Month: February 2026

Holidaymakers have been left enraged after major health scares in Cape Verde have caused confusion over whether or not it is safe to travel to the West African archipelago

A major travel warning has been issued as six Brits have tragically died after going on holiday in Cape Verde. More than 150 people have become ill in recent months, dealing with horrifying stomach bugs that cause a range of symptoms, including fever, severe diarrhoea, and stomach cramps.

The UK health authorities have been investigating the sudden spate of illness and found that the outbreak of salmonella and shigella has been linked to travellers to Cape Verde – a popular destination for British holidaymakers looking for some winter sun. Now, terrified tourists have been plunged into chaos, unsure of whether or not to take the risk and travel to Cape Verde for their booked holidays, or potentially take a massive financial hit.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has found that of the 118 cases of shigella reported since 1 October, a staggering 95 percent of people had been to Cape Verde, particularly the Santa Maria and Boa Vista areas.

READ MORE: Holidaymakers told to drink bottled water after six Brits dieREAD MORE: ‘My wife went on TUI dream holiday to Cape Verde – now she’ll never come home’

Leading holiday company TUI has come under fire from holidaymakers over the ongoing nightmare, with comments flooding in on a public Facebook group about how the company has allegedly handled the health scare. One furious traveller claims that TUI “lied all through this,” alleging that the company had denied that anyone else had become unwell.

“TUI have lied all through this,” the seething customer claimed. “They told me when I was ill there were no other complaints, this is total rubbish!! I wasn’t the only one ill after 10 days, we had people much worse than me who were hospitalised & they denied it all !!!” It is unclear when the tourist visited Cape Verde, but they posted in the group four days ago.

Another holidaygoer posted that their digestive system has “never been the same again” after falling ill on holiday in Cape Verde back in August 2023, urgently warning other holidaymakers who might have planned trips there to rethink and avoid it altogether. “It was confirmed that the shellfish was carrying shigella from the sea and that’s how I got it – I have never been the same again with my digestive system”. They continued: “Be careful…the pools constantly being closed due to illness as well! It’s a toss up for risking it for sun or changing to somewhere you [know] you’ll be OK I [know] I won’t ever go again.”

Those posting in the group paint a grim picture of the conditions on their TUI holidays, with many criticising the holiday company for how they handle complaints. “I fell ill with Shigella in October and as far as I’m aware [TUI] have never admitted there was ever an issue,” claimed one customer. “I would advise against going. I’ve never felt so poorly or been so scared.”

The complaints about Cape Verde resorts go beyond illnesses. One poster claimed the hotel they stayed in was like a “war zone” and eventually they had to shell out £700 extra to move to a better facility. They claimed that TUI “didn’t want to listen to my legitimate concerns” and “wouldn’t help in any way”.

Insisting that “the hotel I originally booked should never have been advertised on their website,” they added: “I was in Sal and arrived home just 2 weeks ago. I wasn’t staying in a RUI resort. Yes, I too unfortunately got Shigella. Had multiple issues over the week I was there, TUI were less than helpful on their App, using the Complaints process (recommended by a Rep that was at the hotel!).

“This is the first holiday I have ever had where I felt so relieved and happy to be going home. Never Again!!” The holidaymaker added that they “wouldn’t recommend anyone going to Cape Verde at the moment and I won’t be going back, which is a shame as it does have its lovely parts and the people are friendly.”

Another tourist said that they managed to “dodge shigella” but the unhygienic conditions at their hotel were horrifying – with an “intermittent water supply” and “cockroaches EVERYWHERE!”. They wrote: “One of our party had a large cockroach sat on his shoulder as he was eating in the Italian a la carte restaurant”. They claimed that no one at the hotel could wash their hands properly as their was no running water, sewers were being “pumped out” right by the pool, adding that they “ will never go anywhere with TUI again.”

The new UKHSA study found local swimming pools, local water and poor sanitary conditions, as well as possible infection from hotel buffets and excursions, can increase the risk of infections like salmonella, shigella, giardia and cryptosporidium.

Terrifyingly, four of the Brits who died after travelling to Cape Verde all passed away within a four month period. Irwin Mitchell solicitors are representing the families of the six people who have died overall – and also over 1,500 people who have fallen ill after visits to holiday destination.

Elena Walsh, 64, from Birmingham, Mark Ashley, 55, of Bedfordshire, 64-year-old Karen Pooley, from Gloucestershire, and a 56-year-old man all died last year after contracting severe gastric illnesses while on the islands off the coast of west Africa.

Mark’s family have been left in “complete shock” by his death. His wife, Emma, 55, explained that she never thought when they headed on holiday that she would end up losing her husband. “We went to Cape Verde expecting a relaxing break, but Mark became violently ill and never recovered.”

Mark, a self-employed forklift truck driver, became unwell just three days into the trip to Cape Verde. The couple, who had been married for 26 years, stayed at the five‑star Riu Palace Santa Maria resort in Sal. Mark became extremely lethargic, and suffering from stomach pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever, lawyers representing the family said. Emma – an early years assistant manager – said that their TUI holiday cost over £3,000 and she had raised concerns over the hotel’s hygiene.

Emma says that she reported that her husband had become very unwell via TUI’s app on 9 October. When they got home to Houghton Regis, Mark – who had diabetes – collapsed and was rushed to hospital on 12 November. Tragically, he was pronounced dead by the staff just minutes after.

Other tragedies include part-time nurse and mother-of-one Elena Walsh, who died in August 2025 after falling ill while staying at the Riu Cabo Verde resort on the same island.

And Karen Pooley, from Lydney, died after travelling with a friend to the Riu Funana resort in Sal on October 7, 2025. The fortnight’s holiday cost £3,000 and was booked through Tui, the law firm said. The retired mother-of-two became sick on October 11 with gastric symptoms including diarrhoea, and in the early hours of the next day she slipped on water leaking from a fridge while going to the bathroom.

She was transferred to a local clinic and over the next four days, Ms Pooley continued to experience diarrhoea and vomiting, alongside severe pain from her fractured femur. Deteriorating, the 64-year-old was airlifted to Tenerife for urgent care on October 16 and died in the early hours of the next day, lawyers said. Her husband Andy, 62, said: “We’re utterly heartbroken. Karen was the kindest, loveliest person.

“She was a devoted wife and mum who loved swimming, walking the dog in the Forest of Dean, and volunteered at a local charity shop. She was also a wonderful friend who lit up every room she entered. We’re devastated and struggling to understand how she went on holiday and never came home.”

Irwin Mitchell said Karen’s initial death certificate, issued by the Cape Verde authorities, said she died of multi-organ failure, sepsis, cardio‑respiratory arrest and a broken left leg.

The other two Britons who have died since 2023 are Jane Pressley, 62, of Gainsborough, who died in January 2023 after falling ill while holidaying at Riu Palace Hotel in Santa Maria, Sal, the previous November, and a man in his 60s from Watford. He died in November 2024 after suffering gastric illness following a trip to Cape Verde, Irwin Mitchell said. Families of all six people are making personal injury claims for damages against Tui, the provider of many package holidays to the island country.

Now, the UKHSA has updated its travel advice on the Travel Health Pro website for Cape Verde. It urges people to choose food that is freshly prepared, fully cooked and served piping hot. In areas without a reliable clean water supply, drink only bottled or boiled water, including when brushing your teeth, and avoid ice in drinks, it added.

People are advised to only eat fruit they peel themselves and avoid salads that may not have been washed in safe water. Shigella is a gastrointestinal bug that can cause severe diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps. It can be caught from contaminated food, water or surfaces. Salmonella is often caused by eating or handling contaminated food.

Tui did not respond to requests for comment.

A poignant tribute has been paid to a forgotten Blue Peter star, who died at the age of 28 after a brave health battle. The presenter wowed both on screen and on stage

Tributes have been paid to a talented Blue Peter presenter who was sacked before his tragic death.

At just 12-years-old, Michael Sundin had already become a trampolining champion, a talent that would prove instrumental in securing his position as a Blue Peter presenter in 1984.

Prior to joining the beloved children’s show, Michael had performed in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s acclaimed musical Cats before going on to portray Tik-Tok in Disney’s Return To Oz.

He caught the attention of Blue Peter producers while being interviewed by the programme’s then-presenter Janet Ellis, resulting in his appointment alongside her and Simon Groom.

Taking over from the show’s celebrated presenter Peter Duncan, Michael swiftly gained recognition for his adventurous exploits on Blue Peter, covering film sets and even paying a visit to Elton John’s residence.

READ MORE: B*Witched now – admin job, dark place, and shots of vodka amid marriage woes

However, despite his natural screen presence, Michael’s stint on Blue Peter proved brief; he departed the programme after less than a year, allegedly when his contract wasn’t renewed. He then heartbreakingly passed away from an Aids-related illness aged just 28, in 1989.

Michael, fondly recalled by those close to him as a “blond, outgoing, gregarious ball of fun”, was cruelly outed by the media as gay during his short tenure on Blue Peter.

While then-Editor Biddy Baxter attributed his departure to lack of viewer appeal, his exit became mired in scandal as numerous sources suggested it stemmed from his sexuality, OK! reports.

During a 2007 television interview, Baxter dismissed these allegations, stating: “It was his leaving the programme because children didn’t like him – nothing to do with his sexual proclivities”.

After leaving Blue Peter, Michael went on to pursue acting, featuring in the 1987 film Lionheart. He performed in touring stage shows including Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and Starlight Express, and made an appearance in Rick Astley’s 1988 music video for She Wants To Dance With Me. Tragically, that same year Michael became unwell. He passed away at Newcastle General Hospital aged just 28, with initial reports suggesting his death was caused by liver cancer.

