If the new season of The Traitors has got you planning a Scotland escape, this stunning hotel in Glasgow city centre is a real treat, says Laura Mulley

A 10-minute walk from Glasgow’s Central Station in quiet, townhouse-lined Blythswood Square, you’ll find the Kimpton hotel. Here a cheery doorman welcomes you into a grand foyer complete with ornate pillars, plush seating and a glittering chandelier stretching up several floors, giving glam but elegant first impressions.

Our spacious Premier King room featured an original fireplace and bath that could be opened to look out into the bedroom, should you so wish. Complimentary soft drinks in the minibar were a nice touch, as were the little bottles of Glaswegian gin and tonic waiting on ice.

A few other unique services make the Kimpton Blythswood Square feel more like a home away from home: they’ll provide essentials such as toothbrushes and phone chargers if you’ve forgotten yours, and you can rent a handbag from Scottish luxury leather brand Strathberry for free. One new feature is the hotel’s Stay Well offering, allowing guests to borrow state-of-the-art wellness tools such as LED masks and Therabody muscle pummellers.

Where to eat in Glasgow

Kimpton Blythswood Square’s restaurant is called iasg (from the Gaelic word for ‘fish’), and as its name suggests, the fish and seafood on the menu is a real highlight. The BBQ monkfish came highly recommended and did not disappoint, while the fish and chips were the chunkiest we’d ever seen, and cooked to perfection.

Breakfast is served here too and offers an excellent continental buffet plus hearty hot dishes, including full Scottish breakfast favourites.

Outside of the hotel, we received a few recommendations from locals that are well worth checking out: Ardnamurchan for elevated Scottish classics (we loved the veggie haggis, neeps and tatties), popular pasta joint Sugo (worth the queue), and little authentic Italian cafe Sarti for delicious coffee and friendly service.

Kimpton Blythswood Square

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From £190 per night

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A stylish five-star hotel in Glasgow’s city centre with an impressive spa, top restaurant and luxury items fashion and wellness items available to borrow.

What to do in Glasgow

If you’re new to Glasgow it’s worth just spending some time wandering around its streets, admiring the striking architecture and colourful mural trail before heading up the hill to the imposing Gothic-style Necropolis. It’s no surprise that Glasgow is regularly used as a Hollywood filming location; apparently we’d just missed Tom Holland here filming scenes for the new Spider-Man movie.

Back at the hotel, Kimpton’s spa features various different hot rooms and pools, including a few even us seasoned spa-goers had never seen before: a snow room (Scotland’s first), and a cave-like dark pool, lit only by tiny LED lights in the ceiling.

Five months pregnant at the time, my therapist expertly worked into my tight muscles using oil from Scottish spa brand Ishga while still keeping me comfortable – even my bump got a gentle massage.

How much does it cost to stay at Kimpton Blythswood Square?

Rooms at Kimpton Blythswood Square start from £190 per night.

Dhaka, Bangladesh – On Tuesday, the premises of Evercare Hospital in Bangladesh’s capital turned into a sombre focal point for a nation’s grief as news filtered out of the medical facility: Khaleda Zia, three-time prime minister and longtime leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was dead.

Khaleda had been receiving treatment at the hospital since the night of November 23.

Supporters, party leaders and common citizens stood silently in front of the hospital gates, wiping away tears and offering prayers. “The news made it impossible for us to stay at home,” said BNP activist Riyadul Islam. “Since there is no opportunity to see her, everyone is waiting outside. There are tears in everyone’s eyes.”

Her funeral at Dhaka’s Manik Mia Avenue on Wednesday drew tens of thousands of BNP supporters from across the country, alongside leaders of other political parties, interim government head Muhammad Yunus and foreign diplomats – underscoring the imprint of Khaleda’s legacy, and how it extended well beyond Bangladesh’s borders.

But beyond the grief, Khaleda Zia’s death marks a decisive political rupture for the BNP at a critical moment, say political analysts.

With national elections scheduled for February 12, the party is entering the campaign without the leader who remained its ultimate symbol of unity, even during years of illness and political inactivity.

Her passing pushes BNP into a fully post-Khaleda phase, concentrating authority and accountability on her son and acting chairperson, Tarique Rahman, as the party seeks to consolidate its base and compete in a reshaped political landscape following the July 2024 upheaval and the subsequent banning of the Awami League’s political activities.

Legacy as anchor, absence as test

For decades, Khaleda Zia’s relevance extended beyond formal leadership.

Even when absent from front-line politics, she functioned as the party’s moral centre and final authority, helping to contain factionalism and defer leadership questions.

Mahdi Amin, adviser to Tarique Rahman, told Al Jazeera that Bangladesh had lost “a true guardian”, describing Khaleda Zia as a unifying symbol of sovereignty, independence and democracy.

He said the BNP would carry forward her legacy through its policies and governance priorities if elected.

“The hallmark of her politics was a strong parliamentary democracy – rule of law, human rights and freedom of expression,” Amin said, adding that the BNP aims to restore institutions and rights that, he claimed, were eroded during the Awami League’s 15-year rule, between 2009 and 2024, under then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Khaleda’s longtime rival.

Amin insisted that Tarique has already emerged as a unifying figure, citing his role in coordinating the movement against Hasina and formulating a 31-point reform agenda aimed at restoring voting rights and institutional accountability.

Despite these assertions, however, analysts say Khaleda’s absence removes a critical layer of symbolic authority that long helped stabilise the BNP’s internal politics.

Writer and political analyst Mohiuddin Ahmed said Khaleda’s personal charisma played a key role in keeping the party energised and cohesive.

“That rhythm will be disrupted,” he said. “Tarique Rahman now has to prove his leadership through a process. His leadership remains untested.”

Ahmed noted that Khaleda herself was once an untested political figure, rising to national prominence during the mass pro-democracy movement of the 1980s that ultimately led to the fall of military ruler General Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Her husband, the then-President Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated in 1981 during a failed military coup.

Ahmed argued that the February election could play a similar defining role for Tarique Rahman: Success would validate his leadership, while failure would intensify scrutiny.

A tougher electoral terrain

BNP’s challenge is compounded by a transformed opposition landscape.

For more than three decades, Bangladesh’s electoral politics were shaped by a near-binary rivalry between the Awami League and the BNP, a pattern that emerged after the fall of military rule in 1990 and hardened through successive elections in the 1990s and 2000s.

With the Awami League now absent – its political activities banned by the Yunus administration – that two-party dominance has fractured, forcing BNP to compete in a more crowded field that includes a strong alliance led by the Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s biggest Islamist force. The Jamaat coalition includes the National Citizen Party, launched by many of the youth leaders who drove the July 2024 mass movement that forced Hasina out of power and into exile in India.

“This will not be easy for BNP,” Ahmed said. “Post-July [2024] politics has changed the equation. New polarisation is emerging, and the dominance of two parties no longer holds,” he added.

Analysts also point to key uncertainties that linger: whether the election will be held on time, whether it will be peaceful, and whether major parties can ensure public confidence in the process.

Dilara Choudhury, a political scientist who observed both Khaleda and her husband closely, said Khaleda Zia functioned as a “guardian figure” for not just her party, but also the country, and that her death represents the loss of a senior stabilising presence in Bangladesh politics.

Tarique, Khaleda’s son, was in exile in the United Kingdom from 2008 until December 25, 2025, when he returned after a series of cases against him that were initiated by a military-backed government in power between 2006 and 2009, or by the subsequent Hasina government, were closed.

She argued that Tarique’s return to the country has reduced fears of internal division within the party and that his recent speeches – reaffirming Bangladeshi nationalism, rejecting authoritarianism and honouring victims of the 2024 July uprising violence – have reassured party supporters about ideological continuity.

“BNP and Awami League have both been personality-centred parties,” she said. “After Khaleda Zia, it is natural that Tarique Rahman occupies that space within the BNP.”

From legacy to verdict

Yet BNP leaders acknowledge that legacy alone will not determine the party’s future.

Allegations of extortion involving some party activists continue to surface – an issue that adviser Mahdi Amin described as mostly exaggerated, though he said the party plans to address it through stricter internal controls.

At the grassroots level, some party members say Tarique’s leadership transition will not be without challenges.

“It would be unrealistic to say there will be no difficulties,” said Kamal Uddin, senior joint secretary of the Chakaria upazila unit of Jubo Dal, the BNP’s youth wing, in Cox’s Bazar district. “In the past, there were disagreements with senior leaders who worked closely with Khaleda Zia – and even with Ziaur Rahman. That could be a challenge in decision-making. But I believe he will be able to manage.”

Kamal Uddin travelled with three other BNP activists from Cox’s Bazar, a coastal city on the Bay of Bengal about 350km (217 miles) south of Dhaka, to attend Khaleda Zia’s funeral on Wednesday.

Senior BNP leaders, however, dismiss doubts over Tarique’s authority.

Standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, who served as commerce minister in Khaleda Zia’s cabinet from 2001 to 2004, said Tarique’s leadership credentials were already established.

“His leadership has been proven,” Chowdhury told Al Jazeera earlier this month. “He is capable of leading the party effectively.”

As BNP prepares for the polls, analysts say the party’s ability to ensure discipline, project reform and contribute to a peaceful election will itself be a test of Tarique’s leadership.

A separate discussion has emerged on social media and among political rivals.

On November 29, ahead of his eventual return, Tarique wrote on his verified Facebook page that the decision to come home was not “entirely within his control” and not “under his sole control”. Critics interpreted this as raising questions about possible external influence – particularly India – on whether and when he would return.

BNP leaders rejected these claims, insisting his return was a political and legal matter tied to domestic realities rather than foreign negotiation, and that national interest would guide the party’s policy if it comes to power.

For many supporters, however, politics remains deeply personal.

Fifty-seven-year-old Dulal Mia, who travelled from the northeastern district of Kishoreganj to attend Tarique’s reception rally in Dhaka on December 25, still recalls the moment that made him a lifelong BNP supporter.

When he was a sixth-grader in 1979, he said, then-President Ziaur Rahman visited the paddy field where he was working and shook his hand. Ziaur Rahman is remembered for addressing drought by digging canals across the country and visiting remote areas barefoot, often without formal protocol.

“Tarique Rahman will have to carry the legacy of his parents,” Mia said. “If he doesn’t, people will turn away. The BNP’s politics is people’s politics – it began with Ziaur Rahman and was carried by Khaleda Zia for so long. I believe Tarique Rahman will do the same. Otherwise, it is the people who will reject him.”

