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An 80-year-old man has been arrested for questioning after security guards at Tenerife South Airport discovered he was trying to board a plane with his dead wife

An 80-year-old man has been arrested after attempting to board a flight with his dead wife, in scenes that left airport staff reeling.

The elderly gentleman was halted by security at Tenerife South Airport when they grew suspicious of his wife’s condition. Shockingly, the man claimed to the police that his wife had died at the airport, just hours before their scheduled departure.

Staff noticed that the woman, seated in a wheelchair, was unresponsive and her body temperature was alarmingly low. The incident unfolded at the metal detector checkpoint within the airport’s security area. It wasn’t until a security guard observed the woman’s lack of reaction when he shook her hand that suspicions were raised, leading to the man’s arrest for further questioning.

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Spanish newspaper Diario de Avisos reported the incident, although no specifics regarding the date, the airline involved, or the couple’s nationalities have been disclosed. However, Tenerife Airport has confirmed that the incident took place several months ago.

“The man was pushing the wheelchair in which his wife was,” the publication reports. “At first glance, they looked like an elderly couple about to embark. However, after passing through the portico, the guard realised that something was not right”, reports the Daily Star.

An employee at Tenerife South airport said: “The guard approached the woman and the man gave her the wheelchair. When he took her hand, she noticed that she had an abnormally low temperature and was not breathing.

“The worker immediately notified the supervisor. In a few minutes the emergency protocol was activated and numerous security agents, members of the Civil Guard and forensic personnel went to the scene.”

According to the husband’s initial statements, he alleges his wife died a few hours earlier inside the airport. However, some staff reportedly claim that the man attempted to place blame for the death on the airport facilities. This allegation is now reportedly under investigation by the authorities and airport officials.

It has been confirmed that the man was arrested and is currently cooperating with authorities. An inquiry has been initiated into the death and it remains unclear whether any action will be taken against the man.

READ MORE: Woman says ‘check big passengers like hand baggage’ after uncomfortable flight

The BBC are now recruiting for a new head of a team dedicated to complaints and whistleblowing after the corporation has faced a string of scandals, including Huw Edwards and Gregg Wallace’s departures

The BBC is hiring a dedicated head of a whistleblowing and investigations team. The jobs currently advertised with the licence fee-payer-funded corporation come with hefty salaries of up to £120,000.

Currently, three roles are being advertised for the network: Head of Investigations (Corporate Investigations and Whistleblowing), Head of Investigations (HR), and Director of Investigations and Whistleblowing. The jobs, part of a company-wide restructure, come after the BBC faced a string of scandals in recent years.

The individual who secures any of the jobs will be responsible for assisting staff moving out of one part of the company and will form a breakout unit. On the job descriptions, it states that those who apply and are successful will play a “critical role in fostering a culture of transparency, accountability and trust.”

It adds that the successful candidate will “oversee the process and governance of whistleblowing or corporate investigations, including serious criminal behaviour, violent and sexual offences, elevated personal risk, harassment and cases posing reputational risk to BBC.”

The new roles come after former BBC News anchor Huw Edwards was suspended in 2023 and received his full salary of £435,000 per year after it emerged that he had paid a young man for explicit images. Convicted sex offender Edwards, who was spared jail in 2024, left the company in the same year. However, an anonymous whistleblower told BBC News that they believed the complaints against him hadn’t been investigated thoroughly, saying: “Things have been swept under the carpet.”

The investigation into Mr Edwards was carried out by Simon Adair, the BBC’s director of safety, security and resilience. Elsewhere, former MasterChef star Gregg Wallace was sacked by the network following an investigation into his behaviour.

45 of 83 complaints, relating to sexually inappropriate language and humour, as well as culturally insensitive or racist comments, were upheld against Wallace. He later apologised and said he “never set out to harm or humiliate” anybody.

The allegations against Mr Wallace had been spread over a 19-year period. 10 stand-alone allegations were made against other people, and two were substantiated. Those allegations, which didn’t involve Gregg, related to inappropriate language – one including swearing and the other including racist language.