This week, The Elstree Project paid a poignant tribute to Michael’s talents as they looked back on his role as Tik-Tok. They wrote: “Michael Sundin was the performer inside Tik-Tok in Return to Oz (1985). His contribution was not animatronic control or puppetry, but full-body suit performance: movement, balance, timing and physical character, carried out under extreme physical and technical constraints.

“Tik-Tok was a hybrid creation. His head, eyes and facial details were operated externally by puppeteer Tim Rose using mechanical and radio-controlled systems, while the voice was added later in post-production. But the character’s weight, rhythm and locomotion came entirely from Sundin. He was responsible for making a rigid, four-foot copper robot feel grounded, deliberate and alive.

“The physical challenge was extraordinary. Sundin was folded double inside a small Kevlar suit, arms crossed, head tucked between his legs, walking backwards throughout filming. To navigate the set, he relied on a small internal monitor relaying an external camera feed — upside-down and reversed. This demanded constant recalibration, spatial intelligence and muscular control.”

Meanwhile, the programme’s oral history director, Walter Murch, said: “When Michael Sundin died in 1989 from an AIDS-related illness, aged just 28, there was only a small on-air acknowledgement of his passing on Blue Peter with no retrospective of his work in the way other presenters have been respected. In an era marked by stigma and silence, much of his contribution was quietly erased, and he was notably absent from anniversary clips and montages until the 60th anniversary.

“Sundin’s work on Return to Oz deserves to be understood clearly. He was not an animatronics operator or a puppeteer, but a suit performer whose body performed in a complex system of mechanical, electronic and human collaboration. Without his performance, Tik-Tok would not move as he does on screen. As we celebrate the technical innovations that took shape at Elstree, it’s worth remembering how many depended on performers willing to endure extraordinary conditions to make new forms of cinema possible.”

Following Michael’s passing, Blue Peter presenter Yvette Fielding paid tribute, joined by colleagues John Leslie and Caron Keating. She said: “We had one piece of very sad news during the summer. As many people may have heard, Michael Sundin – who presented Blue Peter five years ago – tragically died at the very young age of 28. Michael had been ill for a little while but the news of his death came as a great shock to all of us.”

WASHINGTON  — The White House’s TrumpRx website went live Thursday with a promise to instantly deliver prescription drugs at “the lowest price anywhere in the world.”

“This launch represents the largest reduction in prescription drug prices in history by many, many times, and it’s not even close,” President Trump said at a news conference announcing the launch of the platform.

Drug policy experts say the jury is still out on whether the platform will provide the significant savings Trump promises, though it will probably help people who need drugs not commonly covered by insurance.

Senate Democrats, meanwhile, called the site a “vanity project” and questioned whether the program presents a possible conflict of interest involving the pharmaceutical industry and the Trump family.

What is TrumpRx, really?

The new platform, trumprx.gov, is designed to help uninsured Americans find discounted prices for high-cost, brand-name prescriptions, including fertility, obesity and diabetes treatments.

The site does not directly sell drugs. Instead, consumers browse a list of discounted medicines, and select one for purchase. From there, they either receive a coupon accepted at certain pharmacies or are routed directly to a drug manufacturer’s website to purchase the prescription.

The White House said the reduced prices are possible after the administration negotiated voluntary “most favored nation” agreements with 16 major drugmakers including Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.

Under these deals, manufacturers have agreed to set certain U.S. drug prices no higher than those paid in other wealthy nations in exchange for three-year tariff exemptions. However, the full legal and financial details of the deals have not been made public, leaving lawmakers to speculate how TrumpRx’s pricing model works.

What does it accomplish?

Though the White House has framed TrumpRx as a historic reset for prescription drug costs, economists said the platform offers limited new savings.

But it does move the needle on the issue of drug pricing transparency, away from the hidden mechanisms behind how prescription drugs are priced, rebated and distributed, according to Geoffrey Joyce, director of health policy at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics.

“This has been a murky world, a terrible, obscure, opaque marketplace where drug prices have been inconsistently priced to different consumers,” Joyce said, “So this is a little step in the right direction, but it’s mostly performative from my perspective, which is kind of Trump in a nutshell.”

Still, for the uninsured or people seeking “lifestyle drugs” — like those for fertility or weight loss that insurers have historically declined to cover — TrumpRx could become a useful option, Joyce said.

“It’s kind of a win for Trump and a win for Pfizer,” Joyce said. “They get to say, ‘Look what we’re doing. We’re lowering prices. We’re keeping Trump happy, but it’s on our low-volume drugs, and drugs that we were discounting big time anyway.’”

Where does it fall short?

Early analyses by drug policy experts suggest many of the discounted medications listed on the TrumpRx site were already on offer through other drug databases before the platform launched.

For example, Pfizer’s Duavee menopause treatment is listed at $30.30 on TrumpRx, but it is also available for the same price at some pharmacies via GoodRx.

Weight management drug Wegovy starts at $199 on TrumpRx. Manufacturers were already selling the same discounted rates through its NovoCare Pharmacy program before the portal’s launch.

“[TrumpRx] uses data from GoodRx, an existing price-search database for prescription drugs,” said Darius N. Lakdawalla, a senior health policy researcher at USC. “It seems to provide prices that are essentially the same as the lowest price GoodRx reports on its website.”

Compared to GoodRx, TrumpRx covers a modest subset of drugs: 43 in all.

“Uninsured consumers, who do not use or know about GoodRx and need one of the specific drugs covered by the site, might benefit from TrumpRx. That seems like a very specific set of people,” Lakdawalla said.

Where do Democrats stand?

Democrats slammed the program this week, saying it would not provide substantial discounts for patients, and called for greater transparency around the administration’s dealings with drugmakers. To date, the administration has not disclosed the terms of the pricing agreements with manufacturers such as Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

In the lead-up to the TrumpRx launch, Democratic members of Congress questioned its usefulness and urged federal health regulators to delay its debut.

“This is just another Donald Trump pet project to rebrand something that already exists, take credit for it, and do nothing to actually lower healthcare prices,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said Friday. “Democrats will continue fighting to lower healthcare costs and push Republicans to stop giving handouts to billionaires at the expense of working-class Americans.”

Three other Democratic senators — Dick Durbin, Elizabeth Warren and Peter Welch — raised another concern in a Jan. 29 letter to Thomas March Bell, inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services.

The three senators pointed to potential conflicts of interest between TrumpRx and an online dispensing company, BlinkRx.

One of Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr., joined the BlinkRx Board of Directors in February 2025.

Months before, he became a partner at 1789 Capital, a venture capital firm that holds a significant stake in BlinkRx and led the startup’s $140-million funding round in 2024. After his appointment, BlinkRx launched a service to help pharmaceutical companies build direct-to-patient sales platforms quickly.

“The timing of the BlinkRx announcement so closely following the administration’s outreach to the largest drug companies, and the involvement of President Trump’s immediate family, raises questions about potential coordination, influence and self-dealing,” according to an October 2025 statement by Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Both BlinkRx and Donald Trump Jr. have denied any coordination.

What’s next?

The rollout of TrumpRx fits into a suite of White House programs designed to address rising costs, an area of vulnerability for Republicans ahead of the November midterms.

The White House issued a statement Friday urging support for the president’s healthcare initiative, dubbed “the great healthcare plan,” which it said will further reduce drug prices and lower insurance premiums.

For the roughly 8% of Americans without health insurance, TrumpRx’s website promises that more high-cost, brand-name drugs will be discounted on the platform in the future.

“It’s possible the benefits will become broader in the future,” Lakdawalla said. “I would say that the jury remains out on its long-run structure and its long-run pricing effects.”

The track and field season begins in less than a month, and for an early look at who’s gotten faster should happen on Saturday when Arcadia High is the site for the California winter championships.

The meet is run by Rich Gonzalez, who also handles the Arcadia Invitational.

Servite is sending most of its top sprinters to the event, which includes running in the 60-, 150- and 300-meter races. Twins Jace and Jorden Wells have already shown they will be faster in their sophomore seasons. Ditto for Jaelen Hunter.

Another athlete earning rave reviews in the offseason has been Loyola’s Ejam Yohannes in the 200 and 400.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Feb. 6 (Asia Today) — President Lee Jae-myung reaffirmed a zero-tolerance stance on stock manipulation Thursday, warning that those who undermine market order face severe consequences, as authorities intensify an investigation into alleged front-running by journalists.

Lee posted the message on X after sharing a report that investigators searched the headquarters of Korea Economic Daily, writing that stock manipulation leads to “total ruin.” His remark was widely interpreted as a warning against unfair trading practices as the government’s joint crackdown gains momentum.

Financial authorities said the joint task force raided the newspaper’s Seoul office Wednesday. Five reporters are suspected of front-running – allegedly obtaining market-moving information in advance, purchasing shares, publishing related articles and then selling the stock after prices rose to secure profits.

Front-running is prohibited under South Korea’s Capital Markets Act and is classified as a fraudulent trading practice when information obtained through reporting or other nonpublic means is used for personal gain. Authorities said they are reviewing seized materials to determine whether criminal charges apply.

Lee’s comments align with his repeated warnings in recent weeks. Last month, after the KOSPI index surpassed the 4,700 level for the first time, he cautioned that stock manipulation would bring irreversible consequences, pledging to foster a “healthy capital market.”

At the time, Lee also shared news that the joint task force would expand from one team to two and urged investors to “invest properly.” The move followed his directive to strengthen enforcement by introducing multiple response teams. The Financial Services Commission, the Financial Supervisory Service and the Korea Exchange later agreed to reorganize and expand their market surveillance units.

