Month: July 2026

President Lula accuses Jair Bolsonaro’s son, now a presidential hopeful, of helping triggered proposed US tariffs.

Brazilian presidential hopeful Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, is asking the Trump administration to delay proposed tariffs on Brazilian goods until after October’s election, as he tries to counter allegations from President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that his family helped bring them about.

The Trump administration proposed the 25 percent tariffs in June, citing alleged trade violations including illegal deforestation and what it called unfair electronic payment practices, catching Brazil’s government by surprise. Lula had said relations were improving after a White House meeting with Trump in May.

The announcement came shortly after Bolsonaro met senior US officials in Washington, prompting accusations back home that he had invited US pressure on Brazil, with Lula accusing the right-wing senator of lobbying Washington to impose the tariffs.

He has since doubled down on those accusations, saying in a social media post last week, “the origin of all this was motivated by the Bolsonaro family itself” and that Bolsonaro’s request to delay the tariffs until after the election was “yet another act of treason against the Fatherland”.

Bolsonaro rejects the allegation, arguing instead that it’s Lula who would gain a political advantage if the tariffs were imposed.

“New US tariffs on Brazilian products would hand the current Brazilian government precisely the political victory it has been engineering,” Bolsonaro wrote in a submission to the Office of the US Trade Representative.

Brazilian officials have spent months trying to persuade Washington not to move ahead with the tariffs. But Bolsonaro says the government hasn’t gone far enough to find common ground with the US and is calling for a 180-day delay before any final decision is made.

“Brazil holds general elections in October 2026, and the political landscape that determines the viability of any negotiated resolution will be redefined within roughly ninety days,” he wrote.

So far, there is little sign his efforts are paying off. In a response to a letter Bolsonaro sent last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said US officials still had “substantial differences” with Brazil over the issues they say justify the proposed tariffs.

The dispute has left Brazilians split over who’s telling the truth. A Quaest poll published last month found 47 percent of Brazilians agreed with Lula’s claim that Bolsonaro had encouraged the United States to impose tariffs, while 35 percent agreed with Bolsonaro that he had tried to stop them.

Washington has until July 15 to decide whether to impose the tariffs which, if approved, would still exempt beef, coffee, rare earth minerals and aircraft parts. They would come on top of the tariffs Trump imposed last year over what he described as a “witch hunt” against Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted months later.

Bolsonaro has made Brazil’s relationship with the United States a central part of his campaign, as Trump has taken a more active role in Latin American politics. That has included the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas and backing right-wing candidates across the region, including Abelardo De La Espriella, who narrowly won Colombia’s presidential election last month.

SINGER Lauren Bennett, who featured on the global smash hit Party Rock Anthem, has died aged 37.

The beloved Brit, formerly a member of American girl group G.R.L, was remembered as a “beautiful spirit” who “touched so many lives” by her old bandmates.

In a joint statement, they wrote: “It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Lauren.

“Our hearts are broken, and we cannot begin to express how much she meant to us.

“We will forever cherish the love, laughter, and countless memories she gave us.

“Her beautiful spirit touched so many lives, and she will be deeply missed and forever loved.”

“Rest peacefully, sweet Lauren. You will always be in our hearts. Your GRLS, Em, Tash, and P.”

Lauren shot to stardom as a member of The Paradiso Girls in 2007.

The group, a European spin-off of the Pussycat Dolls, disbanded in 2010 after their singles flopped in the charts.

But Lauren would go on to force a successful solo career, featuring on a remix of will.i.am’s I Got It from My Mama and later collaborating with CeeLo Green on Love Gun.

The highlight of her career came in 2011, when she featured on LMFAO’s worldwide No1 hit Party Rock Anthem, cementing herself as the next up-and-coming star.

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WAUSAU, Wis. — Michael Alfonso, the 26-year-old son-in-law of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, has an answer for people who say he doesn’t have the experience necessary to join Congress as its youngest member.

He points to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

“They were 26 when they were first elected to public office,” said Alfonso, a Republican.

Alfonso is trying to ride support from his father-in-law to win his old House seat in rural northern Wisconsin. Duffy has repeatedly jetted back to the district to campaign and raise money for Alfonso, and he’s tapped $1 million from his old congressional account to support Alfonso’s candidacy.

Alfonso has also scored the endorsement of President Trump, who called him a “MAGA warrior.” But to Alfonso’s detractors, including prominent Republicans in the 7th Congressional District, he’s too young and inexperienced for the job.

“I think it’s insulting to people in the 7th that someone who lacks qualifications and any life experiences and any kind of demonstrable leadership skills or experience is even being touted as a candidate,” said Meg Ellefson, a 20-year resident of the district who voted for Trump three times and now opposes him. “It’s super aggravating to me.”

The Aug. 11 primary will test whether Trump’s endorsement of Alfonso, Duffy’s star power in his old congressional district and Alfonso’s fundraising advantage will be enough to put the political newcomer over the top.

Alfonso leans into Duffy’s ‘Real World’ past

Alfonso is taking a page from his father-in-law’s playbook by participating in a reality show. He appeared alongside Duffy, a 1997 alum of MTV’s “Real World,” in the “Great American Road Trip” video series that Duffy launched with his wife and 11 children on YouTube in June.

Duffy was elected to Congress in 2010, flipping a seat that had been under Democratic control for 41 years. He served for just under nine years before leaving politics. He returned last year when Trump tapped him to serve as transportation secretary.

Alfonso has leaned into his youth and lack of political experience.

“I’m a young man with the energy of a young man, but I have the values of someone who’s in their 60s,” Alfonso said, citing the fact that he got married to Duffy’s daughter Evita Duffy at age 22 and became a father in May.

Alfonso graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022 and then moved to Florida, where he worked for about a year on a podcast hosted by Trump supporter Dan Bongino. Prior to that, he worked construction jobs while in college.

Alfonso said that conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination inspired him to run to continue what he calls a “spiritual battle for the soul of our nation.” Kirk’s Turning Point Action has endorsed Alfonso.

Duffy’s son-in-law faces a former Iranian hostage and a dog musher

One of Alfonso’s rivals in the Republican primary, Kevin Hermening, has deep ties to the district.

Hermening is a former Marine who was one of 66 Americans held hostage by Iran for 444 days starting in 1979. Framed photos of the then-20-year-old Hermening meeting with former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter hang on his office wall.

He has worked nearly 40 years as a financial planner, spent 16 years on a local school board and was chairman of the Marathon County Republican Party for 24 years, helping Duffy and scores of other Republicans win local, state and federal races across the district.

Hermening also previously ran for Congress in 1986, when he was the same age as Alfonso is now — 26. He lost by 25 percentage points to Democratic incumbent Rep. David Obey.

“The voters told me that I wasn’t ready or prepared yet,” Hermening, who’s now 66, said in an interview at his Wausau office. “I was ill prepared to have actually done the job, and I’m not saying that because Mr. Alfonso’s in the race. It’s a fact.”

Another candidate in the primary, Ashley Furniture executive Jessi Ebben, has the backing of powerful Republican megadonors. Others running are Niina Baum, a dog musher, and Don Raihala, an accountant and real estate broker.

Longtime Republicans are publicly opposing Alfonso despite Trump backing

While Alfonso has endorsements from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and four of Wisconsin’s six Republican congressmen, local Republican officials in the district have publicly questioned the young candidate’s credentials.

Leaders in at least three counties have publicly spoken out against Alfonso as being too inexperienced for the job and questioned Duffy’s influence.

Iron County Republican Party Chair Tanner Hiller accused Duffy of trying to use his connections to get his son-in-law elected.

“I think what they’re doing is wrong morally,” Hiller told Wisconsin Public Radio in May. “There’s a lot of people that have better credentials, that know this district, that will represent this district better than Michael Alfonso.”

Donations in question as GOP megadonors are divided

Alfonso has benefited from tens of thousands of dollars in donations from transportation interests, raising more questions given that Duffy leads the federal agency that oversees the nation’s transportation system.

When asked whether he would be beholden to those donors, Alfonso said he answers only to God and the voters.

“That’s it,” Alfonso said.

But Hermening said Alfonso will feel indebted to the donors.

“I would think that the people would want to get paid back,” he said.

Duffy, despite his repeated visits back home to the district to campaign and raise money for Alfonso, is focused exclusively on executing the president’s agenda, his Transportation Department spokesperson Nathaniel Sizemore said when asked about the donations.

A super political action committee backing Alfonso has received $1 million from Duffy’s old congressional account and another $1 million from Republican megadonor Richard Uihlein, whose shipping and packaging business, Uline, is based in Wisconsin.

However, Uihlein’s wife, Elizabeth Uihlein, has donated $1 million to another PAC supporting Ebben. Ebben also has the backing of Club for Growth and Diane Hendricks, a billionaire builder from Wisconsin who is another GOP megadonor.

Alfonso hopes Trump endorsement overcomes GOP pushback

Alfonso is leaning into the Trump endorsement, while saying it will be hard work and not the president’s backing that gets him elected. His red, white and blue campaign signs say, “Endorsed by President Donald Trump.”

Jack Hoogendyk, chair of the Republican Party in Marathon County, which is home to the district’s largest city of Wausau, said Trump’s endorsement is “solid gold” in a district where Trump won by 22 percentage points two years ago.

But Ellefson, the longtime district resident, who hosted a conservative talk radio show in Wausau for five years, isn’t so sure that Trump’s blessing carries the same weight now that it used to.

