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BRITISH Airways passengers will soon be able to stay connected mid-flight without having to pay a penny.

The airline has confirmed that they will be rolling out Starlink WiFi on all of their planes next year.

Not only will it be available in all cabins, but it will be completely free for all passengers.

The high speed network means passengers will be able to stream video onboard without any lag.

This also includes over remote regions and oceans, a common area where WiFi can often cut out.

BA boss Sean Doyle, British Airways said “Launching Starlink on both our long-haul and short-haul aircraft is game-changing for us and our customers, elevating their experience on board our flights by offering them seamless connectivity from gate-to-gate.

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“Especially on short-haul, this will really differentiate us from our competitors.”

The rollout is part of British Airways’ massive £7billion expansion.

This includes new airport lounges in both Dubai and Miami, with the Sun’s Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding trying out the latter.

Another 15 airport lounges are being upgraded, with 17 new short-haul aircrafts being introduced.

British Airways is also rolling out a new First Class Suite, with its biggest bed yet as well as 32inch screens.

A new app is also being rolled out next year.

Mr Doyle said at the time the app would be similar to an Amazon when it comes to easily being able to book flights.

He explained: “The website’s been around for 22 years. We were leaders in it many years ago and we’d improved it down through the years.

“But we’ve been falling behind and we need to catch up and leapfrog the rest.”

Other inflight upgrades include larger overhead lockers – where suitcases lie on their side rather than flat – and upgraded seats made from Scottish leather.

But British Airways isn’t the first airline to roll out Starlink onboard.

Back in March, United Airlines confirmed that they would be adding the free WiFi service to more than 40 aircraft.

And Qatar Airways confirmed that all passengers will be able to use free Starlink onboard – even FaceTiming a flight attendant to show how fast it will be

PAULTONS Park has finally revealed the opening date for its much anticipated Viking Valgard land.

Valgard: Realm of the Vikings will be a “fully immersive Viking world bursting with all new adventures, epic discovery, and legendary rides”.

And the new £12million development is set to open on May 16, 2026.

Visitors will be able to head on Drakon – Paultons’ most thrilling rollercoaster yet with two inversions and a “beyond-vertical drop”.

There will also be Raven, which is the park’s Gerstlauer Bobsled ride reimagined and Vild Swing, which swings 12 metres high and is a first of its kind in the UK.

There will also be a themed playground.

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After exploring the attractions, visitors can head to the Feasting Hall where they can chose from a range of hearty dishes.

Valgard: Real of the Vikings will be located next to Lost Kingdom.

According to Paultons’ website, the land will be suitable for parents, older children and teenagers, with the new rides not for the faint-hearted.

James Mancey, deputy managing director at Paultons Park, previously said: “We’ve opened two brand-new rides in the last two years and with the build of Valgard firmly underway, we’re excited to open a further three, bigger-and-better-than-ever-before rides, between now and summer 2027.

“Valgard promises an immersive, atmospheric, and action-packed experience for families and has been specifically designed to grow with our fans.

“The introduction of inversions and a vertical lift hill on Drakon certainly up the adrenaline levels at Paultons Park, but staying true to our roots, we haven’t forgotten about the little ones and there is something for all of the family in our new Viking village.”

Once Valgard: Realm of the Vikings opens, the theme park will boast over 80 rides and attractions across six themed worlds.

In March of this year, the park also submitted plans to build a new holiday village with a resort offering.

It would be located next to Valgard: Realm of the Vikings and would feature between 85 and 95 lodges, parking and its own entrance.

In May, the park then also released a 26-second trailer on YouTube for 2027.

The video doesn’t show much other than a wave washing over a giant ‘2027’ sign standing on a rock, but many fans have speculated that the park will be getting a new water ride.

One person commented: “It’s gonna be the long rumoured water coaster.”

Another said: “Judging by the clue being water, I think that the new investment for 2027 will be a Mack Rides Water Coaster.”

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Paultons Park was also named the best theme park in the UK – scooping up 10 awards recently.

Plus, it is the UK’s best value theme park also has the shortest queue times in the country.

CHERYL is selling her four million pound mega mansion she once shared with her ex husband.

The Girls Aloud singer, 42, lived in the posh Hertfordshire pad during her brief second marriage to Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini.

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Cheryl has now put the huge house on the market for a cool £4M.

It was previously listed in 2017 for £5M, but has since dropped in price.

The Fight For This Love singer’s impressive property comes complete with six bedrooms, a swimming pool and a cinema.

The stunning 8,500 sq ft home also has a bar, wine cellar, huge living room and sprawling garden.

The star pad has a brick exterior and includes a round wing known as The Kiln.