In a policy briefing last December, Lee cited distrust in market transparency as a key factor behind the chronic undervaluation of South Korean equities and called for tougher enforcement to ensure that illegal trading is met with decisive punishment. He also ordered an expansion of enforcement personnel after learning that fewer than 40 staff members were handling stock manipulation cases at the time.

Thursday’s message was seen as reinforcing the administration’s principle that market abuses will be dealt with strictly and without exception, regardless of the individuals or institutions involved, signaling heightened scrutiny as stock prices continue to rise.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260206010002371

WHEN winter drags on and the heating bill lands, most of us start asking the same question…

Where’s warm, easy to get to, and won’t drain my bank account?

Instead of guessing, I decided to settle it properly.

In my day job at one of the UK’s top travel companies, I built an algorithm to rank the best winter sun destinations for 2026, using the things that actually matter to holidaymakers – price, winter temperatures, flight time, hotel value, popularity and availability.

I made an eqaution and it gave each spot a score out of 100.

Every major winter sun destination went in: the Canaries, Turkey, Egypt, the Caribbean, long-haul and short-haul.

Some familiar favourites scored brilliantly, others just missed out. Here’s the list.

10. Madeira (Score: 41)

A brilliant destination and one of my personal favourites, Madeira scores well for scenery, food and short flight times, but loses points on winter warmth.

Temperatures are pleasant rather than hot with average highs of 20C, which kept it out of the top half of the list.

That said, for travellers who want winter sun somewhere that’s calmer and a bit more of a hidden gem, it’s hard to beat.

I found February B&B breaks at hotels like Golden Residence in Funchal from around £345pp, which is very good value for a smart European city-break-style escape – just don’t go expecting summer heat.

9. Lanzarote (Score: 43)

Lanzarote is one of the most reliable winter sun destinations on the map, and that consistency is exactly why it scores well for availability and flight time.

Where it loses ground is popularity – demand stays high all winter, which naturally pushes prices up compared to less-busy rivals.

Even so, February room-only stays at hotels like THB Royal from £165pp show why it remains a firm favourite – warm with average highs of 22C, easy, affordable and no surprises.

8. Barbados (Score: 45)

Barbados delivers near-perfect winter weather with average highs of 29C and postcard beaches, scoring top marks for temperature and overall experience.

What holds it back is cost. Longer flights and higher hotel prices mean it’s not a budget-friendly option for most families.

February room-only stays at beachfront hotels can reach £913pp, before food or extras – incredible value for a Caribbean escape, but not one for bargain hunters.

7. Fuerteventura (Score: 48)

Fuerteventura performs strongly for value and space. It’s warmer than mainland Europe with average highs of 22C, quieter than Tenerife, and offers excellent winter deals.

It drops a few points on temperature, as winter highs are slightly cooler than the top-ranked destinations, but it remains a strong all-rounder.

February breaks at resorts like Bakour Fuerteventura La Pared from £220pp just go to show the great value for a relaxed Canary Islands winter escape.

6. Marrakech (Score: 51)

Marrakech scores highly for price, flight time and culture. It’s one of the cheapest winter sun options available and offers something completely different to a beach resort.

Where it loses points is temperature consistency – winter days are warm with highs of 21C, but evenings cool quickly.

That said, all-inclusive February deals at hotels like Marrakech Ryads Parc & Spa from £203pp explain why it just misses the top five but still remains a smart-value winter break.

5. Gran Canaria (Score: 54)

Gran Canaria is one of the most balanced destinations in the ranking.

It scores well across every category: dependable winter warmth with average highs of 21C, short flights, and a huge range of hotels competing on price.

It may not top any single metric, but it rarely lets anyone down.

February stays at hotels like Cala d’Or from around £200pp show why it’s such a safe and popular winter option.

4. Antalya, Turkey (Score: 57)

Antalya climbs the rankings thanks to exceptional value for money.

Winter temperatures remain comfortable with average highs of 19C, flights are short, and the quality of all-inclusive hotels for the price is hard to match anywhere else in Europe.

I found all-inclusive February breaks at five-star resorts like Side Moon Palace from £145pp – which is exactly why Antalya scores so high.

3. Hurghada, Egypt (Score: 62)

Hurghada stands out for reliable winter heat and strong hotel pricing.

With temperatures regularly reaching average highs of 25C and the mid-haul flight times still manageable, it offers a warmer alternative to Europe without the cost of long-haul.

February all-inclusive stays at resorts like Sunny Days Mirette Aqua Park from £315pp make it warmer than Turkey, but still cheaper than most Caribbean options.

2. Cape Verde (Score: 66)

Cape Verde is the highest-ranked long-haul destination and well deserving of its place at number two.

It scores highly for hot winter temperatures with average highs of 25C, lower popularity and decent value, sitting neatly between short-haul Europe and the Caribbean.

February breaks at hotels like Dunas De Sal Design Hotel from £443pp highlight why it’s growing in popularity in recent years though – proper heat, big beaches and prices that still feel VERY reasonable.

1. Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (Score: 72)

Sharm El Sheikh comes out comfortably on top.

It scores high across every part of the formula: excellent winter heat with highs of 24C, strong hotel availability, competitive pricing and relatively short flight times.

February all-inclusive deals at resorts like Parrotel Aqua Park Resort from £223pp are exactly why Sharm dominates winter bookings.

Warm, easy and outstanding value – it’s the rare destination that gets everything right at once, and officially the best winter sun destination for your money in 2026.

Analysis based on On the Beach booking data and February 2026 package pricing.

Who: Liverpool vs Manchester City
What: English Premier League
Where: Anfield, Liverpool, UK
When: Sunday at 4:30pm (16:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 13:30 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

Liverpool host City for a match with huge ramifications for the title race and the battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

City trail leaders Arsenal by six points and could find themselves nine adrift by the time they kick off, with the Gunners hosting Sunderland on Saturday.

Liverpool could also be four points outside the top five, which should secure a place in the Champions League, should Manchester United and Chelsea win on Saturday.

The champions head into the weekend in sixth place on 39 points but in high spirits after a commanding 4-1 win over Newcastle United last weekend, while ⁠City dropped points against 14th-placed Tottenham Hotspur, surrendering a two-goal advantage in a 2-2 draw.

Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, two of Liverpool’s big-money summer signings, are beginning to deliver returns. Ekitike scored twice in the win over Newcastle to take his tally for the season to 15, while Wirtz has netted six times in 10 matches since ending a 22-game wait for his first Liverpool goal.

City’s Erling Haaland, meanwhile, is experiencing an unusual lean spell with just two goals in his last 12 games. He has never scored for City at Anfield.

Slot targets improved display against City

Liverpool are eager to ‌showcase how far they have progressed after losing 3-0 to City in November, manager Arne Slot said on Thursday.

“I mainly remember the game we played at Etihad, and we were outplayed for large parts in the first half,” Slot told reporters.

“So, this is another moment to see where we are in the development of this team. We know the importance of ⁠a result.”

Liverpool have endured a difficult season so far, but have regained some measure of form in recent weeks.

“It’s the end phase of the season, so results matter more,” Slot said.

“We have not found the consistency for the results, but we have shown against ‌all the [teams], that we can compete.”

Liverpool know there has to be ‘life after Virgil’

Slot also explained the club’s decision to recruit four central defenders during the winter transfer window – Jeremy Jacquet, Ifeanyi Ndukwe, Mor Talla Ndiaye and Noah Adekoya – describing it as planning ‌for life after captain and star centre-back Virgil van Dijk, who will turn 35 this year.

“Hopefully, Virgil can stay fit for multiple years, but this club is not stupid,” Slot said.

“We do know, somewhere in the upcoming years, there is life after Virgil, but that is for every position. We don’t think about short term only.”

Slot singled out the Jacquet for extra praise. The France under-21s defender was also linked with Chelsea, but will move to Anfield in July after Liverpool agreed to a big-money deal to sign him from Rennes, where he will finish the season.

“Such a big talent and another example of the model we’re using at this club,” Slot said.

“Young, very talented players, sometimes at the start of their careers or sometimes already a little bit a few years into their career, but always players that are young and can improve us in the short term but also definitely in the long term.”

Guardiola emphasises mental fortitude ahead of tough trip

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said ‌mental strength separates elite players from the rest as his team prepares for the game against Liverpool.

“The biggest stages and the biggest games always need big personalities,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.

“I have said many times, it’s not about the skills of the players in the top leagues. In ⁠the top clubs, the skills are there. I never know one player that is not good enough to play in the top clubs, it is how you behave.

“How you play in the latter stages of the biggest competitions is what defines you as a player. The mind of the players you have defines the big teams.”

Guardiola said that despite their travails this season, playing Liverpool at Anfield is still one of the toughest away fixtures in football.

“They remain an exceptional team,” he said. “Top-class manager and an exceptional team, no doubt.”

City boss lauds Haaland as ‘world’s best striker’ but won’t confirm Liverpool start

Guardiola insisted Haaland is the “best striker in the world” despite refusing to confirm if the misfiring City star will start Sunday’s crucial clash.

“I don’t know until tomorrow. But all I say is Erling is the best. Erling is the best striker in the world,” Guardiola told reporters.

The 55-year-old also doubled down on his comments about the “hurt” he feels for victims of conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine and Sudan after Jewish community leaders told him to “focus on football”.

“To be honest, I didn’t say anything special. I think, why should I not express how I feel just because I am a manager? So I do not agree, but I respect absolutely all opinions,” he said.

