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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The list of men who have won a World Cup final is less than 500 names long, making it among the most exclusive in sports.

Jurgen Klinsmann’s name is on that list. And if he had known what a special club he would join when he stepped on the pitch for the 1990 final, he might have taken more time to enjoy it.

“How big that actually was, you only realize when when you start traveling the world and you get basically approached everywhere in the world about those moments,” Klinsmann said Friday. “It’s pretty crazy.”

Several new names will be added to that list Sunday, when Spain and Argentina meet at MetLife Stadium to decide the winner of the largest, most complex World Cup in history. A record 48 teams started the tournament 39 days and 103 games ago. Now just two remain: Spain, the reigning European champion, a team that hasn’t lost in 37 games and 27 months, and top-ranked Argentina, the reigning World Cup champion seeking to become the first team to repeat in 64 years.

Argentina leads the tournament in goals with 19, 12 of them coming in the 75th minute or later. In all four of Argentina’s wins in the knockout stages, the go-ahead goal came in stoppage time or extra time. Its captain, Lionel Messi, finished the semifinals leading the tournament with contributions on 12 goals — eight goals and four assists. He‘s also the all-time World Cup leader in goals, assists and games played and seems a shoo-in for a third Golden Ball, which goes to the tournament’s best player. No one else has won that award more than once.

But if Argentina is the unstoppable force, Spain is the immovable object. It has given up just one goal in the tournament with its goalie, Unai Simón, pitching shutouts in seven of his last eight World Cup games, dating to 2022. Slowing Messi won’t be up to Simón alone, however. Midfielder Rodri, Spain’s captain and the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner as the best player in the world, is the team’s defensive anchor. He said the best way to try to control Messi is to keep him out of the box — although Messi’s two decisive assists in Argentina’s semifinal comeback against England came from outside the penalty area.

And while Klinsmann’s one-and-done experience in a World Cup final is typical of most players, Messi, 39, is the exception: When the whistle blows Sunday, he’ll become just the second player, after Brazil’s Cafu, to play in three World Cup finals. When he made his World Cup debut in 2006, two starters on Spain’s team — center back Pau Cubarsí and winger Lamine Yamal — had yet to be born.

East Rutherford was hit with heavy thunderstorms Saturday, which helped knock down the hazardous smoke from Canadian wildfires that had blanketed the tri-state area for days. The poor air quality, which is dangerous for both players and fans, led FIFA and the White House to hold informal discussions over moving the World Cup final.

So while the air won’t be clear Sunday, the greatest risk appears to have passed and the threat of rain or lightning interrupting the game has also decreased, with the forecast calling for temperatures in the mid- 80s and 55% humidity at kickoff.

President Trump is expected to attend the game, after which he will present the World Cup trophy to the victor. And Klinsmann’s advice to the players who will walk across that stage to get their winners’ medals is to savor every moment because they might not come again.

Jurgen Klinsmann, a World Cup champion with West Germany and the former U.S. men’s national team coach, understands players often forget to savor the moment of playing in soccer’s biggest game.

(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

“Take it all in to and really enjoy every second of it,” he said. “Make it special. Don’t miss out on anything.”

Klinsmann was 25 and less than three years into his international career when he helped West Germany win the World Cup in 1990. So naturally he figured there would be more to come.

“I said, ‘Well, if this is so cool to win a title, then I want to win more titles,” he said. “The magnitude of it, I did not understand.”

In two more tournaments as a player, he never got past the quarterfinals and in two World Cups as a manager he made the semifinals once. Never again would he hold the most cherished trophy in sports, though his 11 World Cup goals are tied for ninth all-time, tied with Cristiano Ronaldo and one behind Pelé.

Mario Gotze scored only two goals in his World Cup career but the last one will never be forgotten. In the 88th minute of the 2014 final against Argentina, just before sending Gotze on as a sub, German manager Joachim Löw called Gotze over and said, “Show the world you are better than Messi and can decide the World Cup.”

With seven minutes left in extra time he did just that, chesting down a cross, then lobbing a volley into the net for the game’s only score, giving Germany its first title since Klinsmann’s team in 1990. It was a moment Gotze, then 22, had long dreamed of and one he had rehearsed as a kid.

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon, shaking hands with France’s Kylian Mbappe after the World Cup semifinal, has given up only one goal in the tournament.

(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

Yet it was also one he was not prepared for.

“That was a dream come true. But you can’t prepare for these kind of moments,” he said. “I get reminded about that goal and even speaking nowadays with people in Germany, and they say, ‘I still remember where I [was] in that moment.’ That’s very special. You have that connection to a lot of different people. I’m very happy about that.

“When I look back now, OK, I was there. I played 30 minutes of football in a World Cup final and I scored one goal. That impact is huge and to even be in that moment is rare.”

So rare Gotze never held the World Cup trophy again either. As a result he, like Klinsmann, would urge the players in Sunday’s game to drink in the memories, because win or lose, if your name isn’t Messi the odds are great you’ll never be back.

“You can’t describe the feelings because everything happens so fast,” he said. “You’re in the zone, you do a lot of things out of instinct, especially on the pitch. And then, at least with me, I had that relief after the final whistle.

“You get to understand over the years how special that moment was. Because in the end you only can play every four years. And then to be in the final and score a goal? That, of course, was very special.”

A MASSIVE inflatable obstacle course is set to open at a popular UK shopping centre this weekend.

Dubbed The Monster, the attraction has been described as “one of the world’s biggest inflatable obstacle courses”, with tickets previously selling out across the US, Canada, Mexico, and Abu Dhabi.

Now, the popular course is set to take up residence at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Greenhithe, Kent for the rest of the summer.

The exciting attraction boasts 1,000 feet of fun, with 40 obstacles, including the 18-metre “Mega Slide”, the mind-blowing “Exterminator” and the terrifying “House of Hell”.

It is set to launch on Saturday (July 18) and will be open daily from 10am to 9pm, with guests able to complete as many laps as they’d like during a 60-minute time slot.

The Monster will be at Bluewater Shopping Centre until Monday, August 31.

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During this time, there will be daily quiet sessions for people of all-ages, as well as adults-only slots.

There will also be foam parties with DJs and karaoke on select Saturdays during this time.

The area surrounding the obstacle course will also offer street food and drink vendors, as well as giant games such as Jenga and Connect 4, and Monster Ping-Pong.

Centre Director at Bluewater James Waugh described The Monster as “an incredible attraction”.

“We can’t wait to welcome guests throughout the summer to experience everything it has to offer — from the 300‑metre inflatable obstacle course to the full line‑up of entertainment in the event arena,” he said.

“Tickets are already selling fast, so we are urging people to book their visits sooner rather than later to avoid disappointment.”

Admission costs £18 each, while spectator tickets will set you back just £3, with more information available here.

Participants must be at least five years old and one metre tall, while children under four can watch for free.

Erling Haaland and SoFi Stadium, ladies and gentlemen. Your breakout stars of the World Cup.

We’ve all fallen for the blond forward who has rowed Norway to its first World Cup quarterfinal berth — and also for SoFi Stadium.

Or “Los Angeles Stadium,” FIFA’s designation for the $5.5-billion architectural masterpiece that welcomed the world to Inglewood.

I cover Rams and Chargers games there regularly, but the World Cup changed how I feel about the place. It has more soul now, more character.

There is more history attached, “core memories,” as Kevin Demoff, president of parent company Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, put it.

The exultation when the United States went up 1-0 in the seventh minute of its tournament-opening, 4-1 victory over Paraguay? “That’s now a core memory of this stadium,” Demoff said.

So is the proud Iranian diaspora showing up en masse to mostly support Team Melli twice, in draws with New Zealand and Belgium.

And the goal by LAFC’s Stephen Eustáquio in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to lead Canada to a 1-0 victory over South Africa in its first knockout game.

And Spain’s taut, 2-1 victory over Belgium in Friday’s high-stakes quarterfinals match.

FIFA might say these sensational scenes put L.A. — our tiny hamlet of more than 18 million people — “on the map.”

What they did was put SoFi Stadium on everyone’s radar as one of the world’s foremost football stadiums.

Jose Ovalle, a 34-year-old from Reynosa, Mexico, has watched matches at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and Estadio BBVA in Monterey, both sites of World Cup action this summer.

“They’re amazing stadiums — a lot of history, so much history,” Ovalle said Friday. “But [SoFi Stadium] is one of the top stadiums in the world.”

Spain midfielder Fabián Ruiz, left, celebrates after scoring past Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, right, in the World Cup quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium on Friday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Nah, said New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley: “This is the best football stadium I’ve ever been in.”

Swiss center back Manuel Akanji plays for Inter Milan and roots for the Atlanta Falcons. It was a big deal for him to play at their home field, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in last year’s FIFA Club World Cup.

“It’s really nice, but this is the best,” Akanji said after Switzerland defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina in group play at Sofi Stadium. “This is the best I’ve seen overall among all the stadiums I’ve ever been to. It’s amazing.”

Eight matches, five group stage games, two round-of-32 knockout affairs, Friday’s quarterfinal and a partridge in a pear tree — it was a monthlong run that was everything SoFi Stadium’s team could have wished for when it began preparing to host eight years ago. And more.

“I don’t think you can envision the passion of national team fans,” Demoff said. “We’ve seen so many great events here, NFL games, concerts, but the pride of a national event and seeing people come to Los Angeles and the U.S. for the first time, and seeing this building for the first time…

“There’s something magical about 30,000 Bosnians in blue singing, marching from the airport to here. You can’t properly envision that, no matter how many times you’ve been here.”

People raved about sight lines and sound. They admired the architecture and the infinity screen and the way the canopy kept things cool. In line to buy merchandise Friday, Orange County’s Nick Valencia looked around and mused: “Wow, humans made this.”

Players had the run of the place on real grass, not the artificial turf in place for NFL games. (Don’t expect that to change, Demoff said, noting that upkeep would be doubly challenging at SoFi Stadium with two NFL teams using the field.)

Soccer fans amplified their positive reviews online, where the only complaint having to do with SoFi Stadium was that FIFA decided to give the World Cup final to the archaic-by-comparison MetLife Stadium — a.k.a. “New York/New Jersey Stadium” — instead.

The stadium popped in person and on TV, its distinctive, futuristic shape making it immediately recognizable in a way that not every stadium is.

Vibes were good among volunteers and visitors from around the world and every corner of the United States — and among stadium staffers, who won raises in a late-breaking contract agreement that resulted in increases to more than $30 per hour.

The Rams’ house — and Chargers’ — was full almost every match, with four sold-out crowds of 70,492 and an eight-game total of 561,656.

People paid thousands of dollars for tickets and got their money’s worth at the world’s most-expensive stadium, a modern marvel that’s only getting better with age.

Dodger Stadium is dripping in lore, from Kirk Gibson’s legendary walk-off home run in 1988 to more history, like Shohei Ohtani playing perhaps the greatest game ever last postseason.

Staples — er, Crypto.com Arena — is where Kobe Bryant dropped 81. Decathlete Rafer Johnson lit the Olympic flame in 1984 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. And we all can picture Brandi Chastain ripping off her top in her iconic celebration after scoring the game-winning penalty kick in the 1999 Women’s World Cup at the Rose Bowl.

“We may not have the Brandi Chastain moment from ‘99,” Demoff said. “But we’ve had so many great moments off this tournament that I think will be replayed over and over and over again.”

There are more moments to come, with SoFi Stadium slated to host Super Bowl LXI in February and then, in 2028, to stage the Olympic Opening Ceremony and the Olympic swimming competition.

“Where the U.S. scored the opening goal,” Demoff said, “is going to be the middle of the Olympic swimming pool. I think that contrast blows people’s minds. It certainly blows mine.”

And for the past month, Los Angeles’ stadium blew the world’s mind.

England and Argentina met in another quarter-final in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium at the 1986 World Cup, with the Falklands War four years earlier providing the backdrop.

It was the day of Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand Of God” – as well as his brilliant second goal – as Argentina won 2-1, and then went on to lift the World Cup.

France ’98 delivered a classic last-16 game best remembered for a wound-up David Beckham being sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone, and the solo goal that brought an 18-year-old Michael Owen to global superstar status.

Argentina prevailed on penalties to provide yet more World Cup heartache for the Three Lions.

There was still lingering ill-feeling between the two teams when they met again four years later in a World Cup group game under Sapporo’s dome in Japan.

This time it was redemption for Beckham, who scored the winner with a first-half penalty, but Argentina complained long and loud – insisting Owen had dived amid a challenge from future Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Tuchel said: “It is a very big rivalry between two big footballing nations.

“I could say the history is irrelevant but I’m not sure. The players are aware of it. When a fixture provides so many iconic moments, you can’t say it is just another football match.”

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni – who represented his nation at the 2006 World Cup – added: “We all have stories from that past time and history and it all makes it very emotional.”

It is this backdrop, this history of acrimony, that elevates this encounter above those other semi-finals.

England have had many memorable games in the past six decades – but winning this match would outstrip them all and offer the chance for a historic triumph in Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.

For several months, Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport was so packed with U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tankers deployed for the fight against Iran that officials in Jerusalem complained about the toll that presence was taking on airport operations. The issue came to a head on Tuesday, when Israel’s Transportation Minister placed a limit on how many of these jets can land at Ben Gurion Airport. The move comes despite an increase in fighting between the U.S. and Iran and with several Arab nations coming under fire from the Islamic Republic. Tuesday afternoon, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced a new round of strikes against Iranian targets as the naval blockade on that nation’s ports is being restored.

While an anonymously sourced Israeli news story stated that U.S. and Israeli officials are irate about this decision, three experts we spoke with suggest that despite ratcheted-up kinetic actions, the restrictions on tanker operations at Ben Gurion will be more of an inconvenience to U.S. forces than a major problem.

