Allison Mack is addressing “the bad things she’s done” as a high-profile member of the “sex cult” NXIVM in a new podcast.

Released Monday, “Allison After NXIVM” is a seven-episode series that features the former “Smallville” star detailing her time as a young actor and how she became involved in the purported self-improvement group, as well as her role in manipulating women into becoming sex slaves for NXIVM leader Keith Raniere and the eventual criminal fallout.

“I don’t see myself as innocent,” Mack says in an early episode as she acknowledges using her success as an actor as “a power tool … to get people to do what I wanted” and that she was “very effective in moving Keith’s vision forward.”

In a later episode, she accepts claims that she was a “harsh monster” during her time at NXIVM.

“I was not kind and I was aggressive and I was abusive,” Mack says. “I was harsh and I was callous and I was aggressive and forceful in ways that were painful for people. [I] did make people feel like they had no choice and was incredibly abusive to people, traumatic for people.”

In 2019, Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering charges related to her role in NXIVM and its subgroup DOS, a so-called “secret society” of women who were branded with Raniere’s initials and forced to have sex with him. Mack was among one of the “masters” in the group, a lieutenant tasked by Raniere with recruiting and coercing other women. She was sentenced to three years in federal prison in 2021 and was released in 2023. (Raniere is currently serving a 120-year sentence after being convicted of sex-trafficking and other charges.)

But while she acknowledges that “100% all those allegations are true,” she also contends that she is “someone who cares deeply and wanted very much to grow and wanted very much for everybody that I was involved with to grow. … [B]oth of those things are true about me.

“I definitely recognize and admit that I was abusing my power,” Mack says. “But I also can’t negate the fact that there was a part of me that was altruistic and was desperate to help people. [I] wanted to be better, and I was willing to do anything to be better in myself and to help other people be better.”

The podcast series also touches on what Mack has been up to since being released from prison. She is pursuing a master’s in social work and looking into PhD programs in expressive arts therapy. She is also working at a nonprofit to help bring creative arts such as music, theater and poetry to prisons.

Over the summer, Mack got married to Frank Meeink, a prominent former neo-Nazi who now speaks out in support of racial diversity and acceptance. The couple met in a dog park not long after Mack’s release from prison in 2023. According to the podcast’s host, Natalie Robehmed, Mack now goes by Allison Meeink.

Robehmed also mentions that “Allison After NXIVM,” which is the latest installment of the true crime podcast “Uncover,” came to be after Mack reached out to journalist Vanessa Grigoriadis following her release from prison, hoping to tell her own story for the first time. Grigoriadis, who serves as an executive producer on the series, had interviewed Mack before her arrest.

NXIVM also has been the subject of the 2020 documentary series “The Vow” and “Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult.”

WASHINGTON — A deal that could end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is poised to head to the House, where Democrats are launching a last-ditch effort to block a spending agreement reached in the Senate that does not address healthcare costs.

The push comes as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) urged House members on Monday to start making their way back to Washington in anticipation of the chamber voting on a spending package later in the week. The Senate began taking a series of votes Monday night, a day after Senate Republicans reached a deal with eight senators who caucus with Democrats.

The spending plan, which does not include an extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year, has frustrated many Democrats who spent seven weeks pressuring Republicans to extend the tax credits. It would, however, fund the government through January, reinstate federal workers who were laid off during the shutdown and ensure that federal employees who were furloughed receive back pay.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) also promised senators a vote in December that would put lawmakers on record on the healthcare subsidies. Thune said in a speech Monday that he was “grateful that the end is in sight” with the compromise.

“The American people have suffered long enough,” he said. “Let’s not pointlessly drag this bill out. Let’s get it done, get it over to the House so we can get this government open.”

Senate Democrats who defected have argued that a vote is the best deal they could get as the minority party, and that forcing vulnerable Republicans in the chamber to vote on the issue will help them win ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

As the Senate prepared to vote on the deal Monday, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader of the chamber, continued to reiterate his opposition to what he called a “Republican bill.” Schumer, who has faced backlash from Democrats for losing members of his caucus, said the bill “fails to do anything of substance to fix America’s healthcare crisis.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) speaks to reporters about the government shutdown.

(Mariam Zuhaib / Associated Press)

Thune’s promise to allow a vote in the Senate does not guarantee a favorable outcome for Democrats, who would need to secure Republican votes for passage through the chamber. And the chance to address healthcare costs will be made even harder by Johnson, who has not committed to holding a vote on his chamber in the future.

“I’m not promising anybody anything,” he said. “I’m going to let the process play out.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), meanwhile, told reporters that House Democrats will continue to make the case that extending the subsidies is what Americans are demanding from elected officials, and that there is still a fight to be waged in the chamber — even if it is a long shot.

“What we are going to continue to do as House Democrats is to partner with our allies throughout America is to wage the fight, to stay in the Colosseum,” Jeffries said at a news conference.

Some Republicans have agreed with Democrats during the shutdown that healthcare costs need to be addressed, but it is unlikely that House Democrats will be able to build enough bipartisan support to block the deal in the chamber.

Still, Jeffries said the “loudmouths” in the Republican Party who want to do something about healthcare costs have an opportunity to act now that the House is expected to be back in session.

“They can no longer hide. They can no longer hide,” Jeffries said. “They are not going to be able to hide this week when they return from their vacation.”

Democrats believed that fighting for an extension of healthcare tax credits, even at the expense of shutting down the government, would highlight their messaging on affordability, a political platform that helped lead their party to victory in elections across the country last week.

If the tax credits are allowed to lapse at the end of the year, millions of Americans are expected to see their monthly premiums double.

In California, premiums for federally subsidized plans available through Covered California will soar by 97% on average next year.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune answers questions Monday about a possible end to the government shutdown after eight members of the Democratic caucus broke ranks and voted with Republicans.

(J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)

California’s U.S. senators, Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, were among the Democrats who voted against the deal to reopen the government because it did not address healthcare costs.

“We owe our constituents better than this. We owe a resolution that makes it possible for them to afford healthcare,” Schiff said in a video Sunday night.

Some Republicans too have warned that their party faces backlash in the midterm elections next year if it doesn’t come up with a more comprehensive health plan.

“We have always been open to finding solutions to reduce the oppressive cost of healthcare under the unaffordable care act,” Johnson said Monday.

A final vote could still take several days. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, for one, has said he supports an expeditious vote to reopen the government, but is insisting on a prior vote on an amendment that would eliminate language from the spending deal he says would “unfairly target Kentucky’s hemp industry.”

Without unanimous consent to proceed, the final Senate vote could end up bogged down by procedural delays.

Johnson, meanwhile, has asked members to return by Wednesday in anticipation of a vote in the latter part of the week. Republicans expect to have the votes to pass it, Johnson said.

Any piece of legislation needs to be approved by both the Senate and House and be signed by the president.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, President Trump said he would support the legislative deal to reopen the government.

“We’re going to be opening up our country,” Trump said. “Too bad it was closed, but we’ll be opening up our country very quickly.”

Trump added that he would abide by a provision that would require his administration to reinstate federal workers who were laid off during the shutdown.

“The deal is very good,” he said.

Johnson said he spoke to the president on Sunday night and described Trump as “very anxious” to reopen the government.

“It’s after 40 days of wandering in the wilderness, and making the American people suffer needlessly, that some Senate Democrats finally have stepped forward to end the pain,” Johnson said. “Our long national nightmare is finally coming to an end, and we’re grateful for that.”

