European shares were little changed on Friday but remained on track for their first weekly decline in five weeks as weakness in technology stocks and renewed tensions between the United States and Iran dampened investor sentiment.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index edged 0.1% lower to 640.28 points by 0849 GMT, with losses in technology companies offsetting gains in most other sectors.
The benchmark index is poised to end a four-week winning streak after investors reassessed lofty valuations in artificial intelligence-related stocks while monitoring escalating geopolitical risks in the Middle East.
Technology stocks remain under pressure
The technology sector fell 1.3% on Friday as investors continued taking profits following months of strong gains driven by enthusiasm for artificial intelligence.
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The sector also remained focused on the closely watched U.S. stock market debut of South Korean memory chip maker SK Hynix after its $26.5 billion share sale.
Among European chip-related stocks:
Soitec fell 3.3%.
BE Semiconductor Industries declined 1.6%.
ASML dropped 2.3%.
“The large swings we’re seeing in technology stocks suggest investors remain under stress amid elevated valuations,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior market analyst at Swissquote Bank.
“Attention is now turning to SK Hynix’s U.S. debut, which could help gauge broader appetite for AI-related stocks and influence sentiment across the sector.”
Iran tensions weigh on market sentiment
Investor caution also reflected renewed uncertainty in the Middle East after Iranian forces targeted U.S. military infrastructure in Gulf states following fresh U.S. strikes on Iran.
The latest escalation further weakened the fragile three-week-old ceasefire and renewed concerns over potential disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy trade routes.
Higher oil prices and possible supply disruptions have raised concerns about inflation, particularly in energy-importing Europe, where markets are closely watching the implications for economic growth and European Central Bank policy.
Telecoms and travel outperform
Despite weakness in technology, most sectors in the STOXX 600 traded higher.
Telecommunications stocks led gains, rising 1.4%, after Vodafone surged nearly 11%.
The rally followed an announcement by UAE telecoms group e& that it would sell its stake in Vodafone to the family investment group of French billionaire Xavier Niel.
Travel and leisure stocks gained 0.8%, supported by strength in airline shares.
British budget carrier EasyJet jumped 14% after agreeing in principle to a £5.7 billion ($7.65 billion) takeover approach from Apollo Global.
Steel stocks rally on broker upgrades
European steelmakers outperformed after J.P. Morgan adopted a more positive view of the sector.
The investment bank upgraded ArcelorMittal to “neutral” from “underweight,” lifting its shares 5%.
Austria’s Voestalpine climbed 6%, while Germany’s Salzgitter surged 10.3% after both companies received double upgrades to “overweight.”
Other movers
Wealth manager St. James’s Place was among the session’s biggest losers, falling 8.5% after reports that Sovereign Wealth, one of its largest partner firms, was in talks to join a Swedish wealth management group.
Future outlook
Markets are expected to remain focused on two key drivers in the coming days: whether the renewed U.S.-Iran hostilities escalate further and whether SK Hynix’s U.S. debut reinforces or weakens investor confidence in the AI-driven technology rally.
With geopolitical risks pushing oil prices higher and technology valuations facing increased scrutiny, analysts expect volatility across European equities to remain elevated in the near term.
A HUGE Hollywood actor was spotted by eagle-eyed fans amongst commuters at a busy London train station.
The A-lister and Oscar nominee, was snapped on the platform and getting off the tube – but would you have noticed him ?
Huge Hollywood actor stuns passengers as he’s spotted with commuters at London train stationCredit: TikTok/@y0unggabeThe A-lister and oscar nominee was snapped on the platform and getting off the tubeCredit: TikTok/@y0unggabe
Commuters at a train station in Hackney were left stunned this week, when they spied a famous film star among themselves.
The video uploaded onto TikTok showed none other than actor Stanley Tucci, 65, standing amongst the crowd.
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As the onlooker zoomed into the star the camera quickly pans down before he notices.
The star is then snapped again as he’s shown making his way off the train and walking across the platform.
Stanley whilst attempting to be inconspicuous in a pair of black sunglasses is noticed by a few Londoners, who were left in shock.
The video was captioned: “(Started in Hackney, he got off in Canonbury) Saw a bald man and knew who it was straight away.”
Fans rushed to the comments, stunned to see such a famous actor at a station, one user said: “It’s always when I don’t take the train !”
“I beg ur finest pardonnnnnnn,” penned another.
A third added: “He lives in London. He’s everywhere.”
While his famous bald look might have blown his cover, it was him wearing a jacket in the brutal heatwave that had fans really talking.
Stanley whilst attempting to be inconspicuous in a pair of black sunglasses noticed by a few LondonersCredit: TikTok/@y0unggabeStanley Tucci is a well established American actor known for his versatility and acting rangeCredit: PA
Another commenter said: “Stanley is too hot for that blazer mate,” with a second adding:”It’s too hot for that jacket omg.”
Tucci is a well established American actor, director, producer and author known for his versatility and acting range.
Great Britain’s Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett come from a set down against Gustavo Fernandez and Tokito Oda to win a seventh Wimbledon men’s wheelchair doubles title.
A bipartisan group of senators, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., pictured — on Friday reached an agreement with the Trump administration on a long-stalled effort to sanction buyers of Russian energy resources. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
July 10 (UPI) — A bipartisan group of senators on Friday reached an agreement with the Trump administration on a long-stalled effort to sanction buyers of Russian energy resources.
First introduced in 2025, the Sanctioning Russia Act would have imposed 500% tariffs on countries purchasing petroleum and natural gas from Russia.
But the legislation — spearheaded by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. — has repeatedly failed to pass muster.
The senators now believe they finally have a version of the bill that could be approved in both chambers and signed into law by the president.
“As Russia intensifies its slaughter of civilians, it is imperative that the legislative and executive branches work together to create tools to exact a heavy price on those who buy Russian oil and natural gas, fueling the Putin war machine,” the senators said in a statement.
Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker, R-M.S., and Senate Foreign Relations Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., also signed into the statement.
The senators did not provide details on the updated text of the legislation.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv on Friday, however, Graham said he’s “never been more optimistic than I am today that we have the formula to end this war.”
He added he hopes the sanctions will “help Ukraine be more lethal [and] let those supporting Russia to know it’s going to be a price to be paid if you keep doing it,” Ukrinform reported.
Visitors tour the newly remodeled undercroft beneath the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on July 10, 2026. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
WE pause half way up the hill, observing the perfectly still lake below that offers an exact reflection of the lush trees and craggy mountain scape behind.
Normally, I’d be pulling out my phone to snap a picture of the stunning scene. But it’s back at the hotel, locked away and I couldn’t be happier about it.
The crystal-clear waters of Weissensee Lake in CarinthiaCredit: AlamyThe Hotel der Paternwirt is a beautiful building with gorgeous rooms overlooking mountains and has a wellness area with saunaCredit: paternwirt.at
I was on a digital detox in Austria’s breathtaking Lesachtal Valley, where the alpine air, jaw-dropping scenery and tranquil sounds of nature are guaranteed to melt even the most anxious traveller’s stresses away.
Before our stunning hike, I’d ticked off a soothing yoga session, tucked into a lunch of traditional Austrian pasta with a hearty potato filling, and relaxed in a jacuzzi under a clear sky. And without the distraction of our devices, my five fellow detoxers and I felt fully present in every moment.
