costs

EDINBURG, Texas — Quinten Martinez, pumping gas under a hot south Texas sun, remembers a time when fueling up didn’t require difficult decisions.

“Is it going to be groceries this week?” said the 28-year-old Amazon delivery driver as he watched the numbers tick higher. “Is it gonna be getting gas in our tank to go to work?”

He shook his head when asked about President Trump’s assertion last week that higher gas prices are a small price to pay for the war with Iran.

“I don’t feel like it’s a good trade-off,” Martinez said. “I don’t feel like this is good for anyone.”

Voters across the country, and across the political spectrum, tend to agree.

Interviews with voters in several states, along with a fresh round of national polling, reveal an overwhelming sense of frustration that skyrocketing gas prices — a direct result of Trump’s war — are creating serious and sustained financial hardships for America’s working class.

The acute concerns are adding to a bad political environment that may be worsening for Trump and his Republican Party as early voting gets underway in the November midterm elections.

Historically, the party holding the White House has suffered major losses in midterms. About seven weeks before election day, Republican candidates at all levels are struggling with the additional burden of Trump’s weak approval ratings, an unpopular war and an affordability crisis that Trump and his congressional allies had promised to fix.

But when Trump campaigned in North Carolina on Wednesday, he played down the effect of surging gas prices.

“You have a little higher. It’s a very inexpensive price to pay for what we’ve done,” Trump said of the war, which he describes as necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. “Remember that. It’s a little more. Frankly, even if it was a lot more.”

‘Gas prices matter’

Despite what Trump says, there are few things that may matter more this election year than the price of a gallon of gasoline, according to political operatives in both parties.

Gas prices are moving sharply in the wrong direction at a time of year when drivers typically get some relief. The national average for a gallon of gas reached $4.48 on Friday, according to the American Automobile Assn., up roughly 17 cents over the last week, 40 cents in a month and $1.27 from a year ago.

“Gas prices matter because they’re one of the few economic indicators voters experience and see in real time,” said veteran Republican strategist Chris Wilson. “The price is literally staring them in the face several times a week. So I wouldn’t minimize the frustration we’re seeing, particularly among working- and middle-class voters.”

Interviews with voters last week found bipartisan frustration and disappointment.

Democrats and unaffiliated voters were especially motivated to punish Republicans at the ballot box for their economic hardship, while some of Trump’s working-class supporters pledged to support Republicans this fall, even if they weren’t happy with the president’s leadership on the economy.

Some Republicans say they’re disappointed

Dan Lloyd, who voted for Trump, lamented the president’s leadership as the 63-year-old carpenter paid $4.39 a gallon to fill up his pickup truck in Mesa, Ariz.

“He hurt himself stepping into this,” Lloyd said of Trump. “Where’s all this oil from Venezuela? I thought we were flush with gas and everything, but no. The American people eat it every time, whether it’s interest rates, food, gasoline.”

Still, he expects to vote Republican in the midterms.

“I think the Democratic Party has lost its way,” Lloyd said. “I just feel like the whole system’s on the verge of collapse.”

In sweltering Edinburg, Texas, 52-year-old Kristin Jimenez shrugged off the rising price of gas after filling up her Mercedes.

“We’ve paid the same price under Republican presidents, we’ve paid this price under Democrat presidents,” said Jimenez, a mother who runs a small business. She plans to vote for a Republican because they’re the “lesser of two evils.”

She said gas prices aren’t part of her calculation.

“We don’t mind paying $8 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks, but we have a problem paying four bucks at the pump?” she said. “Make it make sense.”

More than 1,500 miles to the north in central Michigan, 35-year-old Garth Johnson is trying to make ends meet running a deep-cleaning business with several gas-powered vehicles and one machine fueled by diesel, which was $6.79 a gallon as he filled up his SUV.

Johnson voted for Trump, but doesn’t know what he’s going to do in November. He said he doesn’t feel qualified to second-guess the president’s evaluation of the war, but he’s feeling financial pressure in his own life.

“I like a lot of the things he’s done,” Johnson said, but added, “I’m a little guy and I’ve got to live my life.”

Other voters are less forgiving

Midterm voting was already underway Friday in Virginia, where Alan Johnson said Trump seems to have “no empathy” for Americans who are struggling financially.

“With the gas prices being what they are and continuing to grow, we’ve got to do something. Hopefully the Democrats can get into office and turn the ship around,” said the 60-year-old engineer, who cast ballots in the morning for Democrats for the U.S. Senate and House.

In Raleigh, N.C., teacher Brittney Bivins sees surging gas prices as evidence that Trump and his Republican Party aren’t dealing with the issues that matter most to people like her.

“He really doesn’t care about everyday people,” the 45-year-old said. “He can afford the gas, but most of us can’t. So it feels like he’s not even connected to his own people.”

Bivins, who described herself as an independent, said she’s eager to support Democrats this fall — especially the party’s emerging democratic socialist wing.

At a gas station in Lansing, Mich., Rina Risper spent $50 on eight gallons of premium gas.

“When I rolled up I was in shock, actually, and said, well, maybe I should drink water instead of having that $4.99 bottle of whatever it was I was gonna get,” Risper said. She thinks Trump’s tariffs will make affordability even worse.

“We’re not in Miami. We’re in Lansing, Michigan,” she said. “It’s really going to impact our people.”

Polls reflect economic distress

Nationwide, more than three times as many voters say they are falling behind financially as getting ahead, according to a Fox News survey released Wednesday. By a 15-point margin, Democrats are considered the party that would better handle inflation and prices at a time when the cost of living and the economy are voters’ top concerns.

The Fox poll found that 61% of voters say gas prices are a major problem for their household, compared with 48% two years ago, while 52% say the same for healthcare costs, compared with 44% in 2024. Majorities also view housing costs and grocery prices as major problems, although neither has increased.

Overall, nearly two-thirds of voters (63%) say the administration has made the economy worse, compared with 52% in September 2025, including one-quarter of Republicans. Only 46% of Republicans say the administration has improved the economy, while about one-quarter don’t see an impact.

