Travel experts say it’s not too late to book a Christmas getaway and save money as you can cut costs by up to 24% on flights

With Christmas on the horizon, families and solo travellers might fancy ditching the shopping and planning to jet off on a festive break instead. While the countdown is well and truly on and holiday costs are starting to climb, travel experts reckon there’s still an opportunity to snap up a bargain getaway whilst keeping costs down.

Stacey Hamilton, a travel expert at Private Tours England, reckons a brief window in early December presents the prime opportunity for securing an affordable Christmas escape. Even better news – that golden window is now open.

It’s a widespread rumour that December flights come with eye-watering price tags, but fresh research reveals a surprising price drop in the weeks leading up to the festive period, reports the Express.

According to Stacey, the most budget-friendly booking period for Christmas 2025 falls between December 2 and December 17 – a timeframe she claims most holidaymakers completely ignore.

She explained: “People tend to check prices very early or extremely last-minute, but they overlook this eight-to-23-day window where airlines often reduce fares to fill remaining seats. If you want Christmas savings, this is the period you need to keep your eye on.”

What’s the most cost-effective day to secure a Christmas holiday?

Within this sweet spot, Stacey highlighted two particular standout dates: Sunday, December 7 and 14, 2025. She revealed that Sundays consistently deliver below-average prices for both UK and overseas travel, with this pattern being particularly pronounced during the fortnight preceding Christmas.

She said: “Booking on a Sunday is one of the simplest ways to save. In many cases, travellers can cut costs by up to 24% without changing their destination or travel dates.”

Once you’ve secured your booking, Stacey suggests the next move is to pick the right day to jet off. For Christmas 2025, she recommends considering Friday December 12 and 19, two dates that consistently fall within a lower-demand period.

She said: “Flying on a Friday just before the peak Christmas travel week can cut your fare significantly. The 12th and 19th sit at that ideal point where demand hasn’t yet hit its highest level. They’re brilliant for keeping costs down without compromising on dates.”

However, she cautioned that the price rapidly shifts after December 17. She warned: “Once you get inside the final week before Christmas, most airlines increase fares in line with demand.

“Christmas 2025 falls on a Thursday, so that final weekend is going to be extremely busy. If you wait until then, you’ll almost certainly pay more.”

EVEN if you enjoy crisp mornings and a bit of snow, it’s hard not to daydream about a sunny break during the British winter. 

You could be looking for a half term getaway with the family or simply trying to escape the UK at its chilliest.

Whatever your motivation, the desire to shed your winter coat is understandable. 

There is a great variety of destinations ranging from long to short-haul which offer a chance to catch some February rays, whether that be in the sizzling tropics or the mild Mediterranean.

We’ve rounded some of these up, along with great deals that will get you there, so that you can chase the sun all year round. 

Agadir, Morocco

Average high temperature: 21C

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All the holidays you can still book for under £100 – including flights

SANDS GREAT

The winter sun holiday destination with waterparks & dune bashing

Just under four hours from the UK lie the golden sands of Agadir’s crescent-shaped beach. 

The six mile stretch of coast is a hotspot for surfing – but it’s also popular with holidaymakers who simply want to kick back and enjoy the sunshine, which the city gets 300 days of per year. 

And Agadir boasts more than just a beach, with a bustling souk and stunning 16th century ruins adding to the reasons it was named a top travel destination by British Airways in 2025. 

The Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey visited and said: “You can easily sunbathe on the beach with highs of 21C in February, and I was easily able to walk around in a t-shirt during the day. Just make sure to bring a jumper for the evening as it can drop to 10C by night.”

Plus, this Moroccan gem is incredibly easy to reach from the UK as most major European airlines offer direct flights from London, Manchester, Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Orlando, Florida

Average high temperature: 24C

Florida benefits from a powerful Atlantic Ocean current which causes warmer water to be brought in from the tropics, which means it’s warm year-round.

With temperatures reaching highs of 24C in February, a tan is definitely on the cards.

It might still be worth packing a brolly, as chances of rain do increase in February with the average total rainfall being 77mm across the month.

That being said, Orlando is home to some of the world’s best theme parks, and February might be one of the best times to visit as you won’t be queueing under the scorching summer sun.

Gran Canaria, Spain

Average high temperature: 21C

Winters in the Canary Islands are balmy, with temperatures regularly surpassing the 20C mark.

Gran Canaria sees little to no rainfall during the whole month of February, making it a safe bet if you want to enjoy outdoor activities like hiking or boat tours for dolphin-watching.

The island boasts over 80 beaches with both white and volcanic black sand, so visitors are spoilt for choice when it comes to sunbathing spots.

One of these is Playa de Maspalomas, which was recently named the sunniest beach in Europe due to getting over 10 hours of daily sunshine, even during the winter months. 

Cape Verde

Average high temperature: 25C

As an archipelago off the coast of West Africa, Cape Verde is surprisingly close to the UK in terms of flight-time. 

The six hours it takes to travel from Blighty – and the added benefit of no jet lag – makes it a convenient, mid-haul destination for sunseekers. 

Strong breezes keep the warm temperatures comfortable while also making the islands ideal for activities like windsurfing and kiteboarding. 

“I visited Cape Verde in February, when the sunshine is guaranteed and there is less than a millimetre of rainfall in a month,” said Jacob Lewis. “I was also lucky enough to be around for Carnival, the nation’s biggest annual celebration.”

Of its 10 islands, head to Boa Vista for pristine white-sand beaches, Sal for watersports and Santo Antão for breathtaking landscapes.

Malta

Average high temperature: 16C

If you prefer milder weather, Malta is a fantastic option for a winter trip.

Even with an average high of 16C, it can reach up to 20C on the warmest days. 

You’ll get to enjoy impressive amounts of sunshine while you explore its ancient citadels and lesser-known islands – all without the crowds that arrive during the hottest months. 

February is also the cheapest time to visit, with direct return flights from the UK available for as little as £33 per person. 

Cape Town, South Africa

Average high temperature: 27C

February is Cape Town’s hottest month of the year, and allows you to swap the extremes of UK winter for South African summer. 

It is also one of the driest months, unlike in tropical destinations where you’d run the risk of a shower. 

There are many events happening in February, with the Cape Town Art Fair and the Pride Festival both taking place.

To make it even better, February marks the end of the peak holiday season, so you can make the most of significantly cheaper accommodation and flights.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Average high temperature: 26C

There’s a reason that February is the high season in Dubai. 

The days are pleasantly warm without reaching the sweltering temperatures of a UAE summer, meaning you can better enjoy daytime outings such as tours, water parks or even a desert safari.  

The Sun’s Daniel Tison holidayed in the city in February, saying: “The weather was hot, especially around noon which made the cold sea water very refreshing.”

With its opulent skyscrapers and luxurious resorts, Dubai during this month offers the best of its desert climate.  

The Gambia

Average high temperature: 32C

The hottest place on our list is the unsung nation dubbed ‘the smiling coast of Africa’ – The Gambia.

It has a small Atlantic coastline where soaking up the sun is best done in February, as the month falls within the dry season and guarantees endless sunshine. 

Besides beaches, The Gambia’s diverse natural environment includes savannahs and wetlands, making it a prime destination for nature lovers.

What’s more, it’s a highly accessible country for British travellers, with English as the official language, direct TUI flights and no time difference at all. 

Valencia, Spain

Average high temperature: 16C 

Just over a two-hour flight from the UK is Valencia, with its mild climes that make February feel more like spring than winter. 

Caroline McGuire – The Sun’s Digital Head of Travel – said: “I travelled to Valencia in February half term and the weather was lovely and warm. 

“There’s plenty to see and do for kids and it’s a beautiful city with a gorgeous beach. It wasn’t roasting, but definitely t-shirt and shorts weather – and it beat the 5C back in the UK for sure.”

At this time of year flights can be bagged for just £28 return per person, with budget airlines including easyJet, Ryanair and Vueling all offering direct routes. 

If you’re after a city break rather than a beach escape, Valencia’s striking architecture, vibrant atmosphere and exciting food scene make it an excellent choice for some winter warmth. 

It was just last Friday that Netflix announced a blockbuster $72-billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. film and television studios, HBO and HBO Max — a tie-up that could fundamentally change Hollywood.

Yet on Monday, the stakes got even higher, as Paramount swooped in with a $78-billion hostile takeover bid it plans to take directly to Warner Bros. Discovery’s shareholders.

Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison called the Netflix deal an “inferior proposal,” saying in a statement that it “exposes shareholders to a mix of cash and stock, an uncertain future trading value of the Global Networks linear cable business and a challenging regulatory approval process.”

