Month: July 2026

If your destination falls victim to a wildfire or other extreme event, what should you do, and can you get your money back? A consultant for independent financial research company Defaqto has explained what Brits need to look out for

Many Brits will be heading off to Spain for the busy summer season in the coming weeks, and no doubt seeing the headlines about wildfires will cause some alarm if you’ve got a holiday booked.

Wildfires broke out in the Almería province of Spain last week. So far 13 people have been confirmed dead, among them, seven Britons. Almeria is part of the Andalusia region, and is popular with expats and holidaymakers. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) recently updated its advice for anyone travelling to Spain.

It said: “If you are in an area affected by the wildfire follow instructions from local authorities and emergency services at all times, avoid travelling into or through the affected area, and follow updates from the emergency services.”

People who were planning trips to Andalusia and other areas of Southern Europe suffering from wildfires and other extreme weather events may be wondering where this leaves them. Anna-Marie Duthie, an insight consultant at independent financial research company Defaqto, gave her thoughts.

Anna-Marie said: “If your airline cancels your flight due to wildfires, they should offer you the chance to rebook, or provide a full refund. If your holiday was booked as a package, this refund should cover all elements — flights, accommodation and transfers.

“But if you’ve booked everything separately, you’ll need to deal with each provider independently. Your airline may refund your flight, but your accommodation provider may not if the property is unaffected. This is why it’s essential to speak directly with providers in the first instance and check with your insurance provider regarding the cover they include.”

Travellers should regularly check the FCDO website to see tailored advice for their destination and ensure no travel warnings are in place. Anna-Marie said: “If government advice changes, advising against travel to the area after you have booked your trip, then you may be covered for cancellation or curtailment.

“You may also be covered for additional travel and accommodation costs should your trip be disrupted due to a catastrophic event, if your insurer offers this cover or you’ve paid to include it.”

Anna-Marie believes that extreme weather events could affect the travel insurance industry in future, saying: “Whilst it’s difficult to know exactly how travel insurance may change over the next decade, longer term there is a chance that we may end up seeing less insurable destinations and increased premiums. What we do know, however, is that travel insurers are used to having to adapt to an ever-changing world.”

But she added: “It is unlikely and we are yet to see any immediate changes to policies because of the current heatwave. It is unlikely insurance providers will change their policies in the near future to incorporate extreme heat. Current clauses may refer to ‘severe’ or ‘extreme’ weather, but the definitions for these can vary and currently no providers go as far as to specify criteria such as maximum temperatures.

“Where the heat causes events such as the current wildfires, this is a separate consideration and would be classed as a catastrophe or natural disaster. Cover for this will all depend on your insurer’s definitions and extent of benefits.”

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

A MASSIVE inflatable obstacle course is set to open at a popular UK shopping centre this weekend.

Dubbed The Monster, the attraction has been described as “one of the world’s biggest inflatable obstacle courses”, with tickets previously selling out across the US, Canada, Mexico, and Abu Dhabi.

Now, the popular course is set to take up residence at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Greenhithe, Kent for the rest of the summer.

The exciting attraction boasts 1,000 feet of fun, with 40 obstacles, including the 18-metre “Mega Slide”, the mind-blowing “Exterminator” and the terrifying “House of Hell”.

It is set to launch on Saturday (July 18) and will be open daily from 10am to 9pm, with guests able to complete as many laps as they’d like during a 60-minute time slot.

The Monster will be at Bluewater Shopping Centre until Monday, August 31.

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During this time, there will be daily quiet sessions for people of all-ages, as well as adults-only slots.

There will also be foam parties with DJs and karaoke on select Saturdays during this time.

The area surrounding the obstacle course will also offer street food and drink vendors, as well as giant games such as Jenga and Connect 4, and Monster Ping-Pong.

Centre Director at Bluewater James Waugh described The Monster as “an incredible attraction”.

“We can’t wait to welcome guests throughout the summer to experience everything it has to offer — from the 300‑metre inflatable obstacle course to the full line‑up of entertainment in the event arena,” he said.

“Tickets are already selling fast, so we are urging people to book their visits sooner rather than later to avoid disappointment.”

Admission costs £18 each, while spectator tickets will set you back just £3, with more information available here.

Participants must be at least five years old and one metre tall, while children under four can watch for free.

ABBEY Clancy and Peter Crouch have been accused of boasting about their wealth as they revealed they’ve moved to Portugal while their £3m UK mansion is renovated.

The Sun exclusively revealed last month, that the football legend, 45, is set to feature alongside his model wife, 40, and their four children, in a new fly-on-the-wall documentary.

The couple, who co-present The Therapy Crouch podcast, regularly delve into the ups and downs of married life.

Peter read out a question from a listener which asked: “Have you completely relocated to Portugal or are you there while renovating your home?”

Abbey replied: “Obviously we sold our house, we were looking for a new house, we thought we would try living in Portugal for a bit.

“We’ve absolutely loved it and you know it works perfectly for us because you know we can renovate our new place and all come back and it’ll be done.”

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Abbey explained that it had been a nice change and that she didn’t regret it at all.

She added: “The kids have loved it and you know it’s just been a great experience.”

However, some fans thought they were boasting about their wealth and one commented bluntly: “Yeah when you have bagfulls of money, yeah try another country.”

“Bet they’re in Quinta do Lago as it’s very fancy,” added another.

The couple were previously criticised by fans for ‘flaunting’ their enviable £3 million mansion while hosting a lavish Asian-inspired banquet.

The pair were giving a tour of their luxury estate prior to hosting an extravagant dinner party with lavish catering provided by London’s Nobu.

