dream

Landing at Aden International Airport on a trip in late 2017, the plane had two flags visible as it moved along the tarmac. One was the flag of the former South Yemen, resurrected as a symbol of Yemen’s secessionist southern movement. The other was of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the movement’s primary backer.

Passing one checkpoint after another on the road out of Aden, the flag of the actual Republic of Yemen wasn’t visible, and only made an appearance towards the city of Taiz, to the north.

The UAE-backed secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) had been formed a few months earlier, in May 2017. Headed by Aidarous al-Zubaidi, it made clear that its ultimate goal was separation from the rest of Yemen, even if it found itself on the same side as the Yemeni government in the fight against the Houthi rebels occupying the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

By 2019, the STC and the Yemeni government fought in Aden and other areas of the south. The STC emerged on top, forcing the government out of Aden – the former capital of South Yemen and the city the government had designated as a temporary capital during the conflict against the Houthis.

Momentum continued to be on the STC’s side for the next few years, as it seized more territory. Even after al-Zubaidi joined the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) as a vice-president, officially making him a member of the Yemeni government, it was clear that on the ground, the STC had de facto control over much of the former South Yemen.

Al-Zubaidi must have felt close to achieving his goals when he found himself at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Speaking to the international media, he said that the “best solution for Yemen” was a “two-state solution”.

But then he went too far. His move last month to push STC forces into the eastern governorates of Hadhramout and al-Mahra, effectively securing control over all of the former South Yemen, was a red line for Saudi Arabia.

The STC leader is on the run, forces now loyal to the Yemeni government are in control of the majority of southern Yemen, and many of his allies have changed sides.

The UAE, meanwhile, appears to have accepted that Saudi Arabia is the primary foreign actor in Yemen, and has taken a step back – for now.

What now for South Yemen?

In a matter of weeks, secession has gone from a de facto reality to seemingly further away than it has been since the early days of Yemen’s war in the mid-2010s.

It was only last Friday that al-Zubaidi announced a two-year transitional period before a referendum on the independence of southern Yemen and the declaration of the state of “South Arabia”.

A week later, the STC looked divided – with Abdul Rahman al-Mahrami, a PLC member also known as Abu Zaraa, now in Riyadh, appearing to position himself in the Saudi camp.

The Yemeni government, with Saudi support, is attempting to reorganise the anti-Houthi military forces, with the aim of moving them away from being a divided band of groups under different commands to a force unified under the umbrella of the government.

Nods to the “southern issue” – the disenfranchisement of southern Yemen since the country’s brief 1994 north-south civil war – continues, with plans for a conference on the issue in Riyadh.

But the ultimate goal of hardline southerners – secession – is off the table under current circumstances, with consensus instead forming around the idea of a federal republic allowing for strong regional representation.

The Yemeni government also sees an opportunity to now use the momentum gained in the recent successes against the STC to advance against the Houthis, who control Yemen’s populous northwest – even if that remains an ambitious goal.

Of course, this is Yemen, and the winds can always change once again.

Support for the secession of southern Yemen remains strong in governorates like Al-Dhale, where al-Zubaidi is from. Hardcore STC supporters, those who have not been coopted, will be unlikely to simply give up, sowing the seeds for a potential insurgency.

And President Rashad al-Alimi will have to show that his power does not simply rest on Saudi Arabia’s military strength. One of the major tests of his legitimacy is whether he will be able to return with his government to Aden, and finally be based in Yemen for the first time in years.

That will be the ultimate challenge for the Yemeni government. Is it truly capable of being in control once again? Or are current events just a temporary setback for the STC and the cause of southern secession, waiting for the opportunity to rise up again?

A stay at Union Lido, Venice turns the tourist hotspot into a unique experience

If you’re planning a family holiday, the chances are a place like Venice won’t be at the top of your list. The city is known for history and heritage, drama and adventure, romance and mystery – but it probably isn’t the kind of place you would think of taking a young family for a week or two.

There is one way to fix that: Eurocamp. Eurocamp is a holiday company that arranges self-catering camping holidays in Europe, providing pre-sited homes in partner campsites, offering a mix of outdoor relaxation and on-site activities like pools, kids’ clubs, and sport. Think Spain, France, Portugal – in fact, more than 400 locations, including Croatia, Switzerland and Germany.

