Gus Atkinson has become the third England pace bowler to be ruled out of the Ashes series after confirmation he will miss the final Test against Australia in Sydney.

Atkinson suffered an injury to his left hamstring on the second and final morning of England’s win in the fourth Test in Melbourne.

The tourists will not call up a replacement, leaving Matthew Potts in line to play in the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday (23:30 GMT on Saturday).

Atkinson joins Mark Wood and Jofra Archer in failing to complete the series because of injuries. All three were in England’s first-choice XI for the first Test in Perth.

Wood has not played since Perth because of a knee issue, while Archer was ruled out after three Tests because of a side strain.

Surrey’s Atkinson struggled in the first two Tests, managing only three wickets, and was subsequently left out of the third.

The 27-year-old looked nearer his best when he was recalled for the fourth Test, taking three wickets and making 28 with the bat in England’s first innings.

He grabbed his left hamstring at the end of the fourth over of his spell on the second morning and immediately left the field. Atkinson played no further part as England completed a four-wicket win later the same day.

There is no confirmation on when he will return to the UK, at which point he will be assessed further. Earlier this year Atkinson spent two months out with an injury to his right hamstring.

Atkinson’s absence leaves Durham’s Potts in line to add his to his 10 Test caps and make an Ashes debut.

The 27-year-old has not played a Test match since the defeat by New Zealand in Hamilton last December.

A regular in the first summer of the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum era, Potts has made sporadic appearances over the past two years. His previous seven caps have come against six different opponents.

Dec. 28 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Saturday urged the opposition People Power Party to apologize for what it called past efforts to suppress critical media through high-value lawsuits, before criticizing a proposed revision to the Press Arbitration Act.

At a press conference, Democratic Party spokesperson Kim Hyun-jung said the party had focused on “fact-setting” by respecting procedures such as correction and rebuttal reports, while accusing the People Power Party of being “obsessed with shutting down media outlets through massive lawsuits.”

“The very forces that trampled on the press with physical force and money are now talking about ‘freedom,'” Kim said. “Before attacking the revision to the Press Arbitration Act, they should first apologize for using money to trample press freedom.”

Her remarks came after the People Power Party criticized the Democratic Party-backed bill as a “gag law,” arguing it would create a climate that silences both the public and the press.

The Democratic Party countered by citing what it described as examples of media suppression under former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration. Kim said certain media outlets were barred from boarding the presidential plane and were threatened with lawsuits over reporting on vulgar language, which she described as attempts to silence the press through both direct and financial pressure.

She added that data from the Press Arbitration Commission showed all 65 high-value damage claims exceeding 50 million won (about $37,000) filed through September this year were brought by the People Power Party, with none resulting in court-ordered damages.

“Even a child can tell what real oppression is,” Kim said. “The Democratic Party will push ahead with media reform to protect press freedom and the public’s right to know.”

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Airports outside London are set to be ‘most extreme’ as they face ‘unprecedented’ rises

Air travellers are being urged to prepare for soaring ticket prices as regional airports throughout the UK brace for “unprecedented” property tax increases next year. An examination of official Government figures for the Press Association has shown that regional airports are among those confronting the sharpest business rates rises of any industry in the UK during a comprehensive overhaul of property assessments that determine the levy.

While London’s Heathrow and Gatwick are also being hammered with staggering business rates increases, the data reveals that the most severe cases are concentrated beyond London, with regional airports poised to bear the brunt. Global tax consultancy Ryan’s analysis of Valuation Office Agency (VOA) figures discovered that rateable values have rocketed more than six times over in certain instances during the latest property reassessment, causing tax demands to skyrocket.

Despite so-called transitional relief, which caps rises at 30% next year, regional airports will still face some of the most substantial cash hikes nationwide. The majority of airports will witness their bills more than treble over the coming three years.

Manchester Airport stands among the hardest hit, with its business rates demand poised to leap by £4.2 million to £18.1 million next year, Ryan’s figures show. Bristol Airport will experience a £1.2 million jump to £5.2 million, whilst Birmingham International Airport anticipates a £1.8 million surge to £7.6 million.

Newcastle International Airport faces a £244,755 rise to £1.1 million. Alex Probyn, who leads property tax practice for Europe and Asia-Pacific at Ryan, said: “With an unprecedented 295% sector-wide uplift, regional airports simply cannot absorb a cost shock of this magnitude. These increases will inevitably flow through the system: first into airport charges, then into airline costs, and ultimately into ticket prices.”

Airport operators have raised concerns that this tax hike could stifle investment in the sector.

A spokesperson from Manchester Airports Group said: “Airports were already some of the highest rates-payers in the country and were prepared to pay significantly more. But increases of more than 100% mean we have to look again at our plans to invest more than £2 billion in our airports across the UK over the next five years.

“It is inevitable air travel will become more expensive as the industry absorbs these costs. That impacts hard-working people throughout the country and makes global trade harder for businesses.”

AirportsUK, the trade group representing the sector, is formulating a response to the Treasury’s consultation on the business rates plan, which concludes in February. It criticised the plans as “short-sighted” and warned they will “have a knock-on effect for the businesses that depend on airport connectivity in all areas of England”. This threatens to “negatively impacting local economies that depend on the supply chains, tourists and connections their airports provide”, the organisation warned.

The group emphasised the significance of government intervention: “That is why the long-term review into how airport business rates are calculated, also announced by Government, is so important and we will engage with Treasury to ensure this delivers the positive outcome airports need to drive investment and economic growth.”

Additional regional airports bracing for colossal rate hikes include Liverpool Airport facing a £233,100 surge to £1 million, East Midlands International Airport confronting a £437,895 leap to £1.9 million and Bournemouth Airport dealing with a £102,398 jump to £443,723.

AMERICAN stars Beyoncé and Jay-Z are set to use a “rich person” planning loophole to build a huge rural estate in the UK. 

The couple are said to have bought a 58-acre plot in the Cotswolds for their mansion. 

On the land is a derelict shack near an algae-filled lake. 

Permission has been granted for a spectacular seven-bed property. 

Development is allowed under a special exemption clause in the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework. It gives permission for new homes in rural locations where planning would typically be refused. 

To qualify the design must be of “exceptional quality . . . truly outstanding, reflecting the highest standards in architecture”. 

