From £27 per night
Sykes Cottages
Hegseth: Pentagon to end Harvard partnership over ‘woke’ ideology
Feb. 7 (UPI) — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon would end its academic partnership with Harvard University over what he called a “woke” institution that is not welcoming to the U.S. military.
In a video posted on Friday to X, Hegseth said the Department of Defense would end its partnership and work with the private university — which dates to before the American Revolution — over its alleged “wokeness.”
The move, according to a statement from the Pentagon, is “because attendance at the school no longer meets the needs of the [Department of Defense] or the military services.”
Calling the decision “long overdue,” Hegseth said that all professional military education, fellowships and certificate programs at Harvard will be formally ended starting with the 2026-2027 school year.
Members of the military who are already attending classes there, however, will be permitted to finish their courses of study, the Pentagon said.
Noting that the U.S. military has had “an important and often positive relationship” with the university for more than 250 years, Hegseth said that “Harvard is no longer a welcoming institution to military personnel or the right place to develop them.”
“Too many of our officers came back looking too much like Harvard — heads full of globalist and radical ideologies that do not improve our fighting ranks,” he said, adding that “the school has become a factory for woke ideology and a breeding ground for anti-American radicals.”
Hegseth alleged that Harvard research programs work with the Chinese Communist Party, university leadership has encouraged celebrations of Hamas and allowed attacks on Jewish students, and that the university “promotes discrimination based on race.”
Harvard University has been involved in some way with the U.S. military in an official capacity since 1775 when George Washington used the university as a military base, according to The Harvard Gazette.
Washington basing about 1,000 soldiers in Harvard Yard followed Harvard students and faculty who had “given their lives for the burgeoning nation” in war efforts for 150 years preceding the Revolutionary War, the university said.
Since President Donald Trump was inaugurated back into office in January 2025, Harvard has been one of several universities to draw his administration’s ire.
This has included everything from protests against the war between Israel and Hamas, academic programs and federal investments it deemed waste and their introduction of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs to improve student and faculty life.
Hegseth noted in the statement about Harvard that DOD plans to evaluate all existing graduate education programs for active-duty members of the military at all Ivy League and other universities.
“The goal is to determine whether or not they actually deliver cost-effective strategic education for future senior leaders when compared to, say, public universities or our military graduate programs,” he said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a press conference at the Department of Justice Headquarters on Friday. Justice Department officials have announced that the FBI has arrested Zubayr al-Bakoush, a suspect in the 2012 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
Why western Sicily is Italy’s emerging arts hub | Sicily holidays
From the ostentatious baroque square of Quattro Canti all the way up to the Teatro Massimo, Palermo’s Via Maqueda is thick with tourists. Pomegranate juice sellers are setting up pyramids of fruit on their carts at gaps in the crowd and waiters are trying to reel in passersby with happy hour prices for Aperol spritzes. Amid the noise and movement, it’s easy to walk straight past number 206, whose arched doorway features a stone cross stained black with dirt – a clue to the building’s former use.
Convento dei Crociferi was abandoned for 30 years, until Sicilian power couple Andrea Bartoli and Florinda Saievi took over and transformed it into Palermo’s newest arts space, the Museum of World Cities, due to open at the end of February. Inside, a cloister with high, scalloped porticoes frames a verdant courtyard filled with palms and banana trees. Bartoli comes to meet me and enthusiastically pumps my hand before leading me up to the grand, marble-floored rooms on the first floor, which have been given over to a rather self-referential exhibition on urban change.
“Cities change because people make them change,” Bartoli tells me. This is the ethos behind their organisation Farm Cultural Park, which has rehabilitated four different urban sites across western Sicily, starting with the city of Favara in 2010. The former sulphur mining town suffered rapid depopulation when its mines closed after the second world war, and many buildings across the historical centre were abandoned by owners who emigrated abroad.
Bartoli and Saievi decided to transform a warren of empty, crumbling palazzos into a colourful casbah of art studios, exhibition spaces and hipster cafes. It had the effect of reviving the town, making it a destination for holidaymakers. One oft-repeated statistic is that before Bartoli and Saievi came along, there was only one six-room hotel in Favara – now the town has 600 tourist beds.
“What happened in Favara was a miracle. But you can’t just put art in a place and hope it solves all of the problems,” says Bartoli pragmatically. “Contemporary art can’t change Sicily. It can’t improve the healthcare system or education.” But it can be used as a tool to draw in visitors, generate employment and, potentially, lure back residents. Farm Cultural Park, along with other art foundations, gallery owners and artists, has seized on a moment of opportunity. Sicily’s depopulation crisis is occurring in tandem with a resurgence in the island’s cultural scene, and vacant churches, prisons and convents are being snapped up.
Close to Palermo harbour, another arts organisation, Fondazione RIV, has transformed the cavernous, dark interior of the deconsecrated San Mamiliano church into a contemporary art exhibition, plunging the church’s ornate frescoes and tapestries into darkness to better spotlight the artworks on display. Nearby, in the heart of the Vucciria district, Cristina Giarnecchia and Adriano La Licata have turned an unused storage space and former warehouse into All, a studio, exhibition venue and incubator for contemporary artists and curators.
The same creative energy can be found outside Palermo. Gibellina, the next stop on my contemporary art tour of western Sicily, has been an art hotspot for decades, but is only now getting wider recognition. Art is present even as you enter the town – in fact, you drive right through it. An enormous star, Stella d’ingresso al Belice by Pietro Consagra, built out of stainless steel, straddles the dual carriageway.
Gibellina was built from scratch after the original town was razed by an earthquake in 1968, and the then-mayor, Ludovico Corrao, invited artists and architects to reimagine the city, weaving art into the town’s fabric. His audacious post-disaster reconstruction plan turned Gibellina into a carousel of experimental postmodern buildings, sculptures and mosaics.
“The founding principle of Gibellina is that artists would live here and work with the community to create works of art they would then leave behind,” explains Ludovico Corrao’s daughter, Antonella Corrao, who runs local arts organisation Fondazione Orestiadi alongside her sister. “Gibellina has never been a place where art is commodified.”
In recognition of its heritage, the national government has just designated Gibellina the country’s first Italian Capital of Contemporary Art, hoping it will breathe life back into a town that has mostly dropped off the tourist map.
wings by architect Alessandro Mendini. Photograph: Abaca Press/Alamy
An old civic centre designed by Nanda Vigo has been emptied of debris after decades of disuse and repurposed for residencies for visiting artists, dance troupes and performers. Graffiti has been scrubbed from Francesco Venezia’s roofless, postmodern spiral Giardino Segreto I-II. Torre Civica, a concrete tower with colourful wings designed by architect Alessandro Mendini, was originally fitted with speakers that played regional folk songs several times a day. In 2026, the tower will once again play music.
When I asked Antonella whether the Capital of Contemporary Art designation was the culmination of her father’s vision for Gibellina, she was moved to tears, describing it not as an end point, but a new beginning for the town: “This is how a dream becomes reality – with art truly becoming an economic driver for the region.”
I was reluctant to move on from Gibellina, as even after several days of wandering I still hadn’t seen every artwork or postmodern building in the town, but I wanted to go further south, to check out where this drive for urban revitalisation had begun.
My partner and I stayed at Sciabica Suite in Favara in the heart of Farm Cultural Park, a pocket of quiet luxury inside the riddle of the casbah. We were there on a blustery, rainy night in late November, so couldn’t take advantage of our beautiful suite’s roof terrace and hot tub, but were perfectly placed to explore the exhibitions just outside our front door. Favara is a good place to base yourself – from there, you can hop over to Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples or visit one of Farm Cultural Park’s newest additions, the former San Vito prison.
It was a monastery before it was a prison, and its different uses are layered through the building like geological strata: pinched, austere monks’ quarters with thick stone walls made ideal solitary cells, and now one-room art installations. Many local mafiosi served time in this prison until it closed in 1996, and the cells are like time capsules: walls are still decorated with football scores, pages from pornography magazines, and a poster of Robbie Williams sporting impressive sideburns.
I explored the exhibitions with Lorena Caruana, a local architect who works with Farm Cultural Park, and we walked around the prison’s perimeter as the sun set, watching murmurations of swallows ribbon through the sky. “There’s so much collective memory associated with this place,” she explained. “We don’t want to paint over it. The idea is not to transform the space entirely.”
It is a noble goal: art helping to revitalise Sicily’s ghost towns and deserted urban spaces without replacing or stifling the history of the place; the present sitting happily alongside the past.
Accommodation was provided by B&B Carella in Palermo (doubles from €80) and Sciabica Suite in Favara (suite from €110)
Dear Tomorrow: Inside Japan’s loneliness crisis | Documentary
Struggling with loneliness, people in Japan use an online chat service for mental health support and social connection.
Loneliness is a growing epidemic worldwide, but in Japan, it has become particularly severe as the pressures of modern life increasingly isolate individuals from their communities.
A Place for You is a mental health hotline where dedicated volunteers provide critical support to thousands in need every day. Two people who are struggling to find meaning in their lives turn to the online chat service as they seek connection. As they become aware of their need for human bonds, they embark on a journey of healing and renewal.
