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Chris and Sam, known as ‘The Travel Duo’, stumbled across the idyllic sandy beach off Scotland’s west coast

Don’t let a tight budget put you off dreaming of the Maldives. A couple has accidentally stumbled upon what’s been coined the ‘Maldives of Scotland’ during a hiking holiday.

This hidden gem offers an enchanting beach with white sands and crystal-clear waters that seem almost too good to be true. Dubbed ‘The Travel Duo’, Chris and Sam took to YouTube to share their unexpected find in 2023.

“I was just on the beach, we were just about to leave,” Sam said, according to the Express. “I sent the drone up to get some drone shots of this beach and I saw another incredible stunning spot on the other side of this mountain.

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“…So, I’m taking Chris and Fletcher on a little bit of an adventure to see if we can get there because it looks insane.” Their trek through mud and hills soon paid off with the revelation of pristine white sands.

“Doesn’t it look like the Maldives?” she said, before later adding: “I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven. Honestly, it’s insane, and that water is way too good to not go in for a swim.”

Chris and Sam’s dreamy beach lies hidden on the Isle of Harris, nestled off the west coast of Scotland in the Outer Hebrides. While they’ve kept its precise location under wraps, Harris is laden with scenic spots for those in search of a comparable adventure.

Take Luskentyre Sands, which Time Out ranked among the nation’s finest beaches last year. The heavenly spot is celebrated not just for its sweeping stretch of pristine white sand but also for being the backdrop of BBC’s Castaway series.

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Despite its fame, you’ll have no trouble finding a spot for your towel either, thanks to its remote position keeping it fairly untouched by crowds. The combined population of Harris, Lewis and their smaller surrounding islands is just over 21,000.

Wildlife fans should also note Hushinish beach, another treasure situated at the end of a 12-mile stretch of road on Harris’ western coast. This gem is a favourite among dolphins and seals, according to Visit Scotland, while offering stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Meanwhile, according to Travel Republic, Maldivian holidays cost around £1,700 per person each week, so these spots are a great alternative for Brits looking for a budget trip. Commenters seem to agree too, voicing their disbelief at Chris and Sam’s video.

One wrote: “Got to keep some secrets, Lewis and Harris [are] on my list for this summer when I can get a trip off from work at sea, my beagles need to be free on these beaches, great vid.” Another added: “Wow. Such a great video and what a place!!”

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below

Incident is latest in months of intense violence between rival drug cartel members.

Twenty bodies, several of them decapitated, have been found on a highway bridge in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, Mexican authorities say, as rival drug cartel factions fight one another in the area.

The Sinaloa state prosecutor’s office reported a grisly scene on Monday: Four headless corpses were found on a roadside, 16 bodies were discovered inside an abandoned vehicle near the state capital, Culiacan, and five human heads were found inside a bag.

Authorities said the bodies were left with a note, apparently from one of the cartel factions – though the note’s contents were not immediately disclosed.

Feliciano Castro, the Sinaloa government spokesperson, condemned the killings and said authorities needed to examine their strategy for tackling organised crime with the “magnitude” of the violence seen.

“Military and police forces are working together to reestablish total peace in Sinaloa,” Castro said. Most in the state, however, say authorities have lost control.

Sinaloa has been gripped by months of violence fuelled by rival drug traffickers vying for control of routes used to produce and transport narcotics, including fentanyl, that are often destined for the United States.

The groups are split between members loyal to Sinaloa Cartel co-founders Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.

The violence peaked after the arrest in July 2024 of Zambada, who is on trial in the US. The US announced it had arrested 76-year-old Zambada and 38-year-old Joaquin Guzman Lopez, “El Chapo” Guzman’s son, at an airport near El Paso, Texas.

Zambada accused Guzman Lopez of kidnapping him in Mexico and flying him to the US in a private plane against his will.

“El Chapo” has been serving a life sentence in the US for drug trafficking since 2019.

Guzman Lopez pleaded not guilty last July to drug trafficking and other charges in federal court in Chicago.

In September, Zambada pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking, murder and other charges in a New York court.

The violence in Sinaloa has killed more than 1,200 people, according to official figures.

Criminal violence, most of it linked to drug trafficking, has claimed about 480,000 lives in Mexico since 2006 and left more than 120,000 people missing.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Dave Roberts has a high bar for his $400 million baseball team.

Sure, the Dodgers entered Friday winners of 13 of their 17, tied for the best overall record in baseball and leading the National League West by six games.

Sure, they already have one guaranteed All-Star in Shohei Ohtani, and seven other finalists who advanced to the second stage of fan voting that will begin next week.

