Katherine Ryan has melted hearts with adorable pics of her newbornCredit: InstagramThe star shared a slew of snaps to celebrate a week since giving birthCredit: InstagramThe pics showed the first week of baby Holland’s lifeCredit: InstagramKatherine already has a huge brood of kids with partner BobbyCredit: UKTV
Katherine, 42, already has three children including son Fred, three, and daughter Fenna, two, with husband Bobby Koostra, and she is mum to her 15-year-old Violet from a previous relationship.
Now a week into welcoming her fourth child, the comedian has given a sweet update into life with another baby.
She shared a slew of adorable snaps on Instagram which included a pic of baby Holland just after she had been born.
Another sweet snap saw the baby all wrapped up in pink knitwear.
Katherine shared a slew of sweet snaps to mark the occasion.
Her husband Bobby paid an emotional tribute to his “great” wife.
He said: “Holland Juliette Kootstra has arrived:)
“The ‘Patrick Mahomes’ of child birth pulled out another MVP performance!
Bobby took to Instagram to share the happy news shortly after his wife gave birthCredit: @bobby_k_/InstagramHe also shared this adorable snap with his followersCredit: @bobby_k_/Instagram
“Amazing to witness the greatness of @kathbum #blessed”
One follower commented: “Congratulations and love the name.. a welcome addition to your amazing family… sending love.”
Another chimed in: “Yay!! Gorgeous name and post-birth line up.”
LONDON — Prince Andrew said Friday he is giving up his royal title of the Duke of York and other honors after his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein returned to the headlines.
Andrew, the younger brother to King Charles III, said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace that “the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family.”
“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me,” Andrew said in his statement Friday. “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
The news came in the wake of the release of excerpts of an upcoming posthumous memoir from Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who has alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew when she was 17.
It’s the latest fall from grace for the 65-year-old prince, who had already stepped down from public life in 2019 over his links to Epstein despite his denials of any wrongdoing.
Giuffre died by suicide in April at the age of 41. In the memoir, she details alleged encounters with Prince Andrew, who she sued in 2021, claiming that they had sex when she was 17. Andrew denied her claims and said he didn’t recall having met her.
Andrew, once second in line to the British throne, has long been a source of tabloid fodder because of his links to Epstein, other questionable characters and money woes.
His attempt to refute Giuffre’s allegations backfired during a November 2019 BBC interview. Viewers saw a prince who proffered curious rebuttals — such as disputing Giuffre’s recollection of sweaty dancing by saying he was medically incapable of perspiring — and showed no empathy for the women who said Epstein abused them.
Within days of the interview, Andrew stepped down from his royal duties. Giuffre sued him and the case was settled in 2022 for an undisclosed sum. A statement filed in court said that the prince acknowledged Epstein was a sex trafficker and Giuffre was “an established victim of abuse.”
As well as no longer using the title of the Duke of York, a long-established title that was gifted to him by his mother Queen Elizabeth II at his wedding to Sarah Ferguson in 1986, Andrew will also give up other titles: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. He will remain a prince, which he has been entitled to since birth.
Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson will also no longer use the title of Duchess of York. Their children, Beatrice and Eugenie, will remain princesses.
Andrew’s chaotic marriage to Ferguson, widely known as Fergie, lasted a decade though the two remain close, living together at a 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle. He has long been criticized for his opulent, globe-trotting lifestyle.
Andrew had been the poster boy of the royal family for many years, and his romantic links to a number of models and starlets during his youth were widely chronicled in the British press.
His star status within the royal family was at its peak after he flew in multiple missions as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy during the 1982 Falklands War when British forces sailed to the south Atlantic to eject the Argentine military that had invaded the U.K. overseas territories.
REALITY TV star Olivia Bowen has wowed the crowds in a striking outfit – just weeks after giving birth.
Mum-of-two Olivia looked sensational as she posed on the red carpet ahead of a screening for her and husband Alex’s new reality TV show.
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Olivia looked striking in the black mini dress just weeks after giving birthCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Olivia and husband Alex Bowen looked dressed to kill at their reality TV screeningCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
The formerLove Island star dazzled in a short black dress and diamond-encrusted heels for the special occasion.
With her hair pinned up and sporting glamorous make-up, she accessorised with a black designer handbag and big smile as she posed alongside her husband.
She wrote on social media: “Not. Over. It. Our very special evening for our very special new show with @itv@itvxofficial.
“Thank you so so much to everyone who came & watched & supported our launch – we are so grateful & loved spending the evening with you all.
“And a huge thank you @angeleyemedia & our amazing sponsor @glade_uk.
“We had the most fabulous evening & are feeling so lucky – I just cannot wait for you guys to watch the first ep on Sunday.”
The mum shares three-year-old son Abel and daughter Siena, who wasborn in August,with husbandAlex.
The series will offer intimate access to the couple’s real-life journey as they grow their young family from three to four, whilst dealing with the emotional aftermath of losing one of their twins during early pregnancy.
Love Island 2016 star Alex told heatworld what to expect from the new series.
The Watch List with Rod McPhee
He said: “Before, being on Love Island, I was the serious one, and that’s really not me.
“Hopefully the new series will change people’s perception.”
He added: “When I’m on my Instagram, I’m quite serious when it comes to all my coaching and stuff and all that kind of jazz.
“I’m actually really immature and just daft. I’m quite a jokey person.”
Pixie said: “I will have two on tour. It’s going to be wild. It is going to be rock and roll.
“I’ll just make sure I will rest until then and then just take my time with it and bring the baby with me and be breastfeeding and see what happens.”
Pixie said the couple have found out the gender of their baby but are keeping it a surprise for fans.
She said: “The first time round I knew from day one it was a boy. I was like: ‘100 per cent it is a boy.’
“This time round, there was no clear indication, I had no idea. I really wasn’t sure when we were undoing the letter but it was very exciting.”
Of being a mum in the music industry, Pixie said: “I would say that you can do it.
“It is definitely a juggle and I’m very lucky because I have my mum and dad who will help me out.
“I know not everyone has a village around to help. So it all depends on your circumstance and what you can do.”
Pixie, who released her single Coming of Age last month, is also preparing to headline a show at London’s Union Chapel on December 17.
She said: “I love going to concerts at Christmas with all the candles everywhere and the magic of it – I have never done my own show at Christmas before.”
BRITAIN’S banks are giving away free cash payments of up to £200 each – and customers need to do one thing to be eligible to claim the money.
