Month: July 2026

SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers rejected legislation that would have banned pesticides with so-called “forever” chemicals from use on California’s farms, a restriction strongly opposed by the state’s billion-dollar agriculture community.

Assembly Bill 1603 by Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank) would have phased out the use of pesticides that contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS chemicals, a family of compounds that can be lasting and harmful to humans.

Representatives for agricultural groups argued at committee hearings last month that banning the chemicals was an overreach that would result in higher numbers of imports of food from other states and stifle innovation in developing new pesticides.

The latest version of the bill, which will be considered when the state legislature resumes its session next month, requires the state to list pesticides with PFAS in its public database.

“I’m disappointed,” Schultz said in an interview with the Times, adding that he intends to still push to phase out PFAS chemicals.

The bill marks the latest back-and-forth over PFAS, chemicals that are found in many different consumer, commercial and industrial products and are known as forever chemicals because some of their components don’t easily break down.

State regulators and environmental groups disagree on the definition of the chemicals, making it difficult to find a consensus on regulations or health risks.

Gov. Gavin Newsom last year vetoed a bill that would have prohibited the sale and distribution of popular consumer products, including cookware, dental floss and cleaning products, that contain PFAS chemicals.

The governor, in his veto message, cited affordability concerns. At the same time, the state has passed various laws intended to protect people from PFAS, including banning them in food packaging and firefighting foam.

Studies show that exposure to certain levels of PFAS may lead to decreased fertility and developmental delays in children and increase the risk of cancers, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and the vast majority of PFAS chemicals have not been tested for human health effects.

The Environmental Working Group, or EWG, an advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., released a study in March that found that nearly 40% of California’s conventionally grown fruits and vegetables tested contained PFAS residues, including 90% of peaches and nectarines.

The EWG, one of the bill’s supporters, uses a broader criteria to define PFAS than the state and federal authorities.

A spokesperson for California’s Dept. of Pesticide Regulation, which oversees pesticide use, said the EWG report looked at detections of the PFAS, but the state “looks at how the detections compare to federal tolerance levels.”

At a June Senate committee hearing on Schultz’s bill, EWG’s chief science officer, David Andrews, said that PFAS pesticides “fall into a regulatory blind spot.” He also said regulators, including the state, have “been inadequate with respect to evaluating immune system harm or the cumulative impacts of these very small PFAS.”

A spokesperson for the Dept. of Pesticide Regulation declined to comment on Schultz’s bill.

Taylor Triffo, a representative for a coalition of California agricultural associations, said at a different Senate hearing in June that the bill’s original language to ban new PFAS chemicals “would deny California farmers access to [the] next generation of crop protection tools that are safer, more targeted, require lower use rates and help address emerging pests and diseases.”

Representatives for agriculture groups said at hearings last month that they don’t object to the state flagging PFAS chemicals in the state database.

Nearly half of the country’s vegetables and more than three-quarters of its fruits and nuts come from California, according to the state.

Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Merced), chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, called pesticide use a “balance” at the June hearing before voting for the amended version.

“Part of the challenge agriculture is facing right now is pest invasion from other countries where the critters have moved on plants and in soil and have come into the state,” she said. “We’ve got to do everything, I think, we can to maintain our agricultural production, because we produce products that are produced almost nowhere else in the country.”

Isabella Quinonez, assistant director of Public Affairs at the California Farm Bureau, said her group objected to the original bill because it would have restricted products based on their chemical class rather than on a pesticide’s scientific evaluation of risk.

“We’re confident in the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s rigorous, science-based regulatory process, which includes residue studies, groundwater monitoring, and ongoing reevaluations,” Quinonez said.

Schultz told The Times he hopes to work with the Dept. of Pesticide Regulation on oversight in the coming years. He rejected any premise that there is “absolutely nothing to worry about, nothing off [with PFAS], because that’s just inconsistent with the science.”

Times staff writer Susanne Rust contributed to this report.

China’s top leaders pledged on Thursday to support the country’s slowing economy by accelerating spending on already-approved infrastructure projects instead of rolling out large-scale stimulus measures. The decision came after recent economic data showed second-quarter growth slowed to 4.3%, the weakest pace in more than three years and below the government’s annual target range of 4.5% to 5.0%.

The commitment followed a meeting of the Communist Party’s Politburo, where policymakers acknowledged mounting economic challenges but signaled confidence that existing fiscal resources would be sufficient to stabilize growth through the remainder of the year.

Infrastructure Spending Takes Center Stage

Rather than introducing fresh stimulus packages, Beijing plans to speed up implementation of projects that have already been budgeted. Analysts said the government still has significant fiscal room because infrastructure spending and bond issuance progressed more slowly than planned during the first half of the year.

Economists expect much of the spending to focus on China’s “six networks” initiative, covering investments in water systems, logistics infrastructure, underground pipelines, electricity grids, telecommunications and computing power centers. State media has previously indicated that roughly $1 trillion has been allocated for these projects.

Analysts viewed the Politburo’s statement as confirmation that Beijing intends to support growth without significantly expanding its fiscal deficit.

Concerns Over Overcapacity Remain

Chinese leaders continue to avoid aggressive stimulus partly because they remain focused on tackling industrial overcapacity and encouraging local governments to maintain fiscal discipline.

The Politburo reiterated its commitment to addressing what it described as “involution competition”—a term referring to intense price wars among manufacturers competing for market share at the expense of profitability. While many economists argue that excess industrial capacity is driving these price wars, Beijing continues to reject claims that overcapacity is a structural problem.

Weak Consumer Demand Continues to Weigh on Growth

Although manufacturing exports and advances in artificial intelligence have supported parts of the economy, domestic consumption remains weak.

China’s prolonged property downturn, sluggish wage growth and a challenging labor market have reduced household confidence. Millions of workers have shifted into lower-paying gig economy jobs with limited social protections, encouraging higher savings rather than consumer spending.

This imbalance has increased China’s reliance on exports to sustain growth, raising concerns among trading partners that Chinese manufacturers are flooding global markets while domestic demand remains subdued.

Employment Support Remains a Priority

The Politburo pledged to strengthen domestic demand by expanding employment support, particularly for flexible workers and those in newer forms of employment. However, officials did not announce specific policies aimed at boosting household incomes.

Economists noted that while Beijing continues to emphasize consumption, its strategy remains focused on improving the supply of goods and services rather than directly increasing consumer purchasing power through large-scale income support or cash stimulus.

Outlook

The latest policy signals suggest Beijing is seeking to balance economic stability with long-term structural reforms. Rather than relying on broad stimulus, China’s leadership is betting that faster implementation of existing infrastructure investments and targeted employment measures will be enough to keep the economy on track while avoiding a surge in debt and further industrial overcapacity.

With information from Reuters.

Almost five years ago, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” swung into theaters in the teeth of a COVID-19 surge and did what almost nothing else could that winter: drove cooped-up moviegoers to cinemas and opened to one of the biggest domestic debuts on record, pulling in $260 million.

This weekend, Peter Parker is back — a little older, more world-weary and facing a far less forgiving market.

The genre’s floor has dropped out since then.

Annual box office revenue for superhero movies is down, on average, about $3.5 billion, about half of what it was during the pre-pandemic years of 2017 to 2019, according to data from the FranchiseRe industry newsletter. Sony Pictures is betting that more real-world stunts, a relatable narrative and Spidey’s lasting popularity are enough to put “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” on the other side of that trend.

Whatever the approach, the commercial appetite is there. Pre-sales for the film, which stars Tom Holland and Zendaya, have been robust, and industry tracking estimates an opening weekend haul of at least $195 million in the U.S. and Canada. If that holds, it would be the year’s biggest domestic debut, beating Walt Disney Co. and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” ($159.7 million). The movie cost about $225 million to produce and is produced by Sony’s Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios and Pascal Pictures.

“This movie takes a grounded, emotional approach to the story, and I actually believe that’s what audiences are hungry for,” said Tom Rothman, chairman of Sony’s motion picture group. “It’s got all the whiz-bang wow visuals. But at its heart, it’s more a superperson movie, if you will, rather than a superhero movie.”