Gordon Ramsay added even more fuel to the ongoing feud with Adam Ramsay Peaty’s family after humiliating them in his wedding speech, which was reportedly caught on camera for his Netflix show

Gordon Ramsay’s six-word put-down towards Adam Ramsay Peaty’s family has reportedly been filmed for his Netflix show. The TV chef used his proud moment as the father of the bride to deliver a six-word put-down during his wedding speech.

Holly Peaty Ramsay and her now husband, Adam Peaty, tied the knot in a lavish ceremony over the Christmas holiday, surrounded by A-list friends and family at Bath Abbey. But due to a bitter clash over wedding arrangements, neither of Adam’s parents attended the wedding.

And now the feud is likely to take on a new dimension as Gordon’s caustic put-down was caught on camera, filming for his upcoming Netflix reality TV show. Gordon’s camera crew were present at the wedding reception when his comments were made.

The first comment, which was perceived as a jab at Adam’s mum, Caroline, was that Tana “will be a good mum to them both”, leading many to believe that he was hinting at Caroline not being the same. And the second jibe came when he said Adam was a “lucky man” in reference to his daughter, Holly.

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He then turned to Holly and added: “Shame you don’t have the same.” According to reports, Caroline was left “outraged and hurt” in hearing about his harsh quip. A source told The Sun: “The cameras were there and part of the day was filmed. It’ll be very obvious which family members aren’t there.”

They added: “I would imagine that the family feud will come up at some point – it would be weird to just ignore it.” Meanwhile, an insider of Adam’s family told the Daily Mail: “Caroline can’t believe Gordon brought their family troubles up in his speech.”

They continued: “It is outrageous and very hurtful. By him saying Tana will be a good mum to them both makes Caroline sound like a bad mum. It was a cruel dig at her.” It was reported that Adam’s family have contacted Netflix in order to be removed from the chef’s docuseries, which is likely to follow in the footsteps of his close pals David and Victoria Beckham.

The family of the Olympic swimmer has reportedly contacted the streaming platform to claim that they had not given consent to being filmed at the engagement party last year. However, the Mirror understands that throughout the night, there were visible signs stating that the party would be filmed. A source close to the Ramsays told us that everybody in attendance had a “jolly time” and that by attending, “you were giving your consent” to appear in his docu-series.

Our source went on to add that the Peaty family were not formally interviewed, so there was no additional consent required, and they are not in the final edits of the programme. The source went on to tell us that there are “no delays to the production”.

A source said: “Caroline has written to Netflix to say the family were not asked for their consent to be filmed for Gordon’s documentary at last year’s engagement do. She was very clear that, after everything that’s happened, they do not want to be featured.”

The insider added: “She was filmed giving a speech, as were the family, during arrivals and while mingling at the party.” Adam banned his mum from the wedding ceremony following a fallout after Caroline was not invited to Holly’s glamorous hen party last month, which included fashion designer Victoria Beckham. It’s claimed that Holly also called the police after Adam’s brother James allegedly made threats over text message while on his stag do in Budapest. James was later arrested at his home in Staffordshire on suspicion of harassment but was placed on bail.

Caroline has spoken in the past about her heartbreak over being estranged from her son. And now, on New Year’s Eve, she has taken to social media once again to speak about her pain. One sketch was of a Robin and a ladybird sitting together on a twig with a comment that read: “Just a little reminder that you don’t have to make resolutions, or huge decisions, or big proclamations. You can just set some sweet intentions and take each day as it comes.”

The second quote read: “I won’t end this year pretending everything was fine. I lost a piece of myself this year that I will never get back, and I’m not forcing a smile like it didn’t change me.” She added: “So no… I won’t be saying ‘2026 is going to be my year’. I’ll be praying that I recover next year, that my heart never has to break like this again, that I never have to survive something like this again. I’ll be praying for peace… real peace, the kind that lets me breathe without fighting for it. I deserve a year that doesn’t hurt.”

The Mirror has reached out to Gordon’s representative for a comment.

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WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice has expanded its review of documents related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to 5.2 million as it also increases the number of attorneys trying to comply with a law mandating release of the files, according to a person briefed on a letter sent to U.S. attorneys.

The figure is the latest estimate in the expanding review of case files on Epstein and his longtime girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell that has run more than a week past a deadline set in law by Congress.

The Justice Department has more than 400 attorneys working on the review, but does not expect to release more documents until Jan. 20 or 21, according to the person briefed on the letter who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it.

The White House did not dispute the figures laid out in the email, and pointed to a statement from Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general who said the administration’s review was an “all-hands-on-deck approach.”

Blanche said Wednesday that lawyers from the Justice Department in Washington, the FBI, the Southern District of Florida and the Southern District of New York are working “around the clock” to review the files. The additional documents and lawyers related to the case were first reported by the New York Times.

“We’re asking as many lawyers as possible to commit their time to review the documents that remain,” Blanche said. “Required redactions to protect victims take time but they will not stop these materials from being released.”

Still, Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi is facing pressure from Congress after the Justice Department’s rollout of information has lagged behind the Dec. 19 deadline to release the information.

“Should Attorney General Pam Bondi be impeached?” Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who helped lead the effort to pass the law mandating the document release, asked on social media this week.

Democrats also are reviewing their legal options as they continue to seize on an issue that has caused cracks in the Republican Party and at times flummoxed President Trump’s administration.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on social media that the latest figures from the Department of Justice “shows Bondi, Blanche, and others at the DOJ have been lying to the American people about the Epstein files since day one” and pointed out that the documents released so far represent a fraction of the total.

Groves and Kim write for the Associated Press.

Dec. 31 (UPI) — Two African countries have announced travel bans against U.S. citizens in retaliation for President Donald Trump‘s travel bans against their own people.

The governments of Mali and Burkina Faso said on Tuesday that they were acting “in accordance with the principle of reciprocity.” They said Americans wanting to travel to their countries would see the same impositions that their citizens face in the United States. Niger’s state news agency announced a travel ban on Americans last week, though no official statement was released.

On Dec. 14, Trump announced travel bans on Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria. He also created new restrictions on people seeking entry from Laos and Sierra Leone, as well as those with travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. There are now 19 countries on the list.

Mali’s foreign ministry said in a statement that it “regrets that such an important decision was taken without any prior consultation and in substance deplores the security grounds put forward, which contradict the actual developments on the ground, in an attempt to justify a decision whose motivation lies elsewhere.”

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso are led by military juntas after recent coups, The New York Times said. Their leaders had all mostly cut ties with the United States and developed closer relations with Russia, China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

A United Nations report published on Dec. 18 said that the Sahel region — Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali — now accounts for more than half of the world’s terrorism-related deaths.

Laos and Sierra Leone were moved from partial travel restrictions to full bans. The administration put partial restrictions on 15 other countries.

The State Department ban does not affect lawful permanent residents, many existing visa holders, diplomats or athletes traveling for major sports events.

Taiwan’s Lai pledges to defend national sovereignty after Beijing holds live-fire drills around island.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to achieve the “reunification” of China and Taiwan, calling Beijing’s long-held goal “unstoppable.”

In a New Year’s address delivered a day after China’s military wrapped up war games around Taiwan, Xi on Wednesday invoked the “bond of blood and kinship” between Chinese people on each side of the Taiwan Strait.

“The reunification of our motherland, a trend of the times, is unstoppable,” Xi said.

Xi also hailed the institution in 2025 of an annual “Taiwan Recovery Day”, marking the end of imperial Japan’s rule of the island at the end of World War II.

Xi’s speech came on the heels of two days of live-fire drills simulating a blockade of the island, in what officials called a “stern warning” against “separatist” and “external interference” forces.

The drills were the largest ever held around Taiwan in terms of geographical area.

The war games, codenamed “Justice Mission 2025”, came just days after the United States approved its largest-ever arms package to Taiwan, valued at $11.1bn.

China views self-governing Taiwan as part of its territory and has long pledged to bring the island under its control, using force if necessary.

Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party maintains that the island is a de facto independent country, though it has not formally declared independence.

In his New Year’s Day address on Thursday, Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te pledged to “firmly” uphold national sovereignty and boost the island’s defences.

“In the face of China’s escalating expansionist ambitions, the international community is closely watching whether the people of Taiwan have the determination to defend themselves,” Lai said.

While Taiwan elects its leaders and has its own military, passport and currency, the island is officially recognised by just 11 countries and Vatican City.

China insists that countries do not officially recognise Taipei in order to maintain diplomatic ties with Beijing.

Although the US does not officially recognise Taiwan, Washington is committed to helping the island to defend itself under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.

While Washington is Taipei’s principal supplier of arms, the law does not stipulate any obligation to directly intervene militarily in the event of a Chinese blockade or invasion.

Opinion polls suggest a large majority of Taiwanese favour the status quo, with much smaller proportions supporting imminent moves towards formal independence or unification.

In his speech on Wednesday, Xi also hailed China’s innovation in industries including artificial intelligence and space.

“We sought to energise high-quality development through innovation. We integrated science and technology deeply with industries, and made a stream of new innovations,” he said.

“Many large AI models have been competing in a race to the top, and breakthroughs have been achieved in the research and development of our own chips. All this has turned China into one of the economies with the fastest-growing innovation capabilities.”

Wizz Air’s new flight opens up a whole new city break destination for Brits, and not only is it less expensive than spots such as Poland, it’s full of history, walkable, and has plenty to do

Budget airline Wizz Air recently announced six new routes from its London Luton Airport base, and one city in particular is an up-and-coming destination for Brits in 2026 thanks to its rich history and inexpensive pints.

From June 12, 2026, Brits will be able to fly from Luton to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. In addition to connecting the two cities, the new route represents the first direct flights from the UK to Armenia, adding a potential new city break to many people’s lists. Flights on Wizz Air will take just over five hours, and start at just £51.99 one way.

While technically Armenia is in West Asia, it’s often considered to be part of Eastern Europe due to its culture and history. Yerevan is already a popular city break destination among Europeans, but it is rarely visited by Brits, with only 11,000 people from the UK visiting in 2025. However, the new route may see the numbers rise in 2026.

For history fans, Yerevan is a must-visit, as it’s one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. Its rich history is encapsulated in the many different types of architecture from across the eras, including a mix of newer Soviet and contemporary designs.