Elsewhere, the BBC had apologised over “missed opportunities” to deal with allegations of “bullying and misogynistic behaviour” from former radio DJ, Tim Westwood. Lisa Nandy, Culture Secretary, met with the BBC’s former Director General in February last year and discussed Westwood’s alleged behaviour.

At the time, she said: “The allegations against Tim Westwood are very serious. It is essential that staff and the wider public can have confidence in the BBC as our national broadcaster.

“There have been far too many instances of appalling behaviour in the media industry, and there has been a culture of silence around inappropriate behaviour for too long. This cannot continue. In my discussion with the BBC Director General, I was clear that the BBC Board and Executive must grip the issue of workplace culture and respond at pace to the independent review they have commissioned as soon as it has concluded.”

Westwood stepped down from his show on Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra in 2013, having been at the corporation for almost two decades. Westwood, of Westminster, was charged in October last year with four counts of rape, nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault. The alleged incidents are believed to have taken place between 1993 and 2016. Westwood denies all allegations made against him. He previously said: “It’s all false allegations.” He is due to stand trial this month.

A BBC spokesperson said: “These roles are simply part of a wider restructure. When it comes to pay, we strike a balance to ensure we remain competitive and can attract and retain the best people, and over 95% of our spending goes on content and its delivery.”

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Gov. Pete Wilson on Thursday formally named Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce President Lee Grissom as senior policy adviser for economic development.

Grissom, 49, resigned from the chamber on Tuesday after heading the business group for 17 years. Over that period he oversaw the chamber’s growth from 1,400 to 3,700 member firms and helped mold the organization into an influential force in city politics.

In his new job, Grissom will advise the governor on economic planning as well as issues relating to the state’s efforts to attract and retain jobs.

Grissom has experience in that area, having served on the Governor’s Council on California’s Competitiveness, a blue-ribbon group that surveyed the problems of doing business in California contrasted with other states.

Jan. 2 (UPI) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Friday that he named spy boss Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov as his chief of staff.

“I had a meeting with Kyrylo Budanov and offered him the role of the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. At this time, Ukraine needs greater focus on security issues, the development of the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine, as well as on the diplomatic track of negotiations, and the Office of the President will primarily serve the fulfillment of these tasks of our state. Kyrylo has specialized experience in these areas and sufficient strength to deliver results,” Zelensky said in a post on X.

Budanov retweeted Zelensky’s post and said he accepted the offer.

“It is both an honor and a profound commitment, especially at this decisive moment in our country’s history, to focus on issues critical to Ukraine’s strategic security,” Budanov said.

“We will continue to do what must be done — to strike the enemy, defend Ukraine, and work tirelessly toward a just peace. Together, we will continue to fight for a free and secure future for Ukraine.”

Zelensky’s former chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, resigned on Nov. 28 after a raid on his home in a sweeping corruption scandal. Yermak was the most powerful political figure in Ukraine behind Zelensky.

Yermak, 54, has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and officials did not explain why they searched his property.

Budanov, 39, has been the leader of the country’s Hur military intelligence agency since 2020. The agency is known as one of the most competent institutions in the country, and Budanov has become a household name, the Kyiv Independent said.

A lawmaker from Zelensky’s party told the Independent that hiring Budanov could indicate that the peace plan for the war between Ukraine and Russia negotiated by President Donald Trump and his team may fall apart.

“We need to prepare for a long, exhausting struggle. And this is exactly the approach that Budanov represents,” the lawmaker said.

Budanov “will need to build his own system, his own vertical of power. I think it will be a different style of leadership for the office,” the source told the Independent. “He’s a spymaster, but he’s not a master of political intrigue.”

Kicker Harrison Mevis aims to get back on track when the Rams play the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Mevis, signed by the Rams in November, made all eight of his field-goal attempts before missing from 48 yards late in the fourth quarter of the Rams’ 38-37 overtime defeat by the Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 18 in Seattle.

“Just continuing to keep firing away,” Mevis said. “I’m not going to be perfect in my career — nobody is. And it’s all about how you respond and bounce back and make the next kick.”

