Fitness

Al Jazeera’s Nils Adler @nilsadler1 reports on how far-right ‘Active Clubs’ use fitness and camaraderie to recruit young white men while masking extremist ideology. Experts warn the decentralized groups are preparing members for real-world violence.

People are frantically trying to get in shape for their summer holidays – but it could be a lot more effective

It’s the time of year when people are looking at their waistbands and thinking they’d like to make one last push to get it all a bit flatter. Many will be crashing out sit-ups like mad – however one expert has suggested that this exercise might not be the best way.

Dr Lee Brown, senior lecturer in strength and conditioning at the University of East London, has said that people might be making a mistake. He told the Guardian “It’s embedded in the archaic practices of boxing coaches and therefore everyone seems to follow it. But they’re far from the best exercise for training your core.”

Sit-ups are a classic bodyweight core exercise designed to strengthen the abdominal muscles, hip flexors, and chest. They involve lifting the upper body from a flat, lying position up toward the knees.

However Dr Brown said that the abdominal muscles are used a lot less than people imagine. Also if you’re doing too many sit-ups, it can cause problem.

“If you’re doing too many sit-ups, it can cause problems with the lower back. Overworking the hip flexors can make them hypertonic [stiff and tight]. Your torso leans forward because you have overly toned and tight hip flexors, creating an imbalance and a dumping ground for shearing forces in your lower back.”

Brown recommends moves such as planks, side planks, farmer’s carries (walking while holding a heavy weight in each hand), suitcase carries (walking with a weight in one hand to challenge stability) and bird dogs (lifting the opposite arm and leg from all fours). Pilates and yoga can also help build core strength.

“I worked with a sprinter who’d had a back injury and had been doing sit-ups forever,” Brown says. “I asked him how long he could hold a plank for. He said less than 30 seconds. Six weeks later, he could hold one for seven minutes and his back pain had gone.”

A study published last year in the Journal of Clinical Medicine looked at 117 people with and without back pain to find out whether core strength was implicated. Participants were asked to perform the plank, one of the most popular trunk muscle stabilisation exercises prescribed to enhance neuromuscular control and spinal support. Researchers from Daemen University in New York were surprised to find that back pain sufferers were able to hold a plank for “significantly longer” than those without, suggesting they had better levels of abdominal strength.

Gladiators star Cyclone, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, has featured on the BBC show since January 2025 but is now said to have been axed along with two others

Another one bites the dust… Cyclone has become the third professional to be axed from BBC show Gladiators. The TV star, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, joined Bradley and Barney Walsh’s BBC revival of the 1990s classic last year, and has so far filmed two series.

But just as production got underway at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield for the next series of the reboot, Lystus, 25, is said to have been cut from the line-up and is not impressed with bosses.

A source told The Sun: “Cyclone won’t be back and she’s not happy about it. She’s now cut all ties with the show – it’s a pity as fans absolutely loved her.” The powerlifting champion has also unfollowed the official Instagram account for the programme and deleted all pictures of herself on the show.

News of Lystus’ exit comes just days after it was reported that Matty Campbell, who stars as Bionic, and Karenjeet Kaur Bains, better know to fans as Athena, had also been axed from the show, having missed out on a considerable amount of the last series after both suffering injuries.

A source said: “They won’t film this year for the show but could be back for the tour, depending on how they recover from their injuries.”

Earlier this year, Giant, 40, whose real name is Jamie Bigg, departed Gladiators amid much controversy when he went public with then-girlfriend Taylor Ryan, 28, and it emerged that she worked as a model on OnlyFans.

Execs were quick to air their disapproval, and the athlete said that he was “shocked and disappointed” by the move, which he directly linked to his partner’s racy work. It was then reported that body builder and fitness instructor Ahmad Rabus, 37, would act as his replacement, and it became apparent that he would be one of several new faces on the show.

Team GB medallist Tabby Stoecker, along with fitness influencer Florence Wong and World’s Strongest Man champion Tom Stoltman are reportedly in the lineup, whilst The Sun also reported that former England rugby star Joe Marler would be making an appearance.

The new series will introduce a soon to be revealed event, as well as the other well known challenges such as Duel, Hang Tough and the Eliminator. Popular additions from the previous series — Everest, Destruction and Suspension Bridge — are also set to return after receiving a strong response from viewers.

Produced by Hungry Bear Media in partnership with MGM Alternative UK, part of Amazon MGM Studios, Gladiators remains one of the BBC’s flagship entertainment programmes.

