An animal welfare charity has shared advice for holidaymakers who find stray animals

The RSPCA has shared advice for any travellers worried about stray cats they spot on holiday. The animal welfare charity has urged people to do one thing in such a situation.

The experts explained that it’s important to check if cats look underfed or unwell. In a Facebook post, the charity explained: “It’s common to see street cats while on holiday abroad, but not all cats may need our intervention, and it’s important to know how to help them responsibly, wherever you may be this summer.”

The post was accompanied by a video. In the clip, an RSPCA staff member explained exactly what holidaymakers can do to help stray animals. She told viewers: “Here’s how you can help stray cats abroad this summer. It can be tempting to wish to help cats whilst overseas, but not all cats need our help. Do they look skinny or unwell? Or do they look quite well fed?

“You can also check if the cat has had its ears clipped, and what that means is that the cat has been caught, neutered, and then rereleased back into the area.”

The expert continued: “What you can also do is speak to the local people in the area, who may be able to let you know the organisations, or individuals out there, currently caring for the cats. You may also find that at your local gift shop, at your resort, there is actually cat food in there, and that’s to encourage tourists to buy the cat food and feed the cats.

“What you may also be able to do is make a donation. This donation will probably go towards maybe treatment or even the trap, neuter, and release programme.”

Holidaymakers could also write to tourism boards or public officials. For instance, people could send a letter encouraging the local authority to offer their help, the RSPCA said.

“You could even write to those in power, or even tourist boards. You could explain that you love visiting their country, but were sad to see so many cats in need of help, and would love to see an investment into that line of work in the future.”

In the video’s caption, the RSPCA encouraged animal lovers to ‘share this advice with fellow holiday-goers and check out International Cat Care for more information.’ International Cat Care is a global charity. The charity’s website reiterates that cat lovers can help by finding out who is already helping in the area they are visiting.

It said: “Ask about the local people or organisations who are working in the area. There may be individuals, charities, local municipality activity or non-government organisations (NGOs) working in the area to help the cats.”

IF you’re jetting off to any beautiful Red Sea resorts this summer check your passport before travelling.

Unlike countries in the EU, Egypt requires more time left on your passport and it’s catching Brits out with some missing out on their holidays altogether.

There are two very important requirements to get into Egypt for Brits.

The first is that your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least six months after the date you arrive.

The second is that it must have at least one blank page to be stamped.

Most countries only require three months left on a passport after the date of arrival, so it’s not surprising that some Brits are being caught out.

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One woman recently missed out on a £6,500 holiday to Egypt.

Victoria Vigors was headed on a two-week ‘holiday of a lifetime’ with her family but was stopped before boarding.

Her nine-year-old daughter Roxie’s passport was being scanned and is was then they discovered Roxie’s passport did not have the required period of validity remaining for travel to Egypt.

Roxie’s passport technically expired on January 4, 2027, but with Egypt requiring at least six months left on them, it meant it wasn’t valid.

Talking to creatorzine.com, Victoria said: “I wasn’t aware of the rules. For people like me who don’t always travel and it’s the first time with my children, I didn’t know.

“I would have thought when I put her passport details in to check in that would tell me it wasn’t valid.”

Victoria added: “That would be a simple system to install so save this agony and heartbreak.”

The family are now trying to get an emergency passport to try and enjoy the last few days of the trip they’ve paid for, as they were unable to get a refund.

Also check visa requirements into the country as they vary depending on the location.

For example if you are staying for less than 15 days at a resort in Sharm El Sheikh, you don’t need a visa.

However, if you’re heading to Hurghada you’ll need a visa which you can apply for online or on arrival.

If you apply online, e-visa applications must be submitted a minimum of seven days.

Another country to be aware of the entry rules is Turkey which needs at least 150 days left on passports from the date of arrival.

If you find your passport is technically out of date shortly before your holidays, then you can look at getting a fast-track renewal.

Before travelling this summer, here are all the new rules you need to be aware of, from eGates and passports to visas and power banks.

UK passengers have been warned over a ‘risk’

Airport bosses at London Gatwick have issued an alert to those taking checked baggage with them while travelling. The UK’s second busiest airport, which handles around 43 million passengers each year, is urging holidaymakers and other travellers to “pack right [for a] safe flight”.

In a new post on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday airport chiefs said: “Power banks, spare batteries and vapes should always travel in your hand luggage, not in checked baggage. If damaged or overheated in the hold, they can pose a fire risk.”

Before flying travellers should: “Carry power banks and vapes in your hand luggage, keep spare batteries protected from short circuits, and check your airline’s rules before travelling”. The alert added: “A safer journey starts with careful packing.”

Further information found on the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) website explains that vapes and power banks can overheat and cause a fire. It adds that you can only take two power banks per person, and that these should never be re-charged onboard the aircraft.

“You may be asked to put power banks in your seat back pocket rather than in an overhead locker. Phones, tablets and laptops should normally be taken with you in the cabin unless they are completely turned off and protected from damage.”

Travellers should also pack their own bags, avoiding any restricted or banned items, and keep essentials such as medicine in hand luggage.

ARE you a stinky food smuggler or perhaps a brazen barefooter? Because how you behave while on your flight this summer could reveal a lot about your personality. 

New research by Booking.com has found that two-thirds of Brits treat the aeroplane cabin as a home-from-home, with a tenth admitting they kick off their shoes and go barefoot. 

Major bugbears included passengers eating smelly food, watching films without headphones, leaning over fellow travellers to take photos of the sky, and doing manicures. 

With more than four million passengers set to fly from British airports this month, The Sun’s Lynsey Clarke asks psychologist Emma Kenny what the most common in-flight behaviours say about you.

Among the biggest pet peeves for people – whether it’s on a plane or on public transport – are space hoggers and ‘manspreaders’.

If your seat is in the middle and you take up both armrests, you may irritate your neighbours, but Emma says: “You probably have a strong sense of what you consider fairness. 

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“Many people believe the middle seat has earned both armrests, so if you confidently claim them, you’re likely someone who values unwritten social rules. 

“Just remember there’s a difference between quietly claiming your space and elbowing your neighbours into submission.”

BAREFOOT BRIGADE

Reddit threads consistently cite this as one of the most disgusting cabin behaviours and some passengers have even uploaded photos of the so-called ‘barefooters’.

Speaking about those who did this, Emma says: “Comfort is clearly your priority.

“You probably become so relaxed in your surroundings that you momentarily forget you’re still sharing the space with hundreds of strangers. 

“It’s less about being deliberately inconsiderate and more about becoming so comfortable that your social awareness quietly checks out.”

BLACK COFFEE BORES  

If you shun the delights of the cabin crew’s trolley and prefer to order a simple black coffee, then this flight is not your first rodeo.

Emma says: “If you order black coffee you’re probably a seasoned traveller who sees flying as a practical part of the journey rather than the start of the holiday. 

“You tend to be organised, forward-thinking and focused on arriving feeling your best.

“Black coffee drinkers often give the impression of someone who’s done this many times before and has their travel routine down to a fine art.”

SEAT STICKLERS 

Do you always book the same seat every time you fly?

Emma says: “You’re probably someone who likes routine, predictability and being in control of your environment.

“Knowing exactly where you’ll be sitting removes one more decision from the journey, helping you feel organised and relaxed.