FACE OF GLOOM

Adam Peaty’s parents look devastated as they break cover after wedding snub

SAD TIMES

Heartbreaking moment Harvey Price bursts into tears over accident at home

It has been dubbed the “rich person clause” because of the ­millions of pounds required to override regular restrictions. 

Planning permission for the development in Oxfordshire was granted in 2021 but work never started. 

The plot was later marketed for £7.5million with the permission attached and has been sold — with Texas Hold ’Em singer Beyoncé, 44, and 99 Problems rapper Jay-Z, 56, believed to be the purchasers. 

The listing stated the property is “totally unique”, adding “The site for the new house is at the head of a long drive that meanders through beautiful countryside to a magical woodland lake. 

“The start of the drive is on the edge of a sought-after village and is within striking distance of Soho Farmhouse. 

“Permission has been granted to create a large contemporary dwelling that part-cantilevers over its own lake, has incredible room volumes throughout, will be exceptionally light and have stunning views over the countryside. 

“The position and the permission are unrivalled.” 

Beyoncé, Jay-Z and their children live in California but have made several trips to the area. 

Stars Jeremy Clarkson, Claudia Winkleman and David and Victoria Beckham live nearby. 

But locals have concerns about an influx of A-listers. One 71-year-old, who has lived there for more than 60 years, said: “My grandson will think this is wonderful that they are coming here. I think it will change the village.” 

The Lakers underwent some soul-searching at practice Saturday, with coach JJ Redick starting the conversation before allowing players to speak freely about the team’s issues.

It was an attempt by Redick and the team to prevent things from spiraling out of control after three consecutive losses.

When the Lakers faced the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena, Redick wanted to see players executing on defense and playing harder.

The Lakers did exactly that, with Luka Doncic and LeBron James leading the way to a 125-101 win.

For the Lakers, it was more than Doncic finishing with 34 points, seven assists and five rebounds. It was Doncic playing defense, illustrated best when he blocked a shot by DeMar DeRozan. It was Doncic hustling, such as when he dove to the floor for a loose ball.

It was more than James scoring 24 points and handing out five assists. It was James throwing down a reverse dunk and offering words of wisdom to teammates.

And it also was reserve Nick Smith Jr. finding a role in the rotation and producing, one of the six Lakers scoring in double figures. Smith had 21 points on eight-for-14 shooting, making five of 10 threes.

Rui Hachimura had 12 points, Deandre Ayton had 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Jake LaRavia had 11 points.

The Lakers (20-10) took control from the start of the third quarter, going on a 13-2 run to give them a 26-point lead that reached as high as 30 in the fourth quarter.

Granted, the Kings (8-24) have the second-worst record in the West and were missing injured stars Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Bradley, three of their top four scorers.

But the Lakers lost three straight games because of poor defense and an overall effort that Redick described as “terrible.”

And with Austin Reaves out for at least a month because of a calf strain, getting the chance to talk through their issues might end up changing the team’s fortunes.

“They’re trying, and you know, I told the guys, this is normal,” Redick said. “There’s very few teams that don’t hit troughs throughout the season. It’s not all peaks. … It’s just a natural cycle that every team goes through.

“So we need to identify the problems and then come up with the solutions. So that’s just the process that we’re in the middle of right now.”

Dec. 28 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s won strengthened sharply last week after market-stabilization steps by authorities and currency-hedging moves by the National Pension Service, but the currency’s annual average exchange rate still posted its highest level since the financial crisis, keeping investors on edge.

In Seoul trading, the won closed at 1,440.3 per U.S. dollar at 3:30 p.m. Friday, its lowest level in about six weeks since Nov. 4, when it ended at 1,437.9.

The exchange rate had neared this year’s peak earlier last week, briefly moving past the 1,480 level. It then fell more than 30 won (about 2 cents) per dollar on Wednesday after foreign exchange authorities announced supply-and-demand measures along with an unusually pointed verbal warning to the market. On Friday, reports that the National Pension Service had carried out strategic currency hedging pushed the exchange rate into the 1,420 range during the session.

After the drop, the year-end closing rate set to be finalized Tuesday is now likely to end below last year’s 1,472.5 per dollar, a benchmark used by companies and financial institutions to value foreign-currency liabilities on financial statements.

Seo Jeong-hoon, a senior research fellow at Hana Bank, said a high year-end exchange rate could hurt the credit profile of firms and financial institutions with large foreign-currency debts, potentially weighing on corporate lending and investment next year.

Even so, volatility concerns are expected to persist as the exchange rate remains elevated by historical standards. Through Friday, the average exchange rate this year based on weekly closing prices was 1,421.9 per dollar, above the 1998 average during the foreign exchange crisis of 1,394.9, data from the Seoul foreign exchange market showed.

Market talk has increasingly described the weak won as a “new normal.” Major global investment banks have forecast the won-dollar exchange rate will average between 1,420 and 1,440 next year. Three-month forecasts from 12 investment banks, including Standard Chartered and Nomura, averaged 1,440, while six-month forecasts averaged 1,426, the report said.

The International Monetary Fund last year estimated the appropriate won-dollar exchange rate at around 1,330, suggesting those forecasts imply the won would remain weaker than its estimated fair value next year.

Moon Jeong-hee, chief economist at KB Kookmin Bank, said an annual average exchange rate in the 1,420 range is “excessively high” relative to South Korea’s economic fundamentals. If it becomes entrenched, she said, expectations of a structurally weak won could take hold and further dampen domestic investment.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

BBC

Celebrities and civilians won’t mix

Warning: This story contains spoilers from the series finale of “Younger.”

In the very last scene of “Younger,” Liza (Sutton Foster), wearing a chambray button-down shirt, tries to order a round of drinks at the bar. She’s frantically waving her shoe in an attempt to get the bartender’s attention when Josh (Nico Tortorella), dressed in a crisp white tee, interrupts her.

Josh: Whoa, you don’t wave a shoe, you never wave a shoe! In Thailand, that’s considered a capital offense.
Liza: And you’ve been to Thailand?
Josh: Ah, no. But I have been to Myanmar…
Liza: … which used to be Burma …
Josh: … back in the day.
Liza: I knew that!

Any devout fan watching this scene probably got a feeling of deja vu: Is this the first episode of the series or the last?

The answer, of course, is both. “After seven seasons, it’s tough to end a series in an elegant and satisfying way,” creator Darren Star told The Times. “We all thought it’d be great to have this full-circle moment where we go back to the pilot, if we could find a way to get there.”

