TODAY is the day that Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi’s Wuthering Heights is out in cinemas.
The adaptation of Emily Brontë‘s novel is set to wow movie fans – and viewers will be stunned by the beautiful backdrop which was filmed across the sprawling Yorkshire Dales.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi is out in cinemas todayCredit: AlamyThe sweeping Yorkshire Moors were used as filming destinations in the new adaptationCredit: AP
It was reported that the two Hollywood stars were filming in the Yorkshire Dales National Park early in 2025.
The historic pub is 1,732 feet above sea level, and it dates back to the 17th century it has exposed beams, stone-flagged floor, and a cosy fire.
Dig into some hearty Yorkshire meals, or book a room from £119 per night.
Arkengarthdale is home to the highest pub in the country called the Tan Hill InnCredit: AlamySurrender Bridge a Grade II listed 19th-century stone bridge appears in the filmCredit: Alamy
Another backdrop from the film is Surrender Bridge – it’s a Grade II listed, 19th-century stone bridge just outside of Swaledale.
The UK’s High Court has ruled that the government ban on the pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action as a ‘terror group’ was unlawful. The case was brought by the group’s co-founder Huda Ammori. Rory Challands is outside the court in London.
KATIE Price has sent a clear public signal that her feud with Peter Andre is over with a tell-tale social media U-turn – just days after the pair’s legal agreement to no longer slam each other.
After calling a truce for their children Princess, 17, and Junior, 19, Katie has shown she really is committed to moving forward.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Katie Price has thawed her frosty relationship with ex PeteCredit: instagramPeter Andre is now following Katie Price on social mediaCredit: GettyKatie and Peter were together for four and a half years before their bitter splitCredit: Refer to source
More than a decade after their shock divorce, eagle eyed fans spotted that Katie Price is once again following her ex-husband on Instagram.
Katie recently stunned fans by marrying self-proclaimed businessman Lee Andrews just ten days after they first met.
The former glamour model walked down the aisle for the fourth time after the pair hit it off online following her split from boyfriend of two years JJ Slater.
Katie and Peter recently revealed they had struck a legal agreement not to speak negatively about each other in public again.
In a joint statement shared on social media, they said: “Katie Price and Peter Andre have decided to close the door on the past and move forward into a new chapter with positivity and respect.
“We are both focused on creating a calm and supportive environment for our children.
“We have reached a mutual agreement, both legally and personally confirming that neither of us will speak negatively about the other going forward.
The statement ended by saying: “This decision reflects a shared commitment to our family and stability.”
Peter’s profile shows he recently followed his ex-wifeKatie has followed Pete for the first time since 2021Credit: INSTAGRAM @KATIEPRICEKatie and Peter have called a truce for the sake of their children Princess and JuniorCredit: Getty
In a rare public outburst last summer, Peter, 52, broke years of silence to hit back at ex-wife Katie, 47, after comments she made about their children on her podcast.
Katie had claimed daughter Princess was living with her and previously said she was banned from the set of Princess’s ITV show.
Peter said he had stayed silent for 16 years “in the face of repeated lies” but felt he had to speak out, insisting Junior and Princess had been in his care since 2018 under a legally binding court order issued in 2019.
He also referenced past court rulings in 2011 and 2015, which found Katie had made false claims and ordered her to pay damages, adding that further allegations would be addressed “in the coming months.”
Katie and Peter were together for around four and a half years, married for three, before their shock split in 2009.
These days Katie is splitting her time between the UK and Dubai as new husband Lee is unable to leave the UAE.
Katie Price’s five famous feuds
KATIE Price is no stranger to a high profile spat – here we take a look at a few
Katie’s family are said to have concerns about their whirlwind romance, despite the star insisting “I’m a grown a**e woman” in a defiant video shared before she jetted off to see Lee.
A source told The Sun: “They’re all so worried that Katie is paying for everything or being tricked or talked into handing over money to him.
“He says he’s a millionaire but it’s not clear if he actually has any money or how he makes it.”
Before jetting back out to the UAE to be with Lee, Katie took to social media to insist she was happy and that there was nothing to worry about.
She said: “I bet everyone’s thinking, ‘What’s going on in the Katie Price world?’ Well you guys tell me because I’m reading it as it unfolds, just like you.”
Katie Price reunited with husband Lee Andrews in DubaiCredit: wesleeandrews/InstagramPeter Andre is married to doctor Emily MacDonaghCredit: Instagram / @peterandre
President Trump’s aura of invincibility is starting to vanish. Three new polls — including the usually Trump-hospitable Rasmussen — suggest that Joe Biden did a better job as president.
Worse still (for Trump), he’s underwater on immigration, foreign policy and the economy — the very trifecta that powered his return. An incumbent taking on water like that is no longer steering the ship of state, he’s bobbing in the deep end, reaching for a Mar-a-Lago pool noodle.
To be fair, Democrats have a proud tradition of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. But suppose — purely hypothetically — that this sticks. Suppose Democrats win the midterms. And suppose a Democrat captures the White House in 2028.
Then what?
Trumpism isn’t a political movement so much as a recurring event. You don’t defeat it; you board up the windows and wait.
Even if Trump does not attempt a third term (a gambit the Constitution frowns upon), he will remain the dominant gravitational force in Republican politics for as long as he is sentient and within Wi-Fi range.
Which means any Democratic administration that follows would be well-advised to consider it is governing on borrowed time. In American politics, you are always one scandal, one recession or one deepfake video away from packing your belongings into a cardboard box.
Trump’s MAGA successor (whoever he or she might be) will inherit millions of ardent believers, now seasoned by experience, backed by tech billionaires and steeped in an authoritarian worldview.
So how exactly does the country “move on” when a sizable slice of its elite class appears to regard liberal democracy as more of an anachronism than a governing philosophy?
This is not an entirely new dilemma. After the Civil War, Americans had to decide whether to reconcile with the rebels or punish them or some mix of the two — and the path chosen by federal leaders shaped the next century through Reconstruction, Jim Crow and the long struggle for civil rights.
At Nuremberg, the Allies opted for trials instead of firing squads. Later, South Africa’s post-apartheid government attempted to achieve reconciliation via truth.
Each moment wrestled with the same problem: How do you impose consequences without becoming the very thing you were fighting in the first place — possibly sparking a never-ending cycle of revenge?
Which brings us to even more specific questions, such as where does Trumpism fit into this historical context — and should there be any accountability after MAGA?
Start with Trump himself. Even if he is legally immune regarding official acts, what about allegations of corruption? Trump and his family have amassed billions since returning to office.
It is difficult to picture a future Democratic administration hauling him into court, especially if Trump grants himself broad pardons and preemptive clemency on his way out of office.
So if accountability comes, it would probably target figures in his orbit — lieutenants, enablers, assorted capos not covered by pardons. But is even this level of accountability wise?
On one hand, it is about incentives and deterrence. If bad actors get to keep the money and their freedom, despite committing crimes, they (and imitators) will absolutely return for an encore.
On the other hand, a Democratic president might reasonably decide that voters would prefer lower grocery bills to more drama.
Trump himself offers a cautionary tale. He devoted enormous energy to retribution, grievance and settling scores. It is at least conceivable that he might have been in stronger political shape had he devoted comparable attention to, say, affordability.
There is also the uncomfortable fact that the past Trump indictments strengthened him politically. Nothing energizes a base like the words “They’re coming for me,” especially when followed by the words “and you’ll be next,” next to a fundraising link. Do Democrats want to create new martyrs and make rank-and-file Americans feel like “deplorables” who are being persecuted for their political beliefs?
So perhaps the answer is surgical. Focus on ringleaders. Spare the small fry. Proceed in sober legal tones. Make it about the law, not the spectacle.
Even this compromise would invite a backlash. Democrats, it seems, are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
Unfortunately, there is no tidy answer. Too much punishment risks looking like vengeance. Too little risks sparking another sequel.