“It’s a habit often seen in people who like planning ahead and minimising unnecessary stress.”

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

However, if you tend to skip the seat reservation, and hope others will swap so you can sit with your party, it means you’re a glass half-full kind of person.

Emma says: “You’re probably optimistic and naturally spontaneous, with a tendency to believe everything will somehow fall into place.

“While that flexibility can be one of your strengths, it can also mean expecting other people to accommodate plans you didn’t make in advance.

“It’s a classic example of assuming everyone shares your relaxed approach, which is very rarely the case.”

CHATTY NEIGHBOUR 

If you are always up for a good chinwag with the person sitting next to you, it says a lot about you.

Emma adds: “You’re likely highly sociable and energised by conversation.

“For some people, talking also helps reduce anxiety and makes unfamiliar situations feel more comfortable.

“The trick is recognising when your neighbour is equally chatty, or when they’ve put their headphones on for a very obvious reason.”

SEATBELT TWITCHER 

It isn’t easy being constrained in the seat for long periods.

And if you’re someone who unbuckles before the seatbelt sign goes off and talks through the safety presentation, then you are probably optimistic by nature.

Emma says: “You’re probably experiencing what’s known as optimism bias, the belief that nothing is going to happen because nothing ever has before.

“Familiarity can make us complacent, but experienced travellers know that paying attention to the safety briefing and waiting for the seatbelt sign to switch off before unbuckling is a small habit that can make a big difference.” 

BACKPACK BASHER 

If you’re the passenger who keeps your backpack on right until you get to your seat, then you are very goal focussed.

Emma says: “You’re probably so focussed on reaching your seat that you lose awareness of what’s happening around you. 

“Psychologists call this attentional narrowing, we become so focussed on one goal that we overlook how our behaviour affects others.

“Unfortunately, the people you’ve accidentally whacked with your backpack are usually very aware of it.”

JUST ONE LAST CALL-ERS 

Some passengers find it difficult to switch off and insist on making one last Facetime call, or filming a TikTok video before take-off.

Emma says: “You probably enjoy sharing experiences as they happen.

“You’re someone who likes documenting life and bringing friends and followers along for the journey.

“The challenge is remembering that not everyone wants to be an extra in your travel content.”

AND…RELAX-ERS

A quarter of Brits drink alcohol in the airport and one tenth admit to ‘getting drunk’ mid-air, according to a survey for the Institute of Alcohol Studies. 

Emma says: “For many people, the holiday begins the moment they clear security, so ordering a beer, wine or G&T is all part of switching into holiday mode. 

“It often reflects someone who enjoys marking occasions with little rituals and embraces experiences rather than simply getting from A to B. 

“For nervous flyers, though, it can also be a way of taking the edge off pre-flight anxiety, although alcohol isn’t the best remedy for that.”

Over the past decade, the LAPD has received thousands of complaints accusing officers of targeting people solely because of their race, ethnicity or other form of outward appearance.

Only one has been fired for it.

The now-former officer, Edgar Garcia Cancino, was part of a San Fernando Valley anti-gang unit whose members were alleged to have improperly pulled over and searched hundreds of motorists. Cancino has appealed his termination, arguing that other officers in his unit carried out more of the problematic stops. He claimed the department sought to make an example of him because he refused to implicate his superiors in wrongdoing.

Accusations of racial profiling have long plagued the department, alienating generations of Black and brown Angelenos. Known within the LAPD as “biased policing,” such complaints have persisted despite repeated attempts to enact reform. But the question of how commonly profiling occurs in the LAPD remains a topic of pointed debate.

Years of studies by researchers and reporting by The Times and other news outlets have found Blacks and Latinos in L.A. are subjected to stops, frisks, searches and arrests at significantly higher rates than whites, regardless of whether they live in high-crime neighborhoods. Past LAPD chiefs have acknowledged isolated cases of profiling may occur. At the same time, they have denied that there is a widespread, systemic problem.

An internal LAPD investigation of Cancino’s Mission Division gang squad uncovered an “overwhelming pattern of intentional policy violations,” according to a summary of the case file reviewed by The Times.

Police investigators said in the case file that they identified hundreds of stops that were not properly documented, along with failures by the officers to active their body and dashboard cameras.

The allegations against Cancino largely hinged on two stops, according to his attorney. In May 2023, Cancino and his partner pulled over a man for allegedly speeding and having tinted windows, said his attorney, Nicole Castronovo. The vehicle’s registration turned out to be expired, Castronovo said, but the driver was allowed to leave without a citation after the officers searched his vehicle and found nothing incriminating.

When interviewed about the incident later, according to Castronovo, the motorist told police investigators that Cancino had stopped him because ”I looked like a G,” or gangster.

A few months later, the attorney said, Cancino was involved in another questionable stop, this time of a pedestrian who also later lodged a complaint alleging he was profiled.

Castronovo denied that Cancino had unfairly targeted anyone while on the job, saying he is a proud Latino who joined the force out of a desire to give back to the city where he grew up. She argued that the department’s investigators cherry-picked cases involving Cancino while ignoring similar behavior by other Mission cops.

“They have set up a system where it’s virtually impossible to sustain a biased policing complaint against an officer,” she said. “And then they turn around and weaponized” it against Cancino.

The probe’s findings were presented to LAPD leadership, who recommended that Cancino be fired and sent to a disciplinary hearing.

Castronovo argued in an appeal that her client and another fired Mission officer, Kim Lobos, had been denied a fair disciplinary hearing because both were initially represented by a lawyer appointed by the police union who had a conflict of interest. According to Castronovo, the union attorney also represented other Mission officers who agreed to testify against Cancino and Lobos. A Los Angeles County judge ultimately rejected their appeal.

Only one other LAPD officer prior to Cancino was fired for alleged racial profiling, a case that occurred in 2011.

According to the California Department of Justice, 4,878 allegations of bias were brought against LAPD officers from 2016 to 2025. Of those, only three were sustained.

The department’s rates mirror those of most other law enforcement agencies across the state. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, which received roughly 10% fewer complaints over than span, has sustained six racial bias allegations against deputies.

Defenders of the Police Department note that any member of the public is allowed to submit a complaint regardless of whether there is supporting evidence, which leads to a high number of allegations that cannot be proven. Others note that the presence of body-worn cameras has helped disprove frivolous claims filed by criminal suspects or others who have an ax to grind with the department.

A report released last year by the advocacy group Catalyst California found that in 2025, Black motorists accounted for nearly a third of all stops for minor traffic violations, even though they make up roughly 8% of the city’s population. The same report found that Latinos, who are about 47% of L.A.’s population, were pulled over in 58% of all traffic stops.

Latino people are up to four times more likely to be subjected to “consent” searches, and Black people up to three times as likely, according to the Catalyst study. Fewer than 1 in 10 of those stops resulted in seizures of guns or drugs, the report said.

LAPD officials have pushed back on the findings, saying there is no established methodology for analyzing racial profiling data. Many factors affect the racial and ethnic patterns of traffic stops — from the predominant race of the neighborhood in which the stop was made or whether the stop resulted in an arrest and conviction — all of which must be considered when interpreting raw data, officials say.

