The Grand Tour is back for a new series, the first since former Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May stepped down
16:42, 19 Aug 2026Updated 16:42, 19 Aug 2026
The Grand Tour official Amazon Prime trailer
The Grand Tour is back in a matter of days – and there’s the perfect mix of drama and fast cars for fans of the hit Prime Video show.
The show – previously fronted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May – has had a complete refresh, with trainspotter and secret petrolhead Francis Bourgeois replacing the iconic trio alongside James Engelsman and Thomas Holland, who are behind the popular YouTube show Throttle House.
In the first series, the team will tackle some big motoring questions, such as what’s the most unbreakable car in history and can you travel across Colorado undetected in a trio of Japanese microcars.
F1 World Champion Jenson Button also makes a special appearance in the trailer, whilst it also shows the trio head to Malaysia to see all about the country’s rich car culture as well as how little someone can spend on a sports car without it immediately blowing up.
In the new series, they travel through Angola in track-cars, which are quite unsuited for the job. They even test out the greatest American cars including the the Ford Mustang GTD, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, and $2.75m, 2000-horsepower Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Evolution against a bunch of fighter jets.
Francis Bourgeois said of joining the show: “Since completing the filming of the series, I haven’t stopped replaying every moment in my head. It has made me laugh, made my heart race and my stomach turn…remembering the tent I shared with Thomas and James filled with sulphuric farts whilst Angolan jackals snooped around outside. It feels as though it was a dream but knowing we will get to share our adventures soon makes me so incredibly excited!”
James Engelsman added: “We took on the West African Desert. We contended with fighter pilots. We even decided to challenge an entire nation’s legal system by protesting from the mountain tops. In doing so, the three of us learned our true strength: How to accept defeat gracefully.”
Thomas Holland shared: “I figured someone would be there to hold our hand the whole time. Nope. We were on our own in some absolutely wild environments in very, VERY questionable cars. What did we learn from this experience? Only that we have very poor decision-making skills. When you watch in September, expect a good laugh. And maybe a few butt clenches…”
The Grand Tour will launch all six episodes exclusively on Prime Video on Friday 4th September.
California voters are more inclined to back progressives running for office than mainstream Democrats, a new poll found, though a marked generational divide separates those who favor each camp.
Registered Democratic voters over 65 were overwhelmingly more inclined to support a candidate identified as a mainstream Democrat, whereas more voters under 40 favored those more aligned with the party’s left wing, including democratic socialists.
The results, from a new poll conducted by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by The Times, illustrate the highly visible midterm-season debates unfolding within the Democratic Party over age, ideology and the party’s future.
“There’s particular frustration among the younger voting population,” said IGS poll director Mark DiCamillo. “Their views of mainstream Democrats are not that positive, and that’s a long-term problem, I think, for the Democratic Party.”
The poll asked voters about how they perceived candidates described as a progressive, democratic socialist, mainstream Democrat, Republican and MAGA supporter. Voters were asked whether each label made them more inclined or less inclined to back a given candidate, or if they believed there was not much difference or had no opinion.
Among all California voters, a candidate described as “progressive” drew the broadest support — besting both mainstream Democrats and Republicans, as well as democratic socialists and members of President Trump’s MAGA movement. At 40%, support for progressive candidates registered just two percentage points above support for democratic socialists and within the poll’s margin of error, though fewer people felt negatively toward progressives than democratic socialists.
Among registered Democrats, the survey found 60% said they would be inclined to support a candidate identified as progressive; 58% felt the same when asked about a democratic socialist and 48% about a mainstream party member.
The polling offers a glimpse into how California voters feel about democratic socialism, the brand of liberal politics popularized by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D).
The views among all California voters were split, with 38% saying they would be more inclined to support a candidate labeled as a democratic socialist and 38% saying they would be less inclined. That makes the concept both more polarizing and more popular than the idea of a mainstream Democrat.
“To us, it’s honestly an incredibly good thing to hear that by and large, California voters see democratic socialism as a preferable option,” said Misha Kesselman, who leads membership coordination at the California Democratic Socialists of America.
“Being only two percent behind a progressive Democrat is the perfect place for us to be and for our organization to organize from,” Kesselman added. “I don’t see this as our ceiling; this is a great floor for us to start running from.”
Notably, more voters, 36%, said they were less inclined to support a mainstream Democrat than those who said they’d be more inclined, 29%. Twenty-seven percent showed indifference, however, possibly demonstrating that most voters would be fine supporting them in a general election, said Christian Grose, a political science professor at the University of Southern California.
The results could reflect a shift in labeling as much as in politics, Grose said, noting that most California Democrats now refer to themselves as progressive, a term that was not as popular 20 years ago, regardless of policy differences.
“Progressive Democrat in California has really in some ways become a mainstream Democrat, and then ‘mainstream’ is often associated with Washington,” Grose said, referring to the more moderate party establishment.
As the two parties compete for control of Congress in November’s midterm elections, the rise of democratic socialist ideas within the Democratic party has set off a debate among left-leaning leaders and voters about how best to counter Trump’s cultural dominance, appeal to disillusioned voters and create a winning presidential strategy for 2028.
The split does not fully fall along generational lines, but it often overlaps with the growing push by some younger candidates to oust veteran lawmakers, a debate over experience and seniority versus fresh blood.
Republicans have used the phenomenon as a key line of attack, as Trump and others have labeled Democrats as communists and extremists. In recent weeks, Trump argued that Democrats want to “destroy the traditional American way of life.”
“Sadly, young people have not been taught the truth about socialism and communism. It’s a dangerous road, and this is one of our efforts to make sure people know that,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Saturday on Fox News, after launching a website last week dedicated to the idea that socialism and communism have failed.
Meanwhile, many establishment Democrats fear that a far-left candidate would be unable to win a general presidential election and worry a swing in that direction could jeopardize the party’s chances in 2028. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Sunday on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that he does not support the Democratic Socialists of America agenda, further underscoring internal divisions.
Democratic socialism generally centers on an anti-capitalist agenda, including higher taxes for the wealthy and universal healthcare. Many progressive candidates support policy ideas backed by socialists but do not identify themselves as such.
A handful of high-profile progressive primary wins against Democrats backed by the establishment has supercharged the conversation in recent weeks, including this month in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, where progressive Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated a moderate opponent.
But progressives have lost elsewhere, including in Wisconsin, where democratic socialist Francesca Hong last week was defeated in the gubernatorial primary by David Crowley, the more moderate Milwaukee County executive.
California was not host to that type of showdown this year, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra, though progressive by national standards, was viewed by many left-leaning voters as a safer or more moderate primary choice. He faces Republican Steve Hilton in November.
In Los Angeles, however, the mayor’s race between incumbent Democrat Karen Bass and democratic socialist Nithya Raman is set to draw national attention. A handful of progressive candidates also advanced in House races, including Randy Villegas, who is challenging Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford); Mai Vang, challenging Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento); and Angela Gonzales-Torres, challenging Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles). Vang identifies as a democratic socialist.
The new polling also showed a generational divide among Republican voters: A higher share of older voters than younger said they would be more inclined to back a MAGA supporter, though all ages favored the Republican category over MAGA.
Seventy percent of GOP voters said a Republican label would make them more inclined to support a candidate, and 46% said the same of a MAGA label. Sixteen percent said they would be less inclined to vote for a candidate with a MAGA label and 29% said it didn’t make much difference.
Among California voters who eschew both the Democratic and Republican parties, either registered as no party preference or with other parties, a progressive candidate drew the most favorable reaction, but they also showed more support for a democratic socialist than a mainstream Democrat.