At issue is the tension faced by a very busy international airport operating at the peak of summer travel season, while also having to host dozens of American tankers deployed for high-tempo combat operations that are currently not happening.

“Hundreds of thousands of plane tickets were bought by Israelis to fly and enjoy their summer vacation,” Miri Regev said earlier on Tuesday. “We promised that we will enable commercial flights and we will not cancel a single ticket because of American refueling planes.”

“Therefore I have given instructions that we will not allow any U.S. refueling tankers to land at Ben Gurion Airport beyond the agreed number of 20 planes, and the remaining planes will land at Air Force bases.”

As we reported in the past, the U.S. Air Force began sending tankers to Ben Gurion in the lead-up to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran that began Feb. 28.

Nine KC-46 Pegasus and five KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling jets arrived at Ben Gurion in the days before hostilities began. The number of U.S. Air Force tankers, as well as the service’s cargo jets, at the airport has grown tremendously since then.

“A fleet of about 75 U.S. refuelers and cargo planes had parked at Ben Gurion Airport for many months, as part of the US military buildup in the region prior to the war,” the Times of Israel reported on Tuesday. “Following the partial removal of the tankers in recent weeks, more than 30 US refueling planes are estimated to be stationed at Ben Gurion Airport, crowding out civilian aircraft and creating a shortage of parking spaces.” 

In our previous reporting, we noted that dozens of U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft deployed to Ben Gurion Airport had been expected to stay in Israel at least until the end of this year, though those plans now appear to be in flux.

Satellite imagery indicates the US has withdrawn 32 of the roughly 60–72 aerial refueling tankers it had stationed at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, leaving about 32 as of early July 2026.

Source: @EGYOSINT pic.twitter.com/V8hKe2BfzJ

— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 7, 2026

Meanwhile, there are alternatives for the dozen or so KC-135s and KC-46s that now need a new home. The Air Force can operate tankers from several other bases in Israel as well as across the region. However, bases closer to Iran have come under dense Iranian fire and five tankers were reportedly damaged in an Iranian long-range strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia in March. Operating far forward during war time, such as at the traditional hub for these operations, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, isn’t possible due to the extreme risk posed by Iranian standoff weapons. Other bases, like Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan is already packed with aircraft with little room for dozens of tankers.

As we noted earlier in this piece, the tanker limit reportedly upset U.S. and Israeli officials alike.

“Senior officials at U.S. Central Command have contacted the IDF’s top brass and Israel’s defense establishment in recent hours following the Transportation Ministry’s decision Tuesday not to allow additional American refueling aircraft to land at Ben-Gurion Airport,” according to Israel’s Ynet news outlet. “According to sources familiar with the details, the Americans were angered by the decision and made clear that it directly harms the operational needs of U.S. forces operating in the region amid the escalation with Iran. They said the refueling aircraft are a vital component of the regional deterrence and defense array.”

TWZ cannot independently confirm Ynet‘s reporting. Earlier in the day, Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, CENTCOM’s spokesman, told us that the command “will continue working with our Israeli partners to best position U.S. aircraft to support operations.”

Hawkins declined to elaborate.

“Israel is a strong military ally, and we appreciate the warm hospitality for American forces as we work shoulder to shoulder in promoting regional security and stability,” Hawkins stated.

Meanwhile, as we have noted in earlier reporting, the U.S. has already returned F-22 Raptors that were flying out of Ovda Air Base in Israel back to the United States. Other aircraft, such as A-10s and F-15Es, have also returned home from or have been replaced in the CENTCOM region. So clearly there is a lot of shifting of aviation assets taking place even amid current operations.

A former senior U.S. Air Force leader acknowledged the tensions inherent in operating military aircraft for combat operations out of a civilian airport. However, Ben Gurion is considered one of the most important airfields in the region, the former official told us. 

Ben Gurion’s location, situated just to the southeast of Tel Aviv, roughly in the center of the country, is a big factor, both in terms of geography and Israel’s vaunted integrated air defense system (IADS), the former leader added.

Still, he suggested that the new limits at Ben Gurion don’t automatically mean a restriction in U.S. air operations against Iran or in support of partner forces.

Given the existing options in the region, CENTCOM and the Air Force will be looking at what runway, ramp space, and equipment availability there is elsewhere.

“Flow control is something we’re always concerned about during combat operations,” he explained, adding that planners will consider distance to where the tankers have to orbit, proximity to potential threats, and the capacity to launch sorties.

“They really work in advance to create the best mix of protection, survivability, and an operational envelope,” the former senior leader noted.

Retired Air Force Col. Troy Pananon, who once commanded Mildenhall Air Base, a tanker installation in the U.K., surmised that the Ben Gurion restrictions will have limited effects.

“I would say the base has an impact on the overall plan, but it doesn’t limit the ability to execute,” said Pananon, who was quick to point out he has no inside information about current operations. “Tanker planners can and should modify the plan to ensure there is enough fuel airborne in the AOR to accommodate the requirements for the receivers servicing the designated targets for the day. In other words, if they are limited in capacity at base A, they can or will supplement from base B, or adjust loiter times or targets.”

“Air campaigns by nature are a fluid event and stresses the importance of planners, leadership and C2 [command and control,” he added.

Israel is carrying out a balancing act when it comes to Ben Gurion, a high-ranking IDF official told us.

The airport “is effectively Israel’s only major international civilian airport,” he noted. “Haifa and Ramon handle only a very small fraction of Israel’s civilian air traffic. Operationally, Ben Gurion can accommodate roughly 20 U.S. Air Force refueling tankers. Beyond that number, the impact on civilian aviation becomes significant.”

However, “at the same time, Ben Gurion is arguably the safest airport in the region for U.S. aircraft,” the IDF official pointed out. “That is why discussions are currently focused on finding the right balance between parking tankers at Ben Gurion and dispersing them among Israeli Air Force bases. In my view, this is fundamentally an operational, economic and civil aviation issue, not a political one.”

The issue of U.S. Air Force tankers at Ben Gurion interfering with civil aviation is not new.

“The presence of the aircraft—not the U.S. military—is causing significant operational difficulties at Ben Gurion Airport, as they are parked almost everywhere possible at the airport,” Israel’s N12 News reported on X back in May.

בישראל התקבלו מסרים מהאמריקנים שלפיהם עשרות מטוסי התדלוק המוצבים בנמל התעופה בן גוריון צפויים להישאר בארץ לפחות עד סוף השנה האזרחית. נוכחות המטוסים שלא הצבא האמריקני מעוררת קשיים משמעותיים בתפעולו של נתב”ג, שכן הם חונים כמעט בכל מקום אפשרי בנמל@Dean_Fisher_

— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) May 18, 2026

How long the limitations at Ben Gurion last remains an open question, especially should Israel find itself at war again with Iran. 

As we pointed out in previous reporting, the KC-46s and KC-135s now at Ben Gurion alone are a tanker force far larger than what the Israeli Air Force (IAF) has in its inventory today. Each KC-46 also carries more fuel to offload to receivers than a KC-707 or a KC-135. During Epic Fury, when both the U.S. and Israel were attacking Iran, U.S. tankers gassed up IAF jets.

All this being said, in a time of war, these restrictions would be quickly lifted and civilian flights would decline. While moving aircraft around to other bases and still providing the majority of the refueling capacity available before the tankers’ exodus from Tel Aviv will certainly be possible, sortie rates and durations for receiver aircraft could still suffer in a sudden crisis. Seeing as these are tankers, their availability and proximity to their ‘customers’ has downstream effects. It comes down to how much gas is available in the sky at any given time versus the needs of the air operation. Luckily, America’s tanker crews and planners are masters at juggling their assets to make sure any changes in basing has a minimal impact on commanders’ needs.

The Israeli Transportation Minister’s decision comes as the prospects for a diplomatic settlement of the tensions between the U.S. and Iran seem dimmer than at any point since a ceasefire was agreed to on April 8.

As we noted earlier in this piece, CENTCOM forces “began launching an additional round of strikes on Iran to continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the command stated on X. “The strikes are taking place as American forces prepare to resume the naval blockade against Iranian ports and coastal areas. The blockade goes into effect at 4 p.m. ET.”

At 3 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching an additional round of strikes against Iran to continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes are taking place as American forces prepare to resume the…

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 14, 2026

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “warned Iran on Tuesday against launching future attacks on Israel, saying Tehran would face a far harsher response than in previous confrontations,” the Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday.

“Do not count on it being quiet if you attack us,” Netanyahu said while speaking at the Negev Conference in Dimona. “Do not count on a rerun; this will be a different event, much more powerful.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu, today, at the Negev Conference in Dimona – in a message to Iran’s leaders:
“We are prepared for any scenario. I can tell you only one thing, and I will say this to the leaders of Iran: Do not count on it being quiet if you attack us. Do not count on a… pic.twitter.com/tbgRd7PNon

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 14, 2026

Given all this, it does not appear there will be much of a reduction in the need for U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tankers in the Middle East. However, where they will be based remains in flux.

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

AN AIRPORT at a major holiday hotspot for Brits just two hours from the UK is about to get a multi-million transformation.

Alicante Airport in Spain is getting a huge £980million overhaul, which will be the airport’s biggest upgrade in history.

The airport itself will be 30 per cent bigger, with a new pier just for non-Schengen departures, which includes Brits.

This means Brits will have their own area to go through, which should help ease queues caused by the introduction of Europe’s new Entry/Exit System.

Security across the airport will be replaced with the latest technology too, which includes Automated Tray Returns Systems (ATRS).

This new technology will allow travellers to keep their laptops and liquids in their hand luggage.

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There will also be new shops at the airport, as well as a VIP lounge for non-Schengen departures.

Several areas outside the airport will see improvements as well, including car parking and new taxi and bus drop-off zones.

If you don’t plan on driving to and from the airport, then this too will become easier with a new rail link that would have an underground station.

The train will link onto a nearby commuter line and is expected to be built between now and 2030.

The first phase will start in 2027 and is expected to be completed by 2031.

The second phase will then take place in the mid-2030s.

The upgrade was first announced last year.

The project comes as the airport handled nearly 20million passengers last year, with it expected to pass that number this year, with Brits making up one of the largest groups of tourists.

NO-ONE travelled further to become an international star than Sam Neill, who died today aged 78.

He would leave his home in the South Island of New Zealand to fly thousands of miles to film sets in Britain, Europe and America – but always travel back to his far-flung base the moment they were over to spend time with his family.

They confirmed his death in a statement, writing: “It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney, Australia.”

This followed a battle with stage three blood cancer after he was diagnosed in 2022.

After undertaking an experimental treatment announced a month ago he was in remission.

His family said: “The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer- free.”

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Sam became famous thanks to his role in Omen III (The Final Conflict) where he played the antichrist who had risen to become a British politician trying to prevent the second coming of Christ.

Before then starring in 1983 British TV series, Reilly, Ace of Spies, in which he played Sidney Reilly, a Russian-born adventurer who became a successful spy during the First World War.

But his entry to the big-time came ten years later in Jurassic Park, directed by Steven Spielberg, which spawned a craze for everything about dinosaurs. 

The film, about a theme park where the public could see cloned dinosaurs, caught the public’s imagination – and broke box office records.

The dinosaurs run riot in the film when all safety fences are broken, killing park workers and each other as there is a battle for supremacy. 

Neill’s lead role of dinosaur expert Dr Alan Grant escaped the carnage and went on to star in sequels, Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022), making a personal fortune in the process.

Yet he was a last minute choice after bigger star names like William Hurt, Kurt Russell, Harrison Ford and Tim Robbins all turned it down.

“It was a warning never to become too big or too expensive,” he said. 

“You can lose a lot of good parts in that way. I preferred quiet progress.”

Neill did precisely that throughout his career of over 100 movies in nearly 50 years, in which he would turn up in the most unlikely roles.

It included that of Major Chester Campbell in the first two series of the BBC’s hit series Peaky Blinders.

He was born on September 14th, 1947 in Omagh, Northern Ireland to New Zealander father Dermot, an army officer, and mother Priscilla, who was English. 

Although he was christened Nigel, he later thought the name ‘prissy’ and changed it to Sam in childhood. 

His family continued to call him Nigel.  

He is survived by actor son Tim (b 1983) whom he had with actress Lisa Harrow, a fellow New Zealander.  

Despite reports to the contrary, they never married.

He also has daughter Elena (b 1991) with estranged wife Nariko Watanabe, a Japanese make-up artist whom he met on Dead Calm (1989), which was co-star Nicole Kidman’s breakthrough movie. 

He had a stepdaughter with Watanabe, Maiko Spencer (b 1982).  

Neill spent virtually his entire life travelling, first with his father’s job moves around Ireland and then, when he retired from the army, to New Zealand, aged seven.

His father joined the family brewing wholesale business near far-flung Dunedin, which was Gaelic for Edinburgh and founded in 1848 as a Scottish Free Church settlement.

“I was an outsider from the start there,” he recalled. 

“Bullying at school, mocked for my accent, being called names and beaten up – the lot.

“Cowboy films and TV series were very popular at the time, so I called myself Sam to sound like one. It didn’t do much good.”

He was sent away to boarding school in Christchurch, more than 200 miles north along the coast. 

“It was even more lonely,” he said. 

“I developed a stutter, although I could talk perfectly up to that point.”

He used the experiences and memories when he became an actor, always being prepared to take on new projects wherever they were in the world.

“I had an ability to pretend to be other people – probably because I had to at school,” he told me. 

“I never had any great expectations as an actor.”

He started working in television documentaries and in small acting roles.  

He was 30 before he appeared in a movie, Sleeping Dogs (1977), an action thriller made in New Zealand. 

“That film was a calling card,” he said. 

“It was a critical success and that led to some offers, all thousands of miles away. It was a case of either travel or never leave.”

