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A British expat has shared an insight into what Benidorm is like in the winter season and she offered a worrying reason why some tourists may be avoiding the streets

An expert on all things Benidorm has shared insight into what the popular Spanish resort is like in the winter months – declaring that it is “completely dead”.

Expat Lucy Young runs the Benidorm Stuff YouTube channel and she recently toured the usually bustling strip that looked more like a ghost town.

Starting her vlog, she said: “It’s very quiet… in fact it’s dead! Pretty much as dead as it gets. There are plenty of places open but there are just not many people around. So let’s go for a wander and see if we can find any life in December. The whole of Benidorm is just completely dead at this time of year.”

Lucy, who has lived there for over 20 years and is known as the Benidorm Enthusiast, began her stroll on a Tuesday night just after 10pm and she told her 75,900 subscribers it was as deserted as they would ever see.

However, being low season, she acknowledged that the empty bars and quiet streets were as expected, but she still sometimes forgets just how silent it gets.

She added that she highlights just how “absolutely wild” the resort is during high season, and therefore it was important to show it at its quietest period too.

During her walk past bars that are usually heaving with partygoers, Lucy shed some insight into the different reasons why the streets were almost empty.

She explained how Levante Beach remained a hive of activity during the day time in winter and that the Old Town has got a buzz about it in the afternoon – but where does everyone go when the sun drops?

She said: “Many tourists that come in December just stay in their hotels. It can get pretty nippy and I don’t think people realise just how nippy it can get.”

The content creator said temperatures drop rapidly by 10 degrees or so once night falls and there is no escaping the chill.

She added that hotel rooms were warm, cosy and provided entertainment, and therefore many tourists preferred to simply stay put.

Citing a more worrying reason, she hinted that the strip was not as safe as it could be, and some folk were unwilling to venture out too late.

She explained: “I think it is down to the age group as well. We do get a slightly more mature age group at this time of year and I think sadly some just don’t feel particularly safe around here late at night anymore.

“It is a real shame because this area used to be welcoming for all ages at all times of the year really. But I think in recent years most people will agree that this area has changed and not for the better.

“If you are not a hardcore partygoer you may well be put off by this area these days. Even I can feel a little bit intimidated walking around here and I know these streets like the back of my hand.”

She added that the liveliest parts of Bendiron were around the Hotel California bar and The Crown pub where a few people were gathered for drinks.

Lucy later joked that she expected to see tumble weeds rolling down the road by the time she reached the end of the strip because of how quiet it was.

The YouTuber acknowledged that some people will prefer Benidorm this way, usually because they can get a seat for entertainment shows that are performed all year without having people talk over them.

But as for anyone coming in winter, she advised them not to expect the strip to be “absolutely bouncing” before emphasising one final time: “The strip at night? It is pretty dead and deserted.”

After posting the video, which you can watch here in full, one person commented: “Omg don’t think I have ever saw it so empty Lucy.”

Another wrote: “Coming out for the new year, really looking forward to it and hope it’s worth it.”

A third said: “Still love Benidorm at New Year it will be so different then.”

One person added: “Why is it like this? I live 45 minutes away, never seen it like that since lockdown.”

Trump is seeking to end protected status for South Sudan, claiming country no longer poses danger to those returning.

A federal judge has blocked the administration of President Donald Trump from stripping temporary protections from deportations for South Sudanese citizens living in the United States.

US District Judge Angel Kelley in Boston, Massachusetts, granted an emergency request on Tuesday in a lawsuit filed by several South Sudanese nationals and an immigrant rights group.

The order prevents the temporary protected status (TPS) for South Sudanese citizens from expiring on January 5 as the Trump administration has sought.

The lawsuit, led by the African ‍Communities Together, accuses the US Department of Homeland Security of acting unlawfully in its effort to strip South Sudanese citizens of TPS, a US immigration status granted to citizens of countries experiencing natural disasters, conflict or other extraordinary circumstances that could make return to their homelands dangerous.

The status was initially granted for South Sudan in 2011 when the country officially broke away from Sudan. It has been repeatedly renewed amid repeated bouts of fighting, widespread displacement and regional instability.

​The status allows eligible individuals to work and receive temporary protection from deportation.

The lawsuit further alleged that the Trump administration exposed South Sudan citizens to being deported to a country facing what is widely considered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, in a notice published on November ‌5, had argued the country no longer met the conditions for TPS.

“With the renewed peace in South Sudan, their demonstrated commitment to ensuring the safe reintegration of returning nationals, and improved diplomatic relations, now is the right time to conclude what was always intended to ‌be a temporary designation,” she said, appearing to refer to a tenuous 2018 peace agreement.

The statement contradicted the findings of a panel of United Nations experts, who wrote in a report to the UN Security Council in November that “while the contours of the conflict may be altered, the resulting human suffering has remained unchanged.”

