottages.co.uk, the holiday rental experts, have reported a whopping 32.5% uptick in bookings for Newquay compared to the previous year, catapulting the town to the top of their list of rising hotspots.

The cathedral city of Hereford clinched second place with a 28.2% increase in bookings, while the picturesque seaside town of Beadnell secured third place with a 21.1% boost in reservations.

Newquay boasts an array of breathtaking beaches, including the renowned Fistral Bay. One smitten visitor gushed: “Fistral Beach has to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the UK. We visited whilst staying in Crantock (up the road a few miles). The water quality is amazing, it’s great for surfing. Such a cool vibe on this beach.”

Another fan took to Tripadvisor to share their love for Newquay, writing: “We return to Newquay year after year because of this beautiful beach! We love nothing better as a family than coming along, pitching up for the day, watching the surfers hit the waves, dipping our toes in the sea and fighting off the seagulls from our pasties.”

“The beach is clean and has good facilities (showers, toilets, baby change). There are a few shops and restaurants right next to the beach and a little hut where you can buy pasties and ice creams from. Honestly this place is a perfect family day out! Only downside is that parking is quite expensive and spaces are limited.”

The neighbouring Watergate Beach has also attracted plenty of holidaymakers, with TripAdvisor reviewers frequently praising how spotless the beach is.

For visitors looking beyond sandy shores, Newquay also boasts attractions including Newquay Zoo and Trerice, an Elizabethan manor house now run by the National Trust.

One guest at Trerice commented: “Tucked away down a narrow lane, a relatively small NT property, but worth a visit. We arrived just in time for a short talk by Joan, one of the volunteers, which gave an insight into its history and the various owners. Left to wander through the house at leisure with guides in the rooms. Try your hand at kayling in the garden.”

Revealing the list of up-and-coming hotspots, Sarah Pring, digital PR manager at holidaycottages.co.uk, remarked: “The UK is home to so much diversity in terms of landscapes, fauna, history and activities.

“Just a short journey away, you can be coasting some of the world’s best waves, while in a different direction, you could spend the day stepping back in time at one of the country’s many heritage sites.

“With UK destinations trending on social media platforms like TikTok, alongside far-flung international destinations, we’re seeing so many travellers re-explore domestic travel and realise you don’t need to go far to experience beauty.”

2026’s top 10 emerging destinations:

1. Newquay
2. Hereford
3. Beadnell
4. Broadhaven
5. Bamburgh
6. Holt
7. Wollacombe
8. Bridport
9. Bakewell
10. Seahouses

The United States intervention in Venezuela to abduct President Nicolás Maduro is not law enforcement extended beyond its borders. It is international vandalism, plain and unadorned.

Power has displaced law, preference has replaced principle and force has been presented as virtue. This is not the defence of the international order. It is its quiet execution. When a state kidnaps the law to justify kidnapping a leader, it does not uphold order. It advertises contempt for it.

The forcible seizure of a sitting head of state by the US has no foothold in international law. None. It is not self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. It was not authorised by the UN Security Council. International law is many things, but it is not a roving moral warrant for great powers to perform regime change by abduction.

The claim that alleged human rights violations or trafficking in narcotics justifies the removal of a foreign head of state is particularly corrosive. There is no such rule. Not in treaty law. Not in custom law. Not in any serious jurisprudence.

Human rights law binds states to standards of conduct. It does not license unilateral military seizures by self-appointed global sheriffs. If that were the rule, the world would be in a permanent state of sanctioned chaos.

Indeed, if the US were serious about this purported principle, consistency would compel action far closer to home. By the logic now advanced, there would be a far stronger legal and moral case to seize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, given the extensive documentation of mass civilian harm and credible allegations of genocide arising from Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

Yet no such logic is entertained. The reason is obvious. This is not law. It is power selecting its targets.

Regime change is not an aberration in American foreign policy. It is a habit with a long paper trail, from Iran in 1953 to Guatemala in 1954, Chile in 1973 and Iraq in 2003.

But the kidnapping of a sitting president marks a new low. This is precisely the conduct the post-1945 legal order was designed to prohibit. The ban on the use of force is not a technicality. It is the central nervous system of international law. To violate it without authorisation is to announce that rules bind only the weak.