He had arrived in London when we first met in March, 1989, promoting a film called A Cry in the Dark, with Meryl Streep.

It was an alarming real-life Australian story about a baby girl who disappeared from a campsite.

The baby’s mother, Lindy Chamberlain (played by Streep) insisted that a wild dingo dog had taken her baby, but a disbelieving public felt that she was making up a story to cover up murder.

Neill was playing husband Michael Chamberlain. 

“It revealed to me the price of being an international star, like Meryl,” he said.

“She was the most famous actress in the world at that point and the sort of stuff she had to put up every day was incredible. 

“One was a story about her leaving her husband for Michael Jackson!

“I thought to myself ‘if this is what real stardom means, I don’t want it.’   So I had to be careful. I wanted recognition, but also want privacy and sanity.”

Neill went on to achieve exactly that.  

We met several times over the years. He had a calm, down-to-earth manner, unfussy and unflashy, with a dry self-mocking sense of humour.

“I have always been free of ambition – honestly,”  he said.

“I realised, early on, that if I started to desperately want things, then I was going to be disappointed.

“There was always someone whose career was going to better and bigger than mine. There was also someone going to get the parts I wanted.

“So I never had a game plan. If I’d had one, I would have moved to Hollywood and committed to a career in films, going to endless meetings and being a ‘personality.’

“Instead, I have never moved my home from New Zealand. I’ve been fortunate in that enough work has come up – and I’ve travelled to do it.

“I had to get used to the biggest jet-lag, the longest time-changes to the body and being away from home. But that’s been worth it.

“Don’t forget that the first time I went to New Zealand in the early 1950’s it took two months by boat and now it’s only 21 hours by plane.”

He was also cautious about being caught in the trap of other well-known actors. 

“I don’t know what it is about us that leads us in to more temptation,” he laughed.

“I think we are sometimes over-celebrated and can have far more fame than is comfortable. So when trouble comes, it’s all over the public domain.

“I once went to a pub’ with English actor Warren Clarke, drank non-stop to keep up, blacked out and woke up in bed with a woman I didn’t know. 

“The trick is to keep your trousers on and go to bed early. It’s mostly worked for me up to now.”

He seemed to effortlessly glide into some major roles in films like The Hunt for Red October (1990) and The Piano (1993) and TV series The Tudors (2007), Happy Town (2010) and Alcatraz (2012).

There was a certain irony that when playing his unrelentingly tough Northern Ireland police chief in Peaky Blinders, he couldn’t master the accent.

“I was born in Northern Ireland and had the accent as a kid, but had buried it so deep in my mind that I had the greatest difficulty digging it up again.”

He ended up calling his Irish friend Liam Neeson for some tips and delivered the part pitch-perfect.  

“I probably over-did it a bit in the end,” he said.

“I love working in Britain. I feel part British, obviously, and the quality of the acting and the film crews are hard to beat anywhere in the world.”

Between each highly-paid role and movie, he would return home to New Zealand and not work, sometimes for months on end, so would simply slip out of the headlines.

On the last occasion we met, he was more interested in talking about his own wine label in New Zealand. 

He had used the old family connection with wine to grow his own and set up a company to produce it.

He lived, very happily he said, among wine-making and animals on a ranch in Central Otago, surrounded by mountains and lakes.

Neill announced in his 2023 autobiography Did I Ever Tell You This? (Penguin) that he had been undergoing chemotherapy since March, 2022 for a type of blood cancer. 

He had first noticed swollen glands when travelling to promote Jurassic World Dominion.

He had put a hold on his acting work. 

“I have been very fortunate to enjoy the best cities in the world – like London, Paris or Rome – and I have never been too jaded to get a kick out of that,” he said. 

“But the thing that pleases me more than anything is to sit still at my home, have a quiet glass of red wine and contemplate life.”

FORGET Cornwall, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire. When it comes to UK holiday counties, one truly has it all.

As a travel writer and devoted local, I’ve explored the country’s top destinations – but nothing beats my home county.

Imagine the coastline and charm of Cornwall, but without the summer crowds.

Devon truly has it all – from the UK’s biggest outdoor waterpark and a stunning National Park to endless coastal paths and top-tier beaches.

And thanks to the Government’s new Great British Summer Savings scheme, spending time in Devon this summer is cheaper than ever.

If you’re planning a staycation, read on for my favourite spots. As a travel writer and a local, I’ve pulled together the ultimate guide to the hidden gems you won’t want to miss.

There are even some of The Sun’s £9.50 holiday parks in here too…

Best pubs

The Drum Inn, Cockington

Nestled in the picture-postcard village of Cockington, The Drum Inn. is a must-visit.

While its giant thatched roof feels like something straight out of a fairy tale, the real magic happens on scorching summer days, as its expansive garden is the ultimate sun trap.

If you need a break from the heat, head inside, where the pub manages to keep its cosy, historic charm alive all year round.

Church House Inn, Marldon

The Church House Inn , set in the village of Marldon, is one of my favourite watering holes.

Steeped in 14th-century history, this award-winning inn is a Devon legend.

It was the first pub in Devon to be listed in the Michelin Pub Guide and has been voted Devon’s Best Country Pub by readers of Devon Life magazine.

While it has a pristine beer garden ideal for soaking up the sun while sipping on a spritz. You can also get cosy and enjoy a roast by the fire in the winter.

Court Farm Inn, Abbotskerswell

The Court Farm Inn in Abbotskerswell has to hands down be one of the prettiest pubs in Devon.

The boozer used to be a farmhouse, built back in the 16th century.

Today, you still see exposed stone walls inside.

Make sure to grab one of the local ciders and head to the garden to enjoy the architecture even more.

The Thatch, Croyde

On a day trip or staycation in Croyde (see beaches section), make sure to drop into The Thatch, which boasts a rather impressive 2,000 four and five-star reviews.

The pub sells both classic dishes and dishes with a twist, and makes for the perfect spot after a day at the beach.

Samuel Jones, Exeter

When exploring the city of Exeter, head into the Samuel Jones pub which sits on the edge of Exeter Quay.

The slightly more industrial-style pub is a great spot for enjoying a pint and either watching sports games on big screens or the swans swimming outside.

The Highwayman Inn, Sourton

The Highwayman Inn is located near Sourton, on the edge of Dartmoor National Park.

often dubbed Britain’s most quirky watering hole, – it has a horse-drawn carriage for a front door and is home to a sunken galleon.

The pub, which was first built in 1282, features a Tudor-style exterior and on the inside hosts a fairy tale pumpkin house and a fire breathing dragon.

Inside the hallways are covered in an array of eclectic artefacts and objects, collected over several decades by former landlord Buster Jones.

Oh.. and it’s meant to be haunted too.

Old Fire House, Exeter

In the city centre you should pay a visit to the Old Fire House pub which used to be a 19th century fire station.

You can expect an original vaulted wooden-beamed ceiling and exposed stone walls.

And it hosts great late-night events with oversized 14-inch square pizzas.

Best hotels and holiday parks

Hotel Indigo, Torquay

Hotel Indigo Torquay by IHG is one of the newest hotels on the English Riviera and cost £23million to develop.

Having recently stayed, it is easily in the best location to explore the English Riviera.

The hotel itself looks like a giant cruise ship and sits just across the road from the beach.

Inside the hotel is super stylish, with a modern Art Deco luxury vibe.

Make sure to head to the rooftop bar if you are staying there, with amazing views across the sea and coast.

A standard king-size room for two people including breakfast starts from £83 per night.

Golden Coast Holiday Park, Woolacombe

Woolacombe is a great spot for a family staycation thanks to its expansive beach.

And Golden Coast Leisure Park, which is just five minutes from the beach is a top spot to stay at.

At the holiday park there are high ropes, a climbing wall, adventure golf, go-karts and a whole host of other activities.

If you want to test your surfing abilities, there is even the Wave Surfer.

And running until August 10, you can even book the holiday park with The Sun’s Hols from £9.50 – sign up by joining Sun Club for £1.99 per month, then go to the Sun Club Offers hub and find the Hols from £9.50 page.

Best walks

South West Coast Path

Growing up halfway between the coast and the countryside, I’ve never struggled to find a spectacular walk.

The South West Coast Path – which recently featured in The Salt Path film – can fill an entire day out with tonnes of beautiful beaches to explore.

While some of the path is rocky, most is accessible and one of my favourite things to do is drop in and out of the path to explore different parts of the coast at a time.

Dartmoor National Park

Despite all the incredible beaches Dartmoor National Park is always my preferred spot for a walk.

You could visit hundreds of times (which I have) and never experience the same walk twice.

For an easier or more accessible walk, head to Haytor – it takes about 10 minutes up to the rocks from the lower car park (where you’ll also find a visitor centre) or a few minutes from the smaller, higher car park.

For something more challenging, venture away from the roads and you’ll find stone circles and the abandoned ruins of ancient villages.

Note – if you do venture away from the roads, you should be a confident hiker as the terrain is rough and unpredictable.

But there are also many small car parks on the roads with quick walks to nearby Tors.

Make sure to keep an eye out for the famous Dartmoor Ponies as well.

The best villages & towns

Cockington

Cockington in Torquay was recently named one of the prettiest places for a day trip or staycation in the UK this summer by The Independent.

The publication dubbed it a “chocolate-box village” and said the “old thatched cottages, rural countryside and Cockington Court manor house are sure to charm”.

I always head here in the summer and enjoy looking at the pretty cottages and pristine gardens.

It is only a five minute drive from the seafront as well.

Sat at the crossroads in the middle of the village you’ll find a low-roof thatched cottage selling traditional horse brasses – an item that links to Cockington’s long history as a blacksmith’s forge.

Opposite is Sanctuary Coffee – a small coffee shop that also sells gifts and doggy items, from adorable bandanas to handcrafted toys.

And for my fave spot, head to Weavers Cottage Tea Garden, which sells the best afternoon teas around.

A cream tea costs £7.95 for a fruit or plain scone, with strawberry or handmade raspberry jam and a pot of tea.

Then if you want a cheese tea, this costs £8.45 and you get a choice of cheddar or cream cheese to go with it, as well as either chilli jam or red onion chutney – or without the tea it costs £5.50.

Just remember the golden rule of a Devonshire cream tea is to pop the cream on the scone first, then the jam.

There’s also a visitor centre where you can learn about the history of the village and Cockington Court, which is full of local makers selling everything from baked cakes, jewellery and handmade lamps.

Totnes

Totnes in south Devon is a pretty market town that is full of independent shops and cafes, a thriving market and a motte-and-bailey castle.

Wander up the high street and you will find multiple bookshops, charity shops with great finds, cosy cafes and pubs and a tonne of unique homewares shops.

There’s also Totnes Castle, which is one of the best preserved Norman motte-and-bailey castles in the UK.

Don’t miss the market on a Friday and Saturday either – it brings the town to life with antiques stalls, rug makers, food vendors and more.

Topsham

Topsham is like stepping into a village straight out of Harry Potter, but with a Dutch nod.

Every corner of the town is full of charm and is the ideal place for those who love hunting for antiques.

For example, there’s Quay Antiques which is a huge warehouse with 65 antiques sellers spread across three floors.

The town used to be involved heavily in the wool trade during the late 17th and early 18th centuries and houses along Topsham’s Strand look like Dutch merchant houses.

Babbacombe

Between Dawlish and Torquay, make sure to head to Babbacombe.

Often overshadowed by its more popular neighbours on the English Riviera, Babbacombe used to be a fishing village and today remains a quaint town.

Below the town’s cliffs you’ll find Babbacombe Beach, which boasts shingle and calm waters.

Babbacombe Downs sits above the beach and has a promenade which is thought to be the highest in England.

You can also head to Oddicombe Beach, by hopping on the Babbacombe Cliff Railway, which has been operating for a century.

As a kid, I loved heading on the 200-metre cliff railway that feels like you’re stepping back in time.

Biggest Attractions

Kents Cavern

Explore caves that date back millions of years in Kents Cavern.

Inside the caves, you can learn about their history and even their early inhabitants including woolly mammoths.

And you can sneak a peak at bones discovered in the caves as well.

The best part of the tour? When the guide blows the candle out to reveal just how dark the caves are…

Tickets cost from £21.50 per person.

Crealy Theme Park

Just outside of Exeter, make sure to head to Crealy Theme Park which has over 60 rides and attractions.

My personal favourite is Tidal Wave Log Flume – but be warned you’ll get soaked.

There are also animals to meet and shows to enjoy at the park.

For when the weather isn’t great, you can head indoors for a number of play areas as well.

And to make this summer even better, there is a new ride opening on July 31 called Rotor which will be the South West’s first inverted ride.

Tickets cost £18 per person.

Woodlands Family Theme Park

Woodlands is the largest family theme park in the South West of England, stretching across 100 acres.

And despite having been 20 plus times, I never got bored of the attraction.

Do you know what is even better? The theme park is great whatever the weather.

Inside you will find a number of play areas including a giant soft play for little ones.

Then outside you can expect water coasters, toboggan runs and toddlers’ rides.

My favourite part was always the barn where you could meet farm animals up close.

Tickets cost from £20 per adult and £15 per child.

The Big Sheep

In North Devon, head to The BIG Sheep which is an animal-themed family amusement park, near Bideford.

You can expect funny live shows and large indoor play areas.

The best part is of course, as the name suggests, the sheep sheep racing, live shearing and lamb bottle-feeding – which I can confirm is one of the cutest activities for kids.

For those who like to have their adrenaline pumping, jump on Rampage Rollercoaster which is North Devon’s biggest rollercoaster.

Tickets cost from £14.95.

The Milky Way Adventure Park

The Milky Way Adventure Park near Bideford, also has a great mix of indoor and outdoor attractions.

The theme park boasts a number of outer space-themed rides, including The Cosmic Typhoon rollercoaster which spins around.

