Mikael Granlund scored at 4:02 of overtime, and the Ducks beat the Kings 2-1 on Saturday night at Honda Center to sweep a two-game weekend set in the rivalry.

Rookie Beckett Sennecke created the winning score by swooping in on a backcheck to take the puck away from the Kings’ Kevin Fiala on a breakaway. Sennecke knocked the puck straight to Granlund, who beat Anton Forsberg for his ninth goal of the season.

Mason McTavish scored the first goal and Ville Husso made 17 saves for the Ducks. They have won three straight after a nine-game skid.

Adrian Kempe scored a power-play goal and Forsberg stopped 30 shots in the backup’s strong performance for the Kings, who have lost six of seven.

Sennecke played a major role for the second straight night when the Southern California clubs completed their back-to-back set by going to overtime for the third time in their four meetings this season. Sennecke had two assists and scored in the shootout as the Ducks rallied from a two-goal deficit for a 3-2 victory over the Kings in downtown Los Angeles on Friday night.

McTavish ended the Ducks’ victory in L.A. with his fourth shootout goal of the season, and he opened the scoring in the rematch with a wrist shot for his 12th goal early in the first period.

Kempe tied it in the second period, scoring his 16th goal on a hard one-timer off a pass from Fiala. Kempe then put a gloved finger to his lips, shushing the sixth consecutive sellout crowd in Anaheim.

The Kings had six power plays before the Ducks got their first man-advantage late in the second period, yet Anaheim had a significant edge in shots after carrying play for long stretches at even strength.

After a scoreless third, the Kings played into extra time for a league-high 20th time this season.

Jeffrey Viel made his debut for the Ducks, who traded a fourth-round pick to Boston on Friday to get the veteran forward who hasn’t scored in the NHL since March 18, 2022. The 6-foot-1 Viel fought 6-foot-6 Kings forward Samuel Helenius in the first period.

Up next for the Kings: vs. the New York Rangers at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night.

Up next for the Ducks: vs. the Rangers at Honda Center on Monday night.

THE first taste of oyster is like diving headfirst into an oncoming tidal wave.

And I am immediately struck by how fresh my meal is as I sit outside the Marisqueira Azul restaurant on Lisbon’s bustling Praca do Comercio square.

Despite it being the middle of winter, I feel the pleasant warmth of the sun tickling my neck as I take a sip of white wine.

Just two and a half hours from the UK, the Portuguese capital feels like a world away from the icy London I’ve left behind.

After a plate of oysters, our travelling party is met with dishes of octopus, shrimp and cod galore.

For a pescatarian like me, Portugal is a dream — with the locals very proud of their seafood.

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I visited underrated Portuguese city an hour from Lisbon known for wine

To press home this point, we are next whisked off to the Codfish History Interpretation Centre, where we learn about Lisbon’s long history with the fish.

The city is full of brilliant museums and galleries — some famous, others a little more off the beaten track, but no less interesting.

Next, we take a private tram tour of the city, which can be booked by groups.

And after passing boutique hotel the Palacio Ramalhete, where Madonna lived during her move to Portugal in 2018, we find ourselves at the Royal Treasure Museum.

This little gem allows you to set foot inside the spectacular Ajuda National Palace, formerly home of the Portuguese royal family.

Portugal has been a republic for more than 100 years, but what remains from the former monarchy is plenty of bling now on display to the public.

After going through a security check, we are escorted in to one of the largest vaults in the world, where we can check out everything from jewels, gold and diamonds to gifts from other countries and the silver tableware that would be used for royal banquets.

As someone who enjoys history and shiny things, this museum is a smash hit. After a pit stop for a pastel de nata (Portugal’s iconic egg custard tart pastry), we head to our hotel.

The MACAM Hotel is an 18th-century palace that now houses 64 luxurious rooms and a contemporary art museum.

Come the spring, the place to be for guests will be the rooftop pool and bar.

For art connoisseurs heading to Lisbon, Gulbenkian’s Centre of Modern Art is a must-see attraction.

Preserved head

The stunning gallery, originally designed by Brit Sir Leslie Martin, was recently renovated by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and is a sight to behold.

We also visit the Aguas Livres Aqueduct, which was built in the 1700s to transport water into Lisbon.

Crossing the Alcantara Valley, the stunning, 3,087ft stone construction features 18 arches reaching up to 215ft high.

The Roman-inspired aqueduct survived Lisbon’s huge earthquake of 1755, despite the disaster having devastated much of the city, with tremors felt as far away as Seville.

After it stopped being used as an aqueduct, the imposing structure became a public path until a 19th- century serial killer caused its closure.

Diogo Alves went on to be named the “Aqueduct Murderer” — and Portuguese folklore has him guilty of throwing as many as 70 people off it after ambushing and robbing them.

Following his execution, Alves’ head was severed and preserved in a glass jar that was donated to the University of Lisbon.

It remains on display in the university’s Anatomical Theatre.

The aqueduct now provides a sprawling view of the city.

Ahead of dinner, we also visit the Church of St Anthony in Lisbon’s Misericordia district to take in a fado concert.

Fado music is as traditional as it gets in Portugal, and its tales of heartbreak and sorrow are even more special to witness in such a poignant setting.

After the brilliant one-hour concert, we head to Pica-Pau, a restaurant that celebrates traditional Portuguese food and more excellent seafood, of course.

In the mood for beer rather than wine that evening, I ask about whether to get a Super Bock or Sagres.

“Super Bock for the north, Sagres for the south,” I’m told.

The good folk of Lisbon are fiercely proud of their favoured beer Sagres, while those from Porto in the north prefer Super Bock.

When in Lisbon . . . so I dutifully order the Sagres. Perfect.

Thousands of Greenlanders marched against United States President Donald Trump. They carried protest signs, waved their national flag, and chanted “Greenland is not for sale” in defence of their self-governance amid growing fears of a US takeover.

As they completed their march on Saturday from the small city centre of Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, to the US consulate, news broke that Trump, speaking from his home in Florida, had announced a 10 percent import tax from February on goods from eight European countries, in retaliation for their opposition to US control of the Arctic island.

Trump has long argued that the US should own the strategically located, mineral-rich island, which is a self-governing territory of Denmark. He stepped up his calls a day after a US military operation ousted and abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month.

In Nuuk, Greenlanders of all ages listened to traditional songs as they walked to the consulate.

Tillie Martinussen, a former member of Greenland’s parliament, said she hopes the Trump administration will “abandon this crazy idea”.

“They started out by sort of touting themselves as our friends and allies, saying they wanted to make Greenland better for us than the Danes would,” she said, as chants rang out in the background. “And now they’re just outright threatening us.”

She said the fight to preserve NATO and Greenland’s autonomy was more important than concerns over tariffs, though she stressed she was not dismissing the potential economic impact.

“This is a fight for freedom,” she said. “It’s for NATO; it’s for everything the Western Hemisphere has been fighting for since the second world war.”

On December 25, 2025, the United States launched strikes on some specific targets in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria. Fired from its naval assets in the Gulf of Guinea, approximately 16 GPS-guided precision munitions, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, were launched. Some landed in the Bauni forest near Nigeria’s border with the Niger Republic, while others struck locations including a farmland in Jabo village and in Kwara State, in the country’s North Central region. 

The Nigerian government said the strike was carried out at its request in a “joint operation”, marking one of the clearest instances of direct American military action on Nigerian soil. 

In the weeks before the action, surveillance drones had repeatedly loitered over parts of the North East and North West, signalling a level of intelligence activity that went beyond routine cooperation. The strike, which HumAngle’s investigation found to have killed nobody, has so far not been followed by any. But recently, the US president, Donald Trump, said Nigeria will see more if Christians “continue to be killed”. 

For northern Nigeria, long trapped in a grinding war against multiple non-state armed groups such as Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), IS-Sahel (locally referred to as Lakurawa), and other local terror groups, the incident raised a pressing question: What kind of American war on terror is about to arrive? And, judging by US interventions elsewhere, what does history suggest it will bring to the region? 

For more than two decades, the United States has fought non-state actors across the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, and the Sahel. The outcomes have ranged from tactical victories to strategic collapse. Nigeria now stands at the edge of this long and uneven history, watching closely and wondering which version of America’s counter-terrorism playbook it might inherit.

This analysis examines whether US intervention tends to contain violence or merely reshape it, and what that history suggests for a country already grappling with deep social fractures. As Nigeria edges closer to direct American military action, the central issue is not whether the US can strike militants, but whether its involvement will stabilise an already fragile conflict or further entrench it.

How the US has fought terror elsewhere

In Iraq and Syria, the US response to the rise of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, in 2014 was deliberately constrained. America avoided a large-scale occupation, instead leading a multinational coalition that relied on airpower, intelligence dominance, and partnerships with local forces, including the Iraqi military and Kurdish fighters. 

The goal was not to remake the state but to degrade ISIS’s ability to hold territory, and it was largely successful. By 2019, the group’s so-called caliphate had collapsed, although ISIS itself was not eliminated. Today, the group survives through attacks on rural and border regions between Iraq and Syria, forcing many of its members to migrate to other locations, particularly in Africa, where IS encouraged its members to migrate.

James Bernett, a Nigeria-based researcher who specialises in African conflicts and armed groups, argues that the outcome reflected design rather than chance. “Not all US military interventions are the same,” he explained. “Those with more limited scopes, clear targets, stronger regional cooperation, and coordination with competent local forces are more likely to be successful than open-ended interventions with more nebulous strategic objectives.”

Afghanistan followed the opposite path. What began in 2001 as a focused mission to dismantle Al-Qaeda gradually expanded into a prolonged attempt to secure territory, build institutions, and reshape governance. Despite nearly two decades of operations and trillions of dollars spent, the Taliban returned to power shortly after US forces withdrew in 2021. 