Effectively, a Eurocamp turns any holiday into a family-friendly adventure, and the same goes for our two-week adventure in Lido, just across the lagoon from Venice. Eurocamp has eight sites near Venice, primarily on the Cavallino-Treporti peninsula. The parks offer direct access to the Venetian Lagoon, with popular options including Marina di Venezia and Union Lido, featuring extensive pool complexes and family-friendly activities.

We stayed at the 60-hectare beach resort Union Lido, founded in 1955 and named the first five-star campsite in Italy. The park is effectively a whole gated town – with two huge water parks inside as well as a fully-equipped spa with an indoor/outdoor infinity pool looking out across the lagoon. There are around two dozen shops on the site – including two supermarkets – and a dozen cafes, bars and restaurants. There are outdoor pools and play areas and multiple entertainment venues – including an outdoor theatre and activity spaces.

In short, you could easily spend three weeks inside the resort and never run out of things to do, or you can use it as a base to explore the area – including Venice.

We flew into Marco Polo Airport and from there, there are a number of options to get to Union Lido – as well as regular buses you can get a taxi, and of course water taxis will run you into Venice. You can hire a car, and many Eurocamp sites are made much better if you have access to your own transport. But Union Lido is well connected by public transport. We were at the resort in about 50 minutes. Our accommodation was similar to that we’ve found at other Eurocamp resorts, a clean, well-equipped modern lodge with a lounge/kitchen/dining space, two double bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large outdoor area perfect for eating or just resting after a busy day. Some of my favourite memories of the holiday are the family meals we ate at the outdoor table before playing cards with a few drinks and waiting for the sun to go down.

The cabin also had air conditioning, a blessing when almost every day for our break was glorious sunshine and nudging 30C.

While the resort is large, you can easily get around on foot with very little traffic on site – and if you like, you can use the landtrain, or hire bikes. One tip, you can hire bikes from the camping store across the road from the main entrance, and it will work out a little cheaper. The same goes for all the facilities on the site. If you’ve stayed at any holiday site like this before you will know there is always a little premium to be paid for food, drink etc. If you want to save some money there are discount supermarkets near the park – which you can reach by bus or car. But the prices on site really aren’t over-inflated.

We made up a lot of our meals with bread from the on-site bakery, fresh fruit and vegetables from the grocery and meats and cheeses from one of the shops. There are few things more fulfilling than walking down to one of the cafes in the early morning and grabbing a hot, fresh Italian coffee or two for a couple of Euros. And if you happen to fall into the bakery for a fresh pastry on the way back, accidents happen.

For lunch or in the evenings, there is a place that will make you authentic pizzas to grab and take away just next to one of the big pool complexes. It’s hard not to spend all your time at the resort – we tried all the pools, including the massive new water slides and lazy river, hot tubs, wave pools and water fitness activities. We tried several restaurants and cafes – from a full meal overlooking the Atlantic to light bites in the evening while live music was playing. And we caught a lot of shows and parties – including two right on the beach with more live music, light shows, tribute acts and a festival atmosphere.

The pools can get busy, so if you want a chair, you will need to head down early, but you can also just take your own towels and sit in the shade of trees on the grass or artificial beaches. And don’t forget the real beaches – planet of space for sunbathing as well as sports and games, or hire a pedalo to go out to sea.

There are also events every day, from children’s shows and activities to markets and entertainment. But as incredible and immersive as the resort is, we really came to see Venice – and as mentioned, the resort is ideally located as a base to explore.

You can buy tickets at the resort and a bus will pick you up from the main entrance. It’s a short run to Punta Sabbionio, where a ferry will take you across the lagoon into St Mark’s Square in the heart of Venice. We spent days exploring the ancient city – pre-booked tickets mean you can skip the queues and take a look inside the Basilica, or climb the belltower. You can also just wander the streets, follow the crowds towards the Rialto Bridge and its huge market, and of course the Bridge of Sighs, the Doge’s Palace and a dozen other world-famous sights.

Don’t be afraid to just wander the back streets and explore. The further you get from the main tourist areas, the cheaper (and more authentic) the food, drink and experience will be. We spent hours travelling across the city, stopping at little cafes for a drink or snack, or grabbing food from a little trattoria. We’d been to Venice twice before – years ago – and we were apprehensive about the crowds, but despite our trip being in the middle of August, it was surprisingly quiet.

