JASON Statham and Rosie Huntington-Whitely have decided to build their grand ‘forever home’ right next to a popular nudist beach.
They’ll be in for an eyeful whenever they open their curtains though, as the gorgeous sea view is much-loved by naturists according to the Daily Mail.
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Jason Statham and Rosie Huntington-Whitely are building their new home by a popular nudist beachCredit: GettyThe property cost them £20million and further renovations are estimated to cost another £5millionCredit: Getty
The movie hardman and his supermodel fiancee opted for a 20-acre spot on the south coast to house the £20million property.
But it’s estimated to cost the couple a further £5million for additional building works.
A HEADY scent of garlic butter and grilled seafood is the perfect pairing to my view.
From beyond my mountainous crab platter, I can see dinky, weathered rowing boats bobbing on the winding creek, while the sun beams down on to a rickety jetty where seagulls are poised.
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Salcombe’s vibrant blue waterCredit: GettyLilleby holiday homeCredit: Supplied
Spain may boast significantly warmer summer days than the UK, but when the sunshine makes an appearance on the south-west coast of England, there is truly no better place in the world to be.
Before my recent visit, I had heard of the Devon town’s beauty through travel magazines and friends — some of whom were so captivated by its scenery, they chose it as the place where they popped the question.
Charmingly wonky pubs overlook vibrant blue waters dotted with sailing boats, while narrow streets a little way back from the seafront are lined with candle shops, small boutiques and delicatessens serving fresh cockles.
I was visiting with my family as part of my mum’s 60th birthday celebrations and we were really pushing the boat out — pun intended.
Our ultra-luxurious holiday home, carved into a tall cliff, had views that somehow surpassed those from the main harbour and was kitted out with everything you could ever need for a celebratory getaway — and more.
It may come with a luxurious price tag, but if you do have plans to propose or are celebrating a milestone birthday, this house is the perfect place.
Set a little stroll away from Salcombe’s main hub, just above South Sands Beach, Lilleby is split across several floors, with five immaculately decorated bedrooms, a huge living room complete with pool table, and various levels of outdoor terraces affording sea-view al-fresco dining, a barbecue, hot tub and sunloungers.
The highlight of the Finest Stays property, however, is undoubtedly the open-plan kitchen, dining and living room, where floor-to-ceiling windows allow for prime views of the sea waves colliding into rocks and the pretty pastel houses that line the sandy shore.
Sea-view dining from Lilleby terraceCredit: SuppliedI tucked into this delicious crab and baguetteCredit: Supplied
The property’s interior design and furnishing only makes things more dreamy — marshmallow-like sofas, glossy bathrooms kitted out with giant reed diffusers and a sleek kitchen that comes with all the mod-cons and enough utensils for hosting a fancy dinner party or proposal meal.
Mornings were spent wandering to the quiet beach below — a gate at the bottom of the property’s garden offers direct access to the footpath which leads to the sands.
At this time of year, the undisturbed pathway is carpeted in fragrant wild garlic that can be foraged for feasts back at Lilleby.
If you’re not one for cooking, South Sands Beach is home to a glorious cafe, Bo’s Beach, with a wide decking area located right above the sands and furnished with wooden picnic benches facing the ocean.
We gobbled egg and bacon baps with coffee while watching the sea tractor ferry passengers from boats to dry land.
For a proper Devon lunch or dinner, head to Crab Shed, a stunning 45-minute stroll north of here.
This teeny restaurant has won awards for its high-quality and excellently cooked seafood, plucked fresh from local waters.
Try the whole cracked crab, its star dish, served with baguette, crispy fries and a crab cracker so you can scoop the meat from the legs and claws.
The Sun’s Sophie with her familyCredit: SuppliedCrab is certainly the catch of the day in DevonCredit: Getty
Opt for it cold, served with mayonnaise, or hot and doused in garlic butter.
Don’t forget to visit Salcombe Dairy for a scrumptious scoop of ice cream afterwards, and the Salcombe Distilling Company for a gin-tasting experience.
For a proper pint, The Ferry Inn has a great beer garden jutting out over the water.
Keep your eyes peeled for one of the many festivals throughout the year, too.
These include the Town Regatta, taking place from late July to early August.