Analysts said that the collapse exposed the limits of foreign military power in contexts where political legitimacy is weak and local institutions remain fragile.

In Somalia, US involvement in the longest American counter-terrorism operation has been narrower but no less revealing. Since 2003 when the first US operation against Al-Shabab was recorded under President George W. Bush, the war against the group has continued to date. 

American strategy in Somalia has relied primarily on drone strikes and support for regional partners against Al-Shabab. While senior militant leaders have been killed, the group remains resilient, violence persists, and governance remains fragile. Under Trump’s current administration, airstrikes increased dramatically, with more than 125 declared strikes in Somalia in 2025 alone—far exceeding previous years, including Trump’s first term. This marks the highest annual figure since the major offensive began in 2007.

Despite progress recorded elsewhere, especially in Mogadishu, which was previously controlled by Al-Shabaab, the group still controls over 30 per cent of Somalia and continues to push towards the capital. Al-Shabab is arguably the most successful Al-Qaeda affiliate in the world after Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).

A somewhat similar pattern emerged in the Sahel. Despite years of US and allied counter-terrorism efforts, jihadist groups expanded across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Foreign military engagement coincided with coups, political instability, and growing public resentment toward external actors. 

More recently, the United States has significantly scaled back its direct military presence and large-scale counterterrorism operations in the core Sahel region due to the expulsion of Western forces by the ruling juntas. Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have now pivoted toward partnerships with Russia via the Africa Corps (formerly Wagner) for security support, while rejecting or limiting US and French involvement. 

However, the US, although not having fighters on the ground, still engages in some intelligence sharing to counter the threats from what it described as the “epicentre of global terrorism”. 

Bernett places these cases within a broader pattern. Where interventions lack clarity or rely on weak local partners, he argues, violence is often “reshaped rather than resolved”. Nigeria’s case differs in one key respect: the government has welcomed US support, while simultaneously seeking changes in tactics.

The withdrawal of Western forces from the Sahel has emboldened jihadist groups. Mali, in particular, is struggling to contain JNIM, the Al-Qaeda affiliate that’s blocking fuel imports and advancing towards the country’s capital, Bamako.

A signal or a strategy?

The sustained presence of US surveillance drones over northern Nigeria in late 2025 suggested a deepening intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance effort, rather than a fleeting show of interest.

The Christmas Day strikes reinforced that impression. President Trump framed the operation as a response to extremist violence and what he described as the persecution of Christians, language that immediately reverberated within Nigeria’s already polarised political landscape.

Malik Samuel, a Nigerian security researcher, told HumAngle that such rhetoric risks undermining the US counter-terrorism operation by “setting one religious group against another, as has been seen before”. 

Trump has repeatedly framed the entirety of Nigeria’s conflicts as a Christian genocide in Nigeria, a narrative that has been widely debunked and is seen to likely cast US intervention in a negative light—especially in the Muslim majority areas in the northern region, where terrorism has been most severe and misinformation about US intervention is prevalent. Although President Trump recently acknowledged that Muslims are also being killed, he continues to emphasise religious persecution as a major reason behind his intervention.

For several local security analysts, such as Bernett, this ambiguity is itself a warning sign. “The lack of clarity over what the US military objectives are in Nigeria raises the spectre of mission creep and a more open-ended and indecisive US military presence,” he cautions, one that could begin to resemble Somalia or the Sahel.

At the same time, he notes that the strikes may have been largely symbolic. After an initial show of force, the US may retreat to behind-the-scenes support, particularly as West Africa “is not much of a priority for the administration on the whole”. 

This interpretation appears consistent with developments on Tuesday, January 13, when the US, through its Africa Command (AFRICOM), announced that it had supplied military equipment to the Nigerian armed forces for counterterrorism operations. Although the nature of the equipment was not disclosed, the move suggests that the US intends to work with the Nigerian government rather than acting unilaterally, an approach that has historically yielded limited success in counterterrorism efforts.

Whether signal or strategy, the strikes nonetheless marked a shift. For years, US involvement in Nigeria’s security crisis had been indirect, centred on arms sales, training, and intelligence sharing. The December 25 operation moved Nigeria closer to the category of countries where the US is willing to act directly, even if cautiously.

Yet Nigeria’s security crisis predates foreign attention and is unlikely to be resolved by it alone. What began in 2009 with Boko Haram’s uprising has since metastasised into a complex web of conflicts across much of the country’s northern region. 

Despite sustained military operations, the Nigerian state has struggled to impose lasting control. Airstrikes have killed commanders but rarely dismantled networks. Ground operations remain constrained by logistics, allegations of human rights abuses, and deep mistrust between communities and security forces.

If the US continues with airstrikes, it will lead to problems, ranging from mistakenly hitting civilians instead of terrorists to opening up opportunities for terrorists to launch attacks on the population. If this happens, achieving the expected success will be difficult because locals will avoid engaging with the operation.

This environment, Bernett warns, is particularly vulnerable to retaliation dynamics. “There are indications that jihadist militants in both the North West and the North East have been targeting civilians, including Christians, in retaliation for the airstrikes,” he said. The pattern mirrors Nigeria’s own past experience, where terrorists “punish civilians after getting hit” and exploit any civilian casualties for propaganda and recruitment.

This is what happened after the US attack in Sokoto. Villagers told HumAngle that Lakurawa terrorists increasingly sought refuge within civilian settlements, avoiding the Bauni Mountains where they usually operate. This suggests that the terrorists are using civilians as cover, so that if another attack occurs, many innocent civilians are likely to lose their lives.

Airpower alone, he adds, is “hardly ever decisive in defeating insurgencies” and can even trigger short-term spikes in violence if not paired with effective ground coordination and civilian protection.

Christians have been targeted in brutal attacks, but Muslims have also been killed in large numbers by the same militant groups. Entire Muslim communities have been displaced or accused of complicity. Analysts warn that jihadist groups are adept at exploiting polarising narratives, turning rhetoric into a recruitment tool.

Samuel believes that even if the US proceeds with a ground operation, it will not achieve the success it seeks because, from the start, the issue was approached in the wrong way. “If the problem had been framed as a fight solely against terrorists, almost everyone would have welcomed it, as they would have seen it as a call for help,” he noted. 

Nigeria differs in important ways from past theatres of US intervention. It is not a collapsed state propped up by foreign forces, as Afghanistan was, it retains functioning national institutions and regional influence, in contrast to Somalia. Its military is large, experienced, and politically embedded, even if its effectiveness is uneven.

The conflict itself is also more fragmented. Armed actors pursue overlapping but distinct agendas shaped by local grievances, economic desperation, and regional instability. Any attempt to impose a single counter-terrorism framework risks misunderstanding the violence it seeks to confront.

Religion further complicates the picture. Nigeria is almost evenly divided between Muslims and Christians, and both communities have suffered devastating losses. External narratives that frame the conflict primarily as religious persecution risk inflaming tensions and erasing shared suffering.

At the local level, Bernett warns, foreign strikes risk “further undermining trust between communities and the state or between Muslims and Christians”, particularly in areas where state presence is already minimal.

Nationally, Nigeria is deeply polarised, with tensions likely to rise ahead of the 2027 elections. US strikes, Bernett notes, will become part of Nigeria’s political discourse, shaped not only by America’s actions but also by domestic actors seeking advantage.

What comes next

Bernett is sceptical that Washington is prepared for a sustained commitment. “I’m quite doubtful that the US government will dedicate the resources, bandwidth, and patience to degrading any militant group decisively over the long haul,” he says. 

The Christmas strikes, he adds, were “flashy” and accompanied by bold rhetoric that may raise expectations the US is unlikely to meet.

If American involvement remains limited, discreet, and tightly coordinated, it may help disrupt specific threats. If it expands without clarity, legitimacy, or attention to civilian harm, it risks deepening instability.

Ultimately, Nigeria’s long war will not be decided by drones or warplanes alone. Its future hinges on governance, trust, and political choices that no foreign power can impose. America’s experience elsewhere suggests that how it fights matters as much as whether it fights at all.

An EastEnders announcement may have revealed the future of an Emmerdale villain amid recent speculation that Joe Tate could be killed off on the ITV soap very soon

Fans of Emmerdale may be seeing plenty more of Joe Tate despite a theory he will be killed off.

Following a major soap announcement, it could tease whether actor Ned Porteous is remaining on the ITV soap or not. EastEnders revealed the big news on Saturday that Mark Fowler Jr was heading back to the show after he left in 2016.

He will join his sister Vicki Fowler in Walford, as well as the Mitchells – while it’s yet to be explained how he ends up being linked to the Brannings. Stephen Aaron-Sipple has taken on the role, already debuting in a mystery flashforward scene earlier this month.

But the last time we saw Mark 10 years ago, the role was played by Emmerdale actor Ned, before Ned swapped soaps and took on the role of Joe a year later in 2017.

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The fact that Ned’s EastEnders character has been recast could possibly tease that he has no plans, currently, to return to the show. This could suggest that Ned is very much staying with Emmerdale, and won’t be leaving despite the recent theory.

Fears sparked after Joe turned sinister once more. Fans know that vile Joe is blackmailing the Sugdens for their farm, after he watched and filmed Victoria Sugden killing her brother John Sugden. She had not meant to kill him, but attacked him after he turned on her.

Joe has since allowed Moira Dingle to be framed for Celia Daniels’ crimes, in a bid to get her farm too. Fans have questioned if Joe crossing the Sugdens and the Dingles will lead to a grim fate for the character.

One theory read: “Anyone else think this latest storyline with wanting to set Moira up is going to lead to him being killed off and another whodunnit? When the truth inevitably comes out, I think people will be annoyed at Robert initially.

“But once he explains to Cain and Moira why, they’ll eventually understand (we know Moira is also quite protective of Victoria) and anger will soon turn to Joe. And to be honest, almost everyone in the village will be a suspect.”