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Gary Klein breaks down everything you need to know heading into Monday night’s matchup between the Rams and the Atlanta Falcons.

In the aftermath of the loss, which included a fourth-quarter punt return for a touchdown by the Seahawks, Rams coach Sean McVay fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn.

Three of the Rams’ four losses have resulted from major kicking-game miscues, and Blackburn’s firing was just the latest change made to solve the issues.

When the Rams signed Mevis to replace Joshua Karty — who last week was signed by the Arizona Cardinals off the Rams practice squad — they also brought in veteran snapper Jake McQuaide to replace Alex Ward.

The game against the Falcons will serve as Ben Kotwica’s debut as interim special teams coordinator.

Kotwica has worked in the NFL for most of the last 18 years, and he coached with McVay on Washington’s staff. Kotwica was the Denver Broncos special teams coordinator in 2023 and 2024 before joining the Rams staff as a special teams assistant.

“We’ve had a couple of plays that have cost us during the course of the year, but I love the way that our guys are going about the business,” Kotwica said. “They understand the urgency. We’re part of a championship football team and we’re just ready to contribute to holding up that Lombardi [Trophy] early next year.”

Key injuries

Rams: OL Kevin Dotson (ankle, out); DB Josh Wallace (ankle, out); WR Davante Adams (hamstring, doubtful); OL Alaric Jackson (knee, questionable); DL Braden Fiske (ankle, questionable but expected to play); CB Roger McCreary (hip, expected to be activated to roster from injured reserve).

Falcons: CB Mike Hughes (ankle, out); CB Clark Phillips III (triceps/illness, out); DL Sam Roberts (knee/ankle, out); WR Drake London (knee, questionable).

How to watch and listen to Rams vs. Falcons

The Rams (11-4) and the Atlanta Falcons (6-9) will play at 5:15 p.m. PST Monday. The game will be shown on ABC in the Los Angeles area and nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. In Southern California, fans can listen to the game on 710 AM, 93.1 FM and 1330 AM (Español).

Betting odds and lines for Rams vs. Falcons

Who will win Rams vs. Falcons?

Gary Klein’s pick: A few weeks ago, this looked like a potential easy victory for the Rams. Now it could be more difficult. Still, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will outduel Kirk Cousins. Rams 30, Falcons 24

The Environmental Protection Agency under President Trump has cut federal limits on air and water pollution and promoted fossil fuels, a metamorphosis that clashes with the agency’s stated mission — to protect human health and the environment.

The administration says its actions will “unleash” the American economy, but environmentalists say the agency’s abrupt change in focus threatens to unravel years of progress on climate-friendly initiatives that could be hard or impossible to reverse.

“It just constantly wants to pat the fossil fuel business on the back and turn back the clock to a pre-Richard Nixon era” when the agency didn’t exist, said historian Douglas Brinkley.

A lot has happened this year at “Trump’s EPA,” as Administrator Lee Zeldin frequently calls the agency. Zeldin proposed overturning the landmark finding that climate change is a threat to human health. He pledged to roll back dozens of environmental regulations in “the greatest day of deregulation our nation has seen.” He froze billions of dollars for clean energy and upended agency research.

Zeldin has argued the EPA can protect the environment and grow the economy at the same time. He announced “five pillars” to guide the EPA’s work; four were economic goals, including energy dominance — President Trump’s shorthand for more fossil fuels — and boosting the auto industry.

A former New York congressman who had a record as a moderate Republican on some environmental issues, Zeldin said his views on climate change have evolved. Many federal and state climate goals are unattainable in the near future — and come at a huge cost, he said.

“We should not be causing … extreme economic pain for an individual or a family” because of policies aimed at “saving the planet,” he told reporters at EPA headquarters in early December.

But scientists and experts say the EPA’s new direction comes at a cost to public health and would lead to far more pollutants in the environment, including mercury, lead and especially tiny airborne particles that can lodge in lungs. They also note higher emissions of greenhouse gases will worsen atmospheric warming that is driving more frequent, costly and deadly extreme weather.