We’re an energetic family, so much of our time was taken up exploring some of the breathtaking hiking trails nearby.
More serious hikers may even want to make their way to Dartmoor National Park, around a 30-minute drive away, to tread moss-covered hills where wild ponies and deer graze.
Even if you have packed your best camera, this scenery has to be seen to be believed — especially the views from the kitchen of Lilleby.
Just be prepared, you may feel more than a little crabby when you have to leave.
GO: Salcombe
STAYING THERE: One week’s self-catering at the five-bedroom and five-bathroom Lilleby costs from £352.80pp based on 10 people sharing.
Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed various areas of the West Bank, set cars on fire and attacked Palestinians.
Published On 9 May 20269 May 2026
Israeli settlers have launched another wave of raids in the occupied West Bank, with houses and cars set on fire and a Palestinian child attacked.
The Palestinian Wafa news agency reported that a man and his child were attacked with “sharp instruments” in the village of Khirbet Shuweika, south of Hebron, on Friday.
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The father and child were taken to hospital due to head injuries.
Israeli settlers torched a home in the village of al-Lubban Asharqiya, south of Nablus, after which members of the Palestinian Civil Defence arrived to extinguish the blaze.
In Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah, Wafa cited security sources that the settlers “stormed the outskirts of the village, burned a citizen’s vehicle, and wrote racist slogans on the walls of houses”.
In the village of al-Asa’asa in Jenin, Israeli forces forced residents to exhume a newly buried body and take it elsewhere. They claimed the first site was too close to an illegal Israeli settlement.
Israeli settlers also attacked a Palestinian man in the town of Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem, and stole his mobile phone.
A group of Palestinians were picnicking in the Burak Sulayman (Solomon’s Pools) area, south of Bethlehem, but were forced to leave after Israeli forces fired stun grenades at them.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society treated two people for tear gas inhalation and evacuated five others from the scene after the attack.
‘Tear gas and sound bombs’
In the town of Tuqu, southeast of Bethlehem, the mayor, Taysir Abu Mufreh, told Wafa that Israeli forces fired “tear gas and sound bombs” at a group of worshippers who were leaving a local mosque and locked a number of them inside.
On Friday, Israeli forces arrested four Palestinian men in the town of Battir, west of Bethlehem, while they were hiking near a railway line. The following day, three more Palestinians were arrested during a raid on the city of Nablus.
Settlers attacked the town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah, leading to clashes when residents confronted them.
Human rights groups say Israeli authorities have allowed the settlers to operate with total impunity in their attacks against Palestinians.
In February, Israel approved a plan to claim large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property”.
More than 700,000 Israelis live in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
MOVIE hardman Jason Statham and his model partner Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have bought a £20million beachfront “forever home” — and are spending another £5million renovating it.
Jason Statham and his model partner Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have bought a £20million beachfront ‘forever home’Credit: GettyThe couple are spending another £5million renovating the house
The contemporary new-build is set on 20 acres and has its own private beach, enormous tree house, boating lake and wild swimming pond.
Building work has been going on for some time, with experts estimating a further £5million is being spent.
He has always been upfront about his life goals, saying: “I just want to work hard, make money and eat with good people and love the same woman over and over again.”
Several high-profile celebrities also own homes in the area. Jason also has extensive properties in Hollywood and Cornwall.
The couple, who have a home in London, met at a party in 2009 and got engaged in 2016.
Jason also has extensive properties in Hollywood and CornwallCredit: AlamyRosie has a £30million fortune via fashion collaborations with M&S and Burberry, and acting rolesCredit: AFP or licensors
Rosie, 39, has a £30million fortune via fashion collaborations with M&S and Burberry, and acting roles in Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Mad Max: Fury Road.
She recently revealed she was moving to the countryside.
Rosie said: “I’ve been dreaming of this since I left home.
“It will be mud and kids climbing trees.” The couple were approached for comment.
LILY Allen has suffered a fresh woe after the sale of her former New York marital home fell through.
It went on the market just days after the Lily’s latest album, which details the alleged infidelity in her marriage, was released last year.
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Lily Allen has suffered a fresh woe after the sale of her New York marital home fell throughCredit: GettyThe singer split from her Stranger Things husband David Harbour in February 2025Credit: Getty
The lavish pad was on sale for £6m ($8m), and it was reported in January that a price of £5m ($7m) had been agreed.