Another fan said: “I think he could be killed off because he’s already had a whodunnit and survived and then all the bad things he’s done, he’s got away with it all. His latest stuff is so evil I can’t see him being redeemed from it.

“So I definitely think someone will want revenge. I feel like they want us to think Robert or Aaron or even Victoria would be involved, maybe Moira or Cain too, but what if in a twist of all twists its Graham who ends up killing him? Or Kim, given she wanted him dead the last time.”

As for EastEnders, new Mark actor Stephen shared: “Having grown up in East London, EastEnders has been in my life since childhood and I’m excited to be joining not one, but two iconic Albert Square families! I’m looking forward to viewers seeing why Mark is back, and what Walford has in store for him.”

Executive Producer Ben Wadey also had his say, teasing what was ahead. He said: “We are thrilled to welcome Stephen Aaron-Sipple to EastEnders and bring Mark back to Albert Square. Viewers had a glimpse of Mark in the New Years Day flashforward episode, with the circumstances around his upcoming involvement with the Brannings set to unfold throughout the year.”

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Former Talbot left-back Gordon Pope has fond, but ultimately painful, memories of the last time the part-timers came up against top-flight opposition 14 years ago.

A brave, backs-to-the-wall effort held Hearts at bay until goalkeeper Andy Leishman, who had earlier saved a penalty, fumbled as he collided with team-mate Bryan Slaven and Gordon Smith slotted the hosts ahead with six minutes left.

Throwing caution to the wind, Talbot won a free-kick and Pope was played through the Hearts defence only for the linesman to flag for offside as he was slotting home what he thought would be an equaliser five minutes into stoppage time.

“It leaves a ‘what if’,” Pope tells BBC Scotland as he watches a replay of the incident. “It is a tight decision and it’s just one of those moments in the history of the club.

“We had never played at that level [fourth round] before, so going back to Rugby Park for a replay would have been massive for the club.”

James Latta, who was captaining Talbot for the first time that day, recalls: “Most of our team had played at senior level at some point and we knew if we stayed tight and stuck to our formation, we’d have a chance depending on how Hearts played.”

However, the former defender recognises that they face an even tougher task against Scottish champions who have had a new lease of life after club legend Martin O’Neill returned as interim manager after the sacking of Wilfried Nancy.

“If you asked me that last week, it would have been a good time to play them,” Latta says. “It would have been hard before – it is going to be a lot harder now.”

MY family of five often travel abroad for winter sun in January or February – by stashing enough cash to pay for a second break later in the year. 

It’s all about knowing when to book and which sites to use too.

One New Year, we spent a fortnight in Fuerteventura for less than £2,500 for accommodation, food, drink and flights for five of us,

My savings and cashback added up to around £450, which I used to pay for a summer staycay once it arrived in my account a few months later.

The biggest expense if you’re flying short haul to the Canaries or even going a bit further afield to somewhere like Cape Verde is probably going to be your accommodation, depending on how long you’re going for and whether you opt for all-inclusive, half board or self-catering. 

On our Canary Island holiday, I spent £2120 on hotels and just £180 on flights, so I focused on the bigger expense as that’s where you can make the most cashback.

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The more you spend, the more you’ll get back if it’s worked out as a percentage of the overall price. 

The first thing to do is take a look at package deals and work out if you’ll be better off bundling your hotel, flights and transfers together with a holiday company like TUI or whether you’re happy to arrange each element separately.

You get less consumer protection if you don’t go with a package holiday, so you should factor that in too.

I usually book flights and accommodation separately as I can maximise cashback if I do it that way.

For example, if I book a package holiday with TUI, I might only get 1.5 per cent cashback, whereas if I book the same accommodation with hotels.com, I can get up to 12 per cent. 

When we went to Fuerteventura, our 11 nights of all-inclusive cost £1,930 and I received £216 in cashback from Quidco four months later.

I had already saved £142 on the upfront price using a 7 per cent discount on hotels.com. 

Cashback amounts can fluctuate and you sometimes get flash sales which either increase the percentage you’ll get back or add a lump sum on top of the standard cashback, so it’s worth keeping an eye out and booking when you think you’ve got the best deal going.

A recent example I spotted was a £65 bonus on top of the regular cashback when spending £600 or more on flights with companies like British Airways, Virgin Atlantic or Etihad.

These flash sales often only last for a day, so you need to act quickly if you see a good deal.

Another top tip is to check different booking sites, as the same hotel will often be available from multiple providers, but for different prices and with different perks.

On the same trip, I booked a couple of nights self-catering in Corralejo at the start of our holiday using booking.com and then a night near the airport before flying home using hotels.com.

I got £10 Quidco cashback on the £90 I spent on the final hotel and I got £8 back in travel credits on booking.com on the £100 I spent on the first apartment.

I also saved £30 on my Ryanair flights by keeping an eye on prices and booking when the fares dropped. My final saving came from a discount code when booking airport parking.

It’s not the first time I’ve used cashback on my winter break to fund a summer staycay – I did much the same when we visited Cape Verde for a week one January.

We paid £1,200 for our all-inclusive hotel and received £75 back four months later.

It does usually take a few months for the cashback to be verified and appear in your account.

At that point, there’s another nifty trick that can boost the amount you have to spend on your next break. 

I currently have £10 in cashback in my Quidco wallet – if I withdraw it straight into my bank account, I’ll get £10, but if I take it as a gift card, I can get an extra payout bonus.

A hotels.com gift card currently has a five per cent bonus, which would mean my £10 becomes £10.50.

The bonus can be up to 20 per cent, so it’s worth checking out the different options before you cash out.

Lots of these savings don’t seem much by themselves, but they all add up, so it’s worth taking time to book smart and save as you go.

The tallest and most dramatic cliffs in the UK can be found on the spectacular archipelago of St Kilda which is in the North Atlatnic Ocean and is 100 miles off the Scottish mainland

An abandoned Scottish island that is located 100 miles off the mainland offers spectacular views from the tallest cliffs in the UK – and you can even camp there overnight.

Humans lived on the archipelago of St Kilda for 2,000 years until 1930 when the last 36 residents were evacuated and resettled to Scotland. And although a unique way of life was lost forever, the signs of the past are dotted throughout the four islands, particularly the biggest one, Hirta.

St Kilda, which was recently named among the most haunted coastlines in the UK, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its unique wildlife, mind blowing sea cliffs and isolated eco system including being home to one million seabirds.

The National Trust of Scotland now manages the islands in the Atlantic and visitors can take trips in April and September – but weather conditions can frequently lead to cancellations.

Ruth Aisling, who runs a YouTube channel where she rediscovers her home country of Scotland after being abroad for 12 years, once visited St Kilda, which is 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides.

She had to take a three-hour boat journey from the Isle of Skye and she said a day trip cost £280 per person.

However, to camp overnight in the most remote part of the British Isles, you have to pay for the return journey, and so her total cost was £500.

She said: “Although this is quite pricey, St Kilda is a place I have always wanted to see and this will probably be the only time I will ever visit.”

After arriving, a representative from the National Trust talked her through where she could and could not go, before she began hiking.

The first thing that struck her was the abandoned village behind her and how the views of the strone structures and surrounding bay were “very beautiful”.

And giving her initial impressions, she added: “I have been on the island for an hour, hour and a half already, and my first impression is that the island definitely feels lived on.

“I had an image before coming here that this was an abandoned island, there really wasn’t going to be much here, however, there’s quite a lot of activity.

“I think there’s around 30 or 40 people on the island tonight. They might not live here year-round but they do live here temporarily so it is a little bit different to what I expected based on my first impressions so far.”

During her memorable hikes, she marvelled at the “unbelievable” scenery, but did offer a word of caution.

She said: “If you’re someone who is afraid of heights I don’t recommend hiking up here. Even me who is not really scared of heights my legs are wobbling a little bit. I’m staying quite far back from the edge. It probably looks like I am quite close but I am probably about seven eight metres from the edge.”

The steepest cliffs in the UK, including Conachair, which stands at 427 metres, are based in St Kilda.

Unfortunately, after reaching the highest point, the clouds had circled, and despite waiting for 30 minutes, Aisling wasn’t quite able to take in what would have been a once in a lifetime view.

Her night in the tent was slightly unsettling, after being woken up by a huge mouse looking to rustle its way into her space. She also said the sheep were noisy too.

On day two, she visited the other side of the island, and was blown away by what she saw.

She said: “This place is incredible. It looks like a picture frame of stones, and then the view out! This is 100% the best view of St Kilda in my opinion.”

The island of Hirta is made up of a church, deserted stone cottages, store houses and freshwater springs and there is also now a museum. There are toilet and shower facilities but no shops or restaurants exist.

While former residents did rely on fishing, one of their main sources of food was seabird meat and eggs, which was a crucial part of their diets. It also remains the UK’s largest puffin colony and supports 50% of our puffin population.

And giving an insight into the way of life, Martin Martin wrote in 1697: “The inhabitants of St Kilda, are much happier than the generality of mankind, as being almost the only people in the world who feel the sweetness of true liberty, simplicity, mutual love and cordial friendship, free from solicitous cares, and anxious covetousness; and the consequences that attend them.”

However, many reasons led to it being abandoned, including increased contact with the mainland in the 19th century which led to fatal diseases spreading.

At its peak, 200 people lived there, but some started to search for a more prosperous life elsewhere, leaving few hands to manage, and in the 1920s, shortly before the evacuation, crop failures led to deaths by starvation.

However, it remains a popular tourist destination, and the archipelago was dubbed the “real-life Jurassic Park” by the Telegraph’s Robin McKelvie who also described the cliffs as “Tolkien-eque”.

One other visitor took to TripAdvisor last year where they called it a “breathtakingly beautiful place”.