Christine Todd Whitman, a longtime Republican who led the EPA under President George W. Bush, said watching Zeldin attack laws protecting air and water has been “just depressing.”

“It’s tragic for our country. I worry about my grandchildren, of which I have seven. I worry about what their future is going to be if they don’t have clean air, if they don’t have clean water to drink,” said Whitman, who joined a centrist third party in recent years.

The history behind EPA

The EPA was launched under Nixon in 1970 at a time when pollution was disrupting American life, some cities were suffocating in smog and industrial chemicals turned some rivers into wastelands. Congress passed laws then that remain foundational for protecting water, air and endangered species.

The agency’s aggressiveness has always seesawed depending on who occupies the White House. The Biden administration boosted renewable energy and electric vehicles, tightened restrictions on motor-vehicle emissions and proposed greenhouse gas limits on coal-fired power plants and oil and gas wells. Industry groups called rules overly burdensome and said the power plant rule would force many aging facilities to shut down. In response, many businesses shifted resources to meet the more stringent rules that are now being undone.

“While the Biden EPA repeatedly attempted to usurp the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law to impose its ‘Green New Scam,’ the Trump EPA is laser-focused on achieving results for the American people while operating within the limits of the laws passed by Congress,” EPA spokeswoman Brigit Hirsch said.

Zeldin’s list of targets is long

Zeldin has announced plans to abandon soot pollution rules, loosen rules around harmful refrigerants, limit wetland protections and weaken gas mileage rules. Meanwhile, he would exempt polluting industries and plants from federal emissions-reduction requirements.

Much of the EPA’s new direction aligns with Project 2025, the conservative Heritage Foundation road map that argued the agency should gut staffing, cut regulations and end what it called a war on coal or other fossil fuels.

“A lot of the regulations that were put on during the Biden administration were more harmful and restrictive than in any other period. So that’s why deregulating them looks like EPA is making major changes,” said Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of Heritage’s Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment.

But Chris Frey, an EPA official under Biden, said the regulations Zeldin has targeted “offered benefits of avoided premature deaths, of avoided chronic illness … bad things that would not happen because of these rules.”

Matthew Tejada, a former EPA official under both Trump and then-President Biden who now works at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said of the revamped EPA: “I think it would be hard for them to make it any clearer to polluters in this country that they can go on about their business and not worry about EPA getting in their way.”

Zeldin also has shrunk EPA staffing by about 20% to levels last seen in the mid-1980s.

Justin Chen, president of the EPA’s largest union, called the staff cuts “devastating.” He cited the dismantling of research and development offices at labs across the country and the firing of employees who signed a letter of dissent opposing EPA cuts.

Relaxed enforcement and cutting staff

Many of Zeldin’s changes aren’t in effect yet. It takes time to propose new rules, get public input and finalize rollbacks.

It’s much faster to cut grants and ease up on enforcement, and Trump’s EPA is doing both. The number of new civil environmental actions is roughly one-fifth what it was in the first eight months of the Biden administration, according to the nonprofit Environmental Integrity Project.

“You can effectively do a lot of deregulation if you just don’t do enforcement,” said Leif Fredrickson, visiting assistant professor of history at the University of Montana.

Hirsch said the number of legal filings isn’t the best way to judge enforcement because they require work outside the EPA and can bog staff down with burdensome legal agreements. She said the EPA is “focused on efficiently resolving violations and achieving compliance as quickly as possible” and not making demands beyond what the law requires.

EPA’s cuts have been especially hard on climate change programs and environmental justice, the effort to address chronic pollution that typically is worse in minority and poor communities. Both were Biden administration priorities. Zeldin dismissed staff and canceled billions in grants for projects that fell under the “diversity, equity and inclusion” umbrella, a Trump administration target.

Zeldin also spiked a $20-billion “green bank” set up under Biden’s landmark climate law to fund qualifying clean energy projects. The EPA chief argued the fund was a scheme to funnel money to Democratic-aligned organizations with little oversight — allegations a federal judge rejected.