It may sound melodramatic to say this might be the most important question of our time. But while this republic has endured a lot, it might not survive the extremes of amnesia or revenge.
Choosing the narrow path in between will require something rarer than a landslide victory: justice with restraint.
Adams: The Leicester-born 29-year-old has established himself as Clarke’s first pick up front. Since switching allegiances in 2021, he has amassed 45 caps and contributed 11 goals. Formerly of Sheffield United and Birmingham City, he moved to Torino two years ago after featuring in the Premier League with Southampton.
This season, he has scored six goals in 26 appearances, 17 of them starts, for the side sitting 13th of Serie A’s 20 clubs.
Bowie: The Kirkcaldy-born 23-year-old began his career with Raith Rovers before spells with Fulham and on loan to Northampton Town before rising to prominence with Hibernian, his nine goal in 30 appearances this season leading to his January sale to Hellas Verona.
Bowie, who has two Scotland caps, made his debut, and first start, in a 0-0 draw at home to Pisa.
Doig: The Edinburgh-born 23-year-old became a first-team regular for Hibs in the Scottish Premiership before moving to Italy and is already at his second Serie A club. He moved from Verona to Sassuolo in 2024 and won his one and only Scotland cap last year in a left-back role in which he finds himself behind Liverpool’s Andy Robertson and Celtic’s Kieran Tierney.
Doig has made 24 appearances, 20 of them starts, this season for his 11th-placed club side.
Ferguson: Having started his career with local club Hamilton Academical, the 26-year-old spent four seasons with Aberdeen in the Premiership before being sold to Bologna in summer 2022. Ferguson, who has 21 Scotland caps, became captain the following October and led his side to a Coppa Italia final win over AC Milan last year and European qualification.
He has made 29 appearances this season, 21 of them starts for the side sitting eighth.
Gilmour: Irvine-born, the 24-year-old started his career with Rangers but moved to Chelsea while still a youth. He made his senior debut aged 18 but moved to Premier League rivals Norwich City on a season-long loan in 2021.
Transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion the following year, he helped them to a sixth-place finish and qualification for European football for the first time before being sold to Napoli in 2024, on the same day as Scotland team-mate McTominay, and they finished the season with the first league titles of their careers. However, this season he has been limited to 12 appearances, only six of them starts, having been sidelined since November.
McTominay: The Lancaster-born midfielder came through Manchester United’s youth ranks and, although he did not make his first-team debut until aged 21, he went on to make 255 appearances for the Premier League club. After being sold to Napoli, the 29-year-old was nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award last season as his goalscoring feats helped win the league title.
His 14 goals in 67 Scotland appearances include a lauded overhead kick that helped beat Denmark to secure World Cup qualification in November. McTominay has made 34 appearances this season for his club, scoring 10 goals.
Miller: Born in Wishaw, the 19-year-old son of Scotland-capped former striker Lee came through the youth ranks with Motherwell, making his debut just days after turning 16. After 76 appearances for the Premiership club, he was sold to Udinese in August for a Well club record fee, two months after being handed the first of his four Scotland caps.
He has made 14 appearances, six of them starts, so far.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kang Dong-gil, seen here in an Oct. 25 session at the National Assembly, was relieved of duty over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law bid, the Defense Ministry said Friday. File Photo by Yonhap
The defense ministry said Friday it has relieved Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kang Dong-gil from duty over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched martial law bid in late 2024.
The move came a day after the ministry took a similar action against Ground Operations Commander Gen. Joo Sung-un over suspicions of martial law involvement, marking the second such suspension of a four-star general appointed under President Lee Jae Myung’s administration.
“The defense ministry excluded the chief of naval operations as of Friday as allegations in relation to the insurrection case have been identified,” ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said in a briefing.
Kang, who served as chief of the directorate of military support at the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time of the martial law imposition, was among the seven top-brass officers appointed as four-star generals in September last year.
The allegations involving Kang and Joo were not previously verified ahead of their appointment, a ministry official said, acknowledging limitations in the procedure amid efforts to fill the leadership vacuum caused by the martial law bid.
The official said the ministry continues to firmly carry out measures to determine the circumstances surrounding the martial law imposition, regardless of the ranks of personnel involved.
The deputy chief of the Navy will serve as acting Navy chief following Friday’s decision, the ministry said, adding disciplinary action will be considered for Kang.
On Thursday, the ministry said it has identified around 180 personnel as having been involved in the martial law imposition following a monthslong probe into about 860 general-level and field-grade officers.
It also concluded that some 1,600 personnel across the military affiliated with the Army, counterintelligence command, special operations command and Defense Intelligence Command were found to have been mobilized on the night of the martial law imposition.
Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.
With 5.6 million Brits vaping, travellers are warned to check strict new overseas laws or risk fines, confiscation and legal trouble abroad
Avoid bringing this electrical device on holiday or risk huge fines and possible prosecution(Image: Getty Images)
British holidaymakers are being warned to double check vaping laws before booking trips abroad after a number of popular holiday destinations tightened restrictions. Online retailer HAYPP says they could risk fines or even legal trouble if local e-cigarette rules are ignored.
Vaping remains hugely popular in the UK with anti-smoking charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) reporting around 5.6 million adults currently use e-cigarettes — which amounts to roughly 11 per cent of the total adult population. ASH explained how vaping is particularly common among younger adults between the ages of 18 and 24.
Unsurprisingly, many travellers choose to pack their vapes when heading on holiday — but with international laws varying so widely, doing so could prove a costly mistake. HAYPP‘s Head of Legal & External Affairs, Markus Lindblad, says people must familiarise themselves with the rules as soon as possible to avoid expensive on-the-spot penalties or confiscation.
“Ignorance of your destination country’s laws could wreak havoc on your holiday plans,” he warned. But which countries are a no-go for vapers? The Mirror has a detailed breakdown of everything you need to know before jetting off.
Mexico
On January 16, 2026, Mexico introduced a nationwide ban on the importation, sale and distribution of e-cigarettes and vapes. Lindblad warns that custom officials in destinations like Cancun, Cabo San Lucas or Cozumel are strong enforcers of the ban, and bringing one with you could come with hefty fines of up to £360. “Brits are being warned to leave their vapes at home”, he said.
Vietnam
According to HAYPP, Vietnam is tightening its grip on vaping products in 2026 with increased enforcement of rules around sale, import and public use. Though Cambodia and Laos has already banned vapes entirely, the online retailer says visitors should expect stricter airport checks, and that they should consider leaving the device behind before heading to the airport.
Singapore
Singapore maintains some of the world’s strictest rules against vaping, HAYPP claims. Possession and use of e-cigarettes remain illegal with fines of up to 2,000 Singapore dollars (around £1,150), as well as possible prosecution.
Malaysia
Maldives has followed suit and also restricted vape imports this year, with custom officials now authorised to confiscate the products on arrival. Bans on possession and public use are expected to tighten, warns HAYPP, particularly in tourist hubs like Kuala Lampur and Penang.
Maldives
Last but not least, Lindblad explains how any vape-loving holidaymakers from the UK should probably cross the Maldives off their list. That’s because the country has outlawed vape imports with the devices confiscated upon arrival. If you arrive into the Maldives with your e-cigarette or similar electronic device, you may face fines or further legal action, even for personal use, particularly at Malé International Airport.
I HAD been shrunk down to the size of Woody, Jessie and Buzz in Andy’s room – suddenly I wasn’t visiting an experience, I was a part of it.
The new Mundo Pixar Experience – the biggest of it’s kind in the world – has landed in the UK for the very first time at Wembley Park in London, after success in Madrid, Barcelona and Brussels.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
A new Pixar experience has opened in London, marking its first time in the UKCredit: Cyann FieldingInside, fans can explore 14 rooms with iconic Pixar charactersCredit: Mundo PixarThis includes Monsters Inc, Toy Story and UpCredit: Mundo Pixar
Spread across 14 rooms, visitors can step into their favourite Pixar stories and meet the characters of each film.
