Month: January 2026

Adam Henson, who works at the 50-acre Cotswold Farm Park, revealed a similarity he shares with former Top Gear star Jeremy Clarkson, but the Countryfile host’s comments didn’t come without a playful dig

Adam Henson has shed light on what he truly thinks about Jeremy Clarkson after making a playful dig about him involving “Marmite”. A relative newcomer to the farming world, Clarkson has owned Diddly Squat Farm in the Cotswolds since 2008 but only took to the fields himself in 2019, showcasing his exploits on the aptly named Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm.

As a fellow celebrity farmer, Adam, who works at the nearby 50-acre Cotswold Farm Park, is no stranger to public scrutiny, admitting that Countryfile sometimes leaves his fellow farmers feeling “frustrated”.

Alex Dye, host of The FarmED Podcast, recently asked Adam how he thinks the “general farmer” perceives him, and whether he thinks he’s a “Marmite sort of character”, as in, people either love him or hate him.

It prompted him to reveal a similarity that he shares with Clarkson, although his comments weren’t without a playful dig at the former Top Gear host. Adam candidly replied: “Yeah, completely. Probably not as Marmite as Jeremy Clarkson, but I am quite Marmite, I think.”

He continued: “Mainly because, I think…Because I work for Countryfile and have done for 24 years, we are a magazine show that has a whole array of topics, and we’re a countryside show, not a farming show.

“It used to be the farming programme, and farmers watching it get frustrated that we’re not robust enough in some of our communication about farming, the technology, the finances, the struggles, and we’re not championing British farming enough.”

Adam went on to claim that there are other people who celebrate everything he does on the show, suggesting he often divides opinion. He pointed out to those who may be more critical that the show wasn’t created to champion farming.

He claimed that it was instead designed to generate “viewing figures” and noted that “whatever drives” these sought-after numbers for the BBC, they will ultimately “make more” of.

In related news, Adam recently shared his excitement about a new, “critically endangered” addition to his farm park. In December 2025, the much-loved host shared some of his hopes for the new year.

In BBC Countryfile Magazine, Adam wrote: “Our livestock will be thankful for less dramatic conditions, too – one animal in particular. Lexy is my Suffolk Punch mare, and she’s a real favourite with visitors to the Cotswold Farm Park.”

He continued: “We’re very excited because Lexy is pregnant and due to give birth to a foal in May. This is a big deal: the Suffolk Punch, like other British heavy horse breeds, is critically endangered.”

Adam went on to explain that his main concern was ensuring a “trouble-free birth”, while sharing his hope for a “fit and healthy” foal.

You can next catch Adam on Countryfile on BBC One tonight (Sunday, January 25), from 6pm to 7pm.

MINNEAPOLIS — Democrats demanded federal immigration officers leave Minnesota after a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot a man in Minneapolis and set off clashes with protesters who poured into the frigid streets in a city already shaken by another shooting death weeks earlier.

The latest shooting also sparked a legal fight over control of the investigation and renewed calls by state and city officials for an end to the immigration surge that has swept across Minneapolis and surrounding cities.

Federal officials say agents fired defensively Saturday morning when Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse, stepped into a confrontation between an immigration officer and a woman on the street. Officials say Pretti was armed, but no bystander videos appear to show him holding a weapon; he appears to be holding a phone. The Minneapolis police chief said Pretti had a permit to carry a gun.

Pretti’s family said they were “heartbroken but also very angry” at authorities, saying in a statement that Pretti awas kindhearted soul who wanted to make a difference in the world.

A federal judge has already issued an order blocking the Trump administration from “destroying or altering evidence” related to the shooting, after state and county officials sued.

Minnesota Atty. Gen. Keith Ellison said the lawsuit filed Saturday is meant to preserve evidence collected by federal officials that state authorities have not yet been able to inspect. A court hearing is scheduled for Monday in federal court in St. Paul.

“A full, impartial, and transparent investigation into his fatal shooting at the hands of DHS agents is nonnegotiable,” Ellison said in a statement.

Spokespersons for the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security, which are named in the lawsuit, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Sunday.

Another federal judge previously ruled that officers participating in the federal immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota cannot detain or tear-gas peaceful protesters who are not obstructing authorities, though an appeals court temporarily suspended that ruling days before Saturday’s shooting.

The Minnesota National Guard was assisting local police at the direction of Gov. Tim Walz, officials said, with troops sent to both the shooting site and a federal building where officers have squared off daily with demonstrators.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said during a news conference Saturday that Pretti showed up to “impede a law enforcement operation.” She questioned why he was armed but did not offer details about whether Pretti drew the weapon or brandished it at officers.

Gun rights groups have noted it’s legal to carry firearms during protests.

“Every peaceable Minnesotan has the right to keep and bear arms — including while attending protests, acting as observers, or exercising their First Amendment rights,” the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus said in a statement. “These rights do not disappear when someone is lawfully armed.”

Trump blames Democrats

The Republican president weighed in on social media Saturday by lashing out at Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

He shared images of the gun that immigration officials said was recovered and said: “What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers?”

Trump said the Democratic governor and mayor “are inciting Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York was among several Democratic lawmakers demanding that federal immigration authorities leave Minnesota. She also urged Democrats to refuse to vote to fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying via social media: “We have a responsibility to protect Americans from tyranny.”

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York later said that Democrats will not vote for a spending package that includes money for DHS, which oversees ICE. Schumer’s statement increases the possibility that the government could partially shut down Jan. 30 when funding runs out.

Pretti was shot just over a mile from where an ICE officer killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7, sparking widespread protests.

Pretti’s family was furious at federal officials’ description of the shooting.

“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed,” the family statement said. “Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man.”

Video shows officers, man who was shot

When the Saturday confrontation began, bystander video shows protesters blowing whistles and shouting profanities at federal officers on a commercial street in south Minneapolis.

The videos show Pretti stepping in after an immigration officer shoves a woman. Pretti appears to be holding his phone toward the officer, but there’s no sign he’s holding a weapon.

The officer shoves Pretti in his chest, and pepper-sprays him and the woman.

Soon, at least seven officers are forcing Pretti to the ground. Several officers try to bring the man’s arms behind his back as he struggles against them. An officer holding a tear-gas canister strikes him on or near his head several times.

A shot is heard, but with officers surrounding the man, it’s not clear where it came from. Multiple officers back off. More shots are heard. Officers back away, and the man lies motionless on the street.

Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol commander leading Trump’s crackdown, was repeatedly pressed on CNN’s Sunday “State of the Union” for evidence that Pretti did anything illegal or assaulted law enforcement, as officials have claimed.