The US understands this perfectly. It is acting anyway and in doing so is conducting the autopsy of the UN Charter system itself.

The rot does not stop there. Washington has repeatedly violated its obligations under the UN Charter and the UN Headquarters Agreement. It has denied entry to officials it disfavours. Preventing the Palestinian president from addressing the UN General Assembly in person last year was not a diplomatic faux pas. It was a treaty breach by the host state of the world’s principal multilateral institution.

The message was unmistakable. Access to the international system and adherence to the UN Charter is conditional on American approval.

The UN was designed to constrain power, not flatter it. Today, it increasingly fails to constrain serious international law violations. Paralysed by vetoes, bullied by its host and ignored by those most capable of violating its charter, the UN has drifted from the supposed guardian of legality to a stage prop for its erosion.

At some point, denial becomes self-deception. The system has failed in its core promise. Not because international law is naive but because its most powerful beneficiary has decided it is optional.

It is, therefore, time to say the unsayable: The UN should be permanently relocated away from a host state that treats treaty obligations as inconveniences. And the international community must begin a serious, sober conversation about an alternative global structure whose authority is not hostage to one capital, one veto or one currency – or a system whose powers supersede the UN precisely because the UN has been hollowed out from within.

Law cannot survive as a slogan. Either it restrains those who wield the most force, or it is merely rhetoric deployed against those who do not. What the US has done in Venezuela is not a defence of order. It is a confirmation that international order has been replaced by preference. And preferences, unlike law, recognise no limits.

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

A BELOVED influencer, actor and Broadway star has died after a lengthy battle with a rare form of cancer.

Bret Hanna-Shuford, 46, passed away just days after posting a heartbreaking photo from his hospital bed of him smiling alongside his husband.

Dad-of-one Bret shared a positive Christmas Day picture where he tragically looked ahead to 2026 and said “hope to see you all soon”.

On Saturday, his partner Stephen Hanna confirmed the sad news that Bret had peacefully passed away.

Stephen said: “It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that early this morning we said goodbye to the most amazing man, husband and Papa in the universe.

“Bret Hanna-Shuford left this world peacefully with love surrounded by his family.

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“Our hearts are broken but we will continue to make him proud of us.”

He leaves behind his young three-year-old son, Maverick.

The actor, who had roles in the Wolf of Wall Street, Little Mermaid and Wicked, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer over the summer.

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and T-Cell Lymphoma – both rare disorders – left Bret in and out of hospital in his final months.

Both cancers attack the body’s immune system with T-Cell Lymphoma being among the deadliest forms of the disease.

Bret and Stephen were best known for their ever-growing social media page which detailed their family life.

Broadway Husbands managed to amass over 255,000 followers at the time of Bret’s death.

The account would go on to update followers on Bret’s health in recent months.

In October, he revealed he spent three days unconscious in the ICU due to the disease attacking his immune system.

His illness also forced Bret to step away from his graduate studies at the University of Central Florida.

The couple had only just moved into their new home in Orlando at the time.

A GoFundMe was launched for the Broadway star in August.

As of Saturday evening, the page has raised over $315,000 of its $350,000 fundraising goal.

One of the final posts on the fundraiser from December 12, stated how Bret had been in hospital since Thanksgiving.

A post from a friend read: “As many of you may have noticed, posts have been rather radio silent from both Bret and Stephen.

“These past few weeks have been some of the toughest that they have faced in this cancer journey. Bret has been in the hospital since just before Thanksgiving.”

But Bret was believed to have been improving health wise.

“As of today, Bret is looking and feeling better. His liver enzymes have plateaued, which is good, and he is back in the right direction with his oxygen,” the post continued.

He also directed an episode of the Emmy Award-winning Hulu series Only Murders in the Building in 2023, according to his IMDb page.

Bret is also known for his acting and producing work on Disney Royals, Disney Animazent Trio IRL, and In Rehearsal with… Stranger Things the Musical.

He and Stephen, who works at Walt Disney World, tied the knot in April 2011.

Lindsay Gottlieb wanted her USC team to be tested by the best. That’s why she put together one of the most grueling schedules in all of college basketball, with four games against teams ranked in the top four.

With three of those tests completed, the results haven’t been what she or any of the Trojans hoped for.