As a 25-year-old who still loves Pixar films, I felt like I could be a big kid again as I ventured into the Monsters Inc Factory and met Sully and Mike before opening the door to glimpse into the bedrooms to see where the ‘scarers’ go to work.
The experience features all the movies you would expect including Toy Story, Up, Cars and Inside Out.
However, there are still a few classics missing such as The Incredibles and Wall.E.
You can even step inside the diver’s goggles in Finding Nemo.
My only disappointment was to see that Anger in Inside Out was essentially a cardboard cutout and Bing Bong was nowhere to be seen.
All of the sets also have handy picture stickers on the floor too, to show you where the best photo moment is in the room.
There are lots of picture and video opportunities throughout the experience as wellCredit: Cyann FieldingAnd for adults they can have a walk down memory laneCredit: Mundo Pixar
And there is a crew member in each room to lend a hand in snapping the perfect shot.
A little bit of added fun for the kids and parents is to find Pixar’s iconic yellow and blue ball with a red star on it, in every room.
Trust me, it isn’t as easy as it seems…
The experience is open every day except Tuesday until June with sessions starting at 9am and 10am and running through until 7pm.
Each session approximately lasts 45 to 55 minutes, though if you can, I definitely would spend longer really exploring the sets.
And of course, taking lots of pictures and videos.
When you get to the end of the experience there is a large shop – which, be warned, you will want everything from.
More recent films such as Luca and Elemental feature as wellCredit: Cyann FieldingThe experience lasts around 45-55 minutesCredit: Cyann Fielding
Prices aren’t too bad either, with mugs costing £19.95 and t-shirts costing £29.95.
There are some really nice items as well such as the Adventure Book from Up and you can even own your own Pixar ball for £19.95.
Tickets are a little on the more expensive side considering the experience is mostly a picture and video opportunity, starting from around £20 per child and more for an adult.
Having said that though, it was heaps of fun and the more time you spend there, the more your imagination really immerses you in the sets.
Whilst obviously great for kids and families, as an adult I thoroughly enjoyed a walk down memory lane and allowing myself to be a child once again by running around Andy’s room and ‘swimming‘ with Nemo.
With half-term here and the rain not stopping, it is the perfect indoor escape to keep the kids (and big kids) entertained.
Unfortunately, the history of this day has become somewhat obscured over time, so it is not widely known why it came to be considered unlucky.
The “Thirteen Club”: In the late 19th century, a group in New York, led by Civil War Captain William Fowler, formed the “Thirteen Club” to actively defy the superstition. Members held their first meeting on Friday, January 13, 1882, in room 13, sat down to a 13-course meal, and walked under a ladder to prove the superstition wrong.
Airlines and Buildings Skip 13: Many hotels, high-rise buildings, and hospitals do not have a 13th floor or room 13. Some airlines even skip row 13 on their planes.
However, not all Fridays were created equal. Good Friday, in contrast, was believed to bring good luck, especially for sailors who made their maiden voyages on this auspicious day. Similarly, the nu …
AS millions tune in to watch this year’s Winter Olympics in Milan, it is inspiring Brits to try out some of the sports for themselves.
Ski chalet specialist, Ski Beat, report a post-Games flurry with a spike in traffic during the global event.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
Skiing holidays are seeing a boost thanks to the Winter OlympicsLaura Hazell shared some of her top tips
According to Ski Beat’s Laura Hazell: “100 years ago, the Chamonix Winter Olympics inspired Brits to try out skiing for the first time – in fact the origins of modern-day ski holidays can be traced back to those early days.
“The same effect is true today. Throughout the competition we see spikes in website traffic.
“There’s a real buzz, with many people who have never skied engaging in the sport, our phones are busier, and we this year we expect that what is already a good ski season will continue right into April.”
According to Inthesnow.com, the UK’s leading ski and snow sports website and magazine, spending in Europe’s winter sports destinations is up 14.3% year-on-year, with France, Italy and Austria among the strongest performers.
France remains the most popular destination for UK skiers, accounting for almost half of British ski trips.
Nearly seven in ten Brits say the Winter Olympics inspire them to try winter sports, and 45 per cent say their interest has increased over the past decade.
Around a third of UK adults booked a winter sports experience in the last year, with most choosing to travel abroad rather than stay in the UK.
The good news? There is no need to wait for next winter’s snow globe to settle as there’s still time to ski this season – and arguably the best weeks are just ahead.
Laura continued: “Spring skiing is the Alps’ best-kept secret. As the mercury softens, so do the prices, with late season deals on ski holidays making high-altitude getaways more attainable.
“The weather is kinder too: bluebird mornings, sunnier terraces, and longer daylight hours that stretch skiing well into the afternoon.
“With the half-term crowds gone, lifts hum more quietly and pistes feel wider, creating a relaxed rhythm that suits beginners finding their edges and families enjoying the snow together.
“Add in mountain restaurants serving lunch in shirtsleeves and you have a late season winter holiday that’s less about bracing for the cold and more about all about basking in the glow of it all.”
Skiing in February post the half term holidays means you can make the most of the tail end of the winter chill.
Wrap up well and go high altitude for the best snow where pistes and lifts are fully open.
April is still a great time for a last minute ski holiday
If you wan to go in March, days are lengthening, temperatures rising and layers and outerwear can be lighter.
Pistes will be busier over Easter, which is around March 28 , so don’t hang around if school holiday dates are important.
If not, plan in a week mid-month for optimum conditions and fewer crowds.
But skiing in April is just as fantastic. There is plenty of ski mileage to be had, aim high (above 2000m is ideal) and enjoy more daylight hours, long, lazy days, bluebird skiing, and lower ski holiday prices.
High factor sun cream and anti UV eye-protection are essential, pack a few t-shirts and lighter layers too, but be ready to layer up when the sun goes down.
Top tips for thrifty spring skiing:
For snow-sure spring skiing look for north facing slopes, and ski areas above 2000m
Beginners don’t need miles of skiing, well-groomed nursery slopes and blue runs will suffice, so save money and buy a local area lift pass.
Select accommodation that includes meals, dining out or shopping for self-catering can be expensive in the mountains.
Make sure the accommodation is close to the lifts, ski school, clomping around in ski boots, carrying skis, is an experience best limited.
Consider buying ski clothing from reseller sites like Vinted or Ebay.
There’s no need to buy skis or ski boots, hire in resort, most people do
Look out for late season offers, avoid the easter peak (28th March), and for the best prices all season consider a high altitude escape on 11th or 18th April.
Here are some of Ski Beat’s top last minute deals to sneak in one last ski holiday this year.
February 21: 7 nights La Plagne, £994pp (saving £304pp)
Includes a chalet host to prepare breakfast, afternoon tea and three course evening meals with wine, return Gatwick flights and transfers, based on two sharing a twin or double ensuite room at Ski Beat’s Chalet Sorbier.
February 28 : 7 nights skiing in French Alps, £1143pp (saving £136pp)
Includes return Gatwick flights, transfers and accommodation at high altitude Chalet Gentiane in Plan Peisey, with a chalet host to prepare breakfast, afternoon tea and three course evening meals with wine, based on two sharing a twin or double ensuite room.
March 21 : 7 nights in Three Valleys resort, £999pp (saving £98pp)
Incudes accommodation in Chalet Vallon Blanc in La Tania. Prices include a chalet host to prepare breakfast, afternoon tea and three course evening meals with wine, based on two sharing a twin or double ensuite room, return Gatwick flights and transfers.
Or fly on March 7 and March 14 for £1125pp, saving £100pp.
