Arne Slot has faced challenge after challenge this season, from Liverpool‘s horrid run of nine defeats in 12 to Mohamed Salah’s explosive interview at Leeds.

How Slot deals without Alexander Isak is the next big question.

The Swede has hardly had a flying start to life at Anfield since making the £125m move from Newcastle in the summer, but the movement and finish for his goal against Tottenham on Saturday showed exactly why Liverpool signed him.

“You need to be at the top of the game to impact a game. And it took months before we could bring him up. We always knew it would take him time. And that’s why it’s so unlucky that he’s now injured,” said Slot.

“We all saw he was getting closer and closer to the player that he was last season at Newcastle.”

Slot said it is a “long injury” and Isak would be out for “a couple of months” and that is probably the best case scenario for Liverpool. It will, in all likelihood, be March by the time Isak can play football again.

It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will make a move for another attacker in January, with expensive solutions to short-term problems not part of the club model.

Hugo Ekitike is also thriving with eight league goals this season, with Slot saying the 23-year-old has “already adapted to the Premier League.”

Asked about the possibility of recalling Harvey Elliott – who hasn’t played since October – from Aston Villa, Slot said: “Harvey is an Aston Villa player and he is supposed to be going there for a year. If the question is about him then the best thing to ask is at Villa, who are doing quite well by the way.”

Isak has only made 10 starts for Liverpool since signing but with him now out of contention and Salah away on duty at the African Cup of Nations, Slot may be forced into a tactical restructure to deal with the Swede’s absence.

Dec. 23 (UPI) — The Department of Justice Tuesday released a third cache of files from the Jeffrey Epstein case, including flight logs that show President Donald Trump flew on Epstein’s plane more than has been reported.

The logs show Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least eight times in the 1990s. One of those flights included an unnamed 20-year old woman.

The documents are released to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which became law on Nov. 19, though the Justice Department didn’t release all the files on time.

Epstein was an American billionaire financier who was a convicted sex offender. He died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial.

The information about the flights comes from an email sent in January 2020 from a New York federal prosecutor to an unnamed person. The email doesn’t accuse Trump of any wrongdoing.

“For your situational awareness, wanted to let you know that the flight records we received yesterday reflect that Donald Trump traveled on Epstein’s private jet many more times than previously has been reported (or that we were aware), including during the period we would expect to charge in a [Ghislaine] Maxwell case,” the email said.

Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s accomplice, is serving time for sex trafficking.

It said Trump “is listed as a passenger on at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996, including at least four flights on which Maxwell was also present. He is listed as having traveled with, among others and at various times, Marla Maples, his daughter Tiffany, and his son Eric,” it said.

“On one flight in 1993, he and Epstein are the only two listed passengers; on another, the only three passengers are Epstein, Trump, and then-20-year-old [redacted]. On two other flights, two of the passengers, respectively, were women who would be possible witnesses in a Maxwell case.”

The Justice Department said there were multiple references to Trump in the latest release. It called some of the mentions “untrue and sensationalist claims.”

“The Department of Justice has officially released nearly 30,000 more pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Some of these documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already,” the department said on X.

“Nevertheless, out of our commitment to the law and transparency, the DOJ is releasing these documents with the legally required protections for Epstein’s victims.”

A city in the UK has seen a rise in demand for holidays – and it is surprisingly affordable.

Despite its nickname the ‘Granite City‘ Aberdeen is filled with pretty shopping streets as well as sandy beaches.

Booking.com revealed it to be the biggest hotspot for UK travellers in 2025 with an increased search of 36 per cent – and it will no doubt continue to be visited next year.

Union Street was once used to connect medieval streets to the Scottish countryside, but now it’s filled with shops and restaurants and is close to the train station.

One writer who visited Aberdeen recommends heading to Thistle Street for boutique and trinket shops.

And you must try a buttery for breakfast – which is a crispy, flat, flaky pastry, rich in salt, and one great spot to pick one up is Ross Bakery on Chapel Street.

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Other impressive spots nearby include the Aberdeen Maritime Museum, art gallery, Duthie Park and St Machar’s Cathedral.

Despite it being a big city, Aberdeen actually has very impressive beaches too and they are just 20 minutes away from the city centre if you walk – and even quicker by car.

If you’re lucky enough, there’s a chance of spotting a Bottlenose dolphin which live off the coast in the north east of Scotland.

Aberdeen Beach could soon get a new attraction too with a ‘play factory’ for kids and an outdoor performance area.

As part of a multi-million pound project called the ‘Beach Masterplan’, Aberdeen Beach is set to introduce a huge play area for kids called The Rope Factory, with images showing climbing structures, swings and slides.

There will be interactive displays as well as activities and events taking place at the park.

For places to stay, check out UK’s best value hotel which you’ll also find in Aberdeen.

Earlier this year, The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa in Scotland was crowned ‘the best ever we’ve ever stayed at’ by Which? thanks to its rock bottom prices.

The luxury Aberdeen hotel opened in 1993 and was given top praise, thanks to its value for money.

Which? sent in an undercover inspector to scope out the hotel, where they anonymously scouted out everything from cleanliness, to room quality, facilities, location, customer service and value for money.

The five-star hotel is found on the outskirts of Aberdeen and is a huge Victorian manor house.

Inside, the hotel has 40-rooms and suites, gym, an on-site spa and even a billiard room where guests can try their hand at snooker.

It has two restaurants, the Conservatory and the Drawing Room Bar and Lounge – both of which have over 300 wines and 100 whiskies.

Marcliffe impressed Which? with its “value”, “elegance” and “exceptional staff” as well as  “locally caught” food from langoustines to steak – the start from £25.

A stay in one of Marcliffe’s ‘classic’ rooms costs £180 per night.

For more on Scotland find out one man’s favourite of the 100 Scottish islands – and the ones that rival Skye.

Plus, Scotland’s most unmissable places according to a local – from lesser-known lochs to ‘magical’ islands.

Police arrest three people outside insurer of Israeli arms maker Elbit, including Thunberg for holding placard.

British police have arrested Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and two other people at a pro-Palestine protest in central London, according to campaign group Defend Our Juries.

The group said Thunberg was arrested on Tuesday at the Prisoners for Palestine protest held in the heart of London’s Square Mile financial district outside the offices of Aspen Insurance, which provides coverage for Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems.