But, in the eyes of their manager, “I still just don’t believe we’re playing our best baseball,” Roberts said Friday afternoon. “I don’t think we’ve played complete baseball for a stretch.”

On Friday night, the Dodgers still weren’t at their best. Dustin May managed just four innings in a four-run start. The lineup produced only four total hits. Teoscar Hernández made a defensive blunder in the outfield. And the bullpen danced in and out of trouble down the stretch.

But right now, amid this soft portion of the team’s schedule, flawed performances have often still been enough.

And in Friday’s 5-4 win over the badly slumping Kansas City Royals, that once again proved to be the case.

Shohei Ohtani hits a home run in the first inning against the Royals on Friday.

(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)

For all the Dodgers’ shortcomings, they did just enough to compensate in a series opener at Kauffman Stadium.

May gave up a run in the first after letting three straight batters reach with two outs, but not before Ohtani opened the scoring with a leadoff blast.

Hernández let a hard-hit but catchable line drive get over his head in right field in the third, fueling a three-run Royals rally that was punctuated by Bobby Witt Jr.’s two-run blast. But that was sandwiched by a two-run homer from Max Muncy in the second, and a game-tying triple from Ohtani in the fifth.

Mookie Betts eventually put the Dodgers in front one at bat after Ohtani’s triple, singling him home to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead.

And though May’s high pitch count forced him to exit early against the Royals (38-44), a worn-down Dodgers bullpen patched together five scoreless frames, escaping their biggest jam in the ninth when closer Tanner Scott induced a game-ending double play with the bases loaded.

It wasn’t pretty, but it was still enough to move the Dodgers into sole possession of the best record in the majors at 52-31.

That extended stretch of dominance is still eluding them. But for now, they’re finding ways to win anyway.

For 22 days, immigration enforcement officials have conducted sweeps in communities across the Los Angeles region, arresting an estimated 722 people between June 1 and June 10 alone.

For families and immigrant advocacy groups, determining the location of detainees has been difficult.

“In some cases it’s been 72 hours where we have not been able to identify where their family member is and when we do, sometimes they’re in the [Adelanto Detention Center],” said Flor Melendrez, executive director of CLEAN Carwash Worker Center, a nonprofit labor advocacy group.

“Sometimes it’s too late and [the detainee is] calling from the Ciudad Juárez or Tijuana, where they have already been deported, and that’s within 72 hours.”

CLEAN has focused on representing workers in the car wash industry for 18 years, but in the last three weeks the group has shifted to helping families find workers who were taken during a raid and guide them toward supportive and legal services.

“When the children are asking if we are going to bring their parent back home and we have no way to even respond [with] where they are, it’s heartbreaking,” Melendrez said.

Here are the immediate steps you should take if your relative is arrested and detained by immigrant enforcement officials:

Reach out to these organizations for help

If your loved one was detained by immigration enforcement agents, reach out to immigrant advocacy groups that can provide referrals, information, resources (such as food and financial assistance) and, in some cases, direct support.

A network of local rapid response hotlines has been established to document immigration enforcement activity and help connect those affected to legal services and other types of support, according to the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice.

The following local rapid response hotline numbers are provided by the California Immigrant Policy Center and the ACLU Southern California:

Gather important documents and personal information

After or before you’ve made the call for help, gather these important documents that pertain to the detained family member:

• Birth certificate
• Medical records
• Past visa applications
• Receipt and approval notices for any immigration applications the person has previously submitted

You’ll also need to gather the following personal information that will be used either by you or your legal representation to locate your detained loved one:

1. A-Number, also known as “alien registration number,” which is assigned by the Department of Homeland Security to noncitizens who apply to live and work in the U.S. The seven- to nine-digit number can be found on a green card, work permit or other immigration document.
2. Country of birth
3. Personal information including full name and birthday

Your options when searching for legal representation

There is a coalition of organizations and pro bono attorneys working to support individuals who have been detained, but it can be challenging to get immediate help because there is an overwhelming need.

Because of the high demand for legal help, Public Counsel, a nonprofit public interest law firm, is currently prioritizing cases based on extreme need and often can only take a bond case or help with locating a detained person.

Public Counsel warned that families who have not been affected by immigration enforcement but need help with their immigration status should look for a lawyer now and begin the immigration process in case they are detained in the future.