April 11: 7 nights in La Rosiere for £716pp (saving £307pp)
Ski Beat’s has 30 per cent off April 11 ski holiday departures.
Staying in Chalet Perdrix in high altitude La Rosiere on the French/Italian border, includes return Gatwick or Manchester flights, a chalet host to prepare breakfast, afternoon tea and three course evening meals with wine, based on two sharing a twin or double ensuite room.
However, be wary of booking any ski holidays that seem too good to be true for the price.
Laura warned: “With skiing it’s all about value, rather than price.
“Bargain ski holidays can result in an inferior lift infrastructure, a resort that’s in the valley and requires buses or lifts before the skiing even starts, or lower altitude skiing where the snow is less reliable, especially late season.”
Other top ski tips include:
Choose a high-altitude resort with reliable late-season cover
Look for resorts with north-facing pistes that retain the snow longer
Line up lessons in advance to build confidence from the first glide
Warm up before departure, with time in an indoor ski slope to acclimatise
Plan in a few visits to the gym, some power walks, or home exercise to get muscles in tone
Check out spring packages inclusive of flights, transfers, accommodation and meals.
Pack lighter layers and outerwear for sunnier slopes
Invest in UV-protective sunglasses and goggles to protect against sun and snow glare
Cover up with top-tier SPF defence to keep skin totally protected on bluebird days
Start early, linger late, make the most of firmer morning snow then ease into long lunches on sunny terraces once the slopes soften.
Book slopeside accommodation, a ski chalet close to ski schools, lifts and kindergartens is ideal, with a chalet host to point skiers in the right direction.
Weigh up the advantages of catered accommodation; save time, money and energy on shopping, and let someone else do the cooking, cleaning and catering.
Ski Beat’s Laura Hazell adds, “While the aspiration to fly like an Olympiad is still fresh in mind, make the medal-winning moments a cue, not just an inspiration.
“The mountains are still very much open for business right until the end of April, and there’s no better time to answer their call.”
Bargains can still be found – if you know where to look
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The U.S. Air Force has now denied taking delivery of any F-35A Joint Strike Fighters from the latest Lot 17 production batch without radars installed. This comes a day after TWZ published a detailed piece examining a recent unconfirmed report that the U.S. military has been receiving radar-less F-35s since last June due to issues tied to the new AN/APG-85 radar. Earlier this week, the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) had declined to confirm or deny whether that was the case, citing “enhanced security measures.”
“USAF F-35A lot 17 aircraft are delivering with APG-81 radars,” an Air Force spokesperson told TWZ today in an unprompted statement. “The Air Force is working with the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office to deliver F-35s with APG-85 radars, and actual modernization plans, capabilities, and schedules remain classified to maintain program security.”
A row of US Air Force F-35As at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada in January 2026. USAF
Since at least 2023, Northrop Grumman has been developing the APG-85 as a replacement for the existing AN/APG-81 radar used on all F-35 variants. The new radar is one part of the larger critical Block 4 upgrade package, which has been beset by delays and cost growth. Block 4 is also supposed to eventually include replacements for the Joint Strike Fighter’s AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) and Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS), as well as a new electronic warfare suite and a host of other improved capabilities. In the past, the Air Force has described the electronic warfare package, which will be directly tied in with the APG-85, as a top priority.
“Lockheed Martin has been delivering F-35s to the military services since last June without radars, including all F-35As,” Defense Daily had reported last week, citing an anonymous source. “F-35 deliveries to U.S. units in the field since last June have had the APG-85 mountings, which do not fit the APG-81.”
“The radar-less F-35 deliveries have not affected sales to foreign partner nations which have the APG-81 on their jets, the source said,” that story added. “Without a radar, there had to be additional weight added in the nose for aircraft balance during flight. Radar-less F-35s have been able to fly, as long as they are accompanied by other F-35s, data linked and equipped with the APG-81, the source said.”
A row of AN/APG-81 radar arrays. Northrop Grumman
As mentioned, TWZ reached out earlier this week to the F-35 JPO with queries regarding the details in the Defense Daily piece.
“F-35 Lightning II aircraft are being built to accommodate the F-35 advanced radar (APG-85) for [the] U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps,” an F-35 JPO spokesperson had told us in response. “Initial fielding for some F-35 aircraft is planned for Lot 17, which began delivery in 2025 and continues through September 2026.”
“Due to program security reasons, we are protecting any additional information with enhanced security measures,” the spokesperson added.
A view of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 production line. Lockheed Martin
In addition, Defense Daily‘s report last week said it received a statement from the Air Force that was similar to the response we subsequently received from the JPO.
“This advanced radar [APG-85] will be compatible with all variants of the F-35 aircraft,” an Air Force spokesperson told that outlet. “Due to program security reasons, we are protecting any additional information with enhanced security measures.”
What has now changed regarding these “enhanced security measures” and why is unclear. There are still questions from our story yesterday that remain unanswered, including whether or not jets configured to accept the APG-85 can have the APG-81 installed for the time being. If modifications are required for this, it is not clear how substantial or invasive they might need to be. As we previously noted, a separate report last year from Breaking Defense had also pointed to a backwards compatibility issue and potential need to redesign the entire forward end of the fuselage to be able to accommodate both the APG-81 and the APG-85.
TWZ has followed up with the Air Force to see if more information may now be available.
USAF
As we detailed in our piece yesterday, there are additional questions about the general status of work on the APG-85 and the rest of the Block 4 upgrade package, and the timeline now for the delivery of any of those capabilities. The integration of the APG-85, as well as the new electronic warfare suite and many of the other improvements, are all directly intertwined with the need for more auxiliary power-generation and thermal cooling capacity. These demands are supposed to be addressed, at least in part, by an engine upgrade effort that is itself now running behind schedule.
The goal had previously been for F-35s with a complete suite of Block 4 improvements to begin arriving this year. A September 2025 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a Congressional watchdog, said that those plans had been revised to focus first on a truncated portion of the upgrade package, but that schedule had still been set back at least five years.
The F-35 program continues to stare down growing costs associated with operating and maintaining the jets. Altogether, the total cost of the program from the start of development in the 1990s through the end of the type’s expected lifecycle in the 2070s, is now estimated to be approximtely $2.1 trillion. The JPO has stressed that inflation is expected to account for roughly half of that figure.
Altogether, even if F-35s are not being delivered now without radars, there are still significant challenges facing the Block 4 upgrade package and the rest of the Joint Strike Fighter program.
The star, who is now cancer free, is set to return to our TV screens with her new three-part ITV series, Wonders of the Frozen South, which documents her 23-day voyage across the Southern Ocean.
The journey took Julia to Paradise Harbour on Antarctica’s western edge, where she tackled a short hill climb before stopping to absorb the stunning landscape around her.
However Julia has since revealed her health battle had held her back as she admitted that she wouldn’t have been able to travel alone a few years ago as she said she didn’t feel “brave enough” to leave her family.
During an appearance on Friday’s (February 13) episode of Lorraine, Julia said: “After I went through the breast cancer diagnosis in 2021 then I had my mastectomy, there was a very tender emotional time in my life where I didn’t think I would ever want to leave my family again.”
She continued: “I don’t mean anybody wants to leave them but I didn’t think I’d be brave enough to. You just want everybody that you care about to be as close as possible. So the fact that five years on, I’ve been as far away from home as you could possibly get.”
Following her ordeal, Julia has undergone major lifestyle transformations, including a complete reassessment of her eating habits.
She’s now adopted a cleaner approach to nutrition, prioritising whole foods, beneficial fats and high-quality proteins, while steering clear of sugar and heavily processed items.
The television star has also cut out alcohol after medical advice highlighted that even moderate drinking could heighten the chances of cancer returning.
Stress management has additionally become a central focus, with Julia now practising meditation, breathing exercises, keeping a journal and spending time in nature each day.