The group said Thunberg had arrived after the protest began, and it shared video footage of the activist holding a sign reading, “I support the Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide.” Thunberg has called Israel’s war in Gaza a genocide and has twice joined flotilla campaigns to try to break Israel’s siege of Gaza.

The City of London Police, which polices the financial district, confirmed that a 22-year-old woman, a description corresponding to Thunberg, was arrested for displaying a placard “in support of a proscribed organisation (in this case Palestine Action) contrary to Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000”.

This is the latest protest in solidarity with activists from the Palestine Action group, six of whom are currently on hunger strike in British prisons with two now hospitalised. The direct action group has been proscribed as a “terrorist organisation” by the United Kingdom’s government.

Defend Our Juries said Tuesday’s protest was held to draw attention to Aspen Insurance’s “complicity in genocide” and to express solidarity with prisoners affiliated with Palestine Action.

Two others, a man and a woman, were also arrested at the protest although they had “glued themselves nearby”, according to the City of London Police, which described damage with “hammers and red paint” to “a building on Fenchurch Street”, where the offices of Aspen Insurance are located.

Defend Our Juries confirmed the damage, saying in a news release that two activists “covered the front of the building with symbolic blood-red paint, using re-purposed fire extinguishers” before attaching themselves to the front of the building in the aim of “drawing attention to Aspen’s complicity in Genocide, disrupting their business, and closing down the building”.

The group said Aspen Insurance, a global insurer and reinsurer, was targeted because of its affiliation with Elbit Systems UK, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, which is Israel’s largest arms producer. It describes its drones as “the backbone” of the Israeli military.

Palestine Action protesters had targeted one of the UK subsidiary’s operations in Bristol last year. Among their five key demands, the group’s hunger strikers want the manufacturer, which has several UK factories, to be shut down.

Defend Our Juries said in its news release that Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister David Lammy has “refused to speak to legal representatives of the hunger-strikers, or their families”.

A few days earlier, Thunberg had voiced solidarity with the hunger strikers on Instagram, saying: “It is up to the state to intervene, and put an end to this by meeting these reasonable demands that pave the way for the freedom of all those who choose to use their rights trying to stop a genocide, something the British state has failed to do themselves.”

A Palestine Action spokesperson said in relation to her arrest that it was not clear whether police had “made another one of their mistakes in interpreting the crazy ban on Palestine Action” or whether they had “turned anyone expressing support for prisoners locked up beyond the legal time limit for taking action to stop a genocide into alleged terrorists”.

The year was 1923, and thousands of people a month were flooding into Los Angeles in hopes of finding a job in the nascent film business.

Many planned to start as background actors, dreaming they’d be discovered by a director and finally get their big break. These behind-the-scenes actors would wander from studio lot to studio lot, lining up in hopes of being cast.

But the chaos of aspiring actors searching for jobs eventually became too much. Even silent screen star Mary Pickford took to warning wide-eyed newcomers that they should save enough money to survive for five years before coming out to Hollywood.

Out of calls to create safeguards around this fledgling business, and more order around background acting opportunities, emerged the Central Casting Corp.

Central Casting — now so eponymous that its name has become a cultural phrase — celebrated its 100th anniversary earlier this month.

I recently spoke with Mark Goldstein, president and chief executive of the Burbank-based company, to talk about changes in the industry, including the threat of artificial intelligence, runaway production and the role of a background actor in 2025.

Goldstein acknowledged the tough environment for background performers, also commonly known as extras, who populate restaurants, parks and other film and TV scenes to make the environment seem more realistic — all without saying a word.

After the lows of the pandemic, and then the explosion of content during the peak TV era, one of the main challenges for Central Casting’s members is just finding new roles, he said.

“There’s been a little bit of a pullback in production over the last year,” said Goldstein, who serves as president and CEO of Central Casting as well as production finance and management tools firm Entertainment Partners, which owns the agency. “It’s really just constantly finding the right roles for people.”

In Southern California, of course, jobs have been more scarce as production has flowed to other states and countries offering steeper film incentives.

Then there is the advent of computer-generated imagery, which has lessened the need for massive crowd scenes that were once standard.

“Before [CGI] technology, we may fill up an arena, like we may fill a 5,000-person shoot or a 10,000-person shoot,” Goldstein said.

Remember the long lines for casting calls?

No more.

More recently AI has been a key concern for background actors, though Goldstein said he doesn’t think the new digital tools and the rise of synthetic characters will eliminate the need for background actors.

“There’s a lot of conversation [about] is it human or technology? And we kind of view it as human and technology,” he said. “The consumer wants believability, and so there’ll be situations where it’s really important to have the human role involved, but there may be other situations where AI and technology can be helpful.”

He added: “We have legendary people that started their career because they wanted to follow their dream to become an actor in Hollywood,” he said, ticking off the names of famous alumni such as Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Eva Longoria, Will Ferrell and Brad Pitt. “And we don’t see that changing.”

Despite the challenges, aspiring actors still register with Central Casting every day, Goldstein said. The company has 200,000 background actors in its database, with more than 20,000 new names added a year. About 3,000 are placed in roles each day, the company says.

One of those is Jaylee Maruk, 38, who signed up with Central Casting in 2009 and has worked steadily ever since.

Maruk works often on “Grey’s Anatomy” and has credits on Hulu’s “Paradise” and Apple TV’s “Shrinking.” She once stood in for Greta Lee in Apple TV‘s “The Morning Show.”

“What I love about doing background is it really gives a solid foundation about what it’s like to be on set and what the expectations are,” Maruk said.

But she worries about her future, especially with the rise of AI and the migration of production.

“Productions will pack up and leave,” she said. “They’ll go somewhere cheaper, and it’s becoming harder and harder for us. That’s really the biggest concern, trying to entice and support productions staying here.”

Towns in far-off countries like Hungary and Turkey can be made to look just like places in America, she says. And they can cast local residents instead of U.S.-based performers like Maruk. After all, background actors don’t have speaking roles, so not speaking English isn’t a problem.

“We want our work to be here,” said the Lake Balboa resident. “Our families are here, our lives are here.”

Last year, I got a glimpse into the world of background acting when I covered the annual Los Angeles Union Background Actors Awards. Though tongue-in-cheek at times — the awards themselves are called Blurries — the ceremony and winners’ speeches also highlighted these actors’ key roles in Hollywood.

I met background actors who had done the job for years, including one who got his first role as a 12-year-old in “Hello, Dolly!” Many talked about the difficulty of the last few years and the desire for respect for their professional work. Some were full-time background actors; others did the work part time. All were passionate about what they did.