The house actually featured on Channel 4‘s Britain’s Most Expensive Houses

On the show, estate agent Jeremy Fine said of the property: “It’s actually one of my favourite homes I’ve ever dealt with. It’s been super popular with a huge amount of big names, footballers, A-list celebrities.

“Cheryl Cole was living here at the height of her fame and it was an incredible hideaway for her because this house is so tucked away.” Let’s take a look inside…

Cheryl lived at the home with Frenchman Jean for the brief time they were married, and it was built not long before they moved in, in 2015.

The former couple met during Cannes Film Festival in 2014 before tying the knot in a private ceremony on the Caribbean island of Mustique in July of the same year.

However the marriage fell apart and after months of speculation, the split was confirmed in January 2016, and the couple were granted a decree nisi in October of the same year.

Meanwhile, it comes just days after Cheryl made her first red carpet appearance since the passing of her ex, Liam Payne.

The One Direction star, who Cheryl shares son Bear with, passed away last October.

On Tuesday, she was seen at London‘s Lyric Theatre alongside fellow Girls Aloud star, Kimberley Walsh, to support their bandmate Nicola Roberts in her West End debut in the production of Hadestown.

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Cheryl has largely been out of the public eye since Liam Payne‘s passing.

She was last seen on-stage with her Girls Aloud bandmates when they headlined Brighton Pride last August.

The band have been closer than ever after rallying around one another following Sarah Harding‘s tragic passing in 2022.

As well as supporting each other privately, they came together for a huge reunion tour in 2024 which went on to become the UK’s biggest arena tour of the decade so far.

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STACEY Solomon has shared how she keeps her bouncy blow dry in place for more than a week after getting it done.

The mum-of-five retained her crown as the most relatable celeb in showbiz as she took to TikTok to post the exact routine she swears by.

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In the video, she said she was doing her best to get ready “as quickly as possible” for work, so had done her make-up in seconds and prepped her locks the night before.

“I didn’t wash it, but I just dampened it down,” Stacey said in a video on her TikTok page.

“It was, I had like a really old blow dry, and I’ve been trying to keep it in for a week.

“So I’ve just been putting my heatless curler in, and then going to bed with it, taking it out.”

Once taking the heatless curling rod out, Stacey, 35, used some of the REHAB. Essential Dry Shampoo on her roots – to absorb the grease and give her hair some extra texture.

She then ran her fingers through her hair, and grinned as she showed how it looked as though she’d had a “fresh, bouncy blow dry”.

“I wonder how long I can like this blow dry for,” she laughed.

“Like we’re on week one, I wonder if I can bring it into week two with my heatless curler.

“They’re just so good, and it just means I only have to destroy my hair with heat once every couple of weeks, because I can keep all of the curls in place, and keep it looking fresh with my dry shampoo and heatless curler.”

She finished off her speedy makeover with a swipe of lip oil, and then was ready to go.

“I want daily updates on the hair! BRING ON WEEK 2!” one person commented on the TikTok.

“You have such great hair,” another added.

“And it actually looks stunning!” a third praised.

“Go on girl!”

“I love the dry shampoo, it’s a life saver,” someone else said.

While others admitted they were more than a little jealous of Stacey’s finished look.

“I swear if I don’t wash my hair for two days on day three my curls look like rats’ tails!” one wrote.

“I have such hair envy! My hair doesn’t hold curl ever!” another added.

“OMG! You are so glamorous even when you’re not,” a third smiled.

“I get up looking like a badger’s bum!”

A HUGE tech upgrade that allows phones to “think with you in real time” is coming from some of the world’s biggest mobile makers.

The latest kit claims to not only enable highly intelligent AI tools, but also lightning-fast multitasking and better battery.

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Snapdragon, the tech brand millions will be familiar with as the front-of-shirt sponsor for Manchester United, has just announced some mega improvements.

The chips – made by US firm Qualcomm – are already among the most powerful around, used in phones by Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi and more.

These are essential for the smooth running of devices and power consumption among other things.

Every year, Qualcomm announces start-of-the-art chip enhancements at a huge Snapdragon Summit event in Hawaii.

We were invited along to see what’s in store and for 2025 bosses revealed the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

Qualcomm says it is the fastest mobile system on-a-chip.

It means users can expect “lightning-fast” multitasking and seamless app switching so you can have loads open at once without causing major sluggish performance.

The upgrade is also good news for gamers, with “incredible performance and power efficiency”.

And in a mobile landscape increasingly filled with AI apps and tools, the new chip can better understand and learn from your habits to provide more useful personalised recommendations – and better still, it’s all handled on the device, so no data is sent off.

Qualcomm claims the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 boosts performance by 20 per cent compared to its last Snapdragon 8 Elite chip.

“With Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, you are at the center of your mobile experience,” said Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile handset, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

“It enables personalized AI agents to see what you see, hear what you hear and think with you in real time.

“Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 pushes the boundaries of personal AI, allowing you to experience the future of mobile technology today.”

The new chip is expected to appear on flagship smartphones from a number of huge names, including:

• Honor
• iQOO
• Nubia
• OnePlus
• OPPO
• POCO
• Realme
• REDMI
• RedMagic
• ROG
• Samsung
• Sony
• Vivo
• Xiaomi
• ZTE

Qualcomm teased that new devices will be launched with the chip in the coming days.

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THE SLOTS section of any online casino is always the busiest area of the platform, and that highlights the popularity of these games. There is always a vast choice, and although there are new releases regularly, some established titles continue to attract interest.

Released in 2006, Mega Moolah remains hugely popular, and that’s largely due to its jackpot potential. This Mega Moolah slot review will look at possible payouts along with all the other aspects of this game in closer detail.

Mega Moolah slot quick overview

Here’s a quick summary of what Mega Moolah offers:

Mega Moolah slot features overview

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Since its release in 2006, Mega Moolah has captured more media attention than most slot games. It has provided some of the biggest wins, and while it should be remembered that the big prizes are extremely rare, this is clearly a big part of its appeal.

Despite its low RTP, Mega Moolah has a medium variance, so wins can be more frequent than in other jackpot games. It can suit all players, but it’s largely one of the best online slots for experienced players whose main goal is to target jackpots.

👍 Pros

• Four progressive jackpots
• Free spins round
• Medium variance

👎 Cons:

• Low RTP
• High minimum stake

Mega Moolah slot graphics, sound & gameplay mechanics

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This game was released in 2006, so we shouldn’t expect to see state-of-the-art graphics. The game reflects the type of design that was in place back then, but it’s a colourful game, and the cartoon animals offer charming imagery.

The soundtrack aims to conjure the feel of an African safari, and it certainly hits the mark. It has been updated to work on mobile, so there should be no loss of functionality if you switch from a static device to playing on the go.

How to play Mega Moolah slot

Follow these steps if you want to play Mega Moolah at the best online slots sites in the UK:

1. Find a casino that hosts the game: All of the best online slots sites host this title, so it shouldn’t take long to find an outlet.
2. Set your preferred stake: The game may default to a high stake, so use the tool to change it if you prefer.
3. Press spin to play: The spin button will be clearly marked.
4. Look for high-paying combinations: Check our Mega Moolah slot review and follow the paytable for high-paying combos.
5. Bonus rounds: These will activate automatically when triggered.
6. Monitor your bankroll: Play responsibly and don’t use all your bankroll in one session. Ideally, play with up to a maximum of 10% of your balance.

Mega Moolah slot symbols

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Mega Moolah features a range of themed symbols split into high- and low-paying categories. The high-paying symbols include safari animals such as elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, and antelope, each offering bigger rewards when landing in combinations. The low-paying symbols are the classic playing cards from A to 10, which appear more frequently but offer smaller payouts.

The lion is the wild symbol – it substitutes for all regular symbols and doubles the payout when part of a winning combination. The monkey serves as the scatter, and landing three or more triggers 15 free spins, where all wins are boosted by a 3x multiplier. These special symbols bring extra value to the base game and create opportunities for bigger wins during regular spins.

Mega Moolah slot RTP, payout & volatility

The RTP of 88.12% is low and means that, on average, £88.12 will be paid out for every £100 wagered, over time. Results between players will vary, but those independently verified stats are worth keeping in mind.

For players who get involved with Mega Moolah, it’s all about aiming for the jackpot. It’s rare to land the truly big payouts, but it’s that possibility that keeps players engaged. The slot has a medium volatility, and in general, payouts will be less frequent but they may be higher when they come in.

Mega Moolah bonus features & free spins

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We’ve already seen that the lion is the wild symbol and the monkey is the scatter in Mega Moolah. The lion is a conventional wild icon that replicates all others as it looks to find a matching combination. If it does find a winning match, it will double any payout.

To activate the free spins section, at least three of the monkey scatters must fall into view. When this happens, players are rewarded with 15 additional spins.

The progressive jackpots can be triggered at random at any point. There are no special symbols to look out for, and the four jackpots in question are labelled Mini, Minor, Major and Mega. Any of these can be activated randomly during the base game.

Where to play Mega Moolah slot in the UK

As one of the most popular games online, the best UK online casinos all host Mega Moolah. Use the search bar at your favourite casino to check, but it’s almost certain that it will be on the listing.

Two recommended options for players in the UK are Dream Vegas and bet365. Both are well-known brands, but more importantly, they are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, they promote responsible gambling, and both offer a good choice of secure funding providers.

If you are looking for one of the best online slots sites, you need to find a platform that covers all of those points.