“Brand New Day” picks up where the last film left off. A spell has erased Peter Parker from the world’s memory — the price of undoing the public exposure of his identity — leaving him a stranger to his best friend, Ned, and to MJ. Without those friendships, he pours himself into his crime-fighting work to stave off his loneliness.

That feeling of being adrift without knowing where to turn is what the filmmakers built the movie around.

“We’re all really isolated from each other,” said Amy Pascal, one of the film’s producers who has overseen the entire franchise. “That kind of longing for connection between people and not knowing how to make it happen and living in a world where we become more and more remote, matched the moment that people are going through.”

The smaller scale was also a reaction to what came before it. “No Way Home” brought back Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in a time-bending multiverse crossover, and there was no topping it.

“That was a movie that was 20 years in the making,” Pascal said. “There was no way to be bigger than that. So we went smaller. We went internal instead of external, and we found the bigness in that.”

Peter Parker’s isolation is what drew director Destin Daniel Cretton, who made 2021’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and was an executive producer on the Marvel Television series “Wonder Man.” He said he related to the pain and tragedy the character goes through, and to the idea of a superhero story that felt like it was happening in a real place.

The production’s rule of thumb became trying to execute scenes practically, in front of a lens, wherever possible.

That included a tank chase shot largely on a street in Glasgow, Scotland, on the first day of filming, complete with a rig that let an actor swing with explosions going off behind him. Thousands of people showed up to watch, which was “a big adrenaline rush on day one,” Cretton said.

A later set piece — Spider-Man against a group of red-clad ninjas known as the Hand — was shot at a former prison outside London.

Cretton’s insistence on real locations has an argument behind it. At a moment when audiences want to know what goes into moviemaking and are increasingly unsure whether the myriad images they’re looking at were generated by artificial intelligence, the answer is visible labor.

“Right now, more than ever, I think it’s important for audiences to really feel that people made the thing that they’re watching, and people went through an experience to make the thing they’re watching,” said Cretton, who grew up watching behind-the-scenes segments on his favorite DVDs. “All of that, I think, is just as important as the thing that they’re watching.”

Effects alone don’t carry a superhero movie — or any movie, for that matter — anymore, Cretton said.

“The action can be great, the [visual effects] can be fantastic, the explosions can be huge, but if there isn’t some type of emotional spine that connects with people where they are and what they’re going through, it’s just another big, explosive movie,” he said.

The slump itself isn’t in dispute. Many of Marvel’s newer films haven’t come close to the heights its predecessors once cleared, and this year, movies like Amazon MGM Studios’ “Masters of the Universe” and Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ “Supergirl” underperformed in theaters.

What’s driving it is contested.

“I don’t think it’s fatigue of the genre,” Rothman said. “I think it’s the audience wanting new things and less predictability.”

For Marvel, long treated as the genre’s gold standard, part of the problem was volume; a dense web of interconnected films and TV shows that made casual viewers feel like they had too much homework to do before a new premiere.

The likeliest near-term explanation for that estimated $195-million opening, though, may have less to do with tone than with supply and brand. “Brand New Day” is the first Marvel superhero film since last year’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” and Spider-Man remains one of the most commercially durable characters in the genre.

The calendar is also less accommodating than it was. The latest “Spider-Man” installment opens against Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” and holdovers including “Toy Story 5” — a considerably more crowded field than the thin, pandemic-era slate its predecessor benefited from on the way to $1.9 billion.

And the movie has a second job. With Disney and Marvel’s “Avengers: Doomsday” arriving at the end of the year, “Brand New Day” has to leave audiences wanting it.

“It’s got a lot riding on it,” said Steve Granelli, a teaching professor and division head of communication studies at Northeastern University. “Not just in terms of this being yet another ‘Spider-Man’ film, but also this being a huge storytelling device in the larger [Marvel franchise].”

Which is the tension at the center of the pitch. The filmmaking team went internal on purpose, and built a movie about a young man nobody remembers. It also has to set up the largest external event on Marvel’s calendar.

Published on
30/07/2026 – 12:57 GMT+2

The European Commission is considering opening an investigation into imports of certain construction materials from several Balkan countries over suspicions that they were made using low-cost Chinese glass fibre already subject to EU anti-dumping duties, according to people familiar with the matter.

The probe will focus on so-called open mesh fabrics, including thermal insulation systems.

The case comes as the European Commission continues to step up pressure on low-cost Chinese imports, which are contributing to the EU’s record-high €1 billion-a-day trade deficit with China. The commission launched negotiations with Beijing in June in a bid to rebalance trade ties, with hopes of securing tangible results by October.

EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič expected to travel to China in October.

At the same time, the Commission has warned that it would deploy its trade defence instruments before the deadline to counter low-cost Chinese imports, arguing that China uses unfair practices to gain access to the EU market – including strategies to circumvent EU tariffs.

Open mesh fabrics are often manufactured with Chinese glass fibre, which the Commission has accused Chinese producers of selling at unfairly low prices on the EU market, causing injury to European manufacturers. The EU has targeted glass fibre with additional duties several times in recent years, including imports from Egypt that are produced by Chinese companies.

But Chinese producers are suspected of circumventing those anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties by relying on local manufacturers in several Balkan countries to assemble open mesh fabrics using low-cost Chinese glass fibre.

The overcapacity problem

The EU produces around 1 million tonnes of melted glass annually from installations operating in eight countries, among them Germany, France and Italy.

But according to Glass Fibre Europe, which represents the glass fibre industry in Brussels, Chinese glass fibre overcapacity exceeds 100 percent of total EU market demand, raising the risk of further harm to European producers unless the EU strengthens its trade defence measures.

Over the past year, the number of cases involving alleged Chinese unfair trade practices across several industrial sectors has increased, and the Commission has been criticised for the length of its investigations.

At a summit in mid-June, EU leaders gave the Commission a mandate to review and update its trade defence instruments.

But the EU’s current trade regulation toolbox remains limited, with Commission only able to address unfair trade practices on a product-by-product basis. Additional safeguard measures – including tariffs and quotas – are also under consideration, Euronews has learned, to protect the European chemicals sector from intense Chinese competition.

The Commission was contacted for comment but did not reply.

CRETE is the latest destination to be struck by wildfires and with it being a holiday hotspot for Brits, lots are asking – is it still safe to travel to?

Here’s everything you need to know right now about travelling to the Greek island.

Where are the wildfires in Crete?

The majority of the wildfires in Crete are on the south of the island.

On Wednesday, a large fire broke out in the south of the Rethymno regional unit where around 8,000 people have been evacuated.

A large fire is being tackled near the villages of Krya Vrysi, Orne and the coastal resort of Agia Galini.

Hotels in Rethymno have been placed on high alert.

It’s believed the fire that has been exacerbated by 125km per hour winds has destroyed a number of homes in the area.

According to the BBC, it’s one of the biggest active fires on the island, with its front exceeding 9.3miles.

Hundreds of residents and tourists were evacuated from Krya Vrysi on Wednesday.

Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to battle the blaze, and two sadly died on Wednesday during high winds in Crete.

Forecasters warn fire-prone conditions will spread towards the centre of Europe this week, with Greece among one of the places most affected.

Is it safe to travel to Crete right now?

The travel advice for Greece remains unchanged.

But there are warnings on being prepared for wildfires which are “high risk” between April and October.

The advice from GOV.UK reads:

“Ensure that your mobile phone is registered to receive emergency alerts to be warned of wildfires near your location.

“Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly.

“To avoid starting wildfires:

• leave no litter, especially not glass which is known to start fires
• make sure cigarettes are properly extinguished
• do not light barbecues

“Causing a wildfire or a forest fire is a criminal offence in Greece – even if unintentional. If you see a fire, call the emergency services on 112.

“Be cautious if you are in or near an area affected by wildfires:

• follow @112Greece for official updates
• follow the guidance of the emergency services
• call the Greek emergency services on 112 if you are in immediate danger
• contact your airline or travel operator who can assist you with return travel to the UK”

Are flights still going to Crete?

Flights to Crete remain unaffected.

If you are due to fly in and have concerns, it may be worth contacting your airline to check if they are operating normally.

What if I have a holiday to Crete booked?

