Sunday 21 December Dongzhi in Macau
In Chinese, Dongzhi (‘dongzhi’ in Mandarin and ‘dung zi’ in Cantonese) means ‘extreme of winter’ and the Dongzhi festival marks the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.
The winter solstice occurs when the earth is tilted at its maximum annual angle away from the sun creating the day with the shortest amount of daylight.
The solstice marked the middle of winter in many ancient cultures. Solstice literally means ‘the standing still of the sun’ as the sun appears to do just that on sunrise on the solstice before it rises ever so slightly south on the next day.
Noting the arrival of the shortest day, was a time for celebration. Of course, winter wouldn’t end for several months, but to know that you were past the middle and that the dark, cold nights would start to get shorter is an event that has been marked by feasts and rituals since the dawn of civilisation.
As long ago as the Zhou period (circa 1100BC-256BC), the Chinese were already observing the winter solstice as a state holiday.
This turning point of the year is an important aspect of Dongzhi with a traditional custom in parts of China being that on Dongzhi everyone turns one year older.
Certainly, the festival is a time to gather with your family and a common activity in southern China is the making and eating of a sweet soup containing balls of glutinous rice, called tangyuan. The spherical tangyuan, which can be stuffed with meat, some kind of sweet paste, or without filling, symbolise fullness and completeness.
In Hong Kong, tangyuan is almost always served as a dessert; the most popular fillings are sesame, red bean, or peanut paste. The clear syrup is sometimes flavoured with ginger or osmanthus flowers.
In Korea, a popular traditional food to eat on Dong-Ji is Patjuk, a red bean porridge. The custom is that the red colour of the porridge can ward off evil spirits and cure sickness.
Live like a Hobbit in this cosy glamping lodge that looks like it’s straight out of Tolkien’s world
FANTASY lovers can take a step down the hobbit hole this winter, as a new location invites guests inside to escape the icy winter weather.
A Tolkien-inspired holiday spot has opened for business north-west of Cambridge, with pods and lodges available for keen glampers.
Just outside of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, West Stow Pods offers a peaceful stay for those wishing to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
Emulating world-famous Hobbiton, the pods and lodges are equipped to service groups between two and six people.
Pods are fitted out with a kitchenette and appliances, as well as an en-suite, TV and bedroom area, and are slightly smaller than the lodges.
The lodges are bigger, with full kitchens and separate bedrooms, as well as living room space.
West Stow Pods is also pet friendly, allowing families to include their furry family members in holiday plans.
The glamping spot has been recognised as one of the best forest getaway spots in the UK.
Located next to King Forest, the options for hikes, bike rides and time in nature are endless.
Guests can also choose to spend the day in the local town, which is jam-packed with restaurants and shops to explore.
West Stow has priced rooms between £170 and £458 for two nights, depending on whether you choose a pod or a lodge.
Future guests can secure a spot by booking on the company’s website.
For holiday makers who are more keen of the seaside than the forest, the pretty seaside town of Saundersfoot has cosy pubs and award winning hotels.
The town sits between Tenby and Amroth in Pembrokeshire.
It’s home to around 3,000 residents and has a Blue Flag sandy beach, a picturesque harbour with cafes and shops, plenty of walking paths – but absolutely no rides.
And according to WalesOnline its “craggy coastline is amongst the most beautiful in the world and can be enjoyed year-round, especially in autumn”.
Someone on Tripadvisor described the village as a “winter wonderland” when the Christmas lights are up.
It’s a popular place for Atlantic grey seals and you can see them on boat trips – and you can see them all year round
Saundersfoot has previously been named one of the ‘best places to live by the sea in the UK 2024’ by The Sunday Times.
The Boat House at Saundersfoot is a 2025/26 Good Food Award winner – Gold Seal.
The family-run restaurant serves up meals from curries to pastas, surf and turf, steak, and burgers.
Gabriela Jaquez and UCLA women dominate in win over Long Beach State
UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close could not have imagined a better way for her team to wrap up nonconference play than Saturday afternoon’s 106-44 trouncing of Long Beach State at Pauley Pavilion.
Coming off Tuesday’s 115-28 triumph over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo — UCLA’s largest margin of victory during the NCAA era — the Bruins picked up where they left off, leading wire-to-wire for their fifth consecutive win since suffering their lone loss to Texas on Nov. 26.
“We’re growing … we had a couple of lapses today and we’re not there yet, but we’re heading in the right direction,” Close said. “I love the selflessness of this team.”
Senior guard Gabriela Jaquez led the way with 17 points and made five of six three-point shots. Angela Dugalic added 13 points while Gianna Kneepkens had 10 points and 10 rebounds. All 11 Bruins who played scored at least one basket.
UCLA forward Sienna Betts, top, and Long Beach State forward Kennan Ka dive for the ball during the Bruins’ win Saturday.
(Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)
Playing their last game in Westwood until Jan. 3, when they will host crosstown rival USC, the Bruins (11-1 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten) looked every bit like the No. 4 team in the country, improving to 6-0 at home. They are ranked fourth in both the Associated Press and coaches polls behind Connecticut, Texas and South Carolina.
“I’m really proud of our nonconference schedule. Not many local teams are willing to play us, so I want to compliment Long Beach State,” Close said. “Our starting guards [Charlisse Leger-Walker and Kiki Rice] combined for 17 assists and one turnover. We have depth and balance and that’s a great luxury to have.”
Jaquez scored nine of the Bruins’ first 12 points. She opened the scoring with a three-pointer from the top of the key and added triples on back-to-back possessions to increase the margin to eight points. Her fourth three-pointer, from the right corner, extended the lead to 21-5.
Sienna Betts’ jumper in the lane put UCLA up by 19 at the end of the first quarter. The sophomore finished with 14 points and senior Lauren Betts added 17. The sisters’ parents, Michelle and Andy, played volleyball and basketball, respectively, for Long Beach State. Sienna wears her mom’s No. 16 while Lauren dons her dad’s No. 51.
Rice’s steal and layup made it 46-18 with 3:28 left in the first half and Leger-Walker’s tip-in at the buzzer gave the Bruins a 34-point advantage at halftime. Rice had a complete game, contributing 15 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, four steals and one block.
The result continued the Bruins’ recent dominance against the Beach. UCLA has won six straight head-to-head meetings, including a 51-point blowout in the schools’ previous matchup last December, when Close became the all-time winningest coach in program history by earning her 297th victory to surpass Billie Moore (296-181). Long Beach State has not beaten the Bruins since 1987 under Joan Bonvicini, who posted a 16-1 record versus UCLA in her 12 seasons at the Beach from 1979 to 1991.
