A WHOLE load of UK holiday parks will be cheaper this summer thanks to the new Government initiative.
From today until September 1, there will be the Great British Summer Savings tax cut across UK attractions.
In addition to days out and meals, holiday parks will also be cheaper this summer.
The scheme means there will be between a five and 20 per cent tax cut on days out across the UK .
All 39 Haven holiday parks will be participating in the scheme, as well as three Butlin’s resorts.
For Haven, it doesn’t matter whether you have already booked a holiday or book it in the coming weeks – you will still make savings.
Read more on travel inspo
Across the parks, kids’ meals will be cheaper and those who purchase a Play Pass as a part of their booking will also get a £7.50 voucher per child which can be use for any of the activities at Haven’s parks.
Simon Palethorpe, CEO of Haven, said: “Summer is a time for making memories, and that’s why we’re giving back up to £5 million to our guests and owners as part of the Government’s Great British Summer Savings initiative.
“We know household budgets remain under pressure, and we want to help our holidaymakers enjoy more of what matters – whether that’s a hole-in-one on the Crazy Golf, a leap of faith off The Jump tower or another shot to hit the bullseye in the Archery.”
In the summer holidays you could head to Haggerston Castle between August 24 and 28 for £435, working out at £27.19 per person per night, based on a family of four.
The holiday park is located near Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland and is on a historic estate.
At the park you can head to a large indoor swimming pool with its own waterslide, or outside try out Aerial Adventure.
There’s also a Wetherspoons onsite for cheap tipples.
If you want to head away sooner than this, you could visit Haven Caister-on-Sea Holiday Park, which is Britain’s oldest holiday park.
Not too far from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, the holiday park has direct access to the beach.
You can also head to the family activity hub onsite with off-road 4×4 mini karts.
There’s also both indoor and outdoor pools.
A four-night stay between July 6 and 10 costs from £169 – which equals just £10.57 per person, based on a family of four.
Butlin’s Minehead, Skegness and Bognor Regis will also participate in the scheme.
A Butlin’s spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to support the Great British Summer Savings initiative by passing on the temporary VAT reduction where eligible.
“Families visiting our resorts will enjoy savings on Day Visits and children’s meals across a range of our dining venues during the campaign period.”
Away Resorts has also confirmed to Sun Travel that it will be participating in the scheme – all children’s food at Away Resorts will be reduced, even including kids eat for £1 for now less than £1.
The resorts are also discounting show tickets.
Away Resorts still has lots of availability for the coming weeks as well as the summer holidays.
For example, you could stay at Tattershall Lakes in the Lincolnshire countryside.
The holiday park has both indoor and outdoor pools and is a great place to cool down in the head as you can head paddleboarding or jet skiing.
There’s also adventure golf, a high ropes course, zip-lining and even axe throwing.
A three-night stay between July 3 and 6 costs from £291 – which works out at £24.25 per person per night, based on a family of four.
Alternatively, if you wanted a holiday park break during the school summer holidays, you could head to Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire.
The holiday park is surrounded by forest and rolling hills and even has hot tubs.
As for things to do at the site, you can hire bikes and head off on a cycle.
And nearby, you could try out a round of golf at Worksop Golf Club & Clumber Park Lodges.
A three-night stay between August 13 and 16 costs from £420 – which works out at £35 per person per night, based on a family of four.
Center Parcs told Sun Travel: “While we welcome measures to support the hospitality and leisure sector, the majority of the VAT reductions announced are targeted at day attractions and therefore don’t apply to us here at Center Parcs.
“However, throughout the summer we have introduced our ‘Kids eat for £2’ promotion across our village restaurants during the summer holidays, which provides an even greater saving for guests.”
Over the period, Park Holidays are reducing their kids’ menus cost from £7.95 to £7.45.
Parkdean Resorts declined to comment.
Families will also be able to save money on children’s meals, cinema tickets, theatre shows, soft play centres, theme parks, museums and zoos.
There will also be free bus travel for children in England across August.
Sun Travel has contacted Park Holidays UK and Bluestone National Park Resort to see if they are participating.
Prices correct at the time of publication.
A LONDON museum filled with vintage tube carriages, trains and buses is getting a multi-million makeover.
The London Transport Museum opened almost 50 years ago and will be getting an extensive facelift and will be getting additional exhibition space too.
Designs have been revealed for the Covent Garden attraction showing off its new and colourful entranceway.
It will also get an extra 500 square metres of space for galleries, and there will be environmental upgrades too.
The attraction that’s found inside a Victorian flower market will remain open throughout the works, so visitors won’t miss out.
Inside is a huge collection of historic vehicles, including buses, trains, and early tube carriages.
There are also exhibits on the 200 year history of London’s public transport, like original maps and posters.
The London Transport Museum also organises trips for the public down to the abandoned stations of Aldwych and Down Street.
The attraction is next to Covent Garden market and last year welcomed 450,000 visitors.
The entire project is predicted to cost £26million and is set to be complete before 2030.
Elizabeth McKay, LTM’s director and CEO told the Museum Association: “The capital project is £26m, but the good news is we are more than halfway there.”
Funders for the £26m project include Transport for London (TfL) and Arts Council England.
London Transport Museum Friends charity, is donating £300,000 between now and 2030 to support the redevelopment.
TfL commissioner Andy Lord said: “For more than 200 years, London’s public transport has shaped the capital and improved people’s lives in so many ways, from the world’s first underground railway to the iconic red bus, Oyster card and the Elizabeth line.
“I’m thrilled to support the new plans that showcase our transport heritage and the future of transport in the heart of Covent Garden.”
Visitors need an Annual Pass and a timed entry ticket to visit London Transport Museum in Covent Garden – these start from £22.50.
pabradyphoto
The Kansas City Composite Index came in at 11, compared to 8 in May, according to data from the district Federal Reserve bank released on Thursday.
The Manufacturing Index stood at 19, compared to 9 prior.
Developing… Check back for updates.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration may end the Temporary Protected Status granted to more than 350,000 Haitians and Syrians whose home countries remain unsafe.
In a 6-3 decision, the court’s conservative majority said Congress gave the administration, not judges, the power to cancel or renew this temporary protection for non-citizens who are living and working here.
In a second win Thursday for the Trump administration, the court also upheld the administration’s policy of blocking asylum seekers at the southern border.
By the same 6-3 vote, the court said migrants do not have a right to apply for asylum if they are not already in the United States.
The decision on Temporary Protected Status could affect up to 1.3 million non-citizens who are in the country.
In 1990, Congress authorized this emergency humanitarian relief for non-citizens whose home countries were wracked by armed conflict, natural disasters or other extraordinary disruptions.
Under the law, the Department of Homeland Security may grant this protection for 6, 12 or 18 months and either renew or extend it for a similar period.
But this legal authority has been under dispute since Trump returned to the White House last year and targeted the 1.3 million people with TPS from 17 countries who were living in the United States.
Trump’s lawyers said the law made clear there was “no judicial review” of the government’s decision to cancel the grant of temporary protection.
However, immigrant rights lawyers argued the government failed in its duty to consult the State Department and assess whether it was safe for migrants to return home.
Repeatedly, U.S. district judges agreed with the challengers and ruled the administration’s decisions were “arbitrary” and unreasonable. But in nearly every case, the Supreme Court granted emergency appeals from the administration and set aside those orders.
Since TPS was created, the government has ended the protected designation for citizens of 18 countries.
DHS under then-Secretary Kristi Noem ended TPS for Honduras, Nicaragua, Afghanistan and Venezuela. A spokesperson for the agency previously said the Haiti designation became “a de facto amnesty program” and that allowing Syrians to remain is contrary to national interest.
Advocates for the immigrants argue that the administration failed to conduct the required process to properly evaluate each country’s conditions and instead acted on political grounds driven by racial animus.
State Department travel advisories for both countries warn people against traveling to either because of the risk of terrorism, kidnapping and widespread violence. But Federal Register notices announcing the terminations said country conditions had improved enough.
Recently released internal documents show that DHS decided to terminate protections for Haitians without any input from the State Department.
Citing the documents, which were obtained by the National TPS Alliance in a separate lawsuit, lawyers for the Haitians asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the case and send it back to lower courts. They argued that the justices should first consider the communications before issuing a decision.
Internal emails show that homeland security officials sought a recommendation from the State Department in May 2025, ahead of Noem’s early June deadline on whether to extend protections for Haiti. But by the time Noem signed what appears to be a final decision memo, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services had not received input from the State Department, the emails show.
“State recommendation for Haiti TPS has not come in despite of many outreach,” a homeland security deputy assistant secretary wrote in a June 2, 2025, email. A recommendation “would be helpful to have,” the person added.