The extraordinary deals are being offered by major UK banks such as Lloyds and NatWest as part of the fight to boost customer numbers.
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Lloyds Bank are offering free cashCredit: Getty
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NatWest are offering new customers free moneyCredit: Reuters
Nationwide is also among the list of banking giants handing out the free cash payments for changing bank accounts.
The deals are part of switching incentives, and also come with extra perks like cashback and savings rates well above the average.
Nationwide Building Society
The first bank on the list is giving out a handsome sum of £175 to customers who complete a full switch through the Current Account Switch Service (CASS).
Those joining can pick from three accounts: FlexPlus, FlexFirect or FlexAccount.
The FlexDirect account offers 5 per cent AER interest on balances up to £1,500 for the first 12 months.
It also offers 1 per cent cashback on debit card spending with a maximum of £5 per month.
Combining this with the switching bonus, cashback and interest, smart savers could horde up to £400 in free payments in the first year of joining.
Nationwide’s Director of Group Retail Products Tom Riley said: “It’s never been more rewarding to be a Nationwide member and that’s why we want to help more people benefit by offering this switching offer.”
The building society consistently ranks top for customer service and has already attracted over a million new customers through CASS since 2013.
Lloyds Bank
For a £200 free cash payment, Lloyds Bank is giving away bonuses to customers who make a switch.
People who move their existing account to a Club Lloyds or Lloyds Premier account can get the free cash.
But the payment comes on condition they set up three or more direct debits.
Lloyds Bank is one of the UK’s largest financial services organisations and serves tens of millions of Brits.
NatWest
For account holders switching with NatWest, customers can get up to £175 on one condition.
Those choosing a Select or Reward account can get the free cash.
But they must pay in £1,250 first.
And customers also need to login to the mobile app within 60 days.
Other major banks
RBS, part of NatWest Group, is also offering £175 for switching to a Select or Reward account, as long as they pay £1,250 and login to the app in 60 days.
First Direct is offering £175 for switching to its popular 1st Account.
Customers must pay in £1,000 minimum, set up two direct debits or standing orders, and make five debit card payments within 45 days.
The Co-operative Bank’s switch deal stands at £100, with customers able to make another £75.
Customers need to meet the same requirements as First Direct switchers over the next three months.
What energy bill help is available?
There’s a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
BOOZERS are giving away one million free tasters of beer during Cask Ale Week, which begins today.
In a bid to kick-start a cask ale comeback, more than 10,000 pubs will each be offering punters hundreds of samples of freshly poured beer.
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The Thinking Drinkers Ben and Tom recently completed ‘The Great British Pub Ride’Credit: Steve Ullathorne
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Loch Leven brew loads of lovely cask ale north of the border
It is hoped that the “Try Before You Buy” campaign will breathe life back into Britain’s signature beer amid a steady, long-term decline in sales as well as in the numbers of pubs selling it.
Hampered by its clichéd reputation as an “old man’s drink”, traditional hand-pulled beers have been slowly bumped off the bar by highly carbonated lagers and craft ales.
However, a growing popularity among younger pub-goers suggests “real ale” may be ripe for a renaissance.
Research has revealed that an increasing number of Gen-Z drinkers are choosing cask beers which, in general, are more affordable, lower in alcohol and brewed more naturally.
Heritage status
Figures show that 25 per cent of 18 to 24-year-old beer drinkers regularly order cask ales at the pub — an increase of more than 50 per cent on the previous year.
Cask ale’s unique, traditional form of dispense means it is the only type of beer that can’t be sold in shops or supermarkets.
“If more people chose cask ale on just one more of their visits to the pub, it would make a big difference to the future prospects for our national drink — and to pubs, which are the only place to sell it,” said Fergus Fitzgerald, head brewer at Suffolk brewer Adnams.
“Ironically, cask beer seems to be more appreciated globally than it is in Britain.
“Incoming tourists put a visit to a traditional pub to enjoy a pint of foaming cask ale close to the top of their ‘must do’ list.
“Equally, many of the world’s top craft beer brewers cite British cask ale as their biggest influence.”
Price of pint of beer set to rise due to CO2 shortage, brewing chief warns
Earlier this year, passionate pub- goers set up a petition calling for the Government to grant cask ale and its surrounding culture Unesco heritage status.
The Unesco accolade, which acknowledges its cultural significance and artisanal practices, has already been granted to Belgian beer, French baguettes and even the “Mediterranean diet’.”
“Local pubs really need local customers in order to thrive,” added Fergus.
“Cask Ale Week is an opportunity for drinkers to find the style they most enjoy and show their support for British pubs and British beer.”
WHY WE LOVE IT SO MUCH
IN a bid to highlight the problems facing pubs, The Thinking Drinkers Ben and Tom recently completed “The Great British Pub Ride” – a tandem bike journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats relying ENTIRELY on the hospitality of beautiful British boozers.
At the end of each gruelling day in the saddle, they rewarded themselves with a pint of cask ale.
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Butcombe Original is crisp, clean and quenching
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Cask ale doesn’t come much more classic or iconic than this legendary pint from Timothy Taylor’s LandlordCredit: ANDREW ATKINSON
Here, Ben explains why he loves cask ale so much:
“The envy of the brewing world yet criminally under-appreciated in this country, cask ale is naturally carbonated beer that undergoes secondary fermentation in the barrel.
It’s unfiltered, unpasteurised, brewery-fresh beer that is poured – alive and kicking – straight from the barrel into your glass.
Comparing cask ale in the pub to a can of mainstream lager is like comparing a freshly baked, warm crusty loaf to a bag of sliced white.
But it’s not a warm beer (served properly, it should be gently sparkling and served at between 11C-13C) and spans a broad spectrum of styles from light, hoppy pale ales and softly sweet amber beers to smooth, rich velvety stouts and super-session friendly low-alcohol brews.
In these austere times, it’s an absolute bargain compared to other beers at the bar.
Even though publicans need to work harder to keep it fresh in the cellar, cask ale costs considerably less than many mainstream lagers.
Lest we forget, it’s a more patriotic pint, too.
When you pay for a pint of cask ale, chances are you’re putting valuable pennies in the pockets of both British brewers and British farmers who provide the succulent barley and aromatic hops.
You simply cannot replicate the joys of real ale while sat on your sofa, so get down to your local, order a fresh pint of cask ale and breathe life back into the beleaguered British boozer.
If we don’t use them, we’ll lose them.”