Bovino said it was “very evident” that Pretti was not following the officers’ orders.

“It’s too bad the consequences had to be paid because he injected himself into that crime scene,” he said. “He made the decision.”

Walz said Saturday that he had no confidence in federal officials and that the state would lead the investigation into the shooting.

Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said during a news conference Saturday that federal officers blocked his agency from the scene even after it obtained a signed judicial warrant.

Protests continue

Demonstrations broke out in several cities across the country, including New York, Washington and Los Angeles.

In Minneapolis, protesters converged at the scene of the shooting Saturday despite dangerously cold weather, with temperatures around minus-6 degrees.

An angry crowd gathered after the shooting and screamed profanities at federal officers, calling them “cowards” and telling them to go home. Protesters dragged garbage bins from alleyways to block streets, and people chanted “ICE out now” and “Observing ICE is not a crime.”

As darkness fell, hundreds of people mourned quietly by a growing memorial at the site of the shooting. A doughnut shop and a clothing store nearby stayed open, offering protesters a warm place as well as water, coffee and snacks.

Caleb Spike said he came from a nearby suburb to show his support and his frustration. “It feels like every day something crazier happens,” he said. “What’s happening in our community is wrong, it’s sickening, it’s disgusting.”

Raza, Brook and Karnowski write for the Associated Press. AP writers Giovanna Dell’Orto and Tim Sullivan in Minnesota, Rebecca Santanta in Washington and Jim Mustian in New York contributed this report.

Night shift workers often miss out on precious daylight during winter. A travel expert shares six practical tips to help boost mood and maximise time off.

The average night shift worker sees just 29 minutes of daylight on a working day during January. A poll of 2,000 workers, including 500 who work night shifts, found four in 10 night workers will go at least three days in a row without seeing any daylight in January. For 24% this makes them feel cut off from the outside world.

For this reason, more are taking proactive steps to combat the lack of winter sunlight, with 63% doing something to improve their mood, compared to 55% of day workers. These include adjusting daily routines to maximise daylight hours (26%), booking holidays to sunny destinations (22%) and taking annual leave during January (21%).

According to the research commissioned by Blue Light Card , more than half (54%) of those who have booked holidays in January claimed it was to provide an immediate mood boost to counter gloomy days.

While 33% added having a trip locked in helps them maintain motivation and energy at work when January morale is at its lowest.

Travel expert Tracey Davies who partnered with the membership card , said: “Navigating through the dark days of winter is hard for everyone, but it can be particularly trying when you work shifts.

“If your holiday allowance is a little tight, consider your shift patterns and where you could take three or four days off. The warmest parts of mainland Europe can be reached by plane in under three hours, which is very doable for a long weekend in the sun.

“Spain’s Costa del Sol and Portugal’s Algarve region both get a good six hours of proper sunshine each day.”

When asked which destination helps them get through night shifts, mainland Spain topped the list, with 34% of those workers choosing it. This was followed by the Canary Islands (31%) and Greece (30%).

But without a holiday to look forward to, 21% are unsure how to make up for the sunlight lost to night shifts. While 34% admitted they simply grin and bear it until the clocks go forward in late March.

Rebecca Clarke, head of partnerships for Blue Light Card, which estimates active members can save over £3,000 per year, added: “The problem of depleted sunlight in the winter is one we all face.

“But for some of our members who work night shifts, our research shows that it is having an effect on fatigue and motivation.

“It’s no surprise that this leads to an increased appetite to book a holiday. So we’ve made sure that we have affordable and flexible options for those members looking to boost their mood and reclaim some sunlight this January.”

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS HOLIDAY HACKS BY EXPERT TRACEY DAVIES

Escape the short days

Of course, the best way to survive the winter gloom is to fly to sunnier climates. If you can get away, even for a few days, look to southern Europe and subtropical Atlantic islands like the Canaries, Malta and Madeira, which all have reliable sunshine in January and February. Jet2 Holidays has some great deals to all these destinations, particularly in Madeira (a week from £366 per person) and Malta (from £276).

Mini-breaks to maximise annual leave

If your holiday allowance is a little tight, maybe your shifts will align to take three or four days off. The warmest parts of mainland Europe can be reached by plane in three hours, which is very doable for a long weekend in the sun. Spain’s Costa del Sol and Portugal’s Algarve region both get a good six hours of proper sunshine each day, along with temperatures hovering around 16-18 degrees.

Rota-friendly deals

It can be harder for shift workers to plan holidays in advance, but many tour operators like Jet2 and Virgin Atlantic Holidays offer some good deals for last-minute winter sun, while Blue Light Card holders can save more by applying their membership discounts on top of these offers.

UK sunshine hotspots

You don’t always have to venture too far home in search of vitamin D. According to the Met Office, the Isle of Wight is the sunniest place in Britain. On average, the island off the South Coast sees more than five hours of sunshine each day, beating Kent, Essex and Cornwall.

Guaranteed sunshine

In January and February, Orlando sees consistent temperatures in the early 20s – perfect shorts and t-shirt weather – and it’s one of the cheapest and quietest times to visit the theme parks. Blue Light card holders can also get some good last-minute deals to Caribbean destinations like Barbados, St Lucia and Antigua in February, particularly if you book midweek.

Maximise annual leave

Savvy employees everywhere can strategically use their annual leave this Easter to get 16 consecutive days off for the price of eight. Book off 30 March – 2 April and then 7–10 April and you’ll get nearly two and half weeks off, perfect for that long haul holiday.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner says his side showed great “character” and believes they are a group that “never gives up” despite falling to a 3-1 loss against Chelsea at Selhurst Park.

MATCH REPORT: Crystal Palace (3-1) Chelsea

Available to UK users only.

From Texas to New England, the monster storm brings hazardous conditions, prompting warnings to stay off roads.

Nearly a million customers across the United States are without electricity and more than 10,000 flights have been cancelled as a monster winter storm threatens to paralyse a large part of the country with heavy snowfall and freezing rain.

The storm is forecast to sweep the eastern two-thirds ⁠of the nation on Sunday and into the week, plummeting temperatures to below freezing and causing “dangerous travel and infrastructure impacts” to linger for several days, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

As ​of 10:47 am EST (15:47 GMT) on Sunday, more than 850,000 customers were without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us, with ‍at least 290,000 in Tennessee and over 100,000 each in Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana. Other states affected included Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia and Alabama.

Heavy snow was forecast from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast, while “catastrophic ice accumulation” threatened from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

“It is a unique storm in the sense that it is so widespread,” said NWS meteorologist Allison Santorelli, adding that about 213 million people were under some sort of winter weather warning.