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According to a recent study from the Austrian Tourism board, 53 per cent of Gen Z Brits spend over four hours in front of their screens outside of work or education and as a result three in five don’t feel well-rested in the morning.
I can’t argue with those stats. After a couple of days without my phone, I was sleeping significantly better. Plus, my entire group had noticed a difference in their mood and stress levels.
This feeling of zen was amplified by our stay at the Hotel der Paternwirt, a beautiful building with gorgeous rooms overlooking mountains and a wellness area with sauna offering the same panoramic views.
Even the delicious breakfast buffet had wellbeing at the forefront with unusual additions like lavender butter.
Despite how jam-packed our itinerary was, life here seemed slow. And being in a rural setting, we felt that we were able to simply breathe.
The nearby meadows blooming with daisies and cornflowers were a great place to unwind. Or you could visit the Weissensee – a crystal-clear alpine lake in Carinthia, around 90 minutes from the hotel – which was worth the drive for the scenery alone.
The region is also home to the Michelin-starred Die Forelle, which serves up some of the freshest fish caught from waters nearby.
If you’re not into fish but still want to sample some traditional grub, the set dinner at Hotel Zum Weissensee is worth a go. Each of the five courses was perfectly executed with star dishes being the pickled elderleaf buds, celeriac cannelloni and plum sorbet with fennel greens.
Even on my final and rather gloomy morning in the Austrian alps, I couldn’t help but appreciate the sheer beauty of this region.
The clouds were slowly drifting behind the mountains, making the views in front of me look like an impressionist painting.
So, I’d managed to conquer a solid five days without my phone. But did I miss it? Apart from having the ability to take photos with ease, not one bit.
Being surrounded by nature and tranquillity definitely had some impact. And I no longer felt an uncontrollable urge to check my notifications every ten minutes. Not when the views were this good.
GO: AUSTRIA
GETTING THERE: Ryanair flies from Stansted to Salzburg from £38 return. See ryanair.com.
Rooms at Hotel der Paternwirt cost from £184 per night. See paternwirt.at. For more info, see austria.info.
Typhoon Bavi brought heavy rain and powerful winds to Japan’s southern islands while skirting Taiwan, where rough seas, fallen trees and localized damage were reported.
Despite the storm, residents in Keelung ventured out to markets as Bavi weakened while tracking toward China’s east coast, where landfall is expected on Sunday.
Huey Lewis shared just how much his relationship to music has changed in a recent podcast interview.
“I’m basically deaf,” the former lead singer of Huey Lewis and the News said in an episode of the “Inside of You” podcast released Tuesday. “My life has changed immeasurably. I can’t hear music. Music is not part of my life anymore, which is a hard pill to swallow.”
Lewis explained that he uses a cochlear implant to help him hear and understand speech, but he is unable to distinguish pitch because of the way the device operates.
“My cochlear implant, it breaks everything down into digital bits so I can understand,” he said. “Speech is easier to listen to than music. Music occurs in all frequencies, with overtones and harmonics and everything. It comes at you in a lot of different frequencies, so it distorts for me … It makes pitch impossible to hear.”
”The Power of Love” singer explained that because of this, he can no longer enjoy music.
“When I cook or I have people over for dinner, I always used to play them music,” he said. “I have a great collection of old big band stuff and old New Orleans jazz and I don’t play it at all anymore. … It’s weird. I can hear the beat, I know what’s going on. But I can’t enjoy it.”
“Music used to be so much fun,” he added. But “it just ends up being frustrating for me when I can’t enjoy it. I can’t feel the warmth.”
Lewis previously discussed his struggles with hearing loss with The Times. The “Hip to Be Square” singer said his Meniere’s disease diagnosis in early 2018 was “brutal.”
“When it first happened, I thought I might as well kill myself,” Lewis said in the 2020 interview, which described him as being “surprisingly upbeat” for someone whose life was so deeply affected by the diagnosis. Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can cause severe dizziness, ringing in the ears, hearing loss and ears feeling congested, according to the NIH. Not much is known about its causes and there is not yet a cure.
While it’s clear that Lewis misses aspects of his musician life, he also appears to appreciate having time for his other passions since his life doesn’t revolve around being on the road performing 75 to 100 shows a year.
“I fish a lot,” Lewis said in the “Inside of You” podcast. “I love to fly fish and I love Mother Nature. I get out there by myself in a stream and I’m conducting nature with my fly rod and it’s just a wonderful thing. I love to do it, and hearing not required.”
Reporting from Sacramento — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday pardoned seven former felons, including two Cambodian refugees the Trump administration wants to deport, in his first acts of clemency since the Democrat took office in January.
Newsom took another shot at Trump just hours before announcing the pardons while speaking to members of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Assn., a national nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization based in Sacramento. Newsom compared Trump to the anti-immigrant “demagogues” in San Francisco who championed the federal Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 — the nation’s first immigration ban on a specific group of people.
“I’m constantly trying to understand the moment we’re living in, the xenophobia, the nativism that marks the populism of this moment,” Newsom said. “Any of us who are students of history know that it’s not without precedent. It’s not novel. It’s hardly new. It’s very familiar.”
One of the Cambodian refugees pardoned by Newsom, Hay Hov of Oakland, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in March. He has since been released.
Hov, a naturalized citizen who arrived in the United States in 1985 as a legal refugee when he was 6, was convicted of solicitation to commit murder and participation in a criminal street gang in 2001, when he was 21, according to the Newsom administration.
The other refugee, Kang Hen of San Francisco, like Hov, fled to the Bay Area with his family to escape the Cambodian genocide in the 1980s. Hen was convicted of grand theft in 1994 when he was 18. Hen, who has a 4-year-old son and a partner with kidney and heart problems, was taken into custody by ICE in April.
Both Hov and Hen are being processed for deportation to Cambodia. The pardons do not automatically end a deportation effort but remove the underlying criminal offense that triggered the federal removal actions.
The pardons come as the federal government continues a crackdown on the Cambodian community that began in 2017 when Trump forced Cambodia to agree to take back more deportees. Many of the Cambodians facing deportation were refugees from the brutal Khmer Rouge regime that killed thousands, and came to the United States legally as children. They have few memories or ties to the country. But because they committed crimes, even if convicted decades ago, they can be deported.
In the 2016 fiscal year, ICE reported removing 74 Cambodians. In 2017, 29 Cambodians were removed. In 2018, that number has jumped to 110 thus far.
ICE reported that, as of March 26, there were 1,784 non-detained Cambodians nationals in the United States with a final order of removal. Of those, 1,294 had criminal records.
All seven of the people Newsom pardoned on Monday had completed their prison sentences.
“By granting these pardons to people who are transforming their lives, the Governor is seeking to remove barriers to employment and public service, restore civic rights and responsibilities and prevent unjust collateral consequences of conviction,” the governor’s office said in a statement released Monday afternoon.
Brown granted a historic 1,332 pardons and 283 commutations during his last two terms as governor. However, the California Supreme Court rejected 10 grants of clemency issued by Brown, the first time the high court has blocked a pardon or commutation in more than 50 years.