Back in rural south Texas, an area where Trump’s GOP made gains in recent elections, Martinez, the Amazon delivery driver, could not contain his frustration.

Trump “likes to tout that we are the best economy in the world,” said Martinez, but in rural towns, “you don’t see any of the winning, you don’t see any of the ups that he’s talking about.”

“You just see struggles for day-to-day life,” he said.

Peoples, Bedayn and Cooper write for the Associated Press. Peoples reported from New York and Cooper from Mesa. AP writers Allen G. Breed in Raleigh, Jacqueline GaNun in Lansing, Sarah Rankin in Richmond and Nicholas Riccardi in Mason, Mich., contributed to this report.

Mark Walter may be selling the Lakers, but the new owners plan to take a money-making page out of the Dodgers’ playbook nonetheless: Dump the ticket brokers and leverage control over the resale market to drive up the cost of a ticket.

As a result, the average price for a Lakers ticket could rise from $217 to $361 within the next two years, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing documents prepared for potential investors.

Thrive Eternal, the sports properties company run by incoming Lakers owner Joshua Kushner, declined to comment because the NBA has not yet approved the sale.

However, the $361 figure was intended to illustrate to potential investors how much incremental ticket revenue the Lakers could gain by booting the brokers, not to signal another immediate and steep price hike, according to a person familiar with the deal but not authorized to comment publicly about it.

In February, under Walter’s ownership, the Lakers announced significant increases in ticket prices for the 2026-27 season. No announcement has been made for seasons beyond then, but the investor presentation provides information on how prices have increased for NBA tickets across the league.

Sports teams often enjoyed long and beneficial relationships with brokers, who bought out blocks of season tickets. That guaranteed the teams with revenue, with brokers benefiting from a markup for popular games but taking the risk that tickets to less popular games would sell at a loss, or not at all.

Over the past decade, the Dodgers and other teams have kicked out the brokers and taken that risk themselves, with the aid of dynamic pricing: the constant raising or lowering of ticket prices based on real-time supply and demand. For the Dodgers, the worst tickets seldom fall to market rate, because the team would rather live with a few empty seats rather than condition fans to hold out for a lower price.

The Dodgers lead the major leagues in attendance, on pace to sell 4 million tickets for the second consecutive season. The Lakers played to 99.8% of capacity last season, according to ESPN. So the calculus is simple for both teams: Sell a $100 ticket to a broker, who would then sell it for $200; or cut out the broker, sell the ticket for $200, and pocket the $100 difference.

Kushner and former Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger agreed last month to buy controlling interest in the Lakers, at a $12.5-billion valuation. The world’s most valuable sports team, according to Sportico: the Dallas Cowboys, at $15.5 billion.

According to the Journal, the Thrive Eternal investor pitch projected that the Lakers could leverage increases in ticket prices, media rights, sponsorships and international growth to generate close to $600 million in annual profit by 2037, when the value of the franchise could reach $30 billion.

Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong holds a 4% stake in the Lakers. He is not selling his stake in the Lakers, his attorney told The Times last month, in part because “we believe they are still undervalued.”

SACRAMENTO — With just over six weeks until the Nov. 3 election, the two candidates for California governor hit the campaign trail Thursday to promote plans to address the state’s high cost of living and continue rebuilding after the deadly wildfires that burned thousands of Los Angeles homes last year.

Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton are vying to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is considering a run for president in 2028.

While Becerra holds a comfortable lead in the solidly-Democratic state, according to recent opinion polls, Hilton has aggressively attacked the veteran Democratic official as an “empty suit” who would bend to special interests in Sacramento.

“Xavier Becerra will be a rubber stamp for Democrat laws that raise your costs. That is the simple choice in this election,” Hilton said during a morning press conference in front of the state Capitol.

With a stack of file boxes representing the more than 1,100 bills passed by the legislature this year towering over him, Hilton, a former Fox News host and one-time advisor to a UK prime minister, pledged to veto any bill that would lead to higher costs if he is elected governor.

“We have to go in a new direction. Lower your costs, cut the BS, the bureaucracy, and these bills that raise costs for every Californian,” he said.

Hilton called out bills now on Newsom’s desk that would expand the state’s antitrust law and tighten rules for packaging made of recycled materials, measures opposed by business groups. Another signed by Newsom earlier this year allows Los Angeles and Contra Costa counties to surpass a 2% limit on local sales taxes.

California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton speaks during a town hall with union film industry workers at Blue Cloud Movie Ranch on Wednesday in Santa Clarita.

(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

He has promised to slash state regulations and the government workforce to deliver $3 gas, tax-free earnings up to $150,000 and vehicle registration fees capped at $73.

Becerra, a former secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services, met with survivors of the devastating 2025 Altadena wildfires, first responders and community leaders before outlining his plans to prevent such destruction and to deal with fires when they do inevitably break out.

Becerra said his first priority is to secure the $30 billion in disaster aid that the federal government has failed to deliver.

“Job one, if I’m fortunate to become the governor, will be to fight, fight, and fight, get that money that people for nearly two years here in Altadena and the Palisades and elsewhere have been waiting for,” he said, speaking to reporters on what used to be the deck of a home belonging to a member of the Altadena Town Council.

Becerra recalled that during his 24 years in Congress there was widespread, bipartisan support for sending federal assistance to disaster areas, including areas devastated by hurricanes on the Eastern Seaboard or floods in the South. California deserves the same response, he said.

He said he would seek to leverage tax dollars to help communities better prepare for wildfires, creating buffers and hardening structures because of wildfires that will inevitably occur in certain communities.

“It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” Becerra said.

Becerra said he would seek to work with local governments to create a functional emergency alert system throughout the state. In the aftermath of 2025 wildfires, there was heavy criticism about delayed emergency notifications and evacuation orders.

He also said that wildfires now occur year-round, not just during what was once called fire season, and it was critical to make sure that firefighters were prepared to respond year round by not expecting them to work more than 60 or 70 hours per week when a fire breaks out.

