Tel Aviv football derby abandoned after violent fan riots

The Israeli Premier League derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was abandoned before a ball was kicked on Sunday night after violent clashes between rival fans and police.

Social media footage showed that smoke grenades and fireworks were thrown onto the pitch at the Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, with 12 civilians and three police officers known to be injured at this stage.

A police statement detailed that “disorderly conduct” also took place outside the stadium. Nine suspects have been arrested, with 16 others detained for further questioning, and the match was called off with the police citing the “endangerment of human lives”.

The incident comes three days after the much-criticised call to ban Maccabi fans from attending next month’s Europa League match at Aston Villa in Birmingham, after a decision from Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG).

An Israeli police statement on Sunday’s events read: “Disorderly conduct, riots, object throwing, smoke grenades, fireworks, injured police officers, and damage to stadium infrastructure – this is not a football match, this is a serious public disturbance and violence.

“In light of the disturbances and the endangerment of human lives ahead of the scheduled football match at Bloomfield Stadium, the Israel police has informed the teams, team management, and referees that it has been decided not to allow the match to take place.

“We call on the fans to remain in place until a calm and orderly dispersal takes place.”

A Maccabi statement read: “Following the police’s decision, it was determined that the Tel Aviv derby will not take place tonight.”

Online footage also shows stones being thrown onto the pitch from the stands. Police announced the abandonment 20 minutes after the scheduled 8.30pm kick-off time, with around 25,000 spectators in the stands for the much-anticipated match.

Meanwhile, earlier on Sunday, energy secretary Ed Miliband warned that nowhere in the UK should be a “no-go area” for Jews and Israelis, after the decision to ban Maccabi fans for the European game on 6 November.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the decision last week, saying: “This is the wrong decision. We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.

“The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.”

Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group – the body responsible for issuing safety certificates for every match at Villa Park – had issued the ban after West Midlands Police said they had classified the fixture as high risk.

They stated this decision had been made based on “current intelligence and previous incidents”, which included last season’s Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.

Violent clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli fans erupted ahead of the match, with five men handed prison sentences and more than 60 people detained in the riots.

Two dead as Hong Kong cargo plane skids off runway and splits in half

At least two people were killed after a cargo aircraft skidded off the runway and crashed into the sea at Hong Kong airport in the early hours of Monday.

The Emirates flight EK9788, arriving from Dubai, veered off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport around 3.50am local time while landing, police said.

The Boeing 747 freighter failed to stop in time and partly landed in the waters off the north runway at the airport, which is one of the busiest in Asia.

Police said the aircraft struck a ground service vehicle during landing, ripping off one of its wheels and pushing it into the sea. Two ground staff were inside the vehicle at the time and were initially reported missing.

One 30-year-old member of the ground staff crew was confirmed dead at the scene, while a 41-year-old was declared dead at a hospital.

Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department said in a statement on Monday that the aircraft had “deviated from the north runway after landing and ditched into the sea”.

Photos taken after the incident showed the aircraft partially submerged in water near the airport’s sea wall with an escape slide deployed and the nose and tail sections separated.

At least 213 firefighters and first aid officers were deployed in the rescue mission, alongside 45 vehicles, ships and a flying service helicopter. The operation continued well into the morning.

The four crew members had to break open the door before being rescued from the sea.

Passenger flight operations at Hong Kong will remain unaffected by the cargo plane crash, the airport authorities said. However, at least 12 cargo flights have been cancelled so far.

The north runway has been closed, authorities said, while two other runways at the airport continue to operate.

The city’s civil aviation department added that it was following up with the airline and other parties involved in the crash.

Hong Kong authorities said they were trying to retrieve the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder from the sea. The investigation speed “depends on when we’ll find the black boxes”, an official was quoted by BBC News as saying.

Emirates said in a statement that flight EK9788 sustained damage on landing in Hong Kong and was a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft leased from and operated by ACT Airlines. “Crew are confirmed to be safe and there was no cargo onboard,” Emirates said.

The Boeing 747 freighter is a Turkish air cargo carrier AirACT aircraft flying for Emirates SkyCargo. It was flying from Al Maktoum International Airport.

Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 said the aircraft involved in the accident was 32 years old and had served as a passenger plane before being converted into a freighter.

Four Reform UK councillors suspended after chaotic council meeting

Four Reform UK councillors have been suspended after a video of their flagship council leader telling members to “suck it up” was leaked to the press.

Reform UK took control of Kent County Council (KCC) after winning 57 of the 81 seats at the local elections in May, overturning a 30-year Tory majority.

Footage of an online meeting where KCC leader Linden Kemkaran could be seen berating backbench councillors when they questioned her was leaked to the press on Saturday.