The Bruins’ primary focus on defense was slowing down sophomore guard JaQuoia Jones-Brown, who entered Saturday averaging 17.2 points per game. She scored 10 of the Beach’s 11 points in the first quarter but was held scoreless the rest of the way. She has scored in double figures in nine of 10 games. Guard Christy Reynoso added six points for Beach (0-10 overall, 0-2 in Big West).
The Bruins travel to Columbus on Dec. 28 to face No. 21 Ohio State (9-1).
4 dead, 11 injured in Taiwan knife attack | Crime
Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te has ordered sweeping security reforms after a knife and smoke grenade attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei. The suspect, Chang Wen, 27, set fires and struck multiple sites before dying from a fall.
Published On 20 Dec 2025
Funding Pakistan’s Stability: The World Bank’s $700 Million Commitment
NEWS BRIEF The World Bank has approved $700 million in financing for Pakistan’s economic stability, advancing a controversial multi-year program that could total $1.35 billion. The funding arrives as Pakistan grapples with deep structural issues, from fragmented regulation to political capture of resources, and faces growing regional opposition, with India reportedly poised to challenge further […]
The post Funding Pakistan’s Stability: The World Bank’s $700 Million Commitment appeared first on Modern Diplomacy.
Emmerdale star lost her ‘sense of identity’ after soap axe in sad scenes
Actress Roxy Shahidi’s final scenes aired earlier this year with fans heartbroken at the character’s exit, when she bid farewell to Leyla Harding after several years in the role
One Emmerdale star admits she lost her identity following her exit from the soap. Former Emmerdale actress Roxy Shahidi has spoken candidly about the emotional impact of leaving the ITV soap, admitting she struggled with her sense of identity after her character was written out.
Roxy played Leyla Harding, a long-standing and much-loved character on the show, first appearing in 2008 before returning full-time in 2013. After more than a decade on screen, Leyla met a tragic end earlier this year in dramatic scenes that saw several characters plunged into icy water following a limousine crash.
Although Leyla initially survived the accident, viewers later learned she died in an ambulance before reaching hospital, marking the end of Roxy’s 17-year journey on the soap.
Nearly a year on from leaving Emmerdale, Roxy has reflected on the transition and how it affected her personally. In an emotional Instagram post, she admitted stepping away from the role was far more challenging than she anticipated.
“This time last year, I was coming to terms with having to leave this lot behind. Not just colleagues, but friends and family,” she wrote.
She went on to explain how deeply intertwined her character had become with her own sense of self, adding:
“Playing Layla wasn’t just a job; she was a huge part of my identity, and some days I spent more time being her than being myself.
“Losing that sense of identity was hard, but long walks with Mr Cooper [her pet cockapoo] gave me space to breathe, reflect and stay hopeful.”
Since leaving the soap, Roxy has shifted her focus towards wellbeing and has been teaching yoga online. She revealed the practice helped her process the emotional fallout of the change.
“Yoga once again became my anchor on the hardest days, moving my body helped me move through grief, loss and uncertainty,” she continued.
Adding that her yoga platform has helped her build a new chapter in her life, she went on: “Now YogaRox has grown into a new home, a new family, and a new sense of self.
“I don’t know exactly how I’ll get there, but I know where I’m going. Thank you to everyone who’s supported me through a year of challenge, growth, and transformation; here’s to 2026.”
Her post was quickly flooded with supportive messages, including from former Emmerdale co-stars. Laura Norton, who plays Kerry Wyatt, commented: “You’re amazing. You are very missed. Sky is the limit.”
Fellow soap stars Claire Sweeney, Isobel Hodgins and Ross Adams also shared messages of love.
Fans echoed the sentiment, with one writing: “You are still so missed by us Emmerdale fans. But you are smashing it now with your new projects, you are amazing!! Xx”
Another added: “I miss seeing you shine on my screen every night but being able to see you absolutely smashing the yoga is everything, heres to an amazing 2026 and I hope the new year brings you nothing but happiness and big achievements.”
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From cosying up in idyllic rural retreat to foodies’ delight
HAS party season left you craving some one-on-one time?
Book a dreamy couples’ getaway.
The Challoners, East Sussex
Deputy Editor Gayle Schoales, husband Nick and their Jack Russell Dixie cosied up in an idyllic rural retreat.
THE PAD
It’s hard to imagine a more romantic setting than The Challoners: two timber-clad cabins in a lush walled garden festooned with fairy lights, buried deep in the rolling fields of the East Sussex Weald.
Beautifully decorated and stocked with everything you could think of (from torch to telescope), this adults-only, dog-friendly bolt-hole is brimming with rustic-chic charm.
The shepherd’s hut sleeping quarters – with roll-top bath and luxe bedlinen – is more boutique hotel than glamping spot, while the second hut has a fully equipped kitchen, the comfiest of corner sofas and separate shower room.
Both huts have underfloor heating to keep you toasty in colder months, plus there’s a firepit in the garden for stargazing.
EXPLORE
You’re in 1066 country – where the Battle of Hastings was fought – so there’s no shortage of history around these parts, and 14th-century Bodiam Castle, three miles away, is well worth a visit.
Climb the battlements and spot medieval graffiti before posing by the moat for the perfect Insta shot.
Adult entry costs £12 (Nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/bodiam-castle).
Eleven miles away, the pretty market town of Tenterden has a tree-lined high street full of independent shops and tea rooms – pick up hand-crafted toffee-cream vodka for £26 in the kitsch Mr Taylor’s Drinks Emporium, and quirky art and beauty bits from local creatives in Ethel Loves Me (Ethelloves.me).
Fancy a ramble?
You’re spoiled for choice, but the stunning Bedgebury National Pinetum And Forest, seven miles away, is hard to beat.
Entry is free (Forestryengland.uk/bedgebury).
REFUEL
Country pub of dreams the Salehurst Halt is a leisurely 25-minute stroll across the fields, with a buzzy atmosphere, live music on weekends and top-notch seasonal grub.
We loved the corn and manchego hash browns, £8, and The Double Buck burger with two venison patties, brie, blackberry hoisin and caramelised onion, £19 (Salehursthalt.co.uk).
Sunday lunch at The Abbey Hotel in the nearby town of Battle is a local institution – and for good reason.
Our thyme-roasted beef with all the trimmings was the stuff of legend, £21, while a Dixie-approved doggy roast is £5 (Abbeyhotelbattle.co.uk).