Dear Tomorrow is a documentary film by Kaspar Astrup Schroder.
Published On 8 Feb 2026
‘Timeless classic’ hailed as the ‘best musical of all time’ now streaming
An “addictive” musical set more than 70 years ago is now free to watch at the click of a button.
‘Timeless classic’ hailed as the ‘best musical of all time’ now streaming(Image: GETTY)
Musical fanatics can now stream a film that’s been dubbed “absolutely amazing”, and it’s not the beloved Dirty Dancing.
The charismatic 1980s romantic comedy, Dirty Dancing, starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, will be broadcast tonight, Sunday, February 8, at 6.55pm on ITV2.
But if you’ve had your fill of Baby and her watermelon, there’s another classic musical available to stream for free.
This 1950s-set musical has been hailed as a “true classic”, with one fan declaring it as “one of those films that I can watch over and over – and I do.”
Another concurred: “An absolute classic. The songs are addicting- hate they don’t make movies like this anymore”, while a third enthused: “This film will always remain as one of my all time favourites!”
The iconic 1978 film Grease tells the tale of high school sweethearts, bad boy Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and wholesome Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John), who fall head over heels during a summer romance.
However, their love story hits a snag when they realise they attend the same school and face social pressures from the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies.
With unforgettable tunes like You’re the One That I Want, Hopelessly Devoted To You, Summer Nights and Grease Lightnin’, it’s no surprise that the original soundtrack is one of the best-selling albums of all time, shifting more than 30 million copies worldwide.
The iconic film Grease, starring Saturday Night Fever’s John Travolta as Danny and the late Australian star of Xanadu, Olivia Newton-John, is now available to stream for free on ITVX.
Fans have been effusive in their praise for the classic movie. One viewer took to IMDb to gush: “Absolutely amazing.”
They continued: “It’s no wonder that the Grease soundtrack is the best selling musical soundtrack ever. (It sure is brilliant.) Grease really is the word. It’s fantastic. 10/10.”
Another fan agreed, stating: “Grease, of course, is based on the Broadway play and is a superb film version”.
A third viewer hailed the cast as “superb”, while another enthused: “Grease is a timeless classic that will have you singing and dancing by the end of the movie.”
Grease can be streamed on ITVX.
Trent Perry and Tyler Bilodeau lead UCLA to win over Washington
Trent Perry scored 23 points, including clutch free throws down the stretch, Tyler Bilodeau overcame foul trouble to score 19, Donovan Dent had 17 points and 10 assists and Eric Dailey Jr. scored 14 as UCLA held off Washington 77-73 Saturday night in a Big Ten clash at Pauley Pavilion.
Ahead of a pivotal Midwest trip to No. 2 Michigan and No. 10 Michigan State starting on Valentine’s Day, the Bruins wrapped up their three-game homestand on a positive note after splitting the first two, a one-point, double-overtime loss to Indiana followed by a 22-point blowout of Rutgers in which five players scored in double digits.
The Bruins (17-7, 9-4) struggled against Washington much as they did in the teams’ first meeting Dec. 3 in Seattle, when they escaped with an 82-80 victory thanks to 25 points (including six three-pointers) by Skyy Clark, who has sat out the past 10 games with a hamstring injury.
A winner in 10 of its last 14 games, UCLA will not host its next game until a Feb. 21 matchup with fifth-ranked Illinois.
Wesley Yates III scored 12 of the Huskies’ first 16 points as they built an eight-point lead in the first eight minutes. The Bruins pulled ahead 25-23 on Perry’s three pointer with 6:15 left in the half that capped a 9-0 run, but Washington carried a 34-30 lead to the locker room — the first time UCLA trailed at halftime since its loss at Ohio State on Jan. 17.
Bilodeau, who scored only four points in the first 20 minutes, hit a three pointer 10 seconds into the second half and added another to tie the score at 38. Dent stole the ball at midcourt and drove for a layup to put UCLA in front 47-45 with 13:43 remaining and the Bruins gradually increased the lead while holding the Huskies without a field goal for nearly five minutes.
Washington crept to within 60-58 with 5:39 left on a layup by Yates before Bilodeau’s basket and free throw restored a five-point cushion at the 4:40 mark. Dent’s driving layup made it 67-60 with 1:33 left and the Bruins improved to 13-3 when winning the turnover battle.
Yates finished with 21 points and Hannes Steinbach added 13 for the Huskies (12-12, 4-9), who cut their deficit to two on a layup and free throw by Yates with 23 seconds left. Dailey got fouled and made both shots to make it 75-71 with 21 ticks left. After a layup by Yates with 11 seconds left, Perry sank two free throws to ice the victory four seconds later.
The Bruins were 23 of 29 at the foul line and remain on pace to break the school single-season record for best free throw percentage (75.6) set in 1978-79.
Alleged arsonists damage Italian rail cables as Winter Olympics start
Ilia Malinin of United States slides across the ice during the Men’s Singles Figure Skating Team Event in Milan, Italy, after several fires damaged Italian rail lines on Saturday morning. Photo by Richard Ellis/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 7 (UPI) — Several fires damaged Italy’s northern rail line on the first day of the Winter Olympic Games in what investigators are calling acts of sabotage by arsonists.
Local authorities said three separate fires damaged railroad infrastructure and disrupted travel along the Bologna and Venice rail lines, causing travel delays of up to 2.5 hours on Saturday morning.
Rail service to Venice also was disrupted, and another fire was reported along tracks leading to the coastal city of Pesaro.
Italian railway officials ruled out any technical problems or accidents as the cause of the fires and damage and are treating them as deliberate acts of sabotage.
Investigators found an explosive device and severed cables, which officials for Italy’s Ministry of Transport described as “serious sabotage” that is similar to damage done to French rail lines during the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024.
“These actions of unprecedented seriousness do not in any way tarnish Italy’s image in the world, an image that the Games will make even more compelling and positive,” Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister and transport minister, told the BBC.
No one has claimed responsibility for the damage that briefly stopped rail service on Bologna’s high-speed line, which was running again by the afternoon.
The rail line is among several that enable spectators to visit various events that are held in an area spanning hundreds of miles in northern Italy’s Alps and Dolomite mountains.
Transportation and anti-terrorism law enforcement teams also are investigating the matter.
UK’s oldest road dates back 5,000 years and is still popular today
The oldest road remains a popular National Trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders exploring 5,000 years of history
The road is still popular(Image: krzych-34 via Getty Images)
Britain’s oldest road boasts an incredible 5,000-year history and continues to attract travellers to this day. The Ridgeway is widely acknowledged as the nation’s most ancient route, and even ranks amongst the world’s oldest roads.
Stretching 87 miles from Avebury in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire, this historic elevated pathway has served countless generations, from prehistoric times through Roman, Saxon and medieval periods. Whilst much of The Ridgeway is now off-road, it remains a beloved public trail.
Travellers along the route can discover Neolithic long barrows, Bronze Age round barrows, Iron Age hillforts and admire striking white chalk figures carved into the hillsides.
These days, visitors can tackle the route on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. For those wanting to complete the entire distance, it’s achievable in under a week.
As one of Britain’s shorter National Trails, The Ridgeway frequently serves as an ideal starting point for newcomers to long-distance walking. At a pace of 15 miles daily, walkers can finish it in six days, reports the Express.
Numerous campsites dot the route, alongside B&Bs and lodges for overnight stays.
The trail begins in Avebury and heads in a north-easterly direction.
According to National Trail: “West of the River Thames, The Ridgeway is a broad track passing through the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and is often quite a distance from villages or towns.”
They added: “East of the Thames, The Ridgeway travels through the more wooded and intimate hills and valleys of the Chilterns AONB where, as well as further archaeological treasures, there are several nature reserves rich in the wildlife found in chalk grassland habitats.
“In the Chilterns, The Ridgeway goes close to or through several villages and small towns where refreshments and other facilities are easily available.”
Walkers can experience the Ridgeway throughout the year, though spring to autumn offers the finest views, weather and wildlife spotting opportunities.
Those tackling the trail in May are frequently treated to a spectacular bluebell carpet across the Chiltern woodlands.
Somalia’s Mohamud slams Israel’s interference, rejects base on Somaliland | Politics News
Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has slammed Israel’s “interference” in his country, saying its recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland has further increased instability and weakened international order.
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera broadcast on Saturday, Mohamud said Somalia “will never allow” the establishment of an Israeli base in Somaliland and will “confront” any such move.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
He also warned that the proposed Israeli base could be used as a springboard to attack neighbouring countries.
Mohamud’s comments came amid a regional outcry over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision in December to recognise Somaliland, a breakaway part of Somalia comprising the northwestern portion of what was once the British Protectorate.
The territory sits astride one of the world’s most critical maritime choke routes, flanked by multiple conflicts in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.