Eleven days later, a USCIS project manager wrote in an email that Noem “recently elected to terminate Haiti without country conditions from DOS.”
USCIS initially recommended automatically extending protections before Homeland Security decided to terminate them, earlier versions of the memo indicate.
The June decision was blocked by a federal judge. In November, DHS issued another notice terminating TPS protections for Haitians.
That time, according a previously publicized email, a homeland security senior counselor asked a State Department official for the agency’s views on the country conditions in Haiti. The official, Spencer Chretien, didn’t address the country conditions but responded that “there would be no foreign policy concerns.”
Lawyers for the Haitians argued that response didn’t meet the legal standard for a sufficient consultation, though the Trump administration disagreed.
Those of you who read the Dodgers Dugout newsletter know that for the last few years, we have done a Dodgers Dugout Hall of Fame, asking readers to vote for former Dodgers whom they believe should be in this more fan-oriented Hall of Fame. Clayton Kershaw was the most recent inductee.
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Which got me thinking (always a dangerous thing), what if we had a Sports Report Hall of Fame, as selected by the readers, of people who made a huge impact on the local sports scene?
This week, the category is the other sports, mainly MLS and WNBA. Is it a perfect category? No, and there will probably be a separate category for soccer next year, with the Sparks moving over to a pro basketball category. You can vote for up to five people. You don’t have to vote for five, you can vote for any number up to and including five. Your vote should depend on what the person did on and off the field only as a member of their local team. The rest of their career doesn’t count.
If there’s a name not on here that you think should be, please send me an email so that person can be included in next year’s ballot.
Any records mentioned are at the time that person retired.
Whoever is named on at least 75% of the ballots will be elected. The three people receiving the fewest votes will be dropped from future ballots for at least the next two years. A person must be retired as a player to appear on the ballot.
How do you vote? For this week’s ballot, click here. Results will be announced every Tuesday.
So, without further ado, here is the ballot for the other sports/colleges category.
David Beckham—Six-year tenure with the Galaxy (2007–2012) revolutionized American soccer. Arriving as the league’s first Designated Player, Beckham’s tenure ultimately yielded two consecutive MLS Cup titles in 2011 and 2012 before he departed for Paris Saint-Germain.
George Best—Best joined soccer’s L.A. Aztecs in 1976 after a stellar career with Manchester United. He scored 15 goals in 24 appearances in his first season, but declined after that.
Mauricio Cienfuegos—Playmaker for the Galaxy from 1996 to 2003, making 206 regular-season appearances, scoring 35 goals and 80 assists. Helped the club win the 2002 MLS Cup, the 2001 U.S. Open Cup, and the 2000 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Johann Cruyff—Joined the Aztecs for just one season in 1979, but scored 13 goals in 25 games and won the most valuable player award.
Landon Donovan—Had a highly decorated career with the Galaxy, making 247 appearances, scoring 112 goals and leading the team to four MLS Cups.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic—played for the Galaxy and in just 58 appearances, he dominated the league, scoring 53 goals and 15 assists. His was named MLS newcomer of the year and had a record-breaking 31-goal season.
Cobi Jones—Spent his entire 12-season Major League Soccer career with the Galaxy. Midfielder made 306 regular-season appearances, scored 70 goals, and provided 91 assists, helping the club secure two MLS Cups and two U.S. Open Cups.
Robbie Keane—Scored 104 goals in 165 matches with the Galaxy and was a key member behind the early 2010s dynasty, earning the 2014 MLS MVP award.
Lisa Leslie—The best player in Sparks history. A three-time WNBA MVP, two-time Finals MVP, and eight-time First Team All-WNBA selection. She led the team to championships in 2001 and 2002.
Mwadi Mabika—Fifth in points scored in Sparks history and a key member of the 2001 and 2002 titles teams.
DeLisha Milton-Jones—A forward who played a major role on the Sparks’ 2001 and 2002 championship teams. Known for her clutch play and is fourth all-time in points scored in team history.
Candace Parker—Drafted first overall by the Sparks in 2008, Parker won the rookie of the year and MVP awards in her debut season. One of the best players in WNBA history, she was the Finals MVP during the Sparks’ 2016 championship run.
Laffit Pincay Jr.—Winningest jockey in Santa Anita history.
Bill Shoemaker—One of the best jockeys in Santa Anita history.
Carlos Vela—LAFC’s first-ever Designated Player. In 2019, he scored a record-breaking 34 goals to lead the Black & Gold to the Supporters’ Shield and was named the MLS MVP. Captained LAFC to its first MLS Cup title in 2022. Retired as the team’s all-time leader in matches played (152), goals (78) and assists (59).
You can vote here. You can vote for up to five people.
Voting is still open in these categories:
To vote in the other colleges ballot, click here.
To vote in the USC ballot, click here.
To vote in the NHL ballot, click here.
The inductees so far:
MLB
Don Drysdale
Clayton Kershaw
Sandy Koufax
Vin Scully
Fernando Valenzuela
NBA
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Elgin Baylor
Kobe Bryant
Chick Hearn
Magic Johnson
Jerry West
NFL
Eric Dickerson
Deacon Jones
Merlin Olsen
UCLA
Lew Alcindor
Arthur Ashe
Ann Meyers
Jackie Robinson
Bill Walton
John Wooden
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned commercial vessels to only use routes through the Strait of Hormuz approved by Tehran, reopening a point of friction in fragile negotiations between the United States and Iran over the future of the strategic waterway.
The warning came after Oman announced a new shipping transit route through the strait on Wednesday, saying it had coordinated the route with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as maritime traffic slowly resumes following weeks of disruption.
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The dispute remains one of the unresolved issues after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by the United States and Iran last week, which largely halted hostilities in the four-month US-Israel war on Iran and which launched a 60-day negotiation process aimed at reaching a broader peace agreement.
The MoU, which includes the reopening of the strait, followed months of severe disruption to shipping after Iran effectively closed it, and the US imposed a corresponding naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Both Washington and Tehran have declared the strait open to commercial shipping, but questions remain over whether Iran will seek greater control over vessel movements, whether it will impose transit or service fees on ships using the strait following the 60-day negotiating period, and whether disagreements over the waterway could derail efforts to reach a permanent agreement altogether.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically significant waterways, with around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies normally being shipped through the narrow passage linking the Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
Bordered by Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the south, the strait is only about 50km (31 miles) wide at its entrance and exit, narrowing to about 33km (21 miles) at its tightest point. Despite its width, it is deep enough to accommodate the world’s largest oil tankers.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, about 20 million barrels of oil and petroleum products transited the strait each day in 2025, representing hundreds of billions of dollars in annual energy trade.
The route is used not only by Iran but also by Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It is also vital for global fertiliser exports, with roughly one-third of international fertiliser trade normally passing through the strait.
Because disruptions to shipping there rapidly push up global energy prices and destabilise US markets, control of the waterway has become one of Iran’s strongest sources of strategic leverage in its conflict with the US.
The IRGC says Oman and the IMO announced the new shipping corridor without consulting Tehran. “Certain authorities have announced a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz without prior notification to or coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The proposed route is unacceptable and poses serious safety risks,” the force said.
“The only authorised transit routes through the Strait of Hormuz are those designated by the Islamic Republic of Iran,” it said, adding that ships must maintain contact with the IRGC Navy while transiting the waterway.
Iran first issued its own map of acceptable routes through the strait in April, showing that ships should pass much closer to the Iranian coast than they had previously.
The IRGC’s warning came after a Liberian oil tanker passed through the strait on Thursday using a route much closer to Oman’s coastline.
Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, said the IRGC appeared frustrated because the Omani route partially bypasses Iran’s direct control over shipping.
“The control of the Strait of Hormuz has been a huge leverage for Iran to put pressure on its adversaries and the global economy since the beginning of the war,” Serdar said.
Oman defended the corridor route it had announced, saying it was intended to restore safe navigation while complying with international law. Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said Oman remained committed to ensuring freedom of navigation through the waterway and stressed that “future arrangements related to the strait do not involve imposing any transit fees”.
In the MoU signed last week, Iran agreed that it would “make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge, for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa”.
While the agreement states that “the traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start”, it also acknowledges that demining operations will be required before normal shipping routes can fully resume, stating that “demining by the Islamic Republic of Iran will be instated within 30 days”. It also provides for discussions between Iran, Oman and other Gulf states on future arrangements for managing the waterway.
However, the memorandum does not specify what will happen after the initial 60-day period. Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, said the temporary rerouting of vessels had always been expected because of the mine-clearing operations outlined in the agreement.
