India joins a handful of countries that have successfully deployed the zero-emission technology in their rail networks.
By Reuters and The Associated Press
Published On 17 Jul 202617 Jul 2026
India has launched its first domestically built, hydrogen-powered train, as it pushes its efforts to expand clean energy use.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the locomotive ahead of its first trip on Friday, hailing the event as a significant day for India’s drive to become self-reliant and sustainable. The introduction of the train sees India join just a handful of countries that have successfully deployed the zero-emission technology in their rail networks.
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Dubbed the “NaMo Green Rail”, including an abbreviation of the PM’s first and last names, the train will make two return trips each day along a 90km route linking the cities of Jind and Sonipat, in the state of Haryana. The 10-coach train can seat about 2,600 passengers and can travel at speeds of up to 75km/h.
Designed, engineered and built in India, the NaMo produces only heat and water vapour when running, making it an attractive alternative to diesel.
While India has already electrified almost all of its 70,000km railway network, one of the largest in the world, hydrogen trains can plug the gap where electrification is not possible.
The rollout is part of India’s wider push to expand use of hydrogen and cut its carbon emissions, with the government aiming to make the country’s railways net-zero by 2030.
Once again, he’s putting quiz fanatics to the test but this time, it’s all around Europe.
The Chase Around The World sees six teams racing across European landmarks in a bid to win £100,000 prize.
Shaun described the spin-off as “reality television meeting with a quiz” as he admitted everyone “is pushed out of their comfort zone”.
Ahead of the series airing, The Dark Destroyer recalled one of his worst quizzing moments, as he revealed some topics he knows nothing about.
He shared: “As I always say, it takes courage to be a contestant on a quiz. Whether you get one or whether you get seven, it takes courage to put yourself forward, to sit in a chair to be thoroughly examined.”
Speaking to The Mirror and other press, Anne added: “There are times when someone, maybe just one person, gets through to the final Chase, and they set five or something, and if it’s me, the first thing I’ll say when I come out is, ‘Look, you’re the one that got through, everybody else got caught, you didn’t’.”
Recalling his own error, Shaun admitted “Every Achilles has a heel”.
He went on: “I’ve never watched The Simpsons, remember that time they asked me the colour of Marge Simpson’s hair? I said orange. The abuse I got on Twitter would make you want to quit the show.”
Shaun went on to say that like with soaps, he’d just guess an answer, and he was asked another Simpsons question where he had no choice but to do the same thing.
“They then asked me, who is the eldest Simpsons child, for £50,000?” he said.
He went on: “I know there’s three, Maggie, Lisa and Bart, and it took me six seconds to work out which one is it.”
Shaun ended up saying it was Lisa, and losing the huge sum. He added: “Questions are only easy if you know the answer, so one thing about us as quizzers is we’re brilliant quizzers, but we’re human, we make mistakes.”
Shaun, who won Mastermind in 2004 before The Chase, continued: “I use my transferable skills as a barrister, I think on my feet, I’m fearless. I’ve appeared in the Court of Appeal, I’ve done Old Bailey trials, so to answer the question in the final Chase or Mastermind grand finals is not going to phase me, but the one thing which has stood me well is my steadfast dedication to preparation because the more you prepare, the more chances you can be successful.
“And it’s not a chore… when we’re researching, it might seem like we’re going back to school. No, we’re doing it because we love it.”
The Chase Around The World airs Thursdays at 9pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
Ryanair has released a statement claiming that 16 airports in Europe will create “long queues for UK families” as the school summer holidays loom and airports face their busiest time of year
Ryanair named the airports that could see long queues this summer(Image: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)
Ryanair has released a strongly-worded statement claiming that “UK families face hours of extra queues as EU EES chaos continues”, naming 16 airports where “passengers are experiencing significant delays”.
The budget airline called for an emergency extension and flexibility in implementing the Entry/Exit System (EES), warning that without action families heading off on their summer holidays would face long waits. These delays would affect passengers no matter what airline they flew with.
Its statement read: “Ryanair today [July 15] warned millions of UK families travelling to Europe this summer to prepare for lengthy passport queues and airport delays caused by the EU’s failed Entry/Exit System (EES), which continues to create disruption months after its introduction.
“With schools now breaking for summer and passenger volumes reaching peak levels, the failed EES rollout is going to cause unnecessary delays and long queues for UK families.”
It claimed: “Ryanair has identified a number of recurring EES hotspots where passengers are experiencing significant delays due to slow processing times and excessive passport control queues on both arrivals and departures.”
The statement went on to name airports including both beach and city break destinations. This included family-friendly holiday hotspots such as Lanzarote, Tenerife South, Alicante, and Malaga, alongside destinations including Milan and Verona.
Ryanair went on to claim these airports suffered from similar issues, saying: “Months after EES went live, many airports still do not have fully functioning self-service kiosks in place, while border staffing levels and infrastructure remain inadequate to process peak passenger volumes. The result is avoidable delays, longer queues and unnecessary stress for UK passengers travelling during the busiest holiday period of the year.”
The airline gave advice to families heading off on their holidays soon, continuing: “Ryanair is advising UK passengers travelling to and from non-Schengen destinations, or transiting through affected European airports, to allow extra time for their journey and be prepared for extended waits at passport control, where EES checks may require passport scanning, fingerprint capture and facial image verification.”
Neal McMahon, Ryanair’s chief operations officer, said in a statement: “Families heading away for a well-earned summer holiday should be thinking about suitcases, suncream and sangria, not standing in passport queues for hours. The reality is that the EES system isn’t working properly and families are paying the price for a system that does not work months after launch. Passengers should not be the testing ground for unfished border infrastructure.
“We support calls from EU Member States to urgently extend the EES flexibilities. This will give airports and border authorities the time to improve the infrastructure, fix the broken devices and hire more staff so that families can travel through Europe without disruption.”
Full list of airports Ryanair named for ‘significant delays’
Lisbon
Tenerife South
Madrid
Lanzarote
Alicante
Malaga
Milan Bergamo
Milan Malpensa
Verona
Paris Beauvais
Berlin
Cologne
Frankfurt Hahn
Krakow
Budapest
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The Lake District and the Peak District have been notoriously known as England’s walking hotspots, but a picturesque destination with rolling hills has emerged as a new favourite
With rolling hills and river valleys, this region is the best destination for a walking holiday (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
England’s best walking destination has been named – and it’s not the Lake District or Peak District.
