The holidays are over, but the Christmas Adventurers no doubt are still celebrating. The “Marty Supreme” blimp rests, for now, in its hanger. Chloé Zhao is clearing her mind. And I still have that Neil Diamond song stuck in my head.

All of which brings us to the unveiling of nominations for the 98th Oscars on Thursday. Might Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” or Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” tie or even break the record for most nods for a single movie? Fourteen is the magic number, held by “All About Eve,” “Titanic” and “La La Land.” Somewhere, James Cameron is clutching his crown tightly.

Here are my predictions in key categories.

Picture

“Bugonia”
“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“It Was Just an Accident”
“Marty Supreme”
“One Battle After Another”
“The Secret Agent”
“Sentimental Value”
“Sinners”
“Train Dreams”

Possible surprise: “Weapons”
Possible snub: “It Was Just an Accident”

No “Wicked: For Good”? No “Avatar: Fire and Ash”? The pair of high-profile sequels failed to live up to their predecessors, critically and commercially, leaving the door open for the academy’s international contingent — 24% of Oscar voters live outside the United States — to wave the flags of their countries. The last two years we’ve had two international features nominated for best picture. “Anatomy of a Fall” and “The Zone of Interest” made the cut in 2024; “Emilia Pérez” and “I’m Still Here” found their way in last year. It’s possible we see a record three this year: France‘s “It Was Just an Accident,” Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” and Norway’s “Sentimental Value.”

Voters do have other options for the back end of the 10-picture slate. “F1” looks on track to earn Oscar nods for film editing, sound and visual effects. Maybe that below-the-line love catapults it in. Zach Cregger’s “Weapons” earned a place at the Producers Guild, even with writer-director Cregger off filming “Resident Evil,” removing him from the awards circuit. Perhaps Aunt Gladys has been busy casting spells in her bedroom, working her magic on the film’s behalf, though I’m not sure how she’d obtain a personal item from more than 10,000 voters. She’d have to be busier than Diane Warren.

Director

Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another”
Ryan Coogler, “Sinners”
Jafar Panahi, “It Was Just an Accident”
Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme”
Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet”

Possible surprise: Guillermo del Toro, “Frankenstein”
Possible snub: Panahi

The Directors Guild nominated Anderson, Coogler, Safdie, Zhao and del Toro. But the Oscar field has included one international director for seven straight years, making it likely that dissident filmmaker Panahi, a vocal critic of Iran’s authoritarian regime, earns a nomination for his blistering movie about resistance. That spot could also go to Joachim Trier, the director and co-writer of “Sentimental Value,” a family drama that sneaks in some sharp satire about the sorry state of filmmaking these days.

Actor

Timothée Chalamet, “Marty Supreme”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “One Battle After Another”
Ethan Hawke, “Blue Moon”
Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners”
Wagner Moura, “The Secret Agent”

Possible surprise: Jesse Plemons, “Bugonia”
Possible snub: Moura

If Chalamet had won last year for playing Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown,” he would have become the youngest lead actor Oscar winner in history. That he lost to Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”), still the only actor to win the trophy under the age of 30 (for “The Pianist”), adds a nice little twist to this bit of Oscar trivia. As it is, Chalamet seems well-positioned to eradicate voters’ bias against all the young dudes, his charismatic performance keeping you in the corner of “Marty Supreme’s” often repellent narcissist.

Actress

(Agata Grzybowska/Focus Features)

Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
Chase Infiniti, “One Battle After Another”
Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”
Emma Stone, “Bugonia”

Possible surprise: Kate Hudson, “Song Sung Blue”
Possible snub: Infiniti

Demi loves her. So does Reba and, of course, her mom, Goldie. In fact, it’d be surprising to find a mononym star who hasn’t stumped for Hudson and her star turn “Song Sung Blue,” though, thinking about it, Björk doesn’t feel like the right fit for a movie about a husband-and-wife Neil Diamond tribute band. (But I bet she’d be bringing down the house covering “I Am… I Said.”) It’s easy enough to root for Hudson and her comeback turn (was she ever really gone?), which could lead to her first nomination since her spectacular arrival a quarter-century ago (!) in “Almost Famous.” But among the five likely nominees, who would you boot? I’m a believer in each and every one of them.

Supporting actor

Benicio Del Toro, “One Battle After Another”
Jacob Elordi, “Frankenstein”
Paul Mescal, “Hamnet”
Sean Penn, “One Battle After Another”
Stellan Skarsgård, “Sentimental Value”

Skarsgård, so good as the irascible father and legendary auteur in “Sentimental Value,” didn’t get a nomination from the Actors Awards, guaranteeing this category will keep us guessing until the envelope is opened. Only three actors (Marcia Gay Harden for “Pollock,” Christoph Waltz for “Django Unchained” and Regina King for “If Beale Street Could Talk”) have won an Oscar without an actors guild nod. But Skarsgård has already had a moment, winning the Golden Globe and giving perhaps the night’s best speech, self-deprecating — talking about how raising eight children taught him how to be a bad father — and passionate. “Cinema should be seen in cinemas.” That might not move Ted Sarandos, but I’m sure he picked up a few votes with that capper. (Note: No surprise or snub here. These are the nominees.)

Supporting actress

Odessa A’zion, “Marty Supreme”
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, “Sentimental Value”
Amy Madigan, “Weapons”
Wunmi Mosaku, “Sinners”
Teyana Taylor, “One Battle After Another”

Possible surprise: Ariana Grande, “Wicked: For Good”
Possible snub: A’zion

“Wicked” won two Oscars last year — production design and costume design — from 10 nominations, recognition that included picture and nods for actors Cynthia Erivo and Grande. The meh reviews (though the movie has its fans among critics) and diminished box office lowered Oscar expectations for the sequel. But seeing Grande, whose Glinda is the center of the new film, slip down the list of expected nominees has been one of more surprising developments of this awards season. She might still turn up, but I’m thinking the field belongs to the quartet of women from best picture nominees plus the undeniable, unrecognizable turn from Madigan in “Weapons.”

Original screenplay

(Eli Ade/Warner Bros. Pictures)

“It Was Just an Accident,” Jafar Panahi
“Marty Supreme,” Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein
“Sorry, Baby,” Eva Victor
“Sentimental Value,” Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt
“Sinners,” Ryan Coogler

Possible surprise: “The Secret Agent,” Kleber Mendonça Filho
Possible snub: “Sorry, Baby”

With “Sorry, Baby,” writer-director Victor looked at the aftermath of sexual assault with wit and wry humor, employing an unconventional, nonchronological structure in its portrait of a woman grappling with trauma and refusing to be defined by it. “Sorry, Baby” was a hard movie to market, and it didn’t find the audience it deserved when it arrived in theaters over the summer. But its fans are a passionate bunch — Julia Roberts gave it a powerful plug at the Golden Globes, calling Victor her “hero” — and I’m wishing, hoping, thinking there are enough of them to put the film among the nominated screenplays.

Adapted screenplay

“Bugonia,” Will Tracy
“Frankenstein” Guillermo del Toro
“Hamnet,” Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell
“One Battle After Another,” Paul Thomas Anderson
“Train Dreams,” Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar

This group looks set, though I’d sub in Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice” for “Bugonia,” Park’s movie offering a more humane — and funnier — look at ugly things people can do when desperate. Park still has never been nominated for an Oscar, despite a resume that includes “Decision to Leave” and “The Handmaiden.”

International feature

“It Was Just an Accident”
“The Secret Agent”
“Sentimental Value”
“Sirāt”
“The Voice of Hind Rajab”

Possible surprise: “No Other Choice”
Possible snub: “The Voice of Hind Rajab”

This could be the spot for Park. If “No Other Choice,” “It Was Just an Accident,” “The Secret Agent” and “Sirāt” are nominated, it would give Neon a clean sweep of the category, a heady accomplishment for the adventurous indie studio. Of course, four out of five wouldn’t be bad either, and I have a suspicion that Venice Grand Jury Prize winner “The Voice of Hind Rajab” breaks through the Neon logjam. Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s movie sensitively tells the crushing story of a 6-year-old girl killed in Gaza, blending drama and documentary in a way that has left audiences sobbing. Ben Hania has seen two of her movies nominated — the 2020 feature “The Man Who Sold His Skin” and the 2023 documentary “Four Daughters” — and “Hind Rajab” looks poised to return her to the ceremony.

Animated feature

“Arco”
“Elio”
“KPop Demon Hunters”
“Little Amélie or the Character of Rain”
“Zootopia 2”

Sony Pictures Animation’s “KPop Demon Hunters” is the most-streamed movie in Netflix’s history, passing half a billion views in late December, including one from the kids at the New Year’s Eve party at my house. “Zootopia 2” got some eyeballs, too, becoming Walt Disney Animation Studios’ highest-grossing animated film. There’s a lot of separation between that pair and the remaining contenders.

Documentary feature

“2000 Meters to Andriivka”
“The Alabama Solution”
“Cover-Up”
“My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 — Last Air in Moscow”
“The Perfect Neighbor”

Possible surprise: “Apocalypse in the Tropics”
Possible snub: “The Perfect Neighbor”

The academy’s documentary branch often seems to take a perverse delight in ignoring popular favorites (“Hoop Dreams,” “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “Grizzly Man,” “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie”), so it would not be all that surprising to see Netflix’s chart-topping, true-crime doc “The Perfect Neighbor” become the latest casualty.

Netflix has two other contenders: “Cover-Up,” a riveting portrait of investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, directed by Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus, and Petra Costa’s “Apocalypse in the Tropics,” which examines Brazil’s rightward political shift. Harsh realities in Russia inform another trio of potential nominees. Critics group favorite “My Undesirable Friends” is a harrowing look at journalists in Putin’s Russia, while “2000 Meters to Andriivka” follows a Ukranian platoon’s mission to liberate a Russian village. Meanwhile, closer to home, “The Alabama Solution” is a damning indictment of prison conditions in its titular state as well as America.

Not much to feel good about here, which, given the state of the world, feels about right.

WHEN Blue Monday comes around, it can leave you dreaming of being somewhere abroad…

Perhaps you’re craving the feeling of your toes in the sand, while lounging by the pool with a good book and a fruity cocktail.

Or maybe you fancy booking a city break to look forward to, ticking off bucket list cities like New York and L.A. with these unusually cheap flights.

Luckily, some of the top travel companies are having some major sales this Blue Monday – slashing their prices so you can go away from just £81pp.

Not only have we collected these bargain holiday deals, but you can even save extra on top with sale voucher codes, or even book with a £0 deposit.

Skanes, Tunisia – 5 nights all-inclusive for £169pp

The Skanes Serail and Aquapark is a 4-star giant playground of a hotel in the beach resort of Skanes, Tunisia.

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This beachfront hotel even has its own waterpark and two giant outdoor pools.

Families will find plenty to do for all ages, including a kids club, playground and beach volleyball area.

On your doorstep at Skanes beach, there’s watersports galore with jet-skiing and parasailing on offer – and it’s usually much cheaper than in Europe.

Loveholidays offers a 5-night all inclusive stay with return flights from London Luton departing on March 14 for £169pp.

Prague – 5 nights for £99pp

This 5-night trip to Prague comes with a comfortable stay at the Plus Prague Hostel.

Situated on a colourful quiet street with good links into the city centre, there’s great facilities here such as an indoor swimming pool, sauna and gym.