Afterwards, take a 30-minute drive to Rye’s medieval cobbled lanes to browse the boutiques and customise your dream hot chocolate at Knoops.
The 70% cocoa blend with orange, cinnamon and whipped cream will blow your mind, £6.50 (Knoops.com).
DON’T MISS
Chug your way back in time on the Kent And East Sussex Railway’s lovingly restored steam train, which runs between Tenterden and Bodiam.
Adult tickets cost £29.50 (Kesr.org.uk).
BOOK IT
Stays for two at pet-friendly The Challoners, Robertsbridge, cost from £119 per night (Cottages.com).
The Terrace Rooms & Wine, Ventnor
Assistant Editor Claire Frost and her partner Steve found a foodies’ delight on the Isle of Wight.
THE PAD
Husband and wife team Tom and Ashley have created a sea-view haven that might be even better in the off-season, thanks to its cosy lounge where you can curl up with a book and house pooch Ronnie.
The six individually designed bedrooms all feature a wine fridge and a decor of soft greens, dusty pinks and wood panelling, plus super-king Hypnos beds and La-Eva toiletries.
Every evening, sommelier Tom leads a super-interesting tasting where you can learn about some of the 900-plus bottles lining the walls of the wine room.
Later, sip your fave, along with a cheese and meat platter, £12, in front of the fire.
Come morning, breakfast is a four-course (and super-pretty) affair including poached fruit topped with yoghurt and home-made salted coconut granola, and local MasterChef-worthy egg, bacon, tomato and mushroom.
EXPLORE
With the shingle beach just across the road, you can stroll along the coast on a 20-minute amble to the cute village of Bonchurch and pop into tiny Bonchurch Pottery for a unique mug, £14.95.
Or hire an ebike from Route Fifty 7 through The Terrace for £25 a day, and speed your way up and down the isle’s hills, stopping at the awe-inspiring 22-acre Botanic Gardens.
Entry costs £13.50 (Botanic.co.uk).
Later, reward yourself with a Winter Warmer session at Slo-mo, 30 minutes’ drive away at Tapnell Farm.
Sweat it out in the wood-fired Nordic sauna, before a bracing dip in the lake.
Recover (and warm up again!) in the hot tubs and “floating” sauna.
Hour sessions cost £15 (Slomo.me/slomo-tapnell-winter-warmer).
REFUEL
Pop into London House bakery for pillowy chocolate and strawberry muffins, plus to-die-for sausage rolls, both £3.50.
For dinner, make a beeline for Pan-Asian Smoking Lobster and its insanely good glazed yellowfin tuna, £15, char-siu Iberico pork, £14, and moreish peanut noodles, £6 (Smoking-lobster.co.uk).
Or try Stripped for a Med-inspired menu that includes a huge sharing platter, £54, piled high with chicken skewers, lamb kebabs and garlicky home-made Romanian sausages (Stripped-brasserie.co.uk).
The best thing? All are within easy walking distance of your room.
DON’T MISS
Stop by Harvey Browns farm shop en route to the ferry for delicious Briddlesford Farm cheese and Godshill Orchard chutneys (Harveybrowns.co.uk).
BOOK IT
Double rooms at The Terrace cost from £250 B&B, including wine tasting (Theterraceventnor.co.uk).
Ferry crossings with Wightlink from Portsmouth to Fishbourne cost from £81 per car (Wightlink.co.uk).
Premier League: Top and bottom at Christmas – what does it mean?
For many Arsenal fans, there will be a sense of deja vu. Leading the Premier League at Christmas before being eaten up by a relentless Pep Guardiola side is something the Gunners have got a little bit used to.
Seeing a seven-point lead over Manchester City cut to two in the space of five games won’t exactly fill them with confidence either.
“We’re back on top of the table but we’re not watching City too much, or the other teams,” said Bukayo Saka. “We’re in control now. We know if we win every week we’ll stay there.”
Arteta added: “The only thing we can control is our own performance and results and we know how long it’s going to be and how tough is this league. That’s it.”
Manchester City have obviously got history on their side. Guardiola has won the Premier League title six times, the Bundesliga three times with Bayern Munich and La Liga three times with Barcelona. Arteta has no league titles as a manager.
Guardiola’s squad are full of Premier League winners, players who know what it takes to end a campaign strong, while none of the Arsenal squad have won a Premier League – but have experienced losing leads over the past few seasons.
Why can’t this season be different though? Manchester City look far from the relentless side they have in previous seasons – and have already lost four games this campaign, compared to Arsenal‘s two losses.
“We will be there. If they follow me we will be there but we have to improve,” said Guardiola.
“I know the level in Europe, in the Premier League, I know Arsenal and the other teams and how tough they are. It is not enough.
“The spirit is there, last season we did not have the spirit or aggression or hunger – all the attributes they need. It is not about the highlights and how good the actions are, there is something that comes from inside where we will recover from the Club World Cup.”
City’s attack is flowing, having scored 10 more goals than Arsenal, but having also conceded six more – you feel the title race could be defined by whether City’s goals can outshine Arsenal‘s solidity.
U.S. seizes second oil tanker near Venezuela amid blockade
A U.S. military helicopter hovers over an oil tanker seized early Saturday morning in international waters near Venezuela. Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard
Dec. 20 (UPI) — The U.S. Coast Guard led another seizure of an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela on Saturday after President Donald Trump declared a blockade of Venezuela.
The U.S. Navy and other federal entities participated in the seizure of the oil tanker, which is not among those sanctioned by the federal government, the Wall Street Journal, CBS News and CNN reported.
Armed U.S. personnel on military helicopters descended onto the tanker’s deck during the early morning hours on Saturday and seized it, Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem said in a social media post.
No one aboard the oil tanker resisted, and the United States seized it for carrying sanctioned Venezuelan oil.
The seized tanker displayed a Panamanian flag and was carrying Venezuelan oil that it was to offload in Asia.
Much of Venezuela’s oil is shipped to China, which has privately owned teapot refineries that often buy and refine illicit oil from Venezuela, Iran and other sanctioned nations.
The president on Tuesday ordered a “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers as they enter or leave Venezuelan waters.
Saturday’s raid shows the blockade could affect any vessel that carries Venezuelan oil, as affirmed by Noem.
The United States on Wednesday seized a sanctioned oil tanker after it departed a Venezuelan port and diverted it to Texas, where Trump said the United States could keep the oil in its hold.
That tanker, The Skipper, was flying the flag of Venezuela’s neighbor, Guyana, officials for which said the vessel is not among those registered there.