It’s quite far from where the series finale began: Liza and Charles (Peter Hermann) are lying in bed and smiling about their reconciliation in the previous episode, in which he left Quinn (Laura Benanti) and told Liza he loved her. “I just know what makes me happy, and to pretend anything else would be just lying to myself,” he tells her. “Only the truth from now on, even if it hurts.”

The hourlong installment takes Charles’ words to heart. Consider the episode’s musical number, which literary agent Redmond (Michael Urie) asks Liza and Charles to watch as a potential investment opportunity. A cross between the “Chicago” roll call “Cell Block Tango” and the “Assassins” opener “Everybody’s Got The Right,” it equates Liza’s fibs about her age to schemes of infamous liars like Elizabeth Holmes, Billy McFarland, Bernie Madoff and Rachel Dolezal.

“When it’s the last season of your show, you want to do everything on your wish list,” said Star of the performance, with lyrics by parodist Ryan Raftery. “But it wasn’t completely gratuitous because it pushed the Liza-Charles story along by bringing the big lie back up again.”

Charles, however, says he has come to peace with that chapter. And it turns out he’s also OK with the fact that Kelsey (Hilary Duff) covertly sent her and Liza’s proposal for their unconventional e-book publishing app Inkubator to investors for a valuation, in case they can get a better deal as a standalone venture than with their publishing house, Empirical.

He already knew Kelsey did that but wanted to hear Liza cop to it herself. “Wait, so you were testing me?” she asks him. “Maybe — in a way, I was — but you passed,” he responds, an answer that visibly irks Liza.

“After everything they went through, Charles wanted a level of complete honesty between them,” said Star. “You see Liza realize that she was never going to be in a safe place with him. There would always be this cloud of suspicion over everything she did, and this would be a relationship where she’d be continually tested.”

Liza soon confesses that she secretly submitted Charles’ unfinished manuscript to the notable writers’ colony Yaddo — and he was accepted. While that’s great news, Charles isn’t thrilled. They discuss it while lying in bed later that night:

Charles: If I hadn’t gotten into Yaddo, would you have let me know?
Liza: Uh, I don’t know. Maybe not.
Charles: Yeah, why bother? Because I didn’t even know you applied. … It would’ve just been your little secret.

It’s a passive-aggressive response that doesn’t go unnoticed. “For Charles, even a white lie, or a lie of omission for the purpose of protecting somebody’s feelings, was considered a lack of integrity for him,” said Star. “We all tell little lies like that, and they’re forgiven. But Liza realized all the things that other people let slide very easily in their relationships weren’t going to slide with them.”

Liza then asks the big, honest question: “Hey, we’re not gonna make it, are we?” Charles shakes his head: “I don’t think so.”

“We wanted to have almost an unspoken moment between them when they really understood that, though they loved each other, it was going to be an impossible relationship to have because he was just never going to forgive her for the original big lie,” said Star. “She was being held to an impossible standard that nobody could ever maintain. So as much as they both wanted to make it work, it just wasn’t going to.

“Maybe, had they met each other under different circumstances, it might have worked,” he continued. “But then again, if they were being honest from the beginning, Charles would have had to meet Liza as a divorced housewife from New Jersey who wanted to get back into publishing, and she would have had to meet somebody who was looking at her like she was a divorced housewife from New Jersey.”

After their breakup, Liza and Charles are back at the office, where she tells him that she plans to resign. But Charles, it turns out, is seizing the opportunity to go to Yaddo and finish his book. He plans to leave Empirical in her hands while he’s gone — and maybe longer. In their final scene together, they genuinely thank each other.

“You have to remember that, for most of the seasons, they were projecting ideas onto the other person, and they didn’t really have a lot of time to actually be their authentic selves together,” Star explained. “It’s also a lot of projection and wish fulfillment from the audience as well — this idea of ‘These two look like they should belong together, so they do belong together.’ In fact, there are a lot of reasons why they aren’t really that suited for each other.

“But they had a passionate love affair, and Charles, through his relationship with Liza, discovers a way to reinvent his life,” he added. “I think he gets so much out of his relationship with her. Finding a partner may not necessarily be what he needs. What he might really need is to feed his creative side, and she helps him find a way to do that.”

The episode concludes with the ladies celebrating their collective good news: Liza’s new role at Empirical, Maggie (Debi Mazar) and Lauren’s (Molly Bernard) respective romances, and Kelsey’s next adventure on the West Coast, after Inkubator finds a home with a Los Angeles-based company. (A spinoff about Kelsey’s next chapter would’ve been “a bit of a female ‘Entourage,’” and is unlikely to move forward due to Duff’s commitment to a new series.)

“Regardless of the spinoff, that was gonna be her path,” said Star. “She had to get out from under publishing and completely set off in a different direction. We felt she needed a fresh start — her own reinvention.”

Liza then heads to the bar and runs into Josh. They look similar, though not exactly the same to how they did when they first met. “Seven years later, Liza and Josh have each grown up a little bit,” said costume designer Jacqueline Demeterio.

Some of the tweaks? Foster wore a denim Celine shirt (instead of the Current/Elliott top from the pilot) and waved a Prada leopard-print shoe rather than a nondescript black flat “to show a slight evolution in her personal style.” (Once Foster tried on the outfit in her final fitting with Demeterio, they both got teary-eyed.)

Tortorella, who wore a burnout’s white T-shirt in the first episode, was updated with a Saint Laurent tee, complete with a tattoo heart design just below the neckline. “I didn’t want it to look like we were trying too hard or distract from what was happening,” said Demeterio. “I just wanted it to be subtle and keep the focus on them two in this moment that’s going to be the end of the whole series.”

After they repeat their meet-cute, she says offhandedly, “Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” He gives her a layered, puzzled look. “Really?” he says. “Because you know what? I’ve been right here, by your side, all along.”

His response is visibly unexpected by Liza — and, likely, the viewer, who hadn’t seen much of Josh all season. “We knew it was worth having him sit back for a while so we could have that beautiful moment at the end of the series,” said Star. Writing those key lines, Star “wanted to keep it simple, heartfelt and real.”

The camera zooms out as they continue to repeat the banter of their first meeting — a decision that leaves their fate up for debate. Does this mean Liza ends up with Josh after all?

“There’s always been a real authenticity between them since the beginning of the series — even though she did lie to him, that lie was revealed by the end of the first season, so he certainly knows her better than any man on the show,” said Star. “I think Josh really loves her, and I think she really loves him.