“We always knew that if there was a deal, there would be several weeks of mine-clearing operations in the international shipping lane running through the middle of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
“During that period, vessels would have to transit through Iranian and Omani territorial waters instead.”
However, Vaez said the latest announcement by Iran was unexpected. “The important thing now is that the Iranians do not start taking fees or other tolls,” he said, “because that is not provided for in the memorandum of understanding.”
Asked whether the IRGC’s position differed from that of Iran’s government, Vaez said: “There is no distinction between the IRGC and the state. They are effectively one and the same. The IRGC is calling the shots.”
International law generally protects the right of transit through international straits, including Hormuz, making it difficult for coastal states to impose unilateral transit fees on vessels simply passing through international shipping lanes, even where they are within territorial waters.
Last week, Iran announced it would waive planned fees through the strait for 60 days while talks with the US continue in Switzerland, suggesting charges may be introduced once the negotiating period expires.
Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has signalled that Tehran views the post-war arrangement as fundamentally different from the status quo that existed before the conflict.
“Hormuz will never return” to its prewar status, Ghalibaf said.
The suggestion that Iran could charge fees was dismissed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week. Speaking at the start of a regional tour in the United Arab Emirates, he said: “It’s an international waterway. No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway.”
Rubio added that he believed “all the countries in this region would agree”.
Speaking in Manama, Bahrain, after meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – a bloc comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – on Thursday, Rubio also told reporters: “Iranians are saying one thing, but then something else is actually happening.
“It’s now obvious to us that … the Iranian system is going to produce all sorts of maximalist rhetoric. What we’re interested in is not their press conferences. What we’re interested in is whether or not ships are moving. If ships are moving as they should be moving, then that’s what we’re going to judge.
“If, on the other hand, this rhetoric is backed up by actual ships being threatened and ships are not moving, then that’s a violation of the agreement, and we’re going to have a problem with it.”
Rubio claimed there is no regional support for Iranian transit fees, saying, “There is zero support among Gulf countries for any sort of toll or fees charged for the use of international waters … that isn’t going to happen.”
His comments came after UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said that new “geopolitical facts” could not be imposed on the Arab Gulf states as a result of what he described as the “treacherous aggression against them”.
Some commercial shipping through the strait has resumed, although traffic remains well below normal levels. Before the conflict, between 120 and 140 vessels typically transited the strait each day.
According to shipping analytics company Kpler, confirmed crossings rose to 70 vessels on Wednesday as demining progressed and more operators began using the Omani route.
“The US-Iran MoU framework and apparent lifting of the US blockade appear to have supported a short-term confidence boost, although IRGC warnings against use of the Omani route could create a new source of contention,” Kpler reported.
The company added that incomplete demining, continued “dark” routing by some vessels – when ships limit or switch off their tracking transponders – and unresolved questions over inspections, sanctions and future governance meant shipping had not yet returned to prewar conditions.
This comes as oil prices drop to the lowest level since before the Iran war, with Brent crude, the global benchmark, falling to a low of $72.24 a barrel on Thursday. This remains above the prewar price of $66, however.
The chart below shows how shipping through the strait before the war compares to its status in recent weeks:
The future administration of the Strait of Hormuz is only one of several issues still to be resolved before negotiators hope to reach a comprehensive agreement within 60 days, with another major sticking point being Iran’s nuclear programme.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi has said the agreement explicitly provides for international monitoring of Iran’s nuclear activities.
However, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, has said inspectors’ access to nuclear sites damaged during the conflict will only be considered as part of a final agreement.
Questions also remain over the fate of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, the sequencing of sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets, while regional tensions continue to pose additional risks.
Israeli forces remain deployed in parts of southern Lebanon occupied during the conflict, according to a Lebanese military source, while Israeli strikes have continued, despite the MoU explicitly calling for “a permanent end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon”.
Vaez said visible progress would be essential if negotiations are to survive, noting, “Both sides have to see progress, whether that’s greater access for UN nuclear inspectors, sanctions relief, or resolving the issue of Iran’s uranium stockpile.”
He cautioned against viewing the interim agreement as a series of smaller deals. “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,” Vaez said.
“They [the Iranians] are determined to reach a comprehensive agreement within 60 days. That’s a very ambitious timetable, but there has to be visible momentum or the process risks falling apart.”
However, Vaez said both Washington and Tehran have strong economic incentives to bring about a lasting peace. “The situation in the Strait had become one of mutually assured economic destruction,” he said.
“The United States was facing rising energy and oil prices ahead of the midterm elections … At the same time, Iran was already in a deep economic hole before this conflict began. The war only made that worse.
“It became a lose-lose dynamic, and both sides needed a way out.”
The jury heard he had been expelled from school for disruptive behaviour and truancy hours before Aria’s death, and that his mother had taken away his phone as a punishment.
He said that without his phone, he was unable to call 999.
Aria was found face down on the floor of her home shortly after 18:00 GMT by Ollie Sheppard, who was temporarily lodging at the house.
Sheppard described the house as being “silent” and “very eerie” when he arrived. ”At first I thought she was messing around” he told the court, before he realised Aria’s school shirt was covered in blood.
Emergency services stopped trying to resuscitate the nine-year-old at 18:58.
Aria’s mother, Victoria Hull, said the last time she had seen her daughter alive she had been eating mini-pizzas in front of the TV in the living room.
“Aria seemed bubbly and happy because she had a good dance class,” Hull said.
The girl’s mother then headed out to work, where she was doing evening shifts to earn extra money for Christmas.
Hull said the last words which passed between them were “see you after work mummy”, to which she replied: “See you after work, love you.”
Many of us will be looking to get away this summer(Image: Daniel Crawford via Getty Images)
Plenty of us will be filling up our suitcases this summer ahead of a well-deserved holiday. Whether you’re a spontaneous booker or someone who organises trips months in advance, there’s always a thrill about heading to an airport.
Yet, not every journey runs as seamlessly as we’d hope. Data specialists at SEO Backlinks examined UK airport punctuality statistics for the first six months of 2025 and ranked airports according to the lowest proportion of flights departing on schedule.
The results serve as a useful reminder to factor in potential disruption when preparing to leave home.
Daniel Weston, spokesperson for SEO Backlinks, said: “Flight time and ticket price are usually the first things people compare, but punctuality can make a huge difference to the start of a holiday.
“If you are booking a tight connection, travelling with children or paying for airport parking by the hour, a lower on-time score can quickly become expensive and stressful.
“Passengers should check the latest airport and airline status before leaving home, keep screenshots of disruption notices, and know when they may be entitled to support or compensation if a delay is within the airline’s control.”
Manchester Airport is where British travellers are most likely to experience a departure that doesn’t stick to the timetable.
The airport ranked bottom of the table, with merely 71.5% of flights departing on time. That indicates 28.5%, or roughly one in four passengers, failed to leave within the punctuality standard.
Birmingham International came in as the second worst performer, with Stansted and Bournemouth joint third, both recording just 73.5% of flights departing on schedule.
While London airports didn’t monopolise the bottom 10, both Stansted and Gatwick featured in the rankings, highlighting that the problem isn’t confined to regional airports alone.
The top 10 UK airports most likely to delay your holiday are:
A Manchester Airport spokesperson told the Express: “This analysis of the Civil Aviation Authority’s data is misleading as it ignores important context – context which is directly referenced by the CAA in the notes accompanying the research and in the research itself. Punctuality is affected by factors that are outside of an airport’s control.
The two most significant factors contributing to delays in the last year have been industrial action affecting air traffic control in Europe, and the weather. These were exacerbated by airspace restrictions above conflict zones meaning airports with significant long-haul networks, like Manchester, were more significantly affected than others.
“As an industry we are working collectively to achieve the best possible on-time departure rates, while protecting flight schedules and avoiding the need for cancellations.”
A giant eight-metre dragon soared above the Tower of London to mark the launch of the third series of Game of Thrones spin-off House of the Dragon on HBO Max. An eight‑metre model of Syrax was brought to life using production scans from the hit show.
Built by German aeronautics firm Airstage, the dragon features 23 moving parts and moved using impellers built into its legs to create lifelike motion. The model weighs 13kg and took three months to build by a 14‑strong team using foam, carbon fibre and aluminium. The dragon was crafted from vacuum-formed Depron foam around a carbon fibre and aluminium frame.
The model was finished with detailed airbrushing for a lifelike look and took the team nearly 3,000 hours to complete.