Another reviewer wrote: “Felt very privileged to visit this amazing place. It is beautiful in terms of scenery and wildlife and very poignant to see the places where people eked out a living for so long but who eventually had to ask for evacuation. Warm and informative welcome from the island’s warden.”

A third person said: “Landing by RIB on St Kilda on a gloriously sunny day is a once in a lifetime experience. The history is fascinating, the scenery stunning and the wildlife, especially puffins abundant.”

Anti-ICE protesters clashed with counter demonstrators in Minneapolis during a pro-ICE rally organised by anti-Islam ‘influencer’ and Jan 6 rioter Jake Lang. Protesters confronted Lang and threw objects at him, prompting him to flee the event.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused President Donald Trump and the US of being behind the deaths of ‘several thousand’ people during weeks of anti-government protests, alleging direct foreign involvement in the violence.

LONGTIME Geordie Shore star Abbie Holborn has broken her silence on the awkward reunion with Chantelle Connelly after their explosive row last season.

The co-stars managed to avoid each other for whole a year until they were forced back together for filming in 2025.

36-year-old Chantelle furiously slammed Abbie in front of their co-stars in a savage rant which aired last year.

The TV personality began slating her in an unexpected outburst while the cast were out filming in Thailand – their pals initially thought it was a joke.

But then the simmering star got personal with Abbie, 28, ruthlessly arguing she hid behind her “innocent, naive girl persona.”

As the new series launched earlier this week Abbie has spoken out on the pair’s awkward reunion.

Read more on Abbie Holborn

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Geordie Shore’s Abbie Holborn breaks silence on Chantelle Connelly feud

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Abbie said: ” I think when we first came in, we were a little bit like, oh no, how’s it going to be?

“We didn’t really know.

“But honestly, I think when you film it’s been literally like a year and I am so past any drama or any stupid rows.”

Her co-star Nathan Henry added: “You squashed it didn’t you? You got along really well.”

Abbie laughed: “Surprisingly.”

The star appeared quite shocked by their reconciliation this season -during series 25 Chantelle was branded a “bully” and “mean girl” by fans.

Geordie Shore legend Abbie previously admitted that without an apology there wouldn’t be a friendship between the pair.

And despite insinuating Chantelle was not willing to apologise for the comments she made, it seems the girls are now perfectly civil.

After the explosive row aired Abbie told us: “Do you know what was funny, before that scene, and when we were all in the girls’ room we were all absolutely fine.

“Then what that happened – honestly, every single person in that taxi thought that she was joking because no one could believe it.

“I think it did come out of nowhere, and it is weird, because obviously we all sleep in the girls’ room, and we were close.

“I’d never once said anything bad to Chantelle, I’d never done anything to her. I felt like we were friends.”

With the drama being firmly focused on the girls last season Abbie and Nathan revealed the boys got a bit too mortal this time around.

Abbie added: ” It was more the lads that were all the drama than the girls.”

The influencer, from Durham, recently confirmed she has moved to Essex and brought her first home with her TOWIE boyfriend Jack Rigden.

The loved-up pair have been together for over a year and Abbie revealed to us they are taking another huge step.

Abbie and her man Jack, 33, have bagged a new addition to their little family – a cocker spaniel.

They’re set to pick up the pooch today and are certain they will name him Crumble.

The DJ gushed over her boyfriend Jack while speaking to The Sun and said she found it weird having him make an appearance on the show.

She said: “It was really weird because I’ve never on the show, on screen, had a boyfriend come in, ever, in all the years I’ve been on the show.

“So it was really quite a big deal for me. I remember I was nervous, I was excited.

“Everyone was saying they’d never seen this side of me, because obviously I’ve always been the single friend.”

Nathan joked that Abbie had never been more proactive than when Jack was on set.

He added: “She’s like, Jack, have you had food? Jack, have you got a drink?”

The stars said Jack was a great addition to the show coming in and making everyone laugh after a tense dinner packed with chaos.

Before her relationship with Jack, Abbie confessed she didn’t like meeting people and couldn’t trust anyone but them being pals for two years helped her to take the next step.

Geordie Shore season 26 returned to our screens last week on Paramount+.

Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez rushed to help a ball girl who fainted during the qualifier’s surprise first-round victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova at the Australian Open.

As Alexandrova was serving for the second set to level the tie, the ball girl – stood beside the umpire’s chair – fell flat on her back before quickly getting back up.

Sonmez sprinted over to her and helped her walk over to the side of the court, where she received medical attention in the shade.

The ball girl managed to get back to her feet and was helped off court by medical staff, with play resuming after a six-minute delay.

Russian 11th seed Alexandrova went on to win the set, but world number 112 Sonmez fought back from 3-0 down in the decider to complete a 7-5 4-6 6-4 upset on her fourth match point.

It is the biggest win of the 23-year-old’s career and moves her into the second round at Melbourne Park for the first time.

A rescue team on an air force helicopter has spotted what appears to be a small aircraft window in a forested area on the slope of Mount Bulusaraung.

Indonesian rescuers have recovered wreckage from a missing plane that is believed to have crashed with 11 people on board while approaching a mountainous region on Sulawesi island during cloudy conditions.

The discovery on Sunday comes after the small plane – on its way from Yogyakarta on Indonesia’s main island of Java to Makassar, the capital city of South Sulawesi province – vanished from radar on Saturday.

A rescue team on an air force helicopter on Sunday morning spotted what appeared to be a small aircraft window in a forested area on the slope of Mount Bulusaraung, said Muhammad Arif Anwar, who heads Makassar’s search and rescue office.

Rescuers on the ground then retrieved larger debris consistent with the main fuselage and tail scattered on a steep northern slope, Anwar told a news conference.

“The discovery of the aircraft’s main sections significantly narrows the search zone and offers a crucial clue for tightening the search area,” Anwar said. “Our joint search and rescue teams are now focusing on searching for the victims, especially those who might still be alive.”

The plane, a turboprop ATR 42-500, was operated by Indonesia Air Transport and was last tracked in the Leang-Leang area of Maros, a mountainous district of South Sulawesi province.

It was carrying eight crew members and three passengers from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry who were on board as part of an airborne maritime surveillance mission.

Ground and air rescue teams continued moving towards the wreckage site on Sunday, despite strong winds, heavy fog and steep, rugged terrain that had slowed the search, said Major-General Bangun Nawoko, South Sulawesi’s Hasanuddin military commander.

Photos and videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency on Sunday showed rescuers were trekking along a steep, narrow mountain ridgeline blanketed in thick fog to reach scattered wreckage.

Indonesia relies heavily on air transport and ferries to connect its more than 17,000 islands. The Southeast Asian country has been plagued by transport accidents in recent years, from plane and bus crashes to ferry sinkings.

University students have proposed banning corrupt officials from politics and investigating their wealth.

Thousands of people have rallied in the Serbian city of Novi Sad, as university students who have led more than a year of mass demonstrations pledged to continue fighting against endemic corruption during the tenure of right-wing nationalist President Aleksandar Vucic.

Protesters, chanting “thieves”, accused the government of rampant corruption. University students told the crowd on Saturday that they had drawn up a plan on how to rid Serbia of corruption and restore the rule of law. They proposed banning corrupt officials from politics and investigating their wealth as first steps for a post-Vucic government.

The protest was dubbed “What victory will mean”. Last month, students said they had collected about 400,000 signatures in support of their election bid.

The next protest rally is planned for January 27 in the Serbian capital of Belgrade, organisers said.

Regular student-led protests have gripped Serbia since a November 2024 train station disaster in the northern city killed 16 people, becoming a symbol of entrenched corruption.

Thirteen people, including former Construction Minister Goran Vesic, were charged in a criminal case over the collapse. The Novi Sad High Court dropped the charges against Vesic last month, citing a lack of evidence.

A separate anticorruption inquiry continues alongside a European Union-backed investigation into the possible misuse of EU funds in the project.

Tens of thousands of people marked the first anniversary of the train station roof collapse in Novi Sad in November, observing 16 minutes of silence for the 16 victims of the tragedy.

The protests over the station’s collapse have led to the resignation of the prime minister, the fall of his government and the formation of a new one. But Vucic has remained defiantly in office.

Vucic has denied accusations of corruption and regularly labelled demonstrators as foreign-funded coup plotters, while members of his SNS party pushed conspiracy theories, claiming that the train station roof collapse may have been an orchestrated attack.

Vucic has refused to schedule an immediate early election that students have demanded. Hundreds of people have been detained, or reported losing their jobs or facing pressure for opposing the government.

Vucic came to power more than a decade ago, promising to take Serbia into the EU. But he has since strengthened ties with Russia and China, while facing accusations of curbing democratic freedoms in Serbia and allowing corruption and organised crime to flourish.

The student movement has garnered big support among Serbs who are largely disillusioned with mainstream politicians. Vucic has accused the students of working under unspecified Western orders to “destroy Serbia”.

BERLIN — Erich von Däniken, the Swiss author whose best-selling books about the extraterrestrial origins of ancient civilizations brought him fame among paranormal enthusiasts and scorn from the scientific community, has died. He was 90.

On Sunday, Von Däniken’s representatives announced on his website that he had died the previous day in a hospital in central Switzerland.

Von Däniken rose to prominence in 1968 with the publication of his first book, “Chariots of the Gods?,” in which he claimed that the Mayans and ancient Egyptians were visited by alien astronauts and instructed in advanced technology that allowed them to build giant pyramids.

The book fueled a growing interest in unexplained phenomena at a time when, thanks to conventional science, humans were about to take their first steps on the Moon.

“Chariots of the Gods?” was followed by more than two dozen similar books, spawning a literary niche in which fact and fantasy were mixed together against all historical and scientific evidence.