“I personally would like to believe that voters in the 7th are intelligent enough and critical thinkers and won’t be swayed by a Trump endorsement,” she said. “I’m going to give the voters credit for not being that foolish.”

Bauer writes for the Associated Press.

Eala made a nervous start as she returned to Centre Court following her statement win over Swiatek, but managed to make it through her first service game unharmed – despite some wayward forehands and a double fault.

While Eala seemed tense, Paolini looked lively, and she landed a series of fiery winners two games later to strike the first blow.

At 5-3 down, Eala broke back after a handful of unforced errors by the Italian, but slow serves clocking in at around 70mph did her no favours as she was serving to stay in the set, and Paolini took advantage to wrap up the opener.

The pair traded breaks at the start of the second before Eala nudged ahead and, after going 0-40 down on serve, delighted fans on Centre Court by forcing a deciding set.

Having grown increasingly frustrated during the second set, Paolini composed herself for third and held serve easily, while Eala clung on.

But a double fault in the eighth game by the Filipina gifted Paolini a break point, which Eala conceded with an overhit forehand to fall 5-3 behind.

Despite the nerves of being watched by her “idol” Roger Federer, who was in the Royal Box, Paolini served out the win after two hours and 22 minutes.

“I want to thank Roger. In the match I was trying to stay focused, don’t think about him being here,” Paolini said as Federer applauded her.

“I watched all the finals and tournaments that he played here.”

Four wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.

Who: Argentina vs Egypt
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16
Where: Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, the United States
When: Tuesday, July 7, at 12pm (16:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 12:30 GMT before our live text commentary stream.

Get ready for a spicy battle of the number 10s – a dazzling duel between Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah, two of the greatest forwards in world football, as Argentina face Egypt in the World Cup round of 16.

Argentina have been the clear favourites in every game they’ve played at the tournament, but after being made to work for victory in the last tie, the presumption that the reigning champions are unbeatable has been broken.

Egypt, on the other hand, are on a historic run of their own, gearing up to chase a first-ever quarterfinal berth. One of only two African sides remaining at the tournament, they carry the hopes of the continent and have gone toe-to-toe with the world’s best.

Al Jazeera tells you everything about Argentina vs Egypt:

How did Argentina and Egypt reach the round of 16?

Argentina topped Group J with a perfect record of nine points, winning against Austria, Algeria and Jordan. In the round of 32, they were pushed to extra time by a resilient Cape Verde team before edging past the tournament debutants 3-2 in a thrilling contest.

Egypt came second in Group G with five points, drawing with Belgium and Iran and winning against New Zealand. They defeated Australia 4-2 on penalties in the round of 32 after the game was tied 1-1 following extra time. It marked the first-ever World Cup knockout for Egypt, who made their tournament debut in 1934.

More World Cup history beckons for Messi

This tournament’s Golden Boot race is one for the ages.

Argentina legend Messi, France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland are all tied at seven goals, with Mbappe leading the list, his two assists breaking the tie.

If Messi – who has scored in each of Argentina’s four games so far – finds the net against Egypt, not only will he become the Golden Boot leader, but he will also join Guillermo Stabile (1930) as the only Argentina player to score eight goals in a single World Cup.

But ahead of Tuesday’s last-16 tie, there have been concerns about fatigue, and it’s not just limited to Messi.

Argentina were forced to play extra time by Cape Verde in the heat in Miami in the US on Friday, while Egypt-Australia went all the way to penalties on the same day. Those gruelling knockout games left both teams with little time for rest and recovery.

Messi admitted after the last match that he was tired, and he lamented Argentina’s inability to press their opponents high up the pitch.

Meanwhile, Egypt relied heavily on their defensive organisation and looked to Salah and Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush to launch counterattacks against ⁠Australia, an approach they could employ again against Argentina.

For Egypt, a fully fit Salah could be crucial after the attacking winger entered the Australia match with a hamstring concern and at times appeared reluctant to sprint at full speed during a draining 120-minute ‌contest.

If Egypt stun Argentina, they will become the fifth African nation to reach the World Cup quarterfinals after Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002), Ghana (2010) and Morocco (2022 and 2026).

Argentina vs Egypt prediction

The Opta supercomputer gives Argentina a 69.1 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Egypt’s chances of winning are 12.3 percent.

The model estimates a 18.5 percent probability of the game going to extra time.

Argentina vs Egypt: Kickoff, TV schedule

• Argentina: TyC Sports, TyC Sports Play (1pm, Argentina Standard Time)
• Egypt: beIN Sports (7pm, Egypt Standard Time)
• US: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (noon, Eastern Daylight Time)
• United Kingdom: BBC One, BBC iPlayer (5pm, British Summer Time)

To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

Who will the winner face in the quarterfinals?

The winner of the Argentina vs Egypt match will play either Switzerland or Colombia in the quarterfinals in Kansas City in the US on Saturday, July 11.

Argentina vs Egypt: Head-to-head

This will be the first World Cup match between Argentina and Egypt.

Their last meeting was a friendly in Cairo in 2008, which Argentina won 2-0.

Argentina are on an eight-game winning run against African nations at the World Cup, with two of those coming in this edition (3-0 vs Algeria, 3-2 vs Cape Verde). No side in the competition’s history has won three games against African opponents in a single edition before.

Argentina vs Egypt: Team news

Argentina’s Gonzalez (ankle injury) and Medina (physical discomfort) are doubtful, while Egypt’s Fatouh (muscle) and El Fotouh (hamstring) are out injured.

Argentina’s predicted lineup

(4-4-2): E Martinez (goalkeeper); Molina, Romero, L Martinez, Tagliafico; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernandez, Almada; Messi, Lautaro

Egypt’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Shobeir (goalkeeper); Hany, Ibrahim, Rabia, Hafez; Fathy, Ateya; Ashour, Salah, Marmoush; Zico

Actor Finn Wolfhard has revealed that the ending of Stranger Things, which he had been part of his life for a decade, was ‘depressing’ as he struggled to find himself again

Finn Wolfhard has revealed he felt “really lost” after the ending of Stranger Things. The Canadian actor, 23, became an international star playing Mike Wheeler in the sci-fi drama on Netflix.

But after a decade as the character, Finn says that while he feels somewhat liberated to pursue other career ventures, the show’s ending came at a cost, leaving him feeling “lost”.

Asked in a new interview if he felt liberated, he said: “For sure, yeah. At first I felt really lost, because that’s your life for so long and so many of the crew and cast were so integral to the person that you are and to your identity.”

He went on to tell The Guardian: “You almost have a kind of withdrawal for a little while. Then you realise all those relationships, all those friendships, they’re around forever.”

Although Finn and his co-stars, including Millie Bobby Brown, knew the programme would be drawing to a close after the fifth series, it took time for the cast and crew to process it.

Finn said: “Every year it was like, OK, I know I’m going to be in Atlanta filming this thing with the same people for the next however long. It was like my school in a really odd way. Everyone was having a great time, hanging out … All the cast lived in the same neighbourhood. We would go to each other’s houses all the time.

“The vibe [during the last season] was almost like, ‘Oh, we’ll back next year’, but once we got about halfway through, everyone started to realise like, ‘Oh, This is it.’ And then everyone just really valued the time we all had together for that last half.”

While he says that the show ended at the right time, he added: “It was pretty depressing for everyone when it ended … but it feels absolutely right that we’ve ended at the time that we did.”

In the past, Finn has spoken about how he wasn’t prepared for such global fame as a child, admitting that if he had the chance to turn back the clock, he would “put himself in therapy”.

Speaking to People magazine, the actor said: “I don’t think I’d ever go back and do something over, but maybe I would go back to when the show first came out and blew up, and I would directly put myself into therapy.

“But it was so crazy and overnight, that there was not really any time to think about that.” He went on to state that he would “probably” make a mistake in other ways, in childhood, adding that life is about “trial and error”.

Finn has also spoken publicly about suffering from panic attacks and struggling with anxiety from around the age of 15. Despite his struggles, Finn said he didn’t speak to anyone about the issues because of his “whirlwind career”.

He said in the past: “Everyone was like, ‘Look at him, he’s fine. He’s having the best time.’ But in reality, I was probably also developing and things were happening in my brain and anxieties were forming and things that I didn’t realize that I had to bury because of how I had to feel at work.”

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NEW YORK — A White House report brands the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution, especially at the National Museum of American History, as radical activists who cannot be trusted, indicating that President Trump may be preparing to install his own team.

The report released late on Independence Day by the White House Domestic Policy Council comes in the midst of Trump’s aggressive campaign to overhaul some of Washington’s most sacred cultural and historic institutions. Trump in March revealed his intention to force changes at the Smithsonian Institution with an executive order that targeted funding for programs that advanced “divisive narratives” and “improper ideology,” as he continued a broadside against culture he deems too liberal.

“The Smithsonian Institution, and the National Museum of American History in particular, under its current leadership and current interpretive ideology, cannot be trusted to tell America’s story honestly and in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic,” according to the report by the council, which is led by a former top Trump speechwriter.

The authors added: “As this report shows, confirmed in the words of Museum leadership, this ideological capture has moved the Museum’s mission away from straightforward historical education and scholarship toward an extreme political activism that seeks to transform our country.”

The Smithsonian did not immediately respond to requests for comment Sunday.

Historian Lonnie Bunch, the Smithsonian’s current secretary, is the first African American to lead the institution. In an unrelated interview that aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Bunch said “the notion of being a more perfect union, not the perfect union, is really what motivates me.”

