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Pretty UK village takes you back in time with its cobbled streets and car ban

Van-life traveller Lana says this gorgeous UK village with cobbled streets and turquoise waters is so ‘quaint and dreamy’ it’s like stepping back into the past

This pretty UK village has narrow cobbled lanes and cute shopfronts that will make you feel like it’s the good old days.

Lana, who explores Britain while living in her van, is encouraging people to make the journey to Clovelly in north Devon.

The content creator said: “I had a solo trip to this quaint and dreamy little place with the most picturesque scenery! It was like stepping back in time with no cars allowed and had a kind of a Greece feel to it with the cobbled streets, bright white houses, hanging flower baskets over looking a turquoise ocean.”

She adored spotting donkeys at the top of the village, as well as taking in the breathtaking vistas and indulging in a scrumptious afternoon tea.

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Clovelly boasts dramatic views over the Bristol Channel, a small working harbour, and a really distinctive layout that makes a visit feel like an experience rather than just a stop-off.

People come for the cobbled main street that drops steeply down to the water, the photogenic cottages and flower-filled walls, and the slower pace created by the fact cars don’t use the village streets.

Another reason if feels like stepping back to the past is that goods are traditionally moved by handcarts, and you’ll often see donkeys referenced as part of the village’s heritage.

If you’re planning on visiting, Lana said there’s an entrance fee for the village as it has remained privately owned since Elizabethan times. Visitor charges are roughly £8.75 per person.

Clovelly Court Gardens are an absolute must-see when exploring this famous village, boasting immaculately maintained grounds and beautifully restored Victorian greenhouses.

Be sure to pop into the Kingley Museum or head up to Mount Pleasant – widely regarded as the finest picnic spot in the village

There are also a handful of charming pubs, craft workshops to get stuck into, as well as shops stocking unique and handmade goods.

For ale fans, the Clovelly Brewery sits proudly at the top of this stunning village.

But Lana warned: “It’s on a steep cliff so be prepared for a bit of a walk and don’t be like me and wear flip flops – which also broke so that was interesting on steep cobbled paths.”

Lana recommends visiting on a weekday where possible to sidestep the crowds – and people agree that it’s well worth the journey.

Commenting on the viral video showcasing the village’s stunning beauty, one user said: “Beautiful Clovelly, worth the £9 per adult. Absolutely stunning the £9 ticket is valid for seven days so definitely worth it. Visited the garden too – bought a little plant.”

Another said: “I visited Clovelly some years ago, it’s lovely.” And a third added: “Clovelly, prettiest village ever, been few times.”

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Judge overturns Trump’s ban on NPR, PBS funding

The headquarters for National Public Radio is seen in Washington, D.C., on May 27. A federal judge sided with NPR’s lawsuit saying Trump’s cut to federal funding was a violation of the First Amendment. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo

March 31 (UPI) — A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled Tuesday that President Donald Trump‘s executive order cutting funding to NPR and the PBS was a violation of their First Amendment rights.

U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss said the executive order signed in May violated the companies’ constitutional rights to a free press because Trump targeted for what he described as liberal views. He described the cut to funding as “viewpoint discrimination.”

“The message is clear: NPR and PBS need not apply for any federal benefit because the president disapproves of their ‘left-wing’ coverage of the news,” Moss said in his ruling.

“It is difficult to conceive of clearer evidence that a government action is targeted at viewpoints that the president does not like and seeks to squelch,” he added.

“To be sure, the president is entitled to criticize this or any other reporting, and he can express his own views as he sees fit. He may not, however, use his governmental power to direct federal agencies to exclude plaintiffs from receiving federal grants or other funding in retaliation for saying things that he does not like.”

Trump’s executive order, called Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media, ordered the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service to the maximum extent allowed by law.

At the time, more than 70% of CPB’s congressionally approved $535 million budget went directly to public media stations through grants.

According to NPR, about 1% of its annual operating budget came in the form of grants from CPB and federal agencies and departments, excluding CPB funding for the Public Radio Satellite System. Its largest funding stream — about 36% — comes from sponsorships, donations, memberships and licensing fees.

According to PBS, federal funding covered about 15% of its revenue.

CPB was founded in 1967 as a private nonprofit corporation to fund public television and radio stations and their programs.

NPR sued the Trump administration later in the month, citing First Amendment and 1967 Public Broadcasting Act violations.

President Donald Trump stands with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins during an event celebrating farmers on the South Lawn of the White House on Friday. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo

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Kenya’s former New York marathon champion Korir gets five-year doping ban | Athletics News

Korir tested positive for a drug that stimulates red blood cell production during out-of-competition tests.

Kenya’s 2021 New York marathon champion Albert Korir has been banned for five years after he admitted using a banned performance-enhancing drug, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said.