“It really is just preparedness and luck, as they say,” Maruk said. “And also just having a lot of motivation and resilience.”

Stuff We Wrote

Film shoots

Number of the week

James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” brought in $89 million in the U.S. and Canada during its opening weekend. Globally, the film made $346 million, with big hauls in China and France.

That opening total came in at the lower end of box office analysts’ expectations and is also less than the massive opening weekend for its predecessor film, 2022’s “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which grossed $134 million in its domestic debut. But “Avatar” films tend to build momentum at the box office over subsequent weekends, so the Na’vi aren’t vanquished yet.

In addition to “Avatar,” this past weekend also saw strong performances from Angel Studios’ animated “David,” as well as Lionsgate’s thriller “The Housemaid,” pushing the year-to-date domestic box office total a slim 1% above the same time period last year. That’s helpful for theaters but doesn’t bode well for the box office’s overall performance this year.

Finally …

My colleague Josh Rottenberg looks at what movie stardom will mean in an age of AI. In that story, he has an interview with the creator of Tilly Norwood, the AI-generated character that recently sparked a furious debate in Hollywood about the role of synthetics in film and TV.

WASHINGTON — President Trump has announced a bold plan for the Navy to build a new, large warship that he is calling a “battleship” as part of a larger vision to create a “Golden Fleet.”

“They’ll be the fastest, the biggest, and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built,” Trump claimed during the announcement at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

According to Trump, the ship, the first of which will be named the USS Defiant, will be longer and larger than the World War II-era Iowa-class battleships and will be armed with hypersonic missiles, nuclear cruise missiles, rail guns, and high-powered lasers — all technologies that are in various stages of development by the Navy.

The announcement comes just a month after the Navy scrapped its plans to build a new, small warship, citing growing delays and cost overruns, deciding instead to go with a modified version of a Coast Guard cutter that was being produced until recently. The sea service has also failed to build its other newly designed ships, like the new Ford-class aircraft carrier and Columbia-class submarines, on time and on budget.

Meanwhile, the Navy has struggled to field some of the technologies Trump says will be aboard the new ship.

The Navy spent hundreds of millions of dollars and more than 15 years trying to field a railgun aboard a ship before finally abandoning the effort in 2021.

Laser technology has seen more success in making its way onto Navy ships in recent years, but its employment is still limited. One system that is designed to blind or disable drone sensors is now aboard eight destroyers after spending eight years in development.

Developing nuclear cruise missile capabilities or deploying them on ships may also violate non-proliferation treaties that the U.S. has signed with Russia.

A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing plans, told the Associated Press that design efforts are now underway for the new ship and construction is planned to begin in the early 2030s.

Both Trump and Navy Secretary John Phelan spoke about the new Trump-class warship as a spiritual successor to the battleships of the 20th century, but historically that term has referred to a very specific type of ship — a large, heavily armored vessel armed with massive guns designed to bombard other ships or targets ashore.

This type of ship was at the height of prominence during World War II, and the largest of the U.S. battleships, the Iowa-class, were roughly 60,000 tons. But after World War II, the battleship’s role in modern fleets diminished rapidly in favor of aircraft carriers and long-range missiles. The U.S. Navy did modernize four Iowa-class battleships in the 1980s by adding cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles, along with modern radars, but by the 1990s all four were decommissioned.

According to a newly created website for the “Golden Fleet,” this new “guided missile battleship” is set to be roughly the same size as Iowa-class battleships but only weigh about half as much, around 35,000 tons, and have far smaller crews — between 650 and 850 sailors.

Its primary weapons will also be missiles, not large naval guns.

Trump has long held strong opinions on specific aspects of the Navy’s fleet, sometimes with a view toward keeping older technology instead of modernizing.

During his first term, he unsuccessfully called for the return to steam-powered catapults to launch jets from the Navy’s newest aircraft carriers instead of the more modern electromagnetic system.

He has also complained to Phelan about the look of the Navy’s destroyers and decried Navy ships being covered in rust.

Phelan told senators at his confirmation hearing that Trump “has texted me numerous times very late at night, sometimes after one (o’clock) in the morning” about “rusty ships or ships in a yard, asking me what am I doing about it.”

On a visit to a shipyard that was working on the now-canceled Constellation-class frigate in 2020, Trump said he personally changed the design of the ship.

“I looked at it, I said, ‘That’s a terrible-looking ship, let’s make it beautiful,’” Trump said at the time.

He said Monday he will have a direct role in designing this new warship as well.

“The U.S. Navy will lead the design of these ships along with me, because I’m a very aesthetic person,” Trump said.

Phelan said the new USS Defiant “will inspire awe and reverence for the American flag whenever it pulls into a foreign port.”

Toropin and Madhani write for the Associated Press.

Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has told his players to “enjoy themselves” but to “use common sense” over christmas. His comments follow Pep Guardiola’s admission that Manchester City’s players will be weighed when they return to training to check their fitness has not dropped over the festive period.

READ MORE: Dyche urges ‘common sense’ and won’t weigh players

Dec. 23 (UPI) — The federal government is suing Washington, D.C., to ease its gun-ownership laws, which are the strictest in the nation.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed the suit Monday in federal court seeking to declare the laws unconstitutional and prevent the District from enforcing them. The laws ban most semiautomatic rifles and other firearms from being registered with the police department. This makes any possession of those guns illegal. AK-47s and AR-15s are among those that are illegal. Those owning those guns can face misdemeanor charges and fines.

The action “underscores our ironclad commitment to protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “Washington, D.C.’s ban on some of America’s most popular firearms is an unconstitutional infringement on the Second Amendment — living in our nation’s capital should not preclude law-abiding citizens from exercising their fundamental constitutional right to keep and bear arms.”

The suit cites District of Columbia v. Heller, which was decided by the Supreme Court in 2008. Before Heller, the District made it illegal to carry unregistered firearms but it also banned the registration of handguns. The Heller decision said that people can have guns in their homes for self-defense.

After Heller, the District updated its gun laws and included a registry and training requirements. But it still makes assault rifles impossible to register.

The suit filed by the Justice Department argues the merit of the law.

“D.C.’s current semi-automatic firearms prohibition that bans many commonly used pistols, rifles or shotguns is based on little more than cosmetics, appearance, or the ability to attach accessories, and fails to take into account whether the prohibited weapon is ‘in common use today’ or that law-abiding citizens may use these weapons for lawful purposes protected by the Second Amendment. Therefore, the District’s restrictions lack legal basis,” the filing said.

