YouTube content creator Suitcase Monkey took a tour of a country he described as the ‘best’ destination in Europe that has stunning castles and an ‘iconic’ lake

A stunning European country with flights starting at just £43 is being hailed as one of the continent’s “most overlooked” destinations. From thrilling adventures to rich history and world-class wines, Slovenia offers something for every type of traveller.

The small nation, with a population of just over 2 million, experienced a tourism surge last year, with visitor numbers climbing nine per cent. Around 7.3 million international tourists booked overnight stays in Slovenia in 2025, with nearly one million arriving during July alone.

YouTube travel creator Paul Taylor, better known as Suitcase Monkey, described his Slovenian adventure as “packed but peaceful”. His six-day journey began in the capital Ljubljana, which he praised for being “so central” that it served as an ideal starting point.

In his video, Paul, who dubbed Slovenia the “best most overlooked country”, explained: “Home to just 300,000 people, its river walk is the obvious highlight, but its many offshoots and compact nature make it perfect for finding on foot.

“Whilst walking anywhere in the city it is impossible to miss its most dominant centrepiece and it was our first stop. Ljubljana Castle is worth a visit.”

The magnificent castle can be accessed either via a challenging uphill walk from the city centre or by taking its dedicated funicular railway, which whisks visitors to the historic landmark in approximately two minutes. Paul was particularly impressed by a 4D film at the castle that chronicles the building’s fascinating history.

Paul was particularly fascinated by Slovenia’s recent history. The nation has only existed in its present form since 1991, having formerly been part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Paul and his wife Chiaki subsequently explored Lake Bled, which boasts an ancient church and “iconic views”. He remarked: “Just watching the world go by from various locations was magical.

“Especially on the more remote western side and this peace and quiet is what I’ll remember.”

Slovenia also features the breathtaking Postojna, a network of underground caverns forming part of the Classical Karst UNESCO World Heritage Site. Those visiting these spectacular caves can embark on a 90-minute train journey weaving through the rocky corridors.

After exploring the impressive cave system, Paul noted: “This is the world’s first underground railway. With almost 4km of track it acts as the grand entry point for Postojna cave, a massive network of passages, tunnels, and an ancient gift shop.

“Although its arrival may grab the headlines, it’s the 120m deep, 24km cave system that makes up the majority of the time for any visit. The caves are full of intricate stalactites and stalagmites.”

Beyond its picturesque landscapes, Slovenia also appeals to thrill-seekers, with the gorgeous Soca River frequently used by rafting enthusiasts. The mountainous landscape is equally popular among canyoning fans.

Flights to Slovenia depart from several UK locations including Heathrow, Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh. Bargain flights can be found on SkyScanner for as little as £43 from Gatwick.

Who: Senegal vs Morocco
What: Africa Cup of Nations final
Where: Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco
When: Sunday, January 18, at 8pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT, in advance of our text commentary stream.

Morocco hosts Senegal in the final of the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, ending a four-week tournament that showcased the continent’s best football.

A win in the men’s showpiece on Sunday would end a 50-year wait for the kingdom’s second Africa Cup title and bring validation of sorts for the huge spending spree. But the pressure is immense.

Senegal, the 2021 winner, is also going for its second title, but the build-up has been overshadowed by complaints about their treatment going into the final.

It’s a duel of lions, between the Atlas Lions of Morocco and Teranga Lions of Senegal.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the final of the 35th edition:

What is Senegal’s complaint against Morocco before the AFCON final?

The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the local organising committee to “immediately take every corrective measure to guarantee respect for the principles of fair play, equal treatment, and security indispensable for the success of this celebration of African football”.

Senegal’s players travelled by train from Tangier to Rabat on Friday, but found what the federation said was a “clear lack of adequate security measures” upon their arrival.

FSF issued a statement in the early hours of Saturday morning in which it criticised an alleged lack of security arrangements for the team’s arrival in Rabat, problems with the team’s accommodation, issues with the training facilities, and difficulties getting a fair ticket allocation for its supporters.

“This deficiency exposed the players and technical staff to overcrowding and risks incompatible with the standards of a competition of this magnitude and the prestige of a continental final,” the federation said.

How do Morocco and Senegal shape up for the AFCON final?

It has been a tournament of few surprises, and no one will be shocked to see the two top-ranked African teams contest the final – world No 11 Morocco vs No 19 Senegal. Both are likely to climb in the FIFA rankings when the next update is issued on Monday.

Both teams have played all their six games so far in the same stadium, with Morocco buoyed by vociferous home support in the 69,500-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which is also hosting the final.

For Senegal, which played every game in Tangier, it will be its first match of the tournament in another stadium, potentially a further complaint of fairness for the Teranga Lions should the final not go in their favour.

Who have been Senegal’s key players at AFCON 2025?

Senegal’s Sadio Mane has created 18 chances, the most in the tournament. The two-time African Footballer of the Year (2019, 2022) scored against Egypt in the semifinal – his 11th Africa Cup goal.

Mane led Senegal to victory in 2021 and will want to sign off with another win in what is likely his last game in the competition.

Edouard Mendy has been a rock in goal, while midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye brings a wealth of experience to the centre of the park, but the rumour is that this could also be the last AFCON for both of those players.

The pressure on Mane in attack has been eased by Iliman Ndiaye’s growing importance, as well as Paris Saint-Germain teenager Ibrahim Mbaye, who has also been an emerging talent at this tournament.

Who have been Morocco’s key players at AFCON 2025?

Forget Achraf Hakimi, the 2025 African Footballer of the Year – the undisputed star of the tournament so far has been Morocco’s No 10, Brahim Diaz, who scored in each of the team’s first five games.

If Diaz scores again in the final, he would join Ahmed Faras as Morocco’s joint-top scorer at an Africa Cup. Faras, the 1975 African Footballer of the Year, is the country’s top scorer altogether, with 36 goals.

To be fair to Hakimi, he missed the team’s first two games as he recovered from an ankle injury, going on as a substitute in the third. He has since played every game in the knockout stage and created 10 chances, the most for a Moroccan player.

When did Senegal win AFCON?

Senegal’s only AFCON title came in 2022, and Mane was the main man for the Lions of Teranga as they beat Egypt on penalties in the Cup of Nations final in Yaounde.

Having missed a penalty during normal time that night, Mane stepped up to score the decisive kick in the shootout, and Senegal – World Cup quarterfinalists in 2002 – were African champions for the first time.

In that moment, a huge weight was lifted off the shoulders of the boy from a small town on the banks of the Casamance River in southern Senegal.

There have also been plenty of lows for the two-time African footballer of the year, including the defeat in the final against Algeria in Cairo at the 2019 edition and missing the 2022 World Cup with injury.

When did Morocco win AFCON?

Much has been written about Morocco’s wait for their second AFCON crown. This edition marks the 50th anniversary of the Atlas Lions’ solitary continental title.

It is undoubtedly a huge underachievement by the north African nation, but the pressure is now greater than ever.

Morocco became only the fourth African nation to reach a World Cup quarterfinal at Qatar 2022 and went on to become the first nation from the continent to reach the semifinals.

Success did not follow at the 2023 AFCON, so – in front of their own fans – the expectation is that the wait, since that solitary title in 1976 in Ethiopia, must now come to an end.

Stat attack – Senegal

Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has conceded only twice at this edition – against Congo and Sudan – and the Teranga Lions have not let in more than one goal in a game since a 2-2 draw with Algeria in 2017. In its last 22 Africa Cup games, Senegal has kept a clean sheet in 15 of those matches.

Stat attack – Morocco

Morocco has conceded only one goal in the tournament so far – a penalty scored by Mali’s Lassine Sinayoko in the group stage.

They are also unbeaten in two years, since going out of the last AFCON in Ivory Coast in the last 16 to South Africa.

Are Morocco and Senegal going to the FIFA World Cup 2026?

Both teams have qualified for the World Cup this year. However, Senegal supporters are unsure whether they can attend the team’s first two games in the United States because of a travel ban imposed by the Trump administration.

The Teranga Lions play their first match against France in New Jersey on June 16, four days before facing Norway in the same stadium. Senegal will face a playoff winner between Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq in Toronto for its final group game on June 26.

Morocco is in Group C with Brazil, Haiti and Scotland. Moroccan fans will not be affected by the travel ban.

Will Morocco host the 2028 AFCON?

Morocco will hope that it provided the best playing facilities, stadiums and infrastructure in the history of the tournament on the continent as it continues its preparations to be a 2030 World Cup co-host.

It’s likely it will get another dry run before the global showpiece as host of the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, brought forward a year from 2029 to allow the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to switch the competition to a four-year cycle that brings it in line with FIFA’s calendar.

Few countries in Africa would be able to host the event at such short notice. Morocco, which has invested heavily in football and transport infrastructure, is also hosting three Women’s Africa Cup tournaments in succession, with the third beginning March 17.

The next AFCON is due to take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Head-to-head

The nations have played each other 31 times, with Morocco winning 18 of the encounters and Senegal winning six.