Pat Parenteau, an environmental law expert and former director of the Environmental Law School at Vermont Law & Graduate School, said the EPA’s shift under Trump left him with little optimism for what he called “the two most awful crises in the 21st century”: biodiversity loss and climate disruption.

“I don’t see any hope for either one,” he said. “I really don’t. And I’ll be long gone, but I think the world is in just for absolute catastrophe.”

Phillis, John and Daly write for the Associated Press.

Misrata, Libya – After days of mourning, Libya is laying to rest its army chief, General Mohammed al-Haddad, and four other prominent military figures.

Al-Haddad, his senior adviser, Mohamed al-Essawi, and his military cameraman, Mohamed al-Mahjoub, were transported to their hometown in Misrata on Saturday evening for burial.

Also killed in the aircraft crash in central Turkiye on Tuesday were the commander of army land forces, General Fetouri Ghrebil, and the head of military manufacturing, Mahmoud al-Gedewi, whose remains were moved to their respective hometowns for burial.

The five were returning to the North African country from Ankara after meetings with Turkish defence officials, just a day after the Turkish parliament voted to extend the presence of its troops in Libya, as part of efforts to bolster military cooperation between Turkiye and the internationally recognised government in Tripoli.

Turkish authorities say preliminary investigations suggest a technical failure.

A Libyan military committee went to Ankara on Wednesday to help the investigation. A committee member told Al Jazeera that both countries agreed to transfer the aircraft’s flight recorder to a neutral country for a full investigation.

‘A dreadful scene’

After visiting the site of the crash, sources from the Libyan military committee told Al Jazeera it was a “dreadful scene”, with body parts scattered everywhere.

Identification was so difficult that authorities had to perform DNA testing on the body parts to identify which of the aircraft passengers they belonged to.

It was only after the long, painstaking process was completed that the bodies were finally repatriated to Libya.

A Turkish military ceremony was held in their honour early on Saturday morning, then the bodies were put on an aeroplane for the journey to Libya, but matters became complicated at that point.

The seemingly straightforward matter of holding ceremonies for the deceased became an issue as details like where they would be held were debated hotly in the fractured country.

Is General al-Haddad replaceable?

The Tripoli government is overseen by the Presidential Council, a three-member body that serves as the supreme commander of the military, according to the Libyan Political Agreement.

However, Libya’s rival authorities in the east, controlled by renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar, do not recognise them, despite the eastern-based parliament signing the agreement.

Al-Haddad was seen by some as a man of peace, well-respected by people across the country, even those he fought against.

He played a crucial role in the fight against Haftar during the latter’s military campaign on Tripoli in 2019, an assault that saw Haftar’s forces on the outskirts of Tripoli.

Under al-Haddad, government forces retook western Libya and forced Haftar back to the east, and al-Haddad helped pave the way for the national ceasefire agreement signed in 2020.

Haftar released a statement saying he was “deeply saddened” by al-Haddad’s death and expressed his condolences to his family.

In May, clashes broke out around Mitiga international airport between government forces and the Special Deterrent Force, a powerful armed group that reports to the Presidential Council and opposes the interim prime minister in Tripoli, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah.

Dbeibah gave the Special Deterrent Force (SDF) an ultimatum to hand over the airport, their prisons, and assimilate into the state security apparatus, or be targeted by the government.

With help and intervention by the Turkish government, a ceasefire was reached, and a truce committee, chaired by al-Haddad, was established by the Presidential Council and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

There is no doubt that finding a replacement for al-Haddad will not be an easy task. The Presidential Council appointed his deputy, General Salah al-Namroush, temporarily.

During his eulogy, al-Namroush “bid farewell to the men of the nation who carried the nation’s burdens and made discipline a way of life and leadership a responsibility”.

He said he would follow in the footsteps of al-Haddad, and pledged “to continue unifying the army”.

Although it will be difficult, political analyst Mohamed Mahfoudh told Al Jazeera: “Discussions are already under way; given the importance of the position, I expect a decision to be made within the next 10 days.”