In May, the Los Angeles City Council voted in favor of limiting the use of “pretextual” stops, in which police use a broken taillight or another minor equipment violation as justification to pull someone over in order to investigate whether a more serious crime has occurred. Activists and some council members said they wanted to ban a controversial tactic that enabled racial discrimination. The measure urges the Police Commission, which is responsible for LAPD policy changes, to take up the issue this year.

The LAPD’s unwillingness to acknowledge officer biases and hand down punishment when warranted serves only to drive a wedge between the community and the department, said Peter Bibring, a civil rights and police practices attorney.

“The department, year after year after year, is saying, ‘Nope this never happens, this never happens,’” Bibring said. “Then the community doesn’t feel like the department is recognizing these legitimate problems and responding to their concerns.”

During a deposition for a racial profiling lawsuit filed over a 2019 traffic stop, an LAPD official was asked what evidence it would take to get someone fired.

The attorney for the plaintiff, a Black man who sued claiming he was pulled over by three gang officers who handcuffed him and allegedly searched his vehicle without probable cause, asked: “If you found out that a given officer had pulled over 2,000 people in the last year, and all 2,000 of them were Black, would you have enough information, sitting here today, to determine whether or not that data alone indicated that the officer was engaged in biased policing?”

The LAPD official’s response, according to the deposition transcript: “No.”

Jim Willis, a former LAPD detective who later worked for the L.A. Police Commission’s inspector general’s office, pointed to past audits that found serious shortcomings in the department’s investigations of racial bias complaints. Furthermore, he said, many people who are affected never file claims because they don’t understand laws around consent searches — or they are just relieved when officers let them go.

Even when someone bothers to file a complaint, Willis said, it’s difficult to gather enough evidence from a brief interaction to prove an officer made a traffic stop solely because of race. If there was a minor traffic infraction or other probable cause to make a stop, proving their motive requires them to confess to acting with intent to discriminate, Willis said.

That’s why most claims are dismissed by LAPD investigators, he said, “unless, you caught somebody on their body-worn video saying, ‘Hey tonight we’re going out and we’re (pulling over) brothers.’”

Pep Guardiola has turned down the chance to coach the Italian national side.

Earlier this week, Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Giovanni Malago said talks had been held with Guardiola, who left Manchester City this summer after 10 years, and that “exceptions” could be made for his salary.

On Thursday, FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini said Italy first approached their former player Carlo Ancelotti, who is currently in charge of Brazil.

Ancelotti has agreed to stay in post and now Guardiola has informed the FIGC he intends to continue with his plan to take a break from the game, which will allow him to rest, spend more time with his family and travel.

In addition to a huge salary, the FIGC is understood to have effectively told Guardiola he could shape the job as he saw fit, as they tried to tempt one of the most successful coaches in the game to take charge of a side that has failed to qualify for three World Cups in a row.

However, after taking some time to consider the situation, he has said no.

It means former Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo, currently head coach of Dubai-based United FC, is the frontrunner to be tasked with navigating Italy through a Nations League group that includes France, Belgium and Turkey in the autumn and then try to qualify for Euro 2028.

July 23 (UPI) — A Senate committee delayed a vote on the Trump administration’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director nominee, Erica Schwartz, because enough members were not present.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was absent from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions meeting on Thursday because of a family emergency, which led committee chair Bill Cassidy, R-La., to postpone the vote, Politico reported.

Cassidy also said Thursday that he decided to vote for Schwartz because of a “good faith action” the CDC reportedly made to its website earlier in the day.

The action included changing language on its website about the lack of an association between vaccines and autism, which had been ordered changed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last year.

Cassidy asked detailed questions during her nomination hearing about vaccines and how the agency, which has had a full-time director for just one month since President Donald Trump re-entered the White House, would restore confidence in its public health mission, The Hill reported.

“I’m confident that she knows what she’s doing and will stand against those who do not,” Cassidy said during the meeting.

“If confirmed, I look forward to working with Dr. Schwartz to protect children’s health and regain trust in the CDC,” he said.

“There’s more to do to repair the damage that has been done to the U.S. public health response, but this is a start,” the Louisiana Republican added.

Even with Cassidy deciding to vote for Schwartz, Republicans on the committee would have needed a Democrat or Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who caucuses with the Democrats, to vote in favor.

Sanders ended that possibility when he expressed respect for Schwartz’s career but said that he was concerned she would not be able to hold off some of the controversial changes Kennedy has either proposed or forced on the agency.

“I will be voting against Dr. Schwartz because we need people in this country who are going to stand up, protect the American people and I don’t think you can see that right now with Secretary Kennedy in his position,” Sanders said.

The HELP committee’s next executive session is scheduled for July 30, which is also the next time it will consider nominations, making it the next opportunity for Schwartz’s nomination to come up for a vote.

The committee also put off a vote on Sean Kaufman, who is nominated to lead the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, because Republicans did not have enough votes to forward the nomination to the full Senate.

London, United Kingdom — On his fourth day as prime minister, Andy Burnham did not stay at Downing Street in London. Nor did he go to Manchester, the home of Number 10 North. He went to Glasgow.

Hours before King Charles and Queen Camilla opened the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Burnham held his first in-person meetings with Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Wales’ First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth. The talks were meant to demonstrate, in Burnham’s own words, that growth is needed “in every postcode across the whole of the UK”. A meeting with Northern Ireland’s First and Deputy First Ministers, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly, is pencilled in for a wider UK tour in August.

Notably absent from the agenda, at Burnham’s insistence, was any discussion of a second Scottish independence referendum.

Just days after being appointed prime minister, Burnham is testing a proposition that will define his premiership. He’s selling a vision that the office itself can be partly relocated out of London to Manchester, the city he governed as mayor from 2017 until his return to UK Parliament in the Makerfield by-election last month.

What Number 10 North actually is

Stripped of rhetoric, Number 10 North is a written ministerial statement. On July 21, Baroness Smith of Basildon, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal, confirmed on the government’s behalf that devolution and local growth policy functions are moving out of the housing ministry and the Treasury and into a new Manchester-based operation. There, civil servants will work inside a restructured Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, led by Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo.

The interim headquarters is Heron House, in the New Islington area of Manchester, chosen partly for its proximity to a planned Manchester Digital Campus.

Caroline Simpson, the outgoing chief executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, has been named Burnham’s deputy chief of staff, and will be in charge of day-to-day office operations. Downing Street says Burnham himself expects to work from Manchester “at least one day a week”, though officials caution his diary may change, and insists the arrangement carries no additional cost to taxpayers.

Burnham calls it “the nerve centre of a rewired Britain” and rejects suggestions it is symbolic. “Not a gimmick,” he told his first Cabinet meeting about Number 10 North.

Plumbing, but no water

Number 10 North “establishes the plumbing, but the water isn’t flowing yet”, said Mirte Boot of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) North. The institutional architecture is firming up, but fiscal devolution – ie, the transfer of money and tax-raising power – that would make such a policy meaningful doesn’t yet exist, she added.

Still, she calls it “a step in the right direction” after what she describes as “too much power condensed into one postcode”. Leaving Westminster isn’t enough; Number 10 North will need “strong political leadership aside from the prime minister”, she added.

The verdict that Number 10 North contains vision and ambition but currently lacks a detailed plan and delivery mechanism is a recurring response from independent voices.

