Month: July 2026

A man claims an airline tried to pressure him into giving up his business class seat so a parent could sit with their child – but he refused to play along and the youngster ended up sitting alone

A man has sparked a debate after refusing to give up his business class plane seat so a child could sit next to their parent. He explained how he had specifically booked his seat in advance to ensure he was as comfortable as possible during the flight.

But after a flight attendant noticed a child sitting alone in economy while their parent was in business class, they reportedly made it their mission to reunite the pair. Taking to Reddit, he said: “I was asked to move from a row of two so a parent and child could sit together, and I don’t feel guilty for declining, no matter how much the flight attendant and the parent tried to guilt me.

“I wasn’t going to take a downgrade to economy. But even if I was asked to change to a seat in the same class, I would refuse. When I have to fly, I choose the seat that I want. Or, in rare cases when there are no assigned seats, I choose the best seat that’s available.”

He argued that parents should pay the extra cost to ensure they are seated with their children, rather than relying on strangers to swap seats at the last minute.

He added: “I’m not moving just because someone else is a parent. If someone is travelling with a small child, they need to plan better.”

The man also criticised the airline’s handling of the situation, claiming staff tried to pressure him into giving up his seat without offering any compensation.

He said: “While I did complain to the airline about 1) being asked to downgrade to economy without a refund or any compensation – I still wouldn’t have moved, but being told I should help without getting a refund was upsetting – and 2) being guilted by the flight attendants because I refused, I don’t expect a response.

“In Canada, the airline is legally required to give a refund if you are downgraded, so being told I wouldn’t be compensated at all if I changed seats was wrong.

“I don’t know what ended up happening, but the seat next to me was empty during the flight and I got to sit alone.

“Just because I’m not a parent doesn’t mean I should have to move. I don’t care if not moving makes me a bad person.”

Commenting on the post, one user said: “I’m surprised you weren’t offered booze by the flight attendant.”

Another added: “Why didn’t they ask the person next to the child to upgrade so the parent could move to economy instead?”

A third wrote: “So the parent booked business class for themselves and economy for the child, hoping they could guilt someone into upgrading the child for free at their own expense. You did the right thing.”

Welcome to Bunker Talk. This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn’t cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did or whatever else grabs your interest. In other words, it’s an off-topic thread.

This week’s caption reads:

Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, provides command and control of air power throughout Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and 17 other nations. The CAOC is comprised of a joint and coalition team that executes day-to-day combined air and space operations and provides rapid reaction, positive control, coordination, and de-confliction of weapon systems. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Joshua Strang)

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• If you want to talk politics, do so respectfully and know that there’s always somebody that isn’t going to agree with you. 
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• Do not be a sucker and feed trolls! That’s as much on you as on them. Use the mute button if you don’t like what you see.  
• So unless you have something of quality to say, know how to treat people with respect, understand that everyone isn’t going to subscribe to your exact same worldview, and have come to terms with the reality that there is no perfect solution when it comes to moderation of a community like this, it’s probably best to just move on. 
• Finally, as always, report offenders, please. This doesn’t mean reporting people who don’t share your political views, but we really need your help in this regard.

The FIFA World Cup appeared to dominate BBC Breakfast, which left a number of viewers fuming at their television sets

Viewers tuning in to BBC Breakfast were left raging over the show’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup.

On Saturday (July 11), presenters Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty were back at the helm, discussing a range of topics. But according to viewers, football appeared to take precedence.

During the show, the news anchors discussed England playing against Norway in the World Cup later on in the day a number of times.

Not only this, but later on in the show a BBC sports journalist reported outdoors amongst children playing football; this was then followed by a discussion on football stickers.

With all the footie content on show, viewers had enough and demanded a change. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, those who were tuned in shared their frustrations.

One viewer said: “Give the football a frigging rest now.” Another fumed: “I’m going to watch the match later but ffs no more of these football fans fillers, I’m not interested in their input.”

A third chimed in and wrote: “I wish that British tennis bloke had won yesterday so they could concentrate on something rather than the football.”

A fourth added: “Four people sitting around a table pointlessly yakking rubbish about football just to fill 30 minutes of #bbcbreakfast.”

Another penned: “Just imagine how football would dominate #BBCBreakfast if England was in the final.”

One more groaned: “Right thats enough now. What a boring lot of old farts.”

For those who are interested in the upcoming England match, England’s quarter-final against Erling Haaland’s Norway will be played at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, with a far more fan-friendly kick-off time of 10pm BST.

It’s a welcome change from the last-16 clash with Mexico, which didn’t get underway until 2am in the UK and left plenty of supporters battling through work the following morning after a sleepless night.

The quarter-final gets underway at 5pm local time in Florida on Saturday, July 11, which means a 10pm BST kick-off for fans watching in the UK. If England can get the job done inside 90 minutes, the match should wrap up by around midnight.

If the match can’t be settled in 90 minutes, extra time and a penalty shootout could keep fans watching for another 45 minutes or more. In that scenario, the final whistle may not come until around 1am on Sunday.

BBC Breakfast airs daily from 6am

Home Bargains shoppers can improve their packing technique with the retailer’s travel set

Many families are getting their luggage ready for the upcoming holidays. For those who struggle to keep their suitcases tidy, Home Bargains could have just what they need. Known for selling seasonal products, the retailer is stocking travel accessories.

The latest range includes the multipack of Travel Lightweight Travel Cubes. Priced at £4.99, Home Bargains said the set is designed to help customers enjoy “hassle-free packing.” The pack is available to buy online now, with three “lightweight travel cubes” included in each set.

The product description states: “Keep your luggage organised with this simple family three-pack of lightweight travel cubes, featuring durable double zips and breathable mesh panels for easy packing on the go.” The retailer added that the set is “perfect for hassle-free packing on the go.”

Home Bargains sells a range of travel accessories, including the £1.99 Let’s Travel Lightweight Folding Rucksack. The retailer wrote: “The Let’s Travel Lightweight Folding Rucksack is a durable, compact 15-litre bag that folds into its own pocket, with a black design and adjustable straps.”

The description added: “Designed for convenience and versatility, this lightweight folding rucksack is the perfect companion for travel, day trips, and everyday use. Despite its compact design, it offers a surprisingly spacious interior—ideal for carrying your essentials on the go.

“Crafted from durable yet lightweight materials, the rucksack is built to withstand regular use while remaining easy to carry. It features adjustable shoulder straps for comfort and multiple zipped compartments to keep your belongings organised and secure. One of its standout features is its foldable design.

“The bag conveniently packs down into its own compact pocket, making it easy to store in your suitcase, handbag, or luggage when not in use. Simply unfold it whenever you need extra storage space.