Israel’s move made it the first country in the world to recognise Somaliland as an independent state and came months after The Associated Press news agency reported that Israeli officials had contacted parties in Somaliland to discuss using the territory for forcibly displacing Palestinians amid Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
Israel and Somaliland have denied the claims, but a Somaliland official from the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation told Israel’s Channel 12 in January that an Israeli military base is “on the table and being discussed”, though its establishment depends on the terms.
Somalia has denounced Israel’s move as an attack on its territorial integrity and unity, a position backed by most African and Arab leaders, and urged Netanyahu to withdraw the recognition.
But Somaliland’s leader, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, has welcomed Israel’s diplomatic move, praising Netanyahu for his “leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace” in the region.
‘We will defend ourselves’
In his interview with Al Jazeera, Mohamud described Israel’s diplomatic manoeuvre as a “reckless, fundamentally wrong and illegal action under international law”.
He also pledged to fight back against any Israeli military presence in Somaliland.
“We will fight in our capacity. Of course, we will defend ourselves,” he said. “And that means that we will confront any Israeli forces coming in, because we are against that and we will never allow that.”
The Israeli recognition represents a dramatic shift in Somaliland’s fortunes after years of diplomatic isolation.
The region seceded from Somalia during a brutal civil war that followed decades under the hardline government of Siad Barre, whose forces devastated the north. While large parts of Somalia descended into chaos, Somaliland stabilised by the late 1990s.
Somaliland has since developed a distinct political identity, with its own currency, flag and parliament. But its eastern regions remain disputed by communities that do not back the separatist programme in the capital, Hargeisa.
In recent years, Somaliland developed ties with the United Arab Emirates – a signatory to the Abraham Accords with Israel – and Taiwan as it sought international acceptance.
In his interview, Mohamud said Israel’s move “interfering with Somalia’s sovereign and territorial integrity” also “undermines stability, security and trade in a way that affects the whole of Africa, the Red Sea and the wider world”.
He added that Israel’s deadly use of force against Palestinians in Gaza cannot be separated from what is happening in Somaliland, adding that it reflects the weakening of the foundations of global governance.
“Key among the global concerns is the weakening of the established rules-based international order. That order is not intact any more,” Mohamud said.
He warned that institutions created after World War II “are under grave threat”, as “the mighty is right” increasingly replaces adherence to international law.
The United States, meanwhile, has yet to signal a major shift on the question of Somaliland.
But in August, US President Donald Trump – who has previously lobbed insults at Somalia and Mohamud – suggested he was preparing to move on the issue when asked about Somaliland during a White House news conference.
“Another complex one, but we’re working on that one – Somaliland,” he said.
How to watch and stream this year’s Oscar-nominated movies
Now that the 2026 Oscar nominations are out, it’s officially binge watch o’clock.
Chances are you caught a few of the contenders upon their 2025 movie theater openings, but with the onslaught of new releases in the weeks leading up to Thursday’s nominations announcement, even some voters are surely behind. (Don’t tell the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences).
The good news is, the lion’s share of nominated films are available to stream or see in theaters (or both).
Here is a guide to where you can find all the feature-length nominees ahead of the Academy Awards on March 15, paired with some commentary from Times critics.
“The Alabama Solution”
Where to watch: HBO Max
Nominated for: Documentary feature
What we said: “Much of ‘The Alabama Solution,’ which reports on inhumane living conditions, forced labor and widespread violence against the state’s incarcerated population, is comprised largely of footage captured by inmates using contraband cellphones, offering one of the most shocking, visceral depictions of our carceral state ever put to film.”
“Arco”
Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: Animated feature
What we said: “The most impressive part of French animated sci-fi epic ‘Arco,’ which took the top prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, is its imaginative world-building.”
“Avatar: Fire and Ash”
Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: Costume design, visual effects
What we said: “Viewed in ultra-crisp high frame rate, ‘Fire and Ash’ feels so overwhelmingly real that it circles back around to surreal.”
“Blue Moon”
Where to watch: Apple TV, Prime Video, Fandango at Home, in theaters
Nominated for: Lead actor, original screenplay
What we said: “[Richard] Linklater’s movies have frequently featured affable underdogs, but by contrast, ‘Blue Moon’ is an elegy to a bitter, insecure man whose view of himself as a failure has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
“Bugonia”
Where to watch: Peacock
Nominated for: Best picture, lead actress, adapted screenplay, original score
What we said: “‘Bugonia’ is a hilarious movie with no hope for the future of humanity. What optimism there is lies only in the title, an ancient Greek word for the science of transforming dead cows into hives, of turning death into life.”
“Come See Me in the Good Light”
Where to watch: Apple TV
Nominated for: Documentary feature
What we said: “‘Throughout the Festival, we saw audiences moved by Andrea Gibson’s and Megan Falley’s journeys in ‘Come See Me in the Good Light,’’ Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming Kim Yutani said to the fest’s website. ‘Festival goers embraced the humor and heartbreak of this intimate documentary directed by Ryan White, as it speaks to art and love and reminds us what it means to be alive as we face mortality.’”
“Cutting Through Rocks”
Where to watch: Not currently available
Nominated for: Documentary feature
“Diane Warren: Relentless”
Where to watch: YouTube, Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Google Play, Apple TV
Nominated for: Original song
“Elio”
Where to watch: Disney+
Nominated for: Animated feature
What we said: “‘Elio’ is a breezy Pixar adventure, the studio’s pivot back to making original, rip-roaring children’s yarns.”
“F1”
Where to watch: Apple TV
Nominated for: Best picture, editing, sound, visual effects
What we said: “The pleasures of ‘F1’ are engineered to bypass the brain. It’s muscular and thrilling and zippy, even though at over two and a half hours long, it has a toy dump truck’s worth of plot.”
“Frankenstein”
Where to watch: Netflix, in theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, supporting actor, adapted screenplay, cinematography, costume design, makeup & hairstyling, original score, production design, sound
What we said: “‘Frankenstein’ is [Guillermo del Toro’s] lifelong passion project: He doesn’t just want to make a ‘Frankenstein’ but the ‘Frankenstein,’ so he’s faithfully set his adaptation in the past. But he’s adjusted the wiring so that 1850s Europe reminds us of Silicon Valley. The result is the best movie of his career.”
“Hamnet”
Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, director, lead actress, adapted screenplay, casting, costume design, original score, production design
What we said: “The film’s depiction of grief has rightly been at the center of the conversation around ‘Hamnet,’ with their revelatory performances resulting in immense Oscar buzz for both actors. But [Paul] Mescal and [Jessie] Buckley were almost more interested in the relationship between William and Agnes and how artists navigate the trappings of conventional life.”
“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
Where to watch: YouTube, Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Google Play, Apple TV, in theaters
Nominated for: Lead actress
What we said: “From the moment it begins, Mary Bronstein’s ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ aims to put you inside the head of a mother in crisis, and for the next couple of hours it does so in such an exhausting, claustrophobic, anxiety-inducing manner that, as you take a journey on this cinematic endurance test, you feel many things: grudging admiration, abject terror and, finally, sweet relief when the closing credits roll.”
“It Was Just an Accident”
Where to watch: YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, Fandango at Home, in theaters
Nominated for: International feature, original screenplay
What we said: “In a movie full of heightened emotions and anxious uncertainty, ‘It Was Just an Accident’ (which is France’s entry for the international film Oscar) glides between genres, too slippery to be nailed down. [Jafar] Panahi dabbles in the road movie, the revenge thriller, even the ‘getting the band back together’ comedy.”
“Jurassic World Rebirth”
Where to watch: Peacock
Nominated for: Visual effects
What we said: “‘Rebirth’ is a confounding title for a downbeat entry that’s mostly preoccupied by death and neglect.”
“Kokuho”
Where to watch: In theaters (Feb. 5)
Nominated for: Makeup & hairstyling
“KPop Demon Hunters”
Where to watch: Netflix
Nominated for: Animated feature, original song
What we said: “‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ the cartoon musical about a girl group using catchy tunes to keep evil at bay, has become a viral phenomenon since it launched on the streamer June 20. With 210 million views globally so far, it’s the most watched animated movie ever on Netflix, and is expected to soon top ‘Red Notice’ as the company’s most popular film.”
“Little Amélie or the Character of Rain”
Where to watch: YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, Fandango at Home
Nominated for: Animated feature
What we said: “Amélie’s rowdy approach becomes more nuanced when she is confronted with a loved one’s death, as well as her own mortality in the aftermath of two accidents. [Liane-Cho] Han and [Maïlys] Vallade also make room for her realizations about life’s unfairness and the inevitability of sorrow — all communicated via flights of fancy that only animation can materialize.”
“The Lost Bus”
Where to watch: Apple TV
Nominated for: Visual effects
What we said: “This time [director Paul Greengrass] mixes star heroism with you-are-there spectacle and the results can be galvanizing if awkwardly framed.”
“Marty Supreme”
Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, director, lead actor, casting, cinematography, costume design, editing, production design, original screenplay
What we said: “The movie’s moxie makes it impossible not to get caught up in Marty’s crusade. We’re giddy even when he’s miserable.”