“We want people to stay in these positions because when the fires hit, we can’t be asking where is the fire force,” he said.

When asked about the cost of gas, Becerra blamed the Trump administration for a “reckless, illegal war in Iran” and “crazy, illegal” tariffs that have contributed to higher prices.

Hilton, who is endorsed by President Trump, blamed the state’s high cost of living squarely on state policies, not on fuel prices driven up by the war.

“We don’t need to make changes at the federal level to lower peoples’ costs in California,” Hilton said. “I’m focused on what I can do as governor to lower costs in California, and that is to roll back the Democrat policies that have given us the highest costs. It’s not federal policies that have given us the highest gas prices in the country, it’s Democrat policies in California.”

A Public Policy Institute of California survey released earlier this week showed Becerra with a 22-point lead over Hilton, driven by Democrats’ large voter registration advantage.

According to a May report from the Secretary of State’s office, just under 45% of voters were registered as Democrats, 25% Republicans and 22% with no party preference. The remaining 7% were registered with another political party.

Becerra and Hilton are scheduled to meet in a Sept. 30 debate hosted by CNN.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s inflation held at 1.8 percent in August for the fourth-straight month, as housing, food and transport costs continued to drive consumer prices higher, official data showed. 

The annual increase matched July’s reading, while the Consumer Price Index rose 0.1 percent from the previous month, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics. 

This increase was mainly driven by a rise in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel prices by 3.9 percent, food and beverage prices by 1.4 percent, and transport prices by 2 percent, the report added. 

Saudi Arabia’s inflation remains relatively subdued compared with some regional peers.

Oman’s rate accelerated to 3.4 percent in August, driven by an 8.5 percent increase in transport costs and a 7 percent rise in food and non-alcoholic beverages, while inflation averaged 2.9 percent in the first eight months.

Jordan’s inflation stood at 2.66 percent in August, taking the average for the first eight months to 2.20 percent.  

This comes as Kamco Invest said in a report last month that regional tensions could fuel inflation by pushing up oil prices and disrupting fertilizer exports, although inflation across the Gulf Cooperation Council remained subdued in June and July. 

In its latest report, GASTAT stated: “The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels division was the main contributor to the annual inflation with a contribution of 0.8 percentage points, followed by the food and beverages division with a contribution of 0.3 percentage points, in addition to the transport division with a contribution of 0.3 percentage points.” 

Since housing remains the single largest driver of Saudi CPI, authorities have leaned heavily on real estate interventions to keep it in check. A five-year freeze of annual rent increases for new and existing residential and commercial contracts within Riyadh’s urban boundaries took effect in September last year. 

Housing and personal care lead gains 

The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels division rose 3.9 percent year on year, largely due to a 3.9 percent increase in actual rents.  

The personal care, social protection and other goods and services division followed with a 3.5 percent annual rise, pushed up by a 13.3 percent jump in other personal effects, itself driven by a 14.4 percent surge in jewelry and watch prices.  

Recreation, sport and culture climbed 2.8 percent, helped by a 4.7 percent rise in holiday package prices. 

On the downside, furniture, home appliances and routine home maintenance fell 0.6 percent, while clothing and footwear slipped 0.5 percent. 

Monthly movements mixed  

On a monthly basis, personal care, social protection and other goods and services rose 0.8 percent in August, transport gained 0.6 percent, and insurance and financial services rose 0.5 percent.  

Housing costs edged up 0.2 percent on a 0.2 percent rise in actual rents. Food and beverages slipped 0.1 percent, while restaurants and accommodation services fell 0.4 percent, the steepest monthly decline among divisions. 

Average prices show sharp swings 

A separate GASTAT report on average prices of goods and services showed some of the sharpest monthly moves came from fresh produce and construction inputs.  

Local onions posted the largest monthly gain of any tracked item, up 17.9 percent, followed by imported onions at 11.6 percent, medium local potatoes at 7 percent, and local zucchini at 6.7 percent.  

Hotel accommodation rose 2.5 percent, while furnished apartments increased 2.8 percent on the month.  

On the other side, local tomatoes recorded the steepest monthly drop at 15.2 percent, followed by imported tomatoes down 9.3 percent and medium African lemons down 9.2 percent.  

Among construction materials, national reinforcing iron of various diameters fell between 1 and 2 percent month on month, while national electrical cables and wires rose broadly, led by a 25.7 percent annual increase in 35mm cables. 

Wholesale Price Index 

Saudi Arabia’s Wholesale Price Index stood at 4.6 percent in August, down from 5 percent in July, GASTAT said.  

This was driven mainly by an 8.2 percent jump in other transportable goods, excluding metal products, machinery and equipment, on the back of a 51.4 percent surge in basic chemical prices and a 4 percent rise in refined petroleum product prices.  

Metal products, machinery and equipment prices rose 2.2 percent annually, while agriculture and fishery products increased 4.8 percent. Ores and minerals prices fell 1.8 percent. 

“On a monthly basis, the WPI recorded a decline of 0.2 percent in August compared to July 2026,” the report noted, weighed down by a 1 percent drop in other transportable goods and a 2 percent fall in ores and minerals, even as metal products, machinery and equipment rose 0.8 percent and food, beverages, tobacco and textiles gained 0.6 percent. 

Producer Price Index 

Separately, Saudi Arabia’s Producer Price Index for July — the most recent data available — recorded a 5.3 percent annual increase compared with July 2025, according to GASTAT.  

The rise was driven by a 5.5 percent increase in manufacturing prices, a 2.3 percent rise in electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply prices, and a 6.8 percent increase in water supply, sewerage and waste management activity prices. 

Within manufacturing, prices for chemicals and chemical products jumped 13.1 percent annually, wearing apparel rose 12.9 percent, and basic metals climbed 8.8 percent.  

On a monthly basis, however, the PPI fell 2.8 percent in July compared with June, mainly on a 3.0 percent decline in manufacturing prices, led by a 6.8 percent drop in refined petroleum product prices. 