SIX CASK ALES TO TRY
St. Austell Proper Job IPA (4.5% ABV): This crisp Cornish classic – a British twist on an American West Coast India Pale Ale style – is a lovely drop, bursting with sensational citrusy hop flavours.
Butcombe Original (4.5%): Crisp, clean and quenching, this Bristol stalwart is beautifully balanced and brewed with succulent Maris Otter, considered the best type of British barley.
Lakes Brew Co: Pale Ale (3.5%): From a progressive, socially-minded independent ale-maker situated in the Lake District comes this sensational sparkling session beer that is hoppy, fresh and fruity.
Timothy Taylor’s Landlord (4.3%): Cask ale doesn’t come much more classic or iconic than this legendary pint from Yorkshire which was also the favourite beer of Madonna, who proclaimed it the “Champagne of ales”.
Loch Leven King Slayer (5.2%): Loch Leven brew loads of lovely cask ale north of the border including this strapping, smooth, slightly sweet Scottish amber ale crafted with rich roasted barley and Target hops.
John O’Groats Brewery Deep Groat (4.8%): Brewed by a brilliant little brewery situated just yards from the iconic finishing point in John O’Groats, this is a silky-smooth brew brimming with gorgeous dark chocolate, coffee flavours.
NEW ORLEANS — A federal appeals court has vacated a ruling that a Texas law giving police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of illegally entering the U.S. was unconstitutional.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday vacated a ruling by a three-judge panel, and now the full court will consider whether the law can take effect.
The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 4 in 2023, but a federal judge in Texas ruled the law unconstitutional. Texas appealed that ruling.
Under the proposed law, state law enforcement officers could arrest people suspected of entering the country illegally. Once in custody, detainees could agree to a Texas judge’s order to leave the country or face a misdemeanor charge of entering the U.S. illegally. Migrants who don’t leave after being ordered to do so could be arrested again and charged with a more serious felony.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a social media post Friday that the court’s decision was a “hopeful sign.”
The TV star has revealed they are ‘very pleased’ with their decision to stop drinking alcohol
09:15, 26 Aug 2025Updated 09:15, 26 Aug 2025
Gogglebox star Gyles Brandreth has revealed he gave up alcohol because he hated hangovers and feeling “groggy”.
The TV star opened up on ITV’s This Morning, where he is a regular on the sofa, sharing that he didn’t like not feeling “sharp” when he got up and that he also battled migraines after a tipple.
The 77-year-old ended up quitting booze altogether and hasn’t looked back, telling presenters Rylan Clark and Josie Gibson that he’s “very pleased” with his decision.
Opening up during a segment about how much time Brits spend recovering from drinking, he said: “One of the reasons I gave up drinking 25 years ago was because I did occasionally have a hangover. I felt groggy, I didn’t feel sharp in the morning.”
Gyles is a staple on This Morning(Image: ITV)
“Yeah, it’s the worst feeling,” host Rylan agreed.
“It is a terrible feeling,” Gyles replied. “I thought, ‘I don’t want this anymore.’ So I actually gave up for a month, then three months.
“Started drinking again and again having migraines , so I gave up forever. And I am very pleased that I did!”
Gyles on Gogglebox with Carol Vorderman(Image: No credit)
As well as being a staple on This Morning, Gyles has been entertaining Celebrity Gogglebox viewers with his witty comments and observations since 2019.
He has appeared in the Channel 4 series with several different celebs, including Carol Vorderman, Sheila Hancock, Joanna Lumley and Maureen Lipman. Last year saw him do a stint with singer Lulu.
Gyles previously told OK! he’s been impressed with the co-stars that Gogglebox bosses pick for him – and that he’s got his sights set on his next fellow armchair critic.
Gyles previously appeared on Gogglebox with Joanna Lumley(Image: Jude Edginton / Channel 4)
“They choose the people for me – they choose the celebrity friend and they seem to give me all these Dames which is marvellous. Lovely Dame Maureen Lipman and Dame Sheila Hancock are fabulous – and the singer Lulu of course,” he said.
He went on: “I have a wish list, though, for who I would love for next year if they ask me again – I would love Dame Twiggy… I’m keeping my fingers crossed!”
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump on Friday announced the U.S. government has secured a 10% stake in struggling Silicon Valley pioneer Intel in a deal that was completed just a couple weeks after he was depicting the company’s CEO as a conflicted leader unfit for the job.
“The United States of America now fully owns and controls 10% of INTEL, a Great American Company that has an even more incredible future,” Trump wrote in a post.
The U.S. government is getting the stake through the conversion of $11.1 billion in previously issued funds and pledges. All told, the government is getting 433.3 million shares of non-voting stock priced at $20.47 apiece — a discount from Friday’s closing price at $24.80.
That spread means the U.S. government already has a gain of $1.9 billion, on paper. The remarkable turn of events makes the U.S. government one of Intel’s largest shareholders at a time that the Santa Clara, California, company is in the process of jettisoning more than 20,000 workers as part of its latest attempt to bounce back from years of missteps taken under a variety of CEOs.
Intel’s current CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, has only been on the job for slightly more than five months, and earlier this month, it looked like he might be on shaky ground already after some lawmakers raised national security concerns about his past investments in Chinese companies while he was a venture capitalist.
Trump latched on to those concerns in an August 7 post demanding that Tan resign.
But Trump backed off after the Malaysian-born Tan professed his allegiance to the U.S. in a public letter to Intel employees and went to the White House to meet with the president, leading to a deal that now has the U.S. government betting that the company is on the comeback trail after losing more than $22 billion since the end of 2023.
Trump hailed Tan as “highly respected” CEO in his Friday post. In a statement, Tan applauded Trump for “driving historic investments in a vital industry” and resolved to reward his faith in Intel.
“We are grateful for the confidence the President and the Administration have placed in Intel, and we look forward to working to advance U.S. technology and manufacturing leadership,” Tan said.
Intel’s current stock price is just slightly above where it was when Tan was hired in March and more than 60% below its peak reached 25 years ago when its chips were still dominating the personal computer boom before being undercut by a shift to smartphones a few years later.
The company’s market value currently stands at about $108 billion – a fraction of the current chip kingpin, Nvidia, which is valued at $4.3 trillion. The stake is coming primarily through U.S. government grants to Intel through the CHIPS and Science Act that was started under President Joe Biden’s administration as a way to foster more domestic manufacturing of computer chips to lessen the dependence on overseas factories.