There’s activities like table tennis, a beach volleyball court, and a games room and golf practice on offer.

There’s a tram stop just 5 minutes away where you can head straight into the Old Town and explore everything from cafes and bars to the colourful Prague Market.

Loveholidays offers a 5-night room-only stay with return flights from Bristol departing on 26 January for £99pp.

Agadir, Morocco – 5 nights for £129pp

A break in Morocco’s Agadir will certainly brighten your January blues, with the sunny coastal city offering beaches, colourful markets and a sun soaked Medina.

Plus the snazzy Anezi Appartments are in the ideal location – just a short walk from both the beach and the city centre.

These apartments have everything you’ll need during your time away, including air conditioned comfy rooms and a spa with a sauna and steam bath.

There’s even a private beach with loungers and a pool with a poolside snack bar, so you can spend your days lazing in the sun without having to leave the poolside.

Loveholidays offers 5 nights’ stay with breakfast from March 7 including return flights from London Stansted for £129pp.

Marmaris, Turkey – 5 nights for £139pp

The Club Atrium Hotel in Turkey’s Marmaris has three pools to dip in and out of, and 126 comfy air-conditioned rooms to return to.

Choose to splash around with the kids in the dedicated kids pool, or take a soak in the relaxing Turkish bath indoors.

There’s a packed entertainment programme with sports and evening shows, and if you fancy a treat, there’s massages available here too.

There’s a strip of restaurants and bars nearby, and a disco just a 1-minute walk away.

Loveholidays offers 5 nights’ stay from April 20 with breakfast and return flights from Southend for £139pp.

The Algarve, Portugal – 5 nights for £90pp

Portugal’s Algarve has plenty to explore – from strolling through pretty fishing villages to taking a swing at one of many golf resorts.

Some of the best beaches include the quiet cove of Praia Do Pinhao, as well as Praia da Falésia with its red cliff-lined coastline.

And with a stay at Studio 17 by Atlantic Hotels, you can relax by their adults-only pool and enjoy a comfortable apartment stay with all the facilities.

On the Beach offers 5 nights’ self-catering stay from 15 March including flights from Bournemouth for £90pp.

Fez, Morocco – 5 nights for £110pp

The Riad Dar Al Ouali is a pretty and traditional place to stay when exploring the cultural capital of Morocco.

This Riad has its own rooftop terrace as well as six colourful rooms offering a mini fridge and room service.

There’s also complimentary breakfast on offer, serving traditional Moroccan foods like homemade flat breads and dipping sauces.

In Fez you can visit historical sites like the Marinid Tombs, or marvel at the Royal Palace.

On the Beach offers 5 nights’ stay with breakfast including flights from London Stansted departing March 10 for £110pp.

Qawra, Malta – 7 nights for £120pp

The Qawra Point Holiday Complex is a modern aparthotel, with a spectacular rooftop terrace boasting its own pool and sun deck.

Rooms here are large and come with all the facilities including both baths and showers, balconies and en-suites.

Five minutes’ walk takes you to your choice of gift shops, bars and restaurants to browse, and Qawra Point Beach is just 10 minutes away.

There’s plenty more to see and do in Malta, from visiting the Malta Classic Car Collection to trying out scuba diving.

On the Beach offer 7 nights’ self-catering stay including flights from London Luton for £120pp.

Antalya, Turkey – 5 nights for £130pp

This hotel in Turkey‘s popular beach resort Antalya is in a fantastic location with access to shops, bars and restaurants – and a private beach.

There’s loads of activities to choose from here that are perfect for families – darts, table tennis and a range of watersports, but to name a few.

Nearby, you can explore historical ruins and the Temple of Apollo, or take a boat trip to the breathtakingly beautiful Manavgat Waterfall and river.

The Old Harbour is worth a visit too, with its streets overlooking a blue bay with bobbing sailboats.

On the Beach offers 5 nights’ stay with breakfast including flights from Newcastle departing on March 17 for £130pp.

Florence, Italy – 5 nights for £81pp

The Residenza Conte Di Cavour & Rooftop in the storybook city of Florence is set in an ideal location to explore the city.

Here you’re in a quiet spot not too far from the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, and just a few minutes’ walk will take you to Maria Novella station – where you can head straight into the heart of the city.

Tuscany‘s capital has lots to see and do, including seeing Michaelangelo’s works in the Galleria dell’Accademia or admiring the manicured Boboli Gardens.

The hotel itself is comfortable and traditional, with colourful walls, plush bedding and a cosy atmosphere.

TUI offers 5 nights’ room-only stay from March 9 including flights from London Stansted for £81pp.

Bucharest, Romania – 5 nights for £99pp

This boutique hotel in Romania‘s capital has sun terraces decorated with colourful roses and pretty rooms with high ceilings and large windows.

There’s also a characterful bar with chandeliers and cosy seating, as well as a TV lounge and pretty gardens.

Out in Bucharest, you can explore unique artsy cafes, colourful art displays and buzzing nightlife.

Take a visit to Cărturești Carusel to visit the fairytale book shop of dreams, or soak in the views of the historic and gigantic Palace of Parliament.

TUI offers 5 nights’ room-only stay from February 28 including flights from London Stansted for £99pp.

Ibiza, Spain – 3 nights all inclusive for £302pp

This beachside resort in Ibiza is perfect for families, with its giant pool, splash park, and the sparkling Mediterranean Sea on your doorstep.

At TUI SUNEO Caribe there’s weekly themed parties, kids discos, arcade machines, sports courts and more to keep you busy.

Rooms are luxurious and modern, with sliding door balconies and crisp, colourful decor.

Here, you’re right on the doorstep of Es Canar beach, and the streets of Es Cana town are overlooked by bright white buildings and lush green mountains.

TUI offers 3 nights’ all-inclusive stay from May 18 including flights from Leeds Bradford for £302pp.

Benidorm, Spain – 5 nights all inclusive for £370pp

The adults-only hotel Agua Azul makes for a great base in buzzy Benidorm.

Levante Beach is just 15 minutes’ walk away, and you’ll be able to walk back home easily from the bustling strip too.

This all-inclusive stay has a buffet restaurant, two bars, an outdoor pool and an air-conditioned gym to enjoy.

Rooms are clean and spacious – complete with flat screen TVs and modern sleek bathrooms.

Jet2holidays offers 5 nights’ all-inclusive stay from February 21 including flights from London Luton for £370pp.

Murcia, Spain – 5 nights for £246pp

The El Churra hotel in Murcia is a family-friendly stay equipped with a gym, comfortable rooms and a cosy dining area.

Here you’re right in the heart of the city, where you can explore top attractions like the Real Casino de Murcia (just a 15-minute walk away).

The city also has some beautiful buildings to admire, like the Murcia Cathedral or Plaza Cardenal Belluga.

Browse fresh fruits and pastries at the city market, or try some tapas at the scenic Plaza de la Flores.

Jet2holidays offers 5 nights’ room-only stay from including flights from February 2 with flights from Manchester for £246pp.

Majorca – 3 nights for £260pp

The Globales Palmanova Hotel in Majorca is a stylish choice backed by rolling green hills and lined with palms.

The large outdoor pool is surrounded by plenty of comfy white loungers, so no need to rush before breakfast to claim yours with a beach towel.

Rooms are beachy and modern, with huge beds, balconies and coastal paintings to add to the theme.

This stunning hotel is in Majorca’s Palma Nova, where you can explore the Caves of Genova by boat and sunbathe on the sandy stretches of Es Carregador Beach.

Jet2holidays offers 3 nights’ half-board stay from February 27 with flights from East Midlands Airport for £260pp.

Rhodes, Greece – 7 nights all-inclusive for £623pp

This luxurious resort is rated 5 stars – and you’re getting a whopping £337 off with this deal.

The sprawling Lindos Imperial Resort and Spa boasts seven pools, seven bars and restaurants, and six waterslides.

There’s unique touches like a poolside crepe stand and a beach bar, plus the main restaurant serves up top quality seafood, salads, meats and more.

Pack your days with tennis, volleyball, mini football, basketball – or by unwinding at the on-site spa.

All of this – and you’re right on the sandy shores of Kiotari Beach.

easyJet holidays offers 7 nights’ all-inclusive stay from April 23 with flights from London Luton for £623pp.

Side, Turkey – 7 nights for £246pp

The Side Spring Hotel is a cosy hotel that’s perfect for couples, set in the historic Turkish resort of Side.

There’s a 24-hour restaurant, massage treatments available, and an outdoor pool that lights up the resort at night.

A short walk will take you to Side’s city centre, where you can explore everything from ancient theatres to modern shops.

Side Museum is a great choice for history lovers, where you’ll find Greek artefacts and impressive sculptures.

easyJet Holidays offer 7 nights’ stay with breakfast from 21 April with flights from London Southend for £246pp.

Crete, Greece – 7 nights for £277pp

The Real Palace Hotel on the island of Crete is just 10 minutes from the picturesque Old Town of Malia, where colourful narrow streets are decorated with blooming flowers.

Explore endless hiking trails, peek through ancient palaces like the Minoan Palace of Malia, and dip in and out of traditional tavernas.

The hotel itself has an outdoor pool, children’s pool and poolside bar to make the most of the Greek sunshine.

You’ve also got Aelos Beach Water Park and Go Karting nearby, if you fancy an action-packed day out.

easyJet Holidays offer 7 nights’ self-catering stay from April 7 with flights from London Gatwick for £277pp.

New York for £362 return

Whether you’re visiting iconic sites like the Statue of Liberty and Times Square, or hopping into downtown pizza restaurants and bars, it’s impossible to get bored in this sprawling city.

Plus, if you choose to visit in March, this city is one of the best when it comes to St Patrick’s Day street celebrations.

Throughout various dates in February and March, you can book return flights for £362 from London Heathrow to JFK Airport in the British Airways sale.

Los Angeles for £355 return

In Los Angeles you can find glitzy palm-lined streets, buzzing underground clubs, laid back beaches and top theme parks all in one place.

If you’re visiting for a family holiday, head to Universal Studios Hollywood to step into a real life video game at Nintendo World. For food, try dining at family-friendly chains like Olive Garden and Cheesecake Factory.

Or if you’re wanting the Hollywood glamour experience, Rodeo Drive and Sunset Boulevard are must-visit spots for cheesey movie-scene magic.

On select dates in February, you can book return flights for £355 from London Heathrow to LAX in the British Airways sale.

Sharm El Sheikh for £297 return

On the southernmost tip of Egypt‘s Sinai Peninsula, Sharm El Sheikh is an action-packed beach resort that is practically always sunny.

This is snorkelers and scuba divers’ paradise, with the Red Sea home to colourful coral reefs and near transparent waters.

There’s plenty of architectural sights to tick off, too, like The Heavenly Cathedral and Ah-Sahaba Mosque.

On select dates in February and March, you can get return flights for £297 from London Heathrow to Sharm El Sheik in the British Airways sale.

MINNEAPOLIS — Rows of businesses stood shuttered inside a sprawling complex of Somali businesses on a recent afternoon.

Karmel Mall in south Minneapolis contains more than 100 small businesses in suites offering clothing and food, insurance and accounting services, and much more.

One day last week, the noisy hallways inside lay quiet, save for occasional chatter between neighboring vendors. The smell of fried food still wafted from the bakeries, the central heating hummed, and the sound of Quran recitation flowed quietly from some shops.