“Mr. Nobody Against Putin”
Where to watch: Apple TV
Nominated for: Documentary feature
“One Battle After Another”
Where to watch: HBO Max, in theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, director, lead actor, supporting actor, supporting actress, adapted screenplay, casting, cinematography, editing, sound, original score, production design
What we said: “Paul Thomas Anderson’s fun and fizzy adaptation views its Molotov cocktail as half-full. Yes, it says, the struggle for liberation continues: ideologues versus toadies, radicals versus conservatives, loyalists versus rats. But isn’t it inspiring that there are still people willing to fight?”
“The Perfect Neighbor”
Where to watch: Netflix
Nominated for: Documentary feature
What we said: “‘The Perfect Neighbor’ does leave us with a patiently earned moment of justice. But it’s haunted by the notion that a lethal rage prevailed, that a crime was allowed to happen and an ordinary, trusting American neighborhood — where a loving mom unhesitatingly tells an inquiring cop, ‘All these kids are mine’ — isn’t protectable ground.”
“The Secret Agent”
Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, international feature, lead actor, casting
What we said: “‘The Secret Agent’ isn’t tightly coiled so much as it gradually unfolds, its full meaning unclear until the filmmaker eventually hurtles forward nearly 50 years, snapping the final puzzle piece into place.”
“Sentimental Value”
Where to watch: Fandango at Home, YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, in theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, director, lead actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, editing, international feature, original screenplay
What we said: “‘Sentimental Value’ is a movie for people who don’t like to cry, who may not admit that they have ever cried, who listen to Loudon Wainwright’s song ‘The Man Who Couldn’t Cry’ and say, ‘Yes, that’s me!’”
“Sinners”
Where to watch: HBO Max, in theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, director, lead actor, supporting actor, supporting actress, casting, cinematography, costume design, editing, makeup & hairstyling, original score, original song, production design, sound, visual effects, original screenplay
What we said: “What a blood rush to exit Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ aware that you’ve seen not merely a great movie but an eternal movie, one that will transcend today’s box office and tomorrow’s awards to live on as a forever favorite.”
“Sirāt”
Where to watch: Not currently available
Nominated for: International feature, sound
What we said: “‘Sirāt’ is taut and riveting and nearly all mood. You feel the exhilaration of veering off the path, the self-exile of speeding toward nowhere, the dread that this caravan has veered too far for its own safety.”
“The Smashing Machine”
Where to watch: YouTube, Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Google Play, Apple TV
Nominated for: Makeup & hairstyling
What we said: “While ‘The Smashing Machine’ represents a step in a new direction for [Dwayne] Johnson, it also finds [Benny] Safdie setting off on a new path as a writer and director on his own after years of collaborations with his brother. Sifting through the emotional and physical struggles of [Mark] Kerr’s life, Safdie found something at its core that aligns with his own ongoing interest in what it takes to move forward despite life’s difficulties. It’s not about being a loser, he thinks, but it is about not winning.”
“Song Sung Blue”
Where to watch: In theaters, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Fandango at Home
Nominated for: Lead actress
What we said: “‘Song Sung Blue’ couldn’t be less cool. But the Sardinas were completely sincere and [Hugh] Jackman and [Kate] Hudson honor their innocence by playing them straight.”
“Train Dreams”
Where to watch: Netflix, in theaters
Nominated for: Best picture, adapted screenplay, cinematography, original song
What we said: “‘Train Dreams’ is the kind of movie that people often say they want more of, but when one actually comes along they don’t quite know what to do with it. Told with an unassuming, gentle simplicity that grows into an accumulating emotional power, the film manages to feel very small and specific while also vast and expansive.”
“The Ugly Stepsister”
Where to watch: Hulu
Nominated for: Makeup & hairstyling
“Viva Verdi!”
Where to watch: Not currently available
Nominated for: Original song
“The Voice of Hind Rajab”
Where to watch: In theaters
Nominated for: International feature
What we said: “The movie is a powerfully blunt instrument of empathy. [Kaouther] Ben Hania’s insistence on close-up melodramatics — faces in anguish, a handheld camera glued to them — sometimes overshadows a thirst for something more analytical. But it’s decidedly a vision, one steeped in roiling pain.”
“Weapons”
Where to watch: HBO Max
Nominated for: Supporting actress
What we said: “A former sketch comic, [Zach] Cregger knows how to work a crowd. The combination of his assurance and his characters’ confusion is wonderful in the moment, as though you’re listening to a spiel from someone who sounds crazy but might be making all the sense in the world.”
“Zootopia 2”
Where to watch: In theaters, YouTube
Nominated for: Animated feature
What we said: “After several haphazard attempts with the ‘Frozen’ and ‘Moana’ franchises, ‘Zootopia 2’ can take the title as Disney’s most effective animated sequel yet.”
How Carrick set up brilliant Fernandes-led Man Utd attack
Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy breaks down how Michael Carrick has set up Manchester United to get the most out of their potent attacking players.
Source link
‘Unforgettable’ fairy tale cottage near frozen in time village
The stunning Swiss Cottage looks like it’s been plucked from a fairy tale and opens to the public from 12 March 2026 in a charming Irish village near historic Cahir Castle
The wallpaper is partly original and partly the fruit of a 1980s restoration project(Image: Heritage Ireland)
Nestled just beyond a quaint historic Irish village sits a stunning cottage that appears to have been lifted straight from the pages of a storybook – and visitors are welcome to step inside.
The Swiss Cottage is what’s known as a cottage orné, meaning it’s an exquisitely crafted small retreat that served the neighbouring estate.
Constructed in the early 1800s by Richard Butler, 1st Earl of Glengall, it functioned as a charming rural picnic destination, a meeting point for the local hunt, or simply a tranquil escape from everyday life.
According to Heritage Ireland, it’s thought to have been the work of renowned Regency architect John Nash.
The Swiss Cottage most likely earned its name due to its striking resemblance to an Alpine dwelling, reports the Irish Mirror.
Best UK holiday cottage deals
Sykes Cottages offers a wide range of handpicked holiday homes across the UK and Ireland, from cosy countryside retreats to stunning coastal escapes. Prices start from £27 per night
But the magic doesn’t stop at the façade. Inside, a winding spiral staircase leads visitors through elegantly appointed rooms.
The walls feature wallpaper that offers a glimpse into the past. This design was painstakingly recreated during the cottage’s 1980 restoration.
The stunning interior was the vision of celebrated fashion designer Sybil Connolly, who oversaw the entire décor.
One delighted Trip Advisor user said they “still can’t stop thinking about this place.”
They added: “When we reached Swiss Cottage after a walk through the green park, I felt like I was caught in a fairy tale.
“Everything around us froze, and a house from another era opened up to us — romantic, mysterious, magical. I’ve never seen that before.
“This wave-shaped straw ceiling, carved wooden parts, windows of all shapes, as if specially made for dreams… and inside is a real masterpiece!”.
“Rare Parisian wallpaper, spiral staircase, fine details. Everything says beauty for beauty’s sake. It’s not just architecture — it’s mood.
“A place where you want to sit with a cup of tea on the veranda and just watch the leaves rustle. I think I left a piece of my soul there. A true miracle that cannot be forgotten.”
The cottage opens its doors to visitors from 12 March 2026. For those wanting to extend their visit, nearby Cahir Castle makes an excellent addition to the itinerary.
This 13th-century fortress stands as one of Ireland’s finest preserved medieval castles. Perched dramatically on rocky outcrops beside the River Suir, it has featured as a filming location for numerous historical productions.
The castle provided the setting for acclaimed period dramas including Excalibur and The Tudors, which starred Henry Cavill.
Previously the home of the powerful Butler dynasty, Heritage Ireland notes that this prominent Anglo-Norman family occupied the castle for almost 600 years following James Butler, the 3rd Earl of Ormond, receiving it in 1375.
The fortress was considered impregnable, offering the Butlers protection against all dangers.
Yet this belief was shattered in 1599 when the Earl of Essex mounted a devastating military assault on the stronghold.
Grand jury indicts suspect for threatening V.P. JD Vance’s life
Feb. 7 (UPI) — A federal grand jury indicted Shannon Mathre, 33, for threatening to kill Vice President JD Vance and receiving and distributing child pornography.
Mathre, 33, is a resident of Toledo, Ohio, and allegedly told others in an online post that he is going to learn where Vance is going to be and use an M14 service rifle to kill the vice president. Vance visited northwestern Ohio in January.
“Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this disgusting threat against Vice President Vance,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “You can hide behind a screen, but you cannot hide from this Department of Justice.”
Secret Service agents arrested Mathre on Friday after the U.S. District Court of Northern Ohio grand jury indicted him earlier in the week.
While participating in Mathre’s arrest, federal investigators discovered child sex-abuse materials in his possession.
A grand jury indictment says he received and distributed child sex abuse materials from Dec. 31 to Jan. 21 and had several such digital files.
He was arraigned on Friday and has a detention hearing scheduled on Wednesday.
If Mathre is found guilty of the charges against him, a federal judge could sentence him to up to five years in prison and fined up to $250,000 for threatening the vice president’s life.
He also could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and fined up to $250,000 for possessing child sex-abuse materials.