USC lost by 17 to No. 2 South Carolina and 28 to No. 1 Connecticut. But neither of those losses was as demoralizing as Saturday night’s setback, as No. 4 UCLA took No. 17 USC to the woodshed in an 80-46 loss that would go down as the largest margin of defeat in Gottlieb’s tenure with the Trojans.

“We got it handed to us,” Gottlieb said. “We can be honest and say this is an embarrassing loss.”

UCLA center Lauren Betts smothers USC forward Yakiya Milton in the paint Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

That might be understating it. USC was outshot 53% to 27% by its rival, outrebounded 46 to 26 and outworked in pretty much every sense of the word. The offense was out of sorts. The defense was disastrous, with UCLA regularly blowing past USC in the post on its way to 46 points in the paint.

It was an eye-opening collapse from a team that came into the season still clinging to national title aspirations. To a frustrated Gottlieb it was “a hard lesson that’s painful and not fun” — but one USC (10-4, 2-1 Big Ten) perhaps needed to learn to take the next step.

“I’ve seen right now in three games that we’re not as competitive as we wanted to be with the top five teams in the country,” Gottlieb said. “But I’m not sorry we have them on our schedule. We’re not trying to be a top-25 or top-15 team. We’re trying to be the national champions. We’re trying to be the best program in the country.”

Whether that’s possible this season, without injured star JuJu Watkins, was in serious doubt after Saturday night.

In the frontcourt, the Trojans are especially vulnerable. Never was that more clear than in watching UCLA center Lauren Betts dominate whomever was in her path Saturday. She finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, four on offense, simply by overpowering the Trojans.

Last season USC had veteran bigs in Kiki Iriafen and Rayah Marshall to rely on against Betts and Co. On Saturday, USC forwards Gerda Raulusaityte, Yakiya Milton, Dayana Mendes, Vivian Iwuchukwu and Laura Williams finished a combined one for 13 from the field.

USC guard Londynn Jones tries to dive past UCLA forward Gabriela Jaquez at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday.

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

While USC has managed to get by without much from its frontcourt before, UCLA exploited that weakness from the start. The Trojans were five for 24 inside the arc through one half, left to rely instead on their long-range shooting, which mostly has been hit or miss.

That was enough to keep up for one quarter, as USC hit its first four three-point attempts to offset its issues inside. Kara Dunn hit a three in the second quarter and then assisted on one by Jazzy Davidson, and with five minutes left in the half, the Trojans were down by just one.

But from that point those shots stopped falling. UCLA fired off a 14-0 run as USC went scoreless for five minutes. The Trojans never recovered.

Dunn finished with a team-high 11 points. Davidson, the Trojans’ top scorer this season, had 10.

“We want to be as good as we can be, but I think you learn harder lessons when you don’t play as well as you can or we’re undisciplined or we aren’t as focused as we need to be,” Gottlieb said. “Maybe there’s teams we can win against that way, but the ones that punish you when you do it will make you better, and that’s ultimately the lesson.”

In a move that stunned the world, the United States bombed Venezuela and toppled President Nicolas Maduro amid condemnation and plaudits.

In a news conference on Saturday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, President Donald Trump praised the operation to seize Maduro as one of the “most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history”.

It was the riskiest and most high-profile military operation sanctioned by Washington since the US Navy’s SEAL team killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in a safe house in Pakistan’s Abbottabad in 2011.

News of the 63-year-old Maduro being abducted took over the global news cycle.

After months of escalation and threats over Maduro’s alleged involvement in shipping drugs to the US, the Trump administration had increased pressure on Caracas with a military build-up in the Caribbean and a series of deadly missile attacks on alleged drug-running boats that had killed more than 100 people and whose legality has been heavily questioned by the United Nations and legal experts.

The US had also previously offered a $50m reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.

But while the military was conducting operations in the Caribbean, US intelligence had been gathering information about Maduro, his eating habits, and special forces covertly rehearsed a plan to remove him from power forcibly.

Here’s everything we know about how Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were “captured”.

How was Maduro abducted?

The operation, named “Absolute Resolve”, was carefully rehearsed for months, according to General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who spoke at Trump’s news conference.

Trump also told Fox News that US forces had practised their extraction of Maduro on a replica building.