It all sets the stage for a long and potentially bruising fight. And the Netflix deal would have to overcome some significant regulatory hurdles, experts told me.

“This is a deal that never should have left the boardroom,” said David Balto, an antitrust attorney and a former policy director at the Federal Trade Commission during the Clinton administration. “The competitive concerns are profound. This is going to face a lot of opposition at the Justice Department.”

For one, antitrust regulators are expected to scrutinize the market share that would be controlled by a combined Netflix and HBO Max.

Netflix outlasted its rivals in the so-called streaming wars to become the dominant platform in a crowded space. That position has led to concern that gobbling up HBO Max would give Netflix outsized power in the streaming space — potentially more than 30% — which would cross a threshold under antitrust law, according to a recent letter from Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) to Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi and Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson.

Netflix executives have argued that analysis of its market share should include YouTube.

In a UBS investor conference Monday, Netflix Co-Chief Executive Greg Peters pointed to Nielsen data, which show Netflix’s shares of U.S. TV viewing is still behind YouTube‘s. Netflix represents just 8% of U.S. TV viewing in October, behind YouTube’s 12.9%.

If Netflix were to combine with Warner Bros. Discovery’s 1.3% share of U.S. TV viewing, its 9.2% would still be less than that of YouTube. (Other Nielsen data show that Warner Bros. Discovery channels have greater viewership, but Netflix is only interested in one channel, HBO).

“We think there’s a strong fundamental case here for why regulators should approve this deal,” Peters said. (The deal’s overall value is $82.7 billion due to the absorption of debt)

But who would regulators consider a competitor to Netflix? Is it YouTube, with its emphasis on shorter-form content? Or would the main competitors be other streaming services with films and series, like Disney+, Paramount+ and Peacock?

“The analytical issue there is, how do you define the market?” said George Hay, a professor of law at Cornell University and former director of economics in the Justice Department’s antitrust division. “What is their combined market share, what do they compete in and what are the alternatives available to consumers?”

The consumer angle would also invite involvement from the Federal Trade Commission. With a shrinking marketplace, the agency would likely investigate whether this could increase streaming prices for customers.

“What keeps Netflix honest is knowing there’s an HBO Max that’s right over its shoulder,” Balto said. “But once they get rid of that, they can lead the easy life, and the need to cut prices or provide better services or bid aggressively for film content — all of that will be diminished.”

Meanwhile, Hollywood unions and the Cinema United trade group have also raised concerns that a Netflix ownership of Warner Bros. would lead to fewer films being released in theaters, due to the company’s longstanding resistance to traditional movie releases. Netflix has said it would honor Warner Bros.’ theatrical release commitments and that future films without those existing deals will also go to theaters.

Beyond the U.S. concerns, Netflix would also need the blessing of regulators across the globe, and could be challenged by even state attorneys general who might have a significant number of entertainment workers in their areas who would question the effect on industry jobs.

Then, there’s the politics of it all.

President Trump himself has said he “would be involved” in his administration’s decision to bless any deal and that the combined market share of Netflix and Warner Bros. “could be a problem.”

As my colleagues Meg James and Stacy Perman have reported, Trump has openly favored Paramount’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, though word of Paramount backer Larry Ellison’s close ties with Trump dampened enthusiasm for the bid in Hollywood. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is now also one of the investors participating in the renewed Paramount bid.

Despite this involvement, the Trump administration may not have the final say on the deal, just as in the case of the AT&T deal for Time Warner.

For his part, Netflix Co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos has also been trying to make his own case to Trump and ventured to the White House last month, Bloomberg reported.

“It’s a case in which the political issues are going to play a role,” Hay said. “They’re so front and center, and Trump has shown an inclination to get involved.”

About the only thing that’s clear is that it’s not going to be a quick process.

“This entire matter is not going to get resolved in a hurry,” said Corey Martin, managing partner at Granderson Des Rochers. “The resolution of this matter is very likely to take place over months and potentially years, and not days and weeks.”

Stuff We Wrote

Film shoots

Number of the week

Universal Pictures and Blumhouse-Atomic Monster’s horror sequel “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” ruled the domestic box office this weekend with a $63 million haul in the U.S. and Canada. While it doesn’t surpass the first movie’s $80 million opening weekend in 2023, it’s a massive boost for theaters, which have seen a string of slower months.

Menacing animatronic figures weren’t the only thing that brought moviegoers to theaters this weekend. Disney’s animated “Zootopia 2” brought in about $43 million domestically in its second outing. Globally, the sequel has now brought in a total of $915 million.

The strong recent showings for films such as “Zootopia 2” and “Wicked: For Good” have helped push 2025’s year-to-date domestic box office total to a little over $8 billion, up just barely — 0.8%, in fact — compared with last year.

Finally …

My colleague, Jeanette Marantos, wrote about the 105th anniversary of Altadena’s Christmas Tree Lane lighting ceremony and festival this past weekend, a bittersweet memorial for the community after a year of heartbreak.

Welcome back to The Times’ Lakers newsletter, where everyone needs to catch up on sleep.

Despite arriving in Boston and Philadelphia at 2:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, respectively, and with some players not falling asleep until 4 a.m., the Lakers salvaged a 2-1 record during their difficult three-game, four-day Eastern Conference road trip. With wins over Toronto and the 76ers, the Lakers (17-6) maintained second place in the West entering the knockout stage of NBA Cup action.

When your job requires so much travel, everyone develops their own hacks. Travel-sized skin-care products hate to see me coming. For Jaxson Hayes, it’s a meticulously planned two-and-a-half-hour nap before every game.

Luka Doncic, for one, could have used one of those this week.

He’s a girl(s) dad

Doncic rubbed his weary eyes, ran his hands through his hair and blinked hard as he tried to piece together the details of the last week. New parents know the feeling.

After missing two games while in his native Slovenia for the birth of his second daughter, Doncic rejoined the team Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia. Doncic posted a photo on social media of new baby Olivia wearing a pink sweater with a heart emoji covering her face.

In his typically reserved way, Doncic is private about his family life, but he carries constant reminders with him. He designed a pink colorway of his signature sneaker in honor of his first daughter, Gabriela. When he presented his autobiographical slideshow to the team earlier this year, he named Gabriela, born in 2023, as the person who changed his life. From writing “Gabriela” on his shoes for games, Doncic inscribed a small G and O with a heart on his shoes Sunday.

“Two girls, they’re going to make my life hell for sure, I know that,” Doncic half-joked. “I’m going to be their security after I retire. All jokes aside, it’s the best thing in the world. I’m just blessed.”

Doncic thanked the Lakers for allowing him to spend time with his family during a major life milestone during the season and his manager Lara Beth Seger for helping him set up the travel. He left L.A. on Monday after the Lakers finished back-to-back games against the Phoenix Suns, flying 12 hours to Slovenia, which is nine hours ahead of L.A.

It was a roller coaster, Doncic said. With a relieved smile, he added: “But it was worth it.”

As a father of two boys, coach JJ Redick understands. When his youngest son Kai was born, Redick handled night duty, feeding and changing the baby for almost two months before the season began. He called it “one of the coolest experiences of my life.”

“[I] somehow came to the gym every day with more energy than I thought was possible despite sleeping in two-hour segments for five or six hours,” Redick said before the game. “So hopefully it would be [the same] with Luka.”

Doncic didn’t miss a beat. He recorded his second triple-double of the season with 31 points, 11 assists and 15 rebounds.

Clutch gene

After LeBron James’ fourth-quarter heroics on Sunday, the Lakers are 8-0 in clutch games, which the NBA defines as within five points inside the final five minutes. They’re the only undefeated team in clutch games, besting even the juggernaut Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Lakers have also played the third fewest clutch minutes in the league and are tied for the second fewest clutch games. When they’re good, they’re really good, blowing out the struggling New Orleans Pelicans or the Dallas Mavericks. When they’re bad, they’re also really bad. Don’t forget the losses to Atlanta, Oklahoma City or Phoenix.

The Lakers have just a plus-2.2 point differential per game, the smallest margin of victory of any team in the top six of either conference. It’s a precarious way to live for a team that hopes to win a championship. The luck may run out soon. Or maybe the Lakers will show that it’s truly a sustainable skill they possess as a group.

But the ability to thrive among chaos is still valuable for the second-place team in the West.

“Most of those games, there have been moments where we could break,” Redick said. “We talk about bending but not breaking all the time.”