Those voters were not positively inclined toward right-leaning candidates, with 15% responding favorably to Republicans and 7% to MAGA.
Whether voters’ shifting preferences for the progressive or democratic socialist labels translate into any different policy action from those who are elected is an open question, Grose said.
“The labels are changing things… but it’s not clear yet if it’s changing the actual ideology of voters and elected officials,” Grose said. “What the elected officials do in office who are Democrats, that remains to be seen.”
The Berkeley IGS/Times poll findings are based on an online survey in English and Spanish of 4,207 California registered voters from Aug. 3-9. The results are estimated to have a margin of error of about 2.5 percentage points in either direction in the likely voter sample, and larger numbers for subgroups.
Lawrence Shankland is “too good not to score regularly” and is sure to have a “big influence” at Rangers whether or not he starts games, insists manager Derek McInnes.
Shankland has scored once in five outings since his move to Ibrox and the captain was used as a substitute on Sunday as Rangers beat St Mirren 5-1 for their first win of the season.
The 31-year-old Scotland striker hit 22 goals for Hearts last term working under McInnes.
“When you have a player like Lawrence, who knows his way around the penalty box and how to score goals, I do not worry too much about it,” said McInnes.
“He is too good not to score regularly. He has consistently shown that over a period of time in the Premiership.
“Sometimes people can over emphasise these things. For me, it is a case of letting him play his natural game.
“The best strikers have that instinctive side to their game, where everything looks natural and seamless. I have no doubt he will do well here.”
McInnes chose to start with Ryan Naderi in the Premier Sports Cup victory over St Mirren and the German opened the scoring, while Nico Raskin was skipper.
“I said that when I spoke to Lawrence,” added McInnes. “Being captain does not guarantee anything, and he accepted that. He is not going to stamp his feet about it. Having worked with Lawrence before, he is a brilliant captain and a brilliant boy.
“You want your captain to have a big influence on and off the pitch, and I believe Lawrence will have that.”
“The priority is at the top end of the pitch,” said McInnes. “Number nines are normally more difficult ones to do, and it wasn’t an area we were looking at before Youseff’s injury.
“We’re hoping we can land on the one that we want and hopefully we can bring them here quickly.”
The decision was reported by the Washington Post, The New York Times and Politico, all citing anonymous sources. Overton is an aide at the White House’s Domestic Policy Council and will be tapped to be the next FDA commissioner, sources say.
Overton will replace Marty Makary, who left the position in May, and the Senate will have to confirm her to the position.
The FDA commissioner is one of the most powerful jobs in U.S. health care. The FDA oversees drugs, vaccines, tobacco products, the bulk of the food supply and more. The position has remained open longer than expected as some have turned it down over fears of administration interference, the Post reported.
The position has been run by acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, a friend of Donald Trump Jr., and a former partner at the law firm Jones Day.
Overton is board-certified in public health and general preventive medicine and was a general surgery resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, where she also earned a doctorate in clinical investigation. She worked at the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank. She has also written articles calling abortion “corrosive” to women. She called abortion pills “far more dangerous to women” and has called for more controls on the pills.
In September, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Overton and Calley Means worked on a Make America Healthy Again strategy report calling for more review of chemicals in food and an increase in oversight over pharmaceutical advertisements, The Times reported.
Makary left the position in May because he disagreed with the administration’s policy of allowing tobacco and e-cigarette companies to sell flavored vapes. The White House had been pressuring Makary to allow the vapes, but he disagreed, citing their appeal to teens and young adults.
The FDA approved mango and blueberry vapes just after Trump had lunch with tobacco executives, The Times reported.
While she is a doctor and has been present for many FDA announcements at the White House, she hasn’t run a large agency before. The FDA has thousands of employees and shapes food safety and pharmaceutical policies.
President Donald Trump hosts lifeguard Ryder Williams in the Oval Office of the White House on Monday. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo
A girl is taken to hospital in critical condition in what PM Burnham calls a ‘terrible family tragedy’.
Published On 19 Aug 202619 Aug 2026
Three members of a Palestinian British family have drowned after entering the sea off England’s Sussex coast, the Palestinian embassy in London says.
The embassy announced their deaths on Wednesday, a day after the family went for a swim near Shoreham Fort in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex.
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The father, Hossam al-Khawas, was a Palestinian refugee from the Rashidieh Camp in southern Lebanon near Tyre, the Press Association news agency reported.
Police, paramedics, coastguard crews and a lifeboat were deployed at the scene where four people were pulled from the water.
Al-Khawas, a woman and a teenage girl were pronounced dead. A younger girl was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
“The Embassy is closely monitoring the incident and is making the necessary contacts with the relevant British authorities to ascertain its circumstances and to check on the condition of the injured girl,” the Palestinian mission in the United Kingdom said in a statement.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday warned of the dangers of open water swimming after the incident, which he described as “a terrible family tragedy”, the BBC reported.
He said he sends his “best wishes and love” to the family and friends of those who died as well as the girl who remains in critical condition.
Drownings have surged across Europe as people seek relief from the heatwave on the continent with incidents reported in France, Germany and the UK. Experts warned that open-water swimming can carry hidden risks, including cold water shock, strong currents and sudden changes in depth.
WARNING – DISTRESSING CONTENT: New Netflix documentary Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing, investigates the story of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett, who was found dead in his truck in 2024
John Barnett was found dead on March 9 from a ‘self-inflicted’ wound
John Barnett worked for Boeing for 32 years before turning whistleblower and dying in mysterious circumstances.
New Netflix documentary, Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing, explores the story of Barnett, who publicly condemned Boeing’s safety processes before he was found dead in his truck. He was in the process of testifying against the company.
From 2010, Barnett was employed as a quality manager at the North Charleston plant, which built the longhaul 787 Dreamliner, before retiring in 2017 on health grounds.
After Boeing merged with a former rival McDonnell Douglas, several former Boeing employees alleged the company started focussing more on increasing profits rather than safety and quality.
Barnett told the Today Show before his death: “From day one, it’s just all been about schedule, and hurry up, and just get it done. Push a plane out. We’re behind schedule. We don’t have time to worry about issues that y’all bring up.”
He alleged there were severe production and safety flaws such as defective oxygen systems and metal shavings near critical wiring on the 787 Dreamliner program.
Just before he left Boeing in 2017, Barnett filed a complaint against the company, accusing bosses of retaliating against him for raising safety concerns. He was outspoken on the issue with journalists – and in 2022 appeared in acclaimed director Rory Kennedy’s investigative film Downfall: The Case Against Boeing.
But then, on March 9, 2024, Barnett was found dead in his truck with a gunshot wound to his head.
Deeply affected by Barnett’s death and ongoing concerns about Boeing’s safety culture, Kennedy reunited with her team to produce the documentary sequel, Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing, which is being released on August 19, 2026.
Speaking to the Guardian about Barnett’s death, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Kennedy said: “I was horrified and heartbroken. I spoke to his mom pretty immediately after we had heard that news. She said to me, ‘We need to make sure John’s story gets out there,’ and that was a big part of why we decided to revisit this.
“I’ve never done a documentary follow-up in this kind of way, but we all felt that Boeingis such a big company, and we all fly these airplanes all over the world. I don’t want one of these planes falling out of the sky, and I feel like I have a lot of inside knowledge and also connections to understanding what’s going on inside of Boeing, and I just felt like we’ve got to stay at this.”
Details of the circumstances surrounding Barnett’s death came to light when his mother sued Boeing in a wrongful death suit in March 2025. The complaint alleged that Barnett was subjected to a campaign of harassment, abuse and humiliation after he raised concerns about safety issues. It further claimed that the conduct of the company was “the clear, foreseeable cause” of his death. In September that year, Boeing settled the lawsuit, agreeing to pay at least $50,000 to Barnett’s mother, who, in return, agreed to drop her claims that the company contributed to her son’s death by suicide.