Rob Gronkowski spent nine years as a member of the New England Patriots.

On Wednesday, that stint will become nine years and one day as the fun-loving and ever-popular tight end will sign a one-day contract with the Patriots so he can officially retire as a member of the team with which he won three of his four Super Bowl rings.

“I am signing a one-day contract with the Patriots this week coming up to retire as a Patriot and be a Patriot for life,” the “Fox NFL Sunday” analyst announced during this week’s broadcast.

The next day, the Patriots revealed when the ceremonial signing would take place.

“The greatest tight end in @NFL history is retiring a Patriot!” the team posted Monday on X. “Watch @RobGronkowski sign his one-day contract this Wednesday at 12:15 PM LIVE on Patriots digital & social.”

A second-round draft pick for New England in 2010, Gronkowski quickly became a key and beloved member of a Patriots dynasty that was already going strong under coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. He retired after the 2018 season but returned to the NFL in 2020 to join Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Two seasons and one Super Bowl victory later, Gronk retired again.

Last summer, the idea of Gronkowski re-retiring with the Patriots was floated publicly by Susan Hurley, the founder and president of the CharityTeams fundraising firm for nonprofits. Speaking at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Gronk Playground in Boston, Hurley threw in a personal plea toward Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who was also in attendance.

“Can we just make it official and sign [Gronkowski] for a day so he can retire as a Patriot?” Hurley asked. “What do you say?”

Kraft and Gronkowski both indicated their approval in the moment, with Gronkowski telling reporters that Hurley was the spark behind the idea of his ceremonial signing.

“The reason we’re really going to do that is because of Susan Hurley,” Gronkowski said. “She wants to see that happen and has been dreaming about it happening for a while.”

Hurley died Nov. 1 at age 62 after a long battle with ovarian cancer.

Patriots spokesperson Stacey James told The Times in a statement that the Patriots were initially planning on honoring Gronkowski’s “legendary contributions to our franchise and the bond he shares with Patriots Nation” with a ceremonial contract upon his induction to the team’s Hall of Fame. Gronkowski is eligible for that honor starting next year.

However, James said, “we chose to expedite the honor when Susan Hurley, a former Patriots cheerleader and dear friend of Rob’s, made it her dying wish to see Rob retire a Patriot. Her love for the team and for Rob was deeply moving, and we were looking forward to hosting her for the announcement. Sadly, she passed earlier this month. While she won’t be present, her presence will surely be felt.”

Gronkowski posted a lengthy tribute to Hurley last week on social media.

“We lost a good one over the weekend,” Gronkowski wrote. “Susan Hurley has known my family and I for a long time, she became a good friend of ours and supported our foundation more than words can express over the years.

“But even beyond our team, Susan took care of so many charity teams for the Boston Marathon and their bibs, helping raise so much money to give back to charities. She always did it out of love, her love of the game, her love of people, her love of helping others, and her love for the kids.

“She always had a smile on her face and the utmost positivity, staying an inspiration for runners and charities every single day, even while she was fighting cancer. Her strength and resilience were truly inspirational, and she will be greatly missed.

“Without Susan, there would be no Gronk Playground. I’m thankful that her legacy can live on through the playground, making a huge impact not only on all the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation kids she helped, but all the kids she continues to inspire every day.”

Nov. 10 (UPI) — Several thousand flights were again canceled or delayed Monday as the Federal Aviation Administration cut down on service because of air traffic controller shortages amid the longest federal government shutdown.

Staff members who show up for work are not being paid, which has led to fatigue despite the need to be alert, Transportation Secretary Duffy said. Some are tired because they are working second jobs to bring in money as the shutdown entered its 41st day.

Since Friday, the FAA has ordered a 4% reduction in flights at 40 major airports, which has caused a ripple effect at smaller locations.

There were 2,747 cancellations and 8,337 delays involving U.S. Airports through 8 p.m. Monday, according to FlightAware.

On Sunday, there were 3,498 cancellations and 11,231 delays involving U.S. airports. The first two days there aren’t as many: 1,526 cancellations and 7,016 delays Friday, and 1,944 cancellations and 7,545 delays on Saturday.

The cancellations and delays were not just because of work shortages but also due to bad weather and equipment issues.

Chicago’s O’Hare International and Midway International were affected by a major snowstorm.

At O’Hare, the second busiest airport in the nation, 321 departures, or 23% of flights, were canceled, and 314 arrivals, or 22%, were canceled. There were more than 1,000 delays of total incoming and outgoing flights.

Delays averaged more than 6 hours at O’Hare.

One couple decided to drive to the Chicago area from New Orleans because their flight was canceled.

Grace Butler and her boyfriend were stranded on Interstate 57 near Onarga, Ill., for two hours Monday morning.

“No visibility, road is covered with snow and ice. Have lived in Chicago my whole life and never seen a blizzard this bad,” Butler told CNN.

The much smaller Midway had 73, or 22%, departure cancellations, and 53, or 15%, arrival delays.

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, the largest airport in the nation, had the second-most arrival cancellations: 150, or 12%. The departures were the third-most, 82, or 6%.

LaGuardia Airport in New York had the second-most departure cancellations at 86, or 15%, with arrivals the second most at 86 or 15%.

Other highly affected airports were Boston Logan International, Newark International in New Jersey, Dallas-Fort Worth International.

The various FAA locations: control centers, high-altitude flights and Terminal Radar Approach Control have been affected.

Duffy and his boss, President Donald Trump, said it is vital for them to show up for work despite not getting paid.

Trump demanded they “get back to work, NOW” in a post Monday on Truth Social.

“Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked.’ For those Air Traffic Controllers who were GREAT PATRIOTS, and didn’t take ANY TIME OFF for the ‘Democrat Shutdown Hoax,’ I will be recommending a BONUS of $10,000 per person for distinguished service to our Country.”

And those who didn’t work “will have a negative mark, at least in my mind, against your record.”

Duffy reposted Trump’s item.

“To those who have worked throughout the shutdown — thank you for your patriotism and commitment to keeping our skies safe,” Duffy posted on X. “I will work with Congress to reward your commitment.”

But he admitted to CNN on Sunday: “It’s going to be harder for me to come back after the shutdown and have more controllers controlling the airspace. So this is going to live on in air travel well beyond the timeframe that this government opens back up.”

The leader of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said it is a bad situation.

“The fatigue has led to the erosion of safety and the increased risk every day that this shutdown drags on,” Nick Daniels, president of the association, said at a news conference Monday. “If you want to know what the real fallout of this shutdown is, it’s not a budget line, it is the smallest and the most dangerous shift of all — when the most disciplined safety workforce in America is forced to think about survival instead of public safety.”

He added: “Air traffic controllers must show up day in and day out, fully prepared to handle the stress, pressure and the weight of their responsibilities to the American flying public and their safety. But now they must focus on child care instead of traffic flows, food for their families instead of runway separation.”

David Seymour, American Airlines’ chief operating officer, said the disruption is not acceptable and the workers should be paid rather than getting back pay after the shutdown ends.

“This is simply unacceptable, and everyone deserves better,” Seymour said in a letter to employees that was obtained by CBS News. “Our air traffic controllers deserve to be paid and our airline needs to be able to operate at a level of predictability and dependability that no major airline was able to provide the flying public this weekend.”