But many sellers sat alone in their clothing stores, waiting for the occasional customer to walk by. Everyone is afraid of federal immigration agents, business owners said. Sellers and customers, citizens and noncitizens. Some don’t bother opening shop because they aren’t expecting any customers.

“It’s been like this for three weeks now,” said Abdi Wahid, who works at his mother’s convenience store in the mall. “Everywhere it’s all been closed up, all the stores.”

Karmel Mall is an economic hub for the area’s Somali population, the largest in the United States. It also features housing, a mosque and Quran classes, serving as a robust community center for the area.

The economic impact of the Trump administration’s so-called Operation Metro Surge stretches beyond the Somali community: Many immigrants are on edge, afraid to go to work or leave their homes amid the immigration crackdown.

President Trump has made the Somali community a special target of his deportation rhetoric after a recent government fraud case in Minnesota included some Somali defendants. Since December, Trump has repeatedly insulted members of the community, calling them “garbage” and saying “they contribute nothing.”

Wahid said early afternoons at the family business once meant 15 to 20 customers. These days, it’s tough to get one.

Wahid is a citizen, but he said the fear extends beyond undocumented immigrants. Citizens are also scared of coming in, especially after the ICE officer killing of Renee Nicole Good and the ICE raid at Roosevelt High School in south Minneapolis.

“I think that caused a lot of people to not even want to come,” he said, because they could be targeted “just because of their race.”

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that law enforcement uses “reasonable suspicion” under the 4th Amendment to make arrests.

“A person’s immigration status makes them a target for enforcement, not their skin color, race or ethnicity,” she said.

Upstairs, Bashir Garad runs Safari Travel & Accounting Services. Not only has the crackdown in Minneapolis meant he’s lost almost all his customers, but his clients are canceling upcoming trips because they’re worried they won’t be let back into the country.

“They see a lot of unlawful things going on in the city,” he said. “They look at something bad, and then they think some bad things may happen to them.” The majority of his clients are East African, and nearly all are U.S. citizens. They still hesitate to travel.

“The government is not doing the right thing,” Garad said. “If there’s a criminal, there’s a criminal. Regardless, there are ways to find the criminal, but to marginalize the community’s name, and a whole people, that is unlawful.”

Ibrahim Dahiye, who sells electronics, said winter always used to be slow, “but now it’s totally different. No one comes here. All the stores are closed, few are open.”

Since the crackdown began, Dahiye said his business is down $20,000 monthly, and he’s now pooling funds to make rent.

He said he’s lost most of his customers. His employees are too scared to come to work. He tapped his jacket pocket, saying he keeps his passport on him at all times.

“I don’t know what we can do,” Dahiye said. “We believe in Allah, but we can’t do anything.”

Raza writes for the Associated Press.

Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticised US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, saying it was ‘bad for Israel’ and should be scrapped. He called for the closure of the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre in Kiryat Gat overseeing the Gaza ceasefire.

CARACAS, Venezuela — It was 1:58 a.m. on Jan. 3 when a thunderous roar made the windows of my apartment in downtown Caracas shake. Are the New Year’s celebrations still going on? Is a storm coming or is it an earthquake, I wondered. Despite multiple threats from the United States against Venezuela, I couldn’t believe that bombing was possible; not like this, not now. As people say in Venezuela, “It’s one thing to call on the devil, and another to see him actually arrive.” As the missiles began to fall one after another, my phone was inundated with the same message: “They are bombing us.”

Residents in the southwest of the city witnessed at least 11 helicopters entering Fort Tiuna, Caracas’ most important military complex, which is surrounded by dozens of civilian buildings jointly known as Tiuna City. Andrea Pérez, a resident of the area, heard the roar of the helicopters, followed by high-pitched whistles that ended in a massive explosion. The glare lit up her apartment, and the dense air tightened in her young son’s chest.

“We ran down eight floors, using our phone flashlights and we bumped into all our neighbors. Some were half-naked, running for their lives. Some of us got into our cars, but the traffic was so bad it took nearly 20 minutes just to get out of there,” she tells Truthdig.

Within minutes, the highway filled with people trying to flee on foot from whatever was happening. “There was no light. You could hear indescribable, terrifying noises. You didn’t know where they were coming from. We had no idea what was happening outside, but we had to get out. I carried my dog, which weighs almost 30 kilos and just had surgery,” Oleno León, another resident, says.

Later, we learned that a U.S. cyberattack had crippled a large part of Caracas’ power supply. This helped enable 150 stealth fighters, electronic warfare aircraft, bombers, assault helicopters, drones and intelligence satellites to penetrate the skies of at least four Venezuelan states.

Negotiation and betrayal: Does it matter?

Hours later, we knew there had been an incursion, but we weren’t certain if the objective — to abduct President Nicolás Maduro — had been achieved. However, later in the morning, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez established a phone link with the state television channel and confirmed the situation by asking the U.S. for “proof of life” for the president and his wife, Cilia Flores.

People hunkered down. The streets turned into deserts. A harsh quietness descended that was only broken the next day by desperate lines at supermarkets, pharmacies and shops selling drinking water. What followed is now well known: multiple and contradictory statements from various U.S. government officials, images of Maduro and Flores arriving at the Drug Enforcement Administration office and later the courthouse in Manhattan, and Rodríguez being sworn in as acting president in the National Assembly.

However, as the days passed, people had questions: What happened to the Russian air defense systems or the Chinese radar for detecting air attacks — including the 5,000 Igla-S missiles that Maduro himself claimed to have in October 2025? Why were there no air-to-air battles? Did everything fail? Would this amount to treason? Or, if it was a negotiation, was the now-kidnapped president involved or not?

The picture became somewhat clearer when the United States government explained how its high-level technology managed to dismantle Venezuelan defenses, as well as the role played for months by several undercover CIA agents in Caracas. Rodríguez stated that “no one surrendered” and that “there was combat here.” The lives of at least 100 people “were taken in a vile, unequal, unilateral, illegal and illegitimate attack,” she said.

Maduro’s son, National Assembly member Nicolás Maduro Guerra, also stated that the U.S. neutralized the radar used for detection. “We were left blind; they attacked us with an aircraft that emits an electromagnetic wave that affects all defense systems,” he said. “It was impossible to get a plane off the ground, and most likely, if we had taken off, they would have shot it down. The technology they used was impressive. I believe this was a rehearsal for something bigger, and humanity should know about it.”

However, days earlier, Maduro Guerra had also hinted at the possibility of treason within the government. In statements to Truthdig, historian and Caracas-based commentator Álvaro Suzzarini notes that in catastrophes of this scale, the responses and actions of those under attack will inevitably range from betrayal and compromise to acts of heroism. However, he says, beyond the sensationalism and debates in the media and public generated by that dynamic, history will eventually reveal what role the key figures ultimately played.

Central University of Venezuela social psychology and criminology professor Andrés Antillano tells Truthdig that speculation doesn’t help while the situation is still so volatile. “The fact is that there is a negotiation with Trump; whether it happened before or after the military intervention and Maduro’s kidnapping is a matter of speculation, and perhaps it is not the most relevant issue right now,” Antillano says. “What matters more is understanding what comes after this brutal and ruthless intervention, which also served to intimidate the entire continent.”

Venezuelans worry about US role and economy

“I worry about losing power again or running out of water. Luckily, I have some food at home, but I also fear not being able to find what I need. I am also worried about safety, about the emptiness that takes over the streets at night and what that could lead to,” says Ariadna García, a young writer. She, like other Venezuelans I spoke with, isn’t sure what the role and reach of the U.S. in Venezuela will ultimately be.

Rodríguez has stated that the country “was attacked by a nuclear power but is not at war,” that “no external agent governs it,” and that it is entering “a new political moment” — one that has already included meetings with opposition lawmakers and the release of political prisoners.

But for citizens like university professor María Mercedes Cobo, national and personal fears have emerged. “First of all, I fear this aggression could be repeated, but I’m also terrified that we may no longer be a country with self-determination, and instead a colonized territory. Every time Trump speaks as if he were the president of Venezuela, it scares me. But I also wonder what will happen to our economy,” she tells Truthdig.

In the first week of January, the official exchange rate for the U.S. dollar against the Venezuelan bolívar rose by almost 10% , while the gap between the official and parallel rates is around 100%. This devaluing of the bolívar — through which most workers receive their income — reduces purchasing power, which was already very low. As of the end of last year, the monthly minimum wage in Venezuela was less than one U.S. dollar, and most income was received as bonuses.

Since Jan. 3, “In a context of deep political uncertainty, the economy has stopped being a priority. The failure to address this gap is causing a contraction in people’s purchasing power due to the breakdown of the pricing system,” economist Asdrúbal Oliveros tells Truthdig. He says that until the Venezuelan oil market stabilizes, the exchange rate will not stabilize either.

Venezuelan experts on the future

In purely political terms, what could happen in the coming months? According to Suzzarini, predicting outcomes with limited data under conditions of high uncertainty is risky, but he believes the emerging and most plausible scenario is the current one. “The continuity of Chavismo in power under the figure of Delcy Rodríguez, with at least the current 2025-2031 presidential term being fulfilled,” he says.

In his view, Venezuela is experiencing a “transition without transition,” where the U.S. has removed the president, but the governing party is the same, a sign that Washington did not and does not fully understand the phenomenon of Chavismo — the ideology embraced by followers of the late President Hugo Chávez — as a political movement. “This is not the kind of government, as calculated in the United States, where decapitating Maduro’s leadership would cause everything else to collapse,” he says.

“There are multiple converging leaderships and a political maturity of 30 years,” he says, referring to the decades of Bolivarian revolution and related organizing and movements.

The historian also points out that the right-wing opposition, led by María Corina Machado, will likely remain “outside the equation and the mathematics of power” because it lacks the capacity or support to sustain it, especially in such a delicate moment. Meanwhile, he says, Russia and China could still shift the global political landscape, with repercussions for Venezuela.

Trump is willing to receive Machado at the White House and she would like to award him her Nobel Peace Prize, but both know that the opposition leader could not run the country — especially not now. “She lacks the support and the respect,” Trump stated on Jan. 3.

However, the country is still essentially being held hostage by the U.S. and is under constant threat, Carlos Raúl Hernández, a political science professor at the Central University of Venezuela, explains. He says this makes acting President Rodríguez a sort of lifeline.

“Venezuela has a somewhat similar population and geographic size to Iraq [when it was bombed in 2003], so if the United States decided today to proceed with an invasion, it could … cause the deaths of 40,000 Venezuelans. It’s an extremely grave threat, one that must be avoided through agreements,” Hernández tells Truthdig.

To Hernández, Rodríguez is in a difficult position because, “theoretically or practically, the oil fleet linked to Venezuela has been seized, and of course that leaves no alternative but to negotiate. The tankers are in U.S. hands, so moving the oil requires U.S. approval. Another factor is China’s oil exploitation, which is also very important for the Venezuelan nation at this moment, as it represents 70% of exports. On the other hand, the United States is a key importer for China, and China is a major market for the United States.”

However, he believes that Rodríguez’s government could last a couple of years before new elections are held, “Until there is no longer a risk of confrontation, civil war or a process that destabilizes the world’s largest international oil reserve. Trump is interested in making sure this gigantic mine operates without setbacks, and that’s why he negotiates with the Chavista government — because it’s the only force with a real structure and control of the state apparatus.”