The complaint contained a copy of Barnett’s suicide note, and the annexes presented the full police report concluding that he died by his own hand.
In conversations with Fortune in March 2025, the family’s longstanding counsel Rob Turkewitz added further details on his client’s last hours.
He said that on the evening of March 8, 2024, Barnett left the law offices of Boeing’s outside counsel in Charleston after testifying for two days in his OSHA case against the company. OSHA rules make it unlawful to retaliate against a whistleblower.
Barnett was giving his account of how Boeing allegedly violated its own policies and procedures, and FAA rules, during his seven years as a quality inspector at the North Charleston plant.
He’d delayed a trip back to his home in Louisiana to finish his deposition the next day, which was a Saturday. Videos cited in the police report show Barnett leaving the hotel around 8:30pm, and getting in his orange Dodge truck.
When Barnett failed to show up the next morning for his final round of testimony, Turkewitz called the Holiday Inn to conduct a welfare check. It was then that a hotel employee saw Barnett slumped in the front seat of his vehicle.
Charleston police arrived to discover Barnett barefoot and clutching a Smith and Wesson pistol in his right hand. His right temple showed a bullet entry wound, and an exit wound appeared in the back of his head.
On the seat next to Barnett’s body lay a message written on a single page of a red-covered notebook, with sentences written in all directions.
It contained phrases including: “America come together or die!!! Pray that the motherfk…ers who destroyed my life pay!!! I pray that Boeing pays!!! Bury me face down so that Boeing and their lying ass leaders can kiss my ass.”
Elsewhere: “I can’t do this any longer!!! F-k Boeing!!! Family and friends, I love you’ll [sic].”
“To my family and friends, I found my purpose! I am at peace! I love you more John/Mitch Barnett aka Swampy Fununcle Mitch.”
The complaint also included a heartbreaking email that Barnett sent Turkewitz in 2021, which read: “I can understand the direct costs that we can establish, ie lost pay, bonuses, etc. What I’m struggling with is how do you restore a person’s overall outlook on life? I used to be a very happy-go-lucky guy who loved his job and the products he built. I had a very positive outlook on life. Boeing absolutely destroyed my outlook on life. What is a person’s ‘outlook on life’ worth? How to put a price on that?'”
Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeingis scheduled to debut onNetflixonAugust 19, 2026.
The SEC announced on Tuesday that it had filed a proposal titled “Regulation Crypto Assets”, giving crypto entrepreneurs a clearer, considerably lighter route to raising capital under federal securities law, according to the press release published by the regulator.
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It is the agency’s first formal rulemaking dedicated to crypto asset offerings, building on broader interpretive guidance the SEC issued in March, and would spare qualifying issuers the costly registration process required of most public offerings.
At the centre of the proposal sit two new exemptions.
The “startup exemption” would let an issuer raise up to $5 million (€4.3mn) over a four year period without registering the offering.
A second, the “fundraising exemption”, would permit raises of up to $75 million (€64.7mn) within any 12 month stretch, though issuers relying on it would still need to publish financial statements and meet ongoing reporting duties.
Both routes ask companies to give investors narrative, principles based disclosures, rather than the dense legal filings typically demanded of public listings.
The proposal also sets out a conditional safe harbour that could eventually place certain tokens outside the legal definition of a security, once an issuer has finished, or permanently abandoned, the managerial efforts it promised investors.
It would also override conflicting state registration rules for offerings made under the exemptions, sparing issuers from having to comply separately with individual state securities regimes.
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins described the package as a “minimum effective dose” of oversight, protecting investors while leaving builders maximum room to innovate.
The reception of the proposal has been largely warm.
Summer Mersinger, CEO of the Blockchain Association, said the move finally delivers the tailored regulatory clarity the sector has sought for years. Cody Carbone, CEO of the Digital Chamber, likewise praised the plan, pledging support in helping the industry expand within the US rather than abroad.
However, the proposal is far from final. It stays open for public comment for 60 days once published in the Federal Register, meaning its provisions could still change, or be scrapped, before any final rule is adopted.
US Senate stalls, regulator steps in
The SEC’s move comes roughly a week and a half after the US Senate left Washington for its summer recess without advancing the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act (H.R. 3633), the industry’s flagship bill, which would split oversight of digital assets between the SEC and the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
US Senate Majority Leader John Thune filed a cloture motion on the bill on 7 August, but lawmakers departed before a vote was held. That motion is now due to come up again on 15 September, a procedural hurdle rather than a final vote, once senators return.
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins has argued on more than one occasion that only Congress can deliver a lasting, “future-proofed” framework able to survive changes in political leadership, and the Commission says it still backs the bill’s passage.
Even so, with its timetable slipping into autumn, the regulator appears to have decided not to wait, instead using powers it already holds to offer the industry some certainty while lawmakers prepare to resume the debate next month.
The café is open seven days a week serving up cooked breakfasts, lunch, afternoon tea and kids meals.
There’s also a selection of homemade cakes and alcohol-like beers and boozy hot chocolates.
To entertain the kids, visitors can get competitive on the mini golf course found on-site which costs £5pp.
And children can burn some energy at the play area which has swings, a slide, rock wall and climbing frame.
If that isn’t enough, it even has its own shopping village.
One of the shops is AVM Furniture which sells a selection of antique, vintage and modern furniture as well as garden ornaments.
It even has its own B&B which starts from £68 based on two people sharingCredit: Hopley House
JO’S Accessories is a ladies’ boutique, there’s also The Crystal Boutique, SKULLS n’ MOR, E a pet shop and a reptile rescue sanctuary.
Families have raved about it, with one saying: “Absolutely perfect place for a large family to stay.”
Another added: “Me, my partner and my two children visited Hopley House last month….. to say we were impressed is an understatement!”
A third simply called it a “hidden gem”.
It also holds events throughout the year – at the moment it has a mini fairground is back with tea cups and a mini big wheel.
Visitors can also stay at Hopley House in one of its rooms which are found inside a converted barn.
Guests can enjoy a cooked breakfast and use the kitchen to make a home cooked mealCredit: Hopley HouseCurrently there’s a mini fairground at Hopley HouseCredit: Hopley House
Some of the rooms have original barn features, each with en suite or a private bathroom.
Guests can enjoy a cooked breakfast from the café or head to the farm shop for a homemade pizza.
Anyone staying overnight can also make use of a kitchen area which has a fridge and microwave.
Rooms start from £68 based on two people sharing or £42 for single occupancy.
One overnight guest said in a review: “Lovely stay at Hopley guest house, huge big room and the comfiest bed ever! The owner made us feel very welcome.
“My only regret is we didn’t book for longer.”
If you fancy another trip to the farm shop, check out the ‘Harrods of the North‘ that’s loved by Molly-Mae – with forest lodges and hot tubs.
Sarah Jooste, Product Executive at Sundeals said: “Taking the ferry across to La Graciosa for the day completely changes your perspective of Lanzarote and feels like discovering a hidden island that many visitors never see.”
“For lunch, I’d recommend Casa Enriqueta on La Graciosa, where tapas start from around €6 (£5.13) per dish, while traditional rice and seafood dishes such as paella are typically around €16 (£13.69) per portion, served overlooking the harbour.”
While on the island, you can also head to Caleta de Sebo, which is the main hub of the island where you will find local shops and places serving fresh fish.
For a beach spot, visit Playa de las Conchas, which boasts golden sand and amazing views.