This article discusses the important issues underlying the #MeToo movement that has spread across the globe. On the one hand, the #MeToo movement has succeeded in gaining cross-border support for victims of sexual harassment, so that victims do not feel alone and have the courage to speak out. However, the #MeToo movement has not yet fully succeeded in reaching all groups. This article will explore why this massive online campaign has not truly reached those who need it most: victims without internet access, without digital devices, or who are technologically illiterate. As a result, they remain unable to voice their experiences of abuse and receive the support they need.

The #MeToo movement has indeed succeeded in changing the way we view, understand, and even produce new regulations in many countries.  This demonstrates the power of the internet.  However, the reality is that millions of victims living in villages, remote areas, or from poor families still feel alone. This is why this article will discuss the three main obstacles that have prevented #MeToo from being fully successful: limited digital access, inequality in technological capabilities and security, and weak direct activism in the field.

In my opinion, #MeToo is still far from successful. Success in changing laws has not been followed by success in helping those with proven limitations.  These three main reasons will be discussed in more detail in this article. #MeToo was initially successful because it spread quickly on the internet.  Platforms such as Twitter can connect people from all over the world. That’s amazing! However, this initial success mainly occurred in developed countries that have cheap and fast internet. This means that the movement reached more wealthy, educated people living in big cities. This shows that the movement was biased from the start because it only focused on issues faced by internet-savvy people. This was also evident when #MeToo, which had been around since 2006, only went viral and spread worldwide when Hollywood actresses started using #MeToo on social media in 2017.

Access barriers directly undermine the success of #MeToo. The movement fails to reach all those affected by abuse who live in villages, in conflict areas, and those who are technologically illiterate and lack financial resources. It is not only these disparities that set them apart, but also the lack of support and justice that is part of this difference.  Victims without a signal, without a cell phone, or without data do not have the tools to know their rights. This situation is a very common problem for many people.

This failure results in “solidarity poverty.” According to a study by Amalia, A. R., Raodah, P., & Wardani, N. K. (2024), “In low- and middle-income countries, 300 million fewer women than men use mobile internet.” This shows that the issue of access is not only a geographical problem but also an economic and gender issue.  Because they lack the ability to speak out, the #MeToo movement does not truly represent all victims, but only those who have the privilege of being connected.

In addition, there is also a gap in digital literacy and security that will become a second barrier preventing victims from successfully participating in the #MeToo movement. Victims who are technologically illiterate do not know how to use social media safely and anonymously. Furthermore, they lack knowledge about how to store digital evidence so that it is not lost. They do not understand privacy regulations, the dangers of doxing (spreading personal data), or cyber attacks. This ignorance causes them to fear speaking out even more than they fear the perpetrators.

In many countries, this issue is made more difficult by the threat of retaliation through legislation (e.g., defamation laws/cybercrime laws) that can be used against victims and lead to revictimization (ICJ, 2023). When victims speak without legal representation or digital literacy, they risk being perceived as lying. Victims in large cities have better digital safety nets than those in remote areas. This is why “Solidarity with Quotas” emerged. Only those who are digitally literate and financially secure can speak up, while others remain silent out of fear.

Due to these limitations, the #MeToo movement around the world has been dominated by issues occurring in large offices, elite campuses, or among public figures.  In line with the criticism expressed by PUSAD Paramadina, the #MeToo movement in Indonesia is considered to have not yet reached a wider audience, as the discussion is still limited to those who are literate in social media and come from the middle to upper classes (Kartika, 2019). This criticism is not only relevant in Indonesia, but also in many other countries.

However, the problems with the #MeToo movement are not limited to the internet.  The failure of activism to change offline behavior is also a weakness. Solidarity on the internet can indeed raise donations and spread information, but it often fails to translate this momentum into equitable direct assistance.  The digital resources and extraordinary public attention received by this movement have not been wisely allocated to the areas most in need. This shows that digital activism often focuses only on the most popular topics but has no real impact on the most vulnerable victims.

Despite the large number of new laws passed as a result of #MeToo, integrated service centers, shelters, and legal services are still concentrated in capital cities or large cities.  Victims who are not within reach of these services must face significant distances and costs to obtain justice. This situation shows that inequality in access to protection is still deeply rooted.  This is in line with research published by Jurnal Perempuan (2024), which states that Online Gender-Based Violence (KBGO) is not an anomaly, but a continuation of gender-based violence that has been entrenched for centuries in patriarchal systems. Therefore, gender inequality will only persist in the real world if the struggle is only carried out in the online realm and is not balanced with the provision of real services for victims.

Three major issues hindering the success of the #MeToo movement are limited access, limited digital capabilities, and a lack of direct participation in the field. This shows that a digital struggle without real interaction risks losing sight of its main goal: justice for all victims, not just those connected to the virtual world.

The world has been changed by the #MeToo movement. However, the world it has changed is one that is connected to the internet.  Millions of other women continue to struggle in silence, in places where there is no signal and no courage.  Meanwhile, some people still cannot access it. This movement has raised awareness around the world, but there are still people who are left behind, hindered by digital poverty and the gap between those who have access to technology and those who do not.  Digital justice should not be limited to viral hashtags or phone screens. In truth, solidarity is not just about thousands of posts or supportive comments. Rather, it comes from the courage to step into the real world, listen to those who are unheard, and ensure that protection is available for both those who can reach the network and those left behind. Because true justice does not require popularity to be seen, and true solidarity is measured by how far we collaborate with those who are most silent, not by how much we speak.

Apple has removed two popular gay dating apps in China in response to the government’s continued policing of LGBTQIA+ related online content.

According to a recent report from Wired, Blued and Finka disappeared from the company’s App Store in China after the country’s internet regulator issued an order.

“We follow the laws in the countries where we operate. Based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two apps from the China storefront only,” an Apple spokesperson told the news outlet in an email statement.

The spokesperson went on to say that the two apps, owned by parent company BlueCity, had already dialled back availability before being completely removed.

“Earlier this year, the developer of Finka elected to remove the app from storefronts outside of China, and Blued was available only in China,” they added.

While Finka and Blued can no longer be downloaded from the App Store, users who already have the app can still access them.

Over the last few years, the LGBTQIA+ community in China has faced relentless censorship by the government.

In 2020, the country’s annual Pride celebration, Shanghai Pride, was unceremoniously shut down.

The following year, dozens of queer-related accounts on the popular messaging app WeChat were removed, and all their content was deleted.

In 2022, Grindr disappeared from China’s App Store a few days after the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) launched a month-long campaign to remove content it deemed problematic.

The Chinese government has also censored LGBTQIA+ content within other sectors of the entertainment sphere.

In 2021, CAC introduced a new policy banning any “effeminate” male characters, established queer relationships and characters with “no clear gender” in video games.

Films like Alien: Covenant, Bohemian Rhapsody and Together also faced censorship in China, with their LGBTQIA+ content either getting chopped or altered to fit a heterosexual narrative.

In 2018, Chinese broadcaster Mango TV cut Ireland’s performance from the Eurovision semi-finals due to the inclusion of two same-sex dancers.

Three years later, the country’s top three streaming platforms – iQiyi, Tencent Video and Alibaba’s Youku – took out a segment from the Friends reunion that celebrated the show’s LGBTQIA+ fans.