Such activities are typical of a shadow fleet that uses deceptive tactics to hide where respective vessels are located and transport illicit oil, which often benefits Iran, Russia and other sanctioned states.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro‘s government called The Skipper’s seizure an act of “piracy” and “robbery” and said the blockade is a “grotesque threat” that violates international law, according to CBS News.
Maduro’s regime accuses the United States of trying to “appropriate the oil, land and minerals of the country through gigantic campaigns of lies and manipulations.”
The blockade and tanker seizures are in addition to U.S. military strikes on alleged drug boats carrying illicit drugs destined for the United States and Europe.
Both tactics are efforts to isolate the Maduro regime, which Trump seeks to force out of power by depriving it of its primary revenue sources.
Former President Joe Biden presents the Presidential Citizens Medal to Liz Cheney during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, on January 2, 2025. The Presidential Citizens Medal is bestowed to individuals who have performed exemplary deeds or services. Photo by Will Oliver/UPI | License Photo
US, Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye urge restraint in Gaza as Israeli attacks continue | Israel-Palestine conflict News
The talks between the four countries lauded the first stage of the truce, including expanded humanitarian assistance, return of captives, force withdrawals and reduction in hostilities.
The United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye have urged the parties to the Gaza ceasefire to honour their commitments and show restraint, the chief US envoy says after talks in the US city of Miami.
Senior officials from the four mediator countries met Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, on Friday to review the first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which took effect on October 10, according to a joint statement released on Saturday.
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The meeting was held against the backdrop of ongoing Israeli attacks on the enclave. The Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza said that six people were killed on Friday when an Israeli strike hit a school housing displaced people, raising the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since the deal took effect to about 400.
“We reaffirm our full commitment to the entirety of the President’s [Trump’s] 20-point peace plan and call on all parties to uphold their obligations, exercise restraint, and cooperate with monitoring arrangements,” Witkoff said in a statement posted on X.
First phase of truce
Saturday’s statement cited progress yielded in the first stage of the peace agreement, including expanded humanitarian assistance, the return of captives’ bodies, partial force withdrawals and a reduction in hostilities.
It called for “the near-term establishment and operationalisation” of a transitional administration, which is due to happen in the second phase of the agreement, and said that consultations would continue in the coming weeks over its implementation.
Under the truce deal’s terms, Israel is supposed to withdraw from its positions in Gaza, an interim authority is to govern the Palestinian territory instead of Hamas, and an international stabilisation force is to be deployed.
On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that countries would contribute troops for the stabilisation force, but also urged the disarmament of Hamas, warning the process would unravel unless that happened.
Hamas statement
A meeting was also held between Hamas’s chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin in Istanbul on Saturday.
In a statement from Hamas after the meeting, the group said it was committed to abiding by the ceasefire agreement, despite Israeli violations.
“The delegation stressed the urgent need to halt these continuous violations,” the statement added.
“The delegation also reviewed the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip with the onset of winter, emphasising the critical priority of urgently bringing in tents, caravans, and heavy equipment to save our people from death by cold and drowning, given the destruction of infrastructure and homes.”
Winter storms have been worsening the conditions for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza, as aid agencies warn that Israeli restrictions are preventing lifesaving assistance from reaching people across the besieged enclave.
Bodies recovered, Israeli strikes continue
On Saturday, an Israeli air strike targeted two people in northern Gaza, according to a statement from the military, which alleged that they “posed an immediate threat” to Israeli troops after crossing the so-called yellow line, which separates areas under Israeli army control from those where Palestinians are permitted to move.
No details were yet available on whether the two people were killed or injured.
Gaza’s Civil Defence on Saturday also said it recovered the bodies of 94 Palestinians from the rubble in the enclave.
The bodies were retrieved in central Gaza City and transferred to the forensic department at Al-Shifa Medical Complex to arrange their burial in the Martyrs’ Cemetery in the central city of Deir el-Balah, according to a statement from the Civil Defence.
Thousands of Palestinians are believed to still be buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza.
The Israeli army has killed more than 70,700 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, and injured more than 171,000 others since it began its genocidal war on the enclave in October 2023.
Love Island’s Lucie Donlan turns up heat in red with saucy Ann Summers Christmas dress
LOVE Island star Lucie Donlan is shockin’ around the Christmas tree in a saucy low-cut Ann Summers dress.
The model, 27, helped the raunchy retail chain launch its Styles range, including this red All Wrapped Up festive number with a giant bow.
She has also been seen sleighing it in the company’s Sexy Santa Basque set.
In July Lucie enjoyed a spectacular break in Abu Dhabi which she received free of charge in exchange for an advert to her 1.5m Instagram followers.
In her caption, Lucie wrote: “This week I’ve had the pleasure of staying at @erth.uae.
“A breathtaking and unique Hotel located 15 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi.
“When I first arrived it felt like stepping into nature as the whole hotel has been beautifully designed with sandy warm colours inspired by our planet and aspects of rich cultural Emirati heritage.
Lucie has been in a relationship with her former co-star, Luke Mabbott, 29, with the pair going on to become engaged in 2021.
Back in December the loved-up pair got accused of ‘getting engaged for likes on Instagram’ when they celebrated their proposal on holiday.
Luke shared a snap from their special moment with the caption: “2 year’s engaged…”
Some took to the comments section to share how confused they were by their engagement.
One user commented: “I’ve always said that an engagement isn’t real unless they’ve set a date for a wedding.
They continued: “Otherwise, it’s just like my plan to be a millionaire: it’s it’s vague goal without any realistic “when” or “how”.”
The couple shot to fame on different series of Love Island.
How late-season schedule changes impact the NFL playoff picture
ARLINGTON, Texas — The NFL regular season is turning down the stretch and the playoff picture is coming into focus, and that means not just the teams but the league’s scheduling crew is hard at work.
The Chargers, who play at Dallas on Sunday, can secure a postseason berth with a victory and some help from a team or two. Coupled with a win over the Cowboys, the Chargers need Las Vegas to win at Houston (unlikely) or San Francisco to win at Indianapolis (more likely) so they can rest easy knowing they’re at least in the playoffs for the second consecutive season under Jim Harbaugh.
Although the Rams have already qualified for the playoffs, they need to regain their balance after a spirit-snapping loss at Seattle on Thursday that likely cost them a chance at the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
Here’s a look at the upcoming schedule for the end of this season and beginning of next, along with decisions that need to be made:
— Why did the league schedule Houston at the Chargers for Saturday of Week 17?
The game was always a candidate for that 1:30 p.m. slot on NFL Network, and Seattle at Carolina was also under consideration.