Both Lanzarote and La Graciosa both have amazing beachesCredit: AlamyAnd the two islands are just a short ferry ride from each otherCredit: Alamy
Thanks to the rugged landscape, another popular activity is to head off on a 4×4 Jeep Safari across volcanic land formations.
Prefer hiking? Head up Montaña Amarilla for panoramic views over the sea and coast.
Of course, Lanzarote has many amazing spots too including diving around Museo Atlántico which is Europe’s only underwater sculpture museum, with more than 300 sculptures.
You could also head to Jameos del Agua where you’ll find an underground lagoon inhabited by tiny blind albino crabs found nowhere else in the world.
There is even a restaurant hidden inside the volcanic cave too.
The restaurant serves traditional Canarian dishes but you could also book onto the Insólita Experience guided tour, which includes access to hidden areas of the caves, a tasting at Bar Galería and entry to the Casa de los Volcanes Museum from €41.20 (£35.24) per person.
You could even head to an underwater museum and an underground lagoonCredit: Alamy
Sarah also recommends: “Back on Lanzarote, Bodega Rubicón, in the La Geria region, is a brilliant place to experience the island’s unique volcanic wine culture, with tastings from around €22 (£18.82). It is one of those places where the landscape is just as memorable as the wine itself.”
Kevin Nelson, Managing Director at Sundeals said: “Our research tells us travellers are looking for smart ways to book holidays that give them exactly the experiences they want, with flexibility and a great price.
“A two-in-one holiday, where you have a central base but other destinations or countries nearby to spend a day in, are a great way to pack a lot in for a low-cost.
“Lanzarote is a brilliant example of that. Visitors can enjoy everything they expect from a Canary Island escape but also discover a real hidden gem in La Graciosa.
“For anyone looking to make the most of their holiday time, Lanzarote offers something increasingly valuable – the chance to experience several different sides of a destination without spending your trip travelling between airports.”
ORLANDO, Fla. — Across 250 years, only three elected governors out of thousands have been Black — all Democrats and all men, including current Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
But Moore could soon have company.
With Florida Republicans nominating U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds on Tuesday, there are seven Black major party gubernatorial nominees in addition to Moore — men and women, Democrats and Republicans — on November ballots.
“We do have a unique moment here,” said Moore, who recently became chair of the National Governors Association. He often says that his historic status is “not an applause line” but instead represents a bigger challenge that this country is still looking to overcome.
The Black nominees typically do not focus on the history at stake, instead emphasizing their experience and policy proposals.
“Florida is a great meritocracy in America,” Donalds told reporters Tuesday night after not mentioning his race at all in his victory speech. “I’ll let you guys write about that,” he added.
But many said that more reflective representation matters given the nation’s history, from slavery to Jim Crow and the lingering effects.
“It’s not a secret that some issues in the African American community get ignored and don’t have a voice,” said Aaron Ford, Nevada’s first Black attorney general and now the Democratic nominee for governor. Ford said he brings a focus to issues ranging from voting rights and civil rights to the economy.
Republican Lisa Demuth said she “has never led with any type of identity politics” as Minnesota’s first Black House speaker and now her party’s nominee for governor. “But I recognize the historic state we are in right now,” she said. Michigan Republicans also chose U.S. Rep. John James, who is Black, as their gubernatorial nominee.
Former New York Gov. David Paterson, a Democrat who was not elected but ascended when Eliot Spitzer resigned in 2008, celebrated that the slate crosses party lines. “This is one day when maybe the Democrats and Republicans could stand in front of a statue of George Washington and let him know that we’re finally getting it right,” he said.
Democrats, meanwhile, emphasized that their Black candidates – who also include Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Jermaine Johnson in South Carolina and David Crowley in Wisconsin – are especially important after the U.S. Supreme Cour t cleared the way for states to redraw legislative districts that are majority or plurality nonwhite. That was compounded by President Trump’s attacks on diversity initiatives and push to rewrite how the U.S. tells its history of the slave trade and Jim Crow segregation.
“Governors, in many ways, are becoming the last lines of defense against what we’re seeing in Washington,” Moore said.
A challenge for Black politicians, even more so than reaching the U.S. Senate
Karen Finney, who helped push Democrat Joe Biden to select a Black woman as his vice presidential running mate, said Black politicians often are the first and loudest advocates on issues that acutely affect Black constituents. She and others cited health disparities such as maternal and infant mortality and sickle cell disease, and Finney noted that an inflationary economy hits harder in Black communities that, on average, have lower income and net worth than the wider population.
She said it is important for legislators to raise those matters and even more impactful when it is an executive.
“These are people who have the power to shape our lives, and they shape the agenda,” Finney said.
But the governor’s seat has been notoriously hard for Black politicians to reach, even more difficult than the U.S. Senate. Democrat Douglas Wilder of Virginia took office in 1990 as the nation’s first elected Black governor.
“I didn’t become Maryland’s first Black governor because the Democratic Party said, ‘I think it’s time for us to put Wes Moore up in the seat’,” Moore said. “I had to run against the party.”
“I don’t think that the party is doing enough,” Moore added, specifically bemoaning a “negligence” in Southern states where Black voters anchor Democrats’ base.
Stacey Abrams, who lost two Georgia governor’s races, recalled white Democratic power players raising money for her primary opponent in 2018, although she disputed that explicit racism was the issue.
“We do what we’ve done because it’s what we did,” she said. “Black women have not been executives, and the absence of that proof point becomes a self-reinforcing philosophy.”
This time, she noted, Bottoms already has been an executive as mayor of Atlanta.
Democrats and Republicans talk about ‘identity politics’ differently
In Minnesota, history will be made in November when the state elects its first female governor as Demuth competes against Democrat Amy Klobuchar, a U.S. senator. Demuth said she looks forward to a day when such distinctions seem less notable.
“One of the things that I really do look forward to is where it’s already done, where it no longer makes history,” she said. “So I think of young women, little girls that are looking at you, could I ever be governor of Minnesota? I hope when I win, they’re able to look at point to that and say she’s already done it.”
In Georgia, Bottoms told the National Association of Black Journalists last week that she does not “give a lot of talk … about the historical nature” of her campaign. Yet she notes her family’s Georgia ties go “back at least five generations through a plantation in Crawfordville” and that her grandfather had to “walk through these back doors” when he moved to Atlanta. She never mentioned slavery or segregation but said her ancestry “is always present with me.”
Abrams, who has campaigned for Bottoms and other Democrats this year, was more direct, arguing that all politics is identity politics of some kind — and that Republicans’ version is simply more coded.
“When your Constitution specifically strips a race of its humanity, you cannot then later on say identity doesn’t matter and has no effect, and we’ve spent 250 years trying to reckon with that identity” with social, political and legal fights, she continued. “So, it’s deeply disingenuous, if not woefully naive, to say that identity does not matter.”
Race shapes many decisions, but not all of them
Deval Patrick, whose tenure in Massachusetts overlapped with Paterson’s in New York, said his race mattered especially to his Black constituents and what they wanted from him. It was “just different than the expectations of my predecessors,” he said, recalling criticism after he did not visit a Boston neighborhood where a teenager had been killed by gun violence.
“His mother was on the news grieving, and at some point she said while the cameras were rolling, where is Gov. Patrick?” he said. “Nobody had ever asked one of my predecessors to come to a crime scene in a neighborhood. Never.”
In Nevada, Ford said being governor still means recognizing how many core issues – jobs, housing and healthcare – cross demographic lines.
“It could be a white man, a Latino woman. It could be a person urban, suburban or rural Nevada. It could be someone from northern Nevada, southern Nevada. These are the issues that are important to them,” he said.