Speaking to Bella magazine previously, she emphasised: “Stress and emotional health are things that we should all take very seriously. People don’t think that they have a physical impact, but they do.”
The broadcaster has also transformed her approach to skincare, explaining: “I’ve always been a sucker for beauty products, but after my diagnosis I became much more conscious about what I put on my skin and the potential impact of chemicals we often don’t think twice about.
“Now my make-up, skincare and sun lotions are clean. I love Green People because it’s organic and marine-friendly, and the brand also donates to the Marine Conservation Society.”
The first episode of Julia Bradbury’s Wonders of the Frozen South airs on February 15 at 12.45pm on ITV and Lorraine airs weekdays from 9:30am on ITV1 and ITVX
Group’s co-founder declares ruling ‘monumental victory both for our fundamental freedoms here in Britain and in the struggle for freedom for the Palestinian people.’
Published On 13 Feb 202613 Feb 2026
Share
The High Court in the United Kingdom has ruled that the government ban on the pro-Palestinian campaign group called Palestine Action as a “terror group” was unlawful.
In a statement responding to the landmark ruling on Friday, the Claimant and co-founder of Palestine Action, Huda Ammori, said, “This is a monumental victory both for our fundamental freedoms here in Britain and in the struggle for freedom for the Palestinian people, striking down a decision that will forever be remembered as one of the most extreme attacks on free speech in recent British history.”
The United Kingdom said last June that it would ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws. This that put the organisation on par with armed groups like al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS) in the UK, making it a criminal offence to be part of Palestine Action.
The government’s announcement prompted legal battles, criticism from human rights organisations and triggered protests.
A HUGE new holiday resort is set to open in the Cotswolds – and it will be the third of its kind in the UK.
It will have beautiful luxury cabins, a relaxing nature spa as well as indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
The new eco-friendly resort will have 51 cabins with up to three bedroomsCredit: CABÜThe new eco-friendly resort will have 51 cabins with up to three bedroomsCredit: CABÜ
Cabu, which designs eco-cabins, is set to open its third site in the Cotswolds after it secured a £24million loan to build the resort.
The site will have 51 self-catered cabins with either one, two or three bedrooms.
The new range of “ultra cool timber cabins” have been revealed in the renders to have wooden panels and green window detail.
On the map render, the 51 cabins surround the main building which will have additional amenities inside.
Guests will be able to use all of them, which include a nature spa, hot tubs, saunas and plunge bucket.
There will be an indoor swimmingpool too, which looks like a calming space surrounded by loungers and huge windows letting in plenty of natural light.
There will be an outdoor pool too as well as a shop, restaurant, two bars and a studio events space.
On its website Cabu said it “will offer their high quality short-term stays all year round. We are aiming to provide guests with 2, 3 or 4 night stays.”
It will also have “low adrenalin activities and provide an excellent base to discover all the Cotswolds have to offer.”
The resort will open in Langley on the site of a former Marconi radio site which is a short distance from popular villages like Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold and Burford.
Cabu already has two sites in operation – Cabu Sea in Kent and Cabu by the Lakes in County Cavan, Ireland.
Cabu by the Sea lies on a stretch of privately owned grassland next to the seafront between Romney Marsh and the English Channel.
The one in Kent is described as an intimate retreat with easy access to the coastline.
A variety of luxury accommodations are available, ranging from a Writers Studio cabin for couples to a three-bed Boat House perfect for families.
Inside the main building will be a swimming pool and spa areaCredit: CABÜ
The price for a cabin in Cabu by the Sea starts from £395 for two people (based on a two-night stay in March).
Meanwhile, Cabu by the Lakes is found deep within the woods of Killykeen Forest Park in Co. Cavan.
This unique hideaway has log cabins and lake houses – it also has a nature spa with a forest bathing area and a Japanese Bath.
The price for a cabin in Cabu by the Lakes starts from £544.18 for two people (based on a two-night stay in March).
You can read more about LOCUST and how it works in our story here.
An AeroVironment LOCUST laser directed energy weapon owned by the U.S. Army was reportedly at the center of a chain of events that led to the recent shutdown of airspace around El Paso, Texas. (AeroVironment)
The use of the LOCUST came as the FAA was working on “a safety assessment of the risks the new technology could pose to other aircraft,” The New York Times reported. “F.A.A. officials had warned the Pentagon that if they were not given sufficient time and information to conduct their review, they would have no choice but to shut down the nearby airspace.”
The tug of war between the Pentagon and FAA – which led to a shutdown of airspace over the nation’s 23rd largest city – is a glaring example of the convoluted and conflicting authorities the U.S. relies on to deal with the increasing threat posed by drones.
The FAA did not respond to our request for comment. We also reached out to U.S. Northern Command and AeroVironment for comment.
BREAKING: The Pentagon let Customs and Border Protection use an anti-drone laser before the FAA closed El Paso airspace, AP sources say. https://t.co/T3F2pDAiZk
However, safety concerns about using directed energy weapons, and especially kinetic ones, to take down drones in the U.S. have been a major factor in why they aren’t employed in this role.
A little less than a year and a half ago, officials at U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), which has coordinating authority for counter-drone efforts in the U.S., said the use of such weapons was not yet on the table. The reason is that they can create dangerous or otherwise serious collateral effects that are not a concern in a war zone.
Boeing’s Compact Laser Weapon System (CLWS) (Boeing)
“The biggest thing right now is the impact of the laser when it moves beyond its target,” NORTHCOM Deputy Test Director Jason Mayes said of laser directed energy weapons for counter-drone use. “You know, how far is it going? What’s that going to do? How long does the laser need to remain on target before it begins to inflict damage and so on, right?”
Mayes, speaking to a small group of reporters, including from The War Zone at Falcon Peak 2025, a counter-drone experiment at Peterson Space Force Base in October 2024, also raised questions about whether the laser beam could impact aircraft or even satellites passing by, as well as things on the ground like “hikers up on a hill.”
The military has been working to mitigate those concerns, Mayes proffered at the time.
“I think that we could get to a point where we have approval for that here in the homeland,” he posited.
It is unclear when the approval to use laser counter-drone weapons came or how extensive such permissions have been. We also don’t know if the LOCUST system, understood to have been stationed at nearby Fort Bliss, was sent there under a pilot program established under the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). It calls for at least four military installations to be used to speed up the development of counter-drone efforts at bases across the country. The measure includes systems “capable of destroying or disabling a small unmanned aircraft by means of high-powered microwave, laser, or other similar technology.”
Fort Bliss is also home to a significant portion of the Army’s air defense units, which are increasingly charged with the counter-drone mission. The base is also a major hub for border security operations, which the U.S. military often conducts in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, as well.
Using a counter-drone device, a Fort Bliss Law Enforcement Activity Military Police Company soldier participates in a counter-unmanned aircraft system drill as part of an integrated protection exercise at Fort Bliss, Texas, Aug. 20, 2025. (U.S. Army) David Poe
The future domestic use of laser counter-drone weapons remains an open question, but the NDAA pilot program gives the military additional authorities under existing statutes to at least test them. Still, as we have frequently noted, a confusing and often competing set of federal laws governing the use of counter-drone systems domestically impacted the ability to defend against these threats. The El Paso situation is a case in point of how challenging this can be.
NORTHCOM has authority over the troops and equipment, in this case a laser system, to take down the drones. However, federal laws limit where and when the military can use these systems, which is a large reason why CBP was involved.
In advance of the U.S. hosting the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games, the Trump administration pushed to expand counter-drone authorities. Congress granted that when it passed the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Under a federal law known as 124n, “the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice (DOJ, including CBP, have limited authority to mitigate drone threats domestically to protect covered facilities or assets,” Scott Shtofman, Vice President & Counsel, Regulatory Affairs for the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), told us. “That authority has been extended and expanded, under the Safer Skies Act of the NDAA, to certain certified state, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies operating under federal training and oversight.”