The league liked Texans-Chargers on Saturday because both of those clubs likely will be playing in January — maybe against each other again — and if that game were moved to Sunday afternoon, it would be going head-to-head against Fox’s national game, Philadelphia at Buffalo, a potential Super Bowl preview.
So the NFL wanted to do the Texans and Chargers a solid and give them the national stage to themselves.
— Rams at Atlanta in Week 17 isn’t a fantastic Monday night game for Week 17, especially with the Falcons currently at 5-9. But with all the games spread throughout the week of Christmas, there weren’t a lot of great replacement options.
The league didn’t move Texans-Chargers into that slot for good reason. Because whoever plays in that “Monday Night Football” slot — it’s staying Rams-Falcons — won’t be a candidate for a Saturday game in the final weekend.
So by moving Texans-Chargers to Saturday, both those teams are in play for the two Saturday spots in Week 18. The Chargers finish at Denver, and the Texans play host to Indianapolis. Either or both of those games could wind up on ESPN for those finishing Saturday games.
— The NFL originally slated Cincinnati at Miami for this week’s Sunday night game but last week decided to move New England at Baltimore into that time slot. That’s notable because it’s the first flex of the season, which is an unusually low number. Typically, there have been three or four flexes to this point.
Why only one? There are multiple reasons. First, the league’s scheduling crew had a pretty clear crystal ball in May, a good idea for which teams would still be in the mix. Credit to those folks.
But the bar for flexing games is also a little higher than it used to be. The NFL is cautious about inconveniencing 75,000 fans for a relatively small bump in viewership. What’s more, with all the new windows and partners — Netflix, Amazon Prime, Peacock, Paramount+ — there are fewer games to go around. Even if the league wanted to flex, there are fewer options. The traditional Sunday inventory is a lot thinner than it used to be.
— It’s worth noting that the league’s philosophy on moving games around is it flexes out of a game that’s falling apart, it doesn’t flex into a better game because the network or streaming service doesn’t happen to like the game it has.
Cincinnati-Miami was a no-brainer flex candidate back in October when both teams were reeling. But then Joe Burrow came back for the Bengals, and the Dolphins started winning, and it got interesting for a while. But then Cincinnati got shut out last week by Baltimore, and Miami just benched its quarterback. Flex was back on.
So what to flex into? The thought was, yes, the NFL can move Patriots-Ravens into that Sunday window for NBC, and at least it can leave behind Kansas City-Tennessee for CBS. Everybody figured the Chiefs would be fighting for their postseason lives. That wasn’t the case. Kansas City was eliminated last week and lost Patrick Mahomes to a season-ending knee injury. Chiefs-Titans isn’t nearly as interesting as anticipated.
It could have been an ugly Sunday for CBS, but the network wound up with Pittsburgh-Detroit for its national game. That very easily could have been the far-less-tantalizing Buffalo at Cleveland.
— We’re heading into a postseason with no Kansas City, no Dallas, maybe no Baltimore or Pittsburgh — one of them is going to miss out — and with the rise of Chicago, possibly no Green Bay or Detroit.
A lot of those traditional anchor teams could be watching from their couches.
That means the NFL will have to make some new decisions about who to prioritize in postseason scheduling, perhaps looking with fresh eyes at clubs such as Seattle, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Jacksonville and others. Who are the ones with the most national appeal?
And that rolls into next season. How does the league dole out those big national windows. With Kansas City missing the playoffs, and Mahomes recovering from a major knee injury, do the Chiefs recede into the background after a decade of division titles and deep playoff runs?
Have the Bears broken through? They’re 10-4. At 12-2, Denver looks to be back and set up to keep it going. Heading into Thursday night’s game, the Rams were as hot as any team in the league, and the Chargers could finally get Justin Herbert that inaugural playoff victory.
The Steelers have won two in a row, and could wind up making a postseason run. If so, what does Aaron Rodgers do next season, and how will the club move forward?
The NFL leaned heavily into Washington after one outstanding season, giving them eight nationally televised games this season. That bet didn’t pay off; the Commanders are 4-10.
It’s the game behind the games, and those decisions are taking shape.
‘Red Ribbon’ vigil for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel | Israel-Palestine conflict
Red ribbons and Palestinian flags were seen in London at a vigil calling for the release of thousands of Palestinians being held without charge in Israeli prisons. The vigil focused on Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, who’s been held for nearly one year. Al Jazeera’s Milena Veselinovic was there.
Published On 20 Dec 2025
Ekitike and Isak help Liverpool squeeze past nine-man Tottenham | Football News
Defending champions Liverpool win 2-1 at Tottenham to climb to fifth in the Premier League table.
Published On 20 Dec 2025
Alexander Isak endured a bittersweet evening as the Liverpool striker scored before limping off injured in a chaotic 2-1 win over nine-man Tottenham.
Isak put Liverpool ahead in the second half in north London on Saturday after Tottenham’s Xavi Simons was sent off before the interval for a nasty lunge on Virgil van Dijk.
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It was only Isak’s third goal in 16 games in all competitions since his British record 125-million-pound ($166m) move from Newcastle on transfer deadline day.
Yet in keeping with Isak’s troubled start to life with the Premier League champions, the 26-year-old was unable to fully enjoy his goal as he was forced to come off after being injured by Micky van de Ven’s failed attempt to stop him scoring.
Hugo Ekitike’s fifth goal in his last four appearances put Liverpool in command before Richarlison’s reply set up a tense finale that came to a head with Tottenham defender Romero’s dismissal in stoppage time.
Arne Slot’s side are up to fifth place in the Premier League after extending their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions, further distancing them from the miserable run of nine defeats in 12 that plunged them into crisis.
While Liverpool steadied the ship with a third successive win, Isak’s injury could not have come at a worse time following Mohamed Salah’s departure for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Slot claimed on Friday that Liverpool had “moved on” from the Salah controversy after his explosive interview two weeks ago in which he said he had been thrown under the bus by the club and no longer had a relationship with the Reds boss.
He was dropped from the squad for a Champions League game at Inter Milan but returned as a substitute in last week’s victory over Brighton.
The 33-year-old is now on international duty with Egypt for several weeks, making Isak’s injury an especially painful blow if he is ruled out for a prolonged period.
Slot will spend Christmas sweating on Isak’s fitness, and Tottenham manager Thomas Frank’s festive period will be even more fraught.
Last weekend’s limp 3-0 loss at Nottingham Forest sparked debate over the Dane’s future in his rocky first season in charge.