Public broadcaster SRF reported that Von Däniken’s books had sold almost 70 million copies in more than 30 languages, making him one of the most widely read Swiss authors.

While Von Däniken managed to shrug off his many critics, the former hotel waiter had a troubled relationship with money throughout his life and frequently came close to financial ruin.

Born in 1935, the son of a clothing manufacturer in the northern Swiss town of Schaffhausen, Von Däniken is said to have rebelled against his father’s strict Catholicism and the priests who instructed him at boarding school by developing his own alternatives to the biblical account of the origins of life.

After leaving school in 1954, Von Däniken worked as a waiter and barkeeper for several years, during which he was repeatedly accused of fraud and served a couple of short stints in prison.

In 1964, he was appointed manager of a hotel in the exclusive resort town of Davos and began writing his first book. Its publication and rapid commercial success were quickly followed by accusations of tax dodging and financial impropriety, for which he again spent time behind bars.

By the time he left prison, “Chariots of the Gods?” was earning Von Däniken a fortune and a second book, “Gods from Outer Space,” was ready for publication, allowing him to commit himself to his paranormal passion and travel the world in search of new mysteries to uncover.

“Chariots of the Gods?” was made into a film in 1970 and was a huge box-office success, especially at drive-ins in the United States. It also received an Oscar nomination for best documentary feature, despite criticism of its pseudoscience and largely unsubstantiated claims about “ancient astronauts.”

Throughout the 1970s, Von Däniken undertook countless field trips to Egypt, India, and above all, Latin America, whose ancient cultures held a particular fascination for the amateur archaeologist.

He lectured widely and set up societies devoted to promoting his theories, later pioneering the use of video and multimedia to reach out to ever-larger audiences hungry for a different account of history.

No amount of criticism dissuaded him and his fans from believing that Earth has been visited repeatedly by beings from Outer Space, and will be again in the future.

Von Däniken gained the damning accolade of being the first recipient of the “Ig Nobel” prize for literature in 1991 — for raising the public awareness of science through questionable experiments or claims.

Even when confronted with fabricated evidence in a British television documentary — supposedly ancient pots were shown to be almost new — Von Däniken insisted that, minor discrepancies aside, his theories were essentially sound.

In 1985, Von Däniken wrote “Neue Erinnerungen an die Zukunft” — “New Memories of the Future” — ostensibly to address his many critics: “I have admitted [my mistakes], but not one of the foundations of my theories has yet been brought down.”

Although his popularity was waning in the English-speaking world by the 1980s, Von Däniken’s books and films influenced a wave of semi-serious archaeological documentaries and numerous popular television shows, including “In Search of …” and “The X-Files,” which featured two FBI agents tasked with solving paranormal mysteries, as well as the long-running cable series “Ancient Aliens.”

In 1998, Von Däniken revisited the subject in the book “Arrival of the Gods,” focusing on Peru’s mysterious Nazca lines. “‘Arrival of the Gods’ is a grotesque parody of scientific inquiry devoid of any intellectual credibility or literary merit whatsoever,” wrote British anthropologist and UC Santa Barbara professor Brian Fagan in a review for The Times. “The book is typical of the genre, with its haphazard and uncritical use of an astonishing range of sources from all parts of the world in order to fashion an implausible jigsaw puzzle the author claims is science.”

Von Däniken’s last major venture, a theme park based on his books, failed after just a few years due to lack of interest. The “Mystery Park” still stands, its man-made pyramids and otherworldly domes rotting as tourists prefer to explore the charms of the nearby town of Interlaken and the imposing Swiss Alps that surround it.

Erich von Däniken is survived by his wife of 65 years, Elisabeth Skaja; a daughter, Cornelia; and two grandchildren.

Signed on Saturday with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, the EU-Mercosur deal is designed to bolster the EU’s geostrategic position. Yet it has already exposed deep political fault lines inside the bloc, with France emerging as the most vocal opponent.

“We choose fair trade over tariffs, we chose a productive long-term partnership over isolation,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the ceremony in Asuncion, Paraguay.

She called the agreement, “25 years in the making”, an “achievement of a generation”, for “the benefit of generations to come”, in her message on X.

That, however, goes against the wishes of Paris, which voted against the agreement in a key Council vote on 9 January, even as a majority of member states backed the deal, a split that risks fuelling a narrative that the Mercosur agreement is being imposed on France by Brussels.

Supporters argue the agreement, which would create a transatlantic free-trade zone, is critical to counter China’s growing influence in Latin America.

Commission figures show the EU’s share of Mercosur imports was about six times larger than China’s in 2000. Today, China’s share is roughly 40% higher than the EU’s.

In Brussels, the deal is also seen as essential to diversifying EU trade ties as the US tightens market access and Beijing continues to weaponise European dependencies on Chinese materials and technology.

“Given the geopolitical and geo-economic context – where, for instance, Donald Trump is imposing insane tariffs on us – what we want is not the law of the strongest, but to negotiate, as the European Union has always done, with our partners,” Spanish MEP Javier Moreno Sánchez (S&D) told Euronews.

The debate in Paris grows increasingly heated

After 25 years of negotiations led by the Commission, the agreement has been approved by a majority of member states and formally signed. On Monday, it will be taken to the European Parliament for the final steps of its ratification.

Lawmakers are already divided along national lines, mirroring the 9 January Council vote. France, Poland, Hungary, Ireland and Austria opposed the deal, while Belgium abstained. Supporters hope last week’s approval will build momentum in Parliament, though attention is focused on a resolution to be voted next week seeking to challenge the deal before the EU’s top court – a move that could still draw backing from hesitant supporters.

In France, the Mercosur saga has turned into a political flashpoint that could deepen euroscepticism in a country whose largest delegation in the Parliament already comes from the far-right Rassemblement National (RN), which is ahead in the polls of the next presidential election.

After Paris failed to assemble a blocking minority against the agreement, RN leader Jordan Bardella initiated a no-confidence vote in the European Parliament that is scheduled for next week. He also filed a no-confidence motion in France’s National Assembly this week, which was rejected.

The debate in Paris is increasingly heated, with political forces across the spectrum opposing the deal. Critics argue it would expose EU farmers to unfair competition from Latin American imports that do not meet the bloc’s production standards.

Supporters counter that France’s agricultural woes are home-grown and that the EU-Mercosur agreement has become a convenient scapegoat.

“The blame is a purely a French one, because the problems are French,” Jean-Luc Demarty, former director-general for trade at the European Commission, told Euronews. “After 15 years of absolutely lamentable national agricultural policy – and economic policy as well – the competitiveness of French agriculture has deteriorated considerably. The Mercosur (deal) is a scapegoat.”

Opponents have nonetheless secured key environmental provisions, tariff-rate quotas on sensitive products such as beef and poultry, and safeguard clauses to prevent market disruption. The Commission has also pledged €45 billion in support for EU farmers from 2028 – commitments that helped sway Italy’s crucial position into backing the deal. But not France.

Paris points now the limited economic gains of the deal. On 8 January, French President Emmanuel Macron cited Commission estimates in a post on Xshowing the agreement would lift EU GDP by just 0.05% by 2040.

Tariffs on EU cars – currently at 35% and a key driver of German support – would be phased out only over 18 years, by which time Chinese automakers may have already secured significant market share in Mercosur countries.

EU companies wait for the deal’s implementation

MEPs backing the deal say other sectors stand to gain in areas including services, dairy, wine and spirits, while EU firms would gain access to public procurement markets.

“We have a large majority of industrial players and service providers who are waiting for this agreement and are keeping a low profile,” Moreno Sánchez said.

Those arguments have struggled to gain traction in France, where resistance to free-trade deals runs deep. The EU-Canada trade agreement (CETA), provisionally in force since 2017, has yet to be ratified by the French parliament, and the Senate voted against it in 2024.

German MEP Svenja Hahn (Renew) noted that fears may be overstated. “Only 2% of the quotas that are in the CETA for beef have been used,” she told Euronews.

In countries opposed to the Mercosur deal, supporters have found it hard to be heard after years of vocal criticism.

“In a number of countries, there was a narrative portraying this agreement as something that had to be fought against in order to secure certain concessions,” Eric Maurice, an expert at the Brussels-based European Policy Center, told Euronews. “It was therefore initially presented in a negative light, before its benefits were later defended.”

More than two decades after talks began, the Mercosur deal risks fuelling especially untimely resentment towards the EU.

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS

CITY SECTION

El Camino Real 51, LACES 46

Granada Hills Kennedy d. Manual Arts, forfeit

SOUTHERN SECTION

Adelanto 51, Lancaster 38

Arcadia 70, Burbank 49

Calvary Baptist 56, Ayala 54

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 80, Westminster 44

Carpinteria 42, Nordhoff 41

Compton 86, Ocean View 59

Corona Centennial 66, Rolling Hills Prep 60

Damien 53, North Torrance 32

Garden Grove Pacifica 85, Valor Academy 14

Gardena Serra 61, Shadow Hills 43

Heritage Christian 68, St. Anthony 45

Los Alamitos 73, St. Francis 70 (OT)