A special evening reception following the flight was hosted by Harriet Rose and attended by stars of the show Kieran Bew, Tom Bennett, Clinton Liberty, who play Dragonseeds Hugh Hammer, Ulf White and Addam Of Hull, recruited as Dragon Riders by Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) in the series, and Abubakar Salim, who plays Alyn of Hull.
Nils Schlenther, chief operating officer at Airstage, said: “This is one of the most intricate flying models we have ever created.
“After months of R&D and complex construction, the team studied the movement of Syrax and underwent over seven test flights to ensure her flight was as close as what we see in the show as possible.
“We have been constantly refining and getting the motion as realistic as possible and so the crowd’s reaction was amazing to see as we know we got it right for the fans.”
The event celebrated the return of House of the Dragon after nearly a two-year wait.
The show is based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood and is set 200 years before the events of the hit show Game of Thrones, telling the story of House Targaryen.
The eight-episode season will air new episodes weekly on HBO Max, leading up to the season finale landing on screens Sunday 9th August.
Anna Kimber OBE, deputy governor of the Tower of London, said: “The Tower of London has stood at the heart of some of the most dramatic chapters in our history for nearly 1,000 years.
“While dragons may belong to the world of fantasy, the themes at the heart of House of the Dragon – power, ambition and the struggle for the throne – have strong echoes in the stories that played out within these walls.
“We’re delighted to welcome this spectacular stunt to the Tower, where history and fantasy will meet for an unforgettable moment.”
(Image: Eivaisla via Getty Images)
As the summer peak draws near, Brits travelling to Spain are facing a frustrating double blow.
Not only are there long border queues caused by the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), but data has uncovered a huge a dramatic surge in flight delays. New research from AirAdvisor shows that Spanish routes are currently the worst affected for UK travellers, with two popular holiday destinations experiencing a sharp decline in reliability compared to last year. Overall delay rates have more than doubled at Palma in Mallorca, leaping from 3.66% to 7.60%.
Meanwhile, at Alicante Elche airport, delays have nearly tripled, rocketing from 4.39% to 11.73%. This means approximately one in nine departures is running at least an hour late, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
For passengers stuck in the Alicante backlog, the average wait for an already-delayed flight stands at a punishing 124 minutes. This frequently pushes arrival times beyond the crucial three-hour threshold, automatically entitling passengers to claim UK261 compensation.
The travel disruption comes amid a sharp rise in short-haul cancellations across 18 European airports, predominantly affecting budget routes under pressure from climbing oil prices. However, airlines attempting to use market volatility as an excuse to avoid compensation payouts have just been firmly shut down.
The European Commission has made clear that fluctuations in fuel prices are a standard commercial risk, rather than an “extraordinary circumstance.” Should an airline cancel or delay a flight purely because operating costs have become too high, they remain fully liable for passenger compensation.
In a move that suggests a sharp battle to come with the administration of President-elect Donald Trump and upends conventional wisdom about who will emerge as the next generation of statewide elected officials, Gov. Jerry Brown picked House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles) on Thursday to be California’s next attorney general.
If confirmed by both houses of the Legislature, he will succeed Kamala Harris, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in November.
Becerra, 58, has served 12 terms in Congress. Just days before the appointment, he had announced a bid to become the ranking Democrat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.
“It’s a phenomenal opportunity,” Becerra said. “It means I get to be home a lot more.”
Few statewide offices are as powerful, or prominent, as that of attorney general. The role has often been referred to as the state’s top lawyer and its top law enforcement officer, a nod to the breadth of responsibilities vested in the office and its leadership of the California Department of Justice.
Attorneys general not only must pursue cases of criminal and civil wrongdoing, they oversee criminal forensic work for most counties and make the final choice about defending state laws — even crafting the language that summarizes ballot measures for voters.
Becerra was beaming during an interview in his House office Thursday morning shortly after Brown offered him the job.
“I’m still processing,” Becerra said with a laugh. “I didn’t expect it.”
Becerra would be the state’s first Latino attorney general. The son of Mexican immigrants, he was the first member of his family to attend college, earning a law degree from Stanford Law School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Stanford University. Elected to a two-year term in the state Assembly and then to the House in 1992, he rose through the ranks to become the highest-ranking Latino in Congress.
Becerra worked in the civil division of the state attorney general’s office, writing advisory opinions for former Gov. George Deukmejian, a Republican, and defending the state’s constitutional officers from 1987 to 1990 before entering the Assembly. He said he had always wanted to return to the office.
“It was a great place to be,” he said.
Brown’s pick was so sudden that Becerra has not yet had time to reactivate his state law license, though he would not be the first attorney general to have to do so. Inactive status allows attorneys to hold on to their licenses when they are not actively practicing law.
Becerra would also be the first attorney general appointed by a governor since Thomas Lynch, who was chosen by former Gov. Pat Brown in 1964. Few political appointments are likely to be as personal to the current governor as this one, given his own four-year stint as attorney general starting in 2006 and the fact that his father used the office as a steppingstone to governor more than five decades ago.
“Xavier has been an outstanding public servant — in the state Legislature, the U.S. Congress and as a deputy attorney general,” Brown said in a statement. “I’m confident he will be a champion for all Californians and help our state aggressively combat climate change.”
The choice sent political shock waves through California, in large part because Becerra was not on any of the widely circulated lists of potential picks. Brown had offered no details on whom he would pick or when.
Many suspected that he might choose a caretaker, perhaps even a career staffer who would simply carry out the office’s functions through the 2018 election. Virtually no Democrats who heard the news on Thursday believed that Becerra would be that kind of officeholder.
“He has the smarts, political experience and ambitions to run and win reelection,” said state Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda), a former top political adviser to Brown.
If Becerra serves less than two years of Harris’ existing term, he could be eligible to run for up to two additional terms — eight years — as attorney general. Harris has said she plans to hold the position until she is sworn in to the Senate on Jan. 3, and at that point Brown could officially nominate Becerra.
Becerra said Thursday he’s thinking about the confirmation process at this point and not whether he’ll run for a full term as attorney general or another office in 2018. He must be confirmed by the state Senate and Assembly, both controlled by Democrats. Becerra said he hasn’t been told when a confirmation vote might happen.
Earlier, Becerra had flirted with a bid for U.S. Senate when Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) announced plans to retire, but Harris’ quick entry into the race kept him and other California Democrats from running.
Holding such a prominent statewide post would raise Becerra’s profile as the Golden State’s foil to Trump, potentially setting him up to run for governor or U.S. Senate in the future. The attorney general, by virtue of the office’s broad power, will likely be a key player alongside Brown in pushing back against Trump’s proposed efforts on issues important to California, including immigration and climate change. In Texas, a state that has its own experience fighting the federal government, attorneys general have been a major force in the battle over states’ rights.
“He has great tenacity and he respects the rights of all Californians — much-needed qualities for an attorney general given the troubling times ahead,” Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) said Thursday.
Several congressional colleagues echoed that sentiment.
“Many of the values that we stand by in California will be under attack in the next few years, and Chairman Becerra is the fighter I want in our corner,” Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-Los Angeles) said in a statement.
Becerra said that with Trump headed to the White House, he’s prepared to protect California’s progressive policies on immigration, the Affordable Care Act, energy and criminal justice. As California politicians embrace their roles in guarding the state against Trump’s policies, Becerra threw down his own gauntlet Thursday.
“If you want to take on a forward-leaning state that is prepared to defend its rights and interests, then come at us,” Becerra said.
A vocal advocate for Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid, Becerra was briefly floated as a potential pick for vice president or a Cabinet position. With Clinton’s loss Nov. 8 and no upward mobility available in House leadership, Becerra’s future political career was unclear.
He’d reached the time limit on serving as caucus chairman, the fourth highest-ranking House Democratic leadership position, and with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and the other two Democrats above him in leadership staying put, there was no path up the ladder headed into the next Congress.
Becerra serves on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, and made a play as recently as Tuesday to be the committee’s ranking Democrat. He was quickly endorsed by the current ranking member, Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), who said in a statement Thursday that he respects that Becerra “feels a special responsibility during these difficult times to look after vital legal interests in his home state.”
Democrats across California reacted Thursday with effusive praise for Becerra. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom called him “a thoughtful and effective leader, with a keen legal mind and a passion for giving a voice to the voiceless.”
In particular, some pointed out the importance of elevating a Latino politician to statewide office, alongside both Latino leaders of the Legislature and Secretary of State Alex Padilla.
“It’s good for the state’s future,” said Bill Lockyer, who served as attorney general from 1999 to 2007.
The announcement also meant early guessing as to who would replace Becerra in representing downtown Los Angeles and communities to the west and north in Congress. Becerra won reelection in November in the solidly Democratic district. A special election to fill the seat would probably take place in late spring of 2017, though the law gives Brown wide discretion on the precise schedule.