Tottenham are languishing in 13th place after winning just one of their last eight league games.
Ange Postecoglou was sacked despite winning the Europa League last season to end Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought, and Frank is in danger of suffering the same fate as the Australian if results do not improve soon.
Simons left Tottenham with a mountain to climb in the 33rd minute when he raked his studs down Van Dijk’s calf with an ugly challenge from behind.
Initially booked for the foul, Simons was shown the red card after a VAR review.
Slot sent on Isak for the injured Conor Bradley at half-time and it took the Sweden striker just 11 minutes to make an impact as Liverpool broke the deadlock with a goal 300 million pounds ($399m) in the making.
All three of Liverpool’s costly close-season signings combined as Ekitike picked out Florian Wirtz, and he slipped a perfectly weighted pass to Isak, who timed his run to drill a clinical finish past Guglielmo Vicario from 10 yards.
Ekitike doubled Liverpool’s lead in the 66th minute.
Jeremie Frimpong’s deflected cross looped into the six-yard box, where Ekitike out-jumped Romero to thump his header into the top corner.
Richarlison reduced the deficit with a close-range blast after Reds captain van Dijk miscued a clearance in the 83rd minute.
But, with the visitors wobbling, Romero’s second booking for kicking Ibrahima Konate let Liverpool off the hook.
Pete Davidson, Elsie Hewitt welcome a baby girl: ‘Perfect’
Pete Davidson has officially entered fatherhood, welcoming his first child with British model-actor Elsie Hewitt.
The former “Saturday Night Live” comedian, 32, and his girlfriend, 29, are new parents to a baby girl, Hewitt announced Thursday. “Our perfect angel girl arrived 12/12/2025,” the model captioned her Instagram post.
Hewitt shared scenes from Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson’s arrival, including their first family selfie, images from the labor room and snaps of her own post-push sushi meal. In her caption, Hewitt described her daughter as “my best work yet.”
“I am absolutely overflowing with love and gratitude and disbelief,” she added.
Davidson apparently had other words to herald the arrival of his first child: “Wu tang forever.”
The pair welcomed their first child after less than a year of dating. Davidson (whose dating history notably includes high-profile relationships with Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande) was first romantically linked to Hewitt (who previously dated Jason Sudeikis and Benny Blanco) in March when they were seen kissing in Palm Beach, Fla. Two months after making their relationship red carpet official, the couple announced in July they were expecting a little one.
“welp now everyone knows we had sex,” Hewitt captioned her casual pregnancy announcement.
In addition to recovering from labor, Hewitt revealed that she is simultaneously bouncing back from another procedure. In an Instagram story posted Thursday, Hewitt shared a selfie of herself in a pink hoodie with an ice pack around her cheeks as she held onto her daughter’s car seat.
“Who else had to get a wisdom tooth removed directly from the hospital the day after they gave birth,” she captioned the photo.
Lawmakers weigh impeachment articles for Bondi over Epstein file omissions
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers unhappy with Justice Department decisions to heavily redact or withhold documents from a legally mandated release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein threatened Saturday to launch impeachment proceedings against those responsible, including Pam Bondi, the U.S. attorney general.
Democrats and Republicans alike criticized the omissions, while Democrats also accused the Justice Department of intentionally scrubbing the release of at least one image of President Trump, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) suggesting it could portend “one of the biggest coverups in American history.”
Trump administration officials have said the release fully complied with the law, and that its redactions were crafted only to protect victims of Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender accused of abusing hundreds of women and girls before his death in 2019.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont), an author of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the release of the investigative trove, blasted Bondi in a social media video, accusing her of denying the existence of many of the records for months, only to push out “an incomplete release with too many redactions” in response to — and in violation of — the new law.
Khanna said he and the bill’s co-sponsor, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), were “exploring all options” for responding and forcing more disclosures, including by pursuing “the impeachment of people at Justice,” asking courts to hold officials blocking the release in contempt, and “referring for prosecution those who are obstructing justice.”
“We will work with the survivors to demand the full release of these files,” Khanna said.
He later added in a CNN interview that he and Massie were drafting articles of impeachment against Bondi, though they had not decided whether to bring them forward.
Massie, in his own social media post, said Khanna was correct in rejecting the Friday release as insufficient, saying it “grossly fails to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law.”
The lawmakers’ view that the Justice Department’s document dump failed to comply with the law echoed similar complaints across the political spectrum Saturday, as the full scope of redactions and other withholdings came into focus.
The frustration had already sharply escalated late Friday, after Fox News Digital reported that the names and identifiers of not just victims but of “politically exposed individuals and government officials” had been redacted from the records — which would violate the law, and which Justice Department officials denied.
Among the critics was Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who cited the Fox reporting in an exasperated post late Friday to X.
“The whole point was NOT to protect the ‘politically exposed individuals and government officials.’ That’s exactly what MAGA has always wanted, that’s what drain the swamp actually means. It means expose them all, the rich powerful elites who are corrupt and commit crimes, NOT redact their names and protect them,” Greene wrote.
Senior Justice Department officials later called in to Fox News to dispute the report. But the removal of a file published in the Friday evening release, capturing a desk in Epstein’s home with a drawer filled of photos of Trump, reinforced bipartisan concerns that references to the president had been illegally withheld.
In a release of documents from the Epstein family estate by the House Oversight Committee this fall, Trump’s name was featured over 1,000 times — more than any other public figure.
“If they’re taking this down, just imagine how much more they’re trying to hide,” Schumer wrote on X. “This could be one of the biggest coverups in American history.”
Several victims also said the release was insufficient. “It’s really kind of another slap in the face,” Alicia Arden, who went to the police to report that Epstein had abused her in 1997, told CNN. “I wanted all the files to come out, like they said that they were going to.”
Trump, who signed the act into law after having worked to block it from getting a vote, was conspicuously quiet on the matter. In a long speech in North Carolina on Friday night, he did not mention it.
However, White House officials and Justice Department leaders strongly pushed back against the notion that the release was somehow incomplete or out of compliance with the law, or that the names of politicians had been redacted.
“The only redactions being applied to the documents are those required by law — full stop,” said Deputy Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche. “Consistent with the statute and applicable laws, we are not redacting the names of individuals or politicians unless they are a victim.”
Other Republicans defended the administration. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), chair of the House Oversight Committee, said the administration “is delivering unprecedented transparency in the Epstein case and will continue releasing documents.”
Epstein died in a Manhattan jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He’d been convicted in 2008 of procuring a child for prostitution in Florida, but served only 13 months in custody in what many condemned as a sweetheart plea deal for a well-connected and rich defendant.