Still, “it’s not a blanket nationwide shoot down power and only applies in defined threat situations,” he added.
A chart of DHS counter-drone authorities. (DHS)
Meanwhile, under another federal statute commonly referred to as 130(i), “DoW can mitigate drone threats to protect military installations and missions inside the U.S., but it does not have general domestic airspace policing authority,” Shtofman posited.
However, the Pentagon is working to expand its counter-drone capabilities.
In January, the recently created Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) 401 announced updated guidance for counter-unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operations. The move empowered installation commanders “to take decisive action to protect military facilities, assets, and personnel within the homeland,” according to a press release at the time.
“The guidance, signed by the Secretary of War on December 8, 2025, streamlines and consolidates existing policies for detecting and mitigating UAS under the authority of 10 U.S. Code § 130i,” the release added, referring to another one of the laws governing domestic counter-small drone efforts. “It addresses the direct and growing threat posed by the proliferation of inexpensive and capable UAS. This updated framework provides commanders with the expanded authority and flexibility needed to dominate the airspace above their installations.”
Fort Bliss, Texas. (US Army)
Among other things, the new rules eliminate restrictions on defense perimeters that reduced installation commanders’ abilities to protect against drones.
“The previous ‘fence-line’ limitation has been removed, giving commanders a larger defensive area and greater decision space to protect covered facilities and assets,” the new rules state.
In earlier reporting, we noted that not all installations were considered “covered” to take down drones. The new rules permit service secretaries to determine which installations should be covered, to increase the number.
Beyond that, the Pentagon is now allowed to share “UAS track and sensor data among interagency partners, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). It also allows for the use of trained and certified contractor personnel as C-sUAS operators.”
“Every commander has the inherent right to self-defense,” the Pentagon told us. “The Department of War will defend its personnel and assets from illicit UAS activity in accordance with our authority under title 10 Section 130i, and the standing rules for the use of force.”
A US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol vehicle drives past recently installed concertina wire on a section of border wall fencing along the US-Mexico border between San Diego and Tijuana in San Diego, California on April 24, 2025. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) PATRICK T. FALLON
In addition to the numerous drone incursions over U.S. installations that we have frequently covered, cross-border cartel drone operations are a chronic issue, and we have been calling attention to the growing dangers they pose for many years now. Controversy over the El Paso incident was magnified after the White House insisted that the U.S. shot down a cartel drone flying over the border, which was later contradicted by the reporting that it was a mylar balloon.
Regardless of what it was, small drones remain a clear and present danger to the U.S. Whether new technology and additional authorities to use them will make a difference is an open question.
Update: 8:31 PM Eastern –
A U.S. official responded with answers to some of our questions.
The limit on the distance installation commanders can counter drones is the capability of their counter-UAS systems and the ability to coordinate with local authorities and communities.
No sites have been chosen yet for the counter-drone pilot program.
To his knowledge, the El Paso incident was the first time a directed energy weapon had been used against illicit drones in the homeland.
There are no statutory preclusions to using directed energy weapons against drones in the homeland.
The Lady is a four-part limited series delving into the rise and fall of the former Duchess of York’s royal aide.
09:34, 13 Feb 2026Updated 09:54, 13 Feb 2026
‘Tragically heartbreaking’ royal true crime drama The Lady is airing very soon(Image: ITV)
The Lady is set to grip ITV viewers with the royal true crime drama brought to life by the same producers of Netflix’s award-winning The Crown.
For weeks now, ITV has been teasing the release of The Lady, a true rags to riches tale that ends in convicted murder.
Sarah Ferguson’s former dresser Jane Andrews worked for the royal for nine years. Three years after she was let go, she murdered her boyfriend Thomas Cressman.
But how did she go from rubbing shoulders with those at Buckingham Palace to spending her days behind bars as a killer?
Here’s everything there is to know about The Lady on ITV as fans don’t have long before the drama drops.
ITV The Lady release date
The wait is almost over for the grand debut of The Lady with the limited series premiering on Sunday, February 22, on ITV and ITVX.
The Lady will consist of four episodes with instalments one and two airing on Sunday, February 22, and Monday, February 23, and episodes three and four the following Sunday and Monday.
Alternatively, fans can binge-watch the entire series on the day of its initial release via the free streamer ITVX.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
ITV The Lady cast
At the heart of ITV’s The Lady is Jane Andrews, the working-class woman from Grimsby who got a chance of a lifetime when she was hired to work as Sarah Ferguson’s royal dresser before her life spiralled out of control.
She is brought to life by actress Mia McKenna-Bruce who has starred in How To Have Sex, The Fence, Get Even and Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials on Netflix.
McKenna-Bruce is joined by actor Ed Speleers – famed for his roles as Stephen Bonnet in Outlander, Jimmy Kent in Downton Abbey and Rhys Montrose in You on Netflix – who plays Jane’s boyfriend and victim Thomas Cressman.
Meanwhile, Sarah Ferguson is portrayed by actress Natalie Dormer, remembered for playing Margaery Tyrell in HBO’s Game of Thrones and Anne Boleyn in The Tudors on Channel 4.
What to expect from The Lady on ITV
Described as a “working-class girl from Grimsby”, Jane Andrews’ life changed forever when she answered an advertisement in the magazine The Lady.
Much to her surprise, she was hired to become the former Duchess of York’s official dresser at Buckingham Palace.
However, no one expected that following her time working for the royals that Jane would go on to murder her boyfriend Thomas Cressman, hitting him with a cricket bat before stabbing him in the chest.
Writer and executive producer Debbie O’Malley commented: “There’s a saying that ‘truth is stranger than fiction.’
“I’m not sure I’d always agree but when I first heard about the case of Jane Andrews, it was immediately clear that her true story was every bit as intriguing, compelling and tragically heartbreaking as any fabricated thriller.
“The fascinating tale of a working-class girl who became the dresser to a duchess, with a dramatic twist that ultimately sees her on trial for murder.
“This story looks beyond the headlines while remaining high stakes and uniquely British.
“It also poses thought-provoking questions about class and entitlement whilst exploring issues around mental health that have never been more relevant than they are today.”
The Lady premieres on Sunday, February 22, at 9pm on ITV.
Las Vegas is famed for its glamour and luxury, but there are remarkably affordable experiences and bucket-list encounters that don’t break the bank once you step into Sin City
09:44, 13 Feb 2026Updated 09:47, 13 Feb 2026
Vdara Hotel & Spa, and the second hotel is Resorts World
I lay down on the table, bashed my chosen intensity and music choice into a tablet, and two extendable metallic arms started to twitch. And then they swivelled and swooped down on me. Within minutes, my worries had melted away.
I was not involved in some strange AI torture chamber. I was, in fact, in Las Vegas. Putting a futuristic massage robot through its paces. Aescape Robotic Massage Experience at Qua Spa in Caesars Palace is the Strip’s first AI robotic massage ($44 for 15 minutes) and delivers impressively good back and shoulder massages.
Still, I watched beadily as my robot masseuse worked each touchpoint, not quite sure whether to fully trust the machine. Certainly, it was different from a typical massage and one I won’t forget in a hurry. But I wasn’t just in Sin City to be pummelled by an android in Caesars Palace. I was there to discover if it really was possible for the Entertainment Capital of the World to offer serious bang for your buck.
Las Vegas is notoriously expensive, with its iconic Strip serving as the backdrop, towering mega resorts lining the vibrant streets and the catalogue of luxury casinos that buzz with excitement. Not to mention all the extras of America’s playground, thanks to its around-the-clock nightlife, remarkable entertainment venues, famed attractions and celebrity restaurants.