The court did not issue an explanation for the action. Under the California Constitution, the governor cannot grant a pardon or commute a sentence of anyone convicted of two separate felonies without the approval of the state Supreme Court.
None of the people whom Newsom pardoned on Monday had multiple felonies, according to a governor’s office spokesperson.
World Cup tourists are coming to L.A. for the soccer, but they’re staying for the $21 smoothies and Double-Doubles.
As the last Los Angeles FIFA World Cup event ended Friday, soccer fans were eating like locals and famous chains from the region were cashing in.
In the weeks that L.A. has hosted the World Cup, international soccer enthusiasts have flocked to big brands from the area, often in large groups wearing their countries’ jerseys.
It is a phenomenon seen at many of the host cities. In Dallas, giant gas station Buc-ee’s is the main attraction. For people visiting New Jersey, deli shops have been a hot ticket. In L.A., the place to be between matches was Erewhon.
Thirsty international sports fans gathered for pictures outside different Erewhons, wandered their aisles smiling, and, of course, picked up pricey smoothies.
While Erewhon would not comment on its business, mobility data company Arity, which uses phone data to track consumers, said Erewhon visits at the outlets around SoFi Stadium were quadruple what they were a week earlier on June 12, the day of the U.S. national soccer team’s opening match there.
Arity looked at what stores people visited within a 10-mile radius of SoFi that day and also found surges in visitors to nearby El Pollo Loco and Trader Joe’s.
Locals have spotted groups of people in Korea jerseys huddled together, trying to decide what to order at In-N-Out.
Some complained on social media that international tourists at Trader Joe’s were buying up all the mini canvas tote bags.
Soon after the Belgium vs. Spain quarterfinal ended Friday, the In-N-Out near SoFi had a long line of soccer fans stretching out the door in bright red and yellow and black jerseys and matching striped hats and scarves.
One of the workers said he had to explain “spread” and “animal style” to foreign football fans.
“I didn’t know this place existed,” a fan from Romania said while waiting in line.
Los Angeles and other cities and states that have hosted the event need the soccer fans to spend money to make the event worth all the time, effort and money it requires.
A rosy 2024 report projected the World Cup could bring more than $800 million to the L.A. region as 180,000 people converge on the area to sleep, eat and spend.
There were early concerns people weren’t turning up for the event because of the high ticket prices and the difficulty of obtaining visas for citizens of some countries.
However, at least for some L.A. hotels, there was a surge of last-minute visitors which pushed up occupancy and room rates.
While sports fans are not in the region to shop, they do make time for it.
World Cup customer spending is also apparent in beer sales. Andrew Heritage, the chief economist at the Beer Institute said beer purchases at entertainment and attractions in L.A. – outside of World Cup spaces – were up around 10% from normal.
“That tells me that fans in the L.A. area have decided to extend their stay and take in all the other things that the area has to offer, rather than just the match itself,” he said.
On social media, the purpose of these shoppers is clear: grab a quick souvenir or local specialty and take a selfie.
The data from Arity suggests that fans are very efficient when they spend at local spots, diving in, getting what they want and getting out as soon as possible, said Jeff Schlitt, a director at the company.
“Normally you’re there for an hour. They’re going to be there for 15, 18 minutes,” he said. “Why is that? Because they were purpose-driven shoppers.”
For some travelers, the more popular American chains aren’t unfamiliar. But some of the native L.A. fare still comes as a surprise.
As one Belgium-Spain matchgoer from the Netherlands stood taking a picture of the In-N-Out sign after the game, he said he’d never had a burger like the one he’d just tried.
“We only have McDonald’s and Burger King,” he said. “It’s way better.”
NONE of the advances in technology of the last half-century have made it any easier to enter text via a remote control.
A technological black hole means anyone attempting to search for a film or TV show has to enter it letter-by-letter as if they were putting their initials by a Space Invaders high score in 1980.
Jim Bates of Congleton said: “I tell speakers to play music and they do so. I type a destination into my car and it shows me how to get there. But on my TV?
“There’s no slick user interface. To find a movie on Netflix I have to mash down flimsy rubber buttons while it brightly suggests movies that are not what I want or close to it. All the others are the same.
“Even on the PlayStation, a controller with at least 30 different inputs demands I do it one letter at a time. Why does all pretence of being user-friendly stop at the telly? Why has it remained in the Ceefax era?
“Every site online’s always checking I’m not a sophisticated bot buying tickets or logging into my bank account. They should get these f**king bots working on the telly. Then maybe I could watchInsidious 5without first having to look up how to spell it.”
Technology expert Jack Brown said: “Now most of our technological agency is given over to machines it’s important to have such instances of human independence, even though typing inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessgave me an embolism.”
In recent weeks, there have been renewed tensions in Yemen. Attacks by the Houthi group – which has controlled Sanaa and large parts of northern Yemen since 2014 – have coincided with controversy prompted by the arrival of an Iranian plane at Sanaa airport and renewed concern over navigation in the Red Sea.
This comes in the context of a stalled peace process and the failure to reach an agreement on de-escalation mechanisms.
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In this climate, movements on the front lines appear to be an attempt by the Houthis to exert pressure and to test the limits of the response of the internationally recognised government, its ally, Saudi Arabia, and the international community at large.
So far, these developments do not point to a decision to launch a broad military confrontation, but they show that the truce announced in 2022 can no longer contain the conflict.
From Hays to Al-Jawf: Limited clashes and tribal mobilisation
The Hays district in Hodeidah governorate near the port of Hodeidah on the Red Sea has been one of the main flashpoints in recent weeks.
On July 5, Houthi rebels attacked government forces’ positions using mortar shells, drones and sniper fire. According to medical and military sources cited by Al Jazeera, 16 government soldiers were killed in the attack and 22 others were wounded. The Houthis did not announce their casualty toll or provide a detailed account of how the clashes began.
Hays is of particular importance because it has remained relatively calm since the truce, and because its location is close to the coast and shipping lanes.
The tensions are not confined to Hodeidah. Marib, Taiz and al-Dhale have also witnessed varying levels of military mobilisation.
In al-Jawf, the picture is different. A tribal disturbance was triggered by a dispute over a house in Sanaa and then turned into a test of the Houthis’ influence and their relationship with the tribes. Sheikh Hamad bin Rashid bin Fadgham al-Hazmi intervened in the dispute, per tribal custom, but was detained by the Houthis.
This turned discontent into an anti-Houthi tribal movement, which is accompanied by calls for a “tribal nakaf”, a traditional call for mobilisation and support, alongside the “al-Rayyan sit-ins”, temporary tribal gatherings to rally supporters.
This development points to how developments in the battlefield are causing tensions in the tribal and social sphere.
Al-Jawf lies near Marib and within a sensitive military and tribal zone, and any prolonged unrest there could open an additional pressure front on the Houthis and complicate their calculations in one of the most important fronts of Yemen’s northeast.
Tensions have also extended to the Red Sea. On July 5, the British military said that a cargo ship had come under attack off the coast of Hodeidah, which did not result in any injuries. No one claimed responsibility, but the incident took place near an area under Houthi control and at a time when the group has renewed its threats regarding navigation.