Libya has seen widespread frustration and recent protests against the government over the economic situation, prompting officials to announce a plan to reshuffle the cabinet earlier this month.

The shuffle was scheduled to be announced on December 24, but al-Haddad’s death postponed that.

“Now, the chief of staff position will be entered into the cabinet reshuffle discussions. That means Haddad’s replacement could be a political decision to appease certain stakeholders, rather than someone who is qualified for the position.

“That’s a fear many of us have,” Mahfoudh said.

A tale of two airports

In an illustration of Libya’s split, the government in Tripoli had to receive the bodies of al-Haddad and other military officials at the city’s international airport, which was destroyed in fighting in 2014.

It is currently under renovation and now serves only government and emergency medical evacuation planes.

However, normally the bodies would have been received at Mitiga international airport, which is now Tripoli’s main commercial airport, but since it is under SDF control, PM Dbeibah could not be there.

He is not welcome.

So, Dbeibah, members of the Presidential Council, and senior government and military officials waited for the bodies at Tripoli international airport.

They were taken to an army base in southern Tripoli for a military ceremony in their honour, where Presidential Council head, Mohamed al-Menfi, declared “the promotion of each martyr to the next rank”, making al-Haddad a field marshal posthumously.

“Field Marshal Mohamed al-Haddad was a cornerstone to protecting the state and maintaining stability,” said Dbeibah at the ceremony.

He assured people that investigations into the crash “are continuing with full accuracy and credibility in coordination with Turkiye”.

Al-Haddad, al-Essawi, and al-Mahjoub’s bodies were flown to their hometowns in Misrata on Saturday evening.

On Sunday morning, people came from all over the country to lay them to rest.

Thousands of people gathered in the Misrata football stadium for a farewell prayer for the departed. Misrata city officials announced the day as an official holiday to give people time off to attend the funeral.

Abdullah Allafi, a tribal leader from al-Rajban in the Nafusa Mountains of western Libya, left home at 3am to drive hundreds of kilometres to pay his respects.

When asked about al-Haddad’s death, he said: “It’s a huge loss. Mohamed al-Haddad’s death is a loss for all of us and for Libya. He was a true patriot. May Allah rest his soul.

“Our presence here is a symbol of unity. Enough divisions, it’s time to come together and build a nation and a united military.”

I was greeted by staff in pyjamas and stayed in a room dedicated to the theme of a WC in one of the most unusual but delightful hotel stays in the heart of a bustling city

Searching for a hotel, whether in the UK or worldwide, can be a daunting task with thousands of establishments to choose from. Yet, when I came across a four-star boutique hotel in Europe themed around a bathroom, curiosity got the better of me, and I hit ‘book’.

I checked into WC by The Beautique Hotels for a three-night stay one summer, which can be found on the popular street of Almirante Reis in Lisbon, Portugal. I was visiting the country for a wedding, before spending a few days sightseeing in the city, so the hotel looked like the perfect place to rest up after a long day of exploring.

As I arrived at the hotel, I was instantly taken aback by the extraordinary bathroom theme. It has tap graphics on the entrance doors and a picture of a woman wearing a shower cap covering a large window. Given the name WC, meaning water closet, I was expecting some level of bathroom-based decor, but not to this extent.

The front desk sported a huge white bathtub and a silver faucet on display, with a large rose gold shower head hanging above. Behind it was a feature wall with raindrops and running water for a tranquil, spa-like setting.

As I waited by the front desk, I admired the bathroom theme that flowed throughout every crevice. From the tiled water floor, to the blue curvy bar with a mini bathtub and a bottle of gin tucked inside, to the gleaming blue tiled walls and second reception desk that had a clear shower curtain pulled around it.

However, it was hard to hide my surprise when one of the receptionists appeared wearing long-sleeved silk pajamas. According to some travellers, the staff have even been spotted with towels on their heads to add to the aesthetic. I mean, if it were me, I’d be more than happy turning up to work every day wearing pyjamas.