Epstein’s crimes have attracted massive attention, including among many within Trump’s own political base, in part because of unanswered questions surrounding which of his many powerful friends may have also been implicated in crimes against children. Some of those questions have swirled around Trump, who was friends with Epstein for years before the two had what the president has described as a falling out.
Evidence has emerged in recent months that suggests Trump may have had knowledge of Epstein’s crimes during their friendship.
Epstein wrote in a 2019 email, released by the House Oversight Committee, that Trump “knew about the girls.” In a 2011 email to Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of conspiring with Epstein to help him sexually abuse girls, Epstein wrote that “the dog that hasn’t barked is trump. [Victim] spent hours at my house with him … he has never once been mentioned.”
Trump has ardently denied any wrongdoing.
The records released Friday contained few if any major new revelations, but did include a complaint against Epstein filed with the FBI back in 1996 — which the FBI did little with, substantiating longstanding fears among Epstein’s victims that his crimes could have been stopped years earlier.
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), one of the president’s most consistent critics, wrote on X that Bondi should appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to explain under oath the extensive redactions and omissions, which he called a “willful violation of the law.”
“The Trump Justice Department has had months to keep their promise to release all of the Epstein Files,” Schiff wrote. “Epstein’s survivors and the American people need answers now.”
URC: Dragons 48-28 Connacht – Tiatia’s men end winless streak
Dragons: O’Brien; J Rosser, Inisi, Owen, Dyer; De Beer, Hope; Martinez, Burrows, Hunt, Douglas, Carter (capt), Woodman, Beddall, Keddie.
Replacements: G Roberts, Morris, Dlamini, Lewis-Hughes, Young, R Williams, Westwood, Anderson.
Connacht: Gilbert; Mullins, Forde, Aki, Bolton; Ioane, Blade; Duggan, Heffernan, Illo, D Murray, N Murray, Prendergast (capt), O’Brien, Boyle.
Replacements: Tierney-Martin, Buckley, Bealham, J Murphy, Jansen, B Murphy, Carty, Gavin.
Yellow card: Boyle 40,
Referee: Ru Campbell (Scotland)
Assistants: Rob McDowell, Jonny Mackenzie (Wales)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Attendance: 4,188
EU pledges $105B loan for Ukraine as Russia targets Odesa
Dec. 20 (UPI) — Officials for the European Union have agreed to loan $105 billon to Ukraine to help it stay financially solvent over the next two years amid Russian attacks in the Odesa region.
The money is in lieu of an allocation to Ukraine from frozen Russian assets equal to nearly $246 billion and being held in Belgium, the BBC reported.
The funds are equal to about two-thirds of the amount that Ukraine will need to pay its bills and give it a stronger bargaining position as peace talks continue with the aim of ending the Ukraine War that started when Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022, according to The New York Times.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the loan is interest-free and only would be repaid if Russia were required to pay reparations to Ukraine.
News of the E.U. allocation comes after a Russian missile strike near Odesa that killed eight and injured 27 others on Friday night, CNN reported.
Russian missiles struck a port facility in Pivdenne, and some of those killed and wounded were on a bus that was struck during the attack.
The missile strikes were part of an ongoing aerial campaign against the Odesa region over the past nine days and caused a power outage in Odesa, which is located on the Black Sea and about 300 miles south of Kyiv.
Two bridges in southern and northern Odesa were knocked out in recent strikes and are being repaired.
Russian forces also are targeting the energy infrastructure in Ukraine and have used drones and missiles to damage or destroy many targets in recent months.
President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order reclassifying marijuana from a schedule I to a schedule III controlled substance in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo
The Me Too movement in the age of Trump and Epstein | Women’s Rights
Tarana Burke tells Marc Lamont Hill on Epstein, Trump and how widespread sexual violence is in the United States.
In 2017, a reckoning over sexual violence called “#MeToo” swept the globe. Eight years later, has the movement done enough for survivors? And what will it take for some of the world’s most powerful men accused of sexual misconduct to face consequences?
This week on UpFront Marc Lamont Hill speaks to founder of the Me Too movement, Tarana Burke.
The Department of Justice has released files related to the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein after mounting pressure led President Donald Trump to sign the Epstein Files Transparency Act last month. Trump, who himself has been accused dozens of times of sexual assault and misconduct, has already appeared in photos, emails and other documents in connection with Epstein, causing a rift in his base. Other business elites, academics, politicians and world leaders have also been named in connection to Epstein. While some have faced minor consequences, only Ghislaine Maxwell has been criminally convicted as part of Epstein’s sex trafficking of minors. Will newly released documents lead to new convictions and genuine accountability for survivors?
Published On 20 Dec 2025
Strictly's Carlos Gu says 'I don't deserve' a partner in heartbreaking moment
The professional dancer is in the final with partner Karen Carney and after the highly-charged emotional last dance he broke down in tears.
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Reagan biographer, legendary California journalist Lou Cannon dies
Journalist and author Lou Cannon, who was widely considered the nation’s leading authority on the life and career of President Reagan, died Friday in a Santa Barbara hospice. He was 92.
His death was caused by complications from a stroke, his son Carl M. Cannon told the Washington Post, where his father served for years as a White House correspondent.
The elder Cannon covered Reagan’s two-term presidency in the 1980s, but his relationship with the enigmatic Republican leader went back to the 1960s, when Reagan moved from acting to politics.
Cannon interviewed Reagan more than 50 times and wrote five books about him, but still struggled to understand what made Reagan who he was.
“The more I wrote,” Cannon told the Reno Gazette-Journal in 2001, “the more I felt I didn’t know.”
Cannon was born in New York City and raised in Reno, Nev., where he attended the University of Nevada in Reno and later San Francisco State College.
After service in the U.S. Army, he became a reporter covering Reagan’s first years as governor of California for the San Jose Mercury News. In 1972, Cannon began working for the Washington Post as a political reporter.
Cannon recalled first encountering Reagan in 1965 while assigned to cover a lunch event for reporters and lobbyists and being surprised by Reagan’s command of the room when he spoke.
Reagan was beginning his campaign for governor by proving he could answer questions and “was not just an actor reading a script.” At the time, the word actor was “a synonym for airhead. Well, Reagan was no airhead,” Cannon said in a 2008 interview at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum.
To Cannon’s surprise, the reporters and lobbyists mobbed Reagan after the event was over to get his autograph. Cannon introduced himself.
“I remember those steely eyes of his. I thought he had this great face, but his eyes are tough,” Cannon said. “His eyes are really something.”