“In that very last moment, after everything with Charles, Liza is definitely looking at him through fresh eyes and seeing him from a whole new perspective,” he continued. “I don’t know if they’re gonna be together, but I think they’re open to the fact that they’re always going to be in each other’s lives.”

Those final frames — and Star’s explanation — might be unsatisfying to anyone who’s been waiting for years for a more definitive answer about Liza’s love life. “But the show was never about Liza finding a man; it was always about Liza reinventing herself,” reminded Star. “She’d already had a marriage, she was looking to have a career.

“So I never really thought it was such a binary thing — Josh or Charles,” he added. “And I didn’t felt the pressure or obligation to have this big, romantic endgame for her because, to me, at its heart, that was never really what the show is about.”

Dec. 27 (Asia Today) — China’s push to become a major aircraft carrier power, which gained momentum after it commissioned its first carrier in 2012, could expand into a fleet of nine carriers by 2035, according to a new U.S. Defense Department report.

China had no aircraft carriers before it commissioned the Liaoning in September 2012 after purchasing the unfinished former Soviet carrier Varyag from Ukraine in 1998 and refitting it for 14 years, according to Beijing-based sources familiar with military developments.

China later commissioned the Shandong in December 2019, its first domestically built carrier, and recently added a third carrier, the Fujian, which U.S. officials described as China’s first indigenously designed flat-deck carrier.

Foreign media reports have said China plans to operate six aircraft carriers by 2035, including two nuclear-powered ships, a target that some analysts consider plausible given the pace of its buildup since 2012.

However, the U.S. Defense Department’s annual report on China’s military power, released Tuesday, said “the PLAN aims to produce six aircraft carriers by 2035 for a total of nine,” raising the possibility that China’s carrier force could approach U.S. levels within a decade.

Chinese media have reported that China’s fourth aircraft carrier could enter service in 2027 and may be nuclear-powered with a displacement of about 120,000 tons, as Beijing continues to expand its blue-water capabilities.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Mexico’s Navy says the train was carrying 250 people when it derailed partially near the town of Nizanda in Oaxaca.

A train carrying 250 people has derailed partially in southern Mexico, killing at least 13 people and injuring 98, according to officials.

The Mexican Navy said that the Interoceanic Train linking the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz went off the rails on Sunday as it passed a curve near the town of Nizanda.

It said that 98 people were injured and that, “unfortunately, 13 people lost their lives”.

The train was carrying nine crew members and 241 passengers at the time of the accident. Of those on board, 139 were reported to be out of danger, while 36 of the 98 injured were still receiving medical assistance.

In a statement posted on X, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that at least five of those injured were in “serious” condition.

Sheinbaum said she has directed the secretary of the navy and other senior personnel to travel to the area and assist the families of those affected. She added that the Ministry of Interior is coordinating the response to the incident.

Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office said it was opening an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

Uno Noticias Television, a Mexican channel, reported that emergency units were near the site of the accident but faced difficulty in accessing the area.

Images circulating on social media and posted by Mexican news outlets showed one of the carriages of the train on its side, while another was completely separated from the train tracks.

Translation: Passenger train derailed. Interoceanic in the Isthmus. This Sunday, the Interoceanic passenger train derailed, 5 kilometres south of Nizanda, belonging to Asuncion Ixtaltepec, Oaxaca. Injuries have been reported; the train had departed from Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, and was heading to Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz. Emergency units are near the area, but the difficult access to the site is complicating rescue efforts.

Video clips posted online also showed some of the passengers trapped in the derailed carriages.

A passenger was quoted by Mexico’s La Razon newspaper as saying that before the derailment, the train “was coming very fast”.

“We don’t know if it lost its brakes,” the passenger told La Razon.

In a statement posted on X, Oaxaca Governor Salomon Jara Cruz expressed his government’s “heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this unfortunate accident”.

The train runs between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, and carries both passengers and freight.

On December 20, a train on the same route collided with a cargo truck attempting to cross the tracks, although the incident did not result in any deaths.

The line was inaugurated in 2023 as a major infrastructure project under then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to develop southeast Mexico.

The initiative was designed to modernise the rail link across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a land bridge connecting Mexico’s Pacific port of Salina Cruz with Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast.

The Mexican government has sought to develop the Isthmus into a strategic trade corridor, expanding ports, railways and industrial infrastructure with the goal of creating a route that could compete with the Panama Canal.

The forest features the spectacular Cascades Walk boardwalk along the river, with visitors comparing the scenic beauty to the Canadian wilderness

Tucked away in the heart of Wales, one remarkable forest brimming with thousands of pine and spruce trees has left visitors so spellbound they struggle to believe they’re still in the UK. Boasting around 15 square miles of stunning scenery and rich wildlife, Hafren Forest possesses an enchanting quality, where you can wander beneath the leafy canopy on various trails that encounter streams and waterfalls en route.

Situated just a brief drive from the Welsh town of Llanidloes, this makes an ideal spot for winter rambles, witnessing the seasonal transformation up close.

One of the forest’s crown jewels is the Cascades Walk, a scenic half-mile boardwalk that meanders alongside the River Severn. When TikTok explorers going by @tomharbourne stumbled upon the forest, they hailed it as “the best boardwalk in the country.”

The adventurers, who have a knack for uncovering hidden gems across the UK, ventured to Hafren Forest. They posted a TikTok clip, simply titled “This is not Canada” featuring the boardwalk stroll, bordered by flowing water and tree-lined paths on both sides.

They continue: “This walk showcases some of the most amazing scenery Wales has to offer and the views you get on this stunning walk immediately will have your thoughts drifting away to pine forests of Canada or Alaska.”

The Cascades Walk offers a breathtaking viewpoint with cascading waterfalls, providing the ideal spot to take a breather and soak up the splendour of nature.

The boardwalk is easily navigable and even includes ramps for wheelchair users and mobility scooters, ensuring it’s a welcoming spot for everyone.

You’ll also find the Source of the Severn Trail within the forest, leading intrepid explorers to the river’s origin on the slopes of Pumlumon, the loftiest peak in the Cambrian Mountains.

This hour-long trail takes visitors along the river, through a vibrant wildflower meadow, before crossing a footbridge where the River Severn roars down a gully to create the renowned Severn-Break-its-Neck waterfall.