“They actually built a house which was identical to the one they went into with all the same, all that steel all over the place,” Trump said.

At 11:46pm local time on Friday (03:46 GMT on Saturday), Trump gave the green light.

On Friday night, Caine said, “the weather broke just enough, clearing a path that only the most skilled aviators in the world could move through”, with about 150 aircraft involved in the operation, taking off from 20 different airbases across the Western Hemisphere.

As part of the operation, US forces disabled Venezuela’s air defence systems, with Trump saying the “lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have”, without elaborating.

Several deafening explosions rang out across the capital, with Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, describing it as part of a “massive joint military and law enforcement raid” that lasted less than 30 minutes.

US helicopters then touched down at Maduro’s compound in the capital at 2:01am (06:01 GMT) on Saturday, with the president and his wife then taken into custody.

There has been no readout on whether there was an exchange of fire, in a chaotic scramble, or if they were taken without a struggle.

At 4:29am (08:29 GMT), just two and a half hours later, Maduro was put on board a US aircraft carrier, en route to New York. Trump later posted a photograph of the Venezuelan leader on his Truth Social social media platform, blindfolded, wearing a grey tracksuit.

After departing the USS Iwo Jima, US forces escorted Maduro on a flight, touching down in New York’s Stewart Air National Guard Base at about 4:30pm (21:30 GMT).

How many people were killed in the US strikes on Venezuela?

The US strikes hit Caracas as well as the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, according to the Venezuelan government.

To Linda Unamumo, a public worker, the US attacks caused an explosion that was so strong it destroyed the roof of her house.

“Even up until a little while ago, I was still crying … I was crying because I was so scared … I had to leave my house with my daughter, with my family, and go to another house, a neighbour’s house. It was really traumatic. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, really,” she told the AFP news agency.

While official casualty counts have yet to be released, an official told The New York Times newspaper on condition of anonymity that at least 40 people had been killed in the attacks.

According to Trump, a few US members were injured in the operation, but he believed no one was killed.

What’s next for Venezuela?

During his news conference on Saturday, Trump announced that the US would “run” the country until a new leader was chosen.

“We’re going to make sure that country is run properly. We’re not doing this in vain,” he said. “This is a very dangerous attack. This is an attack that could have gone very, very badly.”

The president did not rule out deploying US troops in the country and said he was “not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to”.

Trump also, somewhat surprisingly, ruled out working with opposition figure and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, who had dedicated her prize, which he so wanted to win himself, to the US president.

“She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country,” he said.

The Constitutional Chamber of Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to serve as acting president following the US’s abduction of Maduro.

The court ruled that Rodriguez will assume “the office of President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in order to guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defence of the Nation”.

The court also said it would work to “determine the applicable legal framework to guarantee the continuity of the State, the administration of government, and the defense of sovereignty in the face of the forced absence of the President of the Republic”.

Trump had said earlier on Saturday that the US would not occupy Venezuela, provided Rodriguez “does what we want”.

China has called on the United States to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after Washington carried out massive military strikes on the capital, Caracas, as well as other regions, and abducted the leader.

Beijing on Sunday insisted the safety of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores be a priority, and called on the US to “stop toppling the government of Venezuela”, calling the attack a “clear violation of international law“.

It was the second statement issued by China since Saturday, after US President Donald Trump said Washington had taken Maduro and his wife and flown them out of the country.

On Saturday, Beijing slammed the US for “hegemonic acts” and “blatant use of force” against Venezuela and its president, urging Washington to abide by the United Nations charter.

China is closely watching developments in Venezuela, according to Andy Mok, a senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalisation.

Mok told Al Jazeera that a Chinese delegation had met Venezuelan officials just hours before the US action, adding that Beijing was not surprised by Washington’s move, given the scale of US strategic and economic interests in the region.

What did stand out, he said, was how the operation was carried out, as it may “represent the long-term US strategy in the region”.

China is Venezuela’s largest buyer of oil, Mok added, although the country accounts for only 4-5 percent of its total oil imports. Beyond energy, he said, China has growing trade and investment interests across Latin America, meaning Beijing is paying close attention to political shifts in the region.

Mok warned that if a future US administration were to revive a Monroe Doctrine-style policy, it could increase tensions with China, as Latin America is a “pillar of China’s Global South strategy”.