The AIU said on Monday that Korir had received a one-year reduction from the original six-year suspension “based on an early admission and acceptance of the sanction”.

Korir, 32, tested positive for the synthetic form of erythropoietin (EPO) that stimulates red blood cell production during out-of-competition tests in Kenya in October 2025.

His five-year ban will run from January 8, 2026, the date he was provisionally suspended, until January 7, 2031.

Korir won the 2021 New York marathon in a time of 2hr 08min 22sec and came third in 2023 with a personal best time of 2:06:57.

He won the Ottawa marathon in 2019 and 2025.

Korir’s sanction comes nearly six months after compatriot Ruth Chepngetich, the current world marathon record holder was banned for three years after admitting the use of Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a banned diuretic used as a masking agent.

Kenya worked to clean up its image after a string of doping scandals around the 2016 Rio Olympics led to it being declared non-compliant by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

More than 140 Kenyan runners, mainly long-distance athletes, have been sanctioned for drugs offences since then.

In June 2024, Kenya handed out its first lifetime ban to marathon runner Beatrice Toroitich and a six-year ban to 10km record-holder Rhonex Kipruto.

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Doncic faces one-game ban after technical foul in Lakers win against Nets | Basketball News

Luka Doncic’s 41 points against Nets was soured by his 16th technical foul of the season, triggering a one-game ban.

Luka Doncic had a game-high 41 points and eight rebounds while also picking up his suspension-triggering 16th technical foul during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 116-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night.

Austin Reaves scored 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, while the Lakers finally pulled away from the young Nets to secure their 11th victory in 12 games. LeBron James added 14 points and eight assists for the Lakers in their return from a 5-1 road trip that has put them in third in the Western Conference standings.

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Josh Minott had 18 points and six rebounds in Brooklyn’s 10th consecutive loss. Nic Claxton and Ziaire Williams scored 16 points apiece while leading the Nets’ lively effort, but both starters were kept on the bench for the entire fourth quarter, along with Noah Clowney.

The young Nets still hung with the road-weary Lakers until the final minutes, erasing an early double-digit deficit and leading in the fourth quarter of their 20th loss in 22 games overall.

Doncic hit five 3-pointers during his 15th 40-point game of the season, but the Slovenian superstar found trouble when he and Williams were whistled for double technical fouls in the third quarter.

Williams was celebrating an offensive foul called against Doncic by gleefully screaming in Doncic’s personal space. When Doncic reached out to shove Williams’ arm, Williams responded with a backhand swipe across Doncic’s face.

Unless Doncic’s technical is rescinded, he will be suspended for a game. He already had a technical rescinded last week after he was whistled for a verbal altercation with Orlando’s Goga Bitadze.

Bronny James played alongside his famous father for the second straight game, with LeBron getting the first father-son assist in NBA history on Bronny’s 3-pointer in the second quarter. Bronny has been limited largely to mop-up action in his first two NBA seasons, but he has earned rotation minutes this week in the injury absence of Marcus Smart.

Bronny and Williams played together in high school at Sierra Canyon School in suburban Los Angeles.

Luka Doncic and Ziaire Williams in action.
Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the season after an altercation with Nets’ player Ziaire Williams, right, and will face a one-game suspension [Adam Pantozzi/Getty Images via AFP]

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‘We will no longer stand by’: Austria plans social media ban for under-14s | News

Austrian officials highlight addiction and ill-health while advocating for stricter age restrictions.

Austria plans to ban children under 14 from using social media, with an official saying certain online sites are addictive and making young people “sick”.

“Austria is introducing ‌a compulsory minimum age of 14 for the use of social media platforms,” conservative ⁠junior minister for digitisation, ⁠Alexander Proll, told a joint news ⁠conference on Friday.

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Proell added that draft legislation ‌would be drawn up by June. Cabinet members ⁠from Austria’s two other governing parties were also in attendance.

“We will ‌decisively protect children and young people in future from the negative effects of social media,” Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler of the Social Democrats said.

“We will no longer stand by and watch while these platforms make our children addicted and often also sick … The risks associated ⁠with this use were ignored for ⁠long enough, and now it is time to act,” he added.

Babler said the government would not list individual platforms the ban would apply to, but would ‌decide ‌based on how addictive their algorithms are and whether they include content such as “sexualised violence”.

The announcement comes days after a Los Angeles jury found Alphabet’s Google and Meta liable for $6m in damages in a landmark social media addiction lawsuit.

The case involved a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to the apps at a young age due to their platform design. Meta says it plans to appeal the decision.

Also on Friday, the United Kingdom advised parents of children under five to limit screen time to a maximum of one hour per day.

Similar to Austria, other nations in Europe and elsewhere have banned the use of social media for children.

In January, the French parliament voted in favour of banning children aged below 15 from social media, amid growing concerns about online bullying and mental health risks.

