Aston Villa’s latest comeback win has highlighted coach Unai Emery’s remarkable record of turning around games, which has put his side firmly in the Premier League title race.

After Saturday’s 2-1 win at Chelsea – their 12th in 13th league matches – Villa have claimed 18 points from losing positions so far this season, more than any other team.

And it is not just this year that the Spaniard has been ⁠affecting games with his decision-making. Across the last three seasons, Villa have won more points from matches in ​which they were losing than any other Premier League team, according to data firm Opta.

In ‍the 58th minute on Saturday, with Chelsea 1-0 up and looking in control, Emery gambled on a triple substitution, bringing on Ollie Watkins and more attacking firepower in the form of winger Jadon Sancho, along with midfielder Amadou Onana.

Five minutes later, Watkins ‍pounced on a ⁠through ball by Morgan Rogers to beat Robert Sanchez in the Chelsea goal.

Buoyed by their equaliser and their change of personnel, Villa looked transformed from the side that was pinned back by their hosts for most of the first hour.

In the 84th minute, Watkins – hoping for a place in the England World Cup squad next summer – met a Youri Tielemans corner with an angled header that left Sanchez with no chance.

“He’s a tactical genius,” Watkins said when asked by Sky ​Sports about Emery’s ability to change the momentum of matches.

The coach himself tried ‌to sound a bit less effusive. “It’s something, of course, that makes us proud of everything we are doing,” Emery said when asked about Villa’s ability to turn losing situations into victories.

He sought to play down his side’s chances of winning the title, despite ‌their blistering form.

“I am not feeling it,” Emery said. “I am feeling we competing very well, and we are now the third in the league with two ‌teams, Manchester City and Arsenal, wow.”

But with the season only halfway ⁠through, Villa, who struggled badly at the start of the campaign, need to show more consistency, he said.

Villa face league leaders Arsenal in London on Tuesday.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca had to face questions about much less impressive statistics for his young side, who have ‌dropped 11 points from winning positions in home Premier League matches this season – four more than any other side.

“We need to understand why when we concede a goal, we struggle a bit to manage the game,” ‍the Italian told reporters.

He was left to rue Chelsea’s failure to build a bigger lead before Villa’s fightback.

“By the time they scored the goal, I think we should have scored two to three goals,” Maresca said.

Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool maintain form

Manchester City threw down the gauntlet for the ‍second successive weekend, and Arsenal proved undaunted ‍as they kicked off their festive fixtures with a narrow 2-1 defeat of Brighton & Hove Albion to stay as Premier League leaders on Saturday.

City won 2-1 at Nottingham Forest, with Rayan Cherki grabbing a goal and an assist to briefly move to the top of the pile.

But Arsenal, just as they had done last week by beating Everton after City’s earlier win over West Ham United, were unwavering as captain Martin Odegaard scored his first goal of the season for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal also needed an own goal and ⁠a spectacular save by keeper David Raya to preserve their lead, as the halfway point in the Premier League season looms.

The London side have 42 points from 18 games, with City on 40.

When Odegaard drilled in a 14th-minute opener for the Gunners, and Georginio Rutter’s own goal from a Declan Rice corner made it 2-0 shortly after the break, it should have been ​a routine three points for the hosts.

But Diego Gomez’s reply for Brighton changed the complexion of the contest, and there was relief at the final ‌whistle as Arsenal cleared another obstacle in the title chase.

“The knock-on effect of winning is incredibly powerful,” Arteta said of a victory that should have been easier.

“It should never be 2-1, but that’s the Premier League. What I like is that we have a lot of issues [but] we’re dealing with it in an incredible way. Yesterday, we lost Jurrien [Timber]; today, we lost [Riccardo] Calafiori in the warm-up; Declan [Rice] has to play as a full-back, and you see the performance that ‌he put in. So, that’s the spirit and that’s how much our players want it.”

Florian Wirtz scored his first Liverpool goal as they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 on an emotional Anfield afternoon, when both sets of fans remembered the late Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash in July.

Wirtz doubled Liverpool’s lead shortly after Ryan Gravenberch had put them in front, although Wolves rallied in the second half and Santiago Bueno pulled a goal back.

Reigning champions Liverpool moved fourth on 32 ‍points, while the misery for the ⁠bottom club Wolves continues.

They have now broken the Premier League record for winless starts to a season and have two points from 18 games, and are 16 points behind the fourth-from-bottom Nottingham Forest.

SOPHIE Habboo has shared a collection of intimate pictures of her and Jamie Laing’s first Christmas as parents.

The presenter husband-and-wife welcomed their first child, baby boy Ziggy, at the beginning of December, and since then have been adapting to life as a mum and dad.

Naturally, this Christmas was set to be one to remember, with Sophie pulling out all the stops to make sure the holidays were extra special.

Proud husband Jamie shared a video of the effort Sophie went to for Christmas dinner, calling her “superwoman” on Instagram with an inside look at what she’d been getting up to.

He wrote on the video itself: “POV: your wife is three weeks pregnant and still creates a magical Christmas”.

Sophie was seen in the clip layout out the table before doing a dance for the camera, while other family members were beginning to dish out dinner in the kitchen.

XMAS TREAT

Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo splash on £14k a WEEK retreat with 24hr baby care

KID YOU NOT

Jamie Laing & Sophie Habboo reveal things that surprised them about parenthood

Now, Sophie has given an even more intimate look at what their festive season has consisted off, sharing a string of photographs of both her and Jamie cuddled up to Ziggy.

Among them, the new family were seen posing in front of their Christmas tree, taking selfies in their hallway mirror, and posing with their entire family.

Others showed Jamie in dinosaur pyjamas with Ziggy asleep on his chest, the red and green decor around their house, and Sophie hard at work in the kitchen as she got dinner ready.

“Christmas 2025! The best yet ❤️” she wrote.

Fellow Made in Chelsea star Rosie Fortescue led the celebrations of the pair, writing: “Too divine for words ♥️♥️♥️”

Jedward added: “Awww beautiful here’s to the new adventure”, while influencer Holly-Evelyn added: “Absolutely stunning!! Merry Christmas and congratulations ❤️”

The happy couple revealed back in June they were set to expand their family – and have been keeping fans updated ever since.

Their podcast – first called Nearly Weds before being renamed Newly Weds – was rebranded again to become Nearly Parents in celebration.

Both have been praised for being brutally honest with their experience as upcoming parents, with Sophie sharing her health ups and downs as well as their shared excitement and fear over what lies ahead.

Following Ziggy’s birth, the pair treated themselves to a £14,000 a week baby retreat at Tenth Wellness at The Mandarin Hotel in central London to unwind and adjust at their own pace.

Described online as the “UK’s leading postpartum wellness destination”, a single night in one of their locations costs a whopping £2k.

The hotel includes a spacious, salubrious, on-site nursery that’s run by top-of-the-line nurses, with massage therapists and beauty technicians on hand to treat mum.

Packages additionally include optional lessons in all areas of postpartum care, including daily educational group classes, a lactation consultant session, and incision aftercare.

ATLANTA — Lloyd Bentsen, a tall Texan with a mission to protect the Democratic Party’s right flank, was nominated for vice president Thursday night, and he had a message for America: It is time to wake up and go to work.

“My friends, America has just passed through the ultimate epoch of illusion: An eight-year coma in which slogans were confused with solutions and rhetoric passed for reality, a time when America tried to borrow its way to prosperity,” the 67-year-old U.S. senator told the Democratic convention delegates.

‘Epoch of Illusion’ Ending

In a speech that depicted the Democrats as a new party of competence and frugality, Bentsen said: “At long last the epoch of illusion is drawing to a close. America is ready for the honest, proven, hands-on leadership of Michael Dukakis backed up by the power of a united, committed Democratic Party.”