There is an interactive play area too called Ziggy’s Blast Quest, which is a laser-shooting ride.

Tickets cost from £17.46 per person.

Splashdown Quaywest

One of my favourite summer days out on the south coast of Devon is at the UK’s biggest outdoor waterpark – Splashdown Quaywest Waterpark.

The waterpark sits on Goodrington Sands Beach in Paignton and is home to 11 slides as well as a giant pirate-themed water playground, which is perfect for kids under 12-years-old.

Shipwreck Island has seven smaller slides, tipping buckets and interactive water features such as spray arms.

Tickets cost from £27.15 per person.

RHS Rosemoor

Who doesn’t love exploring a pretty garden in bloom?

RHS Garden Rosemoor in North Devon is spread across 65 acres, between Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks.

These are 250 different rose varieties in the gardens, as well as the exotic garden which feels more like a jungle.

There is a canopy walk too, with a stream running through it.

Tickets cost from £15.70 per adult and £6 per child.

Free things to do

House of Marbles

The House of Marbles near Bovey Tracey is a great rainy day out.

The visitor attraction is actually at a toy manufacturer that was founded back in the 70s.

Inside, there are traditional board games, glass marbles, classic toys and workshops.

As a little girl I always enjoyed watching the marbles run around different tracks including one of the largest marble runs in the UK.

And you can spend endless time in the four museums which showcase the history of marbles, board games and glassworks.

There’s a great gift shop and an outdoor play area too.

Haldon Forest Park

For more outdoorsy families, Haldon Forest Park is a must.

Around 15 minutes from Exeter, Haldon Forest feels like being somewhere in Europe.

The forest is home to a tonne of trails to explore, among the towering trees.

Lots of the trails are for cycling too and you don’t need to bring your own bike either – you can just hire one.

For those more adventurous there’s also Go Ape courses, play areas and picnic spots.

The Donkey Sanctuary

Who doesn’t think a donkey is cute? And what is cuter than a load of rescued donkeys?

216 in total, to be precise…

Found in the countryside near Sidmouth, the sanctuary makes for a wholesome day out.

After meeting the resident donkeys, you can explore the gardens or head to informative talks.

There is of course a shop and a cafe too.

Geoplay Park

Right on Paignton Seafront, you can head to Geoplay Park, with climbing frames, trampolines, a climbing net and sand and water play areas.

There are a number of picnic benches scattered around too for parents to sit back and keep an eye on their little ones play.

And in addition to being next to the beach, the pier is just over the road for more free fun with lots of 2p slot machines.

Decoy Country Park

In the town of Newton Abbot, you’ll find Decoy Country Park which is a Green Flag awarded nature reserve.

In the middle of the reserve is a huge lake, that used to be a clay quarry and has a depth of 33 metres at its deepest point.

There is a circular walk around the lake which is nice and shady so ideal for hot summer days.

And if you then want to cool off even more, head kayaking on the lake (and enjoy knocking people into the water).

There is also a large playground at the park with ziplines and a splash pad.

And then for older kids, there are a number of BMX tracks to venture off on.

Fossil Hunting

Devon is home to some brilliant spots for fossil hunting thanks to its dramatic coastline.

And one free activity I loved growing up (and admittedly still do now) is fossil hunting.

There are several spots that are well-known for it in the region including Hopes Nose, Croyde Bay, Daddy Hole.

I would recommend checking out ukfossils.co.uk for some great guides on the best spots and what they have to offer.

Lidos

Teignmouth Lido

Recently saved from possible closure, Teignmouth Lido is a great addition to a day trip in the town of Teignmouth.

The lido is surrounded by a patio and grass area ideal for sunbathing and picnics.

The pool measures 25-metres-long and between May and September there are usually a whole host of events on.

If you just fancy a dip, then a two hour block costs £8.40 per adult and £5.40 per child.

Though you can also get a full-day swim pass costing £15.10 per adult and £9.70 per child.

Tinside Lido, Plymouth

Tinside Lido originally opened back in 1935 and is a Grade II-listed Art Deco.

And recently a number of spaces have been refreshed at the lido, including the sun terrace, which now has a café pod and a pop-up event space.

The pool overlooks the sea too and is right by Plymouth Ho making it the ideal end to a day exploring the city.

Beaches

Bantham Beach

When it comes to surfing spots in the county, there aren’t many destinations that are better than Bantham Beach.

Found in the South Hams, the beach is great for both families and budding watersports enthusiasts.

You won’t need to bring your own board either, as you can book lessons and hire boards at the Bantham Surfing Academy.

I’ve been to the beach many times for its waves, and failed many times at managing to stay on my board – but that’s all part of the fun.

The beach also has all the facilities you’d need for a great day out, including cafes and restaurants.

You can even make a trip across to Burgh Island via a sea tractor.

Budleigh Salterton

Budleigh Salterton Beach stretches over 2.5miles long and thanks to being a pebble beach, it has its very own sound as the waves crash against the stones.

It also marks the end of the UNESCO Jurassic Coast in East Devon.

As a result, this has long been a favourite of mine for walks thanks to the dramatic red cliffs and traditional charm.

Sidmouth Beach

Sidmouth Beach is a great option for families, thanks to its long esplanade and watersports activities.

Oh, and the fossil hunting!

At the western end of the beach you’ll find sand which is a great spot for children wanting to play.

Don’t miss the wooden steps from the beach to Connaught Gardens either – they will make you feel as if you have stepped back in time.

Croyde Beach

If you didn’t already have enough spots to head to for a good surf session, then add Croyde to that list.

The sandy beach has great waves that bodyboarders and surfers love – and trust me, part of the fun is falling off.

Around the beach you can venture through the sand dunes as well and explore some of the nearby surfing shops.

Saunton Sands

Beaches don’t get much more spectacular than Saunton Sands – which stretches for over 3.5miles.

Once again, it is another great spot for surfing, but is also dog friendly, so your pooch can have fun too.

It is well-worth extending your time at the beach as well by staying in one of the onsite Saunton Beach Villas which cost from £71 a night.

Woolacombe Beach

Woolacombe is my top pick for families, without a doubt.

The golden sand beach is right by a number of holiday parks, so makes for the ideal staycation.

In fact, there are some you can stay at in Golden Coast Holiday Park from just £9.50 (see hotels and holiday parks section).

As for things to do at the beach, you are spoilt for choice – the flat sand is great for walks and running around alike, as well as building sand castles and you can also have a go at bodyboarding or surfing with one of the local schools that offer lessons.

Torre Abbey Sands

Whilst I do normally avoid this beach in the summer, due to the flocks of families, there is no denying it is great.

The large sandy beach is usually really flat and is right by the road which makes it a great place for being near the car as well as other facilities like restaurants and loos.

Often, you’ll find a local sand artist drawing in the sand, creating some amazing image which can be viewed from the pedestrian bridge overhanging the beach.

Make sure to walk around from the beach to Pier Point to grab some fish and chips, which have previously been awarded the best in the UK.

Preston Sands

Preston Sands is great for those who love beaches with softer sand and spectacular views.

From the beach you can look across the English Riviera bay, which comes alive at night with glowing multi-coloured lights along the promenade.

The beach has colourful beach huts – great for photos.

And make sure to check out the rock pools, where you will often see little fish and crabs.

Anstey’s Cove

Popular with the famous crime author, Agatha Christie, Anstey’s Cove is a spot that most people have no clue exists.

Hidden behind the now abandoned Living Coasts, the small cove features a mix of pebbles and sand but boasts a tonne of history.

It actually used to be the preferred spot for crime writer Agatha Christie to head on a sunny day.

She even once nearly drowned at the beach.

Around the beach you will also find recently installed information boards that tell you about the history, but also the ecology of the area.

Elberry Cove

My absolute favourite beach is Elberry Cove – it often feels as if it has been plucked from a Greek island instead of England’s southern coast.

It’s between Paignton and Brixham and isn’t the biggest of beaches.

It also features pebbles so make sure to bring a chair with you.

There are crystal clear water, with views of a tropical-looking forest on one side and towering cliffs on the other.

The secluded spot doesn’t really get busy, which always surprises me as it has been popular historically.

At the end of the beach you’ll find its main curiosity – a ruined bath house, that used to be three stories tall and was used by Lord Churston in the 18th century.

The sea would freely wash in and out of the ground floor, which allowed the Lord to swim directly into the sea.

It later then featured the early version of the hot tub, with the seawater being heated by a fire.

Brixham Breakwater Beach

While Brixham Breakwater Beach isn’t huge, it is one of the best spots for a beach walk in the county as you often get to see seals playing in the sea.

The breakwater itself has amazing views of the bay and town as well.

This spot also has a blue flag for cleanliness.

Take a wander back to the harbour and you can see a replica of the famous Golden Hinde boat.

Quirky things

Babbacombe Model Village

Babbacombe Model Village is over 60 years old, spread across four acres and boasts hundreds of scenes depicting British life.

From iconic landmarks we know and love, to slightly more tongue-in-cheek scenes, there is something for everyone to see.

One scene is an ‘unaffordable housing development’ and then there’s also a celebrity mansion with the Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Incredibles family playing in the garden.

Included in your admission ticket, you can also watch a film in the attraction’s 4D cinema.

Tickets cost £21.95 per adult and £17.95 per child.

Local Loves & Hidden Gems

Gandy Street, Exeter

J.K.Rowling went to Exeter University, and for years many thought this quaint, cobbled street off of the high street was the inspiration behind Diagon Alley in Harry Potter, sadly the famous author has denied it.

But for me, it remains the most Harry Potter Diagon Alley-style spot I’ve ever seen.

There are some vintage shops to spend some hard-earned cash, as well as great gift shops and cosy restaurants.

Castle Drogo

Sat on the edge of Dartmoor, Castle Drogo is famously the last castle built in England in the 1930s.

It doesn’t look like your usual old stone castle, but instead blends both old and new architecture.

You’ll not see anything else quite like it.

It costs from £9 per child and £18 per adult to visit.

Royal William Yard

Once a 19th century Royal Naval depot, Royal William Yard is now a bustling 16-acre waterfront attraction thanks to years of refurbs and new openings.

You’ll find amazing independent shops and restaurants, galleries, bars, a cinema and of course, the marina.

It is a great place to explore thanks to having Europe’s largest collection of historic military buildings and just marvel at the architecture with a cuppa in hand.

Round Robin Experience

Without fail, if you spend money on one experience in Devon, make it the Round Robin.

Admittedly, it is not the cheapest – and adult ticket costs £43 and a child ticket costs £27.50 – but it is the best way to see pretty Devon town.

Starting on a bus trip from Paignton, you’ll head to Totnes where you then head on an hour-and-a-half cruise to Dartmouth, before hopping on a five-minute ferry to Kingswear.

Then for the final part you’ll jump on a 30minute steam train back to Paignton.

Across the journey you’ll see pretty towns and villages, see the countryside, spot wildlife and have a chance to explore.

Greenway House

Agatha Christie – who was also a born and bred Devonian – has left her mark across Devon.

And one top spot to see associated with the famous crime writer is her holiday home, Greenway House – which she dubbed “the loveliest place in the world”.

Sat on a riverbank in Kingswear, the home is full of items she used to cherish from both her childhood and travels.

Tickets cost from £9 per child and £18 per adult.

Emmy nominations arrived Wednesday and if you made the cut, it was a magical morning, like you were invited to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding and danced to “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and ate your fill of lobster, sushi and Krispy Kreme donuts, a combination that I’m sure goes well together provided you’ve fortified yourself with a steady stream of the couple’s signature tequila cocktails throughout the day.

And if you didn’t hear your name called, well, you’re feeling like you’re out there on the street behind the police barricade, hot and sweaty, wondering what happened to your dragons and how in this underwhelming Emmy season things could go so wrong.

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With Emmy submissions still down this year, there aren’t as many slots available to salute all the worthy work, leading to some sad omissions — which, for the sake of alliteration and search engine optimization, we’ll call “snubs.” There were also some surprises, some worthy, some about as welcome as the aftermath of a hot dog-eating contest on the Fourth of July.

Now that I’ve whetted your appetite, grab a donut (or a footlong) while I run down the morning’s notables.

SURPRISE: “The Bear” (comedy series)

OK, not that huge a surprise when a series nominated for its first three seasons, and winning for its first, snags another nod. But given the number of people complaining about the show’s pokey plotting, it was fair to wonder if “The Bear” would again make the cut for Season 4. The show dropped its final season three days after nominations voting ended and because things actually happened during this crowd-pleasing conclusion, it’s possible we might be seeing it again here next year too.

SNUB: Jeremy Allen White, “The Bear” (comedy lead actor)

While “The Bear” made the cut for series, the only cast member to join the party was Ayo Edebiri. Past winners White, Liza Colon-Zayas and Ebon Moss-Bacharach were left out, though all will have a shot at returning next year. Whether they will is open to question. Voters seem to have had their fill of the show.

Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri in “The Bear.”

(FX)

SURPRISE: “Your Friends and Neighbors” (drama series)

The Jon Hamm-led Apple crime drama failed to land any nominations for its first season outside a nod for main title music. Now moved from limited series to drama, it inexplicably landed a single nomination for its enjoyable-enough follow-up season — for the big prize, drama series. No other noms. Nothing for Emmy favorite Hamm. It’s almost as confusing as some of the plotting in the show.

SNUB: “Half Man” (limited series)

Richard Gadd’s limited series was provocative with its brutally violent look at male rage and unresolved trauma. But some voters I talked with found it so off-putting that they never made it past the first episode. Could be we’ve had our fill of toxic male behavior in the news without having to endure it on our down time too.

SURPRISE: Riz Ahmed, “Bait” (limited series / TV movie lead actor)

Ahmed created, wrote and produced this limited series about a struggling actor whose life is upended when rumors circulate he might be the next James Bond. His sharp comic timing and affecting vulnerability landed with voters.