But the Trump administration, which has regularly pilloried the policies of the Biden administration, saw the CHIPs act as a needless giveaway and is now hoping to make a profit off the funding that had been pledged to Intel.
“We think America should get the benefit of the bargain,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said earlier this week. “It’s obvious that it’s the right move to make.”About $7.8 billion had been been pledged to Intel under the incentives program, but only $2.2 billion had been funded so far. Another $3.2 billion of the government investment is coming through the funds from another program called “Secure Enclave.”
Although the U.S. government can’t vote with its shares and won’t have a seat on Intel’s board of directors, critics of the deal view it as a troubling cross-pollination between the public and private sectors that could hurt the tech industry in a variety of ways.
For instance, more tech companies may feel pressured to buy potentially inferior chips from Intel to curry favor with Trump at a time that he is already waging a trade war that threatens to affect their products in a potential scenario cited by Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics for the Cato Institute.
“Overall, it’s a horrendous move that will have real harms for U.S. companies, U.S. tech leadership, and the U.S. economy overall,” Lincicome posted Friday.
The 10% stake could also intensify the pressure already facing Tan, especially if Trump starts fixating on Intel’s stock price while resorting to his penchant for celebrating his past successes in business.
Nancy Tengler, CEO of money manager Laffer Tengler Investments, is among the investors who abandoned Intel years ago because of all the challenges facing Intel.
“I don’t see the benefit to the American taxpayer, nor do I see the benefit, necessarily to the chip industry,” Tengler said while also raising worries about Trump meddling in Intel’s business.
“I don’t care how good of businessman you are, give it to the private sector and let people like me be the critic and let the government get to the business of government.,” Tengler said.
Although rare, it’s not unprecedented for the U.S. government to become a significant shareholder in a prominent company. One of the most notable instances occurred during the Great Recession in 2008 when the government injected nearly $50 billion into General Motors in return for a roughly 60% stake in the automaker at a time it was on the verge of bankruptcy.
The government ended up with a roughly $10 billion loss after it sold its stock in GM. The U.S. government’s stake in Intel coincides with Trump’s push to bring production to the U.S., which has been a focal point of the trade war that he has been waging throughout the world.
By lessening the country’s dependence on chips manufactured overseas, the president believes the U.S. will be better positioned to maintain its technological lead on China in the race to create artificial intelligence.
Even before gaining the 10% stake in Intel, Trump had been leveraging his power to reprogram the operations of major computer chip companies. The administration is requiring Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, two companies whose chips are powering the AI craze, to pay a 15% commission on their sales of chips in China in exchange for export licenses.
VICK Hope has spoken out for the first time since welcoming her son last month.
The DJ, who is married to Calvin Harris, shared a series of new pictures of her baby boy and told fans she was “utterly besotted.”
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Vick Hope has returned to social media after giving birthCredit: instagram
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The star shared some stunning pics with her sonCredit: instagram
Alongside the stunning images her home birth in Ibiza, where the couple have a house, she said: “Our beloved baby boy Micah Nwosu Wiles completed his journey to us on Sunday 20th July in a beautiful, powerful home birth here in Ibiza, surrounded by love and nature and chickens.
“Emerging from our little newborn bubble to say happy first month Micah, you are magical and we are so utterly besotted with you.”
At the start of August, Calvin revealed Radio 1 star Vic had given birth with his own post.
He wrote: “20th of July our boy arrived. Micah is here!
“My wife is a superhero and I am in complete awe of her primal wisdom!
Thorpe Park is inviting students to mark this milestone with an unforgettable, thrill-fuelled experience. And with summer hours in full swing, the fun lasts until 7pm
Thorpe Park is packed full of thrills
Thorpe Park is turning GCSE results day into an A-grade celebration, with the first 25 students through the gates on Thursday, 21 August receiving free entry and Coaster Fastrack.
Come this Thursday, the brave GCSE exam takers of Britain will learn their fate. Will they be among the cheerful crew jumping for joy at their hard-earned top marks, or will their envelope contain disappointing news?
The rollercoaster is offering free entry to some GCSE students (Image: Getty Images)
Whether it’s launching into summer at 80mph on Stealth, getting a splash of excitement on Tidal Wave, or taking a victory lap on Hyperia, Thorpe Park is packed with enough stomach-churning drops and spine-tingling loops to make it the perfect post-exam escape.
Thorpe Park is inviting students to mark this milestone with an unforgettable, thrill-fuelled experience. And with summer hours in full swing, the fun lasts until 7pm. To qualify, students must show proof of their GCSE results at the gate.
A spokesperson for Thorpe Park said: “No matter what your results say, you’ve put in the hard work, and that deserves a celebration. We’re here to recognise your effort, applaud your achievements, and give you the ultimate day out to reward yourself in style.”
For those who haven’t just completed their GCSEs but still fancy both a day out and a bargain, then your’e in luck.
National Rail has an excellent, money-saving scheme which delivers big savings on attractions across the UK. There is money off close to 500 different venues and events, so there’s a really good chance that there’ll be a bargain on offer in your neck of the woods.
You can score savings including two-for-one deals and a third-off entry to top attractions in and around Great Britain. To claim, you just have to take the train. The scheme is designed to encourage people to get out of cars and onto the rails, a mode of transport that tends to be better for the environment.
To take advantage of the discounts on offer, head to the National Rail website and choose an attraction. Then, download and print the vouchers you find there and use them to buy a ticket at the attraction, or buy a ticket online. Just make sure you save your train ticket to show at the box office.
There are a huge number of attractions taking part, with two-for-one deals on offer at dozens. Including:
The Shards’ viewing gallery
The Beatles Story Museum
Tudor World
Howletts Wild Animal Park
Grand Pier Weston-super-Mare
The Household Cavalry Museum
Thinktank at Birmingham Science Museum
The Cartoon Museum
The Fashion and Textile Museum
Train travellers can also bag a third off many excellent days out. Theme park giant Merlin is taking part and is offering 33.3% off:
Alton Towers Resort
Chessington World of Adventures Resort
Thorpe Park
Legoland Windsor Resort
Warwick Castle
Cadbury World
The London Eye
Shrek’s Adventure! London
Madame Tussauds Blackpool
The Dungeons (York, Edinburgh, or Blackpool Tower
The Blackpool Tower Eye
LEGOLAND® Discovery Centres (Manchester or Birmingham)
SEA LIFE Aquariums & Centres (Birmingham, Great Yarmouth, Loch Lomond, Blackpool, Brighton, Manchester, Scarborough, Hunstanton and Weymouth SEA LIFE Adventure Park)
What’s the difference between Harvard and UCLA when it comes to fighting President Trump’s attacks?