Mathre’s arrest comes during the same week that a Maryland resident Colin Demarco, 26, was charged with attempted murder for allegedly traveling to the northern Virginia home of Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought on Jan. 22.
Prosecutors say he was wearing a mask and carrying a firearm without a permit to do so when he was stopped outside of Vought’s home.
Demarco allegedly called the Nov. 5, 2024, election night the “worst of his life.”
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,445 | Russia-Ukraine war News
These are the key developments from day 1,445 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Published On 8 Feb 2026
Here is where things stand on Sunday, February 8:
Fighting
- Russian forces launched more than 400 drones and about 40 missiles in an overnight attack on Ukraine on Saturday, targeting the country’s power grid, generation facilities and distribution substations, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- Ukrainian Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal said two thermal power stations in Ukraine’s western regions were hit, and electricity distribution lines were also targeted.
- Zelenskyy said more than 1,000 apartment buildings remain without heating in bitterly cold temperatures in the capital, Kyiv, due to the attacks.
- The Ukrainian president criticised Moscow’s targeting of energy infrastructure, saying Russia must be deprived of the ability to use the cold winter weather as leverage against Kyiv. “Every day, Russia could choose real diplomacy, but it chooses new strikes,” he said.
- Poland suspended operations at the Lublin and Rzeszow airports near the border with Ukraine on Saturday following the Russian strikes. Polish authorities later said there had been no violation of the country’s airspace and reopened the two airports.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency said on X that Ukrainian nuclear power plants have reduced output due to the renewed military activity that affected electrical substations and disconnected some power lines.
- Ukrainian military and security officials said that Kyiv struck an oil depot in Russia’s Saratov region and a plant that makes missile fuel components in the Tver region in western Russia.
- Ukrainian forces also launched a strike on Russia’s Bryansk region, according to the governor there, using long-range Neptune missiles and HIMARS rocket systems. The attacks wounded two people and disrupted power in seven municipalities, the official said.
- The Russian TASS news agency said another Ukrainian missile attack on the border region of Belgorod caused power outages at several water supply facilities, and that experts are “investigating the extent of the outage”.
- The Russian Defence Ministry said its troops captured the village of Chuhunivka in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, the state news agency RIA Novosti reported.
Peace talks
- Zelenskyy said the United States has given Moscow and Kyiv a deadline of June to reach an agreement on ending the war, after the two countries held two days of talks in Abu Dhabi this week.
- Zelenskyy said Washington has proposed talks in Miami in a week, and that Kyiv has agreed.
- The US also asked Russia and Ukraine to agree to a new ceasefire covering strikes on energy infrastructure as a de-escalation step during the talks, Zelenskyy said. He added that Kyiv was ready to stop attacks on Russian oil facilities and other energy infrastructure, but Moscow has yet to agree.
- The Ukrainian leader said he had reports from Ukrainian intelligence services on discussions in which Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev had proposed US-Russian cooperation deals worth as much as $12 trillion. Any such agreements between Moscow and Washington must not violate Ukraine’s constitution, Zelenskyy said.
- Zelenskyy added that Ukraine and Russia remain far apart in the discussions about territory. He said the US was proposing a free economic zone in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, which Russia mostly occupies, but that neither Ukraine nor Russia was thrilled by this idea.
-
Earlier, the Ukrainian leader met his negotiating team in Kyiv and said Ukraine “needs results” that ensure “effective security guarantees” for the country.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that a third round of talks aimed at ending Russia’s war on Ukraine should take place “soon”. But he said there is no fixed date yet.
Politics and security
- Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdrii Sybiha said Kyiv supports a call for a ceasefire during the Winter Olympic Games after Italy and Pope Leo urged world leaders to use the Milano Cortina games to further peace.
- The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that two suspects in the attempted assassination of top Russian military intelligence official General Vladimir Alexeyev “will soon be interrogated”. It cited a source close to the investigation.
- Alexeyev, the deputy head of the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence arm, was shot in his Moscow apartment building and rushed to hospital on Friday. He underwent successful surgery and regained consciousness on Saturday, but remained under medical supervision, Kommersant added.
- Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov accused Ukraine of being behind the assassination attempt, which he said – without providing evidence – was designed to sabotage peace talks.
- US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order rescinding a punitive 25 percent duty on all imports from India over its purchases of Russian oil, the White House said. The two nations earlier announced a trade deal slashing US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 percent from 50 percent in exchange for India halting Russian oil purchases and lowering trade barriers.
Specific 15-item rule when boarding flights with Ryanair, British Airways and others
Restrictions on electronic items may vary between airlines – here’s what you should know
Ryanair is among several airlines that enforced a 15-item rule (stock image)(Image: Nicholas Ahonen via Getty Images)
When preparing for a holiday abroad, it’s easy to get carried away and overpack. But did you know that several airlines, including Ryanair, British Airways and Lufthansa, limit certain items in the cabin?
This rule specifically applies to electronic items, with only 15 at a maximum of 100Wh each allowed in your carry-on. While numerous firms maintain this restriction, it’s still best to check your airline’s website for the most up-to-date information before flying.
Official advice from Ryanair reads: “You may carry up to 15 personal electronic devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops, cameras, handheld game consoles, headphones, power banks). You may also carry up to 20 spare lithium batteries or power banks, provided they do not exceed 100Wh each.” It then also adds: “Devices or batteries over 100Wh are not permitted in the cabin or the hold.”
British Airways (BA) similarly states: “For your own personal use you can take up to 15 battery-operated Personal Electronic Devices (PED) that containing lithium batteries such as laptops, tablets, smart phones, cameras, music players, smart baggage tags (e.g. Apple AirTag).”
It adds: “If the watt hour (Wh) rating is not shown on the battery or cannot be determined, then the battery cannot be accepted onboard.”
Both airlines are among those that also have strict rules around ‘smart bags’. This generally describes rucksacks, backpacks, and other luggage that may include a built-in power bank for phones and laptops.
For Ryanair, passengers cannot bring a smart bag in the cabin if it has ‘non-removable batteries above 2.7Wh’. If the battery is removable, it must be ‘removed and placed in small cabin baggage underneath the seat in front’. Smart bags containing non-removable batteries are not allowed in the hold.
Meanwhile, BA does not allow any smart baggage on the flight if the ‘lithium battery/power bank for recharging devices cannot be detached from the bag by the customer’. If it is detachable, it will be permitted, provided it meets certain criteria.
For more information, visit BA’s website here and Ryanair’s website here.
Government advice for electronics in luggage
While some airlines might have specific restrictions, the Government lists nine main items allowed in your hand and checked luggage. These include:
- Hairdryers
- Straighteners
- Travel iron
- Electric shaver
- Most cameras
- Mobile phones
- Laptops
- Tablet devices
- MP3 players
Despite this, its site adds: “Check the restrictions on certain types of batteries or contact your airline if you’re not sure what you can carry[…] You can take hair curlers containing a gas cartridge in hand or hold luggage as long as the safety cover is fitted at all times. You must not take separate gas cartridges on board.”
Passengers using e-cigarettes should keep them in their hand luggage rather than in hold luggage. During security checks, placing electronic devices in a designated tray allows staff to quickly see and verify that no prohibited items are hidden.
Additional details are available at GOV.UK here.
Get all the hottest shopping deals, cash saving tips and money news straight to your phone by joining our new WhatsApp Community – The Money Saving Club. Just click this link to join https://crnch.it/eutplxS1
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice here https://crnch.it/jeQqC872
I watch the same TV show every week and it has a 95% approval rating
I have watched this show at least once every week for the last 10 years and people are still leaving positive reviews
Frasier has a 95% approval rate and still garners reviews 20 years on(Image: Getty)
Everyone’s got at least one go-to programme they return to now and again. I’ve got several I rotate through, whether it’s The Thick Of It, I’m Alan Partridge or Star Trek, but there’s consistently one that stands head and shoulders above the rest and I’m not the only one who reckons it deserves a viewing.
Boasting a 95% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes, Frasier is the American sitcom that keeps proving its staying power and I’ve tuned in at least weekly (possibly more) for over ten years. I can recall when this brilliant piece of farcical comedy served as a late-morning slot-filler on Channel 4, and that’s where I initially encountered the endearing yet pretentious radio psychiatrist as he adjusts to fresh beginnings in Seattle.
Whilst Frasier originally launched in 1993, plenty of viewers already knew the main character from the Boston-set sitcom Cheers.
Spanning 11 series right through to 2004, Frasier, portrayed by Kelsey Grammer, remains remarkably relevant today, with numerous episodes revolving around the comic consequences of a straightforward misunderstanding that viewers are completely aware of.
It’s packed with brilliant one-liners, gags that mock the upper classes and a dash of slapstick chucked in for good measure.
It follows Frasier’s relocation from Boston to his swanky new flat in the fictional Elliot Bay Towers, and launches his fresh radio call-in programme at the neighbourhood KACL station alongside producer Roz, portrayed by Peri Gilpin.