The forest itself was established in the 1930s by the Forestry Commission, with the river’s source located on the slopes of Pumlumon (Plynlimon), the tallest mountain in mid-Wales. It’s also a paradise for wildlife lovers.

It’s home to an array of rare bird species, such as buzzards, goshawks, red kites, and merlins.

Plus, almost all of the UK’s native freshwater fish species inhabit its waters, making it a hotspot for biodiversity.

Forest walks can range from a quick 30-minute stroll to a more challenging 4.5-hour hike, with terrain varying from a man-made boardwalk to loose stone and steep inclines, depending on your chosen route.

With picnic areas conveniently situated near the car park and at the end of the boardwalk, it’s the perfect place to pause and appreciate the otherworldly beauty of the surroundings.

The forest is a perfect spot for families, couples, and large groups, offering ample room for all to roam and relish.

Whether you’re after a tranquil escape or a fun-filled family day out, Hafren Forest has got you covered.

What’s more, entry won’t cost you a penny, making it a wallet-friendly choice for nature enthusiasts keen to soak up the breathtaking Welsh scenery without splashing the cash.

Whether it’s the picturesque vistas, the abundant wildlife, or the serene trails that catch your eye, Hafren Forest is an essential stop-off for anyone touring Wales.

ACTRESS Melanie Watson died on Friday in Colorado Springs.

Best known for her role on the 80s TV show “Diff’rent Strokes”, she passed away aged 57.

The Diff’rent Strokes actress had been in hospital where she quickly deteriorated, TMZ reported.

Robert Watson, Melanie’s brother told the outlet that she died on December 26.

He said his sister had been suffering bleeding, and that doctors did their best to help her.

Watson was born in Dana Point, California, with a condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, which causes bones to fracture easily.

The disease can also cause a curved spine, difficulty breathing, muscle weakness, and other issues.

The actress’ brother told TMZ that she was lucky to have lived as long as she did with her condition.

Robert said he would always think of Melanie.

She played Arnold’s pal Kathy Gordon on the 1980s TV show Diff’rent Strokes, appearing in four episodes of the hit show.

Her character used a wheelchair, just as the child star did in real life.

In 1982, she appeared in an episode called Kathy, named after her character.

In the episode, Kathy argued with Gary Coleman’s character, Arnold, after he tried to convince her to walk without using crutches.

Watson retired from showbiz after her run on hit show Diff’rent Strokes ended.

Later, she was married to Roger Bernhardt, for four years between 1994 and 1996.

Known professionally as Melanie Bernhardt, the child star was the founder and executive director of Train Rite, an organisation that trains shelter dogs to help disabled people.

In 2020, the the actress began a run for the Colorado State Senate, but pulled out of the race as “unforeseeable health conditions” derailed her campaign.

In 2024, she had expressed hopes of running for political office again.

Watson spoke about her TV stardom in a 2020 interview with IndieWire, describing herself as “a pill” to work with.

She said: “I was always playing with my yo-yo and listening to my Walkman.”

Talking about representing disabled people like her on screen, Watson said: “I didn’t realise what a gift it was to be the first one out there.

If I had to do it all over again, I would have stayed in the business.”

The passenger said she was flung out of her seat when the plane suddenly dropped – Ryanair has stated the plane was forced to make a U-turn due to air turbulence

A passenger aboard the Ryanair flight forced to return to the United Kingdom after a mid-flight emergency has said the experience ‘felt like something out of a horror movie’.

The Boeing 737 MAX, which departed from Birmingham Airport at about 2.50pm on Sunday, December 28, issued a 7700 squawk over Brittany, France, after reaching an altitude of 35,000ft. This code signifies a general emergency.

The Boeing was bound for Tenerife but was forced to return to the UK mid-flight.

“It felt like something you see on a horror movie,” said a 33-year-old passenger from Lichfield, who did not wish to be named.

“We were smooth cruising then out of nowhere all of a sudden the plane jerked to the left extremely quickly and then to the right, it felt like a loss of control, and then we plummeted down and we were flung out of our seats,” the passenger said.

Passengers informed The Aviation Herald that flight FR1121 experienced turbulence, resulting in injuries to several individuals while cabin service was underway. The flight then made a U-turn and descended to FL100 (flying at 10,000ft).

The aircraft safely touched down back at Birmingham around one hour and 32 minutes after take-off. According to AirLive, it was parked on a remote stand at the airport for paramedics to attend to passengers. The severity of the passengers’ injuries is yet to be determined.

“I came out physically unharmed but the mental toll this has taken it awful… this has really traumatised me,” the woman said.

“The cabin crew said within their 10 years as cabin crew they’ve never experienced anything like it.”

She said other passengers claimed to see a fighter jet pass the Boeing before the incident, but this has not been confirmed.

Ryanair said in a statement: “”FR1121 from Birmingham to Tenerife on 28th December returned to Birmingham Airport shortly after take-off due to air turbulence.

“The aircraft landed normally before passengers disembarked and returned to the terminal, where a small number of passengers were provided with medical assistance. This flight continued to Tenerife at 21:06 local.”

The Mirror has reached out to the airline for further comment.

Match of the Day pundit Joe Hart says Richarlison stood out for Tottenham Hotspur in a match where they were ‘absolutely battered’ by Crystal Palace, despite winning 1-0.

WATCH MORE: Gray heads Spurs to victory at Crystal Palace

Available to UK users only.

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,

Beijing to impose sea, air restrictions for 10 hours, starting at 00:00 GMT on Tuesday, in five zones around Taiwan.

China has deployed air, navy and rocket troops to the waters around Taiwan for drills that its military said were aimed at testing combat readiness and delivering a “stern warning” against “separatist” and “external interference” forces.

The announcement on Monday came amid anger in Beijing over an $11.1bn weapons sale to Taiwan by the United States, as well as a statement by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested that the Japanese military could get involved if China were to attack the self-governed island.

Beijing considers Taiwan as part of its territory and has pledged to take control of the island by force if necessary.

In a statement, the Chinese military’s Eastern Theatre Command said it was dispatching army, navy, air force and rocket force troops to five zones around Taiwan for its “Just Mission 2025”, beginning on Monday.

The live-fire exercises will begin on Tuesday in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of the island, it said.

Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the Eastern Theatre Command, said the activities will focus “on ​training for maritime and aerial combat readiness patrols, gaining ‌integrated control, sealing off key ports and areas and conducting multi-dimensional deterrence”. The drills serve “as a serious warning to ‘Taiwan Independence’ separatist forces and external interference forces”, he added.