Etchmiadzin Cathedral is considered the oldest cathedral in the world, with the original church dating back to the early fourth century. It was built over a Pagan temple, as the country adopted Christianity as the state religion. Over the years has been rebuilt and reconstructed, with a range of different art and architecture styles.

The Kond District is the city’s oldest quarter, with narrow streets, stone houses, and even areas with unpaved roads. Large areas were destroyed during the Soviet era, with residents moved into modern apartment blocks, although there are attempts to reconstruct this historic area.

Yerevan is often called the Pink City, as many of the buildings have a light pink hue, which you’ll notice more in certain lights. This is because many of its older buildings were built in a local volcanic stone that has a pink tint to it. To really appreciate these buildings, head to Republic Square. It’s also home to the popular dancing fountains, which light up and play music in the evenings.

With prices going up in many European cities, Yerevan remains an inexpensive city break. According to Numbeo, which compares costs between cities, Yerevan is about 20% cheaper than Warsaw, with meals out and alcohol tending to be much cheaper than Poland. Pints in local pubs cost between £1.50 and £2, especially for Armenian beers, while a mid-range bottle of wine is about £7.

There are some great hotel deals to be found. The five-star Grand Hotel Yerevan, which has a central location near to tourist spots and a seasonal outdoor pool, has rooms from just £101 per night. Or if you’re looking for somewhere more budget-friendly, try the centrally located Erebuni Hotel Yerevan. Clean and modern, it has basic rooms for £47 a night including breakfast, and it’s set on a side street just off Republic Square.

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The city has lots of traditional Armenian restaurants serving hearty local cuisine. Try flatbreads like lavash, or dolma, which are stuffed vine leaves. If you like barbecue, look out for restaurants offering khorovats, which is meat grilled on a skewer, usually pork, beef, or lamb.

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

WEDDING row couple Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay gifted 200 guests a £190-a-pop engraved bottle of tequila and commemorative t-shirt.

The generous duo spent around £40,000 on the presents to thank invitees for their “love and support”.

They felt indebted to those who attended their nuptials for sustaining them amid the bitter feud which led to most of the Olympian’s family being banned.

The Sun can also reveal the touching service details at Bath Abbey, where they tied the knot on December 27.

Hymns included Come Down O Love Divine and one of the readings was Psalm 127, which tells of the blessings of children – a hint that the couple are keen to start their own family.

‘Incredibly generous’

A source told The Sun: “Holly and Adam were incredibly generous to their guests, lavishing them all with a bottle of tequila embossed their own initials.

WEDDY TO RUMBLE

Adam Peaty & Holly’s wedding war with his family to feature in Netflix show

made waves

How Adam Peaty ‘stuck dagger in the heart of ex-friend’ amid bitter fallout

“And guests were also presented with a cute t-shirt, showing the couple driving in a car and waving in glee as they start their life journey together.

“The t-shirt had the date of the wedding on it and was a wonderful memento for everyone.

“The bride and groom really pushed the boat out. No matter the turbulence behind the scenes they wanted the wedding to be perfect. And it was.”

The Sun told how proud father of the bride Gordon Ramsay told guests he’d spent £50,000 on flowers for their big day.

And we revealed how the TV chef waded into the family feud in a fiery speech – insisting his wife would now be Mum to both newlyweds.

Gordon stunned guests when he addressed the furore head on, and slated his son-in-law’s parents.

He said his missus Tana is an “amazing Mum” – adding he can’t say the same about Adam’s parents.

But he said of the happy couple: “Tana will be a good mum to them both.”

In an emotional speech to 200 guests at the celebrity couple’s wedding feast, Gordon had another sly dig at Adam’s estranged folks.

Gordon gushed how “beautiful” his daughter and wife Tana looked – pointing out to Adam he was a “lucky man”.

He addressed his son-in-law: “Look at Tana and that’s what you have to look forward to.”

Then the chef turned to bride Holly and added: “Shame you don’t have the same.”

He lovingly mocked his daughter’s expensive tastes – calling her easily the “most expensive” of his four kids.

Gord had the crowd in hysterics as he revealed how at a young age Holly worked out how to attach his credit card to her Apple pay.

Holly has always wanted to do Vogue, so this is a coup for her.

Source

And the guests roared as he joked how his three other children will have to get married in a registry office due to the extortionate cost of the wedding flowers alone.

Gordon teased his daughter about their Bath Abbey wedding ceremony, laughing at how, “only Holly could pick the most beautiful church and choose to cover its stunning windows in white roses”.

The Sun revealed how stunning Holly – who wore a bridal cape over her wedding dress as she arrived and left the ceremony at Bath Abbey – will be showing the dress off in Vogue magazine, published on New Year’s Day.

A source added: “Holly has always wanted to do Vogue, so this is a coup for her.”

In his own speech at the glittering reception, thrilled groom Adam subtly acknowledged the pain caused by the bitter bust-up with his own family.

He poignantly turned to Mel Marshall, 43, his ex-swimming coach who has acted as his surrogate parent during his dazzling career.

Tearful Adam gushed how Mel has been “everything” to him – “grounding” him and “inspiring” him in recent years. And after an emotional pause the sportsman added she was, “like a Mum”.

Tellingly Adam thanked everyone for their “support”, adding how it has been a “difficult time”.

The bride had guests dabbing their eyes in emotion after wearing two outfits at their extravagant reception at plush Kin House in Kington Langley, Wilts.

One was her mother’s wedding gown when Tana tied the knot with Gordon in 1996.

A DJ announced the special tribute, sparking a spontaneous round of applause from thrilled onlookers.

Among the guests were David and Victoria Beckham – close pals of the Ramsays – and the A-lister couple danced the night away with all the other guests.

Mobile phones were banned throughout, with guests forced to put them in pouches.

Everyone invited to the nuptials was forced to wear a wristband, embossed with the bride and groom’s initials, to ensure security staff knew they were not interlopers.

I hope you never suffer the depth of pain you have put your mother through and despite it all she loves you still.

Adam’s aunt Louise

And a wedding gift list included a £1,450 green egg outdoor cooker.

The couple also invited guests to buy them a £995 mahogany table, £800 chair and footstool, and £450 log storage bin.

Adam, who turned 31 yesterday, and Holly, 25, banned his loved ones, including his mum Caroline, dad Mark and brothers James and Richard.

The family were left even more distraught amid claims Mark was told by the swimmer’s sister Beth before Christmas he could attend, but had to sit at the back of the church.

Beth was the only member of his family in attendance. She was a maid of honour alongside Holly’s sisters.

Adam had disinvited his great-aunt Janet and her husband Eddie just days before the wedding.

‘Her soul screams’

Adam’s aunt Louise, who was also not invited to the wedding, sent him a message moments before he walked into the abbey with his five-year-old son George, from a previous relationship.

She wrote: “I hope you never suffer the depth of pain you have put your mother through and despite it all she loves you still. Shame on you both. Shame.

“Remember on this, your happiest day, and on each anniversary of your happiest day, that you hurt your mum so deeply her soul screams.”

But a source close to the Ramsays revealed to The Sun that Adam has blocked all of his estranged family – so didn’t receive or read the message.

His family were further enraged when he publicly changed his social media profiles after the ceremony to add ‘Ramsay’ to his surname.

Adam’s mum had intended to watch the wedding from the street, despite being disinvited, but decided against it.

Their feud exploded after she was not invited to Holly’s hen do.

It then escalated when Adam later called cops after his brother James allegedly made threats via text while was on the groom’s stag do.

Sereen Banna said the partners of Downtown LA Law Group called her “Erin Brockovich” for her work helping hundreds sue over noxious fumes spewing out of a landfill in northern Los Angeles County.

An ambitious paralegal, Banna said she embraced the role she had in empowering residents to take on companies suspected of polluting their neighborhoods.

Her bosses were proud, too, she said. Banna, 28, recalled them saying she would make them all billionaires someday.

But in early 2024, Banna said, she discovered a troubling trend in some of the firm’s most lucrative cases: Clients who claimed they were paid before joining lawsuits.

On Dec. 16, Banna sued Downtown LA Law Group, also known as DTLA, stating the firm failed to address her complaints about “illegal solicitation, as well as deceptive and unethical practices aimed at persuading individuals to become clients through misrepresentations.”

She accused the firm, which she left in the fall of 2024, of amassing plaintiffs through “practices that appeared designed to exploit vulnerable individuals.”

DTLA called the allegations “baseless,” saying they came from a disgruntled former employee.

“Any allegations of fraud, paid referrals, or unethical practices by DTLA Law Group are not only unsubstantiated, but false,” the firm said in a statement. “We intend to fight this in the court of law, where the facts will show that we operate with unwavering integrity, prioritizing client welfare.”

Banna’s lawsuit caps a tumultuous year for DTLA. A partnership between three childhood friends, DTLA has grown from a small firm focused on car crash victims into a civil litigation powerhouse, filing thousands of cases related to the January wildfires and sexual abuse in government facilities. The firm filed nearly a quarter of the cases in the $4-billion sex abuse settlement approved last spring by Los Angeles County — the largest of its kind in U.S. history.

But the meteoric rise has drawn scrutiny.

The Times reported in the fall that nine of the firm’s clients who sued over sex abuse in L.A. County facilities said recruiters paid them to file a lawsuit, including four who said they were told to fabricate claims. The L.A. County district attorney’s office is now conducting a probe into the allegations.

With the investigation pending, questions have lingered about how DTLA managed to amass so many plaintiffs so quickly. The Times spoke to more than 40 of the firm’s clients and 10 former employees, many of whom described aggressive tactics to bring in new clients and reap profits stretching back years.

More than a dozen people represented by DTLA in personal injury cases said they were recruited at a crisis point in their lives with promises of massive payouts and pressured into expensive surgeries that attorneys said would make their case more valuable. The more medical procedures, they were told, the more damages attorneys could claim.

At the end, some clients say, they were left with a fraction of what they were promised.

DTLA said in a statement it exists “to support clients through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.”

“That includes helping them avoid unnecessary financial stress while their cases are pending,” the firm said. “Medical care decisions are made solely by clients and their physicians.”

Sereen Banna, a former DTLA paralegal, sued the firm on Dec. 16, alleging it did not listen to her complaints of unethical solicitation. The firm has denied wrongdoing.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Banna said in her lawsuit she “repeatedly complained” about how clients were being solicited.