Every year, thousands of Brits flock to the Lake District for a rambling retreat, thanks to its pristine glacial waters against its dramatic mountain backdrop and rolling valleys. Meanwhile, the Peak District offers scenes of purple heather moorland, rugged rocks, and winding river valleys, making it a haven for hikers.
They are undoubtedly two of the most popular places to venture around during a scenic walking holiday, with ramblers rewarded with spectacular views. However, they’ve now been outshone by a new region – and it has its own renowned walking trail.
The Cotswolds has been named as the ‘best place to go walking in England’, by Responsible Travel, thanks to its scenes of ancient woodlands, tranquil river valleys, rolling hills and honey-coloured cottages. Spanning across 800 square miles, measuring around 90 miles in length and 25 miles in width, there are ample walking trails to explore in England’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
In its guide, Responsible Travel said: “It is not surprising that great writers from Shelley to Waugh have been inspired by the Cotswolds. Like their literary worlds, walking here transports you to a serene and soothing place.
“Walk through ancient towns such as Stow-on-the-Wold or Bourton-on-the-Water, where even the names evoke time gone by. Well known for its slow food ethos, you won’t be short of fine inns and food as you wander through village and vale.”
As the Cotswolds span six counties, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, and Somerset, there’s a plethora of charming towns and idyllic villages to visit while on one of the many routes and trails. And of course, a bundle of cosy country pubs and beer gardens to stop by for that refreshing restbite.
A major walking route in the region is the Cotswolds Way, which stretches 102 miles from Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire to Bath in Somerset. Following the western edge of the Cotswold Hills, the trail passes by the stunning scenes that make up the renowned region, alongside grand manor homes, historic battle sites, Neolithic burial barrows and honey-hued villages.
One of the most popular villages to stop by in the Cotswolds is Bibury, with its Arlington Row, which has garnered worldwide attention for its picture-postcard setting. The village has also been dubbed the ‘most beautiful village in England’ by artist and writer William Morris, and it attracts thousands of tourists every year.
Another favourite spot is the village of Bourton-on-the-Water, renowned as the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’, with its crystal-clear meandering river and quaint stone bridges. Castle Combe is another village that feels like a scene from a fairy tale, with preserved medieval cottages frozen in time since 1600, with no TV aerial in sight and wires hidden underground to maintain its beauty.
Top 12 walking destinations in England
Cotswolds
Dorset
Lake District
Peak District
Pilgrims Way
Shakespeares Way
South West Coast Path
Suffolk coast
Sussex & the South Downs
Thames Path
White Cliffs of Dover & Kent coast
Yorkshire
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DONCASTER Sheffield Airport has taken a big step forward towards its reopening.
Approval has been given by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to move forward with a crucial stage in order for the airport to welcome back passengers.
Doncaster Sheffield Airport has taken a step towards its reopeningCredit: City Of Doncaster / Mayor Ros Jones
The CAA has said that the hub can go ahead with its public consultation on the Airspace Change Proposal (ACP).
Locals and stakeholders get to state their opinion about its reopening – a necessary step in the process.
Christian Foster, Director for FlyDoncaster Ltd, operators of Doncaster Sheffield Airport said: “A reopening project of this scale includes a number of important milestones, but being able to go out to public consultation around our airspace is one that is absolutely crucial.
“We want to hear the views of people from across Doncaster and beyond, so that they can have a meaningful say about the airspace connected to this airport.
“As a community asset, it’s vital that we engage with those who live and work nearby to us and ensure we listen to the views of local people.”
Doncaster Sheffield Airport closed back in 2022 but could reopen to passengers in as little as two years’ time.
The regional airport in the north of England provided a gateway toEuropefor those living in and around Doncaster up until four years ago, after it was deemed ‘not financially viable’, and closed.
Christian Foster, Director of FlyDoncaster – the company set up to manage the airport – told us: “It does feel like the world has changed post-Covid, whereas people were focused two weeks inSpainorGreece, nowadays we’re seeing a lot of people keen to take city breaks.”
When talking of where he would like to fly, he said: “We’d love to fly to places like Croatia, and other destinations that are a bit more quirky like Azerbaijan.
“We’re keen to look at emerging places to visit as well, likeIndia.“
As a result of the shortage of water across the islands, the Greek Government is committing €15million (£12.8million) for water infrastructure across nine islands.
It comes as experts also have warned that rising temperatures across the world could worsen water shortages by 2049.
A number of hotels across the islands are already taking measures to reduce the amount of water used.
For example, one hotel in Chora is offering guests €5 (£4.25) vouchers if they do not use the cleaning services each day.
It comes as the country is experiencing an influx in tourists as well as hot weatherCredit: GettyThe Greek Government is committing €15million (£12.8million) for water infrastructure across nine islandsCredit: Getty
Earlier this, Corfu also announced water shortages, particularly due to tourism leading to four times as much water consumption.
The Netherlands announced this week that they are experiencing a water crisis as well, though also confirmed that it does not impact drinking water.
The measures are there to improve safety, cleanliness and access during peak season when beaches are at their busiest.
The rules aren’t new, having come into play two years ago.
At the time, a spokesman said in a statement on X: “This measure prohibits the indiscriminate occupation of the public domain, especially the beach, with items such as chairs, hammocks and parasols at the start of the day.
“These bad habits make it difficult to clean the beaches.
Calpe is a popular resort in the Alicante province of SpainCredit: AlamyThe measures are there to not clog up the busy beachesCredit: Alamy
“The by-law establishes that all these items and others installed on the beaches before 9.30am can be removed and the owners reported.
“It also states that those umbrellas, chairs or hammocks that are left for more than three hours without the presence of their owners throughout the day may be removed and transferred to a municipal depot.”
Calpe is a popular spot in Alicante with sweeping beaches that have golden sand and bright blue Mediterranean waters.
Some of the most popular beaches are Playa de Levante, also known as La Fossa, and Playa Arenal-Bol.
Elizabeth Kobliha knows her one-eyed cat Likho has more friends than she does. So much so that on his 15th birthday last Saturday, the sidewalk outside her downtown Long Beach store where he spends most of his time transformed into a makeshift fair.
There were vendors selling peach cobbler, watches, hot dogs and offering tattoos and face paint. A DJ spun records in celebration.
“He’s a very good businessman. We’ve got stickers, T-shirts, keychains, and buttons [of him], and it all goes under his account, his name,” Kobliha said of the cat.
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Before Likho roamed the 7,000-square-foot Long Beach Vintage Etc, there was Apollo. The “big rag doll” came in with health problems but was the perfect shop cat. Apollo, a Maine coon who died at 13 following a seizure a year after his arrival in 2015, had curbed the shop’s mouse problem and brought “so much love and energy.”