Lastly, in 2024, eagle-eyed viewers of Netflix’s hit series Arcane noticed that scenes depicting Vi and Caitlyn’s romance were either heavily censored or cut altogether.

The flight route has now been taken over by Skybus

Flights connecting London Gatwick and another major UK airport are set to return this month, officials have confirmed. This comes after Eastern Airways, the former carrier for these routes, suspended all flights before collapsing into administration.

The flight route between Gatwick and Cornwall Airport Newquay has now been taken over by Skybus, which is part of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group. Tickets for these journeys became available on November 7, with the first flight scheduled for Sunday, November 23.

Cornwall Airport Newquay, the county’s main commercial airport, announced that a refreshed flight timetable will initially operate once daily. However, this is expected to increase to twice-daily services on weekdays from February 14, 2026.

Amy Smith, Managing Director, Cornwall Airport Newquay, said: “We’re delighted that Skybus, our longest-serving airline partner, will be taking over the vital London Gatwick service later this month. We know just how important a regular, reliable service between Newquay and London is for our passengers and we look forward to working with Skybus to deliver just that going forward.”

According to Cornwall Live, a 2021 agreement between the Government and Cornwall Council saw Eastern Airways previously operating daily services between Cornwall Airport Newquay and London Gatwick.

It is understood that this service operated under a four-year PSO to maintain the route throughout the year, which was considered vital to the economy. However, countless travel plans were completely disrupted when Eastern Airways halted operations last month.

On October 27, the UK Civil Aviation Authority advised its customers to avoid travelling to the airport and to opt for train travel instead. “We urge passengers planning to fly with this airline not to go to the airport as all Eastern Airways flights are cancelled,” Selina Chadha, Consumer & Markets Director at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said at the time.

“We urge passengers planning to fly with this airline not to go to the airport as all Eastern Airways flights are cancelled. Eastern Airways customers should visit the Civil Aviation Authority’s website for the latest information.”

Cornwall Airport Newquay asserts that resuming the route will restore convenient travel between London and Cornwall, while providing people with easy access to Gatwick’s international destinations.

Skybus fares starting at £79.99 one-way include a 15kg checked baggage allowance. Customers can also purchase extra baggage or a Skybus FlyFlexi add-on, which offers additional baggage, ticket flexibility, and fast-track security (if available), for prices starting from just £22.50 one-way.

Jonathan Hinkles, Managing Director of Skybus, said: “We are thrilled to launch this new service between Cornwall and London Gatwick. It is not just about making travel easier for passengers; it’s about creating opportunities – for businesses, for tourism, and for the local communities we serve.

“As a Cornish company with more than 40 years of aviation experience, we understand how crucial dependable air links are for our region and are proud to step up and operate this vital route. Our focus is on rebuilding confidence and offering reliability, and we look forward to providing passengers with the service they deserve.

“None of us underestimate the challenge ahead to build the Newquay-Gatwick route to be a thriving cornerstone of the local economy once more. We’re wholly confident that we can achieve this through Skybus’ record for reliability and service.”

Meanwhile, Councillor Leigh Frost, leader of Cornwall Council, said: “I’m delighted we’ve managed to find a replacement operator so quickly, and even more so to see a Cornish company stepping in.

“It has been a difficult time, with disruption for many people who use the service and had already booked flights, so I am pleased this announcement will help end the uncertainty around this vital connection to the Capital.”

Flights can now be booked at www.skybus.co.uk, which launched its new website on November 7 to handle bookings for the service. Flights for summer 2026 will be available to book by mid-November.

WASHINGTON — President Trump hosted Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the White House on Monday, welcoming his once-pariah state into a U.S.-led global coalition to fight the Islamic State group.

Al-Sharaa arrived at the White House around 11:30 a.m. and shortly after began his Oval Office meeting, which remained closed to the press. The Syrian president entered the building through West Executive Avenue, adjacent to the White House, rather than on the West Wing driveway normally used for foreign leaders’ arrivals. He left the White House about two hours later and greeted a throng of supporters gathered outside before getting into his motorcade.

“We’ll do everything we can to make Syria successful because that’s part of the Middle East,” Trump told reporters later Monday. The U.S. president said of Al-Sharaa that “I have confidence that he’ll be able to do the job.”

Syria’s foreign ministry, in a statement, described the meeting as “friendly and constructive.”

Trump “affirmed the readiness of the United States to provide the support that the Syrian leadership needs to ensure the success of the reconstruction and development process,” the statement said.

It added that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had then met with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who arrived in Washington on Monday, and that they agreed to proceed with implementing an agreement reached in March between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to integrate the SDF into the new Syrian army. Implementation of the deal has repeatedly stalled amid tensions between the two sides. It was unclear what concrete steps were agreed upon in Monday’s meeting.

The statement said the “American side also affirmed its support for reaching a security agreement with Israel,” but it did not say how Syria had responded.

Al-Sharaa’s visit was the first to the White House by a Syrian head of state since the Middle Eastern country gained independence from France in 1946 and comes after the U.S. lifted sanctions imposed on Syria during the decades the country was ruled by the Assad family. Al-Sharaa led the rebel forces that toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad last December and was named the country’s interim leader in January.

Trump and Al-Sharaa — who once had ties to Al Qaeda and had a $10-million U.S. bounty on his head — first met in May in Saudi Arabia. At the time, the U.S. president described Al-Sharaa as a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past, very strong past. Fighter.” It was the first official encounter between the U.S. and Syria since 2000, when then-President Clinton met with Hafez Assad, the father of Bashar Assad.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday’s visit is “part of the president’s efforts in diplomacy to meet with anyone around the world in the pursuit of peace.”

One official with knowledge of the administration’s plans said Syria’s entry into the global coalition fighting Islamic State will allow it to work more closely with U.S. forces, although the new Syrian military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the country’s northeast had already been fighting the group.

Before Al-Sharaa’s arrival in the U.S., the United Nations Security Council voted to lift sanctions on the Syrian president and other government officials in a move that the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Mike Waltz, said was a strong sign that Syria is in a new era since the fall of Assad.

Al-Sharaa came to the meeting with his own priorities. He wants a permanent repeal of sanctions that punished Syria for widespread allegations of human rights abuses by Assad’s government and security forces. While the Caesar Act sanctions are currently waived by Trump, a permanent repeal would require Congress to act.

One option is a proposal from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, that would end the sanctions without any conditions. The other was drafted by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a hawkish Trump ally who wants to set conditions for a sanctions repeal that would be reviewed every six months.

But advocates argue that any repeal with conditions would prevent companies from investing in Syria because they would fear potentially being sanctioned. Mouaz Moustafa, executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, likened it to a “hanging shadow that paralyzes any initiatives for our country.”

The Treasury Department said Monday that the Caesar Act waiver was extended for another 180 days.

Kim writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Abby Sewell in Beirut and Fatima Hussein and Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed to this report.

Top seed Luke Humphries beat Nathan Aspinall to book his place in the knockout stages of the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.

England’s Humphries averaged 102.62 in a superb display as he maintained his 100% record to top Group A.

Michael Smith, who beat American Alex Spellman 5-2, went through in second place.

It means an early exit for Aspinall, who can consider himself unfortunate to have come up against Humphries – who hit a nine-darter on Sunday – in this kind of form, given his 100.01 average and five 180s might often have been enough to win against a different opponent.

Former world champion Humphries will now face Jurjen van der Velde of the Netherlands in round two, which begins on Wednesday.