The multi-million pound property featured its own luxury cinema room and a spacious home office for Peter and his trophies.

Fashion-savvy Abbey had her own walk-in wardrobe, while the outside area boasted a ‘magical’ and ‘peaceful’ garden complete with a high-tech BBQ and swimming pool.

One fan commented: “We get it, you’re loaded. Well done.”

A second added: “How they live, we don’t need to know.”

“Once upon a time I might have thought this was amazing – now I’d rather cook a meal myself in my little house and listen to some music with my children,” mused a third.

Another user agreed: “I take it the ‘normal’ person can also get this or what’s the point in posting this other than to show off?”

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon has announced his retirement from football, bringing an end to a 25-year playing career.

Gordon, 43, ended his second spell at first club Heart of Midlothian this summer and was part of Scotland’s World Cup squad.

He first left Tynecastle for Sunderland in 2007, with the Black Cats paying a then £9m British record fee for a goalkeeper. Gordon made one of the most famous saves in Premier League history when he denied Bolton Wanderers’ Zat Knight from close range in 2010.

However, a serious knee injury affected his time at the Stadium of Light and, at the end of his five-year spell, he entered a two-year spell out of the game rehabilitating and coaching.

Gordon joined Celtic in 2014 and won his first league title, adding four more during a medal-laden six-year spell before returning to Hearts. A double leg break in 2022 resulted in another lay-off but the veteran keeper again recovered to return to playing.

Lautaro Martinez scored a 92nd-minute winner as Lionel Messi inspired World Cup holders Argentina to a stunning 2-1 comeback victory over England, setting up a final against European champions Spain.

England had been on course to reach their first World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon fired them ahead 10 minutes into the second half of Wednesday’s semifinal, played in front of 68,239 fans in Atlanta.

The fierce rivalry between these nations has produced several memorable contests on the World Cup stage over the years, and this encounter will be remembered in Argentina as the stuff of legend after the South Americans denied England with two late goals.

Messi set up Enzo Fernandez to drill in an 85th-minute equaliser and then, with extra time looming, crossed for substitute Lautaro Martinez to head in the winner in the second minute of stoppage time.

No team has retained the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, and now Messi will become only the second player, after Brazilian great Cafu, to appear in three World Cup finals.

The final will be played at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, as the first 48-team World Cup culminates in a showdown between the reigning champions of Europe and South America.

The United Kingdom’s surprising decision to buy a dozen conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A fighters has taken another turn. According to a U.K. Royal Air Force official, “We did not buy those aircraft for their dual [nuclear] capability, we bought them for our conversion unit. At the same time, we stated we would get back into the [nuclear] role supporting NATO. The two are separate functions.”

The official, Air Vice-Marshal Jim Beck, the Royal Air Force’s Director Capability and Programs, was speaking today at the Global Air & Space Chiefs’ Conference in London. Their words were reported by Gareth Jennings, aviation desk editor at Janes.

As you can read about here, the United Kingdom announced in June last year that it would buy 12 F-35As alongside the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B models it already uses.

At that point, the U.K. Ministry of Defense specifically highlighted the F-35A’s ability to join the NATO nuclear mission, which would see the jets armed with U.S.-owned B61-12 nuclear gravity bombs. The F-35B, with its smaller weapons bays, is not able to carry these weapons.

B61-12 test drop by an F-35A

“The U.K. will purchase 12 new F-35A fighter jets and join NATO’s dual-capable aircraft nuclear mission in a major boost for national security,” the U.K. Ministry of Defense announced. The ministry described this as the “biggest strengthening of the U.K.’s nuclear posture in a generation, complementing the U.K.’s existing sea-borne deterrent.”

Earlier in June 2025, the Strategic Defense Review, published by the U.K. Ministry of Defense, had suggested that the future Lightning Force could comprise a mix of F-35As and F-35Bs.

At the same time, however, the Royal Air Force had noted that the F-35As would be assigned to a training unit and would primarily be used in that role.

As the F-35A is cheaper to operate, it is considered a better option to use for training sorties, including keeping pilots current on the F-35B. The ministry said buying the 12 jets will bring a savings of 25 percent per aircraft over the F-35B.

“Day-to-day, the F-35As will be used in a training role on 207 Squadron, the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU),” the Royal Air Force said. “As the F-35A carries more fuel than the F-35B variant, it can stay airborne for longer, extending the available training time in each sortie for student pilots. As F-35As also require fewer maintenance hours, there will be increased aircraft availability on the OCU. These factors combined will improve pilot training and reduce the amount of time for pilots to reach the frontline squadrons.”

The tradeoff is that the F-35A can’t be used to train for STOVL missions, but this part of the F-35B profile can be trained in the simulator, while an F-35A training unit frees up more F-35Bs to deploy aboard the two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.

Now, the words of the Royal Air Force official today cast doubt on whether the F-35As will actually take on the nuclear strike role, something that was specifically highlighted in the U.K. Defense Investment Plan published last month.

As well as today’s underscoring of the priority of the training mission, it should be noted that the new F-35As will be based at RAF Marham, in eastern England, and it’s unclear whether the airfield retains the underground weapons vaults for nuclear bombs. Some reports suggest the vaults that existed there in the Cold War have been dismantled or even filled in completely. In the past, we speculated that the jets might have to make use of nearby RAF Lakenheath, where there is evidence that the United States has brought nuclear bombs back to the United Kingdom, for its own use.

At the same time, as we have explained in the past, while the nuclear-sharing program provides access to U.S.-owned weapons, it still requires the United States and NATO to approve their use.