Hernández also thinks that if these agreements break down, new forms of invasion could follow. “But predicting it is difficult because everything that is taking place is unprecedented — astonishing in a civilized world like the one we thought we had.”

It would not be the first time a U.S. government chose to invade first and think later. But, at least for now, it seems that U.S. action will focus on coercing authorities through measures like those we experienced on Jan. 3.

Democratic U.S. senators, along with a small bloc of Republican senators, delivered a rebuke to Trump by voting in favor of advancing a resolution that would limit the future use of U.S. military force in Venezuela without congressional approval, but the resolution failed after two Republicans changed their votes and Vice President JD Vance voted to break a tie. Either way, Trump rarely respects U.S. legality, and he still has three years left in his term. Meanwhile, his next target could be Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Greenland … or once again, Venezuela.

The views expressed in this article are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Venezuelanalysis editorial staff.

Source: Truthdig

The sun is shining, the fire threat is low and for the first time in 25 years, no part of California is experiencing drought. Except of course in the hope and joy department.

It’s the middle of January, which means the holidays are well and truly over and whatever fanciful shine the prospect of a “new” year held as it approached has already dimmed into grim reality.

Of course I want to face this year determined to be a happier, kinder, more empathetic and more just person. But just as it’s tough to honorably pay one’s taxes knowing millionaires and billionaires are weaseling out of theirs, it’s hard to gin up personal-improvement energy when every news cycle brings proof that an alarming number of people are perfectly willing to believe that black is white, science is fake, we should all be cooking with beef tallow and failure to stop when an unidentified ICE agent tells you to is, apparently, punishable by death.

Also all that water everyone has been telling us to drink may be full of microplastics.

See, now I’m just getting upset again. Which is just too 2025 to bear. Mercifully, I have just discovered a cache of surviving holiday mint M&M’s (which may or may not contain beef tallow) and, equally important, I have a plan to make life better for everyone.

(At least until the midterms, when we will discover once and for all if this democratic experiment has any hope of lasting another year.)

It’s very simple, really: We need to demand the resurrection of customer service and put large numbers of well-paid and trained employees back in charge.

Seriously. I know it’s fun, and purportedly “convenient,” to be able to accomplish our banking/shopping/travel/bill paying/ticket buying/food ordering/health monitoring/everything else through a series of apps, websites and self-checkout kiosks.

But the lack of trained and helpful humans is getting out of control.

How many of us have stood, casting wild-eyed glances for help, when the grocery checkout sensors failed to register a carton of eggs that is clearly in the bagging area and there is only one store attendant tasked with aiding 20 or more finicky machines?

Or searched, panic-stricken, for the payment confirmation email that we may or may not have received because we forgot to screenshot an online transaction that is now being called into question via some upsetting email with a DO NOT RESPOND return address?

A friend of mine recently went to her doctor for ongoing treatment of her arthritic hands only to be told that she needed to fill out all her personal information, including her medical history, again because the office had switched systems. Apparently, the job of transferring file information was too difficult (read: expensive) to be accomplished by software, so it was being handed to … the patients. “Don’t worry,” said the guy sitting directly in front of the office computer. “You can just do it now on your phone.”

Yeah, that won’t take time and effort, and did I mention she was there for treatment of her arthritic hands?

The abandonment of any notion of customer service — now often called “customer assistance” or, even better, “customer support” (as in we will supportively assist you by directing you to our website or app, which may or may not be helpful/functioning) — is never clearer than when one travels.

Hideous delays and last-minute cancellations of flights have become so commonplace that airlines now advise building in a cushion of an extra day or two on each end of one’s journey. In other words, in addition to the cost of your actual flight, you should be prepared to pay even more in time or money because the airlines certainly are not.

On a long-planned holiday trip to London and Antwerp, Belgium, in December, our flight from LAX was abruptly moved to the next day — no warning, no explanation, no American Airlines personnel at the gate. Just a series of alerts that those who had the AA app received, along with the reassurance that those who qualified would be issued vouchers via email for lodging and food. Since we lived in the L.A. area (albeit a 90-minute drive from LAX at that time of day), we were out of luck — we could either pay hundreds of dollars for back and forth cab fare or book our own hotel near the airport.

(Other family members, leaving via Charlotte, N.C., had it even worse — a malfunction trapped a plane full of people, including my son and his girlfriend, on the runway for five hours before they were released, after midnight. When they finally tracked down an actual staff member, they were given vouchers to a motel that appeared, as Melissa McCarthy’s character says in “Spy,” “so murdery” that they decided to book their own.)

As if that were not enough to prevent us from ever traveling again, we were victims of the great Dec. 30 Eurostar shutdown, during which all trains into, and out of, the U.K. were abruptly canceled for more than 24 hours due to a power-grid failure in the English Channel Tunnel.

We had just been assured that we would soon be boarding our train from Brussels when the news came down over a loudspeaker, in four languages.

Picture, if you will, hundreds of now-stranded travelers, clamoring in panic-stricken English, French, Dutch and German as they streamed into the Brussels-Midi station where one Eurostar agent, one, stood, not suggesting alternate means of reaching our destination but handing out Xeroxed pages directing everyone to the Eurostar app and website.

Where no tickets were available for days and the process of claiming a refund or compensation for lodging and other expenses was an endless maze of questions that needed to be answered when all anyone wanted to know was how in the hell do we get to London now.

With no flights available until Jan. 3, days after we were scheduled to fly out of Heathrow Airport, we finally rented a car, at hideous cost, and fled Europe, with some historical poignancy, via midnight-landing ferry from Dunkirk. (If it sounds fun, I am not telling it right.)

My point is not that travel should always go smoothly — things break, weather turns, accidents happen. My point is that if you are a company that is paid to get people from one place to another, you should have enough personnel to help those people reach their destinations as quickly and seamlessly as possible should things go wrong.

Instead of, you know, casting them literally onto the street and forcing them to conjure up their own imperfect, and very expensive, DIY solutions.

Because that’s what the digital age has made us — a DIY economy in which millions of jobs no longer exist not because computers do the work, but because the work has been shifted, via computers, directly onto the consumer.

Who increasingly has little or no choice in the matter. Try to get a car at an auto rental agency without booking it online first; you might as well attempt to barter your watch and three chickens as payment.

It would be one thing if, by scheduling your own appointments, keeping track of your own medical tests, bagging your own groceries and filling out all the information needed to book your own reservations for planes, trains and automobiles, you got a discount.

But no; half the time, corporations have the audacity to charge a service fee on top of the money they have saved by not hiring someone to do the work you, the consumer, just did.

Is it any wonder why people are so testy these days?

Especially when, having done all the work only to be informed by alert that it was all in vain; they have to wait in line for the one teller/manager/gate agent available to explain to them that they “just” need to manage their booking/transaction online.

How much better it would be if there were actual people, trained and experienced, in numbers large enough to prevent endless queues, to make customers feel like customers again, instead of isolated pioneers quietly losing their minds in an effort to buy whatever goods and services companies are selling.

I’m not saying it would solve all of our problems, but it would go a long way to lowering the national temperature. It is amazing what a genial, helpful interaction can do to lift everyone’s spirits and make people feel like they are respected and valued, as individuals with reasonable needs, and not just faceless bundles of credit card information and regrettable meltdown moments.

Not to mention all the jobs, and career paths, at all levels, restoring customer service could provide.

Because being unemployed tends to make people quite aggravated and unhappy too.

The “60 Minutes” story on the El Salvador prison that led to a rocky start for CBS News Editor in Chief Bari Weiss made it to air Sunday.

The segment, “Inside CECOT,” detailed the Trump administration’s treatment of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants who were deported to an El Salvador prison known for its harsh conditions. The story was scheduled to run Dec. 21 but was pulled the day before air by Weiss who believed it needed additional reporting, including a more robust response from the White House.

Sharyn Alfonsi, the “60 Minutes” correspondent who worked for months on the piece, protested the move by Weiss, calling it politically motivated in an email she sent to colleagues.

The appointment of Weiss, made in October by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison, is seen by many CBS News insiders as a move to placate the Trump administration. The company wants a smooth regulatory path as it pursues the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Pulling a “60 Minutes” segment critical of the administration after it had already been promoted only intensified that perception.

CBS News maintained that the story would eventually run.

“CBS News leadership has always been committed to airing the 60 MINUTES CECOT piece as soon as it was ready,” the network said in a statement. “Tonight, viewers get to see it, along with other important stories, all of which speak to CBS News’ independence and the power of our storytelling.”

Weiss insisted Alfonsi’s story needed more reporting and remarks from a talking head from the White House. The version of the segment that aired Sunday has three and a half minutes of additional information but no new interviews.

The White House did provide statements, which were read by Alfonsi at the top and end of the segment. Data on the number of criminals apprehended by ICE was added to the story.

The program also revealed that one of the prisoners who described the abuse inside CECOT to Alfonsi had a swastika and three sixes tattoos on his body, which are associated with the Aryan Brotherhood, a gang of white supremacists.

The administration has used tattoos as a means to determine if an undocumented migrant is a gang member. The interview subject denied that he belonged to a gang and said he had no knowledge of what the tattoos represented.

The decision to pull the CECOT piece became a major media industry story. Weiss initially played down its importance saying it was a “slow news week.” But it was widely believed inside the news division that Weiss’ move was a major snafu that reflected her lack of experience as a TV news executive and awareness of the fishbowl nature of an industry where every action is scrutinized.

People close to Weiss say she since acknowledged she was not familiar with the process where the contents of a news program are distributed for promotional purposes and on-screen TV listings ahead of airtime. Weiss has also told colleagues she should have been involved earlier in the screening and vetting process for Alfonsi’s story. She did not see it until the Thursday before the Dec. 21 “60 Minutes” air date.

Trump has long criticized “60 Minutes,” often accusing the program of treating him unfairly. He extracted a $16 million settlement from CBS News after he sued over an interview with his opponent in the 2024 presidential race, Kamala Harris.

Trump claimed the program was deceptively edited to help Harris’ election efforts. While CBS News would have likely prevailed in court, the company made the payment to clear the way for Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media.

Weiss joined CBS News after Paramount acquired her digital news site the Free Press, which gained a following with its sharp critiques of leftist policies. Her first major move at the network was to provide a prime-time town hall for Erika Kirk, the widow of slain right-wing activist Charile Kirk.

Weiss has also overseen the so-far inauspicious revamp of “CBS Evening News” with its new anchor Tony Dokoupil. The early days of the program had technical glitches and was criticized for coverage that was too friendly to the Trump administration. One longtime senior producer, Javier Guzman, was fired after repeatedly expressing his disagreements with the direction of the program.

The program has had a number of embarrassing moments including President Trump telling Dokoupil that he would not have gotten the anchor job if Harris had won the 2024 presidential race.

Scotland’s Paul Foster and Alex Marshall have become World Indoor Bowls pairs champions together for the fifth time.

They defeated compatriots and two-time winners Stuart Anderson and Darren Burnett 11-5 12-7 in a final between four players who have all won the world singles title.

It is Foster and Marshall’s first pairs title since 2019 and leaves them one behind England’s Tony Allcock and David Bryant, who won it six times between 1986 and 1992.

Asked about their continuing success, Foster told BBC Sport: “My hunger will not change and Alex is the same.

“Age is just a number and I’m just delighted to win this again.