Chris Dobey will face 2023 world champion and fellow Englishman Smith in the next round after clinching first place in Group B with a 5-1 win over Martin Lukeman, despite averaging only 81.

Wales’ Gerwyn Price is also safely through after a 5-1 victory over Switzerland’s Stefan Bellmont that sees him win Group D following Ricky Evans’ 5-2 loss to fellow Englishman James Wade.

Meanwhile, already-eliminated Stephen Bunting suffered a third final-leg defeat on the spin as he lost 5-4 to Group C winner Luke Woodhouse.

Germany’s Martin Schindler is through after beating Alexis Toylo of the Philippines 5-2.

The final group games in the bottom half of the draw will take place on Tuesday with world champion Luke Littler having already qualified for the second round.

About 200 Hamas fighters remain trapped in Rafah tunnels as Israel refuses to grant them passage, threatening the truce.

US mediator Jared Kushner has met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the fragile US-backed ceasefire in Gaza.

Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump who helped broker the agreement, met Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday as part of US efforts to stabilise the tenuous truce.

The meeting comes a month after Washington and regional powers pushed Israel to agree to a ceasefire. The truce has partly halted two years of Israeli bombardment, which levelled much of Gaza and killed more than 69,000 people, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian authorities.

The talks focused on some of the most contentious elements of Trump’s 20-point plan to end Israel’s two-year war on the Palestinian territory, according to Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian.

The officials discussed plans for the disarmament of Hamas, the deployment of international security forces and the establishment of a technocratic government in the territory that excludes Hamas, she said.

Hamas has repeatedly insisted that relinquishing its weapons is a red line.

Addressing Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, Netanyahu promised that Gaza would be “demilitarised, either the easy way or the hard way”, in what was a thinly veiled threat to escalate the war.

Hamas fighters in Rafah

A key point of contention remains a group of roughly 200 Hamas fighters trapped in tunnels beneath Rafah, an area still controlled by Israeli forces. Hamas has demanded their safe passage to Gaza’s interior, but Israel has refused.

The US’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, described the proposal to grant the fighters safe passage in exchange for disarmament as “a test case” for the broader peace plan.

A Hamas official confirmed that negotiations over the issue were ongoing, saying the group was eager to resolve the dispute “to remove any pretext Israel could use to undermine the ceasefire agreement”.

However, he ruled out surrendering the fighters. Another Palestinian source speaking to Reuters warned that any Israeli attempt to forcibly extract them could risk the entire truce.

Beyond the immediate crisis, the ceasefire also requires agreement on a transitional governing council for Gaza excluding Hamas, the formation of the proposed stabilisation force, and conditions for reconstruction and disarmament. Each of these steps is expected to face resistance from both Hamas and Israel, given the political and security implications.

The proposed international force could require a United Nations mandate before deployment, and few nations have expressed willingness to participate without one. Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye are among the potential contributors.

However, the United Arab Emirates has signalled hesitation. “Under such circumstances, the UAE will probably not participate in such a force,” Emirati presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said at the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate Forum.

About 50,000 people are expected to attend the 12-day climate summit in the Brazilian city of Belem.

The 30th annual United Nations climate change conference (COP30) has started in the Brazilian city of Belem, with leaders calling for countries to take a united approach against global warming.

“In this arena of COP30, your job here is not to fight one another – your job here is to fight this climate crisis, together,” the UN’s climate chief, Simon Stiell, told delegates on Monday.

Some 50,000 people from more than 190 countries are expected to attend the 12-day event, which is being held at the edge of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest.

Addressing the conference, Stiell said that previous climate talks had helped, but that there was “much more work to do”.

The UN climate boss noted that countries would have to move “much, much faster” in driving down greenhouse gas emissions. “Lamenting is not a strategy. We need solutions,” he said.

His comments came as a new UN analysis of countries’ climate plans found that the pledged reductions fall far short of the drop needed by 2035 to limit temperatures to 1.5C (2.7F) above pre-industrial temperatures.

If this threshold is breached, the world will experience far more severe impacts than it has so far, experts say.

“Climate change is no longer a threat of the future. It is a tragedy of the present,” Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stressed at the start of COP30.

Brazil’s leader condemned those seeking to undermine efforts to combat the climate crisis.

“They attack institutions, they attack science and universities,” he said. “It’s time to inflict a new defeat on the deniers.”

The United States is not sending any delegates to COP30 in keeping with President Donald Trump’s anti-climate change stance.

“It’s a good thing that they are not sending anyone. It wasn’t going to be constructive if they did,” the US’s former special envoy for climate, Todd Stern, said of the Trump administration’s decision.

COP30 President Andre Correa do Lago said the US’s absence “has opened some space for the world to see what developing countries are doing”.

Pablo Inuma Flores, an Indigenous leader from Peru, urged world leaders to do more than simply give pledges at this year’s conference.

“We want to make sure that they don’t keep promising, that they will start protecting, because we as Indigenous people are the ones who suffer from these impacts of climate change,” he said.

In a letter to COP30 that was published on Monday, dozens of scientists expressed their fears about the melting of glaciers, ice sheets and other frozen parts of the planet.

“The cryosphere is destabilising at an alarming pace,” they wrote. “Geopolitical tensions or short-term national interests must not overshadow COP30. Climate change is the defining security and stability challenge of our time.”

Alan Carr has been spotted charging down the street in his Celebrity Traitors cloak whilst brandishing a lantern on a night out in London following his victory on the BBC show

Alan Carr has been spotted charging down the street in his Celebrity Traitors cloak whilst brandishing a lantern. The comedian, 49, was chosen as a Traitor by Claudia Winkleman and then emerged victorious as the winner of the recent BBC series after weeks of lying to his co-stars, managing to walk off with the grand prize, all in the name of charity.

Just days after his final scenes in the Scottish castle aired, the Changing Ends star was seen in a TikTok video wearing his famous costume from the series on a night out in London and yelled to his fans: “F*****g Faithfuls!”

Once the video was posted onto social media, he received approval from big name brands like Sky, Next, Specsavers and Asda in the comments section, before fans of the former Chatty Man host all piled in with their reactions. One said: “How is he not Sir Alan Carr yet?”

READ MORE: BBC Celebrity Traitors star admits he lied to wife after filmingREAD MORE: Alan Carr lined up for two major TV roles after Celebrity Traitors win

Another wrote: “A true icon,” whilst a third added: “It’s Alan’s world we’re just living in it!” It all comes just days after nearly 12 million viewers watched the funnyman con Nick Mohammed and David Olusoga into believing he was a Faithful in the programme’s hotly-anticipated finale.

The finale was filled with shocks, first with Traitor Cat Burns being voted off thanks to a change of heart from Joe Marler, and then Joe also being shown the door after Nick Mohammed got cold feet about him at the last minute.

Viewers saw Alan burst into tears as he won the prize, telling them: “I’m so sorry, it’s been tearing me apart.” Speaking afterwards the comic, 49, said he couldn’t help the outpouring of emotion at the very end as he was revealed as a traitor to losing faithful Nick and David Olusoga.

“I think all the deceit, the lying, the murdering of Paloma and Celia had all taken its toll and then I think it dawned on me that I had won such a huge amount for my charity, Neuroblastoma UK,” he explained. “Hopefully when people see how upset I was they won’t feel so bad that I killed all those national treasures.”