Jonathan Carr-West of the Local Government Information Unit calls Burnham’s devolution agenda “the most ambitious statement … from a senior politician in a generation”, while warning that English councils are so financially hollowed out that the vision “requires a vehicle” it does not yet have.

Malcolm Morgan, a transport researcher at the University of Leeds, puts it more bluntly: genuine devolution means spending, taxation and regulatory power, not just relocated functions, and “devolution does not create more funding”.

That funding question sits unresolved alongside the national one. The 2026 English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act expanded mayors’ control over transport, planning and housing, but left fiscal devolution to a separate Treasury “roadmap” due alongside the autumn budget. According to Centre for Cities, a UK urban policy think tank, the UK remains the most fiscally centralised country in the G7: some 95 percent of tax revenue flows straight to Whitehall.

Devolution, or recentralisation?

For Scotland’s SNP government, the Number 10 North framing is beside the point. First Minister Swinney responded that “rhetoric alone will not cut it” and argued that four consecutive Holyrood elections have handed his party a mandate for Scottish self-determination, something Westminster keeps ignoring, he said. In Glasgow, Burnham declined to engage with that argument directly.

Meanwhile, Wales’ Ap Iorwerth struck a more cooperative note but still said he expected “that Number 10 North would not become Whitehall with a different postcode”.

He also used the meeting with Burnham to press for a new Wales Bill granting policing and justice powers, and a replacement for the Barnett Formula funding mechanism, which Westminster uses to calculate annual changes to the block grants allocated to the UK’s devolved governments, so Wales would have funding parity with Scotland.

Reform UK’s Nigel Farage, from the opposite political direction, warned that a Number 10 in the south and one in the north would simply “fight against each other”.

What it means in Manchester

In Bury, Greater Manchester, Scottish-born Debe Conway sells children’s books at markets and has lived in the area for 56 years, but remains unconvinced about the new prime minister.

Her biggest concern is immigration, which she called Burnham weak on. And as for Number 10 North, she wants to know how it’s being paid for, and asks how long it will last, considering that the UK has had seven prime ministers in the last 10 years.

Rich Carver, who has run pizza restaurants in Manchester for 15 years and is currently “soaking up the energy in the city”, says he cares more about what will happen in the next 10 years.

He’s also tired of the succession of governments and wants this one to last. He likes Burnham and is optimistic enough about the city’s trajectory that he is opening a new restaurant in the coming weeks, something he would not have done five years ago.

“We are all one country,” he says, hoping the rest of the UK (and the media) give the new prime minister time and the chance to implement his vision. Whether that time produces growth, or just relocated offices, is the question Number 10 North still has to answer.

Kylie Cantrall loves having a day off in the Valley.

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

Born and raised in the L.A. area, Cantrall has been working in entertainment since launching a YouTube channel at 7 years old. At 21, she’s been rising through Hollywood’s ranks, doing everything from animated voices to toplining live-action series, all while garnering millions of social media followers. These days, she’s best known to the teen, tween and under set for her starmaking turn as “Red” in Disney’s “Descendants” franchise, with “Descendants: Wicked Wonderland,” which dropped last week. Ever the multi-hyphenate, Cantrall is also hoping her new eight-song EP — the aptly-titled “Valley Girl Problems,” which she’s been promoting with “Life of a Valley Girl” travelogs on TikTok — will help further her career in mainstream pop music.

Because of all that ambition, Cantrall is busy nearly all of the time. Except Sundays. “Sunday is my favorite day of the week,” she says, “and that’s because of all the things I get to do.”

Here’s everything Cantrall would do on a sunny Sunday.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

9 a.m.: Sleep, then hike

I’ll grab a yogurt for breakfast and then head out the door, on my way to Fryman Canyon for a little morning hike. That’s my go-to spot because I like that you can actually control how hard you want the workout to be. It’s not the craziest hike — it’s actually pretty calm — but there are a couple of incline points. It really is the perfect place for when you want to meet up with a friend and get some steps in, but you also don’t want to be dying while you’re trying to have a conversation.

Noon: Empanadas at the farmers market

After a hike, I’ll usually go to the Studio City Farmers Market. I’ll get a little vanilla latte with oat milk, and I’ll stop at this stand, King’s Empanadas, because they make my favorite empanada in L.A. I get the shredded chicken one, which is cute and tiny but really filling.

There’s another vendor there [Bautista Family Organic Ranch] that sells dates and they’re literally the best dates I’ve ever had in my life. They’re desserts, essentially. They’re so caramelly and sweet.

I always get berries at the market, too, like raspberries and blueberries. There’s another vendor [Thyme for Honey] who makes different flavors of granola and their coffee-flavored granola is so bomb that I’ll always get that too.

2 p.m.: Flea market finds

I’d probably meet up with a friend and go to the Silverlake Flea Market, which I’ve been really liking recently. It’s a bit of a drive for me since I’m in the Valley, though, like a cute 25 to 30 minutes.

At the Silverlake Flea Market, I’ve had a lot of luck with jewelry, like I’ve found a lot of really great rings, necklaces, and earrings, or little random other things. I always end up picking up a crystal too. It’s like an energy that just takes over me.

I might also luck out and find a cute baby tee. They have really good vintage artist T-shirts and I got a cute Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation tour shirt last time I was there.

4 p.m.: Matcha stop

After the Silverlake Flea [which is held in Atwater Village], I’ll go to a coffee shop that I’m obsessed with. It’s called Laveta, and they have the best matcha I’ve ever had. It’s got a good cream top, and the shop has a cool vibe and ambience.

6 p.m.: Fighting traffic with the top down

I like to go and frolic every now and then just to get out of my Valley bubble, but after Laveta I’d probably head home. I’m thinking I’d hit some 6 p.m. traffic, but I’d be listening to music with the top down in my Mini Cooper. Maybe some Sade, maybe some Brandy. I might throw in a little Kim Petras if traffic is clear, and I’m speeding down the freeway.

7 p.m.: Laundry and “The Morning Show”

I’d probably try to be home by 7 to do laundry. I’d watch “The Morning Show,” which is my favorite show right now. Maybe I’d do a face mask too.

For dinner, I’ll go pick up some Katsuya if I’m feeling crazy. Their spot in the Valley has my favorite sushi, and I’m a big sushi gal. I’ll get the Robert roll and maybe even a miso soup if I’m feeling crazy. I’ve got to add crispy rice with spicy tuna too.

After that, probably just more “Morning Show” and then I usually try to be in bed by 11 p.m.

BRITS have now been advised against travelling to two countries in the Middle East.

It comes one month after the travel ban was lifted, but an escalation of conflict between the US and Iran means the rules have been put back in place.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has advised “against all but essential travel” to both Bahrain and Kuwait.

The travel warning for travel to Bahrain was lifted on June 18 after being in place since March.

But the FCDO has since changed the advice due to a “risk of more attacks and unforeseen escalation in the region”.

It added: “On 20 July, the US Embassy Manama issued an advisory that Iran may seek to target unspecified locations in central Manama.

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“Before the ceasefire, the Iranian regime had stated its intention to target locations associated with the US and Israel, including organisations, businesses, facilities, and institutions.”

The FCDO has advised against travel to Kuwait as well.