“It was affecting areas all the way from New Mexico, Texas, all the way into New England, so we are talking like a 2,000-mile [3,220km] spread.”

Calling the storm “historic”, US President Donald Trump on Saturday approved federal emergency disaster declarations as nearly 20 states and the District of Columbia declared weather emergencies.

“We will continue to monitor, and stay in touch with all States in the path of this storm. Stay Safe, and Stay Warm,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

More than 10,000 flights were cancelled on Sunday and another 8,000 have been delayed, according to the flight tracker FlightAware.com. Major US airlines warned passengers ⁠to stay alert for abrupt flight changes and cancellations.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency pre-positioned commodities, staff and search-and-rescue teams in numerous states, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, warning Americans to take precautions.

“It’s going to ‍be very, very ⁠cold. So we would encourage everybody to stock up on fuel, stock up on food, and we will get through this together,” Noem said. “We have utility crews that are working to restore that as quick as possible.”

The Department of Energy on Sunday issued ‌an emergency order to authorise grid operator PJM Interconnection to run “specified resources” in the mid-Atlantic region, regardless of limits due to state laws or environmental permits.

The NWS warned that heavy ice could cause “long-duration power outages, extensive tree damage, and extremely dangerous or impassable travel conditions”, including in many states less accustomed to intense winter weather.

Authorities warned of life-threatening cold that could last a week post-storm, especially in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, where wind chill lows were forecast to dip to extremes under -50F (-45C). Such temperatures can cause frostbite within minutes.

The massive storm system is the result of a stretched polar vortex, an Arctic region of cold, low-pressure air that normally forms a relatively compact, circular system but sometimes morphs into a more oval shape, sending cold air spilling across a large region, in this case, North America.

Scientists say the increasing frequency of such disruptions of the polar vortex may be linked to climate change.

City hold a nine-point lead over Chelsea with 27 left to play for. Having won 12 games in a row since an opening day defeat by Bompastor’s side, it seems unlikely they will lose three of their final nine outings.

Opponents are struggling to stop City from scoring, never mind take points off them.

City have scored in their past 27 WSL games, their longest scoring run in the competition, while this season they have scored an average of 2.7 goals per game (netting 36 in total).

Shaw has played a significant role on that front – with 13 league goals this term, the Jamaican looks a shoo-in to win the Golden Boot for a third straight season.

One criticism sometimes levelled at City is their reliance on Shaw. While there is no denying her importance in Jeglertz’s system, her team-mates are more than pulling their own weight.

Vivianne Miedema is the WSL’s all-time leading goalscorer, but this season is thriving in a withdrawn role at the tip of Shaw’s supporting cast.

It was her perfectly weighted pass that set up Kerolin to score the opener on Sunday; the Brazil winger has contributed three goals and three assists in her past five league appearances.

Now that their early-season injury spike is clearing up, City’s strength and quality in depth cannot be overstated.

Forwards Aoba Fujino and Mary Fowler are nearing returns from injury, while the bench on Sunday boasted Sydney Lohmann, Iman Beney, Grace Clinton and Sam Coffey.

The latter, a club record £600,000 signing, made her debut from the bench and took the corner that led to Shaw’s winner.

City did not play well in south-east London, but like all great champions they found a way to win.

“There’s something in their eyes, a determination that we will find ways [to win],” said Jeglertz.

“There is something in this group that even though it is not a beautiful game, we still find ways to win, to keep on going.

“I am very happy and proud of this winning mentality in the group.”

The Studio is a fun and hilarious series that was released last year, and even though it is full of some of Hollywood’s best and most famous celebrities, it made my toes curl

After hearing how The Studio took home an astounding 13 Emmys awards, the record for any comedy series in a single season, I knew I had to give it a chance.

Both me and my partner work in journalism, so there are times when we often prefer to watch something light or funny to unwind and forget about how crazy the world can be.

We’re huge fans of Apple TV, and I can honestly say we have never watched an awful series on the platform. The original content is second to none, and whenever I want to start watching something new, I often choose the platform over Netflix, Disney and Amazon Prime.

I really like Seth Rogan and the films and shows he has been in, so seeing he was directing, producing and starring in The Studio – I immediately knew it was going to be something I liked.

For those who haven’t heard of The Studio, it sees Seth Rogan’s character, Matt Remick, get appointed as the new head of Continental Studios, a film production company.

Matt is desperate for celebrity approval, but he and his executive team have to juggle corporate demands with creative ambitions as they try to keep film alive and relevant.

The first episode sees the introduction of some very famous faces, including Catherine O’Hara, Kathryn Hahn and Bryan Cranston. Bryan by the way pays an absolute blinder in the series, I know why he agreed to play the role, but god is his character a mess in the last episode.

It really shows a different side to him from being a super serious and harsh character in Breaking Bad.

The fast-paced show sees Matt trying to fit mould in the new role he has been given, but falling at almost every hurdle. The show is hilarious, witty, but there was one thing that I found absolutely toe curling.

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I don’t know if it’s me just being a Brit with a stiff upper lip, but I found it so awkward and hard to watch Seth Rogan’s character be so insecure, to the point where it was creating disaster after disaster.

One specific episode springs to mind when I talk about this, and it’s the film production at the mansion featuring Greta Lee as herself. Seeing how Matt Remick’s need for validation just completely took over him left me squirming in my seat saying “no, no no”.

Not to get too deep here, but whether that was so difficult to watch due to my own insecurities is something I’ll maybe have to ask a therapist.

Other than that, I did really enjoy the series, especially as it shines a light on an issue many film companies, directors and actors are currently facing, choosing between commercial films and art.

Just about every industry in the world is dictated by money, meaning people sometimes make choices they don’t want to make. The end of the series made me want to look at what is appearing in the cinema and make time to go, which I guess is the point…. right?

The Studio has been renewed for a second season, with the first being available to stream now on Apple TV

The last time I hosted my out-of-town family at Disneyland was in 2023.

That year, two young cousins and their parents were excited to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which had opened a couple of years earlier.

My cousins grew up on Star Wars films (their parents had some familiarity) and knew who they wanted to see: Darth Vader, Yoda, Chewbacca and Luke Skywalker.

So they were surprised to notice that the two biggest rides, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, centered around what they considered to be lesser Star Wars characters.

Instead of Darth Vader, universally regarded as one of the most famous villains in film, Kylo Ren was much more visible, as was Episode One bad guy Darth Maul walking around for photos throughout the Black Spire Outpost. There was more Rey, the heroine, from recent Star Wars films and less Han Solo.

My relatives snapped their photos, rode the attractions and still enjoyed their time. But to them, the trip is one remembered as being slightly incomplete.