The most recent series, which came to an end in March, attracted an average audience of 4.6 million viewers across BBC One and BBC iPlayer over a 28-day period, while continuing to perform particularly strongly among younger audiences.

Kalpna Patel-Knight, BBC’s Head of Entertainment, said: “Since Gladiators burst back onto screens in 2024, it’s been amazing to see families across the UK rally behind the contenders and champion our phenomenal Gladiators as the true stars of Saturday nights.

“With a brand‑new series confirmed and another celebrity special on the way, audiences can look forward to even more colossal clashes, even more edge of your seat excitement and plenty of opportunities to raise those foam fingers high once again.”

The Mirror has contacted representatives for comment.

* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

If you’re heading to the beach you may see this fun-looking activity on offer, but tourists are being warned that taking part could invalidate your insurance – and other surprising things can also see your insurer refuse to pay out

When you’re on a sunny holiday overseas, it’s likely you get more adventurous and trying some new activities or sports can look more appealing, especially after a few drinks.

But holidaymakers are being warned that taking part in a variety of activities can invalidate your travel insurance, meaning that an accident could leave you up to £80,000 out of pocket.

The travel insurance team at Quotezone.co.uk listed seven holiday activities that could interfere with your travel insurance coverage, and many of them are popular in holiday hotspots. According to its study, 36% would like to try an activity-filled holiday, and 35% said they can’t relax when they are just sunbathing, meaning lots of Brits would be tempted to try out one of these high-octane activities when bored.

Banana boats were among the activities that Quotezone cautioned Brits against. It said: “Whilst most standard travel insurance policies do include banana boats under general water sports, it’s important to do so safely. Not wearing a life jacket, being under the influence of alcohol, or going on a boat that isn’t run by a licensed operator could all result in a rejected claim should you get injured.”

Another thing to look out for on the beach is organised sports events. With the popularity of fitness breaks growing, many Brits now take part in organised sports activities as part of their holiday, but physical strain and injuries might not be covered under your travel insurance in these cases.

Water sports such as scuba diving and jet-skiing can also be risky and may need specialist cover. Some policies cover scuba activities, but only up to a certain depth, and if you don’t dive with a qualified instructor or neglect to follow local laws, you may not be covered in an accident.

Back on dry land, any activities with wheels can be a danger, from hiring a scooter or motorbike to go karting, especially if you don’t wear a helmet or follow local laws. Quad biking is another activity that’s rarely covered by standard insurance policies, but an accident can be extremely costly. A quad biking accident in Greece, for example, that includes surgery and medical repatriation could carry costs of over £80,000 for someone without adequate insurance.

Helen Rolph , travel insurance expert at Quotezone.co.uk said: “Many Brits don’t realise that popular holiday activities like jet-skiing or quad biking could leave them thousands of pounds out of pocket if they’re not properly insured.

“Even if coverage is in place, claims can still be rejected if local safety laws are broken, the holidaymakers don’t wear a helmet or are found to be under the influence of alcohol.

“When heading abroad, people often think activities like banana boating and go karting, popular with young travellers, stag and hen parties – are included as standard, but this is rarely the case and could leave thrill-seekers at risk.”

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

Cyprus continues to draw British holidaymakers and expats, helped by flights from £34 and a flight time of around 4hrs 43mins – and one couple are glad they “took the leap”

A British couple who uprooted from the UK and moved to a cheaper country less than five hours away have spotted two problems. With flights for as little as £34 and a 4-hour, 43-minute flight time, Cyprus is a firm favourite among British holidaymakers and expats alike; Donna Curley and husband Nick were similarly drawn to the eastern Mediterranean nation.

After building a life in Derbyshire, Donna Curley and her second husband, Nick, realised their future might be in Cyprus.

The turning point came in 2013, when they bought a one-bedroom holiday home in Kapparis. They returned two or three times a year and, each trip, the island’s slower pace — and the “tranquillity” they felt there — made quite the impression.

Donna, 49, worked as a fitness instructor, including roles at a Derby gym and as a Weight Watchers coach, before switching to online teaching during the Covid pandemic. Nick, who was born at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, served as an Army reservist.

When Nick’s children from his first marriage reached their twenties, the couple decided the time was right to start again. They sold their home in Holbrook, bought a base in Avgorou and began laying plans for a wellness retreat — although they admit the move hasn’t been without its challenges.