U.K.-operated nuclear-capable F-35As would not offer the same sovereign capability as the Royal Navy’s ballistic missile submarines, around which the British nuclear deterrent is based.

Then there is the issue of how much training, and other resources, would have to be assigned to the nuclear mission to ensure that it could actually be executed. Certainly, this would be nothing like the Cold War era, when a handful of jets stood fully armed, round the clock, on each assigned RAF base, with their crews waiting for the alert to sound.

The reality would likely involve the unit switching to focusing on the nuclear mission in times of crisis. This raises a question about how long this would take, and to what degree it would provide a real deterrent, bearing in mind the need to spin it up to be combat-ready.

These are all questions we have asked before in relation to the U.K. F-35A’s proposed nuclear role.

Now, the Royal Air Force itself is dialing back expectations in this regard.

Ultimately, the best chance of the Royal Air Force having a meaningful dual-role nuclear mission would be to buy more F-35As. As it stands, the 12 F-35As are part of the core buy, not additional to it.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense has long said that it still expects to procure 138 F-35s over the lifetime of the program. So far, 48 F-35Bs have been delivered, and the government is committed to buying 15 more F-35Bs and the 12 F-35As for delivery by 2033.

The lack of numbers has seen the United Kingdom rely on U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs to make up the required aircraft numbers during carrier cruises.

The F-35A argument would become much more compelling, and more cost-effective, if it were to be bought in larger numbers.

The F-35A is more capable in general, with superior range and payload, and it can maneuver at 9G, while the F-35B is cleared for 7.5G.

One unresolved issue as far as the British are concerned is the F-35A’s refueling receptacle, which is incompatible with their fleet of Voyager tankers. Modifications could provide the British F-35A with a probe, but would likely only make sense on the back of a bigger buy.

While many senior Royal Air Force officers might favor getting more F-35As, the jet is now also competing with the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), at the center of which is the Tempest crewed stealth fighter, as well as emerging drone programs.

In the meantime, the British are struggling to find money for more basic elements of the F-35B, which still critically lacks a standoff strike capability. A report late last year found that a history of “cost-cutting” throughout the U.K. F-35 program “has caused significant problems in its use,” which have affected the jet’s “capability, availability to fly, and value for money.”

The U.K. Ministry of Defense also needs to spend more than $83 billion over the next four years to fund its  nuclear-powered submarine programs, which include a true sovereign  nuclear capability of the kind that the F-35A is unable to provide.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

PIERCE Brosnan, 73, has been spotted with his rarely seen wife Keely, 63, as they went out to lunch at celebrity hotspot E. Baldi in Beverly Hills.

The former James Bond actor, was all smiles as he left the restaurant with a bag and a cold drink.

Keely, looked stunning in a white summer dress and lemon cardigan which she paired with Chanel sandals and sunglasses.

The pair looked as loved up as ever as they drove back home after their lunch date.

Pierce and Keely have been married for 25 years and met at a beach party in 1994 – she was a journalist and had flown out to interview Cheers actor Ted Danson, who had attended the same party.

When Ted left, Keely found herself talking to Pierce, and the two hit it off.

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They shared their first date a few days later in Mexico, sitting under the stars as they held hands and talked until 3am.

The couple married at Ballintubber Abbey in County Mayo, Ireland, in 2001, just six months after welcoming son Paris.

“He was captivating. Tall, dark, and handsome. Everything that everybody would immediately be attracted to,” she said.

“He had a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.”

Pierce has said that when he first laid eyes on sultry brunette Keely at the beach party, he fell head over heels.

But in January this year, Pierce, who says he still fancies the pants off his “passionate” wife who makes him “weak at the knees”, was left blindsided by a cruel post targeting Keely online, which ended up going viral. 

Shared on X, it featured two snaps: one from the 1996 Governors Ball for the Academy Awards and another of the couple at the 2008 Mamma Mia! premiere.

The vile troll captioned it: “Dear men, this is why marriage should be avoided.”

The cutting words, which took a cruel swipe at Keely’s weight, sparked outrage. She was inundated with comments of support.

But insiders told us that Pierce, who shares sons Dylan, 29, and Paris, 25, with Keely,  has reached his limit with it all.

A pal of the star told me “He was really furious about it and finds it incredibly sad that their whole marriage is reduced to talk about Keely’s weight. 

“It is truly devastating for him that her body is all anyone talks about. For him, Keely is everything.”

Pierce has described his wife, who he tenderly calls “my girl”, as “a strength I wouldn’t be able to live without”.

He gushed in the past: “I love her vitality, her passion. When Keely looks at me, I go weak at the knees.”

Last week teaser images were released of Pierce in MobLand alongside telly hardman Tom Hardy and Dame Helen Mirren in what is gearing up to be the most explosive season yet.

Machines that scan our luggage could raise an alarm over this packet

If you have a long flight ahead or fancy some screen-free entertainment, bringing a pack of playing cards can seem like a good idea to beat boredom. But they can cause a security issue at airports, which could mean you’re held up while items are checked.

Many items are banned for being sharp and potentially dangerous, but even innocuous items such as corkscrews could be confiscated. But, some seemingly harmless items could also raise an alarm with security staff and require further checks.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which oversees airport security in America, told Travel and Leisure that any deck of cards, from classic playing cards to games to collectables like Pokémon, could trigger a security red flag if they are picked up by scanners that notice the suspicious look of the otherwise innocent item.