The last time we were there, we had to queue to walk through St Mark’s Square, and a lot of streets were crowded. This time it was nowhere close to that. There are tourist taxes to pay now, a few Euros a day, and that combined with a ban on cruise shops in the city seems to have cut the numbers down. The Rialto Bridge was the only place it seemed really busy – with tourists stopping to get the perfect picture. And we noticed that many more of the shops now are tourist traps – selling the same imported Chinese glass ornaments.

But as mentioned, get off the main drag and within a few steps you will find authentic Venice. We didn’t opt for a 90 Euro gondola ride. Inside, we picked up a traghetto – a traditional gondola and gondolier, that took us across the canals for two Euros each. The taxis are in place to carry people across the water where there are no nearby bridges, and offer the same gondola experience – but actually take you somewhere useful rather than just going in a loop. So we took a traghetto across to the Dorsoduro district – home to the Guggenheim collection and the Gallerie dell’Accademia. It is even less crowded and more ‘authentic’ with a lively atmosphere and beautiful waterfront locations to sit and watch.

We also used the vaporetti to get around, the water buses that glide from island to island and along the Grand Canal – the best way to get to places like Murano and Burano. Murano should not be missed, the traditional glassmaking hub of Venice you can watch the traditional craft in action and find plenty of genuine, unique pieces to buy. A walk along the canal here will leave you feeling renewed.

We went into the heart of Venice a couple of times during our stay – visiting some of the main sites, including the DaVinci museum, and digging out TikTok-famous must-sees like the Acqua Alta bookshop and the Despar supermarket built inside a church in the Cannaregio district. If it does all get too much, keep walking along the canal from St Mark’s and you will find the Royal Gardens. Lush greenery in the heart of the city that offer a quiet sanctuary and shade.

But there are plenty of other places to visit, other than Venice, that are just as easy to get to – and not as challenging on your wallet.

If you take the bus from the Union Lido in the other direction, you will end up in Jesolo. The town is home to miles of golden beaches and is the place where people from Venice, and across Italy, come to spend their holidays. It is home to the longest shopping street in Europe, and we walked a good chunk of it – stopping in cafes for cooling drinks and refreshments.

The town is also famous for its sand art, huge sand-built sculptures in the centre that form a unique and impressive trail worth following. And there are tourist attractions. We visited the Tropicarium – part indoor zoo, part aquarium and hugely impressive. It is well worth the entrance fee and will keep any family entertained for hours with everything from sharks and huge lizards to butterflies and penguins. There are more than 400 species at the site, including monkeys, turtles and geckos. And there is a family-friendly science museum directly opposite, as well as an observation wheel.

Between there and Union Lido you will find several towns, with ancient churches and traditional markets. And the lagoon and peninsula are havens of unique wildlife with green spaces and places packed with interest and adventure. If you have a car, or have hired bikes, it is a great region to explore – and the buses will drop you off at a lot of interesting places.

In short, Union Lido with Eurocamp is the epitome of a family holiday. The resort is massive and so well equipped you could spend your entire break there, or you can – with or without a car – explore the local area and visit Venice, finding more than enough to keep people of all ages and interests satisfied. If you want something a little different, offering everything from luxurious relaxation to thrilling adventure, from children’s entertainment to authentic heritage, this is the holiday for you. This is a holiday that will give you a lifetime of family memories.

Union Lido price example:

Seven nights from Saturday 23 May 2026 (May half term) staying in a Comfort three bedroom holiday home that sleeps up to six guests, from £1725.71 per party.

Seven nights from Saturday 25 July 2026 (summer holidays) staying in a Comfort two bedroom holiday home that sleeps up to four guests, from £2522.24 per party.

Key features:

● 10,000m two water parks with eleven twisty waterslides, a wave pool, jacuzzi and a shallow children’s pool with a sprayground.

● Newly refurbished second water park “Speedy Island” with new pools, waterslides and a lazy river.

● Private sandy beach accessible from the parc with watersports and pedalo hire.

● Sports and activities including mini golf, archery and horse riding, plus a mini fun fair.