The attack highlights the continuing risks ships face in transiting in the vicinity of Hodeidah and Bab al-Mandab, one of the world’s busiest straits.
Sanaa airport tensions and a frozen prisoner exchange deal
Tensions between Yemen’s internationally recognised government and the Houthis havе not been confined to the battlefield. On July 3, an Iranian aircraft arrived at Sanaa airport to pick up a Houthi delegation to attend the funeral of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
A week later, the internationally recognised government announced that Iran had submitted a request to operate a Mahan Air flight from Tehran to Sanaa to return the Houthi delegation. It rejected the request and proposed returning the individuals on an aircraft chartered by Yemenia Airways.
In response, some Houthi leaders insisted on the continuation of Mahan Air flights to Sanaa, presenting them as part of their right to operate the airport and open direct routes with the outside world. Thus, the dispute went beyond a single flight to the issue of managing an international airport and airspace outside government institutions, and the resulting struggle over sovereignty and de facto recognition of Houthi authority over the entry point.
Saudi Arabia is also affected by the dispute. The operation of a direct route between Sanaa and Tehran would affect the security and political arrangements that accompanied the reopening of the airport during the truce. Riyadh views the expansion of airport traffic outside an agreement as a factor that strengthens the Houthis’ relationship with Iran near the kingdom’s southern border. Therefore, its position is linked to keeping flights within declared arrangements while continuing to operate the national carrier.
Another issue that has heated up in the past few days is a long-negotiated prisoner and detainee exchange deal, which has stalled.
On July 10, Hadi Haig, head of the government negotiating team on the prisoners and abductees file, announced that the team had received notification from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the office of the United Nations envoy that the Houthis have refused to implement the agreement on its scheduled date and have postponed it indefinitely.
In response, the head of the Houthis’ Prisoners Affairs Committee, Abdulqader al-Murtada, blamed the government side for the delay, accusing it of failing to abide by the terms of the agreement and of refusing to add names to the agreed list.
The deal includes more than 1,600 detainees and requires field arrangements and an air bridge under the supervision of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Regardless of each side’s responsibility, the postponement places the negotiation track before a new test and confirms the continued use of humanitarian files as tools of political and military pressure.
Regional tension and the limits of confrontation
Regional developments have directly impacted Yemen. The US-Israel war on Iran and tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia have reduced the ability of Yemeni parties to control escalation and increased the influence of external calculations on the course of the conflict.
This has given the Houthis greater room for political and military manoeuvre, while the government has struggled to assert its sovereign presence.
Saudi Arabia wants to contain the Houthi threat while preserving the gains of de-escalation. The Houthis, for their part, are betting on combining military action with pressure over the airport, prisoners, and navigation files to extract broader recognition of their authority and their direct relationship with Iran.
These developments reflect the fragility of the de-escalation process and the growing political and military pressures.
Limited clashes and mobilisation are likely to continue, with each side using the leverage it possesses to apply pressure. So far, there is no evidence of a decision to engage in a full-scale confrontation, but repeated attacks and faltering negotiations could end the state of relative calm that has persisted since 2022.
The risk of confrontation will remain as long as the root causes of the war remain unresolved, and as long as the parties use weapons to impose their vision and improve their political fortunes.
SUN soaked mega resorts abroad with their own waterparks, theme parks, and beaches? Yes please.
We’ve done the digging to find top-tier waterpark hotels abroad with deals that are so cheap they’ll make you do a double take.
Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park Resort – Neverland in Hurghada has 81 waterslides on-siteCredit: On The BeachCrystal Sunset Pearl Collection is a five-star hotel in Turkey with a three-star priceCredit: Loveholidays
From Egypt resorts with 45 pools and 81 waterslides, to Spanish spots that come with free theme park tickets, these are the mega resorts abroad that will keep the entire family entertained.
You don’t even need a massive sum sitting in your bank account to unlock these holiday memories, either.
Many of these deals include a kids go free offer, plus Loveholidays and On the Beach also offer low deposits from £19, meaning you can lock in your holiday without sweating about how much you’ve spent.
Whether you want to immerse yourself at a pirate-themed resort in Benidorm or slip down 16 thrilling waterslides in Side, here are the ultimate family resorts abroad with deals you can book right now.
Sol Katmandu Park & Resort, Majorca
Sol Katmandu Park & Resort is a holiday complex with a hotel, theme park and waterpark on-siteCredit: On The Beach
Sol Katmandu Park & Resort is a theme park, waterpark, and hotel all rolled into one epic holiday complex (where kids can stay for free).
Staying here for at least two nights unlocks you a free play pass, which gives you unlimited entry to the park’s top attractions, waterpark and soft play.
Kids can cool off at the Katopia Splash Park, which is packed with water cannons, jets, and waterfalls, before tackling a giant soft play or hopping on 4D dark rides.
The fun continues back at the hotel, too, as this resort has themed family accommodation including mystical Enchanted Forest rooms and Mythical Ice suites.
Food and drink options here include a build-your-own burger bar, a pick and mix station, and a soft-serve ice cream machine – plus themed dinners and healthy options, too.
And for the grown-ups? Sangria and Cruzcampo are available on-tap at the pool bar.
Plus, if you fancy a dip in the sea, there’s a golden sand beach a four-minute stroll away.
Book a holiday: Majorca
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On the Beach offer a five night stay with breakfast from September 28, including return flights from London Stansted, for £244pp.
Kids can stay free at this hotel (dates and restrictions apply).
Skanes Serail and Aquapark in Tunisia offers family holidays from £189ppCredit: Love Holidays
This four-star Tunisian gem is the most affordable on the list, and packs everything you’d need into an action-packed, sunny family holiday abroad.
The star of the show at Skanes Serail is its on-site aquapark, which has rainbow-coloured waterslides that are sure to keep kids entertained for hours.
This resort even has a private beach, complete with free sun loungers, a selection of water sports, and signature white sands facing a turquoise sea.
The all inclusive package includes a massive daily buffet spread, as well as access to a beachfront à la carte restaurant serving Italian and Lebanese food.
While the little ones make friends at the daily kids’ club, grown-ups can escape to the full-service spa for a traditional hammam, sauna, and steam room session.
Plus, Tunisia boasts reliable sunshine year-round. Book ahead something to look forward to for November with this deal, when temperatures hover at a toasty 23°C.
Book a holiday: Tunisia
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Loveholidays offer a seven night, all inclusive stay from November 14, including return flights from London Southend, for £189pp.
Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park Resort – Neverland Hurghada
Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park Resort – Neverland in Hurghada is a paradise for waterpark fansCredit: On The Beach
If you think you’ve seen a big waterpark hotel, think again, because this holiday kingdom in Hurghada operates on an entirely different planet.
It’s so big it even has its own shuttle buses to transport you around site.
The Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park Resort boasts 45 swimming pools and a staggering 81 waterslides, plus a massive lazy river and wave pools.
The complex also has its own fairground with 11 rides, a roller-skating arena, bumper boats, and a high-tech VR gaming zone. Bored kids? Impossible.
You can also eat your way around the globe thanks to the lineup of international, all-inclusive restaurants.
Load up your plate with wood-fired Italian pizzas, Asian noodles, or spiced Moroccan tagines. There’s even a German eatery serving up bratwurst and schnitzel.