The advice detailed: “Since 8 July there have been strikes and retaliatory attacks by Iran in a number of locations across the region, including Kuwait, against US military and civilian infrastructure.

“There is a risk of more attacks and unforeseen escalation in the region. 

“British nationals currently in the Middle East should be prepared for possible flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions.”

Non-essential travel is considered to include holidays, and while Brits can choose to go against the advice, this invalidates your travel insurance.

The FCDO has told Brits booked onto flights to check details with their airline before travelling.

Leonard R. Garner Jr. loves roller coasters. And the mostly-retired television director and actor has a place in his heart for Universal Studios Hollywood, the theme park atop the studio where he spent many days behind a camera.

He also adores the tranquility of his home. As a resident of Toluca Lake, the tiny neighborhood nestled below the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Super Nintendo World and other park staples, Garner watched with curiosity as Universal Studios began erecting Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, its new outdoor, high-speed thrill ride. He continued to track the construction over the next three or four years while out on afternoon walks.

At last, when Universal Studios began testing the ride this spring, Garner breathed a sigh of relief. “I was amazed at how quiet it was,” he said. “I could not hear it at all.”

But he wasn’t considering one detail: There were no people on it.

Everything changed, Garner and numerous other Toluca Lake residents said, the summer day when Universal Studios began running the coaster with a full slate of riders. There were screams. They were loud — piercing even double-paned windows. And they were constant.

“Disturbing,” said one resident, Dr. Christopher Zito.

“You think something is happening,” said Patrick Nazari, another resident. “Like someone is getting murdered out there.”

Garner said he stopped in his tracks. “I heard it, and I thought to myself, ‘There are going to be problems with this.’”

Universal’s new Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster can be seen (and heard) from Toluca Lake.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

Headaches at least, both for the residents of Toluca Lake and for Universal Studios Hollywood in the days before the ride’s opening this summer. For residents, there’s panic as to what, if any, recourse they may have at this late stage, with one man joking he may forever have to blast loud music all day to mask rider screams. For Universal Studios Hollywood, the complaints, first reported on social media and quickly picked up by media outlets, have added a sudden jolt of negative publicity around what was intended to be the North American ride of 2026.

Longtime Toluca Lake residents have had to get used to its high-powered neighbor making changes over the past few decades. Through the last 10 years in particular, Universal Studios Hollywood has accelerated in growth, evolving from a behind-the-movie-magic showcase to a park that’s increasingly ride-centered, each addition bringing with it new worries of disruptions to the community. None, say residents, have been more tone-altering than this one.

Karen Rogers has lived in Toluca Lake for more than 20 years. “It was a never a roller coaster kind of park,” she said. “When a lot of residents moved in, it was about the history of film, and everything was inside the park. This is different because it’s hanging over a neighborhood. It’s just disappointing.”

Rob Cerny remembers the moment he heard the screams. He had just exited the Metro B Line across the street from the studio.

“Every minute you hear this big scream,” he said. “When I got home, my wife was upset. It’s made our backyard unusable. It’s extremely prominent, the noise. I really don’t think this is going to be tenable.”

Around the issue of noise, Universal Studios Hollywood has been proactive with Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, devoting a website to just how silent and unobtrusive its groundbreaking coaster would be. Multiple noise mitigation efforts were undertaken — sound walls, scream shields and even pea gravel in the coaster’s tracks.

And those were all welcome, say Garner, Cerny and other residents. All are eager to speak out, but they’re also cautious. They’re aware that some of those who have gone to the press have been attacked on social media, with many a non-Toluca Lake resident appearing unsympathetic to their cause, comparing them to not-in-my-backyard complainers.

Toluca Lake residents are fearful Universal’s Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will be constant noise.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

If you live next to a theme park, goes the primary argument, what did you expect?

“That’s a good point,” said Cerny, who has resided next to Universal Studios for 30 years, around the time the park was opening what is now known as Jurassic World: The Ride, but long before additions such as the “Harry Potter” franchise or Nintendo.

“This was not Magic Mountain,” Cerny continued. “I grew up here. It was a studio tour place. Now it’s a major thrill theme park. That’s a different deal.”

And it’s not, he said, background noise, such as the barely audible soundtrack from Wizarding World. “It’s screams,” he said. “Screaming is a disturbing noise. It’s not a lullaby.”

Universal says it’s listening.

“We appreciate hearing from the community, and that feedback is an important part of the process,” reads a statement from Universal Studios Hollywood. “The coaster is currently in its testing and commissioning phase, which is designed to evaluate the attraction over time and under a variety of operating conditions. As part of that process, we are actively reviewing sound levels to ensure the coaster is operating in compliance.”

Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift has been about a decade in the making. It’s a feat of engineering, situated on a hill between the park’s upper and lower lots, extending out toward Lankershim Boulevard. Universal has its own interest in limiting noise from the ride, beyond being a polite neighbor, as it is still a working studio.

The theme park has made outreach into the neighborhood over the years in an attempt to assuage concerns, be it distributing fliers or attending community meetings. And many a Toluca Lake resident enjoys some theme park perks courtesy of Universal, such as free parking, and invites to pre-opening events at the park. Garner still speaks fondly of getting on Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge before the bulk of the public.

“We all went to meetings about it,” Rogers said of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift. “Universal says they want to be a good neighbor. They made a big deal about making it the quietest coaster ever. Well, that’s nice, but you can’t put tape over people’s mouths.”

While residents say the screaming is crushingly loud, there’s no indication as of yet the ride violates any county standards. The path for the coaster was cleared with 2013’s Universal Studios Specific Plan. Presented to and approved by the County of Los Angeles, the documents outline studio, theme park and hotel expansion plans, detailing requirements such as as height, noise and more. While nothing in the papers explicitly previewed any potential ride specifics, such as a 72 mph coaster with 360 degree rotating cars, county officials note there was also nothing in the pitch for Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift that would violate terms of the plan.

Thus, say county officials, there was no requirement for Universal to hold public hearings to be granted approval to build the coaster. That’s left some residents feeling slighted, saying they were unaware of the attraction until ground was moved.

Universal Studio Hollywood’s Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will reach speeds of 72 mph and take riders on multiple inversions.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

It should be noted, however, that before construction began, Universal Studios did place speakers on its old special effects and stunt buildings to see how noise traveled down the hill. And as per the documents, Universal Studios Hollywood must track noise at six designated monitoring sites outside and around the park. At least three are in the heart of Toluca Lake, situated on or near Valley Springs Lane.

Residents are also given a number to call for complaints such as a noise. Zito has been in touch with park technicians near his home, noting they are sitting with microphones and equipment to capture sonic readings. “I always go up to them and say, ‘You’re not here when it’s really noisy,’” he said. Another resident spoke of downloading a smartphone app to track decibel levels throughout the day, intending to document the noise of the coaster screams and report any violations.

Allowable decibel levels in the neighborhood vary depending on the time of day, as well as the type of noise. Operational sound, such as those from an attraction, are classified differently than “impulsive noise,” such as a gunshot from a film production. A scream, said county officials, is considered operational noise, and decibel levels should hover somewhere around 50 dBa during peak hours.

Most decibel charts consider that moderate noise, somewhere between steady rainfall and a dishwasher. Over the years Universal has been required to make alterations to its attractions, such as replacing some live special effects in its “Waterworld” show with prerecorded digital tracks.