Another trusted option is Casumo. This has customer support around the clock, as well as secure payment options and a mobile-friendly casino interface.

Key takeaway

Undoubtedly, it’s those progressive jackpots that have made Mega Moolah so popular with slots players over the years. The game is among the titles with the biggest payouts in history, and it continues to attract attention for that reason alone.

That said, those wins are rare, and it’s always important to play responsibly. With its straightforward gameplay, familiar safari theme and the chance to land life-changing prizes, Mega Moolah is a solid pick for UK players who enjoy classic slots with big potential. Try it out at a trusted, UK-licensed online casino.

🔎 More slot reviews

About the author

James Anderson

James Anderson is a Betting & Gaming Writer at The Sun. He is an expert in sports betting and online casinos, and joined the company in November 2020 to work closely with leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to curate content in all areas of sports betting. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter and Head of Live Blogs/Events at the Daily Express and Daily Star, covering football, cricket, snooker, F1 and horse racing.

Find James on LinkedIn

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – gamcare.org.uk
• GambleAware – GambleAware.org

Read our guide on responsible gambling practices.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.

This huge playground is said to be ‘better than Disneyland’ and is easy for Brits to get to in a day – and it has over 350 different attractions for all ages to enjoy

With more than 350 attractions, this mega playground is bigger than Disneyland – and it takes under an hour to get there. Located in Linnaeushof, in the Netherlands, it’s the biggest in Europe and you can visit it in a day.

Brits can travel to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, and it’s then just a 20 minute drive to the park, making it an epic day trip for adventure seekers.

With three main sections – an indoor playground, an outdoor playground and a water playground, there is so much to do. The outdoor area is the main attraction including the Pirate Island in the middle of the pedalo lake, which can only be reached by rope bridge which also has paddle boats for both kids and adults.

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There are views from the Cool Tower, where you lift yourself to 30ft in the air via pull rope, as well as an obstacle course, cable car, driving traffic garden and mini golf too.

The Playground Express runs every day throughout the park amd there is also the Oasis water playground, which has fountains, climbing structures and splash pools.

There is also a separate toddler playground with a sandpit, bouncy castle and Toddlerland playpark and the indoor playground has everything from bumper cars and air karts, as well as a play castle. The park is open from March to October with tickets ranging from €15 to €18, although the go karts cost an extra €7.

It comes as one of Europe’s top-rated theme parks, which happens to have no rides, is planning a UK site. Puy du Fou is the creator of award-winning history-themed destinations in France and Spain of the same name. It welcomes in 2.8 million visitors a year and shows them a good time not via the medium of rides, but through its historical attractions.

At its Toledo and Les Epesses bases, Puy du Fou puts on dozens of action-packed shows in which gladiators, Vikings, warriors from the Middle Ages, and many others besides clash swords, ride horses, and set off pyrotechnics. The two sites are often rated as among the best theme parks in the world, delivering as they do a history-spanning live-action role-player’s dream.

Now, Puy du Fou has unveiled plans to move to the UK. It has submitted an outline planning application to Cherwell District Council for a £600 million park near Bicester, which is best known for housing a discount fashion retail park beloved by Chinese tourists.

If approved, the new park will open in phases beginning in 2029. By the time the park is fully developed it will directly employ around 2,000 people, support a further 6,000 jobs in hotels, restaurants, suppliers and other local businesses, and deliver a £500m a year boost to the local and regional economy, Puy du Fou has claimed in a press release.

THE US Open will come to a close today at Flushing Meadows as the two biggest stars in tennis face off yet again!

Rivals Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will go head-to-head in their third Grand Slam final of the year with US president Donald Trump attending the showpiece match.

Sinner beat Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final earlier this summer to take the SW19 crown for the first time.

Sinner is looking to defend his US Open title and win the 2025 trilogy between the two titans of men’s singles.

Follow our live blog below…

An aiport, which is set to become one of the largest airport hubs in the world is currently underway – and it offers cheap holidays for sun-seeking Brits looking for a getaway

The construction of a brand new airport is underway – and it’s in one of the cheapest holiday destinations in the world.

The huge £9.5 billion mega airport Long Thanh, in Vietnam is set to open next year after being under construction for years and it offers a cheap destination for travellers. Despite the multimillion pound construction, Vietnam is often overlooked compared to nearby popular location Thailand, it’s far cheaper than most places in South East Asia.

Located in Ho Chi Minh, the largest city in Vietnam, it’s proving to be a dynamic hub for the country. The airport, costing VND336 trillion (£9.5billion), is hoped to attract more tourists, and will become the country’s largest airport.

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The new airport will feature some pretty impressive design elements, including the main concourse, which will have an 82m glass roof in the shape of a lotus flower and is expected to replace the current Tan Son Nhat International Airport with international flights, leaving Tan Son Nhat to just handle domestic and short-haul flights only.