A number of their encounters, including the last, have come at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) – a tournament where only players that play their club football on the continent can compete.

This, incredibly, will be their first meeting at an AFCON.

Senegal team news

Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly is out because of an accumulation of yellow cards. It’s his second suspension of the tournament after a red card in the group stage, and it will be the second final he misses through suspension after the 2019 final, which Senegal lost to Algeria. Koulibaly’s semifinal was cut short by injury, so it’s uncertain if he could have played.

Senegal midfielder Habib Diarra is also suspended because of yellow cards. He was booked in the semifinal win over Egypt for arguing.

Senegal predicted starting lineup

Mendy; Diatta, Sarr, Niakhate, Diouf; Diarra, I. Gueye, P. Gueye; Ndiaye, Jackson, Mane

Morocco team news

Azzedine Ounahi has missed the entirety of the competition with a calf injury, and the midfielder is expected to be absent once again for the final.

Romain Saiss picked up a muscle injury in Morocco’s opening match against Comoros and remains absent.

Morocco’s predicted starting lineup

Bono; Hakimi, Aguerd, Masina, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui; Diaz, El Khannouss, Saibari, Ezzalzouli; El Kaabi

Museveni, 81, secured 71.65 percent support, electoral commission says, after contentious election campaign.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has been re-elected to a seventh term, the country’s electoral commission has announced.

Museveni, 81, won with 71.65 percent of the vote, the commission said on Saturday.

He defeated his main challenger, 43-year-old Bobi Wine, who received 24.72 percent of the vote, according to the official results.

Museveni’s widely expected victory comes after an election campaign that the United Nations said was marred by “widespread repression and intimidation”, including a crackdown on opposition rallies.

Thursday’s election also unfolded amid a nationwide internet blackout that drew widespread criticism.

Bobi Wine, a singer-turned-politician whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, had claimed on social media on Election Day that “massive ballot stuffing” was also taking place.

Bobi Wine said earlier on Saturday that he had escaped a police and army raid on his house.

“Currently, I am not at home, although my wife and other family members remain under house arrest. I know that these criminals are looking for me everywhere, and I am trying my best to keep safe,” he said.

Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, has been accused of overseeing a years-long crackdown on his political opponents.

He said in the run-up to this week’s vote that he expected to easily win re-election with about 80 percent support.

A Coronation Street star made a return to the world of acting after stepping away from showbiz to become a pub landlord

Coronation Street’s Rupert Hill is barely recognisable as he announces his comeback to acting. The 47-year-old soap star is best known for his role as Jamie Baldwin on Corrie from 2004 to 2008.

The star left the limelight to manage Manchester pubs such as Castle Hotel, Gulliver’s and the Eagle Inn, which he co-owns with his wife Jenny Platt.

However, he has recently been making a return to the acting scene, with his short film Operation Magpie now available on YouTube.

Rupert collaborated with fellow Corrie veteran Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Hayley Cropper, for the film in which he starred and co-directed.

Earlier this month, Rupert also graced the stage in the Christmas show Tinsel at The Edge theatre in Manchester. His recent theatrical work includes The Fire Raisers at the Hope Mill Theatre in September, and he also directed the tour of Mike Bartlett’s play COCK.

This comes after he took a step back from acting to focus on his career as a pub landlord. Last year, he announced the opening of his Manchester bar on Instagram, writing: “Taking over #lloyds in Chorlton with @jbfotografick.

“Opening this Thursday with a big refurb scheduled for September. Going to create a beautiful drinking venue with an incredible live music and events space! More details coming soon.”

Rupert is no stranger to the bar industry, having previously taken on and renovated The Parlour in Manchester. He once told the Manchester Evening News: “From day one, we’ve found this shared passion for taking weary and underperforming pubs with bags of potential.

“And breathing new life into them, bringing them back into the community, creating places that people love to be in. It’s always felt like a worthwhile endeavour.”

After his stint on Coronation Street, Rupert fell so in love with Manchester, the city where the soap is filmed, that he decided to make it his home.

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website**

He set up residence in the city’s trendy Northern Quarter, an area renowned for its vibrant street art, bustling eateries, bohemian bars, and independent record shops.

Rupert is married to his former Corrie co-star Jenny, who portrayed his on-screen love interest Violet Wilson. His character Jamie, son of Bradley Walsh’s Danny Baldwin, was known as a heartbreaker and was embroiled in a controversial storyline involving an affair with his step-mother Frankie, played by Deborah Stephenson.

Last month, he shared a throwback photo of his character on social media, captioning it: “This young whippersnapper just made his first appearance (again) on the cobbles in #classiccorrie. I think he might get up to some mischief!!#jamiebaldwin.”

In 2008, Rupert featured in a four-part special series of The Bill titled Gun Runner, playing the role of Kieran Wallace, a small-time criminal. He has also made appearances in Hollyoaks and Midsomer Murders.

Coronation Street is on ITV1 weeknights at 8.30pm and on on ITVX

The plastics industry is not happy with California. And it’s looking to friends in Congress to put the Golden State in its place.

California has not figured out how to reduce single-use plastic. But its efforts to do so have created a headache for the fossil fuel industry and plastic manufacturers. The two businesses are linked since most plastic is derived from oil or natural gas.

In December, a Republican congressman from Texas introduced a bill designed to preempt states — in particular, California — from imposing their own truth-in-labeling or recycling laws. The bill, called the Packaging and Claims Knowledge Act, calls for a national standard for environmental claims on packaging that companies would voluntarily adhere to.

“California’s policies have slowed American commerce long enough,” Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas) said in a post on the social media platform X announcing the bill. “Not anymore.”

The legislation was written for American consumers, Weber said in a press release. Its purpose is to reduce a patchwork of state recycling and composting laws that only confuse people, he said, and make it hard for them to know which products are recyclable, compostable or destined for the landfill.

But it’s clear that California’s laws — such as Senate Bill 343, which requires that packaging meet certain recycling milestones in order to carry the chasing arrows recycling label — are the ones he and the industry have in mind.

“Packaging and labeling standards in the United States are increasingly influenced by state-level regulations, particularly those adopted in California,” Weber said in a statement. “Because of the size of California’s market, standards set by the state can have national implications for manufacturers, supply chains and consumers, even when companies operate primarily outside of California.”

It’s a departure from Weber’s usual stance on states’ rights, which he has supported in the past on topics such as marriage laws, abortion, border security and voting.

“We need to remember that the 13 Colonies and the 13 states created the federal government,” he said on Fox News in 2024, in an interview about the border. “The federal government did not create the states. … All rights go to the people in the state, the states and the people respectively.”

During the 2023-2024 campaign cycle, the oil and gas industry was Weber’s largest contributor, with more than $130,000 from companies such as Philips 66, the American Chemistry Council, Koch Inc. and Valero, according to OpenSecrets.org.

Weber did not respond to a request for comment. The bill has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Plastic and packaging companies and trade organizations such as Ameripen, Keurig, Dr Pepper, the Biodegradable Plastics Industry and the Plastics Industry Assn. have come out in support of the bill.

Other companies and trade groups that manufacture plastics that are banned in California — such as Dart, which produces polystyrene, and plastic bag manufacturers such as Amcor — support the bill. So do some who could potentially lose their recycling label because they’re not meeting California’s requirements. They include the Carton Council, which represents companies that make milk and other beverage containers.

“Plastic packaging is essential to modern life … yet companies and consumers are currently navigating a complex landscape of rules around recyclable, compostable, and reusable packaging claims,” Matt Seaholm, chief executive of the Plastics Industry Assn., said in a statement. The bill “would establish a clear national framework under the FTC, reducing uncertainty and supporting businesses operating across state lines.”

The law, if enacted, would require the Federal Trade Commission to work with third-party certifiers to determine the recyclability, compostability or reusability of a product or packaging material, and make the designation consistent across the country.

The law applies to all kinds of packaging, not just plastic.

Lauren Zuber, a spokeswoman for Ameripen — a packaging trade association — said in an email that the law doesn’t necessarily target California, but the Golden State has “created problematic labeling requirements” that “threaten to curtail recycling instead of encouraging it by confusing consumers.”

Ameripen helped draft the legislation.

Advocates focused on reducing waste say the bill is a free pass for the plastic industry to continue pushing plastic into the marketplace without considering where it ends up. They say the bill would gut consumer trust and make it harder for people to know whether the products they are dealing with are truly recyclable, compostable or reusable.

“California’s truth-in-advertising laws exist for a simple reason: People should be able to trust what companies tell them,” said Nick Lapis, director of advocacy for Californians Against Waste. “It’s not surprising that manufacturers of unrecyclable plastic want to weaken those rules, but it’s pretty astonishing that some members of Congress think their constituents want to be misled.”

If the bill were adopted, it would “punish the companies that have done the right thing by investing in real solutions.”

“At the end of the day, a product isn’t recyclable if it doesn’t get recycled, and it isn’t compostable if it doesn’t get composted. Deception is never in the public interest,” he said.