“I think what I want people to understand is that there is a responsibility to continue to make those aspirations available, accessible, meaningful to a whole range of people,” Bunch said. “And that, in essence, America’s greatest strength, it’s not running away from its history, but it’s understanding how that history shaped us and continues to shape us.”

Historian Anthea M. Hartig is the first woman to serve as director of National Museum of American History.

Trump’s escalating effort to force changes at the Smithsonian marks the Republican president’s latest move to transform cultural pillars of society, such as universities and art, that he considers out of step with conservative sensibilities. Trump had himself installed as chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with the aim of overhauling programming, and his handpicked board voted to add his name to the building, only to have a federal judge later order the signage to be removed.

The administration also forced Columbia University to make a series of policy changes by threatening the Ivy League school with the loss of several hundred million dollars in federal funding.

Trump has also imposed changes on historical sites beyond Washington, including in Philadelphia, where the administration won a court ruling last week allowing it to reinstall interpretive panels that critics say whitewash the history of slavery at the site of President George Washington’s home. Advocates, academics and officials have been concerned for months that the version that complies with Trump’s order could give a history that plays down the pain in the nation’s past in favor of a more triumphant view.

Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa., accused Trump and his allies of trying to “rewrite history.”

“There’s not one individual narrative that a president gets about our history,” Shapiro, a potential presidential prospect, said in an interview that aired Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And any president should want to make sure that that full history is shared, that the American people are able to draw their own conclusions.”

Shapiro added, “If we understand where we came from, we’re going to have a better path forward.”

Trump’s Domestic Policy Council does not necessarily agree.

The National Museum of American History “confronts visitors with materials intended to undermine faith in American institutions and the longstanding shared ideals of the American people,” the council’s report said. “We must be committed to restoring truth and sanity in how American history is presented and taught.”

In seeking to fulfill Trump’s order, which he called “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” the review concluded by finding that the museum “by the intention and at the direction of current Museum and Smithsonian leadership, has become subject to institutional capture by a radical, activist ideology that is fundamentally opposed to telling the noble, honest story of the great country we know and love.”

Peoples writes for the Associated Press.

Once again, Walker Kessler sat hunched forward, ears and eyes intently locked onto the person whose words would change his life.

This wasn’t his bewildering 2022 NBA draft day experience captured on video that began with him hearing commissioner Adam Silver announce he had been chosen by the Memphis Grizzlies only to learn moments later that he had been traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, only to learn two weeks after that he’d been dealt to the Utah Jazz.

No, this time it was about the love of his life, Abbie Stockard. Glued to a screen, Kessler reacted to the words, “Your new Miss America is … Alabama!” as if he’d been electrocuted. He jumped from his chair and put his hands over his mouth, speechless as Stockard was crowned.

Nineteen months later, Kessler — now the Lakers center — found his voice while on a Fourth of July outing at Lake Martin, Ala., and asked Stockard to marry him. She said yes.

The Lakers obtained the 7-foot-2 Kessler from the Jazz on July 1 in exchange for 2031 and 2033 first-round picks and 2028 and 2030 pick swaps, bringing to L.A. a strong defensive presence to accompany offensive-first star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Kessler, 24, agreed to a four-year, $130 million contract, not a bad nest egg for newlyweds. The Instagram story of the two sharing their engagement was captioned: “The future Kessler’s. Let’s get y’all married!!!”

Kessler’s mother, Andrea, played matchmaker two years ago, taking a photo of Stockard during an Auburn basketball game and sending it to her son. He messaged her on Instagram.

Stockard was on the dance team at Auburn, where she studied pediatric nursing. Now she is a former Miss America engaged to the Lakers’ newest star.

“I get to marry Walker Kessler — my best friend!,” she wrote on social media. “Our story is truly one that only the Lord could have written. So many things I once thought were coincidences were really His perfect plan unfolding, and our story is greater than anything I could have imagined.

“There’s no one else I’d rather spend the rest of my life with, doing life together and cheering each other on!”

In 201 games with the Jazz, Kessler averaged 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks across 25.3 minutes. He played only five games last season while recovering from a shoulder injury.

July 6 (UPI) — Stock in Dell Technologies jumped Monday morning after President Donald Trump promoted the company while opening the stock exchange from the Oval Office.

Dell CEO Michael Dell and Susan Dell were in the Oval Office along with investor Brad Gerstner, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, as Trump rang the opening bell. The president used the moment to encourage the purchase of Dell computers, preceding a 7% increase in Dell stock.

“Go out and buy a Dell computer,” Trump said. “Michael and Susan Dell, they are truly incredible.

The Dells donated $6 billion to the Trump Accounts program for children. Public financial disclosures show that Trump actively traded Dell stock in 2025, making 24 trades and purchasing stock 16 times.

We’re going to get him that money back one way or the other,” Trump said. “Then I’ll ask for another $6 billion. We’ll start the whole process all over again.”

Monday’s Oval Office event recognized the opening of the Trump Accounts on Saturday. The accounts are available to children 18 or younger and include a $1,000 contribution from the U.S. Treasury Department for babies born from 2025 through 2028.

“The American dream belongs to every child, and today we are equipping the next generation with the right to claim their rightful share of it,” Bessent said.

New York Stock Exchange president Lynn Martin was also in attendance in the Oval Office.

In Fox News interview, Israeli prime minister lauds US alliance and argues that Ankara should not receive F-35 jets.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his ties with US President Donald Trump are “fine”, dismissing reports of rifts between the two leaders over the ceasefire with Iran and Israel’s attacks in Lebanon.

In an interview with Fox News on Monday, Netanyahu heaped praise on the United States and Trump.

“America has been a tremendous force for good, and without America, there won’t be any democracy in the world, and there won’t be any freedom in the world,” he said.

The Israeli prime minister added that he and Trump see eye to eye on “just about everything”.

His comments come amid criticism by some members of the Israeli cabinet of the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran that calls for a regional ceasefire, including in Lebanon.

Israel has refused to withdraw from Lebanon, insisting that it has the right to bomb the country at any time to respond to “threats”. An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Monday killed four civilians, including a teacher.

Netanyahu said there can be differences between the US and Israel, but the two countries are “model allies”.

“My relationship with the president is fine, and we have a way of ironing out our differences as allies who respect each other,” he said.

The prime minister confirmed he will soon visit the US again, but said no date has been set for the trip.

Asked about his agenda during the visit, Netanyahu took aim at Turkiye, saying that he will lobby against the transfer of F-35 jets to Ankara.

“I don’t think they should be given F-35s or the engines for their fighter jets because that’ll upset the power balance in the Middle East, which is ultimately guaranteed by Israeli air superiority, and also by, I think, by America’s posture in the Middle East,” he said.

Turkiye, a NATO ally of the US, has been an outspoken critic of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Trump is set to visit Ankara later this week for a NATO summit.

Netanyahu attempted to draw a contrast between Israel and Turkiye.

“They didn’t lift a finger to help you in Iran. We did,” he told Fox News, a conservative US media network mostly watched by Trump voters. “We’re the model ally that fought next to your great soldiers.”

Netanyahu has called for the US to attack Iran for decades, leading to the US-Israel war on Iran that broke out on February 28, which proved to be overwhelmingly unpopular with American voters.

Some Israeli commentators and politicians have been escalating rhetoric against Turkiye, suggesting that the country is the next regional rival and target after Iran.

Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Saturday against Israel’s efforts to undermine the US-Iran agreement.

“We are closely following the Israeli administration’s attempts to dynamite the deal,” he said. “The current war-addicted Israeli government must not be allowed to drown our geography in the smell of gunpowder and blood again.”

A woman has issued a travel alert for those who are going to Paris this summer and beyond, urging them to be aware when they’re trying to do one thing in the country

A woman has issued an alert to anyone travelling to Paris this summer and beyond: there’s something you need to be extremely vigilant for.

Taking public transport can be confusing if you don’t speak the language, and it can be baffling anyway (think about the Tube…), so when a friendly face offers to help you make sure you’re able to get tickets and get to where you intend, it can feel like a godsend.

But a woman on holiday, Nichola, has urged people to be cautious after almost falling victim to a scam which could have ended up costing her a significant amount of money. Nichola, who posts on TikTok as @fiftyinbloom, said: “We’re in Paris and we nearly got scammed on the Metro, and here’s how.”

What happened at the Metro in Paris?

Nichola said she and her family had been approached by a man while at a ticket machine at a Metro station. “So, this guy came over to us, an older guy, quite smartly dressed, spoke very good English, and said, ‘Ooh, have you got tickets?'” she explained.

He then got Nichola and her family to follow him when they said they hadn’t managed to get tickets. He took them to a ticket machine, where he entered all the details. But alarm bells started to ring, however, when the cost of the “little day trip” they’d planned came up as €97 (£83).

Nichola said she told the man it was “too expensive” and they weren’t going to take the trip. But before she knew it, he’d pressed the payment confirmation, and three tickets came out, totalling €97. But she said that “looking back” she hadn’t seen anything on the screen regarding his payment like “card accepted or anything like that,” just that €97 was the total.

She continued they had followed the man “back to the turnstiles, he scanned something through” for them to get “disabled access” through a “door at the side,” and they all followed him. So they didn’t use the tickets that he’d bought for them to get through, raising more alarm bells.

Nichola continued: “We then followed the man onto the platform, and he said, ‘Right, that’s €97, I’ve paid on my card,’ and I was like…no. He then said, ‘What about cash? Have you got Euros?’ and we said, ‘No, no cash on us’.” He then continued to say that he’d paid €97 for their tickets, but said he’d “take €90”.