However, the home in Brooklyn is back on the books of estate agents Gambino for £5.3m ($7.3m).
The 19th-century brownstone was reimagined by designer Billy Cotton and architect Ben Bischoff specifically for Lily and her former husband, the Stranger Things actor David Harbour.
The pair, who split in 2024 and are now divorced, recently made headlines following the release of Lily’s album, West End Girl, which alleges that David was unfaithful during their marriage and in one of their homes, possibly 381, Union Street.
The couple purchased the house in 2021 and gave Architectural Digest a tour of the premises two years later.
The video, which went viral and now has 8.2 million views on YouTube, features some of the couple’s more curious design ideas.
These include a pink fridge in their carpeted bathroom, their windowless pink bedroom and a pair of back-to-back green sofas that, according to the couple, were perfect for arguments.
The couple paid £2.4m ($3.3 million) for the five-bedroom, four-bathroom property in 2020 and its new owners will inherit their busy botanical wallpaper , a kitsch tiger-print television room, and other flamboyant features — which Gambino describes as ‘whimsical’.
Outside, in the garden, there is a cold plunge pool and a sauna.
Gambino tells would-be buyers: “Nestled on one of the most sought-after blocks in Carroll Gardens, 381 Union Street is an enchanting, 22-foot-wide brownstone reimagined by AD100 designer Billy Cotton and architect Ben Bischoff of MADE.
“This late-19th-century townhouse unfolds across four levels. From its stately facade to its refined interior palette, the home is a layered narrative of traditional English charm, modern Brooklyn sensibilities, and rich Italian influence.”
Earlier this year, Lily opened up about her state of mind and the “huge change” in her family life situation following her split.
The popstar candidly told how she had now come out from the other side of a “nervous breakdown” which saw her hospitalised.
The marriage breakdown sparked Smile songstress Lily’s first album in seven years.
At the heart of the record is a character called Madeline, who Lily confirmed to the Times is a construct of other people, and the secret relationship she has with a man many are interpreting to be Harbour.
She has previously been open about her recreational use of drugs and alcohol but she opted to quit the substances six years ago.
It led the star to find her marriage split even more challenging as she wasn’t able to use the substances as a way out.
Lily said: “The feelings of despair that I was experiencing were so strong.
“The last time that I felt anything like that, drugs and alcohol were my way out, so it was excruciating to sit with those [feelings] and not to use them.”
Lily said: “I’ve been into those places before against my will and I feel like that’s progress in itself.
“That’s strength. I knew that the things I was feeling were too extreme to be able to manage, and I was like, ‘I need some time away’.”
The marriage breakdown sparked Smile songstress Lily’s first album in seven yearsCredit: Getty
After last year’s disastrous Eaton fire, Southern California Edison executives vowed to be transparent about what caused the inferno that killed at least 19 people and left thousands of families homeless in Altadena.
“As we better understand exactly what happened on Jan. 7, we do so with a commitment to remain transparent,” Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, the utility’s parent company, said in a published statement after the fire.
In court, however, Edison is keeping crucial documents of the cause of the Eaton fire secret, a legal strategy it has used to shield what happened in at least seven earlier wildfires it was blamed for igniting, according to a Times review.
Edison’s stance has caused mounting frustration with attorneys representing fire victims who are seeking compensation for their losses.
“The Eaton Fire cases should be decided on their merits, not on what information that SCE has been able to withhold,” lawyers for the victims wrote in a recent court filing.
State regulators have repeatedly criticized Edison for its secrecy in previous fires, saying it violated safety regulations and stopped officials from learning the root cause so that similar disasters could be prevented.
For more than a year, Edison employees have been gathering detailed information about what ignited the fire in an investigation the company is required to perform under state utility regulations.
But most of that information is being withheld by Edison’s claim of attorney-client privilege, as well as a protective order that it asked a judge to approve soon after the fire.
Protective orders are commonly used in civil lawsuits, but most cases do not have the broad ramifications to the public as the Eaton fire.
Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, at the Semafor World Economy Summit in Washington on April 14.
(Aaron Schwartz / Bloomberg)
Because of the secrecy, it’s not possible to know just what Edison has found, attorneys for Eaton fire victims said in a filing.