She said in an interview she reported the first paid landfill client she was aware of — a woman who received a $20 gift card — to her bosses in early 2024. In her lawsuit, she alleged “such conduct constitutes unlawful and unethical behavior for attorneys.”

She said her boss told her the alleged payments would be investigated.

“At that point, I was reminded it was above my pay grade,” she said.

‘A really big part of the recruitment process’

Banna said she resigned from DTLA in October 2024, around the time the firm began pursuing a new cohort of clients: human trafficking victims who’d been abused in hotels.

Banna said one of her colleagues, an intake coordinator, told her a man named Kevin Johnson had paid one sex worker $20 to come into the office.

Over the last two years, five ex-workers told The Times, Johnson became an increasingly common sight at the firm as he started shepherding in clients he’d found to sue over sex abuse in the juvenile halls and the Eaton fire. Like most former employees, the ex-workers requested anonymity, fearing professional retaliation.

Johnson, a 54-year-old entertainer who hosts gospel brunches and soul nights in Inglewood according to his social media, did not respond to messages or a letter left at his home. The firm is currently representing him in a lawsuit over a Mid-City car crash.

California law bans a practice known as capping, in which non-attorneys solicit clients to join litigation with a firm. DTLA has denied working with cappers and Johnson did not respond to questions about his recruitment for the firm.

Former employees said Johnson was responsible for bringing in a large number of clients.

“He is a really big part of the recruitment process for Downtown LA,” said Banna, who described how she was called to do intake with sex abuse clients after Johnson brought them into the offices of one of the partners.

Johnson wasn’t a DTLA employee, yet workers say he was a familiar face around the office.

He was close with the partners and chummy with employees, handing out lucky $2 bills to workers last holiday season, three former employees said. Two said that at one point he had his own swipe card, so he could come and go freely.

A digital trail connects Johnson to DTLA’s client list.

The Times found more than a dozen friends of Johnson’s on Facebook who appeared to have a sex abuse lawsuit filed with the county. To do this, The Times cross-referenced a list of county sex abuse plaintiffs represented by DTLA with Johnson’s Facebook friends to see how many shared identifying details.

Larisa Ellis, whom Johnson describes on Facebook as his wife, paid someone who later had a DTLA sex abuse lawsuit $50 at a social services office in November 2024 with the payment caption “Thanks for using our referral service,” according to a Cash app transaction. Ellis did not respond to a message and a letter left at their home.

“DTLA does not pay clients to retain our services or for referrals,” the firm said in a statement.

Austin Beagle and Nevada Barker, former clients of DLTA, said they were paid to sue over alleged sexual abuse in L.A. County by a man named Kevin, whose last name they didn’t know. Beagle and Barker later had their lawsuit dismissed.

(Joe Garcia / For The Times)

Nevada Barker and Austin Beagle, two former DTLA clients, previously told The Times a man named Kevin, whose last name they didn’t know, paid them $100 each in DTLA’s office after they made false claims of sex abuse. Barker identified Johnson through pictures as the man who paid her.

The couple said they were under the impression they were being compensated to be actors in a movie. The firm later asked the court to dismiss their lawsuits.

“He said he worked for a referral service and the lawsuit needed enough participants to go through,” said Beagle. “He didn’t work for the law office.”

‘Tell her I got $ for her’

Several clients told The Times they were offered money by DTLA partner Farid Yaghoubtil if they could find people to sign up for lawsuits with the firm.

“He called it an advancement, ” said LaShelle Allison, 53, a former client who said she referred several car accident victims for Yaghoubtil. “Here’s $250,’ ‘Here’s $650,’ ‘Here’s $500 for rent.”

California is one of the few states where lawyers are allowed to loan clients money.

The State Bar has a general rule that lawyers are not supposed to pay “personal or business expenses.” The bar makes exceptions that include if the client promises in writing to repay the loan, for providing funds to promote “the interests of an indigent person,” and for “advancing costs” to protect a client, with repayment contingent on the outcome of the matter.

DTLA said in a statement that it offers small loans to clients “in limited situations.”

“The firm has offered small, interest-free micro-advances to help with short-term needs like temporary housing or basic expenses, specifically so clients do not feel compelled to turn to third-party lenders,” the firm said. “These advances are entirely voluntary, never tied to medical or legal decisions, and are only recovered if a case is successfully resolved.”

Akeem Smith, 40, had DTLA sue on his behalf at least four times, twice for car crashes, once after he was punched at a night club and again over a shopping cart mishap at Rite Aid.

Smith referred 10 potential clients to Yaghoubtil, nearly all car crash victims, according to text messages between the two men. In return, Smith said, he was told he’d be compensated, though he said he was disappointed to find he was never paid for the clients he referred.

Instead, Smith said he received monthly advances of about $2,000 based on potential settlements the firm was expecting in his cases.

Smith said he would encourage clients to sign up for cases with DTLA but did not pay them. He told some about money Yaghoubtil was offering.

“Tell her I got $ for her,” Yaghoubtil texted Aug. 9, 2022, regarding a woman who Smith said had been in an accident and was considering not moving forward with the firm. “Get her back for me.”

Akeem Smith stands in front of the old DTLA office in East Hollywood.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

After The Times reached out to DTLA seeking comment on the allegations made by Smith, Yaghoubtil texted Smith asking him to notify the reporter that “everything you told her was a lie” and to remind The Times that he was still a client of the firm, according to a message Smith shared.

The next day, after telling The Times he planned to go into DTLA’s office, Smith falsely accused the reporter via text of harassment and failing to disclose they were a journalist.

In August, Smith made an ill-fated attempt to sue the firm, representing himself in a lawsuit accusing them of keeping too much of his settlement money. He asked for the case to be dismissed a month later.

Smith said he became dependent on the firm for income and, sometimes, shelter. In the summer of 2022, Smith moved into a downtown building where he paid rent to Yaghoubtil’s uncle, according to text messages between the two men. The handwritten lease, rife with misspellings, said he could stay there until he “seatel his case whit Dawntow Law Group.”

Smith said he made monthly trips to pick up checks from DTLA, which was providing him money for his rent, bills, food and car repairs, according to loan statements and text messages between the two men.

Smith said he flitted in and out of homelessness during that time — his first time ever without stable housing.

“When I met you I had my own everything,” Smith texted Yaghoubtil July 18, 2022 “Now I don’t even have clothes.”

Listed in Smith’s phone as “Farid Ferrari,” Yaghoubtil replied, “What happened to the money you got?”

Landlords, landfills and ‘incentives in exchange for signatures’

Downtown LA Law Group, founded in 2016, is run by three longtime friends.

Yaghoubtil, 42, is cousins with founding partner Daniel Azizi, 43. They met Salar Hendizadeh, 44, in elementary school, according to an interview they did with a commercial real estate company.

All attended Beverly Hills High School together, yearbooks show.

Hendizadeh left the firm in October, according to a letter sent to staff this month. The note did not explain why but said Hendizadeh “cannot be conducting any firm related business.” He did not respond to an inquiry from The Times.

Many clients who spoke to The Times said that among the partners, Yaghoubtil in particular vied hard to get their business.

In January 2019, William Brighton, who was in the VA hospital recovering from a car accident, asked a judge for a restraining order against Yaghoubtil, accusing him of making “numerous visits at the hospital to coerce (and bribe) me to retain them as counsel.”

He said Yaghoubtil offered him $1,000 to switch from his current law firm, according to the request for a restraining order. Brighton later asked a judge to dismiss the case.

DTLA did not address questions about the restraining order request.

The firm expanded quickly, outgrowing four different offices before landing this year in a 52,000-square-foot headquarters in the Arts District. They moved beyond their bread-and-butter fare of personal injury, adding departments for mass torts — cases that involves thousands of people suing over the same thing — and housing law.

An empty plot of land where the DTLA partners used to own an apartment building across the street from their East Hollywood office. Multiple tenants sued the partners for living conditions and the building is now demolished.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

The trio moonlighted as landlords themselves, owning an apartment building across the street from their East Hollywood office. They were sued by several units in 2023 and 2024 over living conditions, including allegations of infestations of rats, vermin and cockroaches that tenants said made their lives “a living hell.” One of the cases settled for $2 million, according to court records.

The partners were charged in October 2024 with a misdemeanor for failing to maintain the building. The case was dismissed and the building is now demolished.

Around 2024, their mass torts business began booming, starting with the landfill lawsuits, in which the firm accused the operators of recklessly allowing nauseating odors.

Heather Stone said she saw representatives of DTLA looking for people for landfill cases outside a Santa Clarita Walmart in 2024, one of two residents who told The Times they saw representatives at the store who appeared to be recruiting clients.

Castaic’s Chiquita Canyon Landfill, which residents say emits noxious odors, is the subject of a flood of lawsuits brought by DTLA.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Banna said in an interview that she later learned some clients for the landfill cases had been receiving gift cards to sign petitions at box stores in the area and those names later appeared on signed retainers even though clients were adamant they never signed up for a lawsuit. She accused the firm in her lawsuit of “providing gift cards, money gifts, and similar incentives in exchange for signatures.”

The firm said in a statement it would be impossible for someone to believe they were signing a petition when they were signing up for a lawsuit due to the large number of documents required to come on board.

“If someone made that claim, we would certainly discontinue our services at their request,” the firm said.

A former DTLA case manager, who asked to remain anonymous, fearing professional repercussions, said the alleged recruitment effort became clear to him after he was assigned to call people from a list he’d been provided of new Chiquita Canyon clients and found several who believed they had signed up for a petition, not a case.

“A lot of these people were completely unaware of what they were signing up for,” the former case manager said.

Surgeries and promises of ‘lottery money’

Three former case managers, who worked as liaisons between clients and attorneys, described the same modus operandi at DTLA: Sign up personal injury clients, then get them to agree to surgeries.

The more surgeries, they were told, the more profit, as it would make the case more valuable by allowing lawyers to claim higher medical damages.

The case managers said partners pushed surgeries and would give bonuses when clients went under the knife. Doctors — who stood to benefit by being able to bill for the procedures — would have gifts dropped off at the office, the ex-employees said.

The firm said any allegations of unethical practices were the result of “disgruntled former employees … who have ulterior self-serving motives.”