● Spa and wellness facilities.

● Restaurants and a pizzeria on park, including Al Mara which serves fresh seafood.

● Take a 30 minute boat ride from nearby Punta Sabbioni (8km away) to Venice.

● Nearest airport: Venice Marco Polo Airport – 42.6km away.

About Eurocamp:

● Eurocamp is the UK’s leading European outdoor holiday specialist with over 400 parcs across 11 countries, providing family holidays.

● Eurocamp has a wide range of holiday homes to choose from, with parks set in a variety of locations from beachside to mountainside.

● There are no restrictions on arrival and departure days, and you can stay for as many nights as you choose – from a 3 night family getaway to a 16 night super-stay with extended family or friends.

● Eurocamp holidays are an affordable option for families. With one price per accommodation and the ability to travel via sea or air

Amid stacks of cash and liquor bottles, Tony Montana and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán sit together inside a painting. One fictional and the other real, the drug lords look nonchalant.

“That’s us!” says filmmaker Raúl “RJ” Sanchez with joyful mischief when I point out the centerpiece on the main wall of their office in Downtown L.A. Sanchez’s partner in artistic crime, Pasqual Gutiérrez, tells me they got the frame nearby at Santee Alley.

Located on a street corner in the Fashion District, their space, which doubles as a man cave, reflects their creative influences, their ties to L.A. and their offbeat sense of humor. Before they moved in 2021, the place was a shoe store called Latino Fashion — the storefront sign remains.

Walk in and you’ll find the bottom half of a mannequin flaunting male genitalia (“That was our stunt penis from [the short film] ‘Shut Up and Fish,’” says Sanchez laughing). There’s also a bulky metal structure that resembles a torture device, a teal green couch (which they got for under $100), photography books and keepsakes on shelves that once displayed footwear. It’s a mini museum to their history so far. Or, as Sanchez calls it, it’s “a living brain.”

Known artistically as Cliqua, the in-demand duo has already worked with some of the music industry’s biggest names. Their resume includes directing videos for Bad Bunny (“La Difícil”), the Weeknd (“Save Your Tears”), J Balvin (“Reggaeton”) and Rosalía (“Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi”).

This year, Gutiérrez crossed over into feature filmmaking with his docufiction debut “Serious People,” a deeply personal “cringe comedy” that he co-directed with longtime friend Ben Mullinkosson. Following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, the film had a theatrical release in November and is now available to stream on multiple VOD platforms.

On screen, Gutiérrez and Sanchez play versions of themselves: music video directors in an industry that takes itself too seriously. While expecting his first child with partner Christine Yuan, also a filmmaker, Gutiérrez found himself caught between his commitment to his partnership with Sanchez and his responsibility as a soon-to-be father. The Gutiérrez in “Serious People” hires a doppelganger to replace him in his professional commitments.

“There were some things coming our way where if both Raúl and I weren’t available to do it, they would go away. Clients would be uninterested if it wasn’t the Cliqua brand,” Gutiérrez says. “That was deeply frustrating and haunting for me because it was like, ‘Raúl isn’t choosing to have a baby, but I am. And this is affecting us, because he can’t do everything on his own because people aren’t letting him do it.’”

Though both Gutiérrez and Sanchez fit under the generic identity umbrella of “Mexican American,” each of them knowingly embodies a distinct “flavor of Mexican.”

“I definitely identify with Chicano a lot,” says Gutiérrez. “I am second-generation and growing up I knew about lowriders and East L.A. barrio s—.” Raised between East Los Angeles and Pomona, Gutiérrez believes his Latino identity is unique to L.A.

Sanchez, on the other hand, is the child of immigrants from Mexico City and Jalisco. As a first-generation kid in the South Bay city of Gardena, his worldview was shaped differently.

“We’ve always had that split. You represent more what it is to be in this country for more generations, and I feel like I’m new. The culture I associate with more is Mexican but more rancho s—,” Sanchez explains. A vivid memory for Sanchez is his grandfather slaughtering a pig and driving around South Central on his pickup truck selling it. “The Chicano heritage wasn’t a thing for me, it was more the immigrant experience,” he says.

“I grew up speaking more Spanglish,” says Gutiérrez. “But Spanish was Raúl’s first language.”