“What I said basically is how many conflicts there are right now around the globe or around the world. How many? A lot, right? I condemn all of them. All of them.”

Head-to-head

The two clubs have faced each other on 219 occasions, with Liverpool winning 110 of those games, City winning 61, and 58 ending as draws.

While City comfortably won their home league game against Liverpool this season, their only victory away to Liverpool since 2003 came in an empty stadium during COVID restrictions in 2021.

Liverpool’s team news

Slot confirmed that defender Jeremie Frimpong will miss the game, ‌but Joe Gomez could return to the squad to bolster the defensive ⁠line.

Dominik Szoboszlai is expected to continue deputising for Frimpong at right-back.

Alexander Isak, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni all remain on the sidelines with long-term injuries.

Predicted lineup:

Alisson (GK); Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike

City’s team news

City could be without Bernardo Silva, who has a back issue, so Nico O’Reilly could move into midfield to replace him.

Ruben Dias has returned from injury but likely lacks full match fitness and sharpness, so Abdukodir Khusanov will likely start in the centre of defence alongside new signing Marc Guehi.

Predicted lineup:

Donnarumma (GK); Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Rodri, O’Reilly; Semenyo, Foden, Cherki; Haaland

FAR away from the Venice of Europe, is the ‘Venice of the desert’ with highs of 25C in February.

The Pearl Doha in Qatar is an artificial island that boasts homes, tourist spots and sandy beaches.

Construction started way back in 2004, with the first residents being welcomed in 2009 and today, the island features a variety of different neighbourhoods, each with their own identity.

The island, which has just under 20 miles of coastline. features 10 districts including the Qanat Quartier, which is often dubbed as the ‘Venice of the desert’ thanks to its canals and pastel-coloured buildings.

Visitors can head on boat rides to discover the pretty canals and a number of arched bridges, like the replica of the Rialto Bridge.

Another tourist-favourite is the Piano Stairs, where you can jump on different stairs to make musical notes.

Read more on travel inspo

HOL YES

I’m a travel editor & mum-of-3… my favourite family holidays from just £3pp a night

SUN SWAP

I’ve visited Florida 50 times… my holiday costs less than a European all-inclusive

Or for some proper fun and games head to Megapolis, where you will find virtual reality games, karaoke, bowling and racing simulators.

One recent visitor said: “Qanat Quartier is one of the most beautiful and unique places I’ve visited in Qatar.

“The colorful buildings, quiet canals, and charming bridges give you the feeling of walking through a mini Venice right in the heart of Doha.

“The area is peaceful and perfect for a relaxing walk, especially in the evening when the lights reflect on the water.”

equally popular is the Abraj Quartier, which is known as the gateway to The Pearl Island.

This neighbourhood is home to two towers offering panoramic sea views.

In the Porto Arabia neighbourhood, there is an open-air shopping area that has a French Riviera lifestyle feel.

The shopping area also overlooks Qatar‘s largest and award-winning marina, which is the ideal place to catch a glimpse of the many luxury yachts moored up.

Along the colourful waterfront, known as La Croisette (just like in Cannes), there is a two-mile promenade where more shops and restaurants can be found.

It is also in Porto Arabia where you will find the Four Seasons Resort and Residences.

The resort features a spa, private beach, two outdoor infinity pools, an indoor lap pool and a kid’s area.

There are plenty of beaches to chose from on The Pearl, with one popular option being Bahriya Beach.

One recent visitor said: “[It] has pristine sandy shores, perfect for lounging and swimming.

“A must visit when in Qatar.”

Another visitor added: “Soft sand that is raked every day to make sure it is well kept and flat.

“The water is also Lovely and no jet ski’s or boat allowed close by so very safe for swimmers and children.

“Great for paddle boarding or canoeing.”

On the beach is also Plt Cafe, where you can grab a flat white for 21 Qatari Riyal (£4.23).

The cafe also serves an array of sandwiches for around 30 Qatari Riyal (£6.04).

The cafe is noted by visitors as having a “wonderful atmosphere” perfect for “short, cosy visits” with views across the beach.

Right next to The Pearl, is Gewan Island, where visitors can explore the Crystal Walk, which is Qatar’s longest climatised outdoor walkway with a temperature of around 22C year-round.

As you walk along the 450-metre walkway, 45 crystal structures light-up.

When you are out and about looking for a bite to eat, you can expect to pay around 300 Qatari Riyal (£60.36) for a mid-range three-course meal for two.

You may have to stick to soft drinks though, as alcohol is only allowed for non-Muslims at licensed hotel bars and restaurants.

Hotel prices vary in Doha depending on the area of the city you stay but, for example, you can find a Premier Inn for £31 a night or stay at the five-star Andaz Doha by Hyatt for £66 a night.

Return flights from London to Doha in April cost from £468, alternatively you could fly from Birmingham from £531, Edinburgh from £608 or Manchester from £615.

If you want to head to the real Venice in Italy, one reporter who recently visited said that the Italian city is better in winter with wine bar tours and Miami-like hotels.

Plus, there is an unusual UK attraction people say is like being in Venice following £19million transformation.

Sharing with the 1989 Tom Hanks film a title, a vague premise, a little paranoid spirit and a Universal Studios backlot street, “The ‘Burbs,” premiering Sunday on Peacock, stars Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall as newlywed new parents who have moved into the house he grew up in — his parents are on “a cruise forever” — in Hinkley Hills, the self-proclaimed “safest town in America.”

Well, obviously not. First of all, that’s not a real thing. But more to the point, no one’s going to make an eight-hour streaming series (ending in a cliffhanger) about an actually safe town. Even Sheriff Taylor had the occasion to welcome someone worse than Otis the town drunk into the Mayberry jail. In post-post-war American culture, suburbs and small towns are more often than not a stage for secrets, sorrows, scandals and satire. The stories of John Cheever, the novels of Stephen King, “The Stepford Wives,” “Blue Velvet” and its godchild “Twin Peaks,” “Desperate Housewives” (filmed on the same backlot street as “The ‘Burbs”), “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” last year’s “Grosse Pointe Garden Society,” which I mention in protest of its cancellation, are set there — it’s a long list.

Samira Fisher (Palmer) is a civil litigation lawyer still on maternity leave, a job reflecting her inquisitive, inquisitorial nature. Husband Rob (Whitehall) is a book editor, a fact referred to only twice in eight hours, but which allows for scenes in which he rides a soundstage commuter train to the big city (presumably New York) with boyhood friend and once-more next-door neighbor Naveen (Kapil Talwalkar), whose wife has just left him for their dentist. Samira, Naveen and Rory (Kyrie McAlpin), an overachieving late tween who has a merit badge in swaddling, a recommendation from Michelle Obama on her mother’s helper resume and a notary public’s license, are the only people of color in town, but racism isn’t really an issue, past a few raised eyebrows and odd comment. (“What a cute little mocha munchkin,” says a shifty librarian of baby Miles.) “It’s a nice area,” says Naveen, “and people like to think of themselves as nice, so they try to act nice until they’re actually nice.”

As we open, the Fishers have been tentatively residing on Ashfield Place (“over by Ashfield Street near Ashfield Crescent”), for some indeterminable short time. Apart from Naveen, neither has met, or as much as spoken to, any of their new neighbors, though Samira — feeling insecure postpartum and going out only at night to push Miles in his stroller — watches them through the window.

That will change, of course, or this will be one of television’s most radically conceived shows. Fascinated by a dilapidated, supposedly uninhabited house across the street — the same backlot where the Munsters mansion rose many years ago, for your drawer of fun facts — she’s drawn out into a mystery: The rumor is that 20 years earlier a teenage girl was killed and buried there by her parents, who subsequently disappeared. Rob says there’s nothing in it, and in a way that tells you maybe there is.

Lynn (Julia Duffy), left, Samira (Keke Palmer), Dana (Paula Pell) and Tod (Mark Proksch) form a crew of sleuthing neighbors.

(Elizabeth Morris / Peacock)

Out in the world, she will find her quirky Scooby Gang: widow Lynn (Julia Duffy), still attached to her late husband; Dana (Paula Pell), a retired Marine whose wife has been deployed to somewhere she can’t reveal; and Tod (Mark Proksch), a taciturn, deadpan “lone wolf” with an assortment of skills and a recumbent tricycle. (Their shared nemeses is Agnes, played by Danielle Kennedy, “our evil overlord,” the stiff-necked president of the homeowner’s association.) They bond over wine (drinking it) and close ranks around Samira after the police roust her on her own front porch. By the end of the first episode, Samira is determined to stay in Hinkley Hills, warmed by new friends, enchanted by the fireflies and in love with the “sweet suburban air.”

Weird goings-on in a creepy old “haunted” house is as basic a trope as exists in the horror-comedy mystery genre (see Martin and Lewis’ “Scared Stiff,” Bob Hope’s “The Ghost Breakers,” Abbott and Costello’s “Hold That Ghost” and assorted Three Stooges shorts). Suddenly there’s a “for sale” sign on this one, and just as suddenly, it’s sold. The new owner is Gary (Justin Kirk), who chases off anyone who comes around. Tod notes that the security system he’s installed is “overkill” for a private residence, necessary only “if you are in danger, you have something to hide — or both.” You are meant to regard him as suspicious; Samira does.