“With an approximate 15-litre capacity, it provides ample room for essentials such as clothing, snacks, travel documents, or daily items—without adding bulk or weight.” For £4.99, Home Bargains sells the Travel Adjustable Travel Pillow.

The retailer said: “Stay comfy on the go with this adjustable travel pillow made from soft memory foam, complete with a handy carry bag. Perfect for short trips or long-haul flights, it’s your simple travel essential.”

There’s also the £3.99 Travel Hanging Organiser. The description read: “Stay organised on the go with the Travel Hanging Organiser from the Simple family, featuring 24 mesh pockets and four hooks for versatile storage wherever you are. Compact and practical for hassle-free holidays.”

EXCLUSIVE: After Sarah-Jane Doherty found out she had a brain tumour the size of a golf ball in her brain, she got in touch with loveholidays to cancel a £1,100 upcoming trip – but claims they initially ‘didn’t want to know’

A young woman who is awaiting brain surgery for a tumour the size of a golf ball watched her mum sob while fighting for her holiday to be refunded after being told she was unfit to fly. Sarah-Jane Doherty, 24, from Doncaster in Yorkshire, was told she had a brain tumour in June 2026 after one year of being misdiagnosed.

She first noticed she was ill in July 2025 when she found herself being overly exhausted, to the point where she could not stand up for long periods of time. Other symptoms included depressive episodes, psychosis, hallucinations, manic episodes, and issues with her mood being up and down, which led professionals to believe she was displaying symptoms of bipolar disorder.

This meant she was put onto anti-psychotic medications which masked what would have been one of her major symptoms, seizures, as an electric shock-type of feeling down her left side. She also suffered issues with her vision before being rushed to A&E after having a severe headache that caused her so much pain that she sobbed on her bed.

After having a CT scan at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Sarah-Jane was told doctors thought she had a bleed on her brain, and that she would need to be admitted and have an MRI scan. The next morning, Sarah-Jane’s life changed forever after being told she had a brain tumour around the size of a golf ball.

Medication masked a golf ball-sized brain tumour

She said: “They told me in a bay of four people by myself that I had a brain tumour, and that they think is a glioma. I was just distraught, I was absolutely hysterical.

“I rang my mum straight away, and she came into the hospital. She rang my dad and he came home from work to see me. I feel a bit like I’m in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, like it just doesn’t feel like it’s actually me.

“I was upset, I was stressed thinking, ‘what if it’s not removable?’ I didn’t know what grade it was. What if it’s spread somewhere else in my body? And I just had so many what-ifs in my mind that I just kept crying.”

Before being diagnosed with a suspected grade 2 glioma, Sarah-Jane had booked a £1,100 holiday to Ayia Napa with one of her friends through loveholidays, with flight bookings through British Airways.

Loveholidays booking dispute after Sarah-Jane’s cancer diagnosis

Sarah-Jane said: “I went to Ayia Napa last year and it was really good so we were set on [going] there. But it was last minute because it’s just finding time for us to be together and book holiday.

“I hadn’t been on holiday this year yet, we just wanted to get away so I’d not really had any annual leave or anything like that.

“Just wanted a break and plus because I would be starting a new training programme in September. I wanted to find a decompress before that.”

The day Sarah-Jane was diagnosed with cancer, she contacted loveholidays to make them aware and asked for a refund of her package. At the same time she realised her yearly travel insurance cover had not renewed as she thought it had.

She said: “The first time that we called they didn’t want to know at all. They didn’t even express empathy or anything like that. And then I got an email just saying I can get £62 back.”

Sarah-Jane then sent two letters from medical professionals, one from a consultant at the hospital, and a second from her GP, which were both rejected by loveholidays due to her first letter being a “statement for fitness for Work (SSP)” and the second being a letter that “outlined that it had been issued to support a travel insurance claim”.

Sarah-Jane’s TikTok video prompts action from loveholidays CEO office

After receiving pushback from loveholidays the 24-year-old made a video about her experience on TikTok, with a member of the CEO office at the company reaching out shortly after.

Sarah-Jane continued: “So it was just calls back and forth. They said you need to get in touch with British Airways. British Airways said it has to all be done through loveholidays.

“I asked them to speak to my mum, I just couldn’t deal with speaking to them. I couldn’t keep hearing no and saying, ‘there’s nothing we can do’.

“Then the person from the CEO office said ‘we wish Sarah the best and stuff’ which just shows that there’s no compassion.”

The company then offered Sarah-Jane a £300 refund, which her mum refused, before offering £600, which they also rejected. The following day, however, the loveholiday’s team confirmed they would offer Sarah-Jane a full refund.

She said: “She spent over eight hours on the phone, backwards and forwards, to loveholidays and British Airways because they just kept sending each other to each other. She started crying on the phone because the way people were speaking to her was just… It’s not what she needed to hear.

“She was unnecessarily sent between two different companies that both didn’t want to know. I think that just shows that more protection is needed in the event of major health diagnoses, because if it wasn’t for the TikTok then nothing would have been done.”

Loveholidays and British Airways issue official statements

A loveholidays spokesperson said: “We are deeply sorry to hear about Sarah’s diagnosis and the difficult circumstances she is facing. We wish her all the very best with her treatment and recovery.

“To support Sarah during this difficult time, we have refunded her in full for her holiday, and we have also explained how she can request a refund for the seat purchase she made directly with her airline.

“While we always do everything we can to support customers in difficult circumstances, as a travel agent we are bound by the cancellation policies of our airline and hotel partners, many of which do not provide refunds when customers are unable to travel due to illness.

“For this reason, we always strongly recommend that customers take out travel insurance to help protect them if unforeseen circumstances prevent them from travelling.”

A spokesperson from British Airways said: “We’re very sorry to hear of our customer’s experience and our teams have been in touch.”

The spokesperson also said that the airline had “resolved this matter”, however Sarah-Jane told us that she has yet to receive the refund or, indeed, any further communication from British Airways customer service.

NESTLED in the Surrey Hills you can stay on a converted Great Western Railway carriage.

The Carriage Ely is in Little Downham, Cambridgeshire and is made up of two carriages – Paddington and Penzance.

The carriages used to run on the rail tracks up and down the country but now sit in the middle of the countryside as a B&B.

The carriage has previously featured on the Channel 4 TV show George Clarke‘s Amazing Spaces as well.

Inside Paddington, you will find nods to the carriage’s original role, with overhead luggage racks and original tables and chairs.

But unlike the glaring sunshine you’d get on your daily commute, this carriage has roller blinds to shut out the light when you want to.