Ian Cava from the TSA explained that the shape of the cards can trigger additional checks and make them appear as if there’s something hidden inside. He said: “When items are stacked tightly together, like decks, binders, or graded slabs, the X-ray image can make it difficult for officers to confirm there are no prohibited items concealed in or around them.”

Even family-friendly games like UNO have a strong chance of triggering alerts. A standard UNO deck has 112 cards, making it twice as thick as a regular 52-card deck. The X-ray operators cannot see through the thick stack, so they must check it for hidden contraband.

Although the advice comes from the TSA, people travelling from UK airports can also follow the guidance, as the security processes are quite similar. For an X-ray scanner, a tightly packed deck appears as an organic solid block that could be flagged as a potential explosive, electronic device, or dense liquid, all of which require further checks.

A standard bag search usually takes up to 15 minutes once your bag reaches the inspection table. However, during peak travel times, the queue of bags waiting to be manually checked can back up, significantly extending your wait.

Many UK airports are currently upgrading to advanced 3D scanners. If your security lane uses these newer machines, you often do not need to take anything out of your bag, drastically reducing false alerts. Because the rollout is not happening all at once across every UK airport, some lanes still use older X-ray machines that strictly require manual checks for dense items like cards and games.

Tips to get through security faster with playing cards:

To avoid delays, treat playing cards like anything else you’d take out of your bag. Place the card box in a tray to be checked rather than waiting for the security alert to be triggered.

People can also avoid issues by not packing cards in metal tins or carry cases – typically provided or bought for collectables. Use a cardboard or plastic case because metal tins are harder to scan.

Putting any of your board games and cards in hold luggage is the safest way to avoid security delays, as they don’t go through manual bag checks that require you to wait. While this completely eliminates the risk of your hand luggage being pulled aside for a card or game check, passengers risk having their items bent, crushed, or lost if the airline misplaces their suitcase.

A 15-YEAR-OLD girl was stranded in Rome and missed six weeks of school because of confusing new passport rules.

The new dual nationality rules meant that she was unable to return home for over a month.

The British girl had been visiting her grandmother in Italy in April of this year.

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

The new passport rules that came into play in February mean that British nationals have to carry a valid British passport to return to the UK – they can no longer use their foreign passport.

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

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Rowan Somerville, the father of the 15-year-old stranded in Rome, sought help from the Home Office and the Foreign Office.

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

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

Rowan Somerville said that the Home Office couldn’t give his daughter a temporary passport because she didn’t have a British passport in the first place.

The girl’s school and local MP Joe Powell contacted the Home Office and the FCDO who eventually issued an emergency travel document.

Joe Powell said that “changes to Home Office rules resulted in her being stuck in Rome and missing six weeks of school.”

Joe Powell added: “Thankfully, we were able to help and she’s now at home and back in school, but unfortunately this was not an isolated case.”

A Home Office spokesperson told Sun Travel: “This individual was granted an Emergency Travel Document in May, enabling them to return to the UK.

“We also remained in contact regarding a passport application, and once the required information was received and checks were concluded, a passport was issued within eight days.

“Since 25 February 2026, all dual British citizens have needed to present either a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement when travelling to the UK.

“Without one, carriers cannot verify British citizenship, which may lead to delays or refused boarding.” were concluded, a passport was issued within eight days.”

There are thought to be as many as 1.2million people who can no longer use their foreign passport to enter the country.

Despite the rules being outlined on the Gov.uk website, they are continuing to catch people out.

In another case, a woman who has lived in the UK for 28 years, but had been staying in Copenhagen attempted to return to the UK with her six-week- old and 23-month-old for a friend’s wedding.

But the family was refused boarding because her two children only had Danish passports which meant they didn’t have valid travel documents for returning to the UK.

Jude Bellingham slapped Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head following England’s 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat.

Barco, who did not play in the game, came on to the pitch at full-time and was hugging team-mates near Bellingham when the England midfielder walked over and slapped him.

It sparked a small melee as players from both sides got involved before Bellingham walked away.

It is not known what prompted the reaction, but footage showed Barco running on the pitch after Enzo Fernandez’s 85th-minute equaliser and celebrating in front of the England players.

Lautaro Martinez headed the winner for Argentina in the second minute of stoppage time, ending the hopes of an England side who had taken an early second-half lead through Anthony Gordon’s goal.

Barco, 21, who plays for French side Strasbourg and previously had a spell at Brighton, has featured once at the tournament as a second-half substitute in a 3-1 group win against Jordan.

The first half of Wednesday’s match in Atlanta was feisty with 19 fouls, as American referee Ismail Elfath struggled to keep control.

Bellingham, who has scored six goals in the tournament, also had a confrontation with Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the fourth minute after England midfielder Elliot Anderson had been fouled.

“We were really just discussing a foul, actually,” Bellingham is reported to have said. after the match.

“It wasn’t anything bad. I’m sure everyone will do their thing and make it a big deal, but it was nothing.”

July 16 (UPI) — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has announced that all service members aged 30 and older will undergo mandatory screening for testosterone deficiency during their annual health assessments, as the Trump administration continues to emphasize traditional masculine ideals in its public presentation of the U.S. military.

The former Fox News host announced the new policy in an online video statement, saying the new testosterone-screening program is to ensure all U.S. soldiers “have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best.”

“We owe our warriors the absolute best medical care in the world, and this program delivers on that obligation,” he said.

According to a Department of Defense statement, while mandatory for all active-duty and reserve personnel over the age of 30, younger service members may also request screening during their periodic health assessments.

Hegseth said if treatment for a deficiency is recommended, it is up to the service member to decide whether to undergo testosterone replacement therapy.