The Lakers won both of their games during this road trip in clutch fashion. James was at the center of both wins, firing the game-winning assist to Rui Hachimura against Toronto, then scoring 12 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter against Philadelphia. As James racked up 10 consecutive points in the fourth, center Deandre Ayton, sensing the superstar’s powers rising, stopped celebrating the big shots because he wanted to make sure he could enjoy the show.

“Clutch gene,” Ayton said. “Felt like a movie.”

Ayton could earn a nomination for best supporting actor for his work. Not only was he a perfect seven-for-seven from the field for 14 points, but he had 12 rebounds (10 defensive) with a steal and a block. Redick, who cited defense as the team’s biggest concern entering the three-game trip, praised Ayton for being disruptive in drop coverage, his hustle for loose balls and his willingness to switch onto 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey.

“Whatever we needed him to do on that end of the floor in the second half, he was great,” Redick said.

The Lakers are first in defensive rating in clutch minutes. The team that Redick said was “basically average to slightly below average” on defense has an 85.7 defensive rating in clutch minutes compared with the overall 116.2 rating that ranks 20th in the league.

After giving up 60 points in the first half, the Lakers held Philadelphia to 48 in the second, and Maxey, who entered the game ranked third in the NBA in scoring, had just five points on two-for-six shooting in the fourth quarter.

On tap

Dec. 10 vs. Spurs (16-7), 7 p.m. PDT, NBA Cup quarterfinals

The Spurs won the most competitive Cup group with an impressive 139-136 win over the Denver Nuggets without Victor Wembanyama, who has been out for three weeks with a calf injury. The star Frenchman could return in time for the knockout round game.

If the Lakers win, they will play the winner of the quarterfinal matchup between Oklahoma City and Phoenix in the West semifinals in Las Vegas at 6 p.m. on Dec. 13. The final is at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 16.

If the Lakers lose, they will play the loser of Oklahoma City-Phoenix in a regular season game on Dec. 11, 12, 14 or 15.

Status report

By popular demand, we’ll start including a brief update on the Lakers’ current injury status.

Marcus Smart: back

The guard’s back issue has lingered for two weeks, but he could return in time for Wednesday’s NBA Cup game, Redick said. The injury progressed from back spasms after the game against the Clippers to “lower back injury management” to “left lumbar muscle strain.”

LeBron James: “old”

James missed the game against Boston because of right sciatica and left foot joint arthritis. The soon-to-be 41-year-old has yet to play in back-to-back games this season, but Redick said the hope is that he will eventually. After missing the first 14 games because of right sciatica, the left foot injury designation cropped up after the Lakers’ NBA Cup win over the Dallas Mavericks. When asked about it, James didn’t seem particularly worried: “It’s called old,” he deadpanned.

Favorite thing I ate this week

The momo platter from Momo Ghar in Toronto. From left to right, the chili momo tossed in a spicy, savory sauce; the tandoori momo; the kurkure (breaded) momo; and the steamed momo.

(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)

I understand the Toronto hype. The city that everyone told me was the best in the NBA delivered despite bitter cold and snow flurries. Walking 25 minutes in below-freezing temperatures to Momo Ghar in Cabbagetown was well worth it for the momo sampler. The platter featured these Tibetan dumplings tossed in a sweet and savory chili sauce, a tandoori sauce, breaded and deep fried and steamed.

And because I love a sweet treat, I ordered mango creme brulee for dessert. The cardamom spiced cream had me wanting to start an alternative life in Toronto.

In case you missed it

LeBron James crowns himself King after sparking Lakers’ late surge in win over 76ers

Lakers star Luka Doncic might play Sunday after birth of second child

With Luka Doncic and LeBron James out, Lakers lose in blowout to Celtics

LeBron James’ record scoring streak ends, but Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura deliver win

‘A lot of slices of pizza left’: Where the Lakers stand after 20 games

Former Laker Elden Campbell, known for his effortless style, dies at 57

Until next time…

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

China’s trade surplus – the difference between the value of goods it imports and exports – has hit $1 trillion for the first time, a significant yardstick in the country’s role as “factory of the world”, making everything from socks and curtains to electric cars.

For the first 11 months of this year, China’s exports rose to $3.4 trillion while its imports declined slightly to $2.3 trillion. That brought the country’s trade surplus to about $1 trillion, China’s General Administration of Customs said on Monday.

Shipments overseas from China have boomed despite US President Donald Trump’s global trade war, largely consisting of sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs on most countries, which were launched earlier this year in a bid to reduce US trade deficits.

But China, which was initially hit with US tariffs of 145 percent before they were lowered to allow for trade talks, has emerged largely unscathed from the standoff by stepping up shipments to markets outside the US.

Following Trump’s 2024 election win, China began diversifying its export market away from the US in exchange for closer ties with Southeast Asia and the European Union. It also established new production hubs, outside of China, for low-tariff access.

Why does China have such a large trade surplus?

China’s exports returned to growth last month following an unexpected dip in October, rising to 5.9 percent more than one year earlier and far outpacing a 1.9 percent rise in imports, according to China’s General Administration of Customs.

China’s goods surplus for the first 11 months of 2025 was up 21.7 percent from the same period last year. Most of the surge was driven by strong growth in high-tech goods, which outpaced the increase in overall exports by 5.4 percent.

Auto exports, especially for electric vehicles, rallied as Chinese firms muscled in on Japanese and German market share. Total car shipments jumped by more than one million to approximately 6.5 million units this year, according to data from China-based consultancy Automobility.

And although China still trails US leaders like Nvidia in advanced chips, it is becoming dominant in the production of semiconductors (used in everything from electric cars to medical devices). Semiconductor exports rose by 24.7 percent over the period.

China’s technological advances have also boosted shipbuilding, where exports rose 26.8 percent compared with the same period in 2024.

So, given the hostile global trade backdrop, how has China achieved this?

Rerouting and diversifying

Though Washington has lowered tariffs on Chinese imports in recent months, they remain high. Average import duties on Chinese goods currently stand at 37 percent. For this reason, Chinese shipments to the US have dropped by 29 percent year-on-year to November.

Some Chinese companies have shifted their production facilities to Southeast Asia, Mexico and Africa, enabling them to bypass Trump’s tariffs on goods arriving directly from China. Despite this, overall trade between the two countries remains down.

In the first eight months of this year, for instance, the US imported roughly $23bn in goods from Indonesia, an increase of nearly one-third on the same period in 2024. It is widely understood that the rise is down to Chinese goods being redirected via Indonesia.

“The role of trade rerouting in offsetting the drag from US tariffs still appears to be increasing,” Zichun Huang, an economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a note to clients on Monday. Huang added that “exports to Vietnam, the top [Chinese] rerouting hub, continued to grow rapidly.”

As trade with the US has slackened, China has doubled down on developing ties with other major trading partners. That includes a 15 percent surge in Chinese shipments to the EU, compared with the year before, and an 8.2 percent rise in exports to countries in Southeast Asia.

Weaker currency

Another reason for China’s trading success is that its currency has been cheap, compared with others, in recent years. A lower renminbi makes exports relatively inexpensive to produce, and imports relatively expensive to consume.

China maintains a “managed float” of the renminbi – meaning the central bank intervenes in foreign exchange markets to maintain its value against other currencies – with the aim of keeping the price stable.

For years, many economists have argued that China’s currency is undervalued. In their view, that gives exporters a competitive edge by boosting the appeal of cheap Chinese products at the expense of other countries, leading to large imbalances in trade.

Indeed, taking into account global inflationary dynamics, the real effective exchange rate – a measure of the competitiveness of Chinese goods – is actually at its weakest level since 2012.

How has China got here?

China’s eye-watering $1 trillion trade surplus – never before recorded in economic history – is the culmination of decades of industrial policies that have enabled China to emerge from a low-income agrarian society in the 1970s to become the world’s second-largest economy today.

China established itself as a dependable producer of low-cost manufactured goods, like T-shirts and shoes, in the 1980s. Since then, it has climbed the industrial ladder to higher-value goods, such as electric vehicles and solar panels.

By far its largest sector in terms of exports is electronics. China exported a total of more than $1 trillion-worth of electronic goods around the world in 2024. This follows the pattern of other industrialised countries by starting with simple, labour-intensive goods and then moving into more complex sectors. However, China has done so with unusual scale and speed to cement its dominance across numerous global supply chains.

It also dominates trade in rare-earth metals, which are crucial for the manufacture of a wide range of goods from smartphones to fighter jets.

Twelve of the 17 rare earth metals on the periodic table can be found in China, and it mines between 60 percent and 70 percent of the world’s rare-earth resources. It also carries out 90 percent of the processing of these metals for commercial use.