For more than a decade, governments got used to cheap borrowing. That era may now be ending.

Government bond markets are flashing warnings around the world.

Across major economies, yields – the interest rates governments pay to borrow – are climbing to levels not seen in years and, in some cases, decades.

Investors are pricing in more risk before they’ll lend to governments already carrying heavy debt loads.

Inflation remains stubborn, geopolitical tensions are adding pressure, and central banks may have to keep interest rates higher for longer.

Those higher borrowing costs are pushing up what banks charge companies and homeowners.

A VITAL ferry route linking the UK to France will soon be axed after more than 40 years.

The last crossing is set to take place this autumn, with the company citing rising costs as cause for the closure.

Brittany Ferries is set to permanently axe its Poole to Cherbourg crossing route at the beginning of November.

Passengers have been travelling between Dorset and France for over forty years, but now the popular journey will shut down.

The company cited growing financial pressures as the cause for the decision, including outstanding Covid-19 loan repayments, competition on the Eastern Channel and weaker demand for travel.

Rising costs of the European Union’s Emissions Trading System have further burdened the company’s remaining debt.

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Around 20 jobs are expected to disappear as a result of the closure.

The decision comes as part of a wider restructuring by Brittany Ferries, with the firm taking a “pragmatic approach” to the economic challenges.

Steps also include the sale of the Cotentin, which sails between Cherbourg and Rosslare, alongside the closure of the Portsmouth to Le Havre route from October 2026.

A spokesperson for Brittany Ferries told The Sun: “This wasn’t a decision we took lightly, and we know it will be disappointing news for our customers in Poole and the surrounding area.

“We’ve worked hard over many years to keep this route running, but a long-term decline in passenger and freight numbers, compounded by rising costs and red tape, including Brexit-related border processes, EU environmental taxes, and unfavourable exchange rates, has made the route commercially unsustainable.

“We’re not withdrawing from Poole. Customers will still be able to travel to France with us via a seasonal service from Poole to St Malo, as well as our conventional routes from Portsmouth and Plymouth to Caen, Cherbourg, St Malo and Roscoff, including a new daily Portsmouth–Cherbourg service.”

A high-speed crossing between Poole, Guernsey and St Malo is also set to be debuted in 2027.

The crossing was first introduced in 1985, with the iconic MS Barfleur starting her voyages between Dorset and France in 1992.

It takes just four hours and 15 minutes – the shortest journey over the Channel – and garnered a huge amount of success, leading to a £6million overhaul of the ferry terminal in the 1990s.

The route has faced a number of challenges in recent years, temporarily shutting down in 2010 owing to a decrease in ticket sales – however it was reopened in 2013.

The Barfleur will soon undertake its final journey, but all may not be lost quite yet for the route.

Captain Brian Murphy, chief executive of Poole Harbour Commissioners told the Bournemouth Echo that Brittany Ferries’ departure could pave the way for another operator to take over the route.

A YouTuber set himself a £100 challenge to discover just how much food, drink, accommodation and entertainment he could squeeze into a night in Benidorm

The seemingly endless cost of living crisis is making even our weekly shop a major budgeting challenge. So it’s no surprise that some of us have given up on luxuries like holidays. With that in mind, YouTuber Ed Chapman set out to see how far £100 could take a holidaymaker in one of the most popular Spanish resorts.

Benidorm is renowned for “The Strip”, a street lined with garishly neon-lit English pubs and restaurants promising a traditional fried breakfast. It’s the ideal spot for a cheap and cheerful stag or hen weekend, but just how cheaply can you spend a night there?

Armed with €116 (£100), Ed scheduled a night out, a stay in a one-star hotel and a fun activity for the following day.

A key part of his plan was tracking down a hotel that wouldn’t leave him out of pocket. Ed explained that while he could have saved a bit of cash by opting for a hostel, he’d rather have a proper hotel room to himself.

And given what he paid for it, he said the room exceeded all expectations: “Believe it or not, we have a balcony,” he said. “I was sort of shocked by this for the price.”

The hotel bathroom also came as a welcome surprise: “This is a nice big modern shower. I was really shocked about this. You’ve got a toilet here. You’ve even got a little sink at the side as you’d expect, and a bathroom hand dryer in a holster,” reports the Express.

The room, which set Ed back just £62, was something of a revelation, he said: “I didn’t expect such a good shower situation. And it is a very powerful shower as well. I’ve been really impressed with this for one night.”

For his evening meal, Ed nipped into a bar-restaurant called the Bulldog and went for a wallet-friendly jacket potato. For €6 – just over a fiver – he tucked into a perfectly decent jacket potato with baked beans, served alongside a side salad which, as he rightly noted, “no-one ever eats.”

Washed down with a “massive” pint of cider that brought his total spend to £9, it was a hearty and satisfying meal that set Ed up nicely for a bar crawl.

Spending an evening solo on Benidorm’s notorious “Strip” could have been quite a daunting prospect, but Ed says he had a brilliant time. Settling down with a pint of cider in one particularly “friendly” bar, he recounts how a complete stranger wandered over and planted a kiss on his ear: “Bit friendly, bit familiar,” he said.

Ed spent a couple of hours strolling around Benidorm, noting that while it’s widely regarded as a destination for a “lads’ holiday”, the ratio of men to women meant that romance was unlikely to be on the cards.

He did clock one club hostess, however, stripping a gleeful punter and giving him a smack on the bottom with a leather tawse, which was about as close to romance as the evening got.

With his night’s entertainment wrapped up, Ed headed back to his hotel room before venturing out the following morning for a fry-up, which set him back a very reasonable £5. However, after forking out on two bottles of water with his meal, the total breakfast bill came to £7.

Technically, the “entertainment” element of Ed’s getaway pushed him marginally over budget. His session at a water-park assault course set him back €16 (roughly £14).

Featuring Ed’s efforts to balance on some oversized vinyl beach balls and a go on a soggy trampoline, it proved a somewhat chaotic conclusion to the trip: “No one ever does this on Total Wipeout, do they?” Ed said, admitting that he’d spent £101 of his £100 budget.