Donna told The Times: “A lot of the expats here have well-established friendship groups so it’s harder to make new friends than I thought, though there are a lot of British people moving out here now for the tax benefits as well as the lifestyle.”

She went on to say: “Our move to Cyprus was designed so we could spend more time together, which has happened but not quite as much as we hoped – yet.

“I think with any big move you have to adapt and accept that there might be a few hurdles – along with the Greek ‘siga siga’ [slowly slowly]. I am glad that we took the leap.”

The couple’s new base is a two-bedroom bungalow with a swimming pool and 3,000sqm of land. But while they lay the foundations for their wellness business, Nick and Donna have also been juggling other jobs to keep money coming in.

Donna says the cost of everyday life is usually lower in Cyprus, even if food can be surprisingly expensive. They’ve also cut out some major overheads by relying on solar power and using water from their own well, rather than paying standard utility bills.

The colder months are the main exception. When winter sets in, they turn to a wood-burner for heat and sometimes have to fire up a back-up generator.

Their experience follows another British family who recently spoke about relocating to Cyprus. Former educator Sarah and IT specialist James said they moved after becoming fed up with long working weeks, soaring bills and concerns about crime.

Sarah said: “In the UK schools, there is so much pressure on the kids and they were both unhappy. And James and I were working such long hours but life is so expensive in the UK. James applied for a job in Cyprus almost on a whim.

“We thought if it didn’t work out, we’d call it an adventure and then move back home. But everything is amazing and the place is absolutely beautiful. It’s a dream I never thought would be possible.”

WASHINGTON — As he exited the stairs of his “Straight Talk Express” campaign bus on a chilly March day in Iowa, Sen. John McCain carefully took one step at a time, his left hand gripping a rail and his right knee looking stiff.

A bum knee isn’t surprising in a 70-year-old man — particularly one whose right leg was shattered about four decades ago when his jet fighter was shot down over North Vietnam.

But his wooden movements, along with his age and appearance, are creating an impression about McCain’s health that could be a liability for the Arizona Republican as he tries to persuade Americans to elect him president.

McCain brings to the campaign a body and mind with some heavy wear and tear, including a couple of bouts of cancer and the effects of years of torture. If elected, he would be the oldest person in history to enter the White House, and if he served two terms he would leave office an octogenarian.

Other presidential contenders have health issues, including Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s two brain aneurysms in 1988, Rudolph W. Giuliani’s prostate cancer in 2000 and former Sen. Fred Thompson’s lymphoma. But they are all younger and haven’t experienced McCain’s physical and mental agonies.

Voters should not worry, the senator’s staff says. He passed a recent health exam with flying colors, they say, the results of which will be publicly released in coming weeks.

“We all have trouble keeping up with him,” said Eileen McMenamin, communications director in McCain’s Senate office.

Indeed, when life spans are lengthening and people in their 80s are running companies and marathons, McCain’s age in itself shouldn’t be an issue, some experts say.

“Don’t give me that age business,” said Dr. James E. Birren, a prolific medical author known as the father of gerontology, who still lectures at USC at age 89. “If the task requires speed, then you want the younger person. But if it requires wisdom, you want somebody old.”

But McCain’s health, much like his politics, is a complex matter.

McCain has twice developed melanoma, a potentially deadly form of skin cancer. He had four surgeries between 1993 and 2002: two to remove melanomas, one to remove skin lesions and one to treat an enlarged prostate.

When doctors removed a melanoma from his left temple in 2000, they did exploratory surgery to look for cancer in his lymph nodes, leaving a buildup of scar tissue — a big lump — on his left jaw. So far, McCain has rejected his staff’s suggestions to have it removed by cosmetic surgery. To prevent a recurrence of the melanoma, McCain slathers himself with sunscreen whenever he ventures out.

“John looks pale, but he has to stay out of the sun,” said James McGovern, a longtime friend and a campaign fundraiser, who asserts McCain has more than enough stamina to be president.

McCain, whose staff did not make him available to be interviewed for this article, described his health as excellent Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

‘Looks count’

Critics have a tougher assessment of how the public perceives him.

“What does in McCain is the fact that he looks old,” said Loren Thompson, an expert on military affairs at the Lexington Institute, a public policy think tank in Arlington, Va. “Looks count, and McCain looks terrible.”

A recent Roper poll found that 30% of registered voters had “some reservations” or were “very uncomfortable” about the fact that McCain would be the oldest president elected to a first term.