It may come down to how much Gavin Newsom wants his shot at the White House.
Harvard appears to be on the brink of caving to the president’s demands around claims of antisemitism and a host of issues that most would describe as policies for inclusiveness and diversity, but which Trump derides as “woke,” whatever that means.
The storied university may pay out a huge settlement — rumored to be about $500 million — to pacify an administration increasingly bent on domination of American institutions. Armed with that success, the president has targeted UCLA by freezing more than $500 million in federal grants and demanding a payout of about $1 billion.
“We will not be complicit in this kind of attack on academic freedom on this extraordinary public institution,” Newsom said recently. “We are not like some of those other institutions that have followed a different path.”
Let’s hope that’s true.
Technically, the University of California is run by the Board of Regents, of which Newsom is a member. But Newsom has so far appointed or reappointed several voting members, and you’re not going to convince me that the rest will go rogue on this decision on how to battle for the soul of UCLA, one of the most important the board will ever make.
And deciding to capitulate not only looks bad, but has terrible consequences that would dog a candidate Newsom. Not to mention crippling California as a whole.
Harvard may hold a place in the American psyche as the best of the best, but when it comes to actual impact, UCLA and the University of California system are in an entirely different league. More than 1 million Californians hold a degree from a UC, with about 200,000 currently enrolled across the system. Each year, UCLA alone contributes more than $2 billion to the local economy, and adds to the body of human knowledge with its unparalleled research in ways that money cannot quantify.
“With all respect to Harvard, the University of California dwarfs Harvard in terms of size and scale and the impact on the country,” state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) told me. “When you look at the UC just in terms of science and healthcare and helping to birth Silicon Valley, helping to birth the pharmaceutical industry, the UC has a cultural, educational and economic relevance unlike any other institution on the planet.”
The stakes are simply higher for California. Harvard, a private university, can not only withstand more financially, but ultimately matters less. UCLA, with great respect to UC Berkeley, is the “people’s university,” as Zev Yaroslavsky puts it. He’s a former L.A. County supervisor and current director of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.
“There is a difference between a Harvard and a UCLA, or UC Berkeley or UC San Diego or University of Michigan,” he said, and if the president managed to extract his pound of flesh, “it would bankrupt the No. 1 public university in the United States.”
The problem is this is a lose-lose situation. If the university settles, it is going to be forced to pay a tribute of hundreds of millions of dollars. While it may be able to lower the purposefully debilitating $1 billion Trump is demanding, it will still pay a price that damages it for years to come. But at least it will know the number.
If the university doesn’t settle, it risks years of litigation with no certainty of an eventual win.
On Tuesday, a federal court in a separate lawsuit ordered the administration to unfreeze more than $80 million in funding that is currently being withheld. But even with that win, the entire UC system remains in jeopardy of the president’s agenda, and there is no reason to believe the Supreme Court would side with California if or when the case made it that far.
But even if UCLA were to settle, what’s to stop Trump from coming back next year for another bite? As Yaroslavsky points out, give a bully your lunch money once, and they’ll keep coming back for more.
“There’s always a temptation to negotiate and work it out,” said Wiener, the state senator. “I don’t think that that’s an option here.”
Neither do I, though the business-minded decision would be to cut a deal. But we also have a larger issue to consider.
Education is resistance to authoritarianism, and crushing it has long been a goal of the far right. Point being, educated, free-thinking folks often prefer diversity and democracy.
“We have to honestly and aggressively attack the universities in this country,” he said. And here we are.
If the university of the fourth-largest economy on the planet signals that it can’t stand up to this, what university will risk it?
“California needs to say, ‘No, we’re not going to give him control over the UC, we’re not going to pay him taxpayer dollars as extortion,’” Wiener said. “If California can’t say no, then I don’t see who can.”
So once again, California — and Californians — are a line of defense. It’s up to us to let our leaders know that we don’t want our taxpayer-funded universities to cave to this assault, and that we expect our governor to fight.
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts stares down at his batting gloves after flying out in the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Dodger Stadium on July 22.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
“Think about it,” Betts said. “Go and look at it. I haven’t been right since.”
Betts was a MVP candidate when he went down, hitting .304 at the time. He batted .263 after his return, including .185 over the final 17 games of the regular season.
The troubles from last year have carried into this year, in which he’s batting a career-worst .236.
Betts wanted to clarify the point he was trying to make.
“I wasn’t blaming it on my hand or anything,” he said. “I was just saying since coming back, I haven’t done anything. It’s not just this season.”
Betts even went out of his way to downplay the severity of the injury or how it has affected him since.
“It wasn’t like I obliterated my hand,” he said. “It was a fracture.”
Betts pointed to how his grip strength was measured in spring training. The readings showed his grip was stronger than he was the previous year.
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts makes a play during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 4.
(Luke Johnson/Los Angeles Times)
“There’s no correlation to anything,” he said. “I wish I could blame it on something, but nah.”
My visit to Dodger Stadium on Tuesday was prompted by what Betts told reporters after a weekend series in Tampa. The remarks in question were made when Betts was hitless in his last four games; the streak extended to a career-high five after another hitless game on Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“I’ve done everything I can possibly do,” Betts told reporters. “It’s up to God at this point.”
In print, at least, he sounded defeated. His quotes, I told him, were depressing.
“I don’t know if you’re watching what’s going on, but it is depressing,” Betts said with a smile.
So he still had a sense of humor.
Which isn’t to say he’s not baffled or frustrated by his lack of production.
“It’s unexplainable,” Betts said. “I don’t know. It sucks. You know how in Space Jam, they take your superpowers away? Kind of what it feels like. I’ve never been there, never done that, so to have that happen, I don’t know how to get out of it.”
Without any specific answers, he’s doubled down on the general philosophy that made him one of baseball’s greatest players.
He’s worked.
“That’s the only thing I can do,” he said. “The only thing I can control is my effort and my attitude.”
When Betts says he’s done everything he could do to recapture his old magic, what he’s really saying is that he’s doing everything he can.
“I hit for three or four hours a day,” he said. “At some point, your body breaks down, but I’d rather break down than not give the effort.”
Betts showed up at Dodger Stadium before 1:30 p.m. on Monday for the series opener against the Cardinals, which started at 7:10. He hit in the batting cages, worked on his defense on the field, and participated in batting practice. He returned to the batting cages at around 4:30 and stayed there until 6:15.