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, a Democrat, said in a statement Monday, reported by the Washington Post, that the District would “vigorously defend our right to make decisions that keep our city safe.”

“Gun violence destroys families, upends communities, and threatens our collective sense of safety. MPD has saved lives by taking illegal guns off our streets — efforts that have been praised by our federal partners,” Bowser said. “It is irresponsible to take any steps that would lead to more, and deadlier, guns in our communities, especially semi-automatic rifles like AR-15s.”

Lawyers from Everytown Law, a gun safety organization, said the city’s gun bans are legal.

“The legal consensus is clear: assault weapon bans are constitutional. Since the Supreme Court’s rulings in Bruen and Rahimi, federal courts have repeatedly affirmed that these laws are consistent with the Second Amendment,” Bill Taylor, deputy director of Second Amendment litigation at Everytown Law, said in a statement. “Assault weapons are designed for mass devastation, and we look forward to supporting D.C. as it defends this critical common-sense safety measure.”

District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro told prosecutors in August not to enforce felony charges for the city’s ban on openly carrying rifles and shotguns in public or the city’s ban on magazines that hold more than 10 bullets.

GETTING a budget hotel in the capital sometimes feels like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but now one of London’s most expensive areas has a cheap, yet underground, hotel.

Park Lane, sitting on the edge of Hyde Park, is known for being one of London‘s most exclusive areas.

In fact, a hotel in the area can often set you back hundreds per night.

For example, a night at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House London in January could set you back £390 or a night at 45 Park Lane would cost around £940.

But now, there is good news for those wanting a budget option as a brand new Zedwell hotel has opened up on the famous road.

And the twist is that the hotel is completely underground.

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The new Zedwell Underground Park Lane has 133 ‘cocoons’, each of which doesn’t have a window.

The rooms are soundproofed and have “ambient lighting, purified air and body-cushioning mattresses”, according to the hotel.

Each ‘cocoon’ also comes with free Wi-Fi and an en-suite, with a rainfall shower.

Just five-minutes from Marble Arch tube station, when guests arrive at the hotel they can also use automated, self check-in desks.

And for those who are staying and working in the city, there is even a co-working space overlooking Hyde Park.

A ‘cocoon’ costs from £67.68 per night, for two people – so £33.84 per person.

The hotel marks Zedwell’s second underground hotel, with its other destination being the first underground hotel in England and is located on Tottenham Court Road.

Halima Aziz, head of hotels at Criterion, commented: “Zedwell is built around one simple idea: delivering great sleep in unbeatable locations at an affordable price point, democratising access to city centres and luxury neighbourhoods like Mayfair.

“Zedwell Underground Park Lane exemplifies our brand values and our ability to unlock complex urban sites to create value in the heart of the city.

“This opening reinforces our commitment to high-quality design, operational excellence and exceptional customer service, while continuing to scale the Zedwell brand in prime destinations.”

Zedwell is known for offering budget accommodation and over the summer opened the world’s biggest capsule hotel in Piccadilly Circus, costing around £30 per night.

Travel writer, Helen Wright, stayed at the hotel and said: “Inside, decked out with a modern concrete and timber design, there are nearly 1,000 individual sleep capsules over five floors.

“It’s a twist on the traditional ‘dorm style’ hostel set up as each guest gets privacy and security of being tucked up in your capsule, with the ability to lock it from the inside.

“On first glance, the dorm rooms, which are minimalist and dimly-lit looked a bit like a car park or a storage locker.

“It’s nothing like you’d expect a hotel room to look, so it takes some getting used to.

“However, inside, I was surprised to find a cute little space, with mood lighting and welcoming interiors.

“Surprisingly, it didn’t feel as claustrophobic as I thought it would – as a 5’5 woman, I was able to sit up and easily stretch my legs.

“Even more surprisingly, I had a great night sleep, with no rowdy drunken people or loud talkers disturbing the peace.”

In other hotel news, Britain’s best hotels for 2026 have been named from seaside pubs to island B&Bs.

Plus, the £89 all-inclusive holiday with hotel, flights, food AND drink included.

A EUROPEAN city often overlooked as a summer holiday destination has been named a top place to travel in 2026.

Brussels is often visited as a Christmas destination, known for its huge markets across the city.

However, spring and summer are just as good, if not better, thanks to its amazing restaurant and bar scene, as well as as art scene.

CN Traveller named it as one of their Best Places to Go in 2026, alongside places such as Hong Kong and Australia.

They explained: “This often-overlooked European capital is having a cultural moment, signalling a shift from a bureaucratic hub to a creative powerhouse.”

This includes a number of new openings in the city, including the new The Standard hotel this year, as well as the Kanal-Centre Pompudiu next year, a factory turned exhibition space.

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WEEKEND WONDERS

2 Euro city breaks perfect for a weekend of gorging on food, wine & culture

I visited earlier this year, for a quick weekend trip to Europe.

It’s one of the easiest places to get to thanks to the Eurostar – taking under two hours, it is the second stop after Lille.

And it drops you right in the train station just south of the city, making it an easy walk or tram ride into town.

The first thing to do is grab a cup of coffee, and there are some fantastic spots in town.

My favourite was Wide Awake, a trendy stop with their own roasted beans and delicious snacks including kimchi croissants and walnut cookies.

Of course, tourist stops you need to make include Fritland – a chip shop serving up the best in town with a variety of dipping sauces – and Maison Dandoy, famous for their light and fluffy waffles.

A beautiful spot for photos is Galeries Royales Saint Hubert, one of the Europe‘s oldest shopping galleries.

Dating back to 1847, it was inspired by Italian palaces and Parisian gardens, and is now full of luxury shops and chocolatiers.

Yet head slightly out of town to Rue De Flandres, which was also named one of the coolest neighbourhoods by Time Out earlier this year.

They said it was a street that “captures the spirit of Brussels” adding: “It’s got all the charm – cobbled streets, crooked façades and centuries-old houses – but without the clichés.”

There’s photobooths tucked into shops – I grabbed a vintage one from Photomatique for a few euros.

Urban Therapie is where you can get some great shopping done, all selling independent brands.

And for food, I recommend Knees to Chin, a small Brussels chain restaurant selling Asian fusion food.