Apparently, someone at Disneyland agrees that more Vader is better.

The park recently confirmed a shift in philosophy, and the land will no longer “be primarily set in the time period of the recent ‘Star Wars’ sequels,” according to my colleague Todd Martens.

Martens noted the park soon will include more of Darth Vader and the other classic characters on which the franchise was built.

Let’s take a look at some of his reporting.

What the changes will look like

Modern villain Ren, played in the movies by Adam Driver, will be out, at least as a walk-around character, while so-called “classic” characters such as Vader, Solo, Luke Skywalker, Solo and Princess Leia Organa will head into the fictional galactic town of Black Spire Outpost.

The changes, for now, are specific to Disneyland and not planned for the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

A different vision for the park

The adjustment also marks a significant tweak from the intent of the land, which was designed as an active, play-focused area that broke free from traditional theme park trappings — character meet-and-greets, passive rides and Mickey-shaped balloons.

Instead of music, guests heard radio broadcasts and chatter, as the goal was to make Black Spire Outpost feel rugged and lived-in.

It was to be a place of living theater, where events unfolded in real time. That tone will now shift, and while the in-land radio broadcasts won’t go away, Disneyland will soon pipe in composer John Williams’ “Star Wars” orchestrations throughout the area as well.

The changes are set to fully take effect April 29, although Disney has stated some tweaks may roll out earlier.

What is Disney saying

A reworking of the land to incorporate the franchise’s classic (and arguably more popular) characters feels in some part an acknowledgment that park visitors likely crave familiarity over ongoing narratives designed to play make-believe. Or at least it’s an acknowledgment that such a direction is easier to maintain.

“Since the very inception of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, we really always imagined it as a platform for storytelling,” said Asa Kalama, a creative executive with Walt Disney Imagineering, the company’s arm devoted to theme park experiences, at the media briefing. “That’s part of the reason we designed this neutral Wild West space town because it allowed it to be a framework in which we could project different stories.”

Kalama pointed to next year being the 50th anniversary of the initial “Star Wars” movie, since renamed “Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope,” and this May’s theatrical release “The Mandalorian & Grogu” as to why this is an opportune time to shift the direction of the land. To coincide with the release of the latter, the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction will receive a new mission May 22, meaning the land’s two rides will soon be set in different “Star Wars” time frames.

There’s much more to absorb from Martens’ article. Check out the full version here.

The week’s biggest stories

(Brandon Bell / Getty Images)

ICE shooting in Minnesota

Rams battle Seattle for trip to Super Bowl

Crime, court and policing

Glendale firefighter arrested for killing wife

Sundance Film Festival and entertainment news

What else is going on

Must reads

Other meaty reads

For your downtime

(Illustrations by Lindsey Made This; photograph by Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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Medical sources in Gaza City say at least one person has been killed and 15 wounded throughout the day in Israeli attacks.

United States envoy Steve Witkoff says he and his colleague Jared Kushner have held “constructive” talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as Israel continues its deadly bombardment of the besieged Gaza Strip.

In a short statement on Sunday, Witkoff said the “positive” discussion focused on “the continued progress and implementation planning for Phase 2 of President Trump’s 20-Point Plan for Gaza”, which the US and Israel are advancing in “close partnership”.

Witkoff added “broader regional issues” were also discussed in the meeting on Saturday, a likely reference to heightened tensions between the US and Iran and speculation that Washington and Tel Aviv may still yet attack Iran as they did during the 12-day June war against Tehran.

Israel, in the meantime, continues bombarding Gaza despite agreeing to a ceasefire in its genocidal war, committing near-daily violations of the October 10 agreement brokered by the US.

Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said the sounds of Israeli gunfire and shelling coming from the eastern part of the Gaza Strip were almost non-stop on Sunday.

Medical sources at al-Shifa Hospital in the city said at least one person had been killed and 15 wounded throughout the day, Mahmoud added.

Further north, local sources in Jabalia refugee camp reported a drone attack on a medical facility that is located next to the so-called yellow line that separates Israeli- and Palestinian-controlled zones. Israeli military vehicles also unleashed heavy fire east of Jabalia and fired artillery shells in various areas of the town.

The extent of possible casualties was not immediately clear. “It’s a very difficult situation right now, and it’s unsafe for paramedics and Palestinian Civil Defence crew members to reach the area,” Mahmoud said.

At least 484 Palestinians have been killed and 1,321 others wounded in Israeli attacks since October 11, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza. Israeli attacks have killed 71,657 people and wounded 171,399 others in Gaza since October 7, 2023, the ministry says.

Rafah reopening sparks hope, fear

Amid the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, the enclave’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt is expected to reopen in the coming days in both directions, the head of Gaza’s technocratic committee Ali Shaath said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday.

“Opening Rafah signals that Gaza is no longer ‌closed to the future and to ⁠the war,” Shaath said.

The reopening of Rafah would mark the fulfillment of a key tenet of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan, which called for allowing people to flow through Gaza’s main gateway to the outside world in both directions.

Ahmed al-JoJo, a Palestinian living in Gaza, has spent more than a year separated from his fiancee after she crossed into Egypt – unknowingly departing just days before the checkpoint closed indefinitely.

“I lived through all the stages that followed her departure – alone without her, and without any motivation for life,” he told Al Jazeera.

Opening the crossing “would be a solution, but only a partial one”, he noted.

“This is the impact of the war, and what it has done to us,” al-Jojo said. “It’s separated us. The first step is for me to leave through the crossing.”

But Palestinians have previously waited out rumours of reopenings that never came to fruition. There is also widespread suspicion that Israel will use Rafah as a one-way exit that will aid in ethnic cleansing.

Israeli officials, for their part, have insisted that the full reopening be conditioned on the return of the one remaining deceased captive, as well as the disarmament of Hamas.

United States President Donald Trump realises “the rules-based international order” never existed, and he’s “willing to turn his back on that”, former Trump administration official Christian Whiton argues.

Whiton tells Steve Clemons that US foreign policy remained fairly consistent over the past 80 years while Trump is happy to upset “the globalists and the establishment unity party in Washington – Republican and Democrat – and all the generals”.

In Europe, the US would like to see more populist, anti-immigration governments, Whiton said, adding that Western societies should “cast aside” the idea that they are “inherently racist, a patriarchy [with] … a racist, imperialist history”.

BBC broadcasting legend Sir Mark Tully has died aged 90.

The veteran journalist, who spent 30 years at the Beeb, was hailed as a “towering voice of journalism” by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Posting a tribute on X, the Indian PM said: “Saddened by the passing of Sir Mark Tully, a towering voice of journalism.