My bewilderment continued as I entered my room. Having found a decent Expedia deal online, I had booked the deluxe double room, which was located in a curved area of the hotel, offering panoramic views of the bustling Lisbon streets below.

To match its shape, a circular bed was placed in front of the sprawling windows, which boasted curtains resembling those found in a shower, naturally. Other notable features in the room included the glossy turquoise tiles on every wall, which continued into the bathroom, the gloss-white wardrobes, and the room’s glasses that reminded me of bubbles in a bath.

Having been wowed by the unique features elsewhere, the bathroom was a little underwhelming. Yet, I’m not sure what else you could do with a bathroom when the theme is exactly that. Additionally, it was a generously sized bathroom with all the necessary amenities, and, of course, the essential robes.

Questioning whether it was socially acceptable to wear a dressing gown to breakfast each morning, I quickly settled into my intriguing room and made the most of the free mini-bar, filled with soft drinks. Although the room initially felt cold, given the tiled walls and blue colour scheme, it was a lot cosier than I imagined – the warm golden light fixtures and snug bed certainly helped.

I couldn’t fault the hotel for its facilities and comfort; it really did feel as though I was walking around a spa – even the hallways are decorated to resemble running water, with bedroom doors posed as steamy shower doors. For something a little different, I highly recommend it, and the buffet breakfast is well worth adding to any stay.

For more information or to book your stay, you can visit the WC by The Beautique Hotels website. Rooms cost from £48.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

After Friday afternoon’s practice, USC football coach Lincoln Riley said he had no update on D’Anton Lynn, who has been the target of Penn State’s defensive coordinator search.

Penn State showed interest in Lynn last year before he received a contract extension from USC. Lynn was hired by the Trojans after a successful season as the defensive coordinator at UCLA.

“This is what happens this time of year, especially when you have a really good staff and are doing a lot of positive things,” Riley said. “We’re excited about having the opportunity to keep continuity but if there is turnover, not just with that position but any position, these are coveted jobs. It’s just part of the world we live in.

“Obviously, D’Anton has done a really good job here and we’ll see how it turns out.”

Being prepared for change is a must in the current college football climate, Riley said.

“Contingency plans for coaches, players, staff, everyone because so much can and does change,” Riley said. “Our job is to be prepared and have flexibility. You can’t always predict everything that’s going to happen but you have to be ready to adjust. Yeah, every team goes through it on some level and you try to handle it as well as you can.”

Riley has liked what he has seen in practice as USC (9-3) prepares for its Alamo Bowl matchup against Texas Christian on Dec. 30.

“We’ve done a really good job the last couple of years of going to work and we’re not thinking about what players or coaches are here or aren’t here,” Riley said. “It’s all about trying to maximize this time and build for the future.”

USC announced Tuesday that redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava had re-signed for the upcoming season and is not joining Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane — USC’s two best receivers — in declaring for the 2026 NFL draft.

“It’s great. Anytime you can get a returning guy like that who has played a good amount of football, it’s important,” Riley said of Maiava. “He’s also become a good leader in this program and I’d expect that to continue to improve. The majority of this team has already re-signed, we know those guys are going to be here and it’s cool for those guys to show how much they believe in this place and what we’re doing.

“The exciting thing is you look ahead and you start to imagine pairing what we have coming back with what’s going to be walking through the door here in three weeks or so, but it starts with your veterans who have been through the fire and we have a lot of them back.”

Maiava, one of the last players to leave the practice field Friday, made it clear why he chose to stay.

“Coach Riley,” Maiava said. “Of course, the staff too and my brothers. I’m super grateful to be back out here. I’m focused on a day at a time, staying level-headed, making the right decisions and just taking care of the ball.”

Maiava is happy for Lemon, who won the Biletnikoff Award as college football’s top receiver after catching 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior this season.

“It was awesome, everybody was there in the lobby when we found out … it’s well-deserved,” Maiava said. “He and Ja’Kobi set the standard for everyone. He won the award, so I’d say we had pretty good chemistry even off the field going out to eat and places. I had to do my job, but he did his job, too, as best he could.”