The case managers reported getting $500 checks from the firm when they got a client to agree to a surgery — often with the word “bonus” in the memo. The Times viewed one of these “bonus” checks, which the former employee said was for a client’s skin graft.

If they didn’t convince their clients to get surgeries, the former case managers said they feared losing their job. Yaghoubtil would ask case managers to send him a list of their surgeries at the end of the month, according to messages viewed by The Times.

“Our sx numbers for the month of May were very low,” said Yaghoubtil in a June 3 Teams message to 64 staff members, using an abbreviation for surgery. “Many were unable to produce even a single procedure… this is not acceptable.”

“How can you go an entire month and not have at least one of your cases worked up?” he continued. “It does not go un-noticed and will be letting go of those who are not trying hard enough.”

The firm said in a statement that it doesn’t interfere with a client’s medical care decisions.

“DTLA’s role is to advocate, inform, and support with transparency, compassion, and respect at every stage of the process,” the firm said.

DTLA recently moved into a new office at the former Lucky Brand headquarters in the Arts District of Los Angeles.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Jacqueline McClelland, 60, said she was assured “lottery money” by a DTLA attorney in July 2018 after she slipped in a puddle of oil in a Willowbrook shopping plaza.

The insurer for the plaza called her up and offered her $1 million if she didn’t lawyer up, she said. But she said her DTLA attorney promised they could get her far more — as long as she went to all the doctors they recommended. She turned the insurer down.

Her case settled for $350,000.

It was not even close to enough to pay for the half-million in fees she said she’d racked up, primarily from going to doctors. She said she is still in excruciating back pain from her surgery.

DTLA took 46% of the settlement and sent the rest of the money to a judge to decide how to divvy between her and the 31 doctors, clinics and loan companies she owes, according to a court record filed on behalf of DTLA to determine the distribution. A volunteer at a Watts high school, McClelland has spent a year lawyerless in court fighting for any bit of it she can get.

“Is someone helping you?” asked Judge Gary Tanaka at a Dec. 17 hearing in his Torrance courtroom where she had been appearing with such regularity that the clerk knows her by first name.

“No one. Sorry, your honor, no one has helped me at all,” said McClelland, standing in a court proceeding she said repeatedly she did not understand. “Downtown LA Law just gave me to the wolves.”

“I would agree with that,” said Scott Meehan, an attorney representing one of the doctors fighting her for her settlement money.

DTLA said it could not comment on privileged conversations with McClelland. The firm said in a statement that all medical providers had legitimate liens that entitled them to money from the client’s settlement, including McClelland’s.

Jacqueline McClelland, a former client of DTLA, stands outside Los Angeles Superior Court in Torrance on Dec. 17 ahead of her court hearing.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

The Times found court records for more than 60 DTLA clients who had costs, typically medical bills, that ended up being more than their settlement. In those cases, DTLA couldn’t convince the doctors to reduce fees, and the attorney would hand the remaining money over to let the court decide how to divvy it up among everyone who needed to be paid.

But the lawyers get their cut — in some cases, more than three-quarters of the settlement, according to lawsuits filed on the firm’s behalf to determine who gets the remaining money.

“Our clients only pay for legal fees and costs if they win a lawsuit or get a settlement,” DTLA said in a statement.

After he was beaten by a Santa Monica security guard, David Villatoro, a 33-year-old construction worker, said a DTLA attorney told him he could get half a million easy, probably double that. But only if he went to a litany of doctors’ appointments, including a neck surgery.

It would mean losing his construction job and going on disability. But he claims his attorney said the surgery would make the case more valuable.

“That’s where the big bucks come in,” he recalled the attorney saying.

The big bucks never came.

Instead, months after the case settled, Villatoro got an email telling him not to contact the firm anymore about his case. Attorneys had taken 58% of his settlement money — about $72,000 — and he would have to go to court to fight for a cut of what was left along with the doctors.

He said he still can’t turn his head fully to the right.

“I’m just so confused,” he said. “I was so naive. It was my first time ever, ever, ever getting a lawyer.”

Laura Stephenson, a 57-year-old baker, was told by her DTLA attorney that her slip-and-fall in her Menifee cul-de-sac could net millions. But she would need to do a shoulder surgery.

She hesitated. It would mean too much time away from her bakery and she wasn’t sure she wanted to do it. The attorney convinced her by offering her a loan for $10,000, she said.

More than four years after the fall, she has received no money and can’t fully move her arm. The firm took 77% of her $175,000 settlement, according to a court filing to decide how to distribute the money. The rest went to the court to distribute, and she is still fighting to get a portion.

“I am living this nightmare,” said Stephenson, one of eight people The Times spoke with who said they filed a complaint with the State Bar.

The firm said all medical treatment was voluntary and ethics rules prevent sharing more information about discussions with clients.

“DTLA does not force anyone to receive medical treatment they do not want,” the firm said.

Uber, a common target of DTLA, sued the firm and one of the main surgeons used by clients, Greg Khounganian, last summer for racketeering, alleging the firm had “side agreements” with him to inflate medical bills for unnecessary procedures. Uber’s lawsuit alleged that many patients underwent an unnecessary spinal fusion that takes months to recover from in order to get a larger settlement.

In some cases, Uber alleged, Khounganian inflated the bills by as much as 640%. If the case didn’t settle for much, the lawsuit stated, Khounganian would agree to dramatically reduce their liens.

In an Instagram post, DTLA called the lawsuit a “calculated attempt by a billion-dollar corporation” to suppress legitimate claims. An attorney representing Khounganian said the doctor had a spotless professional record and had never faced any disciplinary action.

“He is assuredly a first-rate and widely respected orthopedic surgeon,” Stephen Larson, an attorney for Khounganian, said in a statement. “Uber’s meritless lawsuit, we believe, is part of its nationwide political and lawfare campaign to suppress liability for accidents caused by Uber’s drivers.”

Khounganian sought to have Uber’s case against him dismissed, with his attorneys calling it in one court filing “a lawsuit designed purely for tabloid effect with no meaningful effort at substance.”

One person, who saw another doctor for a heart valve condition that heightened the risk of complications, could no longer walk for more than 10 minutes after their surgery, Uber alleged in the lawsuit.

DTLA clients said the firm would often insist on sending them to specific L.A. doctors even if they lived in a different county, or, in some cases, a different state.

Christy Strickland, who had a case over a fall that occurred while working for the delivery app Instacart, said the firm insisted L.A. doctors were cheaper than those in Texas. So she said they flew her in from Houston and once gave her gas money to drive, putting her up in a hotel for two weeks to recuperate along with two of her children.

Those travel expenses would total more than $10,000 — including two $482 Uber rides, according to a breakdown. She said she was never told those travel costs would be coming out of her money.

“YOU AND YOUR DOCTOR advised me to get these surgeries and I have told you that I am still in pain even more since the surgery,” she emailed Yaghoubtil in July 2023. “Do you know how it feels to wake up in the morning and your back hurts so bad all you can do is just lay there until it subsides?”

In November, Yaghoubtil, speaking on a podcast episode called “Lawyering With Empathy,” emphasized his focus was never high-dollar verdicts. The well-being of clients, he said, always came before profit.

“We love a client,” he said. “If we have to, we’ll go down fighting with them.”

Times staff writer Christopher Buchanan contributed reporting.

SAN ANTONIO — For a nine-win team such as USC, once again on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff, the bowl season can feel a bit like purgatory. One foot in the past season, the other in the future, your team trapped somewhere in-between.

There were glimpses of each Tuesday night for USC in a brutal 30-27 overtime defeat to Texas Christian in the Alamo Bowl. There were equal reminders all night both of what could have been this season, had USC ever played at its best for long, and also flashes of why it never managed to be.

In one moment, there was freshman Tanook Hines, sprinting to catch a deep ball in stride, announcing himself as a rising star. In another, a TCU running back was busting his way through tackles on third-and-long, rumbling improbably into the end zone, deflating any such delusions of grandeur.

But after oscillating between those opposing poles, the final minutes against TCU took the Trojans on a tour of all their most glaring concerns from the 2025 season, from the leaky defense to the missed opportunities on offense.

Highlights from Texas Christian’s 30-27 overtime win over USC in the Alamo Bowl.

The Trojans saw a two-score lead evaporate in the final minutes of regulation. They got all the way to the five-yard line in overtime, only for the offense to stall and settle for a field goal. They even sacked TCU quarterback Ken Seals on second and 10, pushing the Horned Frogs out of field-goal range and forcing a third and 20.

All signs in that moment pointed toward the Trojans securing their 10th win, a feat they achieved only once over the past eight years. But then, against a three-man USC rush and with eight defenders in coverage, Seals checked down to running back Jeremy Payne in the flat.

“We did everything right defensively to put them in that position,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said.

Nothing, though, went right for USC after that. Payne broke through a tackle from cornerback Marcelles Williams. Two defenders, linebacker Jadyn Walker and safety Kennedy Urlacher, collided as they reached Payne next, missing him entirely. Then, he slipped through safety Christian Pierce’s hands and was suddenly sprinting free 35 yards for the win.

“Wasn’t a lot of time this year that we missed multiple tackles on a play,” Riley said. “It just happened in the worst time possible.”

That’s how most of the fourth quarter and overtime felt for USC, as TCU racked up 159 yards and 17 points over its final three drives.

Of course, there had been multiple chances before then for USC to put the game away, just like there were multiple chances for USC to make more of its 9-4 finish this season. The Trojans averaged nearly a full yard per play more than TCU. They racked up eight plays of 20 yards or more — a reminder of how explosive they could be.

In the red zone, though, the offense unraveled. Quarterback Jayden Maiava, who was inconsistent most of the night, threw a third-quarter interception in the end zone, just as USC looked primed to go on a roll.

Four other times, the Trojans stalled inside of TCU’s 25-yard line and settled for field goals as kicker Ryon Sayeri set the USC record for field goals in a season at 21.

“We just did not execute good enough in the red zone on either side of the ball,” Riley said. “If we did that, it’s probably a different feeling.”

Instead, the Trojans will have to carry this bitter taste into the offseason, with questions already looming about what comes next. Not the least of which being what direction USC will take its defense, after coordinator D’Anton Lynn departed for Penn State just before the game.

USC running back King Miller is stopped short by the Texas Christian defense in the first half during the Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night.