Loyola 70, Oakwood 26

Monrovia 67, Glenn 41

Murrieta Mesa 70, Orange County Pacifica Christian 69

Paramount 51, Artesia 48

Pasadena 89, Burbank Burroughs 44

Rancho Cucamonga 66, Anaheim Canyon 62

Rancho Mirage 64, La Salle 50

Redondo Union 82, JSerra 53

Rio Hondo Prep 48, Edgewood 34

Santa Paula 71, Oxnard Pacifica 66

Trinity Classical Academy 62, PACS 46

Viewpoint 75, Blair 73

Webb 76, Southlands Christian 18

Windward 73, Eastvale Roosevelt 71

INTERSECTIONAL

Agoura 75, LA Marshall 64

Alemany 69, Bakersfield North 65

Bellflower 82, Foshay 34

Bernstein 56, Long Beach Cabrillo 54

Beverly Hills d. San Fernando, forfeit

Birmingham 82, Valencia 71

California City 77, Corcoran 52

Corona Santiago 61, Carlsbad 54

Culver City 90, Sylmar 84

Del Norte 62, Chaparral 58

Elsinore 74, Chula Vista Mater Dei 45

Etiwanda 63, Torrey Pines 54

Fairfield (CT) Notre Dame Prep 72, Mater Dei 57

Gahr 82, LA Wilson 42

Garden Grove Pacifica 85, Valor Academy 14

Howard 65, Westmark 40

Huntington Park 54, Lynwood 34

Inglewood 81, West Haven (CT) Notre Dame 80

Lab School (Washington D.C.) 73, Westlake 40

La Mirada 67, Francis Parker 55

Leuzinger 82, Sotomayor 36

Mayfair 68, Bakersfield 61

Palisades 72, Legacy Christian Academy 48

Palm Desert 83, Calexico 60

Rancho Bernardo 64, Temescal Canyon 30

Rancho Christian 83, Rancho Buena Vista 53

Richmond Salesian 71, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 43

Sierra Canyon 75, Miami (FL) Columbus 58

St. Bernard 77, Washington 56

St. John Bosco 58, Logan-Rogersville (MO) 53

Summit 57, Taft 50

Temecula Prep 64, Coronado 54

Thousand Oaks Hillcrest Christian 83, Fulton 65

Vistamar 60, Samueli Academy 37

Warren 81, Carson 43

Winston Salem Christian National (NC) 80, DNA Prep Academy 64

GIRLS

CITY SECTION

Arleta 58, LACES 35

Fairfax 41, Bravo 16

SOUTHERN SECTION

Aquinas 26, Vista del Lago 22

Arroyo 47, Mountain View 8

Avalon 40, Webb 17

Bishop Amat 46, Cantwell-Sacred Heart 37

Bishop Diego 54, Thacher 29

Bonita 69, South Pasadena 38

Burbank Burroughs 69, Pasadena 32

Chino Hills 52, Anaheim Canyon 49

Crescenta Valley 104, Hoover 22

Esperanza 53, Buena Park 40

Etiwanda 72, Lakewood St. Joseph 44

Flintridge Prep 62, Troy 35

Gardena Serra 72, St. Mary’s Academy 25

JSerra 85, Windward 44

Knight 37, Louisville 33

Marlborough 65, Saugus 52

Mary Star of the Sea 40, Pomona Catholic 24

Mission College Prep 59, Coastal Christian 15

North Torrance 50, Keppel 39

Palm Desert 55, Riverside Prep 19

Patriot 49, La Habra 33

Ramona 79, Linfield Christian 26

Riverside King 67, Hillcrest 23

Santa Maria 57, Carpinteria 50

Santa Maria St. Joseph 69, Oxnard Pacifica 40

Silverado 43, Corona 39

South Torrance 53, St. Anthony 51

St. Bonaventure 53, Leuzinger 39

St. Margaret’s 58, Maranatha 28

St. Paul 48, St. Bernard 31

St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 52, Ramona Convent 17

Summit 58, Rolling Hills Prep 48

Trinity Classical Academy 83, PACS 11

Valencia 74, Santa Monica 25

Ventura 59, Redondo Union 47

Viewpoint 36, Louisville 34

Villanova Prep 51, Santa Barbara Providence 24

Vistamar 31, Samueli Academy 28

Westminster La Quinta 35, Garden Grove Pacifica 11

West Torrance 52, San Clemente 47

Yucca Valley 49, Elsinore 20

INTERSECTIONAL

Bakersfield Christian 72, Beckman 67

Brentwood 73, La Jolla Bishop’s 42

Birmingham 84, El Segundo 43

Calabasas 60, Van Nuys 29

King/Drew 61, Lawndale 59

Mira Costa 40, Palisades 39

Oakwood 65, Larchmont Charter 16

Ontario Christian 78, St. John-Vianney (NJ) 70

Riverside Poly 56, Rancho Buena Vista 44

Westlake 57, Cleveland 55

Los Caños de Meca, Cádiz, Spain

Wild, windswept and wonderfully unspoilt, the Costa de la Luz is the Spanish coastline time forgot; a great swathe of Atlantic drama, fringed with sandy beaches and small seaside villages and resorts. Hotel Madreselva, surrounded by the pine forest, wetlands, dunes and sea cliffs of the Breña y Marismas de Barbate nature reserve, makes a suitably tranquil base, with a palm-shaded courtyard, flame-walled pool area and 18 stylish rooms, all with a private patio. A minute’s walk from the beach at Los Caños de Meca, the hotel is perfect for watersports lovers, as well as exploring this unspoilt corner of Andalucia. The hilltop pueblo blanco of Vejer, a 20-minute drive away, has charm in spades, while Cape Trafalgar, a lighthouse with views over the Strait of Gibraltar, is 10 minutes’ walk along the beach.
Doubles from £83 B&B, hotelmadreselva.com

Sagres, Algarve, Portugal

The views are the main draw at Memmo Baleeira, a modernist hotel on the Algarve’s south-westernmost tip. With the beach just a few steps away and infinite skies, there is a genuine sense of holidaying at the edge of the world. Sagres is steeped in history – it was the gateway to the unknown world during Portugal’s Age of Sail and has a spectacular windswept fortress, dramatic cliffside scenery and a chilled-out, surfy vibe. A member of Design Hotels, Memmo Baleeira has rooms in crisp shades of cream, shell and taupe. The restaurant serves fish and seafood straight off local boats and there’s a large lawned area around the pool that is ideal for kids. Down at the harbour, boat trips head out each day to spot pods of dolphins, and the long-distance Rota Vicentina (Fishermen’s Trail) runs through the town, offering fabulous hiking.
Doubles from £105 B&B, memmohotels.com

Pelion, Thessaly, Greece

The gloriously unspoilt Pelion peninsula is home to little more than holiday villas owned by wealthy Athenians, and small, family-run hotels. The Pounda Paou is one, set on a hillside above the sea, with rooms linked by shady paths and leafy sitting areas, and a pool terrace with glorious sea views. A car is essential (the nearest village, Argalasti is a few minutes’ drive away); half the fun of a visit to Pelion is following the quiet country roads to hilltop villages with excellent tavernas, or small coves with barely anyone else there. The village of Chorto, around 15 minutes’ drive (or a two-mile hike), has a good selection of tavernas, although dinners at Pounda Paou – home-cooked, hearty dishes including slow-cooked meats, vegetable stews and handmade pastries – are not to be missed.
From £399pp a week B&B, ionianislandholidays.com

Elounda, Crete

Elounda’s transition from sleepy fishing village to five-star haven has been one of the biggest changes on Crete, but in spite of numerous glitzy hotels, the area remains extraordinarily beautiful. The village is a patchwork of tavernas and stone houses clustered behind a harbour that opens on to the vivid blue lagoon that separates the mainland from Spinalonga island. The opening of the new Innside Elounda on 1 May means this gorgeous slice of Cretan coastline will now be affordable (once again) for mere mortals. It will have chic, comfortable rooms stepping down the hillside (most with sparkling sea views), two restaurants, outdoor yoga classes and works by local artisans dotted around the communal spaces. And it is perfectly placed for exploring some of Crete’s ancient sites, including Knossos.
Doubles from £92 room-only, melia.com

Tučepi, Dalmatian coast, Croatia

In between Croatia’s glittering islands and big draws such as Dubrovnik and Split, the Makarska Riviera stays happily under the radar – a long stretch of coast fringed with quiet beaches, pine forest and small resorts that attract far fewer crowds than their glitzier siblings. Tučepi is one of them, with traditional stone houses and a handful of hotels scattered along a stretch of pebbly beach, with a palm-lined promenade edged with seafood restaurants and traditional konobas (taverns). Villa Andrea opens out directly on to the prom, with 18 comfortable, unfussy rooms (it’s worth upgrading from a classic to a standard room for £17.50 a night). There are wine tastings in the cellar and friendly staff who can arrange everything from restaurant reservations to white-water rafting on the Cetina River. For a little more life, the larger resort of Makarska is just 10 minutes’ drive away.
Doubles from £94.50 B&B, villa-andrea.info

Near Essaouira, Morocco

Sometimes the best kind of beach holiday is to be away from everything, but with somewhere lovely to pop to for an afternoon’s shopping or a spot of dinner. Kasbah d’Eau, a striking, contemporary hotel, softened with vibrant Moroccan textiles, tiles and hand-carved woodwork, is on a stretch of unspoilt beach 25 minutes’ drive from the buzzy seaside town of Essaouira. Cooking classes, horse-riding and quad-biking are all on offer, along with visits to Essaouira’s picturesque medina, with its art galleries, cafes and stalls selling everything from Berber rugs to leather goods. Haggling is still expected, but it’s less of a competitive sport than elsewhere, while the town’s rooftop bars are ideal for sundowners. Back at base, the restaurant serves local dishes – grilled chicken, garlicky prawns, lamb tagine – with aplomb.
Doubles from £122 B&B, kasbahdeau.com

Salento, Puglia, Italy

The Maldives in Italy? It might sound like an exaggeration, but the white-sand beaches and glassily clear seas that roll out along the protected coastline of the Litorale di Ugento natural park really do have that desert island feel. A short stroll from the beach, Masseria Fontanelle is a restored 17th-century convent that oozes tranquillity (not least because of its 12-plus age policy), with cool, cocoon-like bedrooms that have whitewashed walls and stone floors. The underground cavern spa offers restorative treatments, and on summer evenings there’s outdoor cinema, with classic Puglian dishes in the restaurant terrace and a gin bar to explore. The beachfront village of Torre San Giovanni has a clutch of trattorias, while the nearby town of Ugento boasts stunning baroque architecture and a historic centre that’s easily explored on foot.
Doubles from £122 B&B, masseriafontanelle.it