For historical context, China’s trade surplus in factory goods is larger as a share of its economy than the US ran in the years after World War II, when most other manufacturing nations were emerging from the ruins of war.

How are other countries responding to China’s expanding dominance?

Many are looking for ways to redress the balance.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited China last week, warned the EU may take “strong measures”, including imposing higher tariffs, should Beijing fail to address the imbalance.

The EU already imposes additional tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs), which range from 17 percent to 35.3 percent, for example, on top of its existing 10 percent import duty.
Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, arrived in China for a two-day trip on Monday this week, becoming the latest senior European official to visit for talks amid the country’s rapidly expanding goods trade with Europe.

Before his trip, Wadephul said he planned to raise the issue of tariffs with his Chinese counterparts, particularly those involving rare earths, in addition to concerns about industrial “overcapacities”, which he said are distorting global prices for industrial goods.

Will China’s exports continue to grow?

Despite efforts by the US and other wealthy countries to diversify away from China, few economists expect the country’s broad-based trade momentum to slow anytime soon.

Economists at Morgan Stanley predict China’s share of global goods exports will reach 16.5 percent by the end of the decade, up from 15 percent now, reflecting China’s ability to adapt quickly to shifting global demand.

More immediately, China’s strong trade performance means the annual growth target – set by Beijing to guide economic policy and to align regional governments – of about 5 percent is likely to be met.

A NEW attraction in the UK lets you have all the fun of the fairground – just without the loud rides.

Thousands of visitors head to Thursford in Norfolk every winter to enjoy its award-winning £5million show, .

Performed by 130 cast members, its been going strong for nearly 40 years, with millions of people visiting since.

And now there’s a reason for families to visit the site the rest of the year, after they launched a new new adventure play fair earlier this summer.

My family love a themed playground and had high hopes that this would be up there with the woodland whimsy of Lillidorei in the North East, or Bewilderwood, which is about 45 minutes away.

Tucked away down windy country lanes, it was the perfect spot to stop and break our journey on the way to the coast for some autumn R&R.

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The new wooden playground is inspired by a vintage fairground.

Slides, climbing frames and teacup spinners based on retro rides like a carousel, a Ferris wheel and a Helter Skelter were a big hit with my boys aged six, 11 and 13.

There’s a dedicated toddler area themed around funfair sidestalls and a kart track for kids to zoom around beneath aerial walkways.

The site isn’t huge but it’s incredibly well designed to make the best use of the space, with something new around every corner.

My boys’ favourite was the musical play fountains, where they got absolutely soaked.

Make sure you bring a change of clothes or swimwear as your youngsters will get wet…

The splashpad is the first of its kind in a UK park, with 100 programmable jets shooting out of the floor in time to music, with the control box disguised as an old Victorian organ.

There’s a handy bank of spacious and clean toilet cubicles just behind the fountains if you need to wrestle soggy children out of waterlogged clothes.

Plus there’s plenty of picnic benches to eat at and an on-site food kiosk serving pizza, burgers, sandwiches and soup.

It was lovely sitting in the autumn sunshine with a cup of coffee, looking out at trees whose leaves were turning golden and listening to happy children splashing and laughing.

Once you’ve enjoyed all the fun of the fair outside, you can head indoors to marvel at the world’s largest collection of steam engines and organs, with entry to the museum half price if you have tickets to the adventure play fair. 

You can also pay extra to have a go on the museum’s collection of vintage rides, including gallopers, a children’s carousel and a gondola.

The museum has closed now until its 2026 season along with the playground, but visitors can still enjoy the adventure playground if you have booked to see Santa or the light trail on site.

Adventure play fair tickets are only available on the day during the winter season and cost £2.50 for adults and £5 for children aged three and above for an hour session.

Tickets to visit Santa’s grotto and light trail cost from £24 per child and £17 per adult

The Enchanted Journey of Light by itself is £18 per person off-peak and £24 at peak times.

Here’s what its like to go to the UK’s new National Fairground attraction.

Or there is a new indoor fairground themed attraction just for adults which opened in the UK this year.

Michael Virgil, 35, died on board the Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas cruise liner after being restrained following a violent outburst – his family are now suing the firm

A dad who died on a cruise after attacking fellow passengers was served 33 alcoholic drinks in a single day, his family claim.

Michael Virgil, 35, died on board Royal Caribbean‘s Navigator of the Seas cruise liner last year, after crew allegedly restrained him with sedatives and pepper spray when he became aggressive and violent. His family, who are now suing the cruise line, claim bar staff repeatedly served him drinks despite obvious signs of intoxication.

Mr Virgil, from Moreno Valley, California, was with his fiancée, Connie Aguilar, and their seven-year-old son when he launched into the foul-mouthed tirade just hours after boarding the cruise.

Some passengers reported hearing him use racial epithets during the outburst, and when he began threatening other passengers and attacking crew members, security put him into custody using a combination of cable ties, handcuffs, and pepper spray.

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Photographs show multiple members of staff appearing to pin him to the ground in a corridor. Mr Virgil was pronounced dead around an hour after being detained, and found to have suffered a cardiac arrest.

His family members claim he was given a sedative injection while in custody – and are blaming the cruise line for continuing to serve him alcohol despite him showing clear signs of inebriation.

US attorney Kevin Haynes told FOX 11’s Phil Shuman: “They have a legal duty not to do so. And if you’re serving someone 25, 30-plus drinks, in no world could you not see that the person is intoxicated.

“Once they created that situation, he acted out. He did not act as a normal person would. Clearly he was intoxicated. He is not a big drinker. He was known by his family as a gentle giant.”

Mr Haynes claims staff “physically restrained him with five people physically on top of him” resulting in a “mechanical asphyxiation”, similar to the fate suffered by George Floyd when policeman Derek Chauvin held his knee on his neck in 2020.

“It’s the same kind of concept that George Floyd suffered, except in this case, it persisted for three minutes, and there were other factors at play that causes death,” the attorney said.

Royal Caribbean said in a statement to US media: “We were saddened by the passing of one of our guests, worked with authorities on their investigation, and will refrain from commenting any further on pending litigation.”

Cameroon is experiencing a severe shortage of HIV/AIDS test kits following a 74 per cent reduction in financial assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The US agency funding in Cameroon has focused on health initiatives, including HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis; humanitarian aid, such as food security and support for refugees, and governance. However, significant cuts to this funding in 2025 have adversely affected many health projects, forcing Cameroon to revise its budget.

The United States is the largest bilateral donor of humanitarian assistance in Cameroon, contributing over $650 million annually since 2014. This funding has provided emergency food assistance to more than 1.4 million people, delivered essential relief supplies, and promoted maternal and child health initiatives.

The Adamawa region of the country is facing a significant shortage of HIV/AIDS test kits, making it one of the hardest-hit areas. According to the Regional Technical Group for the fight against HIV/AIDS, the situation in the region is critical. Approximately 5.5 per cent of individuals living with the virus are unaware of their serological status, and 4 per cent of those infected have not yet started antiretroviral treatment.

Among those receiving effective treatment, 9.4% have not yet achieved the goal of suppressing the viral load, a necessary condition for slowing down the transmission of the virus. Recently, a sensitisation march took place in Ngaoundere, the regional capital of Adamawa. During this event, the Regional Technical Group for the fight against HIV-AIDS urged the community to remain vigilant. They also encouraged individuals living with HIV to consistently adhere to their medication regimen.

Despite a 74 per cent reduction in USAID funding, Cameroon continues to provide antiretroviral treatment to AIDS patients.

At the HIV-AIDS unit of the Protestant Hospital of Ngaoundere, which serves approximately 2,000 patients, access to testing, the critical first step, is currently very limited. This restriction complicates the identification of new cases and hinders referrals to available treatment options.

In 2024, Cameroon was estimated to have 480,232 people living with HIV, with approximately 10,000 new cases recorded that year. Although HIV remains a significant public health challenge, there has been encouraging progress, including a 50% reduction in HIV prevalence among individuals aged 15 to 64 over the past 14 years. According to the most recent Demographic Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 2018, the prevalence decreased from 5.4 per cent in 2004 to 4.3 per cent in 2011, and further down to 2.7 per cent in 2018.

Hamsatou Hadja, the permanent secretary of Cameroon’s National AIDS Control Committee, attributed the decline in HIV cases to a targeted strategy. “The fight against HIV is organised around a national vision aimed at eliminating AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. This involves reducing new infections, deaths, and the stigma associated with HIV,” Hamsatou said.