As the Foreign Office has not warned against travel to Greece, there are no special circumstances in place for holidaymakers to cancel their trip and receive a full refund.

Depending on what travel insurance you have, your policy might include natural disaster cover.

If so, your insurance policy should cover you for when you are unable to reach your holiday destination due to natural disasters, like wildfires.

So it is worth checking your travel insurance policy.

Can I cancel my trip?

If you do choose to cancel your trip, it is best to contact your airline or holiday provider.

There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings unless government advice changes.

It’s hard to hate on Canada. It’s like cursing a cotton ball, or raging about tapioca.

The friendliest of neighbors, the country has fought alongside the U.S. in conflicts going back to World War I, purchased many trillions of dollars worth of American goods and blessed this country with, among other gifts, ice hockey, Drake, Joni Mitchell and Alex Trebek.

While you can question the nation’s culinary sensibility — the unofficial dish, poutine, is an abomination consisting of French fries, cheese curds and hot gravy — Canada is basically a very large, very pretty country filled with a lot of very nice, extremely polite people.

But for reasons only he can fathom, President Trump has declared economic war on our amiable northern neighbor.

After more than a year of trading tit-for-tat tariffs, Trump recently escalated the conflict by slapping a new 50% tax on a variety of Canadian exports, including cement, furniture, dairy products and, most iconically, hockey sticks. The added levy, which will further burden inflation-weary U.S. consumers, is set to take effect in mid-August.

The move makes little sense from an economic or foreign policy standpoint. It’s best to regard Trump’s trade moves as a wind gauge charts a blustery storm; his on-again, off-again tariffs are not the result of some carefully thought-out policy but, rather, a measure of the president’s shifting moods and pique toward certain foreign leaders.

And they carry a not-inconsiderable price tag — California’s struggling wine industry being just one example.

For decades, the industry has been a vital and growing part of California’s agricultural economy. Recent years, however, have seen a number of setbacks.

Costs are rising. Sales are falling, as younger generations favor hard seltzers, canned cocktails or premium beers over crushed grapes. At the same time, climate change and the growing incidence of wildfire threaten the viability of some of California’s premier wine-growing regions.

A Canadian ban on alcohol imports

Then there’s the trade war with Canada, the industry’s largest export market and formerly a major customer of California wines. Until recently, the Canadian market accounted for more than a third of the state’s exports.

But last year, several provinces stopped purchasing U.S. alcohol in response to Trump’s tariffs and his threats — more slapstick than real — to annex the country and make Canada the 51st American state. While two provinces, Saskatchewan and Alberta, soon lifted their bans, the two most populous, Ontario and Quebec, have not.

As a result of this “geopolitical friction,” to use the words of University of California researchers, California wine exports to Canada fell by nearly 80% in 2025 compared with the year before. Unsurprisingly, Canadian sales of homegrown wines have soared.

Stick that in your terroir!

In response to the dramatic drop in exports, more than a dozen California members of Congress wrote last month to Quebec’s premier, Christine Fréchette, urging her to lift the retaliatory ban on U.S. wine and spirits.

“Reopening the market to American wine would restore consumer choice and signal a commitment to restoring fair and balanced trade for Québecois consumers and American wineries who have no connection to the underlying trade disputes,” the letter read.

Sen. Adam Schiff also wrote Fréchette asking her to resume the sale of California wine and U.S. spirits.

“The restriction on American wine has had damaging consequences for regional consumers, businesses, and producers who have no influence over national policies,” the California Democrat stated. “In fact, I have repeatedly voiced my opposition to and voted against the President’s harmful trade policies, including as they pertain to Canada.”

Fréchette’s response was, in a word: “Non!”

“In the context of the ongoing trade war, the premier continues to defend Quebec’s economic interests,” a spokesperson for Fréchette told CBC Radio. “This measure will remain in place as long as the United States maintains these unjustified tariffs. Our government will re-evaluate its position when the American administration reverses these measures.”

And that statement came before Trump upped the ante, along with the tariffs on Canada, which, presumably, doesn’t help matters.

Red or white?

Mike Thompson has seen the damage of Trump’s economic warfare firsthand. The St. Helena Democrat represents the heart of Wine Country and spearheaded, along with Democratic Rep. Jimmy Panetta of Carmel and Republican Rep. David Valadao of Hanford, the bipartisan overture to Quebec’s premier.

“I talked to a vintner today,” Thompson said during a drive this week through his sprawling Northern California district. “They went from an $11-million annual wine export to a $2-million annual wine export to Canada because of this.”

Thompson has introduced legislation, including a measure to reimburse wine producers for the money they’ve lost due to Trump’s tariffs, but the proposals have stalled in the House despite bipartisan support. His effort, Thompson dryly noted, “has not been warmly embraced by the administration.”

Meanwhile, the cross-border hostilities continue. Neither Trump nor Fréchette seems ready to budge, with California vintners still stuck in the middle.

So the question in Montreal and Toronto remains: What pairs best with poutine? Canadian white or red?

What else you should be reading

The must-read: Trump administration targeted California and other blue states for clean energy cuts
The deep dive: Justice Kennedy reflects on his time deciding the Constitution’s promise of liberty and equality
The L.A. Times Special: His nickname was ‘Satan.’ His political influence was immense
Until next time,
mzb
—
Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

Matthias Jaissle is the surprise favourite to take over as Newcastle head coach as Eddie Howe’s replacement – and would arrive with a strong recent record of success.

Howe, 48, is set to leave St James’ Park after nearly five years. He had been in charge since November 2021 when he replaced Steve Bruce and took the Magpies to their first domestic trophy in 70 years by winning the Carabao Cup in 2025.

Former RB Salzburg boss Jaissle, currently in charge of Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli, is noe expected to come in.

The 38-year-old German was a centre-half, progressing through the Stuttgart youth system before playing senior football for Hoffenheim from 2007 to 2014.

He represented Germany at Under-21 level, but was forced to retire through injury at the age of 25.

Jaissle took his first coaching steps as assistant manager of Danish club Brondby between 2017 and 2019. He then took over RB Salzburg’s Under-18 academy team before becoming a head coach for the first time at Liefering in Austria’s second tier.

He guided them to a second-placed finish, the club’s joint best-ever position, and that achievement helped him become RB Salzburg manager in 2021, replacing Jesse Marsch, who would later manage Leeds United and then Canada at the 2026 World Cup.

In two seasons with RB Salzburg, Jaissle won the Austrian Bundesliga twice and also the Austrian Cup once.

Their team included Benjamin Sesko and Brenden Aaronson, who now play in the Premier League with Manchester United and Leeds United respectively, and German forward Karim Adeyemi, now at Barcelona.

Jaissle joined Saudi club Al-Ahli in 2023 and led them to consecutive Asian Champions League titles in 2025 and 2026. Such success would have been noted by Newcastle‘s Saudi ownership in the event of Howe leaving St James’ Park.

Magpies supporters will be encouraged by Jaissle’s methods – his teams play high-pressing attacking football. He demands they show intensity and force turnovers as high up the pitch as possible.

SEOUL, July 30 (UPI) — South Korea’s SK hynix posted record earnings in the second quarter of this year amid the AI boom. However, shares of the world’s No. 2 memory chipmaker have continued to plunge on the Seoul bourse.

The company noted Wednesday that it logged sales of $55.1 billion and operating profit of $42.1 billion during the April-June period. Revenue more than tripled from a year ago, while profit increased more than sixfold.

“Driven by sustained demand growth from expanding AI infrastructure investments, high-performance products for AI servers led price increases, enabling the company to surpass its previous record set in the prior quarter,” SK hynix said in a statement.

“With major tech companies increasing their AI infrastructure investments, additional supply requests continue to mount. As these investments are supported by revenue generated from AI services, the momentum in memory demand is expected to persist,” it added.

Despite the stellar performance and solid outlook, its shares have struggled to find their footing on the Korea Exchange. They fell 14.65% on Monday before dropping another 9.61% on Wednesday and 5.64% on Thursday.

Since reaching a record high in late June, SK hynix’s market capitalization has fallen by more than half in just over a month. This came after its shares had surged more than tenfold in the year through late June.