A Reform UK spokesperson said: “Cllrs Paul Thomas, Oliver Bradshaw, Bill Barrett and Maxine Fothergill have had the whip suspended pending investigation, following evidence that they brought the party into disrepute.”

The sweary video saw members told by Linden Kemkaran, the Reform leader of Kent County Council, to “f***ing suck it up” if they did not agree with decisions.

Cllr Kemkaran warned those voicing dissent that they would be “screwed” and that Reform would not be able to win a general election if they failed to balance Kent’s budget.

In the chaotic recording, obtained by The Guardian, she allegedly shouted down fellow councillors and threatened them with being “muted”, prompting comparisons to the notorious “Jackie Weaver” parish council Zoom meeting during the pandemic.

“Let’s not forget, we are the shop window in KCC. People are looking at us, they are judging us every single minute of every single day. Nigel knows that. He is super aware that we are the flagship council,” Cllr Kemkaran told colleagues.

Kent is one of the 10 councils Reform took control of after a stunning set of local elections last May, with Nigel Farage’s party vowing to cut wasteful spending and reduce council tax bills.

But, despite rolling out its Elon Musk-inspired Department of Local Government Efficiency (Dolge) unit in the council, Kent’s Reform leaders are still set to hike council tax rates next year.

Labour said the leaked footage showed a Nigel Farage government would be “complete chaos”, while the Liberal Democrats said the meeting looked “more like an episode of The Traitors than the running of a major council”.

Cllr Kemkaran, who oversees the £2.5bn council budget, told the meeting: “We are going to live or die on that budget. If we don’t balance the books you can forget Reform winning the next election. It’s that crucial.”

She added: “If we can avoid putting up council tax by the full 5% that is going to be the best thing that we can do to show that Reform can actually run something as big as Kent council.”

There has been a rumoured split between many of Kent Reform’s backbench councillors and the appointed since they took over.

On Monday, Reform UK announced the suspension of four KCC councillors, including Paul Thomas who Ms Kemkaren threatened to mute during the meeting.

Mr Thomas had questioned whether Reform had the “right” leader and cabinet before he was muted by the council leader.

Responding to the suspension of the four councillor’s a Labour Party spokesperson said: “Reform’s leader in Kent said that Reform councils were ‘the biggest advert’ for what a Nigel Farage government would look like. Well now we know what that means: complete chaos.

“For all Farage’s talk on cutting council waste hasn’t come close. Now members of his flagship council are fighting like rats in a sack. Reform is in meltdown and it’s local residents who will pay the price.

“Only Labour can be trusted to renew Britain, secure our borders, and put money back in people’s pockets. Reform have shown they aren’t up to the task and just can’t be trusted.”

Meanwhile, a Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: “Reform’s meetings are starting to sound more like an episode of The Traitors than the running of a major council. All that’s missing is for Claudia Winkleman to appear and ask who they’re going to banish next.

“Reform don’t know what they are doing. Residents are paying the price for their incompetence.

“Since taking control, they have broken their promise to lower council tax after they realised their plans don’t add up, and they can’t even hold meetings together without an argument breaking out.”

The awkward McLaren F1 title question fuelling Verstappen’s comeback

It’s tough not to overstate just how unfathomable the current positioning at the top of the F1 drivers’ championship was just two months ago. Rewind four races and Max Verstappen trailed Oscar Piastri by 104 points. For all intents and purposes, it was a McLaren intra-team title battle. A surefire thing. Whether it be Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris, the winner in Abu Dhabi on 7 December would be adorned in bright papaya.

Now, the outlook is not so black and white. Indeed, now the future looks like a blanket of orange, with dark blue and red splattered all over it. An individual title which looked genuinely unlosable for McLaren, such was their irrepressible dominance for most of this season, is now in danger of a catastrophic collapse.

For Verstappen, who had long dismissed his chances of a fifth consecutive title (a feat only matched by Michael Schumacher before him), it was the perfect sprint weekend in Austin. Two pole positions, two race wins, and a maximum 33 points to his name. Even the Dutchman, who has at times been visibly unbothered by this season’s trials and tribulations at Red Bull, is now licking his lips.

“For sure, the [title] chance is there,” he told Martin Brundle below the podium, immediately after his dominant victory at the United States Grand Prix on Sunday. “We just need to try and deliver these kinds of weekends until the end. It’s exciting and I’m excited until the end.”

Verstappen’s gap is now 40 points to Piastri, with five races left and 141 points to play for. Norris, who at least recovered from a slow start to finish second on Sunday, is just 14 points off his teammate. Out of nothing, the tide is turning dramatically against the previously unflappable Australian.