John A. Pérez, the former Assembly speaker and current University of California regent, announced his bid less than an hour after Brown’s announcement, and more contenders may follow.
sarah.wire@latimes.com; john.myers@latimes.com
Follow @sarahdwire and @johnmyers on Twitter
Read more about the 55 members of California’s delegation at latimes.com/politics
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OFF THE coast of Northumberland is a “pint-sized island” where you’re more likely to spot a cute seal than a local.
Holy Island, also called Lindisfarne, is often overlooked as a holiday destination.
However, we spoke to tour guide Patrick Norris who has visited hundreds of times, and raved about the nature of the island.
In fact there’s so much wildlife that it has even 6,000 seals to its 150 permanent residents.
Patrick, who hosts guided tours across the Pilgrim’s Walk to the island, told us: “The Atlantic grey seals haul out on the sandbars during the summer and sit and shout – they can be really noisy.
“Bottlenose dolphins are regularly seen too, and there’s the occasional minke whale that passes through the harbour.
“Porpoises are regular visitors to the offshore areas around Holy Island too.
“For birds, the Farne Islands are the best place to visit as they are home to around 200,000 summer seabirds.
“The puffins and pretty much all the seabirds nesting on the Farnes are only there really from mid-April to mid-August.”
You can see the Farne Islands from Holy Island, and the best way to see them is on a boat trip from Seahouses Harbour.
Northumberland is also known for its beautiful coastline and has some of the best beaches in the country, like Bamburgh, and Patrick tells us that Holy Island is no exception.
He said: “The white sandy beaches are well hidden on the eastern and northern shoreline.”
Patrick added: “To get to them you’ve got to go beyond the castle, walk to Emmanuel Head and head down.
“They’re small, hidden beaches and not many people go to them either so they’re usually quiet.”
While it was once a religious place, hence the name, Holy Island has recently become all the more popular – along with its huge castle, it has pubs, cafes and even a distillery.
Patrick told us: “I’m a regular at all of them, there are three pubs, The Ship Inn, The Manor House and The Crown and Anchor – all are lovely.
“There are three cafes, Chare Ends, 1st Class Food which is also a post office, and then there’s one of my favourites, Pilgrims Coffee.
“I love it there because they roast their own coffee in the garden and serve it in the cafe, the food and atmosphere there are great too.
“There’s a new one that’s just opened as well called Causeway Cafe, it’s inside the former Coastguard station – I’m yet to visit it.
“There’s a distillery too, and winery where you can buy locally made mead.”
Holy Island is tidal and so is only accessible at certain times of the day, so Patrick advise visitors to take precautions when visiting.
He said: “I’d seriously consider going with a guide for those who want to walk Pilgrim’s Way.
“It’s a path across the bay, which dates back 1,400 years or so and is marked by a line of poles.
“But if you have a young family and a car full stuff then you can just drive over – there is a car park on the island.”
“As it’s a tidal island you must look at the safe crossing times before you go – one of my bugbears is there people talk about tide times but these vary.
“Visitors have to follow the safe crossing times.”
You can check the safe crossing times here.
Both the path and causeway will flood with water twice a day – cars have even been stranded in the water, but Patrick assures us that this is very rare.
He added “the hardest conversation will be with your insurance company.”
When it comes to the best time to visit, Patrick says you’ll see all sorts year-round.
He told us: “In the summertime the pubs, cafes and shops are full. Just be prepared in July and August for it to be busy – it won’t be a peaceful retreat.
“But between September and October it is, it’s fantastic.
“You can see the sites in four hours, see the old buildings, head to the castle, grab a good coffee, and the wildlife is amazing. Right now the meadows are overflowing with wildflowers.
“Don’t miss Emmanuel Head either, it’s a huge white pyramid which is a daymark and the first on the English coast.
“There’s a nice walk out to it, and you might even spot dolphins along the way.”
Joe Cordina faces a court appearance in July after being charged “with assault and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place”.
The 34-year-old Welshman is a former super-featherweight world champion and had been due to fight for the WBO lightweight title in the United States on 4 July.
South Wales Police (SWP) has confirmed Cordina and another man have been charged in connection with an incident that took place outside a petrol station in the Cardiff suburb of Pentwyn last February.
SWP stated: “Joseph Cordina, 34, from Pontprennau, has been charged with assault and threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place. He is due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on July 7.
“Jamie O’Brien, 32, from Pentwyn, has been charged with assault and is due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on July 28.”
Cordina was due to fight American Abdullah Mason in Cleveland on Saturday, 4 July, but said on Wednesday the United States embassy in London turned down his visa application.
Cordina revealed in a social media post on Wednesday that he had been denied a US visa, saying: “I was due to fly to the United States this week. A couple of days back I went to the US embassy in London and they basically denied me a visa.
“I tried to explain certain things, and had all the paperwork to back it up, and they wasn’t having it.
“They just sort of basically told me you ain’t getting in.”
June 25 (UPI) — The U.S. Postal Service plans to refuse delivery of mail-in ballots in states that don’t turn over their voter lists to the federal government, the postmaster general told Congress.
Postmaster General David Steiner told the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee about the proposed rule on Wednesday.
“Yes or no — if a state refuses to turn their absentee voter list over to the federal government, will the Postal Service still mail their ballots under this proposed rule?” Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., asked Steiner.
“Under our proposed regulation, no. We would tell the state that we need the manifest,” Steiner said.
Steiner argued the policy is to make sure ballots are delivered “securely, efficiently, and accurately.” But President Donald Trump has repeatedly demanded states’ voter lists over the past year and has been suing states to get them.
The proposed rule says that states would have to give the Postal Service the names, addresses and ballot barcode numbers for the people who are to get ballots in the mail. The proposal follows Trump’s executive order from March 31 that requires the federal government to compile state citizenship lists and for the Postal Service to refuse to mail ballots to those the federal government has determined are ineligible to vote.
The proposed rule is posted on the Federal Register, and the public can comment until July 2.
Democrats have pushed back, arguing the rule shows that Trump is trying to federalize elections and said the Postal Service doesn’t have the authority to enforce that rule. The Constitution says states are responsible for running elections.
“Just because President Trump wants to do this does not make it law, doesn’t make it right, doesn’t make it constitutional. There is certainly a massive difference between general mail requirements and regulating elections,” Peters said.
Steiner admitted that his agency doesn’t have the authority to enforce elections but said the rule is a precaution to be sure that only eligible voters will get ballots.
“I would think that states would want the information to ensure that the ballots that they think they’re sending out are the ballots that are actually getting sent out,” Steiner said.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said the rule is part of a broader strategy.
“The U.S. Postal Service is now part of this bigger story of this president desperate to federalize our elections. He has tried every which way to say that if he and his party don’t win in these November elections, they were rigged.”
Slotkin asked Steiner directly to stop the plan.
“Please push back on being a pawn in this authoritarian playbook,” she said. “The Postal Service is one of the most important institutions in our country. Don’t taint it with the obsession of this one man.”
Coastal La Guaira state showed widespread infrastructure damage. (Reuters)
Caracas, June 25, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela suffered two successive major earthquakes on Thursday afternoon that caused devastating damage.
Authorities reported that 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck 39 seconds apart just after 6 pm. The epicenters were close to San Felipe, Yaracuy State, some 120 kilometers west of Caracas.
The tremors strongly shook central and northern Venezuela and were felt as far as Brazil and Colombia. Geological services registered 20 aftershocks in the following hours.
Emergency services, firefighters, and civil protection brigades were immediately deployed. Videos circulated on social media showed collapsed infrastructure in parts of the capital and nearby towns and rescue teams removing rubble to reach survivors.
Reports from the coastal of La Guaira showed completely devastated areas with rows of destroyed buildings.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez addressed the nation on Thursday night and again in the early hours of Friday, calling for calm and unity in the wake of the natural disaster and declaring a state of emergency.
Rodríguez decreed a suspension of educational and “non-essential” activities, as well as the Caracas metro and suburban trains. The Simón Bolívar airport in nearby Maiquetía was likewise temporarily shut down.
“The priority right now is to save lives,” the acting president told press. “Later we will address the material reconstruction.” Rodríguez gave a preliminary figure of 32 dead and over 700 injured.
The acting president called the situation in La Guaira “a real tragedy” and a “disaster zone” with dozens of collapsed buildings. She expressed condolences to relatives of victims and urged Venezuelans to report missing people or damaged infrastructure via a dedicated phone app.
Rodríguez went on to call on people to evacuate buildings with visible structural damage and urged medical personnel to report to their stations as soon as possible.