SNUB: Cailee Spaeny, “Beef” (limited series / TV movie supporting actress)

OK, you didn’t like her character and you’re still afraid to drink orange juice after watching the show. But to nominate everyone else from the series and omit Spaeny? That feels like a case of Millennials and Boomers taking out their grievances on Gen Z.

Cailee Spaeny, left, with Carey Mulligan and Charles Melton in “Beef.”

(Netflix)

SURPRISE: Richard Jenkins and Joy Sunday (limited series / TV movie supporting actor and actress)

The weird and unpredictable “DTF St. Louis” had one last surprise for us, as voters indicated their enthusiasm for it by nominating not just David Harbour, Jason Bateman and Linda Cardellini, but also Richard Jenkins and Joy Sunday, who were terrific as the mismatched law enforcement partners. “DTF,” not “Beef,” might now be the limited series to beat at the Emmys.

SNUB: “Stranger Things” (drama series)

Nostalgia, it would seem, has its limits.

SURPRISE: Rufus Sewell, “The Diplomat” (drama lead actor)

He’s overly involved on the show, so why not at the Emmys, too?

SNUB: Kathy Bates, “Matlock” (drama lead actress)

Dirty birdies.

Chase Infiniti in “The Testaments.”

(Disney)

SURPRISE: Chase Infiniti, “The Testaments” (drama lead actress)

Infiniti was overlooked at the Oscars for her lead turn in “One Battle After Another,” but Emmy voters did right by her, nominating her formidable work in the sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

SNUB: Adam Brody and Kristen Bell, “Nobody Wants This” (comedy lead actor and actress)

Though Netflix’s rom-com nabbed a comedy series nomination, voters took the title to heart regarding its two leads, both of whom were nominated for its first season.

SURPRISE: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, “Wonder Man” (comedy lead actor)

A show about a struggling actor navigating the indignities of auditions? No doubt voters found it relatable and Abdul-Mateen II made his anxieties and aspirations vivid.

SNUB: Jenna Ortega, “Wednesday” (comedy lead actress)

Wednesday’s child is full of woe.

Megan Stalter, left, with Robby Hoffman and Paul W. Downs in “Hacks.”

(HBO Max)

SURPRISE: Megan Stalter, “Hacks” (comedy supporting actress)

Stalter’s loud, boundary-pushing nepo baby Kayla on “Hacks” was divisive, but she coasted to her first nomination on the wave of goodwill surrounding the show’s final season. Cringe comedy enthusiasts are celebrating. Now we await a reprise of her jeans and white T-shirt red carpet look from last year.

SNUB: “Saturday Night Live” cast members (comedy supporting actor and actress)

Admittedly it’s a low bar, but “Saturday Night Live” was better this year, not that voters seem to have noticed. Bowen Yang failed to earn a nomination for his farewell season, ending a four-year streak. And breakout cast member Ashley Padilla was overlooked too, her comic timing apparently too absurd for voters’ tastes.

SURPRISE: Dale Dickey, “Widow’s Bay” (comedy supporting actress)

Hopes were high for “Widow’s Bay,” television’s best new comedy, which arrived late in the Emmy season — so late that its last three episodes weren’t eligible for consideration. But that didn’t stop voters from embracing it, giving the show 19 nominations, including one for Dickey’s turn as the gruff town hall worker who is the Spielberg of overhead projector presentations.

SURPRISE: Connor Storrie (comedy series guest actor)

HBO Max’s hockey romance drama “Heated Rivalry” wasn’t eligible for the Emmys because it’s a production of the Canadian TV network Crave, and the television academy requires the U.S.A. be part of a show’s funding to make the ballot. But star Storrie still received an Emmy invite thanks to his impressive comic turn hosting “Saturday Night Live” in February. The guest actor trophies are handed out during the Creative Arts Emmys, a week before the primetime show, but we’ll likely see Storrie and “Heated Rivalry” co-star Hudson Williams show up to present something during the main telecast. They do want people to watch, right?

Croatia’s World Cup was seconds away from being over and Portugal was seconds away from the round of 16 when Ivan Perisic sent a long, desperate cross into the penalty area. The ball bounced off bodies like a pinball before magically, unbelievably, caroming into the net.

Gooooooallllllll!!!!

Fate had given Croatia a reprieve.

But as pandemonium broke out in the stands and on the pitch, Norwegian referee Espen Eskas stood in the middle of the celebration in Toronto, hand to his ear, listening to a voice half a continent away in Dallas.

The voice recommended a review, via the video assistant referee, or VAR.

So Eskas trotted over to a TV monitor, watched a video replay over and over again, and more than 2½ minutes after the goal was recorded, he took it off the board. Perisic’s cross had brushed the hair of teammate Igor Matanovic, leaving Mario Pasalic in an offside position when the ball reached him near the far post. The contact was imperceptible to the naked eye, but a space-age sensor in the ball had confirmed it.

A VAR review led a referee to overturn a Croatia goal during its 2-1 World Cup loss to Portugal in Toronto, eliminating Croatia from the tournament.

(Dan Mullan / Getty Images)

Croatia’s World Cup was over, another victim of VAR, which has had an outsized influence on this summer’s tournament.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. When VAR was introduced to soccer nine years ago, its mission was clear: to alert the head referee to potential clear and obvious errors or serious missed incidents. At least that’s what Major League Soccer, one of the first leagues to use the system, wrote in the news release introducing it.

“It was really to stop the headlines,” said Mark Geiger, who helped implement VAR as an MLS referee. “These super-egregious errors in a game that impact the outcome. The mantra for VAR was always minimum interference but maximum benefit.”

Under the VAR system, officials sitting before a bank of monitors in a centralized control room review match footage in real time and advise the on-field referee of potential errors. If the video assistant referees believe a mistake has been made, they communicate that through an earpiece the match referee is wearing. If the match official agrees, they will stop play, signal a review by motioning their hands in the shape of a rectangular TV screen, then watch the play themselves on a pitch-side monitor before either confirming or reversing the original decision.

It is comparable to the Automated Ball-Strike review added this year in Major League Baseball, tennis’ Hawk-Eye line-calling system and long-standing centralized instant replay review in the National Football League and National Basketball Assn., systems that have both corrected errors and stoked debate.

But VAR has morphed into something far greater. In this World Cup, there have been more than 100 VAR interventions, encompassing both confirmed on-field calls and overturned decisions, through the end of the round of 16, according to Antonio Vuksanovic, a publication relations and communications professional at Sofascore, a Croatian technology company and sports statistics website.

“When it comes to actual overturned decisions, we’re looking at roughly 0.5 per match, which is higher than the last World Cup and higher than what we saw across the most recently completed club season,” Vuksanovic said.

Even though the officials have gotten most of those calls right, many of the infractions reviewed have been so imperceptible yet so consequential, it has raised a question: if human error on the part of players and coaches is part of the sport, is allowing a game to be decided by electronic evidence of a touch detectable only through NASA-level technology violating the spirit of the game?

Iran’s Shoja Khalilzadeh shoots past Egypt’s Mostafa Shobeir, but the goal was overturned after VAR review during a World Cup match in Seattle on June 26.

(Maddy Grassy / Associated Press)

Christina Unkel, a former FIFA referee, state referee administrator in Florida and a rules of the game analyst for multiple TV networks, believes it does.

“Football is an art. And that’s why we love it,” she said. “It truly isn’t the referee’s fault. We’re not the ones seeking more advanced technology. We don’t want to look like robots out there. But the stakeholders are like ‘more, more, more.’

“When you do pursue black and white — objectivity is what they’re trying to get to, and I get it; they want to eliminate as much subjectivity as possible — what everyone is hating is this perfection thing.”

FIFA, the major stakeholder in the World Cup, declined multiple requests to answer questions about the officiating, but it has clearly doubled down on the technology for this tournament, introducing the semi-automated offside system which uses player-tracking cameras, computer-generated offside lines and, in some cases, data from a measuring instrument inside the match ball, to identify everyone’s position on the pitch when the ball is played.

“The whole genesis of VAR was not to fix every mistake or to make the referees perfect,” said Geiger, the first American to officiate a World Cup knockout game and now general manager of the Professional Referees Organization (PRO), which oversees referees for MLS and the NWSL. “Is the referee correct? That’s not the right question. They should be asking themselves, ‘is the referee clearly and obviously wrong?’”

Geiger, however, remains a huge proponent of the system and was careful not to criticize how it’s been used in this World Cup.

Belgium’s Youri Tielemans on a penalty kick that sails by Senegal goalkeeper Mory Diaw during a World Cup round of 32 match in Seattle on July 1. The game-deciding penalty kick was awarded after VAR review.

(Manu Fernandez / Associated Press)

Still, the frequent use of VAR and other technologies has clearly robbed the World Cup of much as its drama, with spontaneous celebrations of game-winning goals turning to grief moments later when the referee steps away from the monitor and takes away a score.

Reviews not only ended Croatia’s tournament, but they showed Shoja Khalilzadeh was a toe offside when he scored the goal that would have sent Iran to the knockout stages, one of three goals Iran had disallowed by VAR in the tournament; it gave Belgium a late penalty, based on light contact, that Youri Tielemans converted to end Senegal’s World Cup; and it cost Egypt a goal for a perceived foul that took place nearly 100 yards away from the ball in its 3-2 loss to Argentina.

“What happened to us wasn’t fair,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said.

Unkel agreed with that sentiment too.

“Everyone hates it,” she said. “According to VAR, that’s correct to take that goal away. That’s not the spirit of the game. But it’s the correct decision by law.”

What Unkel would prefer — and she believes a majority of officials are on her side — is for referees to have discretion to ignore or even overrule VAR if common sense and their understanding of the game suggest they should, just as judges have discretion to use common sense in applying the law.

“A lot of our game, the majority of it, is very subjective,” she said. “When we’re all sitting there saying, ‘No, that doesn’t gain an unfair advantage,’ then that’s when we have to start reconsidering things back to the spirit of the law. That’s the catchall loophole for saying, ‘Do we want this to be part of our game?’

“And I think everyone’s universally saying there a lot of different kinds of decisions we do not want part of our game. Toenail offsides, hair follicle arguments.”

Without the use of video replays, its unlikely any of those calls would have been made and the World Cup quarterfinals would probably look quite different.

England players react as referee Alireza Faghani shows a red card to England’s Jarell Quansah during a World Cup match against Mexico on July 5.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Ap Photo/natacha Pisarenko)

England coach Thomas Tuchel, upset about a penalty call on captain Harry Kane and a red card given to defender Jarell Quansah, both following video reviews in his team’s round-of-16 win over Mexico, said rulings were being overturned in the tournament “in a very questionable way.”

“The referees can send any team out in any moment,” he added. “It’s just not good enough. It’s just erratic. It’s just unreliable.”

An apparent misuse of the technology also led to the most controversial incident in the tournament. In the second half of an elimination game between the U.S. and Bosnia-Herzegovina, American Folarin Balogun stomped on the ankle of Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic, something Brazilian referee Raphael Claus initially decided did not merit even a caution. But after VAR official Juan Soto of Venezuela urged him to watch a replay, Claus flashed a red card at Balogun, expelling him from the game and banning him from the next match in the round of 16.

Claus had watched the replay in slow motion, allowing him to see what wasn’t apparent at game speed. FIFA later intervened by lifting Balogun’s one-game suspension, igniting ever greater controversy because it was just the second time that has happened in a World Cup.

U.S. forward Folarin Balogun steps on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic’s foot and received a red card after VAR review during the World Cup.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

The heavy use of VAR has also interrupted the flow of games by halting matches that weren’t meant to be halted, leaving everyone standing on the field while the referee goes off to watch TV, sometimes for minutes at a time.

“When calls are reviewed and when goals are reviewed, sometimes it could take away from the momentum,” U.S. defender Chris Richards said. “Look under anything with a microscope, you could probably find something. But ultimately it was meant to be helpful for the game.”

And it has been. Because if officials have become over-reliant on VAR to review decisions that were not, or could not, be seen in real time, at least they’re getting those decisions right.

“I wish we had it in the 2002 World Cup,” said Bruce Arena, who coached the U.S. in that tournament. “We might have made it to the semifinals.”

In the quarterfinals of that tournament, with Germany leading 1-0 in the 40th minute, an obvious handball by Germany’s Torsten Frings kept out a shot from American Gregg Berhalter. If VAR had been available, Scottish referee Hugh Dallas could have corrected the missed call, awarding a penalty and giving Frings a red card, expelling him for the final 40 minutes.

“Look at every sport now in the world,” said Arena, coach of the San José Earthquakes. “They have some version of VAR. Why not make decisions correct?”

“There are still plenty of opportunities for the referees to control the game and make mistakes and not make mistakes,” he continued in reference to the human element. “It’s not like every moment is evaluated. But key moments are.”

As for interrupting the flow of play, Arena says the three-minute hydration breaks FIFA has introduced each half — ostensibly for player welfare, but in practice to give the TV networks additional commercial breaks — have been more disruptive.

“You don’t want VAR to officiate the game completely,” Arena said. “You have to pick your spots. For the most part, I think VAR is good.”

Four former champions have qualified for the FIFA World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1990. Argentina, England, France and Spain capitalised on the inexperience of lesser-pedigreed foes to reach the final four.

For the Albiceleste, it was an unwise Swiss dive.

For the Three Lions and La Roja, opposing goalkeepers spilled rebounds.

And Les Bleus benefited from an inexplicable, forward-less, Morocco lineup.

Here are the key takeaways from the quarterfinals:

France too good for Morocco in 2-0 route in Boston

What we learned: Nothing works against France, so far.

Morocco tried a unique approach to unsettling the French. Mohamed Ouahbi went with a striker-less lineup, which, predictably failed to threaten.