“The pressure builds when things start going wrong; it’s difficult to find your way out of that scenario,” 2009 F1 world champion and ex-McLaren driver Jenson Button told Sky Sports. “This is pressure no racing driver feels until you’re fighting for a title in Formula One.”

Button can empathise with Piastri’s plight. Back in ’09, the Briton inched his way over the finish line, failing to win any of the last 10 races in a freak year of dominance by the one-and-done Brawn team.

A more relevant year for McLaren would be 2007: Lewis Hamilton’s rookie year, in which the toxic intra-team feud with Fernando Alonso ultimately resulted in Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen nipping in at the death to take the drivers’ title by one point. It is a scenario that should be omnipresent in the minds of McLaren CEO Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella, as they look to arrest this current slide.

In the McLaren motorhome, all is not well. The Austin weekend started with the borderline ludicrous discussion around ‘repercussions’ for Norris, following his minor contact with Piastri at the last race in Singapore. McLaren didn’t act then, nor did the stewards.

Why the need to stoke the fire a fortnight on? Why give half a story, without specifying what such ‘repercussions’ are? While teams are of course allowed to keep discreet matters in-house, the level of ambiguity was jarring.

The general understanding amongst the paddock is that the ‘repercussions’ mean minor sporting advantages will lean in Piastri’s favour. Say, for instance, a tow in qualifying for the Australian, at venues with long straights such as round 21 in Las Vegas, to give Piastri an extra speed boost for pole position.

The whole discussion, however, was thrust further into the spotlight after a torrid weekend in which both McLaren drivers collided and crashed out of the sprint race on Saturday. If anything, this time it was Piastri who was at fault. We await media day in Mexico for any developments on driver preference.

It is a can of worms that, to a large degree, was avoidable. McLaren could still have a decision on their hands: they could still make either Piastri or Norris their No 1 driver, to increase their chances of stopping Verstappen. But they won’t; it’s too far gone now. Even Piastri knows it.

“I dunno, I don’t think so,” the Australian replied when asked if McLaren should make him No 1 after his fifth-place finish on Sunday. “We’re still incredibly tight. We both wanted an opportunity to fight for the championship because we deserve it. I think it’s far too close to start picking one or the other.”

Fighting talk? Not exactly. Piastri, on track, has definitely hit a rut at just the wrong time. He complained all weekend of feeling “out of rhythm” with the car, seemingly struggling with the heavy crosswinds more than most in qualifying. Lacking in confidence, the 24-year-old needs a reset – and fast heading into Mexico next weekend.

Yet the McLaren creaks are starting to rear their head. If anything, despite the points discrepancy, Norris appears best-placed right now to seize the initiative. Certainly, the team (particularly Piastri) need to get back to consistent podiums at a minimum. There’s a championship to win – a first drivers’ crown since Hamilton in 2008 – and they are the ones with the points on the board. Norris could well have passed Verstappen in Austin’s grand prix if he hadn’t ceded second place to Charles Leclerc at the start. The Dutchman’s newfound jolt of speed at Red Bull is not insurmountable.

But make no mistake: there is a caffeine-induced, title-hungry energy drink surging up behind McLaren right now. Red Bull’s subtle mechanical upgrades, such as moving the skid blocks underneath the floor of the car to improve the aerodynamics, have given their leading man a new lease of life.

A far-flung Verstappen title assault has now diverged into a genuine three-horse race for the championship. And with favourable races on the horizon where the Dutchman has triumphed before – Mexico, Brazil and Vegas all favour him on paper – it seems an incredulous, unprecedented comeback really could be in the offing.

ChatGPT has given me 30 days to live – this is what happened next

ChatGPT has given me between 30-90 days to live. That was 20 days ago. Pretty bold of it, considering AI will probably live forever. I, on the other hand, have been living on borrowed time for a year and a half since my diagnosis: stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

On my 65th birthday, I was feeling pretty good about myself. I had started going to the gym five days a week and cut out wine (bar one cheat glass a week). I had lost 20 pounds and people were noticing, especially my wife.

When I started getting pains in my back and abdomen, I thought it was from all the exercise, especially those squats and lunges. Now that my body was looking better, I also started glancing at the mirror more often and noticed some bumps growing on my left shoulder. The weight and body aches I could blame on the gym, but these bumps? I was curious.

I set up an appointment with the doctor, and when he asked about my weight, I proudly told him of my recent dedication to fitness. Had I had any back or leg pain? Yep, those lunges, sit-ups and squats were working. He sent me to the lab that afternoon for a blood test, an ultrasound and then a CT scan the following day. The radiologist called me into his office, where I was told I had pancreatic cancer.