He said that when he told the charity the good news about his £87,500 win they were overwhelmed. “I told one person at the charity and they started crying, so that gives you some idea of how important this money will be to them. Neuroblastoma is such a cruel disease, and this money will literally save lives. It’s a charity and disease that no one has really heard of so with the viewing figures being what they are it’s going to be so good for the charity.”

He said that his non-stop comedy was behind his win. “Humour was my secret weapon in the castle,” he declared. “I would often deflect scrutiny and make a gag about something which would then throw everyone off the scent. My sense of humour was probably more useful to me than a shield.”

And Alan admitted that he couldn’t believe he got away with two murders in plain sight – first Paloma Faith and then Celia Imrie. “Spouting Shakespeare at the dinner party was so not me that I thought it would’ve been a red flag to the faithful – but at breakfast no one mentioned it,” he laughed. Alan said he’d also loved the reaction of the audience since the show began last month. “The memes have been so funny, I’ve loved them all. Someone did a song which included all my Traitors quotes – it’s quite catchy actually and I think it should be entered for Eurovision.”

In terms of advice for future players, Alan confessed he had no idea what his game strategy had been. “Although I won, I don’t know if I was a really good Traitor or if the Faithfuls were just useless.”

Singer and TikTok star Cat, 25, claimed her downfall came about because she was the last woman standing – and the others believed there would be a female among the traitors. “In hindsight, I think if we didn’t banish Kate (Garraway) before, I probably would have had a chance as there would have been two women left,” she told BBC Breakfast.

Alan spent eight years interviewing A-Listers like Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and Lindsay Lohan amongst a whole host of others on his Channel 4 show Chatty Man, which ended in 2016. At the time he said this was due to the difficulty of securing three guests an episode across a 30-week run, while competing with ITV’s Jonathan Ross and BBC1’s Graham Norton. He also said that Channel 4’s decision to shift it from Friday to Thursday had sounded the death knell.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

Eric Preven, one of L.A. County’s most prominent citizen watchdogs, has died at 63, according to his family.

Preven, a well-known government transparency advocate, garnered a reputation as an eagle-eyed observer of local meetings, a savvy wielder of the state’s public records act, and a reliable thorn in the sides of his government.

Relatives said Preven died Saturday in his Studio City home of a suspected heart attack.

The term “gadfly” often is bandied about local government to describe those who never miss a public meeting. But politicians and his family say the term doesn’t quite do Preven justice.

“You may not agree with him, but it wasn’t just like [he was] shooting from the hip. He would do his research,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who watched Preven testify for more than a decade. “He would let the facts speak for themselves.”

In 2016, Preven and the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California took a lawsuit all the way to the California Supreme Court, which ruled in his favor, finding the public had a right to know how much the county was paying outside lawyers in closed cases. Three years later he successfully forced the city to expand its rules around public testimony after he argued he’d been unlawfully barred from weighing in on a Studio City development.

Many attendees of local public meetings tend to drift into offensive diatribes that have little to do with the matter at hand. Preven never did.

Instead he fine-tuned the art of presenting minute-long, logical arguments on everything from budget shortfalls to seemingly excessive settlements. He could be cutting but he always had a point to make.

And he never missed a meeting.

“Thank you for this exhausting dressing down of the probation department,” Preven said last Tuesday after the supervisors wrapped up rebuking officials for paltry programming inside juvenile halls. “The idea that we’re paying for these programs, these programs are scheduled, and nothing is happening is terrible.”

A New York native, Preven moved to Los Angeles to work in Hollywood, landing TV writing gigs on shows including “Popular” and “Reba.” His path into local activism began 15 years ago after his mother’s two chocolate labs were removed by the county’s animal control department following a fight with an off-leash dog, according to his family.

Preven, a canine lover known to throw parties with members of his local dog park, found the removal of the labs unjustifiable. He went to the Board of Supervisors meeting to tell them so. Then he went again. And again. And again.

Long after the dogs were returned, Preven kept going back.

“He started listening to the meeting and looking at the agenda, and he became just appalled at so many things that he saw,” said his brother, Joshua Preven. “He became so incensed by it.”

Preven became a fierce advocate for the public’s right to know what was happening in local meetings and kept close track of staff changes at City Hall. He was known to text local government reporters early on weekend mornings to ask why someone had stepped down from a city agency, or self-deprecatingly share his latest blog post on CityWatch, a local news site.

“My latest deep dive into my own navel,” he texted two weeks ago with his new article on the famed architect behind his historic home in Studio City’s foothills.

He often sent Times editors and reporters weekly emails on successes and shortcomings in their coverage. The county’s politicians and officials received similar messages about their governance.

“He could be irascible,” his brother said. “When he came and encountered the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, it became a really good use of that stubbornness.”

Preven was a dogged user of the California Public Records Act, finding gems of records buried in seldom-scrutinized agencies. He filed so many record requests to the Animal Care and Control department that the county assigned an attorney just to deal with them, according to Dawyn Harrison, the county’s top lawyer.

“Eric was the epitome of an engaged constituent and critic of local government, persistently questioning and challenging government officials,” Harrison said. “As his interest in County government grew, so did the range of his requests; so, my office decentralized the handling of his requests because no one person could cover all the subjects he looked into. He was a true watchdog.”

Supervisor Janice Hahn said Preven had been scrutinizing her and her colleagues ever since she was a councilmember at City Hall.

“Eric Preven never let those with power in government forget who we work for. … He pushed us, he challenged us, and he had an opinion on everything — from the biggest issue of the day to the more routine contract votes that too often go overlooked,” she said. “While some people wrote him off, I thought there was always truth in what he had to say.”

Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, whose district includes parts of Studio City, said he “took seriously the role of citizen, religiously participating in County meetings.”

In addition to his brother, Preven is survived by his sister, Anne Preven, his mother, Ruth Preven, his father, David Preven, and two children, 28-year-old Isaac Rooks Preven and 26-year-old Reva Jay Preven.

Preven ran several times for public office, launching idiosyncratic campaigns for mayor, city council and county supervisor. He barely fundraised and wasn’t allowed in many of the debates, said his brother, who helped out as his campaign manager.

“We didn’t know what the hell we were doing at all,” Joshua Preven said. “But he kept showing up.”

Times reporters Dakota Smith and David Zahniser contributed to this report.

The International Olympic Committee pumped the brakes on a report Monday that the body was poised to ban athletes born male from competing in women’s Olympic events, saying that “no decisions have been taken yet.”

A report in The Times of London stated that the ban on transgender women in female competition would be implemented early in 2026 “after a science-based review of evidence about permanent physical advantages of being born male.”

The IOC insisted the report was premature but did not refute that a new policy was forthcoming.

A spokesperson confirmed that medical and scientific director Dr. Jane Thornton updated IOC members last week at a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, on the initial findings of a working group studying the issue. However, the spokesperson said in a statement that “the working group is continuing its discussions on this topic and no decisions have been taken yet. Further information will be provided in due course.”

New IOC president Kirsty Coventry succeeded Thomas Bach in June and three months later formed the Protection of the Female Category working group made up of experts as well as representatives of international federation to study the issue.

The findings and a new policy could be announced as soon as the IOC session, scheduled in February ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

Under Bach, the IOC declined to apply a universal rule on transgender participation in the Olympics, and transgender athletes remain eligible to participate. Each sport’s international federation is allowed to set its own rules.