The country is on track to achieve the global “95-95-95” target, which aims for 95 per cent of people living with HIV to know their status, 95 per cent of those who know their status to be on treatment, and 95 per cent of those on antiretroviral therapy to have a suppressed viral load. According to the Committee, the rates in 2022 were 95.8 per cent, 92.3 per cent, and 89.2 per cent, respectively.

USAID funding cuts in 2025 have had widespread consequences across Africa, undermining health systems and humanitarian programs. Cameroon’s HIV/AIDS crisis is part of this broader trend, where reduced U.S. support has disrupted testing and treatment services.

The ITV News journalist has opened up about the ‘agonising’ trip she made following the death of her husband, who passed away in 2022

ITV News Arts Editor Nina Nannar has shared her heartache following the death of her husband. Her partner of 23 years passed away due to complications from kidney disease in 2022, leaving behind their 19-year-old daughter Mimi.

In a recent heartfelt interview, Nina spoke about her “agonising” journey to New Zealand to scatter the ashes of her late husband, Steve Ronson.

The 57-year-old told Norfolk magazine that she had been planning and “dreading” this trip for over a year as it was a “heartbreaking mission”.

She intended to return Steve’s ashes to his homeland of New Zealand but confessed she wasn’t emotionally prepared.

The broadcaster admitted to sleepless nights worrying about whether she could manage her grief and not “be embarrassing” in front of his friends.

Nina confided in the publication: “Even though Steve has been gone three years, the sorrow I feel over his loss still manages to cripple me in unexpected moments, of leaving me still in despair and disbelief that he is no longer here.”

She expressed gratitude towards her friends for supporting her “through my irrational moments” and “times of agony”, reports the Express.

Nina added: “My grief is raw, but this trip Mimi and I made did help us in a huge way.” During their visit to New Zealand, Nina and Mimi joined Steve’s friends at his favourite surf beach where they sang their “family anthem”, Return Of The Grievous Angel.

They also congregated at a beach on the Coramandel Peninsula, where Nina captured a video and sent it to his sister, Chris.

She asked Nina if she had spotted an orb of green light traversing the video, which Nina hoped was a sign from Steve.

Kidney Research UK reported that Steve was born with reflux, a condition affecting a valve in the ureter, causing urine to flow in the wrong direction, from the bladder back into the kidney.

He endured three and a half years on dialysis before receiving a kidney transplant that lasted for 30 years. In 2021, he underwent surgery to remove a lump, but doctors found cancer cells.

A year later, the cancer cells had spread, leading to the removal of Steve’s ear the day after his 60th birthday. Tragically, he passed away in 2022, surrounded by his loved ones.

Published on
09/12/2025 – 13:58 GMT+1

German manufacturer Thyssenkrupp saw its share price slide on Tuesday as it predicted a heavy loss for the current financial year.

As of around 1.30pm Frankfurt, shares had dropped 8.85%, paring more dramatic losses seen earlier in the day.

The steelmaker and engineering firm said it expects negative free cash flow between €300mn and €600mn in its fiscal year that ends on 30 September 2026. That’s before mergers and acquisitions.

Thyssenkrupp also said it expects to make a loss of between €400mn and €800mn in the current fiscal year.

“Our forecast takes account of the persistently challenging market conditions and of the efficiency and restructuring measures in our segments,” said Dr. Axel Hamann, chief financial officer of Thyssenkrupp.

“The determined implementation of our efficiency and cost-cutting programs in all segments is crucial for our earnings development.”

Hamann added that the company had met its financial targets for the year just ended, despite challenging market conditions.

Thyssenkrupp generated positive free cash flow of €363mn during this period, significantly above the prior year’s loss of €110mn. Sales came to €32.8bn, in line with expectations but marking a 6% year-on-year drop.

In the year ahead, Thyssenkrupp predicts restructuring costs at €350mn as it seeks to boost its long-term profitability.

Last week, Thyssenkrupp’s steel unit said it would start implementing job cuts after agreeing a long-awaited deal with unions. Under the terms of the agreement, the firm will eliminate 11,000 posts at its steel plants, amounting to 40% of the workforce there. Steel production will be cut by as much as 2.8 mn tonnes, a roughly 25% drop.

Thyssenkrupp has become a symbol of Germany’s ailing manufacturing industry, hit by Europe’s energy price spike and competition from cheaper Asian competitors. Lacklustre market demand, linked to weak post-pandemic growth in Europe, has also shrunk margins — with carmakers notably reducing their purchases of steel and automotive parts.

Once a powerhouse with divisions spanning from engineering to elevators and defence, Thyssenkrupp is now looking to spin off its flailing arms into separate businesses.

Indian group Jindal Steel is currently mulling a takeover of Thyssenkrupp’s steel unit, replacing contender Daniel Křetínský — a Czech billionaire who stepped back from a potential deal earlier this year. Křetínský returned the 20% stake in the steel unit he had already bought and abandoned plans to raise the holding to 50%. One key priority for the steel unit is decarbonisation, with Thyssenkrupp already investing in low-carbon manufacturing methods.

Thyssenkrupp also managed to offload its marine division TKMS earlier this year, listing it on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Former Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny has signed a new contract with Cardiff and is set to return to action this weekend.

The 36-year-old signed a short-term deal at the start of the season, initially as a kicking coach, with the intention of returning to play once he recovered from a calf injury.

Halfpenny, who will turn 37 just before Christmas, has now agreed a contract to continue at the Arms Park as a player-coach.

He is fit for selection and available for Saturday’s Challenge Cup home match with Ulster (20:00 GMT) in which he could play in a Cardiff side for the first time in more than 11 years.

If Halfpenny is selected, it will be 4,347 days since his previous appearance for the Blue and Blacks, having left the club for Toulon in 2014.

“We are blessed to have some quality full-backs at the club, but to add Leigh’s experience to the mix is brilliant,” said Cardiff Rugby coach Corniel van Zyl.

Yemen’s Southern Transition Council has declared itself in control of the country’s south, raising fears they will declare independence. Members of the internationally-backed government have fled. So what is the STC? Soraya Lennie explains.

The new National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill released by Congress Sunday night calls for maintaining funding of arms purchases for Ukraine, though at a rate drastically less than in the past, and support, albeit with caveats, to European allies. The legislation, which still must be approved separately by both the House and Senate, comes days after the White House released its National Security Strategy that distances America from support for Ukraine and Europe. It was also released as U.S President Donald Trump is seeking to end the war and Ukraine continues to lose ground to Russia.

Given that under the Biden administration the U.S. provided nearly $70 billion in direct military aid to Ukraine, the NDAA’s allocations could even be considered something of a symbolic measure aimed at reassuring Kyiv that the U.S. has not completely abandoned it. It continues the Trump administration’s efforts to put the onus of support for Ukraine on European NATO members.

On Monday afternoon, a White House official told The War Zone that the administration supports the $900 billion policy measure, “and has been working diligently to formulate a plan that will bring a durable, enforceable peace to the war in Ukraine.” The Pentagon declined comment because it does not speak about pending legislation.

The bill calls for the Pentagon to include $400 million in both Fiscal Year 2026 and Fiscal Year 2027 for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). That’s a pool of money that Ukraine can use to obtain arms from U.S. defense contractors. In the past, the money has been used to allow Ukraine to purchase ammunition, air defense interceptors and other war materiel.

The NDAA’s call for continued USAI funding for Ukraine is a far cry from the nearly $33 billion allocated for the program under the Biden administration and will provide a very limited amount of weapons. 

Earlier this year, the White House announced the creation of the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), designed to sell weapons from U.S. stocks to NATO nations, which would then turn them over to Ukraine in $500 million tranches. In addition, the Trump administration has yet to authorize any arms for Ukraine under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which funds the replacement of arms shipped to allies directly from U.S. stocks. The Biden administration allocated more than $33 billion in PDA funding to Ukraine, but it does not appear likely Trump will use this authority to help Ukraine.

The NDAA also calls for the Pentagon to notify Congress within 48 hours if it plans to stop providing intelligence support to Ukraine, something that happened earlier this year. That notification would include justifying the cut-off, its planned duration and how it would impact “the ability of Ukraine to conduct effective military operations.”

The cutoff of U.S. intelligence “significantly impacts Ukrainian force protection of High Value Equipment’s shoot, move and scoot timelines, indications and warning of high-threat aircraft,” a retired high-ranking Ukrainian officer told us in March. “It significantly hampers the ability to target Russian forces and conduct long-range strikes against critical, mobile high-value targets.”

The lack of satellite imagery over Kursk also played a role in Russia’s ability to end Ukraine’s invasion of that region, the retired officer added.