I’ve always known that I had a pancreas. I had no idea what it did. I kept ChatGPT busier than a beaver in a hurricane looking at my blood report, scan and finding out if pancreatic cancer was a serious type. One thing ChatGPT told me was that Eric Idle from Monty Python once joked with his doctor that he needed to kill off a character quickly. The doctor quipped, “Pancreatic cancer.” Years later, Idle himself was diagnosed with it – and laughed at the morbid irony.

As Rodney Dangerfield said, “Everything is going along to plan. Just not my plan.” I suddenly realised how true it was. Cancer rewrote my plan in one evening. I decided not to tell my wife everything Chat GPT was telling me. She certainly knew a lot more about cancer than me. She lost both parents to it. I wanted to talk to the doctor before worrying her too much. After all, you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet, right? As any GP will tell you.

I went to see my doctor. I wasn’t able to start treatment until the cancer was 100 per cent confirmed. I needed a biopsy of the tumour in my pancreas and some more tests. The diagnosis was confirmed and with my wife this time, I faced my reality head-on.

Chemotherapy started about a month later. Twenty months later, I have now been through 2,000-plus hours in 32 rounds. But now, the standard chemo stopped working around 17 months after I began treatment. I was told about a clinical trial that gave us hope, but two months later, we found out it hadn’t worked. The cancer was on the move and had grown in my liver, lungs, lymph nodes and into my spine. I also developed blood clots.

Remarkably, a year on, I am dealing with this whole experience pretty well. And no, this isn’t just my game face. I’ve had an extraordinary life. I’m 66 years old and while my early life was a bit bumpy, it ended up being pretty amazing. I met and married the dream woman and we had two great daughters; I’ve had a successful business life, and some really terrific experiences.

My feeling is, why be greedy? Sixty-six years isn’t a bad run. I’m dealing with the pain well with the assistance of some opioids. I’ve been living like this for the past three months. Yesterday, I started a different chemo treatment. It’s got about a 35 per cent chance of working and could add a couple more months to my life. I’ve heard that pancreatic cancer can be pretty messy at the end, so I have signed up for MAID – Medical Assistance in Dying. This way, I can control where I pass away and when. I wonder what I will wear that day. Business casual, sweats, maybe my tux?

Along my journey, I’ve learned how pancreatic cancer is underfunded and overlooked compared to other cancers. Difficult to detect at an early stage, due to a lack of symptoms, and resistant to treatment once advanced, it has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers. Life expectancy for 75 per cent of patients is only one year past diagnosis. Public awareness is low, despite it being the 12th most common cancer worldwide.

My grandfather and aunt passed away from it, but I only found this out by participating in some genetic testing through my clinic. It turns out that people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent are at higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. All four of my grandparents are Ashkenazi.

There is no handbook on how to break the news that you are dying to your friends and family. At first, we met with our closest set of friends. As we sat down around the dinner table, one of them asked me why I was yellow. Perfect segue. Next stop my daughters and son-in-law. That discussion was a lot tougher.

My wife took the lead and walked them through the plan while they shock-absorbed the news. You get so many different reactions. Some friends are ready to do anything to help – drive you to appointments, bring food over and keep you company. With others, the conversation immediately turns to their pains and their own doctor travails. One told me that I was too intense (I agree). Others offer wacky, unproven cures, like eating tree bark or doing horse dewormer.

By far, the overall response has been wonderful, heartfelt and makes me feel like the most loved person on the planet. We say “I love you” a lot more often, laugh harder over the stupidest things, and waste less time. Life has sharpened into focus; every ordinary moment has the potential to be extraordinary.

This past year, my younger brother was diagnosed with stage 3 oesophageal cancer, and my older brother was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Growing up, the three of us have always been competitive. Everyone who knows us will tell you that I am more competitive than my brothers. According to ChatGPT, the odds of all three brothers having cancer in the same year are one in 60,000. Unfortunately, we all must face this disease, but the upside is that we can support each other.

Having less than three months to live, your perspective of time warps. You start living in dog years, where a normal seven days gets compressed into one. Being stuck on hold listening to a message telling you that they value your call feels peculiar when your time is short. Days feel shorter, hours more fragile. Every sunrise is a deadline and a gift. Small matters become larger and even emotional, like my wife showing me her avocado toast and the smell of her French roast coffee; the latest practical joke my daughter plays on me, or a neighbour’s dog coming up to sniff my hand. We are all living on borrowed time, but I’ve just got a shorter leash than some others. I now talk to strangers in the elevator who probably think I’m a bit strange.