OMDURMAN: For almost a year, Randa al-Mansour, a 31-year-old Sudanese housewife, has relied on solar energy panels installed on the rooftop of her building to survive the recurrent blackouts triggered by the war-torn country’s deteriorating electricity grid.

“We are suffering big time,” said al-Mansour, who lives with her three children in Omdurman, just outside the capital of Khartoum.

“When kids arrive at school in the morning, they find no electricity there, so they are forced to head back home, where there is none either. It is very hard for them to study under such a high temperature.”

The Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting since April 2023, killing at least 59,000 people, though aid groups say the number could be higher, and displacing some 13 million.

The conflict also has strained an already weak power infrastructure, forcing many Sudanese to seek alternative energy sources, especially during scorching summer heat. The United Nations Development Program has estimated the damage inflicted on the electricity grid at $3 billion.

“We resorted to solar energy as a way of adapting to this situation. However, not everyone in Sudan can afford this solution,” said al-Mansour, who supports her family with remittances from her husband working in Saudi Arabia.

In recent months, billboards advertising solar panels, batteries, and inverters have expanded in the capital as more Sudanese consider transitioning to solar energy.

“For a low-income family, installing a solar panel system is a huge sacrifice but an inevitable choice,” said Mohey Eddin Abu-Bark, owner of a solar systems business in Khartoum, adding that a typical household 10-kilowatt solar system costs nearly $5,000.

Manahel Madany, a 43-year-old diabetic civil servant, cannot afford the transition, despite needing steady electricity for her fridge for her insulin.

“Every three to four days, I am forced to throw away all my insulin stock after it goes bad due to heat and power outages,” said Madany.

She lives in a two-bedroom house with her mother and sister in Omdurman, and like many Sudanese, the three are forced to sleep in their house courtyard to escape the searing heat indoors.

“Not all pharmacies can afford to install solar panels for medical storage, and that’s why most medications have become unavailable,” Madany said.

The Sudan Doctors’ Network, which tracks violence across the country, warned that the continued electricity cuts could impact patients in hospitals, especially kidney patients who need constant care.

At least 30% of Sudan’s population has no access to electricity, with rural areas bearing the brunt, according to the World Bank. Conditions in grid-connected urban centers have also deteriorated, with power outages reaching up to 16 hours in many parts of the country in recent months, according to two electricity department officials who spoke to The Associated Press.

Electricity production has dropped from 4,400 megawatts before the war to 1,100 megawatts as many power plants were hit by drones launched by the RSF, while nearly half of Sudan’s best electricity engineers and technicians have also left the country since 2023, the officials said, citing a survey by a local labor union.

The two spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

Sudan has limitless potential to generate solar energy given the long hours of sunshine that often exceed 4,000 hours per year, according to the U.N. However, the high upfront cost of imported solar energy systems and a depreciating local currency derail the transition to clean energy.

Shares in fast-fashion giant Shein fell as much as 10% on their trading debut on Hong Kong’s stock market on Tuesday, before recovering some of their losses, following years of delay to the company’s plans to list publicly and regulatory setbacks in Europe and in the US.

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Shein’s initial public offering opened on 24 August, with the final share price set a week later on 31 August. Trading began the following day, on Tuesday.

The gap reflects standard IPO process, as investors placed their orders over about a week, the banks running the deal then fixed the final price and decided who got shares, and trading opened a few business days later once the exchange gave the final go-ahead.

The listing marks the end of a long search for a stock market willing to take Shein after plans to list in New York and London stalled amid scrutiny over its Chinese supply chains, forcing the company to turn to Hong Kong instead.

New US and EU tariffs on low-cost parcels from China, along with rising shipping costs from the war in Iran, have contributed to Shein’s swing from a $395 million (€340mn) profit to a $99 million (€85mn) loss in the first quarter of this year.

Shein raised about $1.7 billion (€1.46bn), pricing shares at HK$48.56 (€5.33) each, in one of the city’s biggest share sales this year.

“Shein’s Hong Kong listing marks a new starting point,” said Leigh Gui, Shein’s chief financial officer, in a short speech at its listing ceremony.

But in early trading, the shares fell to below HK$44 (€4.83) before losses narrowed.

Tariffs squeeze profits

Shein has built its appeal to customers on ultra-fast, affordable fashion, delivered from China to the West within days.

However, the end of “de minimis” tariff exemptions in the US and the European Union has raised duties on low-value parcels from China, including Shein’s products. Higher logistics costs, driven partly by the war in Iran, have also squeezed the company’s low-price business model and profitability.

Tariff costs have forced Shein to raise prices, “cutting into its main advantage,” said Jacob Cooke, CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies.

Back to its roots

Shein, pronounced “she-in,” earlier explored listing its shares in New York and London, and moved its headquarters from China to Singapore in 2021.

But increasingly strict scrutiny by Beijing and by regulators in the US and Europe led it to embrace its Chinese roots and switch to a Hong Kong listing.

Launched in 2012 in China, much of Shein’s operations were in the southern province of Guangdong before it moved its corporate headquarters out of the country.

“Guangdong is Shein’s roots, and the starting point of our journey,” founder Sky Xu said in a speech in February.

Pivoting its focus back to China also highlighted the advantages Shein derives from a supply chain system that “only exists” in Guangdong, said William Ma of GROW Investment Group, referring to its small-batch, fast-response manufacturing model.

Shein has hit other roadblocks in expanding in Europe. In February, the EU launched a probe into the company with a focus on “illegal” products, including alleged child sexual abuse material.

In May, Shein acquired San Francisco-based eco-friendly clothing retailer Everlane, a move some analysts said was not the best fit.

Hong Kong’s IPO boost

The company’s market value was roughly $27 billion (€23.2bn) as it listed in Hong Kong, a fraction of its peak valuation a few years ago.

“Shein has probably missed its golden listing window due to the shift of momentum toward AI and tariffs, which can affect valuations and profitability,” said Gary Ng, a senior economist for Asia Pacific at French bank Natixis.