The office of county supervisor Kathryn Barger is aware of the complaints of Toluca Lake residents. Her staff has been facilitating a conversation with people at Universal Studios and has found them to be “very willing partners,” said Helen Chavez Garcia, Barger’s communications director. “They are very interested in finding common ground to address the community concerns, while also meeting their bigger objectives of bringing a new attraction to keep their theme park thriving. They’ve been good partners at the table and this is going to be a continued work in progress.”

With the coaster slated to open in the coming days or weeks, residents aren’t optimistic for change or the sudden construction of more noise buffers. Rogers, for instance, said her and husband have begun shopping for water fountains, wondering if installing them in their backyard will mask the screams. Coaster fan Garner, however, said the only recourse may be to find a way to live with — and enjoy — the ride.

“I’m dying to get on it,” he said. “I’m sure it’s going to be something to experience and I’m sure it’s going to be great.”

Then he pauses for a moment. “But I don’t want to have to listen to it all day and into the night.”

Socceroos World Cup star Cristian Volpato has allegedly tested positive for cocaine after police twice stopped him for speeding in Sydney on the same night.

The 22-year-old Australia midfielder was stopped in a BMW Coupe on the Anzac Bridge at 11:05pm local time on Thursday night after he was caught travelling between 86-94km/h in a 60km/h zone, police said.

He was subjected to a roadside breath test, which returned a negative result.

However, Volpato allegedly returned a positive result for cocaine when he was stopped two hours later for travelling at 109km/h in the same 60km/h zone.

New South Wales state police said Volpato was issued an infringement notice for excess speed, while his international driver’s licence was suspended for six months – which means he cannot drive in New South Wales.

The police also said their inquiries will continue and a secondary sample of oral fluid was taken for further analysis.

Volpato played in three of Australia’s four World Cup matches as they reached the round of 32, where they were knocked out by Egypt in a penalty shootout.

Having represented Italy at youth level, he switched allegiances to Australia in May just before the Socceroos announced their squad for the tournament.

Volpato has played at Serie A side Sassuolo since 2023 and he made 24 league appearances for the club as they finished 11th last season.

“We have been in contact with the player and continue to monitor the matter and support the player throughout this process,” governing body Football Australia said.

Players’ union Professional Footballers Australia said it was “aware of reports concerning Cristian Volpato and will ensure he is supported”.

BBC Sport has approached Sassuolo for comment.

July 24 (UPI) — The United States and Iran traded attacks Thursday night and Friday morning, as President Donald Trump announced that damage inflicted by Iran on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz would be paid with U.S.-held Iranian assets.

U.S. Central Command said its latest wave of attacks, which were completed at 9 p.m. EDT Thursday, lasted for about two hours, 15 minutes, during which its forces hit Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communications networks, coastal surveillance sites and maritime capabilities.

State-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported explosions early Friday local time across the country, with strikes in Ahvaz, Bandar Abbas, Omidiyeh, Qeshm and Andimeshk. Officials in Bandar Abbas reported that two people were injured.

Explosions were also reported by the IRIB in southern Khorramabad.

The Iranian Army announced retaliatory drone strikes on U.S. bases in Jordan and Bahrain.

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior said sirens were sounding. It urged residents to remain calm and seek shelter.

The United States has been hitting Iran for nearly a fortnight as it seeks to regain freedom of navigation of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy route that Iranian forces have tried to seize amid the war by attacking commercial tankers that try to transit it.

Maritime traffic freely flowed through the Hormuz until the United States and Israel attacked Iran in late February. Iran responded with its maritime blockade of the chokepoint, causing gas prices to spike and threatening nations with an energy crisis.

Mid-June, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to lay foundations to end the war, but fighting resumed earlier this month over a dispute over what the agreement meant for control of the strait. Iran says the agreement recognizes its authority over Hormuz transit. Washington says Tehran committed to freedom of navigation.

CENTCOM said Thursday, as it has after the completion of each new wave of attacks, that it was seeking to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack vessels transiting the Hormuz.

“The international waterway remains open for transit despite recent attacks from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” the statement said.

“Commercial vessels continue to free navigate the strait with U.S. military support.”

Late Thursday, President Donald Trump announced online that damage ships incur while traveling the Strait of Hormuz would be paid by for with the hundreds of millions of dollars in Iranian assets that the United States has frozen via sanctions.

“These damages may be very substantial but, nevertheless, this is the fair and equitable thing to do,” he said in a statement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi lashed out in response online, warning the international community that “Seizing another nation’s assets to pay for unrelated future claims is an incendiary precedent.”

“Those who celebrate or profit from such funds should remember: once governments normalize confiscation, no one’s assets are safe,” he said in a statement.

“Ensuing chaos will not be pretty or peaceful.”

A major fire broke out at a Wildberries e-commerce warehouse in St Petersburg after a Ukrainian drone attack. Ukraine also targeted another Wildberries warehouse on the outskirts of the city, as well as facilities in Tver and Crimea.

A UK beach is drawing crowds as people think it’s so gorgeous. In fact, many say it’s just as pretty as “being in Greece”, and they have shared just how stunning they think it is

There are so many beautiful beaches in the UK, but a certain beauty spot has been drawing in crowds due to its natural splendour. Many admit they think it’s a totally gorgeous spot, and they have even compared it to being in stunning locations like Greece.

Footage of the stunning area in Pembrokeshire, Wales, has taken the internet by storm, enchanting countless viewers with its spectacular scenery. It’s been hailed as so picturesque – with its crystal-clear waters and jaw-dropping views – that many reckon it’s “just like being in Greece” and the location has since gone viral.

It’s not the only Welsh beach to have caught people’s eye recently either. Previously, another beach in Wales was deemed to be one of the best in the UK.

On TikTok, Wander Wales posted: “When you realise this isn’t Greece… it’s Wales.” The clip, shared alongside the caption, showed off the incredible surroundings in all their glory.

What is it like?

The view from Barafundle Bay features gleaming sands, turquoise waters and utterly breathtaking scenery. On a glorious day, it’s hard to imagine anywhere more spectacular to spend your time.

Since being uploaded, the video has racked up thousands of views, with dozens of enthusiastic comments flooding in. Many viewers were quick to agree that the location is truly magical.

One wrote: “Sat there now. Best beach I’ve ever been to.”

Another added: “So enjoyed my visit to Barafundle last year.”

A third replied: “Stunning. Proud to be Welsh when we have beaches, sceneries and views like this.”

Meanwhile, a fourth remarked: “Yes! Gorgeous place. I live in Wales and there’s something stunning around every corner!”

Another also noted: “My favourite beach for a swim after a walk around the lily ponds and a walk to the café. A perfect day out.”

Where is it?

If you’ve never been before, Barafundle Bay is extremely well-visited. Indeed, it’s regularly cited as one of the finest beaches in Britain and across the globe for its golden sands and crystal-clear waters.

You’ll find it at Stackpole Estate, within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. There are just a few things worth knowing before you head there.

The beach can only be reached via a picturesque 0.5-mile (20 to 25-minute) walk from the closest car park at Stackpole Quay. The brief journey includes steep steps and clifftop paths.