I had ChatGPT make a checklist of things I need to take care of. There is a huge list of things you need to do to get your affairs in order. It’s almost painful because you want to live your best life and standing in the Department of Motor Vehicles to switch the name on your car’s title or updating all your passwords can seem like torture. I’ve just pre-arranged my cremation and was reading the fine print. Did you know that if you die in a fire, you get 50 per cent off? I’ve really gone there with dark humour, making my wife cringe. But sometimes she even joins me and lobs in one of her own dark jokes.

I do talk about this with my wife more than ChatGPT. I’m terminal, but not crazy. My wife has stood tall through this all, but she’s the one I worry most about because I want to be there for her, but I know I won’t be. A strong, independent woman, she’s kept herself steady by learning Tai Chi, volunteering and planning small adventures – walks to the beach, breakfast at a café, always dinner together, movies at night — as if time were endless.

Maybe that’s her quiet rebellion against the clock. Our daughters call often, too. One from her nursing shifts at the hospital, her voice sharing the roles of nurse and daughter, steady, informative and loving; the other daughter FaceTiming with me and our 16-month-old grandson. I got to see him taking his first steps, throwing his noodles on the ground for the dog, and mastering fake burping. And we crack up about it – just like any other grandad. These little things – his laugh, the way my wife squeezes my hand in the middle of the night when the steroids are keeping me up — have become the big things.

Then the call came in. The founder of Craig’s Cause, a support group for pancreatic cancer patients, asked if I would be the race director for the Kicking PancreAS 5k in Vancouver, British Columbia. The 5k is held all across Canada, and this race will take place on 8 November. The money raised goes to support research and help those who need assistance with transportation and accommodation for their treatments. Sounds like a great cause and challenge, but I have less than three months to live. Is this how I want to spend my time?

I’ve always believed that you either make dust or eat dust. I can wait out my days until I become dust, or do something that can really help others. At a time when we have some world leaders who think kindness is a weakness, there is no better time to do what we can to help others. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” For me, every day I wake up on the green side of the grass is a good day. I decided to accept the challenge and keep my mind focused instead of letting cancer live rent-free in my head.

Oh, and Chat GPT thinks it’s a great idea.

https://raceroster.com/events/2025/109226/kicking-pancreas-5k-british-columbia

Hidden gem holidays: An insider guide to the Dominican Republic

The advent of autumn sees us thinking ahead to how to keep that sunshine feeling going through till winter; and there’s nothing better for keeping our spirits up than the idea of booking a holiday somewhere tropical. Enter the Dominican Republic, a warm and welcoming Caribbean nation perched to the south of the Turks and Caicos islands, and east of Jamaica. Known for its beautiful beaches, premium resorts and some legendary golf courses, there is, as the saying goes, genuinely something for everyone. If you want to make your holiday more than just a fly and flop, there’s plenty to explore, from Pico Duarte, the Caribbean’s tallest mountain, to historic sites in the country’s lively capital, Santo Domingo.

But first, where’s the best place to stay? Consider Costa Esmeralda, in the Miches area on the Island’s northeastern coast, a picturesque and pristine stretch of sand fringed with coconut palms that lean over the calm, turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Neighbouring Punta Cana and the wider Bávaro area combine to form what’s known as La Costa del Coco, or the Coconut Coast, an area of lavish, all-inclusive hotels which is also popular for windsurfing, kayaking and sailing.

Base yourself at Zemi Miches Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resort Curio by Hilton, an oceanfront resort boasting 800-metres of secluded beach on the shores of Playa Esmeralda. Located just 90 minutes’ drive from Punta Cana International Airport, the emphasis here is firmly on fun and relaxation. It features six restaurants, six bars and lounges, four pools and several water slides, and for those who like to keep fit while away, there’s a pickleball court, a paddle tennis court, and a full-service fitness centre which offers yoga and pilates classes. The Acana spa aims to reconnect soul and spirit with therapies inspired by ancient traditions, while you’ll also find a daily programme of art and cultural activities, plus live nightly entertainment. Bringing the kids? They’ll love spending time at the Coki Cove Kids Club or Palmchat Teens Club.

There’s a choice of rooms, suites or bungalows, all tastefully decorated with Caribbean flair, and offering stunning views. Select accommodations even feature private plunge pools, and Club Azure and bungalow guests have access to additional dining options and a rooftop pool. Talking of dining, you’ll experience a world of flavour, with menus inspired by the traditions of the Caribbean, Thailand, and the Amalfi Coast; think spicy, street-food inspired dishes, wood-fired pizzas, and local favourites. All this, and unlimited drinks and cocktails, too!