“Stuart and Darren probably didn’t play as well as they can, but their record is formidable.”

Marshall, who has now won the pairs seven times to his partner’s six, paid tribute to Foster, saying he was “absolutely phenomenal”.

Anderson had been given a fright earlier in the day before winning his first-round singles game 2-1 against fellow Scotsman Martyn Rice but was not using that as excuse for his pairs defeat.

Burnett, meanwhile, said of Foster and Marshall, “they were exceptional”.

All four pairs finalists are through to the second round of the singles.

Budleigh Salterton on Devon’s Jurassic Coast is often overlooked by visitors, but this charming town boasts a stunning pebble beach named in The Times’ Top 10, dramatic red sandstone cliffs and miles of pristine coastal paths

A stunning coastal town tucked away on Devon’s Jurassic Coast has been hailed as one of Britain’s best-kept secrets.

Budleigh Salterton, a delightful town situated between Exmouth and Sidmouth, continues to be one of the region’s most underappreciated spots, despite being amongst the most picturesque, with miles of pristine coastline. It sits at the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Jurassic Coast, renowned for its striking cliffs and meandering coastal trails, though the town deserves recognition in its own right.

Alex Gwillim, a regional expert from Sweetcombe Cottage Holidays, spoke enthusiastically about Budleigh Salterton. He said: “Budleigh Salterton is a real hidden gem, boasting a beautiful pebble beach that stretches over two miles, the iconic red sandstone cliffs of the UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic coast, and a small town filled with unique local businesses to explore.”

He further noted that “people often miss out on a visit to Budleigh Salterton” due to its location between the popular tourist magnets of Exmouth and Sidmouth, “which draw big crowds on a nice day.”

Last year, The Times featured Budleigh Salterton’s beach in its Top 10 Beaches in the South West, praising its expansive coastline. Furthermore, the Bathing Water Classifications 2024 granted its waters an “excellent” rating, rendering them perfect for swimming and water sports, reports the Express.

For thrill-seekers, Alex highlighted the excellent selection of water sports on offer in Budleigh Salterton, with stand-up paddleboards and kayaks available for hire throughout the warmer months, giving holidaymakers the chance to explore the stunning coastline from the sea. For visitors after a tranquil escape, there’s plenty to savour, from relaxing walks along the shore to sampling the offerings at local cafes and inviting tea rooms.

Alex shared some extra advice for prospective visitors: “Budleigh Salterton is also the perfect spot for nature lovers. Head along the beach towards the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve, a popular spot for bird watching.

“There are also easy walking trails with fantastic views of the Triassic sandstone cliffs and their fascinating geology.”

If you’re planning to book a staycation in Budleigh Salterton, there’s an abundance of charming cottages, B&Bs and hotels on offer. Due to the town’s modest size, you’ll virtually have the beach right outside your door, regardless of where you decide to stay.

Holidaymakers to Budleigh Salterton have posted glowing reviews about the beach on TripAdvisor. One delighted visitor wrote: “We loved this beach. It was nice and quiet. People were swimming and paddleboarding, and it was perfect as the sea was so calm. It was nice and quiet despite it being a sunny June Sunday.”

One visitor lauded the area, stating: “It has a lovely walk along the well-kept promenade. Plenty of benches to rest a while and take in the view. Also well served with places to get a coffee, ice cream and lunch, etc. No awful arcades just wonderfully unspoilt.”

Another chimed in: “Fabulous place to go for a walk. One can walk to Exmouth and be back in less than 4 hours. The whole walk was relaxing and the fabulous scenery.”

A further enthusiast shared: “Great scenery, friendly community, always clean and great for the family, there is a great relaxing walk across the seafront which is accessible for everyone,”.

Got a travel tale to tell? Drop us an email at webtravel@reachplc.com

Aid cuts, conflict and economic collapse push millions of Yemenis towards severe hunger in 2026.

Yemen, one of the world’s most impoverished nations, is entering a perilous new phase of food shortages with more than half the population – about 18 million people – expected to face worsening hunger in early 2026, according to the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

The warning follows new projections under the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification hunger-monitoring system that were released on Monday and show an additional one million people at risk of life-threatening hunger. It also comes as Yemen is experiencing its latest internal conflict with external regional actors involved in fighting in the nation’s south.

The assessment also forecasts pockets of famine affecting more than 40,000 people across four districts within the next two months – the bleakest outlook for the country since 2022.

Years of war and mass displacement have shattered livelihoods and limited access to basic health and nutrition services.

Those pressures now overlap with a nationwide economic collapse that has slashed households’ purchasing power and driven up food prices. At the same time, humanitarian assistance has sharply declined.

By the end of 2025, Yemen’s required humanitarian response was less than 25 percent funded – the lowest level in a decade – while life-saving nutrition programmes received under 10 percent of the funding required, the IRC said.

“This rapid deterioration – driven by catastrophic humanitarian funding cuts, climate shocks, economic collapse, and compounded by recent insecurity – calls for urgent action to reverse the unfolding catastrophe,” the organisation said in a statement.

Caroline Sekyewa, the IRC’s country director in Yemen, said the speed of the decline is alarming.

“People of Yemen still remember when they didn’t know where their next meal would come from. I fear we are returning to this dark chapter again. What distinguishes the current deterioration is its speed and trajectory,” she said.

She described families being forced into desperate choices. “Food insecurity in Yemen is no longer a looming risk; it is a daily reality forcing parents into impossible choices,” Sekyewa said, adding that some parents have resorted to collecting wild plants to feed their children.

Despite the dire picture, Sekyewa said the crisis is preventable. “Yemen’s food security crisis is not inevitable,” she said, urging immediate donor action and pointing to cash assistance as one of the most effective tools to help families meet their basic needs with dignity.

The humanitarian warning comes amid renewed political and security tensions.

Yemen has been an acute focus of strain between Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in recent months.

In December, the UAE-supported southern separatist Southern Transitional Council seized swaths of southern and eastern Yemen, advancing close to the Saudi border before Saudi-backed forces regained much of the territory.

Analysts warned that unresolved rivalries alongside disputes over geopolitics and oil policy risk dragging Yemen back into wider conflict, further compounding a hunger crisis that aid agencies said is already spiralling.

Gold and silver prices hit record highs but share prices fell on Monday as investors reacted to the threat by US President Donald Trump to impose fresh tariffs on eight European countries opposed to his proposed takeover of Greenland.

The price of gold touched $4,689.39 (£3,499) an ounce on Monday, while silver rose to a peak of $94.08 an ounce.

Precious metals are seen as safer assets to hold in times of uncertainty, and the prices of both gold and silver have soared over the past year.

But stock markets in Europe fell as investors worried over the latest increase in geopolitical tensions.

On Saturday, Trump announced a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland would come into force on 1 February, but could later rise to 25% – and would last until a deal on Greenland was reached.

Reports have suggested the EU is considering responding with a €93bn (£80bn) package of tariffs on US imports.

Worries over the Greenland spat triggered another rise in gold and silver prices as investors headed for “safe haven” assets.

Last year, the price of gold soared by more than 60%, partly due to concerns about global tensions and economic uncertainty.

However, there are other factors behind the rise, including expectations of more interest rate cuts, central banks adding hundreds of tonnes of gold to their reserves and – in regard to silver – China announcing restrictions on exports of the metal.

“Gold has hit fresh record highs on its glittering run upwards,” said Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club.

“The precious metal is holding even more allure as a safe haven as worries spread about the repercussions of the US aggressive trade and geopolitical policies.”

But while gold and silver were continuing their recent strong runs, shares were on the back foot.

London’s FTSE 100 index fell 0.4%, while the FTSE 250 – which has a greater number of domestically focused companies – was down 0.8%. A mixture of financial firms and industrial stocks were lower, but shares in gold miners Fresnillo and Endeavour rose following the latest increase in precious metal prices.

Across Europe shares in carmakers, tech and luxury goods firms saw sharp falls.

In Germany, the Dax index fell 1% with car companies BMW, Mercedes-Benz and VW all down by about 3-4%.

In France, the Cac 40 index was down 1.4%, with luxury brands LVMH and Hermes among the biggest losers.

However, European defence stocks rose, with Germany’s Rheinmetall and France’s Thales both trading higher.

Markets in the US are closed on Monday for a public holiday.

Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, said Trump’s latest tariff threat “turns up the heat to max”.

However, he noted that “while we’ve seen a red day for European shares in general, it’s not panic time”.

“What needs to be watched closely is how markets behave over the near term. A 1% to 1.5% decline every day over a series of weeks adds up to trouble, and that’s what investors are keen to avoid happening.”

Trade tensions are one of the main risks to global economic growth, according to the latest forecast from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In its latest world economic outlook – prepared before the latest tariff threat emerged – it described the global economy as “steady”, but said risks to growth included an end to the AI boom and a “flare up” in trade tensions.

TEEN Mom: Young and Pregnant star Rachel Beaver was arrested for public intoxication early Monday morning.

She remains imprisoned at Knox County Jail, with her mugshot making rounds online.

News of her arrest was initially confirmed by Starcasm, with The U.S. Sun confirming details surrounding the incident.

Rachel, 23, was seen in a mugshot photo smiling slightly with her pink hair on display and winged eyeliner on her lids.

Per the Knox County Jail’s website, the MTV alum was arrested in the early hours of Monday morning.

Her bond has not yet been set, and she remains behind bars.

ESCALATED QUICKLY

Teen Mom Jenelle Evans’ daughter Ensley, 8, rushed to the hospital

TROUBLED TEEN

Neither Rachel, nor her family, are strangers to legal troubles or controversy.

Despite frequently finding herself the center of online chatter and shaming, the Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant star has managed to avoid major legal woes prior to her most recent arrest.

Her mother, Stephanie, has, however, been to jail several times for various charges.

Rachel’s mother appears to be on the straight and narrow now, avoiding arrest in recent years.

Her father, Jason Beaver, was arrested in September 2019 for possession of heroin.

He was released in November 2020.

Likewise, her sister Malorie Beaver has been behind bars more than once.

In September 2024, Malorie was found guilty of her second DUI and booked into McMinn County Jail.

She was there to serve a 45-day sentence, but was “released after 17 days to complete 28 days with outpatient treatment.”

Rachel’s family aren’t the only ones with legal challenges.

Her ex Drew Brooks was arrested for attempted murder in April 2022.

Rachel and Drew rose to fame on the first season of Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant.

The former couple had been dating on and off since February 2019, and Drew was initially unsure he was the father of Rachel’s first child.

Rachel confirmed paternity in a January 2020 episode of the reality show.

The UK’s best cities for nightlife have been ranked and while the likes of London, Manchester and Newcastle are among the ratings, they’ve been pipped to the post by an unexpected winner

A good night out can be the perfect antidote to the January blues, and a new data analysis has revealed the ultimate party city in the UK.

Everyone has their favourite nightspot, and it’s often based on the type of clubs and venues on offer as well as the general vibe of the place. However, the travel team at Ireland Prestige Tours has decided to settle the debate once and for all and analysed a range of data to reveal which city comes out on top.

The study looked at factors including the number of nightclubs, bars, and pubs per 100,000 people, and the average cost of a hotel for two nights based on two adults sharing. Perhaps most importantly, they also looked at the average cost of a pint.. This helped the team give each city a total score which they then ranked to find the best place for a night out across the whole of the UK.