Observers attribute the bearish run to a combination of factors, including lower-than-expected earnings, concerns over the sustainability of the AI boom and the emergence of Chinese competitors such as recently listed CXMT.

Although SK hynix chalked up a record bottom line in the previous three months, the figure came in about 5% lower than the market consensus. There are also questions over whether SK hynix has secured sufficient long-term agreements, or LTAs, with customers to reduce uncertainty about future earnings.

“The market remains skeptical about LTAs, so we believe it will take time for confidence to build,” NH Investment & Securities analyst Ryu Young-ho said in a report, reducing his target price for SK hynix by 17.1%.

Other brokerage houses, including Shinhan Securities, Hanwha Investment & Securities, and Samsung Securities, also followed suit.

“We revised down our operating profit estimates for SK hynix for 2026 and 2027 by 7% and 9%, respectively, to reflect a more conservative price outlook,” Shinhan Securities analyst Kim Hyung-tae said in a report, cutting his target price by 35.7%.

However, some experts remained optimistic, raising their target prices on expectations that SK hynix shares will eventually rebound.

“The main reason second-quarter operating profit fell short of the market consensus was that DRAM price growth was weaker than expected,” Korea Investment & Securities analyst Chae Min-sook said.

“However, this was caused not by slowing demand, but by the postponement of some shipments, which should instead contribute to improved earnings in the third quarter,” Chae added, raising the target price by 24%.

DB Securities came up with a similar view.

Leveraged ETFs tied to memory chipmakers

Also at the center of controversy are leveraged exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, linked to individual stocks. They debuted in late May and are tied to the shares of the country’s two blue-chip companies, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.

Investors have complained of heavy losses. Samsung, the world’s top memory chipmaker, has also seen its share price plummet in recent weeks.

Against this backdrop, critics argue that the new products have amplified market volatility by encouraging short-term speculative trading. Over the past two months, KOSPI circuit breakers have been triggered repeatedly by sharp market swings.

Because these products magnify both gains and losses, they tend to attract retail investors seeking quick profits, potentially leading to larger price swings during periods of market uncertainty, according to experts.

During a parliamentary session on Wednesday, lawmakers summoned top financial officials to criticized the leveraged products and the market slump.

“The government has encouraged people to sell their real estate and invest in stocks. But after the stock market crashed, retail investors ended up suffering heavy losses,” Rep. Park Jun-tae from the main opposition People Power Party said.

In response, Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eog-weon promised to do everything possible to minimize market-related volatility but failed to present specific measures.

“South Korean equities have been buoyed by the strong performances of memory chipmakers. But the rally overshot because of a few factors, including the debut of the single-stock 2x leveraged ETFs,” economic commentator Kim Kyeong-joon, formerly vice chairman at Deloitte Consulting Korea, told UPI.

“Once market sentiment turned bearish, the leveraged ETFs accelerated the market’s decline. The problem is that the products cannot simply be abolished because doing so would create even greater market disruption,” he added.

NewsFeed

Israeli strikes hit multiple areas across Gaza overnight, including tents sheltering displaced families in al-Mawasi, Khan Younis. In Gaza City, an attack on a residential apartment injured many Palestinians, most of them children, according to eyewitnesses.

Gladiators star Cyclone, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, has featured on the BBC show since January 2025 but is now said to have been axed along with two others

Another one bites the dust… Cyclone has become the third professional to be axed from BBC show Gladiators. The TV star, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, joined Bradley and Barney Walsh’s BBC revival of the 1990s classic last year, and has so far filmed two series.

But just as production got underway at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield for the next series of the reboot, Lystus, 25, is said to have been cut from the line-up and is not impressed with bosses.

A source told The Sun: “Cyclone won’t be back and she’s not happy about it. She’s now cut all ties with the show – it’s a pity as fans absolutely loved her.” The powerlifting champion has also unfollowed the official Instagram account for the programme and deleted all pictures of herself on the show.

News of Lystus’ exit comes just days after it was reported that Matty Campbell, who stars as Bionic, and Karenjeet Kaur Bains, better know to fans as Athena, had also been axed from the show, having missed out on a considerable amount of the last series after both suffering injuries.

A source said: “They won’t film this year for the show but could be back for the tour, depending on how they recover from their injuries.”

Earlier this year, Giant, 40, whose real name is Jamie Bigg, departed Gladiators amid much controversy when he went public with then-girlfriend Taylor Ryan, 28, and it emerged that she worked as a model on OnlyFans.

Execs were quick to air their disapproval, and the athlete said that he was “shocked and disappointed” by the move, which he directly linked to his partner’s racy work. It was then reported that body builder and fitness instructor Ahmad Rabus, 37, would act as his replacement, and it became apparent that he would be one of several new faces on the show.

Team GB medallist Tabby Stoecker, along with fitness influencer Florence Wong and World’s Strongest Man champion Tom Stoltman are reportedly in the lineup, whilst The Sun also reported that former England rugby star Joe Marler would be making an appearance.

The new series will introduce a soon to be revealed event, as well as the other well known challenges such as Duel, Hang Tough and the Eliminator. Popular additions from the previous series — Everest, Destruction and Suspension Bridge — are also set to return after receiving a strong response from viewers.

Produced by Hungry Bear Media in partnership with MGM Alternative UK, part of Amazon MGM Studios, Gladiators remains one of the BBC’s flagship entertainment programmes.

The most recent series, which came to an end in March, attracted an average audience of 4.6 million viewers across BBC One and BBC iPlayer over a 28-day period, while continuing to perform particularly strongly among younger audiences.

Kalpna Patel-Knight, BBC’s Head of Entertainment, said: “Since Gladiators burst back onto screens in 2024, it’s been amazing to see families across the UK rally behind the contenders and champion our phenomenal Gladiators as the true stars of Saturday nights.

“With a brand‑new series confirmed and another celebrity special on the way, audiences can look forward to even more colossal clashes, even more edge of your seat excitement and plenty of opportunities to raise those foam fingers high once again.”

The Mirror has contacted representatives for comment.

* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

The cyclospora parasite causes explosive diarrhoea and contaminated food, particularly herbs, salad and soft fruit, are common sources of infection

There has been a rise in Brits contracting a parasite that causes explosive diarrhoea.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data shows a “sharp rise” in cyclospora infections among people who’ve travelled to Mexico. Cyclospora is a parasite that causes explosive diarrhoea.

Contaminated food, specifically herbs, salad and soft fruit, are common sources of outbreaks and infections. Infection is acquired via consumption of contaminated food.

Cyclospora doesn’t naturally occur in the UK and there is no risk of spread from person to person, UKHSA said. A total of 67 cases have been reported across the UK between April 30 and July 15.

The agency has now advised all travellers to take precautions when going abroad by maintaining good food and water hygiene to reduce the risk of infection. Besides frequent watery diarrhoea, cyclospora also causes abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, flatulence, low-grade fever, loss of appetite and weight loss.

Infections are usually mild and most people improve within a few days without treatment. However, these can present as more severe or prolonged in people who are immunocompromised and antibiotics may be prescribed.

Data published today shows that, out of the 67 cases reported in travellers returning to the UK, 30 of those were in England, 27 in Scotland and 10 in Wales. The UKHSA says this is a “sharp rise” compared to the annual average of 93 cases recorded between 2022 and 2025.

Travel information is available for 52 out of the 67 cases, with 48 of those reported to have travelled to Mexico. One of the 48 also reported travelling to the United States of America.

A further case reported travelling to the USA only and one to Kenya. Those who travelled to Mexico reported staying at a range of hotels in the Riviera Maya and Cancún regions and consuming a variety of food and drink as part of all-inclusive holiday packages.

Further investigations around the cases are ongoing. UKHSA said it anticipates a continued rise in travel-associated cases as an increased number of people travel to Mexico during the summer.

Travel to the USA, where a widespread outbreak has been reported, could also potentially increase the number of cases in the UK.

Dr Philip Veal, consultant in travel health at UKHSA, said: “We have recently detected a rise in Cyclospora infections among travellers returning from Mexico. These infections are caused by a parasite and can affect the stomach and intestines.