Created by Celeste Hughey, “The ‘Burbs” is pretty good, a good time — not the most elegant description, but probably the words that would come out of my mouth were you to ask me, conversationally, how it was. I suppose most of it adds up even if doesn’t always feel that way while watching it. It hops from tone to tone, and goes on a little long, in the modern manner, which dilutes the suspense. The characters are half-, let’s say three-quarters-formed, which is formed enough; everyone plays their part. The Hardy Boys were not known for psychological depth, and I read a lot of those books. A lot. Indeed, depth would only get in the way of the plot, which is primarily concerned with fooling you and fooling you again. When a character isn’t what they seem, making the false front too emotionally relatable is counterproductive; the viewer, using myself as an example, will feel cheated, annoyed. I won’t say whether that happens here.

That isn’t to say that the actors, every one of them, aren’t as good as can be. I’ll show up for Pell and Duffy anywhere, anytime. Proksch, well known to viewers of Tim Heidecker’s “On Cinema at the Cinema,” is weird in an original way. The British Whitehall, primarily known as a stand-up comedian, panel show guest and presenter, makes a fine romantic lead. Kirk is appealingly standoffish, if such a thing might be imagined. As Samira’s brother, Langston, RJ Cyler has only a small role, but he pops onscreen and, having the advantage of not being tied up in any of the major plotlines, provides something of a relief from them. And Palmer, an old pro at 32 — her career goes back to “Akeelah and the Bee” and Nickelodeon’s “True Jackson” — does all sorts of wonderful small things with her face and her voice. She’s an excellent Nancy Drew, and the world can never have enough of those.

SACRAMENTO — Only one of the candidates for California governor will appear in a splashy Super Bowl ad on Sunday, though a rival has locked in a valuable spot on Animal Planet’s lighthearted, cuddly “Puppy Bowl” before the big game.

A Silicon Valley-backed independent expenditure committee booked $1.4 million in airtime on NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service, which will feature the big game along with NBC, and on other broadcast networks on Sunday to introduce Matt Mahan, the mayor of San José who entered the governor’s race in late January.

A 30-second ad depicts Mahan, a moderate Democrat, as a “fixer of problems” in a big city “just miles from the big game” and touts his record reducing homelessness, building housing and reducing crime.

The ad was produced by a committee run independently of Mahan’s campaign and funded mostly by Silicon Valley executives, including $1 million from Michael Seibel of Y Combinator and $500,000 each from Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill and his wife, Ashley.

“This Super Bowl ad kicks off our support for Matt Mahan’s run for governor,” said committee spokesman Matt Rodriguez. “His unmatched record on tackling crime, homelessness and housing in San José while focusing on the basics that Californians care about is very different than the old playbook of toxic politics.”

The committee has so far raised more than $3.2 million, according to Rodriguez, who provided the information about the contributors.

Other financial backers include Neil Mehta and Brian Singerman, two Bay Area venture capitalists, along with Paul Wachter, an investor who has advised former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and celebrity figures such as LeBron James and Dr. Dre on their business ventures.

As an independent committee, the group is barred from coordinating with Mahan and his campaign. A spokesperson for Mahan declined to comment on the committee or its game day ad.

Mahan, a moderate Democrat, has broken with Gov. Gavin Newsom on crime and other issues and is pitching himself as a pragmatist who would prioritize results over party politics or fighting with the Trump administration as Newsom has. Mahan’s campaign is not yet required to disclose donations but said it has raised more than $7 million since he entered the race, more than any candidate besides Tom Steyer, a progressive billionaire whose campaign is primarily self-funded.

Steyer, an investor turned climate activist, has already spent more than $27 million on his campaign. Most of that money went to producing and airing ads in which Steyer touts his wins supporting various ballot measures and pledges to break up utility monopolies to lower costs.

His latest ad debuts during Animal Planet’s “Puppy Bowl,” a pregame show that features two teams of adoptable dogs tussling over toys in a model football stadium. In the spot, a Realtor tells a couple that in order to afford a home, they might need to go back in time to 1980, “when the average home in California cost $100,000.”

With a burst of sparks, Steyer appears inside the time-traveling DeLorean from the 1985 film “Back to the Future” and says, “You shouldn’t have to go back in time to afford a home in California.” He then pledges to stop “Wall Street speculators from buying up homes” and pricing out “regular Californians.”

To have a legitimate shot at winning a governor’s race in a state as vast as California, home to some of the nation’s most costly media markets, candidates must raise millions of dollars to air ad campaigns robust enough to introduce themselves to voters or undercut their competitors.

According to campaign finance disclosures, former Rep. Katie Porter raised $6.1 million in 2025, the most of any candidate besides Steyer. But Mahan’s entry into the race has excited the tech and business interests that have until now avoided giving.

“The race is now kicked into gear,” and some candidates who have been fundraising for months — or years — “may find themselves lapped by the Mahan machine,” said Andrew Acosta, a Democratic strategist.

Though tech funders appear to be coalescing around the Silicon Valley mayor, he is “not going to come out of the gate lighting the campaign on fire because no one knows him,” Acosta said. With three months until primary ballots start hitting mailboxes, it’s a challenge for Mahan — though one that could be solved with enough money.

Steyer’s campaign criticized the wave of tech figures flocking to Mahan, saying business titans don’t spend their money without expecting something in return.

“This isn’t charity — it’s an investment so they get richer while everyone else gets priced out of California,” Steyer spokesman Kevin Liao said. “While San José remains the least affordable housing market in the world, Tom Steyer is ready to take on powerful special interests, make billionaires and corporations pay their fair share, and make California affordable for working people.”

With the threat of a proposed billionaire’s tax on California’s November ballot, new restrictions on AI and social media simmering in the Legislature and the impending exit of Gov. Gavin Newsom — who has been a reliable tech ally during his tenure — Silicon Valley leaders have made moves in recent weeks to boost their influence in California politics.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin and a handful of other CEOs recently loaded $35 million into a ballot measure committee and spent some of it on two separate efforts to lower housing costs.

Meta and Google have also ramped up spending on lobbying and super PACs in an effort to elect tech-friendly candidates and fight against AI regulation in statehouses both in California and around the country.

SAN FRANCISCO — Neither team began the season among the favorites to reach the Super Bowl.

The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots both were regarded as long shots.

But not by their coaches and players.

On Sunday, the Seahawks and Patriots will play in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium.

After the Seahawks defeated the Rams in the NFC championship game, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald was asked during a postgame broadcast about being an “afterthought” behind the Rams and San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West.

“We did not care,” Macdonald proclaimed, making public an attitude players adopted throughout Macdonald’s two seasons.

The Seahawks reflect their second-year coach, safety Julian Love said, by keeping an intense but “matter-of-fact” approach.

“He tries to keep the main thing, the main thing,” Love said. “He doesn’t like to make … grandeur out of everything.

“Like, he’ll say, ‘Who do we play next, and what time do we play?” And then we’ll all say in a team meeting, constantly, just like every meeting, ‘We don’t care!’ That mindset and his quote … that’s just how he’s been all year, all the past two years and that shows who we are as a team now.”

The Seahawks won their last seven regular-season games and finished 14-3 to capture the top seed in the NFC. After a first-round bye, they routed the 49ers and beat the Rams to advance to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2015, when they lost to the Patriots and fell short of repeating as champions.

Quarterback Sam Darnold, cast aside by the Minnesota Vikings after he led them to a 14-win season in 2024, played well throughout the season and spectacularly in the playoffs.

Running back Kenneth Walker III leads the rushing attack, and George Holani has stepped into a complementary role that Zach Charbonnet filled before suffering a knee injury in the divisional round against the 49ers.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba runs with the ball during a win over the Rams in the NFC championship on Jan. 25.

(Ben VanHouten / Associated Press)

Receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was voted the NFL offensive player of the year after catching 119 passes, 10 for touchdowns. Darnold also relies on receiver Cooper Kupp, the 2021 NFL offensive player of the year and Super Bowl LVI most valuable player when he played for the Rams, and the electric Rashid Shaheed, along with tight end A.J. Barner.

Linebacker Ernest Jones, linemen Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy and DeMarcus Lawrence, cornerback Devon Witherspoon and safety Nick Emmanwori are among the standouts for the Seahawks “Dark Side” defense that gave up a league-best 17.2 points per game in the regular season.

Jason Myers is the kicker, All-Pro Michael Dickson the punter and Shaheed the dynamic kick returner.

Like the Seahawks, the Patriots and their fans were similarly inspired by a speech receiver Stefon Diggs made before a preseason game, when he proclaimed “We all we got. We all we need.”

After finishing 4-13 last season, Patriots owner Robert Kraft fired first-year coach Jerod Mayo and hired Mike Vrabel, a former Patriots linebacker and three-time Super Bowl champion who coached the Tennessee Titans for six seasons.

“We were intentional about making sure that when the players returned there was a program in place that they could look at, that they could believe in, that they wanted to be a part of and that they wanted to protect,” Vrabel said. “That’s what we set out to do.”

Vrabel, the NFL coach of the year, led the Patriots to a 14-3 record and their first AFC East title since 2019. The Patriots then defeated the Chargers and the Houston Texans before beating the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game to advance to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2018 season, when they defeated the Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

Quarterback Drake Maye is a dual threat who became an MVP finalist while leading an offense that averaged 28.8 points a game.

Diggs is Maye’s top target — he eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving for the seventh time — and tight end Hunter Henry plays a prominent role. Receivers Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins and Demario Douglas and tight end Austin Hooper also have made plays.

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs runs with the ball against the New York Jets on Dec. 28.

(Adam Hunger / Associated Press)

Running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson combined for 13 rushing touchdowns during the regular season.

Defensive lineman Milton Williams, linebackers K’Lavon Chaisson and Robert Spillane, cornerback Christian Gonzalez and safety Jaylinn Hawkins are among the key players for a defense that gave up 18.8 points a game during the regular season — the league’s fourth-best mark. Sack leader Harold Landry III is questionable because of a knee issue.