Comedy gold unfolds when he welcomes his down-to-earth father Martin, portrayed by the late John Mahoney, Martin’s live-in physiotherapist Daphne, brought to life by Jane Leeves, and his scruffy terrier Eddie into his pristine apartment, reports the Express.
There’s no shortage of sharp-tongued sparring between Frasier and his equally pretentious sibling Niles, embodied by David Hyde Pierce, while sipping a steaming macchiato at their beloved Cafe Nervosa.
Both audiences and reviewers adore it, with each series packed with memorable episodes that become more hilarious with repeated watches.
Fans continue posting glowing testimonials more than two decades since it wrapped, cementing this legendary sitcom’s devoted following.
One viewer raved: “Just a fantastic series. Great writing. Brilliant acting. As much as I enjoy Kelsey Grammar in this series… David Hyde Pierce really does steal the show.”
Another declared: “This is a go-to classic for intellectual humour while building upon continuing story arcs and having solid standalone episodes. Frasier is one of the best TV series ever made.”
A third enthused: “Definitely one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, watching it over again.”
There’s been a Frasier revival, though this features a fresh ensemble aside from Kelsey Grammer, and has received divided opinions.
Both the classic and revived Frasier are available on Paramount Plus, whilst the original run can be streamed on Channel 4. Individual series and episodes can be purchased through Amazon Prime.
Luke Kennard makes Lakers debut; Luka Doncic expected back soon
On the night the Lakers introduced the newly-acquired guard Luke Kennard, they also discuss relatively good news about Luka Doncic’s injury and how long he’ll be out.
The Lakers said Doncic was diagnosed with a mild left hamstring strain and will be listed as day-to-day, starting with Saturday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers play Oklahoma Monday night and San Antonio Tuesday night before playing the Dallas Mavericks Thursday night. The NBA All-Star game follows on Feb. 15 and the Lakers don’t play again until Feb. 20 against the Clippers at home.
So, Lakers coach JJ Redick and president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka both were asked Saturday night if Doncic would be able to play in the all-star game or if it would be best for him to rest.
“I’ve been around him as a teammate and as a coach and I know he [loves to] plays. If he’s able to play, he plays. I think he wants to be in the all-star game,” Redick said. “I know he wants to play against Dallas, the game before the all-star game. He has his team working on him day and night. So again, it’s day to day and when he’s ready to play, we’ll get him out there.”
Doncic, who leads the NBA in scoring (32.8) and is second in assists (8.6), earned the most all-star game votes. In the new all-star game format of “U.S. vs. the World,” Doncic would play for the world team because he’s from Slovenia.
“Luka, one of his greatest qualities is when he has an injury or he’s unavailable for a game, he is deeply upset,” Pelinka, who spoke to the media for the first time since September. “He just can’t stand not playing basketball. He loves the game so much and wants to play every night. And that’s an incredible quality. Just a player who’s like fighting and clawing to play versus looking for a reason maybe not to. So we commend Luka for that. In terms of this injury, the good news is it doesn’t appear to be anything serious. It was a mild hamstring strain and he is truly day to day.”
Kennard didn’t waste any time making an impact for the Lakers during their game against the Warriors.
He drilled his first shot as a Laker, a high arching 25-foot three pointer with 2:23 left in the first quarter.
The shot was set up by Austin Reaves, giving Kennard a glimpse of what life will be like playing with the Lakers’ big three of LeBron James, Doncic and Reaves.
“Those guys attract so much attention to other teams on the offensive end and for me, it’s just spacing the floor, making the right plays at all times and just being aggressive out there,” Kennard said before the game about his role. “Coming off the bench and just looking to hunt my shot at all times. I know that’s what they want me to do as a team and the coaches and I’m looking forward to doing that.”
Etc.
Pelinka said the Lakers have a roster spot available and will look at the buy-out market to potentially find a player to add to the team. But, according to people with knowledge of the matter not authorized to discuss it publicly, the Lakers don’t have interest in Cam Thomas, a 6-foot-3 guard who was waived by the Brooklyn Nets.
“Yeah, so we have an open roster spot and we are in sort of active conversations with some players that are available now, doing our due diligence,” Pelinka said. “And then of course, to your point, players down the road could come in through the buyout market. So, we are evaluating that 15th roster spot and at some point probably will likely fill it.”
Spain, Portugal brace for new storm after floods kill 2, displace 11,000 | Environment News
Spain and Portugal are bracing for a new storm, just days after Storm Leonardo’s deadly floods killed at least two people — one in Portugal and one in Spain — and forced more than 11,000 residents to evacuate their homes.
On Saturday, authorities in Portugal mobilised more than 26,500 rescuers as Storm Marta approached, forcing three municipalities to postpone Sunday’s presidential vote until next week due to severe weather.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Both countries issued warnings of further flooding after previous heavy rains had submerged roads, disrupted train services, and displaced thousands. Portuguese forecasts warned of heavy rain, strong winds, and rough seas, with alerts active across the country.
In Spain, much of the south, particularly Andalusia, and the northwest were placed on orange alert for heavy rain and violent storms, the national meteorological agency Aemet said.
Other regions, including Castilla‑La Leon, Galicia, Murcia, and the Valencian Community, also received warnings. While rainfall was expected to be less “exceptional” than during Storm Leonardo, authorities cautioned that saturated ground increased the risk of flooding and landslides.
New downpours in Andalusia added to earlier rain that had already caused widespread flooding, landslides, and forced more than 10,000 people from their homes.
Many roads remained closed, and rail services were largely suspended, with officials urging residents to limit travel wherever possible.
Mario Silvestre, commander at Portugal’s civil protection agency, described the forecast as “extremely worrying”.
Juan Manuel Moreno, president of the Andalusia region, wrote on X that the “rivers have hit their limit,” warning of gusts of wind reaching 110 kilometres per hour (68 miles per hour), landslides, and flash floods.
“All the furniture is completely destroyed, the water broke the window, forced the doors open and then burst through the window from the other side,” Francisco Marques, a municipal employee in the central village of Constancia, told the AFP news agency.
After flying over flood-hit areas in southern Spain near Cadiz on Friday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that “difficult days” lay ahead for the region as a result of the “very dangerous” weather forecast. Sanchez added he was “bowled over at seeing the endless rain”.
Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said the damage exceeded four billion euros ($4.7bn).
Portugal was already reeling from the effects of Storm Kristin, which led to five deaths, hundreds of injuries, and tens of thousands without power, when Leonardo struck earlier this week.
Portugal’s National Meteorological Institute (IPMA) has placed the entire coastline on orange alert due to heavy seas, with waves reaching up to 13 metres (43 feet) high. Eight of the 18 districts on the mainland, mainly in the centre and south, are also on orange alert.
“All river basins remain under severe pressure,” particularly the Tagus River in the Lisbon region and the Sado River further south, a spokesperson for the National Civil Protection Authority told AFP.
One person died during Storm Leonardo in Portugal, and 1,100 people were evacuated across the country. A succession of atmospheric depressions forced Portugal’s dams to release “a volume of water equivalent to the country’s annual consumption” in just three days, Jose Pimenta Machado, president of the Portuguese Environment Agency, said on Friday.
UK’s most complained about airline – and it’s not Ryanair, easyJet or BA
Analysis of Civial Aviation Authority data by the Mirror has found the UK operating airline that had the most complaints made by passengers during the most recent recorded period
We have gone through the complaints data(Image: simon2579 via Getty Images)
The most complained-about airline in the UK is not Ryanair or easyJet.
While flying, at its best, can feel like a modern-day miracle, transporting us across the world in a handful of hours in a way our forebears could only have dreamed of, it can also be deeply frustrating and annoying.
Whether it’s waking up at the crack of dawn for an early flight, getting stuck in an hours-long boarding queue for a service that promised to leave long before, spending a small fortune in the airport, or suffering from small-airline-seat-cramp, there is plenty to gripe about.
And gripe we have.
The most recent figures from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority show that over 43,000 complaints were made about airlines operating in the UK from mid-2024 to March 2025. The list of things one could complain about is endless, but the most common are disruptions, denied boarding, lost or damaged baggage, and lack of assistance for disabled passengers.
Have you had a complaint-worthy flight? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
READ MORE: UK’s worst towns for 2026 as tourists slam concrete centres and humdrum atmosphereREAD MORE: Spain holiday warning for Brits after major clampdown this week
Particularly given the rough few months aviation has had. The first five months of 2025 were marred by tens of thousands of delays and cancellations, EuroNews reports. Dutch carrier KLM scrapped the most flights during that period, with 2,760 grounded, followed by British Airways (1,763) and Germany’s Lufthansa (1,757), according to FlightRight.
The highest rate of flights scrapped in those five months was on Finnair, with 3.35% of its flights grounded out of a total of over 43,000 trips.
Whatever the reason for a passenger’s gripe, so long as a flight took off or landed in the UK, they have the right to register a complaint with the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
Analysis of the latest data from the Authority shows that Wizz Air had the highest number of complaints per million passengers flown, beating Ryanair to the bottom spot. In fact, the Hungarian airline romped home with the prize.