In past fires, regulators have requested from the company — and been denied — photographs, notes, text messages and other records generated by the Edison crew that was first to arrive at the site where the blaze ignited. The company has argued its attorney directed the crew, making the evidence privileged.
The victims’ lawyers say Edison shouldn’t be able to withhold from them most evidence from its investigation into the blaze by claiming that the findings and related documents are covered by attorney-client privilege and therefore confidential.
Sealed Eaton fire documents
Lawyers for victims say that documents sealed by a protective order show evidence of where Southern California Edison’s safety measures fell short before the deadly fire.
Poor inspection and repair of the idle transmission line suspected of igniting the fire
Tower holding the idle line was “virtually unattended for decades”
Dried vegetation removed under electrified wires but not beneath the idle line
Problems with contractors inspecting the line
In a recent interview with The Times, Pizarro disagreed that the company was keeping information on the cause of the Eaton fire secret.
“We believe we’ve been transparent,” Pizarro said. “Facts are not privileged, and so we provided facts as we have known them.”
He said the company’s investigation was continuing. “We still, to this day, don’t fully understand what happened,” he said.
Pizarro said the protective order was needed to keep many things confidential, including some not related to the fire’s cause. For example, he said, it protects maps of the electrical system, which can’t be revealed because of terrorism concerns.
Signs blaming Southern California Edison for the Eaton fire are seen near cleared lots in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County on Jan. 5.
(Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images)
He pointed to several company disclosures, including two letters it sent to regulators soon after the Eaton fire that said it was evaluating whether a century-old transmission line, which hadn’t carried power since 1971, “could have become energized” and helped lead to the fire.
Pizarro said last year that the possible reenergization of that old line is a leading theory of the fire’s cause.
The company has said little else about the fire’s cause, other than it safely maintained and inspected the idle line, just like it did its energized lines.
Edison faces thousands of lawsuits from victims of the fire, which burned 14,021 acres and leveled a wide swath of Altadena. The lawsuits allege, in part, that the company was negligent for failing to safely maintain its transmission lines and for leaving the idle line in place when it knew it could become energized. Edison denies the claims of the lawsuits, which have been consolidated in L.A. County Superior Court.
Some documents that Edison says are not privileged and agreed to provide to the victims’ lawyers are sealed by a protective order that the company and the plaintiffs’ lawyers requested.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys often agree to such protective orders on the theory that doing so would allow the utility to more freely share information that could help their case.
Power lines hang from towers carrying power from the Southern California Edison Gould Station.
(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)
Two months after the fire, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Laura Seigle signed the protective order — which covers documents that both sides provide in discovery — including business information deemed proprietary and personal customer data.
According to the protective order, if the case is settled, the lawyers will decide whether the sealed documents should be returned to Edison or destroyed.
If the case proceeds to trial, some of the evidence could become public.
Yet even with the protective order in place, plantiffs’ attorneys say Edison has refused to provide them with evidence from its investigation into the fire, saying it’s protected by attorney-client privilege.
The state-required investigations “are not private inquiries undertaken for SCE’s benefit and legal protection,” the plaintiffs’ lawyers wrote in a filing last year. “Those investigations are regulated activities that exist to protect the public and enhance public safety by preventing future fires.”
To begin those investigations, Edison’s crews often get to the ignition site before government officials. In the 2019 Saddleridge fire in Sylmar, an investigator from the Los Angeles Fire Department found the yellow police tape at the road leading to where the blaze started on the ground and an Edison truck leaving the site, according to his report.
California utility regulators have said the earliest observations at the scene are critical in determining what happened.
L.A. Fire Justice attorney Mikal Watts presents findings on the cause of the Eaton fire at transmission tower 3 at a January 2025 news conference in Pasadena.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Loretta Lynch, former president of the California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates the electric companies, said she believed Edison was wrongly using attorney-client privilege and protective orders “as a sword to prevent justice.”
Lynch said the confidentiality could keep evidence of Edison’s possible negligence from being used at a future state hearing that will look at whether the company acted safely and prudently before the Eaton fire.
In that hearing, if the commission finds the company acted prudently, all damage costs will be covered by a state wildfire fund and Edison customers. The company and its shareholders would pay nothing.