“His connect with India and the people of our nation was reflected in his works.

“His reporting and insights have left an enduring mark on public discourse. Condolences to his family, friends and many admirers.”

Sir Mark was born in India in 1935 and later moved to England at the age of nine.

After studying history and theology at Cambridge, he first started working for the BBC in the 1960s.

He returned to India in 1965 to work as an administrative assistant at the broadcaster, before taking on a reporting role.

Sir Mark went on to lead reporting for India and the whole South Asian region.

Some of his famous coverage included included military rule in Pakistan, Tamil Tigers’ rebellion in Sri Lanka and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Almost three decades later, in 1994, Sir Mark resigned from the BBC.

He later became the voice of BBC Radio 4 programme Something Understood, which explored religion and spirituality.

And he went on to slam the broadcaster for the decision to scrap it in 2019, accusing the company of “underestimating the asset”.

Mohit Bakaya, controller at BBC Radio 4 and director of BBC Speech audio, said Sir Mark “embodied the spirit” of the station.

He added: “He was known to the Radio 4 audience for his reflective, spiritually inspired essays on Something Understood.

“His broadcasts were never about certainty or instruction; they were about curiosity, compassion and making space for complexity.

“Sir Mark embodied the spirit of Radio 4 at its best; thoughtful, generous and searching.

“His voice will be greatly missed by colleagues and listeners alike.”

He was knighted in 2002 by King Charles III, then-Prince of Wales, at Buckingham Palace.

Jonathan Munro, interim chief executive of BBC News and current affairs, said Sir Mark was “a joy to speak with”.

In a statement, he said “We are sad to hear the passing of Sir Mark Tully.

“As one of the pioneers of foreign correspondents, Sir Mark opened India to the world through his reporting…

“…bringing the vibrancy and diversity of the country to audiences in the UK and around the world.

“His public service commitments and dedication to journalism saw him work as a bureau chief in Delhi, and report for outlets across the BBC.

“Widely respected in both India and the UK, he was a joy to speak with and will be greatly missed.”

American Patrick Reed shot a level-par 72 in his final round to ease to a four-shot victory in the Dubai Desert Classic.

The 35-year-old LIV golfer finished the tournament at 14 under par to claim what was his first Rolex Series victory on the DP World Tour.

Reed, the Masters champion in 2018, started the final round with a four-shot lead over Spaniard and fellow LIV player David Puig, an advantage he maintained in the early going despite not making a birdie across the front nine.

Puig birdied the eighth and ninth to briefly cut into his playing partner’s lead, before both birdied the 10th and bogeyed the 11th.

When the Spaniard bogeyed the 13th, and Reed made his second birdie of the day on the same hole, it was a straightforward finish to the tournament for the former world number six.

“I couldn’t really get anything going on the front nine, it was a bit of a grind today,” Reed told Sky Sports.

“Instead of putting the foot on the gas early, I was just trying to protect that four-shot lead. I didn’t think I hit it that badly, I just couldn’t get anything close.

“When you’re trying to protect, sometimes instead of looking at flags, you’re looking away and then you misjudge the wind and all of a sudden you’re 50 feet away. That’s kind of what happened.”

The United States no longer views China as a top security priority, according to the Pentagon’s 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS), as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to focus on the Western Hemisphere in a break from a decade of foreign policy that saw Beijing as the biggest threat to US security and economic interests.

The strategy document says US allies and partners such as South Korea “must shoulder their fair share of the burden of our collective defense”. This is in line with Trump’s rhetoric calling on US allies in Europe and the Asia Pacific to step up and boost their defences to counter security threats from Russia and North Korea.

Released late on Friday, the 34-page Department of Defense blueprint comes weeks after the announcement of Trump’s National Security Strategy, which seeks to “restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere” by reinforcing the Monroe Doctrine, a 19th-century US policy opposed to European colonisation and interference in the Americas.

So what’s new in the NDS? And how will it impact US allies in the Asia Pacific?

What’s in Trump’s National Defense Strategy?

The major shift in the NDS lies in the shifting approach of the US Defense Department, which considers security of the “homeland and Western Hemisphere” its primary concern.

The document noted that the US military would be guided by four central priorities: defend the homeland, push allies around the world away from reliance on the US military, strengthen defence industrial bases and deter China as opposed to a policy of containment.

The Pentagon document said relations with China will now be approached through “strength, not confrontation”.

“It is neither America’s duty nor in our nation’s interest to act everywhere on our own, nor will we make up for allied security shortfalls from their leaders’ own irresponsible choices,” the document said.

Instead, the US would prioritise “threats to Americans’ interests”, it said.

The Pentagon said it would provide “military and commercial access” to key locations, such as Greenland, and construct the president’s “Golden Dome” missile defence system for North America.

Trump’s threat to take over Greenland has roiled transatlantic ties while the US abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3 has sent shockwaves across the world and raised questions about the undermining of international law. Trump has justified US actions in Venezuela as necessary to secure US security and economic interests.

The unclassified version of the NDS, which is released every four years, is uncharacteristically laden with photos of the defence secretary and president and repeatedly targets the administration of former President Joe Biden.

Under Biden, the Pentagon described “revisionist powers” like China and Russia as the “central challenge” to US security.

The NDS followed the release in December of the National Security Strategy, which argued that Europe is facing civilisational collapse and did not cast Russia as a threat to US interests.

The NDS noted that Germany’s economy dwarfs Russia’s, arguing that, therefore, Washington’s NATO allies are “strongly positioned to take primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense, with critical but more limited US support”.

The strategy blueprint noted that this includes taking the lead in supporting Ukraine’s defence.

The document also addressed the question of Iran, repeating the US position that Tehran cannot develop nuclear weapons. It also described Israel as a “model ally”. “And we have an opportunity now to further empower it to defend itself and promote our shared interests, building on President Trump’s historic efforts to secure peace in the Middle East,” it said.

What’s the impact on US allies?

First, Europe is pushed further down on Washington’s list of priorities and has been told to shoulder more responsibility for its own defence. Many NATO allies had already increased their defence spending and offered to provide security guarantees to Ukraine against Russian threats.

For South Korea and Japan, the US Defense Department recognised the “direct military threat” from North Korea, led by Kim Jong Un, and noted that Pyongyang’s “nuclear forces are increasingly capable of threatening the US Homeland”.

About 28,500 US soldiers are stationed in South Korea as part of a defence treaty to deter the North Korean military threat. Seoul has raised its defence budget by 7.5 percent for this year after pressure from Trump to share more of the defence burden.