Or nearby is Nona Pizza and Nona Pasta, right next to each other and serving up Italian classics.

Make sure to have your cameras ready when wandering around town too, as the city is full of street art and murals.

There is even an official Street Art Trail, which you can find here to help you spot all 150.

Want to take some souvenirs home? One that is unique is the Jeanneke-pis boutique.

The ‘sister’ of the famous Mannekin Pis (the peeing boy), the boutique sells some unusual gifts including statues of the peeing girl herself.

But you can’t go wrong with some classic Belgium chocolates, and can barely walk without being tempted into a chocolatier by its smell.

My favourites include Neuhaus – also in the UK – as well as Mary and Elizabeth.

Some of my other recommendation include Wolf Food Market, an indoor food market with 17 restaurants and bars.

And for a glam stay, the Doubletree by Hilton Brussels City is beautiful (and don’t forget the free cookie at check in).

The Eurostar from London to Brussels takes just 1hr53, with tickets from £39 each way.

London, United Kingdom – Lawyers of imprisoned hunger-striking activists linked to the protest group Palestine Action have put the British government on notice as the justice secretary refuses to meet them.

Imran Khan & Partners, which represents the collective, wrote a pre-claim letter to the government on Monday, warning that they would seek a High Court case should officials fail to respond by Tuesday afternoon.

Eight activists, aged between 20 and 31, have participated in a rolling strike that began on November 2. There are rising fears that one or more of them could soon die in jail.

In recent days, their relatives and loved ones have told Al Jazeera of their deteriorating health and repeated hospital admissions.

Their lawyers have long called for a meeting with Justice Secretary David Lammy to discuss welfare and prison conditions, believing such an intervention could be life-saving.

But the government has so far refused, saying hunger strikes are not an unusual phenomenon in prisons and that policies to provide adequate medical care to anyone refusing food are being followed.

“Our clients’ food refusal constitutes the largest co-ordinated hunger strike in British history since 1981,” the lawyers wrote, referring to the Irish Republican inmates led by Bobby Sands. Sands and nine others died of starvation, one on day 46 of the protest.

“As of today’s date, [the current] strike has lasted up to 51 days, nearly two months, and poses a significant risk to their life with each passing day,” the lawyers wrote.

The detainees are being held in five prisons over their alleged involvement in break-ins at the United Kingdom’s subsidiary of the Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems in Bristol and a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire. They deny the charges against them, such as burglary and violent disorder.

Amu Gib, Heba Muraisi, Teuta Hoxha and Kamran Ahmed are on day 52, 51, 45 and 44 of their protests, respectively. Lewie Chiaramello, who is diabetic and refuses food every other day, began his protest 30 days ago.

Qesser Zuhrah, Jon Cink and Umer Khalid have ended their strike.

All eight will have spent more than a year in prison before their trials take place, well beyond the UK’s usual six-month pre-trial detention limit.

The hunger strikers’ five demands include immediate bail, the right to a fair trial and the de-proscription of Palestine Action, which accuses the UK government of complicity in Israel’s war crimes in Gaza. The UK government banned Palestine Action in July, branding it a “terror” group, a label that applies to groups such as ISIL (ISIS). The protesters have called for an end to alleged censorship in prison, accusing authorities of withholding mail, calls and books. They are also urging that all Elbit sites be closed.

‘Engage with each one’

Leading human rights barrister Michael Mansfield has backed calls for the government to intervene.

“It’s a simple proposition, engage with each one,” he told Al Jazeera. “That’s your job [as government], that’s what you’re there for. You are safeguarding people’s health, welfare and life.”

In a letter addressed to Lammy, he wrote, “Fundamental human rights in the United Kingdom are being destroyed in this quagmire of disinterest and populist politics, the most important being the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial by means of preparation and due process.

“There has to be an equality of arms which can hardly be achieved when a defendant is held in oppressive and lengthy periods of remand.”

Families of the prisoners have alleged mistreatment in prison, saying some detainees have been verbally abused and left without care in dangerous health conditions. The Ministry of Justice has denied these accusations and says it cannot comment on individual cases.

“Government takes action when it chooses to,” Mansfield wrote. “There could be no more appropriate time than now with the life-endangering protest by the hunger strikers. The delay is grotesque in some cases, up to two years with trial dates being set in 2027.”

Nida Jafri, a friend of hunger striker Amu Gib, plans to deliver Mansfield’s letter – and one of her own – in hand to the Ministry of Justice on Tuesday.

“These people are on remand – not convicted, still awaiting full legal process,” reads Jafri’s letter. “They are weak, in pain, and visibly wasting away. The absence of adequate medical observation or humane treatment under prison or hospital care is not only unacceptable; it breaches fundamental rights to health, dignity, and life.”

CHRISTINE McGuinness has taken a subtle swipe at ex Paddy in a post after taking off her wedding ring following their split.

Model Christine, 37, has unveiled a new gorgeous ring three years after her split from Radio 2 presenter Paddy.

The couple announced their split in 2022 after 11 years of marriage and three children.

Christine has now revealed she commissioned a bespoke ring featuring three huge diamonds to represent each of her kids, twins Leo and Penelope, 12, and 9-year-old Felicity.

The three diamonds are unique in shape and are connected via one silver band, with Christine sharing photos of the extraordinary jewellery on Instagram.

She wrote alongside the snaps: “Three diamonds, three babies, three reasons my heart shines.

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“Different shapes, same sparkle, all beautifully unique just like my children.

“A new chapter, a new ring, one for each of them  a love that never ends.

“It took three years to find the perfect piece but they were worth every moment.”

In a subtle reference to her divorce, Christine added: “Not a wedding ring.

She added: “But a forever ring for the little loves who fill my heart everyday.

“Thank you for creating this beautiful, unique, very special ring @luxury_watches_and_jewellery”

Paddy and Christine were together for 15 years, and she continues to live in the home they shared with the kids.

During their divorce proceedings, it was ruled that Paddy, 52, will be able to keep the £2.5million mansion they both call home.

But in an unexpected twist, it was ruled that Christine and their kids could continue living in the seven-bedroom Cheshire home, which has a gym and swimming pool.

Christine and their kids have autism, and she reportedly didn’t want to uproot their kids from the house they grew up in.

Paddy told The Sun he and Christine still spend Christmas together for the sake of their three children.

Asked if he and Christine spend Christmas Day together, Paddy, 52, replied: “Of course, because both of our families are our children’s relatives. Our children are always happy to see all of our family.