As for bars, pick between the Jungle Bar, Red Sky Bar, White Elephant Bar, Lobby Bar, Columbus Bar, Jazz Bar, and Beach Bar for your beverage.
If you ever fancy a break from the excitement of the resort, there’s a 10-minute complimentary shuttle bus to whizz you straight down to the private beach.
There’s a range of affordable dates for this resort at Loveholidays, but we found the cheapest deal this year to be in December, where temperatures sit at 24°C.
Book a holiday: Hurghada
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On the Beach offer a seven night, all inclusive stay from December 7, including return flights from London Luton, for £457pp.
Magic Pirates Island Resort in Benidorm is entirely themed, even down to the bedroomsCredit: On The Beach
This pirate-themed resort in Benidorm is an absolute treasure trove for families.
Magic Pirates Island Resort lets families sleep like sea captains inside themed wooden lodges plastered with maps, compasses and desert islands.
There’s three large swimming pools, including the Battleship Lagoon, which has play boats and jets for the little ones, plus a more relaxed pool zone with hot tubs and Balinese beds to laze out on.
Best of all, a stay here gives you free unlimited entry to the Aqua Natura waterpark right next door, as well as free access to Terra Natura Zoo.
But there’s plenty more fun to be had back at the hotel, with a Virtual Reality simulator zone, dance stage, and gaming arcade.
Food and drink comes as a fully-stocked buffet restaurant, with snacks available throughout the day.
There’s also an option to upgrade to ultra-all inclusive, which opens up access to fun eateries like Tacos of the Caribbean, and the Hall of Flames Asian restaurant.
Refreshing beers, cocktails and soft drinks are never far away either, thanks to a swim-up pool bar and traditional pirate taverns.
We found a deal for an October escape, when the resort hosts a Halloween festival packed with spooky live entertainment, themed activities and costume contests.
Book a holiday: Benidorm
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On the Beach offer a five night stay with breakfast from October 10, including return flights from London Luton, for £260pp.
Kids stay free at this hotel (dates and restrictions apply).
Eftalia Ocean in Antalya has underground passageways that take you to Eftalia IslandCredit: Loveholidays
Fancy a trip to a five star family mega resort in Turkey?
The hotel is built around a network of giant, winding outdoor swimming pools and slides.
The all inclusive perks include live show-cooking stations at the main buffet, as well as dining in an Italian a la carte restaurant and grill.
Some bars even serve refreshing drinks for 24 hours a day, and you can satisfy late-night cravings with round-the-clock bites at Burgerland.
Entertainment includes daily kids clubs, mini golf, and outdoor theatre shows. There’s also a wellness spa offering massages, hammam and sauna sessions.
But the real magic of this hotel is its secret pathway – walk through the hotel’s private underpass and you’ll pop up directly onto Eftalia Island.
This entertainment district sits directly on the beach and is packed with massive shared waterparks, waterslides, and pools as well as a bustling seaside promenade lined with beach bars.
Book a holiday: Antalya, Turkey
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Loveholidays offer a seven night, all inclusive stay from November 12, including return flights from London Southend, for £249pp.
THB Tropical Island in Lanzarote has ten swimming pools, and is close to popular beach Playa BlancaCredit: Loveholidays
THB Tropical Island boasts 10 swimming pools scattered across the resort, alongside thrilling waterslides and a splash park for little ones.
Accommodation comes as modern apartments with fully equipped kitchenettes, a big win for budget-savvy families who like to stock up on snacks and easy-to-make meals.
The resort also has a buffet restaurant with live show-cooking stations, a pizzeria, and even a lively sports bar for catching that important match.
Daytime kids entertainment includes football tournaments and kids mini-discos, plus activities like arts and crafts and water polo.
Here you’re close to Playa Blanca, which has a range of souvenir shops, bars, cafes and restaurants – plus two huge beaches, which you can reach by taking the hotel’s free shuttle bus.
Book a holiday: Lanzarote
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Loveholidays offer a seven night, room only stay from September 14, including return flights from London Luton, for £289pp.
Crystal Sunset Pearl Collection in Side, Turkey is a five-star property – but we found a cheap dealCredit: Loveholidays
If you want to live like royalty on a budget, this five-star Turkish resort proves you don’t have to spend a lot for a high-end family getaway.
The Crystal Sunset Pearl Collection has an impressive waterpark packed with 16 waterslides, including 11 adrenaline-pumping flumes and five gentle slides for kids.
If you prefer a slower pace, you can lounge by the huge main pool, retreat to the relaxing adults-only pool, or sip a cocktail at the poolside bar.
The hotel also runs a shuttle bus to whisk you down to the golden shores of Kumköy Beach.
Alongside a massive daily buffet spread, you can opt for a la carte dinners in the hotel’s Italian, Indian and Chinese restaurants.
Ice-cold drinks are fully covered from 10am until midnight, and there’s even an on-site patisserie to satisfy the sweet cravings.
Here you’re just a 15-minute drive from the historic town of Side, where you can explore ancient Roman ruins and catch a postcard-perfect sunset at the famous Temple of Apollo.
Book a holiday: Side, Turkey
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Loveholidays offer a seven night, all inclusive stay from October 30, including return flights from Birmingham, for £499pp.
Thousands of Zimbabweans are returning home after xenophobic violence in South Africa, describing beatings, robbery and threats from anti-migrant groups. Nearly 21,300 have been repatriated by the government in five weeks, with 56,800 more self-repatriating.
Television City, one of the most famous studios in the entertainment industry where generations of TV shows have been created, is expected to hit the market again as its owner grapples with debt.
It’s the latest sign of distress in Hollywood as the film and TV industry struggles from a sharp falloff in production activity across Southern California.
Television City’s owner, Hackman Capital Partners, is already in the process of selling the historic Radford Studio Center, which gave L.A.’s Studio City neighborhood its name. Hackman defaulted on a $1.1-billion mortgage in January and investment bank Goldman Sachs took over the property, which is now escrow for a sale to Netflix.
The sprawling Television City property is one of the most desirable locations in Los Angeles, sharing fences with the Original Farmers Market and the luxury Grove outdoor shopping center, each of which attracts millions of visitors every year.
If the studio at Beverly Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue where “American Idol,” “All in the Family” and scores of other shows were filmed becomes available as expected, the owners of the Grove and the Farmers Market would be among the likely contenders for the property for potential expansion of their businesses, said sources familiar with the matter who were not authorized to comment.
Grove owner Rick Caruso was among the bidders for Television City, formerly known as CBS Television City, last time it was on the market and could emerge as a possible bidder.
The highest bid when broadcaster CBS sold the studio in 2019 came from Hackman Capital Partners, an international movie studio operator and commercial property landlord that paid $750 million for the 25-acre site that is near Hollywood, Beverly Hills and and the Sunset Strip.
Hackman Capital’s plan to recoup its investment included continuing to operate Television City as a studio for rent while adding new revenue-generating features.
Last year the city approved Hackman Capital’s $1-billion plan to add 980,000 square feet of offices, sound stages, production facilities and retail space.
The original studio designed by famed Los Angeles architect William Pereira erected in 1952 has city landmark protections, but newer structures on the property do not and there are acres of surface parking that could be converted to other uses.