A Texas-Size Night

It wasn’t just a big night, it was a Texas-size night for Bentsen, a dapper politician who until now has seen more of the inner sanctums of the Senate than the national spotlight. Suddenly he is in the spotlight and on the ticket with the presidential nominee, Michael S. Dukakis, in what many believe is the most united Democratic Party in 24 years.

But Bentsen was ready, striding into the gaze of a curious public with the looks, the soothing voice and the self-assurance of a senator who might have been created by Hollywood. In the audience was his 94-year-old father, “Big Lloyd,” who reared his son to shoot straight and ride fast in the Rio Grande Valley.

Also in the audience were some delegates whose concern about Bentsen reflected what an odd couple he and Dukakis make. The senator disagrees with the governor on a number of major issues, including the MX missile and aid for the Nicaraguan Contras, both of which Bentsen supports and Dukakis opposes.

“I will support Bentsen on the ticket,” said Vernice Garrison, a California delegate who held up a “No on Contra Aid” sign. “But I want him to know how I feel about Contra aid.”

Lack of Enthusiasm Noted

There was a noticeable lack of enthusiasm for Bentsen among some supporters of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who believed that their man should have been picked as vice president because he got 7 million votes, and won more than 1,200 delegates in the primaries and caucuses.

Some Jackson supporters in the New Jersey delegation wanted to stage a protest over Bentsen’s position on the Contras, but Jackson’s floor leaders were instructed to prevent that, according to Newark Mayor Sharpe James.

It was also clear that Bentsen’s plain speaking style will not upstage Dukakis in this campaign. Some delegates chatted through the entire address.

Dukakis picked the more conservative Bentsen in part to offset his more liberal Northeastern image. He also wants him to take the battle to Texas, the adopted home state of the expected GOP nominee, Vice President George Bush, where 29 electoral votes are at stake.

But Bentsen has never been known as an attacker and that was evident in his speech. He criticized the Reagan-Bush Administration without ridiculing it, zeroing in on what he believes are its flaws without dwelling too long on the downside.

And, although Bentsen has made fun of Bush on occasion and says he looks forward to challenging him on their home turf in the oil-producing states, his speech indicated that he does not intend to be overly harsh.

“Lloyd Bentsen is not going to be the hatchet man of this campaign,” said Texas political consultant George Christian, who helped Bentsen draft his speech.

‘They’re Good Friends’

“I was involved in Lloyd’s 1970 Senate race with Bush and to my knowledge he never did really attack Bush,” Christian said. “They’re good friends. But there is going to be good honest criticism of the Administration in this campaign, and it has to be done sharply.”

“Democrats agree that the American worker who has struggled for 20 years to support his or her family has earned 60 days’ notice if management plans to shut down that plant. But the Reagan-Bush Administration insists that a pink slip in the mail is notice enough,” Bentsen said in a reference to a plant-closing bill that the Reagan Administration recently opposed.

Bentsen and Dukakis believe the differences between the two political parties on that legislation could be crucial in luring back many working-class Democrats who supported Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984 and are expressing doubts about Bush in opinion polls.

Bentsen and Dukakis are aware, however, that they may have trouble convincing some middle class voters that these are difficult times, given the sustained economic growth and low unemployment under Reagan.

Targeting Specific Group

So, as Bentsen’s speech showed, they are aiming for that portion of the middle class that is struggling or is at least apprehensive about the future.

“I see the charts and numbers that suggest prosperity,” Bentsen said. “But I also talk with people and I hear what they have to say.

“I know that if you are a teacher or a factory worker, or if you are just starting a family, it’s almost impossible to buy a house–no matter how hard you work or how carefully you plan. A college education is slipping beyond the reach of millions of hard-working Americans.”

Then, in a sales job for Dukakis and his record as governor, Bentsen said: “Michael Dukakis . . . turned around the economy of Massachusetts, not by writing hot checks but by careful management of the taxpayers’ dollar and a healthy respect for the entrepreneurial system.”

Bentsen was nominated for vice president by longtime Bentsen ally Rep. Dan Rostenkowski of Illinois, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

The nomination was seconded by former Texas Rep. Barbara Jordan, a widely admired black leader whom Bentsen aides described as one of the senator’s home state heroes, and by Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, one of a group of young senators elected recently by the Democrats. Daschle’s home state is where Bentsen’s Danish forebears settled in the 19th Century. His father, Lloyd Sr., moved from South Dakota to Texas in the 1920s and built a ranching and real estate empire from scratch.

Introduced by Glenn

Bentsen was introduced by Ohio Sen. John Glenn, the No. 1 “bridesmaid” among those other Democrats Dukakis was considering for vice president. “I just knew I’d be making a speech tonight about the vice presidency,” Glenn joked, and then went on to praise his Senate colleague as “a real Texan” who is “superbly qualified for the job.”

Ironically, Glenn’s short, tough speech, which cheered Bentsen and ridiculed Bush, appeared to be one of the best he has ever given, the kind that, delivered sooner, could have put to rest the doubts of Dukakis’ aides about Glenn’s campaigning ability.

Glenn received a very enthusiastic reception, better than Bentsen’s. The delegates also cheered Jordan, who described Bentsen as a man with “an instinct for doing what is right,” an allusion to his civil rights record, which is much better than that of many Southern white leaders of his generation.

With the senator’s father in the convention hall were Bentsen’s wife, Beryl Ann, their sons, Lloyd III and Lan, and their daughter, Tina Bentsen Smith.

Bentsen wrote his speech with the help of his former Senate aide Stephen Ward. Christian, former press secretary to President Lyndon B. Johnson, helped hone the address. According to Christian and Jack DeVore, Bentsen Senate press secretary, the Dukakis campaign offered little in the way of suggestions.

Defers to Senator

“Dukakis trusts Lloyd,” Christian said. Reporters following the two men in the last week have found that, despite their differences on some key issues, they seem comfortable, if not gregarious, together. Dukakis has been seen deferring to the senator in several situations involving members of the House and Senate who are attending the convention.

At the end of his speech, Bentsen, a multimillionaire, thanks to real estate and other businesses, told his audience that his forebears had started out in a sod hut in South Dakota.

“They made their way in America,” Bentsen said. “That’s the American dream we have nourished for 200 years, the dream of freedom and opportunity, the chance for a step up in life. I want to help Michael Dukakis protect that dream for the next generation.”

Staff writers John Balzar, Bob Drogin, Patt Morrison, David Lauter and Henry Weinstein contributed to this story.

Jared Verse was on the field running at the Rams’ Woodland Hills training facility. Byron Young was nearby working out in the weight room.

When Rams coach Sean McVay informed the two edge rushers that they had both been voted to the Pro Bowl, Young ran to meet Verse, and a celebration ensued.

“It was kind of weird the way we, like, hype up each other,” Verse said, laughing heartily.

The two players hugged and jumped in a circle. They tackled each other to the ground. Then they got to their feet and hugged again.

“It was something you can’t fake,” McVay said. “It was one of those moments. … You step back and you say, ‘these are the moments of why you do this.’”

Verse and Young have become a celebrated duo for a Rams team that is 11-4 heading into Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons (6-9) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Verse, the 19th pick in the 2024 draft, is accustomed to receiving postseason honors.

Last season, he had 4½ sacks and was voted to the Pro Bowl. He also was named the NFL defensive rookie of the year.

This season, he has become the focus of opponents’ protection schemes, regularly drawing double teams. He earned Pro Bowl recognition despite having only 6½ sacks, well behind the statistical leaders.