“At this point, it was all clicking into place,” Nichola said. The man then urged them to go to a cash machine with him, and asked for just one member of the group to go with him separately, to which Nichola said “Not on my watch”.

She said: “At this point, he’d given us the tickets that came out of the machine, we don’t actually know if they were valid tickets or not, and I was holding them, and looking through them, and they weren’t printed, they just looked like plain tickets that go into a ticket machine before they get printed.”

After a bit more back and forth, the man said he’d just “sell them to somebody else,” and Nichola and her group were more than happy to oblige. He then left, and the group ended up forgoing the Metro and got a bus instead, as they were concerned something else might happen.

What is this scam?

Nichola explained that she’d looked up what happened to them, and learned it’s known as the ‘friendly stranger scam’. This is when someone will approach you offering to help you get a ticket for the Metro.

They’re taking advantage of your situation because if a friendly stranger comes up to you, you’re likely to be grateful for the help. Nichola admitted that she was dubious of him from the start, so if you are visiting Paris and feel this way, it’s best to trust your gut.

How can you prevent this from happening?

One TikTok user left a comment with a helpful tip for avoiding the scam. They said: “We’re in Paris, get the Bonjour app, and you can get a digital train ticket which is €30 (£25) all day access, all on your phone, so you won’t get scammed.”

Another explained the same thing had happened to them, and the scammer they had spoken to was wearing a fake Metro badge, making them look trustworthy.

THE UK is getting hot again, and with the sunny weather what better way to keep yourself cool than by heading to a leisure centre.

And gone are the days where leisure centres just have big pools – there are now many across the UK that boast flumes, water coasters and sunken pirate ships.

What makes them even better? They don’t cost as much to visit as a waterpark.

Here are some of the best leisure centres across the UK:

Coral Reef Waterworld, Berkshire

Coral Reef Waterworld in Bracknell is home to a giant indoor pool with a pirate ship and flumes.

Unlike your usual leisure centre, Coral Reef Waterworld is one of the largest “interactive water worlds in England“.

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Slides include Aqua Splash, which is ideal for smaller children thanks to its gentler water.

Though if you do fancy something that is a little more thrilling, then head to Storm Chaser, which haschoppiery water and rocks riders from side to side.

Then there’s also Poseidon’s Peril, themed around the Greek God of the sea, where you hop into an inflatable, two-person raft and head down into a “super crater” with lots of flashing lights.

Adult tickets cost from £20.55 per person, kids’ tickets cost from £14.55.

LC Swansea

Over in Wales, you could head to the LC Swansea, which is a large indoor pool with a surf simulator and even a water coaster.

In addition to a large pool, families can relax on the lazy river or have a go on the slides.

Or if you want to have a go at something new, there is the Boardrider – a wave machine ideal for those wanting to learn to surf or bodyboard.

There’s also the MasterBlaster water coaster, where you ride on a rubber ring before being splashed into the pool.

There’s also a water-themed Climb and Play area with four storeys of obstacles.

Tickets start at £5.31 per adult or child for a General Splash session, with infant tickets for ages one to three starting at £2.97 each.

Water Meadows Complex, Nottinghamshire

Water Meadows Complex in Mansfield has its own pirate pool, alongside splash pads and flumes.

For little ones, there is the Clock Fun Pool, which is specifically designed for those aged under five.

The Pirate Pool is then suitable for all ages, but if you want more of a thrill there are a few different flumes to enjoy, including the Twister Flume, which stretches 50 metre, s and the Fast Drop Flume, which has a plunging drop.

Twice per hour you can also enjoy waves in the pool.

Tickets cost from £9.95 per person – but you’ll need to sign up to a pay as you go membership to book a session, which is free to do.

Guildford Spectrum, Surrey

In Guildford, you could head to the Guildford Spectrum, which reopens tomorrow after a refurb.

For adrenaline junkies, there are water slides as well as a wave machine.

The slides include Surf, which boasts three lanes and is ideal for competitive families or even siblings.

But little ones can enjoy the splash area with tipping buckets, spinning wheels and water sprayers.

One of the newer features at the attraction is a new inflatable obstacle course.

Tickets cost from £13.13 per adult and £10.50 per child.

Waterfront Leisure Centre, London

If you are in the capital, make sure to visit Waterfront Leisure Centre in Woolwich.

Inside you’ll find a 65 metre snake slide, lazy river and can enjoy ‘Wet and Wild’ sessions.

Toddlers can enjoy the training pool and splash zone as well.

Or for adults who want to chill out, there is also a hot tub.

Tickets cost from £9.70 per adult and £7.05 per child.

The Pavilion, London

Also in London, but this time in Bromley, you could drop into The Pavilion, which boasts a wave machine with a gradual entry pool, ideal for all age groups.

In addition to the large wave pool, there is a toddler splash area with shallow water, ideal for those getting confident in the water.

On some days, there is also a large inflatable obstacle course on the water.

Adult tickets cost from £9.55 per person and kids’ tickets cost from £6.85 per person.

Lagoon Leisure Centre, Scotland

If you are based in Scotland, you can visit the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley.

For small kids, there is even a beach-style walk-in teaching pool.

As for the main pool, every so often a wave machine will be turned on.

You’ll also find a flume at the leisure centre.

Tickets cost from £5.65 per adult and £2.80 per child.

Waves Leisure Pool, Devon

Down in the southern county of Devon, you could drop by Waves Leisure Pool in Torquay, with a wave machine, flume and inflatable obstacle course.

Having grown up nearby, Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding said: “Growing up, my parents would often take me to the Waves Leisure Pool on the English Riviera.

“Set not too far from the beach, it was the ideal day out.

“Every half-an-hour the waves will run and depending where you are in the pool, they range from a gentle bob to waves that throw you up in the air.

“It is heated to 29C year-round and has a sloped entry floor so is ideal for little ones too.

“The waterslide adds some fun, with many twists and turns and for toddlers, there is a splash area with enough to keep them occupied for hours on end.”

Tickets cost from £7.40 per adult and £6.10 per child.

London Aquatics Centre

In Stratford you could head to the London Aquatics Centre and while the venue doesn’t boast flumes, it does have an inflatable course with climbing walls and slides.

You can even opt to do an inflatable disco session with giant floats on the water as well.

These sessions cost from £10.50 per adult and £7.35 per child.

A NEW, first-of-its-kind historical theme park has finally opened in the UK – and I was the first to experience it.

Kynren – The Storied Lands, at Bishop Auckland, has no rides or rollercoasters; just a day full of spectacle, followed by an evening extravaganza like nothing you’ve seen before.

With 1,000 volunteers bringing to life the tale of England against the backdrop of Auckland Palace, it is the newest addition to the family attraction scene in the UK.

If you love knights on horseback, Vikings fighting with flaming axes, exotic birds swooping overhead, clever aquatic acrobatics and a fireworks finale – this is the experience for you.

There’s five immersive experiences to enjoy over the course of the day, as well as a wooden kids’ play space for little ones to let off steam.

Visitor are given an itinerary to follow to maximise their time on site and we started with the Trusty Steed, which showcases the jaw-dropping horseback prowess of its performers. 

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Then it was on to the Lost Feather, featuring more than 250 birds in a huge arena built to look like a nest.

This is certainly an ambitious undertaking – the sheer range of animals from ravens to cranes, from macaws to birds of prey, is unlike anything I’ve seen at other falconry shows. 

The stunning set and the theming are quite something to behold, but what I really love is how the whole park feels at one with its surroundings, drawing on the the fields, trees and the 11 arches of the nearby viaduct.

Eventually the park will expand to include 11 experiences based on different eras, including adding more to the Victorian village over the next year.

For now, we got a taster of what’s to come with characters from the age, including a maid, a pickpocket and the aptly named Professor Flambard inside his Imaginarium.

That’s where you’ll find the first of the shops brought here from Flambards Theme Park in Cornwall, which closed after almost 50 years in 2024.

Our next stop was the Viking amphitheatre, where flaming torches and the wreckage of longboats set the scene for the combat to come.

Outside the arena is a Viking village, with tents and workshops showcasing day-to-day life.

The finale to our tour through time was the Legend of the Wear, loosely based on the local tale of the Lambton Worm, a monster that terrorised villagers in the time of the crusades.

This show draws on the elements of witchcraft and water in the story with its aquatic stunts and parkour.

Obviously launching a new theme park with animals, special effects and plenty of performers is a tricky business, but thanks to the high standards at Kynren, you’re in safe hands when it comes to the old adage that the show must go on.

Whether it’s dealing with a burning bush set alight by falling fireworks, an eagle going AWOL or just a horse pooing as it arrives centre stage, there’s an authenticity in these unexpected moments that somehow adds to the experience.

Kynren’s evening show, An Epic Tale of England, has been running for a decade now, takes place on Saturdays and a couple of Fridays over the summer (this is booked separately from the daytime park).

It’s a romp through time, with buildings and boats rising up from nowhere, a huge cast of performers, animals and vehicles to marvel over and memorable moments aplenty during its 90 minutes.

The new daytime park takes all the impressive elements from this evening extravaganza and builds on them, weaving in local and national history.

It’s something that’s proved popular at parks on the continent and it’s great that we finally have it here too, in homage to the rich heritage of this corner of the British Isles.

One extra experience that’s been introduced this summer is the Time Travellers‘ Feast, which takes place early evening, so you can add it on to your day or night ticket.

For £68, you get a Roman-inspired welcome cocktail, three-course sharing feast, a glass of wine with your main, and tea or coffee to finish, all inspired by the Roman and Viking era.