Their artistic alliance is an amalgamation of what each brings to their friendship. Sanchez got Gutiérrez into Los Tigres del Norte and corridos, while Gutiérrez introduced him to Lil Rob’s “Summer Nights” and the 1993 movie “Blood In Blood Out,” which Gutiérrez considers a foundational cultural artifact in his life.

“Both of us have crossed towards the other’s side a little more,” says Sanchez. The two met through their then-girlfriends (now their wives and mothers of their respective children) almost a decade ago. At that point they each were already directing music videos.

“We really bonded over that shared experience of, ‘What’s it like trying to navigate this industry as a Latino?’” adds Sanchez.

For Gutiérrez, one of five siblings, his interest in filmmaking is linked to one of his older brothers who had a bit of a double life. “He was a gang member, but he was also a low-key cinephile,” he says. “He used to work in art house theaters, and we used to just watch weird stuff for a little kid to watch. A lot of ‘Blood In Blood Out,’ but also stuff like ‘Amélie.’”

With his father’s support, Gutiérrez attended Chapman University to study film production.

“My pops said, ‘Growing up no one ever asked me what I wanted to do. That wasn’t even an option for me,’” Gutiérrez recalls. “‘And the fact that you got accepted to this school, we’ll just find a way. We’ll take all the loans out. Go try and see how it is.’ My father empowered me to follow my dreams for sure.”

Sanchez had a less linear path into filmmaking. He graduated from UC Berkley with a degree in ancient history with the intent of going to law school. Instead, he returned to L.A. to try his hand at film, an interest that evolved from his enjoyment of video games growing up and film studies courses in college.

But how does one break into making music videos?

“In the beginning, a lot of times you’re shooting videos for your friends,” says Gutiérrez. “If you are creative in L.A., you know other creatives and one of them is a music artist or one of them is a rapper or in a rock band. And you start that way.”

“My sister was dating a rapper, so I was shooting his videos,” adds Sanchez.

Still, they both aspired to make feature films.

“Even when we were at the beginnings of Cliqua, the language we have always used to even talk about music videos has always been film-centric,” says Sanchez. “Those are the influences. We speak in movies.”

After meeting and hanging out for a while, Gutiérrez and Sanchez were eager to work together. That opportunity came with the video for J Balvin’s “Reggaeton,” which they had to sign on to do without being able to do much preparation. In the aftermath of that positive experience, they decided to create Cliqua, which originally also included music artist Milkman (MLKMN).

The name comes from the book “Varrio” by Gusmano Cesaretti, an Italian photographer who documented East L.A. culture in the 1970s, including the Klique Car Club.

The video for J Balvin kick-started their careers. They soon found themselves a niche as reggaeton became globally popular and a new crop of artists revitalized its aesthetic. But even as they eventually crossed over to other corners of the industry and landed consistent work with the Weeknd, they were aware of the limits to their creative freedom.

“Music videos are funny because they’re obviously not truly our work either; we’re at the service of another artist,” explains Sanchez. “We’re executing someone else’s vision even if the brief is generally open. It’s not truly us, but we’re in there.”

“Music videos are hard, man,” adds Gutiérrez. “The difficult thing about music videos that’s different from feature filmmaking is that it’s so fast. You get a concept, and you maybe have two days to come up with an idea and write a treatment for it. Then from there, you have a shoot date, but the shoot date can get pushed and it can get pulled depending on the artist.”

In 2023, Gutiérrez and Sanchez released their first narrative short film, “Shut Up and Fish,” about four “Edgars” (young Latino men with bowl cuts) on a boat. Their impetus was to subvert the expectations of stories involving characters from their community.

“We wanted to make it feel like an [Ingmar] Bergman film, because we’d never seen that, especially with these kids,” says Gutiérrez. One of the actors they cast in the short, Miguel Huerta, plays Gutiérrez’s chaotic doppelganger in “Serious People.”

For “Serious People,” Gutiérrez and Mullinkosson invoked arthouse references, such as the vignettes in the films of Swedish auteur Roy Andersson, or the surveillance feel of Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest.” Gutiérrez makes a point of mentioning these inspirations in Q&As and interviews in hopes of igniting the curiosity of those watching “Serious People.”

“Making [that culture] accessible has always been a goal, whether that’s conscious or unconscious,” says Gutiérrez.