Panarea, Aeolian Islands, Italy

A house for two, tucked away on an island that’s car-free and crowd-free, with a nightly light show from Stromboli, rumbling away in the distance … what could be more blissful? A Picciridda is the cherry-pick of the clutch of small rental properties on Panarea, the smallest of the seven inhabited Aeolian Islands, off the north coast of Sicily. It is a blue and white cocoon for two, perched on a hillside, close to the picturesque village of San Pietro. Like all of Italy, it gets busy in August, but the average day here is a mix of gentle hikes through olive groves, lazy hours on quiet coves and long lunches in waterfront restaurants, while evenings are for suppers on A Picciridda’s lovely private terrace – with fresh fish bought from the harbour.
From £1,005 a week self-catering, sawdays.co.uk

All prices are for May/June and were correct at the time of going to press

The U.S. Navy is putting major emphasis on containerized weapons and other systems to make up for limitations in the built-in capabilities of its forthcoming FF(X) frigates. The design’s lack of an integrated Vertical Launch System (VLS), which TWZ was first to confirm, and other capabilities, has prompted questions and criticism. As it stands now, the FF(X)s will have nearly the same armament installed as the Navy’s much-maligned Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

Navy officials shared new details about the FF(X) design, which is derived from the U.S. Coast Guard’s Legend class National Security Cutter (NSC), at the Surface Navy Association’s (SNA) annual symposium this week, at which TWZ was in attendance. The service rolled out the new frigate program last month. The announcement followed the cancellation of the abortive Constellation class program, which had been intended to address the chronic shortcomings of the LCSs, but had turned into its own boondoggle.

“We are pursuing a design [for FF(X)] that is producible, it has been proven, it is operationally in use today, and it will evolve,” Chris Miller, Executive Director at Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), told attendees at the SNA conference yesterday.

The Navy’s FF(X) frigate design, as it exists now, is 421 feet long, has a beam (the width of the hull at its widest point) of 54 feet, and displaces 4,750 tons. It can sail at up to 28 knots, has a range of 12,000 nautical miles, and an endurance of 60 days. For comparison, the Coast Guard says its NSCs are 418 feet in length, have a 54-foot beam, and a displacement of 4,500 tons. The previously planned Constellation class frigate was a significantly larger ship that displaced thousands of tons more.

In terms of integrated capabilities, the ships will have a 57mm main gun in a turret on the bow, as well as a 30mm automatic cannon mounted on the rear of the main superstructure alongside a point defense launcher that will be loaded with up to 21 RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM). They will also feature an AN/ALQ-32(V)6 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block II suite, launchers for expendable Nulka decoys, and an AN/SPS-77 Sea Giraffe medium-range multi-mode surveillance radar. There is a flight deck and hangars at the stern that will allow for the embarkation of helicopters and uncrewed aerial vehicles. The 30mm cannon, RAM launcher, and Sea Giraffe radar are not found on the Coast Guard’s NSCs, which also have an earlier variant of the SEWIP system. Both ships have a standard crew complement of 148.

The biggest difference between the NSC and the FF(X) is the Navy’s plans to use the fantails on the latter ships as a space for containerized weapon systems and other modular payloads.

“We are going to evolve it over time. Everybody keeps asking me, what about this? What about that?” NAVSEA’s Miller said. “You know, my answer back is, I care about getting this ship into production, [and then] learning, adapting, and figuring out what this ship needs to grow into.”

“The vision here is we will have capability in a box,” he added. “I think you all will agree that we have come a long ways in our ability to use shipping containers, and I am excited.”

The Navy says it is looking first at installing launchers for up to 16 Naval Strike Missiles (NSM), a stealthy anti-ship cruise missile with secondary land attack capability already, or as many as 48 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. The Navy has also presented the Hellfire armament option as being focused on knocking down hostile drones, though they could be employed against other target sets. As noted, the NSC-based frigates will not have an integrated VLS array, at least initially.

“We developed these [FF(X) requirements based on what we thought we needed in a frigate,” Rear Adm. Derek Trinque, head of the Navy’s surface warfare division, or N96, also said while speaking alongside Miller and other members of a panel yesterday. “There was a lot of desire to put an awful lot of expensive capability into these ships. And that would have been cool, except that wasn’t really what we needed, because we have in the Flight III [Arleigh Burke class] destroyers coming down the ways right now, the large surface combatants that are appropriate for today.”

This is a pronounced shift in thinking from what led to Constellation class program, which explicitly sought a larger and more capable warship to make up for the shortcomings of the Navy’s two classes of LCSs.

The LCS program also notably focused heavily on modular capability packages, or modules, to help give those ships flexibility to perform different mission sets as required. In practice, the Navy has deployed LCSs with largely fixed configurations. More recently, the service has been looking to containerized weapon systems as a way to bolster the still-lacking firepower of those ships.

“I want to distinguish between LCS mission modules and containerized payloads. One of the challenges with LCS mission modules was we were taking systems that did not yet exist and marrying them with a ship that we were just starting to build,” Rear Adm. Trinque explained. For FF(X), “we are going to take existing systems and to all intents and purposes, put them in a box with an interface to the ship’s combat system. That will make this work, and it will allow [for] rapid switch out of capability, [and] rapid addition of capability.”

NAVSEA’s Miller also stressed the benefits containerized payloads would offer in terms of being able to “burn down risk.” A system that does not prove itself or is otherwise found not to meet the Navy’s needs could simply be unloaded from the ship and readily replaced with something else.

It is important to note here that the containerized payloads the Navy is eyeing for FF(X) could include more than just additional weapons. This modularity is seen, in particular, as a way to address the design’s current lack of a built-in sonar array (fixed and/or towed) and other anti-submarine warfare capabilities, which were expected to be another important feature of the Constellation class frigate. In 2022, the Navy also scrapped plans for an anti-submarine warfare missions module for its LCSs.

“We are not walking away from ASW [anti-submarine warfare] at all. We are all in on ASW,” Rear Adm. Joseph Cahill, Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic, another member of the panel at SNA yesterday, declared. At the same time, he put emphasis on the Navy’s workhorse Arleigh Burke class destroyers as the main warship for executing that mission, while also acknowledging how other assets, and not just at sea, could contribute to the anti-submarine fight.

Overall, the Navy has made no secret that its main goal with FF(X) is to get hulls in the water as quickly as possible to start helping make up for shortfalls now in its surface fleets. The hope is that this will also have a positive impact on the naval shipbuilding industry in the United States by jump-starting demand for work that could be spread across multiple yards, as you can read more about here. The service has expressed a clear willingness to trade capability, at least up front, to meet its aggressive timeline goals. The hope is that the first FF(X) will be in the water by 2028.

The schedule for the delivery of the future USS Constellation had slipped to 2029 at the earliest before that program was cancelled. The Navy had awarded the first contract for those ships in 2020. The Constellation class design was also based on a proven in-production frigate, the Franco-Italian Fregata Europea Multi-Missione (FREMM; European Multi-Mission Frigate in English). However, successive changes meant that it ultimately had just 15 percent in common with its European ‘parent.’

“This ship [FF(X)] is done being designed,” NAVSEA’s Miller said yesterday. “We are going to go through a very, very, very – like, on one hand – number of engineering changes to get it to be what we want.”

“This frigate is designed off of a proven blue water modern hull, [the] NSC. That hull is designed following Navy rules, standard structural ship design Navy rules for the Navy,” Rear Adm. Trinque also noted, in part to address separate questions about vulnerability and survivability in using a ship based on design intended for Coast Guard use. “It’s a very, very common rule set that we’re familiar with back to DDG-51 [the Arleigh Burke class destroyer]. That’s how that platform was designed. So, there’s commonality in the robustness of that design, and that’s something that we would leverage and depend on in looking towards the ability to address the vulnerability issue.”

There are still questions about whether the focus on containerized payloads will hamper the FF(X)’s operational utility, even as the Navy works to evolve the design. The missile options the Navy has presented so far are decidedly limited compared to the 32-cell Mk 41 VLS array that was a central requirement for the Constellation class, each of which would also have carried 16 NSMs. TWZ previously explored in detail earlier questions about whether that was even a sufficient number of VLS cells for that ship to perform its expected missions. On top of this, the Navy is looking at major losses in total VLS capacity in its surface and submarine fleets with the impending retirement of the last of the Ticonderoga class cruisers and its four Ohio class guided missile submarines toward the end of the decade.

Though containerized payloads do offer flexibility, any ship can only be configured in one way at a time, on top of only being able to be in a single place at once. As an example, the Navy would not be able to readily re-task an FF(X) at sea and loaded for the surface strike mission to go hunt submarines. The service does see the frigates being deployed as part of larger surface action groups, which would have the benefit of a wider array of capabilities spread across multiple types.

“If one of those things is something that we need to get into the design of the ship [FF(X)], [it] is something that we will go consider,” NAVSEA’s Miller did add yesterday. “We will figure out what has to be done, but we’ll do it in a smart, controlled way. I am trying to control the appetite.”

Integrating a VLS and other capabilities into the existing FF(X) design is certainly a possibility in the future, but it could be a complex and costly proposition if the design is not configured to accommodate those additional features to begin with. The Navy will likely look to build more substantially modified versions of the ship in future ‘flights’ down the line, as it has done with some other classes. Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), which designed the NSC and is now working on FF(X), has done work in the past on other design concepts in this general family that have VLS arrays, as well as expanded suites of sensors and other systems, as seen in the video below.