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The carriage also has a kitchen so you can rustle up your evening meals and breakfast.

And then in the other carriage – Penzance – you’ll find a sofa bed, as well as more original seats and tables.

The carriage also has a lounge area with wood flooring and a Smart TV.

Other original features have been kept across the carriages too such as the windows, classic glass sliding doors and even safety signs.

And for those who have always had the urge to push a big red button in their life, they can do so by pulling the original red emergency lever.

Outside of the carriage there is a small garden with a fire pit and patio.

There’s even a hot tub for the ultimate relaxation.

And if you really want to amplify your train experience, you can order an afternoon tea to be delivered to you, with scones, jam, cream, cakes and several sandwiches – all served with a big pot of English Breakfast of course.

It costs from £180 per night to stay in the carriage, with a minimum stay of two nights.

One recent visitor said: “Just WOW, just as expected lovely location, great accommodation, friendly owners.

“We had the afternoon tea on arrival – excellent. Will definitely stay again.”

Another visitor added: “Fantastic place to stay, so different and such a tranquil setting, loved the hot tub, plus all the little touches, dressing gowns, slippers, biscuits, chocolates, canned drinks plus fresh milk.”

The carriage is also only a five-minute drive from the city of Ely, where you can head to the cathedral or even Oliver Cromwell’s House.

If you want to spend even more time outdoors, head to The Fens where there are a number of walking and cycling trails.

Pickford made an uncertain start to the World Cup, at fault when he was beaten at his near post when DR Congo took the lead against England in Atlanta before captain Harry Kane’s two late goals saw them through.

In the pressure cooker of the Azteca, however, Pickford had his finest game for England, with two brilliant first-half saves from Mexico striker Raul Jimenez, followed by an outstanding display of penalty-area command in a frantic second period.

“It was a very brave display of goalkeeping,” said Robinson. “I really admired what he did out there in that second half and his two saves in the first half kept England in the game. They could have been out of it by half-time if it wasn’t for him.”

Pickford won widespread praise for the way he took charge of his penalty area, taking the initiative by coming for crosses and corners on a regular basis as England, down to 10 men after Jarell Quansah was sent off early in the second half, came under siege.

“He decided that he was going to stand up. He came for crosses, made decisions to go for balls, making life easier for his defenders because of how good he was.

“The easiest thing as a goalkeeper is to stay on your line because you don’t get criticised. If you stay on your line you can’t make a mistake, but he showed maturity and bravery.

“He showed the way his game has developed by coming off his line, making those decisions, making big bold calls. That’s where you see how much he has evolved.

“Jordan took it upon himself, punched the ball, caught the ball, made life easier for his defenders.

“He doesn’t mind what players are in front of him. It doesn’t faze him. He’s played with a different back four for most games, with the full-backs alternating and a change in central defence.

“The players know him and trust him. I think there is a good relationship there.”

And Pickford’s Mexico masterclass can bolster England’s confidence as they try to overcome the dangerous Norwegians and master striker Erling Haaland, who demonstrated their threat by beating Brazil 2-0 in the last 16.

“I think Jordan Pickford’s confidence will be at an all-time high and the team’s will be as well after their win against Mexico,” added Robinson.

“I questioned them on air when Thomas Tuchel went to a back five after 71 minutes. I was thinking I wasn’t sure they would hang on, and that would have been a stick he would have been beaten with.

“It did go right and Jordan Pickford was a big part of it going right.”

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

Who: Argentina vs Switzerland
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Quarterfinal
Where: Kansas City Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, the United States
When: Saturday at 8pm (01:00 GMT on Sunday)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 22:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream.

After two gruelling knockout contests, defined by controversies more than goals, Argentina enter the business end of the World Cup.

The reigning champions outclassed most title contenders in the group stage, thanks to the unstoppable striking force of Lionel Messi.

But their unconvincing, stuttering run in the knockout phase – where they were pitted against far inferior opponents – has raised a question: Can Argentina really retain their title?

Up next for the two-time world champions is Switzerland, who have quietly made a remarkable return to the quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years.

The impressive duo of Breel Embolo and Johan Manzambi has won Swiss hearts, and Saturday’s clash offers them a chance to seek revenge for a World Cup defeat by Argentina in 2014.

How did Argentina and Switzerland reach the quarterfinals?

Argentina had a strong showing in the first round, topping Group J by beating Austria, Jordan and Algeria. In the round of 32, they were pushed to their limits by Cape Verde before squeezing past 3-2 in extra time, and came from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 in a controversial last-16 contest which drew allegations of officiating bias.

Switzerland topped Group B with an unbeaten record, winning against Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and drawing with Qatar. They beat Algeria 2-0 in the round of 32 and beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years.

‘Argentina are not invincible’: Swiss coach

What started out as a confident campaign has slowly turned into a shaky title defence for Argentina.

Tournament debutants Cape Verde – the smallest nation to play in the World Cup knockouts – gave Argentina a wake-up call, forcing the reigning champions to dig deep for victory.

The Argentinian suffering continued in the next game, where they trailed 2-0 against Egypt before turning it around in stoppage time – in a contest where the opposition accused the referee of favouring the title holders.

These performances have pushed Argentina down to fourth in the pecking order of the favourites, while they’ve also slipped from the top spot to number two in the FIFA rankings.

It has instilled the belief in the Swiss camp that beating Argentina is not out of reach.

“We’re up against the defending champions, which is a unique opportunity. ‌At the same time, we’ve realised that Argentina are not invincible,” Switzerland coach Murat Yakin said.

“It should be an interesting match from a tactical point of view.”

Can ageing Messi keep up with the demands of the World Cup?

At 39, when most players’ careers are long behind them, Messi is proving that age is just a number.

In his sixth and possibly last World Cup, Messi has maintained a perfect record, scoring in each of Argentina’s five matches so far. His eight goals keep him second in the Golden Boot race, only behind France’s Kylian Mbappe, who has also scored eight goals but has played a game more, on account of assists.

Although no longer at his athletic peak, Messi is still very much carrying the burden of the goal-scoring duties for his national team – and rescued them from early elimination in the round of 16 with a goal and assist.

In a rare show of emotion, he even broke down after that game, saying he was desperate for his World Cup journey to continue.

But after his own admission of fatigue after playing 120 minutes against Cape Verde and pushing hard against a resilient Egypt, Messi’s ageing body is fighting to keep up with the gruelling demands of tournament football.

As the stakes get higher and the margins for error reduce, it begs the question: Will age finally catch up with him?

Argentina vs Switzerland predictions

The Opta supercomputer gives Argentina a 57.1 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Switzerland’s chances of winning are 18.7 percent.