“Just trying to relearn, going to the basics, relearning myself,” he said. “I had to go back and think about what I used to do in the minor leagues, [those] types of things.”
Betts might not have yet figured out the adjustments required from him to break out of his slump, but he’s also not out of ideas. He acknowledged he’s purposely sounded more clueless than he actually is in order to avoid discussing changes he’s trying to implement.
“There’s a bunch of stuff that I’m working on,” he said. “That’s stuff that, no offense to you guys, but you guys wouldn’t understand.”
The former right fielder didn’t think the workload at shortstop was the source of his problems, and he didn’t think his batspeed had declined in the last couple of years, as data from baseball’s tracking system had indicated.
“I haven’t hit the ball solid,” Betts said. “Naturally, you slow down because you try to hit the ball solid.”
“If that’s not confidence from a manager to a player,” Roberts said, “I don’t know what is.”
Betts rewarded Roberts’ faith on Tuesday in a 12-6 victory over the Cardinals on Tuesday, as he was three for four with a double, a walk and three runs. The three-hit game was his first in almost two months.
Betts refused to read too much into the performance.
“It’s good to get the results, but it’s one game,” he said. “Every time we talk about [a good game], I go 0 for 20 after. So we’ll see about tomorrow.”
He departed the stadium uncertain of what the results would be the next day, but he knew what the process would be. He would continue to work and continue to search for answers.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (pictured in May), said, “Investing in American energy enables energy independence and truly unleashes America’s ability to serve as the world leader in global energy.” File File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
July 11 (UPI) — The U.S. Department of Energy announced Friday it has approved an exchange from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, or SPR, with the ExxonMobil Corp. to ease issues that affect crude oil deliveries to the company’s Baton Rouge, La., refinery.
According to a press release from the DOE, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright sanctioned the move to help keep the regional supply of transportation fuels across Louisiana and the broader Gulf Coast stable. The DOE says this will also keep the SPR’s operational flexibility as is and won’t either impact or delay the Department’s continuing efforts toward refilling the reserve.
The agreement will provide up to one million barrels of crude oil from the SPR to ExxonMobil to support the restoration of refinery operations that had been diminished due to an offshore supply disruption. The release states that ExxonMobil will eventually return the borrowed oil, as well as an unannounced amount of additional barrels of crude to the SPR at no cost to taxpayers.
Under the exchange agreement, DOE will provide up to 1 million barrels of crude oil from the SPR. The exchange will support ExxonMobil’s restoration of refinery operations that were reduced due to an offshore supply disruption. ExxonMobil will return the borrowed crude along with additional barrels of crude oil for the SPR at no cost to the taxpayer.
“Investing in American energy enables energy independence and truly unleashes America’s ability to serve as the world leader in global energy,” Wright said in an X post Friday.
A local activist who handed out protective face shields to protesters last month during demonstrations against the Trump administration’s chaotic immigration raids was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday.
Alejandro Orellana, a 29-year-old member of the Boyle Heights-based community organization Centro CSO, faces charges of conspiracy and aiding and abetting civil disorder, court records show.
According to the indictment, Orellana and at least two others drove around downtown L.A. in a pickup truck distributing Uvex Bionic face shields and other items to a crowd engaged in a protest near the federal building on Los Angeles Street on June 9.
Prosecutors allege Orellana was helping protesters withstand less-lethal munitions being deployed by Los Angeles police officers and Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies after an unlawful assembly had been declared.
Orellana is due in court on Thursday morning. An e-mail to his federal public defender seeking comment was not immediately returned.
U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, a former California Assemblyman appointed by President Trump, has promised to aggressively prosecute anyone who interferes with Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations or harms police during protests. Federal prosecutors have brought at least 14 cases related to last month’s demonstrations and Essayli promised more people will be charged.
Asked how handing out defensive equipment was a crime during a news conference last month, Essayli insisted Orellana was specifically handing out supplies to violent demonstrators.
“He wasn’t handing masks out at the beach. … They’re covering their faces. They’re wearing backpacks. These weren’t peaceful protesters,” he said. “They weren’t holding up signs, with a political message. They came to do violence.”
Essayli described anyone who remained at a protest scene after an unlawful assembly was declared as a “rioter” and said peaceful protesters “don’t need a face shield.”
Orellana, who works for United Parcel Service, has no criminal record and previously served in the U.S. Marines, according to Carlos Montes, a fellow member of Centro CSO.
Montes said he believes Essayli is specifically targeting Centro CSO for its pro-immigrant activism, noting FBI agents seized another member’s cellphone last week as part of their investigation into Orellana.
“It’s ridiculous charges. We’re demanding they drop the charges now. They’re insignificant, ridiculous,” Montes said. “The most it amounts to is that he was passing out personal protective equipment, which includes boxes of water, hand sanitizer and snacks.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Marine Corps did not immediately respond to a request for Orellana’s service record.
Montes also challenged Essayli’s argument that peaceful protesters have no need for protective equipment, pointing to myriad instances in which people have been seriously injured by Los Angeles police and county sheriff’s deputies in recent years.
A Times investigation last month highlighted incidents in which protesters allege Los Angeles Police Department officers fired rubber rounds and other crowd control munitions without warning in recent weeks, causing demonstrators and members of the media to suffer broken bones, concussions and other forms of severe harm.
Times staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report.
New Delhi, India — When models sashayed down the ramp at Milan Fashion Week last week, Harish Kurade looked at them on his smartphone in awe, sitting in his village in southern Maharashtra state, more than 7,000km (4,350 miles) away.
Models were showcasing a new line of open-toe leather sandals, designed by Prada, the iconic luxury fashion house. However, in India, the visuals raised a furore among artisans and politicians after the Italian giant failed to credit the ancient Maharashtra roots of its latest design.
“They [Prada] stole and replicated our crafty work, but we are really happy,” said Kurade in a chirpy tone. “Today, the world’s eyes are on our Kolhapuri ‘chappals’ [Hindi for sandals].” Kolhapur is a city in Maharashtra after which the sandals are named.
After facing backlash, Prada acknowledged that its new sandal designs “are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage”, in a letter to the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce.
While Kurade is chuffed about the centuries-old sandal-making craft from his village potentially gaining global exposure, other artisans, politicians and activists are wary of cultural appropriation and financial exploitation by Prada.