It was an anxiety-induced dream that first inspired Gutiérrez to write “Serious People” to satirize the entertainment industry. In the dream, Gutiérrez went on Craigslist to hire a look-alike in order to balance his personal and professional commitments. As soon as he woke up, he told his dream in detail to Yuan, who suggested he turn it into a film.

Gutiérrez brought Mullinkosson on board given his background in documentary, and because he thought co-directing it with Sanchez might make it too meta for comfort.

“This industry is so competitive and so demanding that every single director has a fear that if you say no to a single project, you’re never going to get hit up again,” says Mullinkosson on Zoom from Chengdu, China, where he lives. “At the end of the day, we’re just making movies — like, this isn’t that serious.”

Sanchez hesitated at first about the idea of being on camera, but his loyalty to Gutiérrez proved stronger than the reservations. “I actually got a kick out of seeing myself on screen,” Sanchez says. “When you see yourself projected that big, you start to understand what you feel like to other people in the world, which was a very interesting out-of-body experience.”

“Vulnerabilities are what make movies special, especially this one because Pasqual, Raúl and Christine opened their real lives to being on camera, and it’s very personal,” says Mullinkosson. “When you can be as brave as them to share your real life, something beautiful happens.”

Gutiérrez and Sanchez, who also became a father soon after our interview, are currently developing a new feature film, “Golden Boy,” which they describe as a “Stand by Me”-type of story about four Edgars. One of them thinks former boxer Oscar De La Hoya is his long-lost father. They go on a journey across California to confront De La Hoya.

“Music is where we started, but the goal has always been to do long-form, to do features,” says Gutiérrez. “And now with ‘Serious People,’ one is out there.”

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight fans after producing a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a long tradition in wrestling, thriving in the sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world champions in the discipline.

Such success is no coincidence, though, as children from the region are often encouraged to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they are able to stand on two feet.

“When I was a kid, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to protect yourself, your family, and your friends,” says Ibragim.

“So we all got used to fighting, and that’s why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It’s not a surprise.

“Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped my little brothers a lot.

“Some of the footballers he comes up against don’t have the same base he has. That’s why he’s stocky, strong and really competitive – because of wrestling.”

Amir was just nine years old when he was being put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his age, coaches grouped him with boys five years older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

“They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently,” says Ibragim.

Amir was signed up, along with Ibragim’s little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The family’s stay in South Yorkshire was short, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir’s talent and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

“They played Manchester United in a tournament and Amir scored a brilliant free-kick,” says Ibragim.

“One of their scouts saw him play and picked him straight away.”

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, , Amir became one of the youngest players in the club’s history to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

“Do you know what he said to me? ‘This is where I belong’,” Ibragim says.

“Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to let all the young players play right now.

“I don’t think they would play worse than the first-team players. I think the young guys are hungrier than the current first-team players.”

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

“Gazik, this kid is talented,” adds Ibragim.

“He picked up everything quicker than everyone else. He’s a good defender. He’s going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United.”

This was not the Christmas that Mariela Gomez would have imagined a year ago.

Or the one that thousands of other Venezuelan immigrants in the United States would have thought. But Donald Trump returned to the White House in January and quickly ended their US dream.

Gomez found herself spending the holiday in northern Venezuela for the first time in eight years. She dressed up, cooked, got her son a scooter and smiled for her in-laws. Hard as she tried, though, she could not ignore the main challenges facing returning migrants: unemployment and poverty.

“We had a modest dinner, not quite what we’d hoped for, but at least we had food on the table,” Gomez said of the lasagne-like dish she shared with her partner and in-laws instead of the traditional Christmas dish of stuffed corn dough hallacas. “Making hallacas here is a bit expensive, and since we’re unemployed, we couldn’t afford to make them.”

Gomez, her two sons and her partner returned to the city of Maracay on October 27 after crossing the US-Mexico border to Texas, where they were quickly swept up by US Border Patrol amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration. They were deported to Mexico, from where they began the dangerous journey back to Venezuela.

They crossed Central America by bus, but once in Panama, the family could not afford to continue to Colombia via boat in the Caribbean. Instead, they took the cheaper route along the Pacific’s choppy waters, sitting on top of sloshing petrol tanks in a cargo boat for several hours and then transferring to a fast boat until reaching a jungled area of Colombia. They spent about two weeks there until they were wired money to make it to the border with Venezuela.