Similarly, Likho, a one-eyed Russian Blue, also was ailing when Kobilha took him in at 8 years old, but she wanted him anyhow.
“I always wanted to open my own shop so I can have a shop cat,” Kobliha says, adding she was inspired by bookstores with cats “just chilling.”
Vendors line the sidewalk for Likho’s birthday party. The cat is a local celebrity.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
In 2016, Kobliha was swiping through Facebook when a video stopped her scroll. In it, a woman inside of a hoarder’s garage bobbed a feather toy in front of Likho, who jumped up to catch it.
The post was made by Sia Barbi in collaboration with animal rescue group Stray Cat Alliance after the cat had been abandoned at the Hancock Park home. During the early ‘90s, Sia and identical twin sister, Shane, made waves in the fashion and pop culture worlds, often modeling for Chanel, Thierry Mugler and Jean Paul Gaultier. Their rise to fame began after the Los Angeles Timescovered a Sunset Boulevard billboard featuring the twins wearing little clothing that had been causing car accidents.
“Guys of a certain generation would get very hot and bothered over them,” Kobliha said of the Barbi twins. As they exited the modeling industry, they pivoted into animal activism and volunteering for rescue groups and trap, neuter and return programs for cats.
Elizabeth Kobliha holds her cat Likho. When she opened her vintage store, she knew she wanted a shop cat just like chill bookstore cats.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Kobliha wanted to adopt Likho, but first he’d need a $3,000 operation to remove an infected eye, paid for by the Stray Cat Alliance.
“They took care of everything, then we had to wait because he had to recuperate,” she recalls. “The whole time I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God, what if it doesn’t work out? What if the cat gets here and is just absolutely bonkers?’”
That fear was for nothing. Likho, who lives at the shop full-time, acclimated within a day. “He has been a beautiful addition ever since then,” Kobliha says.
He’s since become the face of the shop, with a mural dedicated to him outside to welcome customers. That was done by local muralist LaJon Miller, who worked on another on the sidewalk during Likho’s party.
“I got adopted into it,” he says of the Likho fandom. “He’s been my muse on this street for a while. … He just roams around the store, chills, does his little nap thing, and hangs out with everybody, so he’s very social.”
Likho has never harmed the centuries-old objects in her shop, Kobliha says, but he has spooked suspected ghosts.
LaJon Miller, who calls Likho his muse, paints a portrait of the cat on the sidewalk outside of Long Beach Vintage Etc.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Kobliha believes ghosts once connected to shops at the 1922 building — a former patron of a grocery store shamed for his obesity and a former furniture shop owner who died by suicide — still roam her store’s stalls.
“We see shadow figures … there’s a certain area where they pass back and forth. They don’t do anything, but they’re scary as hell,” Kobliha says of unusual sightings. “Likho is very protective, and we do feel really safe when he’s around.”
“It is a little weird, though, when he’s sleeping, and then suddenly he will jump up and look around,” she adds.
Likho’s biggest fan may be a man named Dom Gomez. He lives within walking distance of the shop, and tends to visit after long shifts at a restaurant aboard the Queen Mary. He stopped by the birthday party wearing his work uniform: a white, button-down shirt and black slacks. His hair slicked; his hands behind his back.
Likho’s face graces merchandise at Long Beach Vintage Etc like this fan.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
When he speaks of Likho, he speaks with a tender cadence and dignified countenance, as if he were his own.
“Time flies, you know?” he says, smiling, of visiting Likho over the years. “He gets a lot of love from all the ladies that work here and myself … he has a lot of fans. I don’t know who’s more famous, Muhammad Ali or Likho the Cat.”
On a previous birthday, Gomez wanted to get Likho a gift. He settled on a kid’s denim jacket he modified for a cat with a patch for the Cure on the back but, regrettably, it was a “little too big.” Next year, he’ll give it another shot with a sweater.
“That’s my little buddy right there,” he says. “Today is a special day. I didn’t know a cat could live that long, but I think he’s still got a lot of energy to live … maybe another 100 years, I hope.”
Mary Steenburgen moved to California to work with Jack Nicholson.
It was 1977, and Steenburgen — an Arkansas native — had been waiting tables in New York at night while studying acting with Sandy Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse during the day. She’d been pounding the pavement for about seven years, she says, when her “overnight moment came” and she was called in to read for a film Nicholson was both directing and starring in called “Goin’ South.”
In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
Getting the role, Steenburgen says, changed her life in every way. “I flew out [to film] and had an amazing introduction to the town,” she explains. “I lived at the Chateau Marmont and went to Paramount Studios every day, where [Nicholson] would screen movies for me and then come in at the end to give me a little film-slash-acting lecture about each one. It really helped me get ready to dive into the big leagues.”
Though she spent some years in an old Ojai farmhouse in the 1980s raising her kids with former husband Malcolm McDowell, she’s always had a base of operations here in L.A. She shares her L.A. abode now with husband Ted Danson, whom she married in 1995 and with whom she’s starred in numerous projects, including the Netflix series “A Man on the Inside.” L.A. is also where she filmed her latest movie, “The Dink,” an Apple TV comedy centered on one of her favorite pastimes: pickleball.
Here’s how Steenburgen would spend her perfect, pickleball-filled Sunday in Los Angeles.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
5:30 a.m.: Early morning meditation and mental exercise
We always wake up early. After so many years of going to work at 5 in the morning, we always wake up between 5 and 6 now.
We’re morning meditators, or we try to be since our dog [Blue] just sits on our laps and stares at us until he’s been fed. Then we have to do all the New York Times games, and then I’ll try and find a pickleball game. We love Spelling Bee. We have to get to Genius, at least. Occasionally we’ll get to Queen Bee, but if we don’t get to at least Genius, then my day is ruined.
If my husband and I are working that week, whoever’s not working will have to run lines with the one who is. So we’ll generally spend a few hours doing that in the morning, too.
8:30 a.m.: Light gardening
I love my garden. A lot of it was hand-planted by me. Not the big trees — someone else planted those — but everything else, like the ground cover and smaller plants, I did. So I’ll spend a little time out there, too.
I like to go to Armstrong Garden Centers. They hire very knowledgeable people there. When I first started planting my garden — I live on a hill and it was all dirt back there and not everything grows well that way so I was looking for ground cover that would grow quickly but also didn’t mind a hillside. The people at Armstrong knew the answer, and they were great.