The NDS noted that South Korea “is capable of taking primary responsibility for deterring North Korea, with critical but more limited US support”, which could result in a reduction of US forces on the Korean Peninsula. “This shift in the balance of responsibility is consistent with America’s interest in updating US force posture on the Korean Peninsula,” the document said.

Harsh Pant, a geopolitical analyst based in New Delhi, said the defence strategy is line with the Trump administration’s push to get allies to take control of their own security.

“The Trump administration has been advocating that the relationship that they see now in terms of security cooperation with their allies is one where allies will have to bear a heavier burden and pay their share,” Pant told Al Jazeera.

“America’s allies in the Indo-Pacific will have to be much more cognisant of their own role in shaping the regional security architecture. America will be there, and it will continue to have an overarching presence, but it won’t foot the bill in ways that it has done in the past,” said Pant, who is the vice president of the Observer Research Foundation think tank.

North Korea routinely criticises the US military presence in South Korea and their joint military drills, which the allies say are defensive but which Pyongyang calls dress rehearsals for an invasion.

Seoul’s Ministry of National Defence said on Saturday that the US forces based in the country are the “core” of the alliance, adding: “We will be cooperating closely with the US to continue developing it in that direction.”

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said: “It is inconceivable that South Korea – which spends 1.4 times North Korea’s gross domestic product on defence and possesses the world’s fifth largest military – cannot defend itself. Self-reliant national defence is the most fundamental principle amid an increasingly unstable international environment.”

Lee made the comments after visiting China this month in an effort to improve ties with the country, which is Seoul’s largest economic partner, its top destination for exports and a primary source of its imports. Seoul wants to cultivate better ties with Beijing, which wields influence over North Korea and its leader.

What about Taiwan?

When the previous NDS was unveiled under Biden in 2022, it said the most comprehensive and serious challenge to US national security was China’s “coercive and increasingly aggressive endeavor to refashion the Indo-Pacific region and the international system to suit its interests and authoritarian preferences”. A part of that strategy, Washington said at the time, was Beijing’s ambitions concerning Taiwan.

The Pentagon said four years ago that it “will support Taiwan’s asymmetric self-defense commensurate with the evolving [Chinese] threat and consistent with our one China policy”.

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has threatened to take it by force if necessary. In a New Year’s address, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to achieve the “reunification” of China and Taiwan, calling Beijing’s long-held goal “unstoppable”. Chinese forces have carried out wargames in the Taiwan Strait, which separates the two.

In this year’s NDS, the US Defense Department does not mention Taiwan by name.

“The American people’s security, freedom, and prosperity are …  directly linked to our ability to trade and engage from a position of strength in the Indo-Pacific,” the document said, adding that the Defense Department would “maintain a favourable balance of military power in the Indo-Pacific”, which it called “the world’s economic center of gravity”, to deter Chinese threats.

It said the US does not seek to dominate, humiliate or strangle China but “to ensure that neither China nor anyone else can dominate us or our allies”. Instead, the US wants “a decent peace, on terms favourable to Americans but that China can also accept and live under”, the blueprint said, adding that, therefore, the US would deter China by “strength, not confrontation”.

“We will erect a strong denial defense along the First Island Chain (FIC),” the NDS said, referring to the first chain of islands off the East Asian coast. “We will also urge and enable key regional allies and partners to do more for our collective defense.”

Pant said it would be a mistake on the part of China “to read this as America leaving its allies”. He added that “there is an undercurrent [in Trump’s foreign policy] of how America wants to see a stable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific where China is not the dominant force.”

“And I think, therefore, for China, if it reads this as a weakening of American commitment to its allies, that would not really be in consonance with the spirit of this defence strategy.”

Deadly Israeli air strikes target areas across south Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley amid simmering regional tensions.

Israel has launched a wave of air strikes across Lebanon, killing two people, in another near-daily violation of the November 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah.

Israeli attacks targeted areas in the eastern Bekaa Valley and several villages in south Lebanon, including Bouslaiya and Aita al-Shaab, the National News Agency (NNA) reported on Sunday.

A strike on a warehouse in Khirbet Selm in the Bint Jbeil district killed at least one person and injured another, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said.

The Israeli military said the attack targeted a Hezbollah “weapons manufacturing site”, without providing evidence.

NNA reported that another person was killed in a separate strike in Derdghaya, east of the southern coastal city of Tyre. Several Lebanese news outlets identified the victim as Mohammed al-Hussayni, a school teacher.

The attacks come amid fears of a major Israeli assault to disarm Hezbollah amid simmering regional tensions and possible strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, the Lebanese group’s top ally.

The Lebanese government said earlier this month that it completed the stage of removing the group’s weapons south of the Litani River, 28km (17 miles) from the Israeli border.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues to occupy five points within Lebanese territory.

The Israeli army has also levelled several villages along the borders and blocked their reconstruction, preventing their residents from returning.

In August of last year, the Lebanese government issued a decree tasking the army with formulating a plan to disarm Hezbollah.

But the group has refused to give up its weapons north of Litani, arguing that its military force is necessary to resist Israeli attacks, occupation and expansionism.

Lebanese officials have vowed to push on with a multi-phased plan to disarm the group across the country. The next stage of disarmament will target the region between the Litani River and the Awali River, about 40 km (25 miles) to the north.

Hezbollah has been severely weakened by Israel’s all-out assault against Lebanon in 2024, which killed most of the group’s top political and military leaders, including its chief Hassan Nasrallah.

Since the end of the war, Lebanon has been forced to accept a de facto one-sided ceasefire, where Israel attacks the country almost daily without any response from the Lebanese side.

Hezbollah has been calling on the Lebanese government to intensify its diplomacy and press the sponsors of the ceasefire – the US and France – to pressure Israel to stop its violations.

He’s known for raising temperatures on risque period drama Bridgerton and as it returns for a fourth season, Jonathan Bailey lifts the lid on those raunchy sex scenes

Bridgerton heartthrob Jonathan Bailey has spilled on the show’s infamous sex scenes, saying he finds it “hard not to laugh” while filming them. The saucy period drama returns at the end of this month for its fourth season, with Bailey reprising his role as Anthony Bridgerton.

He said: “I know the sex scenes have been a hot topic, but as a cast we get more excited by other scenes which require in-depth emotions.

“I know the sex scenes look glamorous, but on set with cameras, tens of people, intimacy coordinators and everything else – it actually feels a bit silly and it’s incredibly hard not to laugh.”

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The 37 year old has had his fair share of on-screen romps – his first just three minutes into Bridgerton’s first ever episode – but he’s keen to make sure there’s always a reason behind the steam. “I’m not a fan of, ‘Lets get our kit off because we have a scene to film,’” he explained. “It’s got to mean something.”