What’s more, booking with British Airways Holidays means you can secure your holiday now with a low deposit and spread the cost with flexible payments*. Once you’re ready to jet off, you can enjoy increased checked baggage allowance, a dedicated 24-hour helpline during your trip and the option of quality car hire with no hidden fees, 24-hour support and roadside assistance.

Upgrade to Club World and you’ll also get lounge access**, increased baggage allowance, priority check-in and boarding, and a spacious seat that converts to a fully flat bed. Members of The British Airways Club enjoy even more benefits in the form of collecting Avios (British Airways’ frequent flyer currency) and earning tier points, which unlock frequent flyer status and other benefits. Avios can also be used towards the cost of your holiday, presenting even greater value for money for members.

All this means you can totally relax during your stay at Hilton Zemi Miches Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resort, knowing you’re getting the quality and peace of mind you’d expect from a British Airways Holidays.

If you can tear yourself away from the resort – tough, we know – there’s lots to experience throughout the Dominican Republic. Take a day trip to Santo Domingo, one of the Caribbean’s oldest cities; its walled, cobblestoned, historic centre, the Zona Colonial, has impressive Spanish buildings dating back to the 16th century, including the Gothic Catedral Primada de America and the Alcázar de Colón palace, which sits on the laid-back, cafe-lined Plaza de España. The latter is now one of the city’s many museums, displaying striking medieval and Renaissance art. In the pretty Parque del Este is the Faro a Colón, a large mausoleum and museum dedicated to Christopher Columbus, who landed on the island known as Hispaniola (now divided into the Dominican Republic and Haiti) in 1492. For a taste of life in bygone times, visit Altos de Chavón, a fascinating replica of a 16th century Mediterranean village, featuring art galleries and studios, boutiques and a striking amphitheatre.

Looking for something a little more adventurous? Get back to nature at Los Haitises National Park, where you can explore mangrove forests, caves and unique rock formations, or the 27 waterfalls of Damajagua, a series of tumbling falls perfect for swimming, splashing and jumping into. And don’t miss the incredible Hoya Azul, a cenote, or sinkhole, with crystal-clear, aquamarine waters; it’s located in Scape Park, a natural adventure park featuring lush jungles and jaw-dropping cliffs, where you can go zip-lining or explore the caves. There is whale watching in Samana Bay – humpback whales can be found here during their breeding season, January to March. While Lago Enriquillo, a salt lake with surrounding wetlands, is home to crocodiles and various bird species, including flamingos. All in all, your holiday to the Dominican Republic is guaranteed to be unforgettable; so get booking now!

British Airways Holidays packages include a generous baggage allowance for each customer and come with full ATOL protection for complete peace of mind. Secure your holiday to Hilton Zemi Miches Punta with a low deposit and enjoy flexible payments until you fly*.

*Based on two sharing. Full balance due seven weeks before departure. Subject to availability. T&Cs apply.

**Subject to availability

‘Nothing has changed since Brexit – we’ve been sold down the river’

For Martin Gilbert, fishing has been his lifeblood since the day he was born. Now aged 62, he first began working in the Cornish sea when he was seven years old, and has spent the last five decades braving all weathers to capture crabs and shellfish.

Yet he is among a growing number of disillusioned fishermen who feel they have been “sold down the river” by successive governments after securing their vote for Brexit.

Sir Keir Starmer hailed his reset deal with the EU in May as a “win-win” for both parties, which would allow British travellers to use passport e-gates and farmers would get easier access to trade on the continent.

In return, European fishing trawlers have been granted another 12 years of access to British waters, in a move that was described by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation as a “horror show”.

“It’s very disappointing,” Mr Gilbert told The Independent. “We were promised to get our own little island, and as far as I’m aware, it’s still an absolute nightmare for merchants to sell abroad due to paperwork, inspections and stamp approvals. It’s too much hassle, and now only 50 per cent of the fish we produce goes abroad.

“Meanwhile, we’ve got French and Belgian trawlers fishing within the six- to 12-mile limit, which causes so much damage to our fishing fleet. They have no regard for anyone but themselves, I’ve lost tens of thousands of pounds’ worth of gear over the last 30 years.”

Upon laying his crab pots, which cost around £100 a piece, Mr Gilbert and other fishermen on England’s south coast will contact the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation, which uses WhatsApp and live maps of marine traffic to contact EU vessels to inform them where the pots have been anchored.

Five years ago, he was left devastated after a French vessel destroyed £15,000 of equipment in one night, after claiming they ignored his readings as to the locations of 200 crab pots.

It is a common issue facing British fishermen, who are struggling to compete with the larger EU fishing vessels, which can measure up to 100 metres in length, compared to the 10-metre vessels setting off from Cornwall.