10 a.m.: Pickleball-palooza
I try to play pickleball for at least two hours a day, if I can. I try to find a game with friends, or I’ll go and play in different parks.
This morning, I played at a friend’s house. She has a beautiful tennis court and they put tape down on it so we can use it for pickleball, too. I played with her daughter and her friend.
I also have a pickleball coach and sometimes we’ll go play at this place called Pickle Pop that’s on the Third Street Promenade. Other times, I’ll play at the Santa Monica Pickleball Center.
My son just brought eight members over from [one of] London’s biggest pickleball club[s], Lemon Pickleball, and they all stayed with me. We played all over the place and we had so much fun. They loved Southern California, and seeing it through their eyes made me love it even more.
On their last night here, I called a wonderful family I know that cooks fantastic Mexican food, because I knew [the Brits] hadn’t ever really experienced great Mexican food. I met them because they’re set up every weekend in the parking lot at Rustic Coffee [in Santa Monica]. They’re lovely folks. So they came over and cooked, and we had a wonderful night for the Brits, putting up all kinds of lights and decorations too.
12:30 p.m.: Magical brunch with the grandkids
We go to Kreation a lot for lunch, just because it’s nice and it’s very healthy. I was just there yesterday with my granddaughters, after we all played Pickleball.
Actually, this weekend we all went to the Magic Castle together, too. I hadn’t been for decades and two of my five grandkids were here, and they’d never been either. Mostly it’s no kids at the Magic Castle but on weekends they do a brunch where kids can come so we went to that. The last magician in the show even called my granddaughter up on stage to be a sort of assistant, and it was very cute.
3 p.m.: Hiking with the dog
Because we work a lot and our days often belong to someone else from early in the morning until pretty late at night, weekends are more laid back.
We like to go on hikes and walks around Santa Monica. We have this big Australian Shepherd and we take him for long, slow walks. They’re slow because he has to say hello to every dog and person along the way — especially babies, who are his absolute favorite.
There’s something magical about my dog, I think. People will say, “Oh, my dog hates all dogs” and then my dog pulls me over and the dog that hates all dogs just melts. It’s like he calms other dogs. He even calms people that think they don’t like dogs. I know I’m very prejudiced, but I’m also very proud.
6 p.m.: Breakfast (or Goop) for dinner
We’re big on breakfast for dinner, so maybe we’d have some poached eggs on toast or poached eggs on creamed spinach.
If we order in, we might get food from Goop Kitchen. They have so many healthy, fantastic choices. Even their pizzas are pretty healthy.
8:30 p.m.: TV in bed
Sometimes I read a book at night, but we also have a show we absolutely love to go to sleep to, even if you’re not supposed to do that. It’s this British game show called “Would I Lie to You?” and unfailingly it makes me laugh. I’ve seen every single episode — some of them twice — and I like to go to sleep laughing.
I also just said to Ted that I think we’re going to have to start “Cheers” again soon. We just lost our friend Jimmy Burrows, who was a magnificent human and so important to Ted’s whole career, and one of the great things about watching “Cheers” is, if you know Jimmy’s laugh, you can actually pick it out multiple times during each episode.
It’s been a long time since we’ve watched “Cheers,” and it honestly never gets old. I first watched it in Ojai when I was married and had young children. We would watch it with our best friends on Thursday nights, like everybody would go down to their house in their pajamas and we’d watch “Cheers” and then I’d come home to put the kids to bed. Then, when I was going through my divorce I would watch it at 10 o’clock at night because I was very lonely and it was the thing that cheered me up at the end of the day during a hard time in my life. Little did I know that one day I’d be sleeping with Sam Malone.
AN airline has temporarily axed one of its routes until the end of August.
Skybus has announced there will be no services between Newquay and St Mary’s Airport on the Scilly Isles with existing customers being rerouted.
Skybus has suspended one of its routes until August 31Credit: Alamy
Passengers received the news yesterday of the cancellations with Skybus.
The airline explained the route has been suspended due to “a combination of a shortage of both aircraft and qualified pilots”.
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Skybus continued to say: “We have explored every available option to maintain the Newquay service, but with a limited fleet and crew availability, we would be unable to operate the route reliably throughout the remainder of the summer.
“Our priority is to provide certainty for our passengers.
“We want to assure passengers booked to travel between Newquay and St Mary’s, you will be transferred onto a Skybus flight departing from Land’s End Airport on the same date.”
They said that by “concentrating” available aircraft and crews on services from Land’s End they can “provide greater reliability and reduce the risk of further disruption during the peak travel period.”
Customers will be contacted soon with dates for alternative flights.
They will also be offered free parking at Land’s End Airport, a refund of any fare difference between their original and revised flights, and a voucher to spend at the airport café.
Skybus operates year-round to the Isles of Scilly, but only from Land’s End AirportCredit: AlamyFlights from Newquay and Exeter usually operate seasonally between late March to OctoberCredit: Alamy
Skybus operates year-round to the Isles of Scilly, but only from Land’s End Airport – and flights take about 20 minutes.
Flights from Newquay and Exeter usually operate seasonally between late March to October.
The year is 2010. A Spain side stacked with star names have sneaked their way into the World Cup final, where they ultimately triumph in a bruising encounter against the Netherlands with an extra-time Andres Iniesta winner.
Fast forward 16 years and a more under-the-radar, but equally efficient, Spain team have again reached football’s showpiece.
The names may not trip off the tongue as smoothly as they did before, but Luis de la Fuente’s current contingent are driven to match the achievement of the country’s golden generation and lift the trophy for a second time on Sunday, 19 July.
Certain parallels are evident.
Take the continuity as both sides came into their respective World Cups having won the European Championship two years earlier.
For the team that triumphed in 2010, only three of the starting XI had not been at the 2008 Euros. Only two players who began Tuesday’s semi-final against France were not part of the successful squad at Germany 2024.
Interestingly, Spain’s 2026 squad of 26 players have an older average age than the group selected by Vicente del Bosque in 2010 (27.8 compared with 26.7), but they are less experienced on the international stage (33 caps on average against 56).
Spain had not won a World Cup knockout game since lifting the trophy in the South Africa tournament, before embarking on this run.
The vaunted 37-match unbeaten record of De la Fuente’s men is impressive – matching Italy’s world-best mark – even if it does discount a penalty shootout defeat by Portugal in last year’s Nations League final.
This Spain side are the first team to keep six clean sheets at a single World Cup.
So how do the two XIs compare? BBC Sport takes a look.