“Honestly, not getting the stats can be frustrating at times,” he said, adding, “So to know that my impact’s still being felt, it’s a good feeling.”

Young, a third-round pick in 2023, steadily improved his first two seasons before this season’s breakout.

He has 11 sacks, tied for ninth most in the NFL.

“It means a lot,” he said of making the Pro Bowl. “All the hard work the past few years, learning from my mistakes … and just taking a better approach to this offseason — I feel like it paid off.”

The 6-foot, 4-inch, 265-pound Verse and the 6-2, 260-pound Young are a violent combination on the field, and a comical one off of it.

“I’ll get on ‘BY’ for anything,” Verse said. “I saw him trip the other day and I clowned him for like two days.”

But it isn’t always fun and games.

While coaches playfully refer to them as stepbrothers, Verse said the relationship goes deeper.

“‘B.Y. is somebody that I genuinely talk to outside of here,” Verse said. “If I have any problems in my personal life, me and him will be talking to each other. … That’s somebody I genuinely count on.

“If I’m going through a tough time, I come to him and vice versa.”

Said Young: “We push each other to be better, hold each other accountable and I feel like that’s why we’ve been successful.”

Verse and Young both have improved from last season, when the Rams advanced to the NFC divisional round before losing to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles.

During training camp, Verse said that he spent the offseason studying the positive plays he made as a rookie, but also the ones he missed.

With veteran outside linebacker Michael Hoecht moving on, Young focused during the offseason on improving his flexibility with Pilates workouts. He also vowed to assume more of a leadership role.

“Seeing it all pay off is really amazing,” Young said.

Verse and Young are part of an outside linebacker group coached by Joe Coniglio that also includes rookie Josaiah Stewart, Desjuan Johnson and Nick Hampton.

Verse and Young, along with defensive linemen Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske and Poona Ford, make up a formidable starting front.

Verse’s and Young’s contributions go beyond sacks and quarterback pressures, defensive coordinator Chris Shula said.

“It’s the down-in, down-out play,” Shula said, “how they’re affecting the game.”

Turner, like Young a third-year pro, has come on in the second half of the season to amass seven sacks. He said Verse and Young complement each other, aiding the entire line to work in tandem.

“They’re relentless,” Turner said. “Their mentality helps us all.”

Stewart, a third-round pick from Michigan, playfully described Verse and Young as “two knuckleheads” who set an example with their work ethic and results.

“I’ve seen them put in the work since I got here and they have helped me along the way,” he said.

While honored to be voted to the Pro Bowl, Verse and Young would much prefer to be preparing with the Rams for Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara when the Pro Bowl Games are held that week in San Francisco.

The Rams have clinched a playoff spot and they are currently seeded sixth in the NFC, with games against the Falcons and the Arizona Cardinals remaining.

Verse and Young will continue to play off each other as the Rams make their postseason push.

Verse is proud to share Pro Bowl recognition with Young.

“People hype him up because of how many sacks he gets, the pressure and everything that he does,” Verse said, “but to see the amount of work he puts in, to see it finally pay off.”

And Young is proud to share it with Verse.

“Since he got in the league, I feel like we’ve been competing with each other,” Young said. “He brings an energy to the team, and just making me be a better player.”

Victor Osimhen starred as Nigeria became the second qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage after Egypt by surviving a late Tunisia onslaught to win 3-2 in Fes.

The Super Eagles were cruising to victory on Saturday, leading 3-0 through goals from Osimhen, captain Wilfred Ndidi and Ademola Lookman.

But Tunisia refused to surrender in the top-of-the-table Group C clash, and Montassar Talbi and Ali Abdi scored to set up a tense finish.

Tunisia had two chances to level during seven minutes of added time, but a header from captain Ferjani Sassi and a shot by substitute Ismael Gharbi were just off target.

Nigeria have six points, Tunisia three, and Tanzania and Uganda one each, with the final round of group matches set for Tuesday.

The showdown was the seventh time the Super Eagles and the Carthage Eagles had faced each other at an AFCON.

Nigeria won three times, and Tunisia once. Another two meetings went to penalty shootouts, with each nation winning one.

After performing well below par when edging Tanzania in the opening round, Nigeria were a transformed team against Tunisia, dominating the first 30 minutes in the northern city.

Osimhen was outstanding, particularly in aerial duels, while Tunisia were forced to constantly defend against the three-time champions.

The Galatasaray striker, wearing his trademark mask, headed just over after nine minutes, and came close again soon after as he rose to meet a corner kick.

Osimhen had the ball in the net after 17 minutes, but was rightly ruled offside. Big-screen replays showed the 2023 African player of the year timing his run too early.

Tunisia midfielder Hannibal Mejbri was lucky to escape a yellow card for dissent after reacting angrily when a Nigerian took a foul throw, flinging the ball into the ground.

Osimhen was wide with another headed goal attempt, then left the pitch temporarily so that the medical staff could apply a spray to his leg.

Tunisia finally broke out of a defensive shell on 32 minutes and forced a corner. The set-piece ended with the ball coming back to Abdi, whose shot flew well over.

Several Tunisian raids reaped no reward, and on 44 minutes, the goalless deadlock was broken, with Osimhen, predictably, the scorer.

The goal involved two former African players of the year, with 2024 winner Lookman crossing the ball and Osimhen rising between Abdi and Talbi to head powerfully into the net.

Just five minutes into the second half, Nigeria stretched their lead to two goals, as they once again exposed the aerial weaknesses of the Tunisian defence.

Atalanta striker Lookman was the architect again, floating a corner into the heart of the goalmouth, where Ndidi soared to beat goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen and score his first international goal.

After creating the first two goals, Lookman scored the third on 67 minutes, after being set up by Osimhen. He had time to control the ball in the box before slamming it into the net off the post.

Tunisia pulled one goal back with 16 minutes remaining. The North Africans finally got the better of an aerial duel, and Talbi nodded a Mejbri free-kick into the net.

The goal had a dramatic effect as Tunisia took control and scored again with three minutes left, when Abdi converted a penalty awarded after a VAR review showed Bright Samuel handled.

Uganda spurn penalty chance to beat Tanzania

Uganda’s Allan Okello missed a late penalty as his side had to settle for a 1-1 draw against East African neighbours Tanzania at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier on Saturday.

Okello’s failure to convert from the spot denied Uganda a precious victory in the Group C clash after Uche Ikpeazu had scored a late equaliser for the Cranes in front of 10,540 fans at Al Medina Stadium in Rabat.

Before that, it looked like Tanzania, winless in 10 previous matches across four AFCON tournaments, might finally break their duck when Simon Msuva put them in front from the penalty spot.

But Ikpeazu, who plays in the Scottish second tier for St Johnstone, headed in a cross by fellow substitute Denis Omedi to level the scores with 10 minutes remaining.

“I have a very bad feeling, because I think we didn’t deserve this draw. I think we had more opportunities,” said Uganda coach Paul Put.

Of the missed penalty, he said, “That is very, very painful, but that is also football.”

The deadlock between the regional rivals, who will co-host the 2027 Cup of Nations with Kenya, does little to help their chances of progressing to the last 16 from Group C.

Both have one point from two matches and trail Nigeria and Tunisia, with the two former champions facing off later on Saturday in Fes.

“It is not in our hands, but we have to believe,” said Put, whose team play Nigeria next.

Uganda, who have just one AFCON win of their own across three tournament appearances since losing the 1978 final, came closest to scoring in the first half.

An Aziz Kayondo cross from the left was met by the head of Rogers Mato, whose effort came back off the underside of the crossbar.

Tanzania were awarded a spot-kick just before the hour mark, when a shot by Alphonce Msanga struck the arm of Uganda’s Baba Alhassan.