Patrick, who talks regularly with Ford and Moore, agreed, saying that is not just how a governor does the job, but how a candidate wins it in the first place.
“The successful candidates are the ones who present themselves as candidates for everyone,” he said, “and not candidates for just some.”
Barrow and Sloan write for the Associated Press. Sloan reported from Washington.
The Baleba situation also highlights a strategic change.
In the past, United have almost trailed the players they want to sign, then spent ages trying to complete a deal – or not.
Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong was a case in point in 2022. Erik ten Hag felt certain he could do the deal even though United’s recruitment staff were being told it was impossible.
It was well into August before the club admitted defeat; with defeats by Brighton and Brentford triggering the £70m deal for Casemiro.
This summer, there has been stealth behind their work. It suited them for talk around England’s Elliot Anderson to obscure what they were thinking around initial midfield targets as they knew the Nottingham Forest man would be financially beyond their reach.
The Santos deal was wrapped up within a week. The Tielemans one was less than that.
There has been consideration given to Mount being the ‘third midfielder’ because of his exceptional form in the early part of pre-season.
However, although his early exit in the encounter with Paris St-Germain in Gothenburg on 8 August was described as ‘precautionary’, Mount has still to return from the foot injury, which would only have heightened concerns around his injury record.
Baleba was supposedly off the radar as a third midfielder. Tchouameni, Scott, Kone, Berge and Adams were the ones being monitored. Now United have made their move, it would be a surprise if the transfer was not concluded swiftly.
Evidently, Old Trafford’s recruitment plans are now being controlled to a far tighter degree than was previously the case.
Aug. 19 (UPI) — David Morens, a former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases employee, pleaded guilty to taking part in a scheme to hide federal records during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Morens made his guilty plea on Tuesday in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses and defraud the United States. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in a scheme to evade Freedom of Information Act requests and the Federal Records Act by hiding federal records.
Morens is one of three people alleged to be part of the scheme. He faces up to five years in prison.
The person referred to as “co-conspirator 1” by the Justice Department was a CEO of a New York-based nonprofit that received the “Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence” grant in 2014. That grant is a key part of the indictment as its termination precipitated the alleged scheme.
Co-conspirator 1 created a subaward with the grant and awarded it to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan China, which has been the subject of theories that the COVID-19 virus leaked from the lab, sparking the pandemic.
The Justice Department said that Morens and two co-conspirators carried out the scheme after one of the co-conspirators’ National Institute of Health grant was terminated. The three people involved planned the scheme to restore the terminated grant.
In his guilty plea, Morens admitted that he hid emails that related to the pandemic in a personal account to avoid them being publicly released, circumventing public records laws. He had previously explained that he did this to stop the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 and to protect Dr. Anthony Fauci from receiving threats.
Fauci has not been accused of any wrongdoing in relation to the case.
Morens served as a senior adviser at NIAID’s Office of the Director between 2006 and 2022. The Justice Department indicted him in April on five counts related to the plan to hide federal records from the public.
President Donald Trump hosts lifeguard Ryder Williams in the Oval Office of the White House on Monday. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo
Police added that officers have trawled hours of public and private CCTV footage as part of the investigation, while door-to-door enquiries are also continuing.
The last sighting of either man had been on Friday morning.
Police also said the Chancellor Street property where the bodies were found was the home of one of the victims, and that the two men knew each other.
Det Supt Kelly said: “I am appealing directly to anyone with any information, no matter how small or insignificant they feel it may be, to come forward and speak to us.
“Please do not assume that the police already know the information you have.
“We are keen to hear from anyone who knew Paul and Gary or who was in the Partick area near to Chancellor Street from Friday morning from 09:00, who saw Paul or Gary, or saw or heard anything suspicious.”
Supt Craig Brady said: “I would like to extend my sympathies to the family and friends of Paul and Gary as they try to come to terms with their loss.
“We understand the significant impact this will have on the local community and I would like to thank everyone for their help so far.”
Post-mortem examinations took place on Monday and Tuesday and confirmed the causes of death as being murder.
Tina Peters was recently released early from prison amid a pressure campaign from President Trump after the former Colorado elections official was convicted of tampering with voting machines.
Now, the top elections official in a conservative California county with a long history of voting controversies is seeking to hire her to help run elections there.
Clint Curtis, the registrar of voters in Shasta County, said on a local radio show Sunday that he planned to hire Peters as the assistant registrar next month, just weeks ahead of the November election.
“Tina Peters, she’s now available, so we’re going to pull her in. She has experience, and she’s able to take the rocks and arrows,” Curtis told the hosts of “Jefferson State of Mine,” a show hosted by leaders of the State of Jefferson secession movement.
In response to questions from The Times about the hiring process, Curtis said in an email Tuesday afternoon that “counties are very slow” in bringing in new staffers and that Peters would be brought on “as a consultant.”
“Her duties would be to assist with supervision of the November election,” Curtis wrote. “None of our consultants have access to the voting systems, so she would be insulated from false claims.”
A bank of surveillance screens hangs in the public observation room at the Shasta County elections office in Redding, Calif., in February.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Peters, the former clerk in Mesa County, Colo., was convicted in 2024 and sentenced to nine years behind bars for breaching her county’s voting machines as part of a scheme to show that the 2020 election was rigged against Trump — a claim that has been repeatedly debunked.
She was found guilty of helping an outside computer expert — an associate of pro-Trump conspiracy theorist and MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell — gain unauthorized access to Mesa County’s Dominion election equipment in 2021 and make copies of its hard drive before and after a software upgrade.
Peters was released from prison in June. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, commuted her sentence after months of haranguing from the president. Trump issued a pardon for Peters in December, but since her conviction was for state, not federal, crimes, it fell outside his purview.
‘Monkey business’ and a not-so-open job
In a statement to The Times on Tuesday, Peters’ attorney, Peter Ticktin, said she was “giving consideration to helping in the efforts in Shasta County as there most definitely has been monkey business in the way the election was handled.”
Ticktin, who cited his client’s “effort to get the invasive machines out of our election process,” did not elaborate on which election had alleged problems or what kind of role she had been offered.
The terms of Peters’ parole forbid her from leaving the state without permission from her parole officer, although, after her release, she visited Trump at the White House.
Talk about hiring Peters in Shasta County set off alarm bells across California.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office tweeted Monday that Peters “should still be in prison” and that “the state is investigating this.”
“Tina Peters, she’s now available, so we’re going to pull her in,” says Clint Curtis, Shasta County registrar of voters. “She has experience, and she’s able to take the rocks and arrows.”
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
And Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat, wrote on Facebook that talk of her hiring “should be stopped immediately. “
Brent Turner, the Shasta County assistant registrar whom Curtis suggested he would replace, said there’s one glaring problem with that plan: He hasn’t quit.
“I am the assistant registrar, last I checked, and until further notice I’m planning on continuing to serve the public in that role,” Turner said in an interview Tuesday.
Turner said he had not spoken to Curtis for days and that he learned his boss was floating Peters’ name as a replacement from a local reporter who called him Sunday for comment.
On the “Jefferson State of Mine” broadcast, Curtis said of Turner: ”He got sick on me. I was hoping he’d just, like, retire on June 2 and go away and let me fill [the position], but he didn’t.”
Turner said it was “inappropriate” for Curtis to speak publicly about his health and that he had not given him permission to do so.
Miranda Angel, a Shasta County spokeswoman, said in an email Monday that “there is no formal proposal or application” to replace Turner and that “any prospective employee or consultant would go through the same hiring process as anyone else seeking employment with the county.”