Andy Borregales is the kicker, Bryce Baringer the punter, and Marcus Jones is a second-team All-Pro punt returner.

Feb. 6 (Asia Today) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has conveyed growing unease in Washington over South Korea’s implementation of bilateral trade commitments, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Thursday, as Seoul moves to contain fallout through intensive diplomatic outreach.

Cho told Korean correspondents in Washington that Rubio raised the issue directly during their meeting at the State Department on Monday, noting that while bilateral ties are not in crisis, the internal U.S. mood regarding delayed trade-related commitments is “not favorable.”

According to Cho, Rubio stressed that trade and investment issues fall outside his direct portfolio but said he felt obliged to flag the concern in his broader role overseeing U.S. foreign policy and national security. Rubio also urged closer diplomatic coordination to prevent trade friction from spilling over into security cooperation.

Cho said he responded by firmly rejecting any suggestion that Seoul is deliberately delaying implementation. He emphasized that South Korea remains committed to fulfilling trade agreements and that legislative and procedural timelines reflect domestic processes rather than political intent.

Cho underscored Seoul’s position that trade and security should be handled separately, pointing to the structure of the bilateral summit’s Joint Fact Sheet, which divides cooperation into economic and security pillars. He warned that differences in implementation speed should not impede cooperation in strategic areas such as nuclear energy, nuclear-powered submarines and shipbuilding.

Cho said Rubio agreed that neither side wants delays in implementing agreements across either domain and pledged personal oversight, noting that the matters fall under the purview of the State Department and the White House National Security Council.

During his Washington visit, Cho pursued what officials described as a broad diplomatic push, engaging not only on security but also on trade and investment. On Tuesday, he met sequentially with Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of a critical minerals ministerial meeting.

Cho said Greer acknowledged the potential economic impact of renewed tariffs but stressed the importance of South Korea demonstrating tangible progress not only in strategic investment but also in addressing non-tariff barriers. Talks with Wright focused on nuclear cooperation, including enrichment, reprocessing rights and collaboration on nuclear-powered submarines.

A senior South Korean official said Washington had long harbored frustrations over the pace of Korea’s domestic procedures but noted that President Donald Trump’s decision to air concerns publicly on social media last month marked a departure from past communication practices. Trump had warned that tariffs on South Korean goods could be restored to 25% if legal steps tied to the trade agreement were not completed.

The official said Cho cautioned Rubio that such public announcements could complicate bilateral relations and burden domestic efforts needed to advance U.S.-bound investment.

On a separate controversy involving e-commerce firm Coupang, the official said Seoul views the issue as corporate lobbying rather than a diplomatic dispute, adding that congressional interest reflects pressure from private-sector advocacy. Given the potential for legal escalation, the government is exercising caution, the official said.

Cho also met with U.S. lawmakers from both parties, including Sens. Tom Cotton, Tim Kaine, Andy Kim and Jeff Merkley, to discuss the U.S.-South Korea alliance, regional security and economic cooperation.

Cho urged congressional support for accelerating cooperation in nuclear energy, submarine technology and shipbuilding, calling them central to elevating the alliance amid a shifting global landscape. Lawmakers expressed bipartisan backing for the alliance and signaled openness to deeper cooperation, while emphasizing adherence to nonproliferation norms.

South Korea, Cho said, will pursue implementation of the Joint Fact Sheet with strict separation between military and civilian nuclear use, transparency and close coordination with the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260206010002394

Before the Europeans arrived in the Americas, Grenada was home to the Indigenous peoples. Christopher Columbus sighted it during his third voyage to the Americas in 1498.

Grenada had been occupied by various European nations since the start colonization of the new world in the sixteenth century. In 1649, France took full control of the island becoming one of the wealthiest colonies due to its sugar production.

Following French defeat in the Seven Years’ war, the Paris of Treaty ceded Grenada to Great Britain in 1763. Having overcome a brief rebellion by pro-French forces, Grenada remained a British colony for over two hundred years.

Movements toward independence had begun in the 1950s and in March 1967, Grenada became an Associated State and was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs.

Independence from the United  … 

Lahore, Pakistan – As funerals were held on Saturday for more than 30 people killed in a suicide bombing at a mosque in Islamabad, analysts warned the attack could be part of a broader attempt to inflame sectarian tensions in the country.

A suicide bomber struck the Khadija Tul Kubra Mosque, a Shia place of worship, in the Tarlai Kalan area of southeastern Islamabad during Friday prayers.

In a statement, the Islamabad administration said 169 people were transferred to hospitals after rescue teams reached the site.

Hours later, a splinter faction of the ISIL (ISIS) group in Pakistan claimed responsibility on its Telegram channel, releasing an image it said showed the attacker holding a gun, his face covered and eyes blurred.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said mosque security guards tried to intercept the suspect, who opened fire before detonating explosives among worshippers. He alleged the attacker had been travelling to and from Afghanistan.

Security officials on Saturday told Al Jazeera that several key arrests had been made, including close family members of the suicide bomber in Peshawar and Karachi. They did not clarify whether there was evidence of their involvement in the plot.

Capital under fire?

Islamabad had seen a relative lull in violence in past years, but things have changed in recent months. The bombing marked the second major attack in the federal capital since a suicide blast targeted a district court in November last year.

Abdul Sayed, a Sweden-based analyst on conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan, said ISIL’s Pakistan branch, referred to as ISPP, claimed responsibility for what appears to be its deadliest operation in the country since its formation in May 2019.

“Since its formation, ISPP has carried out approximately 100 attacks, more than two-thirds of which occurred in Balochistan. These attacks include three suicide bombings targeting Afghan Taliban members, police, and security forces in Balochistan,” Sayed, founder of the Oxus Watch research platform, told Al Jazeera.

Pakistan has witnessed a steady rise in violence from fighters over the past three years. Data released by the Pak Institute of Peace Studies for 2025 recorded 699 attacks nationwide, a 34 percent increase compared with the previous year.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban, who returned to power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of United States forces, of providing a haven to armed groups that launch attacks inside Pakistan from Afghan soil.

The Afghan Taliban condemned Friday’s mosque bombing and have consistently denied sheltering anti-Pakistan fighters.

In October, this very issue ignited the deadliest border clashes between the two sides in years, which killed dozens of people and led to evacuations on both sides.

A United Nations report last year stated that the Afghan Taliban provides support to the Pakistan Taliban, or TTP, which has carried out multiple attacks across Pakistan.

The report also said the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has ties with both the TTP and ISIL’s affiliate in Khorasan Province (ISKP), indicating a convergence of groups with distinct but intersecting agendas.

Just days ago, Pakistan’s military concluded a weeklong security operation in the restive southwestern Balochistan province, claiming the deaths of 216 fighters in targeted offensives.

A military statement on Thursday said it followed the province-wide attacks by the separatist BLA carried out to “destabilise the peace of Balochistan”.

Fahad Nabeel, who heads the Islamabad-based consultancy Geopolitical Insights, said Pakistan is likely to maintain its hardened stance towards Kabul, citing what he described as Afghanistan’s failure to act against anti-Pakistan fighter groups.

He added that officials would probably share preliminary findings of the investigation and point to a possible Afghan link.

“The upward trajectory of terrorist attacks witnessed last year is expected to continue this year. Serious efforts need to be made to identify networks of facilitators based in and around major urban centres, who are facilitating militant groups to carry out terrorist attacks,” Nabeel told Al Jazeera.

Sectarian fault lines

Manzar Zaidi, a Lahore-based security analyst, cautioned against equating the latest bombing with the district court attack last year.

“The last year’s attack was essentially a target on a state institution, whereas this one was plainly sectarian in nature, something that has certainly gone done in the recent times, and that is why I will urge caution against a knee-jerk reaction to conflate the two incidents,” he told Al Jazeera.

Shia make up more than 20 percent of Pakistan’s population of about 250 million. The country has experienced periodic bouts of sectarian violence, particularly in Kurram district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan.

Regional tensions have added to domestic anxieties.

Zaidi said armed groups in the region backed by Iran remain alert amid “the simmering geopolitical tensions”.

“For Pakistan, it really has to keep a close eye on how things develop in Kurram region, where things can get out of control and there could be a fallout. The region currently has an uneasy peace; that can easily be instabilised,” he said.

Kurram, a tribal district bordering Afghanistan, has a roughly equal Sunni and Shia population. It has long been a flashpoint for sectarian clashes and witnessed prolonged fighting last year.

Nabeel said a timely conclusion to the investigation could shape the government’s response and help prevent the attack from becoming a trigger for wider sectarian unrest.

“However, the possibility of low-intensity sectarian targeting in different parts of the country is likely,” he warned.

Sayed added that an examination of Pakistani nationals who joined ISIL and affiliated groups shows that many came from anti-Shia Sunni armed organisations.

“The role of these sectarian elements is therefore an important factor in understanding such attacks. Moreover, such attacks appear significant in facilitating further recruitment of anti-Shia Sunni extremists within Pakistan, thereby contributing to IS efforts to strengthen its networks in the country,” he said.

A record number of school holiday fines were handed out across England last year, and there’s one region that saw the most children take unauthorised time off as parents are hit with penalties

The English town with the highest number of pupils heading on holidays during term time has been revealed, as holiday penalties hit an all-time high.

Across England last year, a record-breaking 459,288 school holiday fines were handed out, the Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed. The number of penalties shot up by four per cent in 2024-2025 and accounted for 93 per cent of all fines issued for unauthorised school absence.