“Luckily for us it’s a nice vibe in our household so there’s never anything where the children feel anything negative whatsoever.

“I think most parents who have separated want what’s best for the children.”

A NUMBER of popular holiday destinations loved by Brits are about to be much cheaper to fly to.

Wizz Air is launching six new flight routes from a London airport – and one is a UK first.

The budget airline has gained new slot at London Luton Airport, replacing TUI Airways.

From summer 2026, a new destination will connect London to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

This will be the only direct flight route from the UK.

Five flights a week will operate to Alicante in Spain, as well as another four to Faro in Portugal.

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Three flights a week will connect the airport to booth Turin and Lyon, with two a week to Corfu.

The cheapest fares will be for Faro, Turin, Lyon and Alicante, all starting from £17.99.

Flights to Corfu start from £45.99 while Yerevan is £36.99.

Wizz Air UK’s Managing Director Yvonne Moynihan said: “With the launch of our 15th based aircraft at London Luton Airport, we’re delighted to deliver a festive surprise by introducing six exciting new routes, including the first-ever direct connection from London to Armenia.”

“Our focus on growth continues, having delivered two new aircraft and nearly 20 new routes from the UK during 2025, reinforcing Wizz Air UK’s position as Luton’s local carrier. “

Yerevan is one of the one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, and called “up-and-coming” by Lonely Planet.

Most of Armenia is deemed safe to travel, apart from its border with Azerbaijan.

It’s borders with Turkey and Georgia are also safe to visit, as well as the capital Yerevan.

As part of Asia, Armenia is often overlooked as a holiday destination for Brits.

This is despite having a number of beautiful churches, as well as pink-stoned buildings, leading to its nickname the Pink City.

It also has a lot of street art, and amazing food.

There are lots of new flight routes launching new year.

Air France will operate a London Gatwick to Paris route.

EasyJet is launching new flights from London Southend to the island of Ibiza.

And here are 16 other new routes easyJet is launching next year.

Often dubbed ‘Europe’s answer to Hawaii’, this region boasts dramatic landscapes, volcanic black sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, making it perfect for a winter getaway

With darker evenings drawing in and temperatures plummeting, it’s little wonder many Brits are fantasising about a sunshine escape to welcome in the new year. While countless warm destinations lie within easy reach for a lavish winter retreat, there’s one particular gem that’s earned the nickname “Europe’s answer to Hawaii” – and return flights start from a mere £40.

Nestled off Africa’s northwest coast and celebrated for its subtropical climate, is Madeira, in the Portuguese region. This volcanic archipelago consists of four islands, with Madeira being the principal one, and showcases striking scenery featuring mountain peaks, natural lava swimming spots, distinctive sandy shores and sparkling azure seas.

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January proves an excellent month to explore this Portuguese paradise, with daytime temperatures climbing to a pleasant 19C. Historical records from January 2025 reveal Madeira even hit highs of 23C, while summer months can deliver balmy 28C conditions.

Thanks to its breathtaking volcanic landscape, mild climate and lush greenery, it’s unofficially crowned ‘Europe’s answer to Hawaii’, positioning it as an ideal winter getaway. Better still, travellers can snap up direct return flights from London Stansted to Madeira starting at just £40 with Ryanair throughout January, as shown on Skyscanner.

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Madeira is home to some truly stunning beaches, many of which are adorned with unique pebbles or volcanic black sand, making them a must-visit. Among these is Praia Formosa, the largest beach in the capital, Funchal, and Seixal Beach, renowned for its soft, volcanic sand and dramatic backdrop of verdant cliffs.

Further afield, there’s Porto Moniz, famed for its extraordinary natural lava rock pools, and an ideal spot for a swim, or Machico Beach, with its golden sands and tranquil, turquoise waters. Another favourite is the breathtaking Complexo Balnear do Lido in Funchal, where you can take a dip in two seawater pools that gaze out over the majestic ocean.

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Beyond the beaches, Madeira offers plenty more to explore. The capital, Funchal, boasts historical allure, serene botanical gardens, and bustling markets, while the Zona Velha district features quaint cobbled streets and charming independent shops. Come evening, it transforms into a lively hub, with bars and restaurants offering outdoor terraces perfect for watching the sunset over the North Atlantic Ocean.

Venture around the island, and you’ll find waterfalls to discover, world-class wine to taste, and boat tours to take, offering the chance to marvel at whales and dolphins in their natural habitat. While summer is often the prime time to spot these magnificent creatures, visitors have been known to catch sight of them earlier in the year.

The island is also a haven for hiking enthusiasts, with one of its most frequented trails being the cliffside path of Ponta de São Lourenço at the easternmost tip. The hike spans just under four miles and takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete along some uneven terrain, but the reward is breathtaking panoramic views across Madeira.

Another trail at Pico do Arieiro takes you to one of the island’s highest peaks, standing at an altitude of 1,818 metres. Although it’s a more strenuous hike, it offers a prime opportunity to soak in the stunning green mountain vistas, and there’s a shuttle bus available for the descent.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

Ainslie had a strained relationship with Manchester United co-owner Ratcliffe regarding plans for the 38th America’s Cup.

Ainslie told the BBC on Tuesday that splitting with Ineos after the “fallout” was “a difficult decision” but stemmed from “different opinions on how to move forwards with the team”.

Ainslie, who will retain significant shareholding in Athena Racing under the new investment and remain as team principal, said he had been “funding the team myself”.

He told Reuters: “It’s been pretty stressful. But I believed in the team, I believed in the partnership and I was willing to take that risk.”

Ainslie was Ineos Britannia’s team principal and skipper, having got the backing of Ratcliffe in 2018 in a bid to a deliver a first win for Britain since the America’s Cup started in 1851.

The most successful sailor in Olympic history, Ainslie won the America’s Cup in 2013 with Oracle Team USA.

On Monday it was announced that the America’s Cup would be held every two years after 2029 and there will be a 55m euros (£48m) cap on costs, after the five founding teams, including Athena, formed an alliance.

Describing the move as “groundbreaking”, Ainslie said he was confident the new structure would help attract further investment and interest from broadcasters.

“Traditionally America’s Cup has been a winner-takes-all environment,” he said.

“You win it, you effectively run the next event – you decide where it is, when it is, the size of the boat, the rules and regulations.

“It’s pretty quirky – that’s what created a lot of uncertainty. Now we’ve changed that.”