So, what is the controversy about? And what are artisans in Kolhapur saying about Prada? Can it change anything for the workers behind the original sandals?
What did Prada step into?
Prada showcased the classic T-strapped leather flats at the Spring/Summer 2026 menswear collection at Milan Fashion Week.
In its show notes, the Italian brand described the new range of footwear only as “leather sandals”. The notes made no mention of any Indian connection, despite its uncanny resemblance to Kolhapuri sandals, which are wildly popular across India and often worn on special occasions, such as weddings and festivals, along with traditional Indian clothing.
Outraged, a delegation of Kolhapuri sandals manufacturers met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday last week to register their protest.
Showing his support for the delegation is Dhananjay Mahadik, a member of parliament from the state’s Kolhapur district, belonging to the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mahadik told reporters that the sandal makers and their supporters are in the process of filing a lawsuit in the Bombay High Court against Prada.
Mahadik also wrote to Fadnavis, drawing “urgent attention to a serious infringement on Maharashtra’s cultural identity and artisan rights”, and called on him to “protect the cultural heritage of Maharashtra”.
In his letter, he noted that the sandals are reportedly priced at approximately $1,400 a pair. By contrast, the authentic Kolhapuri sandals can be found in local markets for about $12.
A model walks the runway during the Prada collection show at Milan Fashion Week’s menswear spring and summer show, on June 22, 2025, in Milan [Piero Cruciatti/AFP]
How has Prada responded?
The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA) also wrote to Patrizio Bertelli, the chairperson of Prada’s Board of Directors, about the concerns of sandal makers.
Two days later, the company responded, acknowledging that the design was inspired by the centuries-old Indian sandals. “We deeply recognise the cultural significance of such Indian craftsmanship. Please note that, for now, the entire collection is currently at an early stage of design development, and none of the pieces are confirmed to be produced or commercialised,” Prada said.
The company added that it remains “committed to responsible design practices, fostering cultural engagement, and opening a dialogue for a meaningful exchange with local Indian artisan communities, as we have done in the past in other collections to ensure the rightful recognition of their craft.
“Prada strives to pay homage and recognise the value of such specialised craftspeople that represent an unrivalled standard of excellence and heritage.”
Srihita Vanguri, a fashion entrepreneur from the city of Hyderabad, said that Prada’s actions were “disappointing but not surprising”.
“Luxury brands have a long history of borrowing design elements from traditional crafts without giving due credit – until there’s a backlash,” she told Al Jazeera. “This is cultural appropriation if it stops at inspiration without attribution or benefit-sharing.”
Kolhapuris, which the sandals are also known as, are not just a design, she insisted. They carry the legacy of centuries of craft communities in Maharashtra and the neighbouring state of Karnataka. “Ignoring that context erases real people and livelihoods,” she added.
What about artisans of Kolhapur?
Kolhapur, nestled in southwestern Maharashtra, is a city steeped in royal heritage, spiritual significance and artisanal pride. Beyond its crafts, Kolhapur is also home to several revered Hindu temples and a rich culinary legacy – its food is spicy.
Its famed sandals date back to the 12th century, with more than 20,000 local families still involved in this craft.
The family of Kurade, who was happy about Prada showcasing the sandals, lives on the outskirts of Kolhapur, and has been in this business for more than 100 years.
But he said the business has taken a beating in recent years. “In India, people don’t really understand this craft or want to put money in this any more. If an international brand comes, steals it and showcases it on global platforms, maybe that is good for us,” he told Al Jazeera.
He said that craftsmen like those in his family “still stand where they were years ago”.
“We have the craft and the capacity to move ahead, but the government has not supported us,” the 40-year-old said.
Rather, Kurade said, politics has made things worse.
Since 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu majoritarian government came to power in New Delhi, cows have transformed from just symbols of reverence into a flashpoint for religious identity and social conflict. Cow protection, once largely cultural, has become violent, with vigilantes hunting down Dalits and Muslims, the communities that mostly transport cows and buffaloes to trading markets where they are bought for slaughter.
That has disrupted a reliable supply of cow and buffalo hides, which are then tanned with vegetables to make Kolhapuri chappals.
“The original hide we use for quality is restricted in several states because of politics around cows,” said Kurade. “The supply has touched new lows due to politics on cows – and we have been suffering because it has become really expensive for us to keep doing it with the same quality.”
Craftsmen like Kurade believe that if they can make the sandals cheaper and more accessible, “people will wear this because it is what people have loved for centuries”.
Still, Kurade said, while Prada can try and imitate Kolhapuri aesthetics, it cannot replicate the intricate hand-woven design patterns, mastered by the Dalit community in southern Maharashtra and some parts of bordering Karnataka. Dalits are traditionally the most marginalised segment of India’s complex caste hierarchy.
“The authentic design is something which is rare and unique,” he said. “Even shops in Kolhapur city may not have them.”
The real designs, Kurade said, are still made in villages by using centuries-old craft.
But because of the challenge of sourcing quality hides, and faced with an increasingly digital marketplace that artisans are unfamiliar with, Dalit sandal makers need help, he said.
“People who know markets, who can sell it ahead, are the ones cashing in on this. Poor villagers like us cannot run a website; we do not have the marketing knowledge,” he said.
“The government should look into this, to bridge this gap – it is their duty to look into this. The benefits never reached the real makers from the Dalit groups.”
Kolhapuri sandals are on display at a store in New Delhi, India, June 27, 2025 [Adnan Abidi/Reuters]
Has it happened before?
Since 2019, after sustained advocacy by artisan groups, India has protected Kolhapuri sandals under its Geographical Indications of Goods Act (1999), preventing commercial use of the term “Kolhapuri Chappal” by unauthorised producers. But this protection is limited within national borders.
Prada has previously faced significant criticism over alleged cultural appropriation, most notably in 2018 when it released the “Pradamalia” collection – keychains and figurines that resembled racist caricatures with exaggerated red lips, drawing immediate comparisons with blackface imagery. After the backlash, Prada pulled the products from stores and issued a public apology.
Prada has also been criticised for store displays that have evoked racial stereotypes, as well as for its use of animal-based luxury materials like ostrich and exotic leathers, which have drawn criticism from environmental and labour rights groups.
But Prada is not alone.
In 2019, Christian Dior drew criticism for incorporating elements inspired by the traditional attire of Mexican horsewomen in its Cruise collection, without formal acknowledgement or collaboration.