“This initiative — it’s not about artificial enhancement. It’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight,” he said.

Testosterone is produced in the testicles and helps maintain men’s bone density, fat distribution and muscle strength and mass, among other functions, according to the Mayo Clinic, which said that after the age of 30 or 40, men’s testosterone levels decline at a rate of about 1% a year.

Testosterone replacement therapy seeks to alleviate issues caused by low levels of the hormone, though the Mayo Clinic states that its unclear if such treatment would benefit older men who are otherwise healthy.

The announcement comes as testosterone and testosterone-replacement therapy has been a focus of the Trump administration.

Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services announced it had requested to remove labeling from testosterone-replacement therapy that stated the safety and effectives of the treatment in men with age-related have not been established.

It also comes as Hegseth has sought to cultivate a more traditionally masculine image and culture within the U.S. military, implementing President Donald Trump‘s ban on transgender services members and imposing male physical standards for combat positions, a move critics say could reduce the number of women serving in those roles.

He has also sought to instill a “warrior ethos” in the military and routinely refers to service members as warriors. The Trump administration also refers to the Department of Defense as the “Department of War,” though a permanent change to the department’s name requires congressional approval.

Some Democrats were quick to point out that testosterone-replacement therapy is a form of gender-affirming care, which the Trump administration and Republicans have sought to restrict and ban.

“This, by the way, is gender-affirming care,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said during a congressional hearing held shortly after Hegseth’s announcement.

“And, by the way, male members of this committee, watch what you vote for. Do you really want the government getting into your business, taking your testosterone levels and determine whether or not you have enough testosterone? Are you male enough to be in Congress?” she said, mocking the policy.

The US military has continued strikes against Iran, hitting targets further to the country’s north as well as close to capital Tehran for the first time in the latest round of violence.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said early on Thursday it struck several military sites and assets in a bid to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten innocent mariners” in the Strait of Hormuz. The unit also said it disabled an oil tanker in the passageway.

At least 35 people have died, and more than 300 have been wounded in the latest wave of attacks that began last Wednesday after CENTCOM launched strikes on Iranian port cities close to the Strait of Hormuz. The US says the attacks are in retaliation for Iran hitting three commercial ships in the Strait.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted US military assets in neighbouring Gulf countries.

Here’s what has happened in Iran and the US on Wednesday and Thursday and what both sides are saying:

Where did the US hit?

CENTCOM said in a statement early on Thursday that US air strikes targeted Iranian command centres, air defence sites, missile and drone capabilities as well as coastal surveillance facilities.

Multiple locations were hit, CENTCOM said, including Bandar Abbas on Thursday.

An earlier wave of strikes late on Wednesday hit coastal defence and cruise missile sites on Greater Tunb Island in a 90-minute bombing wave, CENTCOM added. The small, strategically located island sits near the Strait of Hormuz and is believed to hold a naval base, although details are not publicly available. It is also believed to be a point from which the Iranian military has disrupted shipping routes.

Meanwhile, Iranian media reported attacks in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Sirik, Chabahar, Konarak, Rask, Khondab, Khorramabad and Semnan.

A hospital in Ahvaz was forced to evacuate 211 patients after reportedly being hit in the strikes.

Air defences were activated in Tehran and neighbouring Pakdasht and Parchin on Thursday.  The Iranian military said an MQ-9 drone was downed over the city of Andimeshk.

CENTCOM, in a separate statement on Thursday, said it was enforcing a naval blockade reimposed on Tuesday by disabling a “non-compliant” oil tanker that was attempting to sail towards Iran’s Kharg Island using Hellfire missiles.

How has Iran responded?

Iran’s army claimed retaliatory attacks on US military assets in Kuwait and Bahrain on Thursday.

Kuwait: The Iranian army said in a statement it targeted radar systems, the Patriot defence system and fuel tanks belonging to US forces at the Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait. In an earlier statement, it said it hit a radar and gathering point for US soldiers in Kuwait, as well as US communications systems and fuel depots in Jordan’s al-Azraq airbase.

Bahrain: Drones also targeted US Super Hawk radars and Patriot defence systems at the Sheikh Isa airbase in Bahrain, the army added.

Jordan: Meanwhile, Jordan said it intercepted eight Iranian missiles on Thursday.

Iraq: Iraqi authorities said five drones attacked the city of Erbil, with two crashing near a US base and one shot down near the US consulate. Iran’s army has not claimed the attacks.

What are both sides saying?

Iran’s parliament speaker and lead negotiator, Mohammad Ghalibaf, said on Wednesday Iran is prepared for a fuller military confrontation if the US does not live up to the terms of the interim deal. The country is fighting an “existential” battle, he added.

The IRGC has, meanwhile, threatened to halt all energy exports from the Middle East over the US’s naval blockade, which was reimposed on Tuesday.

“The export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one,” it said in a statement.

Speaking at the US Army War College in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, President Donald Trump reiterated his claims that Iran was pushing to strike a peace deal behind the scenes but did not provide details.

“They don’t like what we’re doing, and they do want to settle. We’ll find out whether or not we settle with them, or we just finish it off,” he said.

However, in a rare show of gratitude on Wednesday, Trump thanked Iran via his Truth Social platform for the release of Dena Karari, an American citizen the US says was “wrongfully” jailed in the country since 2024.

Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance, in an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan released on Wednesday, defended the war on Iran but added that an agreement was needed between the two sides to end the conflict.

The new series will see a beloved TV star explore the world’s most luxurious hotels

Channel 4 have confirmed a brand new travel series with a TV favourite as host.