Southern seaside spot Brighton took the top spot thanks to the sheer number and variety of nightclubs and bars. While its score for average pint price puts it on par with London, the south coast city scored highly based on the sheer number and variety of nightclubs meant it beat competition from Manchester and Newcastle.

Brighton is known for its laidback, creative vibe by day, while after dark it offers a colourful and inclusive nightlife scene. Many of its clubs are just steps from the seafront, transforming from daytime bars and cafes to music venues at night.

Volks Club is one of the city’s most famous nightclubs, and its unique location sees it under Brighton’s promenade and right on the pebbly beach. On the weekends, it opens until the small hours, so you can leave just in time to watch the sun rise over the sea.

Nearby, you’ll find Patterns, with a seaview terrace that’s always busy during the summer months. By day, you can enjoy a bottomless brunch with unlimited pizza, and by night, the basement club has a lively schedule of DJ sets with genres from house to garage to soul. PRYZM Brighton is one of the city’s largest clubs, and its Wednesday nights are popular with students during term time. It also opens at weekends with three rooms playing a variety of music from chart to dance, pop, and hiphop among many other genres.

Brighton is also known for its wide variety of LGBT+ clubs, most of which are found around the Kemptown neighbourhood. Revenge, which is spread over three floors, is a local favourite. It makes the most of its location near the seafront thanks to its rooftop bar where you can enjoy the views. The Haus Of Cabaret has the upmarket feel of an old-fashioned cocktail bar, and offers an immersive experience with dinner, drinks, and dancing.

The city also performed well due to its huge variety of hotels, which range from seaside B&Bs to hostels and luxury hotels on the seafront. It’s no wonder it’s become a popular destination for stag and hen parties, as well as groups of friends just looking for some time away.

READ MORE: Foreign Office issues urgent travel warning for 16 countries amid ‘serious concerns’READ MORE: British expat who quit UK for Spain shares brutally honest truth about move

Coming in at second and third in the rankings were Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Manchester, also cities with big student populations and popular for weekends away. Belfast came in fourth, scoring particularly highly for the number of nightclubs, and in fifth place was Aberdeen which has the advantage of an average pint price of £4, compared to £6 in Brighton.

The cheapest night out on the list is likely to be found in Gloucester, with an average pint costing just £2.75, meaning there’s no need to be nervous when it’s time to get the drinks in.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

SACRAMENTO — People often ask me how things have changed at the state Capitol since I began covering news there many decades ago. My latest short answer: Look at the new California Senate leader.

In fact, look at the entire Senate. Actually, the other legislative house, too, the Assembly.

There was only one female legislator when I arrived very young and green in 1961. She was an Assembly member, Democrat Pauline Davis from mountainous Plumas County in the northeast. You can thank her persistence for highway rest stops.

There wasn’t one Latino in the entire 120-member Legislature. The first two in modern times were elected the next year.

Today, the new Senate president pro tem — Democrat Monique Limón of Goleta in Santa Barbara County — is the upper house’s first Latina leader and the first mother who is leader of the Senate. And there are more female senators than males, 21 to 19.

The Assembly’s getting there, too. Women hold 38 of the lower house’s 80 seats. In all, 49% of all legislators are women — 59 of them.

A woman wasn’t elected to the Senate until 1976 when conservative Democrat Rose Ann Vuich, a farm owner, won a seat from Dinuba in the San Joaquin Valley. Vuich made it clear she was “not a part of the women’s liberation movement.” But whenever a male colleague rose to address the “gentlemen of the Senate,” she reminded them of her presence by ringing a small bell.

Even by 1980, only 9% of California legislators were women. The first Latina senator — Democrat Hilda Solis, now a Los Angeles County supervisor — wasn’t elected until 1994. Now, there are 13 Latina senators, including three Republicans.

The first female Senate president pro tem, Toni Atkins of San Diego, was elected leader in 2018. She’s also the only person to have been chosen as both Assembly speaker and Senate pro tem.

There have been three female Assembly speakers, including current L.A. Mayor Karen Bass. The first was Republican Doris Allen of Orange County in 1995, a puppet of departing Democratic Speaker Willie Brown. She was quickly recalled by her constituents.

Six of the last 10 speakers have been Latinos. But before Limón, there was only one Latino Senate leader: Democrat Kevin de León of Los Angeles.

OK, all this history may be interesting. But so what? What difference has it made to California citizens?

“A couple of areas have been the most profound,” says veteran Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana), who served in the Assembly in the 1990s and was elected to the Senate in 2018.

“Healthcare and child care. When I first came, I don’t remember child care being a big-deal issue. I certainly don’t remember access to healthcare being an issue. The presence of women has highlighted those things.”

I asked the new Senate leader. Women have provided the Legislature with more “diversity of experiences,” Limón answers. And child care has been made more than just a women’s issue, she adds. “It’s an economic issue. It enables workers to go to their jobs.”

But Latinos? How has their vast increase at the Capitol helped California Latinos?

Not much, complains Mike Madrid, a GOP strategist who has written a book on Latino politics.

“It’s been more about representation than results,” Madrid says. “Representation is not enough. The metrics are worse now than they were years ago: poverty rates, home ownership, 50% of Latino children on Medi-Cal.”

Madrid says Latino politicians have been too focused on immigration issues and not nearly enough on what their constituents really care about: economic opportunity and living costs.

What needs to be done for Latinos? ”Housing, housing, housing,” Madrid says. “Why aren’t Latinos leading this fight?”

Madrid notes that recent reforms of the much-abused California Environmental Quality Act, which has stymied housing development, were pushed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and white legislators.

Limón says she and Democrats are currently focused on a proposed $10-billion housing bond they’re trying to place on the June primary election ballot. It would help finance housing construction for low-income people. But apparently not the middle class.

Limón, 46, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, has a much calmer personality than many of her rough-hewn male predecessors.

She’s “kind, generous and sweet,” Sen. Angelique Ashby (D-Sacramento) told the Sacramento Bee.

But her demeanor masks an inner toughness. You don’t rise to Senate leadership — second only to the governor in raw power — by being a gentle wimp.

At her recent oath-taking ceremony in the Senate chamber, Sen. Caroline Menjivar (D-Panorama City) called Limón in Spanish a “badass.”

Limón appointed Ashby the Senate majority leader, the second in command. Menjivar was named Democratic Caucus chair, a post Limón previously held.

A liberal progressive, Limón was the Democrats’ overwhelming choice for the top job, Umberg says, because “she seems to be fair, a critical quality in a pro tem. She has intestinal fortitude and will stand up to institutional interests. She cares about the [legislative] institution and is pragmatic.”

Longtime Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) says, “She’s easy to get along with, but she’s outcome-oriented.”

No male bothered to run for Senate leader, Laird says, because the men mostly felt the selection of a woman was inevitable since they now hold the house majority. Limón beat out two other women: Ashby and Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach).

Limón named Laird chairman of the crucial Budget Committee. But she appointed women as chairs of the five deep-diving budget subcommittees.

Other major committees will be headed by a gender mix. For example, women were named chairs of Appropriations, Education, Environmental Quality, Governmental Organization and Health. Men will lead such key panels as Energy, Housing, Insurance, Judiciary (Umberg), Public Safety and Revenue and Taxation.

We won’t know for months how any of this will turn out substantively. But it’s the continuation of a big shift toward more female power in California’s Capitol.

What else you should be reading

The must-read: In San Francisco, Newsom rails against proposed billionaire tax, vows to protect homeless Californians
CA vs. Trump: Trump administration’s demands for California’s voter rolls, including Social Security numbers, rejected by federal judge
In-Or-Out: California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta opts against running for governor. Again

Until next week,
George Skelton

—
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Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. The Clippers continue to seek out stories from residents in Los Angeles County about what basketball has meant to them. They are awarding free outside basketball hoops in celebration of the NBA All-Star Game coming to Intuit Dome on Feb. 15.

The stories

People in Los Angeles are telling their stories to the Clippers about what basketball has meant to them.

“Having a basketball hoop would mean so much to me because it would help honor my dad and keep our memories alive. In 2021, when I was just 8 years old, my dad lost his battle to kidney disease while waiting for a kidney transplant. His passing changed my life forever, but basketball has helped me stay connected to him. Basketball has always been a huge part of my family, and my dad is the reason I play today. He introduced me to the game, supported me every step of the way, and was a huge Los Angeles Clippers fan.”

—

“A new hoop will make a huge difference for my family as both my 10-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter are actively participating in recreational and club basketball leagues. Our current backboard is cracked and glued back and the supporting base has multiple huge cracks, the days are numbered for my current hoop. Both my wife and I are recently laid off from our jobs, getting a new hoop is not within our budget. I also coach both my son and daughter for their respective teams, it would mean a lot if we are able to practice together with the new hoop at our home and basketball truly means family bonding time for us. Basketball is a way for me to teach my kids skills and life lessons as a parent and a coach, and I wish that they can continue to learn from me for as long as I’m able to teach them.”

—

“On January 7th, our family lost our home and all of our belongings in the Eaton Fire. It has been a long and emotional journey, but our home is finally close to being rebuilt. As we work on creating a fresh start, we are focusing on bringing joy and togetherness back into our lives. One of the things I look forward to most is spending time with my grandkids when they come to visit. Having a Clippers basketball hoop would give us a special place to play, bond, and create new memories after everything we have been through.”

—

“My name is Dominic, and I am 10 years old. When I was 2 years old, I was placed in the foster care system. I stayed in different homes until I was 7, and that was also the year I moved in with my grandparents as a foster child. It was a hard time in my life, especially because that was also the year my father passed away. When I was 7, I also discovered something that changed everything for me — basketball. I started playing to help me deal with stress and to take my mind off the things that hurt me the most. Whenever I’m on the court, I feel free. I feel strong. I feel like myself. I’ve been playing basketball from the age of 7 until now, and it has become a huge part of my life. I’m really inspired by my coaches at Obergon Park, Los Angeles County Park, where I play every season. The fee to play is low, and without that, I probably wouldn’t have had this chance. My coaches believe in me so much, and that pushes me to keep going and keep getting better. Basketball has helped me grow, stay focused, and stay positive. That’s why getting a basketball hoop would mean a lot to me. It would give me a chance to practice more, get stronger, and keep doing something that helps me every single day.”

The Clippers are hoping to give out 5,600 outside hoops and there’s plenty left, so tell your stories here.

Boys basketball

Devin Wright drives to the basket during his 23-point effort against Mira Costa on Friday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

It’s a big week ahead in boys basketball. Harvard-Westlake (21-2) faces two challenging Mission League games, first at No. 1 Sierra Canyon on Wednesday (good luck on getting a ticket), then hosting Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on Saturday.

Redondo Union took control of the Bay League title race by routing rival Mira Costa behind Devin Wright. Here’s the report. Wright had a big weekend, also scoring 31 points in a win over JSerra.

Calabasas came away with a double overtime win over Oaks Christian on a three at the buzzer by Noah Simon. It was the first Marmonte League loss to Oaks Christian since the 2023-24 season.

NaVorro Bowman of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame goes up for shot against St. Francis.

(Craig Weston)

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame turned up the defensive pressure and blew out St. Francis 71-48 by containing 7-foot-4 center Cherif Milloga. Here’s the report.