However, Coventry said in her first news conference after becoming IOC president that she believes Olympic sports should do away with the current piecemeal approach to setting rules on transgender inclusion and instead implement a policy that applies to most or all sports.

“We understand that there will be differences depending on the sport,” she said. “But it was very clear from the members that we have to protect the female category, first and foremost to ensure fairness.

“We have to do it with a scientific approach and with the inclusion of the international federations who have done a lot of work in that area.”

President Trump signed an executive order early this year banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports in U.S. schools and said he intends to apply the policy at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. The order directs the Secretary of State to attempt to change IOC rules on transgender participation and also directs immigration officials to refuse admission to transgender women from other countries for the purposes of sports participation.

California Department of Education officials refused to comply with the order. However, Trump’s announcement prompted the U.S Olympic and Paralympic Committee to change their rules and ban transgender athletes from taking part in women’s sports.

The most recent Olympics controversy over gender eligibility occurred at the Paris Games last summer when boxer Imane Khelif of Algeria won the women’s welterweight gold medal a year after being disqualified from the World Championships for reportedly failing a gender eligibility test.

The IOC allowed Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting to compete in the women’s division because their passports identified them as female. Yu-ting had been banned by the suspended International Boxing Assn. (IBA).

In an attempt to identify athletes raised as female but who sometimes carry physical advantages of males — called Differences of Sexual Development (DSD) — international boxing this year introduced mandatory tests for athletes in the female category to detect a gene on the Y chromosome that triggers the development of male characteristics.

Other sports have created a range of thresholds to ban or allow transgender athletes to compete as women. World Athletics, the international governing body for track and field, bans transgender athletes who have undergone male puberty. World Rugby forbids transgender athletes from competing at the highest level. And World Aquatics allows transgender athletes who transitioned before the age of 12 to compete as women.

Very few transgender athletes have taken part in the Games. New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard became the first openly transgender athlete to compete in a different gender category in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

“I don’t think we need to redo all the work that’s been done — we can learn from the international federations and set up a task force that will look at this constantly and consistently,” Coventry said. “The overarching principle must be to protect the female category.”

Nov. 10 (UPI) — The Trump administration is working on a plan to introduce a 50-year fixed-rate mortgage with the goal of making homeownership more affordable for millions of Americans, as some analysts warn of hidden costs.

Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte confirmed the report, saying the proposed 50-year loan would lower monthly payments to bring more buyers into the housing market.

“Thanks to President Trump, we are indeed working on The 50-year Mortgage — a complete game changer,” Pulte wrote Saturday in a post on X. Trump has compared the plan to the 30-year mortgage from President Franklin D. Roosevelt‘s New Deal.

“We hear you. We are laser focused on ensuring the American Dream for young people and that can only happen on the economic level of home buying,” Pulte added. “A 50-year mortgage is simply a potential weapon in a wide arsenal of solutions that we are developing right now: stay tuned.”

The housing market has grown stagnate over the past three years as younger Americans are unable to afford the payments that come with a 30-year fixed rate at more than 6% interest. To add to that, inventory is depleted as homeowners are locked in to their houses with the lower interest rates of the COVID-19 economy.

Both Pulte and Trump have blamed Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for hiking interest rates to curb inflation and then keeping rates “artificially high.”

While a 50-year mortgage would lower monthly payments, it would also prevent homeowners from building equity as quickly. Over the life of the loan, the amount of interest paid to lenders would be 40% higher, according to analysts who also warn about the need for congressional approval.

“Fannie and Freddie could establish a secondary market for 50-year mortgages in advance of policy changes. They even could buy mortgages for their retained portfolios,” Jaret Seiberg, a financial services and housing policy analyst at TD Cowen, wrote in a note to clients.

“Yet this would not alter the legal liability for lenders. It is why we believe lenders will not originate 50-year mortgages absent qualified mortgage policy changes,” Seiberg said, adding congressional approval could take up to a year to meet the definition of a qualified mortgage under the Dodd-Frank Act.

TODAY is Armistice Day, which marks the signing of the agreement to end the fighting of World War One. It came into force at 11am on November 11, 1918. 

Along with Remembrance Sunday, the day honours those who have died in conflicts, with the nation falling silent at 11am. 

This weekend the King led commemorations at the Cenotaph in tribute to the servicemen and women who defended our shores. 

But there are plenty of other ways to learn more about our wartime history on the home front. Lisa Minot highlights some amazing places to visit. 

REMEMBRANCE & COMMAND 

ALL eyes were on the capital on Remembrance Sunday as the Cenotaph parade saw more than 10,000 veterans march past. 

But you can pay tribute to the fallen year-round at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.  

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Set in 150 acres of woodland, there are more than 400 memorials honouring those killed on duty or by terrorism since World War Two. Entry is free. See thenma.org.uk.

A visit to the Imperial War Museum’s Churchill War Rooms is a chilling yet powerful experience. 

Hidden beneath Westminster, the underground bunker was where the Prime Minister and his government directed the war effort. The Map Room is exactly as it was in 1945.  

Tickets are best booked in advance and cost from £33 per adult and £16.50 for children five to 15. See iwm.org.uk.

Also not to be missed is HMS Belfast, now moored on the Thames near London Bridge.  

Explore the nine decks of the ship that fired some of the first shots on D-Day, supporting the landings at Gold and Juno beaches in Normandy.

Tickets cost from £29 for adults and £14.50 for children, including a donation. See iwm.org.uk/visits/hms-belfast. 

THE SECRET WAR 

AWAY from the traditional battlefield, explore the impact World War Two had on the homefront and the secret work of those who changed the conflict’s course. 

Bletchley Park near Milton Keynes, Bucks, was where Alan Turing, inset, and his team of codebreakers cracked the Enigma and Lorenz ciphers.  

Tour the historic country house and the rambling huts and discover the achievements of these brilliant minds through immersive films, interactive displays and faithfully recreated rooms.

Tickets cost from £28 for adults and £19.50 for children age 12 to 17. Under-12s go free. See bletchleypark.org.uk.  

The Blitz brought the war to the lives of civilians living in our biggest cities.

Tour the eerie ruins of Coventry Cathedral, destroyed by Nazi bombs.

This year marks the 85th anniversary of the devastating night that left the city in rubble.  

Visit the modern cathedral built in its place.

Entry is free but there is a £5 fee to climb the gothic tower. See coventrycathedral.org.uk. 

DEFENDING OUR ISLANDS 

THE south coast of Britain was the UK’s front line in World War Two and the staging ground in 1944 for the liberation of Europe. 

Medieval Dover Castle sits above a network of secret wartime tunnels where the 1940 evacuation of Dunkirk was masterminded and later served as a command centre and hospital.

You can join a guided tour of the tunnels before exploring the castle’s rooms and grounds. 

Book castle tickets online in advance and save 15 per cent – from £27.20 for adults and £17.20 for children. 

There’s also a Dover Bunker escape room that can be booked separately with prices from £30. See english-heritage.org.uk. 

The D-Day Story in Portsmouth is the only museum in the UK dedicated to the Normandy landings.

The city was the main embarkation point and the attraction tells the story through personal accounts of those who were there.

It also features the incredible 83-metre Overlord Embroidery and a restored Landing Craft Tank. 

Book online for savings, with tickets from £15.95 per adult and £8 per child. See theddaystory.com. 