However, as we noted in October, the United States agreed to provide Ukraine with targeting intelligence for its long-range strikes against Russian energy infrastructure. 

The bill also calls for “an accounting” of military aid to Ukraine provided by the U.S. and allies, including under the PURL and USAI programs.

Beyond Ukraine, the NDAA seeks to continue support for NATO allies. It calls on the Secretary of Defense in coordination with the commander of U.S. European Command to establish a $175 million ‘‘Baltic Security Initiative,” aimed at “deepening security cooperation with the military forces of the Baltic countries” (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania).

(The current head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, has replaced the word Defense with War when it comes to the name of the department he oversees. The NDAA, meanwhile, continues to use the terms Department of Defense and Secretary of Defense).

The goal, according to the document, is to “achieve United States national security objectives by deterring aggression by the Russian Federation; and implementing NATO’s Strategic Concept, which seeks to strengthen the Alliance’s deterrence and defense posture by denying potential adversaries any possible opportunities for aggression.”

In addition, the initiative seeks to enhance regional planning and cooperation among the military forces of the Baltic nations, particularly when it comes to long-range precision fires, integrated air and missile defense, maritime domain awareness, stockpiling large caliber ammunition, command and control, intelligence gathering and improving “resilience to hybrid threats.”

However, while calling for support for the Baltics, the spending measure also says it is the “sense of Congress” that these three countries match the spending by the U.S. on this initiative.

The bill also seeks protection against signficant cuts to U.S. forces in Europe. It requires the Pentagon, EUCOM and other relevant agencies to obtain Congressional approval before cutting the U.S. troop levels in Europe to less than 76,000 troops. 

The move comes after the U.S. began pulling forces out of the continent, where there are currently about 85,000 troops stationed. Earlier this year, the U.S. Army sent about 800 troops from Romania back stateside.

While the spending measure signals an enduring, if somewhat symbolic commitment to Ukraine, it also states that NATO allies must pay for the cost of the U.S. troop presence on the continent and for the Secretary of War to “take into account a NATO ally’s progress toward meeting the alliance’s commitment to defense spending at 5% of GDP when making decisions related to military basing and training.”

Meanwhile, the 33-page White House National Security Strategy document released by the White House last week seeks a speedy end to the nearly four-year-old full on war and better relations with Russia. It says Europe is facing “civilizational erasure” and does not cast Russia as a threat to the U.S. 

“It is a core interest of the United States to negotiate an expeditious cessation of hostilities in Ukraine,” the NSS states. The goal is to “stabilize European economies, prevent unintended escalation or expansion of the war, and reestablish strategic stability with Russia, as well as to enable the post-hostilities reconstruction of Ukraine to enable its survival as a viable state.”

European leaders have pushed back against the NSS while Russia seems to support it.

“The adjustments we’re seeing… are largely consistent with our vision,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday. “We consider this a positive step.”

Amid all this, Trump’s diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continue to drag on with little progress while Russia continues to chew up Ukrainian territory.

The latest development is that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is meeting with European leaders in London “to discuss peace talks that have languished because of clashing views about how to end his country’s nearly four-year-old war with Russia,” The New York Times noted.

“Very important things for today are the unity between Europe and Ukraine, as well as the unity between Europe, Ukraine, and the United States,” Zelensky said Monday in a post on X. “Grateful to the leaders of Great Britain, Keir Starmer, France – Emmanuel Macron, and Germany – Friedrich Merz for organizing the meeting and the personal contribution of each on the path to establishing peace. We discussed in detail today our joint diplomatic work with the American side, agreed on a common position regarding the importance of security guarantees, reconstruction, and next steps. Separately, we talked about further defense support for Ukraine.”

STRICTLY’s Tyler West and Love Island star Chloe Burrows are set to be the new hosts of the KISS FM Breakfast Show in a surprising shake up.

The show has been hosted by Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely since 2020, but the duo sensationally quit just last week.

And now, their surprising reality star replacements have been confirmed.

Tyler, who currently presents afternoons on Kiss, is moving to the early bird slot with Chloe from the end of January.

He said of the new opportunity: “‘KISS FAM! The mornings are gonna be unreal! Taking over from my boys Jordan and Perri is huge… but trust me I’m ready to bring it!

“It’s time for big laughs and bigger tunes. KISS is where home is – this is your new breakfast show where the door is always open. It’s gonna be carnage!”

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While Chloe, who hasn’t previously hosted radio before but has her own podcast, described the opportunity as her “dream job”,

She said: “I can’t believe I’m saying this – I’m joining KISS! While I know I’ve got big shoes to fill, stepping into the station that I’ve been a HUGE fan of growing up will feel like being launched into my dream job at 100 miles an hour.

“Being the newbie, I know that working alongside Tyler and a world-class team of producers will give me the perfect introduction.

She rounded off: “I’m more than ready to bring the laughs and every ounce of energy I’ve got for the KISS Breakfast listeners. I’m buzzing!”

Chloe rose to fame after appearing on Love Island back in 2021, while Tyler is a presenter and starred on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, during which he met fiancée Molly Rainford.

The show rivals the likes of Capital Breakfast Show with Jordan North, Sian Welby and Chris Stark, Radio 1’s Breakfast with Greg James, and Hits Radio Breakfast with Fleur East, James & Matt.

It is not yet confirmed who will take over Tyler’s afternoon show, with the news set to be revealed early next year.

Jordan and Perri revealed they have stepped down from the show last week during an on-air announcement.

The duo, who joined the station in 2020, said: “We have some very big news… there’s no easy way to say this, we are moving on from KISS Breakfast.

“It’s been quite the journey for the last five and a half years and we’ve spent every single morning with you guys.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure, a privilege to wake up with you guys and have a laugh.

They continued: “It’s been the most special years of our lives, genuinely, and we’ve enjoyed every single moment.

“We’re going to get some lie ins back which is going to be a little bit weird to adjust too, but we do get to focus on all the other things that we get to do.”

From Sam Farmer: All that talk about the left hand of Justin Herbert, and it’s the right foot of Cameron Dicker that made the difference.

Dicker kicked five field goals Monday night to lift the Chargers to a 22-19 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in a wild, turnover-filled game at SoFi Stadium.

On a night when the teams combined for eight turnovers — including a career-high four interceptions by Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts — the game fittingly ended with an interception. Tony Jefferson latched onto a pass that was tipped by fellow Chargers defensive back Cam Hart, snuffing out the Eagles’ last chance.

So Dicker’s 54-yard field goal with 6:24 remaining in the extra period provided the margin of victory, just as it was Dicker who forced overtime with a 46-yarder in the waning moments of regulation.

“What a team we have,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said, practically shouting at the postgame podium. “That’s my reaction — what a team we have. They refuse to lose.”

Continue reading here

Chargers-Eagles summary

NFL standings

DODGERS KNOCK DOWN RUMORS

From Jack Harris: It’s been an offseason of few acquisitions thus far for the Dodgers.

So much so that, on the first day of MLB’s annual winter meetings at the Signia by Hilton Orlando on Monday, the most intriguing rumor surrounding the team had to do with a potential subtraction from their big-league roster.

According to multiple reports, Teoscar Hernández has come up in the Dodgers’ trade talks with other teams this winter. USA Today went as far as saying the club was “shopping” the two-time All-Star, who is entering the second season of the three-year, $66-million deal he signed last offseason.

However, both manager Dave Roberts and general manager Brandon Gomes downplayed that notion while addressing reporters on Monday.

“Teo certainly fits [our roster still],” Roberts said. “He’s helped us win two championships. He’s one of my favorites.”

“That doesn’t feel likely,” Gomes added of the possibility of trading Hernández. “Obviously, you can never say never on those types of things. I know that’s come up [in reports]. But that’s not something we anticipate at all.”

The idea of the Dodgers trading Hernández has felt like a long shot from the start. Though the 33-year-old slugger suffered an inconsistent and injury-plagued regular season in 2025 — both at the plate, where he had 25 home runs but hit only .247, and especially defensively, where he had several notable lapses after moving to right field — the 10-year veteran has made crucial contributions in each of the Dodgers’ two World Series runs the last couple years, and has served in a mentor role to young players in the clubhouse; none more so than Andy Pages.

Continue reading here

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A quiet Dodgers offseason has yet to heat up. Will winter meetings help them find a move?

From Ben Bolch: The eight remaining candidates met with UCLA’s search committee on Zoom, each answering the same set of questions.

When those conversations ended, Martin Jarmond, the athletic director who was presiding over the Bruins’ quest to find their next great football coach, asked everyone on the committee to prioritize which candidates needed to be seen in person.