In 2015, French designer Isabel Marant came under fire in Mexico for marketing a blouse that closely mirrored the traditional embroidery patterns of the Mixe community in Oaxaca, sparking accusations of cultural appropriation.
Rather than apologise, Vanguri, the fashion entrepreneur, said that the “real respect would be Prada co-creating a capsule collection with Kolhapuri artisan clusters – giving them fair design credit, profit share, and global visibility”.
“Structurally, they could commit to long-term partnerships with craft cooperatives or even fund capacity-building and design innovation for these communities,” she said.
The drive south through County Cork grew prettier with every turn. From Gougane Barra, where a tiny chapel sits at the lake’s edge, the road winds through old rebel country, into deep forests where foxgloves bloom along the mountainside. Bantry House – a magnificent estate overlooking a lovely bay – marked our path toward Ballydehob, West Cork’s boho village just north of the Mizen Head peninsula.
It’s a suitably impressive setting for Native, a new off-grid eco-guesthouse just a stone’s throw from the village. The brainchild of Didi Ronan (who previously worked in public policy and the music industry) and husband Simon (who runs the sustainable landscape architect studio SRLA), the aim was to create somewhere that has a positive impact on both the environment and local community.
Previously a derelict farmhouse, the chic three-bedroom B&B, set in beautiful gardens, celebrates Ireland’s craft heritage, too. From the communal living room – with its art books and antique maps – to the timber-clad garden sauna, every element is carefully considered. The bedrooms lean into a modern-meets-vernacular aesthetic, with muted tones and tactile textures. Ours opens on to a private patio, and above the bed are hundreds of vintage National Geographic magazines – collected by Didi’s grandmother – arranged in artful symmetry across a bespoke bookshelf.
Didi and Simon Ronan are investing part of the profits from their Native guesthouse to rewild the nearby land
Over dinner, a delicate crab risotto with fresh farm greens (evening meals, booked in advance, are intimate home-cooked affairs), the couple share their vision. Sparked by a flash of clarity Simon had while designing high-end eco-resorts in the Maldives, when the true cost of tourism on Indigenous land and ecology became unavoidable, they began dreaming of a new kind of hospitality. “Could a hotel not only tread lightly, but also give back to the land?” they wondered.
Sustainability is baked into the whole project, from the build to what they do with their profits. Instead of conventional plaster, Didi chose hemp – a more natural alternative – while Simon ensured that every existing material was reused, from the original foundations to the retaining walls. Two new cabins opening this summer aim to be the “gold standard in sustainable architecture”, made of local timber, hemp and wood wool fibre. A newly restored barn will open as a creative hub for workshops, natural wine tastings, and collaborations with foragers and craftspeople, too.
The style of Native is modern meets vernacular, with muted tones, tactile textures and sustainability at its core. Photograph: Kate Bean Photography/PR
But perhaps most impressive of all is that 20% of Native’s profits go directly to their 75-acre rewilding site nearby – a living laboratory of native tree planting, invasive species removal, and ecological education. Guests are encouraged to visit – and the next day we drive 10 minutes along winding roads and walk across fields, their dog, Peig, darting ahead through rushes and briars, to learn more. “First, you eradicate invasive species. Then you conserve what you have, protect it from overgrazing, and then plant native trees to help things along,” Simon says.
At the ridge, the land opens into a sweep of sea and scattered islands. Below us lies Roaringwater Bay; behind, the skeletal remains of an old cottage clings to the earth. Didi gestures toward a patch of young trees. “The problem is huge – biodiversity, climate – but the solution’s simple: trees, wetlands, space.”
We carry on down towards an artificial lake, where dragonflies hover and moorhens skitter through the reeds. There we meet Sam Keane, a coastal forager and artist who runs immersive coastal tours guests can book, unlocking the powers of the sea, and demonstrating the tastes and powerful healing properties of seaweed and other ocean plant life.
Native is just a short stroll from the heart of Ballydehob, a village of just a few hundred but with plenty of pubs, and later that day I wander the pretty streets, soaking up a different kind of energy: human, social, alive. It’s a place that over-delivers, not in size but in spirit. At Levis Corner House the Wednesday market spills out on to the street. The heart of a thriving community, Levis is a pub, concert venue that hosts live performances from behind the old shop counter, and essentially a welcoming village living room.
Levis Corner House in Ballydehob is a pub, a concert venue and food market – essentially ‘a village living room’
There’s a lively art scene here too. The late potters Christa Reichel and Nora Golden helped found the local craft movement in the 1970s, still seen in venues like The Working Artist Studios on Main Street, and in the homegrown ceramics, textiles and artisan food shops crammed between colourful pub fronts and gable-end murals.
It’s a village that’s hard to leave, but the next day I set out to explore the area further. A 12-arch viaduct from the old rail line arcs across the estuary at the town’s edge. Pastel shop fronts curl along the hill. The 17th-century Butter Road leads from Ballydehob to Schull, a bright little harbour village. I stop and follow a walking trail through green lanes and quiet country roads, a soft scenic route, edged by hedgerows and sea glimpses, once used to carry churns of West Cork butter to market.
From here, Mizen Head begins, a tapering peninsula where the past is never far away. A Neolithic portal tomb lies accessible, close to the roadside overlooking the bay. I follow a path to Three Castle Head. Fields give way to a wide sweep of jagged coastline, steep tufty hills rising and falling in tandem with the Atlantic. The hike climbs gradually, then steeply,
and the ruins of three weather-beaten towers, 15th-century remnants of a defensive castle on a limestone ridge, come into view. From a distance, they seem almost grown from the rock itself, overlooking an indigo bay cupped in a lush green valley. Back in the car, the road dips and rises again toward Mizen Head Signal Station, mainland Ireland’s most southwesterly point. The footbridge to Fastnet signal station arches across sheer cliffs, a solid span above the Atlantic, cinematic in scale.
That evening, back in Ballydehob, I discover Chestnut, a Michelin-starred restaurant, where former pub walls now host a dining room led by chef Rob Krawczyk. His tasting menu captures the season with clear flavours: preserved, foraged and grown. Everything is impeccable and in keeping with the narrative I’ve uncovered in this progressive, ecologically minded, quietly radical corner of West Cork. As Didi put it, “Sustainability is only part of the story – regeneration is the next step.”
The trip was provided by Native. Double rooms from €200 a night B&B (two-night minimum). Exclusive hire of the guesthouse, sleeping six, from €650 per night, and garden sauna experience €75. Cabins, sleeping two, from €350. For more inspiration visit ireland.com