Food stalls offering pizza, curry, sweet treats and drinks are also available for those not feasting.

If you’re travelling from further afield, the Auckland Project has some great accommodation options to make a weekend of it.

We enjoyed a cosy heritage stay at Churchill Cottage, perfectly positioned on the historic Market Place and steps away from the newly renovated Auckland Palace and its deer park.

Park Head Hotel is another great shout for a place to stay. 

Kynren is the Anglo-Saxon word for generations and this park more than lives up to its name – building on the success of the past decade to offer visitors something unique in the present with much more to come over the next few years.

The experience opens on July 18, running until September 12. Tickets start from £20.

The drama series has been labelled the “greatest TV show of all time” and viewers simply can’t get enough as they binge all the episodes, only to start from the beginning again

Tracking down a new TV series to watch isn’t always straightforward. It largely comes down to your preferred genre, but thanks to streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, there tends to be a fresh release practically every week.

Now viewers are claiming this drama series is so brilliant they’re watching it from beginning to end, then starting it all over again. Someone took to Reddit pleading for a TV show that is ’10/10 from start to finish’. They said: “Like a show where every single season is perfect and there are literally zero skippable episodes. For me it’s honestly Stranger Things, the vibe and the soundtrack just never get old. I’m actually rewatching it right now these days to be honest. What show is an absolute masterpiece in your opinion? Looking for something new to binge watch.”

While plenty of suggestions were put forward, scores of people couldn’t help but rave about Chernobyl.

When somebody brought up the drama series, one viewer chimed in: “Couldn’t agree more. It’s in my top 10 and possibly the greatest ever.” Another added: “Literally came here to say exactly this.”

A third person posted: “Watched it a few days ago – I binged the entire mini-series in one go and the only thing I could think when it finished was ‘Freaking AWESOME series… I want to watch it again’.”

Where to Stream Chernobyl 2019 and Inside the Meltdown Documentary Series

Chernobyl is a historical drama TV mini-series which revolves around the disaster of 1986. First launched in 2019, this version, which has been labelled the “greatest TV shows of all time” on numerous occasions, boasts a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an impressive 9.3 out of 10 stars on IMDb.

Upon its release, it garnered widespread critical praise for its performances, historical accuracy, atmosphere, tone, screenplay, cinematography, and musical score.

This year meanwhile, Chernobyl: Inside the Meltdown arrived as a TV mini-series featuring survivors speaking publicly for the very first time.

It chronicles the nuclear power plant catastrophe, the Soviet cover-up and present-day consequences as it interweaves with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The 2019 series, starring Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgard, and Emily Watson, is available to stream on NOW TV. In April, the multi-BAFTA winning production was made free-to-air on Sky Mix and Sky Atlantic to commemorate 40 years since the disaster.

Chernobyl: Inside the Meltdown, released in 2026, can be streamed on Disney Plus. Further series exploring the disaster are also available, including the documentary What Happened on Chernobyl, which can be found on BBC iPlayer.

A CHARMING English pier is finally getting a £550,000 upgrade next month.

The Grade ll-listed Victorian structure was forced to close two years ago after it was damaged during a heavy storm.

Worthing Borough Council has said work will start in August on new foundations for the town’s pier.

It comes after the original £930,000 cost estimate was reportedly revised to £550,000.

A storm damaged the pier in October 2024 but it reopened two months later with a temporary steel support in place.

Council bosses have said the pier, which was built in 1862, will continue to remain open while the work is undertaken.

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It is expected to be fully refurbished by the end of 2026.

In a statement, the council said the works “will give the pier new foundations to allow it to stand against the elements without the need for the steel support structure”.

Routine maintenance will take place on the underside of the pier during the structural works, according to the local authority.

Officials said the cost reduction to the project was due to contractors no longer requiring the removal and refitting of the pier’s timber deck.

Worthing Borough Council leader Caroline Baxter said: “Our pier is one of Worthing’s best-loved landmarks and a huge part of our coastal heritage.

“Looking after it isn’t just about maintaining a structure – it’s about protecting a place that means so much to local people and continues to attract visitors from across the country.”

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. It’s time to begin a weekly look at players to watch by position in Southern California high school football. First up is quarterback.

QBs to watch

Junior quarterback Chase Curren of Crespi.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

The Class of 2029 might be the best class to get excited about for this coming season, though there’s plenty of quarterbacks from every class to single out.

Seniors already committed include Huntington Beach’s Brady Edmunds (Ohio State), Corona Centennial’s Jaden Jefferson (Hawaii), Palos Verdes’ Ryan Rakowski (Nevada), Oxnard Pacifica’s Taylor Lee (Portland State), Chaparral’s Dane Weber (Cal) and Carson’s Chris Fields III (Georgetown). Laguna Beach’s Jack Hurst is coming off a season in which he threw for 45 touchdowns. Matthew Smith transferred from Villa Park to Santa Margarita and is committed to Vanderbilt. Caden Jones of Crean Lutheran is committed to Arizona.

DJ Mitchell from La Habra is a dual threat quarterback. Michael Gonzalez of South Gate passed for 3,842 yards and 41 touchdowns last season.

Among the juniors with great resumes are St. John Bosco’s Koa Malau’ulu, Mater Dei’s Russell Sekona, a transfer from Leuzinger, Crespi’s Chase Curren, St. Bonaventure’s Jaxson Carper, Star Thomas of Orange, Ayden Edwards of Tustin and Vista del Lago’s Josiah Dupree-Boyd. Talon Spencer of Capistrano Valley had 21 touchdown passes and 11 touchdown runs as a sophomore. Treyvone Towns of Rancho Cucamoga gets a restart after leaving Oaks Christian last season.

Quarterback Evan McCalister of Valencia is part of an outstanding class of 2029 quarterbacks.

(Craig Weston / For The Times)

Then there’s the sophomores who made memorable first impressions as freshmen. Let’s see how much they develop. The group is led by Thaddeus Breaux of Hamilton, Ford Green of Westlake, Marcus Washington of Cajon, Ezrah Brown of Orange Lutheran, Steven Moore of La Sierra, Levi Dean of Vista Murrieta, Jonah Tuaniga of Long Beach Millikan, Evan McCalister of Valencia and Jeremy Melialieu of Chaminade.

Edison passing tournament

The Edison Battle at the Beach passing tournament is set for Saturday at Edison High. It’s like a who’s who of top players and teams. Five of the six Trinity League teams are participating, with only Mater Dei not entered.

Also competing is Cathedral Catholic, which might be the best team in San Diego.

Here’s a tournament preview.

MLB Futures Game

The All-Star Futures game is set for Sunday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, and Corona High fans will get to see pitcher Seth Hernandez represent the Pirates.

Also selected were Ralphy Velazquez from Huntington Beach, Mason McGwire from Capistrano Valley, Josiah Hartshorn from Orange Lutheran, Anthony Eyanson from Lakewood. Here’s the complete roster.

Pete Crow-Armstrong (Harvard-Westlake), Freddie Freeman (El Modena) and Paul Skenes (El Toro) were chosen for the MLB All-Star game.

Notes . . .

Tim Cunningham, a character actor from the 1980s hit TV series “Cheers,” still makes them laugh coaching baseball at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Tim Cunningham, a much beloved former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame assistant baseball coach who spent 11 years acting as a bar patron on the 1980s hit sitcom “Cheers,” died Friday in South Carolina. He was 80. He had humor, loved to read and loved baseball. His earliest coaching was serving as an assistant for the Northridge Little League team that included son Matt and finished second at the 1994 World Series.

In 2003, as head coach at Harvard-Westlake, he was The Times’ coach of the year, guiding his team to runner-up in Division 3. The Wolverines lost to Crespi 1-0. Future major leaguer Trevor Plouffe pitched for Crespi. Harvad-Westlake had a pitcher, Jason Gluson, who barely hit 80 mph. Glushon went on to become a sports agent.

Notre Dame will hold a celebration of his life at a later date, coach Tom Dill said. He is survived by his wife, Pat, son Matt, daughter Elizabeth and several grandchildren.

Former Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly has joined the coaching staff at Corona High. Here’s the report.…

Orange Lutheran grad CJ Weinstein, a standout second baseman, has changed his commitment from LSU to UCLA….

Jardiel Ochoa is the new baseball coach at Sun Valley Poly….

Defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou of Sierra Canyon has committed to Ohio State….

Former San Juan Hills linebacker Weston Port has committed to Michigan. He previously was committed to UCLA, went on his two-year Mormon Mission and will return next year to enroll at Michigan….

Receiver Eli Woodard of Chaparral has committed to Miami….

Defensive back Myles Baker of Sierra Canyon has changed his commitment from Cal to UCLA….

DeAnthony Wiley has resigned as girls basketball coach at Buena Park….

The new baseball coach at UC Riverside is Greg Wallis, a Chatsworth High graduate….

Brandon Granger of St. Bernard has committed to UC San Diego for basketball….

Vince Nolasco is returning to Salesian as athletic director. He previously was at St. Anthony….

From the archives: Kurt Stillwell

Kurt Stillwell was the No. 2 player taken in the 1983 MLB amateur draft out of Thousand Oaks High by the Cincinnati Reds as a shortstop. His father, Ron, was Thousand Oaks’ head coach. Kurt had a nine-year MLB career.

Now he works for agent Scott Boras, who was his agent in 1983 when he signed for $135,000, tops in the draft. Roger Clemens was taken No. 4 by the Red Sox and signed for $121,000. After his playing days, Stillwell became a fishing guide before joining the Boras Corporation.