On Friday, California’s Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta announced settlements totaling $3.35 million with three major plastic bag producers for violating state law regarding deceptive marketing of non-recyclable bags. The settlement follows a similar one in October with five other plastic bag manufacturers.

Plastic debris and waste is a growing problem in California and across the world. Plastic bags clog streams and injure and kill marine mammals and wildlife. Plastic breaks down into microplastics, which have been found in just about every human tissue sampled, including from the brain, testicles and heart. They’ve also been discovered in air, sludge, dirt, dust and drinking water.

Tennis stars travel globally more than any other group of athletes due to the international nature of the sport.

With tour-level tournaments held in 29 countries across five continents, men’s players travelled a combined 2.3 million km across the 2024 season, according to ATP data.

Every player knows the importance of getting over jetlag quickly and has their own method of attempting to regulate their circadian rhythm.

Novak Djokovic, known for meticulously fine-tuning his body, tries to “over-hydrate” on his flight, adding lemon, mint, and salt to his water.

“When I arrive at the hotel, I ground myself with bare feet on natural ground as soon as possible, followed by a hot bath with Epsom salts,” the 24-time major champion told Travel + Leisure magazine, external.

“Then on the first morning, I try to watch the sunrise, to reset my brain.”

Natural herbal tablets, often containing plant-based ingredients like valerian, hops, chamomile and passionflower are a popular coping strategy, while many players have turned to melatonin as a sleep aid.

Taking the hormone, which your brain produces in response to darkness and therefore helps you sleep, has led to serious repercussions for some leading players, though.

Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek was banned for one month in 2024 after failing a doping test because the melatonin she took to avoid jetlag was contaminated.

In 2023, Greece’s then-world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas blamed the tablets for a sluggish performance in his French Open quarter-final thrashing by Carlos Alcaraz.

Novak Djokovic ready to turn back clock at Australian Open despite falling behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Novak Djokovic can still crack a joke when discussing the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner rivalry that for two years has prevented him from becoming the most decorated tennis player ever.

“I lost three out of four Slams against either Sinner or Alcaraz in 2025,” he said in reference to the rivalry dubbed “Sincaraz” as he spoke on Saturday, on the eve of the Australian Open.

“We don’t need to praise them too much,” he added, smiling. “They have been praised enough! We know how good they are, and they absolutely deserve to be where they are. They are the dominant forces of the men’s tennis at the moment.”

Djokovic is starting a third season in pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam singles title, and has refined his approach for the Australian Open.

He withdrew from his only scheduled tuneup tournament, knowing he is lacking “a little bit of juice in my legs” to compete with two young stars at the end of the majors and that he has to stay as pain-free as possible.

Djokovic worked out how to beat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the established rivals, before he turned it into the Big Three and then surpassed them both.

A winner of 24 major championships – a record for the Open era and tied with Margaret Court for the most in the history of tennis – the 38-year-old Djokovic is doing everything to keep himself “in the mix”.

Djokovic last won a major title at the 2023 US Open. Sinner and Alcaraz have split the eight since then. Sinner has won the last two Australian titles, and Alcaraz is in Australia, determined to add the title at Melbourne Park to complete a career Grand Slam.

Despite being hampered by injuries, Djokovic reached the semifinals at all four majors last year. A torn hamstring forced him to quit his Australian Open semifinal after ousting Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

By reminding himself that “24 is also not a bad number,” Djokovic said he is taking the “now-or-never type of mentality” out of his every appearance at a major, because it is not allowing him to excel at his best.

“Sinner and Alcaraz are playing on a different level right now from everybody else. That’s a fact,” Djokovic said, “but that doesn’t mean that nobody else has a chance.

“So I like my chances always, in any tournament, particularly here.”

The 10-time Australian Open champion starts Monday in a night match on Rod Laver Arena against No 71-ranked Pedro Martinez of Spain. Seeded fourth, he is in the same half of the draw as top-ranked Alcaraz. That means they can only meet in the semifinals here.

Djokovic has not played an official tournament since November.

“Obviously took more time to rebuild my body, because I understand that in the last couple of years, that’s what changed the most for me – takes more time to rebuild, and it also takes more time to reset or recover,” he said. “I had a little setback that prevented me to compete at Adelaide tournament … but it’s been going on very well so far here.”

He said there’s “something here and there” every day in terms of aches and pains, “but generally I feel good and look forward to competing.”

Djokovic cut ties earlier this month with the Professional Tennis Players Association, a group he co-founded, saying “my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organisation.”

Djokovic and Canadian player Vasek Pospisil launched the PTPA in 2020, aiming to offer representation for players who are independent contractors in a largely individual sport.

“It was a tough call for me to exit the PTPA, but I had to do that, because I felt like my name was … overused,” he said.

“I felt like people, whenever they think about PTPA, they think it’s my organisation, which is a wrong idea from the very beginning.”

He said he is still supporting the concept.

“I am still wishing them all the best, because I think that there is room and there is a need for a 100% players-only representation organisation existing in our ecosystem,” he added.

The U.S. Army has confirmed to TWZ that it plans to start fielding its new MV-75 tiltrotors in 2027. This is some five years earlier than originally planned, at least, and three years earlier than what the service was targeting just 12 months ago. The Army has been pushing for some time now to accelerate this program, which it sees as especially critical for any future high-end conflict in the Pacific region.

Bell, a Textron subsidiary, is developing the MV-75, which is based on its V-280 Valor tiltrotor, under the Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program. The service announced Bell had won the FLRAA competition in 2022, at which point the expectation was that the first examples would begin entering service in the mid-2030s. By the start of last year, the target in-service timeline had moved to 2030. The Army subsequently disclosed it was looking to push that further to the left to 2028.

“We’re going to get the MV-75 this year. The acquisitions strategy calls for testing this year and fielding next year,” Col. Dave Butler, an Army spokesperson, has now told TWZ. “We’re getting the best capability for our Soldiers, as fast as we can.”

It is worth noting here that construction of the first MV-75 is underway now and that it has yet to fly. However, the V-280 demonstrator has been extensively flight tested since it made its maiden flight back in 2017. Eventually, the Army plans to replace a significant portion of its H-60 Black Hawk helicopters, including a segment of the special operations MH-60Ms assigned to the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), with MV-75s.

Bell V-280 Valor Multi Domain Operations

TWZ had reached out to the Army for clarification and more details about the MV-75 program schedule after U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George had highlighted efforts to accelerate it at a town hall at Fort Drum in New York on January 12. Fort Drum is home to the 10th Mountain Division. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, is one of the units the service has designated to spearhead service-wide modernization efforts.

“We have a new tiltrotor aircraft, and it was supposed to be delivered in 2031-2032,” Gen. George told soldiers at Fort Drum. “And we said, ‘No, we need it very quickly.’ At the end of this year, we will actually have those flying and out in formations, in both Compo 1 [the active duty component] and Compo 2 [the Army National Guard], and in our SOF [Special Operations Forces] formations.”

Gen. George begins talking about the MV-75 at around 18:20 in the runtime of the video below from the recent Fort Drum townhall.

ASL SITREP | What’s the latest with quality of life, warfighting, and other Army priorities?

The MV-75 promises a major boost in airmobile assault capability for the Army. The service expects the tiltrotors to offer roughly twice the range and speed of existing Black Hawks. Greater reach and being able to cover those distances faster would be particularly relevant in future operations in the Indo-Pacific region, where operating locations and objectives are likely be dispersed across large areas with limited options for making intermediate stops. The improved performance could also be very valuable in support of a wide variety of mission sets globally. The 101st Airborne Division, the Army’s premier air assault unit, has already been working to get ready to receive its first MV-75s for years now.

There are also plans for a special operations-specific variant of the MV-75. The 160th SOAR has been heavily involved in the aircraft’s development to help get that version into service faster, which has contributed to an increase in the weight of the baseline version, as you can read more about here.

In a report released last summer, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a Congressional watchdog, included a warning about the potential negative impacts of the MV-75’s increasing weight.

“The preliminary design review also stated that the aircraft’s weight growth is putting certain planned mission capabilities, particularly regarding payload, at moderate risk,” the report says. “While the review noted that FLRAA has a plan to reduce approximately 270 pounds of weight, this falls short of the 2,000-pound reduction needed to reduce the payload risk from medium to low. Program officials stated that they are planning to conduct a system-level critical design review in late fiscal year 2025.”

The GAO report, which had a cutoff date of January 31, 2025, also raised questions about Army efforts at that point to accelerate the program’s overall schedule.

“FLRAA transitioned to the MCA [Major Capability Acquisition] pathway in July 2024 and started system development. However, officials reported that the program’s critical technologies were not fully mature at that time. The program plans for the technologies to be fully
mature at production start – a date that program documentation targets for the first quarter of fiscal year 2029, but also indicates could be as late as the third quarter of fiscal year 2030,” the report explained. “According to our best practices for technology readiness, programs should fully mature all critical technologies in an operational environment by the start of system development. We previously found that MTA [Middle Tier of Acquisition] programs transitioning with immature technologies may risk costly and time-intensive redesign work for the overall effort.”