“Once a month, we’ll lose 10 to 15 crab pots,” Mr Gilbert added. One fisherman previously said he spent £60,000 to £70,000 each year on new pots and ropes after his gear was continually damaged.

Fishing had formed an integral part of the 2016 Leave campaign, with politicians such as Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson pledging that Britain would regain control of its waters.

Nine out of 10 fishermen said they intended to vote Brexit, with many attracted to the promise that European trawlers would be pushed beyond the 12-mile exclusion zone.

Marc Evans, the chief executive of charity Fishermen’s Mission, said: “If you go back to the campaigning days of Brexit, the fishing community, without a shadow of a doubt, got a disproportionately powerful voice.

“Getting UK territorial water was a bit like the £360m NHS figure [on the Vote Leave bus] – the reality was that it wasn’t exactly true. Nothing has changed – fishermen are still in direct competition with the French, Dutch and Spanish, the waters are being overfished and their quota is being suppressed.”

Other challenges are also facing the industry, including an influx of octopus preying on shellfish, a naturally occurring algae bloom that has affected the northeast coast, as well as the rising costs of marine fuel and essential safety gear.

Speaking of the deal in May, Mike Cohen of the National Federation of Fishermen said: “It was a blow. Not only did we not get anything, but the little bit we got from Brexit, we lost.”

Recruitment has also become a tricky area for the fishing industry, with fewer young people seeking a life at sea.

“The issues include an ageing workforce, a lot of businesses being single-handedly run, and the costs and risks feel very high for people wanting to enter the industry,” Mr Cohen added.

“Recruitment is hard, given that you have to stay in education until you’re 18 and you don’t have any fishing apprenticeships. At an age when you’re able to go to sea, you might have spent two years learning another trade.”

As a result, mental health issues have become more prominent as many fishermen consider leaving the industry and giving up their businesses, which may have been in the family for generations.

“Even myself, it’s caused a lot of issues such as anxiety,” Mr Gilbert said. “Half of the people I know probably suffer from some mental health problem.

“I’m a fisherman through and through; it’s all I’ve ever known. I certainly push for more days at sea, go further afield and through more weather in the last two years than I used to to try and make a living.

“It’s long, strenuous hours, most days I work 12 to 14 hours. On Tuesday, I did 12 hours at sea, and I had to do a market run with the fish. I started at 3am, came home at 7.30pm and went back out to sea at 3.45am.”

Mr Gilbert said he is fortunate that both his sons have followed in his footsteps and are both fishermen, with his grandchildren also enjoying their time at sea.

“My sons are in it for the long run,” he said. “There are a couple of people I know who have given up and said enough is enough, there’s too much paperwork and bureaucracy and regulation – I’m getting that way inclined.

“I enjoy the job tremendously, it’s just hard work.”

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: “We value the hard work and dedication of all those working in our vital fishing industry.

“We have announced the £360m fishing and coastal growth fund to support the next generation of fishers and will work with the industry to target investment where it matters most.

“This government is working with the fishing industry to promote British seafood and ensure we fish sustainably so the sector can thrive for generations to come.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

How the cracks are beginning to show in Nigel Farage’s Reform UK

The warning to one of her fellow councillors by Linden Kemkaran, Reform’s leader on Kent County Council (KCC), may well be one which voters will have to get used to if Nigel Farage becomes prime minister.

“I’m afraid if you don’t like it you are just going to have to f***ing suck it up,” she said in a rather chaotic Zoom meeting.

During the tape of the video conference, first published by The Guardian, Cllr Kemkaran also made a very pertinent point and one which should worry Mr Farage and other senior figures in Reform.

“Let’s not forget, we are the shop window in KCC. People are looking at us, they are judging us every single minute of every single day. Nigel knows that. He is super aware that we are the flagship council.”

The problem the party has is, if the party was a shop, it is increasingly looking like one of those “everything for £1” shops in a run-down high street where the once great flagship stores (the Tories and Labour) are now mostly boarded-up.

Reform are still massively ahead in the polls (32 per cent to the Tories’ 17 per cent and Labour’s 15 per cent according Find Out Now) but cracks are beginning to show which could throw some doubt on whether its big lead is sustainable.

This rather shambolic video from Kent has coincided with new issues regarding people close to Mr Farage and the arrival of a very right-wing, anti-abortion, Christian nationalist adviser for the Reform leader.

Let us start with Kent, where Reform took over last May promising to bring down council tax with their new Elon Musk-inspired Doge units.

It said a lot about those Doge units, run by former party chair Zia Yusuf, that they were recruiting video experts for online more than accountants.

But Kent was the first council they took over with serious hopes they would slash spending.