An elections office embroiled in controversy
Shasta County made national headlines in 2023 when its Board of Supervisors ditched Dominion voting machines based on unfounded claims of fraud and opted to hand-count ballots for more than 110,000 registered voters — quickly prompting a new state law that banned them from doing so.
He was appointed by the county Board of Supervisors to fill the position vacated by two previous registrars who resigned for health reasons that they said were exacerbated by the stress of the job.
Curtis stands in the election counting area on Feb. 25 in Redding, Calif. Curtis installed a controversial election observer area filled with cameras trained on election workers’ hands as they feed ballots into machines.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Curtis lived in Florida then, had no previous ties to the area, and had never run an election. He got the position after advocating for hand-counting ballots and bragging in a public job interview that he had worked with Mike Lindell.
In Shasta County, he promptly eliminated nine of the vast, mostly-rural county’s 13 ballot dropboxes. He accused his predecessors in the elections office, without evidence, of stuffing ballots to sabotage conservative Republicans, and he called on federal authorities to raid his office and seize ballots.
Curtis also publicly advocated for Measure B, a voter-approved measure that would eliminate most voting by mail and require ballots to be hand-counted, among other sweeping changes.
California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber, the state’s top elections official, sued Shasta County over the citizens’ initiative in mid-June, arguing that it violated numerous state election laws and must be struck down before the November election.
Shasta County Superior Court Judge Benjamin L. Hanna this month issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily blocks implementation of Measure B, which voters approved in the June primary.
In that same election, Curtis was voted out of office. He will be replaced in January by Joanna Francescut, the former longtime assistant registrar, whom he fired.
A censure — and another reprimand
When Curtis spoke on the radio broadcast Sunday about hiring Peters — with whom, he said, he has regular phone conversations — he was under formal censure by the Board of Supervisors for his treatment of staff.
This spring, the county released the findings of two personnel investigations into Curtis’ conduct that were spurred by concerns raised by elections employees and their union representatives.
An internal investigation and an external probe by Oppenheimer Investigations Group found that Curtis made phone calls related to his own campaign during county work hours and casually threatened to kill, spank, slap or “throat punch” staffers.
He threatened to have one employee dragged out of the office by their hair, according to an internal investigation report by Monica Fugitt, the county’s director of support services.
“Mr. Curtis has demonstrated a clear pattern of unprofessional and abusive conduct toward staff,” wrote Fugitt, who recommended Curtis be physically separated from the elections staff, working at a different physical location or remotely because of his “pervasive abusive conduct.”
The Board of Supervisors censured Curtis on Aug. 11.
He responded by inviting reporters to the elections office in downtown Redding, where he showed them security footage that, he said, showed employees breaking into a room in the building, the news outlet Shasta Scout reported.
A woman walks past a ballot drop box in the Shasta County city of Anderson on Feb. 25.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Curtis allowed reporters to take video of the footage and said he had not discussed the matter with the staffers, Shasta Scout reported.
The county condemned those actions in an Aug. 14 news release, saying he “has repeatedly been advised of appropriate procedures for addressing and investigating personnel matters and advised of the importance of maintaining confidentiality of such matters.”
Curtis, the county wrote, showed “complete disregard for those procedures as well as employees’ due process rights.”
In an email Tuesday, Shasta County deputy chief executive officer Stewart Buettell said the county and its Board of Supervisors do not have the power to terminate Curtis’ employment because he was appointed to fill a vacancy in an elected position.
“As soon as they assume that office, it’s as if they were elected,” Buettell said. To be removed from the office, he said, Curtis would have to be recalled by voters.
A photo published last week by Shasta Scout shows a pair of doors to a room in the elections office containing ballots from the June election. Curtis sealed the doors with locks, duct tape and red-lettered signs that read: “KEEP OUT PER ROV CLINT CURTIS.”
“I had facilities put this lock on and destroy the keys,” Curtis told the news outlet. “So if someone comes … they have to bring a warrant and a bolt cutter. That’s the only way to get in that room.”
Turner, the assistant registrar, told The Times that “Clint seems to be taking issue with some of the ballots in his own race” that he lost.
The high school football season begins this weekend with Week 0 games. Let’s examine storylines and questions to be answered:
Will a lineman be the player of the year?
The last time a lineman was The Times’ player of the year was St. John Bosco offensive tackle Wyatt Davis in 2016. The Braves now have Elisha Mueller, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound junior transfer from Servite, as one of their blockers, so don’t be surprised if he emerges as an MVP candidate on a team that can go unbeaten. Sierra Canyon defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou is also an MVP-like lineman.
Can any City Section team beat defending champion Carson?
Call it unlikely. The Colts return versatile quarterback Chris Fields III, who does magical things when you least expect it. There’s linemen to protect him and a nonleague schedule that should have the Colts prepared to run over Marine League teams.
Can Santa Margarita show its 2025 championship in the first year of Carson Palmer as coach was no fluke?
The Eagles don’t have the defensive front from last season that was so dominating and gone to USC is Mr. Big Play, Trent Mosley. Expect the Eagles to put up a good challenge to St. John Bosco in the Trinity League. There’s speed and talent and Steven Fifita is about as good a defensive coordinator as there is. Wait for the young players, led by freshman linebacker Aydan Steen, to come on strong late in season.
Former Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer raises the 2025 Southern Section Division 1 championship plaque in his first year as head coach at Santa Margarita.
(Craig Weston)
Is Long Beach Poly ready for a resurgence?
First-year coach Travon Patterson made one of the best hires for his offensive coordinator, former Cathedral and Warren coach Kevin Pearson. He has two cornerbacks second to none in JuJu Johnson and Donte Wright. The key to the Jackrabbits returning to the top in the Moore League will be whether they can develop their offensive line to be effective.
Who will be the most successful first-year coach?
This is going to be debated all season because so many well-known football programs changed coaches. Servite’s Rick Garretson, Orange Lutheran’s Ray Fenton and JSerra’s Hardy Nickerson have high expectations from their rabid fan base. St. Bernard’s Dean Herrington takes on a rebuilding job. Bishop Alemany’s Dennis Keyes takes over a program that hit rock bottom. Jeff Bailey left Yorba Linda for Beverly Hills, which can go nowhere but up. You’ve heard of Storm Watch. This season will be called Rookie Coach Watch.
How many teams will make the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs?
Don’t look for more than eight. The Southern Section wants competitive equity, and the leading candidates at the end of the season can already be predicted: St. John Bosco, Santa Margarita, Orange Lutheran, Mater Dei, Servite, Corona Centennial, Sierra Canyon and Mission Viejo. Remember last season, with the help of rain, the No. 8 seed, Orange Lutheran, stunned the No. 1 seed, St. John Bosco.
Quarterback Chris Fields III of Carson is a dual threat quarterback who led the Colts to the City Section Open Division title last season.
(Craig Weston)
Does the City Section still have talent?
Absolutely. The recruiters have already discovered defensive end Elyjah Staples from Marquez, linebacker De’Andre Kirkpatrick from Crenshaw, Fieldsand his heavily recruited Carson teammate and defensive back Bennie Saulter. There are others waiting for their chance. Beware of receiver Paul Turner of Birmingham.
Will there be another eligibility scandal?
Count on it if athletic directors and principals don’t take their jobs seriously to give scrutiny to transfer paperwork and make home visits. There were rumors throughout the summer of 2025 about Bishop Montgomery turning the other cheek, and sure enough, they were correct. The school ended up canceling its season after too many players were declared ineligible.
What are the great games to mark on your calendar?
On Thursday, it’s Corona Centennial vs. Servite at Orange Coast College. On Friday, it’s St. John Bosco at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman.