“DOD’s Office of the Under Secretary of Research and Engineering conducted a system-level preliminary design review and a schedule risk assessment for FLRAA in March 2024,” the report continued. “The review stated that the program is at high risk to meet its planned milestone dates due to various delays, but allowed the program to progress into detailed design. Schedule risk analysis showed that delays for the program’s start of production and initial operating capability could be approximately 18 and 11 months, respectively.”

The GAO report also noted that, at least when it was written, the Army expected to “complete testing of system-level integrated physical prototypes in an operational environment in fiscal year 2028.”

Exactly what the Army has done to be able to shift the MV-75 program schedule so significantly, and what may have been traded in the process, is unclear. The service has touted the use of digital engineering tools, including fully virtualized ‘digital twins’ of the design, as well as open-architecture systems, as having helped reduce developmental risk. In the past, Army Col. Jeffrey Poquette, the FLRAA program manager, has also been open about risks and potential willingness to accept them to a degree in order to accelerate work on the new aircraft.

Historically, tiltrotor designs have been defined by high cost and complexity, in general. At the same time, the inherent combination of capability benefits they offer – point-to-point helicopter-like flexibility together with the range and speed of a fixed-wing turboprop – has led to continued efforts to develop them globally. Companies in China are now actively working on at least one crewed tiltrotor design, as well as two uncrewed ones.

When it comes to the Army, FLRAA has notably survived a major shakeup in aviation priorities in recent years that has seen the cancellation of other major programs. There was talk for a time that the MV-75 might be at risk of being truncated or worse, but the trend line has been very much in the opposite direction in the past year.

“We used to talk about ‘Hey, we got to change by 2030.’ And 2030, in our view, was that arbitrary timeline. And it was based on all these POM [Program Objective Memorandum] and budget cycles and all of those things,” the Army Chief of Staff also said during the recent town hall, speaking more generally. “I think we’ve proven … that we can change more rapidly. We are talking about how we can get better in the next four months, the next six months, and making sure that we are moving as rapidly as possible.”

“You know, I’ve been in the Army, came out of high school in 1982, so a couple of days [after that], and it was always frustrating to me to see tech that was out there and wondering why we had shit that was a decade old when the stuff was out there on the streets,” George added.

It will be an important demonstration of the Army’s ability to more rapidly acquire and field major new capabilities if it can keep to its highly aggressive timeline for MV-75.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

SYDNEY SWEENEY is becoming one of the most in-demand faces in Hollywood, having starred in some big projects over the last few years.

As well as being known for her talent, the 28-year-old is not afraid to push the boundaries on-screen and has been involved in some risqué scenes of a sexual nature.

 She previously said: “People forget that I’m playing a character, they think, ‘Oh, she gets naked on screen, she’s a sex symbol.’

“I have no problems with those scenes, and I won’t stop doing them, but I wish there was an easier way to have an open conversation about what we’re assuming about actors in the industry.”

Here we take a look at her most steamiest on-screen scenes from shaking her bum as an OnlyFans puppy to her raunchy sex scene in The Housemaid and her shower romp in Anyone But You…

Chokin’ hell

Sydney’s career took off with her role as Cassie Howard in the HBO series Euphoria which saw her involved in many sex scenes.

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The first sex scene shown in the series was in the very first episode, and featured Cassie and McKay, played by Algee Smith, having sex for the first time at a house party after he calls her the “most beautiful girl” he’s ever seen.

However, things turn up a notch when McKay tries to choke Cassie during foreplay but she immediately stops him and he apologises.

Main character Rue- played by Zendaya – does the voiceover, saying: “Now, I know this looks disturbing, but I promise you, this does not end in rape,” before flashing to graphic porn clips.

Steamy shower session

In the 2023 romantic comedy Anyone But You, her character Bea strips off in the shower for a racy scene with Glen Powell’s Ben.

The pair begin snogging as he kisses her neck before undressing one another as the temperature heats up.

As they stand under the running shower head, she rests her chest against his six-pack abs as they look into one another’s eyes.

They then move to the bedroom where the kissing continues before they’re seen cuddling one another in bed.

‘Sexual’ carousel ride

In another scene from Euphoria in season 2, Cassie is high on ecstasy and ends up losing herself in the moment while on a carousel ride.

The character swings her body back and forth suggestively while closing her eyes.

Daniel Dimarco, who is played by Keean Johnson, tells her: “Damn, you’re so f*****g hot.”

The two begin kissing before she starts moaning and using the pole suggestively and really losing all of her inhibitions.

Housemaid Hotel Hook-up

Sydney’s newest on-screen sex-scene is from her most recent film, The Housemaid, which released in December.

Her character Millie Calloway pushes all boundaries when she sleeps with her boss’ husband Andrew Winchester, played by Brandon Sklener.

The pair undress one another and passionately embrace as her chest is on display.

Before you know it, they’re completely naked and going all the way, with this leading to other sex scenes between them both in the film.

Affair romp

The Voyeurs is a 2021 American erotic thriller, starring Sydney and Justice Smith as a young couple Pippa and Thomas who spy on and become obsessed by the lives of their neighbours.

And it featured some very steamy sex scenes, with Sydney’s character becoming embroiled in a love affair with said neighbour.

Speaking about filming racy scenes, Sydney told Cosmopolitan: “I’m so disconnected from it.

“When I get tagged in Cassie’s or Pippa from The Voyeurs’s nudes, it feels like me looking at their nudes, not Sydney’s nudes.

“When you film one of these scenes, it is so technical and so not romantic… When I saw The Voyeurs for the first time, I wondered if I’d done too much.”

Bathroom betrayal

In another Euphoria scene, Cassie and Nate have a more than memorable first hook-up, at a New Year’s party in the bathroom after Cassie took her underwear off in Nate’s car.

Nate is known for his playboy antics on the show and was dating Maddy, Cassie’s best friend, who suddenly interrupts the pair’s intimate moment and starts banging on the door.

Cassie starts to panic while trying to escape as Nate tries to help her calm down.

OnlyFans bum shake

Euphoria season 3 is all set to release in April and if the trailer is anything to go by, fans will be left dropping their jaws at Cassie’s wildest look yet.

In the clip, she’s seen shaking her butt in a barely-there thong and skimpy puppy costume while straddling a piece of furniture.

The clip reveals Cassie posing for a sexy photoshoot after show creator Sam Levinson confirmed the character would be an OnlyFans model following the time jump between seasons 2 and 3.

The sultry clip shows Cassie strutting around her Los Angeles mansion as she appears to be a “bored housewife” while her husband, Nate, played by Jacob Elordi, is often away at work.

“I work all day and my bride-to-be is spread-eagled on the internet,” the character, Nate, says in disgust as he walks into the OnlyFans bedroom photoshoot.

Girl on girl

In the 2025 sports drama film Christy, she plays the titular character who is a professional boxer.

As the film navigates her sexuality and her hiding her feelings for women, one scene shows her character kissing Rosie, played by Jess Gabor.

The two women lie down on the bed and embrace one another while fully clothed.

However, in a stark difference to other sexual scenes Sydney has depicted, this particular one focuses on the emotional connection between the two rather than the sexual attraction.

President Trump this week pardoned a San Diego-area woman whose sentence he commuted during his first term but who shortly wound up back in prison for a different scheme.

In 2016 a federal jury convicted Adriana Camberos and her then-husband, Joseph Shayota, on conspiracy charges in connection with an elaborate scheme to sell millions of bottles of counterfeit 5-Hour Energy shots in the United States. She was sentenced to 26 months in prison and served barely more than half of that time when Trump commuted her sentence in 2021.

But her freedom proved fleeting. In 2024, Camberos and her brother, Andres, were convicted in a separate case that involved lying to manufacturers to purchase wholesale groceries and additional items at big discounts after pledging that they were meant for sale in Mexico or to prisoners or rehabilitation facilities. The siblings then instead sold the products at higher prices to U.S. distributors, prosecutors said.

To avoid detection, prosecutors said, Camberos and her brother committed bank and mail fraud. Prosecutors said the pair made millions in illegal profits, funding a lavish lifestyle that included a Lamborghini Huracan, multiple homes in the San Diego area and a beachside condominium in Coronado.

The decision to pardon Camberos came amid a flurry of such actions from Trump in recent days, including for the father of a large donor to his super PAC and the former governor of Puerto Rico, who pleaded guilty last August to a campaign finance violation in a federal case that authorities say also involved a former FBI agent and a Venezuelan banker.

The president has issued a number of clemencies during the first year of his second term, many for defendants in criminal cases once touted by federal prosecutors. The moves come amid a continuing Trump administration effort to erode public integrity guardrails — including the firing of the Justice Department’s pardon attorney.