“It’s time to stop this game of allowing utilities to be negligent and then walk away with their customers paying for it,” Lynch said.
Kathleen Dunleavy, an Edison spokeswoman, said the company’s “assertions of privilege in civil court have nothing to do” with the future state hearing on whether the company acted prudently.
Dunleavy added that the company has been cooperating with government fire investigators and the plaintiff lawyers, responding to their requests for data.
The government’s investigation into the cause of the fire has not yet been released.
Asked about the company’s withholding of documents in court, Pizarro pointed to a 2024 California Appeals Court decision that found that Edison’s assertion of attorney-client privilege to keep evidence sealed in litigation over the 2017 Creek fire was appropriate under the law. The court said that protecting the documents generated in the internal investigation from public disclosure allowed the company’s attorneys “to investigate not only the favorable but the unfavorable aspects” of their client’s situation.
Lawyers for victims of the Creek fire, which destroyed more than 100 homes and structures near Sylmar, say Edison failed to provide evidence that showed its line was a likely cause of the blaze, leading government investigators to initially wrongly blame electrical equipment owned by the L.A. Department of Water and Power. Edison continues to deny it caused the fire.
A fire truck makes its way past a portion of the Creek fire along Wheatland Avenue in Sylmar on Dec. 5, 2017.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
In the Eaton fire case, a few details of what’s in the confidential documents have been revealed in court, showing they could be significant when the first trial begins next year.
In February, plaintiff lawyers filed 13 sealed exhibits for only the judge to review, saying they showed how Edison had neglected inspections, maintenance and repair of the idle line. The records are subject to the protective order, shielding them from public view.
“There is ample evidence in this case that SCE performed more frequent and higher quality inspections and maintenance on its live equipment than it did on its inactive facilities,” they wrote.
“From all indications, SCE left Tower 208 virtually unattended for decades,” they added, referring to the pylon that held the idle line and was found to be the location of the fire’s first flames.
The plaintiff lawyers also said the protective order prevents them from disclosing photos to the public that show Edison left vegetation growing under the idle line while removing it from beneath the live wires running parallel to it, according to the court filing. Utility regulations require vegetation to be removed from under and around electric lines to reduce the risk of fire.
The lawyers added that the sealed documents showed that Edison was having problems with an outside contractor it had hired to inspect its transmission lines.
Asked about the filing, Pizarro said the claims were assertions by the plaintiff attorneys that would be debated in court.
Some legal experts have criticized the use of protective orders for keeping the public in the dark about dangerous corporate actions or products.
Lynch said protective orders and confidential settlements in wildfire litigation are preventing the public from learning information that could stop future deadly fires. She said California should consider legislation to ban the use of the secrecy tactics in wildfire lawsuits.
Firefighters work to contain the Saddleridge fire on Oct. 10, 2019, in the Sylmar neighborhood of Los Angeles.
(Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)
The Times found protective orders in lawsuits against Edison for the 2017 Thomas fire and mudslides, which killed 23; the 2018 Woolsey fire, which killed three; the 2019 Saddleridge fire, which killed one; and the 2022 Fairview fire, which killed two. Those fires together caused billions of dollars in damages and destroyed thousands of homes.
Lawyers for the Eaton fire victims told the judge in February that the protective order, as well as similar secrecy orders in lawsuits over other fires, had kept them from speaking publicly about certain subjects in the courtroom, including what they knew about Edison’s line inspections.
“This is a significant case, against one of the world’s largest providers of electricity, which has, through the use of Confidentiality Protective Orders in other cases, impaired the Plaintiffs’ ability to fully inform the Court,” they wrote.
Late last month, Judge Seigle ordered Edison to give the victims’ lawyers more of the documents they had requested. The protective order limits the public’s access to them.
A TINY village in the Cotswolds is home to a huge Indian-style palace – and you can easily visit it.
Sezincote House, which calls itself “India in the Cotswolds,” is a 200-year-old estate in the village of Sezincote near Moreton-on-Marsh.
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There’s an Indian-style house right in the middle of the Cotswolds that most people don’t know existsCredit: AlamySezincote House is near Moreton in Marsh and dates back more than 200 yearsCredit: Alamy
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Said to have been inspired by the Taj Mahal, it was created by Colonel John Cockerell who returned to the UK with money from the East India Company.