Patrol Frigate Variants – Information Video

The Navy is also planning to further bolster the FF(X)’s built-in capabilities by deploying them as motherships for future fleets of uncrewed surface vessels, likely offering a distributed arsenal, as well as additional sensors. As TWZ previously wrote:

“In this way, an FF(X) could still call upon a deeper and more flexible array of weapon options without having to have a VLS integrated directly onto the ship. The uncrewed platforms would also be able to operate across a much broader area than any single crewed frigate and present a different risk calculus for operating in higher-risk environments. All of this would expand the overall reach of the combined force and present targeting challenges for opponents. But there are also substantial development and operational risks with this kind of arrangement. As it sits, this kind of autonomous vessel and manned vessel teaming is still in development. Operationally, leaving the ship without, or with very limited, area defense capability is at odds with many future threat scenarios.”

This last point underscores some of the biggest still unanswered questions about FF(X). There does not appear to be any explicit talk so far about options for expanding the frigate’s anti-air arsenal beyond its integrated point defense capabilities and add-on counter-drone interceptors. BAE Systems has been working on a Next Generation Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile Launch System (NGELS) based on its modular Adaptable Deck Launching System (ADL) for the U.S. Navy and American allies. Around SNA, the company also put out a computer-generated video showing a containerized launcher firing a surface-to-air missile from an uncrewed surface vessel. There could be other options, but it is unclear how many Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles or other longer-range SAMs in total could be loaded on the FF(X)’s fantail. The ship’s sensor suite may limit just how many aerial targets can be engaged rapidly and what type, as well. A lack of radar illuminators would prevent the use of some legacy anti-air missiles.

The lack of any real anti-air warfare and area defense capability is one of the biggest criticisms leveled at the Navy’s existing LCS fleets, and that imposes limitations on their ability to conduct more independent operations. Anti-air and anti-submarine warfare capabilities would be very relevant, if not critical, for the kinds of missions one would expect to assign to a frigate in a future major conflict, such as convoy escort.

Overall, despite its clear hope that the FF(X)s will eventually take on many roles in a variety of operational contexts, there are signs already that the Navy is looking at a relatively limited mission set for these ships to start, and one that aligns more with how it is employing its LCSs today.

“In 1995, I did counter-drug ops in my first ship, [the Ticonderoga class cruiser] USS Philippine Sea. Using a guided missile cruiser, or nowadays a guided missile destroyer, for counter-narcotics ops is a choice I don’t want the fleet commander to have to go through,” Rear Adm. Trinque said during the panel at SNA. “So there are great photos of [the Arleigh Burke class destroyer] USS Sampson having successfully completed counter narcotics ops in the Eastern Pacific recently, and I think that puts Vice Adm. [John F. G.] Wade [commander of the Eastern Pacific-facing U.S. Third Fleet] in a bad position.”

Adding more blue water hulls to the Navy’s surface fleets would certainly be a boon and offer valuable capacity to help free up larger warships for missions that are more in need of their capabilities, but this will require ships that can perform useful missions. At the moment, the Navy is betting big on the ability to swap out containerized payloads to give FF(X) what it will need to have a meaningful impact.

Eric Tegler contributed to this story.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

One night, Natalie Davis, a married woman who also has a married boyfriend, is enjoying a first date at a bar with yet another man. He’s attractive and interesting, but as they talk she realizes they have something unexpected in common: He’s just gone out on a successful first date with her boyfriend’s wife, Winnie.

It’s an awkward situation even for a polyamorist.

Davis’ revealing memoir, “Saying Yes: My Adventures in Polyamory,” doesn’t shy away from such potential misfires. In this case, Davis is more amused than embarrassed, and soon cedes the new man to Winnie. “He was nice enough,” she writes, “but I did not feel the spark.”

In an author’s note, Davis, a lawyer, says that she changed “all names and some characteristics,” compressed time frames and re-created dialogue. But, apart from those narrative liberties, she purports to be chronicling true events, in all their messiness.

Author Natalie Davis

(Courtesy of Natalie Davis)

The book’s main thread is Davis’ journey from a conventional, mostly happy but imperfect marriage to a full-throated embrace of polyamory, a subject that’s recently earned its share of cultural buzz. This account has no great literary merit, but it’s an undeniable page-turner with utility to anyone contemplating the lifestyle.

Polyamory, meaning “many loves,” denotes a form of consensual, or ethical, nonmonogamy involving more than swinging or occasional hookups. It emphasizes relationships, not just sexual variety. Partners may be defined as primary or secondary or mere “comets,” who swoop in occasionally. Metamours, the partners of partners, may become friends or remain anxious rivals. And polyamorists may be linked in intricate relationship structures, or polycules, whose contours change over time. Davis’ book makes sense of all this without being overly didactic.

The idea of openly pursuing multiple romantic interests isn’t itself particularly exotic. As Davis notes, single people commonly embrace “dating around,” or what our 1950s-era mothers termed “playing the field.” As part of the search for the monogamous ideal, or an expression of anxiety about commitment, the practice is often time-limited. Polyamory is more permanent — a stable lifestyle flexible enough to accommodate instability and rupture.

Davis, to her credit, doesn’t sugarcoat just how difficult it can be, especially for those new to its often inchoate norms. Not everyone can shed jealousy, let alone manage “compersion,” which entails rejoicing in a partner’s happiness with someone else. Another issue is just how “out” to be, at work and elsewhere, about one’s preferences; the Davises worry about how and when to break the news to their teenage son.

Salient to Davis’ particular story is her lack of early romantic and sexual experience. She fell into an exclusive relationship with her future husband, Eric, at 19. It’s not surprising that there is a frantic, adolescent quality to her first ventures into the polyamorous dating pool, including bedding strangers, lying about her age and drinking to excess. “More often than I would have expected,” she writes, “polyamory made me feel like a teenager.”

None of this might have happened without the prodding of Eric, “extrovert, voyeur, risk-taker, kink appreciator” — and two-time adulterer. In each instance, despite her pain, Davis forgave him, trusting in the underlying strength of their bond. Sensing monogamy was not his jam, Davis agreed to try swinging. That meant going to sex clubs and looking online for couples who might be a fit for them both, a challenging endeavor — and just a waystation, it turned out, to something more ambitious.

With Davis’ uneasy acquiescence, Eric reconnected with the second of his adulterous lovers, a woman with whom his wife (unsurprisingly) never got along. “My first year of polyamory was one of the worst years of my life,” Davis admits. Eric eventually moved on to other (in Davis’ view, far nicer) girlfriends, and welcomed them into their marital home, practicing “kitchen table polyamory.” In Davis’ description, he is devoid of jealousy, a generous soul always rooting on her efforts to find worthy secondary partners.

Davis, in contrast, struggled. Finding lovers was not a problem. She comes across as intensely sex-positive, easily orgasmic and devoid of any trauma or shame around sex. (Explicit passages underline those points.) But for a while, a new love — a mutual one — proves elusive.

Author Natalie Davis with husband, Eric.

(Courtesy of Natalie Davis)

Felix, whom she meets on a kink site, is a sexy dominant who thrills her but keeps canceling dates. Hank, from OkCupid, describes himself as “completely bloody insane.” He nevertheless becomes both her first real boyfriend and an object of obsession. The main problem is his tempestuous marriage. His wife, Sylvia, has boyfriends of her own but can’t abide Hank’s obvious passion for Davis. “I cringed at being a sacrificial pawn in their game of relationship chess,” Davis writes. But it’s hard not to sympathize with Sylvia too.

As Davis becomes a more experienced polyamorist, her satisfaction grows. She chooses more emotionally intelligent partners and finds more accepting metamours too. She and Eric attend gatherings — from a poly conference to a “kink camp” — in which strangers quickly become lovers and friends.

Per her author bio, Davis is now a force in the poly community, presenting workshops on polyamory and editing an online publication called “Polyamory Today.” She’s also described as living in the Washington, D.C., area with her “partner and metamour.” Online research clarifies that the partner is still her husband, Eric, whose wandering eye started it all.

Klein is a cultural reporter and critic in Philadelphia.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Before the Lakers took the court Saturday night, they added two more starters and a key reserve to the injured list. But the Lakers still had LeBron James and they hoped he could carry them past Portland.

Starters Luka Doncic (left groin soreness) and Deandre Ayton (left knee soreness) did not play. In the fourth quarter, Marcus Smart went down amid a pile of players in the lane and eventually limped to the locker room never to return.

As for James and the rest of the Lakers, all of the injuries were too much to overcome in a 132-116 loss to the Trail Blazers at the Moda Center.

Smart had 25 points before he went to the locker room. James had 20 points but was just six for 16 from the field. He had nine rebounds and eight assists for a Lakers team that has lost five of its last six games.

Lakers guard Marcus Smart shoots over Portland center Donovan Clingan in the first half Saturday.

(Amanda Loman / Associated Press)

Drew Timme was a positive for the Lakers, scoring a career-high 21 points. Rui Hachimura and Maxi Kleber each had 11 points.

Shaedon Sharpe led Portland (21-22) with 25 points. Jerami Grant and Caleb Love each scored 22 points and Donovan Clingan finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Doncic, who underwent an MRI and is listed as day-to-day, was dealing with the injury all of last week despite playing against the Kings, Hawks and Hornets.

“I think it was an accumulation of a longer week, more lingering, if anything,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game.

The Lakers (24-16) aren’t sure if Ayton will play against Toronto on Sunday. The center is day-to-day with left knee soreness.

“He took a hit in his knee and there was no swelling, just some soreness,” Redick said.

The Lakers were also without backup center Jaxson Hayes, who didn’t play against the Trail Blazers because of left hamstring tendinopathy. Redick said there’s a chance Hayes could play Sunday.

James missed his first five shots in the first quarter, finishing one-for-seven from the field for just two points.

The Lakers were called for 13 fouls in the first quarter, leading to 22 free-throw attempts for the Trail Blazers, a big reason why they opened a 40-27 lead after the first 12 minutes of play.