Five weeks after the start of the biggest-ever football tournament, it’s almost time for the day billions across the world have waited for – the FIFA World Cup final.
Spain, the champions of Europe, face defending World Cup winners Argentina in a title clash for the ages.
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For Spain, it marks the final step in their quest for a second world title, 16 years on from their maiden triumph, while Argentina are chasing history to become only the third country to lift back-to-back World Cups.
Here are the top 10 things you need to know ahead of Sunday’s final in New York, United States:
Deja vu: Messi and Yamal meet again after two decades
The moment Argentina set up the World Cup final against Spain, social media was again flooded with the now-viral photo of a young Messi bathing baby Yamal during a TV commercial. At first, many thought it was an AI-generated image, but it’s indeed real and dates back to 2007.
During a UNICEF fundraising shoot at his former club, Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium, a 20-year-old Messi met Yamal, who was only five months old at that time and accompanied by his mother, Sheila Ebana.
Almost two decades on from that day, Messi and Yamal face each other in a clash of generations in the 2026 World Cup final.
“It is a true miracle of destiny,” the photographer Joan Monfort told BBC Sport.
This photo, taken in September 2007, shows a 20-year-old Lionel Messi, who had embarked on his legendary Barcelona career four years earlier, helping to bathe Lamine Yamal, six months, with Yamal’s mother Sheila Ebana [Joan Monfort/AP Photo]
Will Donald Trump attend the World Cup final?
Yes. The White House has said US President Donald Trump will attend Sunday’s World Cup final – his first appearance at the tournament. He will jointly present the trophy, along with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, to the winning team’s captain.
Though Trump was not at any game of the 48-team tournament, he was still involved – rather controversially. Trump personally urged Infantino to review a decision to hand a red card to US striker Folarin Balogun.
FIFA, then, broke its own rules to suspend Balogun’s one-game ban, allowing him to play in the quarterfinals, which the US lost to Belgium. The controversial decision drew criticism and once again put the spotlight on the growing influence of politics on sport.
US President Donald Trump holds up a red card as he meets with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the Oval Office of the White House [File: Leah Millis/Reuters]
Superstitions first: Argentinian President Milei won’t attend the final
It is common practice for the heads of state of the finalist nations to attend the ultimate showdown, but Argentinian President Javier Milei won’t be travelling to New Jersey. Why? Because of superstition.
Milei has decided to watch the game on a TV from his presidential residence, just like he did for each of Argentina’s seven matches en route to the final. He will also be putting on the same heavy jacket he wears each time.
In Latin America, and particularly in Argentina, so-called “cabalas”, or ritualistic beliefs and habits, carry unusual weight, reflecting their passion for the national team.
Canadian wildfire smoke blankets New York before World Cup final
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed much of the northeastern US, triggering health alerts, but a cold front expected on the weekend will help dissipate the dangerous haze in time for Sunday’s World Cup final in the New York area.
More than 80,000 people are expected to attend the World Cup final at the open-air New York-New Jersey stadium, while another 50,000 are expected to watch the game from Central Park in Manhattan.
New York City began feeling the effects of the wildfires this week, and local authorities issued an alert, urging residents to reduce strenuous outdoor activity and take extra breaks if they are outside.
On Thursday, the air quality in New Jersey, the site of the stadium, was rated as “unhealthy for sensitive groups” by several air quality measurement platforms.
World Cup final: The most expensive US sporting event
As of Friday, the get-in price for the Spain vs Argentina final is $7,595, according to ticket-tracking service TicketData.com. The platform states a 10 percent increase in price over the last three days.
As per data from secondary ticket marketplace TickPick, the average purchase price for the final is $11,327, the highest ever recorded in US sporting history, surpassing the ticket prices for the NFL’s Super Bowl and the NBA Finals.
NFL-style half-time show
For the first time in history, a football World Cup final will feature a half-time show, inspired by the Super Bowl.
Expect fireworks to light up the New York skyline when a pop party kicks off, headlined by Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, Coldplay and others.
The performance is expected to last about 11 minutes, with the half-time break potentially extended to up to 30 minutes. Additionally, there will be a closing ceremony 90 minutes before kickoff, with Tom Cruise, Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger expected to feature.
Colombian singer, songwriter and producer Shakira, who performed during the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Cup, will also be at the half-time show [Carl De Souza/AFP]
Record-breaking prize money
In December, FIFA announced a record World Cup prize fund of $727m – a 50 percent increase on the funds distributed at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Four months later, the prize money on offer was further increased, with the world governing body projected to surpass $11bn in revenue in the current four-year cycle from 2023 to 2026.
FIFA’s December announcement on prize money said the champions would take home $50m and the runners-up $33m. Additionally, each qualified nation would be entitled to $1.5m to cover preparation costs.
World Cup trophy to arrive in bespoke Louis Vuitton trunk
As was the case in the last four finals, the golden World Cup trophy – the biggest prize in football – will be transported to the venue in a bespoke Louis Vuitton trunk designed by the French luxury fashion house.
The trunk features a golden V for “Victory” – and “Vuitton” – across the front, with the brand’s recognisable monogram pattern and gold-plated brass corner protectors.
Golden Boot among awards up for grabs
Apart from the winning team earning the opportunity to lift the coveted World Cup trophy, players will also have a shot at individual glory.
As many as five official trophies, including the Golden Boot for the top scorer and Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament, will be handed out.
Messi leads the race for the Golden Boot, ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappe, who will feature in the third-place playoff a day before the final. Mbappe won the Golden Boot last year while Messi is bidding for his first such achievement.
The Golden Glove, Young Player and Fair Play are the other official awards presented by the FIFA Technical Study Group.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates with his teammates at the end of the World Cup semifinal [Rebecca Blackwell/AP]
The referee lineup
The World Cup final will be officiated by Slovenia’s Slavko Vincic, who will be assisted by his compatriots Tomasz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic.
Jordanian duo Adham Makhadmeh and Mohammad Alkalaf will be the fourth official and reserve assistant referee, respectively.
Customers are being sent emails that explain everything they need to be aware of
Keep your Sky account safe from scammers (stock image)(Image: Getty)
Sky is sending emails out to customers with a message about ‘security’. In the UK, Sky serves more than 25 million people, about 36% of all households. Sky Broadband boasts nearly 5.8 million active users and employs around 20,000 people across the UK.
In a new email delivered to its customers, the connectivity company reminded people about the importance of watching out for scammers. It said: “At Sky, we’re committed to helping you keep your account secure. So, we wanted to give you some tips on how to stay vigilant.”