Post-match, France’s coach Didier Deschamps said what everyone else in the room was thinking: “I was quite surprised by the starting 11. I tried to understand why [Ouahbi] made these choices, no real forwards.”

Part of the reason would have been the absence of injured forward Ismael Saibari, who had a breakout tournament, though the Morocco roster included three other forwards, including Soufiane Rahimi, who entered in the 60th minute. That was just after Kylian Mbappe’s dipping right-footer inside the far post the opened the scoring for Les Bleus.

Ouahbi’s reasoning remains a mystery.

He might have been hoping for a France own goal, which was narrowly avoided as a Dayot Upamecano shank landed on top of the net. Or perhaps the game strategy was that goalkeeper Yassine Bounou would continue to bail out Morocco, as he did earlier in the quarterfinal tie when he saved Mbappe’s first-half penalty kick, following a two-minute-plus VAR review.

Spain snatch late winner to see off Belgium 2-1 in Los Angeles

What we learned: Pau Cubarsi is not in over his head.

A Barcelona teenager’s shot led to the deciding goal for Spain against Belgium – but no, it wasn’t wonderkid Lamine Yamal, who was held to a single score in the tournament.

With the score even, and superb Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois on the bench injured, Cubarsi advanced and unexpectedly fired from close to 30 metres out.

Reserve keeper Senne Lammens could have been taken by surprise – this was Cubarsi’s first attempt since the first half of Spain’s opening 0-0 draw with Cape Verde on June 15.

In any case, the shot handcuffed Lammens (actually, Lammens handcuffed himself), leaving the rebound for Mikel Merino, who converted from close range to score the game winner in the 88th minute.

So, no, Cubarsi is not there to generate offense. But the fact a 19-year-old is starting on the Spain back line is significant. Few successful World Cup teams have gone with youthful centre backs, an exception being Italy’s Giuseppe Bergomi, who was 18 when he played in 1982, as a substitute for injured Fulvio Collovati.

Cubarsi struggled at times against the Belgians, but was not troubled by imposing substitute forward Romelo Lukaku. Belgium became the first team to score against La Roja in the tournament but the key to Spain’s defending is much less battening it down, but rather Barcelona-style keep-away, and that’s where Cubarsi is most comfortable.

Meanwhile, substitute forward Merino is providing close to instant offense, scoring two minutes after entering against Belgium, and five minutes in against Portugal in their 1-0 last-16 victory.

What we, and France, also learned is that Jeremy Doku’s double-teaming easily shut down 18-year-old Yamal, which means expect more of the same from Desire Doue in the semifinals.

England defeats Norway 2-1 in Miami

What we learned: First off, Norway still has a lot to learn. Also, don’t believe your eyes when it comes to the World Cup “connected” ball, whose “heartbeat” insisted a Orjan Nyland goal kick did not strike a TV camera cable.

During the first round, Norway coach Stale Solbakken let everyone know that his nation was not some “naive country, playing for fun,” when he rested everyone before a 4-1 loss to France.

The idea was to keep stars Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard in the tournament into the elimination stages. Solbakken’s strategy worked well, until the quarterfinals, when the Norwegians were exposed.

Sure, England’s Elliot Anderson went down as if he had taken a Zinedine Zidane circa 2006 head-butt. But, no, it was only a Haaland shove, leading to a Norway goal being disallowed, following a VAR replay. That would not be the only moment of Norwegian naivety.

Late in the first half, a 2-on-1 ended with Alexander Sorloth failing to square for Haaland, and unable to get past John Stones.

Then, instead of milking stoppage time to protect a 1-0 lead, Nyland sent a long goal kick that appeared to suddenly change trajectory and land at the feet of Anderson, triggering the TV cable-gate accusation from Solbakken to the match officials. Nothing to see here – that’s the FIFA version, anyway. Anderson quickly found Anthony Gordon, on to Jude Bellingham, and an England equaliser ensued before halftime.

It didn’t help Norway’s defending on the wings when Julian Ryerson went out injured. But it took until the third minute of extra time before Bukayo Saka earned a corner against Marcus Holmgren Pedersen. Nyland tipped away Harry Kane’s chip for another corner – and there was Bellingham, again, this time to convert the rebound of a Morgan Rogers shot.

Then, with Haaland on the bench, Norway had a final chance. At least, that is what lanky Norway defender Kristoffer Ajer thought, after England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and a defender collided, leaving an open goal. Not so, French referee Clement Turpin, who stopped play, and cautioned Ajer for dissent.

Thomas Tuchel said his team got “lucky.” But evidence, and experience, points to the Three Lions making their own luck.

Defending champions Argentina eliminate Switzerland 3-1 in Kansas City

What we learned: Don’t dive.

Switzerland appeared to have momentum against Argentina when Bree Embolo went down near the halfway line just before a drinks break.

Joao Pinheiro cautioned Leandro Paredes, then switched the call to an Embolo yellow card for simulation, following a VAR review. The official call was “mistaken identity,” for the first time VAR invoking a directive to intervene in case of a “potential” red card.

Whatever the justification, the result was Embolo – earlier cautioned for taking down Paredes – was ejected. Embolo’s flop seemed out of character – this was his first red card with the national team, second at the senior level, and first since a 2015-16 Europa League match with FC Basel.

We also learned Argentina doesn’t need Lionel Messi to score.

But it helps when Messi is taking corners – he pinpointed one for Alexis Mac Allister to head in for the opening goal on 10 minutes. The Albiceleste coaching staff celebrated by congratulating assistant Walter Samuel, who, possibly, figured out Mac Allister could find space in the midst of a Swiss team whose shortest player is four centimetres (an inch and a half) taller than him.

AS the train rumbles out of the station, our heads turn to admire the stunning views from the dining car’s windows.

When the conductor announces each new destination, a feast of flavours is served up while we admire the changing landscapes.

But what’s even more incredible is the fact I am currently on board the largest cruise ship in the world — and sailing the calm blue waters of the Mediterranean.

The Royal Railway is the latest immersive dining experience to be savoured on board Legend Of The Seas.

You’ll begin your journey at the station — with the chance to pick up a cocktail or two from the bar — before entering an authentic train carriage and sitting down to a five-course feast as the train travels along Marco Polo’s ancient Silk Route including China, India, Turkey and Italy.

With some culinary corkers on the menu such as butter chicken, grilled lamb chops and Silk Road Shrimp, plus to-die-for Italian desserts, it’s a world away from a soggy sarnie on platform three at Clapham Junction.

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Like everything on this gargantuan ship — the third Icon-class vessel from Royal Caribbean — the attention to detail is staggering.

With 28 restaurants, eight neighbourhoods, six waterslides and room for 5,610 passengers, the multi-billion-dollar floating city certainly made an entrance in Malaga earlier this month. And I was one of the first on board the largest cruise ship in the world.

Billed as the ultimate family vacation, this next-generation newcomer is a riot of colour and energy from dawn to dusk, and there is something to float everyone’s boat, from lazy beach retreats to thrilling theme parks.

Holidaymakers of all ages will easily keep hunger pangs at bay grazing on food from 28 venues — the most you’ll find at sea — with every neighbourhood bringing something to the table.

Other new eateries include Hollywoodland Supper Club. Inspired by old Hollywood, this multi-course dinner is accompanied by live jazz and craft cocktails, giving guests the chance to get glam.

While this and the Royal Railway come at quite a hefty extra cost — around £144pp — there are a staggering 13 complimentary eateries included in the price of your cruise.

In the AquaDome Market you can take another global foodie tour with stalls serving up everything from Korean rice bowls to tapas bites and crepes, plus a new juice and smoothie bar for health-conscious sailors.

I also worked my way around some of the bars including 1400 Lobby Bar, which is inspired by the history of shipbuilding, and Lou’s, which evokes moody New Orleans and New York jazz bars with live performances and cocktails.

Those wanting a livelier tipple should head to the brilliant Dueling Pianos, which buzzes well into the early hours.

Outside, the mega resort facilities are designed for non-stop family fun — minigolf, rock-climbing and a surf simulator can all be found on decks 16 and 17 — and thrillseekers can dangle daringly over the water on Crown’s Edge, a part skywalk, part zipline experience 154ft above the ocean.

This playful ship is certainly making a splash, with Category 6 holding the crown as the largest waterpark at sea, while Royal Bay is the largest pool on the waves.

Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay are nestled in the purpose-built Surfside family neighbourhood, while it’s strictly adults-only at The Hideaway with its suspended infinity pool and DJ, and Swim & Tonic swim-up bar.

Early nights are out — the last thing you’ll want to do is sleep for fear of serious FOMO.

The ship’s entertainment offering is next level and I was captivated by everything I watched. This included Roald Dahl’s West End-worthy Charlie And The Chocolate Factory complete with a 15-strong live orchestra, AquaTheater’s Shockwave, where synchronised swimmers, high divers and aerialists highlight the power of water, and the ice-skating spectacle with drones at Absolute Zero’s show, Fusion.

Alongside live music and tribute bands, there are themed parties including a Y2K dance party, karaoke sessions, live trivia and silent discos.

Those familiar with Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class ships will be pleased to see the return of well loved spaces including Royal Promenade with its floor-to-ceiling ocean views.

There’s also the Pearl — the world’s largest kinetic art sculpture — weighing as much as a Boeing 747 — and the open-air Central Park, with over 30,500 lush plants as well as restaurants, live music, and pick-up windows for sushi and champagne.

With 29 types of accommodation, when it comes to hitting the sack, you and your tribe will slumber in style. On Legend Of The Seas, there are more rooms with ocean views and for groups of three, four, five and more.

The Surfside Family Suites are ideal for two adults and two kids, with the Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony cabins accommodating six, and Surfside Family View Balcony cabins sleeping three or four.

To really push the boat out, check into the exclusive four-deck Suite Neighbourhood or the Ultimate Family Townhouse, a three- storey pad that can sleep up to eight people.

Inside there’s a slide, dedicated entertainment spaces, and three balconies — lucky residents even get a money-can’t-buy experience with Royal Caribbean’s second Chief Dog Officer, a playful golden retriever pup named Skipper.

This showstopper of a ship is truly the stuff of Legends.

TEMPERATURES are soaring above 30C again this week – so where better to enjoy it than outside sipping on a cool pint?

Sun Travel has found some of the biggest beer gardens in the UK from secret spots in the city to canal-side watering holes.

The Watering Hole, Cornwall

The Watering Hole in Cornwall is a unique spot as its beer garden is right on the beach.

Big 7 Enjoy Travel even named it as being one of the 30 best beer gardens in the UK last year.

They wrote: “The tables are located right on the sands of the beach, making it the perfect beachside beer garden experience, ideal for the summer months.”

There’s live music as well as food and drink here all year round.

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The Mile Castle, Newcastle

Dubbed a ‘super Spoons’, the Mile Castle in Newcastle became home to the first Wetherspoons hotel back in 2024 and had a major facelift.

Outside is a 200-cover beer garden set across two floors – and you can enjoy a pint of Ruddles Best from £1.79.

Old Neptune, Whitstable

While not a garden per-say, the Old Neptune has the it’s own beach as a garden.

It certainly has the best views – with the sea just a few steps away and many punters constantly praise it for being one of the best spots in the area.

The Wharf, Manchester

The Wharf in Manchester is a canal-side country pub in the heart of the city.

Punters can enjoy a beer by the Bridgewater Canal and in the summertime there are activities like barbecues, live performances and child-friendly activities.

The Perch, Oxford

The Perch is one of Oxford‘s oldest pubs and has been dubbed a “hidden gem” by visitors.

The sweeping beer garden sits behind the 17th century inn and on hot days there is shade provided by the tall weeping willow trees.

The Garden at Kentish Town, London

The Garden at Kentish Town is a massive 12,000-square-foot outdoor venue with two bars with seating for up to 950 guests.

When it’s time to eat, there are street food vendors too as well as events like comedy nights, bottomless brunches and sports screenings.

The Rising Sun, Somerset

The Rising Sun in Pensford, Somerset, might look like an ordinary pub from the outside – but it has a very impressive beer garden behind it.

It was even named the second-best beer garden in England in 2023.

The sunny spot underneath the enormous Pensford Viaduct by the River Chew with views across the countryside.

One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: “Every so often you stumble on a hidden gem and that is what we found at the Rising Sun.”

WEST Brewery Glasgow, Scotland

At WEST Brewery Glasgow, one of the biggest beer gardens in the city, visitors can enjoy a mix of Scottish and German delights with local lager and German food.

There’s no booking necessary and the Biergarten Menu that offers currywursts, hot dogs and burgers is available until 12pm.

Brewhouse & Kitchen in Pontcanna, Cardiff

This pub is popular thanks to its location next to Sophia Gardens cricket grounds – but it has a pretty beer garden too.

Outside the Brewhouse & Kitchen is room for 325 visitors – with enough sitting room for 200 with covered and shady area for when it’s particularly hot.

One visitor said it has “one of the best gardens in Cardiff.”

The craft beer is brewed on-site with a mixture of pale ales to stouts.

Hackney Bridge, London

Although technically not a beer ‘garden’ we couldn’t leave Hackney Bridge off the list as it’s outdoor space amounts to 3,500 square feet.

It’s next to the canal with lots of seating in the lower tier gardens – not to mention space on the terraces.

Inside are plenty of bars like The Hangar, Block C and Traveling Barn to pick up drinks and enjoy them in the sunshine.

Jennifer Siebel Newsom was frustrated.

She was standing behind her husband, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, at a February press conference to celebrate a new bill that would give Planned Parenthood emergency funds. A throng of women’s advocates, including herself, had spoken about how the law would help women access healthcare. But now reporters were asking a barrage of off-topic questions, from the California High Speed Rail to the 2028 Olympics.