(Eric Gay / Associated Press)

Riley wouldn’t comment on why Lynn was replaced as playcaller the day of the bowl game. But when asked how he felt about the future of his defense, Riley projected a particularly sunny outlook.

“I feel fantastic,” he said. “But those who really study the game and watch how we’ve played and the way we’ve been able to improve, the arrow is just pointing straight up.”

Of all the questions raised Tuesday, how USC might replace its No. 1 wideout next season was not one of them. Hines had already done his part to earn that role, but declared it to the world anyway in a six-catch, 163-yard performance.

King Miller also continued to solidify his place in a tandem with Waymond Jordan in 2026, as he rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown, coming up just short of the 1,000-yard mark in a season he started as a walk-on.

USC coach Lincoln Riley, right, greets TCU coach Sonny Dykes after the Trojans’ overtime loss in the Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night.

(Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images)

But the silver linings largely stopped there, even if the circumstances made for an unusually uphill climb with USC’s roster. Over a dozen starters or would-be starters sat out. Three of the Trojans’ starting offensive linemen didn’t dress. Both of their top receivers and top tight end were in street clothes, having declared for the NFL draft. Twenty-five players listed in USC’s two-deep Tuesday were either freshmen or redshirt freshmen.

Without Lynn calling plays, which a source described as “a mutual agreement”, defensive line coach Eric Henderson stepped into the role.

It went quite smoothly at first. USC held TCU to two straight three-and-outs — and just 11 total yards in two drives — to open the game.

But on the ensuing possession, Maiava threw into heavy coverage and was intercepted, his first of two on the night. The momentum USC had built up early dissolved almost instantly.

The defense’s strong start faded into disarray. And while it came roaring back after halftime, forcing an interception and limiting TCU to just 35 yards in the third quarter, USC’s offense couldn’t fully capitalize. A one-handed touchdown pass to Jaden Richardson nearly did the trick, giving the Trojans a 21-14 lead that seemed primed to balloon from there.

But it never did. And in the final, stunned moments of its season, Riley was left offering the same assurances that USC will soon be out of purgatory.

“When you’ve been in those programs and been a part of those teams that have done those things, you feel what it’s like,” Riley said. “And this place is doing all the things that you need to do to put yourself in position to go bust that door down and do it.”

TCU players celebrate after beating USC in the Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night.

(Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images)

Dec. 31 (UPI) — A late-morning threat on Wednesday caused a temporary lockdown at Kansas City International Airport in Missouri that was lifted a little over an hour later.

Kansas City officials said the FBI and airport police were notified of a threat in a particular area within the airport, which was evacuated and searched, KCTV reported.

“Law Enforcement was able to determine no credible threat to the airport or those inside the terminal at this time. Once that determination was made, KCAD staff worked to resume normal operations and minimize disruptions,” city officials said in a statement.

Passengers were evacuated from the area of concern at 11 a.m. CST due to a “potential threat” in an unsecured area of the airport, according to WDAF TV.

They were let back in shortly before noon, and the airport was fully reopened by 12:30 p.m.

The nature of the threat was not announced, and the FBI is continuing to investigate the matter.

Despite the lockdown, the Federal Aviation Administration did not report any flight disruptions at the airport.

A separate threat also was investigated at the West Virginia International Yeager Airport in Charleston on Wednesday morning, WOWK reported.

The threat was “non-credible,” and the affected terminal was not evacuated, but a local bomb squad searched the area to ensure it was safe, local officials said.

The Kennedy Center is ending the year with a new round of artists saying they are canceling scheduled performances after President Donald Trump’s name was added to the facility, prompting the institution’s president to accuse the performers of making their decisions because of politics.

The Cookers, a jazz supergroup that has performed together for nearly two decades, announced their withdrawal from “A Jazz New Year’s Eve” on their website, saying the “decision has come together very quickly” and acknowledging frustration from those who may have planned to attend.

Doug Varone and Dancers, a dance group based in New York, said in an Instagram post late Monday they would pull out of a performance slated for April, saying they “can no longer permit ourselves nor ask our audiences to step inside this once great institution.”

Those moves come after musician Chuck Redd canceled a Christmas Eve performance last week. They also come amid declining sales for tickets to the venue, as well as news that viewership for the Dec. 23 broadcast of the Kennedy Center Honors — which Trump had predicted would soar — was down by about 35% compared to the 2024 show.

The announcements amount to a volatile calendar for one of the most prominent performing arts venues in the U.S. and cap a year of tension in which Trump ousted the Kennedy Center board and named himself the institution’s chairman. That led to an earlier round of artist pushback, with performer Issa Rae and the producers of “Hamilton” canceling scheduled engagements while musicians Ben Folds and Renee Fleming stepped down from advisory roles.

The Cookers didn’t mention the building’s renaming or the Trump administration but did say that, when they return to performing, they wanted to ensure that “the room is able to celebrate the full presence of the music and everyone in it,” reiterating a commitment “to playing music that reaches across divisions rather than deepening them.”

The group may not have addressed the Kennedy Center situation directly, but one of its members has. On Saturday, saxophone player Billy Harper said in comments posted on the Jazz Stage Facebook page that he “would never even consider performing in a venue bearing a name (and being controlled by the kind of board) that represents overt racism and deliberate destruction of African American music and culture. The same music I devoted my life to creating and advancing.”

According to the White House, Trump’s handpicked board approved the renaming. Harper said both the board “as well as the name displayed on the building itself represents a mentality and practices I always stood against. And still do, today more than ever.”

Richard Grenell, a Trump ally whom the president chose to head the Kennedy Center after he forced out the previous leadership, posted Monday night on X, “The artists who are now canceling shows were booked by the previous far left leadership,” intimating the bookings were made under the Biden administration.

In a statement Tuesday to The Associated Press, Grenell said the ”last minute cancellations prove that they were always unwilling to perform for everyone — even those they disagree with politically,” adding that the Kennedy Center had been “flooded with inquiries from real artists willing to perform for everyone and who reject political statements in their artistry.”

There was no immediate word from Kennedy Center officials about whether the entity would pursue legal action against the latest round of artists to cancel performances. Following Redd’s cancellation last week, Grenell said he would seek $1 million in damages for what he called a “political stunt.”

Not all artists are calling off their shows. Bluegrass banjoist Randy Barrett, scheduled to perform at the Kennedy Center next month, told the AP he was “deeply troubled by the politicization” of the venue and respected those who had canceled but feels that “our tribalized country needs more music and art, not less. It’s one of the few things that can bring us together.”

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and Congress passed a law the following year naming the center as a living memorial to him. Scholars have said any changes to the building’s name would need congressional approval; the law explicitly prohibits the board of trustees from making the center into a memorial to anyone else, and from putting another person’s name on the building’s exterior.

It’s been called an “epidemic” of loneliness and isolation. The “bowling alone” phenomenon.

By any name, it refers to Americans’ growing social disconnection by many measures.

Americans are less likely to join civic groups, unions and churches than in recent generations. They have fewer friends, are less trusting of each other and less likely to hang out in a local bar or coffee shop, recent polling indicates. Given all that, it’s not surprising that many feel lonely or isolated much of the time.

Such trends form the backdrop to this Associated Press report on small groups working to restore community connections.

They include a ministry pursuing “trauma-informed community development” in Pittsburgh; a cooperative helping small farmers and their communities in Kentucky; an “intentional” community of Baltimore neighbors; and organizations seeking to restore neighborhoods and neighborliness in Akron, Ohio.

Loneliness and its health risks

In 2023, then Surgeon General Vivek Murthy reported on an “ epidemic of loneliness and isolation,” similar to his predecessors’ advisories on smoking and obesity.

Isolation and loneliness aren’t identical — isolation is being socially disconnected, loneliness the distress of lacking human connection. One can be alone but not lonely, or lonely in a crowd.

But overall, isolation and loneliness are “risk factors for several major health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression, and premature mortality,” the report said.

Murthy says he’s encouraged by groups working toward social connection through local initiatives ranging from potluck dinners to service projects. His new Together Project, supported by the Knight Foundation, aims to support such efforts.

“What we have to do now is accelerate that movement,” he said.

The pandemic temporarily exacerbated social isolation. There’s been some rebound, but often not back to where it was before.

Scholars and activists have cited various potential causes — and effects — of disconnection. They range from worsening political polarization to destructive economic forces to rat-race schedules to pervasive social media.

Murthy said for many users, social media has become an endless scroll of performance, provocation and unattainably perfect body types.

“What began perhaps as an effort to build community has rapidly transformed into something that I worry is actually now actively contributing to loneliness,” he said.

Bowling alone, more than ever

Harvard’s Robert Putnam, 25 years ago, described the decline in civic engagement in a widely cited 2000 book “Bowling Alone.” It was so named because the decline even affected bowling leagues. The bowling wasn’t the point. It was people spending time together regularly, making friends, finding romantic partners, helping each other in times of need.

Memberships in many organizations — including service, veterans, scouting, fraternal, religious, parental and civic — have continued their long decline into the 21st century, according to a follow-up analysis in “The Upswing,” a 2020 book by Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett.

While some organizations have grown in recent years, the authors argue that member participation often tend to be looser — making a contribution, getting a newsletter — than the more intensive groups of the past, with their regular meetings and activities.

A reaction against institutions

Certainly, some forms of social bonds have earned their mistrust. People have been betrayed by organizations, families and religious groups, which can be harshest on their dissenters.

But disconnection has its own costs.

“There’s been such a drive for personal autonomy, but I think we’ve moved so far past wanting not to have any limits on what we can do, what we can believe, that we’ve become allergic to institutions,” said Daniel Cox, the director of the Survey Center on American Life and a senior fellow in polling and public opinion at the American Enterprise Institute.

“I’m hoping we’re beginning to recognize that unbounded personal autonomy does not make us happier and creates a wealth of social problems,” said Cox, co-author of the 2024 report “ Disconnected: The Growing Class Divide in American Civic Life.”

By the numbers

1. About 16% of adults, including around one-quarter of adults under 30, report feeling lonely or isolated all or most of the time, according to a 2024 survey by the Pew Research Center.

2. Just under half of Americans belonged to a religious congregation in 2023, a low point for Gallup, which has tracking this trend since 1937.

3. About 10% of workers are in a union, down from 20% four decades ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports.

4. Around half of Americans regularly spent time in a public space in their community in 2025, such as a coffee shop, bar, restaurant or park. That’s down from around two-thirds in 2019, according to “America’s Cultural Crossroads,” another study by the Survey Center on American Life.