Russian forces have struck Ukraine’s southern Black Sea port of Odesa, damaging port facilities and a ship, the region’s governor says.

The attack late on Monday followed another at the weekend when Moscow carried out a sustained barrage of drones and missile attacks on the wider area around Odesa, which is home to ports crucial to Ukraine’s overseas trade and fuel imports. They followed Russian threats to cut “Ukraine off from the sea”.

The escalation in Russia’s assault on Odesa, Ukraine’s biggest port city, has unfolded as Washington steps up diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the war. Ukrainian officials met members of a US delegation on Friday in Florida while US envoys held talks with Russian representatives on Saturday.

“The situation in the Odesa region is harsh due to Russian strikes on port infrastructure and logistics,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv on Monday. “Russia is once again trying to restrict Ukraine’s access to the sea and block our coastal regions.”

What happened in the latest Russian attack on Odesa?

On Tuesday, the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, Oleh Kiper, said Russian strikes overnight had damaged a civilian cargo vessel and a warehouse in a district of Odesa while the roof of a two-storey residential building had caught fire.

Meanwhile, strikes on Saturday on the port of Pivdennyi near Odesa damaged storage reservoirs, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said. Those came just one day after a ballistic missile strike, also in Pivdennyi, had killed eight people and wounded at least 30.

These are just the latest strikes in an escalation of hostilities in the area over the past few weeks.

Last week, Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults of the war on the Black Sea region, damaging energy infrastructure and causing a power outage in Odesa, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without electricity for several days.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence did not immediately comment on the strikes, but the Kremlin has previously described Ukraine’s economic infrastructure as a “legitimate military objective” during the nearly four-year war.

On the Telegram messaging app, Kuleba said on Friday that Russian forces were targeting power infrastructure and a bridge over the Dniester River near the village of Mayaky, southwest of Pivdennyi, which was struck five times in 24 hours.

That bridge links parts of the region separated by waterways and serves as the primary westbound route to border crossings with Moldova. It is currently out of operation. Kuleba said the route normally carries about 40 percent of Ukraine’s fuel supplies.

Why is Russia targeting Odesa?

“The focus of the war may have shifted towards Odesa,” Kuleba said, warning that the “crazy” attacks could intensify as Russia tries to weaken Ukraine’s economy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously said Moscow wants to restrict Ukraine’s Black Sea access in retaliation for Kyiv’s recent drone attacks on Russia’s sanctions-evading “shadow fleet” of vessels, which carry a variety of commodities.

Ukraine said those vessels are used to illegally export sanctioned oil, which provides Russia with its main source of revenue for financing its full-scale invasion of its neighbour.

How important is the port of Odesa to Ukraine?

Odesa’s port has long been central to Ukraine’s economy. Called a “pearl by the sea”, Odesa is Ukraine’s third most populous city after Kyiv and Kharkiv.

Black Sea ports – including Odesa and two others close by, Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk – and Mykolaiv to the east handled more than 70 percent of Ukraine’s exports before the war.

But Odesa’s role as a trading hub has grown in recent years as ports in the Zaporizhia, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions have been occupied by Russia.

Since the war began in February 2022, Ukraine has continued to rank among the world’s top five exporters of wheat and corn – largely through Odesa.

By targeting Odesa’s shipping facilities with missiles and drones, Ukrainian officials said, Putin aims to destroy Ukrainian trade and business infrastructure.

Zelenskyy, who has previously accused Russia of “sowing chaos” on the people of Odesa, said: “Everyone must see that without pressure on Russia, they have no intention of genuinely ending their aggression.”

What would it mean for Ukraine if Odesa were destroyed?

If the port of Odesa were badly damaged, the economic impact for Ukraine would be severe. The city and its surrounding areas would suffer major job losses in the shipping and logistics industries, seriously squeezing local incomes. Meanwhile, port-dependent businesses would falter and investment would fall away.

Nationally, Ukraine’s export capacity would be hit hard. As a key gateway for grain and other commodities, disruptions there would raise transport costs, slow shipments and reduce export volumes, choking foreign currency earnings and piling pressure on the hryvnia, Ukraine’s currency.

Elsewhere, farmers would suffer from lower prices for their produce as well as storage bottlenecks with knock-on effects across rural economies. The government would also lose customs revenue just as reconstruction costs would rise, weakening the country’s overall economic resilience.

What other acts of maritime warfare have Ukraine and Russia engaged in during the war?

Over the past six months, maritime warfare between Ukraine and Russia has intensified. Both sides have targeted naval and commercial assets across the Black Sea and beyond.

Ukrainian forces have increasingly used underwater drones and unmanned surface vessels to strike ships tied to Russia’s shadow fleet.

Several shadow fleet tankers, including the Kairos and Virat, were hit by Ukrainian naval drones in the Black Sea near Turkish waters in late November.

Kyiv has expanded its reach elsewhere, claiming drone strikes in the Mediterranean on December 19 on the Qendil, a Russian-linked tanker, marking an expansion in Kyiv’s maritime operations.

At the same time, Russian forces have ramped up attacks on commercial targets, including a Turkish-flagged ship carrying trucks and other freight near Odesa with drone attacks on December 13.

These actions reflect a shift towards what is referred to as “asymmetric naval warfare”, in which drones and improvised systems play a growing role in disrupting each side’s economic and military support networks at sea, experts said.

HAVE you ever wanted to feel like you are drifting in space? Well, you can at a new planetarium coming to the UK with cheap tickets.

A new planetarium attraction will be popping up across the UK throughout 2026.

The planetarium will initially pop-up in London, before travelling to Sheffield, Hull, Manchester and then finally, Northampton.

The first destination where the Planetarium Go! experience will take place is at Battersea Power Station in South London, between January 30 and March 1.

It will then head to Sheffield from March 6 to 28, then Hull between April 3 and 25, then Manchester from May 1 to 23 and Northampton between May 29 and June 21 – though specific destinations have not been revealed yet.

Inside, the planetarium will feature a 360-degree screen which will show different films either science-related or of fictional stories and each will last between 20 to 35 minutes.

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And of course, some visitors will be able to travel through space.

The experience itself will be in a large, spherical pop-up dome and different film showings will be suitable for different age groups.

For example, you could opt to watch ‘Exploring The Solar System + The Ring World’, a film that takes visitors on an exploration of the solar system, seeing Venus, Mars and the moon.