A separate statement with a map showed five large zones surrounding the island where “live firing activities will be organised” from 8am to 6pm (00:00-10:00 GMT) on Tuesday. “For the sake of safety, any irrelevant vessel or aircraft is advised not to enter the afore-mentioned waters and airspace,” the statement said.

The planned drills mark China’s sixth major round of war games since 2022 – after then-US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan – and were described by the state-owned Xinhua news agency as “a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity”.

During the drills, Shi said Chinese vessels and aircraft will approach Taiwan “in close proximity from different directions” and troops of multiple services will “engage in joint assaults to test their joint operations capabilities”, according to Xinhua.

While the Chinese military has practised port blockades around Taiwan during war games last year, this marks the first time it has publicly stated that drills around the island are aimed at deterring foreign military intervention.

Taiwan’s government condemned the drills.

A presidential office spokesperson urged China not to misjudge the situation and undermine regional peace, and called on Beijing to immediately halt what they described as irresponsible provocations.

“In response to the Chinese authorities’ disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighbouring countries, Taiwan expresses its strong condemnation,” said Karen Kuo, the spokesman for the presidential office.

The island’s defence ministry said two Chinese military aircraft and 11 ships had been operating around the island over the last 24 hours, and that Taiwan’s military was on high alert and poised to carry out “rapid response exercises”.

That particular drill is designed to move troops swiftly in case China suddenly turns one ​of its frequent drills around the island into an attack.

“All members of our armed forces will remain highly vigilant and fully on ‌guard, taking concrete action to defend the values of democracy and freedom,” it said in a statement.

The exercises come after the US announced earlier this month that it had approved $11.1bn in arms sales to Taiwan in the largest ever weapons package for the island. The move drew a protest from China’s Ministry of National Defence and warnings that the military would “take forceful measures” in response.

Beijing last week also imposed sanctions against 20 US defense-related companies and 10 executives over the move.

In an interview aired on Sunday, Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te told Sanli E-Television that the island must continue to raise the cost of aggression and strengthen its indigenous defence capabilities to deter China, stressing that peace can only be secured through strength.

“If China sets 2027 as the year to be ready for an invasion of Taiwan, then we have only one choice: to keep raising the difficulty so that China can never meet that standard. Taiwan will naturally remain safe,” Lai said.

After the eye strain, the greatest occupational hazard of being a TV critic is people asking what’s good on television. It’s a question I typically find impossible to answer on the spur of the moment, as a show will run out of my head as soon as a review is filed in order to make room for the next one. (I buy time by responding, “What do you like?”) It is only at this reflective season of the year that I can stop, look back and list them.

Our picks for this year’s best in arts and entertainment.

Every year, television has its ups and downs, its ebb and flow, depending on a host of reasons I will only ever vaguely understand. I will take this opportunity to say that there are way too many psychological thrillers on way too many platforms nowadays, but there are always more than enough shows to praise — and as always, I include only series that are new this year. Some are here because they deliver real surprises — not just plot twists and sudden revelations, but new directions and original formats. Others are here by dint of good old-fashioned storytelling, memorable characters and terrific performances — or just because they made me laugh.

Here they are, in no special order.

‘Hal & Harper’ (Mubi)

Lili Reinhart and Cooper Raiff in Mubi’s “Hal & Harper.”

(Mubi)

Writer-director Cooper Raiff’s delicate drama looks at a brother and a sister — played by Raiff and Lili Reinhart both as adults and children, with no sacrifice of reality — made close by the early loss of their mother and the grief of their father (Mark Ruffalo, identified only as Dad). The sale of their old house and the prospect of a new sibling — Dad’s girlfriend (Betty Gilpin, going from strength to strength) — sets things in motion. The dialogue avoids exposition, the silences say much. (Read the review.)

‘The Lowdown’ (FX)

Ethan Hawke and Ryan Kiera Armstrong in FX’s “The Lowdown.”

(Shane Brown / FX)

In Sterlin Harjo’s shaggy dog follow-up to “Reservation Dogs,” the ever-evolving Ethan Hawke plays Lee Raybon, a raggedy Tulsa “truthstorian,” citizen journalist and used-book dealer, looking into the apparent suicide of the oddball member of a powerful family. The series pays homage to noir film and fiction, even as it’s too bright, mischievous and full of love to qualify as noir itself (though Lee does get beat up a lot). Politicians, land developers, white supremacists and Natives collide. The cast also includes Kyle MacLachlan, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Peter Dinklage, Keith David, Kaniehtiio Horn (the Deer Lady in “Reservation Dogs”) as Ray’s ex-wife and the marvelous Ryan Kiera Armstrong as his teenage daughter and eager accomplice. Look for X’s John Doe as a purveyor of bootleg caviar. (Read the review.)

‘Women Wearing Shoulder Pads’ (Adult Swim), ‘Common Side Effects’ (Adult Swim), ‘Oh My God … Yes!’ (Adult Swim), ‘Long Story Short’ (Netflix)

1

2

3

4

1. “Women Wearing Shoulder Pads” on Adult Swim. (Warner Bros) 2. “Common Side Effects” on Adult Swim. (Adult Swim) 3. “Oh My God … Yes!” on Adult Swim. (Warner Bros. Discovery) 4. “Long Story Short” on Netflix. (Netflix)

Animation! “Women Wearing Shoulder Pads” is a queer Spanish-language stop-motion comedy melodrama, set in the aesthetic world of a 1980s Pedro Almodóvar film, involving the fate of the cuy, a South American guinea pig (pets? food?), and a struggle between two powerful women. (Read the review.)

“Common Side Effects” is a semicomical thriller with heart, centered on a mushroom with curative properties and pitting its discoverer against the pharmaceutical-industrial complex; Martha Kelly fans will be happy to find her here as a DEA agent. (Read the review.)

“Oh My God … Yes!” is an Afro-futurist, surrealist, girlfriends-in-the-city superhero comedy — like the Powerpuff Girls, grown up, earthy and Black — featuring humanoid robots, anthropomorphic animals and gayliens (the preferred term for gay aliens). (Read the review.)

And “Long Story Short,” from “Bojack Horseman” creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg is the sweet, melancholy, satirical, silly, poignant, hopeful, sometimes slapstick cartoon tale of a normal middle-class Jewish family; the world it portrays is (mostly) ordinary, but the drawings make it extra-special. (Read the review.)