On the phone later, Cannon’s editor asked him what he thought of Reagan. He replied, “I don’t know anything, but if I were running this thing, why would anybody want to run against somebody that everybody knows and everybody likes? Why would you want him to be your opponent?
“I predicted that Reagan was going to be president, but I didn’t have any idea he was going to be governor,” Cannon said. “I was just so struck by the fact that he impacted on people as, not like he was a politician, but like he was this celebrity, force of nature that people wanted to rub up against. It was like seeing Kennedy again. They wanted the aura, the sun.”
In 1966, Reagan was elected governor by a margin of nearly 1 million votes and Cannon found himself “writing about Ronald Reagan every day.”
Reagan’s political opponents in California and Washington consistently underestimated him, assuming the former actor could be easily beaten at the ballot box, Cannon said. Reagan ran for president unsuccessfully twice, but had the will to keep trying until he won — twice.
“Reagan was tough, and he was determined, and you couldn’t talk him out of doing what he wanted to do,” Cannon said. “Nancy couldn’t talk him out of what he wanted to do, for god’s sakes. And certainly no advisor could or no other candidate. Ronald Reagan wanted to be president of the United States.”
Cannon’s first book on the president, “Reagan,” was published in 1982. In 1991 he published “President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime,” which is regarded as a comprehensive biography of the 40th president.
Cannon also authored a book about the LAPD and the 1992 Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, in addition to chronicling a range of tales over the years, including the federal bust of a 1970s heroin kingpin in Las Vegas.
Mr. Cannon’s first marriage, to Virginia Oprian, who helped him research his early books, ended in divorce. In 1985, he wed Mary Shinkwin, the Washington Post said. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three children.
UCLA’s dismal defense in comeback over Cal Poly raises questions
UCLA had just put on a dazzling offensive display when a help-wanted sign went up in the postgame news conference.
The search for assistance came from a coach who knows his team can score but will need a lot better effort on the other side of the ball to get to where it wants to go this season.
“My biggest challenge with this team,” Mick Cronin said after the Bruins needed an epic scoring surge in the second half to post a relief of a 108-87 victory over Cal Poly, “is finding a guy or two or three that their mind is on defense.”
Nobody filled that role Friday night during a first half that led to scattered boos serenading the Bruins on their way to the locker room inside Pauley Pavilion.
UCLA was trailing by two points after putting in a low effort and playing just a sprinkling of defense against a mid-major team with a losing record from the Big West Conference.
The Cal Poly logo on the front of the opponents’ jerseys did not elicit the same sort of spirited effort the Bruins had given against more brand-name foes, continuing a troubling trend going back to the season opener.
“I definitely think that’s fair to say,” UCLA guard Skyy Clark said after notching a season-high 30 points while making six of 10 three-pointers and becoming the first Bruin in school history to make at least six three-pointers in back-to-back games. “That’s just something we gotta harp on as a team.”
The Bruins could exhale after going with a smaller lineup that produced 65 points in the second half, the most in a half by UCLA since it splurged for 66 in the second half against George Mason on Dec. 22, 1994.
But plenty of worries linger, most of them on the defensive end for a team that has given up an average of 78.2 points over its last six games.
This was another case of UCLA simply outgunning an opponent, the Bruins shooting 57.4% to Cal Poly’s 51% during a game in which defense was played only in spurts. How do the Bruins explain giving up 45 points in the first half?
“We’ve got too many guys who are conscientious objectors defensively,” Cronin said. “And if I can’t get those guys to quit protesting — they don’t say anything, but until they really believe that’s the way to win … ”
UCLA (9-3) prevailed only after Cronin went with a three-guard lineup, replacing center Xavier Booker with Jamar Brown to start the second half in an effort to combat the Mustangs’ drive-and-kick offense that stationed practically everyone behind the three-point line. With a more mobile lineup, the Bruins proceeded to go on a 15-0 run to transform a two-point deficit into a 60-47 lead, removing any doubt about the game’s outcome.
Clark continued his recent scoring spree and received plenty of help from forward Tyler Bilodeau (24 points and eight rebounds) and point guard Donovan Dent (16 points, 11 assists and five steals) as the Bruins notched a second consecutive victory.
UCLA guard Donovan Dent, center, dribbles past Cal Poly guards Guzman Vasilic, left, and Kieran Elliott to score during the second half Friday night.
(Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)
Cayden Ward scored 21 points for Cal Poly (5-8), which had been given a 2% chance of winning, according to the metrics of basketball analyst Ken Pomeroy.
By the game’s midpoint, the possibility of a massive upset had crept uncomfortably upward for UCLA.
Giving up open shots as part of a lackluster defensive effort wasn’t nearly the worst of it for the Bruins.
Trent Perry twice fouled a three-point shooter, once prompting Cronin to yell, “Get over here!” after Perry sent Cayden Ward to the free-throw line for three shots. A new low came late in the first half when Brown fouled Hamad Mousa on a three-pointer that went in, Mousa making the free throw to complete a four-point play.
“Buddy, it’s the worst play in basketball, and I’ve gone literally years with that happening zero times,” Cronin said. “Nobody coaches that more than me. You are not allowed to foul a jump shooter if you play for me, never. Never. If you’re that close, that means the shot is contested. You could deduce that, right? So I don’t care if he makes it, he’s taking a contested shot. Jumping toward the guy, you’re going to land in his space.”
Brown was immediately replaced by Perry, whose defensive inattentiveness quickly reemerged when Ward beat him off the dribble for a one-handed dunk. Things improved considerably the rest of the way. Cronin said he continued to be pleased with Clark’s defense and was satisfied with the second-half effort of forward Eric Dailey Jr., who limited Mousa to only two of his 14 points after halftime.
Cronin suggested that he wanted this team to prioritize defense the way the Bruins did after halftime of their victory over Michigan State in the opening round of the 2021 NCAA tournament, which sparked a flurry of lockdown efforts leading to five consecutive wins.
“From that point on, it took a halfcourt shot to stop us from trying to win the title,” Cronin said, alluding to Jalen Suggs’ buzzer-beater in a national semifinal. “But if that wouldn’t have changed, we weren’t going anywhere, so you just keep trying to stay relentless with it.”
How does Cronin get his team to make that change?
“You play the guys who will do what you tell them to do,” Cronin said. “If you play guys who are conning you with their effort defensively, not only are you going to lose, then the other guys will start doing it because they think you’re a fraud because you’re playing them anyway.”
Applications are being accepted. The next opportunity to fill a heightened role comes Tuesday against UC Riverside.