Still, China is likely to limit its response to the events in Venezuela to diplomatic protest rather than hard power, according to China-based analyst Shaun Rein.

“I think China has issued a very strong condemnation of the United States, and they’re working with other Latin American and Caribbean countries to say this isn’t right,” Rein, founder of the China Market Research Group, told Al Jazeera.

Rein said Beijing is deeply alarmed but constrained, and its options are limited.

“There’s not a lot of things that China can do. Frankly, it doesn’t have the military power. It only has two military bases outside of China, while America has 800,” Rein noted, stressing that, “historically, China is not warlike”.

“China is just going to make proclamations criticising the United States’ actions, but they’re not going to push back with military action, and they’re probably not going to push back with economic sanctions.”

Global condemnations, celebrations

World reaction has poured in since the US military action in Venezuela, with opinion firmly split over the intervention.

Left-leaning regional leaders, including those of Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Mexico, have largely denounced Maduro’s ouster, while countries with right-wing governments, from Argentina to Ecuador, have largely welcomed it.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday said he backed a “peaceful, democratic transition” of power in Venezuela, but urged that international law be respected.

His government was “monitoring developments”, he said in a statement.

South Korea also responded on Sunday, calling for a de-escalation of tensions.

“Our government urges all involved parties to make utmost efforts toward easing regional tensions. We hope for a quick stabilisation of the situation via dialogue, ensuring democracy is restored, and the will of the Venezuelan people is honoured,” its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Venezuela has been increasingly isolated, particularly after Maduro’s contested election in 2024.

China and Russia, however, continue to maintain strong economic and strategic ties, and alliances have grown with Iran over their shared opposition to US policy.

THEY once had the world eating out of their hands – then they walked away. 

At the very peak of fame some of the world’s sexiest celebrities have shocked fans by choosing to abandon the red carpets and glamorous modelling deals.

And the reasons are more surprising than you think.

Anna Kournikova

She had the looks and the clout – and was once the most Googled person on the planet.

But since retiring from professional tennis aged 21, Anna Kournikova has stayed out of the spotlight and rarely posts on social media.

In 2002 she was voted the world’s sexiest woman and became a lads’ mag favourite, gracing the covers of Maxim and FHM.

‘MY SUNSHINE’

Anna Kournikova becomes mum again aged 44 as she gives birth to fourth child

ace mama

Anna Kournikova shares 1st pic of all four of her children with Enrique Inglesias

These days the reclusive tennis icon lives a normal life being a mum to her four kids.

The turning point for the Russian beauty appears to have been when she found love with latin heartthrob Enrique Iglesias.

They met in 2001 on the set of his “Escape” music video and have been together ever since.

She also said she felt at times like her good looks stood in the way of her game. She previously said: “Being in the spotlight since I was a child was really hard.

“I did feel pressure when people were saying things like, ‘You’re too pretty, you can’t play,’ or whatever.

“I would get so nervous and get anxiety on the court, I wouldn’t be able to move.”

Anna, 44, and Enrique, 48, welcomed their fourth child together earlier this month.

Yasmine Bleeth

Yasmine was one of Hollywood’s hottest stars after she turned a guest appearance on Baywatch – alongside Pamela Anderson – into a three-season stint.

She filmed 72 episodes in total over the space of five years, as well as featuring in several spin-off films and TV shows.

It helped to launch her modelling career, and even led the actress to release her own line of swimwear.

She also dated Matthew Perry and Don Johnson at the height of their fame.

But the former Baywatch star has rarely been seen in public over the past two decades and is now one of Hollywood’s most reclusive stars.

Yasmine faced struggles in her personal life, when her career fell apart due to substance abuse issues.

The screen siren, 56, quit acting in the early 2000s after a battle with addiction that followed her rise to fame in the 90s.

Studios and directors blacklisted her when she relapsed after leaving a rehab clinic and ended up getting arrested in 2001 when police found cocaine in her car following a crash.

While she was in rehab she met strip club owner Paul Cerrito and the pair tied the knot in August 2002.

The couple now split their time between LA and Scottsdale, Arizona.

In 2013, Yasmine remarked: “Consciously trying to stay off drugs is now part of my life and always will be.”

Bridget Fonda

Bridget Fonda has not been seen in a movie role since 2002.