McCain does not regularly run, lift weights or go to a gym, and he smoked cigarettes until age 45, his staff said. But he is not a couch potato. McCain, who regularly hikes near his home in northern Arizona, marched across the Grand Canyon last year from rim to rim, a task equal to climbing and descending the Empire State Building more than three times in just a few days.

“He jokes that it almost killed him,” spokesman Tucker Bounds said.

McCain can also point to good genes, at least on his mother’s side. Roberta McCain is 95. With her twin sister, she traveled around Europe last year about the time McCain was slogging across the Grand Canyon. On the other hand, McCain’s father, a Navy admiral, died of a heart attack at 70, and his grandfather, another Navy admiral, died at 61.

The melanoma that McCain suffered was probably related to a genetic predisposition and sunburns he may have sustained as a young man, medical experts say.

The cancer has no implications for his general health, and the fact that it did not spread into his lymph nodes is a good sign, said Dr. Jeffrey Weber, associate director at USC’s Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

A person who has one melanoma is at greater risk to have another, adds Dr. Antoni Ribas, a melanoma expert and associate professor at UCLA, but that is considered a manageable risk. Like others with his condition, McCain is checked every three months for new signs of problems.

“The majority of people are cured with surgery, if [it is] detected early,” Ribas said.

Scarred by war

McCain’s war experience sets him apart. No president has endured the tribulations McCain faced in 5 1/2 years as a prisoner of war, said Georgetown University historian Michael Kazin. Judging from interviews with medical experts and with fellow prisoners in North Vietnam, and from McCain’s own writings, those dark days left many scars.

George “Bud” Day, a Medal of Honor recipient, vividly remembers the day McCain’s broken body was brought by guards through the door of Hoa Lo prison, the infamous Hanoi Hilton.

“He had been starved,” Day said. “He was emaciated and weighed around 100 pounds. He had lost a third of his body weight. He had a fracture of his right knee that had been unskillfully repaired, as well as multiple fractures of his right arm. His left shoulder was dislocated and he had been bayoneted in the left leg. And he was filthy. You could smell him a quarter-block away.

“I expected he would die before morning,” Day continued. “I thought the Vietnamese had dropped him off with us so he would die with us and they would be able to blame his death on us. About 40% of the prisoners had some kind of a broken limb or combination of broken limbs or skull fractures. I would say John was in the top 2% of the worst-injured in the system.”

To this day, McCain can barely lift his arms above his head. At the 2000 Republican convention, President Bush tried to hoist joined hands with McCain over their heads, leaving the senator grimacing, recalls Mark Salter, a senior advisor to his campaign: “He is stiff.”

Of his leg injury, McCain acknowledged years later in his acclaimed autobiography, “When I am tired or when the weather is inclement, my knee stiffens in pain and I pick up a trace of my old limp.”

Questions about McCain’s temperament also have dogged him for years. His personal style is often combative, and some who have run afoul of him in government say he is vindictive; Newsweek magazine once dubbed him “Senator Hothead.” By most accounts, it’s a personality that predates his wartime experience.

The incarceration, the broken bones, the beatings and years of starvation have left little lasting damage, McCain’s staff says.

McCain released extensive medical records when he sought the presidency in 2000, including reports of his periodic examinations at the Robert E. Mitchell Center for Prisoner of War Studies at the Naval Operational Medicine Institute in Pensacola, Fla. Those reports indicated that McCain was in generally good health and did not suffer any psychological illness.

Dr. Bob Hain, director of the study program, said McCain was examined almost every year until 1994, when he stopped returning to the voluntary program.

“The people who were captured in the mid-’60s underwent very serious torture,” Hain said. “The people who underwent that certainly have significant orthopedic problems as a result.”

But Hain added that the men generally remained in good physical and emotional health.

“These people are very unusual, very gregarious, very outgoing as a majority,” Hain said. “There are some people who have some problems. As far as I know, John McCain is not one of them.”

Change in outlook

McCain spent extended periods in solitary confinement, a punishment that many considered worse than the physical beatings and limb-stretching tortures the men endured, said Mary Schantag, who with her husband runs www.pownetwork.org, a history of the 660 Vietnam War POWs who came home and others who did not.

“It seems impossible to have no scarring, given the isolation, the torment,” Schantag said. “To be totally alone for months and months, whether it touches you or not, it is going to shape how you see the rest of your life.”

During the experience, McCain’s outlook darkened considerably. After a particularly brutal period of beatings, McCain attempted to take his life several times. And when his communist captors finally beat a political confession out of him, McCain was left an emotional wreck.

