closes

AS STORM Goretti sweeps across the UK, many airports have been forced to delay or cancel flights.

The storm is currently battering the UK, with thousands of Brits experiencing power cuts, travel disruption and school closures.

Some winds are measuring up to 99mph and a rare red alert has been issued by the Met Office.

As for airports across the UK, more than 25 flights have been cancelled, meaning thousands are being affected.

Heathrow Airport is currently experiencing lots of delays and some cancellations, including to British Airways flights.

Flights cancelled from London Heathrow include:

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• 9:20am British Airways to Billund
• 9:45am Eurowings to Cologne
• 9:50am Aer Lingus to Dublin
• 10:20am Scandinavian to Copenhagen
• 11:05am Brussels Airlines to Brussels
• 11:25am British Airways to Berlin
• 11:25pm Iberia to Madrid
• 11:30am Lufthansa to Frankfurt
• 12:00pm United Airlines to New York City
• 12:00pm Air Canada to Ottawa
• 12:35pm American Airlines to Chicago
• 2:25pm British Airways to Frankfurt
• 2:25pm British Airways to Munich
• 3:20pm British Airways to Hamburg
• 5:10pm Swiss Air to Zurich
• 6:30pm Lufthansa to Frankfurt

Birmingham Airport was forced to suspend flights on the evening of January 8 due to snow but reduced runway operations have since resumed.

In a statement the airport said: “The safety of our colleagues and customers is our number one priority.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Passengers due to travel should contact their airline regarding the status of flights.”

Flights cancelled from Birmingham Airport include:

• 8:15am Aer Lingus to Dublin
• 8:25am easyJet to Edinburgh
• 8:35am easyJet to Glasgow
• 9:45am easyJet to Edinburgh
• 10:25am Air France to Paris

East Midlands Airport was also forced to close its runway in the early hours of this morning.

Flights have since resumed though the airport has warned of some delays.

Southampton Airport is telling passengers: “With a weather warning still in place today (Friday, 9th January), we advise passengers to check the status of the flight before travelling to the airport.”

Flights cancelled from Southampton Airport include:

• 6:50am Loganair to Newcastle
• 8:40am Loganair to Edinburgh

Aberdeen Airport has issued the same warning.

Flights cancelled from Aberdeen Airport include:

• 9:00am British Airways to London Heathrow
• 9:00am KLM to Amsterdam
• 10:35am Loganair to Kirkwall

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

In other flight news, UK gets new flight route to world’s best airport – under 4 hours from the UK.

Plus, major airport forced to cancel another 700 flights with trains axed and passengers stranded.

A HOTEL owned by a major British sports star has closed ahead of a huge transformation.

Three-time tennis Grand Slam winner Andy Murray has closed the hotel he owns, just three miles from his hometown of Dunblane, in Scotland.

The closure comes ahead of a major transformation to the hotel, which sits on a Victorian country estate sprawling over 34 acres with its own chapel and small loch.

Over the coming months, the hotel will remain closed while a new 80-seat restaurant with a ‘living’ roof covered in plants is built.

A smaller, fine dining restaurant will be added to the hotel as well.

The current restaurant, The Glasshouse, will be transformed into an afternoon tea and event space.

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As for accommodation, three bedrooms will be added and there will be a new wellness cottage too.

Back in 2023, planning permission was also granted for nine new cabins to be built in the woodland, though whether these are going ahead is unclear.

The hotel is then expected to reopen in May of this year.

The tennis player and his wife, Kim, purchased the mansion back in 2013 for a rumoured £1.8million.

Via the hotel’s Instagram account, Cromlix said: “Our team is all set to pack away the house, but we’re already counting down to 15th May when we’ll welcome you back.

“While our doors are closed, our team is still here and ready to take your bookings for spring and beyond.”

Inside the hotel, guests will find a billiards room with vaulted wooden ceilings adding to The Traitors feel of the mansion.

Guests can also request in-room spa treatments such as a back, neck and shoulder massage from £80 or a full body massage from £95.

In the grounds, visitors will be able to spot beehives, chickens, deer and red squirrels across a number of woodland trails.

In classic Murray style, the hotel of course has outdoor tennis courts where guests can have private coaching sessions.

There are a number of different rooms in the hotel including ‘Turret Suites’ – though, they aren’t as small as The Traitors turret.

Inside the rooms, visitors will find statement furniture, country house patterns and botanical features.

In total there are 10 bedrooms and five suites, and they have different views, including of the garden and woodland.

Though, if you fancy something a little more private then you can book The Laurel Gate Lodge.

Inside there is a small turret, kitchen, living room, king-size bedroom and a family bathroom with a walk-in shower and separate bath.

If you do want to bring your kids, there is a pull-out sofa bed too.

Though it isn’t cheap, as it costs from £555 to stay in the lodge.

Prices for rooms and suites in the main building vary from around £300 a night.

For wider exploring, the hotel is sat between Glasgow and Edinburgh, with both cities just an hour away.

The mansion was previously passed down generations of the Drummond family.

In that time it has even survived a fire in 1878 and then later was transformed from a house into a hotel.

In other hotel news, these are 12 of our favourite UK hotels to visit this year – from cosy farm retreats to £55 all-inclusives in London.

Plus, Britain’s best hotels for 2026 have been named from seaside pubs to island B&Bs.

Violence, designation of ‘closed military zones’ and evacuations of civilians follow collapse of talks aimed at ending standoff over absorption of semiautonomous Kurdish forces by state institutions.

The Syrian army has declared Aleppo’s Kurdish areas “closed military zones” and ordered civilians to leave as clashes with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) extended into a second day.

The Syrian Army Operations Command told Al Jazeera that all SDF military positions in Aleppo neighbourhoods are legitimate targets as sporadic fighting between the government forces and Kurdish-led SDF continued on Wednesday after violence flared the previous day.

The clashes, which killed nine people on Tuesday, according to officials, are the fiercest fighting since the two sides failed to implement a March deal to merge the United States-backed semiautonomous Kurdish administration and military force with Syria’s new government.

The Syrian army announced that two neighbourhoods in Aleppo would become “closed military zones” from 3pm (12:00 GMT). In the meantime, it said, it would operate “humanitarian corridors” to allow civilians to leave.

All “military sites of the SDF organisation within the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods of Aleppo are a legitimate military target for the Syrian Arab Army, following the organisation’s major escalation towards the neighbourhoods of Aleppo city and its perpetration of numerous massacres against civilians,” the Army Operations Authority said in a statement.

The SDF noted a large deployment of Syrian army vehicles near the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods, labelling it a “dangerous indicator that warns of escalation and the possibility of a major war”.

The army, meanwhile, said it “urges our civilian population in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods of Aleppo to immediately stay away from the SDF positions”.

The state news agency SANA reported that the Syrian Civil Defence Forces and Syrian Arab Red Crescent are providing aid to people evacuating.

The Civil Defence said it had evacuated 850 civilians from Aleppo by about midday, citing deteriorating humanitarian conditions and shelling by the SDF.

A Syrian security source reported to Al Jazeera that prisoners have escaped from al-Shafiq prison, which is run by the SDF, to safe areas in Aleppo. He did not specify the number of prisoners that absconded.

Sectarian tensions

Both sides have blamed the other for sparking the violence, which broke out after talks this week between government officials and the main SDF commander stalled with “no tangible results” achieved, according to state media.

The incorporation of the SDF, which controls large chunks of Syria’s north and northeast, into state institutions has remained a subject of consternation since President Ahmed al-Sharaa took office a year ago.

The deal reached in March, in which the SDF agreed “all civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria” would be merged into “the Syrian state, including border crossings, the airport, and oil and gas fields”, has yet to be carried out.

Al-Sharaa’s efforts to amalgamate power and quell sectarian tensions among the numerous groups across Syria after the fall of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad have not been helped by Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has carried out persistent raids and bombardments in a bid to demilitarise southern Syrian regions bordering Israel.

Over the past year, Israel has launched more than 600 air, drone and artillery attacks across Syria, averaging nearly two a day, according to a tally by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.

Marie Forestier, a nonresident senior fellow for the Atlantic Council’s Syria Project, told Al Jazeera that the distance between Syrian, Israeli and US goals is “very difficult”, especially given that “Israel is doing everything to destabilise Syria.”

Sao Paulo, Brazil – Venezuela has temporarily closed its border with Brazil following the United States’s early morning attack on Caracas, in which US forces also “captured” President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

The border crossing between the Brazilian city of Pacaraima and Santa Elena de Uairen in Venezuela had been closed on the Venezuelan side for about five hours, blocking citizens from entering Brazil, a Brazilian military official told Al Jazeera.

“There was no formal protocol from Venezuela regarding entry and exit criteria. The fact is that Brazilians are allowed to leave, while Venezuelans face restrictions. But this could change at any time,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak on the matter.

The head of Brazil’s Federal Police also announced the temporary closure, and the governor of the state of Roraima told Reuters that the border had been reopened after the brief closure.

Brazil’s government said it is monitoring the border and has sent military personnel to the region to bolster security.

“The Minister of Defense indicated that there is no abnormal activity on the border between Brazil and Venezuela, which will continue to be monitored, and that he is in contact with the Governor of Roraima,” read a statement from Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Venezuelans make up Brazil’s largest foreign population, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The state of Roraima alone is home to 77,563 immigrants from the country. In all, some 8 million Venezuelans have fled their homes in the past decade, with more than 6 million resettling in other Latin American countries.

“I think it’s very possible that there will be an exodus of Venezuelans to Brazil, and, in fact, we are already seeing concrete signs of it,” Jessica Leon Cedeno, a Venezuelan journalist who lives in Sao Paulo, told Al Jazeera.

“Millions of people have left the country in search of better living conditions and opportunities.”

Lula says US attacks could ‘destabilise’ the region

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Saturday that US President Donald Trump’s actions inside Venezuela were “unacceptable”.

“The bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president cross an unacceptable line,” wrote Lula on X. “These acts represent a grave affront to Venezuela’s sovereignty and yet another extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community.”

Brazil’s leader has urged restraint for months amid an increased US military buildup off Venezuela’s coast.

Analysts worry that Maduro’s removal could plunge Venezuela into chaos, potentially resulting in another wave of mass migration, as it witnessed in 2019 after a failed attempt to remove Maduro.

Joao Carlos Jarochinski Silva, a professor of international relations at the Federal University of Roraima, said that a potential wave of migration would depend on multiple factors, including whether Washington continues its military campaign inside the country and whether what remains of Maduro’s regime will put up a fight.

“What is the resilience capacity of Chavismo within Venezuela?” Jarochinski Silva said, referring to the political movement named after former President Hugo Chavez. “This could have consequences that are truly worrying, but given the current scenario, there is no context of fear.”

He added that Trump has so far focused on applauding his military’s action inside Venezuela and has not addressed key humanitarian concerns. Earlier this year, the Trump administration cut funding to the US government’s main agency for foreign aid, USAID, which heavily affected Venezuela’s neighbours, Brazil and Colombia.

“The United States has been cutting humanitarian resources lately,” he said, adding that there will be consequences to the US military actions inside the country. “For example, refugees, other people who may be affected by this. He doesn’t commit to this agenda at any point.”

John Slusher shouldn’t admit this. When the former Nike executive signed on to oversee LA28’s commercial operations last year, he looked at the private organizing committee’s lofty financial goals with some concern. Sales were “incredibly slow.” There was momentum around the first Olympics in L.A. in more than 40 years, but not many results.

Yet.

Weeks after celebrating his one-year anniversary with the group responsible for organizing and delivering the 2028 Games, Slusher and his team delivered a $2-billion present.

After announcing 15 partnerships in 2025, LA28 met its goal of reaching $2 billion in corporate sponsorship by this year, which Slusher said puts the group well on track to meet or exceed its $2.52-billion goal for domestic partnerships that serves as the largest line item funding the 2028 Games.

“Each avenue of commercial, whether it’s sponsorship, licensing, ticketing, hospitality, they’re all just kind of smoking hot, if you will, right now,” Slusher said in a recent interview with The Times. “I think there’s a lot of momentum and a lot of excitement around driving the business. And I think we’re all super focused on delivering an amazing, financially responsible Games.”

Since its bid for the Games began in 2016, LA28 has promised to deliver and operate the event with private funds. The estimated budget is $7.15 billion for L.A.’s first Olympics since 1984. After last year’s Paris Olympics, focus has shifted to the United States as the country begins a major decade of major sports events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2028 Olympics and the 2034 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City.

“There is still much work to do and I can assure you the team is not resting,” U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Chief Executive Officer Sarah Hirshland said during a media conference call. “But the reality is that this success puts the LA28 Games on track to be very successful while building significant commercial value for Team USA for many years to come. We couldn’t be more pleased with where we sit.”

Slusher, the chief executive officer responsible for revenue for LA28 and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Properties, said the group is still selling for major sponsorship categories, including quick service restaurant, retail, tech and finance. Ticket registration begins on Jan. 14 with 14 million tickets available for the Olympics and Paralympics, which would break the record for Games tickets sold. Volunteering opportunities connected to LA28 in the community have already begun and volunteer applications for the Games open in the summer of 2026.

From record commercial growth to launching volunteer and community ticketing programs earlier than ever, our north star continues to be delivering a fiscally responsible Games with meaningful impact for L.A. and beyond,” LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said in a statement. “We’re working day in and day out to make the Games more accessible than ever to the millions of people who want to get involved in a meaningful way.”

LA28 announced a ticket donation program with hopes of making tickets accessible to local fans through community groups. The Rams were the first participants, donating $5 million. Tickets will begin at $28 and LA28 plans to have one-third of tickets under $100.

Ticketing and hospitality is supposed to cover $2.5 billion of LA28’s total budget, the second-largest source of revenue for the Games.

A study done by the Southern California Assn. of Governments estimated the Games will generate between $13.6 billion and $17.6 billion in additional gross domestic product across a six-county region between 2024-2029. The study considered LA28’s $7.15-billion budget, estimated visitor spending and a portion of Games-related transportation infrastructure investments.

While only four of the Olympic venues are outside of L.A. County, the study estimates that five other Southern California counties — Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and Imperial — could still enjoy roughly 33% of the economic benefit because of visitor spending and work provided elsewhere in the region. Orange County, which will host the volleyball competition at Honda Center and surfing at nearby Trestles, could draw between $2.88 billion and $2.44 billion in gross domestic product from the Games, the second-most behind L.A.’s range of $8.96 billion and $11.97 billion.

The study was limited to only short-term gains up to five years after the Games, which does not take into account any “legacy effects.” The 2028 Games will have no permanent venue construction, but the planning agency notes that transportation infrastructure built to support the Games could benefit the region for decades in the future.

Transportation updates are largely the responsibility of the city, which is relying on federal grants to expand the Metro rail system and add more buses for the Games. Improvements to Los Angeles International Airport have been plodding: The People Mover train’s opening date has been delayed again to June 2026.

Outside of money used for infrastructure improvements, L.A. is also at risk to foot the first $270 million in potential overruns from LA28. If the private organizing committee’s debt goes further, the next $270 million would go to the state and anything remaining would return back to the city.

ONE of the most iconic spaces in London will close for a whole year as it goes under important upgrades.

The Barbican, which opened in 1982, home to a beautiful conservatory, theatre and a musical venue, will soon close its doors for important upgrades, but here’s everything you can do there before it does.

The centre that holds everything from performances to a Martini Bar is getting a makeover confirmed at £240 million for its first phase, which is set to begin in 2028.

According to The Standard, the total estimated cost will be £451million.

Major works are now needed to drag it into the future after decades of wear and tear and as a result ,the centre will close from June 2028 until June 2029.

So before that happens, here’s everything you can do there if you fancy a visit.

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Conservatory

The Barbican is home to the second biggest conservatory in London.

The ‘tropical oasis’ is filled with over a thousands species of plants including banana trees, cacti, yuccas and Swiss cheese plant.

There’s an Arid House for cacti and succulents, koi ponds with fish and terrapins, and walking paths.

Currently, the next dates available to visit are December 20 and 28, 2025 and January 2 and 4, 2026 – admission is free but sessions must be booked in advance.

The conservatory will undergo work as the roof has glazing that’s at risk of caving in.

The renovation includes a proposal of a separate events space which allows the conservatory to be open to the public for longer.

There are also plans to rip out a staircase and a lift put in to improve accessibility, and put in toilets across all floors of the building.

Theatre

London is an incredible city when it comes to theatre, so it’s no surprise you can watch some great shows at the Barbican.

The Royal Shakespeare Company has had two major productions at the Barbican for late 2025/early 2026: Wendy & Peter Pan, and Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Another upcoming performance will star Call the Midwife‘s Helen George and Felicity Kendal from Rosemary and Thyme in a production of High Society.

The show will have a full-size orchestra and will tell the story of a society wedding of the year which descends into chaos with old flames and new flames vying for attention.

Tickets for High Society start from £35 and the show will be on from May 29 to July 11, 2026.

Music

The Barbican hosts around 70 concerts a year in its Concert Hall which can seat almost 2000 people.

So, you can catch some incredible musical performances at the Barbican as it’s where the London Symphony Orchestra are based.

The London Symphony Orchestra holds around 50 concerts a year.

There are lots of classical performances throughout the year with at least one a day on the calendar – some of which are free and some are ticketed.

Cinema

Film buffs have got this venue on their radar – but the Barbican has an entire cinema complex with three screens.

It shows a range of films from arthouse to documentaries, blockbusters, classics and family-friendly.

There’s also an all-day café and bar for a complete movie experience.

During the summer, the Barbican Centre has an annual outdoor cinema series in its Sculpture Court during the summer.

Despite the year-long shutdown, cinemas on Beech Street and routes through the residential estate will stay open.

Library

The Barbican Library is a public space filled with books, spoken word recordings, DVDs, CDs and sheet music, which is available for loan to its members.

Anyone can enter and use the public areas of the Barbican Library, but you need to become a free member to borrow books or use certain resources.

Lakeside Terrace

When the sun is shining, there’s no better place to soak up the warm weather than outside the Barbican next to the courtyard pond.

It’s completely free to enter, and a great spot to enjoy a morning coffee.

During the revamp, the courtyard by the pond outside will also be repaved, which will stop water leaking down onto the Metropolitan Line below.

The outside area will also get a makeover with new fountains and seating for people to enjoy when the sun is shining.

Tours

For those who are more interested in the Barbican building you can book a guided tour.

Here you’ll learn facts like the Barbican’s theatre and concert hall go deeper underground than the nearest Tube line.

Tickets for the 90-minute tour start from £18.

Or if you’re in a bigger group then you can book to have a private tour of the Barbican estate.

Food and Drink

On the ground floor of the centre is the Barbican Kitchen where in the mornings you can grab a coffee and pastry.

At lunchtime, pick up a toasted sandwich, build-your-own salad, hand-made pizzas and seasonal street food menus.

During the evenings you can have some pre-show tapas, and mezze plates with a glass of wine or beer.

Children under 10 can enjoy a complimentary meal from our kids’ menu with every adult meal over £10 purchased.

On the first floor is the Barbican Bar & Grill where you can have a laid back lunch, and in the summer, dinner on the terrace.

Mains include gnocchi, poached salmon, Shepherd’s pie, and a salted beef sandwich

There’s also a pre-theatre menu which is set at two courses for £31 or three courses for £39.

Also on the first floor, there’s a Martini Bar which has views over the lakeside and is where you can get a simple Campari Spritz or Signature cocktail like The Brutalist.

Here, there’s happy hour from 5pm to 6pm every day where you can get two ‘classic’ cocktails for £17.

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