Countries including the UK, Denmark, Spain and Greece are also studying a ban.

The European Parliament has called for the European Union to set minimum ages for children to ‌access social media, although it is up to member states to impose age limits.

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Trump signs order to ban other college games in Army-Navy time slot

March 21 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order forcing networks and the NCAA to avoid scheduling conflicts with the annual Army-Navy game in December.

The order would create an exclusive broadcast window for the college football game, played between the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. The game is usually played on the second Saturday in December, but College Football Playoffs and other post-season games have conflicted with the annual broadcast.

“Such scheduling conflicts weaken the national focus on our Military Service Academies and detract from a morale-building event of vital interest to the Department of War,” a White House press release titled “Preserving America’s Game” said. “Accordingly, it is the policy of the United States that no college football game, specifically college football’s CFP or other postseason games, be broadcast in a manner that directly conflicts with the Army‑Navy Game.”

The order says that the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Commerce must work with the NCAA, College Football Playoff and broadcasters to prevent scheduling conflicts during the usual time slot for the game.

“Nobody’s going to play football for four hours during that very special time of the year, in December. It’s preserved forever for the Army-Navy game,” Trump said just before signing the order. “Of course, we’ll probably get sued at some point,” he added.

The president was surrounded by Naval Academy midshipment as he signed the order. Navy won the game against Army on Dec. 13, 17-16.

“Thank you for signing that executive order protecting the sanctity of the Army-Navy game,” Navy coach Brian Newberry said. “It’s a game with a soul, and it deserves to be protected.”

Some have suggested the Army-Navy game be played on a different day or to broadcast other games at the same time.

Army head coach Jeff Monken told The Athletic in February that he would rather play the game on Thanksgiving weekend to avoid conflict with the playoffs.

“I think Army-Navy is a huge part of the history of college football, and what it is today, even,” he said. “Give us a four-hour block on Thanksgiving, or on Friday of Thanksgiving, or on Saturday of Thanksgiving, and give us a four-hour block, and just say nobody else plays during this four-hour block. That’s still protecting the game.”

Media law experts say the White House should be careful of intervening in college sports.

Jeffrey Cole, director of the Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, wrote in an email to The Washington Post that the White House should have these important conversations.

“But, it should not be a ‘decider.’ If change is needed at the federal level, it should come from legislation.”

The Army vs. Navy game has been played annually since 1930. CBS Sports has the broadcast rights through 2038.

The game has traditionally been played on the last weekend of November or the first weekend of December, The Athletic reported. It moved to the second weekend of December in 2009 to bring more attention and ratings to CBS.

“We are deeply appreciative of President Trump’s executive order preserving a dedicated window for the Army-Navy Game — America’s Game — a tradition that represents far more than football by honoring our service academies and the mission of developing leaders for our nation,” Navy Athletic Director Michael Kelly said in a statement to The Athletic. “Maintaining its exclusivity ensures the country can come together to recognize the sacrifice, commitment and readiness that are essential to our military. We are also encouraged that this step helps create a pathway for Navy Football to participate in the College Football Playoff when earned, allowing us to both preserve tradition and embrace opportunity.”

“We’re grateful for the President’s leadership and for everyone working to protect, preserve, and unite around America’s game and the values it stands for,” Army Athletic Director Tom Theodorakis said in a statement.

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Spain tourist rules for Brits from flip-flop ban to dress codes and vaping fines

Spain is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Brits, but stricter rules have been introduced in hotspots including vaping bans, dress codes and driving restrictions – here’s what you need to know

Spain remains one of the most popular holiday destinations for Brits, but in recent years, problems associated with excessive drinking and overtourism have prompted numerous hotspots – including the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands – to introduce tougher regulations for tourists.

From new measures to prevent people hogging sunbeds for hours on end, fresh vaping restrictions to even a regulation nicknamed the ‘bikini ban’, British holidaymakers should pay attention before their next trip; in certain instances, breaking the rules could result in a substantial fine.

To help you out, we’ve compiled some of the most significant regulations and recent updates to be aware of before your next Spanish break.

Vaping fines

Spain continues its clampdown on vaping, and the penalties for vaping in prohibited areas are just as severe as those for smoking. In 2025, the country brought in an outdoor smoking ban, which covers all manner of public areas, from restaurant and bar terraces to beaches

The prohibition includes smoking, vaping, shisha, any heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, with fines ranging between €30 to €2,000 (approximately £26 and £1,700), though for a first offence, it’s more likely to be towards the lower end. Watch out for signage before you take a drag of your vape.

Footwear restrictions

Planning to hire a car in Spain?

Think carefully about your footwear choice in the morning. If temperatures soar and you’re contemplating a pleasant coastal drive, you might be inclined to slip on flip-flops or slides, but this decision could land you with a substantial fine.