Your options for legal help include:

• Immigrant Defenders Law Center, (213) 833-8283
• Public Counsel, (213) 385-2977
• Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, (800) 399-4529
• Lalama Immigration Law, (833) 838-8472
• Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, (213) 251-3505
• Immigration Center for Women and Children (L.A. office), (213) 614-1165
• El Rescate, (213) 387-3284
• Central American Resource Center of Los Angeles, (213) 385-7800
• USC Gould School of Law Immigration Clinic, (213) 821-9627
• International Institute of Los Angeles, (323) 264-6217

You can also search for an immigration lawyer through the American Immigration Lawyers Association online locator tool.

How to spot a fake immigration attorney:

Scammers try to confuse immigrants into thinking they’re an attorney by calling themselves a notario, notary public, accountant or consultant, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

In Latin American countries, a notario or notary public is an attorney or has legal training, but that’s not the case in the United States.

How to protect yourself from the scam:

• Do not hire an immigration consultant or a notary. Only lawyers, accredited representatives and recognized organizations can give you legal advice or represent you in immigration court. Immigration consultants — who may call themselves immigration experts, notarios, notaries public or paralegals — cannot do so, according to California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta’s office.
• Do not give your original important documents to anyone, unless you see proof that the government requires the original document, according to the FTC.

You can verify whether a lawyer is legitimate by searching for them on the State Bar of California website and determining if they have an active law license.

How to locate your detained family member

If your relative is arrested in Los Angeles, they will likely be taken to the federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles — sometimes called “B-18” — which is located at 320 Aliso St., according to Public Counsel.

Call the detention center at (213) 830-4900 or (213) 830-7911 and provide the operator with your relative’s A-Number, according to Public Counsel.

You can also try locating your relative by using the Department of Homeland Security’s ICE Detainee Locator System online or call (866) 347-2423, but be warned that immigration officials often won’t provide detainee information over the phone and might not update their online data regularly.

Whether you use the ICE online locator or call, you’ll need to provide the detainee’s A-Number and country of birth, or their full name and both country and date of birth.

If you cannot locate your family member through this process, you can contact the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations field office closest to where the person was picked up.

There are three field offices in California:

1. Los Angeles Field Office: 300 North Los Angeles St., Room 7631, Los Angeles, CA 90012; (213) 830-7911. This office’s area of responsibility includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
2. San Diego Field Office: 880 Front Street, #2242, San Diego, CA 92101; (619) 436-0410. This office’s area of responsibility includes San Diego and Imperial counties.
3. San Francisco Field Office: 630 Sansome Street, Room 590, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 365-8800. This office’s area of responsibility includes Northern California, Hawaii, Guam, Saipan.

Another option for locating your detained relative is contacting their country’s consulate.

Here is a list of local consulate offices and contact numbers.

Several organizations are offering free delivery of groceries and necessities to families affected by recent immigration enforcement.

Follow the organization’s websites and social media accounts for up-to-date information on resource availability:

• The YMCA is providing confidential delivery of groceries and other essentials to affected families. Contact [email protected] or call (323) 244-9077 for support.
• InnerCity Struggle is an East Los Angeles organization that assists with groceries and rental assistance. Call (323) 780-7605.
• No Us Without You offers food to undocumented community members. You can fill out their eligibility form for assistance online.
• Comunidades Indigenas En Liderazgo (CIELO) is delivering food to Indigenous families it serves and those in the community who are afraid to go out for fear of being caught up in ICE raids. To see if you qualify for assistance, fill out their online contact form.
• Raíces Con Voz is a grassroots organization in Boyle Heights that is providing grocery and essential items to those in the community who feel they are unable to leave their homes due to recent ICE activity. For assistance, send the group a direct message on Instagram.
• World Harvest Charities and Family Services’ Cart With a Heart program is providing families who are sheltering in place with grocery carts full of fresh produce, protein, pantry supplies and more. For assistance, call (213) 746-2227.
• La Puente Mutual Aid delivers essentials to community members without asking for a name or address of the person in need, for free. Email [email protected] with a code name, your neighborhood, a safe drop spot and items needed.
• The El Monte Business Alliance is offering food assistance and baby products to those in need through their new program El Monte Cares. For help, call (800) 622-4302.
• Immigo Immigration Services delivers necessary items to families in need. Call (818) 730-0140 for assistance.

The couple was horrified to stumble upon a mammoth rat had broken into their room in the dead of night with the man thinking his girlfriend was ‘just imagining things’

A British doctor on holiday in Sri Lanka was “horrified” when his girlfriend woke him in the middle of the night convinced something was inside their room.

When he turned on the lights to reality was disgusting – a rat the size of a small cat was in their luxury hotel room.