Urging customers to stay safe and explaining what steps to take, Sky added: “Sometimes, scammers pretend to be trusted brands so that they can try to trick you into sharing your personal information or even placing an order they may ask you to send on to them when it arrives.
“If you’re unsure about a call, text or any other message, end the conversation. Head to the My Sky app or sky.com to see if anything looks wrong — be sure to check your account details and your recent orders.”
For customers who receive calls, texts and WhatsApp messages, Sky advises “stay vigilant”. It says: “Fraudsters can sound convincing, especially if they rush you, pressure you, or offer a deal that seems too good to be true.”
Remembering the following information “will help you stay in control”
Sky will never ask for the password you use to sign into the My Sky app or sky.com
Ask you to place an order on our website while on the phone with you.
Tell you to share your screen on any device.
Ask you to read out your full payment card details (unless you contacted us first).
Pressure you into making decisions.
Sky says it always sends texts “from Sky”, adding: “Be cautious of other senders claiming to be us.” The company also says it will always give you the option to hang up and contact the customer service team if you’re unsure.
It added: “Use our verified Sky UK WhatsApp Business account — look for the blue tick. Remember, if anyone contacts you unexpectedly, sounds urgent, or asks for details, stop and take a moment.”
In terms of deliveries, Sky urges customers to be aware that if someone asks to return items they weren’t expecting to receive, or pressures them to return something using a QR code or courier. It says: “If you ever need to return Sky equipment, always use Sky’s official returns process.”
If you believe you’ve fallen victim to a scam, reach out to your bank right away if you shared any money or personal information. After that, make sure to report the incident to Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre. You can do this by calling 0300 123 2040 or by visiting the Action Fraud website. It’s important to act quickly to protect yourself.
Avanti West Coast has partnered with Family Holiday Charity to offer free family train tickets to vulnerable families, supporting summer holiday breaks at destinations on the West Coast Main Line from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh
Milo Boyd Deputy Travel Editor & Commercial Writer and Neil Lancefield Press Association Transport Correspondent
10:47, 17 Jul 2026
Some families will get free train travel(Image: Getty Images)
A rail operator is offering free travel to vulnerable families so they can enjoy a holiday this summer.
Avanti West Coast has revealed it’s teamed up with Family Holiday Charity to enable breaks at destinations along the West Coast Main Line, which runs from London through to Glasgow and Edinburgh via the West Midlands and north-west England.
The getaways will be made available to families facing challenges including financial struggles, bereavement, caring duties, housing insecurity and domestic abuse.
Avanti West Coast customer experience director Kathryn O’Brien said the firm is “really proud” to help families embark on holidays they “may otherwise not have the chance” to experience.
She continued: “We serve many picturesque towns and seaside destinations along the West Coast Main Line that will be the perfect destination for the families to enjoy new experiences and escapism from their day-to-day reality.
“The trips will offer something that many could take for granted – the opportunity to nurture relationships, create memories and reconnect with one another.”
Family Holiday Charity depends on referrals from sources such as social workers and the NHS to identify people it can assist.
Rob Parkinson, chief executive of Family Holiday Charity, said: “While many of the families we support have not been on a holiday before, it will also be the case that some have never travelled together by rail.
“Providing new experiences and opportunities to make enduring memories is central to what we do as a charity, and so we’re very excited to be working with Avanti West Coast on this summer pilot project.”
Avanti West Coast confirmed it will initially assist six families with summer holiday travel, calling the trial a “first for the rail industry”.
Family Holiday Charity’s mission is to help “families’ children who have never seen the sea, for teenagers who can’t remember when they last saw their mum smile. For parents having to choose between a day out and a new pair of school shoes. For young carers, kinship carers, families facing illness isolation and bereavement.”
Its philosophy is that holidays open up new possibilities and provide a time to reconnect, to try new things, and to make happy memories together.
The charity’s website features stories of those it has helped, as well as details on how you can support it.
One family who received help is Tobi’s. The 12-year-old has Takayasu arteritis, a type of vasculitis that causes inflammation in his blood vessels, damaging his large arteries. It’s treatable but not curable. He’s had two major heart surgeries this past year and life has been so hectic. If Tobi has to go to the hospital, all his family have to go.
“We could be there for months at a time, with Lanny commuting from the hospital to his school. At one point, Tobi was going in every three days for blood transfusions and he missed three years of school,” his mum Fathimas said.
Family Holiday Charity paid for Tobi, his siblings and mum to stay at the seaside in Essex.
“We were so happy to hear it was near the sea. We all love the beach and it reminded us of our days in Ghana. We hugged each other as we started making plans. I checked how far Clacton-on-Sea was from London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital by train, just to be sure we could get there quickly if we had to. That helped ease my mind,” Fathimas said.
A plane passenger thought paying extra would guarantee a stress-free flight – but moments after taking his seat, another traveller made a request that quickly turned the journey awkward
The plane passenger wasn’t backing down (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)
For many travellers, paying extra to choose a seat is worth every penny, especially if it means avoiding the dreaded middle seat or securing a window view for a long-haul flight. That’s exactly what one passenger thought he was doing when he paid an extra £150 to reserve a window seat on his flight to Brazil. But shortly after boarding, another traveller approached him with a request that left him in an awkward position.
Sharing his story on Reddit, he explained: “This stranger who was seated on the middle plane seats across from me with his child asked me if I could give up my window seat for his kid. I said, ‘Sorry, but no. I paid an extra 200 dollars for this seat’.” The man assumed that would be the end of the conversation, but says the father responded by glaring at him instead of accepting his answer. He added: “In my head I said, ‘Okay f*** you too!’ and went back listening to my music while looking out the window.”
However, just a few minutes later, the situation escalated when a flight attendant came over to speak to him.
He continued: “Not even five minutes later a flight attendant taps me on the shoulder asking me if I could give up my seat for his kid.
“I pulled out my ticket and the receipt I got when I paid extra for the window seat and told her, ‘No, I paid extra for window seat’.
“She said, ‘Okay, sorry to bother you sir’. I saw her walk back to him and say, ‘no’ for me.”
The passenger claims the father shot him another angry look, seemingly expecting the airline staff to persuade him to move.
Wanting to know whether he’d handled the situation correctly, he turned to Reddit to ask if he was in the wrong for refusing to swap.
Most users backed his decision, arguing that paying extra for a specific seat meant he was under no obligation to give it up.
One person said: “I used to fly for work every few weeks. It was pretty common for this to happen.