Among those granted relief of their prison sentences are defendants with connections to the president or to people in his orbit.

Administration officials have not offered a public explanation for Trump’s decision to pardon Camberos. But a White House official, speaking on background, said the administration felt it was correcting an earlier wrong by pardoning Camberos, arguing that she and her brother were unfairly targeted and subject to a political prosecution under the administration of former President Biden. The official alleged the Biden administration targeted the Camberos family in response to the earlier conviction and that the conduct was a typical part of the Camberos’ wholesale grocery business.

Ahead of her first conviction, authorities said Camberos and her then-husband operated a company called Baja Exporting, which contracted with the distributors of 5-Hour Energy to sell the product in Mexico. However, the company then altered the goods’ Spanish-language packaging and labeling and instead distributed them in the U.S. at well below the company’s normal retail price, prosecutors alleged.

That relabeling effort involved 350,000 bottles sold from late 2009 through 2011 at 15% below normal retail prices, according to authorities. The couple then took things a step further, joining with other defendants in Southern California and Michigan to manufacture a bogus concoction bottled and labeled to mimic the authentic product, according to court records. The scheme transformed the following year into one that produced and marketed several million bottles of counterfeit drink that was mixed under unsanitary conditions by day laborers, prosecutors said.

Six other defendants pleaded guilty to similar charges in connection with the scheme.

It wasn’t clear whether any consumers were harmed. The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates 5-Hour Energy as a dietary supplement, has investigated at least eight deaths and a dozen life-threatening reactions involving energy shots before and during the time period of the counterfeiting.

The recent wave of clemencies joins previous Trump pardons of former Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and former Republican Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, whose promising political career was upended by a corruption scandal and two federal prison stints.

Trump also pardoned former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, a New York Republican who resigned from Congress after a tax fraud conviction and made headlines for threatening to throw a reporter off a Capitol balcony over a question he didn’t like. Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who had been convicted of cheating banks and evading taxes, also received pardons from Trump.

Times staff writer Ana Ceballos and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sho Evans of Cleveland High was thrown into the fire as a freshman guard last season.

“It was hard,” he said. “I was trying not to mess up.”

This season as a 6-foot-4 sophomore, you can see his growing confidence and calmness. He’s had a 39-point game and isn’t afraid to launch a three.

“I learned to play with confidence and take what the defense gives me,” he said.

The development of Evans gives Cleveland another offensive weapon to go with 6-8 center Sergine Deme and guards TJ Wansa and Charlie Adams.

Evans had 17 points on Wednesday in a win over Granada Hills. His first name comes from his Japanese roots.

The Dodgers have Shohei Ohtani, but Cleveland is happy to have its own Sho.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Opposition ‍leader claims escaping police and army raid as Museveni, 81, looks set to win the presidential election.

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine says he escaped a police and army raid on his house as veteran incumbent Yoweri Museveni looks set to secure an overwhelming victory in the presidential election.

“I want to confirm that I managed to escape from them,” Bobi Wine, a former pop star whose real name is ​Robert Kyagulanyi, wrote in a post on X on Saturday.

“Currently, I am not at home, although my wife and other family members remain under house arrest. I know that these criminals are looking for me everywhere, and I am trying my best to keep safe.”

Bobi Wine on Friday said security forces had placed him under house arrest. His party later wrote on X that he had been “forcibly taken” from his residence by an army helicopter. The military rejected the allegation.

Bobi Wine, the country’s top opposition figure, had challenged longtime President Museveni in an election campaign that the United Nations said was marred by “widespread repression and intimidation”.

Museveni, 81, looked set to be declared the winner and extend his 40-year rule, in an election marred by reports of at least 10 deaths and intimidation of the opposition and civil society.

Sitting in his Gaza City tent, Mahmoud Abdel Aal expresses his frustration and worries, as conditions in the Palestinian enclave remain unchanged since the implementation of a United States-brokered ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.

“There is no difference between the war and the ceasefire, nor between the first and second phase of the deal: Strikes continue every day,” Abdel Aal told the AFP news agency. “Everyone is worried and frustrated because nothing’s changed.”

Israeli attacks have persisted across Gaza, with at least 463 Palestinians killed since the ceasefire began in October last year.

Following US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff’s announcement of the second phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan on Wednesday, more than 14 people were killed in the coastal territory, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency.

Amid a landscape of destroyed buildings and rain-damaged makeshift camps, Palestinians convey overwhelming bitterness. Though Israeli strikes have decreased in intensity since the ceasefire, daily bombings continue.

On Friday, an AFP photographer documented members of the Houli family walking through rubble after five relatives died in an air strike on their Deir el-Balah home in central Gaza.

Daily living conditions remain extremely precarious for most Palestinians, with more than 80 percent of infrastructure destroyed, according to the United Nations.

Water and electricity networks and waste management systems have collapsed. Hospitals operate minimally when functioning at all, and educational activities exist only as occasional initiatives. According to UNICEF, every child in Gaza requires psychological support after more than two years of genocidal war.

“We miss real life,” said Nivine Ahmad, a 47-year-old living in a displacement camp in southern Gaza’s al-Mawasi area, as she hopes to return to her home in Gaza City.

“I pictured living with my family in a prefabricated unit, with electricity and water instead of our bombed home,” she said. “Only then will I feel that the war is over.”

In the meantime, she urged the world to put itself in the shoes of the Palestinians. “We only have hope and patience,” she said.

Former X Factor star Chris Leonard has opened up about his experience on the show and the double-edged sword after finding himself in the live finals with his bandmates

A former X Factor finalist has revealed the heartbreaking reality of his time on the programme. Chris Leonard, who found himself thrust into the live shows as one eighth of the manufactured band Stereo Kicks, had initially auditioned as a solo artist.

Chris and his bandmates instantly became a hit with fans but finished the programme in fifth place during series 11, which Ben Haenow went on to win.

But Chris, 30, admits that while he loved the experience the show gave him and helped further his career, he admits his time on the show was a “mixture” of feelings. 11 years on from Stereo Kicks splitting in 2015, the County Meath-born singer is now touring across the world with his traditional Irish band, Shillelagh Law. Speaking about his time on the show, which saw Louis Walsh act as their mentor, Chris told the Mirror: “The show was a real mixture.

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“One thing that many people don’t realise is, I developed an eating disorder after the show. I got so sucked into the image side of things, I think my image was always in question within the band.

“It was between shaving my head and not being allowed to be myself. People always questioned my image, which was because what was being put out there wasn’t who I was. There was none of my personality. I think that affected me because I had a feeling or an expectation of people expecting me to live up to it.

“There were difficult parts on the show as a result, but there were also the normal sides. If it wasn’t for X Factor, I wouldn’t get to do the things I’m doing today, get to play with the people that I’ve played with, or have the experiences I’ve had. I’m very grateful.” But if he could turn back time, would he do it again? Absolutely, he would just be a braver 19-year-old from Ireland and stand up for himself more.

However, one of his all-time highlights in his music career happened on X Factor, sharing the stage with Queen legend, Sir Brian May. “As a musician and a guitar player, to see Brian May was just insane. It was absolutely wild,” Chris gushed.

One fond memory he has, sitting in Louis Walsh’s dressing room with JLS members, Marvin, Aston and JB. He revealed: “We were having a couple of drinks and they turned around and said ‘Chris, just be prepared, when this is over, when the X Factor bubble pops, it’s done, the phone stops ringing – it’s down to your management to keep that buzz after.’

“If it wasn’t for them saying that to me, I wouldn’t have been as prepared. I’m so grateful for that.” While Chris was young at 19, his bandmate Reece was just 16, and Charlie was 15. Now, he hopes that TV shows have measures in place to help contestants with their mental health and navigate their newfound profile. He said: “I haven’t been on that side of everything in a long time, but I’d like to think these networks and companies that do talent shows have now put the correct measures in place and do look after contestants’ mental health.”

And following the rise of December 10, created by Simon Cowell on his new Netflix show, Chris encouraged the band to “stay humble” and realise that, despite being on a TV show or in a band, they’re still young men trying to make music. “You have to work harder,” he said, adding: “Keep your ego in check and be kind to people, don’t think you’re above anybody.”

While he may have been on arguably the biggest show on TV, Chris never for a second thought of himself as famous. Instead, he was just a young lad from Ireland chasing his dream. “Egos can kick in, and work ethic can slip,” he said of people who get above themselves.

He said of December 10: “My advice would be keep your feet on the ground, focus on the music that you’re doing, make sure you’ve got two or three good people around you that you can confide in that actually have your best interests at heart and just be a good person.”

If you’re worried about your health or the health of somebody else, you can contact SEED eating disorder support service on 01482 718130 or on their website, here.

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

TWO popular destinations with Brits will soon be connected by a series of bridges.

Three bridges will soon connect Spain and Portugal.

The three bridges in Guadiana, Minho and Erges aim to improve connections between the two countries, which will cut travel times as well.

The agreement is reported to be worth €13million (£11.4million).