A fourth terminal and the fourth runway also hope to be built by 2035. It’s expected to eventually welcome up to 100million passengers a year, making it one of the largest hubs in the world, taking on airports in Atlanta and Dubai.

The new airport also means transfer waiting times will reduce, as currently it can take up to five hours for connecting flights. Vietnam is an appealing place to visit for those looking for warm temperatures, as the climate remains above 30C throughout the year.

It is seven hours ahead of the UK and Brits don’t need a visa for holidays lasting 45 days or less, but your passport will need to have at least six months left on arrival.

It was also named one of the cheapest places by the Post Office in 2023, naming Hoi An as the most affordable beach destination and last year, the country was named the most affordable place according to the Expat Insider survey.

It comes as a brand new huge airport is currently set to be built in Europe, and will rival London Heathrow and Dubai as one of the biggest airport hubs in the world. Designs for Centralny Port Komunikacyjny airport, nicknamed CPK, have finally been accepted, with building work starting in 2026, costing a whopping £25billion.

The terminal design reveals two phases of development with the first set to open before 2032, and will be almost three times the size of nearby Warsaw Chopin Airport’s passenger terminal.

Do you have a story to share? Email [email protected]

Published on
08/08/2025 – 14:08 GMT+2

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Binance is partnering with Spain’s Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) to allow crypto customers to store their funds with the bank instead of keeping them directly on the crypto exchange, according to reporting by the Financial Times.

The move is aimed at rebuilding trust with investors after Binance was hit with a record fine from US regulators nearly two years ago.

Binance is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, and it handles billions of dollars in trades each day across hundreds of cryptocurrencies.

What does this mean for crypto?

BBVA, as a bank, will act as an “independent custodian” or a separate and trusted third party and ensure a greater level of safety when it comes to customers’ funds or assets that are traded through Binance.

As the second largest bank in Spain and praised for its innovation and sustainability, BBVA will act as a security guarantee, giving traders a reduced risk while encouraging them to invest in the high-returns crypto exchange.

By storing them with BBVA, if Binance runs into trouble, like being hacked, declaring bankruptcy or facing regulatory action, the funds would still be safe with BBVA.

Banks are much more closely regulated than crypto exchanges, so BBVA’s obligation to follow compliance rules should lead to more interest in crypto overall.

Essentially, the move is akin to putting your valuables in a safe or a secure bank, instead of being displayed in a storefront as they’re being bought and sold.

Binance trying to clean up its reputation

Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, got slammed in 2023 with a record $4.3 billion (€3.69bn) fine after US regulators accused it of not keeping checks on its trading floor.

US officials said Binance allowed shady funds to flow through its exchange and allegedly permitted laundered money to be used, helping its big clients dodge the rules.

Founder Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao stepped down and served four months in prison for failing to stop money laundering.

Now, with regulators watching its every move, Binance is trying to clean up its act and by partnering with Spain’s BBVA, hopes to prove it can play by the rules.

As the kids break up from school, many people will be jetting off on a long-awaited summer vacay – here’s the lowdown on what the weather will have in store for you in the holiday hotspots

You could be wondering if booking that summer holiday was such a good idea since we seem to be having a blisteringly-hot season here in Blighty. But there’s nothing quite like the excitement of flying off to a foreign country to spend a week or two lounging around by the pool with a cocktail in hand or making sandcastles with the kids on the beach without a care in the world.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who have already booked your trip or are considering a last-minute getaway to recharge the batteries, it’s vitally important to know if you’ll need to pack a rain coat or a face fan. Here’s what the weather has in store in the top holiday destinations over the coming weeks.

Spain

Spain has long been the No.1 destination for Brits who adore its vast coastline with its beautiful beaches, rich culture and delicious cuisine. It’s generally cheaper than the UK and is also relatively close to us, meaning getting there isn’t too much of a trek.

If you’ve booked a trip there this summer you can expect it to stay true to its moniker of Sunny Spain. It’s wall to wall sun until the end of July, with highs of 40C – so make sure you pack plenty of sunscreen and a hat!

On a serious note, over the last couple of months the country has experienced a period of intense heatwaves with a massive rise in the number of heat-related deaths, so it’s important to follow local advice on staying safe.

France

Even closer to the UK than the Spanish top spot, you can hop on a ferry from the UK and be on French soil in an hour and a half, making it popular for those with young children and the elderly who don’t want to be travelling for hours.

The country’s rich history and landmarks make it a sight-seeing must while the Mediterranean beaches offer peaceful relaxation. Because of its location, the weather in France can be a little more unsettled.

For the next couple of weeks the north of the country and inland towards Paris can expect a mixture of sunshine, showers and the occasional thundery storm.