‘Demascus’ (Tubi)

Okieriete Onaodowan in Tubi’s “Demascus.”

(Jace Downs / AMC Networks)

In this Black science-fiction comedy about the search for identity and purpose, Okieriete Onaodowan plays the title character, propelled into alternative visions of his life and self by an experimental virtual reality gizmo that “follows the path of your conscious and subconscious impulses.” The settings change along with him — into a relationship reality show, a “sad Thanksgiving” domestic comedy, a setting out of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” — as supporting actors (Martin Lawrence among them) become different people around him. (Read the review.)

‘Pluribus’ (Apple TV)

Rhea Seehorn in Apple TV’s “Pluribus.”

(Anna Kooris / Apple TV)

I find Vince Gilligan’s take on “The Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” in which a virus from outer space turns nearly all of humanity into one giant, contented, cultish hive mind, more interesting than compelling, but it’s interesting enough, and comes with a great performance by Rhea Seehorn as one of a dozen earthlings immune to the bug — jealous of her discontent, standing up for her right to be angry. This is a slow series, yet never a boring one, and Seehorn, in a kind of one-woman-versus-everyone show, is electric even when nothing much is happening. (Read the review.)

‘The Studio’ (Apple TV)

Clockwise from left: Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Chase Sui Wonders and Seth Rogen in Apple TV’s “The Studio.”

(Apple TV+)

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s breakneck farcical ode to the motion picture business (in which they do very well). Rogen stars as a new studio head, promoted from below, dealing with bad ideas (a Kool-Aid movie), big egos, and his own insecurities and need to feel appreciated. Episodes take place at the Golden Globes, a fundraising dinner and a Las Vegas trade show, with Ike Barinholtz and Kathryn Hahn on his team, Bryan Cranston as his boss — reminding you he was on “Seinfeld” and “Malcolm in the Middle” before he became Walter White — and Catherine O’Hara (brilliant, naturally) as the woman Rogen replaced. (Read the review.)

‘North of North’ (Netflix)

Anna Lambe in Netflix’s “North of North.”

(Netflix)

A sweet small-town romantic comedy, set (and filmed) in Canada’s northernmost territory among the Indigenous Inuit people. A luminous Anna Lambe stars as the 26-year-old mother of a rambunctious 7-year-old, tied to a narcissistic husband and resentful of her mother, a reformed alcoholic and former bad girl; she dreams of something more, even if it just means hauling large items to the dump. Mary Lynn Rajskub plays the cheerful, credit-grabbing town manager whose assistant she becomes. Love and a family secret will arrive from the south. The beaded parkas are gorgeous. (Read the review.)

‘The Pitt’ (HBO Max), ‘Adolescence’ (Netflix)

1

2

1. Noah Wyle and Tracy Ifeachor in HBO Max’s “The Pitt.” (John Johnson/HBO) 2. Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham in Netflix’s “Adolescence.” (Netflix)

These two series do their work in real time, making space for naturalistic acting and a special kind of pressure. “The Pitt,” whose 15 episodes are set in a hectic Pittsburgh ER over a 15-hour shift puts Noah Wyle back in scrubs, herding (with Tracy Ifeachor) a large cast of doctors, nurses and student doctors. Cases include electrocution, drowning, overdose, scurvy, sickle cell anemia, a nail in the chest, a fastball in the eye and gallstones, with all the personal drama one expects from a hospital show. (Read the review.)

The tightly focused, brutally intimate “Adolescence,” surrounding the arrest of a 13-year-old boy (Owen Cooper) for murder, unveils its unconventional mystery in four discrete episodes, each executed in a single tracking shot. A field day for actors, it earned Emmys for Cooper, co-creator Stephen Graham as his father and Erin Doherty as a child psychologist. (Read the review.)

‘Dope Thief’ (Apple TV), ‘Deli Boys’ (Hulu)

1

2

1. Brian Tyree Henry, left, and Wagner Moura in Apple TV’s “Dope Thief.” (Apple) 2. Saagar Shaikh, left, and Asif Ali in Hulu’s “Deli Boys.” (James Washington/Disney)

Drugs are bad, but they fuel a lot of television. (I mean the plots; I wouldn’t know about the productions.) These two very different series feature heroes in over their heads, caught between cops and a cartel. “Dope Thief” gives Brian Tyree Henry (Paper Boi on “Atlanta”), as a man robbing low-level drug dealers dressed as a DEA agent, his first starring role, which would be sufficient for me to recommend it sight unseen — but it is excellent, seen. (Read the review.)

In “Deli Boys,” an old-fashioned comedy of Idiots in Danger, Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh play temperamentally opposite Pakistani American brothers who inherit what they believed to be a chain of convenience stores but turn out to be the front for their father’s cocaine empire. Poorna Jagannathan is marvelous as their beloved, fearsome Lucky Auntie, who knows the score. (Read the review.)

‘Ludwig’ (Britbox)

David Mitchell in Britbox’s “Ludwig.”

(Colin Hutton)

In this Cambridge-set dramatic comedy-mystery, irascible David Mitchell, of “Peep Show,” “Upstart Crow” and “Would I Lie to You?” fame, plays an awkward, isolated genius with little practical experience of the world, drawn right into it when he winds up impersonating his missing twin brother, a police detective. A professional puzzle-maker, he’ll turn out to be good at the job, though he calls a medical examiner’s report a “how-did-they-die test,” and, moving in with his sister-in-law, he’ll learn something about the benefits of family. Properly moving, and very funny. (Read the review.)

Match of the day Pundit Joe Hart breaks down how David Raya was able to execute an ‘absolutely brilliant’ save for Arsenal in their 2-1 victory over Brighton.

WATCH MORE: Arsenal return to top of table with win over Brighton

Available to UK users only.