“I was ashamed,” McCain wrote in his book “Faith of My Fathers.”

“I felt faithless and couldn’t control my despair. I shook, as if my disgrace were a fever. I kept imagining that they would release my confession to embarrass my father. All my pride was lost and I doubted I would ever stand up to any man again. Nothing could save me. No one would ever look upon me again with anything but pity or contempt.”

Some of the men had a difficult time recovering from such despair. Fellow prisoner Day, for example, contrasts himself with McCain, who he says benefited from an “outgoing, gregarious, sunny personality.”

“I have trouble laughing at a lot of things that I used to think were pretty funny,” Day said. “It was because so many bad things happened with such regularity that I got thinking that horror and underlying bad motives were the theme and not the exception. But John did extremely well.”

ralph.vartabedian@ latimes.com

One UK city narrowly missed out on the top ranking.

Summer is here, and whilst many people flock to the beach for their holidays there’s just as much joy in a city break. City breaks are buzzing with excitement, and there’s so much to explore – especially if the city is walkable. According to Time Out’s 2026 global survey, Seoul in South Korea has topped the list as the world’s most walkable city.

Despite it being a huge city, Seoul has excellent infrastructure for pedestrians with almost 3,000 kilometres of pavements, wide pedestrian walkways and efficient crosswalk systems. According to Time Out’s survey, 93% of Seoul residents rated its walkability as “good” or “amazing” – the highest in the survey.

The city has some truly amazing walking paths, including the Cheonggyecheon Stream. This is a 10 km restored urban stream lined with a well-maintained walking path that links multiple metro stations and major attractions, making it the perfect place to wander and explore the city.

One visitor described the walk as an “oasis in the city” on Tripadvisor.

They wrote: “You can walk along its banks, which are below the main street, watch the ducks in the water and relax. When you get tired, you can also eat at the cafes.”

Another person said: “A stroll along the stream starting at Gwanghwamun where the stream emerges is a must do activity in Seoul.

“It is particularly vibrant in the early evening when locals take their evening exercise or simply sit alongside the steam, perhaps reading a book or talking with friends accompanied by the sound of moving water. Located below street level, sounds of the city become quickly muted.”

There’s also Seoullo 7017, a 1,074-metre elevated park converted from a former highway, that you can wander above the city. The walkway is best at night when the city lights are on, according to visitors.

One person wrote on Tripadvisor: “A pleasant walk over the hustle of the city. Markets are sometimes held at the weekend. It has a nice view of Seoul station, especially if you want to watch the sunset over the city.

“It’s also nicely lit after dark. Usually, a few people walking about and taking photos, but it never feels too busy.“

Although Seoul took the top spot, another UK city was a very close second on the ranking.

The Scottish capital of Edinburgh was ranked as the second-most walkable city in the world, with the almost same percentage of people rating the city’s walkability as “good” or excellent.

Edinburgh lost the top spot by only 0.08 percentile points.

Despite its hills and cobbled, winding streets, a lot of tourists visit Edinburgh specifically for its walks. Famous walks like Arthur’s Seat or Carlton Hill are popular choices, but the city is equally as enjoyable to walk through and dip into the many pubs and cafes on every corner.

Maintaining – or not maintaining – his fitness has been a recurring theme in Duckett’s career. As a youngster, he twice missed out on tours for failing to meet conditioning standards – once with England Under-19s in 2013, then a Northants pre-season trip in 2015.

This time, with a Test career on the line, he has worked with England fitness coach Pete Sim and Nottinghamshire counterpart Zac Bess to lose “five or six” kilograms.

Duckett added: “I started running, which was good!

“I had a four-week block when I got back from the winter where I didn’t necessarily hit many balls.

“It’s just really important now that I use that hard work that I’ve done and maintain it.

“It’s something I’ve really enjoyed and it’s been great for my mental space and getting away from the game. I went to the gym, I ran a lot and a bit of weight came off.”

The early signs for Duckett were good. Three half-centuries in his first five innings for Notts this summer were followed by an unbeaten double century against Surrey.

He still needed the international worm to turn. In the context of the snakepit pitch, scores of 19 and 33 in England’s first-Test win over New Zealand at Lord’s were useful, only to be followed by more misfortune in the loss at The Oval.

On the second morning, Duckett dropped a simple and crucial catch off Kyle Jamieson as England surrendered the momentum. When he came to bat, he was in glorious touch for 36 before being run out by a never-there call from new opening partner Emilio Gay.