The experienced Msuva, who plays club football in Iraq, made no mistake from the spot and has now scored goals at three different AFCON tournaments.

However, a dramatic finish to the game amid a torrential downpour saw Tanzania squander the lead and then breathe a big sigh of relief as Uganda missed the opportunity to claim victory.

Ikpeazu made it 1-1, and Uganda won a penalty when James Bogere went down as his shirt was pulled by Tanzania defender Haji Mnoga of Salford City.

With the game in the 90th minute, Okello stepped up and was perhaps put off by a huge clap of thunder just before he took his kick, which went over the bar.

“I am a little bit disappointed with the result, because we tried to win the game, but we also could have lost it in the last five minutes,” said Tanzania coach Miguel Angel Gamondi.

“We wanted our first win at the Africa Cup of Nations, and I am very sorry for all the Tanzanian people.”

SPOTTING yet another shark, my sister Hayley shouts: “Quick! There are loads over here,” pointing towards the edge of the reef.

We’ve only just jumped into the sea on our 90-minute guided snorkelling trip, £53 each, so I decide to closely follow the guide instead, who points out moray eels, box fish and spotted eagle rays, plus the aforementioned reef sharks, which are thankfully harmless.

There is coral aplenty, and it’s teeming with sea life in every colour of the rainbow, as if I’ve swum straight into a scene from Finding Nemo.

Water View

Staying in a water villa at Oblu Xperience Ailafushi – complete with an outdoor rainfall shower and deck with a ladder straight into the turquoise water below – offers the classic Maldives experience.

The sound of the waves lapping beneath us is more calming than any white noise track I’ve listened to.

Thankfully, this all-inclusive resort on Ailafushi island is not solely aimed at couples, unlike many luxury getaways in the Maldives.

ROCKIN’ AROUND

Moment TORNADO hits Spain as Xmas lights destroyed amid weather red alert

COSTA LITTLE

This is Spain’s cheapest island with £169pp holidays – and it’s still 23C

Even better, it’s just a 15-minute speedboat ride from the capital Malé, which works out much cheaper than a sea-plane transfer.

The main restaurant, Element X, is a buffet eatery, which also helps keep costs down.

Here, we find dishes from all over the world, but it’s the Indian selection with rich, buttery paneer masala, spicy lentil daal and fresh roti, that most hits the spot.

All the action on Ailafushi centres around the main pool, the X360 bar and the neighbouring beach, where water shoes prove handy for the coral.

Daily activities include aqua Zumba, water polo and volleyball, plus a DJ hits the decks at sunset.

There’s even a twice-weekly foam party, which reminds us of teenage trips to Ibiza.

After a few frozen piña coladas, the nightly karaoke proves entertaining, and there’s a games room complete with pool tables, board games and huge screens playing live sport.

But it’s the water slide that drops you straight into the Indian ocean that becomes our favourite activity.

Beach Happy

At the other side of the island – a 10-minute stroll away – we find the Elena Spa And Wellness Centre, one of the Maldives’ largest spas, with landscaped tropical gardens that blend indoors with outdoors.

My treatment room overlooks the beach, and beneath the spa soundtrack I can hear the gentle sound of the waves.

The Balinese massage, £57 for 60 minutes, melts away tension from our long flight, while Hayley’s detoxifying lymph massage leaves her abs looking super-sculpted.

As well as treatments, there’s a steam room, sauna and salt water infinity pool, £8 for an hour, plus a juice bike which you can pedal to blend your fruits of choice.

Later, on the 90-minute dolphin cruise, which costs £53 each, we camp out on the bow of the boat, and are soon fortunate enough to spy a pod complete with a calf leaping out of the water just as the sunset turns the sky orange.

We celebrate with a delicious five-course lobster-themed beach dinner from The Copper Pot food truck, £60 each, that includes brown butter lobster tortellini, poached lobster, fennel and mango salad and a gigantic lobster thermidor.

Another ray in paradise

Our most memorable evening is spent at Oblu’s underwater restaurant Only Blu.

At 6.8m below sea level, we tuck into three courses with wine pairings, and marvel at the marine life on the other side of the super-sized windows.

As we’re feasting on scallops with pickles and cauliflower, and Maldivian yellowfin tuna poke, a 5ft-long nurse shark glides past and hundreds of tiny fish quickly dart into the reef to camouflage themselves among the coral.

It’s not long before we spy a similar-sized blacktip reef shark, and I lose count of the number of rays that appear alongside brightly coloured trigger and lion fish, before my main course of melt-in-the-mouth, pan-fried reef fish with corn mash and an olive and caper emulsion arrives.

A gulab jamun cheesecake and rich deconstructed banoffee pie don’t disappoint either, and the night proves well worth the extra £95 each.

With the fish still entertaining us just a few feet away, if we could, we’d both happily stay here until sunrise.

ISLE BE BACK

Meanwhile, writer Samantha Rea found joy on the island of Sark.

The “toast rack” – which is basically a row of benches on a trailer pulled by a tractor – is chugging me uphill from the harbour.

With no seat belts or doors, I hold on for dear life.

But seeing as only tractors and horse-drawn carriages are allowed on the tiny isle of Sark (yes, there are no cars!), this is the best way to reach The Avenue, Sark’s main street.

And at £1.80 a ride, it’s worth a go.

Sitting in the English Channel, just off the French coast, Sark is 3.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide with some fab foodie gems.

At Caragh Chocolates, I decorate truffles and a huge slab with hazelnuts, fudge and cranberries alongside owner Caragh, before leaving with my delicious creations.

Ninety-minute workshops cost £45 (Caraghchocolates.com).

While at cosy Nova’s Bistro, portions are generous and the rich beef stew with pastry lid, £26, and treacle tart, £9.50 (@Novas. bistro) are well worth the 20-minute walk from Stocks Hotel, where I’m kipping

I walk off some of my indulgence the next day on a one-hour tour of La Seigneurie House and Gardens, with its gorgeous fountains, bridges and chapel. It’s owned by a family who are like Sark’s royals and has a fascinating history. Entry costs £8 (Laseigneurie desercq.uk).

Sark is also great for wild swimming – the best spots being Dixcart Bay, Les Fontaine Bay and La Grande Greve.

Meanwhile, if you want to see the Milky Way once night falls, head to Sark Observatory, £10 (Darkskyisland. co.uk).

And just like the song, you’ll hopefully soon be counting stars. . .

UK flights to Guernsey cost from £100 return. Ferries to Sark cost from £38.50 return (Sarkshipping.gg).

Double rooms at Stocks Hotel cost from £250 B&B (Stockshotel.com).

Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza, surrounded by tents and debris, are suffering through more winter rains after two years of Israeli bombardment destroyed much of the Strip.

A polar low-pressure system accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds swept across the Gaza Strip on Saturday. It is the third polar low to affect the Palestinian territory this winter, with a fourth low-pressure system forecast to hit the area starting on Monday, meteorologist Laith al-Allami told the Anadolu news agency.

Many families have been living in tents since late 2023, for most of the duration of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

The enclave is imminently facing freezing temperatures, rain and strong winds, as the authorities warn the downpour could intensify into a full-blown storm.

Mohammed Maslah, a displaced Palestinian now in Gaza City, told Al Jazeera in his rugged tent that he did not have a choice but to stay there.

“I could not find anywhere to live in Gaza, except Gaza Port,” he told Al Jazeera. “I’m forced to stay here because my home is under Israeli control. After just a few hours of rain, we were soaked.”