Viewers will the head to ‘The Ring World’ to see a star and find out whether humans could live on other planets.

For younger kids, ‘3-2-1 Lift Off’ might be better; visitors follow Alan the hamster scientist, who discovers a robot that has crashed from outer space.

There is also ‘From Earth to the Universe’, a documentary film lasting 30 minutes that is more of an educational option for kids aged over 10-years-old.

The planetarium will be open at Battersea Power Station Monday to Thursday and Sunday between 10am and 7:10pm and on Friday and Saturdays between 10am and 9pm.

Tickets cost from £15 per person or £12 for students and children under four go free.

If heading to the planetarium whilst it is at Battersea Power Station, there are a number of other attractions there to explore as well, so you can make it a day out.

Until January 4, visitors can head to the Jurassic World: The Experience at Neon at Battersea Power Station.

Inside the experience visitors can explore 10 immersive zones across two floors.

You can walk under a giant Brachiosaurus, look around the genetics lab and even meet Blue the Velociraptor from the Jurassic World films.

The experience costs £36.70 per adult and £29.55 per child.

Alternatively, there is the Lift 109 experience, which recently had a refresh.

Visitors can travel 109 metres up a chimney that makes you feel as if you are in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The lift then appears out of the top of the chimney and boasts panoramic views of London.

There is also a small museum experience with a number of interactive features ideal for families, including a touchscreen quiz table.

Tickets cost from £16 per person when booked online, or £24 on the day.

In other attraction news, here’s everything you can do at one of London’s most popular attractions before it closes ahead of £240million renovation.

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From finding pants on the floor to a blood-stained sheet on the bed, there’s a lot that can go wrong when staying in a hotel – but there’s one thing I always check before using

The hospitality sector is known for its gruelling demands, with long hours and erratic shift patterns, making anyone in the industry a true unsung hero in my book. It’s a tough gig, with intense time constraints, so it’s hardly surprising that occasionally things can get overlooked when it comes to preparing hundreds of rooms before the 3pm check-in on a busy Friday night.

I’ve discovered everything from discarded underwear on the floor, a half-drunk bottle of water in the fridge, a dirty dressing gown and a blood-stained sheet after checking into my supposedly clean hotel room at various hotels. While these areas are easy to spot at a glance, there’s one thing I always meticulously inspect and clean whenever I enter a hotel room – the glassware.

Most of us have checked into a hotel room to find a complimentary tea and coffee setup waiting for us. However, during my time working in the hospitality industry, I’ve discovered that not all hotels thoroughly clean their mugs before the next guest arrives, which is rather revolting.

On several occasions, I’ve seen housekeepers simply rinse the mugs in the bathroom sink, give them a quick wipe with a cloth, and then place them back on the table ready for the next guest. While this might remove any leftover coffee or tea residue, it doesn’t quite suffice for properly cleaning a mug that’s used repeatedly by guests.

This applies to the water glasses perched on the sink or bedside table, too – a quick rinse and Bob’s your uncle! Now, I’m not suggesting that every hotel is guilty of this, but based on my own experiences, I tend to be a bit sceptical.

So, with every hotel check-in, I now make it a point to inspect the glassware and give it a good rinse with boiling water from the kettle as a precautionary measure, and a dab of hand soap doesn’t hurt either. After all, I don’t want to be that guest who insists on a fresh mug and glass just in case they haven’t been properly cleaned; a simple DIY sterilisation is enough to set my mind at ease.

But I do empathise with the housekeepers. They have a lengthy checklist of cleaning tasks ranging from changing the bed linen, deep cleaning the bathrooms, hoovering the floor, replacing robes and slippers, wiping down glass and windows, restocking the mini fridge, to meticulously folding countless towels.

Sometimes they barely have a moment to catch their breath, let alone dash down to the kitchen, load the dishwasher and replenish a tray of glasses for each room. They typically have a 3pm deadline for every room, and staff shortages only add to the pressure.

In the past, ABC News conducted an undercover investigation that revealed that housekeeping at 11 out of 15 hotels didn’t replace the glassware when tidying the rooms. Instead, they were simply rinsed in the sink and wiped down with a cleaning cloth or sponge.

To circumvent this hygiene issue, some hotels opt for plastic-wrapped cups, while others insist on their rigorous glassware cleaning practices. However, even if the glass or mug seems spotless and clean, it’s not always easy to be sure.

The next time you settle into a hotel room, consider giving your mug a quick rinse with boiled water as a precautionary measure. If you’re particularly concerned, bring along your own reusable water bottle and request a fresh mug from the hotel bar, because let’s face it, no one fancies pondering over someone else’s lips whilst enjoying their morning brew.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

PRINCESS Andre has revealed that neither her mum, Katie Price, or her dad, Peter Andre, have watched her reality TV show.

The 18-year-old became a star in her own right earlier this year when ITV launched season one of The Princess Diaries, a fly-on-the-wall docuseries.

And despite the show being a massive hit, Princess says her famous parents weren’t sitting down on the couch to give it a watch.

She told The Sun: “I actually don’t think either of my parents have watched the show.”

“I don’t think it’s my dad’s thing, it’s more, it’s a show for people my age to watch, I think,” explained Princess, who was speaking at the launch of 3D Refirm x Facebible in Windsor.

Exes Katie and Peter share Princess and her older brother Junior, 20. While Peter is also a dad to Theo, Amelia and Arabella, and Katie to Harvey, Jett and Bunny.

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Peter and his wife Emily were featured in the reality show, but Katie claimed she was shunned from the series.

While her parents may not have watched it, Princess admitted she’s seen plenty herself.

“I watched everything about five times!” she laughed.

The teenager continued: “Just to make sure everything is how I want it and to check everything.”

The Princess Diaries has been renewed for a second and third season already, with Princess admitting that she has been filming “every day” recently.

“I’ve finished for season two and then I’ve got season three to film. So, I’m really excited. I think people are going to love it,” she said.

A date for the show’s release has not yet been confirmed, with Princess simply telling fans last year: “See you in 2026”.

In a break from filming, Princess was speaking at The Fairmont in Windsor, where Dr Raj Arora was launching 3D refirm – non-surgical skin tightening procedures – at her clinic, Facebible.

The doctor is a close friend of Princess’s dad and stepmum, Emily Macdonagh, who were also in attendance at the event.

She is the first doctor to offer 3D refirm at a medical-grade in the UK, with the treatment now available to book at http://www.thefacebible.com.