The model estimated a 24.2 percent probability of the game going to extra time.

Argentina vs Switzerland: TV schedule, kickoff

• Argentina: TyC Sports, TyC Sports Play (10pm, Argentina Time)
• Switzerland: SRF, RSI, RTS (3am on Sunday, Central European Summer Time)
• United Kingdom: ITV1, ITVX, STV (2am on Sunday, British Summer Time)
• US: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (9pm, Eastern Daylight Time)

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

Who will the winner face in the semifinals?

The winner of the Argentina vs Switzerland match will face either Norway or England in the semifinals in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Argentina vs Switzerland: Head-to-head

The two countries have met seven times, with Argentina winning five of those matches, while two ended in a draw.

Argentina have also won both of their World Cup games against Switzerland: 2-0 in a group game in 1966 and 1-0 in the round of 16 in 2014, which was also the last meeting between the sides in any competition.

Only ⁠three players remain from the 2014 meeting: Messi, Swiss captain Granit Xhaka, and defender Ricardo Rodriguez.

Argentina vs Switzerland: Team news

While no injuries are reported in the Argentina camp, Switzerland’s Manzambi and Jaquez are out with knee and muscle injuries, respectively, while Aebischer is doubtful.

Manzambi, Switzerland’s 20-year-old breakout star, also missed the last game.

Argentina’s predicted lineup

(4-1-3-2): Martinez (goalkeeper); Molina, Romero, Lisandro, Tagliafico; Paredes; De Paul, Enzo, Mac Allister; Messi, Lautaro

Switzerland’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Kobel (goalkeeper); Zakaria, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Vargas, Rieder, Ndoye; Embolo

Widdecombe’s political career spanned decades – she served as MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years and worked as a Home Office and employment minister in John Major’s government between 1994 and 1997.

Following news of the police investigation, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was “shocking news” and his thoughts were with Widdecombe’s family “at this awful time”.

He said he had spoken to the Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, Reform UK’s Nigel Farage, as well as Andy Burnham, “to urge everybody to come together”.

Badenoch said she was “stunned” and “really struggled to find the words”. She added: “My heart is breaking for her family.”

Likely incoming prime minister Burnham sent his condolences to Widdecombe’s family, and said: “Ann gave a lifetime of public service.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood urged the public “to avoid speculation and allow the police investigation to progress”.

In a post on X, she said the circumstances of Widdecombe’s death were “extremely distressing”, adding that her “thoughts are with Ann’s family and loved ones”.

JESY Nelson has broken fans’ hearts as she confessed she’s been “crying all day” with mum guilt.

The mum-of-two has opened up on how her baby girls are struggling amid the high temperatures.

Taking to social media, she told her 10million followers that she is utterly heartbroken over having to put the twins into thick spinal jackets and splints in this heat.

Pop star Jesy shared a glimpse of the girls laying down in their rockers wearing their supports.

She penned over the clip: “I’ve cried all day. Imagine having to wear a spinal jacket and splints in this heat.

“I cannot even begin to tell you how much this breaks my heart into a million pieces. But, if I don’t put them on every day, their spines and feet will only deteriorate and get worse.”

PROUD MUM

Jesy Nelson shares her daughter’s milestone moment amid heartbreaking SMA battle

in the mix

Jesy Nelson shows off rock hard abs in a bikini as she wails ‘take me back’

“These will never correct their spine or feet, it will only prevent it from getting any worse,” continued Jesy.

“Once again no future SMA babies need to suffer like this if they are given the heel prick test and treatment from birth!”

Despite the temperatures soaring above 30 degrees this week, the girls looked content waving their little hands around and taking in their living room.

Dani Dyer wrote in the comments: “Oh Jesy. You are doing amazing,” followed by two red heart emojis.

Billie Shepherd said: “Sending you all so much love. Super mumma, you are amazing.”

“They will still face every obstacle with the biggest smile. They have the best mummy ever and that’s all they need,” one fan penned.

The former Little Mix star’s baby girls – Story Monroe and Ocean Jade – are both battling Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 – the most severe form of a rare disease affecting muscle strength and movement.

Both Jesy and her ex-fiancé Zion Foster were told their twins were unlikely to ever walk, and may face serious breathing and swallowing difficulties.

Despite the slim odds, she shared a sweet picture of one of their daughters sitting up in a chair all by herself.

Since Jesy’s babies were diagnosed with SMA she has been tirelessly campaigning to make it mandatory for all newborns to receive a heel-prick to determine whether or not they have the disease.

If SMA is caught early the condition is usually treatable but when left undiagnosed it can be life-threatening and cause death within two years.

A fan told Jesy of her work in her comments: “Want to thank you – just had a baby in Scotland and got the SMA heel prick test as standard. Midwives personally named you and the work you’ve done as to why it’s now offered.”

The Which? survey has uncovered plenty of hidden gems to explore this summer, as well as revealing some surprises at the bottom of the rankings including some stylish seaside towns that failed to impress

Nothing beats a day at the seaside. A combination of heatwaves and the school summer holidays means the resorts are likely to be packed over the coming weeks.

That’s why consumer magazine Which? has run a survey on the best and worst seaside destinations, surveying over 5,300 people about their experiences in the past year. It quizzed visitors on everything from the quality of beaches and scenery, to the food and drink on offer, accommodation, tourist attractions, and value for money.

The results have yielded a number of surprises, but the town taking the top spot has remained the same for the sixth year in a row.

Bamburgh in Northumberland, famous for its vast coastline and beach featuring a castle, yet again came number one with an overall score of 84%. One visitor said: “It’s just gorgeous and is as good now as it was years ago; it’s not been spoiled by commercialisation. What made it successful then has been retained.”

The North East had a strong showing in the rankings, with Tynemouth in Tyne and Wear coming in second at 82%, making it a close competitor for Bamburgh. Its score included five stars for its seafront and food and drink including “wonderful fish and chips” according to one reviewer. Another said: “Tynemouth has a fantastic high street with a range of cafés, restaurants and shops complemented by historic buildings and a fabulous beach.”

Coming in third was St Andrews in Scotland with 81%, and Fife also scored another top ten place with Crail at number five. Known as the home of golf, St Andrews was praised for being a “lovely town with plenty of amenities. It does not feel overcrowded despite having many tourists.”

Many classic seaside towns in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Sussex came in at the bottom of the list, and there were some surprisingly low scores for the gentrified towns of Margate and Newquay, which failed to impress. Margate scored just 53%, its overall percentage brought down by getting one star for peace and quiet, while Newquay in Cornwall scored 55% and got only two stars for value for money.