Both Caruso and Farmers Market owners A.F. Gilmore have sued to limit the planned expansion of the studio, calling it a “massively scaled” development that “would overwhelm, disrupt, and forever transform the community.”
The debate over the development has played out amid a serious downturn in the region’s entertainment industry, with studios shifting film and television production to Georgia, New Mexico and other out-of-state locations.
L.A.’s entertainment industry also suffered a series of blows including the COVID-19 shutdown, strikes by writers and directors in 2023 and cutbacks at studios that reduced demand for sound stages.
A group of Hackman Capital’s lenders led by Deutsche Bank filed a notice of default last month, saying they’re owed more than $357 million. Hackman Capital is still trying to renegotiate its debt.
“The studio market is evolving, and the financing environment for studio assets remains complex,” Chief Executive Michael Hackman said in a statement. “We are engaged in active discussions with our lending partners and are carefully evaluating all of the alternatives.”
A person familiar with the process but not authorized to speak about it publicly said Hackman Capital will be hard-pressed to pay its debt in light of challenges facing the industry. The notice of default is “the baby step to put Television City in play” for new buyers, the source said, “and it is in play.”
Already in play is Manhattan Beach Studios, another Hackman Capital property encumbered by a $240-million loan from Deutsche Bank that the lender is in the process of selling. A buyer could foreclose on the property and potentially change its use to advanced manufacturing such as aerospace or defense, which is in high demand in Southern California.
Brokerage Cushman & Wakefield, which is managing the sale, emphasized in marketing materials that the 22-acre site has “significant available power capacity” and “offers flexible uses” on “some of the most irreplaceable underlying land in the South Bay.”
A guy who owns a beach resort on the coast of Florida, where hundreds of miles of overdeveloped shores are threatened by increasingly severe storms driven by global warming, is trying to tell Californians how best to manage our coast.
Guess who.
It’s not that we needed the help. If there’s any thought to adding an eighth wonder of the world to the current lineup of seven, I’d nominate the 1,100-mile treasure that kisses Oregon on one end and Mexico on the other. And it’s not by accident that coastal habitats are aggressively protected and most of the shoreline is free of mega resorts and architectural clutter.
A half century ago, Californians rose up against the threat of over-development. By the will of the people, the coast was enshrined in state law as a precious public asset accessible to the many, not a private playground fenced off for the few.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Coastal Act, and just as we begin the party, President Trump and his minions are scheming to pump some crude oil into the punch bowl.
And here’s how:
Going back to the 1970s, under the Coastal Zone Management Act, California has gotten high marks from the feds for the way in which its coastal regulatory agencies work with D.C. to manage federal projects. But now the state is under attack, which could mean that millions in federal dollars will be clawed back and the state’s voice muted.
It’s just been far too many years of paying attention to water quality and vehicle and industrial emissions and all the rest. Imagine how that comes across to a president who wouldn’t admit to climate change if his putter melted in his hands or Mar-a-Lago became a swim-up hotel.
As penance for our crimes, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (the one who labeled us environmental extremists) ordered the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, to conduct “a full, formal review” of the state’s coastal management program.
“California has repeatedly and unfoundedly obstructed spaceport development,” Lutnick declared, referencing a dispute over how many rockets Elon Musk’s Space X can launch from the U.S. military’s Vandenberg base. (Per the California Coastal Commission, many of the launches are for private interests rather than military purposes, and even the federal government has noted that the thunderous sonic booms take a toll on sea life and humans.)
We’re also allegedly blind to basic economics and the preferences of the Trump administration when it comes to “offshore oil production, maintenance of pipelines and desalination.” And we need to fall into line in “removing regulatory barriers that hinder U.S. technological and economic leadership while responsibly stewarding coastal resources.”
Where to begin?
I thought California had the world’s fourth-largest economy, with technology as a primary driver. In fact, it’s just been reported that we drew 10 times more venture capital than any other state this year, with AI leading the way. If one or two other states matched our output, imagine the boasting Trump could do, legitimately, about the economy.
If the president’s blowtorch buddies want to call us “environmental extremists” for not burying our heads in the sand, it’s a badge of honor.
And another thing.
If Trump is so intent on keeping the world’s oil supply flowing, maybe he shouldn’t have bungled his way into a senseless war that has handed Iran the keys to the global gas pump, spiking prices for everyone.
By the way, it’s not as if the primary coastal regulatory agency in the state — the California Coastal Commission — has said nothing but “no” over the years to oil projects and desalination plants.
“When you look at the Coastal Act, it doesn’t prohibit offshore oil and gas production and we approved a lot of it,” said Susan Hansch, who retired from a top administrative position in 2021 after 47 years at the Coastal Commission. “It just has to be done correctly.”
A Falcon 9 rocket is launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Jan. 25.
(2nd Lt. Andrew Taller / U.S. Space Force)
Not that the Coastal Commission has been infallible over the years. It has worked many a critic into a lather, with complaints that the agency has stood in the way of housing development during the state’s mounting shortage, and that its permitting process is the equivalent of a years-long root canal.
Former Gov. Jerry Brown, who signed the Coastal Act into law in 1976, once called the commissioners “bureaucratic thugs.”
And Trump has feuded with the agency over, among other things, a 70-foot-tall flagpole erected on his Rancho Palos Verdes golf course without a permit. Last year, Trump envoy Ric Grenell said the Coastal Commission was a “disaster” and must “absolutely be defunded,” calling commissioners unelected and “crazy woke left.”
Getting rid of the commission, he said, “is going to make California better.”
They were there when the devastating Santa Barbara oil spill blackened beaches, turned the shoreline into a wildlife graveyard, and galvanized grassroots defense of the coast.
When plans by PG&E to build a nuclear power plant at heavenly Bodega Head triggered an uprising.
When a massive Sonoma Coast residential development pitch sparked fears that beach access would be lost.
In 1972, ordinary Californians circulated petitions, knocked on doors, and rode bicycles down the coast, rallying support for Proposition 20, which aimed to regulate coastal development. It passed despite a massive opposition campaign from corporate, industrial and real estate interests.
That victory led, four years later, to the Coastal Act and creation of the Coastal Commission, whose job was to balance sensible development, habitat protection and conservation, and equitable public access.
Richard Charter, an Ocean Foundation senior fellow, told me in Bodega a decade ago that the California coast is “a public miracle” that was protected by ordinary people who saw it as “a global treasure.”
The Coastal Act has led to the creation of 2,500 public beach access points in the state, and its greatest achievements include wetlands not plowed, habitats not destroyed, and the preservation of countless mesmerizing vistas where land meets sea and California leaves you in speechless, grateful awe.
At Tuesday’s Coastal Commission meeting, Jennifer Savage of the Surfrider Foundation stepped to the microphone and said to commissioners:
“Surfrider sees this federal review as a politically motivated attempt to strip California of the coastal protections that our communities and our marine ecosystems depend on, and Surfrider stands with you, and we will fight this every step of the way.”
If you’d like to join that fight, you can speak in person or remotely when NOAA hosts public hearings Aug. 10-12 in Santa Monica. You can find more details on the Surfrider Foundation website.