Still, Shein’s listing is welcome news for Hong Kong, as the Chinese territory makes increasing efforts to hold onto its role as a global financial hub following a downturn in 2023.

Hong Kong’s stock exchange has had a strong year for IPOs, raising more than $40 billion (€34.4bn) so far.

There is also a backlog of companies seeking to list there, said Lorraine Tan at investment research firm Morningstar.

WHAT if there were a destination as beautiful as Santorini or Mykonos without the crowds and sky-high prices?

Whisper it, but the tiny butterfly-shaped Aegean island of Astypalea could be Greece’s best-kept secret.

It has white-walled, blue-domed churches, idyllic beaches with turquoise coves and spectacular sunsets that paint the sky in shades of gold, pink and orange.

Chora, the capital, is perched on a conical hilltop overlooking the bay.

At the top sits a Venetian castle, surrounded by sugar cube houses which cascade down the hillside.

Its eight red-roofed windmills evoke the vibe of Mykonos.

AWESOME WELLS

I visited trendy seaside town with quayside pubs, pretty beach & holiday park

SANDS GREAT

I visited Euro island with TUI flights, kissing bridges & underwater sea walks

Yet, unlike its more popular neighbours, you’ll find yourself admiring the views in blissful peace.

And you can enjoy a trip around the historic citadel and a seafood dinner on the coast for less than the price of a cocktail on the more popular islands.

We took a British Airways flight to Kos before catching a ferry, which whisked us to Astypalea in under two hours.

The best way to arrive on any Greek island is by sea and our first close-up glimpse of this one left us spellbound.

As it emerged from the shimmering sea, it instantly rekindled awe-inspiring memories of our first visit to Santorini on our honeymoon, more than four decades ago — before the crowds arrived.

Which is probably why you shouldn’t leave it too long before you visit Astypalea.

It’s cheap and easy to get around, and with no giant cruise ship crowds pouring on to the streets, sometimes it feels like you have the place to yourself.

We stayed at the Arhitektoniki studios, which cling to the side of a cliff a short drive from Chora.

The well-equipped rooms combine traditional island charm and simplicity with a luxurious modern touch.

There’s a kidney-shaped swimming pool and a sun terrace overlooking the bay with spectacular views of the citadel.

It’s a pleasant ten-minute walk from here to Livadi beach, with a row of lively beach restaurants, bars and shops.

Astypalea has become a model for sustainability after the municipality and the Greek government teamed up with Volkswagen to develop a unique climate-neutral transport system.

All the hire cars are electric and there are charging points everywhere. All power comes from solar and wind generation.

If you don’t want to drive, just use the Astymove app to book an Astybus — an on-demand electric minibus service which will pick you up within 15 minutes and take you to your destination for just three euros.

It’s not just the transport that’s eco-Greco, the restaurants are, too.

We were served a delicious meal at Ducato di Astypalea, which ensures all its ingredients are sustainably sourced and prices remain refreshingly reasonable.

Be sure to try the delicious Asty pasta. At Aiolos Pizza we enjoyed the thick, homemade spaghetti, incorporated into the island’s cuisine when it was part of Mussolini’s Mediterranean empire. It’s best eaten with rosto — slow-cooked pork or lamb.

There’s no better way to work off lunch than meandering through Chora’s narrow, stone-stepped streets towards the castle to enjoy the view from the top.

Close by is the blue-domed church of Panagia Portaitissa, built in 1762 and the spiritual centre of the island.

Maltezana, named after the Maltese pirates who once wreaked havoc here, is just five miles from Chora — ideal for a day trip.

It features a beautiful sandy beach, some fine fish tavernas and some recently excavated Roman baths.

It’s also worth a trip to Vathi on the northeastern side of the island.

Close by is the Cave of Drakos, which is adorned with stalactites and stalagmites of many colours and was once used by marauding pirates to hide their treasure.

If two weeks of peace and quiet are too much, you can easily hop to a more lively island for a contrast.

We opted for Naxos, the largest island of the Cyclades, four hours away by ferry.

The first thing you see as you dock is the Portara — a colossal marble doorway which is all that is left of the Temple to Apollo, built in 530BC.

The seafront bustles with restaurants and shops and has a vibrant nightlife.

The best place to stay is on the south side of Naxos town.

Princess Mare Hotel is less than a two-minute walk from sandy St George’s beach and barely ten minutes to the seafront restaurants and ferry terminal.

Naxos is famed for its marble and many famous artworks and buildings — including parts of the Acropolis in Athens — are made from it.

Try exploring one or two picture-postcard mountain villages.

Aperathos and Chalki have pretty shops to explore and tavernas with spectacular views.

Naxos Bus Transfer does a full-day island highlights tour, which includes a stop for lunch.

It also takes in the statue of Apollo — though modern historians argue it is Dionysus — at Kouros.

It is 35ft long, weighs 80 tons and hasn’t moved in 2,000 years, either because it was too heavy or somebody didn’t pay the bill.

It’s only a two-minute drive from here to Apollonas beach, ideal for a swim or to relax in one of the shaded beach tavernas.

Before you leave Naxos town, be sure to explore the streets leading up to the 13th-century castle.

It’s a beautiful, labyrinth-like maze of historic, cobblestone and marble-paved alleys originally designed to confuse invading pirates.

As well as blooming bougainvillea, stray cats, art galleries, boutiques and tiny, centuries-old stone chapels, there’s a little museum at the top with a lovely rooftop bar.

After cramming so much into our three days in Naxos, it was good to return to the slower pace of life in our newfound hideaway, Astypalea

But secrets such as this rarely stay hidden forever. So whatever you do, don’t tell too many people . . . 

A woman has praised Primark’s clever £25 cabin suitcase which can supposedly save travellers money at the airport – and it’s even perfect if you fly with Ryanair regularly

Anyone travelling with Ryanair will know how hard it can be trying to keep within the hand luggage size limits. Often passengers have to spend extra money on not taking any luggage in the hold – or upgrading to priority travel.