5. About two in 10 U.S. adults have no close friends outside of family, according to the “Disconnected” report. In 1990, only 3% said that, according to Gallup. About one-quarter of adults have at least six close friends, down from nearly half in 1990.

6. About 4 in 10 Americans have at most one person they could depend on to lend them $200, offer a place to stay or help find a job, according to “Disconnected.”

7. About one-quarter of Americans say most people can be trusted — down from about half in 1972, according to the General Social Survey.

Exceptions and a stark class divide

Some argue that Putnam and others are using too limited a measurement — that people are finding new ways of connecting to replace the old ones, whether online or other newer forms of networking.

Still, many numbers depict an overall decline in connection.

This hits hardest on those who are already struggling — who could most use a friend, a job referral or a casserole at the door in hard times.

Those with lower educations, which generally translates to lower incomes, tend to report having fewer close friends, fewer civic gathering places in their communities and fewer people who could help out in a pinch, according to “Disconnected.”

Responses to the crisis

Across the country, small organizations and informal groups of people have worked to build community, whether through formal programs or less structured events like potluck dinners.

Murthy will continue to be visiting such local groups in his “Together Project,” supporting such efforts.

Another group, Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute, has a searchable database of volunteer opportunities and an online forum for connecting community builders, which it calls “weavers.” It aims to support and train them in community-building skills.

“Where people are trusting less, where people are getting to know each other less, where people are joining groups less, there are people still in every community who have decided that it’s up to them to bring people together,” said its executive director, Frederick J. Riley.

Smith writes for the Associated Press.

From Ryan Kartje: For a nine-win team such as USC, once again on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff, the bowl season can feel a bit like purgatory. One foot in the past season, the other in the future, your team trapped somewhere in-between.

There were glimpses of each Tuesday night for USC in a brutal 30-27 overtime defeat to Texas Christian in the Alamo Bowl. There were equal reminders all night both of what could have been this season, had USC ever played at its best for long, and also flashes of why it never managed to be.

In one moment, there was freshman Tanook Hines, sprinting to catch a deep ball in stride, announcing himself as a rising star. In another, a TCU running back was busting his way through tackles on third-and-long, rumbling improbably into the end zone, deflating any such delusions of grandeur.

But after oscillating between those opposing poles, the final minutes against TCU took the Trojans on a tour of all their most glaring concerns from the 2025 season, from the leaky defense to the missed opportunities on offense.

The Trojans saw a two-score lead evaporate in the final minutes of regulation. They got all the way to the five-yard line in overtime, only for the offense to stall and settle for a field goal. They even sacked TCU quarterback Ken Seals on second and 10, pushing the Horned Frogs out of field-goal range and forcing a third and 20.

All signs in that moment pointed toward the Trojans securing their 10th win, a feat they achieved only once over the past eight years. But then, against a three-man USC rush and with eight defenders in coverage, Seals checked down to running back Jeremy Payne in the flat.

“We did everything right defensively to put them in that position,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said.

Continue reading here

USC-TCU box score

Bowl schedule and results

MORE USC:

Meet the Hanson family, the secret to USC’s offensive line success

Lakers fall apart against Pistons

Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart scores during a 128-106 win over the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

From Broderick Turner: The Lakers are still searching for an identity after 31 games, a task complicated by injuries that have depleted their rotation for much of the season.

They’re lacking a defensive personality. They haven’t been a physical team, an overly athletic team or a fast team.

The Lakers got a close look at a team that embodies all of those characteristics in a 128-106 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

Coach JJ Redick acknowledged the Lakers are still trying to figure out who they are and how they can fix their issues after losing for the fourth time in five games.

“The players, staff, everybody, we’ve really tried to play the right way every night and have the right intent,” Redick said. “The flow of lineups and rotations and all that has been challenging for everybody, not just the coaches. It’s a challenge for the players. And building an identity is difficult.”

Continue reading here

Lakers-Pistons box score

NBA standings

Clippers win their fifth straight game

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard tries to drive past Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook during the Clippers’ 131-90 win Tuesday night at Intuit Dome.

(Luke Hales / Getty Images)

From the Associated Press: Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points and the Clippers extended their winning streak to a season-best five games Tuesday night with a 131-90 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

James Harden had 21 points while John Collins and rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser each added 16 for the Clippers, who have found a successful formula after not winning more than two consecutive games before their current run of success began.

Leonard’s productive night came after he scored a career-best 55 points in a victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. He has averaged 37.8 points over the past five games.

Continue reading here

Clippers-Kings box score

How Curt Cignetti Indiana into a Rose Bowl favorite

Indiana players say coach Curt Cignetti’s honesty and accountability have helped the team go from the Big Ten basement to No. 1 in the country.

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

From Anthony Solorzano: Curt Cignetti knows winning. No matter where he finds himself, whether it’s James Madison or with the Division II IUP Crimson Hawks, success follows him. Since getting the opportunity to lead a program, Cignetti has never had a losing season.

When Indiana hired him in November 2023, the Hoosiers were the program with the most all-time losses in college football history, and ended the season with a 3-9 record under Tom Allen.

It wasn’t a work in progress, the Hoosiers football program needed to be rebuilt.

On New Year’s Day, Indiana will face Alabama in the highly anticipated Rose Bowl matchup. The Crimson Tide have a rich postseason history and a tradition of championships, but the Hoosiers are the favorites to win.

Continue reading here

Anthony Rendon clears path to end his Angels tenure

Anthony Rendon’s tenure with the Angels could be drawing to a close with the third baseman agreeing to a restructured contract with the team.

(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)

From the Associated Press: Anthony Rendon has agreed to restructure the final year of his $245-million, seven-year contract with the Angels, a person with knowledge of the decision told the Associated Press on Tuesday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Angels hadn’t announced any developments with Rendon, who didn’t play last season following hip surgery.

The team and Rendon have amended the deal to restructure the remaining $38 million owed to the third baseman in 2026, presumably spreading the money over time.

Rendon is still on the roster and continuing to rehab at home in Houston, but his horrendous tenure with the Angels could be over.

Continue reading here

This day in sports history

1961 — Paul Hornung, on leave from the Army, scores 19 points to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 37-0 win over the New York Giants for their seventh NFL championship. Green Bay’s Bart Starr throws three touchdown passes in the first title game ever played in Green Bay.

1962 — The American Basketball League folds. The ABL played one full season, 1961-1962, and part of this season. The ABL is the first basketball league to have a three point shot for baskets scored far away from the goal. The league also had a 30-second shooting clock and a wider free throw lane, 18 feet instead of the standard 12.

1973 — Third-ranked Notre Dame edges top-ranked Alabama 24-23 in the Sugar Bowl. Notre Dame’s Bob Thomas kicks a 19-yard field goal with 4:26 left to give the Irish a one-point lead. With two minutes left, the Irish clinch the victory when on third-and-8 from the their own 3, Tom Clements completes a 35-yard pass from his own end zone to Robin Weber, and Notre Dame runs out the clock.

1982 — Jockey Pat Day edges Angel Cordero Jr. by two races to capture leading rider honors. Day rides Dana’s Woof and Miltons Magic to victory during the evening program at Delta Downs for 399 wins for the year.

1988 — A blinding fog rolls in during the second quarter of the Chicago Bears’ 20-12 NFC semifinal victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field in Chicago. The fog obscures the game from most of the 65,534 fans present and a national television audience that could watch only ground-level shots.

1989 — Jockey Kent Desormeaux sets the world record for most number of wins in a single season. His 598th win is aboard 2-year-old East Royalty in the Inner Harbor Stakes at Laurel Racecourse.

2005 — Harness drivers Catello Manzi and Brian Spears each set single-season records. Manzi, 55, becomes the oldest harness driver to lead North America in victories (727), even without a win on the last day. Sears becomes the first driver to surpass $15 million ($15,085,991) in pursue earnings.

2013 — Johnny Manziel lives up to his nickname “Johnny Football,” leading 20 Texas A&M to another comeback win, 52-48 over No. 22 Duke in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The Aggies are down 38-17 at halftime but with Manziel at the helm they came back in the highest-scoring game in the bowl’s history. The 2012 Heisman trophy winner throws four touchdown passes, completes 30 of 38 passes for 382 yards and runs for 73 yards and a touchdown.

2016 — Top-ranked Alabama relies on a stifling defense and the bruising runs of Bo Scarbrough to wear down Washington for a 24-7 victory in the Peach Bowl semifinal game.

2016 — Deshaun Watson runs for two touchdowns and throws another and No. 3 Clemson crushes No. 2 Ohio State 31-0 on in the Fiesta Bowl to set up a rematch with Alabama for the College Football Playoff national championship.

2017 — The Cleveland Browns complete the second 0-16 season in NFL history with a 28-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

2017 — The Buffalo Bills snap the longest current non-playoff streak in North American pro sports with a 22-16 victory at Miami and Cincinnati’s victory at Baltimore. The Bills hadn’t made the postseason since 1999.

2018 — Houston guard James Harden scores 43 points in Rockets’ 113-101 win over Memphis Grizzlies; 4th straight NBA game with 40+ points and 8th straight with 35+; joins Oscar Robertson as only player with at least 35 points & 5 assists in 8 straight games.

Until next time…

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

Dec. 31 (UPI) — The Department of Justice is reviewing 5.2 million more pages of the Jeffrey Epstein files, which are to be made public in accordance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The DOJ said it is assigning 400 attorneys to go through the files to review them and make required redactions before they are made available to the general public, NBC News reported. The review likely will run from Monday through Jan. 20.

“It is truly an all-hands-on-deck approach, and we’re asking as many lawyers as possible to commit their time to review the documents that remain,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Wednesday in a post on X.

“Required redactions to protect victims take time, but they will not stop these materials from being released,” Blanche said. “The attorney general’s and this administration’s goal is simple: transparency and protecting victims.”

The DOJ is assigning its attorneys and those from the FBI, the Southern District of Florida and the Southern District of New York to review the files ahead of their release, according to The Hill.

Three batches of files totaling hundreds of thousands of pages have been released and can be searched and downloaded online at the DOJ’s Epstein Library.