After watching Notre Dame players push, grab and pull Milloga all night with the officials doing little to stop them, the question becomes: Why is a 7-4 center being treated differently than a 6-8 or smaller center? Fouls would have been called if Notre Dame’s aggressive defenders were using the same tactics against smaller players. Officials are going to need to study long and hard how to deal with Milloga if St. Francis makes the playoffs.

Notre Dame’s Josiah Nance, left, and St. Francis’ Cherif Millogo battle for position in the paint during a recent game.

(Craig Weston)

There’s nothing in the rulebook that says to treat 7-4 centers differently and let the defenders batter him. And the Mission League tournament will be an interesting test case to see if things change. At least Milloga learned a lesson. He was called for three offensive fouls showing his frustration with the physicality of the defense.

Crossroads has moved into position to be the Gold Coast League favorite with wins over Brentwood and Windward. The addition of Shalen Sheppard from Brentwood has been big, and now Mater Dei transfer Evan Willis is back from an injury. He had 12 points and 10 rebounds in the 56-46 win over Windward.

Rodney Westmoreland of Santa Margarita made a crazy, off-balance three at the buzzer to give Santa Margarita a three-point win over JSerra.

Cleveland continues to look like the team to beat in West Valley League basketball. Here’s the report. And watch out for Cleveland sophomore Sho Evans, who’s beginning to hit threes.

Servite failed in its attempt to end a 51-game Trinity League losing streak, falling to Orange Lutheran.

Grayson Coleman of Milken is averaging 23 points and has scored 29 and 30 points in his last two games.

Jack Levey scored 40 points, making 11 of 13 threes, in a win over Westchester.

The annual Nike Extravaganza will be held at Mater Dei on Friday and Saturday.

The late David Greenwood had his jersey retired by Verbum Dei on Friday night.

Here’s this week’s top 25 rankings by The Times.

Girls basketball

A trip back east for the Hoophall Classic didn’t go well for Ontario Christian and Sierra Canyon, both of whom were beaten respectively by East Coast powers Bishop McNamara from Maryland and Long Island Lutheran from New York. It was Ontario Christian’s first defeat after 21 consecutive wins and Sierra Canyon suffered only its second defeat. Kaleena Smith had 25 points for Ontario Christian and Jerzy Robinson scored 33 points for Sierra Canyon.

Mater Dei won its game on Friday at the Hoophall Classic.

There’s a big one-day tournament at Rosary on Monday. Here’s the report.

The big upset of the week was Santa Margarita knocking off JSerra in a Trinity League game.

Here’s the top 20 rankings in Southern California.

Soccer

In a key City Section girls’ soccer match, Cleveland and Granada Hills fought to a 1-1 tie. Cleveland remains the City title favorite. El Camino Real came through with a 1-0 win over Granada Hills on a goal by Jordyn Kogan, the daughter of ECR boys coach Ian Kogan.

No. 1-ranked Santa Margarita (13-0) will have its unbeaten record challenged by Mater Dei on Monday.

Cathedral (11-2-2) showed that it intends to win the Del Rey League this season after a 6-1 blitz of defending champion Bishop Amat.. Then the Phantoms played rival Salesian to a 0-0 tie.

Carson’s Marco Cruz scored three goals in the Colts’ 3-2 win over San Pedro.

The first CIF state soccer championships will be held March 13-14 in Sacramento. There will be five divisions for boys and five for girls. It will be held the same time as the basketball championship. A big problem is that the state cup for boys club teams begins on March 14, and that will create issues for several players.

Chris Fields III gets ready

Carson quarterback Chris Fields III, the City Section offensive player of the year, is already preparing for 2026.

(Craig Weston)

Quarterback Chris Fields III, the City Section offensive player of the year, is already preparing for the 2026 season by trying to get faster and stronger.

Here’s the report.

JV teams can be for development

Drew Anderson of Santa Margarita is a former JV player committed to Oregon State.

(Nick Koza)

There’s not many schools left that use their junior varsity basketball teams for development, but there are plenty of success stories.

Three of the stars from this season — Drew Anderson of Santa Margarita, Pierce Thompson of Harvard-Westlake and Isaiah Williamson of Los Alamitios — started out as freshmen on their JV team.

Here’s a look at how schools are using JV teams for development _ sometimes.

Notes . . . .

Long Beach Poly grad Travon Patterson has been hired as the school’s new football coach. He was hired as receivers coach three years ago. He also played for USC. . . .

St. Bernard has become the latest private school looking for a new football coach. There’s been openings at Bishop Montgomery, Bishop Alemany, JSerra, St. Paul and St. Francis. . . .

Joe Podzimek is the new softball coach at Bishop Montgomery. . . .

A high school basketball player in Arizona scored 100 points in a game. Here’s the report. . . .

New UCLA football coach Bob Chesney and several of his assistants were at Mater Dei on Thursday for the opening of off-season drills, a sign the Bruins are no longer going to allow the school’s top athletes to pick USC without competition. They also visited St. John Bosco, Bellflower and Orange Lutheran last week, among other schools . . .

Pete Smolin is the new football coach at Don Lugo. . . .

Aaryn Washington, a junior cornerback at Mater Dei committed to USC, announced he will play his senior season for IMG Academy in Florida. . . .

Jake Brande, a 6-foot-7 pitcher at Palm Desert committed to Cal Poly, has transferred to Rancho Christian after the family decided to move to Temecula following the death of his brother, Johnny, from cancer.

The high school football transfer portal continues to gain momentum.

From the archives: Coleman Shelton

Los Angeles Rams center Coleman Shelton.

(Terrance Williams / Associated Press)

Former Loyola High offensive lineman Coleman Shelton has been one of the unsung heroes for the Rams playing center and helping Matthew Stafford have an MVP-like season. He was at Washington for five years and went undrafted in 2018. He’s been in the NFL since signing as a free agent and won a Super Bowl with the Rams.

Here’s a story from 2012 when he was a 6-foot-4, 280-pound high school player.

Here’s a story from 2021 explaining Shelton’s background.

Recommendations

From the Washington Post, a story on the rising prices to participate in youth sports.

From the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, a story on former Taft coach Derrick Taylor getting Blair into the Rio Hondo League title hunt.

From KTLA, a story on how San Juan Hills football coach Robert Frith had his life saved by an off duty fire fighter.

From the San Diego Union-Tribune, a story on a star high school football player in San Diego who says “almost the whole Trinity League” tried to recruit him.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

Did you get this newsletter forwarded to you? To sign up and get it in your inbox, click here.

Travel vlogger Collin Abroadcasting took his astounded viewers on a journey up the “very unique” 800m-long Central–Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system in Hong Kong

A travel vlogger who has showcased the longest outdoor escalator system in the world has pointed out one major catch to anyone hoping to try it for themselves. Collin Abroadcasting gave his viewers an insight into the 800m-long Central–Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system in Hong Kong, a special administrative region in China.

Comprised of walkways, 16 escalators and three travelators, the system, designed to help people navigate the steep landscape of the region’s central business district, provided 99,000 trips each day, as of late January 2024, according to the Hong Kong Transport Department.

Launched in 1993, costing a reported $30 million (£22.4m) and intersecting more than a dozen streets, the Central–Mid-Levels begins at Queen’s Road Central, linking to the Central Market Flyover, weaving past Central and up to Conduit Road.

For Collin’s video, however, it seems to be all about the “unique perspective” of Hong Kong that the Central–Mid-Levels offers to those who take advantage of this jaw-dropping public transportation system.

Collin said: “Today, we’re out here in Hong Kong, and right now, we’re going to this very unique style of public transportation, and what I mean by that is escalator ride that lasts for like 20 to 30 minutes.”

As he ascended the initial stair section leading to the escalators, Collin pointed out that it was “really fun” to use the system, highlighting the sights and how it offered a “unique perspective” of Hong Kong.

He also noted that, despite its reputation for being the world’s longest, the system isn’t just a single escalator, but a “huge walkway”, before pointing out a major catch.

Collin added: “And one thing about this, though, is if you go up, there’s no escalator down. So, if you’re going up to experience it, prepare to be walking down, and it is a quite a long way, but I think you’ll get down faster than you’ll get up.”

He proceeded to show the winding system’s respective levels, at one point highlighting a fare-saver machine that offers people a two-dollar discount, as pedestrians went about their business behind him.

As he rode the escalator ever upwards, shops and restaurants could be seen on either side of him, with junctures that had intersecting streets breaking up the journey.

Upon arriving at the top, Collin explained that, from there, you would need to take a 25-minute walk to access the tram to Victoria Peak, a must-see destination offering breathtaking views of Hong Kong.

The majority of the escalators feature just one reversible track that switches direction “following the prevailing direction of pedestrian flow during the day”, reports CNN.

Interestingly, the Central–Mid-Levels escalator system has also featured in famous films; the travelator nearest Hollywood Road made an appearance in Wong Kar-wai’s 1994 flick, Chungking Express.

Superhero fans may also be interested to learn that it appeared in Christopher Nolan’s 1998 Batman entry, The Dark Knight.

WITH today being deemed Blue Monday, we’ve rounded up some of the best free events across the country to cheer yourself up.

Blue Monday is said to be the most depressing day of the year, although initially was a marketing campaign by a travel company back in 2005.

It was coined for a number of reasons – the distance from Christmas, the wait before the next paycheck and being a common time to give up on New Year’s resolutions.

So whether you fancy some wildlife watching or deserve a free bagel, here’s what you can do and get this week without having to spend a penny, which will certainly boost the happiness levels a bit.

Canary Wharf Winter Lights

If you thought light trails were just for Christmas, you’d be mistaken.

Canary Wharf Winter Lights is back for its 10th year.

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Taking place across 12 nights, it is putting on a series of displays and installations across the neighbourhood.

The tenth anniversary edition of the festival will have the theme ‘Dreamscape’, so you can expect some surreal and ethereal installations.

The Canary Wharf Winter Lights will run from 20 to 31 January, 2026 between 5-10pm.

Meet My Paws

As it’s Blue Monday today, you might fancy some extra company this week.

Meet My Paws is a free platform across the country that connects dog owners with people for walks.

It doesn’t cost a penny, you just arrange a time with the person and off you go.

Free Birdwatching Walks

This week is the beginning of RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch across the UK.

Whether you’re a bird-watching enthusiast, or just want to see some wildlife, there are plenty of free events you can book onto.

On January 23, 2026, there’s a birdwatch in Brondesbury Park for those who want to spot some wildlife.

The same event is being held at the Energy Garden at Hampstead Heath on the following day (January 24, 2026).

It’s completely free, you just need to RSVP here if you want to go to either.

If you’re Hertfordshire based, head to Lee Valley for ‘Guided walk: Birds of River Lee Country Park’ – tickets are running low so book your place here.

Other locations across the country include Lincoln Inn’s Fields.

Head here if you want to find out more on the Big Garden Birdwatch and events across the UK.

Make sure to wrap up warm, and bring your binoculars.

Corner Corner Music Events

If some entertainment is what you’re looking for then head to Corner Corner in Canada Water.

On the weekend of January 25-26, there are performances by Alex Jones & Live Band and Brian Grogan, an Irish Folk singer.

No payment necessary, all you have to do is turn up and enjoy.

East Lancashire Railway

The celebrations continue for 200 years of railway with The Railway 200 Exhibition Train.

It’s been travelling all over the country and will arrive in Bolton on January 21 until January 26.

Onboard the train are interactive displays and hands-on activities – all rail oriented of course.