The next season of the show – the first part landing on Netflix January 29 – focuses on Anthony’s younger brother Benedict (Luke Thompson) who falls for maid Sophie (Yerin Ha) after meeting at a masquerade ball in a fairytale storyline resembling Cinderella. “It isn’t a slow start,” Bailey revealed. “I can’t wait for fans to see the first episode – it really starts off with a bang.”

As well as his part in the runaway success of Bridgerton, it’s fair to say Jonathan is having a bit of a moment. Last year he followed in the footsteps of Idris Elba and David Beckham to become People’s Sexiest Man Alive – something he finds “hilarious.” “But at the same time very flattering,” the Oxfordshire born actor added. “I mean who wouldn’t be flattered?”

His win came off the back of his stellar performances in Hollywood blockbusters Jurassic World Rebirth and the Wicked franchise. The second instalment of the latter, ‘Wicked For Good’, may have received mixed reviews and been snubbed in the latest Oscars noms, but it certainly sky-rocketed Bailey to worldwide fame.

“It was a dream role, and an experience I will never forget,” he said of the film. “We all had the best time, and even though it’s over, I am eternally grateful that, in Ariana [Grande] and Cynthia [Erivo], I have made friends for life.”

In his personal life, the fiercely private actor revealed in 2023 he was dating a “lovely man”, but his current relationship status is unknown. Offering an insight into his life away from the cameras, he did say he keeps “grounded” by his six nieces and nephews.

“When I get to do what the world views as ‘normal things’ like read them a story or build Lego with them – I don’t think they have any idea how happy they make me.”

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PARENTS could be putting themselves at risk of being questioned by social services, or even the police, if they let their children go on holiday alone.

Deciding when your kids are old enough to go off and do things on their own is a tough call – and it won’t always be popular with other parents either.

TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp found this out back in 2024 after revealing that her 15-year-old son, Oscar, had gone Interrailing without adult supervision.

The property show host was visited by a social worker from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), after she mentioned her decision on social media.

Allsopp said that it had been “a huge shock” and that she had been questioned about “what safeguards were in place” for her son’s trip.

For parents hoping to avoid ending up in a similar position, there are some rules they need to follow, although generally speaking, it is more or less up to them to decide when their child is old enough.

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The UK government website states that legally, when it comes to leaving children unsupervised, there is no specific age limit.

However, it is an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) advises that children under 12 are rarely mature enough to be left alone and that children under 16 should not be left alone overnight.

However, this is only advice and, legally, parents can only be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised “in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health“.

When it comes to travelling, the rules depend on which company your child is due to be travelling with, with different rules applying to different airlines or train operators, many of whom will offer “unaccompanied minor” services.

The UK government advises that parents will often have to book a separate ticket for this service, and will also have to fill out extra
paperwork.

They will need to provide airlines with information about the child, their parents/guardians and whoever is collecting the child at their destination.

Each airline will have their own age limits on which children can and cannot use this service, but this is generally available for kids up to 12 or 15, depending on the carrier. Parents should check before booking tickets.

Meanwhile, on the Eurostar, 12 to 15 years old can travel on their own between London and Paris, Lille or Brussels on trains departing between 6am and 5pm local time.

They must have a fully completed Eurostar unaccompanied minor form, which must be signed by their parent or legal guardian at the station in the presence of a member of the Eurostar team.

The parent or guardian must also ensure arrangements are in place for the young person to be met on arrival. 

Children under 16 cannot travel unaccompanied on direct trains between London and the Netherlands.

For Interrail tickets, children aged up to 11 must be accompanied at all times by at least one person with an Adult Pass. This doesn’t have to be a family member and can be anyone over 18.

The Interrail website also states that passengers under 18 “may have limitations in travelling alone using a pass”.

Each different country in Europe has its own rules for unaccompanied children, who may need extra documents signed by their parents or guardian, authorising them to travel.

There are no EU-wide rules on the matter, with each EU country deciding their own regulations, so parents should check the embassy of their child’s destination.

So, simply put, if you’re comfortable with it, your child is legally allowed to travel on their own aged 15, like Kirsty Allsopp’s.

However, transport companies and different countries will have different rules and guidelines, so it’s best to check what those rules are and what your responsibilities are as a parent or guardian.

As long as they’re not on their own “in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health” then you’re unlikely to be visited by the police or social services.

But it’s best to put some safeguarding measures in place, just to make sure you can do as much as you can to keep them safe from afar.

Meanwhile, there are also rules parents need to know if they’re travelling with their kids, if they don’t have the same surname.

And these confusing rules stopped a young child from boarding a plane for a family holiday.

Australian Jay Vine won the Tour Down Under – despite being knocked off his bike in a crash caused by a kangaroo.

Britain’s Matthew Brennan took the fifth and final stage of the race in Australia, on a day dominated by drama in the peloton.

The kangaroo ran across the road with under 100km of the race to go and launched itself into the peloton, knocking several riders to the ground before tumbling into more who were trying to avoid it.

Vine, having been knocked down, used a team-mate’s bike to claim the overall winner’s ochre jersey by one minute three seconds for UAE Team Emirates-XRG.

Visma-Lease A Bike rider Brennan beat New Zealand’s Finn Fisher-Black of Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe to the line for the stage victory after a powerful acceleration on the uphill sprint finish.

Brennan’s team-mate Menno Huising of the Netherlands was one of the riders forced to abandon the race, having been injured in the kangaroo incident.

Tobias Lund Andresen of Decathlon-CMA CGM took third on the 169.8km stage around the Stirling near Adelaide.

Switzerland’s Mauro Schmid of Jayco-AlUla was second overall and Australia’s Harry Sweeney third for EF Education-EasyPost.

Lund Andresen took the blue points jersey, with Norway’s Martin Urianstad Bugge winning the mint-green king of the mountains jersey for Uno X Mobility.

Brennan ranks highly among several young talented British riders competing on the UCI World Tour this year.

He won 12 races in his debut elite-level season in 2025.

The win caps a good week for British riders at the first World Tour race of the year following Ethan Vernon’s sprint victory on Saturday’s stage four for NSN – the new team co-owned by World Cup winner Andres Iniesta.

That stage had been shortened to account for temperatures of up to 43C.

UK road champion Sam Watson won the opening prologue of the race for Ineos Grenadiers.

Many of the riders will now take on the one-day Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Melbourne, with Brennan a strong favourite for victory.

Brennan is particularly powerful on rolling one-day courses, and is set to compete in several of the sport’s biggest races this year, including the one-day Milan-San Remo in March, as well as the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in April.

Follow the build-up, analysis and live text commentary of the game as Arsenal and Man United renew their rivalry.

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Celebrity Traitors champ says he doesn’t need a new man in his life because Amanda Holden is a perfect ‘partner’ – except for one crucial thing

Since his resounding triumph in the first series of Celebrity Traitors, Alan Carr has found himself somewhere close to the top of the showbiz A-list. He revealed that the “big streamers” have been in touch with offers of work, and he’s also becoming increasingly popular on social media, with close to two million followers.

But that doesn’t mean he’s turning his back on old friends. Alan remains very close to showbiz pal Amanda Holden. Discussing his plans for a 50th birthday party, he says he’s planning three events: one for family and friends, a second for industry contacts, and a final massive one for everybody else. “And I just know Amanda Holden is going to come to all three,” he told The Times.

While Alan’s single at present, he describes Amanda as his other half: “I don’t need a partner. She is my partner,” he says, before adding: “The sex is awful.”

Amanda was determined to find Alan a man, though, and helped him sign up to a dating app: “Amanda is an ally of the LGBTQI but even she was shocked because I think she thinks gay dating is like straight dating. She said, ‘Alan, they were asking for the length of your penis!’ She’s very worldly and very fun, Amanda. But in the world of gay dating she is a novice.”

Other potential guests at Alan’s “friends and family” party will almost certainly include Paloma Faith, who now appears to have forgiven him for having “murdered” her by stroking her face in a shocking Celebrity Traitors twist.

Alan says they’ve since reconciled, revealing on the Graham Norton Show: “I’ve seen her – it was very harsh and so grim killing her, but we are friends again now.”

Another close pal is platinum-selling artist Adele, who stayed in Alan’s spare room after an emotional break-up. Alan revealed that she “hibernated” in the room for so long that he thought she might have died: “Although she had purged her feelings in 21 she was still cut up about her ex and completely inconsolable.”

Writing in his book, Alanatomy, Alan recalled that he started to get a little worried after he and then-partner Paul Drayton hadn’t seen her for a few days. When Paul suggested knocking on the spare room door to check if she was OK, Alan replied: “‘I daren’t. What if she’s dead? We looked at each other. Just out of interest, if the world’s biggest star dies in your house, does the price go up or down? I’m asking for a friend. Would we get a plaque? Could we turn it into a museum? Would we have busloads of Adele fans tying wreaths to our knocker?’”

Adele did eventually emerge, and went on to officiate at Alan and Paul’s wedding, staging the event at her Los Angeles home in January 2018.

Alan and Paul announced their separation in January 2022 after 13 years together and three years of marriage. They described the split as a “joint and amicable” decision, although reports at the time suggested that Paul’s struggles with alcohol were “the final straw.”

Which goes some way to explaining why Amanda is now trying to push her close friend – and newly-minted A-lister – back into the dating pool.

Howard and Trish Davidson have found a way to go on holiday together, despite a devastating diagnosis that has change both of their lives

A couple who feared they’d never go on holiday together again have found a way to keep travelling despite a life-changing diagnosis.

Howard Davidson can still play the clarinet perfectly. In fact, last November, the retired BBC composer delivered a moving rendition of the Last Post at the Remembrance Service close to his home in Keynsham, on the outskirts of Bristol.

But much else has changed for the 76-year-old since his diagnosis with dementia during the Covid lockdown. “I love him dearly, but we can’t have a conversation anymore. I’m his conversational prompt,” explained his wife Trish, also 76.

With a history of the condition in the family, Trish says she “knew he would be diagnosed” when he began forgetting certain things. Despite that, the former charity chief remains incredibly positive. “I know how important it is to keep that brain going. I know I’ve kept him younger than was expected,” Trish said.

One way they’ve done that is by continuing to travel together. Now, travelling as a couple alone is “hugely stressful”. “He gets very anxious now. I can’t do it on my own anymore,” Trish explained.

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What they can do, and have done every year since 2022, is head on assisted trips with Dementia Adventure. The firm offers fully supported holidays for people living with dementia and their loved ones.

“We tried it very early on, in 2022. Now we’re on our fourth trip. The first time, we went to the Isle of Wight. We met up with one of the minibuses. There were no refreshments on the train, but the staff got us coffee and tea (when we arrived). They said ‘you don’t do anything now’. And we didn’t do a thing (all holiday).”

On their first holiday, Trish and Howard were part of a group made up of four couples and four guides. Howard was accompanied by either a volunteer or paid member of staff, offering Trish some much-needed respite. “Howard could look at trees and photograph leaves, which he loves doing, and I could listen to the tour guide at Osborne House. It provides us both with respite. It’s relaxed. I don’t have to worry about him.”

“The person who runs Dementia Adventure used to run five-star hotels, so we’re always going somewhere fun, doing something unique. It also means I can talk to like-minded people and have fun.” So far, activities have included glass blowing, a pantomime, and a steam train ride.

The group stays in the same accommodation, with staff on hand 24/7. “If someone started wandering in the middle of the night, they’d be there. They do all the cooking, washing up, organise games and activities. But we all have our own ensuite bedrooms,” Trish continued.

A five-day break with Dementia Adventure costs around £2,000 per person, but the firm can sometimes subsidise trips for those unable to afford the full price. Thanks to the generosity of donors and Postcode Lottery players, approximately 80% of holidays are already part-subsidised and 2026 prices are lower than 2025.

“Without Dementia Adventure, we couldn’t go away as a couple on our own. It is too stressful for me. Every day I have to say where we are and why. But Dementia Adventure is so well organised, we have a complete itinerary, they put it on the wall and discuss what we’re doing the next day,” Trish said.

Holiday guests receive a complimentary photobook of their experience, creating a tangible memory that can be shared with family and friends – something that is particularly valuable given that people living with dementia may not retain detailed memories of events.

This year Dementia Adventure has 11 trips planned, including to the majestic peaks of the Lake District’s Derwentwater and Windermere, the charming villages of the Isle of Wight, the wide open beaches of Norfolk, the dramatic landscape of the Peak District, the picturesque villages of Somerset and Devon, the cosy country pubs and dramatic moors of North Yorkshire, Cornwall’s rugged coastlines, the heather-strewn fields of Fife and the peaceful landscapes of the Wye Valley.

Dementia Adventure’s Chief Executive, Fiona Petit, said: “We are the only organisation in the UK running supported holidays exclusively for people living with dementia. For many individuals living with dementia, holidays may seem out of reach, but with the right planning and support, they needn’t be. We specialise in creating joyful holidays that bring back the possibility of travel and adventure. The opportunity to relax and enjoy the great outdoors can be priceless.”