One visitor said: “Newquay feels like it has seen better days. Apart from the beaches and pubs, it has relatively little to offer a tourist. It perhaps serves better as a base to experience other parts of Cornwall.” Another explained: “There are lovely bits and unlovely bits of Newquay. The beaches are wonderful but the town is a bit shabby and run down.” Its beaches still managed to score four stars in the survey.

Close to the bottom were Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, with 46%, and nearby Lowestoft in Suffolk, with the same score. However, the dubious honour of worst seaside town went to Bognor Regis in West Sussex on the south coast.

Scoring just 41% overall, Bognor got one star for most categories. One visitor said it was: “Lacking investment, slow to supply tourists what they need.”, and another wrote: “The place is run down and feels neglected.”

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel said: “The North East has emerged as this year’s favourite seaside spot, a reflection of its outstanding beaches and the fact that holidays here can be fantastic value for money.

“It also shows that there are special seaside towns in every corner of the UK. From Swanage to Plockton, Southwold to Conwy, you’ll have a great time in many of the country’s lesser-known destinations, and should save some money too.”

Top 30 seaside towns and villages

• Bamburgh — 84%
• Tynemouth — 82%
• St Andrews — 81%
• Aldeburgh — 80%
• Crail — 80%
• Frinton-on-Sea — 80%
• Portmeirion — 80%
• St Davids — 79%
• Bude — 78%
• Southwold — 78%
• North Berwick — 77%
• Plockton — 77%
• St Ives — 77%
• Swanage — 77%
• Lyme Regis — 76%
• Lytham St Annes — 76%
• Portstewart — 76%
• Conwy — 75%
• Dornoch — 75%
• Filey — 75%
• Lynmouth — 75%
• Sidmouth — 75%
• St Mawes — 75%
• Tenby — 75%
• Tobermory — 75%
• Wells-next-the-Sea — 75%
• Whitley Bay — 75%
• Broadstairs — 74%
• Falmouth — 74%
• Llandudno — 74%

Bottom 30 seaside towns and villages

• Ilfracombe — 57%
• Minehead — 57%
• Bridlington — 56%
• Cleethorpes — 56%
• Fishguard — 56%
• Seaton — 56%
• Torquay — 56%
• Abersoch — 55%
• Colwyn Bay — 55%
• Morecambe — 55%
• Newquay — 55%
• Barry Island — 54%
• Skegness — 54%
• Mablethorpe — 53%
• Margate — 53%
• Paignton — 53%
• Southport — 53%
• Herne Bay — 52%
• Littlehampton — 51%
• New Brighton — 51%
• Weston-super-Mare — 50%
• Burnham-on-Sea — 48%
• Clacton-on-Sea — 48%
• Southend-on-Sea — 47%
• Bangor — 46%
• Blackpool — 46%
• Fleetwood — 46%
• Great Yarmouth — 46%
• Lowestoft — 46%
• Bognor Regis — 41%

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

It is easy to see why people love the Northumberland village so much. The centre is quaint and pretty, the beach sandy and impressive, and the castle perfectly preserved and towering

Has there been a run as dominant as this in the history of British seasides?

Once again, Bamburgh has been named the best coastal town or village the UK has to offer, bringing the run of victory to six in a row in the Which? annual survey.

It is easy to see why people love the Northumberland village so much. The centre is quaint and pretty, the beach sandy and impressive, and the castle perfectly preserved and towering.

In a gushing show, 5,320 Which? readers handed Bamburgh perfect marks for its seafront, scenery and beach. “It is a wonderful historic village with miles of sand and glorious views,” one happy visitor enthused.

Another said: “Bamburgh Castle, a stunning building, is the core of the village and leads through the sand dunes to an extraordinary beach, which never fails to captivate us.”

And a third agreed: “It’s just gorgeous and is as good now as it was years ago; it’s not been spoiled by commercialisation. What made it successful then has been retained.”

But amid all of the enthusiasm for the settlement of 300 people, not everyone is convinced by its dominance of the Which? survey. In fact, a number of locals are fed up with the limelight that is being cast on Bamburgh.

“I wish they wouldn’t do things like this. All it does is make rich southerners read it and then decide to buy a holiday house there, pushing up house prices and pushing out actual locals,” one irked person wrote online.

Another chimed in: “Peace and quiet?! Not on a sunny summer’s day. The village (it is not a Town) is rammed with vehicles and visitors.”

The gripes are consistent. Back in 2022, when Bamburgh’s reputation as the best of the best was still being forged, resident John Graham shared his frustrations. He said: “When the sun is out the place can be overrun. In the day, you get the ice-cream brigade leaving their rubbish everywhere and in the evenings the drunken louts have their fun.

“On an average morning in the summer, I pick up five or six burnt-out disposable barbecues and half a dozen or so bin bags full of bottles and cans.”

One business owner said it is really sad to see a big increase in litter being dumped in the sand dunes below the castle. They added: “A friend of mine summed up the problem quite well the other day when he said it’s like over-fishing.

“Pubs and hotel owners might be enjoying the money rolling in, but the more people who come here, the more damage is done to the environment.”

I visited last summer and was not overly impressed by what I found. One major issue was the cars. On a hot June day, the stream of traffic on the arterial road that runs through Bamburgh’s centre is relentless. The closest train station is seven miles away in Chathill, and the buses are sporadic, so any hopes of embarking on a relaxing, car-free day trip will prove difficult.

For me, the real issue with Bamburgh is its vibe. Central to the charm of Britain’s great seaside towns is a slightly edgy, salty quality in some way connected to large quantities of sailors. Bamburgh, with its Farrow and Ball doors and memorial benches, has none of this.

The stars of the show in Bamburgh are the beach and the castle. It is undeniable that the combination of the two — how the 1,400-year-old fort hangs above the broad, sandy shore — is magnificent. You won’t find me criticising Bamburgh Castle.

The beach, however, is arguably a little one-note. Once you’ve waded out half a mile to get to a patch of water deep enough to paddle in, you’ll be frozen by a North Sea that rarely swells itself into anything remotely as interesting as what you’d find on the UK’s Atlantic coast.

If you’re in search of a very long beach, Camber Sands near Rye in East Sussex not only enjoys a lot more sunshine — as one of the sunniest places in the country — it also has superior sand dunes, particularly so if you’re a teenager interested in launching yourself off their summits.

When the World Cup ends, regardless of who wins, we’ll still have loads of great content every day as we build up to the new football season.

As well as all the fall-out and reaction to the tournament, we’ll quickly shift back in the club football with pre-season coverage and all the latest transfer gossip and stories.