Gomez was among the more than 7.7 million Venezuelans who left their home country in the last decade, when its economy came undone as a result of a drop in oil prices, corruption and mismanagement. She lived in Colombia and Peru for years before setting her sights on the US with hopes of building a new life.

Steady deportations

Trump’s second term has dashed the hopes of many like Gomez.

As of September, more than 14,000 migrants, mostly from Venezuela, had returned to South America since Trump moved to limit migration to the US, according to figures from Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica. In addition, Venezuelans were steadily deported to their home country this year after President Nicolas Maduro, under pressure from the White House, did away with his longstanding policy of not accepting deportees from the US.

Immigrants arrived regularly at the airport outside the capital, Caracas, on flights operated by a US government contractor or Venezuela’s state-owned airline. More than 13,000 migrants returned this year on the chartered flights.

Gomez’s return to Venezuela also allowed her to see the now 20-year-old daughter she left behind when she fled the country’s complex crisis. They talked and drank beer during the holiday, knowing it might be the last time they shared a drink for a while – Gomez’s daughter will migrate to Brazil next month.

Gomez is hoping to make hallacas for New Year’s Eve and is also hoping for a job. But her prayers for next year are mostly for good health.

“I ask God for many things, first and foremost life and health, so we can continue enjoying our family,” she said.

Picturesque Yorkshire Dales village is famous for its award-winning cheese from Wensleydale Creamery and unique attractions including The Forbidden Corner

Nestled peacefully along the upper reaches of the River Ure, this idyllic village represents a haven for food enthusiasts.

Whilst Wensleydale is widely recognised for its delicious cheese, there’s far more to explore and experience in this delightful Yorkshire village. Interestingly, Wensleydale stands as one of the few dales not named after its river, deriving its name instead from the historic market town of Wensley. Located within the stunning Yorkshire Dales National Park, it’s home to the renowned Wensleydale Creamery, situated in the Hawes area. Guests can immerse themselves in the award-winning Flagship Cheese Experience and Visitor Centre, which honours a legacy spanning up to 1,000 years of regional artisan cheesemaking.

Employing recipes refined across generations using fresh locally-sourced milk, according to the company’s time-honoured tradition, the practice traces back to when Cistercian monks originally introduced cheesemaking to the locale. The region happens to be an ideally open, expansive valley, carved by glaciers, and its wide river provided the perfect environment for dairy cattle.

A recent visitor to the factory described their visit as a “cheese lover’s dream”. They said: “The cheese is delicious, and you can taste a huge variety both in the tasting room and in the cafe!. Especially enjoyed the traditional Wensleydale cheeses with added dried fruits, including apricots, blueberries and cranberries.

“Next time we’d definitely do the cheese experience and eat in the restaurant too!” The unique terrain of Wensleydale has shaped its most famous export – the cheese beloved by Britons nationwide – whilst its stunning scenery continues to benefit the area every single day.

Among its most breathtaking sights is Aysgarth Falls, a natural wonder that captivates numerous walkers who explore the region. A recent visitor to the location described it as “Beautiful. Unspoiled. Not commercialised.” They shared on TripAdvisor: “It had rained heavily overnight, and the falls were spectacular. Ignore what AI says about the distance from the visitor centre car park – it’s a gentle stroll through woodland to the middle falls.”

During your journey to Wensleydale, you’re also likely to discover “the strangest place” on Earth, better recognised as The Forbidden Corner. This attraction presents an extraordinary maze of tunnels, concealed pathways, sculptures, water installations and various curiosities nestled within its mysterious gardens.

The Yorkshire Dales location boasts peculiar features including a temple of the underworld, a glass pyramid, and sculptures depicting various historical periods. It’s an excellent family outing that keeps you connected with nature whilst offering a far more engaging experience.

With its fascinating heritage, exceptional culinary options and vast countryside, it provides an ideal combination of tradition and charm in the Yorkshire Dales. Who would have thought that so much could be tucked away in the valleys just a stone’s throw from your home, whether it’s for a day trip to one of its numerous attractions or a staycation to discover everything?