Spanish driving regulations demand footwear that permits ‘free movement’ to operate the pedals correctly, which excludes items such as flip-flops and sandals, high heels, wedges, or even going barefoot. Police officers can impose fines ranging from €80 to €200 (approximately £69 to £172) if they believe you lack proper control of your vehicle.

Therefore, if you’re organising a Spanish road trip, remember to pack some practical shoes to switch into.

Dress codes and ‘bikini bans’

Whilst in a Spanish seaside resort, it’s fairly typical to spot men wandering about topless or women sporting bikinis travelling to and from the beach. Nevertheless, certain Spanish destinations have grown weary of such displays and have introduced stringent regulations compelling holidaymakers to cover up when away from a beach or poolside.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) travel guidance for Spain notes: “In some parts of Spain, it’s illegal to be in the street wearing only a bikini or swimming shorts. Being bare-chested is also illegal in some areas in Spain. You could be fined if you’re caught wearing swimwear on the seafront promenade or adjacent streets.”

Penalties can reach up to €500 in certain areas, approximately £430. Spain isn’t the only country where you’ll encounter rules like these – certain parts of Italy have also brought in similar measures after residents grew tired of holidaymakers wandering around town or attempting to enter restaurants in their swimwear.

Alcohol crackdowns and bans

For countless holidaymakers, a trip to Spain wouldn’t be complete without a sangria or two. However, let’s be honest, Brits frequently take things too far when overseas, and in some regions, exhausted by intoxicated tourists, stringent crackdowns and prohibitions have been put in place.

In the Balearic Islands, particularly around Magaluf and Playa de Palma in Majorca, and San Antonio in Ibiza, there are now prohibitions on happy hours, all-you-can drink promotions, pub crawls, and party boat excursions. Some all-inclusive hotels in Majorca also cap daily drinks at six; three at lunchtime and three at dinner to prevent binge drinking and antisocial behaviour.

Particular resorts on both the mainland and the islands are taking action against people drinking on the street, as well as illegal parties being hosted in villas and private properties.

The FCDO also warns: “Hotels and other establishments will evict you if you behave dangerously on balconies. You could also get a fine.”

Reserving sunbeds

Bagging sunbeds with a towel remains a prevalent practice among British holidaymakers, despite its potential to irk other tourists, but some beaches are taking a stand against the habit by imposing fines. In a resort near Valencia, two retirees were slapped with a £250 fine for reserving sunbeds by laying down towels before 8am to secure a prime beachfront spot.

Whilst it’s unlikely to result in a fine, numerous Spanish hotels have taken action against sunbed monopolisers by confiscating their belongings or handing out warning cards if sunbeds are left unoccupied for a specified period.

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Oscars: ‘Voice of Hind Rajab’ star to miss ceremony due to travel ban

“The Voice of Hind Rajab,” a heartbreaking retelling of the efforts to save a 6-year-old Palestinian girl amid Israel’s attacks on Gaza, will be honored at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday — without one of its star players.

Actor Motaz Malhees, who stars in the film as Red Crescent dispatcher Omar, confirmed Thursday that he will be absent from the festivities because of President Trump’s travel ban against Palestinians. “I had the honor of playing one of the lead roles in a story the world needed to hear,” Malhees said on Instagram, “but I will not be there.”

“I am not allowed to enter the United States because of my Palestinian citizenship,” he added.

Trump announced his widened travel ban in December, noting his decision to “fully restrict and limit the entry of individuals using travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority,” along with people from countries including South Sudan and Syria. The president issued the order months after he presented his 20-point peace plan for the Gaza strip — efforts that some Palestinians feel have been now brushed aside amid U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran.

Malhees said in his post that the restriction “hurts” but offered his followers and supporters a kernel of truth: “You can block a passport. You cannot block a voice.”

“The Voice of Hind Rajab,” directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, is nominated in the international feature category. The film is set in a Red Crescent call center in Ramallah and centers the 70-minute phone recording of Hind’s pleas for help as she waits with her family in a trapped car for emergency responders. She and two medics dispatched to her location were killed in February 2024 in Israeli attacks in Gaza.

The film earned the grand jury prize at the Venice Film Festival.

Though unable to celebrate the film at the Oscars on Sunday, Malhees said he stands “with pride and dignity” and that his “spirit will be with the Voice of Hind Rajab that night.”

“Our story is bigger than any barrier, and it will be heard,” he said.

A representative for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

As Malhees publicized his absence, fellow stars including Oscar winner Riz Ahmed and Emmy-nominated “Succession” star Arian Moayed rallied in support.

“Your work in the film and the film itself are both incredible and will live on forever,” Ahmed commented.

“You are brilliant, azizam,” Moayed replied to Malhees. “And this is heartbreaking and unjust.”



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