She paced, she swayed, she laughed with displeasure. Finally, she stepped closer to her husband and gently nudged him aside. She found it “incredulous,” she said, that they had assembled all these allies only for the reporters to ask about other issues.

“This happens over and over and over and over again,” she said as Newsom smiled awkwardly. “You wonder why we have such a horrific war on women in this country and that these guys are getting away with it. Because you don’t seem to care. So I just offer that with love.”

All of a sudden, Siebel Newsom herself was the news. One of Sacramento’s top female journalists, Ashley Zavala, shot back on X that reporters were just doing their jobs and the way they were treated “was not normal.” Right-wing media blasted out headlines from “Gavin Newsom’s wife scolds reporters” to “Gavin Newsom’s wife slams reporters for ‘horrific war on women’ in extraordinary rant.”

The scene underscores Siebel Newsom’s predicament as her husband positions himself as Trump’s chief antagonist and prepares for a possible 2028 White House run.

Jennifer Siebel Newsom with California Surgeon General Diana Ramos.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

She came to Sacramento with a mission to speak up for women, calling herself “first partner” to signal she would carry on the theme of her work as a documentary filmmaker and nonprofit leader: dismantling gender norms. But as her husband raises his national profile with a podcast, a memoir and daily trolling of President Trump, she finds herself under mounting scrutiny.

In June, Newsom accused Trump of weaponizing the Department of Justice to launch a politically motivated attack on his spouse after federal agents knocked on the doors of the Newsoms’ friends and former employees, asking about Siebel Newsom’s taxes and nonprofit businesses.

“To get me, he’s coming after my wife,” Newsom said.

A federal source said the investigation began not with Trump, but after federal officials spoke to whistleblowers in Sacramento. Whatever the origin or merits of the probe, Siebel Newsom has long faced questions about her finances — specifically her nonprofits’ partial reliance on donations from companies that lobby the governor, a strategy that does not violate California law but raises concerns about the influence of large corporations in Sacramento.

Her decision to use the title “first partner” and her work “deconstructing” gender are also attracting criticism from the right in the post-#MeToo era as many Americans chafe against what they perceive as radical attempts to undermine traditional values and policing of what they say and do.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom looks on at his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

(Mario Tama / Getty Images)

To Siebel Newsom, the critiques of her work and the federal probe are part of a broader hounding of women who enter the public sphere. When federal agents targeted her associates, she was promoting “Miss Representation: Rise Up,” her new film examining the role technology plays in fueling what she describes as “the rising backlash against women’s progress.”

“We are seeing young women hold themselves back from wanting to pursue careers … not just political leadership, and it’s extremely disturbing,” Siebel Newsom told CNN in June. “It is a backlash, a backslide, and it is happening at an unprecedented scale, where ultimately we are silencing women’s voices.”

She disagreed with those who say scrutiny is the price of admission for being in public life. “Women and girls deserve to be protected,” she said. “Anyone aspiring to a public service career deserves to be safe. It should be fundamental.”

Untangling legitimate political criticism from deeply ingrained gender bias is not easy. Women in the public eye are frequently held to a different standard than men. But some political experts question whether a woman who refuses to stand on the sidelines — raising her voice on radioactive culture war issues and benefiting in part from her marital status to fund her nonprofits — can reasonably expect to be excluded from the rough and tumble of her husband’s political life.

Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Marymount University law professor and political commentator, said Siebel Newsom had been subjected to heightened public scrutiny for years. “That I think is likely fair,” she said, “in the sense that she has said that she’s very much a partner of the governor, and she has used this platform to advocate for causes that she cares about.”

Still, Levinson said, Siebel Newsom’s availing herself of the public forum did not mean she had violated the law.

“Does the fact that she has created and run nonprofits that receive behested contributions from Gov. Newsom put her and her actions in a different spotlight?” she said. “Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean that she’s doing anything nefarious. It just means that their life and their finances and their jobs are a little bit more complicated than other first families.”

Raised in an affluent suburb in Marin County, Siebel Newsom, 52, grew up in privilege. Her father was an investment manager and prominent GOP donor, her mother a co-founder of the Bay Area Discovery Museum.

After studying Latin American studies at Stanford and volunteering in Ecuador and Africa, she returned to Stanford to earn an MBA. Then she moved to L.A. to try to break into Hollywood. She got small parts in “Mad Men” and “Rent,” but has said she “was typecast as a trophy wife and kind of put into this box.”

That sparked her interest in getting behind the camera.

Around the time she married Newsom in 2008 and got pregnant with her first child, she began work on “Miss Representation,” her debut 2011 film that examines how mainstream culture limits female potential and power by focusing on youth, beauty and sexuality.

When Newsom was elected governor, she announced she would eschew the traditional title of “first lady.”

The “first partner” title, she has said, is not just gender inclusive and gender expansive. “It disrupts some of the male-coded language we associate with leadership, versus a ‘lady’ who sits on the sidelines.”

Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Over the last 15 years, Siebel Newsom has worked on a series of documentaries and founded nonprofits focused on gender equity, the Representation Project and California Partners Project.

“She walks the walk,” said Amy Ziering, a documentary filmmaker whose films Siebel Newsom helped produce. She did not take the role lightly, Ziering said, noting she watched cuts and took notes, made introductions and brought people to screenings. The fact that Siebel Newsom kept pressing women’s issues as her husband became governor, Ziering said, reflected her integrity.

“She’s not diminishing her beliefs, her values, her principles or any other kind of long-term goals” Ziering said. “She shows up, ‘This is what I believe,’ and maybe it’s not politically efficacious to believe this right now, or to say ‘I believe it’ … but she does.”

In 2022, Siebel Newsom took on another public role, testifying in Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault trial.

“She did not have to do that, she could have been Jane Doe,” Ziering said. “That’s about showing up for other women and for all sexual assault survivors.”

Cristina Garcia, a former assemblywoman who represented southeast L.A. and worked with Siebel Newsom on women’s legislation, said she thought Siebel Newsom would be a target no matter what.

“But I think she sees the power that she has, and it’s like, why should she just sit in the background?” Garcia said. “Why shouldn’t she use her power to uplift women and children … these things she’s been really passionate about?”

In Sacramento and across liberal California, Siebel Newsom’s ideas on women and gender are relatively mainstream.

But as the 2028 election looms, conservatives have dredged up old clips, highlighting Siebel Newsom’s comments about parenting and deconstructing gender roles to portray her as “radical” and “woke.”

In one video, Siebel Newsom said that when she reads to her children she changes the protagonist’s gender from “he” to “she” to show women matter and can center a story.

In another, she raised concerns about boys being exposed to “alt-right socialization online that we know is very, very dangerous.” She and her husband, she noted, were alarmed to find their son had encountered misogynist influencer Andrew Tate while watching sports online.

Some conservatives have noted, with glee, that Siebel Newsom could be a liability for her husband as he seeks national office.

“Jennifer Siebel Newsom is the very avatar of Democrat Woman,” a New York Post columnist wrote. “Haughty, hectoring and pleased with herself, she is single-handedly wrecking her hen-pecked husband Gavin’s lofty political ambitions.”

But former state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Oxnard) pushed back on the idea that Siebel Newsom was some kind of strident activist or woke scold. After working with Siebel Newsom on equal pay and bringing more women onto corporate boards, she said Siebel Newsom was adept at working with corporations to find common ground and recognize what businesses need to be successful.

The scrutiny of Siebel Newsom comes as her husband tries to stake out a more centrist stance on some issues.

Last year, Newsom inspired the ire of some Democrats by launching a podcast in which he chatted with right-wing figures, such as Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon. On its debut episode, Newsom distanced himself from his party’s left flank, calling the dismantling of police departments “lunacy.” Allowing transgender athletes to participate in women’s sports, he said, was “deeply unfair.”

Asked why, Newsom told The Times his party had become out of touch with ordinary Americans. “They think we’re elite,” he said. “We talk down to people. We talk past people. They think we just think we’re smarter than other people, that we’re so judgmental and full of ourselves.”

On this point, it’s not clear whether the Newsoms are in sync.

For all her talk of women as allies, Siebel Newsom portrays conservative women who criticize other women as dupes manipulated by MAGA leaders.

“What’s interesting is that the far right really is using women to go after other women,” she said in June on the “Hysteria” podcast. “So I find it very intentional on their part that they have essentially sent the women out to humiliate, demean, ridicule, mock, silence another women. But that’s just the patriarchy, right? … And that’s what we have to fight.”

Still, she has voiced doubt about whether she would continue to go by “first partner” if her husband were elected president.

Asked in 2023, Siebel Newsom said she didn’t know if Americans were ready for a “first partner.”

“Sadly,” she said, “I don’t know if they are.”

But even as conservatives mock Siebel Newsom’s patrician “girl power” message and activist jargon, she shows few signs of backing down.

As she has taken “Miss Representation: Rise Up” to film festivals in New York and Washington, D.C., she has upped her call for more Big Tech regulation.

An advisor from the first partner’s office said Siebel Newsom had been an advocate for women and girls before she met Newsom. That was unlikely to change, they said, as she faced growing right-wing scrutiny or a federal investigation.

“There’s no strategy change here,” they said.

One of the most-storied national teams – and the current world champions – face opponents who only first qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013.

Cape Verde was a colony of Portugal when Argentina took part in the first World Cup in 1930, finishing runners-up to Uruguay.

La Albiceleste have only failed to qualify for one World Cup, in Mexico in 1970, though withdrew from the three tournaments either side of World War Two.

Argentina’s first World Cup success came in 1978, beating the Netherlands 3-1. In 1986, a 3-2 victory over West Germany took the trophy back to South America.

A third World Cup trophy was secured in Qatar four years ago, with France beaten on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

Argentina have enjoyed extensive continental success, too, winning the Copa America a record 16 times – including the past two tournaments.

They have not been out of the top three of the Fifa world ranking since March 2022, and spent two years in the number one spot before being dethroned by France last year.

The Cape Verdean Football Federation was only formed in 1982, and accepted as a Fifa member in 1986 – just as Argentina were winning the World Cup for a second time.

The Blue Sharks first entered World Cup qualifying in 2002 but did not have a realistic chance of qualifying until 2022.

Four years ago they only just lost out to Nigeria, drawing the final group game 1-1 in Lagos when a win would have sent them to Qatar.

For the 2026 finals, despite being drawn in a group with eight-time qualifiers Cameroon, Cape Verde finished top with one defeat in 10 matches.

Such has been their recent development they only played at their first Africa Cup of Nations 13 years ago, reaching the quarter-finals before losing to Ghana.

They have now played at the Afcon four times, reaching the last eight again in 2023.

But they failed to reach the 2025 Afcon, despite qualifying for the World Cup.

Cape Verde broke in the Fifa top 100 in 2006, and climbed to 36th on the back of the first Afcon outing. In 2014, after qualifying for the 2015 tournament, they achieved their highest-ever ranking of 27th.

For the last nine years, Cape Verde have hovered around the 60-80 bracket, and will go into Friday’s game ranked 64th.

TO the untrained eye, he was just a bloke in a shiny police helmet singing about staying at the YMCA.

But behind the tight trousers and macho character in disco group ­Village People, Victor Willis was a musical hitmaker who co-wrote songs that will provide the soundtrack to every wedding, birthday and office party for years to come.

Yesterday, in a Facebook post, his wife Karen Huff-Willis announced Victor’s death, aged 74.

“It is with profound sadness that I must announce the death of my husband,” she said.

“Victor passed away on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, as a result of a short but aggressive illness.”

Long before he was commanding crowds to put their hands in the air to anthems that defined an era, including YMCA, Go West and In The Navy, Victor was singing gospel music in his Baptist minister father’s church.

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He grew up in San Francisco and his high school band, The Ballads, supported The Temptations.

He sat in on sessions with American jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, before becoming an actor and singer.

A role in the Las Vegas production of musical Hair earned him a place in Broadway productions of Two Gentlemen Of Verona and The Wiz.

In the late Seventies, he caught the attention of flamboyant French producer Jacques Morali, who was creating a musical group based on the macho stereotypes and gay pin-ups of New York’s Greenwich Village.

Their four-track demo, called The Village People, earned the group a record deal, and Jacques asked ­Victor to become the frontman.

While the rest of the line-up were recruited from dance studios and clubs for the roles of the cowboy, the Native American, the biker, the construction worker and the soldier, Victor was thought to be the only straight member.

After albums Macho Man in 1978, and Cruisin’ in ’79 which gave us YMCA, they put out Go West and its title track became a gay anthem, later covered by The Pet Shop Boys.

It also featured In The Navy, which the US Navy co-opted for a recruitment campaign, before realising they were using the ultimate camp parody.

It was around then that Victor met and married his first wife, future Cosby Show star Phylicia Rashad.

They split in 1982.

After battling growing frustrations within the group, Victor walked out in 1979.

But his departure triggered a downward spiral.

He struggled to escape the group’s flamboyant reputation and establish credibility on his own.

His 1979 solo project, Solo Man, remained unreleased for more than 30 years until 2015.

The Eighties and Nineties became a blur of substance abuse, addiction, and brushes with the law.

In 2015, he said: “I got very depressed over the years.

“I got kind of drugged out, because I was disappointed with the way things were and got frustrated, and gave up for a bit.”

He began to turn things around in 2006 after he received court-ordered substance abuse treatment and completed three years of probation.

After getting clean, he turned his energy towards a battleground between him and ruthless record executives who had pocketed the lion’s share of the royalties from the Village People’s catalogue.

This led Victor to meet his second wife Karen, an attorney who helped him fight his copyright case against the companies who controlled Village People’s hits.

They ­married in 2007.

Victor, armed with a gritty determination, launched a historic, multi-year lawsuit under a loophole in the 1976 US Copyright Act, which allows artists to reclaim their work after 35 years.