It received 10,548 customer complaints from mid-2024 to March 2025, or 918 complaints per one million passengers. That means for every customer who flew, just under 1,000 registered a complaint during that period.
In Wizz Air’s favour is the relatively low ‘complaint upheld’ rate during that time, at 47%. It paid out £1,482,183 as a consequence, or £651 per customer on average.
Contrastingly, British Airways had a far lower complaints rate (192/one million customers), but 83% were upheld. BA paid out £6,238,378 in total, or £837 per customer.
In what may be a surprise to some, Ryanair did not receive the most complaints. Its complaints-per-million-customers rate was 188, with a low complaints upheld rate of 28% and an average award of £694.
The most complained-about airlines
(UK operating airline: complaints per million customers; complaints upheld; average award)
- Wizz Air: 918, 47%, £651
- Air France: 301, 43%, £828
- Turkish Airlines: 265, 51%, £718
- Egypt Air: 234, 19%, £630
- TUI: 223, 20%, £722
- Air Baltic: 221, 52%, £617
- BA: 192, 83%, £837
- Ryanair: 188, 28%, £694
- Air Portugal: 171, 37%, £662
- EasyJet: 147, 18%, £630
UK’s ‘safest beach for families’ has Caribbean white sands and crystal-clear waters
New figures have revealed where some of the most family-friendly beaches in the world are located — and one of the selections can be found right on our doorstep
Porthcurno Beach is one of Britain’s most beautiful locations(Image: Getty Images)
A British beach has been named as one of the safest for families to have a day out. It has now been likened to similar beaches in sun-drenched locations such as the Caribbean or Mediterranean.
Porthcurno Beach is one of Britain’s most beautiful locations, hidden away on the Cornish coast. Located close to Land’s End, the cove is a gorgeous hidden gem for those looking to beat the crowds and have a more relaxed staycation.
And now, it has been revealed that Porthcurno Beach is one of the top 20 beaches in the world for families to enjoy themselves safely. It ranks among the likes of breathtaking Adriatic beaches and sun-kissed exotic locations, showing that Britain is indeed one of the best places for adults and kids alike.
READ MORE: Beautiful Spanish hidden gem with hardly any tourists and £13 flights from UKREAD MORE: Busy European attraction is now charging visitors to tackle tourist chaos
House of Travel put together a meta-list of the beaches that appear most regularly on the ‘world’s best beaches’ lists. Once a list was collated, the shortlist was generated, rating each beach’s cleanliness, local crime rates, lifeguard presence, and crowd levels.
Porthcurno Beach officially came in at #4 on the list, with experts praising its cosy nature, hidden away from the crowds of tourists. Whilst they did admit the beach did get rather packed in the summer, other elements raised its score to a high level.
“Turns out you don’t need to fly halfway around the world for a safe family beach experience, with Porthcurno Beach bringing Britain into the top five,” the study noted. “Tucked away in Cornwall near Land’s End, this cove is famous for its turquoise waters and white sand — colours you’d more typically associate with the Caribbean.”
Save on the best holiday cottages in Cornwall
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Famous for its rugged coastline, golden beaches, picture-perfect villages and rich maritime heritage, Cornwall is one of the most-visited corner of the UK. Sykes Cottages has a large number of holiday homes to choose from, with prices from £36 per night.
The study found that having lifeguards present and visible throughout the summer season improved the beach’s safety year-round. This is down to “strong Atlantic currents” that can prove dangerous if people aren’t aware of them. The cleanliness of the beach also put it in good standing, as well as Cornwall’s incredibly low crime rate, making it a perfect stay for those looking for a small getaway in a gorgeous part of Britain’s unbeatable coastline.
Topping the overall global list was Saadiyat Beach in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Lifeguards are on duty practically all year round, with the beach never getting that busy, even at the height of the peak season.
Turkey’s Iztuzu Beach in the Dalyan area came in at number two, with a relatively busy peak season, but punters heading to the beach were seen to be very clean. Dubai’s Kite Beach rounded out the top three, although it was considerably more busy than most beaches that featured on the list and a marginally higher crime rate, and one shark attack in the region.
Other sunny holiday destinations featured throughout the list, including reliable British favourites in Spain, Portugal and Italy. However, more up-and-coming destinations, including Montenegro and Cambodia, also made appearances.
The full list of the world’s safest beaches is:
- Saadiyat Beach, Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Iztuzu Beach, Dalyan, Turkey
- Kite Beach, Dubai, UAE
- Porthcurno Beach, Porthcurno, United Kingdom
- Kalamies Beach, Paralimni region, Cyprus
- Playa de Rodas, Vigo, Spain
- Playa de Muro, Can Picafort, Mallorca, Spain
- Sveti Stefan Beach, Sveti Stefan, Montenegro
- Praia da Marinha, Algarve, Portugal
- Henderson Beach, Destin, Florida, United States
- La Pelosa Beach, Sardinia, Italy
- Elafonissi Beach, Crete, Greece
- Fig Tree Bay, Protaras, Cyprus
- Blue Lagoon, Comino, Malta
- Kep Beach, Cambodia
- Tulum Beach, Tulum, Mexico
- Cala Brandinchi, Olbia, Sardinia, Italy
- Cannon Beach, Oregon, United States
- La Concha Beach, San Sebastián, Spain
- Mandraki Beach, Hydra, Greece
Carrick extends winning run as Man United beat 10-man Tottenham 2-0 | Football News
Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes score for United while Spurs captain Christian Romero sees red for a wild challenge.
Manchester United profited from Tottenham captain Cristian Romero’s red card to stretch their perfect start under Michael Carrick to four games, with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford in the Premier League.
Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes on Saturday ended an eight-game winless run against Spurs for the Red Devils, who cemented their position in the Premier League’s top four.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
United close to within two points of third-placed Aston Villa and open up a five-point cushion over Liverpool in sixth.
A place in the top five is likely to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League due to the strong performance of English sides in European competition.
Spurs’ hopes of qualifying for the Champions League through their league position have long since disappeared, as another damaging defeat for Thomas Frank leaves Tottenham in 14th.
But there could be lasting consequences for Romero after his ill-discipline cost his side just days after a social media outburst aimed at the club’s hierarchy.
Frank said the Argentinian international had been “dealt with internally” after he described Tottenham’s threadbare squad as “disgraceful” following the closure of the transfer window.
Romero’s future as skipper had already been called into question, and the 27-year-old will now be suspended for four matches after his second red card of the season and sixth of his Spurs career.
The centre-back lunged in to catch Casemiro on the ankle on 29 minutes after playing himself into trouble just outside the Tottenham box.
United had been the better side during the opening half hour, even against 11 men, and made their numerical advantage count.
Mbeumo stroked into the bottom corner for his third goal in four games since Carrick took charge, after a clever corner involving Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo freed the Cameroon international at the edge of the box.
Amad Diallo and Matheus Cunha had goals ruled out for offside as the home side dominated but had to wait until nine minutes from time to make the points safe.
Fernandes showed Romero how to lead from the front with another fine individual display.
The United captain prodded in Diogo Dalot’s cross at the back post for his 200th goal or assist in 314 games for the club.
Carrick said before the game that United cannot afford to rush their choice of a new permanent manager.
But the former midfielder, who enjoyed a stellar playing career at Old Trafford, is making his case for that job as he continues overseeing United’s stunning turnaround in fortunes since the departure of Ruben Amorim last month.
Fernandes had plenty of praise for Carrick in a post-match interview with TNT Sports.
“The energy is different because we are winning games and when you win games, everything is brighter,” Fernandes said.
“Michael came in with the right idea of giving the players more responsibility and freedom to make decisions on the pitch. I was always sure Michael could be a great manager, and he is showing that.”
Meanwhile, it is now two Premier League wins in 16 for Frank and his Spurs side.
“I think the first 30 minutes were a good away performance,” Frank told TNT Sports after the game.
“I’m very proud of the players, the resilience, staying in the game, mentality [to] still be a threat at times, to try to create something. Very proud of them.”
Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario told TNT Sports that Romero had apologised to his teammates for the sending off.
“Yeah, of course, he’s disappointed, because he knows that this card could have been avoidable, and so he apologised,” he said.
“He made his mistake, but we know the player he is, and he’ll be back for sure, stronger, and he’s going to help us massively.”
‘We will pay,’ Savannah Guthrie says in latest video plea
TUCSON — Savannah Guthrie told the potential kidnappers of her mother, Nancy Guthrie, on Saturday that the family is prepared to pay for her safe return, as the frantic search for the 84-year-old has entered a seventh day.
“We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” Guthrie said in a video posted on social media, flanked by her siblings. “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
It was not immediately clear whether the longtime co-host of NBC’s “Today” show was referring to a new message from someone who might have kidnapped Nancy Guthrie. The Associated Press reached out to the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department seeking additional details.
Tucson TV station KOLD said Friday that it received a message via email that was tied to the Guthrie case, the contents of which it could not disclose. The FBI said it was aware of a new message and was reviewing its authenticity.