In Deir al-Balah, Shaima Wadi, a mother of four children who was displaced from Jabaliya in the north, spoke to the Associated Press. “We have been living in this tent for two years. Every time it rains and the tent collapses over our heads, we try to put up new pieces of wood,” she said. “With how expensive everything has become, and without any income, we can barely afford clothes for our children or mattresses for them to sleep on.”

The heavy rains earlier this month flooded tents and makeshift shelters across Gaza, where most of the buildings have been destroyed or damaged by Israeli attacks.

So far in December, at least 15 people, including three babies, died from hypothermia following rains and plunging temperatures, with several buildings collapsing, according to the authorities in Gaza. Aid organisations have called for Israel to allow more shelters and other humanitarian aid into the territory.

Ibrahim Abu al-Reesh, head of field operations for the Civil Defence in the Gaza Port area, said that his teams responded to various distress calls as weather conditions got harsher in places where displaced people set up fragile tents.

“We worked hard to cover some of these damaged tents with plastic sheets after they were flooded by rainwater,” he told Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim Al Khalili, reporting from Gaza City, said that winter has been adding to the suffering of tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians who do not have safe shelters.

“The same misery repeats as each rain fills neighbourhoods with muddy water,” he said.

Ceasefire talks

As Palestinians face dire conditions in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit Washington, DC, in the coming days while negotiators and others discuss the second stage of the ceasefire that took effect on October 10.

The progress in the peace process has been slow. Challenges in phase two of the ceasefire include the deployment of an international stabilisation force, a technocratic governing body for Gaza, the proposed disarmament of Hamas and further Israeli troop withdrawals from the territory.

So far, the agreement has partially held despite Israel’s repeated violations.

Since the ceasefire went into effect, more than 414 Palestinians have been killed and 1,142 wounded, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

It also said the bodies of 679 people were pulled from the rubble during the same period, as the truce makes it safer to search for the remains of people killed earlier.

The ministry on Saturday said that 29 bodies, including 25 recovered from under the rubble, had been brought to local hospitals over the past 48 hours.

The overall Palestinian death toll from Israel’s war has risen to at least 71,266, the ministry said, and another 171,219 have been wounded.

ITV viewers took to social media to complain after watching Jamie Redknapp on the Christmas special of Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win on December 27

Viewers of ITV were left divided on Saturday night (December 27) as they settled in to watch the Christmas edition of Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win.

The festive episode saw two unsuspecting members of the audience receive a delightful shock when they were called up to take on the Limitless ladder alongside celebrity partners.

Throughout the programme, mother-of-two Brooke teamed up with Amanda Holden, but her journey ended prematurely after getting stuck on merely five questions.

In contrast, former soldier Nigel was matched with footballing icon Jamie Redknapp, and their partnership proved far more successful. Their performance was so impressive that the pair managed to nail three questions in a row with perfect accuracy.

Among the challenges they tackled was: “How many holes does a standard golf course have?” to which they correctly responded 18.

They also encountered the question: “How many mm wide is a standard Lindt Lindor chocolate truffle?” For this particular challenge, the duo opted to use their advantage card, submitting one response whilst Ant and Dec provided another, with the system removing whichever answer was furthest from the truth, reports the Express.

Jamie and Nigel put forward 32 as their response, whilst the presenting pair underestimated with 28, which turned out to be spot on.

Their third perfectly accurate answer came when asked “How many stripes does Where’s Wally have on his T-shirt?” correctly identifying the number as 10.

However, after the tense scenes aired, viewers took to social media in droves to voice their frustrations over the perceived ease of the show’s questions, with many labelling it a “fix”.

One disgruntled viewer wrote: “P*** easy questions, such a fix” while another echoed the sentiment, saying: “Come on chaps, they have got through with the equivalent of asking what comes after C in the alphabet.”

A third chimed in: “The golf course question was a bit of a gimmie,” and a fourth jested: “Three exact answers in a row! Woahhhhh! [laughing emoji]”.

Meanwhile, another fan quipped: “Happy Christmas, the next question is… what is your house number? [cry-laughing emoji].”

After achieving an impressive hat trick, the amy vet decided to cash out with an impressive £30,000 in the bank, which left the guest almost in tears. He couldn’t help but thank Jamie for his help throughout the nail-biting game, as they walked out arm in arm.

The festive special arrives just weeks before the new series returns next month, as part of a double recommission announced earlier this year. Since launching in 2022, Limitless Win has given away over an astonishing £3.5million and has been streamed 13million times, reaching over 25 million viewers.

Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win is on ITV1 and ITVX

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

This week, the Senate Finance Committee took up hearings on mergers, takeovers, leveraged buyouts, corporate debt and other assorted sins often blamed on Wall Street.

Next week, the powerful House Ways and Means Committee follows suit, and at least seven other committees seem to be gearing up.

While it brings back memories of past inquisitions of investment bankers, by comparison this show is headed for an unspectacular run.

Only two previous congressional investigations stand out in American history for their far-ranging impact on the behavior of Wall Street and on public opinion. In 1912, Sen. Arsene P. Pujo of Louisiana turned a prolonged spotlight on alleged conspiracies among New York-based financiers to create and control big “money trusts” like U.S. Steel.

Despite its effective muckraking antics, the Pujo committee’s work did not in itself lead to new laws. But sweeping new banking legislation, including the establishment of the Federal Reserve System, followed soon after.

In 1933 the Senate Banking and Currency Committee launched the Pecora hearings–named not for a senator but for Ferdinand Pecora, the legal counsel–which put investment bankers on trial for fraud and other abuses during the booming 1920s. Pecora’s efforts led to milestone legislation that separated commercial lending from investment banking, created new rules for the securities business and set up the Securities and Exchange Commission.

There are, however, great differences between Congress’ past efforts and what will happen now.

Unlike today’s situation, the hearings of 1912 and 1933 were heavily driven by nonelected, firebrand prosecutors with independent political agendas. Pujo had Samuel Untermeyer, one of the country’s top trial lawyers who became wealthy creating mergers and then sought political fortune by tearing them apart. Pecora, a New Deal Democrat, had been a prominent Bull Moose Progressive in New York.

In the Pujo and Pecora eras, the balance of power between Washington and Wall Street was moving toward Pennsylvania Avenue. While in the early 1900s the House of Morgan and a few others single-handedly controlled American finance, by the second decade the government was wising up. Again in the 1920s private markets were running wild, but the Great Crash of ’29 ended all that.

In the late 1980s, however, the markets rule again. A deregulated, global financial casino that sees $200 billion of foreign currency speculation each day has the upper hand over governments. Congress recognizes this and is paranoid about setting off Wall Street’s hair trigger.

In the past, Congress could push for broad policy changes because financial regulations were so primitive. Pujo, for example, had no real authority to compel officials of Kidder, Peabody and other firms to disclose their business records. Before Pecora there were hardly any federal constraints on investment banking.

But today Washington maintains the world’s most elaborate regulatory regime, and hardly anyone advocates wholesale reform. Some measures, such as tax changes, may be required to reduce the attractiveness of financing deals with so much debt. But this will have to be done with great delicacy and, in any event, it is not technically a securities issue.

A common refrain for Pujo and Pecora was the evil of concentration and monopoly on Wall Street. It has always been good populist politics to wail about lack of competition among the investment banks and about the dominance of financiers over the industrial corporations that make goods and create jobs.

But these days the Merrill Lynches, the Shearsons and the Salomons compete ferociously. And few would challenge the need for size and concentration to compete with the Nomuras or the Deutschebanks.

As for whether Wall Street has the nation’s corporate titans on a leash, who can really say, when the management of so many companies and their investment bankers team up to take over someone else–or, as in the case of R.J.R. Nabisco, when they collaborate to buy management’s very own company from its public shareholders?