Here’s a story from 1992 explaining Stillwell’s easy-going personality.

Recommendations

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the return of JuJu Watkins to USC basketball practice.

From Burlinson on basketball, a story on the competition in Nevada and Rocklin.

From Texashsfootball.com, a story on transfers in high school football.

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Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

Did you get this newsletter forwarded to you? To sign up and get it in your inbox, click here.

July 6 (UPI) — Prosecutors in the Philippines called for accountability Monday on the first day of an impeachment trial for Vice President Sara Duterte, whose lawyers said the case was politically motivated.

Sara Duterte, who is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, faces allegations of misusing public funds. The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach her in May, with 257 of 290 lawmakers voting in favor.

The allegations center on the wealth she gained after becoming mayor of Davao in 2019 along with her use of funds as vice president.

In opening arguments, Gerville Luistro, a House representative from Batangas, questioned, “does accountability still matter in our country?”

“If a small village treasurer can’t explain missing funds, he is investigated. If a school principal squanders public funds, even just 5,000 pesos, she is punished. If ordinary people are held to account, why not the most powerful government official,” Luistro questioned, as reported by the BBC.

Sara Duterte’s lawyer, meanwhile, said lawmakers are targeting her politically because she received more votes in the 2022 presidential election — 32.2 million — than President Bongbong Marcos did in his race — 31.6 million.

“It is clear that the objective is to oust her,” lawyer Sheila Sison said.

“Whatever one’s political persuasion is, the reality is that the prosecution now comes for this court to remove a vice president chosen by an overwhelming number of the electorate,” she added, as reported by the Philippine Star reported.

After opening statements, Sen. Chiz Escudero, the presiding officer in the trial, ordered the return of Sara Duterte’s tax records to the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Sara Duterte was not present in the courtroom as the trial got underway.

She issued a statement saying her decision not to attend the proceedings and not to testify are a “legal strategy.” She also criticized Marcos for speaking against that decision.

“The burden remains on the prosecution to prove its case,” Sara Duterte wrote in her statement on Facebook. “Choosing to appear through counsel rather than testify personally does not diminish accountability or imply a lack of transparency. The integrity of an impeachment trial depends on adherence to the rule of law — not on whether the respondent personally takes the stand.”

Marcos, who was on a trip to Canada, told reporters in Vancouver that he would appear in person in court if he were facing an impeachment trial.

While this is Sara Duterte’s first impeachment trial, it’s her second impeachment as vice president. In 2024, she claimed to have arranged for Marcus to be killed if she were killed. The House of Representatives voted to impeach her for the comments, but the country’s Supreme Court blocked the effort.

For some Egyptian football fans, watching Mohamed Salah qualify with Egypt for two World Cups in 2018 and 2026 will never make up for the fact that the “golden generation” did not get their shot in 2006, 2010 or 2014.

“It is unfair to compare the two generations,” Ahmed Elshiekh, a former national team player who now covers the World Cup for Modern MTI TV, told Al Jazeera.

“The golden generation did everything but get to the World Cup. They beat Italy [when they were World Cup champions]. The draw in qualification was just unkind to them.”

Salah is the captain and leader of the current generation. He won every trophy on offer while playing for Liverpool in a glittering nine-year career that saw him become the highest scoring foreigner in the history of the English Premier League.

Given his status, it is perhaps no surprise that Salah shouldered the blame for an AFCON drought that stretches back to 2010. His achievement in dragging Egypt to the 2018 World Cup in Russia is brushed aside due to the fact that Egypt was the first team to be eliminated. A half-fit Salah, who had dislocated his shoulder in the UEFA Champions League final, scored twice, but Egypt lost all three matches, including to Saudi Arabia.

The failures were compounded when Egypt lost the 2021 AFCON final to Senegal on penalty kicks. Thirteen months later, Egypt met Senegal in a World Cup playoff and once again lost on penalty kicks. In the first shootout, Salah was designated as the fifth taker but never got a chance to take his penalty. For the second shootout, perhaps realising his mistake, he went first and missed.

Salah might have been one of the best players in the Premier League, but Egypt fans were frustrated. To soothe their pain, they hung on to the memories of a team that was crowned African champions in 2006, 2008 and 2010 – successes that were spearheaded by the legendary midfielder Mohamed Aboutrika, who is equally famous for his “Sympathise with Gaza” T-shirt as he is for his immaculate first touch.

The despondence was so deep that fans had lost hope for their national team. AFCON 2023 was blighted by an injury to Salah, who elected to return to Liverpool for rehabilitation but promised to return should the team advance to the final. Egypt’s tournament ended shortly after that statement, courtesy of a penalty shootout defeat in the round of 16.

Working at that time as an analyst for Egyptian TV, now-Egypt manager Hossam Hassan said that if Salah had done that on his watch, he would “never pick him for the national team again”.

A couple of weeks later, Hassan was appointed to lead the national team after Rui Vitoria’s dismissal.

It was widely speculated that the only reason the Egyptian Football Association hired Hassan was because the currency crisis had prevented them from attracting a foreign manager.

“Hossam Hassan as a player has achieved everything you can imagine,” Elsheikh said, referencing the former striker’s record 69 goals for Egypt and three AFCON titles.

“But as a manager, we saw what he can produce, and the results were not great. … Also he brought problems and created crises.”

The crises Elsheikh referred to have been a hallmark of Hassan’s journeyman coaching career marked by brawls and altercations with fans.

But the appointment proved to be a stroke of unintended genius.

Salah finds form under Hassan

Instead of falling out with Salah, he and Hassan became joined at the hip. If there was anyone who could understand the pressure of Salah’s position, it was Hassan, who had lived it all before but with the added pressure of having played mostly in Egypt and having crossed the Cairo divide when he left Al Ahly to sign with bitter rivals Zamalek.

“Hassan does have a captain’s personality and is very energetic. He might not be the strongest tactically, but he does provide a solid defensive base” Elsheikh said.

Salah has enjoyed a rich vein of form under Hassan’s tutelage. Egypt qualified for the 2026 World Cup undefeated, winning eight out of their 10 matches. The team also reached the semifinals of the 2025 AFCON tournament – not that the achievement silenced any of the doubters.

Of course, it’s not all about Salah. Egypt have a raft of talented players, including Man City’s Omar Marmoush and Al Ahly’s Emam Ashour.

Their undefeated team is going into the round of 16 to face defending champions Argentina on Tuesday. Egypt have overcome a great deal of adversity to reach this stage of the tournament as well.

A second-half comeback against New Zealand in the group stage was needed to secure the nation’s first win at a World Cup. Salah exited the final group game against Iran with a hamstring injury but played all 120 minutes of the penalty shootout win over Australia in the last 32. The 34-year-old converted his kick with a Panenka against Socceroos goalkeeper Mat Ryan.

In the aftermath of that victory, Aboutrika, now an analyst for beIN Sports, did his best to pass the baton to the new generation.

Goalscorer Ashour had expressed his joy at being compared to Aboutrika, saying his ambition was to be “as half as good or even a quarter as good as him”.

Later on in the studio, Aboutrika responded by saying: “You are better than [me]. You’ve scored two goals in a World Cup,” and insisting that this was the biggest night in the history of Egyptian football.

Not everyone is so convinced.

“This Egypt team is better than any we have seen in years yet is still remarkably fragile,” opined Karim Zidan, a writer focused on the intersection of sports, power and politics.

Salah, meanwhile, was once again asked who was the greatest Egyptian player of all time and again deferred to Aboutrika, saying “there is absolutely no discussion.”

A SPRAWLING new entertainment venue has opened in a major UK hub – and it features more than 170 games.

The £11million attraction will offer visitors a wide range of virtual reality, sporting and gaming experiences.

Mega City has thrown open its doors in Slough today (July 6), bringing a new immersive family entertainment venue to the town.

Spanning more than 55,000 sq ft, the site offers a wide range of virtual reality experiences, 10 bowling lanes and even a karaoke room set across its three floors.

Located just eight minutes from the Elizabeth Line, the 170-game venue also features arcade machines, interactive football, a laser tag arena and an AR clay pigeon shooting experience.

Built on the site of a former Wilko, the entertainment destination comes as part of an £11million investment into Slough’s regeneration.

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Its opening is expected to create more than 80 local jobs, as well as generate footfall for the town centre.

Jeet Grewal, co-founder of Mega City, said: “At its heart, Mega City is about bringing people together. We wanted to create a place where different generations can enjoy shared experiences, feel welcome and make real memories.”

The late-night spot is also open until 2:30am on Fridays and Saturdays and until 1:30am the rest of the week, with a number of food and drink facilities on offer, including a restaurant, desserts bar and cocktail bar.

Grewal added: “Slough is incredibly diverse, vibrant and now well-connected through the Elizabeth Line, and we saw a real opportunity to create a large-scale leisure space that reflects that spirit.”

This follows Slough’s projected £3.5 billion transformation, with plans submitted last month for a £640million housing and leisure development.

The town has experienced a dramatic decline in recent years, with retail closures, a housing shortage and a degrading high street all contributing to the area’s deterioration.

AS a family, we absolutely love a theme park holiday – it’s a chance to escape everyday life – and, if we’re honest, the adults probably need that just as much as the kids do.

Whether it’s white-knuckle rollercoasters, splash zones, storybook castles, safari adventures or pint-sized rides for mini adrenaline junkies; Europe has a theme park for it all.