One of the early leaders of the Coastal Commission, the late Peter Douglas, anticipated these trials and uttered a phrase I’ve repeated many times over the years. In the year of the 50th anniversary of the Coastal Act, it’s worth repeating once more, and you should think of it as a a clarion call:
“The coast is never saved,” Douglas said. “It’s always being saved.”
I am a lifetime resident of Los Angeles and my family has always rooted for the Dodgers. Last year we gave them a pass when they went to visit Trump at the White House. This year after Trump’s attack on our community we cannot accept the Dodgers visiting Trump again. Dave Roberts should know that the first obligation of a patriot is to stand up against tyranny. Shame on him and any other Dodger who goes to the White House this year. I will be canceling my Spectrum service. I’m not playing with the future of our democracy.
Felipe Caceres Los Angeles
If the Dodgers kowtow to Donald Trump yet again, Angelenos should consider boycotting the team for the rest of the season. Yes, they are an exceptional team and might return to the World Series yet again. However, other great athletes, such as the recent U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team, have displayed their courage and integrity in refusing to bow down to that dangerous tyrant.
By serving, as too many others continue to do, to support and enable the thug, they are enabling him in his inhumane and destructive policies and actions. As well, Trump invaded L.A., and the Dodgers did little to support the city they allegedly represent. If they return, it is more than a slap in the face of every sane and thoughtful Angeleno.
Barry Cutler Palm Desert
I have always paid for the Dodgers’ games on mlb.tv, but this year when the Dodgers did not decline the White House visit, I did not. I was holding out hope they wouldn’t squeeze a visit in on their road trip after the All-Star Game and I’d get half a season. Instead I’m listening to the games on the radio. I’ve heard the players say things like “you never know when this might happen again” or “it’s tradition.” I don’t get either one of those excuses. Is Mookie Betts going to ask Trump why he posted the picture of the Obamas as monkeys? Or any of the players going to stand up for anything?
How about be like the women’s Olympic hockey team and stand up for what is right? Don’t be a pawn for another photo op for this dysfunctional White House. Please?
Marnie Jernagan Fresno
Columnist Bill Plaschke wants to impose his political views on us and the Dodgers. Let each player decide if he wants to go to the White House, and if some players don’t want to go, then fine — don’t go. But why should all the players be confined to Plaschke’s view of politics?
David Waldowski Laguna Woods
I was a huge Dodgers fan until last year when they visited the White House. What a happy crowd they looked, even presenting President Trump with his own jersey, No. 47. That wasn’t enough? They’re off again, with Dave Roberts talking about “respecting the highest office in the land, it doesn’t matter who’s in office” while Clayton Kershaw, who presented the jersey is so “excited to go” again. Roberts had previously talked about it being a tradition. Nothing about this White House or this president is traditional, and not going is not making a “political” stand. It would be a stand for decency and normalcy. While visiting the East Wing maybe they can present Trump with the inaugural Baseball Peace Prize. Shame on the Dodgers!
AS the train rumbles out of the station, our heads turn to admire the stunning views from the dining car’s windows.
When the conductor announces each new destination, a feast of flavours is served up while we admire the changing landscapes.
I stayed on the world’s biggest cruise shipCredit: UnknownThe ship’s interior is a riot of colourCredit: Supplied
But what’s even more incredible is the fact I am currently on board the largest cruise ship in the world — and sailing the calm blue waters of the Mediterranean.
The Royal Railway is the latest immersive dining experience to be savoured on board Legend Of The Seas.
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You’ll begin your journey at the station — with the chance to pick up a cocktail or two from the bar — before entering an authentic train carriage and sitting down to a five-course feast as the train travels along Marco Polo’s ancient Silk Route including China, India, Turkey and Italy.
With some culinary corkers on the menu such as butter chicken, grilled lamb chops and Silk Road Shrimp, plus to-die-for Italian desserts, it’s a world away from a soggy sarnie on platform three at Clapham Junction.
Like everything on this gargantuan ship — the third Icon-class vessel from Royal Caribbean — the attention to detail is staggering.
With 28 restaurants, eight neighbourhoods, six waterslides and room for 5,610 passengers, the multi-billion-dollar floating city certainly made an entrance in Malaga earlier this month. And I was one of the first on board the largest cruise ship in the world.
Billed as the ultimate family vacation, this next-generation newcomer is a riot of colour and energy from dawn to dusk, and there is something to float everyone’s boat, from lazy beach retreats to thrilling theme parks.
Holidaymakers of all ages will easily keep hunger pangs at bay grazing on food from 28 venues — the most you’ll find at sea — with every neighbourhood bringing something to the table.
Other new eateries include Hollywoodland Supper Club. Inspired by old Hollywood, this multi-course dinner is accompanied by live jazz and craft cocktails, giving guests the chance to get glam.
Hooked is a New England-style seafood restaurantCredit: SuppliedRebecca admires the waterslidesCredit: Supplied
While this and the Royal Railway come at quite a hefty extra cost — around £144pp — there are a staggering 13 complimentary eateries included in the price of your cruise.
In the AquaDome Market you can take another global foodie tour with stalls serving up everything from Korean rice bowls to tapas bites and crepes, plus a new juice and smoothie bar for health-conscious sailors.
I also worked my way around some of the bars including 1400 Lobby Bar, which is inspired by the history of shipbuilding, and Lou’s, which evokes moody New Orleans and New York jazz bars with live performances and cocktails.
Those wanting a livelier tipple should head to the brilliant Dueling Pianos, which buzzes well into the early hours.
Outside, the mega resort facilities are designed for non-stop family fun — minigolf, rock-climbing and a surf simulator can all be found on decks 16 and 17 — and thrillseekers can dangle daringly over the water on Crown’s Edge, a part skywalk, part zipline experience 154ft above the ocean.
This playful ship is certainly making a splash, with Category 6 holding the crown as the largest waterpark at sea, while Royal Bay is the largest pool on the waves.
Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay are nestled in the purpose-built Surfside family neighbourhood, while it’s strictly adults-only at The Hideaway with its suspended infinity pool and DJ, and Swim & Tonic swim-up bar.
Early nights are out — the last thing you’ll want to do is sleep for fear of serious FOMO.
The ship’s entertainment offering is next level and I was captivated by everything I watched. This included Roald Dahl’s West End-worthy Charlie And The Chocolate Factory complete with a 15-strong live orchestra, AquaTheater’s Shockwave, where synchronised swimmers, high divers and aerialists highlight the power of water, and the ice-skating spectacle with drones at Absolute Zero’s show, Fusion.
Alongside live music and tribute bands, there are themed parties including a Y2K dance party, karaoke sessions, live trivia and silent discos.
Those familiar with Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class ships will be pleased to see the return of well loved spaces including Royal Promenade with its floor-to-ceiling ocean views.
There’s also the Pearl — the world’s largest kinetic art sculpture — weighing as much as a Boeing 747 — and the open-air Central Park, with over 30,500 lush plants as well as restaurants, live music, and pick-up windows for sushi and champagne.
The liner has its own fun railwayCredit: SuppliedTuck into a delightful salmon dish like this oneCredit: supplied
With 29 types of accommodation, when it comes to hitting the sack, you and your tribe will slumber in style. On Legend Of The Seas, there are more rooms with ocean views and for groups of three, four, five and more.