Nevertheless, it’s an absolutely breathtaking spot to visit. If you’re on the lookout for somewhere fresh to discover this summer, it could feel every bit as good as jetting off abroad.

MELANIE C threw her ‘wedding bouquet’ to a crowd in Ibiza as she DJed just days after her magical ceremony in the UK.

The 52-year-old and Australian model Chris Dingwall said ‘I do’ in an intimate ceremony in the Lake District last weekend.

Just three days after their special day, Melanie jetted off to Spain to take to the decks at the Chinois Ibiza nightclub.

Melanie looked incredible in a hot pink jumpsuit and the club-goers cheered as she lifted up a bouquet of flowers while dancing away to the music.

The Spice Girls star then turned her back to her fans, chucked them behind her and laughed to herself as she got back to the decks.

Melanie has shared a first look at her wedding after tying the knot with her boyfriend of three years, Chris.

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And it came just days after their private legal civil ceremony in Sydney, Australia, where Chris is from.

The couple got married in a stunning ceremony in the grounds of The Country House Cumbria on Saturday.

They were joined by their loved ones, including her Spice Girls bandmates.

Mel B, Geri Horner and Emma Bunton were all in attendance as Victoria Beckham was noticeably absent from the big day – but she was unable to attend due to the World Cup final in the US.

Despite not being able to be there, she designed her pal’s beautiful backless, white wedding gown.

Melanie also wore a custom Adidas robe to get ready for the ceremony, made from ivory silk with white silk stripes and then changed into an Adidas tracksuit look for the evening.

A source told The Sun on Saturday: “Mel and Chris’ wedding was perfect, they couldn’t be happier.

“They chose a classy, laid-back ceremony before a reception with their closest friends and family.

“Mel B gave a speech which got a lot of laughs, as well as some tears — it was really beautiful.

“Geri was there but there was no awkwardness between her and Mel B.

“It was a day for celebrating Mel and Chris’s love for each other and that was all anyone wanted to do.”

Melanie told British Vogue the wedding was “low-key, relaxed, romantic and chic”.

She added: “I’m so excited for the world to know he’s my husband.”

The happy couple met on dating app Raya.

FANCY a classic sightseeing trip to London? I’ve found the best way to take in the city’s breath-taking skyline.

Us Brits are lucky to have a fantastic capital city which packs in fascinating landmarks, futuristic skyscrapers, and majestic bridges as well as historical 11th century buildings which still stand today.

Book a River Thames Lunch Cruise – ON SALE for £38 (was £53)

And if you’re planning a trip to London anytime soon, there’s one sightseeing experience you won’t want to miss.

City Cruises have a range of Thames sightseeing cruises which let you take in the London city skyline from the water from an open-air deck or swanky indoor lounge.

You can pick from a classic sightseeing cruise, which starts from only £15 per adult and £10.25 per child, or treat yourself to a Jazz, Elvis tribute or even a Murder Mystery cruise.

I decided to try out the London Lunch Cruise on the River Thames, which is the most popular option that City Cruises offer.

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Not only is this the most popular experience, but it’s currently on sale – down to £38 a ticket instead of £53. That’s the cheapest lunchtime cruise on the River Thames we could find.

Considering you get a fancy two-course meal, panoramic views of London’s top landmarks like Big Ben and the London Eye, plus expert commentary – this is one hell of a bargain.

The tour starts by stepping onboard at the Tower Millennium Pier, a central spot that’s easy to get to by taking the underground to Tower Hill.

I stepped onboard to find a very spacious cabin, with a sleek downstairs dining area dotted with white tablecloths, plus an upper deck that’s perfect for making use of in sunny weather.

Lots of guests around me were celebrating birthdays or special occasions, dressed up to the nines snapping shots for Instagram or family photos.

And this is certainly the place to take pictures, with flattering golden sunlight pouring in through the windows, plus landmarks like Tower Bridge, The Shard and Big Ben as your backdrop.

Book a River Thames Lunch Cruise – ON SALE for £38 (was £53)

As it turns out, the food onboard was just as impressive as the views.

I only waited around 15 minutes from being seated until my main course arrived – and the presentation of the dish was Masterchef-worthy.

There are two options for your main course: a vegetarian cassoulet with oyster mushrooms and white beans, or a roasted supreme of chicken with fondant potatoes and veg.

I went for the latter, and was blown away by the rich creamy mushroom sauce and the cheesy fondant potato. The decadent dish would have wowed me in a high-end restaurant, let alone on a Thames cruise.

After a short rest came dessert – a baked cheesecake with a gooey white chocolate centre and a heavy drizzle of tart raspberry coulis, plus tea or coffee. Could you picture a more perfect pudding?

With a full belly and warm coffee in hand, there’s nothing left to do but lean back and watch London glide past your window

The route takes you from the pier across to Canary Wharf, where you can admire the futuristic skyline and spot six of the UK’s 10 tallest buildings.

From here you’ll turn back around and head all the way towards Big Ben.

This is when the commentary begins, so you’ll soak up centuries of London history along the way. I recommend heading up to the deck for the best views.

You’ll glide under nine magnificent bridges including Tower Bridge, London Bridge and – my favourite – the Wibbly Wobbly bridge (AKA Milennium Bridge).

You’ll also get up-close with the bright red pillars of the lost 18th century Blackfriars Bridge which jut out from the water.

Plus you’ll cruise under “Ladies’ Bridge” – the unofficial nickname of Waterloo Bridge, which was built largely by women during World War II.

It was fascinating to see historic landmarks nestled in-between glossy modern offices and huge skyscrapers.

One of these impressive slices of history is Cleopatra’s Needle – the oldest structure in London. The obelisk was built in 1450 BC, and made its way over to London from Egypt in 1878.

Finally you’ll pass spots like the Globe Theatre and the London Eye until you reach the Houses of Parliament – stop for a quick selfie – then it’s back to the pier.

Although I live in London, I left feeling like I’d learned so much about my city that I didn’t even before, thanks to the knowledgeable tour guide.

Overall, the lunch cruise was a fantastic way to pack in sightseeing, fascinating history, and a delicious meal into one relaxing experience.

Plus when you step off, you’ve got the Tower of London, Borough Market and more on your doorstep to continue ticking off the best of London.

Click below to browse City Cruises‘ options, starting from £15 for a sightseeing cruise.

Browse City Cruises’ experiences – starting at £15 per adult

Prices correct at the time of publication.

IF YOU are heading away this summer, you might want to check whether you need to expect lengthy queues at your destination.

A major airline boss has called out the destinations you can expect to experience chaos this summer thanks to Europe’s new Entry/Exit System (EES).

According to easyJet boss Kenton Jarvis, the EU’s EES is “a bit of a mess”, highlighting the Canary Islands in particular, according to TTG Media.

Popular destinations in the Canary Islands include Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, Lanzarote and La Palma.

He also highlighted that there are issues in Milan Linate Airport, including recently a number of passengers missed their flight due to long queues at border control.

There are some destinations that are handling the new system well though, such as the Greek islands.

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He added: “The EU had a very long time to prepare for something they have not prepared very well.”

Jarvis also explained that planes can only wait so long for passengers, before they need to leave without them.

This was the case in Milan, where the plane was held for an hour before eventually leaving.