Guadiana Bridge will connect the towns of Alcoutim in Portugal, with Sanlucar de Guadiana in Spain.

Alcoutim is one of the Algarve’s most peaceful and authentic towns, according to Algarve Tips.

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In the town visitors will find whitewashed and quiet streets, as well as the Castle of Alcoutim, which looks over the river and the town of Sanlucar de Guadiana.

The town is also a popular spot for outdoor activities including heading to Praia Fluvial do Pego Fundo, a river beach.

Kayaking and canoeing along the Guadiana River is popular as well.

In Sanlucar de Guadiana, Spain, visitors can explore several historic sites including the Castillo de San Marcos which sits on a hill.

Nearby you can go on sherry tours too, including at Bodegas Barbadillo.

Guadiana is about three hours and 20 minutes by car from Madrid and just under three hours from Seville.

Erges Bridge will then connect Portugal‘s A23 motorway to an existing Spanish expressway near the border.

This road then leads towards Madrid and officials hope that the bridge will better link the two capitals – Madrid and Lisbon.

Finally, Minho Bridge will cross over the Minho River to connect the town of Caminha in Portugal, with Laguardia in Spain.

Caminha features a mix of sandy beaches and historic charm.

Visitors can head to the Old Town, where they will find medieval walls and the Torre do Relogio clock tower.

For a beach day, head to Moldeo Beach, which is popular for surfing and kitesurfing.

In addition to cutting journey times, it is hoped that the bridges will open up new scenic areas.

However, it is unclear when the bridges will open to the public.

Another two European capitals will be connected via a high-speed train taking just three hours.

Plus, the Eurostar has revealed plans for direct trains from UK to a new European country for first time ever.

THINGS have taken a turn since the flaming Café Brûlot cocktail at lunch. 

I’m now a jumble of Mardi Gras sequins and feathers, and there is a giant eagle mascot lying at my feet.  

An hour earlier, the waitress at Antoine’s, in New Orleans, had ignited a punch bowl of the brandy-and-citrus coffee then ladled it on to our tablecloth in a fiery spectacle.  

Established in 1840, the French-Creole restaurant still has old-world charm, with chandeliers, wooden beams, and a jazz band roaming the tables at its Sunday Brunch.  

It had set us up nicely for the nearby Mardi Gras Museum Of Costumes And Culture, where curator Carl Mack encouraged us to play dress-up in the warehouse-sized closet.  

So here I am, in a sparkly purple gown, 5ft-wide shoulder collar, and a precariously balanced headdress. Another member of the tour has pulled on a bird of prey mask.  

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We are in the Louisiana port city several weeks too early for its world-famous annual carnival, which starts in January and culminates on Fat Tuesday (“Mardi Gras” in French), the last day of street parades, colourful floats and letting loose before Lent — but the myriad museums and year-round party atmosphere have given us a taste of it. 

Our railway journey across America’s Deep South had started several days earlier in a city that has ruffled a few technicolour feathers with its claim that it is the “birthplace of Mardi Gras”.  

Mobile, in Alabama, says it hosted the very first celebration in the US, in 1703 — some 15 years before New Orleans was founded.  

As with any “healthy sibling rivalry”, though, “if either city was in trouble, we’d have each other’s back”, Mobile historian Cart Blackwell insisted.  

It is just as well, because the country’s national rail carrier, Amtrak, has reconnected the two Gulf Coast destinations after 20 years with its twice-daily Mardi Gras Service. 

It takes 3hr 45min from Mobile to New Orleans — or Nola as the locals call it — with stops in Mississippi cities Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay Saint Louis.  

The dramatic 233km stretch across rivers, lakes and marshland has been a resounding hit with residents and tourists who, like us, have no desire to tackle interstate traffic.  

Train fares start from £11 for coach class, the seats and footwell are generous in size, and most of the main attractions in each city are within walking distance.  

Southern comfort food 

Blackwell, the curator at Mobile’s Carnival Museum, stresses its Mardi Gras is more family-friendly than New Orleans’, but is hopeful the trains’ early-morning and evening departure times will allow revellers to attend parades in both cities on the same day.  

After admiring the regalia from mystic societies’ former kings and queens, including intricately hand-sewn robes with trains weighing up to 50lb, we boarded Gulf Coast Tour’s white vintage-style streetcar. 

Tour highlights included the awesome USS Alabama battleship and fighter plane pavilion and neighbourhoods of charming Creole cottages and Colonial and Greek Revival houses.

The city is fast-becoming a foodie haven, and downtown’s Dauphin Street is the main entertainment and restaurant hub.  

Think streets lined with Forrest Gump’s childhood home, all in varying sizes and pastel tones, with wraparound porches, shuttered windows and swing chairs.  

The book about a loveable Alabama man, later adapted into the hit 1994 film, was written by Winston Groom, who lived for much of his life in Mobile.  

The city is fast-becoming a foodie haven, and downtown’s Dauphin Street is the main entertainment and restaurant hub.  

Stops on Bienville Bites’ walking tour served historical anecdotes and Southern comfort food including hickory-smoked Conecuh sausage, pecan bread pudding and oysters “fried, stewed and nude”.  

At the bustling 87-year-old Wintzell’s Oyster Bar, there are diner-style brown leather booths and walls covered in thousands of multicoloured plaques with more of the founder’s witty sayings.  

“Y’all should try” its sampler of 16 fresh Gulf oysters smothered in rich toppings like jalapenos, bacon and cheddar. 

For beer and meat-lovers, the family-run Callaghan’s Social Club has won awards for its juicy burgers (from £7.50).

A favourite with locals for 80 years, the dive bar has walls draped in neon lights and littered with family portraits, Irish memorabilia and pictures of local legends who have performed there.  

The city drew worldwide attention in 2019 after archeologists working the Mobile River, found the burned wreckage of the last- known slave ship to land in America.

The Clotilda transported 110 captured West Africans to Mobile Bay in 1860 — 52 years after the US had outlawed importation of slaves. It was then sunk to hide the evidence.  

At the Africatown Heritage House, a ten-minute taxi ride away, a deeply moving exhibition tells some of the individuals’ stories through written accounts and artefacts. 

It is a sobering reminder that much of the economy of the Deep South once relied on slavery.

Back downtown, we stayed at The Admiral, a quirky Versailles-inspired hotel, which has rooms decorated in a Mardi Gras colour palette of purple (justice) and gold (power).

It’s a five-minute walk to the station for our sunrise departure to Biloxi, once known as the “seafood capital of the world”. 

Its past can be explored at the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum but to see the trade first-hand, we strolled along the Small Craft Harbour, where shrimp boats with recognisable outriggers and nets are moored, and pelicans perch on pilings.  

We then dived into tasty shrimp-and-crabmeat gumbo (a heavily seasoned stew) for just £6 at Mary Mahoney’s. Built in 1737, it is one of the oldest houses in the US, and even Elvis Presley once dropped by.  

One of the main draws to Biloxi is its big-name hotels and casinos, but Mississippi is most famous for founding the Blues. So an evening at actor Morgan Freeman’s  Ground Zero Blues Club is a must for live music. 

And, for a hotel oozing Southern charm, the White House, dating back to the 1890s, has white-stucco pillars and views of the Mississippi Sound. Less than an hour on the train and we were in Bay Saint Louis, which has a vibrant small-town vibe.

Tourist-heavy Bourbon Street provided blocks of hedonism, though we preferred the jazz and brass bands on Frenchman Street.

The seafront main strip has boutiques, antique stores, lively late-night wooden watering holes painted lime green and yellow that wouldn’t look out of place in the Caribbean, and The Pearl hotel, which is modern with spacious rooms overlooking the marina. 

Paddle-wheel steamboat 

We embraced the slow pace in the day — golf buggies are the vehicle of choice — and joined athleisure-wearing locals at the Mockingbird Cafe, the place to be. 

Bay Saint Louis also boasts a cultural gem — the 100 Men D.B.A Hall where blues and jazz greats including BB King and Etta James have played.  

Our final stop, New Orleans, proved to be a glorious assault on the senses.  

Tourist-heavy Bourbon Street provided blocks of hedonism, though we preferred the jazz and brass bands on Frenchman Street.

Strolling along the banks of the Mississippi, we took in the sight of a cruising paddle-wheel steamboat, one of the last of its kind, and spent hours wandering the French Quarter’s beautiful brick townhouses with floral wrought-iron balconies.  

For a behind-the-scenes look at carnival we toured Mardi Gras World to see floats and the artists who build and paint them.

And there was time for a more sobering trip, to the vast National WWII Museum.

There we saw a Higgins vessel, a shallow-water bayou boat built in Nola, that was instrumental in the D-Day landings.  

And confirming why it is frequently-named the “best food city in the world,” we indulged in beignets (powdered-sugar doughnuts), Po’boys (crusty bread filled with slow-cooked roast beef), and, given its close proximity to swampland, alligator (yes, tastes like spicy chicken). 