At Trent Bridge, it could have been a similar story. In perfect batting conditions and with England replying to New Zealand’s 438, Duckett made his intentions known with two driven fours off Nathan Smith’s first over of the innings.

Smith, though, would return to find Duckett’s edge. Henry Nicholls should have pouched a simple catch at third slip. When the ball dropped to the turf, Duckett responded by punching the next delivery for four and did not look back.

“I was chatting to [England fielding coach] Sarah Taylor,” said Duckett. “We were making a bit of a joke about how I’ve got to get some luck eventually and that’s how the game works.

“I’m extremely thankful for Henry Nicholls for doing that to me.

“It’s been a really frustrating time, because I’ve not felt out of nick, I’ve just not got the runs that I really want. ‘Mother Cricket’ was there for me today. I got put down and made them pay for it.”

Saka, who will make his 50th appearance for England in his next match, played 27 minutes of England’s warm-up game against Costa Rica as the forward’s game-time was managed by Tuchel.

The winger was taken off in the Champions League final as Arsenal lost to Paris-St Germain in Budapest with the scores level at the time of his substitution.

Saka’s performance in that match was criticised, but when asked if he found it frustrating being judged while not 100% fit, he said it is a “gamble” he is willing to take.

“Yeah, but I think as players it’s the biggest gamble, especially if you’re not feeling your sharpest. You have the choice whether you don’t play or you put yourself out there knowing that people are going to judge you the same,” Saka said.

“And at the end of the day people don’t really care how you’re feeling, they expect you to deliver, they expect you to perform.

“I’m happy to take that gamble and it paid off I’d say, and I’m going to continue doing that – but like I said I’m feeling a lot better than I did in March and I’m ready to go, so I’m excited.”

Saka is competing for a starting spot on the right wing with Arsenal team-mate Noni Madueke, but says that despite competing for game-time for club and country they want the best for each other.

“It’s quite unique, two players that play in the same position to be as close as we are,” Saka said.

“I don’t really know how it works, but it works. Noni is like my brother on and off the pitch. We push each other and we speak every day.

“We have that mutual respect for each other and we want each other to do well.

“The good thing is that we play on the same team and that if one of us is doing well it is good for the other.”

Foreign Office backed experts issue update as tourists from England, Scotland and Wales struck down

UK health experts have disclosed that 164 individuals have arrived back in England, Scotland and Wales from a holiday destination carrying a serious infection. In a fresh update, the Foreign Office-backed Travel Health Pro stated that people must exercise additional caution.

The surge in stomach bugs Shigella – also referred to as shigellosis or dysentery – and Salmonella has been occurring on the Cape Verde Islands, a favoured destination among British holidaymakers. Authorities confirmed that over the past eight months, cases of Shigella and Salmonella infection have been documented in travellers returning to England, Scotland and Wales from the Cape Verde Islands.

Of 164 confirmed Shigella cases, the majority – 112 – individuals reported travel to Cape Verde, predominantly to the Santa Maria and Boa Vista regions. As of June 2026, of 99 confirmed Salmonella cases, from three distinct clusters reported in England, Scotland and Wales since 1 October 2025, a total of 70 individuals reported travel to Cape Verde.

Cases in the largest of the Salmonella clusters reached their peak in January 2026. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) also flagged a surge in Shigella cases amongst travellers returning from Cape Verde since September 2022.

More than 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases of shigella and other gastrointestinal infections, including salmonella, have been identified in travellers returning from Cape Verde to 13 countries across the European Union/European Economic Area: Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands. Cases have also been recorded amongst US travellers who visited Cape Verde.

Shigella is a bacterium that can trigger shigellosis, a gut infection capable of causing severe diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps. The majority of people recover within a week.

However, certain individuals, such as older adults, those with weakened immune systems, anyone with complex medical conditions, pregnant women and children under five, may face a heightened risk of complications, including sepsis.

Shigella spreads through contact with contaminated faeces, either directly via person-to-person transmission or indirectly through food, water or surfaces tainted with Shigella. Travellers visiting destinations where food and water safety cannot be guaranteed are particularly at risk.

Globally, the majority of Shigella cases occur in children younger than five years of age, though all age groups can be affected. There is additionally a risk of sexual transmission amongst men who have sex with men.

Salmonella, also known as salmonellosis, is a bacterial illness that primarily targets the intestines. Symptoms such as diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever typically appear between 12 and 72 hours after infection [8].