Temperatures will range from lows of 16C to highs of 32C. In the warmer south on the French Riviera, the weather will typically be more settled with a mixture of sunshine and occasional cloud. Temperatures range from highs of 30C to lows of 19C.

Portugal

What Spain’s little neighbour lacks in size it makes up for in its vibrant culture and delicious food and wine.

Visitors flock to the stunning beaches on the Algarve and can also soak up the country’s rich history in the cities of Lisbon and Porto.

Much like Spain, the weather forecast for Albufeira, Faro is expected to be intense sunshine until the end of July. There will be highs of 33C and lows of 18C.

Italy

Home of the Colosseum and countless other ancient sites of historical importance, Italy is brimming over with architecture, art and museums that display its rich cultural heritage.

It’s also famed for its exceptional cuisine of pizza, pasta and gelato. There are a varied range of beautiful beaches from miles of sandy shores to dramatic cliffs and secluded coves, not to mention the wonders and romance on the canals of Venice.

Be prepared for scorching weather if you’re heading to Italy this summer. There’s nothing but sunshine forecast until the end of July and extremely hot temperatures with highs of 37C not expected to drop lower than 22C at any time.

The young and elderly will be particularly affected so take necessary precautions such as staying out of the sun during peak hours and staying hydrated.

Greece

With a huge array of stunning islands and the mainland to choose from, tourists are spoilt for choice in this beautiful country. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing beach holiday on white sands with crystal clear waters, to visit ancient temples and UNESCO sites such as the Acropolis or dance the nights away in clubs, there’s something for everyone.

The Greeks are also well-known for their unique Mediterranean cuisine and warm hospitality.

You’re going to need cool clothes and lots of sunscreen if you’re heading off there this summer.

Apart from the chance of some (probably very welcomed) patchy rain on Tuesday July 22, it’s sunshine all the way until the end of the month. Temperatures will reach highs of 37C and potential lows of 16C.

Turkey

A vast country, most tourist destinations are located in the west and south. The Turkish Riviera on the Mediterranean coast and the Aegean coast offer some breathtaking beaches while there are plenty of ancient ruins from the Ottoman and other ancient eras for history buffs to visit.

Vibrant Istanbul is becoming more popular with those wanting a city break. The weather in Turkey is generally going to be very warm and sunny until the end of the month, with hot days and warm nights.

There will be highs of 40C and lows of 13C. The country has already experienced wildfires from the extreme heat and dry conditions so it’s always best to adhere to advice from your tour rep on staying safe.

Disney+ is offering a fantastic deal for streaming fans, with households able to get four months for £1.99 a month

Disney+ is presenting a cracking deal for streaming enthusiasts in the UK, offering four months of access for £1.99 a month instead. However, time is running out to grab it with the offer set to expire on June 30.

For less than the cost of a Starbucks brew or a meal deal, Disney+ streamers can indulge in Marvel Cinematic Universe shows, including WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, and Ms. Marvel for much less than the usual price – and the rate will last until the end of October.

The platform also boasts a variety of Star Wars series, such as Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Ahsoka, The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and The Clone Wars, ensuring there’s a wealth of content to keep viewers hooked for months. Classic Walt Disney animated films like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and The Lion King are also ready for your viewing enjoyment.

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There’s also new content including the new season 4 of FX’s The Bear (that premiered on June 26) and the riveting new sci-fi drama, Alien: Earth, which is set for release later this summer (August 13). These join the newly-released Snow White and Ironheart.

The Stolen Girl is another smash hit that has garnered critical praise. The Disney+ £1.99 offer lasts for four months, providing streamers plenty of time to explore the extensive library of content on offer.

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Disney+ has brought back its popular deal that lets new and returning customers join its Standard with Ads plan for £1.99 per month for four months.

This means members can stream hit shows like Andor, The Bear and Alien: Earth, plus countless titles from Star Wars and Marvel, for a fraction of the usual price.

However, it’s crucial to remember that the £1.99 offer pertains only to the Standard with Ads version, so subscribers will have to tolerate commercials while watching their beloved shows, which may cause irritation.

Disney+ has been met with praise on Trustpilot, where one happy user commented: “Very good selection, friendly support and easy to cancel if you need to. Very easy to navigate their site, and the openness and transparency they show should be a model for others.”

Nevertheless, one disgruntled customer criticised the ad frequency, remarking: “Way too many adverts. Luckily I got it free for three months, but would not pay to extend it.”

For families seeking additional streaming services, numerous offers are available. Sky has its own streaming deals, such as the £15 per month Sky Stream package.

Furthermore, DAZN is giving sports enthusiasts an opportunity to sample its service through a limited-time trial offer. The Disney+ £1.99 deal can be snagged by households here.