During her press conference, Rodríguez thanked multiple countries for expressing solidarity and offering support, and announced the imminent arrival of rescue teams from the US, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Qatar.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on social media that Washington is “immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela.”
Caracas additionally received support from Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, and a host of other nations. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reported that specialized rescue teams are being prepared and that her government is in contact with Venezuelan counterparts.
Some areas of the capital and nearby states remained without electricity hours after the earthquakes. Authorities temporarily disconnected the direct supply of cooking gas to avoid secondary fires.
Story in development.
NEW wave icon Gary Numan has opened up about getting together with his superfan wife – and how it might be ‘illegal’ now.
The Cars singer, 68 – who has been married to Gemma O’Neill, 58, for nearly three decades – met his future spouse in an unconventional way.
The singer first ran into superfan Gemma at an event when he was a 22-year-old artist and she was a young admirer.
Six years later, he posed for a picture with the then 18-year-old and knew to pen it straight to “Gemma”.
Following the sudden loss of O’Neill’s mum, the familiar fan vanished from the crowd at his gigs.
Worried about her, Numan managed to get her number through his fan club to ring her up and make sure she was ok.
“I used the fan club to get her phone number.
“That’s how I attracted her, which I think is illegal now,” he told The Times.
The star continued: “I rang her up and said, ‘Hello, it’s me,’ and she put the phone down – she thought it was somebody playing a cruel trick.”
He called again and was made to prove his identity.
Numan invited her along for a drive for a radio interview – where they had their first date.
He said: “I took her to a Little Chef because I’m very down to earth.
“I don’t do all that flash, rich man, pop star stuff.”
Gary and Gemma didn’t start their relationship until she was in her twenties.
In 1997, Gary married superfan Gemma from Sidcup and they share three daughters; Raven, 23, Persia, 21, and 19-year-old Echo.
His daughter Persia also added vocals to his song My Name Is Ruin.
Numan revealed that Gemma once told a career advisor: “I won’t need a job. I’m going to marry Gary Numan.”
Gary previously said of their relationship: “This is going to sound corny, given that it’s 30 years and four days since our first date, but I miss her even when she’s in a different part of the house.
“She’s everything I am not – which is most things, really.”
The singer, songwriter – who has an estimated net worth of around £5.5 million – toured last year to celebrate the 45th anniversary of his seminal album Telekon.
Sadly, he suffered the traumatic loss of his beloved younger brother John just after his show in Leeds – which he called the ‘worst news of my life’.
EasyJet has issued an update today, June 25, on new routes for UK travellers(Image: Michael Mulkens via Getty Images)
EasyJet has today revealed 13 brand-new UK routes set to launch this winter. Among them are flights and package holidays to a never-before-served destination in Germany.
This festive season, EasyJet will launch flights and packages to Nuremberg. Services will be departing from Manchester from 2 November on Mondays and Fridays, London Gatwick from 19 November on Thursdays and Sundays and London Luton from 23 November on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Nuremberg is home to one of Europe’s oldest and most celebrated Christmas markets. The iconic Christkindlesmarkt, which dates back to the 16th century, draws visitors from across the globe to soak up the festive atmosphere of one of Germany’s most beloved seasonal destinations.
EasyJet will also be expanding its offering from its London airports, with fresh routes launching to Morocco, France and Egypt. Flights from London Luton to Rabat get under way on 5 November, followed by London Southend to Lyon from 3 December, running on Thursdays and Sundays.
Completing the new additions, flights from London Southend to Sharm El Sheikh will kick off on 4 January, departing on Mondays and Fridays. The airline is also expanding its connections to Hungary, with fresh flights and package holidays to Budapest taking off from three UK airports.
Services from Bristol and Belfast International will commence on 17 November, operating on Tuesdays and Saturdays, while flights from Liverpool will get under way on 19 November, running twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays – perfect for a festive weekend getaway.
In Scotland, a brand new service from Edinburgh to Tromsø in Norway will launch on 30 November, operating twice weekly on Mondays and Thursdays and providing passengers with the only direct route to the ‘Gateway to the Arctic’. Meanwhile, in time for the festive period, flights from Glasgow to Krakow in Poland will commence on 13 November, with departures twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays.
EasyJet will enhance its Manchester network with a fresh service to Vienna in Austria, launching on 19 November with departures up to twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. Additionally, EasyJet is introducing its first international route from the Isle of Man, with a new weekly service to Geneva starting on 19 December, operating on Saturdays. The route will offer the only direct link between the Isle of Man and Switzerland.
The new routes take the airline’s total number of winter services introduced over the past fortnight to 26. Last week’s announcement featured a new direct service from Manchester to Sphinx Airport, alongside the carrier’s first ever international route from Cornwall Airport Newquay to Geneva. The airline says that package holidays can be booked through EasyJet holidays on all new routes with the exception of Luton to Rabat. All packages include flights and hotel, plus 23kg luggage and transfers on beach destinations such as Sharm El Sheikh, they say.
Holidaymakers can reserve their winter getaway with a deposit of £60 per person and until 1 July 2026, can save money on new bookings using the code FOOTBALL26.
Kevin Doyle, EasyJet’s UK Country Manager, said: “We’re thrilled to be announcing a further 13 new routes this winter, bringing the number of new routes on sale over the past two weeks to a total of 26. A real statement of our commitment to giving customers across the UK more choice from their local airport.. From winter sun escapes to magical Christmas market breaks, there’s never been a better time to book a flight or package holiday with EasyJet. We look forward to welcoming even more customers on board for their winter holidays.”
EasyJet and EasyJet Holidays say they have introduced their Book with Confidence Promise to reassure customers on their travel plans. The airline says that the pledge guarantees that flight and package prices will not increase in price once booked and confirms that EasyJet intends to operate a full schedule across its network, despite competitors cutting routes, as EasyJet prepares to fly over 50 million passengers this summer.
It’s easy to see why it’s voted as England’s prettiest village(Image: Sophie Harris)
The Cotswolds stand as one of England’s most celebrated regions, spanning multiple counties across the south-west. I’m absolutely smitten with the Cotswolds and have explored every village, returning to some while others remain a one-time visit.
The area is renowned for its undulating countryside, independent retailers and charming villages. A substantial portion has been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, drawing tourists from across the globe.
Amongst its idyllic villages sits Castle Combe. It’s consistently labelled and routinely crowned as the prettiest village in the UK.
This accolade stems from its narrow streets, stone bridge spanning the River Bybrook, and rows of classic Cotswold cottages.
I chose to visit Castle Combe during a trip to the region, anticipating a tranquil, serene experience, typical of much of the Cotswolds.
Upon arrival, I found myself parking a considerable distance away, which turned out to be essential considering how restricted and strictly managed parking is in and around the village.
When I finally reached the village, my initial reaction genuinely lived up to its standing. The settlement was unquestionably breathtaking.
The stone structures, the waterway and the tight lanes resembled something plucked from a film set.
However, the visit wasn’t particularly pleasant. It was extremely crowded, considerably more than I’d anticipated.
Tour parties, photography enthusiasts and day visitors were literally everywhere, all attempting to capture identical shots and vistas.
Naturally, I was engaged in exactly what everyone else was doing, but I simply hadn’t bargained on it being quite so heaving. Given how compact Castle Combe is, even a modest crowd can leave it feeling somewhat swamped.
Fortunately, returning early the next morning made a world of difference.
With significantly fewer visitors around, I was able to truly soak it all in and snap some stunning photographs of the village.
The stark contrast between the village’s tranquil charm and the hordes of tourists all jostling for the perfect picture was quite something to witness.
There isn’t an enormous amount to keep you busy there, and it’s very much a place to admire, stroll through and appreciate for its sheer beauty. Once you’ve wandered down the main street, crossed the bridge and taken in the scenery, you’ve essentially seen the best of what it has to offer.
Castle Combe is utterly breathtaking — arguably as close to a quintessential English village as you’re ever likely to find — and that’s precisely what draws visitors from far and wide.
mtcurado/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
The family behind German industrial group Wegmann is preparing to cash in on Europe’s defense spending boom through the planned initial public offering of KNDS, the Franco-German tank manufacturer that could be valued at €15 billion to €18 billion, Bloomberg News reported Thursday.
A HUGE UK holiday park is planning for a major new attraction with several other exciting new openings this summer too.
Unity Beach Holiday Park in Brean, Somerset is set to open a 1,100-seat theatre that will be ‘seaside pier-themed’.
The new attraction would be a theatre showbar with 740 seats on the lower level and then a further 360 seats on a first floor balcony level.