During past congressional hearings, the executive branch has not been a wallflower. Pujo could ride on the waves of Teddy Roosevelt’s trust busting and Woodrow Wilson’s crusading idealism. Pecora had Franklin D. Roosevelt and New Deal government activism. While President Bush has been making kinder and gentler noises about reexamining the LBO scene, its hard to envision dramatic departures. Its not just that Bush & Co. are moderates. But in today’s greed-glorifying culture, there is little push from outside the Washington Beltway to clobber the money men.

Finally, Pujo and especially Pecora were reacting to financial debacles, in one case the recurrent turn-of-the-century financial panics and, in the other, the Crash of ’29. With October of ’87 but a footnote in history, and with the Justice Department moving enthusiastically to lock up insider traders, there is today no real lightning rod for outrage.

Merger and LBO mania may be leading to severe problems, to be sure, especially if a recession hits and topples all those debt-laden firms. But Congress has never distinguished itself by locking the barn door early. That didn’t happen in Pujo’s or Pecora’s time, and who would bet that it will do so in ours?

In an opening half that featured just one solitary try, the dominant theme was Leinster’s superiority in the scrum.

With former Leinster player Michael Ala’alatoa appearing to struggle on their tight-head side, Munster could not get to grips with their opposing front row, who were able to use the set-piece to relieve pressure time and time again.

Despite those difficulties, Munster still enjoyed plenty of territory but were lacking in accuracy when it came to the crunch.

Jack Crowley missed touch in what was a generally poor kicking display from those in red, while a Mike Haley knock-on after a poor Tom Farrell pass ended another attack.

Leinster struggled to convert their own opportunities but did take a 7-0 lead into the break thanks to Van der Flier’s early score.

After one of those initial scrum penalties, the visitors kicked to the corner with Ronan Kelleher finding Caelan Doris from the subsequent line-out.

While the maul made only marginal headway, there was to be no stopping Van der Flier when the back row peeled off the back and ran through the tackle of Craig Casey to score.

In what continued to be a low-scoring and disjointed game after the break, Harry Byrne and Crowley traded penalties a quarter of an hour after the restart.

Approaching the final quarter, Byrne added another three points with the boot but, as both sides turned to their benches, it felt a game already lacking in flow was becoming even more disjointed.

Replacement centre Dan Kelly’s try in the 70th minute set up an absorbing finish but, try as they might and despite plenty of late possession, Munster could not find a way through the Leinster defence for the telling score.

In truth, while the game did not lack intensity or ferocity, given the paucity of attacking quality on show, it was a fitting end to such a contest.

Both sides face another interprovincial derby in the URC next week with Munster travelling to Ulster on Friday and Leinster hosting Connacht the following day.

Dec. 27 (UPI) — President Donald Trump and Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent urged an end to the Senate filibuster rule ahead of an anticipated budget battle in January.

Bessent submitted an op-ed that The Washington Post published on Saturday and blames Senate Democrats and the filibuster for blocking passage of a resolution to keep the federal government open while negotiating the 2026 fiscal year budget and causing a record 43-day shutdown of the federal government.

“The American people are just now emerging from the longest and most devastating government shutdown in U.S. history,” Bessent said.

“While the blame lies squarely with Senate Democrats, we cannot ignore the weapon they used to hold the country hostage: the legislative filibuster,” Bessent wrote.

With the continuing resolution expiring on Jan. 30, Bessent said there is a strong likelihood that Senate Democrats again will use the filibuster to block passage of a budget and force the government to close again.

“Democrats inflicted tremendous harm on the nation, including $11 billion in permanent economic damage” as the federal government was “held for ransom by the left’s demands,” Bessent said.

He said the shutdown caused the nation to lose 1.5 percentage points in gross domestic product growth during the fourth quarter, triggered 9,500 canceled flights and caused 1.4 million federal workers to miss their paychecks.

He called the filibuster a “historical accident that has evolved into a standing veto for the [Senate] minority and a license for paralysis.”

The Constitution does not mention a filibuster, and its “framers envisioned debate, but they expect majority rule,” Bessent said.

He said the filibuster has its roots in an 1806 Senate rules decision that deleted a “previous question” motion, which unintentionally removed the Senate’s mechanism for ending debate with a majority vote.

Senators later realized they could “delay or block” legislative action with unending debate, and just the threat of a filibuster is enough to trigger the filibuster rule requiring a supermajority of 60 votes to end it, Bessent explained.

He said it is likely that Senate Democrats again will force the federal government to shut down at the end of January by blocking the 2026 fiscal year budget vote.

President Barack Obama called the filibuster a “‘Jim Crow relic,'” but Bessent said Senate Democrats always use it to their advantage whenever possible, and the president agrees.

“It’s time to end the filibuster,” Trump said while agreeing with Bessent in a social media post that includes Bessent’s op-ed.

He also told Politico that the GOP must end the filibuster when interviewed on Friday night.

Doing so will help his administration to undo damage that he said was caused by the Biden administration and led to very high inflation that he is trying to fix to make life more affordable in the United States, Trump said.

The president has urged Senate Republicans to end the filibuster as soon as possible and said Senate Democrats will do it the first chance that they get when they eventually win a majority in the Senate.

Senate Democrats in September and afterward overwhelmingly opposed a clean continuing resolution to keep the federal government open and instead submitted a resolution that would add $1.5 trillion in spending over the next 10 years to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at the end of December.

Senate Democrats control 47 seats, including two occupied by independents who caucus with Senate Democrats, while the GOP controls 53 seats, so neither party can overcome the filibuster rule without help from the other.

The Senate GOP could not muster the 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster rule until eight Senate Democrats joined with most Senate Republicans to support the continuing resolution to end the 43-day government shutdown that began when the 2026 fiscal year started on Oct. 1.

Senate Democrats in 2022 tried to end the filibuster rule but could not obtain a simple majority due to opposition from Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, both of whom were Democrats but have retired from politics.

Emery may deflect title talk, but his body of work at Villa and the Midas touch he displays – match-winner Watkins described his manager as a “tactical genius” – means they are now right at the heart of the conversation at the top of the table.

Villa’s acid test may just come in their next game, when they face league leaders Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, 30 December (20:15 GMT) but Emery has made a habit of making life difficult for his former club.

He ticks every box for an elite manager, taking Villa into the Champions League last season, only missing out on this term’s competition on the final day of the last campaign, and now taking them just three points from the top of the table and only a point behind Manchester City.

Another figure of significance is that Villa’s win means they are now 10 points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea, a position they would have accepted with gratitude after failing to win any of their first five league games.

Emery proved his pedigree when he acted to galvanise a stuttering Villa display just before the hour as they trailed to Joao Pedro’s messy 37th-minute goal, the striker touching home Reece James’ corner in a scramble.

With Villa going nowhere but the game still in the balance, Emery sent on Watkins, Amadou Onana and Jadon Sancho for Donyell Malen, John McGinn and Emiliano Buendia.

The impact was stunning, Watkins equalising inside four minutes then powering home a header for the winner.

Emery did what the best managers do – he took the big decisions that turned a game which looked to be getting away from Villa on its head.

Tony Hawk, the skateboarding legend synonymous with daring tricks and modern skate culture, over the weekend faced an experience “WAY outside” his comfort zone: performing in a ballet.

The San Diego native and “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater” namesake, 57, made his ballet debut Saturday skating on stage for Golden State Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker.” During the one-of-a-kind showing at San Diego’s Civic Theatre, Hawk appeared in multiple scenes of the beloved holiday ballet, entertaining audiences with tricks while in costume.

“Sometimes you just have to say yes to things WAY outside your comfort zone, especially when your daughter thinks [it’s] funny,” he wrote Sunday in an Instagram post.

Golden State Ballet teased Hawk’s “Nutcracker” cameo on social media earlier this month, announcing, “he’s trying something completely new.”

“He’s supporting San Diego arts,” the original post read. “He’s making his daughter proud.”

“The Nutcracker” is a two-act ballet that follows a girl named Clara who receives a nutcracker doll for Christmas. When the toy magically comes to life, he defends Clara from the Mouse King and takes her on the journey of her dreams through the colorful land of sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy rules.

So how exactly does a pro skater fit in?

Hawk posted several photos and videos from his performance, including footage of his first cameo during the ballet’s opening number. The sports icon, donning a scarf and newsboy hat, disrupts the snowy scene outside of Clara’s home. He skates across the stage balancing on his board with both hands in the air as a police officer runs after him.

In the ballet’s second act, Hawk was not the only skater to take the stage. During the crowd-pleaser trepak, or Russian dance, Hawk and young skater Katelyn West joined a trio of dancers, launching themselves into the air off a quarter pipe. Like the dancers, both Hawk and West wore Russian-inspired fur hats, tunics and baggy red pants. The audience erupted in raucous applause.

Finally, Hawk and West rolled on stage for the show’s curtain call. Not too shabby, skater boy.

christine.maiduc@latimes.com

For more on California politics, follow @cmaiduc.

ALSO

Updates on California politics

UPDATES:

2 p.m.: This article was updated to clarify that Fight Back California is targeting 30,000 voters in each of the seven districts.

This article was originally published at 3 a.m.

Chelsea and Leeds United among clubs interested in James McAtee, Arsenal considering move for Davide Bartesaghi and Manu Kone set to move to Manchester United in the summer.

Chelsea and Leeds United are among the Premier League clubs to have checked on 23-year-old English midfielder James McAtee’s situation at Nottingham Forest. (Mail) , external

Arsenal are considering a move for AC Milan’s 19-year-old Italian left-back Davide Bartesaghi. (Caughtoffside) , external

Roma and France midfielder Manu Kone, 24, will reportedly make the move to Manchester United next summer. (Sportsmole) , external

Tottenham are willing to put Netherlands defender Micky van de Ven, 24, on the same terms as Argentina centre-back and Spurs captain Cristian Romero, 27. (Teamtalk), external

Brighton and England centre-back Lewis Dunk, 34, has committed his future to the club for at least one more season after triggering a contract extension based on appearances. (Athletic – subscription required) , external

Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee, 24, has been reassured by Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini that the Dutch striker has a place in his 3-4-2-1 formation. (Gazzetta – in Italian), external

Nottingham Forest, Chelsea and Aston Villa are all chasing Bologna’s 21-year-old Argentine forward Santiago Castro. (Gazzetta dello Sport via Sport Witness) , external

Oxford United are considering giving former Chelsea defender John Terry his first job in management. (Sun), external

Dec. 27 (UPI) — Nine people who are accused of raising more than $8 million in Italy to help fund Hamas have been arrested by Italian authorities.

The nine are accused of raising $8.2 million over the past two years to help fund Hamas after it carried out the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israeli civilians and started the war in Gaza.

“The operation completed this morning by the State Police and the Guardia di Finanza (Financial Police) is a very important and significant one, with the arrest of nine people, including the most well-known Mohammad Hannoun,” Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said in a post on X on Saturday.

“Despite the necessary presumption of innocence that must always be recognized at this stage, the veil has been torn away on behaviors and activities that, behind the facade of initiatives to benefit the Palestinian population, concealed support for and participation in organizations with actual terrorist aims of an Islamist nature,” Piantedosi said.

“This is a danger to which our government is paying the utmost attention,” he added.

A joint investigation by Italy’s counter-terrorism and financial police forces started after the 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Investigators uncovered a fundraising system with headquarters in Genoa and associates in Milan that raised the funds under the pretext of supporting Gazans.

“The suspects collected donations intended for the civilian population of Gaza,” a police statement said.

“However, it emerged that 71% of these funds were diverted to Hamas’ coffers to finance its military wing and support the families of suicide bombers or those detained for terrorism,” the police officials said.

Central to the investigation is Hannoun, who is the president of the Palestinian Association that is based in Italy and has denied being a financier for Hamas.

The funds allegedly were raised by Hannoun and eight other defendants through three charities and laundered to hide their true destination.

Hamas is a designated foreign terrorist organization by the United States and many other nations.

The recent strikes by the United States on alleged ISIL (ISIS) targets in northwest Nigeria have been presented in Washington as a decisive counter-terror response. For the supporters of the administration of US President Donald Trump, the unprecedented operation signalled his country’s renewed resolve in confronting terrorism. It is also making good on Trump’s pledge to take action on what he claims is a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.

But beneath the spectacle of military action lies a sobering reality: Bombing campaigns of this nature are unlikely to improve Nigeria’s security or help stabilise the conflict-racked country. On the contrary, the strikes risk misrepresenting the conflict and distracting from the deeper structural crisis that is driving violence.

The first problem with the strikes is their lack of strategic logic. The initial strikes were launched in Sokoto in northwest Nigeria, a region that has experienced intense turmoil over the past decade. But this violence is not primarily driven by an ideological insurgency linked to ISIL, and no known ISIL-linked groups are operating in the region. Instead, security concerns in this region are rooted in banditry, the collapse of rural economies, and competition for land. Armed groups here are fragmented and motivated largely by profit.

The Christmas Day strikes appear to have focused on a relatively new ideological armed group called Lakurawa, though its profile and any connection to ISIL are yet to be fully established.

The ideological armed groups with the strongest presence in northern Nigeria are Boko Haram and the ISIL-affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP). The centre of these groups’ activity remains hundreds of kilometres from Sokoto, in the northeast of Nigeria – the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa – where insurgency has a long history. This begs the question: Why strike the northwest first? The logic is unclear.

Equally concerning is the uncertainty surrounding casualties. So far, we have no authoritative figures. Some social media accounts claim there were no human casualties, suggesting the bombs fell on empty targets. Security analyst Brant Philip posted on his social media platform X: “According to a private source familiar with the US operation against the Islamic State in Nigeria, several strikes were launched, but most of the individuals and groups targeted were missed, and the actual damage inflicted remains mostly unknown.”

Nigerian news platform Arise TV reported on X that locals confirmed the incident caused widespread panic; according to its correspondent, at least one of the attacks happened in a district that had not suffered from violence before. They also noted that the full impact of the attack, including whether there were civilian casualties, is yet to be determined.

Other social media accounts have circulated images alleging civilian casualties, though these claims remain unverified. In a context where information warfare operates alongside armed conflict, speculation often travels faster than facts. The lack of transparent data on casualties from the US government risks deepening mistrust among communities already wary of foreign military involvement.

Symbolism also matters. The attack took place on Christmas Day, a detail that carries emotive and political significance. For many Muslims in northern Nigeria, the timing risks being interpreted as an act of supporting a broader narrative of a Western “crusade” against the Muslim community.

Even more sensitive is the location of the strikes: Sokoto. Historically, it is the spiritual seat of the 19th-century Sokoto Caliphate, a centre of Islamic authority and expansion revered by Nigerian Muslims. Bombing such a symbolic centre risks inflaming anti-US sentiment, deepening religious suspicion, and giving hardline propagandists fertile ground to exploit. Rather than weakening alleged ISIL influence, the strikes could inadvertently energise recruitment and amplify grievance narratives.

If air strikes cannot solve Nigeria’s security crisis, what can?