BATTLE BY SEA AND AIR 

LEARN the critical role played by the Royal Air Force at IWM Duxford, Cambs – the former RAF base is now Britain’s largest aviation museum. 

Its hangars and airfield played a key role in the Battle of Britain, and the base now houses a vast collection of aircraft, from Spitfires to Lancaster bombers, and tells the story of those who flew them.  

Tickets cost from £26.80 for adults and £13.40 for children aged five to 15. See iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford. 

In Lincoln, the International Bomber Command Centre is a striking memorial to those who lost their lives in the skies.  

Its 102ft spire – the height of a Lancaster bomber’s wingspan – is inscribed with the names of the 55,573 men of Bomber Command who lost their lives. 

For a World War One focus, Scapa Flow on Orkney is the vast natural harbour that was the Royal Navy’s main base and is most famous for the scuttling of the interned German High Seas fleet in 1919.  

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In the World War Two it was the site of the sinking of HMS Royal Oak.

The wrecks are now popular dive sites. See scapaflowwrecks.com. 

Ninety-seven percent of Muslim respondents in a CAIR survey say they voted for New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

Muslim voters in the United States overwhelmingly favoured Democratic candidates in last week’s elections, amid mounting anger at President Donald Trump’s policies, a new exit poll suggests.

The survey, released by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on Monday, shows 97 percent of Muslim voters in New York backed democratic socialist Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

Virginia’s Democratic Muslim American Senator Ghazala Hashmi also received 95 percent of the Muslim vote in the state in her successful bid for lieutenant governor, according to the poll.

Non-Muslim, more centrist Democratic candidates received strong backing from Muslim voters as well, the CAIR study showed.

Virginia’s Abigail Spanberger and New Jersey’s Mikie Sherrill – Democratic congresswomen who won the gubernatorial races – both received about 85 percent support from Muslim voters, according to the survey.

California’s Proposition 50, which approved a congressional map that favours Democrats, won 90 percent support from Muslim voters, the poll suggested.

CAIR said it interviewed 1,626 self-identified Muslim respondents for the survey.

The group said the results showed high turnout from Muslim voters.

“These exit poll results highlight an encouraging truth: American Muslims are showing up, speaking out, and shaping the future of our democracy,” the group said in a statement.

“Across four states, Muslim voters demonstrated remarkable engagement and commitment to the civic process, casting ballots that reflect their growing role as active participants in American life.”

The November 4 election, one year ahead of the 2026 midterm elections that will determine control of Congress, offered a boost for Democrats.

But the race for New York, which saw Trump endorse former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, saw a spike of Islamophobic rhetoric, particularly from Republican lawmakers and commentators.

CAIR said Muslim voters showed that they are rising up in “the face of anti-Muslim bigotry” to “build a better future for themselves and their neighbors, proving that participation, not prejudice, defines our nation’s strength”.

The survey’s results show that the Democrats are recovering the support of some Muslim voters who deserted the party in last year’s presidential election due to former President Joe Biden’s uncompromising support for Israel amid the brutal assault on Gaza.

CAIR said it recorded 76 Muslim candidates in last week’s election, 38 of whom won.

In Michigan, the Detroit suburbs of Hamtramck, Dearborn and Dearborn Heights elected Muslim mayors in the polls.

Several Muslim candidates are vying for seats in Congress in next year’s election, including Abdul el-Sayed, who is seeking a US Senate seat in Michigan.

ACTOR Orlando Bloom isn’t scared to have a pop at his ex-fiancée Katy Perry. 

The Lord of the Rings star was at a Halloween bash in a skeleton outfit with a pal who was dressed as the singer. 

US actress Rachel Lynn Matthews, 32, wore a black wig and blue jumpsuit — just as Katy did for her space trip this year. 

Rachel was even pictured kissing the ground, recreating Katy’s actions on her return to Earth in April from the all-female Blue Origin flight. 

Earlier this month The Sun revealed how Pirates of the Caribbean actor Orlando had been using posh cocktail bar The Rex Rooms, on the King’s Road in Chelsea for a series of dates. 

Orlando, 48, and Katy, 41, announced their split in June. 

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Katy, dating former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, 53, details the relationship breakdown in her new single Bandaids. 

Taking to Instagram, Katy said: “To be honest I struggled for months with the idea of putting this song out… even after all these years it can be scary to be vulnerable… but hopefully the lyrics of this song resonate with someone going through what I have been through and maybe they won’t feel so alone and will find the strength to keep going like I have.” 

On the track Katy sings: “Hand to God, I promised, I tried… It’s not what you did, it’s what you didn’t.

“You were there, but you weren’t.” 

A source said: “Orlando and Katy split really amicably and only want the best for each other.

“He has been keeping things low-key but is dating again.

“He’s been on a string of dates in Chelsea and it looks pretty chill, but he’s having fun.

“Right now, he’s keeping it casual.”

A judge on Monday allowed the continued deployment of more than 300 West Virginia National Guard members to patrol the streets of Washington, D.C., as part of President Trump’s push to send the military into Democratic-run cities.

Kanawha County Circuit Judge Richard D. Lindsay made the ruling after hearing arguments in a lawsuit by a civic organization that argued Republican Gov. Patrick Morrisey exceeded his authority when he authorized the Guard’s deployment in August.

“The question before this court is whether or not state law allows West Virginia to do this,” Lindsay said. “… This court believes that the federal law allows for the request made by the president to the governor.”

West Virginia is among several states that sent National Guard members to the nation’s capital. While the state National Guard has said its deployment could last until the end of November, it is consulting with the governor’s office and others on the possibility of extending the stay.

Formal orders were issued last week extending the deployment of the District of Columbia’s National Guard in the city through the end of February.

“We are pleased with the judge’s decision,” Jace Goins, the state’s chief deputy attorney general, said outside the court in Charleston. “The National Guard are going nowhere. They’re staying in D.C. They’re not going to be redeployed to West Virginia.

“The judge made the determination that the governor made a lawful decision deploying the National Guard to D.C. by a lawful request of the president.”

The West Virginia Citizen Action Group, which filed the lawsuit, argued that under state law, the governor could deploy the National Guard out of state only for certain purposes, such as responding to a natural disaster or another state’s emergency request.

The civic group claimed that it was harmed by the deployment by being forced to refocus its resources away from government accountability and transparency. The state attorney general’s office sought to reject the case, saying the group has not been harmed and lacked standing to challenge Morrisey’s decision.

“It was a simple issue of a broad, lawful request by the president and a lawful deployment by the governor. That’s all,” Goins said.

Aubrey Sparks, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union’s West Virginia chapter, said she didn’t believe it was the correct decision.

“I think that West Virginia law is clear,” Sparks said. “I think what the state was permitted to do here is to skirt past West Virginia law simply because Trump asked them to. And that’s not how the law works. We remain deeply concerned about it.”

Trump issued an executive order in August declaring a crime emergency in the nation’s capital, although the Department of Justice itself says violent crime there is at a 30-year low.

Within a month, more than 2,300 Guard troops from eight states and the District of Columbia were patrolling under the Army secretary’s command. Trump also deployed hundreds of federal agents to assist them.

Separately, a federal judge heard arguments Oct. 24 on District of Columbia Atty. Gen. Brian Schwalb ’s request for an order that would remove National Guard members from Washington streets. U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, an appointee of former President Biden, did not rule from the bench.

Raby writes for the Associated Press.