“I did the exact same thing. If I paid extra for a seat, I said no. If I was just changing seats so family could sit next to each other, and they were polite, I usually switched.”
They added: “Didn’t matter to me. Just the politeness. I was going to read most of the time anyway. If they were rude I just said no and stuck my head in a book.”
Fifa will present World Cup rings to the winners of Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain, which will be attended by Donald Trump.
Winner rings are a tradition in American sport, with the NFL’s Super Bowl victors presented with them.
Thirty rings will be made available to the world champions, and a further 1,996 rings will go on sale to fans. Each ring will include a mini World Cup trophy in its design and an engraving in the band.
President Trump, who is to present the trophy, has not attended any of the 102 World Cup games so far, missing all of the USA’s matches before they went out to Belgium in the last 16.
There is a weather warning in New York over air quality caused by wildfires in Canada, but there is no suggestion the final at MetLife Stadium will be affected.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino had already said Trump would attend the final and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has confirmed he will.
The subsequent decision to suspend Balogun’s automatic ban was heavily criticised, with questions raised about the integrity of the tournament.
Balogun was allowed to feature in the knockout game against Belgium, but the USA suffered a 4-1 thrashing.
No other red or yellow cards have been suspended during this World Cup, despite France and England appealing to have their own respective incidents reviewed.
An anti-U.S. billboard that hangs at Palestine Square in Tehran, Iran, features a sentence in Persian that reads “Blood for Blood,” on Thursday. Photo by Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA
July 17 (UPI) — Iran early Friday said it struck a U.S. special operations command center in southeastern Syria, escalating the war over the Strait of Hormuz, as the United States attacked bridges and other urban infrastructure in Iran.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps described the strike in a statement as a “surprise attack” conducted in retaliation for the seven soldiers killed early Wednesday in a U.S. attack on Bampur, near Iranshahr in southeastern Iran.
The elite military unit claimed to have destroyed a U.S. radar system and several special-operations helicopters. It claimed to have killed “a large number” of Americans.
State-run media reported Iran also attacked U.S. bases and assets in Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for the U.S. attacks hours earlier. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting claimed the United States destroyed five bridges around Bandar Abbas near the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command said it had completed a “major wave” of attacks on Iran at 9:40 p.m. EDT Thursday. It said it hit dozens of Iranian military targets, including coastal surveillance and air defense sites, military logistics infrastructure and maritime capabilities.
Though CENTCOM made no mention of civilian infrastructure, President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that the U.S. military would be ramping up its attacks through the week and would include civilian targets, but explicitly stating, “Next week comes the bridges.”
While the war began in late February, with the Trump administration seeking to dismantle Iran’s nuclear weapons program and encourage regime change, this latest chapter is centered on the vital shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Trump administration is seeking to restore freedom of navigation through the chokepoint, while Iran is fighting to maintain the leverage afforded by its ability to restrict passage.
Early Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said a tanker had been struck by an unknown projectile, causing minor damage to its port side.
“All crew are safe and accounted for,” it said.
The strike is at least the eighth attack on a commercial ship to attack in the Strait of Hormuz in a little over a week.
Tehran launched strikes against several countries across the Gulf and wider region overnight as the United States military raised its attacks on Iran.
Reports on Friday morning said that Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, as well as Jordan and Syria, had been forced to take defensive action against Iranian missiles and drones, amid a sixth night of US strikes on Iran.
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The escalating US air campaign targeted civilian infrastructure in the south of the country, including telecommunications networks, railway systems, and the Bandar-e Khamir bridge in Hormozgan province, where local media reported on Thursday night that at least seven people were killed.
Tehran has justified its strikes against Gulf and other states by saying it is targeting US facilities in the region, insisting that Washington has used its bases there as launchpads to strike Iran.
In Qatar, which hosts major US military facilities, the security threat level was elevated as loud explosions were heard across parts of the capital, Doha, early on Friday morning.
Warning sirens sounded as residents received security alerts on their mobile phones. Qatar’s security threat level was raised again after the initial alert, but the situation later returned to “normal” after the threats were cleared.
The Qatari Ministry of Interior confirmed on Friday morning that a child who was injured by falling shrapnel during the assault is now receiving medical care. Earlier, Qatar rejected Israeli reports that it was planning to join military action against Iran.
Iran’s army said it targeted US helicopters and reconnaissance aircraft at the Sakhir airbase in Bahrain, according to a report from the country’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed early on Friday to have successfully targeted US monitoring assets in Oman.
In a statement, the military said it destroyed a US air control radar in the northern Ghanim region and a maritime surveillance radar positioned on rocks in the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC declared that the critical shipping waterway – which has become the key issue in the latest outburst of conflict between the US and Iran – “remains in the hands of the IRGC Navy’s admirals”.
The IRGC also reported that it hit a US military base in Kuwait early on Friday. It said that the attack targeted a missile defence radar, several key weapons depots and two HIMARS surface-to-surface missile launchers.
In northern Iraq, Kurdish counterterrorism forces reported that US coalition forces shot down eight explosive drones over the city of Erbil, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). No casualties were reported.
The Jordanian army announced its air defence systems shot down three Iranian missiles transiting its airspace on Friday morning. No casualties were reported as engineering teams dealt with falling debris.
The IRGC also claimed to have attacked a US special operations command centre at the al-Tanf military base in Syria, according to a Tasnim news agency report.
Call to return to ‘hard-won’ deal
As hostilities between the US and Iran continue to escalate, threatening to spread across the region and curb the global economy, efforts to convince Washington and Tehran to return to negotiations are accelerating.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar called on Friday for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of dialogue, hoping to save the tentative ceasefire agreed upon last month.
Both countries have sought to mediate in the months-long conflict, which rekindled with renewed fighting over the Strait of Hormuz a month after the signing of a preliminary deal aiming to end the war.
That agreement was “hard-won”, Wang said, adding: “Peace is before our eyes, [we] cannot fall at the last hurdle and even more so cannot lose what we have gained.”
Iran has said 38 people have been killed, and more than 400 injured, in the US attacks since the two sides met in Switzerland on June 22 for talks to end the war through a 60-day negotiation period, the AFP news agency reported.
This coastal gem boasts Viking history, a famous ice cream parlour, and independent shops – and it’s a place I’ve been visiting since childhood that’s magical even when the weather isn’t the best
It’s the perfect seaside town, in my opinion(Image: Nicola Roy)
Summer is in full swing across the UK, bringing with it some glorious weather over recent weeks. With hopefully more sunshine to come, now’s an ideal time to organise a seaside trip or two.