These are the key developments from day 1,404 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is where things stand on Monday, December 29:

Diplomacy

• United States President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and said the two leaders were “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
• Trump and Zelenskyy reported progress on two of the most contentious issues in the peace talks: security guarantees for Ukraine and the division of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region that Russia has sought to capture.
• On security guarantees, Zelenskyy said that a deal had been reached, while Trump said they were 95 percent of the way to such an agreement.
• Both Trump and Zelenskyy said that the future of the mostly Russian-occupied Donbas had not been settled, though the US president said discussions were “moving in the right direction”. “It’s unresolved, but it’s getting a lot closer. That’s a very tough issue,” Trump said.
• The two leaders did not offer further details or a deadline for completing the deal, but Zelenskyy said any peace agreement would have to be approved by Ukraine’s parliament or by a referendum.
• Shortly after the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, wrote on X that the “whole world appreciates” Trump and his team’s peace efforts.
• Ahead of the meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump and Putin spoke for more than two hours on the telephone. The US president described the call as “excellent” and “productive”.
• Trump said he would call Putin again after the meeting with Zelenskyy.
• Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov said the initial call was “friendly” and that Putin had told Trump that a 60-day ceasefire, proposed by the European Union and Ukraine, would simply prolong the war.
• Ushakov said that a “bold, responsible, political decision is needed from Kyiv” on the Donbas region and other disputed matters for there to be a “complete cessation” of hostilities.
• European leaders, including those from Finland, France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom, joined at least part of the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting by phone.
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement that Europe was ready to keep working with Ukraine and the US, and that having ironclad security guarantees would be of “paramount” importance.
• French President Emmanuel Macron said that progress had been made on security guarantees at the meeting. Macron said that countries in the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” would meet in Paris in early January to finalise their “concrete contributions”.
• Zelenskyy said that Trump had agreed to host European leaders again, possibly at the White House, sometime in January. Trump said the meeting could be in Washington, DC, or “someplace”.
• Earlier on Sunday, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov warned that any European troop contingents deployed to Ukraine would become legitimate targets for Russia’s forces. Lavrov also accused European politicians of being driven by “ambitions” in their relations with Kyiv, and disregarding the people of Ukraine and of their own nations.

Fighting

• Russian forces attacked a heating plant in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, wounding one person and causing “significant damage” to the facility, state oil and gas firm Naftogaz said.
• Ukraine’s leading private energy provider, DTEK, said it had restored power to more than a million households in and around Kyiv a day after a massive Russian air attack had forced emergency outages.
• Ukraine’s military said it had struck the Syzran oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region in a drone attack. The strike caused a fire, and damages were still being assessed, the army said in a statement.
• The military also said that only part of the southeastern town of Huliaipole was under Russian control, contradicting an earlier claim by Moscow that it had been captured. It added that fighting was also still under way for Stepnohirsk, another town in the southeastern Zaporizhia region that Russia claimed it had captured.
• Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement that its troops had taken control of four other settlements in the Donetsk region. It identified them as Myrnohrad, Artemivka, Rodynske and Vilne.

The French star reshaped post-war cinema before retreating from global fame into animal rights activism and, later, far-right politics.

Brigitte Bardot, the French actor and singer who became a global sensation before reinventing herself as an animal protection campaigner and outspoken supporter of the far right, has died aged 91.

The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announced her death on Sunday, saying “with immense sadness” that its founder and president had died.

In a statement sent to the AFP news agency, the foundation described Bardot as “a world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation”. It did not give details about when or where she died.

Bardot rose to international fame in 1956 with her role in And God Created Woman, a film that sought to project female sexuality on screen. She went on to appear in about 50 films, becoming one of the most recognisable faces of post-war French cinema.

In the early 1970s, Bardot quit acting at the height of her fame, turning her attention to animal protection. While her campaigning earned admiration from supporters, her public life grew increasingly controversial as she embraced far-right politics and made repeated racist and inflammatory remarks.

Her activism hardened into open support for France’s far-right National Front, now known as National Rally, and the party’s longtime leader Marine Le Pen. Over the years, French courts convicted Bardot multiple times for inciting racial hatred.

In 2022, a court fined her 40,000 euros ($47,000) after she described people from Reunion, a French overseas territory, as “degenerates” who had “kept their savage genes”. It marked the sixth time authorities had sanctioned her for racist and hate speech. Muslims and immigrants were among her frequent targets.

Born in Paris in 1934, Bardot grew up in a conservative Catholic household and trained as a ballet dancer at the Conservatoire de Paris. She began modelling as a teenager, appearing on the cover of Elle at 15, which led to early film roles and her marriage to director Roger Vadim.

Despite later being hailed by some as a trailblazer for women in cinema, Bardot dismissed complaints about sexual harassment in the film industry.

“Many actresses flirt with producers to get a role. Then when they tell the story afterwards, they say they have been harassed. … In actual fact, rather than benefit them, it only harms them,” she said.

“I thought it was nice to be told that I was beautiful or that I had a pretty little a**. This kind of compliment is nice.”

ASHLEY Roberts has had far from a frosty festive season this year as she has shared a gorgeous bikini snap from her trip to Mauritius.

It comes after the Pussycat Doll and Heart FM presenter spent Christmas by the beach in Dubai earlier this week.

In a new snap, Ashley posed in a red bikini and sunhat while taking a dip in the crystal clear sea for a new picture from her holidays.

She captioned the picture, which was shared to Instagram: “Happy lil chica”.

Ashley also posted a picture of the beach and her stunning view from the 5-star Westin Turtle Bay resort & spa in Mauritius.

She’s been far from the cold UK weather this week, hopping from the UAE to east Africa.

TOON TATTED

Geordie Shore star reveals tattoo tribute to boyfriend after first Xmas

NEW ROMANCE

MAFS bride reveals she’s dating mystery new boyfriend in cryptic TikTok

Days before Christmas, Ashley headed to Dubai to spend Christmas there with her boyfriend George Rollinson.

Ashley – who hails from Arizona originally but lives in the UK – and George first went public with their romance last year at the Brit Awards.

While pals back home were enjoying roast dinners and remaining warm inside; Ashley and George had a Christmas day dip in the sea, a day at a lavish beach club and a hotel buffet.

She has been keeping fans up to date with her travels via social media.

Ashley’s Christmas break away comes ahead of rumours she is about to rejon the Pussycat Dolls once more.

The band recently inked a new deal with leading talent agency, Creative Artists Agency, sparking rumours that a reunion could be imminent.

CAA music division head Rob Light  and Paul Franklin – a specialist in reunion tours – are now set to manage the band in a telling move.

While bandmate Nicole teased the reunion last week by talking about “what’s to come” for the band.

Sharing a clip from their hit song Buttons, Nicole wrote: “From then to now… seeing this video hit 1 billion views on YouTube fills my heart with so much gratitude.

“For the PCD fans. For the memories. For what’s to come.”