Fronted by First Dates star Fred Sirieix, the travel show titled Fred’s Ultimate Hotels will see the star explore the world’s most luxurious hotels.

The hospitality expert is swapping the restaurant floor for the open road to spotlight some of the most breathtaking places to stay.

From the regal splendour of The Royal Mansour in Marrakech and the stunning Royal Madikwe safari lodge in South Africa, to the timeless grandeur of Raffles Singapore, Fred will travel the globe checking into the world’s most spectacular hotels.

He will take viewers behind the scenes to reveal the people, precision and passion that create world-class service. During his stay, he uses own Five Fs: First Impressions, Facilities, Flawless Service, Fine Details and Feeling.

But this is far more than a luxury travel series. In every episode, Fred experiences each hotel from both sides of the reception desk.

First checking in as a guest to enjoy everything the property and destination have to offer, he then swaps five-star luxury for staff uniform, working alongside the teams responsible for creating seamless guest experiences.

Speaking about the new show, Fred said: “People often think the secret to a great hotel is the building, the food or the luxury.” Of course, those things matter but for me, it’s always about the people.

“The welcome, the attention to detail and the passion of the staff are what turn a wonderful hotel into an unforgettable experience.”

Every episode ends with Fred presenting his Hospitality Hero Award to one exceptional member of staff. Fred remarked: “It was an incredible privilege to work alongside some of the world’s best hospitality teams and to see first-hand the pride they take in what they do.

“I hope viewers will discover some extraordinary places, but more importantly meet the remarkable people who make them so special.”

Jannine Waddell, Executive Producer at Waddell Media, said: “Fred is the perfect host for this series. As one of the world’s leading hospitality experts, he knows exactly what it takes to deliver truly exceptional five-star service.

“But what makes Fred so special is that he’s never afraid to roll up his sleeves and get back to the job he loves. Whether he’s checking in guests, working front of house or supporting the team behind the scenes.

“He has enormous respect for the people whose passion and dedication create unforgettable experiences.”

Fred’s Ultimate Hotels is due to air on Channel 4 later this year.

Najai Turpin, a 23-year-old middleweight boxer from Philadelphia and a contestant on NBC’s upcoming reality series “The Contender,” has committed suicide, Philadelphia police said Tuesday.

Turpin died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at 4 a.m. Monday morning while sitting in his Chevy Lumina, parked around the corner from his house in West Philadelphia, said police Sgt. Ron McClane. He allegedly had had a fight with his girlfriend, who, an NBC spokeswoman said, was with him when he shot himself.

But, in true showbiz fashion, “The Contender” will go on.

Scheduled to premiere on March 7, “The Contender” features 16 boxers vying for $1 million. Mark Burnett, an accomplished producer in reality television with such hits as “Survivor” and “The Apprentice,” is the executive producer. Actor Sylvester Stallone and former boxing champ Sugar Ray Leonard will serve as hosts and boxing mentors.

Turpin, who had a record of 13-1, including nine knockouts, worked at a restaurant cleaning seafood. According to NBC’s “Contender” website, he would work his day shift, train for two hours and then report for another shift at the restaurant until midnight.

NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks said the network did not anticipate editing the show to remove Turpin. “The Contender” not only features the boxers in the ring, it also spotlights their personal lives.

Turpin’s girlfriend and their 2-year-old daughter, Anje, are also featured.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as we extend our most sincere condolences during this tragic time,” NBC said in a statement Tuesday. “Mark Burnett will dedicate an episode as a tribute to Najai’s memory and has said he will set up a trust fund for the family.”

All of the episodes for the boxing reality series have already been filmed except for the live finale, set for May. Turpin will be featured on at least one episode and will appear in others, but NBC won’t say how many episodes because it would give away the story line.

“The Contender” website describes Turpin as “extremely soft-spoken, polite and a very motivated and focused fighter.” After Turpin’s mother died five years ago, he began taking care of his younger brother, sister, niece and nephew.

Turpin’s death isn’t the first time television has found itself grappling with true reality. In the Swedish version of “Survivor,” the first member of the cast committed suicide after he was the first person voted off the island. That reality show, called “Expedition Robinson,” was not produced by Burnett. Since then, Burnett has conducted psychological tests on the participants in all of his shows. All the boxers in “The Contender” had undergone extensive psychological testing.

“The Contender” has been fraught with problems since the series was announced last year. Burnett and Stallone were embroiled in a legal battle with Fox’s rival unscripted series, “The Next Great Champ,” after NBC unveiled their plans for “The Contender.”

Burnett, Stallone and DreamWorks cited alleged theft of concept and violations of California boxing laws and went to court to block the premiere of “The Next Great Champ.” But the judge nixed their attempts to stop the Fox series.

Despite the publicity, “The Next Great Champ” was pulled from the schedule due to poor viewership soon after premiering in early September.

“The Contender,” which was initially set for November, was pushed back to this year.

Argentina players held up a banner declaring ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ after beating England to reach the World Cup final. The message refers to the disputed Falkland Islands, reviving the sovereignty dispute and raising questions over FIFA’s ban on political displays.

The latest government measure aimed at curbing digital harm comes after an under-16 social media ban was announced last month.

The United Kingdom has proposed an overnight social media curfew for older teenagers as part of the government’s latest push to protect minors from digital harm, though users will be permitted to bypass the restrictions.

The Labour administration announced the plans on Wednesday, outlining a six-hour default lockout from midnight to 6am for 16- and 17-year-olds on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Under the proposal, highly engaging mechanisms, such as autoplay videos and infinite scrolling, would also be deactivated by default for this age group to encourage better sleep and focus.