The venue would only be open to staying guests with passes and be open until 11pm Sunday through Thursday and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Outside the pier-style theatre, there will be a terrace with a children’s play area too.
The park’s current bowling and arcade attraction – RJ’s – would be demolished and a new modern building would open with bowling, arcades and food spots inside, as well as a gift shop.
Read more on travel inspo
And there will be an entertainment centre in one of the existing buildings.
The council is set to make a decision on the holiday park’s application on July 9.
It comes as the holiday park is set to open a new outdoor lido with cabanas and a dining area in July.
The lido is part of a £10million project at the park, that also includes refurbishing the indoor pool with an updated soft play area, cafe and gym.
The toddler pool is also being transformed into a Splash Pad.
Later phases of the project include opening an outdoor activity centre with axe throwing and archery as well as a trampoline park, landscaped gardens and a dog agility park – which are all expected to open this summer.
Unity Beach Holiday Park is just steps away from Brean Beach – which stretches on for seven miles.
The holiday park is home to around 1,600 caravans and when there guests can enjoy the water attractions which include flumes.
Next to the park, visitors can head to the UK’s biggest free-entry theme park – Brean Theme Park – which is home to more than 40 fairground rides and rollercoasters.
Reporting from Sacramento — Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced he will place his ownership interest in the collection of wineries, hotels, restaurants and other investments that made him a millionaire into a blind trust, a step he said “goes beyond anything required by law.”
Since his election in November, Newsom has been weighing how to handle his array of assets in the hospitality business, collectively known as the PlumpJack Group, a multimillion-dollar business enterprise that grew from a wine shop he opened in San Francisco in 1992. Those holdings have the potential to create ethical conflicts between Newsom’s job as California’s chief executive and his business interests.
“Governor-elect Gavin Newsom is announcing today that he will be the first governor in the history of California to release his tax returns every year, just as he has done as a candidate,” Newsom’s spokesman Nathan Click said in a statement. “Newsom will also disclose his personal and business holdings each year on his statement of economic interest and separate himself from the PlumpJack Group wine and hospitality businesses that he has built.’’
Bob Stern, coauthor of California’s 1974 Political Reform Act that dictates the state’s conflict-of-interest laws, praised Newsom’s decision.
“That’s as much as anybody could ask him to do, except for selling all the properties, which I wouldn’t recommend him doing,” Stern said Thursday.
Stern added, however, that placing those assets in a blind trust does not remove the potential that Newsom could face a possible conflict of interest as governor. Under the law, Newsom is required to disclose all assets in the blind trust until those assets are sold, Stern said.
Newsom is in the process of transferring title to and control of the businesses into the blind trust, Click said. Newsom selected family friend Shyla Hendrickson, an attorney and certified public accountant with more than two decades of experience in the investment management business, as trustee, he said.
Under the terms of the blind trust, Hendrickson will have total authority over the assets, Click said, including the power to sell off Newsom’s business ownership without consulting him. She also is barred from discussing those decisions with Newsom.
Picking a family friend to serve as trustee is allowable under state law, Stern said, adding that the fact that Newsom’s sister, Hilary Newsom Callan, serves as president of the PlumpJack Group is “not a problem” under the law.
State law does not require Newsom to divest from PlumpJack Group or release the names of his business associates. And Newsom can legally sign bills or take executive action beneficial to his companies if those decisions affect all Californians or a significant segment of the population in the same way they affect him.
Newsom has yet to announce any details about the financial interests of his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, whose foundation could also raise questions for the incoming governor.
Siebel Newsom’s foundation, the Representation Project, which helps fund her documentaries along with education programs and community outreach “to challenge limiting gender stereotypes and shift norms,” has in the past received financial support from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and AT&T. PG&E and its foundation reported donating $100,000 to the Representation Project in 2017, $85,000 in 2016 and $10,000 in 2015, according to federal tax records and a list of PG&E’s charitable donations on the utility’s website.
As president of the foundation, Siebel Newsom received a salary of $150,000 in 2016, according to the most recent publicly available disclosures filed with the Internal Revenue Service. The foundation also reported paying Girls Club Entertainment, Siebel Newsom’s production company, $150,000 that same year. Newsom’s spokesman said the board of directors of the Representation Project is in the process of determining her future role with the foundation.
In 2018, PG&E also donated $58,400 to Gavin Newsom’s gubernatorial campaign and $150,000 to Citizens Supporting Gavin Newsom for Governor 2018, an independent expenditure committee that backed his candidacy.
Next year, the California Legislature is likely to consider a bill to provide financial relief for any utility whose equipment was involved in a wildfire in 2018. PG&E could face billions in potential liability costs for the deadly Camp fire near Chico, which killed at least 86 people and destroyed thousands of homes.
If approved by lawmakers, the bill would land on Newsom’s desk.
This isn’t the first time Newsom has had to address the intersection of his political and business lives. After he was elected mayor of San Francisco in 2003, Newsom sold his interests in the PlumpJack Group businesses in San Francisco to his longtime friend and business partner, oil heir Gordon Getty, for $1.7 million, according to a financial disclosure filed with the city. But Newsom held on to his investments outside the city limits, including in Napa Valley wineries and a hotel and gift shop at the Squaw Valley ski resort near Lake Tahoe.
“The mayor chose to take this unprecedented action because he feels it is in the best interest of San Francisco for its chief executive not to own businesses that operate in the city,” Newsom’s then-press secretary, Peter Ragone, told the San Francisco Chronicle in April 2004.
As governor, Newsom could face an array of potential ethical dilemmas as long as his assets in the PlumpJack Group remain in the trust.
For example, a corporation could conceivably try to curry favor with the new governor by renting out a bank of rooms at the PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn or by throwing lavish parties at the Forgery bar in San Francisco, both among Newsom’s holdings. In those scenarios, the spending would likely not have to be disclosed.
Newsom has held campaign events at his restaurants and other businesses for years. His gubernatorial campaign spent more than $83,000 at his businesses from 2015 through election day, campaign finance records show.
In 2014, the California Democratic Party held a fundraiser at Newsom’s CADE Estate Winery in Napa Valley, paying the business $4,229. Just after Newsom was elected mayor of San Francisco in 2003, two Bay Area labor groups spent more than $1,000 at PlumpJack Wines, Newsom’s wine store.
Newsom has vowed to issue an executive order prohibiting state executive branch agencies from doing business with PlumpJack entities. He will also divest from all common stock that he owns in publicly traded companies. According to his latest financial disclosure, Newsom held stock in Intel Corp. and Merck & Co. worth $4,000 to $20,000 in total.
Napa Valley wineries have brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars in income for Newsom annually, according to financial disclosure records and business filings with the secretary of state’s office. Three wineries in the PlumpJack Group founded by Newsom and Getty generated nearly $800,000 in just one year for Newsom, according to his 2015 federal tax returns. Newsom and Getty — who are connected through Getty’s friendship with Newsom’s late father, who once managed Getty’s family trust — share multiple business interests.
Under state law, Newsom will not have to declare a conflict of interest when making a decision — whether to sign legislation or approve an administrative action — unless it “explicitly” affects one of his companies or investments, according to state Fair Political Practices Commission regulations.
For example, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is sponsoring a bill that would allow bars in San Francisco, Los Angeles and seven other cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. The legislation passed this year but was vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown. If the bill passes again in the new legislative session, Newsom’s restaurants and bars would benefit financially if he signs it. But he still would be able to so without declaring a conflict of interest because the rules would apply to all restaurants and bars in those cities, not just his.
“He’s certainly allowed to sign bills dealing with wineries or dealing with restaurants,” Stern said.
In this 2004 photo, then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, left, Gordon Getty and then-Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown enjoy a pre-dinner glass of wine during an event at Newsom’s PlumpJack Winery in Oakville.
(Eric Risberg / Associated Press)
Although Newsom might be one of the wealthiest governors ever to serve in California, the issues posed by his assets aren’t new to the office, Stern said.
Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sold off stock and many other investments, placing the proceeds in a blind trust, although he had also disclosed investments outside the trust, including his Hollywood entertainment firm, Oak Productions.
While in office, Schwarzenegger was criticized for accepting a consulting job for a publisher of health and bodybuilding magazines — Muscle & Fitness and Flex — because a significant portion of the publications’ revenue came from advertising by makers of nutritional supplements. Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill that would have created a list of banned substances for interscholastic sports and barred supplement manufacturers from sponsoring school events.
Rob Stutzman, a GOP strategist and former communications director for Schwarzenegger, said it was difficult to wall off some of Schwarzenegger’s business interests because they were tied to the “personal brand” of the Hollywood action star and former champion bodybuilder.