Now on the video, Cllr Kemkaran is admitting that she is struggling to find £2.5bn of cuts and is still going to have to raise council tax.

Her one hope is that they raise it less than the 5 per cent maximum which she told her fellow councillors was the main aim. Not quite reducing people’s council tax bills.

It was reminiscent of the pledge to sack diversity officers by Lincolnshire’s new mayor Andrea Jenkyns, who was met with the news after her election that the county council did not employ any.

Reform took control of 10 councils last May, one of which they have had to appoint an 18-year-old to lead. With low turnouts expected, they could be in charge in Wales after the next elections and win many other councils.

But the experience so far is that governing and running things is hard work. Easy political slogans and simple solutions are much more difficult to implement than say.

By 2029 Reform will have a record of governing which voters will be able to see. So far it is not looking good.

At Reform’s conference in September Mr Farage publicly mocked the idea that the party is “a one-man team”. At the time he pointed to a row of football shirts with other prominent party names on the back such as Zia Yusuf, Dame Andrea Jenkyns and Richard Tice.

But at the shop only one shirt was for sale – the one with Mr Farage’s name on the back.

The fact is that Reform is the Nigel Farage party.

Political opponents from the 2024 general election and last year’s local elections report how at the doorstep voters would tell them: “I’m voting for Nigel.”

It was never voting for Reform. His abundant skills and personality have elevated him and his party on a path to national power.

But while Mr Farage is a strength, he is also the weakness. A microscope is now being applied to those closest to him and surrounding him. The picture is less than pretty.

This weekend it was revealed that Mr Farage’s French partner Laure Ferrari is at the heart of a fraud investigation in Brussels.

The investigation is related to her former role as executive director of the Institute for Direct Democracy in Europe (IDDE), a think tank based in the Belgian capital, which auditors refused to sign off spending of hundreds of thousands of euros of public funds in 2016.

But it is not only her. Reform’s former Welsh leader Nathan Gill, a longtime friend and ally of Mr Farage, has just been found guilty of taking Russia-linked bribes. Gill, from Llangefni, Anglesey, pleaded guilty last month to eight counts of bribery between 6 December 2018 and 18 July 2019.

While some, including the pollster and commentator Matthew Goodwin, believe that this is just an attempt to throw mud at Farage, eventually, if there is enough of it, the mud begins to stick.

Politicians embroiled in scandals tend to struggle to get the mass support they need to win. Ask Marine Le Pen in France. But without Mr Farage, Reform’s support is likely to nosedive.

At their conference in Birmingham in September, corporate advisers visiting Reform’s get-together were impressed by their enthusiasm and energy, but all of them were concerned by the policy vacuum.

Now we are seeing this vacuum being filled and in a way which has already raised eyebrows.

Within in a matter of weeks, right-wing MP Danny Kruger, an anti-abortion, Christian nationalist, has joined Reform and been given the role of working up Reform’s policies for the next election.

This weekend the theologian James Orr – a similarly anti-abortion, Christian nationalist – has formally joined the party and become Mr Farage’s adviser.

The two highly intelligent men have seen the vacuum and perhaps an opportunity to shape a party with the sort of extreme social conservatism they believe in and is seen with Viktor Orban in Hungary.

Not surprisingly, Orr considers asylum seekers arriving in the UK to be “invaders”.

No surprises that both are close to the Maga movement in the US and in particular vice-president JD Vance who shares their views.

While there is certainly a space for this sort of party in the UK, the question is whether it is a winning formula.

The narrow perspective is unlikely to get the sort of broad appeal needed to win in the UK.

Reform is popular at the moment, largely because the two traditional main parties, Labour and the Tories, are at historic low levels of support.

But that 32 per cent or so that they are consistently polling is made up of a very diverse group of voters whose views often clash.

In addition to that, about 10 per cent are people who either rarely or never vote, so cannot be relied on to go to the polls.

The experience at the Reform conference was enough to suggest that one set or other on the right and left of politics will be disappointed.

At the conference, The Independent spoke to a former Tory donor in the network of super-rich donors who once bankrolled the Conservatives.

He hailed Reform as a breath of fresh air and a party that would finally deregulate Britain to a sort of very low tax, zero employment rights, Singapore-style economy.

Soon after, The Independent had a conversation with a Reform member who is a Tube train driver in London. Unlike the millionaire businessman, he was looking forward to Reform nationalising everything and raising taxes. In fact, he was a member of the RMT union and planned to go on strike the following day.

UK politics is used to broad churches in its main parties, but the gulf between these positions is unbridgeable.

While Mr Farage can nod to the left and right and hope to unite them on issues like immigration and culture war politics, this will only go so far and could spell problems at the next general election.