It has never been easier to navigate the party-loving Deep South, so make tracks for Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service. 

The long-simmering fight between some of L.A.’s best-known billboard attorneys and Uber, one of their most frequent targets, is poised to spill out of the courtroom and onto the November ballot.

The ride-share giant is gathering signatures for an initiative that, if passed by voters, would cap how much attorneys can earn in vehicle collision cases. The company pledges the change will give victims a larger cut of their settlement money, alleging predatory attorneys are inflating medical bills to increase their own profits.

Lawyers claim it will decimate their lucrative niche — car crash lawsuits in the automobile haven that is California — and ultimately leave thousands of people with small or challenging cases unable to sue because they can’t find an attorney.

This fight, lawyers say, is existential.

Attorneys from Sweet James and Jacoby & Meyers — the names and faces of which will be imprinted in the minds of most California drivers — have given almost $1 million to a committee opposing the ballot measure, according to campaign filings. Dozens of other deep-pocketed attorneys have joined, raising an impressive war chest already surpassing $46 million.

“Uber knows darn well what they’ve done,” said Nicholas Rowley, among those leading the opposition. “This law is designed to wipe out ordinary working people’s ability to get representation.”

Attorneys have condemned the fee cap as a Trojan horse meant to trick voters into wrecking the delicate math behind personal injury lawsuits. Currently, personal injury attorneys typically take 33% to 40% of a client’s payout. That is enough, they say, for them to earn a living and risk taking cases on a contingency fee basis — meaning, if they lose, they don’t get paid.

Uber’s proposal would cap attorney fees for car crash cases at 25% and require extra costs — filing fees, depositions, experts — to be calculated before the fee split rather than coming out of the client’s portion.

The two sides have conflicting views of who would be expected to pay for medical fees, which often drain a significant portion of an injured client’s payout. Attorneys said in order to guarantee clients get 75% of the money, lawyers will have to foot the bill for these medical costs, opening the possibility they would walk away with nothing. Uber said the question of who covers medical costs is “not contemplated by the measure” andit expects clients would pay.

The measure would tightly limit what medical expenses can be claimed and curb most damages to rates based on insurance. A doctor-led political action committee opposing the measure has raised more than $4 million, according to campaign finance records, arguing it will prevent Californians from getting treatment.

Uber said in a statement that nothing in the measure prevents car accident victims from securing doctors and lawyers. Instead, the company said, the measure is aimed at tackling a perennial problem in California’s legal system: attorneys pushing car crash victims into expensive surgeries in order to fatten their fees. The only Californians impacted, Uber claims, will be “shady billboard lawyers whose business model relies on abusing auto accident victims for their own personal gain.”

“Californians deserve a system that prioritizes victims over billboard lawyers,” said Adam Blinick, Uber’s head of public policy. “Capping attorney fees, banning kickbacks, and ending inflated medical billing are common-sense reforms that will protect auto accident victims and lower costs, and we’re confident voters will agree.”

Uber has poured fuel on the fire with federal racketeering lawsuits targeting both Downtown LA Law Group, or DTLA, and Jacob Emrani, two prominent personal injury law offices in Southern California. The lawsuits allege the attorneys had “side agreements” with certain doctors to inflate medical bills for unnecessary procedures to get a larger payout.

In an Instagram post, DTLA called the lawsuit a “calculated attempt by a billion-dollar corporation” to suppress legitimate claims. An attorney representing Emrani called it meritless and part of a campaign “to shut the courthouse doors to victims injured by Uber drivers.”

Gearing up for a fight, Consumer Attorneys of California, a powerful trial lawyer trade group, is pushing three ballot measures of its own, including one seeking to increase legal liability for ride-share companies if a passenger is sexually assaulted by a driver and the other aiming to nullify the fee-capping measure if it passes. Billboards have sprung up across Los Angeles reminding Californians that Uber is the subject of a string of recent New York Times investigations into sexual assault by drivers.

The company said it has invested billions in keeping riders safe and has “done more than any other company to confront” sexual violence.

Consumer Watchdog, a consumer advocacy group that sponsored some of the billboards and receives funding from trial attorneys, put out a “consumer alert” branding the fee cap as a “license to kill” measure, claiming it would ultimately pave the way for Uber to move forward with robotaxis without worrying about getting sued. Uber said this was “flat-out untrue” and the measure has nothing to do with autonomous vehicles.

The push by Uber comes at a tense point for California’s legal bar. The Times reported this fall on private investors looking to bankroll California sex abuse cases, and separate allegations of fraudulent lawsuits and unethical conduct by Downtown LA Law Group, a firm known for car crash lawsuits that played a prominent role in L.A. County’s $4-billion sex abuse settlement.

DTLA has denied all wrongdoing and said it operates “with unwavering integrity, prioritizing client welfare.”

Some attorneys worry about how voters will perceive their industry when it’s time to cast ballots.

“I’ll tell you straight up, we could do a better job policing ourselves,” said Rowley, who said he believed the State Bar had historically been weak on California lawyers. “It creates a situation where Uber can do what it’s doing.”

The exterior of Downtown LA Law Group at 601 N. Vermont Ave. in Los Angeles.

(Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times)

Calls for reform within California’s legal community have gained momentum in recent months.

Joseph Nicchitta, the county’s interim chief executive officer, called on the State Bar to implement “badly needed ethical reforms” that would make big personal injury cases less profitable for lawyers. Attorney and business advocacy groups have made public pleas to keep private equity out of the state’s legal landscape, worrying it fuels frivolous lawsuits. Gov. Gavin Newsom has similarly expressed unease.

“Our legal system is meant to provide justice, transparency, and accountability — not a business model that uses survivors of abuse or trauma as a revenue stream,” said a spokesperson for the governor. “California can — and must — hold two truths at the same time: standing unequivocally with survivors and victims, while also demanding integrity within the law firms and other businesses that work within our legal system.”

Californians unhappy with problem law firms already have a way to ding them without the ballot measure, Uber’s opponents argue. A new law went into effect Jan. 1 giving private citizens the right to sue an attorney for unethical practices. Many such practices are already illegal but seldom prosecuted. That includes advertising containing false promises and using third parties to solicit clients.

The Times reported this fall that nine plaintiffs represented by Downtown LA Law Group were paid by recruiters to sue the county for sex abuse in juvenile halls, four of whom said they were told to make up claims. The firm has denied paying anyone to file lawsuits.

“This is exactly why we wrote the bill,” said Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana), a lawyer who oversees the Senate Judiciary Committee, in response to The Times Dec. 31 story on the firm. “I expect that someone will take it upon themselves to actually enforce that law.”

We are in the thick of the NFL playoffs, which also means teams that need a new head coach are busy shopping. And this year, there are a lot of shoppers, after more than 25% of teams said “thank you and goodbye” to the guy they started the season with.

Most of the coaches were fired. Most of them didn’t make the playoffs this year. Most of them didn’t even finish .500. None of that describes Mike Tomlin.

After leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to the team’s 25th division title — eight because of him — he decided to step down after 19 years on the job. Upon hearing the news, the Athletic reported, players became very emotional, including future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was said to be in tears. The players’ response is consistent with Tomlin’s decades-long reputation in the league as a great mentor and friend.

Unfortunately, because we’re all trapped in this what-have-you-done-for-me-lately meets rage-bait world, there is this narrative out there that Tomlin is not an all-time great coach. In fact, some Steelers fans online and former NFL players on podcasts are suggesting he was mediocre because the team hasn’t won a Super Bowl since President Obama’s first month in office. About a third of the league’s teams have won a championship since Tomlin. For the fanbase for teams like the Cleveland Browns or the Arizona Cardinals, a Super Bowl in any year would be enough. However, the Steelers faithful have a different history and higher expectations.

I get it.

That is still no reason to disrespect one of the greatest coaches in league history as he walks out the door. Recency bias typically comes with a dash of amnesia. Sprinkle in the pace of the modern news cycle and the algorithms’ insatiable hunger for outrage, and you can see why people are tempted to say negative things about someone who has never had a losing season. That achievement is not perfection, which is commonly the bar set on social media by naysayers in search of clicks, but it is unequivocal excellence. No other NFL coach with his number of years in charge can make such a claim. That is also true in the NBA, the MLB and the NHL.

The only quarterback the Steelers drafted in the first round during his era, Kenny Pickett in 2022, is currently on his fourth team. For perspective, Brock Purdy, the current San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback, was available. That’s not meant to be a dig at the Steelers front office. Every team has its hits and misses during the NFL draft. That’s just to remind you of Pittsburgh’s decadelong carousel under center. As coach, Tomlin has more seasons using three different starting quarterbacks than he does finishing the year 8-8.

There’s no medal or ring for never having a losing season. However, that accomplishment should always come with respect. Because winning an NFL game has never been easy.