“Travellers to Mexico and other areas where the infection is more common can reduce their risk by following good food and water hygiene measures, including drinking bottled water and eating thoroughly cooked food, even when staying in high-end all-inclusive resorts. We also advise avoiding certain foods such as fresh uncooked berries and herbs, unpeeled fruit and salad items.

“If you develop symptoms after returning from travel, such as watery diarrhoea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps or pain, bloating, increased wind, nausea, fatigue or other flu-like symptoms, please seek medical attention and inform your healthcare professional of your travel history.”

UKHSA is liaising with ABTA, the travel association, and Mexican public health authorities to inform investigations into the rise in cases.

This is the people pleaser. Phoenix Bakery’s now-iconic strawberry-and-whipped-cream cake has been called “L.A.’s most popular cake” for good reason. It’s light, not too sweet, packed with fresh berries and surrounded by a cloud of airy whipped-cream frosting with a border of sliced almonds for crunch. For generations of L.A. kids, including my own, this is the birthday cake. Dreamed up by the late Lun F. Chan as an extravagant expansion of strawberry shortcake, it has a double-layer base of chiffon cake (another L.A. invention). You can order tres leches and other types of cakes at the bakery, founded in 1938 by Chan’s brother, Fung Chow Chan, but nearly everyone comes in for the strawberry cake, which except for holidays is almost always available for walk-ins. And with prices starting at $29.95 for a 6-inch cake that serves five to six people, it’s also one of this city’s most affordable ways to make a birthday special.

CHICAGO — In the nearly nine months since he was hired as head coach at UCLA, Bob Chesney has won over a lot of hearts and minds with his unwavering sense of belief.

First, he won over his star quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, who opted to stick with the Bruins after a 3-9 season a year ago. He won over 45 new transfers, who came to UCLA as part of the portal’s 11th-ranked class and seems to be winning over recruits, too, with UCLA currently ranked in the top 10 among 2027 classes. He even won over once-dormant Bruin donors, who, according to the school’s athletic department, have now poured over $41 million in private support into UCLA athletics over the past fiscal year, an increase of 80% from the previous year.

“It’s his energy, man,” Iamaleava said. “He brings a different type of energy.”

At this point, the only thing it seems Chesney hasn’t won yet at UCLA is an actual football game.

He couldn’t do anything about that Wednesday from the podium at Big Ten media days. Though, as far as first impressions go in this conference, Chesney certainly had a leg up on his predecessor, who stumbled through his own opening address two years ago.

But as the season draws nearer and a new era of Bruin football begins, all the enthusiasm does beg the question: What does a successful debut actually look like for Chesney at UCLA?

Chesney said Wednesday he had no interest in setting those expectations or “in putting artificial limits on ourselves.”

“Outcomes have to be earned,” he said. “And I think in the end, potential is a gift, right? The work is becoming. That’s the work.”

Considering UCLA’s recent history, you can understand why Chesney wouldn’t want to wade too far into setting expectations. Hope, after all, may be his most valuable resource at the moment.

The Bruins are coming off a season in which they won just three games, their fewest in more than 54 years. They’ve reached the nine-win mark once in the past decade. And just two UCLA coaches in a half-century — Jim Mora and Terry Donahue — have clocked a winning campaign in their debut seasons with the Bruins.

“There’s no better place I’d rather be at this moment in time,” Chesney said. “I strongly believe in the power of what UCLA is.”

The collective Big Ten media seems less convinced, having voted the Bruins to finish 13th in their preseason conference poll. That’s exactly where they finished last season.

But there are some things working in Chesney’s favor. For one, a schedule that includes just four opponents picked to finish in the top half of the Big Ten.

It doesn’t hurt, either, that his quarterback got a full spring and summer under his belt as a Bruin. Iamaleava didn’t join the program until late in the process last season after his transfer portal drama dragged out through the spring and summer. Then once he started to find his bearings, UCLA’s coach was fired.

There was no such uncertainty this offseason, as Chesney moved to quickly retain Iamaleava.

“It was a matter of making sure he understood we had a plan,” Chesney said. “That was the most important thing we could do to make sure he stuck around and he did.”

Not only was Iamaleava impressed with his plans to prepare him for the NFL, but he found himself right away swept up in the coach’s personality.

“When you first talk to him,” Iamaleava said, “it kind of sounds like you’re talking to a poet or something, the way the words roll off.”

Chesney is counting on Iamaleava to make things move smoothly for UCLA’s offense this season. But the most marked difference for the Bruins on that side of the ball should be the ground game.

The Bruins boasted one of the least dynamic rushing attacks in the Big Ten a season ago, as Iamaleava led the team with just 505 rushing yards. Their lead running back, Jalen Berger, rushed for a meager 364 yards over the course of the season.

Meanwhile, at James Madison, Chesney had three running backs with as many yards last season. The Dukes rushed for the fifth-most yards (3,381) of any Football Bowl Subdivision team.

Their lead rusher, Wayne Knight, followed Chesney to UCLA and should step in as one of the best backs the Bruins have had in years. Of the 30 backs in college football with over 200 carries, Knight averaged the most yards per carry last season (6.63).

“There’ll be a commitment to playing that style of football,” Chesney said.

The rest is mostly just a projection, a fact that Chesney openly acknowledges.

“Everything here is ultimately conceptual,” he says.

But one change has already taken hold, if you ask Iamaleava. One that might appear unrecognizable from recent history at UCLA.

“He’s definitely changed the mindset in there, just how you feel. I don’t know how to explain it,” Iamaleava said.

“When Ches walks into a room, he just brings that winning mentality.”

CASTINE, Maine, July 30 (UPI) — The new State of Maine has arrived in historic Castine, where Revolutionary War history and maritime tradition converge on the shores of Penobscot Bay, bringing advanced technology to the Maine Maritime Academy as it trains the next generation of merchant mariners.

The $330 million, 525-foot ship is the third of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels built for the U.S. Maritime Administration. to prepare the next generation of merchant mariners. The ship accommodates up to 600 cadets and features advanced navigation and engineering systems, classrooms and modern diesel propulsion.

Constructed at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia by more than 2,000 American shipbuilders, engineers and apprentices, the vessel also reflects renewed investment in the U.S. shipbuilding industry. The shipyard was acquired by South Korea’s Hanwha Group in late 2024 for $100 million, bringing advanced automation and digital manufacturing technology there.

The South Korean shipbuilding conglomerate is betting $5 billion on a dramatic revival of American shipbuilding, planning to turn its Philadelphia yard into a high-volume production hub.

The investment would increase annual output from fewer than two vessels to as many as 20, pairing advanced Korean manufacturing technology with expanded U.S. capacity to build commercial ships and naval vessels.

For Maine Maritime Academy, the new ship represents a dramatic leap from the wooden schooners and comparatively simple navigation instruments that once defined maritime training along the Maine coast.

Its bridge features sophisticated navigation and communications systems, digital charts and advanced ship-control technology designed to prepare cadets for an increasingly automated global maritime industry.

Despite the technology, the fundamentals of seamanship have changed little. Cadets must still read weather and sea conditions, work as a crew and make decisions under pressure.

“We start with the basics,” said the academy’s Captain Gordon “Mac” McArthur, 56. “Rowing in an eight-person lifeboat is a large part of the fall semester freshman year. We build from tying knots and turning a wrench to the more complicated things. We are training problem-solvers and critical thinkers. The technology-based things don’t matter if you don’t have those fundamentals.”

The training ship’s arrival underscores the community’s enduring maritime identity, where centuries-old seafaring traditions meet the technology shaping the future of global shipping.

Nowhere is that contrast more evident than at Maine Maritime Academy, where the state-of-the-art ship shares the waterfront with Bowdoin, the academy’s 1921 National Historic Landmark schooner — a living symbol of the evolution from wind-powered seamanship to the digital age of navigation.

Yet, both are classrooms for learning many of the same fundamental lessons about life at sea.

The academy’s new flagship reflects Castine’s balance of maritime tradition and the future of seafaring. While Maine Maritime Academy trains the next generation of mariners for a high-tech global industry, the town is fighting to preserve the working-waterfront traditions that shaped its identity.

Just down the harbor, Eaton’s Boatyard — where wooden boats have been built and repaired since 1931 — remains a living workshop of Maine craftsmanship, proving that even in the digital age, some skills are still best learned by hand.