The house, designed with Hindu and Muslin architecture seen in Rajasthan, was created by his brother Samuel who was an architect.
Works started in 1805 and completed two years later, before being restored again after World War II.
It was even to have then inspired another famous Indian building – the Brighton Pavilion – after The Prince Regent visited in 1807.
It is now thought to be the only surviving building of its kind in Western Europe.
The house is still family run, who also run the nearby farm as well.
Across the 3,500 acres is the Mogul palace, as well as temples, gardens and pools.
You can also have some tea and cake at the Orangery Tearoom.
Just make sure to keep your phone in your pocket when exploring inside the house – still being privately owned, photos are not allwoed inside.
Previous tourists have praised its unique designs, with one saying: “The setting is absolutely stunning – from the moment you arrive, the house and grounds feel like stepping into another world.”
There are set opening times for the house throughout the year, usually from May to September, and only from Wednesday to Friday (along with some bank holidays).
Visits to the house need to be booked ahead, costing £15 for adults and £9 for kids.
This also includes access to the garden, but if you only want to visit that part, you don’t need to prebook and it is instead open from March to October.
Tickets are also cheaper, being £9 for adults and £3 for kids.
For something even more special, they even host a limited number of weddings every summer.
Other UK hotels we love
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The Queen at Chester Hotel
This historic hotel has welcomed the likes of Charles Dickens and Lillie Langtry through its doors. Rooms have richly-patterned carpets with super soft bed linen and premium toiletries in the bathroom. Go for a superior room for extra goodies including bathrobes and snack boxes.
This Cambridge hotel is in the ideal spot, within walking distance to bars, shops and hotspots like the university colleges and Parker’s Piece. The inside couldn’t be prettier, with huge stained glass windows, grand chandeliers, and rooms with enormous clawfoot bath tubs.
You can’t take pictures inside but you can of the gardensCredit: AlamyYou can visit the house from May to September although you need to prebookCredit: Alamy
US power couple Beyonce and Jay Z have abandoned their plans to purchase a home in the UKCredit: APThe couple are eyeing a 16th century estate with 10 bedrooms in France near Bordeaux insteadCredit:
Crazy In Love singer Beyoncé, 44, and Jay-Z, 56, are already huge fans of the famous wine region – with the 99 Problems rapper celebrating his birthday there in 2023.
Sources say the US pair are looking at a 16th century estate boasting 10 bedrooms and eight bathrooms, nestled in a commune.
Locals have told how the area is abuzz with talk of the A-listers joining their community – which is described as the French equivalent to the Cotswolds.
Businesses have reportedly been sworn to secrecy about the couple’s potential arrival.
One local said: “Everyone is talking about Beyonce and Jay-Z moving to the area.
“It’s all been shrouded in secrecy, with local businesses and tradespeople forced to sign non-disclosure agreements, but theirs are the names on everyone’s lips.”
Residents have reported a recent surge in private planes landing at the closest airport.
One source also told how a job description has gone on a local noticeboard for an experienced property manager working with VIP clients at an historic estate.
One of the requirements for the role is “absolute discretion”.
Hong Kong fire survivors return to Wang Fuk Court five months after a blaze killed 168 people. Thousands of displaced residents sifting through charred remains searching for belongings found little intact.
Sabah fire displaces 445 people as relief efforts focus on safety and immediate aid for victims in affected areas.
Published On 19 Apr 202619 Apr 2026
Hundreds of people have been displaced after a fire destroyed about 200 homes in a coastal village in Malaysia’s Sabah state, the state news agency Bernama reported.
Authorities were notified of the fire in Sandakan district at about 1.32am on Sunday (17:32 GMT, Saturday), the district’s fire and rescue chief, Jimmy Lagung, was quoted as saying.
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“Strong winds and the close proximity of the houses caused the fire to spread rapidly, while low tide conditions also made it difficult to obtain an open water source,” Bernama quoted Lagung as saying.
The fire broke out in one of Sabah’s water villages, which feature wooden houses built on stilts and are home to some of the country’s poorest communities, including many stateless and indigenous groups.
About 445 people have been displaced so far, Bernama said, citing unofficial figures of people registered at a temporary relief centre in Sandakan.