In 1997 she played Melanie in Quentin Tarantino’s action caper Jackie Brown, landing the role after sitting next to him on a plane.

Bridget, also famed for her role in Single White Female, simply claimed the reason she had shunned the spotlight was because she has now surrendered to her “civilian” life.

She won three major awards during her career – two Golden Globes and an Emmy.

Her last acting credit was as the titular character in the 2002 made-for-television film Snow Queen.

Following her retirement, Bridget suffered injuries from a bad car accident in which she fractured her back in 2003.

According to BBC, Bridget was alone in her Jaguar when the vehicle careened over a divider on the Pacific Coast Highway, experiencing “a slight fracture of two thoracic vertebrae.”

She reportedly only survived because she was wearing a seatbelt.

The star did return to the red carpet once in 2009 when she attended the premiere of Quentin Tarantino film Inglorious Bastards.

Bridget is part of the famous Fonda family, which also includes her grandfather – Oscar-winner Henry Fonda of Once Upon A Time In The West – and actress and fitness icon Jane Fonda, 88, who is Bridget’s aunt.

But it didn’t take long before Bridget’s career took off with speed as she starred in The Godfather Part III in 1990.

She was photographed for the first time in over a decade in 2022 and looked a world away from her acting heyday.

Hayden Panettiere

Hayden Panettiere rose to fame on NBC superhero drama Heroes, but her other credits included Nashville, Malcolm in the Middle and Ally McBeal.

Hayden, who played a struggling pop star in drama Nashville in 2012, fell from the spotlight after she turned to the bottle to cope with post-partum depression.

The star also took opioid painkillers to deal with a neck injury which left her in “a lot of pain”, she “mixed” them with alcohol, and they became a “problem”.

Hayden underwent her first stint in rehab in 2015 while still filming for hit show Nashville, before deciding to leave fame behind.

And when she failed to stop drinking the first time round, she returned for treatment in 2021, enrolling in a 12-month programme.

It took eight months of “intensive therapy” to help Hayden get better.

In 2023 she was seen in her first acting role since her struggles, as she reprised her character Kirby Reed in horror film Scream VI.

Hayden also opened up for the first time about her battle with addiction as she recalled her rise to fame on Heroes.

While fans loved her character Claire Bennett, off-screen Hayden was battling some dark demons.

She revealed in the interview that her addiction began with what she called “happy pills,” alleging that she was first offered them before red carpet appearances at just 15 years old.

She told PEOPLE: “They were to make me peppy during interviews, I had no ideas this was not an appropriate thing, or what door that would open for me when it came to my addiction.

“My saving grace is that I couldn’t be messy while on set and working.

“But things kept getting out of control [off set]. And as I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn’t live without.”

Elaine Lordan

EastEnders beauty Elaine Lordan played legendary character Lynne Hobbs from 2000 to 2004.

But Elaine was convicted of drink-driving after consuming five vodkas in 2004, resulting in a one-year driving ban and her departure from the soap.

At the time, a source said: “It was decided to make the changes after she had a few problems with drinking. It has been done to help her rather than to punish her.”

She then left the soap in 2005 and her life took a tragic turn, when her mother died by suicide at the age of 62.

Nine months later, Elaine suffered another tragedy with the death of her one-year-old son James. 

He had breathing difficulties caused by a condition known as diaphragmatic hernia and died just three days after Elaine married his father, former BBC technician Peter Manuel.

She became pregnant again in 2007 but miscarried shortly afterwards. The following year, her father died.

Elaine appeared on I’m A Celebrity in 2005 but was forced to leave after fainting twice on the first day and being airlifted out.

She then largely disappeared from public view, although in 2018 she was seen drinking mini bottles of wine on the street before midday.

She was last pictured in 2020 looking far healthier while out jogging with her husband.

THERE is more to Portugal than its beaches – as its picturesque northern region of Douro proves.

This proudly kept secret centres around the Douro River that flows for 850km from the mountains of northern Spain to the city of Porto and serves up gastronomic, wine and cultural delights in equal measure, as well as stunning countryside.

Its peaceful green vineyards, beneath blue skies, are a world apart from the crowded beaches of Portugal’s southern Algarve region, but just a short flight away from the UK.