The Surfside Family Suites are ideal for two adults and two kids, with the Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony cabins accommodating six, and Surfside Family View Balcony cabins sleeping three or four.
To really push the boat out, check into the exclusive four-deck Suite Neighbourhood or the Ultimate Family Townhouse, a three- storey pad that can sleep up to eight people.
Inside there’s a slide, dedicated entertainment spaces, and three balconies — lucky residents even get a money-can’t-buy experience with Royal Caribbean’s second Chief Dog Officer, a playful golden retriever pup named Skipper.
This showstopper of a ship is truly the stuff of Legends.
GO:LEGEND OF THE SEAS
SAILING THERE: A seven-night Western Mediterranean cruise on board Legend Of The Seas is from £1,245 per person.
A round trip sailing from Barcelona calls at Palma de Mallorca, Provence (Marseille), Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Rome (Civitavecchia), and Naples.
HD Hyundai Marine Solution CEO Kim Sung-joon (R) and Weathernews CEO Tomohiro Ishibashi sign an agreement to introduce an AI-powered voyage optimization solution at the head office of Weathernews in Chiba, Japan, on Friday. Photo by HD Hyundai Marine Solution
July 10 (UPI) — South Korea’s HD Hyundai Marine Solution said Friday that the company has teamed up with Japan’s Weathernews to commercialize an AI-powered shipping route optimization solution.
The former is the marine after-sales and digital solutions unit of shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai Group, while the latter is a leading provider of specialized weather intelligence to businesses and other consumers.
Recent pilot projects in South Korea showed that the integrated AI solution incorporating Weathernews’ meteorological data can reduce fuel consumption by at least 3%, according to HD Hyundai Marine.
The corporation noted that the new solution can be immediately deployed on vessels already using either company’s existing services without requiring additional hardware or software.
The two partners plan to gradually roll out the AI-based solution to about 8,000 vessels currently using their services. In addition, they agreed to pursue a range of collaborative initiatives, including jointly marketing the solution to global clients.
“This agreement is significant because it transforms our collaboration into a viable commercial business model,” HD Hyundai Marine CEO Kim Sung-joon said in a statement.
“We will deliver the best solution available to help shipowners achieve two key objectives of reducing fuel costs and complying with increasingly stringent environmental regulations,” he added.
The share price of HD Hyundai Marine jumped 4.17% on the Seoul bourse on Friday while the benchmark KOSPI rose 2.52%. That of Weathernews fell 4.26% on the Japanese stock market.
China’s successful submarine-launched ballistic missile test into the southern Pacific this week was more than a routine military exercise. It provided Beijing with a rare opportunity to validate one of the most sensitive aspects of its nuclear deterrent its ability to command, communicate with and potentially deploy nuclear-armed submarines while remaining undetected.
The test, carried out on Monday, involved a ballistic missile launched from a strategic nuclear-powered submarine and has drawn close scrutiny from regional governments and defence analysts. While Chinese officials described it as a standard military drill conducted in accordance with international law, experts say it marks another step in China’s effort to build a more credible and survivable nuclear force.
Why submarine missile tests matter
Unlike land-based nuclear missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) are designed to ensure a country can retaliate even if its territory comes under nuclear attack. This “second-strike capability” forms one of the central pillars of nuclear deterrence.
Analysts say the test was not solely about assessing missile performance. It also allowed Chinese military leaders to evaluate the complex command-and-control systems needed to operate nuclear submarines while they remain hidden beneath the ocean.
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Maintaining secure communications with submarines without revealing their position is among the most technically demanding aspects of any nuclear arsenal.
Collin Koh, a security expert at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said Beijing would likely have been evaluating communications, operational procedures and submarine performance alongside the missile itself.
A key part of China’s nuclear modernization
Regional defence experts believe the missile was launched from one of China’s Type-094 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), although Beijing has not officially identified the vessel.
China has steadily expanded its nuclear capabilities over the past decade, developing what military planners describe as a complete “nuclear triad”—the ability to launch nuclear weapons from land, sea and air.
The submarine component is viewed as increasingly important because it offers a survivable retaliatory force if China’s land-based missile sites were destroyed during a conflict.
According to previous U.S. defence assessments, China has already begun near-continuous deterrence patrols using its SSBN fleet, joining the United States, Russia, Britain and France in maintaining an at-sea nuclear capability.
Challenges remain
Despite the progress, experts note that China’s submarine force still faces significant operational hurdles.
To threaten the continental United States with its most advanced JL-3 submarine-launched missile, Chinese submarines would likely need to leave the relative protection of the South China Sea and enter the wider Pacific Ocean, where they could be tracked by U.S. and allied anti-submarine forces.
Military analysts say American and allied navies closely monitor Chinese submarines using surveillance aircraft, underwater sensor networks and naval patrols.
China is also developing a quieter next-generation ballistic missile submarine that could improve its ability to operate undetected.
Regional reaction
The launch prompted criticism from several regional governments.
The United States said China had provided only limited advance notification before the launch and expressed concern over Beijing’s rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal. Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan also voiced concern following the test.
China rejected the criticism, insisting the exercise complied with international law and was intended solely to safeguard national security and strategic stability.
Beijing has repeatedly argued that its nuclear modernization remains defensive and consistent with its longstanding policy of not being the first to use nuclear weapons.
Analysis: A signal beyond the missile
The importance of this test extends beyond the missile itself. It demonstrates Beijing’s growing confidence in the sea-based leg of its nuclear deterrent, an area traditionally dominated by the United States and Russia.
The exercise also reflects China’s broader military modernization strategy under President Xi Jinping, which prioritizes survivable nuclear forces capable of guaranteeing retaliation under any scenario. Even if operational challenges remain—particularly the ability of Chinese submarines to evade increasingly sophisticated Western tracking systems—the test suggests China is moving closer to a fully credible second-strike capability.
Strategically, the launch sends multiple messages. Domestically, it showcases advances in China’s military technology. Regionally, it reinforces Beijing’s determination to protect its security interests. Internationally, it signals that China’s nuclear forces are becoming more sophisticated, mobile and resilient, adding another layer of complexity to strategic competition with the United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific.
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England captain Harry Kane says he once played golf with United States President Donald Trump, describing the experience as “surreal”.
The striker will lead England for their World Cup quarter-final against Norway in Miami on Saturday (22:00 BST) and, in the build-up to that game, revealed he had played golf with Trump in Florida 18 months ago.
“I played alright to be honest,” said Bayern Munich striker Kane.
“He invited me to play when I was down in Palm Beach. So yeah, when the president invites you somewhere…
“It was a pretty surreal experience just to meet him and obviously play golf with him.
“His golf is pretty good, to be honest with you. I hope I can play golf as good as him when I’m his age, that’s for sure. A unique experience, but I was just grateful that he invited me to play.”
The US is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup along with Canada and Mexico, and Kane’s comments followed Trump, 80, saying the pair had played together.
“I think Kane is a great player,” said Trump after Kane, who has six goals and one assist for England at the World Cup, helped the Three Lions beat Mexico 3-2 in the last 16.
“I played golf with him and I like him a lot. He’s a good golfer too. He’s really great.”