That’s why one woman was thrilled to find a piece of hand luggage that doesn’t break the bank, and also fits in the Ryanair baggage policy. Primark’s £25 suitcase, complete with detachable wheels, means you can get through the priority lane supposedly without having to spend extra money at the gate.

Ryanair Priority allows passengers to bring a 55cm x 40cm x 20cm cabin bag (up to 10kg) for the overhead locker, plus a small personal under-seat bag – and this Primark suitcase ticks all the boxes.

TikTok user Denic joked: “Ryanair has got nothing on me,” as she popped the wheels off her pink suitcase before testing it against the recommended measurements.

And sure enough, it slotted in perfectly – meaning she was able to board her flight without any unnecessary stress or hassle.

The dimensions of the case are 48.5cm x 30cm x 20cm, making it a perfect fit for Ryanair priority boarding passengers.

The under-seat personal bag you’re also permitted must measure 40cm x 30cm x 20cm. Many commenters suggested she wouldn’t be allowed the white bag shown in the clip – but rest assured, an additional personal bag is permitted.

In the comments, one user clarified: “The top hole is a personal bag (small bag 40 x 30 x 20, no maximum weight, but you have to carry it yourself). You can only take 1 per person. But you have 2, the one in the hole on top and the one on the floor next to you. The bottom hole is the carry-on bag (the name speaks for itself, 55 x 40 x 20, 10kg).”

One fuming commenter wrote: “Acting like you tricked Ryanair when you bought a suitcase specifically sized for Ryanair?”

Another hit back: “It’s still better than paying 70€ for 2cm.”

A third chimed in: “If your luggage is going in the top bin, that suggests it’s your handbag allowance, so what are you doing with the second bag?

“If you’ve paid for overhead, then you’ve just demonstrated what a completely useless feature that is, as such a small bag would easily have fit in the bigger bin with the wheels.”

Others said the bag was a smart idea.

What is Ryanair’s baggage policy?

Ryanair travellers can carry a free cabin bag no larger than 40 x 30 x 20cm, provided it fits under the seat in front.

To upgrade baggage to priority, this allows passengers to keep a small under-seat bag plus a larger 10kg trolley bag (55 x 40 x 20 cm) in the cabin.

Alternatively, a 10kg bag can be checked in and dropped at the airport desk before security. While anyone who goes for checked baggage, this includes a 20kg bag or 23kg. No single checked bag can exceed 32kg, and any excess weight can lead to an airport fee.

ST. CLOUD, Fla. — Florida chef Elijah Button was chopping onions in June when his knife slipped and sliced his middle finger to the bone.

It was his worst kitchen accident to date. But having given up his Affordable Care Act health insurance plan in January because of a $100 monthly premium hike he couldn’t afford, the 21-year-old in St. Cloud didn’t have the money for emergency care.

“Going to the hospital for it wasn’t even an option,” he said, gesturing toward his finger before preparing a pot roast for his aunt and uncle in their suburban home. “My first thought was, ‘how am I going to fix this?’”

After Republicans in Congress let enhanced federal subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans expire in January, millions of Americans including Button had to decide whether to keep insurance that often doubled or tripled in cost — or risk going without it.

Months later, with no action from lawmakers to replace the lost funds, they’re facing the consequences. Some are dealing with strained budgets and exorbitant medical bills, while others avoid the doctor in fear of the cost.

Florida, whose large population of gig workers, entrepreneurs and small business owners relies heavily on the federal health insurance marketplace, has become one of the nation’s most visible epicenters of that impact.

Figures first reported by The Associated Press showed that about 440,000 Floridians dropped their Affordable Care Act plans this year — more than in any other state. Thousands more who kept coverage are struggling to get by, as prices of necessities like groceries and gasoline remain steep, and health insurers project another year of double-digit premium hikes.

While Florida had the most affected residents, its struggles are reflective of broader nationwide concerns over rising healthcare costs and a lack of meaningful policy to address them.

In the deep-red state where congressional districts were recently redrawn to strongly favor Republicans, the cost of healthcare is a major campaign issue. Republican midterm candidates have been promoting fraud crackdowns to protect federal health programs, while Democrats have been urging voters to help Congress change hands so they can restore subsidies.

Button, who is estranged from his parents, asked his uncle for help with his bloodied finger. With a butterfly bandage, splint and daily cleanings and dressings, it healed. But the scar still gnaws at Button as a symbol of what else could go wrong.

“It just feels like I’m living in a house of cards,” he said.

Florida’s population and politics make it ground zero for ACA fallout

Last fall, debate over the expiring subsidies consumed Congress, resulting in a record 43-day government shutdown as Democrats insisted on extending the COVID-era assistance and most Republicans refused.

Fast forward almost a year and lawmakers rarely reference the topic anymore. The administration says it is addressing affordability with fraud-busting efforts and deals with drug companies, but Congress hasn’t passed any significant legislation to lower health costs.

In part due to its large number of construction, hospitality and small business workers — and also because its Republican-led legislature never expanded the Medicaid safety-net health program — Florida has the largest Affordable Care Act enrollment in the country. At just over 3.8 million enrollees, it represents about a fifth of the nation’s total enrolled population.

Of the roughly 443,000 Floridians who left the marketplace, most are likely going without insurance, according to Cynthia Cox, a vice president at the healthcare research nonprofit KFF. She said that’s because it is typically a “place of last resort” to get coverage.

The data doesn’t tell the stories of those who kept insurance. Tracy Rand, a licensed mental health counselor in Leesburg, Florida, is one of them.

Ever since getting her ovaries removed last year due to benign but painful tumors, she has had severe menopause symptoms that require medication, including an overactive bladder and hot flashes that cause piercing headaches.

She uses clear plastic containers to organize the more than 30 medicines and supplements she takes daily, their bottles crammed into a living-room drawer and a tray on her kitchen counter.

The 51-year-old’s Affordable Care Act plan was going to surge in price this year from $55 a month to $1,100 a month, so she downgraded. Her new plan, with higher deductibles and copays, costs $160 a month.