Here, Lauren Clark offers a guide to what to do in Douro . . . 

WHY SHOULD I GO? First and foremost, for the wine. It has been produced on the banks of the Douro River for more than 2,000 years, and this is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world after being officially established in 1756.

Its produce includes its most famous export of all — port.

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But while any trip to the Douro should take in the idyllic terraced vineyards, the cobbled streets and port cellars of Porto — Portugal’s second-largest city — are not to be missed.

It is to here that barrels of wine and port have traditionally been transported down river.

STREETS ARE MADE FOR WALKING: Porto is easy to explore on foot.

Some of its medieval streets are rather steep but you can rest your legs with a ride on the Gaia cable car.

Or for yet more fabulous views, head to the train station to explore the Linha do Douro — a 99-mile rail line considered one of Europe’s most scenic, which runs close to the river for much of its route.

Hop on at Porto and disembark at Pinhao after a couple of hours.

ANYTHING FOR THE BUCKET LIST? You can take in most of compact Porto’s sites within a day or two — from its ornate tiled churches to the famous Livraria Lello bookshop.

Head across the river on the grand double-decker Dom Luis I Bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia, where historic port cellars offer tastings. At Taylor’s you can have a tour and enjoy three wines for £22.

Wine-making links are everywhere, from the 19th-century Palacio de Bolsa — a former a stockmarket built to impress potential European investors — to the merchant houses along the quaint Rua das Flores.

WHERE SHOULD I EAT? Stop off at a no-frills local favourite, the Lado B Cafe for traditional treat francesinha — a sandwich featuring layers of bread and meats, covered in melted cheese and smothered in a spicy tomato-and-beer sauce, sometimes topped off with a fried egg.

It’s more than enough for a main meal and just £11 a go.

For more regional snacks, head to the new Time Out Market, next to the grand Porto Sao Bento train station and try traditional dessert pastel de nata — a yummy custard tart. Laid-back restaurant Adega Sao Nicolau, just off the river bank, is perfect for a more relaxed dinner.

For a special occasion, make a reservation at Le Monument, where the menu takes you on a culinary journey through Portugal.

I FANCY A DRINK: While in Porto, enjoy a sunset tipple at Restart by Vila Foz, north of the river, or Esplanada Teleferico on the south bank — both places offer stunning city views.

Or take in the sights while sipping on a glass of wine during a one-hour Six Bridges river cruise, with prices from £15.60pp.

In the Douro Valley, stop off at one of the region’s famed vineyards, Quinta da Pacheca, near the town of Peso da Regua. It offers a tour, followed by four-glass tasting, for £21 a head.

WHERE SHOULD I STAY? Five-star hotel The One Monumental Palace is handy for all of Porto’s key sites and has rooms from £169 per night in its historic, neo-classical building.

For a more value option, the Altis Porto hotel has breathtaking views of the Douro and is near the city’s Ribeiro area, featuring a riverside promenade and colourful houses. Rooms from £102 per night.

Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist, Samuel Helenius scored his first goal of the season, and the Kings beat the Minnesota Wild 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday night.

Adrian Kempe and Corey Perry also scored, Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves, and the Kings were able to respond after wilting late in similar circumstances in a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Matt Boldy scored late to salvage a point for the Wild. Jake Middleton, Joel Eriksson Ek and Brock Faber each had a goal, and Minnesota is 3-0-3 in its past six games. Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves.

Kempe and Brandt Clarke scored in the four-round shootout, and Kuemper saved attempts by Kirill Kaprizov and Vladimir Tarasenko.

The Kings took the lead four times, only for the Wild to tie it up each time, with Boldy making it 4-4 with 2:57 remaining by getting to the right post where Faber’s shot went in off his upper body.

The Kings went back in front 3-2 early in the third period when Byfield sent the puck caroming off the boards back into the crease, Wallstedt lost it in his skates off his line, and it was eventually knocked in by an errant Minnesota stick.

Faber tied it 3-3 at 7:33 with an easy tap in from Danila Yurov off the rush.

Helenius scored on a wrist shot from the left circle at 12:09 of the third to put the Kings back up 4-3, with the fourth-line center coming free after entering the zone late off a line chance and putting in Kevin Fiala’s pass.

Up next for the Kings: vs. the Wild again on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena.