Month: January 2026

What do we know about the victims?

What caused the fire?

What do we know about Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana?

Police Cantonale Valaisanne

Actor Mickey Rourke faces eviction from his Los Angeles home after failing to pay rent.

Rourke, whose birth name is Philip Andre Rourke Jr., received a three-day notice to pay rent or vacate the premises on Dec. 18 and had failed to comply, according to court documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday.

At the time of the notice, he owed $59,100 in unpaid rent.

A representative for Rourke did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In March, Rourke signed a lease for the three-bedroom, 2.5-bath house for $5,200 a month; it was subsequently raised to $7,000 a month, states the court filings.

A Zillow listing describes the property as a “nicely upgraded Spanish bungalow” built in 1926. Raymond Chandler was said to have resided there for two years in the 1940s.

The property’s owner, Eric Goldie, is requesting compensation for attorney‘s fees and for damages. A lawyer for Goldie was unavailable for comment.

A former boxer, Rourke, 73, turned to acting with small roles in the 1980 film “Heaven’s Gate” and “Body Heat” a year later, before earning acclaim for his role in 1982’s “Diner.”

After a slate of leading roles in a number of movies including “The Pope of Greenwich Village,” “9 1/2 Weeks” and “Rumble Fish,” Rourke‘s film career took a nosedive, with his off-screen antics frequently overshadowing his acting.

“I lost everything. My house, my wife, my credibility, my career,” he told The Times in an interview in 2008. “I just all had all this anger from my childhood, which was really shame, not anger, and used it as armor and machismo to cover up my wounds. Unfortunately, the way I acted really frightened people, although it was really just me who was scared. But I was like this person who was short-circuited and I didn’t know how to fix myself.”

In 2005 he reemerged with the neo-noir action thriller “Sin City.”

Three years later, Rourke’s portrayal of aging, washed up wrestler Randy “The Ram” Robinson, in the Darren Aronofsky film “The Wrestler,” earned him a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for lead actor.

Rourke’s return to the big screen has not been an entirely smooth ride.

In April, he agreed to exit “Celebrity Big Brother UK” after producers warned him over the use of “inappropriate language and instances of unacceptable behavior,” according to a statement a spokesperson for the show released at the time.

His remarks allegedly included comments about JoJo Siwa’s sexuality

Following his departure from the reality show, his manager announced that he was pursuing legal action over a pay dispute, claiming that the show had disrespected her client by “publicly embarrassing him” and declined to pay him, according to People.

Published on
01/01/2026 – 16:59 GMT+1

President Donald Trump has eased pressure on two key import sectors — furniture and pasta — by delaying or scaling back steep tariffs shortly before they were due to take effect on 1 January, 2026.

For furniture, Trump has postponed planned tariff increases on certain imported home goods for one year, keeping existing duties in place while allowing further negotiations with trading partners.

On Wednesday Trump signed a proclamation delaying the scheduled increases — originally set to take effect on Thursday — until January 1, 2027.

The order preserves the current 25% tariff on “certain upholstered wooden products,” kitchen cabinets and vanities, rather than allowing it to rise to 30% for upholstered furniture and 50% for kitchen cabinets and vanities as previously directed.

“The United States continues to engage in productive negotiations with trade partners to address trade reciprocity and national security concerns with respect to imports of wood products,” the White House said in a statement announcing the move.

The furniture tariffs were imposed in September 2025 under a broader push to reshape US trade relationships and protect domestic industries. In addition to the 25% on furniture and cabinets, the administration also placed a 10% duty on imported softwood timber and lumber late last year.

The higher rates that were set to begin this week would have hit imports from major suppliers like Vietnam and China particularly hard and come amid ongoing concern about rising consumer prices.

Separately, the US Supreme Court is expected to rule on the legality of some broad tariff measures imposed under national security authorities, a decision that could have wider implications for Trump’s trade strategy.

In contrast to the furniture delay the Trump administration has significantly reduced planned anti-dumping duties on Italian pasta, offering relief to several major brands after months of dispute.

The US Department of Commerce had initially proposed very high provisional anti-dumping duties — more than 91% — on certain imports of Italian pasta, on top of an existing 15% general tariff on EU food products.

Following a review and consultations with Italian authorities, the United States lowered those planned tariffs sharply. La Molisana will face a 2.26% duty, Garofalo will face a 13.98% duty and eleven other Italian producers will face 9.09% duties.

“The redefining of these tariff rates is a testament to the US authorities’ recognition of our companies’ effective will to cooperate,” Italy’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Italy had been working with both the US government and the European Commission since October 2025 to find a solution to the dispute.

The US market remains crucial for Italian pasta producers. Exports of pasta to the United States were estimated at about €671 million in 2024, representing roughly 17% of Italy’s total pasta exports.

Sunday, 10 a.m. TV: NFL Ticket.

Line: Vikings by 5½. O/U: 36½.

The Packers are locked in as the No. 7 seed, and the Vikings are playing for pride. Have to believe with all the injuries his team has dealt with, Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur is going to make preserving health a priority. So no matter what happens at quarterback, I like the Vikings winning at home.

Pick: Vikings 21, Packers 16

Four members of the Palestine Action group, which has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom, are continuing with their hunger strikes in different prisons around the country.

Four other Palestine Action members have ended their hunger strikes – some after being hospitalised.

Here is what we know about the four remaining hunger strikers.

Why are the Palestine Action protesters on hunger strike?

Imprisoned Palestine Action members have been on hunger strikes in prisons around the UK for more than 50 days.

The Palestine Action members are being held on remand in prisons over their alleged involvement in break-ins at the UK subsidiary of Elbit Systems in Filton near Bristol, where equipment was reportedly damaged, and at a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire, where two military aircraft were sprayed with red paint.

The prisoners deny the charges against them, which include burglary and violent disorder.

Of the four still on hunger strikes, three were imprisoned in November 2024 for their alleged involvement in break-ins at the UK subsidiary of Israeli weapons group Elbit Systems in Filton near Bristol, where equipment was reportedly damaged. One has been in prison since July 2025 for alleged involvement in damage at a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire, where two military aircraft were sprayed with red paint.

Palestine Action, a protest group launched in July 2020, describes itself as a movement “committed to ending global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime”.

The UK parliament voted in favour of proscribing the group on July 2, 2025, classifying it as a “terrorist” organisation and bringing it into the same category as armed groups like al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS). Critics decried the move, arguing that while members of the group have caused damage to property, they have not committed acts of violence that amount to terrorism.

More than 1,600 arrests linked to support for Palestine Action were made in the three months following the ban’s introduction. The ban has been challenged in court.

The hunger strikers have five key demands: immediate bail, the right to a fair trial – which they say includes the release of documents related to “the ongoing witch-hunt of activists and campaigners” – ending censorship of their communications, “de-proscribing” Palestine Action and shutting down Elbit Systems, which operates several UK factories.

“The UK government has forced their bodies to a breaking point,” pro-Palestine activist Audrey Corno told Al Jazeera Mubasher.

“A promise to the government is that the prisoners’ resistance and the people’s resistance against the genocide [in Gaza], Israel’s occupation and apartheid of genocide will not stop until it ends.”

Who are the remaining hunger strikers?

Heba Muraisi, Kamran Ahmed, Teuta Hoxha and Lewie Chiaramello are the four people, aged between 20 and 31, who are continuing their hunger strikes.

Heba Muraisi

Muraisi, 31, was on day 60 of her hunger strike on Thursday. She is being held in HMP [His Majesty’s Prison] New Hall in Wakefield, a prison in West Yorkshire about 180 miles (290km) north of London.

Muraisi was arrested in November 2024 for her alleged role in an August 2024 raid on the Israel-based Elbit Systems in Bristol, which is believed to have cost the Israeli weapons manufacturer more than $1.34m.

According to social media posts, Muraisi is of Yemeni origin. However, Al Jazeera could not independently verify this.

She was transferred to the West Yorkshire prison in October 2025 from HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, about 18 miles from the UK capital.

“Heba is demanding to be transferred back to HMP Bronzefield. She was transferred very suddenly, very far away from her entire support network and family, which is based in London. She’s been experiencing consistent medical negligence. Her body is, as you’d imagine, increasingly weak,” Corno said.

In a statement shared with Al Jazeera on December 29, Muraisi said: “I’ve been force-fed repression and I’m stuffed with rage and that’s why I’m doing what I’m doing now. I am bringing acute awareness to the unjust application of UK laws by our Government and I’m glad that people can now see this after a year of imprisonment and human rights violations. Keep going, keep fighting.”

Muraisi’s trial is set for June 2026, according to the protest group Prisoners For Palestine.

Kamran Ahmed

Ahmed, 28, was also arrested in November 2024 and is being held in HMP Pentonville in north London. He was also arrested for his alleged involvement in the raid on Elbit Systems in Bristol. Ahmed has been on a hunger strike for more than 50 days.

According to a report by Middle East Eye, Ahmed is a mechanic.

Ahmed was hospitalised for a third time on December 20 after he refused food, his sister, Shahmina Alam, told Al Jazeera.

“We know that he’s rapidly been losing weight in the last few days, losing up to half a kilogramme [1.1lbs] a day,” Alam told Al Jazeera in late December.

Ahmed, who is 180cm (5′11′), entered prison at a healthy 74kg (163lbs), but his last recorded weight was 60kg (132lbs).

“Kamran has been hospitalised for the fourth time recently,” Corno said.

Teuta Hoxha

Hoxha, 29, was on day 54 of her hunger strike on Thursday. She is being held at HMP Peterborough. She was also arrested in November 2024 on allegations of involvement in the Elbit Systems raid.

According to Prisoners for Palestine, Hoxha was moved from HMP Bronzefield on the day UK parliamentarians voted to proscribe Palestine Action – July 2, 2025.

Corno told Al Jazeera that she is in regular contact with Hoxha and that she has been having heart palpitations. “She’s not been able to sleep through the night for weeks on end. I can see her memory start to deteriorate.”

In a statement published on the Prisoners for Palestine website, Hoxha said: “This is a witch hunt, not a fair fight, and that behind the arrests of dissenting voices under counterterrorism powers, holding us on remand without trial for nearly two years and targeting protesters who condemn Palestinian suffering, is the palpably desperate attempt to force us all under the imperial boot of submission.”

Lewie Chiaramello

Chiaramello, 22, has type 1 diabetes and hence, he has been fasting every other day. He is on day 28 of his hunger strike.

He has been held in HMP Bristol since July 2025 in connection with an incident at RAF Brize Norton, according to Prisoners for Palestine, and faces charges of conspiring to enter a restricted area for purposes harmful to the UK’s safety and interests, as well as conspiracy to commit criminal damage. His trial is set for January 18, 2027.

On June 20, a group of Palestine Action activists broke into RAF Brize Norton, the largest Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire, and sprayed two military planes with red paint, causing an estimated $9.4m worth of damage.

“He’s been having to manage his insulin intake on his own with no medical supervision,” Corno said.

Who else has been on a hunger strike?

Four other imprisoned Palestine Action activists have ended their hunger strikes, mostly after being hospitalised.

This includes Qesser Zuhrah, 20 and Amu Gib, 30, who are being held at Bronzefield prison in Surrey. The pair began their hunger strikes on November 2 to coincide with the Balfour declaration of 1917, when Britain pledged to establish a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.

Umar Khalid, 22, who has muscular dystrophy, ended his hunger strike after 13 days. Jon Cink ended his hunger strike after 41 days when he was hospitalised. Qesser Zuhrah ended her hunger strike after 48 days and was hospitalised. Amy Gib was also hospitalised.

A combination of a world record-breaking trawler, a floating lighthouse and a dizzying array of maritime objects that include a stuffed polar bear called Erik are all helping to make Hull one of the top 25 places in the world to visit in 2026.

The East Yorkshire city is on the verge of completing an ambitious £70m transformation, which, supporters believe, will propel it into becoming an international tourist destination.

Hull is the only place in the UK to be included in National Geographic’s annual list of must-visit places, which also features Manila, Beijing and the North Dakota Badlands.

Eyebrows have been raised about the inclusion of Hull, a city that had a reputation problem even in the 17th century, when the poet John Taylor wrote: “From Hell, Hull and Halifax, good Lord deliver us.”

Neither eyebrow of Mike Ross, the city council’s Liberal Democrat leader, went up when he heard the news. “There was a sense of surprise for some,” he said. “But why shouldn’t Hull be one of the top 25 places? It has got so much going for it. This is a place that can do things and we want more people to see that.”

When the Guardian visited on a rainy day in December, it was clear that everything is nearly there. Finishing touches and final decisions are being made for a series of openings taking place in 2026.

The Hull Maritime project includes a new home for a restored trawler, the Arctic Corsair, known as Hull’s Cutty Sark.

A vessel called the Spurn Lightship, which for 50 years guided ships through the treacherous waters of the Humber estuary, will reopen to the public after a makeover.

Swathes of public space are being improved, including a £21m refurbishment of Queen’s Gardens, a former dock; and the city’s much-missed Maritime Museum will reopen after a five-year closure.

The ambitious project is a legacy from Hull’s UK city of culture success in 2017 and has had a number of frustrating delays, but 2026 will be the year things finally start happening.

The Arctic Corsair, the project’s centrepiece, is a deep-sea trawler built in 1960 that operated during the cod wars with Iceland and which once broke world records for landing the largest amount of cod and haddock in a year.

It is an emblem of Hull’s proud trawling history – still within living memory – and has been a visitor attraction since 1999. It was badly in need of restoration and closed to the public in 2018. Today, the 57-metre-long boat positively gleams.

The Arctic Corsair was restored by Dunston Ship Repairs in Hull, where it is docked, and everyone involved in the project has praised the company for going above and beyond what was expected.

For Dave Clark, the technical director at Dunston, it has clearly been a passion project but he will be happy when it makes its way to its permanent home. “People need to be on it, it needs to be seen,” he said. “People need to hear the stories, to see the working conditions … men working 16 hours a day.

“We are all from Hull and most of the people who work for us have been involved in the fishing industry their whole life and you can see the pride that has been put into it.”

Moving the trawler from its current berth to its dry dock home will be a huge challenge involving dredging and a possible 20-point turn.

Men who used to work on the Arctic Corsair have also volunteered their memories and knowledge. They include Cliff Gledhill, a retired maritime engineer who seems to know every working part of the boat’s machinery and huge, labyrinthine engine room.

“It’s 52 years since I first came on this ship,” he said. “If the ship broke down, it doesn’t matter where it was … Iceland or Norway or wherever, the chances were that one of us [engineers] would go.”

He said the Arctic Corsair was important to Hull. “It was a very successful ship with quite a history. It was the pride of the fleet. This is going to be a massive attraction.”

At the city’s Maritime Museum, housed in former dock offices, the rooms are still largely empty but the roof has been fixed, display cabinets are being put in place and boxes are ready to be emptied.

Robin Diaper, a curator, said the museum was a place for tourists to spend time but also somewhere local people could pop in to see Erik, the popular polar bear on long-term loan from Dundee, while they were shopping.

“We wanted to make the whole project world-class,” said Diaper. “It’s of a standard you might see in New York or Paris or London. But we also want a young mother from the Orchard Park estate to be able to just walk in and for it to be hers as well.”

Rooms in the museum that were previously off limits are being used to display far more objects, more boldly. The grade II*-listed former docks building was badly in need of restoration. When it rained, plastic sheeting had to be placed over whale skeletons hanging from the ceiling.

Hull also has the Ferens Art Gallery, the Wilberforce House Museum and its spectacular aquarium, The Deep. With everything happening in 2026 it is a world-class destination for visitors, say tourism officers.

For the council leader Ross, the challenge is for people not to be surprised they might have a great time in Hull, but to know in advance that they will. “If we can do that, we’ve made it,” he said.

In an exclusive interview, Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told Al Jazeera that the breakaway region of Somaliland has agreed to accept displaced Palestinians being relocated there in exchange for recognition. Somaliland officials have rejected the allegations.

The Walt Disney Co. has settled claims that it violated child privacy laws, said the U.S. Department of Justice, with a federal court entering a stipulated order resolving the case, on Tuesday.

The company agreed to pay $10 million in the case in September.

The Justice Department had alleged that Disney Worldwide Services and Disney Entertainment Operations failed to accurately identify some YouTube video content as “Made for Kids,” enabling Disney and other parties to collect personal data from children under 13 years old. This information was then used for targeted advertising without parental notice or consent.

The Federal Trade Commission investigated the matter and referred the case to the Justice Department.

The alleged activities violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act that requires websites and other online parties to safeguard the personal information it collects for children under 13 by notifying parents and obtaining their consent prior to acquiring such data.

“Supporting the well-being and safety of kids and families is at the heart of what we do,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement in September. “Disney has a long tradition of embracing the highest standards of compliance with children’s privacy laws, and we remain committed to investing in the tools needed to continue being a leader in this space.”

In a statement Tuesday, Assistant Atty. Gen. Brett A. Shumate said, “the Justice Department is firmly devoted to ensuring parents have a say in how their children’s information is collected and used. The Department will take swift action to root out any unlawful infringement on parents’ rights to protect their children’s privacy.”

In addition to the $10-million penalty, the stipulated order prohibits Disney from operating on YouTube “in a manner that violates COPPA and requires Disney to create a program that will ensure it properly complies with COPPA on YouTube going forward,” said the Justice Department.

Disney could not immediately be reached for additional comment.

From Anthony Solorzano: Through tears, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza thanked every member of his family after becoming the first Hoosier to ever win the Heisman Trophy. The Cuban American quarterback recognized his family for believing in him throughout his career.

He was a two-star high school recruit who drew little attention before finally landing an opportunity to play at California. After three years with the Golden Bears, including a redshirt year, he transferred to Indiana. On Thursday, the No. 1 Hoosiers will take the field at the Rose Bowl, where they will face college football traditional power Alabama in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

Pressure is familiar for Mendoza. He’s faced challenges throughout his career — from proving himself as an overlooked high school athlete to earning his starting role at Cal.

Anytime Mendoza has met a hurdle, he considers how to help those around him shine.

“I know that’s my responsibility to my coaches, to my teammates and to the entire team, to be able to be sharp mentally and not have outside influences, pressures and noise able to impact my game,” Mendoza said. “I think one thing is just keeping the process on how I got here, how the entire team got to this place, which is keeping the process that I’ve kept for every single game.”

The Hoosiers finished the season undefeated. They will play for their first Rose Bowl victory in 57 years and it’ll be the second year in a row Indiana has reached the College Football Playoff.

“His leadership has increased in those crucial moments and I think that’s what makes him such a special player — because when the stakes are the highest, he steps up and gets the team going,” Indiana linebacker Isaiah Jones said. “He’s a guy that people want to get behind and run a play for.”

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Bowl game results

Bowl schedule

USC’s defense continues to be a problem

Texas Christian running back Jeremy Payne carries the ball during a 30-27 win over USC in Alamo Bowl.

(Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images)

From Ryan Kartje: Two years ago, a day after he decided to fire Alex Grinch as USC‘s defensive coordinator, Lincoln Riley made a promise to those concerned about the future of the Trojans’ defense.

“I have complete belief, conviction. We will play great defense here,” the coach said in November 2023. “It is going to happen. There’s not a reason in the world why it can’t.”

Two years later, another defensive coordinator is out the door at USC. The day after Grinch’s replacement, D’Anton Lynn, left to take the same job at Penn State, Riley stood in front of reporters, assuring everyone once again that soon enough, USC would be great on that side of the ball.

“The arrow,” he said Tuesday, “is pointing straight up.”

“The opportunity for us to make a hire, to continue to make us better and to go from being a very good defense to being a great defense is the goal.”

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UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close reacts during a win over Penn State on Wednesday.

(Greg Fiume / Getty Images)

From Ben Bolch: As she spoke about her team’s growth amid its first conference trip, Cori Close steered her comments toward something else she would like to nurture: coverage of women’s college basketball.

It was a topic that the UCLA coach had thrust into the national spotlight three days earlier when she voiced her frustration with a lack of reporting on a top-20 showdown involving her No. 4 Bruins and No. 19 Ohio State.

Now, after her team’s runaway 97-61 victory over Penn State on Wednesday inside Rec Hall, Close glanced at the 10 reporters on a Zoom call and doubled down on her previous remarks.

“The reality of what my comments were after Ohio State were, I have two really passionate agendas in regards to this, and that is, I want to be a pioneer of growing the game, period,” Close said. “I want to really be a part of the surge that’s happening and I want to be a part of telling these amazing stories that these players have, and they’re incredible young women as well as amazing basketball players.”

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UCLA-Penn State box score

Women’s college basketball scores

Former USC players sound off on Lincoln Riley

USC coach Lincoln Riley reacts during a loss to Texas Christian in the Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night.

(Eric Gay / Associated Press)

From Chuck Schilken: Matt Leinart went to bed early.

Tired from hosting family for the holidays and planning on rising early for a workout, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner and star USC quarterback did not stay up to catch the end of his alma mater’s game against Texas Christian in the Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night.

He likely does not regret that decision.

After allowing a 10-point lead to slip away in the final minutes of regulation, the Trojans eventually lost 30-27 in overtime after TCU running back Jeremy Payne caught a check-down pass on third-and-20 and broke multiple tackles on his way to the end zone for a 35-yard, game-winning touchdown.

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Lakers eager to move on

Lakers coach JJ Redick reacts during a loss to the Detroit Pistons at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: The Lakers started the day by singing “Happy Birthday” to LeBron James as the superstar forward turned 41 on Tuesday. They ended by singing another familiar, but more somber tune.

The Lakers got blown out again Tuesday, letting a close game devolve into a 128-106 loss to the Detroit Pistons. James scored 17 points with four assists and five turnovers while the Lakers (20-11) lost by 20 points for the sixth time this season. They are tied for the third-most 20-point losses in the league, yet somehow are still clinging to fifth place in the Western Conference standings.

“The intent and the, like, effort was there for the most part tonight,” coach JJ Redick said. “… The turnovers and the fast-break points, they kill you.”

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NBA scores

NBA standings

Thank you, L.A. sports teams, for saving me

The Dodgers celebrate winning the World Series, one of many highlight moments that lifted Bill Plaschke’s spirits during a terrible year.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

From Bill Plaschke: It was the last story I wrote before everything changed.

It was Jan. 5, 2025, and I was marveling at the Rams gumption in their shorthanded loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

“It was weird,” I wrote. “It was wild.”

I was so witty. I was so wrong.

Two days later, I was fleeing for my life, steering my car down narrow Altadena streets with a fireball at my back and a nightmarish future sprawled across the smoke-filled streets ahead.

Now that was weird and wild.

The year 2025 was more tumultuous than any silly football game and its accompanying overwrought metaphors. It was a year that knocked me flat, tearing me apart from so many things that once anchored me, setting me afloat in a sea of guilt and despair and ultimate uncertainty.

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2026 high school sports predictions

JJ Harel of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame is gearing up to defend his state championship in the high jump.

(Craig Weston)

From Eric Sondheimer: It’s time to peer into my crystal ball to see what 2026 has in store for the Southland’s high school athletes (and a few former ones), coaches and fans:

JJ Harel of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, armed with passports from the United States, Israel and Australia, will soar so far past 7 feet in the high jump that national organizations from three different countries will fight to have him represent their team.

Striker Pence, a sophomore pitcher at Corona Santiago with a 100-mph fastball, will receive an endorsement deal from a radar gun company.

The UCLA-USC women’s basketball games will have so many celebrities and former players wanting to be seen that TMZ won’t need to pay for video.

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Ducks fall in overtime to Lightning

Tampa Bay defenseman Darren Raddysh, left, scores on Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal in overtime of the Lightning’s 4-3 win Wednesday at Honda Center.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

From the Associated Press: Darren Raddysh scored midway through overtime, and the Tampa Bay Lightning blew three one-goal leads before beating the Ducks 4-3 on Wednesday for their fifth consecutive victory.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper celebrated his 1,000th regular-season game in charge with his 595th victory as the longest-tenured bench boss in the NHL. The Lightning’s coach since March 2013 has also led them in 155 playoff games, won two championships and reached four Stanley Cup Finals.

Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist as the Lightning skated off with a win in the opener of their three-game California trip when Raddysh converted a pass from Brandon Hagel, who had three assists.

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Ducks-Lightning box score

NHL scores

NHL standings

This day in sports history

1902 — Michigan beats Stanford 49-0 in the first Rose Bowl. Neil Snow scores four touchdowns in a game that ends with eight minutes to play. The Wolverines earned the nickname as the “Point a Minute” team, having scored 501 points in their ten games. The next Rose Bowl game does not occur until 1916.

1916 — Washington State beats Brown 14-0 in the return of the Rose Bowl. Brown halfback Fritz Pollard, the first African-American to play in the Rose Bowl, gains just 47 yards in the rain-soaked game. After a scoreless first half, Washington State scores on short runs by Ralph Boone and Carl Dietz.

1934 — Columbia upsets Stanford 7-0 in the Rose Bowl when Al Barabas scores in the third quarter on a 17-yard hidden-ball play.

1935 — Bucknell beats Miami 26-0 in the first Orange Bowl.

1935 — Tulane beats Temple 20-14 in the first Sugar Bowl. The Green Wave complete a 14-0 comeback when Temple defender Horace Mowery tips a pass into the direction of Dick Hardy, who takes it in to the end zone.

1961 — The Houston Oilers beat the Los Angeles Chargers 24-16 to win the first AFL Championship.

1961 — Boston Bruins rookie Willie O’Ree, the first black player in NHL history, scores his first goal in a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens at Boston Garden.

1971 — Notre Dame ends Texas’ 30-game winning streak with a 24-11 win in the Cotton Bowl.

1991 — Georgia Tech routs Nebraska 45-21 in the Citrus Bowl to finish as college football’s only unbeaten team (11-0-1).

1992 — Miami beats Nebraska 22-0 in the Orange Bowl, the first shutout of the Cornhuskers since 1973, and finishes with a 12-0 record.

1993 — No. 2 Alabama wins its first national championship in 13 years and deprives Miami of its fifth title as the Crimson Tide defense humbles the No. 1 Hurricanes 34-13 in the Sugar Bowl.

1993 — Florida State beats Nebraska 27-14 in the Orange Bowl to set an NCAA record by winning eight consecutive bowl games.

2000 — Georgia’s Hap Hines kicks a 21-yard field goal in overtime to complete the greatest comeback in bowl history. The Bulldogs pull out a 28-25 victory over Purdue after trailing 25-0 early in the second quarter in the Outback Bowl.

2006 — New England’s Doug Flutie converts the NFL’s first successful drop kick in 64 years during a 28-26 loss to Miami.

2007 — Boise State, after tying the game with seven seconds to go in regulation, stuns No. 7 Oklahoma 43-42 in overtime to win the Fiesta Bowl. The No. 9 Broncos win on Ian Johnson’s 2-point conversion run after receiver Vinny Perretta throws a fourth-down touchdown pass to Derek Schouman.

2008 — Sidney Crosby’s shootout goal gives Pittsburgh a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres in the inaugral outdoor Winter Classic in front of a league-record 71,217 fans. In elements way more suited for football than hockey, Crosby wins the NHL’s second outdoor game — and first in the United States — in the most dramatic of fashion at Ralph Wilson Stadium, home to the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.

2012 — Backup quarterback Matt Flynn throws for a franchise-record six touchdowns to give Green Bay a 45-41 victory over the Detroit Lions.

2014 — Central Florida pulls off one of the biggest upsets of the bowl season by outlasting No. 6 Baylor 52-42 in the Fiesta Bowl. It’s the highest-scoring game in Fiesta Bowl history and second-highest BCS bowl ever.

2015 — Marcus Mariota and Oregon roll past defending national champion Florida State 59-20 to turn the first College Football Playoff semifinal into a Rose Bowl rout.

2015 — Cardale Jones turns in another savvy performance in his second college start and Ezekiel Elliott runs for a Sugar Bowl-record 230 yards, leading Ohio State to a 42-35 upset of top-ranked Alabama in the second semifinal of the College Football Playoff.

2018 — Sony Michel’s 27-yard touchdown run in double overtime gives Georgia a 54-48 win over Oklahoma in a Rose Bowl. It’s the first overtime game in the 104-year history of the Rose Bowl, the highest-scoring Rose Bowl ever and the first College Football Playoff game to go into overtime.

2022 — Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozen becomes first player in NBA history to hit buzzer-beaters on consecutive days; hits three-pointers to beat Washington Wizards, 120-119 and previous night Indiana Pacers, 108-106.

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Move comes nearly two decades after the Balkan country entered the EU as hope for stability clashes with fear of rising prices.

Bulgaria has officially adopted the euro, becoming the 21st country to join the single currency nearly two decades after entering the European Union, a move that has led to both celebration and anxiety.

At midnight on Wednesday (22:00 GMT), the Balkan country abandoned the lev, its national currency since the late 19th century.

Images of Bulgarian euro coins lit up the central bank’s headquarters in Sofia as crowds gathered in freezing temperatures to mark the new year.

“I warmly welcome Bulgaria to the euro family,” said Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank.

Some residents welcomed the change with optimism. “Great! It works!” said Dimitar, 43, speaking to The Associated Press after withdrawing 100 euros from a cash machine shortly after midnight.

Successive Bulgarian governments have backed euro adoption, arguing it would strengthen the country’s fragile economy, anchor it more firmly within Western institutions and shield it from what officials describe as Russian influence. Bulgaria, with a population of about 6.4 million, remains the poorest member of the EU.

Divided public

Yet public opinion has long remained split. Many Bulgarians fear the euro will drive up prices while wages stagnate, worsening living standards in a country already struggling with political instability.

In a televised address before midnight, President Rumen Radev described the euro as the “final step” in Bulgaria’s integration into the EU.

However, he criticised the absence of a public referendum on the decision.

“This refusal was one of the dramatic symptoms of the deep divide between the political class and the people, confirmed by mass demonstrations across the country,” Radev said.

Bulgaria recently plunged into further uncertainty after anticorruption protests toppled a conservative-led government in December, pushing the country towards its eighth election in five years.

“People are afraid that prices will rise, while salaries will remain the same,” a woman in her 40s told the AFP news agency in Sofia.

At city markets, vendors listed prices in both levs and euros. Not everyone was worried.

“The whole of Europe has managed with the euro, we’ll manage too,” retiree Vlad said.

THE award-winning Sun Travel team have stayed in hundreds, if not thousands of hotels.

So when it comes to recognising what makes a hotel great, we may just know a thing or two.

We’ve revealed 12 of our UK must-visit hotels for 2026 – and there’s something for everyone.

Whether you’re looking for brand new trendy spots, or themed rooms to wow the kids – we’ve got you covered.

Tewinbury Farm Hotel, Hertfordshire

I’m a sucker for a rustic countryside property where welly boots are essential – and Tewinbury Farm, buried in rural Hertfordshire, is one of the best out there.

Comprising renovated barns and cosy lakeside shepherd’s huts spread across a sprawling family-run farm estate, this hotel has an air of members club about it thanks to the endless list of monthly activities and country-chic decor. 

INN LUCK

Britain’s best hotels for 2026 have been named from seaside pubs to island B&Bs

SNOW MAD

Inside the all-year-round Christmas-themed hotel – it looks like a festive film

Huts feature copper bath tubs and private decking areas that jut out over a wildlife-rich lake.

Rooms in the main building house fancy four-poster beds sat beneath dark timber beams.

What really makes this place shine is its strong connection to the farm’s heritage.

Make sure to book onto the summertime Roots Dining Experience, where visitors dine outdoors in the hotel’s allotment.

Guests can tuck into a sharing menu of freshly-plucked vegetables from the surrounding beds and meat from the farm – all of which is rustled up in an outdoor kitchen right in front of you.

There’s a farm shop on site and maps that encourage guests to stroll the surrounding farmland, with some of Hertfordshire’s most scenic walking trails on the doorstep.

Rooms cost from £175 per night (tewinbury.co.uk).

– Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski

Safari Hotel, Chessington World Of Adventures

Chessington has one of the biggest openings among UK theme parks in 2026, with the launch of their new Paw Patrol Land. 

As the mother of a primary school kid who only just graduated from Paw Patrol mania a couple of years ago, I’m aware that this is BIG news to hundreds of thousands of families across the country. 

The Safari Hotel has also launched Paw Patrol-themed rooms, ahead of the opening. 

While certain areas of the hotel haven’t had an upgrade in several years, props have to go to Chessington for constantly adding new themed rooms to their repertoire – and they also make a massive effort with each one.

Being able to flop on the bed with a G&T post-theme park, while your child plays on the Pup Squad Patroller bunk bed is 15 minutes of well-earned relaxation.

Rooms start from £93 per night (Chessington.com).

– Head of Travel – Digital, Caroline McGuire

Smith’s Townhouse, Broadstairs

One of my new favourite seaside town hotels is Smith’s Townhouse, in Broadstairs.

Previously just a coffee shop, they reopened just around the corner as a boutique hotel.

Despite just six rooms, each one feels like a trendy London hotel with mid century interiors, dark painted walls and stylish blankets and cushions.

The furniture is certainly unique – some of it was even said to have been owned by Elton John previously

Expect freshly baked slices of cake and fresh tea in your room when you arrive too.

Make sure to stay for breakfast, with their downstairs cafe serving their own coffee as well as amazing baked goods.

They even recently opened their bar, as well as plans for a Pilates studio and DJ nights.

Even better? It’s a short walk to the beautiful beach.

Rooms start from £160 a night (smithstownhouse.co.uk).

– Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey

The Copthorne, Newcastle

This homely hotel sits on Newcastle’s Quayside overlooking the River Tyne.

It’s the ideal spot for a peaceful stay just a short stroll from the city centre’s pubs, shops and nightlife.

There’s no frills here – just large, comfy beds, a warm Geordie welcome, and a friendly quayside bar showing all the live sport – so you won’t miss a match during your stay.

Most of the Copthorne’s 156 rooms come with a Quayside view of calm river waters, glowing city lights and the impressive High Level Bridge.

All rooms, from standard doubles to suites, are incredibly spacious – often with extra seating by the window to watch the world go by.

Beds are so huge they’re near impossible to roll out of. Rooms here feel less stuffy hotel room, and more cosy getaway where you can seriously relax.

The hotel’s Quay 7 restaurant serves up traditional pub classics alongside a few surprises.

Take your pick from curry, scampi, steak – or the “Mexican cheeseburger burrito”,  an unusual fusion that somehow works.

End your meal with a treacle tart and a cocktail shaken by the cheerful bar team to round off the night perfectly.

Staff here welcome you in like an old friend. Nothing is too much trouble, even crafting off-menu cocktails from a keen mixologist who loves a challenge.

Rooms start from £90 a night (millenniumhotels.com).

– Travel Writer, Jenna Stevens

The University Arms Hotel, Cambridge

When it comes to taking a city break, I always think the closer the hotel is to the hustle and bustle, the better.

The University Arms Hotel in Cambridge is in the perfect spot, being within walking distance to bars, shops and tourist hotspots like the famous colleges and Parker’s Piece.

But don’t worry, you won’t hear any noise from them within the hotel walls. 

The University Arms Hotel itself couldn’t be prettier with huge stained glass windows and grand chandeliers. 

I was a big fan of the colour scheme too. There’s nothing worse than going into the hotel room for a relaxing weekend and being blinded by garish designs or bright yellow walls.

The University Arms Hotel keeps it simple with calming tones of blue and a splash of burnt orange.

Not to mention the beds are super comfy, and you won’t be able to resist taking a dip in the enormous clawfoot bath tubs.

Rooms start from £158 per night (universityarms.com).

– Travel Reporter, Alice Penwill

Margate House, Kent

I love a home-away-from-home retreat and Margate House ticks all the boxes.

This stylish boutique hotel is set across a seaside townhouse, just a short walk from some of Margate’s coolest bars and restaurants.

The beautifully converted townhouse is on a residential road along from the beach, in the ever-trendy Cliftonville area.

The vibrant interiors manage to be effortlessly hip, yet also homely and comfortable.

Decked out with plush velvet sofas, candles flickering in the corner and striking independent art, stepping inside is like a warm welcome home.

The nine rooms are stunning, especially the ones that give you a glimpse of the sea.

Every room has a supremely comfortable king size bed, in which you can request a picnic breakfast each morning.

A short walk will take you along the seafront to the Turner Contemporary, Dreamland and Margate’s golden sandy beach.

Rooms start from £120 per night, including breakfast (margatehouse.co.uk).

– Travel Writer, Helen Wright

The Alan, Manchester

Even from the outside, The Alan looks extremely grand, being built into a beautiful Grade II listed building.

Spread across six floors, with 137 rooms, each one looks like a fancy design magazine.

From the concrete coffee tables to the pink plastered walls, the industrial-inspired designs perfectly replicate the history of the city.

The mod cons are just as exciting – gone are the dated telephones and instead with a personal assistant tablet where you can do everything from contact reception to get local tips and guides.

Even the bathroom was an inspiration, with copper fixtures and Haeckels toiletries hailing from Margate.

Make sure to pop into the downstairs restaurant as well.

Along with a co-working space (which for £20 includes lunch and unlimited tea and coffee) but it also houses a fantastic restaurant.

I recommend the cheesy garlic pinsa, a Roman-style flatbread, before heading into town for a night out.

Rooms start from £62 per night (thealanhotel.com).

– Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey

Z Hotels Gloucester Place, London

Finding an affordable hotel in the capital can often feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.

But what if I told you that there is a super central spot that costs just £55 per person, per night?

Oh, and it’s all inclusive. 

Z Hotels Gloucester Place is a real gem amongst the £200+ per night hotels in London.

Located a short walk from Oxford Street and the city’s main attractions, its ideal location is just part of the fab deal you get when staying at the hotel.

The rooms are basic, but clean and comfortable.

But it is the all-inclusive element of this hotel that is its real selling point.

I stayed for just one night, but had endless glasses of wine, afternoon tea, cups and cups of hot drinks, a sandwich, cans of pop, a delicious cheese board and an extensive breakfast with pastries, fresh fruit and flatbread.

Honestly, if you need somewhere to stay in the Big Smoke on a budget, then this is the place. 

Rooms start from £55 per person, per night (thezhotels.com).

– Travel Reporter, Cyann Fielding

The Queen at Chester Hotel

This grand old dame of a hotel has had a sparkling £5 million refurbishment that has breathed new life into a historic building.

The brick and stucco Italianate edifice sits right opposite the train station in Chester and was originally built to serve first class rail passengers.

Built in 1860, the building was said to be the first skyscraper of its time.

It has welcomed the likes of Charles Dickens and Lillie Langtry through its doors.

The recent refurbishment has resulted in stunning new interiors with some fabulous modern art and furniture sitting seamlessly alongside the grand period features.

Rooms feature warm, earthy tones and richly patterned carpets with super soft bed linen and premium toiletries in the bathroom.

Go for a superior room for extra goodies including bathrobes and snack boxes.

And with prices from just £68 a night, it’s the perfect place to lay your head after a day at the Chester racecourse or zoo.

Rooms start from £68 per night (thequeenatchesterhotel.co.uk).

– Head of Travel, Lisa Minot

The Zetter, Bloomsbury

The Zetter Townhouse in Clerkenwell is my favourite hotel in London.

The hotel bar feels so chic and homely, it’s like you’ve been invited to a drinks party at the home of some eccentric millionaire. 

So the news that Zetter is opening a new hotel in Bloomsbury – my favourite area of central London – is very welcome. 

The 68-bedroom townhouse hotel will span six interconnecting Georgian buildings on Montague Street, opposite the British Museum. 

Bloomsbury is unique in that, despite being so close to the likes of Covent Garden and Oxford Street, it still retains plenty of character from ye olden days. 

Plus, you can walk to the West End‘s theatres and restaurants, as well as the achingly cool Kings Cross.

See thezetter.com.

– Head of Travel – Digital, Caroline McGuire

The Grand Central, Belfast

Belfast’s city centre is home to one hotel that always makes passers-by stop in their tracks to peek inside – and that’s the Grand Central.

This glamorous high-rise hotel lives true to its name, sitting smack-bang in the middle of the city.

After a warm greeting from hotel porters, guests step inside to glossy marble interiors in the lobby – and elevators with a whole load of buttons.

Rooms are modestly sized yet pristine, with bouncy cloud beds and roomy walk-in showers.

They also come with panoramic views of the glittering skyline and iconic city hall – as does the hotel’s rooftop bar and restaurant, The Observatory.

The Seahorse Restaurant serves everything from a delicious Irish breakfast through to quirky evening cocktails, whilst The Observatory’s Afternoon Tea beats any I’ve had in England.

At £45 per person for cakes that look like works of art, 360° rooftop city views, and plenty of generously-stuffed sandwiches, the experience is well worth looking into for special occasions.

If you’re looking to treat yourself to a fancy weekend away in the UK, you’ll feel extremely well taken care of at this swanky city hotel.

Rooms start at £160 per night – with a hefty discount if you book in advance (grandcentralhotelbelfast.com).

Travel Writer, Jenna Stevens

Artist Residence, Bristol

The Artist Residence hotels lives up to its name, feeling like you’ve stepped into a bohemian home of an art curator. 

I’ve been to their London hotel although it’s their own in Bristol that I adore.

Built into a Georgian townhouse, the hotel was once an old boot factory.

I love the options of rooms, such as their Crash Pad which is cosy and compact if you just need a base to explore the city.

Otherwise I love the Boot Room, still with a king size bed and Smeg fridge, or splash out on the massive Artist Suite, with views over Portland Square, a living area bigger than my first flat and a roll top bath.

You’ll be bumping into locals at the restaurant downstairs too, from families visiting for a hearty breakfast to groups of mates having a big night out for dinner.

I’m still dreaming of some of the small plates, from the salty hispi cabbage to the rich harissa roast chicken.

Don’t forget to grab a picture in the downstairs photobooth too.

Rooms start from £140 a night (artistresidence.co.uk/bristol).

– Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey

Russia has accused Ukraine of killing at least 24 people, including a child, in a drone attack on a hotel and cafe where New Year celebrations were taking place in a Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region.

Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of the region, first made the claim in a statement on Telegram before Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and senior politicians later accused ⁠Ukraine of carrying out “a terrorist attack”.

Saldo also published photos of what he wrote was the aftermath of the attack, which Al Jazeera has not been able to verify.

At least one person’s body was visible in the images beneath a white sheet.

The building showed signs that a fierce fire had raged, and there were what appeared to be bloodstains on the ground.

In the statement, ​Saldo said three Ukrainian drones had struck the site of New Year ‌celebrations in Khorly, a coastal village, in what he said was a “deliberate strike” against civilians. He said many people were burned alive.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said initial information indicated that 24 people had been killed, and that 50 people had been injured.

“There is ‌no doubt that the attack was planned in advance, with ⁠drones deliberately targeting areas where civilians had gathered to celebrate New Year’s Eve,” the ministry said in a statement, calling the attack “a war crime”.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Telegram that ‌Ukraine’s backers in the West were ultimately to blame.

Senior politicians, including the speakers of both houses of Russia’s parliament, condemned Kyiv.

Kherson is one of the four regions in Ukraine ‍that Russia claimed as its own in 2022, a move Kyiv and most Western countries denounced as an illegal land grab.

Ukraine’s ‍military ‍did not comment on Moscow’s claim, but it said it had hit Russia’s Ilsky ⁠oil refinery in ​the Krasnodar region overnight, ‍adding that the results of the attack ‍were still ⁠being confirmed.

In a statement on Telegram, the military also said it hit the ​Almetyevsk ‌oil facility in Russia’s Tatarstan region.

The Almetyevsk facility is ‌more than 965km (600 ‌miles) from ⁠the nearest part of Ukraine, and even further ‌from the nearest territory currently controlled by ‍Kyiv.

Russia releases video of ‘attack’ on Putin’s residence

On Tuesday, Moscow claimed that Ukraine launched a long-range drone attack against one of President Vladimir Putin’s official residences in northwestern Russia, which Kyiv has denounced as a “lie”.

Russia’s Defence Ministry released a video on Wednesday of a downed drone it said was involved in the attack.

The night-time clip showed a man in camouflage, a helmet and a Kevlar vest standing near a damaged drone lying in snow.

The man, with his face covered, talks about the drone. Neither the man nor the Defence Ministry provided any location or date.

The video and claims could not be independently verified.

Peace talks

Kyiv has called the allegations of an attack on Putin’s residence a ruse to derail ongoing peace negotiations, which have ramped up in recent weeks on both sides of the Atlantic.

In his New Year’s address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a peace deal was “90 percent ready” but warned that the remaining 10 percent, believed to include key sticking points such as territory, would “determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe, how people will live”.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Wednesday that he, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner had had a “productive call” with the national security advisers of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Ukraine to discuss the “European peace process”.

“We focused on how to move the discussions forward in a practical way on behalf of [Trump’s] peace process, including strengthening security guarantees and developing effective deconfliction mechanisms to help end the war and ensure it does not restart,” Witkoff said in a post on X.

Lead Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov also reaffirmed that European and Ukrainian officials plan to meet on Saturday, while Zelenskyy is due to hold talks next week with European leaders.

Russia’s attacks on Ukraine

Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russia attacked the Odesa region overnight, targeting civilian infrastructure in several waves of drone attacks, according to regional head Oleh Kiper.

In a post on Telegram, Kiper said a two-storey residential building was damaged and that a drone hit an apartment on the 17th floor of a high-rise building without detonating. No casualties were reported.

In its daily report, the air force said air defence forces had downed or suppressed 176 of 205 drones targeting Ukraine overnight.

It said 24 drone hits were recorded at 15 locations, and the attack was ongoing.

LOUISE Thompson has revealed she wants another baby in 2026 – five years after nearly dying during childbirth with her son.

The harrowing ordeal led to a myriad of health issues, the most recent of which saw Louise bravely reveal she had a stoma.

Following Leo’s birth she suffered multiple injuries including a post-natal haemorrhage, developing Asherman’s Syndrome, in which scar tissue in the uterus becomes ‘glued’ together, worsening bowel problems and emergency surgery.

But now the TV star, 35, has opened up on her hopes of “expanding her family”.

She wrote: “Next year is going to be full of health, growth and prosperity. I’m ready for newness and if we are lucky family expansion.”

The star also shared her upcoming Substack post, which will be published on Saturday and is titled: “all I want for 2026 is a baby.”

READ MORE ON LOUISE THOMPSON

CANDID POST

Louise Thompson forced to spend Christmas Eve in hospital amid health battle

STAR’S PAIN

Louise Thompson ‘will never be able to have another child’ after son’s birth

Louise also has post-traumatic stress as a result of the horrific complications she endured and now relies on a stoma bag.

She believes women are being deterred having children due to a growing number of horror stories.

She told Daily Mail: “It’s something that a lot of people within my circle are talking about fairly regularly – the population problems we have.

“Thousands of women are crying out to me about this topic.

“Speaking on my own personal experience, I won’t be able to carry another child.

“So immediately that puts us in a position where we are part of that problem now.”

She is now an advocate for women’s health and maternity rights, and has spoken about her ordeal to the Birth Trauma All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).

Louise teamed up with former Conservative MP Theo Clarke to set up the APPG and is now launching a petition urging the Government to appoint a commissioner dedicated to overseeing maternity care.

Their goal is to reach the 100,000 signatures needed to trigger a Parliamentary debate.

Louise has spoken about her distressing birth experience in the past.

The former reality star lost three-and-a-half litres of blood following the arrival of her son Leo by emergency C-section.

Things got even worse when Louise eventually returned home and suffered another haemorrhage, during which she lost five litres of blood and woke up in intensive care.

She previously spoke about the “uncertainty” around having another child.

She said last year on Lorraine: “It’s still fairly inconclusive. I will never mentally be strong enough to carry a child and, physically, I have something called asherman syndrome where my uterus is glued together with scar tissue.

“I suppose in one sense, it’s a bit of a miracle that I didn’t have to have a hysterectomy, so I do still have a womb.

“I had a year with no periods, then I had a surgery to try and fix that and then that ended up in another haemorrhage so where I am left currently is that the hospital have sort of said ‘It would be too threatening.

“We wouldn’t want to do another surgery in that area. Let’s let you live’. Equally I am so grateful to have one beautiful, healthy child who has lots of friends and cousins. I do have ovaries and embryos so there is a chance I could freeze some eggs… when I am ready…”

Neil Roarty has shared his “genius” travel hack that he believes is foolproof – but there is a major caveat that could leave you out of pocket if executed wrong

A British rail passenger’s “genius” travel hack has gone viral online after he appeared to travel in first class for free thanks to a strategic use of the UK railways’ compensation system. However, the trick carries a big risk for those willing to take it.

On Christmas Eve, one man shared a thread on X celebrating what he called his “biggest Christmas gamble.” Neil Roarty wrote: “Booked first class train home knowing that there would be a delay and I’d get the refund. There’s ALWAYS a delay.”

According to his post, he paid £238.20 for two first-class tickets, making his total a whopping £476.40, only to discover that his train was delayed by an hour and a half. Under UK rail rules, this meant he qualified for full compensation – including the cost of his ticket – through the industry’s Delay Repay scheme, effectively making the first-class journey free.

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What is the Delay Repay Scheme?

The Delay Repay scheme is a compensation system designed to reimburse passengers whose trains are significantly delayed or cancelled, regardless of the reason for the disruption.

Under the standard rules:

• Delays of 30–59 minutes can qualify for 25 percent refund of the ticket cost.
• Delays of 60–119 minutes typically qualify for 50 percent refund.
• Delays of 120 minutes or more generally mean passengers can claim a full refund – even if they complete the journey.

Importantly, compensation is based on the actual departure and arrival times recorded by the train operator, not what was printed on the timetable. This can vary depending on the train company.

How to Claim

Most UK train operators now allow passengers to submit a Delay Repay claim online, either through the operator’s official website or app. Here’s a general guide to the process:

1. Keep your ticket or reference number. You’ll need either the digital ticket confirmation or a paper ticket reference.
2. Visit your operator’s Delay Repay page. Common operators (e.g., Avanti West Coast, LNER, Great Western Railway) all have dedicated forms.
3. Enter your journey details. This includes date, time, origin and destination, and ticket price.
4. Upload supporting information. Depending on the operator, this could be a screenshot of the delay or your ticket receipt.
5. Submit and wait for a response. Claims usually take a few days to several weeks to process. Many operators will email you with an approval and payment instruction.

Some operators also allow passengers to make claims by post or at station ticket offices – though online submissions are fastest.

When this ‘hack’ works – and when it doesn’t

At first glance, booking an expensive ticket and waiting for compensation may seem like a clever loophole. But experts caution that it’s far from a guaranteed strategy.

Here’s why:

• Delays are not guaranteed. While rail services often experience disruptions, many journeys run on time – which would leave passengers out of pocket.
• Compensation depends on operator policies. Though most UK operators use Delay Repay, the exact terms and payment timeline vary, and not all refunds are paid in cash; some are offered as vouchers.
• Increased fare doesn’t always mean larger compensation. Refunds are proportional to the price paid, but for journeys with unusual fare structures or advance tickets, terms may differ.
• Operators may challenge borderline claims. If a delay is very close to the qualifying threshold, or was caused by external factors, train companies sometimes review claims more closely.

READ MORE: UK snow warnings and health alerts issued as big freeze sets in – all you need to know

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., ended the first year of President Trump’s second term with a record of rulings that gave him much broader power to control the federal government.

In a series of fast-track decisions, the justices granted emergency appeals and set aside rulings from district judges who blocked Trump’s orders from taking effect.

With the court’s approval, the administration dismissed thousands of federal employees, cut funding for education and health research grants, dismantled the agency that funds foreign aid and cleared the way for the U.S. military to reject transgender troops.

But the court also put two important checks on the president’s power.

In April, the court twice ruled — including in a post-midnight order — that the Trump administration could not secretly whisk immigrants out of the country without giving them a hearing before a judge.

Upon taking office, Trump claimed migrants who were alleged to belong to “foreign terrorist” gangs could be arrested as “enemy aliens” and flown secretly to a prison in El Salvador.

Roberts and the court blocked such secret deportations and said the 5th Amendment entitles immigrants, like citizens, a right to “due process of law.” Many of the arrested men had no criminal records and said they never belonged to a criminal gang.
Those who face deportation “are entitled to notice and opportunity to challenge their removal,” the justices said in Trump vs. J.G.G.

They also required the government to “facilitate” the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who had been wrongly deported to El Salvador. He is now back in Maryland with his wife, but may face further criminal charges or efforts to deport him.

And last week, Roberts and the court barred Trump from deploying the National Guard in Chicago to enforce the immigration laws.

Trump had claimed he had the power to defy state governors and deploy the Guard troops in Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., Chicago and other Democratic-led states and cities.

The Supreme Court disagreed over dissents from conservative Justices Samuel A. Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil M. Gorsuch.

For much of the year, however, Roberts and the five other conservatives were in the majority ruling for Trump. In dissent, the three liberal justices said the court should stand aside for now and defer to district judges.

In May, the court agreed that Trump could end the Biden administration’s special temporary protections extended to more than 350,000 Venezuelans as well as an additional 530,000 migrants who arrived legally from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua or Venezuela.

It was easier to explain why the new administration’s policies were cruel and disruptive rather than why they were illegal.

Trump’s lawyers argued that the law gave the president’s top immigration officials the sole power to decide on these temporary protections and that “no judicial review” was authorized.

Nonetheless, a federal judge in San Francisco twice blocked the administration’s repeal of the temporary protected status for Venezuelans, and a federal judge in Boston blocked the repeal of the entry-level parole granted to migrants under Biden.

The court is also poised to uphold the president’s power to fire officials who have been appointed for fixed terms at independent agencies.

Since 1887, when Congress created the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate railroad rates, the government has had semi-independent boards and commissions led by a mix of Republicans and Democrats.

But Roberts and the court’s conservatives believe that because these agencies enforce the law, they come under the president’s “executive power.”

That ruling may come with an exception for the Federal Reserve Board, an independent agency whose nonpartisan stability is valued by business leaders.

Georgetown Law Professor David Cole, the former legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union, said the court has sent mixed signals.

“On the emergency docket, it has ruled consistently for the president, with some notable exceptions,” he said. “I do think it significant that it put a halt to the National Guard deployments and to the Alien Enemies Act deportations, at least for the time being. And I think by this time next year, it’s possible that the court will have overturned two of Trump’s signature initiatives — the birthright citizenship executive order and the tariffs.”

For much of 2025, the court was criticized for handing down temporary unsigned orders with little or no explanation.

That practice arose in 2017 in response to Trump’s use of executive orders to make abrupt, far-reaching changes in the law. In response, Democratic state attorneys and lawyers for progressive groups sued in friendly forums such as Seattle, San Francisco and Boston and won rulings from district judges who put Trump’s policies on hold.

The 2017 “travel ban” announced in Trump’s first week in the White House set the pattern. It suspended the entry of visitors and migrants from Venezuela and seven mostly-Muslim countries on the grounds that those countries had weak vetting procedures.

Judges blocked it from taking effect, and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, saying the order discriminated based on nationality.

A year later, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case and upheld Trump’s order in a 5-4 ruling. Roberts pointed out that Congress in the immigration laws clearly gave this power to the president. If he “finds that the entry of … any class of aliens … would be detrimental,” it says, he may “suspend the entry” of all such migrants for as long as “he shall deem necessary.”

Since then, Roberts and the court’s conservatives have been less willing to stand aside while federal judges hand down nationwide rulings.

Democrats saw the same problem when Biden was president.

In April 2023, a federal judge in west Texas ruled for anti-abortion advocates and decreed that the Food and Drug Administration had wrongly approved abortion pills that can end an early pregnancy. He ordered that they be removed from the market before any appeals could be heard and decided.

The Biden administration filed an emergency appeal. Two weeks later, the Supreme Court set aside the judge’s order, over dissents from Thomas and Alito.

The next year, the court heard arguments and then threw out the entire lawsuit on the grounds that abortion foes did not have standing to sue.

Since Trump returned to the White House, the court’s conservative majority has not deferred to district judges. Instead, it has repeatedly lifted injunctions that blocked Trump’s policies from taking effect.

Although these are not final rulings, they are strong signs that the administration will prevail.

But Trump’s early wins do not mean he will win on some of his most disputed policies.

In November, the justices sounded skeptical of Trump’s claim that a 1977 trade law, which did not mention tariffs, gave him the power to set these import taxes on products coming from around the world.

In the spring, the court will hear Trump’s claim that he can change the principle of birthright citizenship set in the 14th Amendment and deny citizenship it to newborns whose parents are here illegally or entered as visitors.

Rulings on both cases will be handed down by late June.

Borussia Dortmund will only attempt to sign Norway attacker Oscar Bobb, 22, on loan from Manchester City if US midfielder Cole Campbell, 19, or Belgium winger Julien Duranville, 19, depart in January. (Sky Sports Germany), external

Crystal Palace forward Eddie Nketiah’s chances of joining West Ham have been scuppered after the 26-year-old England forward suffered a hamstring injury. (Talksport), external

West Ham are closing in on a deal for 21-year-old Gil Vicente striker Pablo, with the Portuguese expected in London for a medical. (Guardian), external

Brighton are monitoring 19-year-old Nordsjaelland and Ghana midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi, having previously signed Ivory Coast winger Simon Adingra, 23, and Ghana forward Ibrahim Osman, 21, from the Danish club. (Sky Sports), external

Manchester United are interested in Crystal Palace‘s 28-year-old France forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, who is yet to sign an extension on his contract which expires in summer 2027. (Football Insider), external

Turkish champions Galatasaray are interested in a loan deal for Manchester United‘s 24-year-old Uruguay defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte. (CaughtOffside), external

Celtic are in talks with Bournemouth over a loan deal for defender Julian Araujo, 24, and want to have the Mexico international available for their meeting with Rangers on 3 January. (Daily Record), external

Tottenham‘s 18-year-old Croatian centre-back Luka Vuskovic has caught the eye of Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, although Spurs are reluctant to part with the teenager who is currently on loan at Hamburg. (CaughtOffside), external

France midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, 23, wants to stay at Real Madrid amid interest from Liverpool. (Teamtalk), external

West Ham are preparing a bid for 29-year-old Spain and Fulham winger Adama Traore. (Football Insider), external

Maresca exits the club midway through a turbulent season with the team winning just one Premier League game in December.

Chelsea have parted ways with ‌Enzo Maresca, a dramatic fall from grace for the Italian who was named ‍Manager of the Month ‍for November before the club won just one of their last seven league games, causing them to fall out of the Premier League title race.

“Chelsea Football Club and head coach Enzo Maresca have parted company,” the club said in a statement on Thursday.

Maresca, who joined Chelsea in 2024 after steering Leicester City to Premier League promotion, leaves 18 months to the day since he was ⁠tasked with reviving the club’s fortunes after two years of failing to qualify for the Champions League.

He eventually ​guided the London side to UEFA Champions League qualification with a fourth-placed finish, the Conference ‍League trophy and the Club World Cup title in his first season with a young but expensively built squad.

Poor run of form

However, a poor run of form in December and an uncharacteristic outburst from the Italian prompted the club hierarchy to take ‍action and part ⁠ways with the 45-year-old manager.

“With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track,” the Chelsea statement said.

Chelsea were as high as third in November and were among the title contenders, high on confidence after they had also crushed Barcelona 3-0 in ​the Champions League at Stamford Bridge.

But they have since slipped to fifth in ‌the league to sit 15 points behind leaders Arsenal at the halfway stage of the season.

‘Worst 48 hours’

Last month, Maresca voiced frustration over issues behind the scenes, saying he felt he had a lack of support from the club, describing a period ‌after a 2-0 win over Everton as “the worst 48 hours” of his tenure.

The Italian did not clarify what he meant by the comment, but the damage ‌seemed to have been done as Chelsea’s league form nosedived.

Although Chelsea ⁠beat Cardiff City to reach the League Cup semifinals, they picked up only two points in their last three Premier League games.

Off the pitch, there was also the unwelcome distraction of rubbishing links to the Manchester City job as Maresca pointed out that he was committed ‌to Chelsea, where he had a contract until 2029.

But Tuesday’s 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth – where fans chanted, “You don’t know what you’re doing” when he substituted playmaker Cole Palmer while they also booed at the final whistle – proved to be his final match in charge.

The club did not say who would take charge before Sunday’s match against second-placed Manchester City.

Police in the Netherlands were pelted with fireworks and faced an “unprecedented amount of violence” on New Year’s Eve, officers have said.

A 19th century church in Amsterdam was engulfed by fire in the early hours of New Year’s Day, although the cause of the blaze is not yet known.

The Vondelkerk, which overlooks the largest park in the city, the Vondelpark, has been a tourist attraction since it was built in 1872.

Elsewhere in the Netherlands, a 17-year-old boy and 38-year-old man were killed in fireworks incidents. In Bielefeld, Germany, local police said two 18-year-olds died after setting off homemade fireworks.

The head of the Dutch Police Union, Nine Kooiman, said she had been pelted by fireworks and other explosives on her shift in Amsterdam.

The amount of violence was “unprecedented” she said.

Reports of attacks against police and firefighters were widespread across the country.

Petrol bombs were thrown at police in the southern city of Breda. In Rotterdam, the city’s eye hospital said it had treated 14 patients, including 10 minors, for eye injuries. Two received surgery.

A 17-year-old boy from Nijmegen and a 38-year-old man from Aalsmeer were killed in fireworks incidents, local media reported.

In Amsterdam the 50-metre high tower of the historic Vondelkerk church collapsed. Authorities said the roof was badly damaged but the structure was expected to remain intact.

The neo-Gothic basilica was designed by architect Pierre Cuypers whose works also include the Rijksmuseum.

A ban on unofficial fireworks is due to come into force in 2026. According to the Dutch Pyrotechnics Association, a record €129m (£112m) had been spent on them this year.

This article contains spoilers from the series finale of “Stranger Things.”

At this moment, somewhere on the internet, “Stranger Things” fans are rabidly and rapidly giving their feedback on how the series resolved the years-long plight of horrors faced by their favorite ragtag troop from Hawkins. But for Noah Schnapp, it didn’t matter how the story concluded. When filming on the final season wrapped last December, it was a bleak ending. At least initially.

The Netflix drama, to this point, had taken up half of Schnapp’s life. When he was 11, he began portraying Will Byers, the baby-faced boy who was abducted while biking home at night from a friend’s house and pulled into an alternate dimension known as the Upside Down. It was the catalyst that linked Will to its powerful creatures that tormented him and his inner circle for years. All the while, Schnapp and his fictional alter ego became increasingly intertwined. Like Will, he was a boy coming of age in his own upside down dimension — fame — while stepping into his true self.

“I will never forget that last day and how that last scene felt — it was just so surreal,” he said. “The goodbye was hard. I grappled with this feeling like my life is over and I’m in a crisis, this is my whole identity and all I’ve ever known, and now it’s ending.”

But for Will, “Stranger Things,” created by Matt and Ross Duffer, concluded on more hopeful terms. He began the two-hour series finale — released in the closing hours of 2025, both on the platform and in select movie theaters nationwide — knowing he had no secrets that could be weaponized against him, making him better positioned to help put an end to the Upside Down — and its otherwordly creatures.

Over two separate interviews from New York — a video call and, later, a phone call 20 minutes after I viewed the final episode — Schnapp discussed the complexity of amassing fame as a child actor, the parallel sexual identity journeys he and his character took, and life after “Stranger Things.”

Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Steve (Joe Keery), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Will (Noah Schnapp) and Robin (Maya Hawke) in “Stranger Things.”

(Netflix)

How does it feel to have it finally be out there?

Oh, man, it’s such a relief, honestly. No more worrying. It’s a happy, happy relief.

How did you spend the past two hours? I know you saw the finale with the cast already. Did you watch it again with the public?

Absolutely not. I’m celebrating the New Year, trying not to over stress about what people are saying and stay distracted.

So you’re not going to look at fan reaction tonight?

Probably not. My friends are texting me already, like, “Oh my God, I loved it,” or “Oh my god, I’m sobbing right now.” But no, I haven’t checked anything online.

We get a glimpse of Will’s fate. This idea that he finds his place, deep happiness and acceptance … and maybe love. What did you think of Will’s ending?

I think it was perfect. It felt really hopeful to see what the future can hold for a character like that, that I also kind of relate to, at least in terms of sexual identity. It was nice to see him get his happy ending and learn that it was it was never about Mike. It was about finding the person that was right for him, and in the meantime, kind of just loving himself. I’m just happy he got his happy ending. That’s that’s what he deserved.

Do you think he’ll remain good friends with Mike, Dustin, Caleb, Max — everyone?

Of course. They are forever tied together. Their books stand on the shelf, all next to each other, and especially Mike. They have that conversation which was actually written — now I can say it. It was not originally in the script, but I had the Duffers include it.

Oh, tell me about that. Why did you think it was important for them to have that conversation?

That scene on the tower, it’s a short little moment, but I felt like, with the coming out scene, there wasn’t enough closure between Will and Mike. So they included that moment, just so you get to see that Mike loves him as a best friend, and they will always be friends, which was nice. This relationship has been a slow burn for so many years, and so many people have an attachment and hopes for how it would come to a close. The coming out scene was so focused on on Will’s feelings that there wasn’t time for them to have a separate conversation, so I just felt like it was necessary for them to close out their specific chapter together. It feels very real to many situations I’ve had in my life where I’ve had a best friend that I’ve fallen for, and they ended up being straight and they love me still, just the same. It doesn’t make things weird. It felt very authentic to many experiences I’ve had in my life, and I’m glad it ended positively for him.

Series finales leave viewers to fill in the blanks beyond the chapters they close. We don’t have a real sense of how these characters are going to process the aftermath of what they’ve experienced, or how they’ll handle the trauma. Is that something you think about?

Of course. The story leads the audience to hope that these characters come to acceptance and peace after all these years of suffering. We end together as a group, this show started together as a group in Mike’s basement, and it’s right back to that core lesson of the show — believing in the magic of childhood and friendship and nurturing that and keeping that alive. And when they all say, “I believe that Eleven still exists,” I think it’s a metaphor that they’re saying they believe that the magic of childhood will exist forever and they hold on to that and take that with them into their lives.

I want to talk more about Eleven. Before we get to the theory that Mike has, what do you remember about shooting the scene where Eleven decides to stay back? Each one of you were so emotional in that moment.

I think of Millie as my own sister, so I tried to just make it feel as real as possible for me and imagine what that would feel like to see my own sister be taken from me. And it was so easy to access the emotions for that, because Millie does feel like family to me. I personally believe that she [Eleven] is still alive. I am hopeful about it. What I think is interesting is so many people expected so many people to die, a big massacre —

Did you think that it would go that way, at any point?

Our show has never been a show that’s killing off main characters left and right. I think, too, the big part of this season was tying it back into Season 1 and bringing things full circle. Eleven’s goodbye scene with Mike felt really perfectly full-circle and not traumatic and left the viewers with a question, but still hopeful and satisfied. I’m sure everyone’s going to have lots to say, positive and negative as they always do — that’s OK — but I personally loved how the Duffers closed it.

Earlier in the episode, there’s the exchange between Will and Henry, where Will is in his mind, and he sees what happened to Henry in that cave and is trying to appeal to his humanity. What did that unlock for you about the journey of these two young men and how they navigated their respective traumas?

It was satisfying for me as a viewer to understand these two characters, though, they are so polar opposite in their places in the story, are really inherently the same and come from the same emotions and sensitivity. The only difference is that the villain gives into this evil and Will fights it. It was just really cool as an actor to play those parallels and shooting it, we had to move in the same physical ways when his hand goes back in the same way — and watching how he [Jamie Campbell Bower] did a scene and matching it perfectly was really fun.

There were quite the needle drops in this episode from Prince — “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain.” Also “Heroes” from David Bowie. Were these songs played a lot on the set while filming this last episode?

“Heroes” by David Bowie, they were playing over and over on those last takes. “Purple Rain,” they were playing out loud. Usually we don’t get to actually listen to songs while we’re filming, but just to get a vibe, they were playing it on the speakers while we were in the truck. It was a fun episode to film, and also so difficult because they didn’t give us the freaking script for Episode 8 for so long. They were so lock and key about it. And you’re reading it in parts. We didn’t get a screener for it, so I only got to watch it once recently. It felt like watching a brand new episode when I watched it. When those credits hit … man.

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1. Will Byers (Schnapp) “comes out” to his inner circle in Episode 7. (Netflix) 2. Will (Schnapp) is embraced by his brother and friends — Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Mike (Finn Wolfhard). (Netflix)

Will had a big moment in Episode 7. Fans have long felt that the undercurrent of Will’s journey was his sexuality. How was it to face that moment as Will?

I knew this scene and this moment was coming for years, and I’d just been anxiously awaiting it, to see how it would be written, how I would perform in it. I’d been building it up in my head for years. I remember reading it alone in my room for the first time and I just cried. Then in the performance, I was so nervous because I always thought it would be a one-on-one with Joyce, but it was the full cast. It also came at a time close to when I came out personally and I never had that moment to come out to the whole cast in my own life. It almost felt like this extra pressure of, “Oh, it’s this personal thing too that I’m now having to share with them” and “are they gonna judge me personally for …” I don’t know, there’s all these layers of pressure for the performance, and the personal part of it and making sure it’s good.

We were filming the scene on the stages at like 3 a.m. and I was so tired and worried that I would mess it up, but it was cathartic as hell. I totally felt a stronger bond with everyone in the cast. Regardless of the critics and the excitement of the show, this is actually going to touch so many kids out there. If I was sitting there watching that at 12 years old with my parents and saw how all the characters hug him after it and embrace him and cheer him on and say, “We love you,” I might have come out right there and then too. I think this will have a real positive impact on so many young little boys and girls out there like me.

How would you say your relationship to your identity has changed as you’ve gotten older? How did Will help you? And how do you think you helped Will?

When I was younger, I always felt this pressure — like interviewers would ask me, “Do you feel a personal connection? Anything personally close to the character?” I would always kind of deflect. And I would say, “Well, no, he’s [Will] not queer. He’s just growing up slower, and he’s suffering from his trauma.” I felt defensive over Will, to almost make sure that he wasn’t gay because I felt it personally, and I was kind of like compensating for it. Our stories there were intertwined and, eventually, as I got older, I noticed how people, they really dive deeper into that sexual identity for him. And I saw people with such positive reactions to it. It definitely had an impact on me, like, “Oh, people don’t care as much as I used to think they did.” It helped me in my own journey. I think having accepted it publicly before having done this scene, changed everything for me. It allowed me to to fully be vulnerable and feel all the real emotions as much as possible in that scene, which was my goal, to make it feel just like I was living it. If I was still hiding, I wouldn’t have been able to really authentically show that.

Noah Schnapp on connecting with his character’s coming out journey: “I think having accepted it publicly before having done this scene, changed everything for me. It allowed me to to fully be vulnerable and feel all the real emotions as much as possible in that scene, which was my goal, to make it feel just like I was living it.”

(Evelyn Freja / For The Times)

You said you knew about Will’s sexuality for years — was it since the start of the show or did that conversation come later?

To be honest, we never sat down and had an explicit conversation of “Look, your character is gay.” It was more just hinted at from the beginning. I always thought about it, but pushed it down because of my own internal things. I think by Season 3 and 4, it became so obvious that it didn’t have to be said. It was just clear. I think once we got to Season 5, there was this unspoken, agreed upon thing that it was coming. It’s been building to this moment of acceptance so it’s going to be this season. It wasn’t in the first six after the table read, so then I started needling them, like, “Is it in [Episode] 7? Is it in 8? How are you going to write it? I need to see, I need to see, I need to see.” And they’re like, “just let us write it.” They were nervous. I could tell they were scared to have others see it because I’m sure it’s hard to write something like that and not make it corny or inauthentic.

Because most people don’t have a big coming out moment like that.

That’s also the thing. What I struggled with in the scene was I wanted to make sure I’m not coming out as Noah in 2023 on TikTok. This is Will coming out in 1987, or whatever year it is — it’s a totally different landscape, and you really have to separate the two as much as it was part of my own journey.

Your character is coming out at a time when he would be considered, for lack of a better term, the monster.

Totally. It’s such a good queer character. It’s so well-written, with the monster and Vecna as the parallel of his own identity; to harness these powers, he has to accept his own inner struggles.

How does your experience of coming out as a young adult under the spotlight parallel the fears Will feels in this fictional world populated by monsters?

It was different. It’s the pressures of the job and the career. I was like, “Why do I have to talk to my agents and my publicists about my sexual identity, who I want to be with in bed?” But they’re like, “No, this is something you have to consider because it affects the roles you get and how people perceive you. This is a conversation we have to have if you tell the public or if you just keep it personal.”

With Will, in the ‘80s, he’s suffering from this whole AIDS epidemic that was going on during the Reagan administration, where the president wouldn’t even acknowledge that gay people existed. If you were, if you did come out, people thought that you were contagious and had a disease and would get other people sick. It was a totally different landscape. I really made sure to educate myself on that difference. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t trying to take some personal anecdote into it. Right before the scene, I reread all the “coming out” texts I sent and tried to listen to the songs that I would listen to when I was trying to build up the courage to come out to my mom. I did try to bring in myself to [that scene], but also understand that it’s not exactly the same.

Is it too personal to ask you to share the name of one of the songs?

This is so embarrassing, but I listened to “Brave” by Sarah Bareilles because she’s like, “Say what you want to say, and let the words fall out …” It would always just give me the confidence. Every time. Every person I came out to, I listened to that before and was like, “OK, I can do it now.”

In Vol. 1 of the final season of “Stranger Things,” Will Byers (Schnapp) develops significant powers that allow him to control Demogorgons and fight Vecna by channeling the Upside Down’s hive mind.

(Netflix)

I want to return to that other moment this season, which had the fandom on the edge of their seat: Will coming into his powers. Have you seen the TikToks of people recording themselves as they watched that reveal?

Yeah. I’m fully on TikTok, but I’ve made sure to have my friends keep me up to date and send me the edits and what people are saying. My friends were sending me TikToks to be, like, “Noah, people are saying Will is hot.” I’m like, [bashfully hides his face with his hands] “What?” I knew people would freak out at the reveal, it’s such an exciting moment. But I did not at all expect people would be calling Will Byers hot. That’s funny, but it’s cool. As a kid, I always wanted to be the Spider-Man, and this was kind of my Spider-Man-superhero “Save the Day” moment. And it’s so fun doing that stuff because there are no rules. And the Duffers definitely put a lot of trust into me with that this year.

It was a demanding sequence — you popped your blood vessels.

I look back at some of those scenes and I was giving too much for what it was, these little moments. You never know how they cut it together and what ends up being important and what ends up being a tiny little moment. A lot of this stuff is very physical that they have me do, and it was me screaming all night, at the top of my lungs. Even the way my neck tensed up — I couldn’t, move my neck after some of these days because you’re straining.

The show is, in part, about kids coming of age. Tell me about your upbringing and life in Scarsdale, N.Y., before “Stranger Things.”

I had a very normal childhood. All the guys were into sports; I tried doing that growing up, and I just hated it and never felt like I was good at it or fit into those boys and what they were doing. I remember my dad being like, “He’s gonna do sports.” And my mom was like, “No, stop putting him in sports. He’s picking the flowers at the outside of the baseball field. That’s not for him. Let’s put him in the arts.” They put me in this class where you do acting, singing, dancing. And I just thrived. I did that for a few years and the teacher saw that I loved it so much and recommended that I audition in front of an agent. I started doing real auditions. By fifth grade, sixth grade, I got my first films. It was a great place to grow up and having that normal childhood and not growing up too fast was always very important to me. And still now, that’s why I’m in college and didn’t just rush into adult life.

You say that, but your first big on screen role was as Tom Hanks’ son in ”Bridge of Spies,” which was directed by Steven Spielberg. What stands out from that experience?

I just look back and think like, how crazy that my first thing was with these legends of Hollywood. I remember Tom Hanks never sticking to a script; he always just made it work for what was right for the scene, right for the character. They’re just so down to earth, such great people. And what a place to start.

Would you say you were ambitious as a child? How did you view the acting thing?

I looked back at a video the other day — I was 9 or 10. I went to a pond with my mom, and I was like, “One day, I’m gonna be a huge actor. And following my dreams.” It made me realize, when I was younger, I did have that passion and hope to do this long term.

“I went to a pond with my mom, and I was like, ‘One day, I’m gonna be a huge actor. And following my dreams,’” Schnapp recalls. “It made me realize, when I was younger, I did have that passion and hope to do this long term.” (Evelyn Freja / For The Times)

I will never know what it’s like to be a young person thrust into the global spotlight. I want you to pretend like I am an alien or a Demogorgon with no concept of this world, and tell me what it has been like growing up in the spotlight.

My problem was I’m so unapologetically myself, and I’ve always been like that, so I never learned to be properly media trained and curated into a certain way. I always just existed and did what I wanted to do. I learned over time, it’s good to create some privacy and distance for your own mental health. When the show came out, I was 10 years old. I was at camp and I didn’t have any contact with the outside world and my mom would send me emails that I was getting fan pages and blue check marks, and people started recognizing me, and I loved it. I love my fans so much. I would get their phone numbers and meet up with them, and my parents would be like, “Noah, this is not normal. You need to create boundaries with them.” Now I look back, and more of my life has been this than not now, so it’s all I’ve ever known was being famous and it just feels normal.

Coming of age on its own is so hard. You’re leaving one stage of your life and going into another. But to do that and have everything you say, your mistakes magnified, seems overwhelming.

It’s the worst; the fact that it’s all public, every weird look I’ve worn, every bad thing I’ve said. I hate that, but it is what it is. That’s what it is growing up in the spotlight, everything has its pros and cons.

Has there a moment where it felt too overwhelming? How do you protect yourself?

Every few weeks I’m like, “Oh, this is too overwhelming. I can’t do this anymore.” When I put my phone away, it all becomes OK. I learned that social media and all that is not real life. It just feels like so much pressure when you live so deep in your phone and what everyone’s saying and having to live up to these standards and feel like your life is over if you don’t do this, or this person doesn’t like whatever. Trying to please everyone in this industry is impossible and the only way to accept that is to detach from the online world and just live in the real world. I remember how much I love it and how many real, loving fans support me, and how I actually make a difference in a lot people’s lives, genuinely, and that actually matters.

Noah Schnapp says Winona Ryder, who played his mother Joyce on “Stranger Things,” was a motherly figure in real life, too. “I adore her truly.”

(Netflix)

Winona Ryder plays your mom, and she knows what it’s like navigating fame at a young age. Did she give you any advice or was she protective of you on set?

So protective. She always says, she never had kids, so we were her secondary children. I look back at our texts from 2017, when the show was first starting, and I had to do my first crying scene or all these “first” things I was so nervous for, and she would send these paragraphs being like, “Oh, sweetie, you’re nervous. Don’t worry a second. Come meet me before the scene. I’ll sit down with you and we’ll run through it. I’ll make sure you’re OK.” I remember I sent her a picture and I had this rope burn from Season 2 because I was screaming in a chair and my wrists were all scabbed and I was crying because it hurt, and she ran me to the set medic and stayed with me all night and made sure I was OK. She was such a mother figure to me, and I adore her truly. Even now, it’s nice to see our relationship has grown from her being protective over me to me feeling protective over her.

We see Nancy, Jonathan, Steve and Robin up on the rooftop talking about not losing touch, making a point of staying in contact. There’s also Dustin’s valedictorian speech. Each had moments that felt like they paralleled the ending of this unique experience you’ve all gone through together. Did you all make a similar pact?

Oh, absolutely. That day of graduation, we felt like we were really graduating. I loved the coda part of the episode. That last day of shooting was hard, when I was putting my book on the shelf, that was when they told me, “OK, Noah, this is your last shot.” I broke down. I couldn’t do the freaking take, every time, it was just so emotional. Luckily, there’s one that I’m little less emotional, but that day was just so sad. I remember when they said “Cut!”, and that was it, and we — me, Caleb, Gaten, Finn and Sadie — standing in that little set, arms around each other, huddled up, not saying any words, just crying. It was complete silence outside. There were hundreds of people waiting [outside on the set] for us to cheer and celebrate, and we were waiting in there, like, “We go out when we’re ready.” We all agreed, gathered ourselves and walked out of that set to 100 people cheering, screaming, there was confetti dropping, clapping and we gave speeches. It didn’t feel real. You’re so in it for so many years, and then it’s just over.

What do you remember about the day after wrapping?

We ended up sleeping on the set. We made a little fort in the D&D basement. It was so cute, so wholesome — a perfect way to end it. I remember driving back with Caleb [McLaughlin, who plays Lucas] the next morning and he dropped me off. It was really foggy that day, really gloomy, and just so somber and tense. And we said goodbye so quietly. It felt like we left a funeral, like grieving something. The next day, I had to fly to L.A. for a call back, and I was just sitting alone in a hotel room — I felt so empty. This is all I’ve this all I’ve ever been attached to, this is my whole identity, my whole life. But then, the next day, I was like, “Oh, life keeps going. And it’s OK.” It was really just that one day after that was tough.

To your point, this isn’t your first professional on screen role, but it is your longest. How do you feel you’ve grown as an actor across these 10 years, these five seasons?

This show has taught me so much. When I was younger, I felt like scared to have any kind of opinion or perspective or speak up on what I felt was right for the character; now, I’m like, “No, I played this character for 10 years. I have a right to say, ‘No, he would wear this’ or ‘he would say this’ or ‘this scene doesn’t work or represent the story well.’” Just learning to not be bound to the script; it’s OK to play and explore and try different things. That’s what makes it feel authentic when you have those spontaneous little moments that aren’t written. I’m excited to continue to learn and grow in different ways in film and theater.

So it feels like the right time for you to say goodbye to Will?

Totally. It’s kind of crazy how right of a time it is. I’m graduating in a few months at the same time as this show is ending. I’m an adult now. It all happened at the right time, and this season came at the perfect time with my sexual identity journey. Everything was timed really well.

Are you thinking about what you want next? The kind of projects you want to do or the way you want to move through your career?

Oh my God, absolutely, the second I wrapped last year, I was like, “What’s next?” I’d love to do theater. I loved doing that as a kid and want to explore that. And do other films. But no set path, I’m just excited for what’s next.

The Duffer Brothers call you in 10 years and say we have an idea for how to revisit Will Byers, are you in?

I think my work is done with that character. The story for him has been told. So if that ever happened, I would honestly probably stray away from that. But of course, I would love to work with the Duffers again on another project. But this story is done.

Asia travel experts TransIndus have crunched the numbers to find the cheapest city for money for budget-conscious travellers looking to save money

Hanoi may not be the first destination that springs to mind for Brits seeking a budget-friendly holiday but research suggests that Vietnam’s capital could be one of the best-value cities on the planet.

Asia travel specialists TransIndus have put together a basket consisting of three supermarket beers, a 5km bike taxi ride, and a McDonald’s combo meal and it adds up to £5.60 in Hanoi, so much cheaper than it would be in the UK.

A spokesperson for TransIndus said: “People understandably want their holiday money to go further in 2026 – but the smartest approach is to plan with a few simple ‘anchor’ costs in mind.

“A short ride, a casual meal, and a couple of drinks are the sort of everyday purchases many travellers make in the first 24 hours. If those are low, it’s a strong sign the city is going to feel great value overall.”

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So, what does a cheap evening in Hanoi look like?

• McDonald’s combo meal (Big Mac Meal or similar): £3.14.

• Domestic beer (0.5L) from a supermarket: £0.42 each (so £1.26 for three).

• Bike taxi ride (5km estimate): about £1.20 – based on common fares for motorcycle taxis booked on local ride-hailing apps.

This brings the total to £5.60 for the complete basket.

Researchers looked at typical local prices reported by travellers and expats who currently live there. But Hanoi isn’t the only Asian destination where visitors can enjoy themselves for less.

Other Asian cities to consider visiting include:

• Yogyakarta, Indonesia: approximately £8.07 for the identical basket.

• Manila, Philippines: approximately £8.38.

• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: approximately £9.29.

Vietnam is certainly a cheap place to enjoy yourself – a recent Post Office Money report highlights how Hoi An – 479 miles south – is 10% cheaper than it was in 2023.

The town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century.

In the evenings the lights from the yellow painted buildings and orange sun reflect off the water making it look magical. Thanks to an Unesco decree, more than 800 buildings have been preserved, meaning the village still looks like it did several centuries ago.

Travle blogger Travel Lush recommends cycling around the city. “Wandering aimlessly around the Ancient Town is easily one of the best things to do in Hoi An.

“And sure, it is very touristy, but I always love marveling at the old buildings, snapping photos of the postcard-perfect alleyways, sampling street snacks and popping into all of the little shops – you honestly never know what gems you’ll stumble upon in Hoi An’s historic center. The people-watching is pretty great too!

“Getting the chance to take in Hoi An’s magical scenery from a bicycle is one of my all-time favorite Hoi An activities. Cycling is big in Hoi An and most hotels here offer complimentary bicycles. It’s an incredible way to check out all of the city’s beautiful temples, emerald rice paddies and everyday street scenes.”

The weathers not bad either – throughout the year the Vietnamese city enjoys temperature of around 29C on most days. However, it does have a long rainy season, from November through to January, so it may be wise to visit before, during the autumn, or from February. And while it’s cheap once you get there flights from the UK will set you back around £780.

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SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office this week described 2025 as “the year that would not end.” But it has, and in its aftermath comes a slew of new laws passed that year that will affect the lives of almost every Californian.

The governor signed nearly 800 bills last year, including legislation that caps the cost of insulin, streamlines California State University admissions and temporarily allows sexual assault claims that are past the statute of limitations. He also approved legislation banning law enforcement officers from wearing masks to hide their identities during operations — a law that’s already being challenged in court by the Trump administration.

Some of the new state laws were passed years ago and are just now taking effect.

“These new laws reflect who we are: a state that protects workers, respects students, puts people before politics, and isn’t afraid to hold powerful interests accountable,” Newsom said in a Tuesday statement.

Most of the laws listed below take effect on New Year’s Day. As in years past, the list mostly reflects the interests of the Democrats who hold a supermajority in both the state Senate and Assembly and hold every statewide office in California, including the governorship.

Here are a few notable laws going into effect:

Health

(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Fertility treatments: Large employer health plans will be required to cover infertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization, for everyone, regardless of marital status, gender identity or sexual orientation. “California is a proud reproductive freedom state — and that includes increasing access to fertility services that help those who want to start a family,” Newsom said after signing the bill in 2024. The governor later pushed to delay implementation of state Senate Bill 729 until 2026. IVF costs Californians an average of $24,000 out of pocket, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Newsom delivers a major announcement to lower prescription treatment costs at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in October.

(Jonathan Alcorn / For The Times)

Cheaper insulin: Large group health plans must cap the out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 for a 30-day supply under SB 40. Roughly 3.5 million adults have diagnosed diabetes in California, according to the American Diabetes Assn. “Many Americans with diabetes have made the difficult decision to ration this lifesaving medication to pay for other necessities, such as groceries or rent,” said Christine Fallabel, the association’s state government affairs director, in a news release. “This legislation will provide much-needed financial relief.” California will also start selling $11 insulin pens through the state’s prescription program, CalRx, on Jan. 1.

Privacy for providers: Healthcare providers and employees affiliated with gender-affirming services can have their residential addresses withheld from certain public record requests. Assembly Bill 82 allows these providers to submit applications for increased privacy to the California secretary of state if they are experiencing harassment or violent threats due to the nature of their work. California already allows those working in reproductive healthcare to apply.

Protection for immigrants: Healthcare officials are prohibited from disclosing a patient’s immigration status or birthplace and from giving immigration authorities access to nonpublic spaces in hospitals and clinics without a search warrant or court order. The protections under SB 81 are among new laws to protect immigrants in California, Newsom said, from the “secret police” of President Trump and Stephen Miller, the White House advisor who has driven the second Trump administration’s surge of immigration enforcement in Democratic-led cities.

Law enforcement and legal rights

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

Mask ban: Law enforcement officers must visibly display their name or badge number during operations and are also banned from wearing masks that conceal their identities while on duty, with some exceptions. SB 805 and SB 627 were introduced in response to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration raids in Southern California, which in many cases were conducted by masked agents in unmarked cars. Newsom has said it’s unacceptable for “secret police” to grab people off the streets. The U.S. Department of Justice is suing California over the new laws, arguing both are unconstitutional and could put officers in danger.

Sexual assault reporting: A two-year window is opening to report sexual assault claims — cases that previously would have been barred because of the statute of limitations — against private employers or institutions that engaged in a “cover-up.” The time frame starts Jan. 1 and expires Dec. 31, 2027. AB 250 applies to those who were assaulted after age 18. The state already created an extension for child sexual assault victims in 2020. “AB 250 gives those who’ve been silenced by intimidation, shame, or institutional cover-ups another shot at justice, because survivors deserve to be heard, believed, and supported,” Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) said in October.

Amicable divorce: California couples seeking an amicable dissolution of their marriage will now have an easier, less costly way to go their separate ways. Under SB 1427, which passed in 2024, couples will be allowed to file a joint petition for dissolution of their marriage or legal separation. Until now, filing a joint petition was permitted only in limited circumstances, including when the couple had been married for fewer than five years and where their community property assets were worth less than $25,000. In all other cases, the couple had to navigate a more onerous legal process.

Consumer protections and laws

Buh-bye plastic bags: Plastic bags at grocery store checkout stands are banned under a law that was passed in 2024. Stores can offer recycled paper bags or customers can bring in their own bags. The change under SB 1053 comes almost a decade after California voters passed a statewide ballot measure that banned single-use plastic bags at grocery store checkouts. At many stores, those were replaced with thicker plastic carryout bags that were considered reusable and could be recycled. But in reality, many customers used them just once and tossed them.

Stanley Tang, co-founder and head of DoorDash Labs, during an unveiling event at the company’s headquarters in San Francisco on Sept. 29.

(David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Food delivery: Food delivery services including Uber Eats, DoorDash and Postmates will be required to provide a full refund to customers if their order is not delivered, or if the wrong order is delivered. Under AB 578, food delivery services also must provide customer service support, staffed by actual people, to help resolve requests for refunds.

Rental car estimates: Rental car companies will be required to provide customers with a good-faith estimate of the total charges, including taxes and fees, when providing a price quote for a reservation. Under AB 1374, the companies also must disclose whether the vehicles are gas-powered or electric or use another fuel source.

Volume control: Video streaming services under SB 576 will be prohibited from airing advertisements that are louder than the shows or other video content they are providing. Federal law already bans that practice on broadcast stations and cable channels.

Overdraft fees: State-chartered credit unions are prohibited from charging overdraft fees exceeding $14 or the amount set by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, whichever is lower. SB 1075 was passed and signed into law in 2024.

Business, workers and technology

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

Minimum wage increase: The state minimum wage increases from $16.50 to $16.90 on Jan. 1. Some counties and cities, including Los Angeles, already have higher local minimum wage requirements. Workers paid less than minimum wage can file a wage theft claim with the California labor commissioner’s office. The state’s labor laws apply to workers regardless of immigration status.

New state holiday: Diwali, also known as the “Festival of Lights,” has been added to California’s official list of statewide holidays. This means public schools can close and state employees can elect to take the day off. Diwali typically occurs in late October or early November and is celebrated by members of the Hindu, Sikh and Jain faiths. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. AB 268 makes California the third state to recognize the holiday, following Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Deleting social media: Major social media platforms are required to provide users with a button in the account settings that allows them to delete their account — and make that button accessible on any format used to access the platform, including cellphones, computers and tablets. AB 656, passed in 2025, also requires social media platforms to delete the personal information in a user’s account when they cancel.

Protecting kids from AI: Artificial intelligence companies are required to notify users younger than 18 at least every three hours to take a break and that the chatbot is not human. They are also required to implement “reasonable measures” to prevent companion chatbots from generating sexually explicit content. SB 243 was enacted to prevent the production of suicide or self-harm content and put in protections, such as referring users to a suicide hotline or crisis text line.

AI and public safety: Large artificial intelligence companies will be required to publicly disclose their security protocols and reports of critical safety incidents. SB 53 will require companies to disclose their safety and security protocols and risk evaluations. It mandates reporting of critical incidents — such as cyberattacks or unsafe behavior by autonomous AI systems — to the state’s Office of Emergency Services. Violations of the new law can bring civil penalties of up to $1 million against companies.

Less red tape for restaurants: The approval process for independent restaurants that want to retrofit spaces is being streamlined under AB 671. “For too long, opening a restaurant in California has meant endless hurdles and frustrating delays,” said the bill’s author, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), in October. “We’re making it easier for small restaurateurs to turn their ideas into reality.”

Lyft and Uber drivers can unionize: Hundreds of thousands of ride-hail drivers can unionize and bargain collectively while still being classified as independent contractors. Wicks, who co-authored AB 1340 with Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park), previously said this will allow drivers to ”bargain for better pay and protections, and help build a future where the gig economy works for the people behind the wheel.” The law was a compromise between labor groups and Silicon Valley gig economy companies.

More oil: Oil production can ramp up in Central California. SB 237 will allow up to 2,000 new wells annually in Kern County, effective through 2036. The law, which drew ire from environmentalists, is intended to prevent a spike in gas prices amid refinery closures.

Education

Cal State Fullerton in 2023.

(Wesley Lapointe / Los Angeles Times)

Direct admissions: Public high school students who meet the California State University’s minimum eligibility requirements will be automatically admitted and able to enroll at one of 16 CSU campuses. SB 640 is intended to encourage students who are unsure about college to attend. “Being able to get that message that says, ‘Hey, you’re admitted, and you just need to submit some paperwork,’ I think it’s going to be a big boost for a lot of students,” Adrian Huerta, an associate professor and college access scholar at the USC Rossier School of Education, has said.

Gender-neutral bathrooms: All public schools in California will be required to provide at least one all-gender bathroom starting July 1. The legislation expands a decade-old law that requires K-12 schools to allow students to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity. SB 760 was passed in 2023. “These measures will help protect vulnerable youth, promote acceptance and create more supportive environments in our schools and communities,” Newsom said in a statement when he signed the bill.

Cellphones in classrooms: Public schools are required to adopt a policy by July 1 to prohibit or limit the use of smartphones by students when they are on campus. AB 3216 leaves it up to local K-12 schools whether students should be banned from using cellphones altogether. But the law requires public schools to restrict phone use in order to “support pupil learning and well-being.”

Immigration raids: Federal immigration agents are barred from nonpublic areas of public schools unless they have a judicial warrant or court order. Under AB 49, school districts also are prohibited from providing information about pupils, their families, teachers and school employees to immigration authorities without a warrant. SB 98 also requires school administrators to notify families and students if federal agents conduct immigration operations on a K-12 or college campus.

Antisemitism: A state Office for Civil Rights will be created to combat antisemitism and other forms of discrimination in California schools. AB 715 was among the most hotly contested education-related measures, spawning from dissatisfaction, largely among a coalition of Jewish groups, with the way ethnic studies have been taught in some California classrooms. On Wednesday, a federal judge in San José rejected a lawsuit filed by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee on behalf of a group of educators and students, who challenged the law, clearing AB 715 to take effect.

Animals

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Official snake: The giant garter snake is recognized as the official snake of California. Advocates hope this recognition from SB 765 will raise awareness about the threatened species, which is found in the Central Valley and has experienced large-scale habitat destruction due to urban and agricultural development.

Paws need claws: Declawing a cat in California is now illegal unless the surgery is medically necessary. AB 867 bans the procedure, which entails amputating the first bone in each of a feline’s toes or severing the tendons. Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San José), the bill’s author, previously called the practice “barbaric” and inhumane.

Housing

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Faster construction: Various infrastructure projects are now exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act’s lengthy review process. This reversal from AB 130 and SB 131 has outraged environmentalists, who say it removes crucial protections for the state’s most vulnerable wildlife and communities. Proponents of the legislation argue construction must be faster and cheaper to address the state’s housing crisis.

Renter rights: Landlords must provide working stoves and refrigerators for tenants as part of new lease agreements. AB 628 also requires landlords to replace these items within 30 days if the manufacturers issue a recall. This expands on a previous law requiring buildings with dwelling units to maintain adequate heating and hot water.

Maresca stunned even members of his own staff when – after beating Everton 2-0 for Chelsea‘s solitary Premier League win in December – he said “many people” had made it his “worst 48 hours” since joining the club.

Those comments came without any warning to club staff or senior management, who would have preferred any discussions to remain private.

But friction had been brewing in the months before that.

Maresca had hoped to raise his profile following the Blues’ successes through opportunities outside the club. He was planning to publish a book before being blocked, and spoke at Il Festival dello Sport – an event in Italy organised by La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper – without the club’s permission.

He also made public that he disagreed with the club not signing a central defender after Levi Colwill injured his anterior cruciate ligament in pre-season. The club’s hierarchy explained that doing so could prompt academy prospect Josh Acheampong to request a transfer, which ultimately led Maresca to back down.

The former Leicester manager has also switched agents – from the Wasserman agency to Jorge Mendes – and has been talked of as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, which Maresca has dismissed.

In addition, he has increasingly avoided wearing club tracksuits – opting instead for his own clothing.

Following his last game with Chelsea – a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on 30 December – assistant manager Willy Caballero said Maresca felt too unwell to do his post-match media duties, but it is understood his absence was more due to his disillusionment at the club.

And it was noticeable that when Chelsea posted a 52-second video on social media on New Year’s Eve summarising their year, there was no trace of Maresca.