Aug. 28: Inglewood at Westlake, Santa Margarita at Corona Centennial. Sept. 4: Murrieta Valley at Cajon, San Clemente at Chaparral. Sept. 10: Corona del Mar at Newport Harbor. Sept. 11: Corona Centennial vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, Cathedral at King/Drew. Sept. 18: Orange Lutheran at Sierra Canyon. Sept. 25: Oxnard Pacifica at Sierra Canyon, Servite at Damien.
Coach Jason Negro and St. John Bosco open the season as the No. 1 team in California.
(Craig Weston)
Oct. 1: Murrieta Valley at Chaparral. Oct. 2: San Pedro at Banning, Crean Lutheran at Tustin, Bishop Amat at Gardena Serra. Oct. 9: Sierra Canyon at Gardena Serra, Orange Lutheran at St. John Bosco. Oct. 15: Norco at Corona Centennial. Oct. 16: King/Drew at Crenshaw, Mission Viejo at San Clemente, Santa Margarita at St. John Bosco.
Oct. 23: San Pedro at Carson, Corona Centennial at Chaparral, St. Bonaventure at Oxnard Pacifica, Long Beach Poly at Long Beach Millikan. Oct. 29: Garfield vs. Roosevelt at East L.A. College, Edison at San Clemente, Valencia vs. Hart at College of the Canyons, St. John Bosco vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium.
Which coaches might be under the microscope?
First-year coaches at private schools will start feeling pressure if their players don’t deliver results. There’s little patience these days from boosters, parents and fans. Watch the Corona Centennial staff, because someone there is going to one day succeed future Hall of Famer Matt Logan.
What will be the new trend in 2026?
Watching to see how well PlayOn Sports handles its control of high school sports in California. It owns MaxPreps, the NFHS Network, GoFan.co and just won state playoff TV rights from the CIF, replacing Spectrum, who’s 15-year contract ended in June. People are waiting to see if prices increase or quality decreases. And who will hold them accountable? They are the definition of monopoly for high school sports. Competition always brings out the best in businesses, so the lack of that has to be something to monitor.
What are five predictions that will come true?
St. John Bosco will win the Division 1 title (barring rain). Carson will win the City Section Open Division title (barring injury to Fields). Jack Hurst of Laguna Beach will lead Southern California with the most touchdown passes (barring his receivers doing too much surfing). Corona Centennial will exceed 70 points in a single game (barring a running clock in the first half). Lots of teams will forfeit games because of an ineligible player (barring athletic directors being skeptical of every transfer).
ONE busy London station has closed until next month – and it is bad news if you are travelling during the day.
Southwark Underground Station in London has now closed during the daytime, every weekday across the next month.
Southwark Underground Station will be closed during the day over the next few weeksCredit: Alamy
The closure started on August 17 and will run until September 11.
This means that the Jubilee Line will not stop at the station at certain times of the day.
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Commuters shouldn’t be impacted too much though as the station will only be closed between 9:45am and 4:15pm, but Transport for London (TfL) is advising passengers to check before they travel.
But families or tourists travelling off peak will not be able to get off at the station.
The tube station is undergoing extensive construction works above ground including two mixed-use buildings being added on top of the site.
High noise levels mean that it is unsafe to run operations during the time construction work is being done.
There will also be a new shopping area and cafe space, as well as a public garden and a play area.
The next nearest station on the Jubilee Line is Waterloo, which is around an eight to 10-minute walk away.
Work is being done above the station to build two new buildingsCredit: Alamy
Once work has finished on the station and surrounding site, there will be a 15 storey building with 429 ensuite studio rooms, used as student accommodation.
There will then be another nine storey block, with 44 council homes.
Southwark station opened back in 1999 as part of the Jubilee Line Extension (JLE) and today, 30 trains per hour in each direction at the station.
In November 2025, the station was officially awarded Grade II-listed status by Historic England.
Experts at the time even labelled it as “one of the most memorable and theatrical spaces on the London Underground network”.
Military vehicles line up at Camp Humphreys, the main U.S. base in Pyeongtaek, on Wednesday as the allies conduct the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield combined exercise. Seoul announced Wednesday the drills would be cut short following orders by U.S. President Donald Trump. Photo by Yonhap
SEOUL, Aug. 19 (UPI) — South Korea and the United States will significantly scale down their ongoing Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercise, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday, cutting it short by almost a week following an order by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“South Korea and the United States have agreed to make partial adjustments to the exercise period and scale at the suggestion of the U.S. side,” the JCS said in a statement.
“First, it was decided to adjust the duration of this UFS exercise to run from the 17th to the 21st,” the statement said. “Second, it was decided to conduct the combined field maneuver training on a reduced scale.”
The allies are discussing specific details of the field training reduction, the JCS added.
Ulchi Freedom Shield began Monday and was originally scheduled to run through Aug. 27.
The move comes after Trump called for the drills to be “substantially reduced” in a Truth Social post Sunday, saying they are expensive and “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Wednesday morning that Seoul was not given advance notice of Trump’s directive.
“Neither our government nor officials within the U.S. government had any prior knowledge of what President Trump revealed on Truth Social,” Cho said at a parliamentary hearing. “Consequently, we were not notified beforehand.”
In his Sunday post, Trump said Pyongyang “has been unthreatening and respectful” while he has been in the White House.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump touted his personal relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying Kim had “always treated me with great respect.”
“I understand him. He understands me,” Trump said, adding that Kim had responded to his requests for talks but providing no further details.
The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials, reported Tuesday that Trump is pushing aides to arrange a meeting with Kim as soon as this fall, although no official planning is underway. Trump has privately discussed holding talks during his next trip to Asia, which could come in November when world leaders gather for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China.
North Korea, meanwhile, has not publicly responded to Trump’s overture. In a commentary published earlier Wednesday, before Seoul announced the reduction, the state-run Korean Central News Agency criticized Ulchi Freedom Shield as “frantic exercises” pushing the Korean Peninsula to the “threshold of a war.”
The commentary threatened that Pyongyang would continue exercising its “right to self-defence” to counter what it called military threats from the allies.
North Korea frequently condemns U.S.-South Korean military drills as rehearsals for an invasion.
Trump similarly called for suspending or scaling back the exercises in his first term, when he pursued direct diplomacy with Kim that included summits in Singapore and Hanoi and a brief meeting at the DMZ.
After the 2018 Singapore summit, Trump surprised observers by announcing that the United States would halt what he called “provocative” joint military exercises with South Korea. That year’s Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise was canceled, while several subsequent drills were reduced in scale.
Japan has issued an unusually direct criticism of its U.S. ally after Washington imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye.
Japan’s foreign ministry described the sanctions as “very unfortunate” and reaffirmed Tokyo’s support for the ICC and its role in prosecuting serious international crimes. The statement marks a rare public disagreement between Tokyo and Washington over an issue of international law.
The dispute comes as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump intensifies its campaign against the Hague based court. Washington has increasingly challenged the ICC over its investigations and arrest warrants involving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as its earlier investigation into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan.
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For Japan, however, the issue is particularly sensitive. Tokyo depends heavily on the United States for its national defence, yet it has consistently supported the ICC and the broader international legal framework surrounding it.
Why Did the U.S. Sanction ICC Officials?
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the sanctions targeted individuals involved in ICC efforts to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute officials from governments that have not consented to the court’s jurisdiction.
Among those sanctioned was Tomoko Akane, a Japanese judge who serves as ICC president. Abdoulaye Seye, a Senegalese senior trial lawyer, was also targeted. Seye was part of the prosecution team that sought an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and has been nominated for election as an ICC judge.