Eaton’s Boatyard preserves a cornerstone of Castine’s maritime heritage as the birthplace of the 18-foot wooden Castine Class sloop, designed by Mace Eaton in 1951. On July 18, 13 of the one-design racing sailboats, including two originals still owned by descendants of their first owners, competed in Castine Harbor, continuing a nearly 70-year racing tradition on Penobscot Bay.

David Biggs, honorary chairman of the 27th annual Castine-to-Camden Yacht Race, said the Downeast harbor’s maritime traditions continue to thrive as new generations embrace sailing.

“It’s still exciting to see these beautiful boats in our harbor, especially our own Castine Class Caroline B,” Biggs, 93, who has lived there with his wife, Marian, for more than 50 years, told UPI.

Though Castine has evolved from a working fishing and shipbuilding port into an upscale summer village, its identity remains firmly tied to the sea through Maine Maritime Academy, one of the nation’s leading schools for merchant mariners.

“It’s become a college town with a deep maritime soul,” Biggs said.

Kenny Eaton, 81, Mace Eaton’s grandson and the third generation of the boatbuilding family, has watched Castine’s waterfront change from a working harbor toward one increasingly shared with recreational boats and seasonal residents.

“You can’t stop change,” Eaton said. “But you hope the next generation understands that Castine wasn’t built just because it had a beautiful view of the water. It was built because people worked on it.”

That maritime connection continues among a new generation at Maine Maritime Academy.

That sense of maritime tradition also runs through families. Marin Griffin, 18, of Bangor, Maine, recently completed her freshman year at the academy and is following a path already taken by two generations before her.

“I’m the third generation in my family to attend Maine Maritime,” Griffin told UPI.

A harbor shaped by history

Castine’s ties to the sea run deep. Once a strategic outpost and later a bustling center of fishing, shipbuilding and coastal trade on Penobscot Bay, the town has evolved into a quiet Downeast harbor, while Maine Maritime Academy has carried its seafaring legacy into the modern era, training generations of merchant mariners and maritime professionals.

The State of Maine’s Captain Craig ‘Mac’ McArthur said Castine’s centuries-old connection to the Atlantic world continues to define both the school and the town.

“I’ve run into Maine Maritime alumni in Korea, Malaysia, Brazil, Dubai and other places around the world. Most don’t talk about their time at Maine Maritime,” McArthur said. “They talk about their time ‘in Castine.’ There is something about the remoteness of this place that prepares you for world travel.”

The academy’s legacy endures in the careers of graduates who credit its seamanship training for their success. Jon Parsons, 59, spent 23 years with Polar Tankers, transporting oil from Valdez, Alaska, while Tip Macdonald, 70, served as a ship pilot at the Port of Baltimore.

“I was a successful ship pilot at the Port of Baltimore for thirty years,” Macdonald told UPI. Both men say the academy’s rigorous instruction remains as strong today as when they attended, and that Castine continues to preserve the maritime traditions that have shaped generations of mariners.

An industry under pressure

Across coastal Maine, maritime trades are being reshaped by rising costs, technological change and a changing marine environment. Fishing remains dependent on generations of accumulated knowledge, but boats, engines, electronics, fuel and regulatory uncertainty have made entering the industry increasingly expensive.

A warming, rapidly changing Gulf of Maine is reshaping life on the water. Veteran tuna fisherman Justin McCarthy said Atlantic bluefin catches have declined and prices have fallen sharply, squeezing a fishery that once yielded five-figure paydays.

Yet, he sees hope in the next generation: his son, Mac, graduated from Maine Maritime Academy and returned home aboard the State of Maine, extending the family’s seafaring tradition.

Today’s merchant marine cadets are entering a maritime industry transformed by satellite navigation, electronic charts, automation and digital communications. Built for that environment, the State of Maine provides hands-on training with modern shipboard technology, preparing future deck officers and engineers to operate increasingly sophisticated commercial vessels.

Retired Navy Capt. Justin Cooper II, Maine Maritime Academy’s commandant of midshipmen, brings decades of naval experience to Castine. A former fighter pilot, Cooper served aboard the aircraft carriers USS Enterprise, USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Nimitz.

“We are training these young men and women to take their place in the maritime community,” Cooper told UPI. “We want them to be good leaders and to prepare them to enter the global maritime industry.”

Founded during World War II, Maine Maritime Academy still instills the discipline and seamanship demanded by U.S. Coast Guard standards. While most graduates now head into the commercial maritime industry rather than military service, the academy’s mission remains the same: preparing mariners to lead when conditions at sea turn unforgiving.

That emphasis on fundamental seamanship is reinforced by another academy vessel.

The Bowdoin, a 1921 Arctic exploration schooner, comes from an era when sailors depended on wind, weather, charts and celestial observation. Berthed alongside the State of Maine, the two vessels bridge more than a century of maritime education, reflecting both the evolution of seafaring and the enduring maritime heritage that has defined this coastal community for generations.

YOU don’t need to spend a small fortune to treat the family to a stay at a top holiday park.

These award-winning parks are packed with indoor waterparks, loads of kids activities, coastal views and top quality entertainment.

Plus we found deals for families of up to six for as little as £2.88pp per night.

So whether you’re looking for a staycation in Scotland, an escape to Essex, or a beach break in North Wales, these top-rated resorts deliver non-stop family fun.

Orchards Holiday Village, Clacton-on-Sea

This AA four-star rated Clacton-on-Sea park has an indoor and outdoor pool, mini Segways, a nine-hole golf course, and a summer Football Fun Factory – and that’s just the start.

Put your spare 2p coins to good use in the arcade, or head off on a bike trail for quiet afternoon cycling along the fishing lake.

Then settle down by grabbing some familiar eats from Papa Johns, Burger King, or the park’s own pub, The Mash and Barrel.

Just 17 minutes away, Clacton Pavilion adds extra thrills with exciting live shows and more than 20 rides. You can grab an unlimited ride wristband for £12.99.

The cheapest deal we found was for a four-night break for four people in November for £49 total, working out to just £3.06pp per night.

Click the button below to browse last-minute summer breaks or to book ahead for quieter seasons.

Book a stay at Orchards Holiday Village from £49

Thornwick Bay, Yorkshire

East Yorkshire’s Thornwick Bay holiday park is ideal for outdoors-y families, with its very own private lake where you can hire pedalos, go kayaking, or try stand-up paddleboarding.

Indoors you’ll find a spacious swimming pool with a multi-lane waterslide, plus an action-packed Activity Barn with climbing walls, archery coaching, and slime workshops.

On sunny mornings, little explorers can hunt for fossils and explore the sea caves down at the bay.

When it’s time to refuel, there’s takeaway favourites like Chopstix noodles, plus sit-down dining options like the Lighthouse Bar & Restaurant. Just make sure to save room for dessert from Bertie’s Ice Cream.

With the dramatic Flamborough Headland’s moss-topped cliffs and breathtaking beaches on your doorstep, there’s endless options for things to do at this coastal holiday park.

It even won the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice award last summer, and is rated a five-star holiday park by AA.

We found a four-night stay for four people in September for £49 total, which works out to £3.06pp per night.

Check holiday dates and caravan options by clicking the button below.

Book a stay at Thornwick Bay from £49

Craig Tara, Ayrshire, Scotland

Race down neon-lit slides and flumes at Splashaway Bay – one of Scotland’s largest indoor waterparks – which sits inside Craig Tara holiday park.

Outside of the amazing waterpark, kids can burn off energy at the Adventure Village, where there are aerial ropes courses and a giant six-metre high platform called ‘The Jump’.

Plus with dedicated sensory rooms for toddlers and a huge soft play hall, every single age group is catered to.

With plenty of indoor and outdoor activities, Craig Tara delivers the ultimate weather-proof staycation where a bout of rain could never dampen your holiday.

The cheapest deal we found was for a four-night stay for six people in September for £69 total, which is just £2.88pp per night.

Click below to browse holiday dates and caravan options.