BBC Sport and teams across BBC Nations and Regions cover every club in the Premier League, WSL, EFL, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

We have dedicated club reporters, who will be travelling to bring you behind-the-scenes insights from pre-season tours.

We’ll also have live pages for selected pre-season matches as well as in-depth features and storytelling, giving you the latest updates before the new campaign.

Once the World Cup ends, some of the standout players will be hot property in the transfer market, with top clubs chasing their signatures.

Our reporters, including senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel, will be breaking the big transfer stories on our website and app.

We’ll also have our daily transfer gossip column, wrapping up all the rumours from across the football world.

For fans of World Cup Predictor, a brand new weekly Predictor game will be launching immediately after the tournament with five fixtures a week to predict the outcomes of.

You’ll be able to build up your streaks and share your results with friends and family.

Our quizzes will also continue to be available to play so you can test your knowledge of the beautiful game.

Meta has rolled back its ‘Muse Image’ AI feature after widespread backlash over privacy and consent. The tool allowed users to generate AI images of people by simply ‘@ mentioning’ public Instagram accounts. The negative reaction was swift and global – forcing Meta to say it ‘missed the mark’.

Volunteers in La Guaira have transformed a fast-food restaurant into an emergency clinic since hospitals were damaged or destroyed by Venezuela’s earthquakes.

Emily Ratajkowski’s viral essay detailing her sex life as a single mom just landed her a seven-figure book deal.

According to Page Six, the model’s essay in the Cut had publishers champing at the bit in a 12-way bidding war that culminated in the hefty pay day. Editor Helen Rouner at Penguin Press — who also edited Lauren Christensen’s memoir “Firstborn” and Michael W. Clune’s novel “Pan” — landed the deal.

“Emily is an electrifying writer, and she works with a style and force of presence that any publisher would be lucky to support,” Rouner told The Times on Friday. “She’s painting with every color in the palette.”

Rouner continued that the forthcoming memoir is “wise, funny, irreverent, moving — and wholly original.”

Publishers Marketplace announced the forthcoming memoir, describing it as “an examination of modern female identity through the story of the author’s own efforts as a newly single mother in New York City to discover what really constitutes a good life for a woman.”

The essay, which dropped a month ago and quickly broke the internet, drops the veil on EmRata’s sexual adventures (or maybe misadventures) since she and her former husband, Sebastian Bear-McClard, split in 2022.

“It was a violent transition into a new reality of screaming baby on my aching tit and ring on my swollen finger,” Ratajkowski writes of new motherhood. “And then, in a time period that felt both instant and excruciatingly slow, my marriage collapsed. Six months after my son was born, my husband and I stopped having sex. Less than a year later, we separated.”

In the missive, the model interrogates her sexuality — is she a Madonna or a whore? — while untangling bigger questions around gender, power and self-actualization. If Carrie Bradshaw wrote about “Sex and the City,” then Ratajkowski is writing about sex, the city and single motherhood. And naturally, her fleeting paramours have vague monikers: “Vegan Graffiti Artist,” “Spanish Gen-Zer” and “Son of a Billionaire.”

“And then there was the Elder Millennial: obsessed with dental hygiene, psychedelics, and dirty talk,” she writes. “He had approached the subject coyly at first, like it was something he was kind of embarrassed about — the way a kid will test you to see if you’ll talk to them about their dorky obsession of the moment. Do you like Godzilla? What about Star Wars?”

Would-be sleuths with Ratajkowski’s essay and a gossip rag handy will have their work cut out for them.

This will be Ratajkowski’s second book. The first, “My Body,” dropped in 2021 and was a bestselling collection of essays exploring gender, power dynamics, sexuality and the commodification of female beauty in the modeling and entertainment industries.

Ratajkowski’s foray into the spotlight came more than a decade ago when Robin Thicke’s controversial “Blurred Lines” music video made the model an overnight star. She was cast in David Fincher’s adaptation of “Gone Girl,” which hit theaters the following year, and catapulted to top fashion runways — Marc Jacobs, Versace, Victoria’s Secret and Dolce & Gabbana, to name a few. She she’s been romantically linked to Harry Styles, Eric Andre, Shaboozey, Brad Pitt and Pete Davidson, among others.

In 2023, she moonlighted as the host of the “High Low With EmRata” podcast, where she interviewed sex workers, investigated ethical nonmonogamy and pondered the etymology of the word “toxic.” The same year, she told The Times that she was coming into herself post-divorce, “Being able to assert what I want — that feels like it just started: My life as a creator and not as a muse.”

Epic food, amazing shows, museums you won’t find anywhere else and a helicopter ride down the famous strip – here’s my ultimate Las Vegas itinerary

The glitz, the glam, those unforgettable “wow” moments – it’s easy to see why Las Vegas remains the ultimate bucket-list destination. Whether you’re marveling at the neon skyline from 1,000 feet up or walking the Strip to soak in the music and eclectic fashion, this town is a sensory explosion that demands to be experienced at least once.

The home of the famous strip, countless wedding chapels and its own Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty, this place almost doesn’t feel real. It’s defined by vintage camp, 24-hour casinos, more buffet restaurants than you can possibly imagine, and high-class dining eateries. Welcome to Vegas, baby.

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The most exciting area to stay in Las Vegas

I arrived via a direct flight from Heathrow, checking into The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Arguably the best-positioned hotel on the Strip, it offers the perfect paradox: you are in the heart of the action, yet the rooms are a sanctuary of total silence.

My suite featured a private balcony overlooking the city’s glowing landmarks and the iconic choreography of the Bellagio fountains. Watching the water dance from my room, the excitement for my desert escape truly set in.

Where to find the best places to eat in Las Vegas

Food is central to the Vegas experience, so first on the agenda once we’d dropped our bags was brunch at Alexxa’s – situated on the Strip, right in the thick of the action. In the spirit of a true American getaway, we went straight for the classics, ordering a spread of fried chicken and waffles, fluffy American-style pancakes and steak and eggs.

Of course, no Vegas brunch is complete without a little “hair of the dog.” I washed it all down with the most gargantuan Bloody Mary I’ve ever seen, complete with a slice of bacon. Nothing here is small-scale – it was the perfect, over-the-top introduction to the local food scene.

But don’t miss breakfast at the hotel either. The Cosmopolitan‘s Wicked Spoon is a brilliant buffet, with pretty much everything you could possibly think of… I even had a few sushi rolls on the side.

For dinner, we feasted at Mayfair Supper Club inside the Bellagio (yes, the one from Ocean’s Eleven), where live dancers perform around diners as they tuck into all-American classics.