Fire changes whatever it encounters. Burns it, melts it, sometimes makes it stronger. Once fire tears through a place, nothing is left the same. Kelly Ramsey wasn’t thinking of this when she joined the U.S. Forest Service firefighting crew known as the Rowdy River Hotshots — she just thought fighting fires would be a great job.

But fire changed her too.

In her memoir, “Wildfire Days: A Woman, a Hotshot Crew, and the Burning American West,” Ramsey takes us through two years of fighting wilderness fires in the mountains of Northern California. She wrote the book before January’s deadly Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires, and what she encountered in the summers of 2020 and 2021 was mostly forests burning, not city neighborhoods. But at the time, the fires she and her fellow crewmen fought (and they were all men that first year) were the hottest, fastest, biggest fires California had ever experienced.

“My first real year in fire had been a doozy, not just for me but my beloved California: 4.2 million acres burned,” she writes, in the “worst season the state had endured in over a hundred years.” That included the state’s first gigafire — more than 1 million acres burned in Northern California.

The job proved to be the hardest thing she’d ever done, but something about fire compelled her. “At the sight of a smoke column, most people feel a healthy hitch in their breath and want to run the other way,” she writes. “But all I wanted to do was run toward the fire.”

Ramsey’s memoir covers a lot of ground, skillfully. She learns that being in good shape isn’t enough — she has to be in incredible shape. She learns how to work with a group of men who are younger, stronger and more experienced than she is, and she figures out how to find that line between never complaining and standing up for herself in the face of inappropriate behavior.

She also writes about the changes in her own life during that time: coming to terms with her alcoholic, homeless father; pondering her lousy record for romantic relationships; searching for an independence and peace she had never known.

“It wasn’t fire that was hard; it was ordinary life,” she concludes.

Sometimes her struggles with ordinary life threaten to take over the narrative, but while they humanize her, they are not the most interesting part of this book. What resonates instead is fire and all that it entails — the burning forest and the hard, mind-numbing work of the Hotshots. They work 14 days on, two days off, all summer and fall, sometimes 24-hour shifts when things are bad. They sleep rough, dig ditches, build firebreaks, set controlled burns, take down dead trees and, in between, experience moments of terrifying danger.

Readers of John Vaillant’s harrowing 2023 book “Fire Weather” — an account of the destruction of the Canadian forest town of Fort McMurray — might consider Ramsey’s book a companion to the earlier book. “Wildfire Days” is not as sweeping or scientific; it’s more personal and entertaining. It’s the other side of the story, the story of the people who fight the blaze.

Ramsey’s gender is an important part of this book; as a woman, she faces obstacles men do not. It’s harder to find a discreet place to relieve herself; she must deal with monthly periods; and, at first, she is the weakest and slowest of the Hotshots. “Thought you trained this winter,” one of the guys tells her after an arduous training hike leaves her gasping for breath. “I did,” she said.

“Thinking you shoulda trained a little harder, huh,” he said.

But over time she grows stronger, more capable, and more accepted. In the second year, when another woman joins the crew, Ramsey is torn between finally being “one of the guys” and supporting, in solidarity, a woman — but a woman whose work is substandard and whose attitude is whiny.

“Was I only interested in ‘diversity’ on the crew if it looked like me?” she asks herself. “Had I clawed out a place for myself, only to pull up the ladder behind me?”

But competence is crucial in this dangerous job, and substandard work can mean deadly accidents.

For centuries, natural wildfires burned dead trees and undergrowth in California, keeping huge fires in check. White settlers threw things out of whack.

“The Indigenous people of California were (and still are) expert fire keepers,” Ramsey writes. “Native burning mimicked and augmented natural fire, keeping the land park like and open.”

But in the 20th century, humans suppressed fires and forests became overgrown. “Cut to today,” she writes. “Dense forests are primed to burn hotter and faster than ever before.”

Ramsey’s descriptions of the work and the fires are the strongest parts of the book.

“We could hear the howl — like the roar of a thousand lions, like a fleet of jet engines passing overhead — the sound of fire devouring everything,“ Ramsey writes.

Later, she drives through a part of the forest that burned the year before to see “mile upon mile of carbonized trees and denuded earth, a now-familiar scene of extinguished life.”

But she also notes that the burned areas are already beginning to green up. “New life tended to spring from bitterest ash,” she writes.

“The forest wouldn’t grow back the same, but it wouldn’t stop growing,” she observes earlier.

There is a metaphor here. Ramsey’s memoir is a moving, sometimes funny story about destruction, change and rebirth, told by a woman tempered by fire.

Hertzel’s second memoir, “Ghosts of Fourth Street,” will be published in 2026. She teaches in the MFA in Narrative Nonfiction program at the University of Georgia and lives in Minnesota.

ESSEX is set to be the proud owner of the world’s largest inflatable obstacle course.