In a legal victory that sent shockwaves through the music industry, the US courts ruled in his favour in 2013.

Victor clawed back up to 50 per cent of the lucrative copyright percentages for YMCA and his other hits, becoming a hero to older musicians everywhere.

The resolution paved the way for his return to the group in 2017.

Older, wiser, but with that same thunderous voice, he toured the world to packed arenas, watching three generations of families throw their arms in the air to spell out those four famous letters.

By then, YMCA was being regularly played at Donald Trump’s political rallies, a use Victor was unhappy with.

“I don’t endorse Trump, I’ve never endorsed Trump, nor have the Village People,” he told the BBC in 2020.

However, he surprised fans last year by agreeing to take part in the politician’s second inauguration saying: “Our song YMCA is a global anthem that hopefully helps bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign where our preferred candidate lost.”

In his tribute yesterday, Trump claimed: “He was a great and happy guy who loved that I used YMCA at my rallies.”

Regardless, YMCA remains Victors’ biggest hit, reaching No1 in 17 countries.

The star may have hung up his police helmet for the final time, but his legacy is firmly etched into global nightlife.

As long as there is a wedding with a dancefloor, people will be ready to fling their arms up in the air in the shape of a “Y”.

It is set to become the world’s largest airport after a £23.5billion expansion and refurbishment project is completed

Dubai is preparing to unveil the world’s largest and most cutting-edge airport, complete with robot staff and ‘no queues’ for passengers. Al Maktoum International Airport will become the biggest in the world once its £23.5billion expansion and refurbishment is finished.

It is anticipated to handle 260 million passengers annually and boasts features specifically designed to make travelling as seamless as possible. The airport claims it will eliminate queuing altogether, as bags can be dropped off before travellers even reach the terminal.

This means passengers will not need to repeat the security and customs processes.

Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths described this as a “no red lights” concept while speaking to Khaleej Times.

Another way the passenger experience will be improved is through an ‘integrated underground Automated People Mover system’ that removes the need to walk from one end of the vast airport to the other.

This will feature a multi-track train, with 14 stations to shuttle passengers between terminals and concourses.

Collecting baggage is also set to be a far quicker process, as the new system will be capable of handling tens of thousands of bags in under 60 minutes.

Luggage is also expected to be available within minutes of landing, meaning the dreaded wait at the baggage carousel will become a thing of the past.

All of these impressive features will be made possible through automated travel systems, AI security checks and robot staff. These robots will be responsible for tasks such as baggage handling and may even tackle customer service queries.

According to details published by Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP), the infrastructure developer for Dubai’s aviation sector, plans for DWC include “a new era of smart airport systems and passenger-centric facilities, taking travellers to worldwide destinations in the most awe-inspiring and comfortable way possible”.

The expansion also features five parallel runways and up to 400 aircraft gates.

Once construction at Al Maktoum International Airport is complete, the neighbouring Dubai International Airport will shut down permanently.

Dubai International Airport (DXB) is set to close its doors for good in 2035, according to reports.

All operations currently running through the bustling travel hub will be relocated to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).

ANYONE who’s looked at holiday prices over the last few years will know one thing: summer getaways haven’t exactly been getting cheaper.

But this year, a big change in booking habits has completely blown the market wide open.

Because British holidaymakers are playing chicken with the calendar and leaving bookings later than ever, airlines and hotels are staring down a reduced summer capacity.

So, rather than flying empty seats and leaving hotel rooms vacant, some airlines and hotel operators are aggressively cutting prices across the board to get bookings in and holidays shifted.

Before we start, though, I should say that not EVERY destination is seeing price drops like this.

But when I crunched the numbers on package data for a family of four, I noticed that some of the year-on-year drops are massive.

So here’s where the prices are falling fastest for summer 2026…

Menorca: £536 cheaper than last year

If you’ve never been to Menorca, imagine everything people love about Majorca and Ibiza… but with the volume turned down.

It has always been a major winner for families because it’s incredibly safe, relaxed, and completely skips the club-heavy energy of its neighbours.

The big news is the pricing: our data shows family holidays here are trending noticeably down compared to last summer.

I flagged a seven-night stay at the Minura Sur Menorca on an all-inclusive basis, flying from Manchester on 22 August, from £858pp – which is a massive £536 cheaper than this exact package last year.

For a destination that traditionally sells out and hikes its rates in August, finding an all-inclusive setup under these numbers is a serious win against the usual school-holiday tax.

The hotel itself is a brilliant family workhorse on the outskirts of Punta Prima with massive pools and a splash park that will easily keep the kids occupied for hours.

If you’ve got a young family like me, my favourite thing about this property is that they run a free, regular shuttle bus straight down to the beach throughout the summer.

It saves you from dragging hot, tired kids and a mountain of beach gear on a 15-minute trek in the August heat.

Paphos, Cyprus: £246 cheaper than last year

Paphos is a super-reliable destination that absolutely nails the holiday basics.

You get guaranteed scorching weather, great beaches, and a vibrant harbour front packed with tavernas and bars, without feeling overcommercialised.

And when I took a look, I noticed that prices are down sharply across the resort, making it an ideal window for a bargain.

You can lock in seven nights at the Kefalos Damon Hotel Apartments on an all-inclusive basis, flying from Glasgow on 22 August, from £623pp, saving £246 compared to last summer.

Cyprus has some of the longest, most reliable sunshine windows in Europe, which usually means paying a massive premium to secure an August departure.

Snagging this deal lets you bypass that peak-season markup while keeping food and drinks entirely off the daily spreadsheet.

What makes this place stand out for me is the quality of the recent modern room upgrades.

They’ve kitted the apartments out with brilliant, fully functioning kitchenettes, which means you have a high-spec, contemporary space to retreat to.

This is a massive step up from the dated, basic apartments you usually get saddled with on a budget European getaway.

Crete, Greece: £172 cheaper than last year

Crete is a massive island that handles every type of holidaymaker, but for families, it’s a brilliant choice because you can have completely different holiday experiences depending on where you pitch up.

The great news for the budget, though, is that pricing across the island seems to have headed south for late bookings.

I spotted a seven-night stay at the Bali Beach & Sofia Village hotel on an all-inclusive basis, flying from Bristol on 22 August, from £468pp – knocking £172 off last year’s price.

Greece in peak August for under £500 per person with all your food and beer thrown in is an absolute gift, by the way.

What I loved about this place was that they run free, weekly Greek cooking lessons hosted directly by the hotel’s executive kitchen chef.

It’s a brilliant, authentic touch where you can actually learn how to whip up proper local specialities, which is exactly the kind of genuine, cultural insight you never expect to get from a standard all-inclusive package property.

Gran Canaria: £179 cheaper than last year

Gran Canaria is perfect for Brits because the weather is spot on all year round.

As a destination, it handles families, couples, and groups effortlessly, and right now the value across the island is dropping back into our favour for this summer.

One standout deal I saw in the data was seven nights at the Maspalomas Oasis Club on an all inclusive basis, flying from Dublin on 22 August, from £410pp – making it £179 cheaper than last year.

The Canary Islands usually command a massive premium in August because they are a safe bet for sun, but this price point lets you dodge that summer-holiday markup.

The real winner at this hotel is the food quality at the buffet, which you’ll be delighted to learn, completely dodges the lukewarm, processed repetitive food sometimes associated with cheaper all-inclusives.

Instead, they have live show-cooking stations at dinner, where the chefs grill fresh meats and fish directly to your order, right in front of you.

Getting proper, freshly seared food on an all-inclusive budget under £450 is an absolute steal.

Dubai: £135 cheaper than last year

Dubai probably isn’t the first spot you associate with price drops, which is exactly why the numbers caught my eye straight away.

Yes, August in the UAE is hot, but that’s exactly why the luxury hotels open up the discount books, with summer family packages dropping well below their usual rates.

Plus, they have some of the best air conditioning in the world.

I clocked seven nights at the Jumeira Rotana on an all-inclusive basis, flying from London Gatwick on 22 August, from £720pp – a drop of £135 against last year.

For Dubai, getting a full all-inclusive package at this price point is a total anomaly.

It means you can indulge in the city’s notoriously expensive dining scene without worrying about a massive bill at check-out.

My pick of features at this hotel though is its rooftop pool – it’s a corker.

It gives you a fantastic, elevated view of the Dubai skyline while you cool off.

And because the hotel is a smaller, more boutique property by Dubai standards, the staff actually bring chilled towels and refreshments straight to your lounger.

It feels incredibly attentive without the chaotic, impersonal hustle of the massive beachfront mega resorts.

Hurghada, Egypt: £107 cheaper than last year

If your absolute main priority, like me, is stretching your cash as far as humanly possible, Hurghada is incredibly tough to beat.

The Red Sea is legendary for its crystal-clear water, and the resorts here offer far more facilities per pound spent than almost anywhere else in the Med, with prices sliding down again this season.

So imagine my face when I saw this deal: seven nights at the El Karma Aqua Beach Resort on an all-inclusive basis, flying from Belfast on 22 August, from £578pp, saving you £107 on last year’s price tag.

The value loop here is simple: you get a massive beachfront resort with its own massive on-site waterpark thrown in for under £600, keeping the kids entertained all week without you ever needing to pull out your wallet.

What I love about this specific place is that they offer swim-up rooms where you can literally step out of your patio doors and straight into a crystal-clear pool channel.

It gives you that premium, luxury resort privilege where you can entirely skip the morning sunbed race and slide straight into the water from your own terrace.

The biggest hotel guest faux pas have been revealed – including jumping the breakfast buffet queue and stealing from rooms.

Frowned upon acts when staying in a hotel include reserving pool chairs with towels for long periods, leaving rooms excessively messy and being loud in the hallways late at night. Other divisive acts include hanging damp laundry on the balcony, not leaving a review after staying and being rude to hotel staff.

Smoking or vaping in hotel rooms is also considered a no-no, as are putting the incorrect number of guests on the reservation and leaving alarms or phones to ring for long periods of time without turning them off. While not reading reviews when booking and not collecting or cashing in rewards points are also viewed unfavourably.

In response to a survey of 2000 people who have ever stayed in a hotel, Hotels.com, which commissioned the research, is offering holidaymakers £100 in ‘Hotels.comCash’ for future trips after staying for 10 eligible nights through its rewards programme.

Melanie Fish, travel expert and spokesperson for the global marketplace, which has also teamed up with William Hanson for a ‘Grand Etiquette Hotel’ guide, said: “Small tweaks can make a world of a difference.

“Taking the time to check reviews or making the most of rewards can turn a good trip into a great one, and help your travel budget stretch further, too.”

Researchers found the vast majority (90%) consider themselves to be considerate guests – although 39% think residents have become less respectful in recent years.

Sneaking extra guests in and constant public displays of affection around the pool are also frowned upon by hotel guests.

Those polled were also asked which nationalities they consider to be the gold standard for politeness – and which ones they think tend to be rudest.

Japanese tourists were ranked as the most considerate, followed by Sweden in second place, with U.K. respondents placing themselves third.

At the other end of the scale, Americans are regarded as the most impolite.

They ranked just beneath those from Germany, according to Hotels.com research conducted through OnePoll.

William Hanson said: “Better hotel etiquette doesn’t just benefit others, it can directly enhance your own stay.

“At the heart of my guide is the idea that small, thoughtful behaviours add up to big rewards: from a better night’s sleep and improved service to savings on future trips.”

A WELSH seaside town has been put on the map globally thanks to two very famous celebrities spotted there this week.

Singer Kylie Minogue and Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino have been seen in the pretty seaside town of Porthcawl.

It isn’t for a holiday – but for filming upcoming movie called Tangled in the Blue, directed by Welsh filmmaker Jamie Adams.

They were caught going to the Saltwater Inn pub, where onlookers said the celebrities “laughed and sang together” for a scene.

Other nearby sightings include at Newton Church, being used for a funeral scene in the film, and at Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff.

But Porthcawl itself is a popular beach town even without the endorsements of the mega stars, with seven bays and two Blue Flag beaches – Rest Bay and Trecco Bay.

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When The Sun’s Emma Glanfield visited the seaside town, she called it the perfect alternative for an exotic break.

She said: “Porthcawl, the ‘jewel of South  Wales‘ has the lot. A spectacularly cragged coastline and a swathe of sandy beaches, kissed by sparkling seas – and all just a stone’s throw from the mountains.

“OK, so it might not be the Caribbean, but it does offer fun and frolics for those on a budget.”

“We kicked off activities in Rest Bay. Our morning surf lesson with the brilliant Hugh woke us up quicker than you could say ‘coffee‘.”

Emma continued: “Within two hours we’d gone from complete beginners to standing up and catching waves.

“Who needs the Maldives when this precious little corner of the UK packs such a punch?”

Also in Porthcawl is Trecco Bay, the UK’s largest holiday park when it comes to pitches – and in Europe too.

Along with 2,000 caravans (which can welcome up to 50,000 guests during peak holiday periods) also on-site is a huge entertainment plaza with everything from crazy golf and high ropes to a swimming pool and splash pad.

There’s a bowling alley and for older kids the Next Level Gaming Arena has over 25 consoles including PS5 and Xbox.

Other outdoor activities include archery, hover boards, bumper zorbs and there are even pedal karts to get around.

The park puts on shows, and there’s even Paw Patrol Mighty Missions for little ones.

The holiday park has all the essential facilities like restaurants, cafes, bars, there’s also a launderette, supermarket and even a chapel.

When the sun is shining, guests can enjoy the sprawling sandy Blue Flag beach right on its doorstep.

A four-night stay across this weekend in a Bronze two bedroom caravan which sleeps four people works out to £405 – or £25.31pppn.

If you fancy making a week’s holiday (from June 27 – July 4), then this works out as just £16.40pppn.

Or, sign up with Sun Club and you could stay at Trecco Bay from £9.50.