To make that work in her budget, Rand quit a doctoral program she was working toward, started buying groceries at cheaper stores, gave up once-monthly dinners out with her husband and stopped meeting friends regularly at a paint-your-own pottery studio.

It’s been a difficult adjustment, but a necessary one for her health.

Rand said the prospect of insurers raising rates again fills her with dread.

“I don’t know what else we can get rid of,” she said, covering her face with her hands. “I don’t know if we’re going to have to file bankruptcy.″

Clinics for the uninsured are a saving grace — but they can’t take everyone

In Orlando’s leafy, brick-paved neighborhood of Colonialtown South, Tarsha Watson found her lifeline. A clinic there called Grace Medical Home provides low-income, uninsured Floridians with comprehensive care for a $5 per-visit fee.

Watson, 54, has a master’s degree in business administration, but she hasn’t been able to find work since losing her job two years ago. That means she doesn’t have health insurance. When she explored Affordable Care Act coverage, she was quoted $600 per month, far out of her reach.

At Grace, Watson learned her blood sugar is high and that she needed to lose weight. Now, she walks laps around her backyard pool and does Tai Chi YouTube tutorials to focus on fitness. She said she wishes everyone could have her experience.

“It’s very hard out here,” she said. “It’s not enough.”

At the clinic, patients cycle in and out of a wide hallway lined with appointment rooms as doctors scan supply shelves for complimentary over-the-counter medications. The expansive building has separate areas for dental, mental health, vision and pediatric care.

CEO Stephanie Garris said it’s one of 110 free or charitable clinics in Florida, but that’s not enough to handle demand. To treat more people in response to the Affordable Care Act changes, it recently started hosting a mobile acute care clinic for walk-in patients.

Garris said Grace Medical Home treated about 1,350 people last year. Every year, they take about 350 new patients.

“Would I love to double that, triple that? Of course,” Garris said. “I just think in the reality, with the huge number of uninsured that we have, it’s just not possible.”

Health costs become an issue in midterm campaigns

For U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, a Democrat defending his seat in a sprawling — and now much redder — redrawn district south of Orlando, health costs are a campaign focal point.

He said his district, which is near various theme parks, had the second-largest Affordable Care Act enrollment in the nation, in part because many small tourism businesses can’t offer employees health insurance.

“I just hear it everywhere I go,” he said. His Republican opponent, Navy veteran and former Trump administration official Dan Green, did not answer emailed questions about the subsidies but has emphasized affordability of groceries and property insurance as campaign priorities.

Soto voted with Democrats and some Republicans — including a few from Florida — to save the subsidies last year. The Republican majority declined and suggested other ideas, including funding Americans’ health savings accounts. No law along those lines has passed yet.

Button, a Democrat in Soto’s district, said he is open to different reforms for health costs, but said politicians aren’t acting fast enough.

“They keep trying to make excuse after excuse,” he said. “I don’t have six months to a year to wait for you guys to pass this through the hoops that you need to.”

Swenson and Martin write for the Associated Press.

Brits now prefer taking multiple UK-based micro-cations throughout the year and EV savings make cost-effective short breaks even cheaper.

More than four in 10 Brits now favour taking several UK-based micro-cations throughout the year – rather than a single annual holiday, according to new research. A survey of 2,000 adults revealed they would rather put the money a big getaway would cost towards multiple short breaks spread across the year. A fifth are planning one of these short trips – within 100 miles of their home – this bank holiday weekend.

According to the findings, 44% are now taking more micro-cations than they were five years ago. Three quarters enjoy these types of breaks as they have helped them uncover more historical landmarks, coastal towns, and greater swathes of the British countryside.

The study, commissioned by Smart Energy GB, found 49% have taken a micro-cation in the past year alone, while 58% agreed micro-cations are now firmly part of their annual travel plans. For 44%, they have become a first-choice option.

Victoria Bacon, director at Smart Energy GB, said: “With household budgets under pressure, shorter breaks closer to home offer the chance to relax, recharge and create lasting memories without travelling far and often at a lower cost.”

The research also revealed that 69% agreed a micro-cation was more affordable than heading overseas, and of those who have swapped a foreign holiday for a micro-cation, 67% did so to save money.

Of those who’ve cut costs by taking this type of break, 34% have used the extra cash to enjoy more short trips, while 47% put it straight into their savings.

The research also surveyed 593 EV drivers and discovered that almost half (47%) said owning an electric vehicle has made them more inclined to take a micro-cation.

Two in five (39%) appreciated the ease of setting off from home with a fully charged car, without having to hunt down a service station or public charging point.

Based on publicly available data verified by New Automotive, a 200-mile round trip costs £36.57 in fuel in an average family car. By contrast, it costs as little as £14.92 to charge an EV at home on a standard electricity tariff to cover the same distance – a saving of 59%.

Meanwhile, smart meter owners can trim costs even further by charging overnight on a flexible EV tariff – bringing the cost down to just £4.57 on average. It turns out that 37% of electric car drivers are already doing this, compared to just 14% who opt for public charging points.

Victoria Bacon added: “By using a smart meter to access an EV tariff that fits your needs best, you can save a significant amount on travel costs by charging during cheaper, off-peak periods.”

Double Olympic champion and EV enthusiast, Helen Glover OBE, said: “Some of our best family adventures haven’t involved travelling hundreds of miles – they’ve been spontaneous trips that are less than a couple of hours away by car.

“Whether it’s the rolling countryside of Devon, the dramatic coastline of Cornwall or the peaceful trails of Dartmoor, there are so many hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

“As an EV driver, those local adventures can be more affordable, convenient and sustainable too.”

TOP 10 REASONS BRITS ARE PACKING FOR A MICRO-CATION:.

1. Explore more of the UK
2. Discover places closer to home
3. Lower travel costs
4. Avoid hassle of overseas travel
5. More travel flexibility
6. Easier to organise than a longer trip
7. To make holiday budgets go further
8. Easier to fit around work
9. Spend more time exploring
10. Easier to fit around family commitments