The answer lies not in foreign military intervention. Nigeria’s conflicts are symptoms of deeper governance failures: Weakened security, corruption, and the absence of the state in rural communities. In the northwest, where banditry thrives, residents often negotiate with armed groups not because they sympathise with them, but because the state is largely absent to provide them with security and basic services. In the northeast, where Boko Haram emerged, years of government neglect, heavy-handed security tactics, and economic exclusion created fertile ground for insurgency.

The most sustainable security response must therefore be multi-layered. It requires investment in community-based policing, dialogue, and pathways for deradicalisation. It demands a state presence that protects rather than punishes. It means prioritising intelligence gathering, strengthening local authorities, and restoring trust between citizens and government institutions.

The US strikes may generate headlines and satisfy a domestic audience, but on the ground in Nigeria, they risk doing little more than empowering hardline messaging and deepening resentment.

Nigerians do not need the US to bomb their country into security and stability. They need autochthonous reform: Localised long-term support to rebuild trust, restore livelihoods, and strengthen state institutions. Anything less is a distraction.

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

The Big Night of Musicals Christmas special aired on BBC One on Saturday night (December 27) with viewers spotting a vital detail

Big Night of Musicals viewers were left scratching their heads after spotting a glaring detail during the festive BBC programme.

On Saturday night (December 27), Jason Manford presented what was billed as the Christmas compilation of this year’s finest stage musicals.

The show featured performances from the casts of Matilda, Mary Poppins, and Wicked, alongside numbers from cherished films such as Back to the Future, and tributes to music legends like Tina Turner.

However, within minutes of the broadcast beginning, sharp-eyed fans noticed a dead giveaway that this wasn’t actually a fresh compilation but rather a repeat.

Flocking to X – previously Twitter – numerous viewers highlighted that several audience members could be seen wearing face masks throughout the performances, reports the Express.

It wasn’t long before astute watchers realised this television round-up contained footage filmed during the coronavirus pandemic.

One viewer wrote: “When was the Tina Turner bit filmed if people are in masks?” whilst another questioned: “Erm… I’ve seen this exact performance before? ? ? Is this a repeat?”

A third viewer confirmed their suspicions, stating: “YUP… This entire this was a repeat.”

Nevertheless, despite the programme being a rerun from a previous year, many fans still relished the musical spectacular and flocked to social media to heap praise upon it.

One enthusiastic viewer wrote: “Loving Big Night of Musicals with @JasonManford, great that the schools and colleges have been shown too, not just established productions. I’m looking forward to next month even more now [musical notes emoji].”

Another fan concurred: “Really enjoying watching #BigNightOfMusicals on @BBCOne with @JasonManford,” while a third chimed in: “That was brilliant @JasonManford [green heart emoji]. Only problem is now I want to book to see Wicked, Matilda, and Mary Poppins again [crying emoji, laughing emoji].”

The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals is gearing up for its fifth dazzling instalment next month, featuring showstopping performances from West End smashes including Wicked, Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar and many more.

The show will once again be hosted by Jason Manford and will take place at Manchester’s AO Arena on 26 January 2026. Speaking about the upcoming extravaganza, Manford enthused: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be hosting The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals for the fifth year running.

“The 2026 line-up is phenomenal; some of the biggest shows in the world are coming together for one night only, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience it. This event is also a huge thank you to National Lottery players whose support keeps theatre alive and accessible.

“Without their contributions, so many productions, training programmes, and venue restorations simply wouldn’t be possible.”

For those unable to attend the event, the fifth instalment will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in Spring 2026.

Big Night of Musicals is available on BBC iPlayer

The House Armed Services Committee approved a bill authorizing $601.4 billion in defense spending for next year, including a 3.9% pay raise for troops.

The pay increase and other service benefits — such as a prohibition on increased healthcare fees — is more than President Bush wants. But it is in sync with a broader election-year effort by lawmakers to boost benefits for service members and veterans.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has proposed a similar defense bill that includes the 3.9% pay increase — all but guaranteeing the provision will be included in the final bill and sent to Bush for his signature this summer.

The legislation covers the 2009 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery insists it is still too early to say whether his side is in contention for the Premier League title despite being third in the table after their 2-1 victory against Chelsea.

MATCH REPORT: Chelsea 1-2 Aston Villa

Available to UK users only.

Sadio Mane’s equaliser earned 2022 champions Senegal a 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in their heavyweight Africa Cup of Nations clash on Saturday.

Cedric Bakambu had given the Leopards the lead just after the hour mark in Tangier, but Al-Nassr forward Mane replied soon after, and the result ensures Senegal stay on top of Group D with one round of matches still to play.

Both teams have four points, but Senegal have a superior goal difference before their final group match against Benin on Tuesday.

Benin have three points after a 1-0 victory earlier Saturday in Rabat against Botswana, who are bottom without a point or goal scored.

Sebastien Desabre’s Congolese side were seeking revenge after a dramatic defeat in the last meeting of the nations, in World Cup qualifying in September.

Senegal came from 2-0 down to win that encounter 3-2 in Kinshasa, a result which allowed them to go on and top their group to secure a place at next year’s finals in North America.

DRC were therefore forced to settle for second place, but can still make the World Cup if they win a one-off playoff against either New Caledonia or Jamaica in Mexico in March.

Senegal, fresh from beating Botswana 3-0 and seen as perhaps the biggest threat to Morocco’s chances of winning the title on home soil, had more of the possession and more chances on the day.

However, the Leopards took the lead in the 61st minute when Theo Bongonda – scorer of the only goal in their opening win against Benin – had a shot at the end of a fine move parried by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and Real Betis striker Bakambu pounced to convert the loose ball.

But Senegal were only behind for eight minutes, their equaliser coming after a superb run by teenage substitute Ibrahim Mbaye.

The 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain winger Mbaye, who was born in France and represented them up to Under-20 level, recently committed his international future to Senegal, for whom he qualifies through one of his parents.

He replaced Ismaila Sarr just after Bakambu’s opener, and made the leveller from a penetrating run down the right.

Mbaye burst away from Arthur Masuaku, who appeared to injure himself going to tackle, and then saw his shot blocked by Lionel Mpasi, but Mane was on hand to score.

It was a 10th AFCON goal for former Liverpool superstar Mane, who is appearing at his sixth tournament.

Benin record first AFCON win in their history

Yohan Roche ‌scored a deflected winner as Benin claimed a first-ever victory ‍at the Africa ‍Cup of Nations finals, with a 1-0 Group D success against Botswana in Rabat on Saturday.

Benin move to three points from their opening two games, level with Senegal and the DRC in the table, who meet in their second pool fixture ​in Tangier later on Saturday.

Benin took the lead in ‍the 28th minute when Roche played a one-two in the box with captain Steve Mounie, and his shot from 9 metres (10 yards) took a wicked deflection off a defender ‍and into ⁠the net.

Benin finally celebrated a victory at the continental finals on the 16th attempt, following their debut in 2004, and despite the fact that they were quarterfinalists in 2019. They also have five draws to go with 10 defeats.

Botswana offered little going forward, though Mothusi Johnson struck the crossbar with a curling free-kick that ​beat the goalkeeper but not the frame of the ‌goal.

Benin had several chances to add to their score, though Botswana goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko made an excellent low stop to deny Tamimou Ouorou.

Dodo Dokou then worked an excellent shooting ‌chance 11 metres (12 yards) from goal in added time at the end of the game, but fired over ‌the bar with the goal gaping.

Botswana become ⁠the second team, after Benin, to lose their first five Cup of Nations matches after three defeats on debut in 2012 and an opening 3-0 loss to Senegal this year.

They ‌meet DRC in their final pool game on Tuesday, while Benin face Senegal at the same time.

The top two teams in each pool, ‍as well as the four best third-placed sides across the six groups, qualify for the Round of 16.