Young children, pregnant women, those with underlying health conditions and elderly people are at greater risk of developing severe symptoms. The majority of human cases stem from contaminated food and water.

For further details, click here.

While you are away.

Be sure to follow these steps when travelling overseas.

MSC Cruises has announced its commitment this summer and offers for UK passengers

MSC Cruises has issued an update today, Thursday, May 28, with bosses announcing a commitment to UK passengers this summer. The cruise line offers various voyages spanning the globe and currently operates a fleet of 23 cruise ships, with plans for further expansion in the coming years.

On Thursday, MSC Cruises said it is inviting guests to experience the ‘best holiday ever’ over the coming months, with the “peace of mind” of no added fuel surcharge for summer 2026 and low deposits until the end of June. Antonio Paradiso, Vice President of International Sales at MSC Cruises, said: “MSC Cruises ‘Best Holiday Ever’ commitment reinforces our position as the leading choice for UK and Irish holidaymakers seeking an effortless, all-in-one travel experience.

“Backed by dedicated support every step of the way, guests can book with confidence and peace of mind in today’s changing travel environment and relax knowing that their holiday is taken care of. With our low deposit of just £50, no-fly cruises from Southampton, Fly and Cruise packages with the reassurance of no added fuel surcharge for 2026, and the option to change your cruise date or destination if required, we are making it easier than ever for guests to secure their next holiday.”

Guests can book a trip with MSC Cruises with a low deposit of £50 per person, extended until the end of June. This applies to all cruises (excluding World Cruise and MSC Yacht Club cabins).

Passengers have a wide variety of amenities on board. There is full-board dining across the main restaurants and buffets, evening shows, multiple swimming pools with aquaparks, fitness facilities and family entertainment programmes.

There are many cabin types to choose from, including comfortable and economic inside cabins and connecting cabins for larger groups, which combine inside and balcony cabins together. Ocean View cabins offer sunset views, or for that sea breeze, opt for a balcony cabin.

A spokesperson added: “An MSC Cruise offers so much in one transparent price and, despite recent increases in global fuel prices, the cruise line will not be introducing a fuel surcharge this summer, giving guests extra confidence there are no unexpected added costs. The price guests see at the time of booking is the price they will pay, part of the best holiday ever commitment, just peace of mind and a seamless holiday experience this summer.”

MSC Cruises offers a range of Fly and Cruise packages that combine flights, transfers, and a cruise into one holiday. Designed to ‘simplify the journey from start to finish’, the cruise line says these packages are built in partnership with some of the world’s most renowned airlines.

Flights align with cruise schedules, with transfers between the airport and the ship included. Guests can select their preferred cruise itinerary, choose the Fly and Cruise fare, and confirm flights during the booking process. Fly and Cruise holidays in 2026 depart from:

• Belfast to Palma and Tenerife
• Dublin to Barcelona, Rome, Venice and Tenerife
• Edinburgh to Rome, Naples and Tenerife
• Glasgow to Tenerife
• Newcastle to Tenerife
• Manchester to Rome and Tenerife
• Birmingham to Tenerife
• London Heathrow to Seattle and Barbados

MSC Cruises also offers a selection of no‑fly cruises from Southampton year-round. Some standout destinations include the Norwegian Fjords, Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. And on selected dates, well-known TV stars and sports legends are on board, giving guests complimentary classes and talks:

• June 6, 2026 – Southampton to Iceland and the Norwegian Fjords (14 nights), with TV personality Anthea Turner onboard.
• August 8, 2026 – Southampton to the Canary Islands (12 nights), with Rugby Legends Ben Cohen, Neil Back and Ben Kayplus dance star Kristina Rhianoff onboard.
• October 19, 2026 – Southampton to the Netherlands, Belgium and France (5 nights), with Football Legend Gianfranco Zola on board.

I was lying on a bed with no trousers on. A young man helped me into some crotch-high boots and zipped them up. He turned the lights down low, put on some music, pressed a button and left the room. Argh! The boots started to slowly inflate from the toes up, like a giant blood-pressure cuff. As they clenched around my upper thighs, I started to panic. What if they just got tighter and tighter until my legs exploded? As I was about to shout for help, the pressure suddenly released, leaving my legs feeling deliciously light. I took a deep breath and submitted to another 19 minutes of this sweet torture.