But the highlight was dinner at Vanderpump Paris – and as a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fan, it was the dream. Lisa Vanderpump knows how to put together a menu. Curated with Parisian themes embellished with Vegas flair and eclectic cocktails, I felt like a total superstar eating here.

Experiences you must not miss while you’re there

I could have filled the days just walking up and down the infamous strip. With buskers, magicians, show girls (and show boys) I spotted the Eiffel Tower, the Luxor pyramid, the Empire State Building, the Paris globe and the iconic casinos – which were already getting busy, despite it being barely two in the afternoon.

But there are so many bucket list experiences to try, too. We started with an ice hockey Game: Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers (tickets around £55). I was pretty much an ice hockey novice, but that doesn’t matter a jot. American sport is packed with entertainment, and it didn’t take me long to soak up the atmosphere and join in with the chants. Why can’t this be a thing in the UK?

As if that wasn’t enough excitement for one night, we then ticked off another iconic moment – a helicopter ride down the Strip.

Now, I’m no daredevil (I was slightly apprehensive), but as soon as we got up into the sky it was magical. We were given a 10-minute tour by our pilot, taking off at 10:30pm, just as Vegas was truly coming alive for the night.

We also checked out The Sphere, which I’d like to call an immersive cinema but it’s so much more than that. It’s a one of a kind, multi-sensory show with holograms and AI. With tickets for the classic The Wizard of Oz, I was expecting a cinematic experience. In fact, it was fully immersive, to the point it made us feel like we were actually in the storm with Dorothy.

Another recommendation is the Neon Sign Museum. The bright lights of the signs are what makes Vegas so magical, so what happens to the signs when they are no longer in use? They go to the Neon Sign Museum – and it’s nearly as impressive as the Strip itself.

I loved seeing the ‘old’ Vegas here, bringing history to light – literally – and for the best experience I recommend the illuminated evening tours (from £26) but there are also self-guided daytime options (from £19).

Finally, in dedication to the stars of all the shows, we couldn’t miss a stop at the Show Girl Museum – the home of all the iconic showgirl costumes. But what makes this museum one of a kind? It’s inside Grant Philipo’s house – a former showgirl costume designer. Tickets are $33 each and Grant has nearly 300 mannequins in his home as he led us around the impressive pad, paying homage to the glamour and beauty of Las Vegas.

And if the brunch and dinner performances weren’t enough, we topped the day off by going to watch Jennifer Lopez perform at her residency in The Colosseum theatre – part of Caesar’s Palace Hotel.

You’d think with all that I wouldn’t have found time to have a little flutter on the tables, but this is a 24-hour city – there’s always time to squeeze something else in, if you can just stay awake.

How to book the ultimate Vegas trip

• Discover more at Visit Las Vegas.
• Stays at he Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas start at $189.35 / approx. £142 per night including resort fee and taxes. Stays in the Terrace One Bedroom Suites with Fountain View starts from $246.49 / approx. £185 per night, including resort fee and taxes.
• Vegas Views helicopter tour by Maverick Helicopters start at £75 per person, see maverickhelicopter.com
• Book Vanderpumps in advance here
• Virgin Atlantic offers daily direct flights to Las Vegas from London Heathrow starting from £512*, and seasonal flights from Manchester Airport. *Prices subject to change.

I’m riding a salt-coloured horse through the Dragonja valley, deep in the green hills of Slovenian Istria. Electric-blue dragonflies zip over the river as we gallop past olive trees and vineyards. The landscape rises steeply in a series of grassy terraces, and at the top of the hill we rein in the sweating horses to take in the view. Far below, the huge grids of solinas (salt pans), glittery and light-blue in the early morning light, look strange and somehow elegant against the wild, expansive sea beyond.

The Istrian peninsula is the largest in the Adriatic Sea, with 90% of it in Croatia and smaller portions in Slovenia and Italy. I’ve come to explore the Slovenian section. At just 29 miles (47km), the country’s coastline is one of the shortest in Europe, from the Italian city of Trieste down to the Croatian border, but it boasts colourful seaside towns, hilltop villages and an emerging gastronomy scene.

The Dodgers suffered a deflating 9-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on Friday to start their final series before the All-Star break.

But if there was a silver lining to the Dodgers rough performance, it was that superstar Shohei Ohtani looked fine at designated hitter after being scratched from his scheduled start because of irritation in his left knee.

Ohtani, will not participate in next week’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia, hit a leadoff home run off Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez.

“I found out yesterday morning,” Roberts said of Ohtani’s injury. “So if there’s a chance that we could kind of be proactive and get it drained and do whatever we need to do to try to manage it, along with the rest for the All-Star break, we were gonna do that.

“But obviously the way he’s swinging the bat hasn’t really affected performance,” Roberts added. “We have certainly curtailed the stealing bases. But he feels good, obviously, and he’s gonna be DH’ing the next three games.”

The Diamondbacks took advantage of the Dodgers’ bullpen game — and three defensive errors.

Right-handed pitcher Kyle Hurt opened and surrendered two runs on three hits through 1⅔ innings.

Arizona’s Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo opened the game with base hits. Corbin Carroll grounded into a force out at second, moving Marte to third, before Gabriel Moreno singled on a liner to right that scored Marte. Carroll then scored on an errant throw to third from Kyle Tucker that went into the Dodgers’ dugout.

After Ohtani hit his 21st homer of the season, Andy Pages hit a tying 419-foot blast to left-center for his 17th homer.

But that was all the Dodgers (61-34) would score against Rodriguez, who gave up seven hits and struck out five over six innings to improve to 8-3.

Dalton Rushing walks back to the dugout after grounding out to end the game in the Dodgers’ 9-3 loss to Arizona on Friday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Arizona’s bullpen then held the Dodgers to just two hits — both coming in the ninth inning off Drey Jameson.

Will Klein (3-4) took the loss after surrendering one run through 1⅔ innings.

After Brock Stewart gave up a two-run home run to Tim Tawa in the fourth, Arizona (47-47) tacked on two more runs in the fifth after the Dodgers’ second error.

Stewart walked Perdomo to start the frame. Then, Carroll grounded into a fielder’s choice in front of the plate and reached first safely, with an errant throw by Rushing allowing Perdomo to reach third. Moreno grounded out to third to drive in Perdomo. A balk by Edgardo Henriquez followed by a wild pitch allowed Carroll to score.

Arizona extended its lead in the sixth after Tawa hit an RBI single to left and Perdomo drove in a run on a groundout to first. Tawa ended his four RBI performance with a run-scoring single in the eighth.

Reliever Alex Vesia threw a scoreless ninth inning for his fifth consecutive scoreless outing to cap a night the Dodgers probably would like to forget.