These mark the first statistics published since school holiday fines increased in 2024, jumping from £60 to £80 per parent, per child, per holiday. While parents risk a substantial penalty, they can save thousands of pounds by booking their family getaway during term time, swerving peak-season prices.

READ MORE: ‘They said my daughter had growing pains but she’ll lose ability to walk’READ MORE: School rules that mean parents can be fined up to £2,500

Yet, if the school fine is not paid within 21 days, it can be raised to £160, and if parents receive a second penalty for the same child within three years, it will instantly cost £160, according to Gov.uk rules. And there’s one region willing to take this risk most of all.

The area with the highest recorded number of fine notices per pupil in 2024/25 was Barnsley, making it the holiday fines capital of England. The local authority issued 5,275 fines to parents over the year for unauthorised family holidays, meaning 1,672 for every 10,000 pupils.

Following news of a spike in penalty notices across England, parents have shared their views. Among them is Jodie Salt, from Cheshire, who has insisted that her three daughters learn ‘far more through travel and real life’ than in a classroom.

Jodie exclusively told the Mirror: “I’ve always taken my kids out of school, and I’ve been fined for it, and I’m fine with that (and will continue to do it in the future). School curricula are so outdated. They’re still focused on memorising information and passing exams, instead of developing real-world skills, confidence and behaviour. My kids learn far more through travel and real life than they do sitting at a desk in a classroom!

“They develop their social interaction, learn resilience when things don’t go according to plan, they learn about money and currency, they broaden their horizons about what’s possible for their own futures and careers, they clearly develop more language capability and learn about different cultures first hand too – all priceless!”

Another mum, who wishes to stay anonymous, took her children out of school for a wedding anniversary and admitted: “The fine was a struggle to pay, but it cost less than going on summer holidays.”

She shared: “We took five of our children to Lanzarote for two weeks. The second week was half-term, so I was fined for the first week for four children. The holiday was very educational for the children. We visited a volcanic crater and ate dinner at the top of a volcano. The children learned about the eruptions on the island. They rode camels, visited an animal park. It was our 10th wedding anniversary.

“Ten years previously, we took our eldest three on the same holiday for our honeymoon, and we did the same activities. I would definitely do it again, especially for a special occasion. We saved so much money. Originally, I was going to book for a week in half-term, but when we extended it to two weeks, flying out the week before half-term, the price didn’t increase much.”

For teachers, it can be disruptive when children are taken out of school during term time. However, one teacher, who is also a mum to three children, said: “I’m completely against blanket school fines, and I think wholeheartedly it’s the wrong approach.”

The parent, who also wishes to stay anonymous, continued: “As a teacher and a mother, I think holidays are important. If your child has generally good attendance, I think families should be given the right to take their children out. Home-schooled children have this ability (when they can afford it), but state children do not? Holidays are great learning experiences and bonding time. I don’t mind when my students go on holiday; I love seeing them excited, and I ask them questions when they come back.

“I do not make those children worry about their ‘attendance’ either, and ruin their experience. The only time I am concerned about parents taking their children out is when those parents do not parent. They do not care about their child’s education, whether that is poor attendance and lateness, no homework/or they never show up to a parents’ evening. This reflects in their grades and general attitude towards school.”

She added, “What really needs to be targeted is the holiday resorts that jack their prices up.”

However, many parents disagree with taking children out during term-time, arguing that it is disruptive for a child’s education.

One shared on Facebook: “I’m firmly in ‘camp no’ to taking out during term time. However, I still disagree with the fines or further punishment due to the high amount of Sen parents who get punished!”

Another commented on X: “I don’t agree with taking kids out of school for a holiday – if holiday companies were regulated, there’d be no need.” One more agreed to the fees and wrote on X: “Yes, and enforce them properly. These parents who take their children out of school are likely the same ones who moan that the teachers aren’t doing their jobs properly because their kids are not getting the grades.”

Cllr Ashley Peace, Cabinet Support Member for Children’s Services in Barnsley, told the Mirror: “Improving attendance is a priority for us, and we will continue to work with schools and parents to share the importance of preventing term-time absences.

“We ask parents to consider the impact of taking children out of school for holidays. While we acknowledge that families want to keep holiday costs down, there is research which demonstrates that term-time holidays can create gaps in learning that are difficult to bridge.

“It can feel hard to catch up and for some children it can be challenging to settle back into school when attendance is inconsistent or disrupted. We continue to follow government guidance when issuing any school absence fines, and the money raised through these penalties is used to cover the costs of running the system.”

A Department for Education spokesperson also shared with the Mirror: “Every child deserves the best start in life, and that begins with being in school. Term-time holidays place the burden on teachers to support missed learning and affect the entire class.

“We are playing our part to support those children who face barriers to attending school, and this is making a difference – with 5 million more days in school last academic year and 140,000 fewer pupils persistently absent. Alongside this, fines continue to have a vital place in our system, so everyone is held accountable for ensuring children are in school.”

Do you believe in school holiday fines? Have your say here.

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

FROM Barbie to Harley Quinn, it’s fair to say Margot Robbie has range when it comes to her on-screen roles – and the actress has had her fair share of X-rated on-screen romps too.

And with new romance flick Wuthering Heights just days away from it’s Valentine’s release, fans are set to see Margot, 35, getting very steamy with co-star Jacob Elordi, 28.

In fact, fans have even dubbed some scenes in the film’s trailer “softcore porn”.

However, this won’t be the only time Margot has stripped down for a role, as we take a look at some of her steamiest movie moments.

Full frontal nudity

It was Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf Of Wall Street that launched Margot’s career into the juggernaut it is now, as she starred across from leading man Leonardo DiCaprio in the comedy thriller.

Portraying his ultra-confident wife Naomi, Margot didn’t hold back during the 2013 role – which got extremely X-rated.

A REAL GEM

Margot Robbie turns heads in Chanel velvet ballgown & diamond necklace in Paris

TAYLOR MADE

Margot Robbie wows in VERY expensive necklace once owned by Elizabeth Taylor

During the film, Margot is seen completely nude for a full frontal sex-scene with Leonardo’s stockbroker character Jordan.

And following the film’s release, Margot admitted that being completely naked was her idea.

After director Martin suggested she could be in a robe, Margot replied that it didn’t feel genuine to the character.

“That’s not what she [Naomi] would do in that scene.

“The whole point is that she’s going to come out completely naked —that’s the card she’s playing,” Margot explained during an appearance on the Talking Pictures podcast. 

The film also sees Margot seductively pushing a drooling Leo away with her stiletto heel in a scene which depicts the power she holds in sex.

While one scene showed Margot and Leonardo’s characters having sex on top of stacks of cash, the former later admitted she was left with a multitude of paper cuts from filming naked on the money stacks.

“If anyone is ever planning on having sex on top of a pile of cash: don’t,” joked Margot.

Steamy pole dancing

In 2018 noir thriller film Terminal, Margot portrays unassuming waitress Annie who is actually working strategically as an assassin.

As part of her act, Annie uses her sexuality to get what she wants from men and to distract them.

And a good job she does at that.

In one scene, Margot strips to black lacy lingerie and matching stockings, with her hair styled in Hollywood curls and a deep green lipstick making her mouth and eyes pop.

She then performs a seductive pole dancing routine at a strip club, which leaves her male counterparts fawning on the stage sidelines.

Steamy shower scenes

From one criminal activity to another, Margot portrays a bank robber on the run in thriller Dreamland, which was released in 2019.

While taking shelter, she develops a romantic relationship with Eugene Evans, played by Peaky Blinder’s star Finn Cole.

As their bond deepens throughout the film, the pair are seen having some steamy moments – including a shower scene.

In the scene, Margot and Finn are completely naked in the shower together as they have a very sexually-charged moment.

Provocative dance moves

In a film all about decadence and outrageous Hollywood behaviour, Margot portrays a rising “IT girl” movie star who grapples with her own internal struggles in 2022 movie Babylon.

Starring alongside Brad Pitt, Margot’s character Nellie is acting out a scene when she is provocatively dancing on top of a bar.

With bright red lipstick on and her blonde locks in a wild curl, Nellie breaks out into a manic dance during the scene, which includes the starlet flashing her underwear by bending over.

Margot’s performance may have been good in the film, but the box office showed that Babylon wasn’t the hit many expected it to be.

Admitting she is “shocked” by the film’s failure to capture the audience, Margot previously said: “I love it.

“I don’t get it either. I know I am biased because I am very close to the project and I obviously believe in it, but I still can’t figure out why people hated it. I wonder if in 20 years people are going to be like, ‘Wait, “Babylon” didn’t do well at the time?’

“Like when you hear that ‘Shawshank Redemption’ was a failure at the time and you’re like, ‘How is that possible?’”

Ultra X-rated

Wuthering Heights is set to hit screens next week, and from what we’ve seen so far, there will be a fair amount of sexual tension between Margot and Jacob Elordi’s character.

Margot plays protagonist Catherine Earnshaw from Emily Bronte’s classic novel set in wind-swept Yorkshire, which depicts her epic romance with Heathcliff, played by Jacob.

The first teaser trailer for the feature film sees suggestive imagery used in scenes showing the kneading of bread and breaking of eggs.

Margot is also seen with fingers over her face before servant Heathcliff’s sweaty back, presumably in a moment of intimacy, is captured.

Other moments show character Catherine’s heart beating strongly before scenes flick to her hand in the mouth of the Earnshaw family’s foster son.

Catherine is also seen blindfolded while the final scene in the trailer sees Heathcliff ask her: “Are you alright, do you want me to stop?”

She simply replies: “No,” while holding his hand.