Datuk Walter Kenson, head of the Sandakan District Disaster Management Committee, said examination of the village found the homes of the affected residents “are no longer safe to live in”.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the federal government was coordinating with Sabah authorities to provide basic assistance and temporary relocation for those affected.
“The priority now is the safety of the victims and immediate assistance on the ground,” he said in a Facebook post.
A huge fire tore through the floating village of Kampung Bahagia in Sabah, Malaysia, destroying more than 200 homes and leaving over 400 people displaced. The blaze spread quickly overnight because of strong winds and tightly packed wooden houses.
IF you’re looking for some of the most beautiful beachfront holiday homes, head to Camber Sands.
Two that sit right on the famous beach have been named as being some of the most ‘idyllic’ in the country from cosy cottages to A-shaped beach houses.
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Camber Sands is one of the warmest beaches in the UKCredit: AlamyIt has two of the best beach holiday homes too – like ‘Coastguards Beach House’Credit: Unknown
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Camber Sands sits on the south-east corner of England and its location makes it one of the warmest beaches in the country.
The spot also heats up quickly thanks to its sand dunes that absorb heat from the sun – and the spot is sheltered by the dunes too.
In spring, it can have highs of 19C, which is roughly 1C warmer than other popular UK spots like Dungeness and Studland Bay.
Camber Sands has an average of 195.19 hours of sunshine logged per month too.
The beach is often called the Hamptons of the UK, and it’s a favourite of Caroline McGuire’s (Head of Sun Digital).
She said: “Sussex lays claim to Camber Sands, but according to Wikipedia a small fraction of this seven-mile-long beach reaches over the Kent border.
“Which helpfully means we can use it as part of this round-up, as it is easily the best beach in the area.
“Backed by large sand dunes, Camber is so large that you can always find a spot – even on the hottest of summer days – if you are willing to walk.
“After an afternoon lazing in the sun, drive 10 minutes down the road to the medieval town ofRyefor a pub dinner.“
There are some beautiful places to stay in Camber Sands – and two made it onto Country Living’s list of ’14 idyllic Airbnb beach houses in the UK’.
The first house is called ‘Coastguards Beach House‘ which is right at the edge of the beach perched high up on the shoreline.
Guests can rent out the entirety of the 1875 cottage which has a cosy log burner inside the comfortable lounge.
In the kitchen is a long table for hearty breakfasts and family dinners.
The cottage can sleep up to five guests and it has direct beach access with steps down to the sands.
Lots of guests described it as ‘cosy’, ‘remote’ and ‘peaceful’ thanks to its location away from the main beach hustle and bustle.
You can book a five-night stay in May for five guests from £771 – or £30.84pppn.
‘Barefoot’ is another beautiful beach house right on the dunesCredit: Unknown
For more spots by the beach, check out these seaside towns…
Sidmouth, Devon Take a trip to Sidmouth on the Jurassic Coast and wander down Jacob’s Ladder to its pretty shingle beach. Make sure to walk along the promenade and check out the independent shops and boutiques. Stay at the four-star Harbour Hotel for sea views and traditional afternoon tea from £135 per room.
Whitby, North Yorkshire With a history of sailors and vampires, a dramatic coastal path, and the very best in pints and scampi, it takes a lot to beat Whitby. Pop in the amusements, eat award-winning fish and chips, and board the all-singing Captain Cook boat tour on the harbour. The Royal Hotel overlooks the harbour with stays from just £68 per room.
Old Hunstanton, Norfolk This town has some of the best beach walks beside striped limestone cliffs, a Victorian lighthouse and 13th century ruins. The beach has golden sands with rolling dunes and colourful beach huts, backed by a pretty pinewood forest. Stay at a beachfront hotel from £100 per room.
Seahouses, Northumberland This is an authentic British seaside break, with fishing boats bobbing on its pretty harbour and fresh catches of the day to enjoy in local restaurants. There’s no flashing arcades here, but there’s a great beach with rockpools, boat trips, and you may even spot a grey seal, too. Treat yourself to a stay at the Bamburgh Castle Inn from £129 per room.
The Israeli army has bombed buildings in southern Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil district. Military footage shows the moments when Israel struck a residential block near the Bint Jbeil Governmental hospital in Aynata, and a house in the Al-Maslak neighbourhood.