Defensive end Braylan Shelby also is grateful to be back with the Trojans for another season.

“I always knew I wanted to be here, he said. “Bowl games mean a lot and it’s a time for the team to put it all together and play together one last time.”

Regarding the new NFL model for announcing re-signings, Shelby said: “Some people love it, some hate it. … USC is a step ahead of the game and I think it’s the right step. In this NIL era, it helps fans know who’s returning.”

Having re-signed, junior safety Christian Pierce is excited about being a potential starter next fall.

“The bowl game is a huge start going into next season in terms of building the culture,” Pierce said. “My focus is on trying to understand the defense even more and the skills and techniques I’ll need to get better at. The talk after re-signing was more on the coaching staff and the program.”

Riley praised offensive lineman Tobias Raymond on his willingness and ability to play multiple positions on the front line.

“He was one of the most important players on the entire team,” Riley said. “His toughness was off the charts, his versatility with all the different lineups we played, being able to physically and mentally handle that. He was just a steadying presence. He’ll be a huge key coming back as a captain, a leader and a player. As many of those guys as you can have in a locker room — you’ll be a lot closer to winning.”

Much to his coach’s liking, Raymond has embraced his leadership role.

“I’ve just tried to be more vocal, set an example and hold other people to the standard our coaches have put out for us,” said the 6–foot-6, 315-pound redshirt sophomore out of Ventura. “Pick people up when things are low and when things are high making sure we’re keeping level-headed.”

Regarding the transfer portal, Riley said he plans to be less reliant on it than in previous years.

“The number we’re talking about is so much less than before, so moving forward we’ll be able to zero in on what we’re going to go after. So the picture is starting to become clearer on what we’ll be targeting.”

A spokesperson for Antonio Guterres calls for UN staffers’ immediate release, as 69 now detained in the country.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the detention of 10 more UN staff members by the Houthis in Yemen.

Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson for Guterres, confirmed on Friday that the previous day’s arrests had brought the total of detained local staffers to 69, calling for their immediate release.

“These detentions render the delivery of UN humanitarian assistance in Houthi-controlled areas untenable. This directly affects millions of people in need and limits their access to life-saving assistance,” Dujarric said.

The Houthis, who control most of northwestern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, have stepped up their arrests of UN staff since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, accusing them of spying for the United States and Israel.

The UN has repeatedly rejected Houthi accusations that its staff or operations in Yemen are involved in spying, a charge that carries the death penalty in the country.

On Thursday, the organisation confirmed that the detainees were all Yemeni nationals.

The latest arrests came days after Guterres discussed detained UN, diplomatic and NGO staff with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman, which has served as a mediator in the conflict in Yemen.

Guterres also commented this week on the Houthis’ recent referral of three detained UN staffers to a criminal court, saying they had been charged in relation to “their performance of United Nations official duties” and calling for charges to be dropped.

Shift in balance of power

A decade of civil war has plunged Yemen into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to the UN.

Guterres said this week that 19.5 million people in the country – nearly two-thirds of the population – need humanitarian assistance.

The conflict has recently entered a new phase, as separatists with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) extended their presence in southeastern Yemen – marking one of the largest shifts in power since the war began.

They now claim to control areas including the eastern governorates of oil-rich Hadramout and al-Mahra and the port city of Aden.

The STC, which wants to establish an independent state in the south of Yemen, has fought in the past alongside the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed government, which is based in Aden, against the Houthis.

However, the STC’s advance in the south brings it into direct confrontation with the government in Aden, known as the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), which condemned the seizure of territory as “unilateral and a blatant violation”.

The STC’s leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, has a seat on the PLC, officially as one of its vice chairmen.

But relations have often been shaky between the group and the internationally recognised government, which came under major pressure in areas under its control over power outages and a currency crisis this year.

The two entities have previously fought, most notably in 2018 and 2019, in Aden and its surrounding governorates.

This week, Guterres urged all parties to exercise “maximum restraint, de-escalate tensions, and resolve differences through dialogue”.