Kiran Morjaria, a doctor and Youtuber, shared a truly horrifying story with his 32,000 TikTok followers that will leave anyone wanting to sleep with the lights on during your next getaway.

Explaining his girlfriend is “terrified of insects” Kiran told his partner she was just imagining things when she woke him up in the middle of the night. However, what he later found was much worse than a noisy cricket or rogue mosquito.

He said: “When I was in Sri Lanka last year my girlfriend is terrified of insects and that sort of thing. She got me up and said ‘I can hear something’ in the middle of the night. I said ‘You are just imagining it – there is nothing here.’”

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However, 10 minutes later his girlfriend woke him up again – certain there was something in the suite with them. Kiran continued: “About ten minutes later she gets me up again and says ‘I can definitely hear something in the room so I get up and turn the light on.’”

It is at this point Kiran saw the enormous rat that has been with them all along. He said: “And there I see the biggest rat I have ever seen in my life. I’m talking literally the size of a small cat.”

What the mammoth rat was doing was even more “horrendous”. Kiran said the rodent was “nibbling on our clothes inside the room.”

Kiran asked his followers to share their own horror stories in the comments – and some of them were gruesome.

One described the severe embarrassment she experienced at the hands of her kids’ nappy mishap. She said: “We had the entire swimming pool closed off as our new-born baby pooped in his swim nappy and its was explosive upset tummy we was very embarrassed.”

Euan’s story was explosive in a different way. He shared: “At Nantes airport my T-shirt got swabbed for explosives multiple times and came back and cause I was playing with cap guns the day before.”

Meanwhile Katy barely made it out of the airport before her holiday was turned upside down – narrowly escaping death. She said: “Leaving JFK airport for Manhattan, Taxi speeding, 60mph head on collision, Police said we’re lucky not going home in a body bag, taken to Queens Hosp!”

One commenter chimed in regarding Kiran’s tale saying they would have struggled to get back to sleep. They said: “Arrrrrhhh (not even scared of rats normally but I’d have screamed and not slept.”

British holidaymakers Mark and Karen Gregory, both 50, are frequent Benidorm-goers and usually opt to stay at apartments – but their accommodation often overlooks major hotel pools

Holidaymakers at a Benidorm hotel have been filmed participating in a frantic “sunbed dash”, where every available lounger is claimed within a staggering three minutes.

Frequent Spain holidaymakers Mark and Karen Gregory, both 50, typically opt for apartment accommodations that often overlook major hotel pools, giving them a front-row seat to the morning mayhem.

During their May trip, the couple from Swansea, Wales, captured multiple instances of sun-hungry Brits racing to secure the best sunbeds. Mark, who runs an online sales business, recounted: “We saw people queuing from first thing – the queues were horrendous! People were properly running in.

“One hotel we did stay in, the pool opened at 8.30am and by 8.33am every bed had a towel on. I think it happens everywhere – just because hotels don’t have as many beds as they do guests.”

Have you witnessed any hotel shenanigans? Email [email protected]

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The pair prefer to observe the chaos rather than participate. Mark added: “We don’t partake at all, we just observe. I know it’s a bugbear for a lot of tourists – but we just find it funny.”

Making sure you have a good spot by the pool or beach is serious business. And the stakes are high.

Brits who lay out their towels to reserve a sunbed for hours at a time have been warned they could face hefty fines of up to €250 (approximately £210).

The team at travel insurance comparison site Tiger.co.uk have warned Brits heading on Spain holidays to think twice before laying out a towel on the beach, as it could actually land you facing some hefty extra charges.

They explained: “In popular areas of Spain like Barcelona and Costa Blanca, tourists can now be fined €250 for reserving sunbeds, meaning waking up early to bag a spot for you and the family is no longer allowed. This rule was introduced following numerous complaints about sunbeds being reserved for hours with no one in sight.”

The rules were brought into force last year, in a bid to stop tourists from reserving spots on public beaches with towels and sunbeds, despite then not returning for hours a time – meaning other visitors had to make do with leftover space, causing issues such as fights breaking out, or crowding.

The fines don’t always stop poor behaviour, however.

While having a late-night chinwag on their balcony in Magaluf, Spain, Mandy Boyd spotted some lads she thought were having a cheeky swim in the pool. But upon closer inspection, the 34-year-old realised the young men were trying to nab the best beds at 2am, despite the fact that the pool wasn’t due to open until 9am the next day.

The quartet of girls watched as the lads dragged out their sunloungers to try and secure prime spots. Mandy and her mates patiently waited on the balcony for the perfect moment to dash down and swipe the towels.