Britain boasts countless spectacular locations, and although the heatwaves have been great, we all know how unpredictable the weather can be here.
But there’s one particular spot I’ve been returning to since I was young that gets lively during summer without becoming overcrowded, and even when it’s pouring down, it’s still amazing.
Largs, a lovely seaside town on Scotland’s west coast, sits approximately an hour’s drive from Glasgow. Famous for its Viking museum, traditional amusement arcades, and ferry services to the Isle of Cumbrae, it’s somewhere many Scots will likely have explored during the warm summer months.
This picturesque town positioned on the Firth of Clyde offers everything you could want from a coastal getaway, with a range of hotels and places to stay.
We stayed at the Old Rectory, a beautiful holiday home sleeping up to 14 people, featuring a hot tub and plenty of room for unwinding. One of the best things about Largs is how near you are to the waterfront regardless of where you are.
The charming Victorian seafront is packed with things to see and do, offering an impressive selection of eateries serving everything from classic fish and chips to delicious Thai cuisine.
Largs has immense historical importance as the location of a landmark battle in 1263, which signalled the end of Norse dominance in Scotland.
The Vikingar museum offers a fascinating glimpse into this heritage, though for a truly hands-on experience, the annual Largs Viking Festival in August is highly recommended. As luck would have it, the festival was in full swing during our trip, featuring dramatic battle re-enactments, live performances and some spectacular outfits.
Beyond its Viking roots, Largs is equally famous for its art deco ice cream parlour, which has been pulling in the crowds for generations.
Nardini’s, fondly known as Scotland’s most beloved café, has built its amazing reputation on its welcoming atmosphere and exceptional ice cream. Much like Vikingar, it enjoys a fantastic waterfront setting, making it the perfect spot to enjoy a scoop or two of your favourite flavour.
Alongside their extensive range of cakes and light bites, it’s a great choice for lunch or a quick snack while strolling along the promenade.
Venture into the town centre and you’ll uncover charming narrow streets bursting with independent gift shops, cafés and yet more ice cream parlours. On one particular morning, we chose to have brunch at Perk – a lively café bursting with plants and books, featuring an outstanding menu to match.
The vanilla matcha was an absolute treat, and the feta and avocado waffles were impossible to resist.
Still peckish after your meal? There’s a cake counter overflowing with pastries and other indulgent sweet treats available to take away.
While Largs may lack the familiar high street chains, it more than compensates with a wonderful selection of independent traders stocking truly unique items.
A large market tent has vendors offering everything from organic dog food to wooden lamps, jewellery, soaps and even tarot readings – you could quite easily spend hours browsing.
If you want to venture a little further, jump on a quick ferry crossing from the harbour to the Isle of Cumbrae, home to the delightful town of Millport.
The island is small enough to cycle around in just a couple of hours, with a well-earned pint awaiting you at the finish before a speedy 10-minute sail back to the mainland. Nearby, the breathtaking Kelburn Castle stands tall – a spectacular park and estate that hosts its very own summer music festival.
It’s perfectly suited to families too, featuring several playgrounds, cascading waterfalls and plenty more to uncover, all within a 10-minute drive from Largs. Truthfully though, Largs alone provides more than enough to keep visitors thoroughly entertained for either a day trip or a full weekend break.
If you’re lucky enough to visit on a bright day, it’s absolutely ideal. But even in wet weather, there’s no need to panic – it makes those seaside walks all the more refreshing and the welcoming ice-cream parlours even more tempting.
Netflix on Thursday reported higher revenues and profit in the second quarter as it sought to assure investors about its growth prospects.
The streaming giant reported revenue of $12.6 billion in the second quarter, up 13% from a year ago. Net income during the period rose 9% to $3.4 billion.
Netflix said it expects revenue to grow 12% in the third quarter, but lowered its 2026 revenue forecast to $51 billion from $51.4 billion.
The results were roughly in line with what analysts had predicted and were driven by recent price increase and growth in advertising revenue. The latter is expected to reach $3 billion this year, the company said.
In a presentation with analysts, Netflix executives touted global expansion plans.
“We’re entertaining an audience approaching a billion people with still lots of room to grow into our addressable market on every measure,” said Spencer Neumann, Netflix’s chief financial officer, in the earnings presentation. “We believe we’ve got lots and lots of runway for solid growth ahead of us.”
Those comments appeared intended to assuage investors who’ve grown concerned that people could be spending less time on the streaming service as rivals like YouTube gain market share.
Netflix’s share of TV viewing time in the U.S. has steadily declined in recent months as rivals have gained market share, according to Nielsen data.
The streamer represented 7.8% of all TV viewing in the U.S. in April — the lowest percentage since May 2025. It was 7.5% in April 2025, Nielsen said.
By comparison, YouTube has seen its share of the streaming audience grow. YouTube’s TV viewing share in April rose to 13.4%, up from 12.4% a year earlier, Nielsen said.
Some investors fear that if viewership is down, subscribers could cancel the service, which would negatively affect the platform’s growing advertising business. It could also undercut Netflix’s ability to raise prices in the U.S. and other countries.
Those worries have caused Netflix’s stock price to plummet 41% in the last year. The stock closed on Thursday at $74.35 a share, up 1%. In after hours trading, the stock fell 8%.
“The engagement elephant continues to rear its head and investors are on edge that an earlier price hike in a seasonally tough period and lighter content slate could have driven more churn than usual,” wrote Morgan Stanley Research analysts in a research note.
On Thursday, Netflix said in a letter to shareholders it has a sophisticated understanding of its consumers and “we know not all hours are equal” and that engagement on its platform is “healthy.”
“The entertainment industry remains dynamic and competitive,” Netflix told shareholders. “We aim to stay ahead by executing against our three areas of focus: delivering more entertainment value, leveraging technology to improve every aspect of our service, and improving monetization.”
The Los Gatos-based company said it plans to allocate more than 5% of its content spend on live programming this year. Live content has been a key driver for subscriptions, accounting for six of the top 10 new member sign-up days over the last five years, the company said.
In the first half of 2026, Netflix said members watched more than 97 billion hours, up 2% from a year ago. Among the most popular shows: the crime thriller “I Will Find You,” which had 87 million views; and the romantic comedy film “Voicemails for Isabelle,” which garnered 71 million views.
Netflix has been adding new types of content to its platform, including video podcasts to help increase engagement with subscribers during the day.
As part of the diversification efforts, the platform has expanded its portfolio of live programming over the years, including adding NFL games and streaming Major League Baseball’s opening day game.