I was at Siro Boka Place in Montenegro, having compression boot therapy, which is supposed to boost circulation and reduce swelling. “It’s especially effective on women over 35,” my youthful assistant had told me, helpfully. The hotel, which opened last year, is proud of its “state-of-the-art wellness facilities”. In most hotels that means a poky gym. At Siro the facilities are so good the Montenegrin Olympic team is training here ahead of Los Angeles 2028.

But more about the hotel later. First I was keen to get outside and explore. Siro is in Porto Montenegro, a swanky development on the edge of Tivat in the beautiful Bay of Kotor. My companions and I escaped the bling on a morning ebike tour around the bay, taking us from designer shops and luxury restaurants to charming old fishing villages. We cycled to the tip of the promontory to peer at the islet Our Lady of the Rocks, then biked right round the other side until we were facing Kotor’s triangular, red-roofed old town across the water. We cut inland to complete the loop via a switchback mountain road, where I was grateful for the electric assistance.

The next day we hit the Vrmac mountain trails on foot, hiking to Gornja Lastva, a half-abandoned village high above Tivat, and then on to tiny St Vid church, which stands alone on the peak. The panoramic views made it the perfect picnic stop. In the afternoon, we explored the calm waters of the bay by kayak. It was blissful just getting out on the sparkling water, but with more time it is possible to kayak round to the famed Blue Cave on the Luštica peninsula.

These trips can be booked through Siro, which has partnered with local activity companies. Guests can go running and rock climbing; canyoning in the Drenoštica or Nevidio canyons; paddleboarding on Skadar Lake; or try a host of watersports in the bay, from funtubing and efoiling to wakeboarding.

Back at the hotel, group classes are on offer in the fitness studios – there are about five sessions a day on weekdays and two at weekends. I tried yoga, pilates and mindful strength, while more high-octane options include run club, Hyrox and full body blitz. The gym – sorry, “fitness lab” – is enormous (1,600 sq m), and divided into cardio, weights and functional training zones. There is a lovely 25-metre outdoor pool on the third floor, with views over the marina.

All this exercise called for some more treatments in the spa, or “recovery lab”. During red light therapy, I had to lie in a coffin-like pod with the lid closed – not one for the claustrophobic. The near-infrared wavelengths are thought to help reduce inflammation, speed up muscle recovery and rejuvenate the skin. If nothing else, the gentle warmth was very relaxing, once I stopped thinking about being buried alive.

I was a little nervous about having a body composition analysis, but it was a simple procedure. You stand on a Seca Tru machine and hold the handles, and the results are sent to an app on your phone in about 30 seconds. It seems like sorcery, but actually uses “bioelectrical impedance analysis” to measure the resistance of electrical currents as they pass through the body, and is highly accurate when compared with an MRI or Dexa (bone density) scan. It was fascinating to pore over the results: muscle and fat mass, water levels, bone mineral content, basal metabolic rate (calories burned at rest) and, a new one on me, phase angle: “an indicator of overall health, metabolic activity and nutritional status”.

When I’d digested my results (88/100, not bad for a woman well over 35), I had a consultation with Hélène Boussiard, a French-trained clinical dietitian and fount of nutritional knowledge. We bonded over our vegan diets, but she was less happy with my late nights and alcohol intake. As I’ve been resolving to go to bed earlier and drink less for the past 25 years, it wasn’t exactly a revelation, but her written report did spur me on to try harder.

I cheered myself up with a massage or three. Two were conducted on a waterbed (well, Rivals has brought the 80s back into fashion), one involved stretching and all were utterly incredible. I could have tried cupping, dry needling, EMS therapy and percussive therapy as well, but there are only so many hours in the day.

Guests with any energy left can work out in their rooms, too – they are equipped with a Swedish ladder for pull-ups and dead hangs, a wellness ball to work the core even while sitting, plus weights, resistance bands and a yoga mat. A restful night’s sleep is aided by meditation playlists, temperature-controlled mattresses and sunrise alarm clocks.

As you might expect, the restaurant, Siro Table, serves healthy food. The breakfast buffet features ferments, nuts and seeds, with à la carte options such as avocado toast with poached eggs. At lunch and dinner, there are lots of vegetable-based dishes with protein add-ons “to achieve your desired macros” – I added chickpeas and tofu to courgette spaghetti, for example. But it’s not too abstemious: chips, desserts and wine are all on the menu too. The ground floor Refuel Bar serves smoothies and protein shakes, but there is an actual bar on the roof, with cocktails and Friday-night DJs.

After three days at Siro, I felt like an Olympic athlete myself. Now all I have to do is keep it up back home. I wonder how much a pair of compression boots would set me back?