The best option in those cases is asking full disclosure from public officials, he said.
“I don’t think [Schwarzenegger’s situation] is unique. I think it’s just a matter of scrutiny and watching it,” Stutzman said.
“In Newsom’s case, if he can’t sell PlumpJack or other things he owns, he’s not going to be blind,” said retired attorney Colleen McAndrews, a former member of the state Fair Political Practices Commission who advised Schwarzenegger on setting up a blind trust when be became governor.
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Local government politicians are most affected by the state’s conflict-of-interest law because cities and counties approve regulations, permits, land use restrictions and other items that could affect a single business or part of town. It would be rare to see a conflict arise under state law for the governor, however, because most of the action taken by the state’s chief executive affects all Californians equally, McAndrews said.
“You don’t have to recuse if a decision affects the public the same way it affects you,” she said.
Rick Scott, the wealthiest governor in Florida history who in November was elected to the U.S. Senate, came under intense scrutiny after he placed his assets in a blind trust. Multiple Florida news outlets reported that Scott’s blind trust made identical investments in a separate, private account for his wife, raising questions about just how “blind” the governor was to the trust.
GateHouse newspapers reported this year that the couple’s financial holdings in the pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, which makes drugs to combat hepatitis C, had grown substantially. Florida’s Medicaid program has spent millions on those drugs, the report found.
Jamie Court, president of the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog, said that regardless of what the incoming governor decides to do regarding his assets, Newsom should provide full disclosure of all his financial interests.
“I think the governor has to be very open about his business relations, even beyond what the law calls for,” Court said. “If he hides anything, believe me, we will find out later and it won’t be good.”
Times staff writer Maloy Moore contributed to this report.
Twitter: @philwillon
A bowl of lemons sits on a table in the conference room Mauricio Pochettino has turned into an office at the U.S. men’s soccer team’s beachfront resort in south Orange County. The citrus fruit, the coach believes, has the spiritual ability to absorb negative energy. On the corner of another table, the flame from a candle flickers.
“I like candles,” says Pochettino, who believes they release therapeutic fragrances and create a calming environment.
But it is the massive, blood-red mural covering the entire south side of the room that truly reveals what Pochettino believes. In the center of the wall, just behind the coach’s desk, white block letters spell out “Why Not” above a script “U.S.,” which, despite the periods, is meant to be read as “us.”
Pochettino has turned the question in a mantra for a World Cup team that has answered it with two wins in as many games and has a chance to win a third match in the tournament for the first time when it meets Turkey at SoFi Stadium on Thursday.
The idea came to him during a team meeting last November when he sensed his players had doubts about their upcoming World Cup run. So Pochettino turned those doubts into a question. If South Korea could come from nowhere and make the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup, and if Morocco could do the same four years ago in Qatar, why not the U.S.?
Why not us?
“Hey, come on, guys, are you listening to me?” Pochettino said he asked the group. “We need to believe.”
Before he could convince his players, however, he had to convince himself. And that might have been the hardest part.
The 54-year-old Pochettino is a benevolent Svengali with a whistle; Ted Lasso with an Argentine accent. Belief isn’t so much a concept for him as it is a way of life. But when he and his coaching staff took over the U.S. team in the fall of 2024, following its disastrous performance in the Copa América, he said he inherited a demoralized, dispirited group.
“We received a big bang,” Pochettino said, mimicking a punch to the face. “We were knock[ed] out for a while.”
“We were so naive,” he continued. “The situation was way worse than we really believed.”
Pochettino refused to change the system that has brought him success at European clubs Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. So he set out to change the players instead. That would take time, something he had very little of since he took over with the World Cup just 20 months away.
“It’s difficult to analyze the process, you know,” Pochettino said during an informal, 40-minute discussion at his team’s Dana Point hotel, the sun setting over the ocean through the open patio doors of his office.
“When you put the seed on the soil, [the] first seed, you don’t see nothing. Then you start to grow the tree. It was difficult to explain the plant because it’s not easy.”
The seed Pochettino planted with the national team took time to sprout. He lost five of his first 10 games, including a disastrous four-game stretch that included Nations League losses to Panama and Canada in the spring of 2025. The team’s supporters revolted, but Pochettino rejoiced.
“What happened, that was [a] good crash,” he said. “When we detect all the problems, we go for the solution. And we knew that the solution will arrive. The object is to challenge people.”
U.S. men’s soccer coach Mauricio Pochettino during the second half of his team’s World Cup match vs. Paraguay at SoFi Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
So he stayed the course.
“That was the process. Now is not a coincidence,” he said of the team’s success.
Pochettino has long believed that building a roster isn’t about picking the best players, but picking the right players. Players who fit his tactical approach, players who get along with one another, players who contribute to the team chemistry.
For him, the human connection, human respect is as important — if not more important — than the ability to dribble through tight spaces. And those traits are particularly important in a World Cup since the team will spend every day together for six weeks or more.
Although Pochettino’s team includes 13 holdovers from the 2022 World Cup roster, it also includes five players who made their national team debuts in the last 18 months.
Sometimes, he concluded, it is easier to simply change the player than it is to change what the player thinks or believes. And the newbies have totally bought in.
“We’re all in total belief. We’re all totally supportive and have faith in the process that he’s been outlining,” said goalkeeper Matt Freese, who made his first appearance for the national team more than 12 months ago and now is starting in a World Cup. “Our task was to keep believing, keep working hard and keep trusting. And we did that. We fully bought into the process.”
That process has made Pochettino the first U.S. coach to win a group stage in 16 years while his two victories in as many games match Bruce Arena, the most successful World Cup coach in U.S. history, who managed eight games over two tournaments.
The lemons and candles Pochettino keeps in his office are manifestations of energia universal or universal energy, a foundational concept common to many Eastern philosophies that believe a fundamental life force connects all things. Pochettino said he has long felt this connection and it has been a foundational part of his coaching.
But it doesn’t stop with the candles and citrus fruit. Pochettino also has filled the mural behind his desk with inspirational sayings.
“The talent has brought us here, but it is heart, effort and unity that will make us unforgettable,” one reads.
“If I dream of touching the moon, maybe I can get close to it. If I only dream of getting close, I’ll stay on Earth,” another says.
Each ends with the coach’s initials, similar to the way a painter signs his portraits.
Pochettino’s faith in the power of fruit and candles and his penchant for penning aphorisms hasn’t taken away from the ferociousness of his approach to soccer. Many players say the training sessions under Pochettino — which are intricate, focused and highly physical — are frequently more intense than the games. But most also are punctuated with laughter.
“Training is still very competitive, it’s very intense,” said midfielder Max Arfsten, who made his national team debut under Pochettino last year. “That’s the culture that the coaches created. Everyone’s still trying to prove something.”
Although Pochettino has spent his life in Argentina and Europe and still splits his time between houses in Barcelona and London, flying to the U.S. for matches and training camps, he’s been a quick study in this country’s culture and quirks.
“One of the things that we really like, and we learn from you, is in the way that you approach life. It’s more casual than formal,” said the coach, whose English is still a work in progress. “People are very approachable and make you feel comfortable. That, for me, was a massive surprise. You always want to welcome people.
“Even the music, even the food. People say ‘no, Americans have crazy food.’ Yes, you have crazy food. But also you have Whole Foods. In Europe, you don’t have a Whole Foods.”
And Pochettino has adopted it all. He’s become a big fan of country artist Lainey Wilson, went to hear Teddy Swims, a uniquely American genre-blending singer, last winter in New York, and is learning the words to John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” the unofficial victory anthem of the World Cup team.
Perhaps more important, at times he’s taken his lemons and his candles and pushed them aside, replacing them with another distinctly American trait: the in-your-face confidence to will yourself to victory from the most hopeless situations.
It’s how Americans won at Valley Forge even before they were Americans and how they won on the beaches of Normandy when the concept of America was threatened. It’s how Americans went to the moon and invented the internet.
And it’s how Pochettino’s team has remained perfect two games into the World Cup.
“We’re American. We don’t take s—,” midfielder Sebastian Berhalter said Pochettino told the team during one meeting. “Even though he’s Argentinian, he has that mindset of, ‘Look, this is what we do. This is who we are. This is what America’s about.’ Even from an outside perspective, he showed us Americans what we’re about.
“He really drills that into us.”
For decades Americans have measured World Cup success in advancing beyond the group stage. Pochettino entered this summer’s tournament predicting a run to the semifinals, runs like South Korea and Morocco made.
“When people believe in each other, impossible dreams become possible,” reads another message the coach has scratched onto the wall of his office.
Why not us?