It’s completely free, but booking is required if you want guaranteed entry.

Light Up Ramsgate

Ramsgate’s town centre has been shining with light installations since December, but four more are being added this week.

One called Event Horizon will be at the Sailors Church, another will be projected above 24 Harbour Street, Ramsgate Space is where you’ll find the third.

The last one that’s a giant inflatable illuminated constellation of stars will be at the town’s Wetherspoons.

The new works will launch on January 23 and continue with the rest of the trail until February 1.

Scrapbooking Workshop, Battersea Power Station

Get crafty at Battersea Power Station with a Scrapbooking Workshop.

All materials will be provided – you just need to bring your Moleskine notebook with you.

Pop in for a session on January 20 between 5-7pm.

Free Bagels at B Bagel

If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to start running in 2026, then treat yourself to a free lunch courtesy of B Bagel.

For London runners, if you get a PB for a run in January then take a screenshot in your running app (e.g. Strava).

Then DM B Bagel on Instagram with the screenshot, and they’ll put a freebie on your B Bagel app.

You can choose from Chicken Avocado, Salmon & Cream Cheese or the New York New York Bagel which comes with roasted turkey breast, coleslaw, mustard mayo and pickles.

Manchester Pub Quiz

WeRoad Travel Pub Quiz is heading to Manchester for a mix of trivia and drinks.

You can choose to go with friends or solo – in fact half of attendees are first-timers.

Reserve your spot here for the quiz on January 23 from 7-11pm at Manahatta Deansgate in Manchester.

For more city-based activities, here’s everything you can do at one of London’s most popular attractions before it closes ahead of renovation.

And here find out the English counties with the most free family activities from pony sanctuaries and steam railways to soft plays.

AN abandoned airport in the UK has revealed the newest plans amid years of talks of reopening.

Manston Airport, in Kent, once offered flights from the UK to Europe, including Italy, Portugal and Amsterdam.

However, these ceased in 2014 when KLM pulled out of the airport.

Since then, there have been plans to restart passenger flights to Europe once again.

In a recent interview, Tony Freudmann – the public face of the site’s owners, RiverOak Strategic Partners – explained how this might be longer than we think.

He told Kent Online: “We need, by the time we open, to have enough advance commitment from cargo operators to see that it is going to work.

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“At that point, if we get the right approach from passenger carriers, wanting us to build a passenger terminal and base some aircraft here, we’ll go with that.”

The current plans to reopen as a cargo airport are scheduled for 2029.

While no airlines have expressed interest, Mr Freudmann said airlines like Jet2 and TUI prefer “regional airports like this one”.

Not only that, but he addressed the issue of “low cost carriers struggling for peak time slots” at other major airports.

And with the boom in package holidays once again, he said a new passenger terminal could be put forward.

The current passenger terminal would, however, need to be knocked down and replaced.

Local Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale said it “will happen” but added it was unlikely to be until five years after reopening the airport.

This means we can’t expect commercial flights until 2034, at the earliest.

Until then, the airport is still on track to reopen initially for cargo flights.

After a four-year legal battle, it was in May 2024 that it was given the go-ahead, with plans for a £650million overhaul.

However, this has since jumped by £100million to £750million, with plans to start works early this year also delayed.

Mr Freudmann explained: “The first construction work of parking stands, taxiways and new buildings will be at the end of those 18 months.

“So if we start, if we say towards the end of next year, 2027, we’d have a view to opening in 2029.”

Here’s another UK airport that has been left abandoned – but wants to reopen.

And here’s everything to know about the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport which closed in 2022.

Who: Inter Milan vs Arsenal
What: Matchday 7 (of 8), league phase, UEFA Champions League
Where: San Siro in Milan, Italy
When: Tuesday, January 20, at 9pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.

Arsenal, now the only unbeaten team in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), travel to northern Italy to take on the might of Inter Milan on Tuesday after a 40-day break in the tournament schedule.

Riding a perfect 18 points from six matches so far, the Gunners enter this Matchday 7 contest as the UCL frontrunners, but their English Premier League (EPL) form has been far from dominant in 2026, drawing with 17th-placed Nottingham Forest in their most recent domestic fixture on Saturday.

Inter, who co-led the league phase with Arsenal after four rounds, enter this penultimate group stage contest riding a two-match UCL losing streak, including a crushing 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool in their last match on December 9, dropping the Nerazzurri to sixth in the standings.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the high-stakes encounter, which might decide automatic qualification entry into the last 16.

Arsenal lead UCL and EPL, but it doesn’t feel like it

The Gunners lead next-best Bayern Munich in the Champions League by three points and front-run Manchester City in the Premier League by seven points, but they are playing far from their best in the new year.

Mikel Arteta’s side have sputtered out of the gate in 2026 with their last EPL victory an unconvincing 3-2 against Bournemouth on January 3, followed by two goalless draws: at home to Liverpool on January 8; and away to lowly Forest on January 17.

It is the first time since the 2012-13 season that Arsenal have recorded back-to-back 0-0 draws in the domestic league, with Arteta conceding that it was “difficult to generate momentum” during the most recent game.

“We came here to win the game, that’s clear, and we needed the opportunities that we had,” he said after the Nottingham setback.

“We haven’t managed that, so the word is disappointment.”

Arsenal remain well on course to end a 22-year wait to win the Premier League title, but they will need to quickly rediscover their offensive touch against a defensive juggernaut like Inter.

Inter hitting peak form

In contrast, Inter have recovered from a slow start to the Serie A season – where they lost two of their first three fixtures – to rapidly climb to the top of the ladder, three points clear of next-best AC Milan, and six points ahead of reigning champions Napoli.

The Nerazzurri are unbeaten in their last 11 domestic league fixtures. They were last defeated in Serie A way back on November 23, a 1-0 home loss in the derby match against Milan.

Will Arsenal qualify for the round of 16 if they beat Inter?

Yes. An Arsenal victory, or even a draw, in Tuesday’s penultimate League phase match against Inter would guarantee the North London outfit finish in the top eight clubs that automatically qualify for the last 16 of the tournament, thereby skipping the two-legged knockout playoff involving those placing ninth to 24th.

When did Inter and Liverpool last win the Champions League?

Arsenal have never won the UEFA Champions League title. They came closest in the 2005-06 season, losing the final to Barcelona 2-1.

Inter last won in 2010, overcoming Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final to complete the treble, a feat never achieved before by any team from either Italy or Germany.

What happened the last time Inter played Arsenal?

Inter defeated Arsenal 1-0 at the San Siro in a Matchday 4, league phase fixture on November 6, 2024.

Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu scored what turned out to be the match-winner from the penalty spot just before half time.

The two storied clubs have played three times in Champions League history, with Inter holding a 2-1 edge over the Gunners.

Inter Milan’s team news

In anticipation of Tuesday’s blockbuster clash against Arsenal, Inter coach Cristian Chivu rested stars Alessandro Bastoni and Marcus Thuram in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Udinese.

Thuram will re-enter the starting XI at the expense of Pio Esposito and will lead the line with regular strike partner Lautaro Martinez in Chivu’s well-tested 3-5-2 formation.

The Nerazzurri will likely be without key contributors Hakan Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries, both of whom are recovering from leg injuries and are close to a return to match action.

With a top-eight automatic qualification spot into the UCL round of 16 on the line, Chivu is expected to field his strongest possible side against Arsenal.

Inter Milan’s predicted starting lineup (3-5-2):

Sommer (goalkeeper); Acerbi, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Zielinski, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez

Arsenal’s team news

In a desperate effort to find some goal scoring, Arteta is tipped to start Bukayo Saka – who was brought on as a second-half substitute in Saturday’s draw with Forest – alongside Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal will continue to be without the injured trio of Max Dowman, Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori, all of whom are not expected back until the first week of February, at the earliest.

Arsenal’s predicted starting lineup (4-3-3):

Raya (goalkeeper), Lewis-Skelly, Saliba, Magalhaes; Timber, Zubimendi, Rice; Odegaard; Madueke, Jesus, Saka

Last five matches

Inter Milan: W-W-D-W-W (most recent result last, Serie A matches only)

Arsenal: W-W-W-D-D (most recent result last, Premier League matches only)

Sixth seed Alex de Minaur believes he has the ability to be a serious contender for major honours and become the first Australian to win the men’s singles title at his home Grand Slam since Mark Edmondson in 1976.

The 26-year-old, who has reached the quarter-finals at each of the four majors, began his campaign with a dominant 6-2 6-2 6-2 win over lucky loser Mackenzie McDonald but insisted he has more to prove.

“I’ve got to the stage where I’m not just another number in the draw,” De Minaur said. “I’m playing to win it, to be one of the guys in contention. Ultimately, that’s the goal. It’s not about being satisfied [with this performance].”

Elsewhere, 13th seed Andrey Rublev beat Italian Matteo Arnaldi in straight sets while three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud, the 12th seed, lost just seven games en route to victory over Mattia Bellucci.

Spanish 14th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and American 19th seed Tommy Paul came through unscathed against Filip Misolic and Aleksandar Kovacevic respectively.

However, there was a surprise early exit for Czech 17th seed Jiri Lehecka, who fell to Arthur Gea in straight sets. The Frenchman, who came through qualifying, will face 40-year-old former champion Stan Wawrinka in round two.

The Downton Abbey actor teased the possibility of spin-offs after fans were left begging for more.

Downton Abbey favourite Hugh Bonneville has hinted at what lies ahead for the beloved franchise following last year’s concluding film.

The cherished period drama made its debut in 2010, spanning six series and three films, with a stellar cast including Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, and the late Dame Maggie Smith.

The Harry Potter icon was honoured in Downton Abbey : The Grand Finale, which screened last year, though Hugh has now suggested another instalment might still materialise.

However, the Paddington star dismissed any personal participation, revealing to Saga magazine: “I wouldn’t be surprised if they make some sort of spin-off, but no, our company has left the building.

“The Grand Finale really was a farewell. As we came towards the end of filming, I would take a look around each set – let’s say the library – for the last time, so that I would be able to remember,” reports the Express.

He continued: “I feel enormous love for Downton. Every single day a message comes through about what it meant to someone, so I’m enormously proud.”

The finale concluded with a poignant ending, tracking Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle) as a divorcée and single mum rising above controversy, with the closing moments depicting the family and staff dancing alongside Violet Crawley, before the camera settled on a portrait of Dame Maggie as the Dowager Countess.

Fans flooded social media with pleas for additional content, with one viewer enthusing: “I’ve always said I’d like a sequel to the show around WWII time with George as the main, so we can see the kids more grown up! (I would also love a prequel).”

Others shared mixed feelings, with one remarking, “I would love more too, but I want a better written movie than what we’ve been given,” whilst another declared, “I would watch pretty much anything they put out.”

Show creator Julian Fellowes hasn’t ruled out future instalments, previously telling Entertainment Weekly: “That’s a possibility. I’ve learned never to say never anymore, because you have to take it back.”

He added that he was “not against the idea of revisiting Downton, but it would have to be in a different period of history so that their problems were different and they were facing different issues”.

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He said: “On that basis, I don’t see why not, but we’ll have to see what happens.”

Meanwhile, producer Gareth Neame had hinted that it may not be the end, saying: “The camera will pull away and we’ll have our last, last moment with those characters, but that’s not necessarily the end for Downton Abbey.”

Downton Abbey is available to watch on ITVX.