Book a stay at Craig Tara holiday park from £69

Golden Sands, Rhyl

Set right in the pretty seaside town of Rhyl, Golden Sands Holiday Park makes a brilliant base for exploring North Wales, and has collected awards from sites such as Hoseasons.

You can easily reach spots like Dyserth Waterfall and historic Gwrych Castle in just a short drive, plus Rhyl itself has its own miniature railway and golden beach.

Back on site, kids can burn off energy with NERF gun battles, an outdoor adventure playground and soft play, or splash around in the indoor pool.

This park also has fantastic evening entertainment, with family-friendly live shows, glow parties, bingo nights and mini discos.

We found a deal for a three-night stay in a comfort chalet sleeping five in September for £157, working out to £10.47pp per night.

Click below to browse dates and book yourself in for a staycation.

Book a stay at Golden Sands from £157

Combe Haven, Sussex

In sunny St Leonards-on-Sea in Sussex, this lively resort is perfect for making a splash, with a huge water complex including a lazy river and a giant Space Bowl flume.

On-site activities range from archery coaching and footgolf to a giant climbing wall.

Head to Cook’s Fish and Chips for a chippy tea, and sea view drinks at The Saxon Bar to unwind in the evenings.

You’re also just 15 minutes from historic Hastings, where you can explore historic Hastings Castle and the underground caves of the Smuggler’s Adventure.

The cheapest deal we found was for a four night stay for six people in September for £69 total, working out at £2.88pp per night.

Click the button below to browse holiday dates, including last-minute summer breaks.

Book a stay at Combe Haven from £69.

Prices correct at the time of publication.

BRITS heading to Spain are being warned to expect more strikes both this week and next week.

Baggage handlers have already staged a walkout at Palma Airport and will do so again this Saturday and again from next Tuesday.

Workers for the company Swissport, which provides baggage-handling services, are set to walk out on August 1 between 7am-12pm then again between 7pm and 10pm.

After that, an ‘indefinite strike by ground-handling workers’ is set to start on Tuesday unless an agreement is reached, according to local media.

Some airlines that use the company for baggage-handling include Condor, Air Canada and TUI.

The airport has warned that others could be affected too, as a statement said that “its impact will stretch beyond Swissport-handled airlines“.

Popular airlines taking Brits to the island include Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2.

The airport said: “Large-scale airport strikes can occasionally create a minor knock-on effect. If Swissport-served flights experience delays at the gates, it can sometimes lead to localised congestion on the tarmac or minor delays at security control.”

To minimise disruption, Palma Airport has advised customers to do the following:

• Check in online: Complete your check-in online before heading to the airport to minimise time spent in queues.
• Travel light if possible: Travelling with hand luggage only allows you to bypass potential check-in and baggage carousel delays.
• Monitor your airline’s app: Keep a close eye on text alerts or app notifications from your airline for real-time schedule updates.
• Arrive on time (but not too early): Stick to the standard arrival window recommended by your carrier (usually two to three hours before departure). Arriving half a day early can worsen airport congestion.

The airport did see some disruption during the previous strike on July 28 when Swissport workers action coincided with a 24-hour walkout by the Regional Metal Sector.

The Regional Metal Sector covers technical personnel across the entire airport – their final strike is scheduled for today.

On July 28, one man wrote on X: “Stuck on a staircase in palma airport due to swissport ground staff and baggage handlers on strike until midday.”

On the same day, another called on the strike to end with “people waiting on bags to start their holiday”.

A third wrote: “Been to Palma airport recently. It’s not just UK airports, that place is an absolute shambles.”

On the strike, a TUI spokesperson said: “We are aware of planned industrial action affecting airline operators at Palma airport.

“At this stage, we do not anticipate any disruption to our customers. However, we are working closely with our local teams and airport partners to minimise any potential impact.

“As always, we will proactively update our guests if there are any changes to their itinerary. Customers should continue to check their flight details as usual before travelling.”

Meanwhile, Ryanair told Sun Travel that it will “operate as normal” with “no impact to operations”.

easyJet also said its flights will be operating as normal.

A NEW passport rule introduced earlier this year has already caught out a number of families.

As many as 1.2million people can no longer use their foreign passport to enter the country.

These passport rules came into play in February and mean that British nationals have to carry a valid British passport to return to the UK.

They can no longer use their foreign passport to enter the country.

An alternative is to have a “certificate of entitlement” costing £589.

Despite being in place for five months, the new rules have been catching people out.

In one case, a British student was stuck in Rome and missed six weeks of school – she was unable to return home for over a month.

The 15-year-old girl had been visiting her grandmother in Italy in April of this year.

When it was time to return home, she was turned away at the airport because she didn’t have a valid British passport.

The girl’s father sought help from the Home Office and the Foreign Office.

He told The Guardian: “The embassy, the Home Office and the Foreign Office bounced us from one to another.

“They are playing with people’s lives, a child’s education. It is loathsome.”

Eventually, she was issued with an emergency travel document.

In another case, one British woman was caught out when she was trying to travel from Copenhagen to Manchester with her two children.

Colette Bjorn-Alderson, who has lived in the UK for 28 years, had been in the Danish country since April, but was returning to the UK with her six-week- old and 23-month-old for a wedding.

However, her two children only had Danish passports which meant they didn’t have valid travel documents for returning to the UK.

She told The Times that she felt “unwelcome in my own country” after being turned away from the flight.

Colette sent photocopies of her documents to the Home Office – but ultimately the decision was made that the family could not fly.

In June, dad-of-two, Kyle Harris, was refused boarding onto his flight from Kefalonia in Greece back to the UK due to only having an American passport.

The 39-year-old had been on holiday with his wife and two sons and the family has had to extend their time away as a result.

Deadly clashes reported in Pakistan-administered Kashmir amid first round of voting for regional elections on July 27.

Watchdogs have raised concerns over mounting reports of deadly clashes during regional elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where a banned activist group has boycotted the vote and staged protests.

The clashes between police and protesters earlier this week killed more than 30 people in the region, according to the leaders of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

Recommended Stories

list of 3 itemsend of list

In a video statement on Wednesday shared by Arab News Pakistan, JAAC committee member Sardar Umar Nazir claimed 20 of the group’s supporters had been killed during a march on Monday, when the first round of voting took place.

He listed reports of at least 10 other protesters being killed the following day in the towns of Rawalakot, Mirpur and elsewhere, including during sit-ins.

“Our demand was peaceful, it was peaceful, we tried to keep it non-violent and bullets were fired at it,” said Nazir in the video statement.

Pakistani authorities said a member of the security personnel was killed and five more were injured in clashes on Monday.

Rights group Amnesty International called the reports of lethal force against protesters in the area “disturbing” and urged an investigation.

Pear Pandya, a senior analyst at conflict monitor ACLED, said the violence in Pakistan-administered Kashmir “is bound to overshadow the legitimacy of the entire electoral exercise”.

Monday’s first-round vote – covering the districts of Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber – will be followed by two more rounds on August 2 and August 10.

Pakistan’s primary governing party, ⁠the PML-N, won nine out of the 13 seats that were up for election on Monday.

No justification to ‘mete out violence’

JAAC was banned by the local government under “anti-terrorism laws” in June, causing deadly protests to erupt in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Banking, roads and internet services have largely been disrupted since then, hindering the flow of information.

Pakistani officials have justified the crackdown by alleging that armed and India-backed fighters joined the Kashmiri protesters. India has rejected similar accusations in the past.

Amnesty has called the ban on JAAC unlawful and said it does not provide justification for authorities to “mete out deadly violence against protesters”.

The rights group has also urged Pakistani authorities to ”restore all communications access and allow media and independent observers into the area”, its acting regional director for South Asia, Isabelle Lassee, said.

‘Controversial’ seats

One of JAAC’s central demands regarding the regional elections is the abolition of 12 assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees.

JAAC supporters say the seats are used by major Pakistani political parties to tip the composition of the local parliament in their favour with those who mostly live outside the region.

To form a regional government, the PML-N would likely need the support of some of the 12 representatives, said Hasan Askari, ‌a political analyst.

“But when their government is dependent on those 12 controversial seats, how would it be able to find a solution for this issue?” Askari told the Reuters news agency.