If they had waited longer, they might have missed their slot for take-off or the crew would then go into working overtime.

He is now advising passengers to arrive at the airport earlier, to allow for the extra time to get through border control.

And Jarvis is also pushing for the grace period for EES to be extended into the winter.

If you are unable to get through border control due to queues, in time for your flight, easyJet will put you on another flight with the airline.

Jarvis added: “It should be a good thing when everyone has been registered because they will be able to use e-gates, but until then it is clunky.”

Published on
24/07/2026 – 9:14 GMT+2

German Socialist MEP Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, told Euronews that the EU should brace for further action from the US following the €890 million fine imposed on Google by the European Commission on Thursday.

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Tensions escalated across the Atlantic after US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the fine was “unreasonable” and created “uncertainty” for US-EU trade.

Brussels imposed the fine on the tech giant under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is designed to curb Big Tech’s dominance in the EU’s digital markets and has been a repeated target of US criticism since Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

“We have the tariff for the deal of Scotland and we have some regulation where everybody, not only US companies but also Europeans or whatever companies, has to respect it,” Lange said.

He added that both the DMA and the Digital Services Act (DSA) remain in Washington’s crosshairs and warned that the EU should prepare for retaliation.

“To be honest, I expect that some action will come,” he said.

Imposing tariffs over forced labour is ‘crazy’

The EU and the US have been bound since July 2025 by a trade deal struck in Scotland that imposes 15% US duties on EU goods while removing EU tariffs on US products.

Brussels, which hopes the deal will shield European businesses from Washington’s erratic decisions and tariff threats, had expected the US to announce a new tariff regime to replace the current one expiring on Friday and was prepared to accept it as long as it did not exceed the 15% cap.

Washington unveiled the new regime on Thursday, targeting trading partners around the world, including the EU, over forced labour.

According to Lange, the fact that the US targeted the EU over forced labour is “crazy”.

“We have a wonderful legislation, even stronger than the United States has,” he said.

However, he believes the new tariffs could eventually be challenged before US courts and hopes trade policy will return to the hands of Congress.

“I guess the courts in the United States will judge about that,” Lange said, adding: “I hope that after the midterms in November, the Congress will take over a little bit more like it is written down in the Constitution of the United States, Article 1, Paragraph 8, that trade policy is in the hands of the Congress.”

“I hope this will give us also additional stability.”

RYANAIR boss has warned Brits not to be late for their flight as planes will takeoff without them.

The news comes after reports of hour-long delays at border control as a result of the introduction of the EU’s new Entry/Exit system (EES).

Talking on The Telegraph’s podcast, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said: “We will not wait for anybody.

“Our priority is to those passengers who are at the boarding gate when boarding starts. If you’re not at the boarding gate when we finish boarding, the plane is going without you.”

He further added that it is the responsibility of the traveller to leave enough time to get themselves through the airport on time.

It comes after reports of up to six-hour long queues at passport control and in some cases, passengers have missed flights as a result.

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At the beginning of June, 150 Ryanair passengers missed their flight from Toulouse to the UK due to the queues.

In another case, British passengers who were still in the airport queuing through passport control missed their Ryanair flight from Athens to London Luton.

One passenger told the BBC at the time that there had been a “mega queue” at Athens International Airport where hundreds of people were waiting at both security and passport control.

The plane took off without around 50 of its passengers.

However, Michael O’Leary said that planes cannot wait for anyone caught up in the chaos.

He added: “We’re not delaying our flights for people who are stuck in passport control queues.

“They have to show up at the airport earlier [and] be at the boarding gate, otherwise they’re not flying.”

Ryanair had previously called for EES to be delayed until September to save the summer holidays – but it has continued to go ahead.

With EES still in place, airlines are advising Brits to leave arrive three to four hours early for your flight to Europe this summer.

Manchester United have signed goalkeeper Janina Leitzig from Leicester City for an undisclosed fee.

The 27-year-old becomes their second signing of the summer following the arrival of defender Andrea Medina.

It is believed the former Germany youth international has signed a three-year deal at United after they triggered the release clause in her Leicester contract, which was renewed in 2025.

Leitzig has been at Leicester for three years, initially on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich, where she became a regular starter.

She leaves having made almost 70 appearances in all competitions but could not save Leicester from Women’s Super League relegation last season.

“It is a real honour to be a Manchester United player,” said Leitzig.

“I’m ready to bring all of my experience of competing at the highest level to help the team to have a successful season.

“I am joining a really excellent group of goalkeepers. Everyone has told me about the great environment that they have created.

“I cannot wait to push all together to maintain the high performance standards that this club deserves.”

Leitzig has been a long-term target for United and BBC Sport first reported in 2023 that they had made contact with the German goalkeeper while on loan at Leicester.

She will wear the number 25 shirt at Manchester United.

July 24 (UPI) — A federal court has allowed Tennessee to use a new congressional map that eliminates the state’s only majority-Black district in November’s midterm elections, rejecting a challenge from civil and voting rights advocates.

The three-judge panel on Thursday denied a motion filed by Black Memphis voters for a preliminary injunction against implementing the map, ruling they lacked evidence of racial motivation for the map’s unorthodox mid-decade redistricting, which could be explained by a political motivation.

“The road to a reliably 9-0 map runs through Memphis. Thus, political motivations readily explain the map’s dilutive effects,” the panel, which consisted of two Trump appointees and one Obama appointee, wrote in its decision.

With the ruling, Tennessee may use the map in next month’s primaries.

November’s midterms have been of increasing concern for President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly voiced worries about impeachment proceedings and investigations if Republicans lose the House to Democrats, and has pushed GOP-led states to redraw their congressional maps to create additional Republican-favored districts.

Texas was the first last summer to agree to Trump’s request, sparking a gerrymandering arms race, with at least 10 states have redrawn their maps. All but Democrat-led California and North Carolina, which has a Democratic governor, are Republican-led.

Tennessee’s GOP-majority legislature passed its redistricting map to eliminate the one Democrat-held seat in May, a week after the Supreme Court issued a controversial decision that weakened a key part of the Voting Rights Act, by greatly limiting the use of race in drawing electoral districts.

The three Black Memphis voters, along with the Black Clergy Collaborative of Memphis, the Memphis A. Philip Randolph Institute and the Equity Alliance sued days later, alleging that the new map unlawfully discriminates against Black Memphis voters by dismantling a district where they had long been able to meaningfully participate in the political process.

In its ruling Thursday, the court said that the plaintiffs had to show that the map redraw was racially motivated, which they failed to do.

“The map’s effects — breaking Black Memphians into three separate congressional districts — are readily explainable by political motivations,” the court said.

“It’s no secret (supported by Plaintiffs’ own statements) that city voters prefer Democratic candidates and that rural voters prefer Republican candidates. So, it makes sense that Tennessee’s legislature would split Memphis into thirds when attempting to create a map that favors Republican candidates. And it’s no surprise that the resulting map would also split the Black population of Memphis into thirds.”

Amber Sherman, a plaintiff in the case, said the court’s decision further disenfranchises Black voters in Memphis.

“It’s painful to know we’ll head into another election under a map that was designed to weaken the Black voters in Memphis,” she said in a statement.

“We deserve the same opportunity to shape our future as anyone else.”