The initiative follows a June announcement by outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who unveiled a blanket ban on social media for children under 16 slated to take effect in 2027.

While the younger cohort faces a strict prohibition on major networks, ministers chose a softer approach for older adolescents.

The UK’s restrictions reflect a rapidly growing global crackdown on young people’s social media access. Australia made waves in December by enacting a world-first ban on social media for under-16s, which its government is already looking to tighten following studies showing that many teenagers easily bypass the restrictions.

The ban, which came into force on December 10, made Australia a global test case for countries trying to curb children’s access to social media.

Defending the voluntary nature of the curfew, UK Secretary for Online Safety Kanishka Narayan rejected criticism that teenagers would simply disable the restrictions. He told Sky News that the government wanted to avoid outright bans for older teenagers, aiming instead for a “smooth slope” into adulthood.

“We want to empower our teenagers,” Narayan said, citing data from a pilot scheme and previous voluntary platform trials where more than 90 percent of teenagers kept the restrictive default settings active.

“The evidence base is clear, the motivation is very clear, and I wouldn’t do the disservice to teenagers of saying they’re all going to switch it off.”

However, political opponents and child safety advocates expressed scepticism about the policy’s efficacy.

Laura Trott, the education spokesperson for the opposition Conservative Party, dismissed the plans as illogical.

“Either they think 16- and 17-year-olds should be on social media or they don’t, but curfews they can simply switch off won’t achieve anything,” Trott said, according to the Associated Press news agency.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, a prominent UK children’s nonprofit, welcomed the development, but warned that it was a temporary fix.

Chief executive Chris Sherwood cautioned that unless the government implements “further, stronger measures”, the policy will act only as a “sticking plaster” that fails to address the deeply addictive algorithms driving excessive screen time.

The proposals must still be formally legislated. Because they represent some of the final legislative steps of Starmer’s administration, the responsibility of implementing them is expected to fall to his anticipated successor, Andy Burnham.

Local residents living in the Lake District National Park have complained of visitors leaving litter and leaving tents behind after illegally wild camping on the banks of lakes

Wild campers and locals are going head-to-head in the UK’s best-known and most visited national park as overtourism tensions threaten to boil over.

Paths blocked by campervans. Discarded tampons and nappies. Dogs let loose on the fells. Sausages grilled in the shadow of ‘BBQs forbidden’ signs.

These are just some of the hundreds of complaints from locals fed up with what they see as unacceptable tourist behavior in the Lake District.

A great number of instances of littering, wildfires, and campers leaving equipment behind (known as fly camping) were logged in the Friends of the Lake District’s annual survey.

OPINION

“Some people have no social conscience and do not care about the impact of their behaviour on the environment or other people. We see litter on the fells, on lakesides and thrown out of cars onto grass verges. We even saw someone having a BBQ sat right next to a sign prohibiting it on Ullswater last year,” one unhappy local wrote in this year’s survey.

Another added: “I’m from the Lakes and have always appreciated the tourism and what it does for the area. However, I feel we have now got to the stage where tourism is over capacity and negatively impacting the area and the quality of life for residents and animals. Frequent traffic jams, poorly parked cars, and most upsetting of all, litter. Today we came across a discarded used nappy and a tampon. My children and I frequently go out with our litter pickers. It really saddens me to see the Lake District in environmental decline.”

It is difficult to know quite how acute the problem is. The surveys collect anecdotal evidence and solid figures on littering and anti-social behaviour are hard to come by.

What is undeniable is the shifting demographic of those coming. In 2018, 52% of visitors to Cumbria were under 50. By 2022, that’d risen to 74%.

Surprisingly, overall visitor numbers were down at the last count (2024) compared to both 2023 and the pre-Covid year of 2019. Roughly five million fewer people visited in 2024 than in 2019.

Jeremy Smith is head of campaigns and engagement at Friends of the Lake District. He believes that relations between visitors and locals have been tense since the Covid years, in part due to the changing nature of the tourists coming.

“With the increase in the number of people taking holidays in the UK, in terms of behavior, what may have been happening in Ibiza and Cyprus has been domesticated in places like the Lake District,” he told the Mirror.

Local laws were tightened earlier this year in response to resident complaints. Those causing environmental damage by littering, starting fires, or committing anti-social behaviour linked to camping or the “inappropriate use” of motorhomes can now be fined up to £100, under Westmorland and Furness Council public protection orders.

Wild camping rules are a little more complex. It isn’t legally permitted without landowner consent, but is widely tolerated if strict ‘Leave No Trace’ guidelines are followed. These require visitors to camp only above the highest fell wall (around 400m+), well away from roads and towns, stay for just one night, and never light a fire.

According to some locals, the rules are being flouted regularly.

“The path by the shore had a tent pitched in the middle of it, and when I politely pointed this out to the occupants, they swore at me aggressively,” one survey respondent wrote.

“People do not like to be questioned about leaving litter, loose dogs, motorbikes, it’s a sense of entitlement to do just as they like. There are very few authority figures, such as police or wardens. It should not be up to pensioners to police the park.”

An England fan has opened up to BBC Breakfast about the devastating moment he witnessed England’s loss against Argentina.

An England fan has revealed what the atmosphere in the stadium was like on Wednesday evening.

The nation has been left heartbroken after World Cup dreams were shattered in a dramatic semi-final game.