Yet, among its dazzling scenes, there’s a lot more to Las Vegas than first meets the eye, with bucket-list encounters and remarkable experiences that don’t break the bank, and where you’d only ever appreciate in the Nevadan. My initial encounter with Las Vegas’ sheer magnitude came as I checked into the five-star Vdara Hotel & Spa, situated in the heart of the city and boasting 1,400 suites. My room ($131 per night + tax) was just as impressive as its towering scale, with a kitchenette, a generous living area, two TVs, and a stylish bathroom complete with a freestanding bath and a cosy cloud-like bed that helped keep jet lag at bay. Its panoramic windows, stretching across the width of the suite, were a highlight, allowing me to admire the iconic Strip, day or night, against its mountainous desert backdrop.
For two nights, I stayed at the luxurious Resorts World Las Vegas, comprising over 3,500 rooms across three of Hilton’s brands, Hilton, Crockfords, and Conrad. I checked into a sprawling room at the latter ($184 per night) with a sleek bathroom that had an enormous rainfall shower and carefully curated furnishings, including a king-sized bed, that felt like a home away from home. While it’s farther from the Strip, I was still able to marvel at the dazzling city skyline and enjoy a quieter night’s rest. It’s easy to spend time wandering the vibrant streets of the Vegas Strip, soaking up the lively ambience and themed establishments that transported me to Paris, New York, and Disneyland. But beyond the glitz, I explored the desert surrounding the city on a guided hiking tour through the Valley of Fire with Love Hikes ($129 per person).
I was instantly awestruck by the dramatic orange rock formations, miles of golden floor and towering valleys that made up this striking landscape. It felt as if I was walking through a Hollywood film set in the state park, a far cry from the casinos, but just a few hours’ drive away.
In Las Vegas, it’s not all casinos and Adele residencies. In the Arts District, you’ll find colourful graffiti adorning the streets, which are lined with antique shops, art galleries, coffee joints, and eateries, including the mouthwatering Good Pie, where I devoured a Detroit-style pepperoni pizza. For a reality-altering experience, head to Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart at Area15, a fun immersive gallery filled with quirky art installations, including a surreal supermarket. The store is stocked with unusual products, from butter-freshening spray and tattooed toy chickens to egg carton sliders. Open the right hidden fridge door and you’ll find yoursef led to otherworldly realms… Vegas is also brimming with history. At the Mob Museum (from $34.95pp), the rich stories of organised crime and law enforcement in the area are explored, while at The Neon Museum (from $25pp), you’ll have to squint to take in the splendour of old casino and business signs.
As expected, the nightlife was extraordinary. Music seeped from buzzing bars, including at Ole Red, where I listened to a live country band before admiring the Strip from their rooftop terrace.
On another night, I attended THE PARTY at Superfrico in The Cosmopolitan ($150), where I watched an intimate, immersive cabaret-style show featuring skilled circus performers from Spiegelworld and hosted by Laurie Hagen. It was a fun-packed evening like no other, where I was also treated to a three-course Italian-American meal and a welcome drink, all included in the price. It’s easy to find somewhere to grab an affordable cocktail, including during happy hour at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, but Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas was by far my favourite spot. The pedestrian-only area blew me away as I gazed at the 1,500-foot LED ceiling screen, which displayed their renowned Viva Vision Light Show, and wandered around listening to free live music from three different stages.
It’s known as ‘Old Vegas’ for its high-energy party atmosphere and affordable drinks, which is loved by Brits and Aussies – and it’s easy to see why. Another highlight was taking a ride on the iconic High Roller at The LINQ during their happy half hour ($60), which offered breathtaking views across Vegas and its never-ending array of dazzling lights, along with unlimited drinks. But its nightlife doesn’t just revolve around partying into the early hours. One evening, I took to the sky during a Maverick Helicopter ride ($139pp), gliding over the glistening Vegas Strip with incredible views of the notable Sphere, Caesars Palace and The STRAT. It was unbelievable and definitely a bucket-list experience.
Another moment that left me speechless was witnessing the world-renowned Fountains of Bellagio. I was mesmerised by the free fountain show, set to music, that soared up to 460 feet and across the 8.5-acre lake in front of the Bellagio resort.
Inside the five-star Bellagio, which sits centre stage along the Strip, is the famous Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. This is a free attraction open to everyone, beautifully designed and decorated with a different theme five times a year.
I visited during its Lunar New Year, with hundreds of fresh flowers, trickling water features, various sculptures suspended in the air and colourful lanterns. The Bellagio resort is also home to one of the world’s biggest chocolate fountains. The food scene in Vegas was nothing short of perfection, as I was treated to an array of flavours from Japan and Mexico. One of the highlights was eating at celebrity chef Roy Choi’s Best Friend bar and restaurant. It was a shop-style bar with a main restaurant where I sampled sharing-style dishes of tacos, BBQ, shrimp, and Korean wings.
I also dined with locals at Tacos El Gordo, where I had pork, beef, and chicken folded tortillas (from $4 each) before devouring a mouthwatering tasting menu of Italian dishes at LAGO by Julian Serrano. Elsewhere, I sampled a selection of innovative Japanese dishes at Kusa Nori, from sushi, seafood, sashimi, nigiri and robata meats – it was nothing short of showstopping, with smoking plates and melting slices of tuna. On the last night, I sat down for a sensational meal at High Steaks, with oysters, crab, a melt-in-the-mouth filet mignon, and their signature Tomahawk.
After a thrilling five days and experiences I’ll never forget, I can only describe Las Vegas as wild! It blew me away with its atmosphere that captivates you the moment you touch down in the Nevada city.
I found that you can absolutely make it affordable, pop $20 in the slot machines without a win, and still have the most unbelievable time in Sin City. Take advantage of the happy hours, wander around the city of lights, watch a show with dinner, and explore the desert – there’s no need to miss out on experiences or its vibrant nightlife this city has to offer. The party really is wherever you want it to go.
Book it
Resorts World hotels has three hotels in Las Vegas:
A standard Studio King room in Vrada costs $131/night + tax. Return flights from London Heathrow to Las Vegas cost from £423 with Virgin Atlantic. Visit the Las Vegas website for more information.
Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
MILAN — Brock Nelson might be making his Olympics debut, but he has a rich family history when it comes to playing hockey for Team USA.
His grandfather was a forward on the team that won gold in 1960. His uncle was a forward on the “Miracle on Ice” team in 1980.
And Thursday night, Nelson made a mark of his own. The Colorado Avalanche forward scored two goals to lead the U.S. to a 5-1 victory over Latvia in an opening game that included some of the best American NHL players.
“It’s pretty crazy,” said Nelson, 34, considered the old man on a team filled with some of the game’s brightest young stars. “It’s just an unbelievable experience. I’m trying to soak it all in.”
The Americans had to show resilience after two of their goals were wiped out in the first period by successful challenges. It’s rare to have two such reversals in a game, exceedingly rare to have two in the same period.
“Yeah, that was frustrating,” said defenseman Zach Werenski, who plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets. “But at the same time, you’re still getting the goals even though they got overturned. You’re doing the work to put the puck in the net, and I think that helps your confidence a little bit. After they get overturned, you’ve just got to put it out of your mind and continue to play the same way.”
Latvia was competitive early, forging a 1-1 tie in the first period, but eventually fell prey to a U.S. barrage. The Americans outshot them, 38-18, and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck needed to make only 17 saves.
Brothers Brady Tkachuk, left, and Matthew Tkachuk after the U.S. scored the first goal of the game against Latvia.
(Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)
“It was just 1-1 but there was never any panic,” said forward Matthew Tkachuk, the Florida Panthers winger. “From the second period on, we just wanted to make sure someone was at the net at all times. They were playing pretty tight, but with the skill and puck possession and strength that we have, we knew we were going to win some battles.”
Nelson, who said he takes a ribbing from his young teammates for his graying hair, has a rich family history when it comes to Olympic hockey. His grandfather, Bill Christian, won gold at the Games in Squaw Valley — now called Olympic Valley — and his uncle, Dave Christian, was on that championship team in Lake Placid.