He is then seen opening her corset and sliding his hands over her face before fans were left bemused at scenes showing a finger being inserted into a fish’s mouth.

Fans have already reacted strongly to the snippets of action they’ve seen so far – with comments all along a similar line.

One wrote: “Just saw the teaser for #WutheringHeights and it is way worse than I expected… is it me or is it giving soft porn vibes???”

Another mused: “#WutheringHeightsMovie is the 50 Shades Of Grey we never got.”

While director Emerald Fennell has described the film as “primal” and “sexual”, Margot said in December that it is more about the romance.

“Everyone’s expecting this to be very, very raunchy. I think people will be surprised,” she explained.

The star added: “Not to say there aren’t sexual elements and that it’s not provocative — it definitely is provocative — but it’s more romantic than provocative”.

Two-time Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen has had surgery on an Achilles injury in the United States but has said “it’s not as bad as it seems”.

In worst-case scenarios, recovery time from an Achilles operation can take up to 10 months, but the 25-year-old Norwegian said on his YouTube channel, external that he was looking at a rehabilitation plan for the “next couple of months”.

Ingebrigtsen said he first injured his left Achilles last April, but was determined to compete at the World Championships in September, where he failed to win a medal.

The injury flared up again in January and he said it became “100% necessary” to have surgery to remove scar tissue surrounding the paratenon – a protective sheath that surrounds the Achilles tendon.

“This is of course not something to be taken lightly but absolutely the right thing for the longevity of my career, ” Ingebrigtsen posted on Instagram, along with a picture of him sitting in a wheelchair, wearing a protective boot.

“The surgery went very smoothly and I’m relieved to have a clear path of recovery back to the start line after many months of uncertainty.”

Feb. 6 (Asia Today) — South Korean internet giant Naver said Thursday it has entered the era of 12 trillion won ($9.1 billion) in annual revenue, driven by strong growth in commerce and fintech and a renewed push to monetize artificial intelligence services.

Naver reported 2025 revenue of 12.35 trillion won ($9.15 billion) and operating profit of 2.21 trillion won ($1.64 billion), up 12.1% and 11.6%, respectively, from a year earlier, during its fourth-quarter earnings call. Fourth-quarter revenue rose 10.7% to 3.20 trillion won ($2.37 billion), while operating profit increased 12.7% to 610.6 billion won ($453 million), lifting the operating margin to 19.1%.

Commerce and fintech led the gains. Fourth-quarter commerce revenue surged 36% year-on-year to 1.05 trillion won ($780 million), while annual transaction volume on Naver’s Smart Store platform grew 10%. The company said revamped membership benefits and guaranteed delivery services helped strengthen user retention, while AI-driven personalized recommendations boosted conversion rates and advertising and commission revenue.

Fintech revenue also climbed sharply. Fourth-quarter payment volume rose 19% to 23 trillion won ($17.0 billion), bringing full-year fintech revenue to 1.69 trillion won ($1.25 billion). Chief Executive Choi Soo-yeon said platform trust and ecosystem-building efforts drove growth in transactions and new memberships.

During the call, Naver declared 2026 the first year of full-scale AI monetization. Choi said AI accounted for about 55% of advertising revenue growth last year, highlighting what she called tangible returns from the company’s AI investments.

Naver plans to roll out hyper-personalized AI agents across its services, beginning with a shopping agent for Naver Plus Store later this month following an internal beta test. Vertical AI agents covering restaurants, locations, travel and finance are set to follow later this year. In the second quarter, Naver will add an “AI tab” to its search results, while a unified intelligent assistant, dubbed “Agent N,” is scheduled for launch this summer.

The company also plans to begin monetization tests, including advertising within its AI briefing service, in the second half of the year. Choi said longer user engagement times could lift both ad pricing and effectiveness.

Beyond AI, Naver is advancing structural changes to secure future growth. Its financial unit is proceeding with the previously announced plan to bring crypto exchange operator Dunamu under full ownership, fueling market expectations of a won-based stablecoin and expanded use of Naver Pay’s 34 million-user ecosystem.

Naver is also expanding its cloud business, citing steady demand for GPU services, and plans to conduct outdoor proof-of-concept trials for robot delivery this year, drawing on experience gained in Japan and Saudi Arabia.

Addressing regulatory issues, Choi said government-led foundation model initiatives are unlikely to materially affect Naver’s sovereign AI strategy or business-to-business revenue.

The company also strengthened its shareholder return policy. Naver said it plans to return 25% to 35% of average consolidated free cash flow over a three-year period from 2025 to 2027. For the 2025 fiscal year, it will propose dividends totaling 393.6 billion won ($291 million), or 2,630 won per share, subject to board approval. Beginning this quarter, Naver will reorganize its revenue disclosure into platform, financial and global challenge segments to improve transparency.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260206010002456

I HAD negotiated the Giant’s Grave, overcome the Causeway and even conquered the Himalayas – but now Calamity Corner was awaiting me.

Would it live up to its name, as had the other three treacherous golf holes on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, where I was following in the footsteps of the golfing gods.

Hosting The Open twice since 2019, Royal Portrush needs no introduction to fans of the sport.

And Calamity Corner was just one more challenge on what is one of the world’s finest courses.

The par three offers superb views in all directions across the course.

The only problem is the deep drops surrounding three sides of the green.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

Now it was my chance to play it — and it turned out to be far from a calamity.

Finding the green with my tee shot was a good start, and two putts later, after help from our brilliant caddie Jamie, I had made par.

It was my most memorable par ever and was only topped by a birdie on the beachside fifth.

After such a fantastic afternoon, there was only one way to mark the occasion — with the Calamity Corner cocktail at the hotel bar.

After such a fantastic afternoon, there was only one way to mark the occasion — with the Calamity Corner cocktail at the hotel bar

I was staying at the 5-star Dunluce Lodge, set alongside the fourth fairway and, like the course, it is named after the castle ruins nearby.

Opening in early 2025, the hotel’s 35 rooms are all suites, while there is also a spa and a putting green for practice.

And the hotel can count former world No1 Rory McIlroy among its guests.

Its restaurant highlights Irish produce, with dishes such as Carlingford oysters and seared Thornhill duck.

The lodge also has a great whiskey collection, including the exceedingly rare 46-year-old single malt from nearby Bushmills distillery.

The following morning, fuelled by brilliant memories of Royal Portrush and a full Irish breakfast, I was ready to tackle my next course: Castlerock.

A 25-minute drive from my hotel, the course was another beautiful layout in an area blessed with many, including Portstewart and Bushfoot.

Set alongside the River Bann, which is visible on several holes, the venue held a European Tour event in 2023 and has a second course which can be played for £60.

Three holes of Castlerock’s Mussenden Links run alongside the railway, including the tricky fourth.

Later in the round, the 16th and 17th offer the best views across to Donegal.

Guinness flowed

After the golf, I returned to Portrush to visit the famous Harbour Bar, a pub frequented by some of the world’s best players during The Open.

Set over three floors, the boozer’s food options include burgers for £15 and half rotisserie chickens for £20.

When I went, it had live music playing late into the evening as the Guinness flowed and golfers from across the globe shared stories.

I also enjoyed a pint of the black stuff on the first day of my break, at the Culloden Estate in the suburbs of Belfast.

The Guinness flowed and golfers from across the globe shared stories

The hotel houses a spa and swimming pool alongside three restaurants, while the mocktail on arrival and cupcakes in the room were nice touches.

I chose its Cultra Bar for dinner where mains included daube of Irish beef or pork chop with black pudding, both for £28.

The hotel was ten minutes from my first round at Holywood, Rory McIlroy’s home course and where he learned the game.

Rounds cost £60, with the course set in the hills above Belfast and offering views across the Lough, particularly on the challenging back-nine holes.

Off the course, the clubhouse has an area dedicated to Rory’s Major triumphs, including replica trophies, alongside Ryder Cup memorabilia.

But I had teed off early to allow myself time to visit another of Belfast’s most popular attractions.

The Titanic Experience, yards from where the doomed liner first launched, tells the story of the ship’s construction, sinking and discovery.

Artefacts on display include one of the life jackets — of which only 12 still exist — and the violin played by a member of the band as the ship went down.

The exhibition was a fascinating addition to a break packed with an amazing mix of great golf, Irish hospitality and spectacular food.

It was a trip that was far from a calamity — and well above par.

Twisted Sister has canceled all of its 50th anniversary performances following the departure of lead singer Dee Snider because of “a series of health challenges.”

In a statement posted Thursday on Instagram, the heavy metal band said all scheduled shows beginning April 25 in São Paulo and through the summer have been canceled “due to the sudden and unexpected resignation” of Snider. The “I Wanna Rock” singer is no longer able to perform in the way that he used to because of multiple heath issues.

“I don’t know of any other way to rock,” Snider said in a statement accompanying the band’s announcement. “The idea of slowing down is unacceptable to me. I’d rather walk away than be a shadow of my former self.”

“The future of Twisted Sister will be determined in the next several weeks,” the band’s statement read.

The separate statement regarding Snider’s health explained that a “lifetime of legendarily aggressive performing has taken its toll on Dee Snider’s body and soul.”

Also posted to the “We’re Not Gonna Take It” singer’s Instagram account, the statement said that Snider “has had several surgeries over the years” to help manage his degenerative arthritis. His condition meant he had only been able to “perform a few songs at a time in pain.”

“Adding insult to injury, Dee has recently found out the level of intensity he has dedicated to his life’s work has taken its toll on his heart as well,” the statement continued. “He can no longer push the boundaries of rock ‘n’ roll fury like he has done for decades.”