Iranian leaders say they’ll never surrender and US President Donald Trump says the ceasefire between the two sides is ‘over’. Iran and the US are locked in the most serious escalation in almost a month. So is the war back on? Soraya Lennie breaks it down.

Birao, Central African Republic – When Islam Ibrahim fled Sudan after her father was killed during the siege of el-Fasher, she thought she had escaped the worst of the war.

The 20-year-old pharmacy student fled with her mother and six sisters to the neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR), leaving behind her pharmacy studies.

Now in Korsi refugee camp, she spends her days helping newly arrived Sudanese women and girls. Drawing on the medical knowledge she gained before war interrupted her studies, she volunteers to support refugees arriving exhausted after dangerous journeys from Darfur.

But even in exile, Islam says she cannot escape the pressures that followed her from home.

Her uncles have travelled to the refugee camp urging the family to return to Sudan, so her mother can settle her late father’s estate. Islam fears that returning would not only place them back in an active conflict zone but also expose her and her sisters to pressure to marry relatives against their wishes.

“I only want to go back to Sudan if it’s to continue my education,” Islam told Al Jazeera. “I don’t want to go back to Darfur to divide my father’s inheritance.”

Islam’s story is echoed across Korsi refugee camp, where an entire generation of Sudanese students is trying to salvage futures interrupted by war.

More than 30 Sudanese university students interviewed over several days described lives put on hold by a conflict that has uprooted families, shattered ambitions and left many wondering whether they will ever return home. Most are in their 20s and come from Amdafock, a border town in Darfur that became both a refuge and later a departure point as families fled escalating violence.

Many believed their displacement would be temporary. They imagined returning home to complete their degrees once the fighting stopped.

Instead, that hope has grown increasingly distant.

Their experiences reflect a wider educational divide created by Sudan’s war. Millions of school pupils and university students in Darfur and other areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have now gone more than three years without regular schooling or access to nationally recognised examinations. In contrast, despite repeated disruptions caused by the conflict, many students in areas held by the Sudanese army have gradually returned to classrooms and sat their exams, widening disparities in educational opportunities between young people on opposite sides of the war.

Lost years

Amdafock was recently seized by fighters from the Seleka rebel coalition operating across the border in the CAR, further diminishing any realistic prospect of return for many of the families originally from the town.

With support from UNHCR, dozens of Sudanese refugees have secured places at the University of Bangui, offering a fragile path back into education after years of disruption.

But returning to university has proved far from simple.

Having completed their schooling in Arabic, they must now study in French, learning an entirely new language while trying to keep pace with university demands. Many say the additional years required, coupled with financial hardship and the psychological toll of displacement, make it feel as though they are losing time they can never recover.

“We have already lost so many years,” several students told Al Jazeera.

Among them is Gamar el-Shaikh, a sociology student at the University of Bangui.

“We left Birao refugee camp, promising our loved ones that we would return with university certificates,” Gamar told Al Jazeera. “But with the educational environment we are in, and all the difficulties we face, it feels almost impossible to keep that promise.”

Another student, Baderelddian Issa, said his family fled after his father, an imam in Amdafock, was persecuted by the RSF for criticising them during sermons at the mosque.

Baderelddian told Al Jazeera that his father’s position made the family a target, forcing them to flee Sudan for the CAR, where he is now trying to continue his studies, while watching the possibility of return slip further away.

Painful choices

For some students, displacement has demanded even more painful choices.

Intisar el-Sadig lost her husband during the war before fleeing to the CAR with her young child. After UNHCR secured her a place at the University of Bangui, she made the difficult decision to leave her three-year-old son in Korsi refugee camp with her mother so she could continue her studies in the capital.

She travels back whenever she can, but says every separation is painful.

“I am studying because I don’t want this war to take everything from us,” Intisar told Al Jazeera. “If I stop now, then we will have lost not only our home and my husband, but also our future.”

Ahmed knows how quickly those hopes can collapse.

Before the war, he was studying law and dreamed of becoming a judge. His father, a Sudanese army officer, was killed during the fighting in el-Fasher. The family fled to Nyala, believing they had reached safety, but Ahmed says fighters from the RSF attacked them there. During the assault, his mother was beaten so severely that her arm was broken.

The family eventually reached the CAR.

Now living in exile, Ahmed’s studies have been put on hold, and his ambitions have narrowed to survival.

Enduring hope

Across Korsi, that sense of loss is shared in different ways.

Students who once imagined futures as pharmacists, judges, engineers, teachers and academics now spend their days navigating life in exile, learning a new language and trying to rebuild their education in an unfamiliar system while worrying about relatives still trapped in Sudan.

For young women like Islam, displacement has also brought renewed pressure over inheritance and marriage. For others, the loss is measured in years of interrupted education that may never be recovered.

Islam continues volunteering in the camp, while Gamar, Baderelddian and Intisar persist with their studies despite extraordinary obstacles. Ahmed still clings to his dream of becoming a judge.

For these young Sudanese, education has become both refuge and resistance, a fragile attempt to rebuild meaning in lives shattered by war.

“We are the lost generation of Sudan,” Ahmed told Al Jazeera through tears. “We lost everything in this war.”

KATIE Price has revealed an explicit photo confession during a chat with Love Island Aftersun host Joe Baggs. 

The former glamour model, 48, was speaking to Joe, 29, to promote her Sky documentary series Nothing To Hide. 

Former Gogglebox star Joe fired off a series of 90s trends to Katie and asked her if she would bring them back or ditch them. 

When he suggested disposable cameras, the mum-of-five suggested she’d used them to snap naughty photos back in the day. 

She said: “Nowadays, because you’ve got your phone, I think people take more explicit photos. 

“With a disposable, you have to be careful and remember you have to take them somewhere like Boots. 

tatt’s a lot

Katie Price dons bikini to show tattoo collection but ditches wedding ring

FEUD FIGHT

Vogue Williams reveals ‘threatening’ message Katie Price’s husband Lee sent

“So someone is going to look at your pictures. So someone like me is definitely not having a disposable. 

“I don’t want to bring them back.”

It comes after Katie revealed she’ll be starring in a reality show with fourth husband Lee Andrews.

Katie married self-proclaimed millionaire Lee in Dubai in January, just days after meeting him in person.

She stood by her man when he recently spent time in Dubai’s Al Awir jail, where he was held over unpaid debts. Katie said on the Reign podcast this week: “There will be a documentary coming out about Lee, and he knows it.

“He’ll be appearing in it and yes, there is scandal around me — there always is. Not only now, there’s years of it.”