Even among the candidates that did not boycott the vote on Monday, the results were contested. Parties accused each other of ballot ‌box ‌stealing and vote rigging.

A 15-year campaign led by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to conserve Watts Towers has run out of budget at the same time that a $22-million renovation of the campus is poised to take flight. The situation highlights what community organizers and the site’s leadership say is a piecemeal approach to the protection and preservation of one of the city’s most important cultural landmarks.

For decades, the city of Los Angeles and private foundations have invested in preserving the towers, the 102-year-old masterpiece of folk art built by Italian immigrant Sabato “Simon” Rodia. But while the landmark itself underwent years of painstaking conservation, which was recently halted at 90% complete, the arts campus surrounding it evolved in fits and starts.

Now, after 14 years of planning, an equally ambitious investment is being made to transform the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus (WTACC), which has served as an essential cultural and educational center for more than 50 years. The work will mark the first major upgrade of the WTACC since it opened in 1970, and leaders hope the transformation continues uninterrupted until it reaches the finish line.

“This is about investing in the people of Watts and creating a space the community can be proud of,” Mayor Karen Bass wrote in an email. “Thanks to the dedication of our state, county and local partners, philanthropic supporters and community organizations, we’re one step closer to creating a greener, healthier and more vibrant campus that honors the legacy of Watts while serving generations of Angelenos to come.”

The campus renovation is slated to break ground in October, with completion targeted before the 2028 Summer Olympics. The project is funded through a patchwork of public and private sources, including a $10.1 million investment from the Bezos Earth Fund, the climate philanthropy organization founded by Amazon Executive Chair Jeff Bezos.

The redesign will reshape how visitors experience the campus. More than 30,000 square feet of park space will be added along E. 107th Street, while climate-resilient landscaping will reduce flooding, improve stormwater management and create cooler public spaces. More seating and shade will be added to its amphitheater, new public art will be commissioned, and additional walkways, gathering areas and 200 trees will make the towers the physical centerpiece of what will be a 5-acre campus.

“It’s been the right time for a long time,” said WTACC Director Rosie Lee Hooks of the project’s long gestation during a recent interview.

The center offers free art, film and music classes for students and seniors, houses an art gallery and hosts two annual music festivals. Thousands of artists, filmmakers and musicians have passed through its doors as students and instructors.

Hooks, who has led the center since 2010, said the project’s long timeline reflects more than bureaucracy.

“It took so long because we’re in Watts,” she said, noting that the neighborhood has faced decades of disinvestment dating back to the 1965 Watts uprising. “People are still scared to come down here. However, our community is very, very rich in culture.”

That history of underinvestment is reflected in the campus itself, supporters say.

“This is the story of development in Watts and other communities of color in Los Angeles, where racist planning practices, combined with a lack of investment in the city’s arts and culture facilities, create a haphazard approach to management and design,” Tori Kjer, executive director of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust (LANLT), wrote in an email. The organization has partnered with the city on the campus’ redesign since 2012, when planning began to incorporate a vacant lot adjoining the towers into the campus.

The landscape design echoes Rodia’s own artistic process. Over the course of 33 years beginning in 1921, he transformed thousands of disparate objects — including mosaic tiles, plates, glass, shells and pottery — into 17 interconnected structures, one of which rises more than 99 feet.

“Assemblage is the practice of creating something meaningful from many distinct parts,” Sara Zewde, founder and principal of Studio Zewde, the landscape architecture firm designing the campus, wrote in an email. “Rather than erase those histories and make the campus feel as though it had always been a singular space, we wanted the landscape to celebrate them.”

The campus’ landscape has remained largely unchanged since WTACC opened. Since then, several buildings and public artworks have been added, but LANLT’s Kjer described the site as a “hodgepodge of concrete, worn-out planting areas and grass … with a disjointed flow and limited way-finding.”

Around the time that LANLT partnered with the city, a separate proposal to build a skate park on the adjoining lot drew community opposition and, according to Kjer, delayed the project by about four years. The skate park ultimately opened a few blocks away, allowing the parcel to become part of an expanded campus.

The WTACC project gained momentum in 2021 when California’s Proposition 68 Statewide Park Program awarded a $4.5 million grant. The following year, Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) secured an additional $4 million in the state budget.

Once that funding was committed, “it was just a domino effect,” Gipson said, helping attract additional public and private investment.

“This will be a space that will be nourishing for the soul,” said Daniel Tarica, general manager of the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs, which manages the towers. “We’re finally going to be able to make the whole campus useful.”

Watts Towers attract about 40,000 visitors a year, according to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and were designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1990. In June, the site was added to the World Monuments Fund’s “Irreplaceable America” list of 10 endangered historic sites in the United States.

While Gipson hopes the renovated campus will attract additional international visitors, he also wants more Angelenos to discover one of the city’s defining cultural landmarks.

“The towers tell a story about Los Angeles,” Gipson said. “We want people to know that the Watts Towers are part of who Los Angeles is.”

Tarica said the project is designed to serve neighborhood residents as much as tourists.

“It’s a huge resource, and we have fought as a department, and as a city, to make sure that we have the funding to continue teaching … and programming,” he said.

For Hooks, however, the renovation’s success will ultimately be measured by its impact on the surrounding community.

She sees the campus as filling a void left by decades of cuts to arts education while providing a place where residents can gather and learn.

“Our community cannot afford art, especially now with all of the issues around health, around food, around jobs, around ICE separating families,” she said.

The project’s funding is restricted to renovating the campus and does not include the conservation of the Watts Towers themselves. LACMA Deputy Director Diana Magaloni said about $412,000 is needed to finish the project. The city has allocated $150,000 for ongoing maintenance and monitoring, and both Magaloni and Tarica said they remain optimistic the conservation campaign and campus transformation will be completed before Los Angeles welcomes the world for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

“It would be amazing to have this funding to be able to do the campus restoration and [the towers restoration] in preparation for us to be on the world stage,” Tarica said.

Newcastle spent in the region of £240m on new players 12 months ago, but Howe was left frustrated by the departure of striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool.

Howe has lost two key players this summer – Sandro Tonali to Tottenham and Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, while Arsenal are chasing captain Bruno Guimaraes.

Howe replaced Steve Bruce as manager in November 2021, and ended Newcastle‘s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by winning the 2025 Carabao Cup.

He led the Magpies to Champions League qualification in 2023 and 2025.

Last season, Newcastle reached the last-16 of the Champions League before losing 8-3 on aggregate to Barcelona.

Their EFL Cup defence ended in the semi-finals, but their league performance was severely underwhelming after finishing fifth in 2024-25.

Newcastle won 84 of their 179 Premier League games under Howe, drawing 38 and losing 57.

He oversaw more Premier League wins than any other Newcastle manager. His Premier League win percentage of 46.9% at the club is bettered only by Kevin Keegan.

Saudi Arabia has hosted the last two Asian Champions League Elite finals and has now been confirmed for the next three.

Saudi ‌Arabia will organise the next three ⁠editions ⁠of the Asian Champions League Elite finals after the Asian Football Confederation’s ⁠executive committee confirmed the country’s provisional hosting rights had been made permanent.

The Saudis have hosted the first two editions of the event, which sees the quarterfinals, semifinals and final played in ‌a centralised venue, since the continent’s premier club competition was restructured before the 2024/2025 season.

Recommended Stories

list of 4 itemsend of list

Jeddah-based outfit Al-Ahli have won the title on the two occasions the city has hosted the ⁠finals, defeating Japan’s Kawasaki ⁠Frontale in 2025 before beating Machida Zelvia, also from Japan, in May.

The upcoming edition of the tournament, which ⁠features the domestic champions of the leading competitions from ⁠the region, will ⁠see the league phase expanded from 24 to 32 teams.

The qualifying rounds will start on August 11, ‌with the draw for the league phase to be held in Kuala Lumpur ‌on ‌August 18 and play commencing on September 14.

Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli completed their back-to-back victories with a 1-0 win after extra time against Machida Zelvia, of the Japanese J1 League, in last year’s final.

Fellow Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal are the record winners of the competition with four wins from nine appearances in the final – which is also a record.

Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds and South Korea’s Pohang Steelers have each lifted the trophy twice, having both appeared in the final on three occasions.