No suspects identified
Investigators think Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will from her home just outside Tucson last weekend. DNA tests showed blood on Guthrie’s front porch was a match to her, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said. Authorities have not identified any suspects or ruled anyone out.
The sheriff said Friday that he was frustrated that a camera at Nancy Guthrie’s home was not able to capture images of anyone the day she went missing.
Investigators have found that the home’s doorbell camera was disconnected early Sunday and that software data recorded movement at the home minutes later. But Nancy Guthrie did not have an active subscription, so none of the images were able to be recovered.
“It is concerning, it’s actually almost disappointing, because you’ve got your hopes up,” Nanos told the Associated Press in an interview. “OK, they got an image. ‘Well, we do, but we don’t.’”
President Trump, speaking on Air Force One on Friday, said the investigation was going “very well.”
“We have some clues that I think are very strong,” Trump said en route to his Florida estate for the weekend. “We have some things that may be coming out reasonably soon.”
Investigators return to scene
Investigators were back in Nancy Guthrie’s neighborhood on Friday.
The Sheriff’s Department posted on social media to say access was restricted to the road in front of the home to give investigators space. Journalists staked out there were directed to move.
The Catalina Foothills Assn., a neighborhood group, told residents in a letter that authorities were resuming searches in the area immediately.
“I know we all stand together in our collective disbelief and sadness and greatly appreciate your willingness to speak with law enforcement, share camera images and allow searches of your properties,” the association president said in the letter.
The sheriff said Thursday that investigators have not given up on trying to retrieve camera recordings.
“I wish technology was as easy as we believe it is, that ‘here’s a picture, here’s your bad guy.’ But it’s not,” Nanos told the AP. “There are pieces of information that come to us from these tech groups that say, ‘This is what we have and we can’t get any more.’”
TV station receives note
The sheriff also said he had no new information about the note to the TV station or other purported ransom letters sent to some media outlets, saying the FBI is handling that side of the investigation.
Meanwhile, concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health condition has grown, because authorities say she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.
“Her conditions, I would imagine, are worsening day by day,” Nanos said. “She requires medication. And I have no way of knowing whether they’re getting that medication to her.”
Pleas from family
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings released a previous video message on Wednesday, saying they were ready to talk but wanted proof of life. Camron Guthrie, Savannah’s brother, repeated that in a video Thursday.
It is not clear if all of the ransom notes were identical. Heith Janke, the FBI chief in Phoenix, said details included a demand for money with a deadline that passed Thursday evening and a second deadline for Monday if the first one was not met. At least one note mentioned a floodlight at Guthrie’s home and an Apple watch, Janke said.
I visited the city cruelly dubbed the UK’s worst – this is what I loved about it
After a newspaper ranked the city bottom in a list of Britain’s best cities, Fiona Whitty went to check it out to see if some of the criticism it receives it fair
Fiona and Rosie enjoyed a lot of what Southampton has to offer(Image: Supplied)
Southampton is many things to many people. Now Britain’s biggest cruise port, it’s where the Titanic set off from on its doomed maiden voyage. It boasts a thriving student community, with all the cool bars and fun places that an unending stream of young people brings.
And it has some of the UK’s best-preserved city walls, which remind you of the strategic importance the city once held. And on the arts front, it’s home to the largest theatre in the south outside of London, with a bumper programme of West End offshoots.
But sadly, not everyone thinks it has much to offer. The Daily Telegraph recently gave it just 1/10 in a ranking of the UK’s 20 biggest cities, placing it last. After spending a weekend there with my 20-year-old daughter Rosie, I think they’ve got it badly wrong.
The city is buzzing…with cocktails, culture and cuisine for starters. Rosie and I kicked off with a cocktail masterclass at 1932, a classy bar that’s ‘hidden’ behind unmarked doors and accessed via a buzzer, giving it a speakeasy feel.
Do you have a story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
READ MORE: ‘I climbed famous mountain but was forced to face unexpected surprise at top’READ MORE: Travel expert names the exact date to book half-term holiday for ‘savings of 23%’
Once a bank that opened in – yes, you guessed it – 1932, it’s decked out in sleek art deco-style with golden statue lamps and lattice patterns. Drawing on its heritage, its imaginative bespoke brews, designed by bar manager and mixologist extraordinaire Amy, all have a financial theme.
To begin with, Amy invited us behind the bar to whip up a Cash Money – a creamy mix of rum, coconut, mango and passionfruit jiggled together à la Tom Cruise in a traditional cocktail shaker. Next up was a Platinum Card, created to emulate rhubarb-flavoured Squashies with vodka, rhubarb and banana liquors – this time stirred together and drizzled over ice. Blank Cheque, meanwhile, with gin, Campari, and Lillet Blanc aperitif, had a tantalising hint of Aperol about it.
Rosie and I loved the novelty of mixing behind the bar and the cocktails tasted divine – unique yet perfectly formed. A cocktail masterclass costs £40 with 1932.bar.
Afterwards, we headed to Hokkaido, a hip Japanese restaurant that’s popular with everyone from young couples to families to groups of friends. There we were transported to the Land Of The Rising Sun with a hearty feast that included prawn tempura, fried tofu and chicken, vegetable gyoza and a variety of sushi that tasted every bit as amazing as it looked.
With the city spread out along the Channel and enormous cruise ships often in dock, you can’t escape Southampton’s 1,000-year-old maritime heritage. Not only was it the starting point for The Titanic’s stricken voyage in 1912, it’s also where The Mayflower ferried the Pilgrims over to America nearly 300 years earlier.
On the Titanic front, a brilliant exhibition at the SeaCity Museum offers an absorbing account of how the disaster unfolded, killing around 1,500 of the 2,200-plus passengers and crew on board. A mock courtroom, recounting parts of the British Inquiry that followed, is particularly fascinating as you get to hear the real-life words of witnesses being quizzed and of the judge’s verdicts. Entry costs £14, but book in advance for a 10% discount.
The Titanic Trail, which starts outside, leads you around memorials and points of interest – like The Grapes pub, where several seamen lingered too long before departure and were refused entry to the ship, thus saving their lives. Strolling around we saw Southampton’s old city walls, built to help defend the key port after a surprise attack by French soldiers and Genoese mercenaries nearly 700 years ago. You can discover more at an exhibition at God’s House Tower – once a city entry point and now a museum and art gallery – while the onsite café with excellent coffee and delightful apple buns is perfect for a breather. General entry is free, but the exhibition costs £5.
Southampton is easy to get to, with half-hourly trains from London Waterloo taking just 75 minutes with South Western Railway. Our base was voco Southampton, a stylish IHG hotel on the waterfront. Our sixth-floor twin room offered views across the city’s cruise terminal, where ships docked and car ferries unloaded.
But the real highlights were the super-friendly staff…and the fabulous Atlantic Gate restaurant. With banks of windows flanking the sea, the restaurant has a chilled yet stylish ambience and a stand-out seafood-heavy menu. Over a couple of voco’s superb cocktails – the champagne spritz with rum and coconut was a particular hit – we tucked in to fish soup with whole mussels and prawns, fried mixed seafood and a monkfish, prawn and coconut curry, all simply delicious.
Massive theatre fans, Rosie and I often watch a show when we’re away because tickets are generally cheaper than at home in London, while performances remain just as exciting and professional. The Mayflower – a real Southampton stalwart and, London aside, the south’s biggest – didn’t disappoint.
Dating back to 1928 and now grade-II listed, it’s hosted greats like The Beatles, Queen and the Rolling Stones and still oozes warmth and charm with original chandeliers, sleek cornicing and ornate boxes. Today it attracts the UK’s top comedians, ballet troupes, opera stars, and West End-standard touring productions like Matilda and Six.
A sister theatre nearby, MAST Mayflower Studios, offers yet more. Southampton ticked our boxes for history and culture – and food. The Real Greek, tucked into the side of Westquay shopping centre, was the perfect sassy lunch spot. Thanks to small plate favourites like hummus, tzatziki, Greek salad, and courgette fritters alongside tender grilled aubergine in a smoky tomato sauce and a pork gyros, we enjoyed a smack of summer – helped, no doubt, by the gorgeous Greek sangria with white wine and vermouth.
For our final port of call, we retreated to a batting cage… for the UK’s first interactive baseball experience. 1st Base has given baseball a social makeover, allowing friends or families to bat against each other in a safe and fun game bar environment.
You take it in turns to enter a cage and hit the balls propelled from a machine, while computer technology measures your strike rate and speed. As novices, Rosie and I started slowly but soon picked up the knack and loved the competitive yet relaxed feel to it. Elsewhere, shuffleboard, table tennis, and electronic basketball provided a change of pace – as did the pizza and drinks that are available alongside the action (tip: the dark ‘n’ stormy rum cocktails are out of this world).
No curveballs here – as far as I’m concerned, Southampton has all the bases covered.
GET THERE
A return from London Waterloo to Southampton costs from £44 with South Western Railway. For discounts on food, theatre, and attractions when you travel on their network, check out swr-rewards.com.
BOOK IT
B&B for two in a twin or double room at the voco Southampton starts at £115 per night. See vocohotels.com/southampton.