“My brother came in today,” said Nelson, raised in Minneapolis. “He brought me a couple pins from back home, from ‘Hockeytown,’ and a couple letters from the youth team. They’ve always been supportive of me, going back to growing up there. I’m forever grateful for that.”
The U.S. team features brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, and Quinn and Jack Hughes — all NHL players. It has been 12 years since NHL players last took the Olympic stage.
“To make this roster is extremely difficult when you look at the amount of talent that the United States has developed and can play at this level,” said coach Mike Sullivan, who doubles as coach of the New York Rangers.
The fans were fairly evenly divided, with every “U-S-A” chant countered with one for “LAT-VI-A.”
“It was great to see the flags, the chants, and just the support that you have here,” said U.S. forward Brady Tkachuk, who was raised in a suburb of St. Louis and plays for the Ottawa Senators. “I’m just kind of a little example of the support you have back at home. So you’re playing in front of millions of millions of Americans, and you just want to represent them well, and it’s always an honor to put this jersey on.”
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has said he regrets maintaining a relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after the latter’s 2008 conviction for procuring a child for prostitution, as the reverberations from millions of files released pile up.
In an interview with Israel’s Channel 12 on Thursday, Barak gave his first comments on his relationship with Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019, since the United States Department of Justice released a massive tranche of files relating to the late financier.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Barak, who led Israel from 1999 to 2001, expressed remorse over his lengthy relationship with Epstein, saying he regretted the moment he met the financier, to whom he was introduced by former Israeli President Shimon Peres at a large event in Washington in 2003, Peres referring to Epstein as a “good Jew”.
“I am responsible for all my actions and decisions. There is room to question whether I should have investigated more thoroughly. I regret not doing so,” said Barak.
But, despite Epstein having been convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008 and spending about a year in prison during the course of their relationship, Barak claimed he was unaware of the scope of Epstein’s crimes until a wider probe into him was opened in 2019.
“I did not know the manner of his crimes until 2019, and you probably didn’t know it either,” he said, according to Israeli media reports, claiming that in the 15 years he knew Epstein, he “never saw any unreasonable occurrence, or any unreasonable behaviour”.
Visits to home, island
Barak did not deny his contacts with Epstein after his 2008 conviction, which included staying, along with his wife, at the financier’s Manhattan home on multiple occasions between 2015 and 2019, as well as exchanging emails and meeting him in person.
He also acknowledged visiting Epstein’s notorious island in the US Virgin Islands, Little Saint James, where parties involving sex trafficking victims are said to have taken place.
He said it was a single visit, for three hours in broad daylight, accompanied by his wife and three guards, and that he saw nothing there except Epstein and some workers.
Barak sought to deflect his continued business and social contacts with Epstein after his 2008 conviction by saying that during that period, the financier was widely treated as someone who had “paid his debt to society” and been readmitted to public life.
It was not until the reopening of the investigation into him in 2019, which revealed the scale and severity of his actions, that his influential associates severed their ties with him, he said.
Epstein killed himself in prison that year while facing charges of sex trafficking underage girls.
The ties between the disgraced Epstein and Israel have come into sharp focus after the release of millions of documents.
The documents have revealed more details of Epstein’s interactions with members of the global elite, including Barak. But they also document his funding of Israeli groups, including Friends of the IDF (Israeli army), and the settler organisation the Jewish National Fund, as well as his ties to members of Israel’s overseas intelligence services, the Mossad.
During the interview, Barak was also asked about comments he had made in one recently unclassified recording with Epstein about Israel offsetting Palestinian population growth by absorbing one million Russian-speaking immigrants.
In the audio, the former Israeli leader also appeared to disparage Sephardi Jews from the Middle East and North Africa.
He said that in the past, Israel did what it could by taking Jews “from North Africa, from the Arabs, from whatever”, but added that the country could now “control the quality” of the population “much more effectively than our ancestors”.
“We can easily absorb another million. I used to tell [Russian President Vladimir] Putin always, what we need is just one more million,” he says in the audio, released by the US Department of Justice last month.
Such an immigration wave would mean “many young, beautiful girls would come, tall and slim”, from Russia to Israel, he says in the recording.
Addressing his comments, Barak said he was “not proud of that choice of words, but I did not say that to Putin”.
He denied that his remarks were racist, saying they were a conversation about the demographic challenge Israel faced from its growing Arab population.
Questions swirl over Norwegian diplomat
Barak claimed that while further documents may emerge from the released files detailing his ties to Epstein, none would reveal inappropriate conduct.
The release of the files, compiled by investigators looking into Epstein’s activities, have further revealed his links to a sprawling, global network of powerful contacts.
Among those involved is Terje Rod-Larsen, the Norwegian diplomat who was a key architect of the 1993 Oslo Accords, who is facing a storm of corruption and blackmail allegations after files revealed he was deeply embedded in Epstein’s inner circle.
Norwegian media investigations have exposed a relationship involving illicit loans, visa fraud for sex-trafficked women, and a beneficiary clause for his children in Epstein’s will worth millions of dollars, raising questions about whether Oslo’s foundational agreements of the two-state solution were brokered by a mediator vulnerable to elite blackmail and foreign intelligence pressure.
Gezani is forecast to return to cyclone status when it strikes southern Mozambique on Friday evening.
Nearly 40 people have been killed and more than 12,000 others displaced after Cyclone Gezani slammed into Madagascar’s second-largest city earlier this week, as Mozambique braced for the storm’s arrival.
Updating its tolls as assessments progressed, Madagascar’s National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) said on Thursday it had recorded 38 deaths, while six people remained missing and at least 374 were injured.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Gezani made landfall on Tuesday at the Indian Ocean island nation Madagascar’s eastern coastal city, Toamasina, bringing winds that reached 250km/h (155mph).
Madagascar’s new leader, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, has declared a national disaster and called for “international solidarity”, saying the cyclone had “ravaged up to 75 percent of Toamasina and surrounds”.
Images from the AFP news agency showed the battered city of 500,000 people littered with trees felled by strong winds and roofs blown off buildings.
Residents dug through piles of debris, planks and corrugated metal to repair their makeshift homes.
More than 18,000 homes were destroyed in the cyclone, according to the BNGRC, with at least 50,000 damaged or flooded. Authorities say many of the deaths were caused by building collapses, as many give inadequate shelter from strong storms.
The main road linking the city to the capital, Antananarivo, was cut off in several places, “blocking humanitarian convoys”, it said, while telecommunications were unstable.
The storm also caused major destruction in the Atsinanana region surrounding Toamasina, the disaster authority said, adding that assessments were still under way.
France announced the dispatch of food aid and rescue teams from its Reunion Island, about 1,000km (600 miles) away.
Thousands of people had been forced to leave their homes, said the United Nations’s International Organization for Migration (IOM), describing “widespread destruction and disruption”.
The cyclone’s landfall was likely one of the strongest recorded in the region during the satellite era, rivalling Geralda in February 1994, it said. That storm killed at least 200 people and affected half a million more.
Gezani weakened after landfall but continued to sweep across the island as a tropical storm until late on Wednesday.
It was forecast to return to cyclone status as it reaches the Mozambique Channel, according to the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre La Reunion (CMRS), and could from Friday evening strike southern Mozambique.
Mozambican authorities issued warnings on Thursday about the approaching storm, saying it could cause violent winds and rough seas of 10-metre waves and urging people to leave the area of expected impact.
Both Madagascar and Mozambique are vulnerable to destructive storms that blow in off the Indian Ocean. Just last month, the northwestern part of Madagascar was hit by Cyclone Fytia, killing at least 14 people.
Mozambique has already faced devastating flooding from seasonal rainfall, with nearly 140 lives lost since October 1, according to the country’s National Disasters Management Institute.