Despite Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute goal, Argentina fought back with two goals in the final minutes, taking Lionel Messi to his third World Cup final.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Thursday, July 16, an England fan spoke to presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt about witnessing the devastating loss in the stadium.

Andy Payne travelled across the United States to watch every match with his wife Kirsty, and admitted she was left “destroyed”.

He said: “This is my third World Cup semi-final, and Kirsty’s second, and to say the least, we’re used to this disappointment. We came so close today, I thought we were going to do it.

“We’ve had a fantastic trip, England have played brilliantly well. Thomas Tuchel might get a lot of criticism for today but everything done so far has been great.

“We just couldn’t do it today, every single time England just don’t quite get there but that’s life.”

He went on: “As always with England, there’s tension. Frankly, what Tuchel has done is put his best team out, the best players he had who weren’t injured of the 11 went out. And this is the first time he didn’t change things early, it was late, it was getting on.

“When we saw the goal, my view and other people in the ground were the same, was this is a goal that is decided on one goal. We thought we’ve got one goal, we might get two, we’ve got them, we’ve done this.

“And unfortunately, I think Tuchel looked at his team and went, ‘well how am I going to improve this team?’ because the players that weren’t on the field either weren’t the best players or were injured.”

Talking about the atmosphere in Atlanta Stadium, Andy agreed it was “the most extraordinary place to be”.

He went on: “For me, it was the best atmosphere bar one. The Azteca where we beat Mexico, but listen, I’ve seen England play Argentina now in 1986… I was there, we were outnumbered that day. 1998, I was there, we were hugely outnumbered by Argentinians.

“Today we were hugely outnumbered, the atmosphere was unbelievable. Every single England fan who was there was behind the team.

“None of the England fans who were in that ground boo’ed the players. We were disappointed, of course, we lost the game from 1-nil up with six, seven minutes to play.

“We fell short, and that’s England really, isn’t it? But all the people around me were as disappointed as I was, but we’ve had a good tournament and the team spirit was unbelievable.

“And we gave those boys a good send-off at the end. They came to us and they saluted us and we saluted them.

“It’s not a matter of life or death, it’s a game of football.”

BBC Breakfast airs daily from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.

Steve Cherundolo, who took LAFC to two MLS Cup finals in four years as manager, was named Thursday as head coach of the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team that will compete at the 2028 L.A. Olympics.

A three-time World Cup veteran and member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Cherundolo, 47, had 30 caps with three U.S. junior teams before making his senior debut in 1999. He went on to play 87 times for the senior national team and played 15 seasons at Bundesliga club Hannover 96, making 415 appearances.

Cherundolo, who grew up in San Diego, transitioned into coaching in Germany at the youth level, then returned to the U.S. in 2021 to lead the Las Vegas Lights, then LAFC’s affiliate in the USL Championship. A season later he replaced Bob Bradley as the head coach at LAFC.

In his first season in MLS, he guided the club to an MLS Cup victory and won the Supporters’ Shield, breaking the record for most victories by a first-year manager with 21. He also had the most wins (29), most points (96) and best winning percentage through 50 games of any coach in league history, won a U.S. Open Cup and took LAFC to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final before leaving the club last November, saying he was returning to Germany with his family.

“Throughout his career, Steve Cherundolo has been a proven winner, an elite talent developer, and a great ambassador for American soccer,” Dan Helfrich, U.S. Soccer’s chief operating officer and the man who led the coaching search, said in a statement. “The 2028 Olympics present a critical platform to develop our next generation of players.”

Cherundolo’s main responsibility as the new head coach for the U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team will be to build a roster for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

“Representing the United States at the Olympic Games is one of the greatest honors in sports, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this team,” Cherundolo said in a statement. “I believe we have an exciting group of players with tremendous potential, and I’m looking forward to building an environment where they can challenge themselves, grow together, and represent our country with pride.

“Our responsibility is to compete with courage, humility, and a clear identity, one that reflects the values of U.S. Soccer and gives our supporters a team they can be proud of.”

July 15 (UPI) — The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to defeat an amendment cutting military aid to Israel by billions of dollars, although more than 100 Democrats voted for the measure.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., proposed the amendment, which was attached to a spending bill. It would have cut $3.3 billion in aid, much of which would have gone to Israel’s military. The amendment failed by a 104-314 vote, with Massie and 103 Democrats voting for it. Ten Democrats voted only “present,” with 98 voting against it.

Even defeated, the measure’s support was a rebuke to the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and its attacks on Gaza. The government faces accusations of genocide against the Palestinian people.

However, some Democrats said the measure was designed to spread division among their party and called it “deeply flawed” even if they voted for it.

Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., House minority whip, voted for the measure, while also saying that it was “not an attempt to have a serious and necessary debate” about military aid to Israel but “more stunts from congressional Republicans who would rather score cheap political points than lead.”

Still, Clark said, “It is clear that the status quo is not tenable.We should not provide a blank check for military aid to any country that does not comply with U.S. law, interests and values. The Netanyahu government has failed to meet that standard.”

Clark is the second-highest ranking House Democrat. The top Democrat in the House, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep.Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., both voted against the measure. Jeffries said he would not try to get other Democrats to oppose the bill but encouraged them to vote their conscience.

Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, the leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, encouraged support for the measure before the vote, saying voters are looking for leaders who will question blind U.S. support for Israel.

“Think about this for just a moment,” Casar said after the vote. “Starting today, a majority of Democrats in this building refused to vote to send billions of dollars in weapons to the Israeli military. That sends a strong message to Netanyahu that the days are over of an unaccountable blank check to his wars and his war crimes, at least from the Democratic Party.”