Washington argues that the ICC has exceeded its authority by pursuing officials from countries that have not accepted its jurisdiction.
The United States is not a member of the ICC and has repeatedly objected to the court’s actions involving American personnel and Israeli officials.
The latest sanctions therefore represent another escalation in Washington’s confrontation with the institution.
Why Is Japan Supporting the ICC?
Japan joined the ICC in 2007 and has consistently supported its role in prosecuting war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.
Tokyo’s foreign ministry said Japan remains committed to strengthening the rule of law internationally while maintaining communication with countries involved in the dispute.
Japan’s position reflects its broader commitment to international institutions and rules based governance.
For Tokyo, the ICC is not simply a legal institution. It is part of a wider international order in which disputes and allegations of serious crimes are addressed through established legal mechanisms.
That creates an obvious tension with Washington’s increasingly confrontational approach.
Why Is This Significant for U.S. Japan Relations?
Japan rarely criticises the United States publicly, particularly on issues involving national security.
The two countries maintain a close military alliance, with U.S. forces playing a central role in Japan’s defence and regional deterrence.
Japan’s decision to openly describe the sanctions as “very unfortunate” therefore carries diplomatic significance.
It does not indicate that Tokyo is abandoning Washington or challenging the broader alliance. Instead, it demonstrates that the two countries can maintain close security cooperation while disagreeing sharply over international law.
That distinction is becoming increasingly important as U.S. foreign policy under Trump diverges from the positions of several traditional allies.
The ICC Dispute Is Also Creating Friction in Europe
Japan is not the only U.S. ally to object to the latest sanctions.
The Netherlands, which hosts the ICC, has also criticised Washington’s action. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said the Netherlands opposed the sanctions and invited Akane to discuss continued support for the court.
The development places Washington increasingly at odds with European partners as well as Japan.
The disagreement therefore extends beyond the U.S. relationship with a single international institution. It raises broader questions about how far America’s allies are willing to follow Washington when its policies conflict with international institutions they continue to support.
What Do the Sanctions Actually Do?
The sanctions have significant practical consequences.
They freeze any U.S. assets held by the targeted individuals and largely cut them off from the American financial system. Because most internationally active banks maintain close connections with the U.S. financial system, the effects can extend beyond American jurisdiction.
The U.S. Treasury Department has also authorized a temporary wind down of transactions involving Akane and Seye through September 17.
The measures therefore do more than express political disagreement. They can directly affect the ability of sanctioned individuals to conduct international financial activities.
Washington’s Wider Campaign Against the ICC
The sanctions against Akane and Seye are part of a broader U.S. campaign against the court.
Washington previously imposed sanctions on several ICC prosecutors and judges after the court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant and pursued an earlier investigation involving U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Rubio has also indicated that the administration intends to intensify efforts against the ICC through diplomatic pressure on other countries.
According to Reuters, Washington has sought to encourage countries to leave the institution, with at least five countries already responding to the call.
The strategy therefore goes beyond individual sanctions. It represents an attempt to challenge the ICC’s legitimacy and reduce its international reach.
Why Does Japan’s Position Matter?
Japan’s response is significant because Tokyo has generally been closely aligned with Washington on major strategic questions.
Japan faces a challenging regional security environment involving China, North Korea and wider tensions in the Indo Pacific. Maintaining a strong U.S. alliance remains central to Japanese security policy.
Yet Tokyo has also invested heavily in supporting international institutions and the rule of law.
The ICC dispute highlights the possibility that these two pillars of Japanese foreign policy can sometimes pull in different directions.
Japan may need American military power for its security while simultaneously disagreeing with Washington on how international law should operate.
That is not necessarily a crisis in the alliance, but it illustrates its increasingly complicated political foundations.
Could the Dispute Deepen Divisions Among U.S. Allies?
The ICC controversy could contribute to a wider pattern of disagreement between Washington and its traditional partners.
The United States is increasingly willing to use economic and diplomatic pressure against international institutions it considers hostile to American interests. Several European governments, by contrast, continue to view those institutions as essential components of the rules based international order.
Japan’s criticism adds an important Asian voice to that disagreement.
If more U.S. allies openly defend the ICC, Washington could face growing diplomatic isolation on the issue even while maintaining strong bilateral security relationships.
That could make the dispute increasingly difficult to contain as a narrow disagreement between the United States and an international court.
How Far Can Japan Disagree With Washington?
Japan’s criticism of the ICC sanctions should not be interpreted as a fundamental rupture in the U.S. Japan alliance.
Tokyo remains heavily dependent on Washington for defence and security, and there is little indication that the ICC dispute will fundamentally alter that relationship.
Its importance lies elsewhere.
Japan is signalling that alliance solidarity does not necessarily require complete alignment on international law.
For Tokyo, supporting the ICC is consistent with a broader foreign policy objective: maintaining an international system governed by rules and institutions rather than purely by the power of individual states.
Washington’s position is increasingly different. The Trump administration views the ICC as a potential threat to American sovereignty and to officials from the United States and allied governments who could face prosecution by the court.
This creates an unusual strategic contradiction.
The United States and Japan remain closely aligned against major security challenges in the Indo Pacific, yet they are increasingly capable of finding themselves on opposite sides of debates over the international legal order.
The consequences could extend beyond the ICC itself.
If Washington continues using sanctions and diplomatic pressure against international institutions while its allies continue defending them, the United States may find that its strategic partnerships remain strong militarily but become more divided politically.
For Japan, the challenge will be maintaining its essential alliance with Washington without abandoning its support for the international legal institutions it considers important.
The ICC dispute therefore reveals a broader tension within the U.S. alliance system: strategic partners may remain united on security while increasingly disagreeing over the rules and institutions that are supposed to govern international politics.
MATCHBOX 20 frontman Rob Thomas accidentally smashed his bandmate in the head with a metal microphone stand in a nasty gig incident.
Footage of the moment shows a pumped up Rob swinging the stand around, totally in the zone, without realising his guitarist Paul Doucette is stood dangerously close behind him.
Rob Thomas hit his bandmate Paul with a mic stand at a recent gigCredit: Troy Armstrong via StoryfulRob then launched the stand across the stageCredit: Troy Armstrong via Storyful
As he swings it a final time before releasing it, it clips his pal in the back of the head, forcing him to leave the stage.
Rob, 54, then tells the Illinois crowd: “Every night I’m over here and I’m throwing this god damn thing around… oh I went, it nailed him, yeah we nailed him hard.
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“My best friend in the world and I think I almost killed him and I feel really bad about this.”
Paul, 53, returned to the stage with a smile on his face and a glass of wine in his hand.
Paul returned with a smile despite Rob’s fear he ‘could have killed him’Credit: Troy Armstrong via StoryfulRob and wife Marisol have been married since 1999Credit: Getty
He said: “How many times have I told you not to throw that f**king thing? I knew it was only a matter of time.”
The veteran rock band have been together since the mid-90s but have only put out two albums since 2002, the latest being Where the Light Goes in 2023.
They are best known for emotional ballads like Push, 3AM and Bent — their first number one hit.
Frontman Rob is perhaps best-known for his 1999 single, Smooth, with Carlos Santana which became the second best-selling record of all time.
His debut solo album topped the Billboard chart in 2005, led by the hit single Lonely No More.
The singer, who is a dad-of-one, has been married to his wife Marisol since 1999, bucking the lothario stereotype attached to rock frontmen.
Viking Holdings (VIK) delivered another solid quarter, achieving double-digit growth in its key metrics and seeing its itineraries for the remainder of the year nearly fully booked.
“Our second quarter results reflect the continued execution of our long-term strategy and