The DOJ cautions library visitors that some of the contents contain descriptions of sexual assault and might not be appropriate for everyone.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act required the DOJ to make all files in the federal case against financier Jeffrey Epstein publicly available no later than Dec. 19, but the volume of materials and the need to review each for content and redactions delayed the full posting.

DOJ officials on Dec. 24 announced its attorneys were “working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims,” but the number of files was underestimated.

The resulting delay is further complicated by the discovery of the 5.2 million files yet to be reviewed and redacted.

Delays in posting all files by the federally required deadline have Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., considering holding Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt.

Khanna and Massie co-sponsored the bill that became the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Epstein was a convicted sex offender who hung himself while jailed in Manhattan and awaiting trial on federal charges accusing him of the sex trafficking of minors.

His assistant and former longtime companion Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted on related federal charges in 2021 and is serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison.

She was convicted of sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor for illegal sexual activity and three counts of conspiracy.

This island offers the perfect winter escape with average temperatures of 20C in January – and it’s just a four-hour flight from London

As murmurs of snow and icy conditions intensify, and the January weather settles in, it’s hardly surprising that many are dreaming of escaping to warmer climes – minus the peak-season throngs.

Those blessed with sufficient funds and holiday allowance might contemplate Cancun, but there’s a secret paradise much nearer that can be reached for a fraction of the price: an island hailed as the “Hawaii of Europe”, merely a four-hour journey from London (which is due to crash down to -3C this week).

Positioned 500km from Africa’s shores and 450km north of the Canary Islands, Madeira is renowned as Cristiano Ronaldo’s homeland – not, bewilderingly, the English sponge cake bearing the same moniker. The Portuguese island chain comprises four territories: Madeira, Porto Santo, the Desertas, and the Selvagens.

It serves as a perfect winter retreat, offering average temperatures as high as 23C on the warmest January days. The Met Office reports that the archipelago typically basks in six hours of daily sunshine throughout winter. Nevertheless, weather patterns differ considerably across mountainous areas, influenced by elevation. Even during quieter months, the heavily populated isle can still appear bustling, particularly following its social media fame as a breathtaking oceanic sanctuary competing with tropical paradises.

“If you’re looking for winter sun, you won’t have much trouble finding it in Madeira in January. Daytime temperatures can be 20°C in the south below what’s called the ‘banana line’, the best place for cultivating the fruit. Yet look at the mountaintops from Funchal, and you may well see snow glittering in the sunlight. Madeirans take their first sea swims of the year, but you might want to wait a few months,” explains Responsible Travel.

Even during the quieter months, the heavily populated island can still seem busy, particularly following its social media fame as a breathtaking oceanic retreat competing with tropical hotspots, according to the Express.

As a delightful perk, Madeira operates on the UK’s timezone, meaning you won’t squander valuable time off wrestling with jet lag.

Madeira, the main island, is bursting with attractions and adventures crammed into its compact area, ideal for those seeking more than simply lounging in the sun and making their friends back home envious. Must-see experiences include trekking up Pico Ruivo, wandering through the lush gardens at Monte Palace, and visiting local wineries to discover the area’s fascinating wine-making heritage.

The island’s famous Madeira wine found its way to England during the 1800s and was traditionally served alongside lemon and almond-flavoured madeira cake – remarkably giving the dessert its name despite having no other link.

According to Visit Madeira, Ponta do Sol boasts the island’s highest annual sunshine hours. It’s described as a “place much appreciated by those seeking to enjoy sunny days on the beach or in contact with some idyllic spots in nature”.

For culture enthusiasts, Ponta do Sol Beach is unbeatable during their visit. Boasting excellent water quality and a charming setting, this compact 160-metre stretch is ideal for tranquillity seekers. Meanwhile, Madalena do Mar Beach sits nestled near dramatic rocky cliffs and is adored by swimmers. Visit Madeira explains: “This bathing resort is a combination of pebbles and black sand. It is bathed by crystal-clear waters with mild temperatures all year round, and low swell.”

In terms of how long to stay, Lonely Planet’s Austin Bush suggests: “Because Madeira’s highlights are found at all over the island, you shouldn’t plan a stay of under four days. Consider a night in Funchal to get oriented, then supplement this with stops in one or two more destinations elsewhere on the island. Dedicate a day to active pursuits, followed ideally by a day to recover on the beach. Tack on at least another two nights if you plan to hit Porto Santo, the other inhabited island that forms part of the Madeiran archipelago.”

Direct flights to Madeira operate from numerous major UK airports, including Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Bristol and Gatwick. From northern England, the journey to Madeira takes roughly four hours, compared to approximately 19 hours to reach Hawaii – which has no direct connections from the UK. Right now, there are flights from Bristol for £17, Manchester for £24 and Birmingham for £32 this January.

Happy New Year to all our readers!

Welcome to Bunker Talk. This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn’t cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did or whatever else grabs your interest. In other words, it’s an off-topic thread.

This week’s second caption reads:

The Diefenbunker is a decommissioned military bunker (now a museum) built as an emergency shelter for the government of Canada. The facility, located in Carp (near Ottawa, Ontario), was built at the height of the Cold War and opened in 1961 by the Canadian Forces.

Also, a reminder:

Prime Directives!

• If you want to talk politics, do so respectfully and know that there’s always somebody that isn’t going to agree with you. 
• If you have political differences, hash it out respectfully, stick to the facts, and no childish name-calling or personal attacks of any kind. If you can’t handle yourself in that manner, then please, discuss virtually anything else.
• No drive-by garbage political memes. No conspiracy theory rants. Links to crackpot sites will be axed, too. Trolling and shitposting will not be tolerated. No obsessive behavior about other users. Just don’t interact with folks you don’t like. 
• Do not be a sucker and feed trolls! That’s as much on you as on them. Use the mute button if you don’t like what you see.  
• So unless you have something of quality to say, know how to treat people with respect, understand that everyone isn’t going to subscribe to your exact same worldview, and have come to terms with the reality that there is no perfect solution when it comes to moderation of a community like this, it’s probably best to just move on. 
• Finally, as always, report offenders, please. This doesn’t mean reporting people who don’t share your political views, but we really need your help in this regard.

Antiques Road Trip star Angus Ashworth has shared the items he would most like to find in his work, including rare Victoria Cross and Napoleonic War medals

Antiques Road Trip’s Angus Ashworth has disclosed his ultimate discovery – and it could command a staggering price. The seasoned antiques specialist and auctioneer, a familiar face on BBC’s Antiques Road Trip and his own programme, The Yorkshire Auction House, has encountered countless valuable treasures throughout his career.

However, he’s opened up about specific pieces he’s particularly keen to stumble upon. “I love military history, so my dream find would be a Victoria Cross or an Army Gold Medal from the Napoleonic Wars,” he revealed. “That’s the holy grail for me.”

When discussing potential values, the expert estimated between £60,000 and £80,000 for an Army Gold Cross medal. Angus also presents Yorkshire Heritage Hero, which follows him exploring Yorkshire’s magnificent country estates, assisting families in discovering valuable pieces from their properties.

READ MORE: Ex-BBC boss calls for Strictly Come Dancing to be paused to ‘save show’s reputation’READ MORE: Gordon Ramsay’s scathing digs at Adam Peaty’s family ‘filmed for Netflix show’

He pinpoints critical repair needs and generates funding for restoration projects by unearthing and auctioning concealed treasures found within these historic residences.

The presenter observed: “No one has an ‘antiques sale’ anymore – these days it’s always a ‘country house sale’. People have really bought into the idea of this quintessentially British interior look. The public fascination provides potential to keep things above water.

“There’s a huge second-hand market for items such as dark furniture, lighting and table lamps, and soft furnishings – so curtains, cushions and rugs,” he added. “And there’s one place in particular worth checking: the garden shed.

“There can be real value in the garden and what’s in the shed – my day job is as an auctioneer, and I can see a huge interest and value in decorative pieces for the garden, from plant pots to benches.”

He also highlighted that 90s nostalgia items like games consoles and Harry Potter first editions are hot commodities among buyers looking to recapture their youth.

“You can even see it in the classic car world,” he added. “The market for people who dreamed of owning an MG has shrunk, while Ford Escorts are now far more desirable because that’s what people remember wanting.”

Last month, viewers of Antiques Roadshow watched in amazement as a man was adamant he wouldn’t sell his family heirloom, despite learning its eye-watering value.

As experts looked at a timepiece, horological expert Alastair Chandler hailed it “a real classic”. The Speedmaster watch belonged to the guest’s father, who only wore it on special occasions throughout his son’s childhood.

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WASHINGTON — Chief Justice John Roberts said Wednesday that the Constitution remains a sturdy pillar for the country, a message that comes after a tumultuous year in the nation’s judicial system with pivotal Supreme Court decisions on the horizon.

Roberts said the nation’s founding documents remain “firm and unshaken,” a reference to a century-old quote from President Coolidge. “True then; true now,” Roberts wrote in his annual letter to the judiciary.

The letter comes after a year in which legal scholars and Democrats raised fears of a possible constitutional crisis as President Trump’s supporters pushed back against rulings that slowed his far-reaching conservative agenda.

Roberts weighed in at one point, issuing a rare rebuke after Trump called for the impeachment of a judge who had ruled against him in a case over the deportation of Venezuelan migrants accused of being gang members.

The chief justice’s Wednesday letter was largely focused on the nation’s history, including an early 19th-century case establishing the principle that Congress shouldn’t remove judges over contentious rulings.

While the Trump administration faced pushback in the lower courts, it has scored a series of some two dozen wins on the Supreme Court’s emergency docket. The court’s conservative majority has allowed Trump to move ahead for now with banning transgender people from the military, clawing back billions of dollars of congressionally approved federal spending, moving aggressively on immigration and firing the Senate-confirmed leaders of independent federal agencies.

The court also handed Trump a few defeats over the last year, including in his push to deploy the National Guard to U.S. cities.

Other pivotal issues are ahead for the high court in 2026, including arguments over Trump’s push to end birthright citizenship and a ruling on whether he can unilaterally impose tariffs on hundreds of countries.

Roberts’ letter contained few references to those issues. It opened with a history of the seminal 1776 pamphlet “Common Sense,” written by Thomas Paine, a “recent immigrant to Britain’s North American colonies,” and closed with Coolidge’s encouragement to “turn for solace” to the Constitution and Declaration of Independence “amid all the welter of partisan politics.”

Whitehurst writes for the Associated Press.