For perspective, in 2022, while the Steelers were busy not drafting a franchise quarterback, former Rams coach Dick Vermeil was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 15 years, Vermeil had seven losing seasons. Like Tomlin, he has one Super Bowl ring. Vermeil, who was famous for turning teams around in three seasons, left the game with a .525 win percentage. After two decades, Tomlin won 63% of his games, which ranks in the top 10 all time and is the best in Steelers history.

To question if he’s an all-time great isn’t just counterintuitive.

It’s disrespectful. And for what? To generate some content between playoff games? An irrational need to be a contrarian?

There’s more to Tomlin’s story that is being underdiscussed. Less than 2% of all K-12 teachers are Black men. The percentage of Black head football coaches in the top division has never been more than 15. Chances are Tomlin is the first Black man many of his players have ever witnessed be in charge. There have been stretches in which he was the only Black NFL head coach and thus the first person journalists reached out to when it’s time to talk about the Rooney Rule. He’s carried that unspoken responsibility, that invisible weight, quietly for 19 years.

And he did so without ever ending the season having lost more than he won.

Instead of asking if Tomlin is an all-time great, the conversation in the sports world should be focused on how great Tomlin is.

YouTube: @LZGrandersonShow

What does it say about global diplomacy that, in the same month when the West patted itself on the back for a ceasefire in Gaza, Palestinians in the occupied West Bank endured the highest number of settler attacks ever recorded?

In keeping with the past two years, the international community is condemning violence in principle, while granting Israel total impunity in practice. A response that is timid, hollow and all too predictable.

In October 2025, the United Nations documented more than 260 settler attacks in the West Bank, resulting in Palestinian casualties or property damage. Vehicles were torched, Palestinian agricultural workers assaulted, and olive trees burned, at the height of the harvest season. The violence is relentless, and the world’s timid response rings hollow.

But this is hardly unprecedented. Since October 2023, Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed more than 1,040 Palestinians in the West Bank, including 229 children, according to the UN. Violence is unfolding alongside mass displacement. In early 2025, an estimated 40,000 people were forcibly displaced by the Israeli army’s “Iron Wall” Operation in the northern West Bank, the largest single displacement in the West Bank since 1967.

It was then that I managed to enter the occupied West Bank, along with fellow British MP Andrew George and a staff member of our host, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians. On one of our trips, we travelled from Jerusalem to the northern town of Tulkarem; it was a drive that should have taken roughly 50 minutes, but it stretched to more than three hours. Israeli checkpoints along the way made it impossible to guarantee passage, and we were forced to take an unconventional route.

When we arrived in Tulkarem, we met with youth leaders who described how Israeli bulldozers destroyed their roads and infrastructure. Everywhere we drove, we saw roads clearly damaged, some partially repaired, and others still piles of rubble. Since January 2025, as part of “Iron Wall”, the Israeli army has forcibly expelled the residents of two refugee camps in the area, Tulkarem and Nur Shams.

We visited a six-bedroom property housing about 50 refugees displaced from the refugee camps. The house had been repeatedly raided by Israeli authorities, and the bullet-riddled wall bore testimony to their visits. A 17-year-old refugee living in the house showed us wounds from a military dog, recounting how Israeli forces had thrown him into a ditch and set the dog on him. He complained he couldn’t even watch TV any more, pointing to the smashed television. The horrifying and the mundane all in one sentence.

Given the UN’s log of settler attacks in October, it is evident the situation has grown even more acute since my visit to the West Bank in April. Violence continues unchecked, and our government is taking no robust action to stop it.

Critics will argue that I’m conflating Israeli army violence with settler violence. The truth is that the two are inseparable. I saw this everywhere I went. From the rolling hills of Masafer Yatta to the bustling streets of Jerusalem, settlers swaggered around with their rifles, taunting and intimidating Palestinians, all under the watchful eye of Israeli soldiers.

In one particularly intense moment, Israeli soldiers stood literally shoulder-to-shoulder with settlers. Both armed, both wearing camouflaged armoured vests with the Israeli flag adorned on them. A visual manifestation of how blurred these lines are.

My mind returned to these countless anecdotes last month, when I read about the extent of Israel’s impunity, which was laid bare in Jenin, with the extrajudicial executions of two Palestinians, al-Muntasir Abdullah, 26, and Youssef Asasa, 37. Despite the depravity of this act, not to mention the clear violations of international law, the UK government, once again, offered only hollow words of “concern”, sending the implicit message that Israel can continue to kill Palestinians without consequences.

Of course, these individual acts of violence do not occur in isolation; they are part of a larger plan. In August 2025, Israel approved the illegal E1 settlement expansion, authorising more than 3,000 new settlement units to be built. For decades, the international community has recognised the E1 as a red line, because construction there would divide the West Bank, obstructing the connection between Ramallah, occupied East Jerusalem, and Bethlehem. But again, the UK government responded with nothing more than empty words.

Herein lies the paradox. We are told that the UK garners supposed “influence”, but only on the condition that we promise never to exercise it. What results is a dystopian pantomime, a circus of excuses. If we do not use our influence to stop the most despicable acts of violence against the Palestinian people, then what is it all for?

And let’s be absolutely clear: When it comes to Palestinians, there is a brazen disregard for the most fundamental human right, the right to life. We are witnessing livelihoods being destroyed. Forced displacement. Illegal settlement expansion. Extrajudicial killings. International law is clear: Collective punishment, settlement construction on occupied land, and extrajudicial killings are grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. The entire occupation is illegal, as laid out by the International Court of Justice. So, where, exactly, is our government’s red line?

The UK government no doubt wants the world to move on. Mired by its complicity in the Gaza genocide, it surely views the “ceasefire” as an opportunity to deflect calls for action. Instead of weak statements of “concern”, the UK government should be pursuing a full suspension of arms sales to Israel, laying sanctions on Israeli ministers for their role in supporting an illegal occupation, supporting domestic and international accountability mechanisms such as the International Criminal Court, and pushing for prosecutions of British citizens serving in the Israeli army.

Whether they live in Gaza, the West Bank or Israel, Palestinian lives are not expendable. I have seen the suffering, injuries, and displacement with my own eyes in Tulkarem, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron, and Masafer Yatta. I saw an apartheid system that punishes and terrorises Palestinians daily. Justice demands more than words. It demands action. And it demands it now!

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Novak Djokovic says he does not think the upcoming Australian Open is “now or never” for his hopes of winning a standalone all-time record 25th Grand Slam title.

Djokovic, 38, has been tied on 24 major victories with Australia’s Margaret Court since his last triumph at the 2023 US Open.

Unsurprisingly, the Serb has showed signs of decline in recent years, yet still managed to reach the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams last year.

Given he is a record 10-time men’s champion in Melbourne, and has had plenty of recovery time going into the first major of the season, the consensus is that the Australian Open represents his best chance of landing the elusive record-breaking title.

“There has been a lot of talk about the 25th, but I try to focus myself on what I have achieved, not what I’m possibly achieving,” Djokovic, who is seeded fourth at Melbourne Park, said.

“I hope it comes to that [winning 25], but 24 is also not a bad number. I have to appreciate that and remind myself of the amazing career I had.”

Djokovic has never made a secret of his desire to achieve even more history, but is now attempting to release some of the “unnecessary” pressure he places on himself to surpass Court.

He starts his latest bid against Spain’s Pedro Martinez in Monday’s night session on Rod Laver Arena.

“I don’t think it’s needed for me to really go far in terms of make-it-or-break-it or a now-or-never type of mentality,” said Djokovic, who is aiming to become the oldest Grand Slam men’s champion in the Open Era.

“Neither does that allow me to excel and perform my best.”

A FORMER Nickelodeon star has been killed in a horror hit-and-run in New York City.

Kianna Underwood, 33, was dragged under a car after it struck her in Brooklyn early on Friday morning.

She was crossing Pitkin Avenue in the Brownsville neighbourhood when a black Ford SUV hit her.

Kianna – who appeared in comedy sketch show All That in 2005 – was pulled under the car for around a block.

The driver fled as she lay motionless in the road, the New York Post reports.

Kianna was pronounced dead at the scene after being found with “severe trauma” at the intersection of Osborn Street and Pitkin Avenue.

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No arrests have been made.

As well as starring in several episodes of Nickelodeon’s All That, Kianna also lent her voice to animated series Little Bill.

The child star also appeared in indie film The 24-Hour Woman in 1999, and provided voiceovers for animated TV movie Santa, Baby in 2001.

Off screen, Kianna spent time on the stage – playing little Inez during the first national tour of Hairspray.

One of Kianna’s relatives, Anthony Underwood, shared the tragic news of her death on Facebook.

He wrote: “Please give me and my family time to process this. Thank you.”

It comes after another child star was killed after he was hit by a car while stepping off a school bus.

Nikodem Marecki, 11, was run over moments after exiting the vehicle near Kraków, Poland.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and an air ambulance helicopter transferred him to hospital on November 26.

Nikodem starred in the multi-award winning Polish war drama White Courage, released last year.

Director Marcin Koszałka called it a “terrible, great loss”, adding: “He was very talented and the world was opening up to him.”