Braintree Village will be the home to an action-packed activity area and assault course – just in time for the summer holidays (and questionable weather).

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Named The Monster, people can take on the huge obstacle course from Saturday 19th July to Sunday 31st August.

Based in the Essex shopping outlet, the area will be transformed into a giant playground with 300 metres of inflatable fun for everyone.

You’ll find more than 40 obstacles including the 18-metre Mega Slide, the chaotic Exterminator and the House of Hell.

The Monster has toured Canada and the USA – plus has had sell-out events at London’s Alexandra Palace and Birmingham’s NEC.

The gigantic arena – which is the biggest of its kind in the area – is welcome to people of all ages.

Guests can take part in daytime sessions for families and youngsters.

Plus adult-only evening experiences with street food and drink available to enhance a festival vibe.

Josef O’Sullivan, Centre Director at Braintree Village, commented: “We’re thrilled to welcome The Monster to Braintree Village this summer.

“It’s such a unique, exciting attraction that will bring something totally new to the area.

“We’ve seen such a positive reaction to the recent limited-run activities that we have brought to the outlet, and we’re certain that this is going to be the most hotly anticipated event yet.

“We look forward to sharing more details about The Monster soon – it’s set to be an unforgettable summer at Braintree Village.”

Ticket prices and sessions will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Children must be aged 6 years or 1-metre tall to take part.

Guests are encouraged to sign up to the outlet’s member rewards club, PLUS+, for priority access to tickets and exclusive announcements.

The exciting summer news follows a range of fresh stores opening at the outlet.

Shoppers have gone wild for Essex’s first ever Crocs store, Joules and Belstaff.

For more sensory overload and stimulation, Haribo’s first flagship UK store can be found round the corner in Kent‘s Bluewater.

Its Bluewater debut is Haribo’s first store in the UK that is outside of a designer shopping outlet.

The brand already has 10 locations across factory destinations in the likes of Ashford and Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth.

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As part of an epic 10-year programme to transform its hub, one major UK airport has revealed its latest multi-million pound investment plan to turn around a controversial terminal

One of the UK’s busiest airports has finally revealed plans to transform its terminal which Brits have branded ‘truly abysmal’. Handling around 30 million passengers every year, Manchester Airport is the largest of its kind in the north of England – with around 261 flights leaving the hub daily.

However, last year the airport came bottom in Which?’s league tables, after the consumer brand analysed responses from almost 7,000 members. Manchester Airport’s Terminal 3 received a measly 37 per cent approval rate – with travellers giving it just two stars for queues at the checkin-desk, bag drop, and passport control.

The tiny terminal, which mainly deals with low-cost airlines like Ryanair, only managed to scrape one star for queues at security, level of seating available, staff, and prices in shops, bars and restaurants. On social media, it’s clear the terminal’s reputation isn’t much better.

“Manchester Airport Terminal 3 is the depths of hell,” one person moaned on X (formerly Twitter). Another agreed, scathing: “Manchester Terminal 3, you are awful.” A third added: “Terminal 3 at Manchester Airport is truly abysmal,” while a fourth dubbed it the ‘worst’ terminal in the UK.

However, last week (May 13, 2025) Manchester Airport revealed a huge multi-million pound investment to revamp Terminal 3, as part of its £1.3 billion transformation programme. The mega face-lift, which aims to free-up space and improve the passenger experience, will see a new entrance with ‘more space, easier access and better facilities’.

The terminal will also welcome brand new security equipment and 40 per cent more seating capacity in the departure lounge, along with new shops and food and drink outlets, located both airside and landside. Grabbing a pint or meal pre-flight will also get a whole lot easier, as the terminal revamp will include a new 500-seat bar area with airfield views, as well as a dining area expansion that will see 200 extra seats.

Terminal 3’s expansion will see Terminal 1 (as it currently is) close for good as it merges together. Terminal 2, which has already had a major revamp, will also double its size as part of the 10-year investment plan.

“The work we’ve done in Terminal 2 is there for all to see – and we’ve already won the prestigious Prix Versailles award for its architecture and design. But until now we haven’t talked about our plans for Terminal 3,” said Manchester Airport managing director Chris Woodroofe.

“Moving to a two-terminal airport is giving us a great opportunity to use some of the existing Terminal 1 space to increase the footprint of Terminal 3. We’re doing that as well as making some all round improvements to Terminal 3 – so passengers will enjoy new security technology, more space, more seats, new retail and food and drink, and more. It’s another exciting step towards delivering an even better experience for our passengers and I can’t wait to see it progress.”

External work on the new pier on Terminal 2 – the second pier – has also taken a significant step closer to completion. The piers on the terminal are structures that extend from the main building and are home to the gates where passengers embark and disembark.

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