Everyone’s list included the same name: Bob Chesney.

The James Madison coach had already wowed the committee by then, according to multiple people with knowledge of the search who spoke with The Times on condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the process.

Chesney’s experience building programs into winners, established track record of success at multiple levels, ability to develop talent and appreciation for everything UCLA had to offer were all selling points that made him an attractive candidate early in a search lasting 2½ months.

Continue reading here

From Ryan Kartje: USC will face Texas Christian in its first trip to the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30, the night before the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff kick off. Throw in the fact that the Horned Frogs finished in seventh place in the Big 12, and you don’t exactly have a marquee, made-for-TV matchup.

But for USC’s coach, the Alamo Bowl should carry a certain significance — if only for the fact that it’s where his reputation as a budding offensive mastermind was born.

Sixteen years ago this December, Lincoln Riley was on his way to a team meeting ahead of Texas Tech’s bowl game, when defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill pulled him aside. Mike Leach, the Red Raiders’ head coach had been suspended for the bowl for allegations of player mistreatment — and would be fired days later. McNeill, the interim coach, wanted Riley to call plays for him.

Riley was 26, and reeling from the news about his mentor.

“An opportunity arose out of a not-very-positive situation,” Riley said Sunday.

Continue reading here

NOTRE DAME CFP FALLOUT

From Chuck Schilken: One day removed from learning that Notre Dame had been left out of the College Football Playoff’s 12-team field, Fighting Irish athletic director Pete Bevacqua was still fuming.

In addition to reiterating his frustrations with the CFP ranking process, Bevacqua also turned his ire on the Atlantic Coast Conference during a Monday morning appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show.”

“We were mystified by the actions of the conference, to attack, you know, their biggest, really, business partner in football and a member of their conference in 24 of our other sports,” Bevaqua said. “And I wouldn’t be honest with you if I didn’t say that they have certainly done permanent damage to the relationship between the conference and Notre Dame.”

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HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

From Eric Sondheimer: Palisades, hoping to be a City Section basketball title contender, unveiled two 6-foot-5 twins from Detroit, EJ and OJ Popoola, on Monday night, but there was no stopping Windward shooting threes in its home gym.

The Wildcats made 14 threes and received a terrific performance from 6-6 junior Davey Harris in an 80-60 victory. Harris, who said he was “80%” several weeks ago in Windward’s season opener after recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him for two seasons, now says he’s “85 to 90%.” If that’s true, wait until he’s 100% because he finished with 31 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Palisades (0-3) is doing exactly what City Section football teams did during their nonleage seasons — play tough Southern Section opponents to prepare for league play. The Dolphins open Western League play on Wednesday against Venice and will be an Open Division title contender.

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MORE HIGH SCHOOLS:

High school basketball: Monday’s boys’ and girls’ scores

Prep Rally: A big high school basketball record could be broken this week

KINGS

Joel Armia scored twice, Adrian Kempe had a goal and assist, and the Kings beat the Utah Mammoth 4-2 on Monday night.

Anze Kopitar also scored and Kevin Fiala had two assists to help the Kings get their third win in five games. Darcy Kuemper stopped 19 shots.

Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist, and Dylan Guenther also scored for the Mammoth in their sixth loss in eight games. Karel Vejmelka finished with 23 saves.

Continue reading here

Kings summary

NHL standings

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1934 — The New York Giants wins the NFL championship by beating the Chicago Bears 30-13 in the famous “Sneakers Game.” With the temperature at 9 degrees and the Polo Grounds field a sheet of ice, the Giants open the second half wearing basketball shoes and score 27 points in the final period to overcome a 13-3 Chicago lead.

1938 — The Chicago Cardinals select TCU center Ki Aldrich with the first pick of the NFL Draft.

1939 — The Chicago Cardinals select Tennessee half back George Cafego with the first pick of the NFL Draft.

1949 — The All-America Conference merges with the National Football League. Three teams from the AAFC — the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Colts — join the 10-team NFL. The league is called the National-American Football League, but months later the National Football League name is restored.

1973 — Jim Bakken of the St. Louis Cardinals kicks six field goals in a 32-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

1977 — Moses Malone scores 20 points and grabs nine rebounds in the second half to lead the Houston Rockets to a 116-105 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The game s marred by a one-punch knockout of Rockets’ forward Rudy Tomjanovich by Los Angeles forward Kermit Washington.

1984 — Eric Dickerson of the Los Angeles Rams rushes for 215 yards and two touchdowns against the Houston Oilers, breaking O.J. Simpson’s NFL single-season rushing record of 2,003 yards. Dickerson ends the season with 2,105 yards.

1993 — Kevin Johnson of Phoenix becomes the 13th player to record 10 steals in an NBA game, during the Suns’ 114-95 win over Washington.

2000 — Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith rushes for a season-high 150 yards, putting him over 1,000 for a record-tying 10th straight season and joins Walter Payton and Barry Sanders as the only players in NFL history with 15,000 career yards.

2001 — Bode Miller becomes the first American since 1983 to win a World Cup giant slalom race. Miller, third after the opening leg, has an excellent second run to win in a combined time of 2 minutes, 36.02 seconds in Val D’Isere, France.

2007 — Peyton Manning of Indianapolis becomes the fifth quarterback in NFL history to throw 300 touchdown passes, getting four and going 13-for-17 for 249 yards in a 44-20 win over Baltimore.

2009 — Cassidy Schaub rolls consecutive 300 games and sets a Professional Bowlers Association 16-game scoring record, averaging 257.25 to retain the second-round lead in the Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open. Schaub had a 16-game total of 4,116 pins to erase the PBA record of 4,095 set by John Mazza in Las Vegas in 1996.

2016 — Russia’s sports reputation is ripped apart again when a new report into systematic doping details a vast “institutional conspiracy” that covers more than 1,000 athletes in over 30 sports and a corrupted drug-testing system at the 2012 and 2014 Olympics. This second and final report by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren says the conspiracy involves the Russian Sports Ministry, national anti-doping agency and the FSB intelligence service, providing further details of state involvement in a massive program of cheating and cover-ups that operated on an “unprecedented scale” from 2011-15.

2017 — Jozy Altidore opens the scoring in the 67th minute and Toronto FC beats the Seattle Sounders 2-0 in the MLS Cup to become the first Canadian champion in league history.

2018 – New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady breaks Peyton Manning’s record for most touchdown passes in NFL history.

2018 — Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers breaks Tom Brady’s NFL record with his 359th straight pass without an interception during Packers 34-20 win over Atlanta Falcons; finishes game with streak intact at 368.

2021 – Chicago Black Hawks Marc-Andre Fleury becomes 3rd NHL goaltender to reach 500 career wins.

2023 — Japanese baseball two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani signs a North American pro-sports record 10-year $700m deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

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

Tickets for North Korea‘s 2026 Pyongyang International Marathon, set for April 5 in the country’s capital, have sold out just a few hours after sales opened, a Beijing-based tour agency said Tuesday.

Koryo Tours, which specializes in travel to North Korea, broke the news on its social media account, saying, “After less than 5 hours the Pyongyang Marathon trips sold out completely, 500 spots on the trips are now all taken.”

The agency said it is working to open additional spots for the trip and urged readers to join a waiting list.

The tour agency’s website earlier announced that next year’s Pyongyang International Marathon will be held on April 5, with departures for the trip available from Beijing, Shanghai and Shenyang.

The event offers four courses, from the full 42-kilometer run to the half marathon, 10 km and 5 km races, and is also open to runners with disabilities, including wheelchair users and those with visual impairments.

Holders of South Korean, U.S., Malaysian or Japanese passports, as well as members of the press, are prohibited, it said.

The international event, previously named the Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, was inaugurated in 1981 to commemorate the April 15 birthday of late national founder Kim Il-sung.

Beginning in 2020, it was suspended for five consecutive years due to the COVID-19 pandemic before being resumed last year as a channel for the country to earn foreign currency.

Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.

IF you loved dancing to tunes like Mamma Mia, Waterloo and Super Trouper at ABBA Voyage then you might be excited by this other potential avatar concert.

Another city has announced that it could see potential in starting its own experience based on four very famous Liverpudlian musicians.

ABBA Voyage started back in 2022 and at the time was met by some scepticism.

That was until visitors entered the purpose built arena and were so blown away that what started as a limited residency initially set for a few months, is still going strong today.

Now, Steve Rotheram the Liverpool City Region (LCR) mayor has revealed he believes a similar show in Liverpool could benefit it greatly – especially if The Beatles were at the forefront.