But when you consider ticket prices, crowds, endless queues and the familiar challenge of keeping every age group entertained, choosing the
right destination can feel less like a holiday and more like a logistical marathon.

I’m a travel expert and mum-of-two and I love sharing tips on my page Instagram @thetravelmum on how to travel the world without spending a fortune.

Here are my pick of Europe’s best family theme parks that strike a balance between adventure and convenience, and how to enjoy them without the stress.

Plus, the best cheap accommodation to stay in while you’re there.

Europa Park, Germany

At Germany’s largest theme park, and Europe’s second largest (behind Disneyland Paris) – you’re absolutely spoilt for choice.

There’s 21 lands all themed on a different country, with world-class rollercoasters, over 100 attractions and 20 different shows.

It’s also home to waterpark, Rulantica, where you could easily spend a day in itself. Here there’s more rides and slides, as well as a toddler splash pool and a spa area for those over twelve years old.

The scale of this park, which costs Adults (12+) €67.00 (£57) – €76.00 (£65) and Child/Senior: €56.50 (£47) – €65.00 (£55) for a one-day ticket, means you’re best to explore it over a few days – stay at one of the park’s six hotels – and it’s better suited to families with older children and teens.

Getting there: 6.5 hour drive from Calais.

The nearest airports are Strasbourg, Baden Baden and Basel.

Flights: Ryanair: London Stansted to Baden Baden – return flights August 6 to August 8 August 2026 (summer holidays) from £107 per person.

Easyjet: London Gatwick to Basel – is another route often offering cheap fares.

Accommodation: Stay on-site at the new Riverside Western Lodge – a comfort plus room coming in at £1,035.50 for a family of four, on a bed and breakfast basis for three nights in October half term (October 26-29).

Kids will love the Wild West themed rooms, the free shuttle ‘Rust’ bus makes getting around easy and, as a hotel guest, you get VIP early access to the waterpark – Rulantica. 

On a budget? The on-site ‘Tipi Town’ offers a variety of glamping and lodge options – some are shared ‘dorm’ style, and some are private, but with shared bathroom facilities. From €172 (£147) for a 4-bed tipi this August, or alternatively, bring your own tent and pitch up in the Europa park campsite from €59 (£50) a night.

The savings can be substantial compared to the on-site hotels, but it’s worth noting that some options require you to bring your own bedding.

Staying on-site guarantees you access to best price park tickets, and free parking across all the accommodation types.

Our top tips:

• Book accommodation early
• Utilise budget airlines and for best prices be flexible on which airport you fly into as they’re all an easy 1-1.5 hr drive from Europa Park
• Buy tickets in advance online to save money
• Use the park app to plan your day 
• Take advantage of the excellent baby facilities onsite 
• Bring refillable water bottles 
• Plan for two full days in the park (three if doing Rulantica).

Efteling, Netherlands

One of our personal favourites to visit with our two young children, this fairy-tale inspired park with tickets ranging from €40-€56 (£34-£48), does a great job of catering to a wide range of people.

It blends rides, gentle attractions and some great rollercoasters, with beautifully detailed storytelling.

Families love the enchanting Fairytale Forest, while older children will enjoy thrill rides like Baron 1898 and Python.

The on-site accommodation is fab and, if you do want to spend more than one day in the park, it’s worth pricing up an overnight stay as it can work
out better value as you typically get park tickets for both your arrival and departure days included.

Getting there: Three-hour drive from Calais.

The nearest airports are Eindhoven and Amsterdam Schiphol, with fights from £27 return.

Getting to the Netherlands from the UK is easy – whether you prefer to drive, fly or take a ferry – you’ve got plenty of options.

Accommodation: Staying off site – we love Guesthouse Hotel Kaatshuevel – it’s not onsite but it’s within walking distance to Efteling and is perfectly designed for families.

Think spacious rooms with bunk beds for the kids, pancakes for breakfast and a rooftop garden terrace with mini golf and games.

It’s affordable too – in October half term you can get rooms from £135 per night.

In the summer, I’d recommend Bosrijk Village, woodland cottages dotted around in a pretty forest setting – with playgrounds and little streams, perfect for cooling off.

There’s an indoor pool complex too. I also loved the Efteling Grand Hotel which opened in August 2025 and has a cosy fairytale vibe – which really adds to the magic when visiting Efteling in the colder months. 

Our top tips:

• You’ll want at least two full days in the park – three would be ideal
• If staying onsite – use your early entry to do the big attractions before the queues build
• Download the app for site map, queue times and route planning
• Pack for all weathers – the Netherlands (just like the UK!) can be unpredictable
• Plan your lunchtime to avoid busy times – eat at 11.30am or 14.00pm – the popular restaurants get busy
• Don’t skip the shows – great for giving little legs a break.

PortAventura World, Spain

Located on Spain’s Costa Dorada, PortAventura World combines a major theme park, waterpark and Ferrari Land resort in one destination, along with six on-site hotels.

The theme park area is divided into six lands, each with its own atmosphere and character.

One thing we did notice is that the height requirements were higher than we have seen anywhere else, so make sure you take this into account.

There is still plenty to do for younger visitors, including the Sesame Street themed land.

We stayed in the Wild West themed Colorado Creek hotel when we visited, having booked our stay as a package from the UK – with flights, transfers, accommodation and park tickets included, it felt so easy.

On The Beach currently has a package holiday including flights, hotel and park tickets for four nights from £303pp for a family of four in August.

If you’re able to travel off-peak, it was noticeably quieter on weekdays than weekends, and another tip we learnt was that, as far as theme park fast passes go, they were relatively good value here.

For instance, On the Beach has the same 4-night offer in early September from £218pp, for a family of four.

Tickets to just the park cost £45 euros per adult and £36 for kids for two days, and also allow access to Ferrari Land.

Getting there: The nearest airport is Reus, followed by Barcelona El Prat.

Flights: Ryanair, EasyJet and Jet2 both fly from London Stansted or Manchester to Reus. 

For example, you can fly with Ryanair from Manchester to Reus from 27th July to 30th July for just £65.98 return, excluding luggage. 

Accommodation: The onsite hotels start from €130 (£112) per night, and come with their own swimming pools and park tickets included. 

They can also be booked as a package with Jet2Holidays too.

For example, a family of four can stay onsite at the 4* Hotel Gold River in October half term on a half board basis for £3,411 – which is a great price considering it includes your flights, transfers and theme park tickets for everyday you’re there. 

Our top tips:

• Travel off-peak – it was noticeably quieter on weekdays compared to weekends
• Avoid July / August (if you can) – it’s busy and it gets hot! 
• Express passes offer good value here, compared to other theme parks
• If staying onsite – retreat back to your hotel and make the most of the pools or air con during the hottest part of the day. 

Puy Du Fou, France

Puy du Fou is different from the other theme parks on our list, as there’s no rides.

Instead, all the action centres around 20 spectacular historical shows, featuring Viking battles, Roman gladiators, birds of prey, sword fights, thundering horses, fire and unbelievable stunts.

While the shows are all spoken in French, most people say it doesn’t matter as they’re so visual, but you can listen to a translation via a headset.

If you’re thinking this doesn’t sound like your thing, Puy du Fou (tickets from £38.25 (€46) for adults and kids ages 3–11 from £27.67 (€33)) was voted best theme park in the world twice.

It’s best suited to families with children aged six and over.

There’s a range of themed accommodation on site, or plenty of places to stay nearby, as you need at least two full days there to ensure you can see everything, especially as some of the shows happen after dark.

The park is huge, so prepare for long days and a lot of walking.

Use the app to map out your day in advance as you want to arrive at the shows around 30 minutes before they start to ensure entry.

It might not be your traditional theme park, but if you enjoy theatre, history and live action, immersive experiences – it’s definitely one for the list.

Getting there: It’s a six hour drive from Calais. Or the nearest airport is Nantes.

Ryanair and easyJet both serve Nantes airport from London airports, with flight prices as low as £37 return in October.

Unless you only plan on visiting Puy du Fou, you’d be best hiring a car if travelling to France by plane.

Accommodation: If you’d like to stay onsite then I strongly advise you book accommodation as far in advance – especially during the summer holidays – with prices starting at around €60 (£51.62) per person per night.

Nearby towns like Les Epesses and Les Herbiers have plenty of accommodation available on booking sites and are just a few kilometres away from Puy du Fou. 

Eurocamp has two sites within an hour’s drive of Puy de Fou Castel Camping La Garangeoire or Château La Forêt, which would make for an easy way to combine a visit here with a longer family break in the area.

You can stay for a week at the latter for a family of four in the summer holidays for just under £600. 

Our top tips:

• Download the official app and map out your day in advance – the site is huge
• Comfortable shoes are a must
• Arrive at shows 30 minutes before the start time to secure your space
• Allow for two full days in the park 
• Book restaurants in advance – they get busy

LEGOLAND Billund, Denmark

Built beside the original LEGO factory in Denmark, Legoland Billund is widely considered one of the best LEGOLAND parks in the world.

We actually prefer the park in Billund to the one in the UK.

Packed with interactive attractions, mini cities and creative play zones, it perfectly suits younger families and tickets cost from 349 DKK (£40).

The atmosphere is relaxed, clean and easy to navigate, with plenty of rides children can enjoy together with parents.

Staying in one of the themed hotels adds extra magic for younger children.

Ideal for ages two to 12, particularly primary school-aged LEGO fans.

Whilst Billund is a fairly small place, you can also tie in a trip to Lalandia Waterpark, Lego House and Wow Park.

Getting there: The nearest airport is Billund.

Billund Airport couldn’t be any closer to Legoland – it’s just a five minute drive or bus away.

However, since Ryanair stopped flying there, flight options are more limited – you can fly directly with British Airways or Norwegian from Heathrow, Gatwick and Edinburgh.

We found return flights with British Airways from Heathrow to Billund 2nd to September 7 for less than £104 return. 

The next best option is to fly to Copenhagen and take a three-hour drive or train from there.

This could be a great excuse to explore Copenhagen too, we think it’s one of the best city breaks you can do with kids. 

Accommodation: For the full Lego experience, you need to go all in and stay onsite at Legoland.

There’s a choice of accommodation, similar to the Windsor park – Legoland Hotel, Castle Hotel plus cabins and glamping barrels.

A night in September including park tickets at the Legoland hotel for a family of four is around £415 in total. 

We’d recommend using the Legoland short breaks website – as it brings up the availability and prices of not only all of the onsite accommodation but also off site options too – some of which can include your park tickets.

Just remember to consider how far away you want to be from the park – and factor in the cost of car hire or public transport. 

Our top tips:

• Don’t just focus on the rides, there’s so much more to do here – two full days would be ideal
• Packed lunches are allowed to be brought into the park and a great way to save money
• Denmark’s weather can be unpredictable – you’ll want to pack layers, waterproofs and suncream at most times of the year
• Always book your tickets in advance – it’s never the best price at the gate on the day

Energylandia, Poland

Poland’s largest theme park has fast secured a spot as one of Europe’s biggest thrill-ride destinations, known for rides like Hyperion – one of Europe’s tallest, and Zadra with its huge vertical drop.

It boasts the joint largest number of roller coasters (20) at any theme park around the world.

However, there’s still plenty to do for those looking for a more gentle experience, with dedicated areas for younger children, as well as an open-air water park included within the entry price 169PLN (£34) for kids up to 140cm and from 209PLN (£46) for anyone over 140cm.

Compared with other parks, Energylandia often comes up as one of the more budget-friendly options.

The park is do-able in a day, especially if you’re able to visit off-peak, but
two days would give you a more relaxed experience – especially if you’re catering to multiple ages.

Getting there: The nearest airport is Krakow.

With many regional airports flying to Krakow, you can really shop around for a great deal on flights – great if you’re keen to keep costs down.

For example, we found Wizz Air flights from Gatwick to Krakow from September 8-11 for under £80 return. 

Accommodation: Stay at Western Camp, just 1km away from the park – about as close as you could get. You can walk in less than 20 minutes or there’s a free shuttle.

There are often offers when booking accommodation here which include entry tickets and even a fast pass.

From Wild West themed wagons, log cabins – perfect for larger families, to tipis and even house boats – wooden lodges on stilts over the lake, it’s the perfect place for a unique and memorable family stay.

Prices start from £60 per night, and include a buffet breakfast. 

Our top tips:

• The waterpark is included in the theme park entry fee – so remember to pack swimwear
• The food onsite here is very reasonably priced – but queues for food can be long at peak times, so plan for an earlier or later lunch 
• It’s a huge site with lots of walking between areas, so wear comfy shoes!
• Download the app to see live queue times
• Buy your tickets online – not only is it cheaper, but you’ll get in quicker too

Tivoli Gardens, Denmark

One of the world’s oldest amusement parks, Tivoli Gardens combines vintage charm with modern attractions right in the heart of Copenhagen, and is said to have provided Walt Disney with some of his inspiration for Disneyland.

Unlike some of the other theme parks included in this guide, UK visitors tend to include Tivoli Gardens as part of a city break rather than as a dedicated theme park holiday.

It’s a unique place to visit, with shows, classic rides, and a few larger coasters all within beautifully landscaped gardens.

It’s not on the same overwhelming scale as some of the parks, and its range of attractions within a relatively compact area makes it a great option for all ages.

Entry tickets to the park and rides cost tickets cost 249DKK (£28) for kids aged 1-7 years and 499DKK (£57) for anyone 8 and upwards.

But you can also buy park access tickets for to 190DKK – 95DKK (£21 – £10) (but kids under three go free and children aged 3-7 are half price).

But that only gets you access to the gardens, events and concerts – you also need to pay for a ride pass 349 DKK (approx. £39) for visitors 8 and older, and 174 DKK (approx. £19) for children aged 1–7.

separately – which is great if not all of your family want to go on the rides.

Tivoli Gardens really comes to life after dark, the twinkling lights
adding to the cosy, magical vibes – for extra atmosphere, we’d recommend visiting during their popular Halloween and Christmas event weeks too.

Getting there: The nearest airport is Copenhagen.

Just a short 1.5 hour flight will land you in Copenhagen, we found bargain £55 return flights from Manchester with Ryanair from November 17-20 – which would make for a great trip to kick off the festive season. 

Accommodation: A great family-friendly hotel just 10 minutes out of the city by bus, or an easy 20- minute walk is Tivoli Hot. This place has a huge indoor play area – complete with bouncy castle and games room for older childr -n, along with a swimming pool. 

Based on a family of three sharing a room, a three-night stay between November 17-20 would be around £660 in total – which includes a fab buffet breakfast.

Our top tips:

• Combine Tivoli Gardens with a city break to Copenhagen – but remember it isn’t open all year round
• Visit at night for extra magic – although expect it to be busier!
• You can leave and re-enter the park during the day (handy if you want to hunt out cheaper food options)
• Bring refillable water bottles – tap water is free and safe 

Parque Warner Madrid, Spain

The perfect destination for superhero fans, Parque Warner Madrid is themed around DC Comics and Warner Bros across its five areas.

With six rollercoasters, Looney Tunes attractions for younger visitors, and live stunt shows, there’s plenty to do for all ages.

Being a slightly under the radar option, you can find lower queue times than at some of the larger European parks we’ve featured, particularly if you’re visiting midweek and outside of Spanish holiday periods.

It’s worth noting though that the park, with tickets costing from €32.90 (£28) doesn’t open until midday – but stays open late.

With Madrid temperatures soaring over the summer, you might want to factor in some time out of the heat.

If you fancied more than a day trip here, there’s a separate waterpark attraction that’s open over the peak summer months.

Whilst there’s no hotels on site, there’s a range of accommodation
nearby, from apartment rentals to hotels.

Getting there: The nearest airport is Madrid.

As you’d expect, reaching the capital of Spain is straightforward from the UK, with flights from most major cities.

We found return flights with Ryanair from Birmingham for just £72.98 in October half term – leaving on October 24 and returning on October 29.

Accommodation: Whilst there’s no hotels on site, there’s a range of accommodation nearby, from apartment rentals to hotels.

The best location will depend on whether you are intending to combine the park with other activities in the local area.

I’d recommend either staying centrally to Madrid and using the official shuttle bus (easier than public transport which requires a train and a bus), or in Pinto – the closest town to the park.

In Pinto, the 4* Princesa de Eboli has family rooms for around £150 per night, and is 13kms away from Parque Warner. 

Our top tips:

• Plan your route to the park in advance – especially if relying on public transport
• Arrive at opening time when it’s quieter, and head for the big attractions first 
• Don’t skip the shows, note down the timings and plan your day accordingly
• The water park is seasonal and separate to the park – it does sell out on hot days – make sure to buy tickets in advance
• The shops stay open after the rides close – so save souvenir shopping to the end of the day to maximise ride time

Gardaland, Italy

Set beside Italy’s Lake Garda, Gardaland combines family rides, themed areas and impressive scenery in one of Europe’s most picturesque locations, with tickets costing from €44 (£37).

The park caters well to younger children, but also offers major attractions including Oblivion and Blue Tornado for thrill-seekers.

Many UK families combine a visit with a relaxing Italian lakes holiday, making it ideal for mixed itineraries.

Nearby hotels and campsites provide plenty of family accommodation options. Best suited to children aged four to 15.

Getting there: The nearest airport is Verona, with flights from low-cost airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet and Jet2.

Milan Bergamo and Venice airports are also within travelling distance, so you can definitely shop around for the best flight times and prices.

You can fly from London Stansted to Verona with Ryanair on October 1-6 for just under £83 return. 

Accommodation: The original Gardaland resort, Gardaland Adventure and Gardaland Magic all have access to an outdoor swimming area.

Two nights in a Princess themed room within the Gardaland resort at the end of August is around £800 for a family of four, but does include two days entry to Gardaland, plus entry to the Legoland Water Park and to the Sealife Centre. 

The highly rated Bella Italia Eurocamp is just a 10-minute drive away – where a week’s stay in a safari lodge tent would cost £1326 for a family of four, arriving on August 24.

Our top tips:

• Arrive early to make the most of the quietest (and coolest) part of the day
• Visit midweek and avoid Italian public holidays for fewer crowds and shorter queues
• Ditch the flip flops – many rides require closed footwear! 
• You will get wet on the water rides – bring a spare change of clothes and a towel! 
• If you’re arriving by public transport, the nearest train station is Peschiera del Garda – there’s a free shuttle service to the park from there

Ultimately, there’s no single “best” theme park in Europe for families – it all comes down to what kind of trip you’re looking for.

Whether you want all-out thrills, immersive storytelling, toddler-friendly rides, spectacular live shows or a more relaxed atmosphere, there’s a park to suit every style of family holiday.

Above all, remember that the moments your children will remember most probably won’t be the perfectly planned itinerary – but the excitement of choosing the next ride together, the shared laughs, and the feeling of escaping normal life.

That’s the real magic of a theme park holiday.