“Ongoing conflict and aerial bombardments, coupled with flooding and the influx of returnees and refugees from the Sudan, have led to near-record levels of food insecurity, with pockets of famine reported in some of the communities most affected by renewed fighting,” it added.

The Trump administration has increasingly targeted TPS as part of its crackdown on immigration and its mass deportation drive.

It has moved to similarly ‌end TPS for foreign nationals from countries including Syria, Venezuela, Haiti, ⁠Cuba and Nicaragua, prompting several court challenges.

It has also sought to deport individuals to countries in Africa, even if they have no ties there.

WASHINGTON — A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a March presidential memorandum to revoke the security clearance of prominent Washington attorney Mark Zaid, ruling that the order — which also targeted 14 other individuals — could not be applied to him.

The decision marked the administration’s second legal setback on Tuesday, after the Supreme Court declined to allow Trump to deploy National Guard troops in the Chicago area, capping a first year in office in which President Trump’s efforts to impose a sweeping agenda and pursue retribution against political adversaries have been repeatedly slowed by the courts.

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali in Washington granted Zaid’s request for a preliminary injunction, after he sued the Trump administration in May over the revocation of his security clearance. Zaid’s request called it an act of “improper political retribution” that jeopardized his ability to continue representing clients in sensitive national security cases.

The March presidential memorandum singled out Zaid and 14 other individuals who the White House asserted were unsuitable to retain their clearances because it was “no longer in the national interest.” The list included targets of Trump’s fury from both the political and legal spheres, including former Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, New York Attorney General Letitia James, former President Joe Biden and members of his family.

The action was part of a much broader retribution campaign that Trump has waged since returning to the White House, including directing specific Justice Department investigations against perceived adversaries and issuing sweeping executive orders targeting law firms over legal work he does not like.

In August, the Trump administration said it was revoking the security clearances of 37 current and former national security officials. Ordering the revocation of clearances has been a favored retributive tactic that Trump has wielded — or at least tried to — against high-profile political figures, lawyers and intelligence officials in his second term.

Zaid said in his lawsuit that he has represented clients across the political spectrum over nearly 35 years, including government officials, law enforcement and military officials and whistleblowers. In 2019, he represented an intelligence community whistleblower whose account of a conversation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy helped set the stage for the first of two impeachment cases against Trump in his first term.

“This court joins the several others in this district that have enjoined the government from using the summary revocation of security clearances to penalize lawyers for representing people adverse to it,” Ali wrote in his order.

Ali emphasized that his order does not prevent the government from revoking or suspending Zaid’s clearance for reasons independent of the presidential memorandum and through normal agency processes. The preliminary injunction does not go into effect until January 13.

Zaid said in a statement, “This is not just a victory for me, it’s an indictment of the Trump administration’s attempts to intimidate and silence the legal community, especially lawyers who represent people who dare to question or hold this government accountable.”

Cappelletti writes for the Associated Press. AP reporter Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

LILY Allen hosted a glittering Christmas party last night at London’s most notorious nightspot Stringfellows – turning heads in a sexy Santa outfit.

The singer, 40, slipped into a figure-hugging red mini dress trimmed with fluffy white fur, complete with lace suspenders adorned with bows. 

The provocative look was teamed with a velvet red Santa cape as she embraced festive glamour.

Lily styled her hair in a Sixties-inspired blow-dry and accessorised with a classic Chanel handbag. 

She added extra height with a pair of skyscraper white heels, which featured a matching fur embellishment.

Never one to take herself too seriously, the cheeky star was spotted sticking out her tongue as she posed and mingled with guests.

Lily took to the dancefloor with a host of celebrity pals including pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo. 

She also shared a playful moment dancing with the London Gay Men’s Chorus, who attended the bash. 

Fellow singer Ella Raye was among the guests too, wowing in a sheer red stocking dress as she joined Lily for a photo.

Bono’s daughter, Jordan Hewson, was seen at the star-studded event, lounging on a sofa with Lily.

The party took place at Stringfellows, the legendary gentlemen’s club founded by Peter Stringfellow in the 1970s. 

Originally opening in Soho before moving to Covent Garden, Stringfellows quickly became synonymous with celebrity excess, glamour and late-night debauchery. 

Over the decades, it has welcomed everyone from Hollywood stars to rock royalty, cementing its status as one of London’s most infamous nightlife institutions.

The Christmas bash comes during a significant year for Lily, who has launched new music widely described as a “revenge” album following her split from husband David Harbour. 

The record draws on heartbreak and betrayal after Lily publicly accused the actor of cheating. 

Fans have praised the project for its raw honesty and cutting lyrics, marking a bold new chapter in her career.