The band that rose to fame in the 60s could appear as avatars in a show funded by Liverpool’s visitor levy.

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The charge was initially introduced in 2025 as a £2 per night “City Visitor Charge” for overnight stays in certain hotels and serviced apartments.

Steve Rotheram said he had been “looking at ways” since then in which “we might be able to deliver something similar but not identical to the Abba Voyage experience in London“.

“Just imagine if we could do something that features perhaps a local four-piece beat combo that did okay from these parts?”

Mr Rotheram continued: “We could have an immersive experience so people would flock in to see them. It means the footfall would increase exponentially, it means that this would be an international destination of choice.

“You’d go here and then perhaps go to London, whereas currently a lot of people go to London and sometimes jump on a train to come here, so we want to change that dynamic and I think this will be one of the ways in which we do it.”

Having the show based on The Beatles would be a popular choice for Liverpool with each of the band members born and raised there.

Mr Rotheram hinted that the potential show could be funded by the current levy – and its replacement coming in 2027.

The new charge will come into play in two years time once the current scheme expires.

This will mean that all properties in the Liverpool city Region – including Airbnb – will be affected.

It could bring in lots of money for the city too – it was reported that ABBA Voyage generated over £100million in ticket sales in 2023 alone.

As a result, it contributed £1.4billion to the UK economy‘s turnover by late 2024.

And the Beatles are set for another revival ahead of the new films based on each of the band members.

Directed by Sam Mendes, it will see four films released based on the four members.

Paul Mescal will start as Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

For more experiences in the UK, here’s how you can try out your very own Race Across the World.

And here’s more on the world-first gameshow attraction opening in the UK – with spin the wheel, music rounds and free prizes.

One writer tried the world-famous ABBA Voyage experience in the UK – here are her top tips & the best nearby bar…

Writer Hope Brotherton headed to ABBA Voyage earlier this year, here’s everything she loved about it – and the bar she found for pre-drinks…

She said: “I’m surrounded by sequinned jumpsuits, bright-pink feather boas and white go-go boots.

“It means I can be in just one place – the dance floor of Abba Voyage, the astonishing concert in London performed by CGI versions of the four bandmates in their Seventies glory days.

“The tech is so impressive, that it’s hard to believe the Swedish superstars aren’t really performing live on stage. I found my grasp on reality slipping even further when a real-life backing band appeared.

“I was mesmerised by every visual in the purpose-built venue, with a kaleidoscope of brightly coloured lights descending from the ceiling as Dancing Queen played.

“You can, of course, book seats but my friend Ellie and I preferred the standing tickets, where we had more than enough space to dance our hearts out to Mamma Mia and Waterloo.

“Getting in the right mood for a boogie was essential, and we had pre-show food and drinks at Stratford restaurant and bar The Print House – Jim & Tonic East to thank for our exuberance.

“It was then time for food and, to start, we shared the marinated prawns and a garlicky flatbread – both delicious.

“Aware of all the dancing ahead – it’s a marathon, not a sprint – I plumped for a parmigiana pizza, which totally hit the spot.

“Keen to sample a tipple from the on-site distillery, then I washed my main course down with a gin flight. Ambitious, I know – it came with three gins, my favourite being the Mediterranean.“

AN airline is launching its first flights from a major airport in the UK for the first time in decades.

Air France has confirmed it will start a new London to France route from London Gatwick Airport.

Two flights a day will run from London to Paris from March 29, 2026.

Flights will take off from London Gatwick Airport at 9:20am and 3:45pm.

The return flights from Paris to London Gatwick will be 10:30am and 5:10pm.

It joins the current London Heathrow to Paris flight route already operated by Air France.

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Gatwick chief commercial officer Jonathan Pollard said they were “thrilled” to offer more routes to Paris.

This was backed by Air France KLM UK and Ireland general manager Jrrome Salemi.

They added: “We are delighted to announce our new London Gatwick to Paris Charles de Gaulle service, further strengthening our commitment to the UK market. 

“We look forward to welcoming London Gatwick customers on board our flights and sharing the very best of Air France’s service, comfort and innovation.”

Air France operated from London Gatwick in the 1990s.

It was in 1996 that Air France teamed up with Pepsi to launch a blue-painted Air France Concorde.

It was backed by celebs including Andre Agassi, Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer.

However, the French flag carrier scrapped flights from the London airport in 2004.

It’s last ever flight from London Gatwick was in 2007, although this was via Brit Air.

Yet a number of other airlines are expanding at London Gatwick.

Jet2 is launching its first ever flights from the airport next year.

From March 2026, the tour operator will launch 29 new routes from London Gatwick across Europe and Africa.

And Virgin Atlantic could soon return to London Gatwick, after scrapping all flights from there during the pandemic.

Virgin boss Richard Branson said he would “twist arms” to return, with the airport being where they launched their first flight in 1984.

Here’s everything you need to know about Gatwick Airport’s second runway.

The early 1980s Los Angeles of my childhood always felt like a place where you could brush against greatness and not even recognize it.

Take the strange, faceless building at Melrose and Sycamore avenues, just up from the house where I grew up. It stood apart from the Melrose Avenue hodgepodge, which included an auto body shop, an old bookstore famous for selling movie scripts, and a trendy boutique that sold vintage fedoras and marked the beginning of Melrose’s turn as a fashion mecca.

In a street filled with signage screaming for your attention (“THOUSANDS OF BOOKS,” yelled the bookseller), that corner lot had nothing. Just two concrete-plastered boxes seemingly closed off to the world. The only hint of life was a tree growing from what appeared to be some kind of courtyard hidden from view. I passed by all the time — sneaking a Chunky bar at the corner liquor store, grabbing an ice cream cone from Baskin-Robbins.

I didn’t give the building a second thought until my best friend and I started a little weekly newspaper we photocopied for 3½ cents a copy from a shop a few doors away. Jack and I hit up Melrose merchants to buy ads (usually just their business card), and a few agreed to help these teenage publishing tycoons. Because of this, cracking the code of that strange little building became a brief obsession. One day, I found a door around the side and knocked. No answer. So I left a copy of our paper and returned a few days later. No luck. So I gave up. Why was I wasting my time with this piece of junk?

It took another 15 years to learn that the concrete box I so easily dismissed is one of L.A. architectural treasures. It is called the Danziger Studio and was one of architect Frank Gehry’s first L.A. commissions.

Even back in the 1960s, it was hailed as something special. Architecture critic Reyner Banham called it a brilliant elevation of the “stucco box” so ubiquitous around the city. As it turned out, the surface was not concrete but “a gray rough stucco of the type sprayed onto freeway overpasses. Gehry had to learn the decidedly unconventional technique himself,” according to the Los Angeles Conservancy.

A vintage postcard from the collection of L.A. Times staff writer Patt Morrison shows a May Co. department store and its clean lines.

In his obituary for Gehry, Christopher Hawthorne described the studio as a “spare, even self-effacing stucco box, plain outside and filled with light and surprising spatial complexity inside.” The building “looked Modern but also suggested sympathy for the postwar visual chaos of L.A. evident in the work of artists such as Ed Ruscha and David Hockney.”

I discovered the provenance of the hidden gem in the 1990s, when Gehry had reached “starchitect” status with his shape-shifting museum in Bilbao, Spain, and just before he gained legend status for L.A.’s Disney Hall. The Danzinger Studio shared none of those over-the-top designs. But that made me more impressed. I started driving by whenever I was in the neighborhood, slowing down in hopes of understanding what made it great. One day, I even gave it a walk-around, assuming it must look a lot better inside. (It turns out it does.)

I came to appreciate its beauty and grace — as well as something much larger about L.A. design. Suddenly, my idea of great architecture broadened beyond the ornate church, grand mansion, distinctive Spanish Colonial or gleaming glass skyscrapers like the Westin Bonaventure hotel. I gained a respect for the simplicity of design and function over style, like a cute working-class courtyard apartment, the streamlined simplicity of a May Co. department store and even the crazed efficiency of a mini-mall.

Plaza Cienega is in the Beverly Grove area of Los Angeles.

(Google street view)

I have wondered whether I would have valued the Danziger Studio had it not been designed by Gehry. But it didn’t matter, because this discovery gave me the confidence to have my own, sometimes unpopular, L.A. opinions. I am in the minority, for example, in loving the much-derided 1960s brown-box addition to the old Times Mirror Square complex just as much as the landmark Art Deco original. And sorry, the mini-mall at 3rd Street and La Cienega Boulevard is one of my favorite L.A. buildings, period.

Trust me. I know.