Imagine a Saturday night “spectacular,” under the stars at the Hollywood Bowl, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic performing as fireworks explode in the night sky — for $10?
Not a pipe dream.
The L.A. Phil has taken a major step in expanding its accessibility. The organization announced this week that it will offer Los Angeles County residents with active Medi-Cal or EBT cards $10 tickets to L.A. Phil performances at the Hollywood Bowl starting with the 2027 season.
It will offer at least 100 of these tickets at each of the orchestra’s Hollywood Bowl concerts. Tickets will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The L.A. Phil didn’t say exactly how eligible residents could secure such tickets. It plans to announce that process in Spring 2027 before the season starts.
L.A. Phil Vice President of Community and Government Engagement, Cynthia Fuentes, said in an interview that the organization has been “prioritizing accessibility for a very long time.”
“When you create accessibility programs, they have to be very intentional,” Fuentes said. “Folks are really struggling to make ends meet right now, and for us, it’s so important not only that we create great music on our stages, but that people can afford to see it. Your income levels shouldn’t dictate whether you have access to the arts or not.”
The $10 ticket announcement is the latest move towards making L.A. Phil events more accessible at a time when tickets to see the orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl are, on average, about $48, Fuentes said.
The L.A. Phil has been offering discounted tickets since the 1970s. It now offers more than 50,000 $1 Hollywood Bowl tickets annually — some seats open to the general public and others given out by the L.A. Phil in partnership with the L.A. County Board of Supervisors and L.A. County Parks, to low-income students, senior centers and others in need.
Last year the L.A. Phil boosted the numbers of its $1 tickets from 36,000 to 55,000. It also distributes tens of thousands of free tickets to non-profit organizations through a program called Community Concert Connections.
The L.A. Phil debuted its new accessibility program at the Ford during the venue’s 2026 season. The program is still active at the Ford.
“That was our pilot program for the L.A. Phil, with the intention of implementing it at the Hollywood Bowl,” Fuentes said. “When we started looking into EBT cardholder tickets, [we realized] it happens in a lot of museums but not a lot at performance arts organizations. Partly because it’s a ticketed structure with assigned seats and it’s a more controlled environment. We wanted to build the infrastructure of how you execute it on the back end. The Ford was an incredible way to start the process — do it on a smaller scale, look at what works and then be able to scale up to the bowl.”
The L.A. Phil is in a period of transition. Daniel Harding will step in as the L.A. Phil’s new Music Director, replacing Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, starting with the 2027–2028 season. He’ll oversee orchestral programming at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Newly appointed Creative Director Esa-Pekka Salonen begins his tenure at the start of the 2026/27 concert season in early October. He’ll conduct and curate subscription concerts and multidisciplinary projects. Anna Handler will serve as conductor in residence for the next three years starting with the 2026/27 season.
“But Gustavo will be back every summer to do a suite of concerts at the Hollywood Bowl and also in December of this year at Walt Disney Concert Hall,” Fuentes said. “He’ll continue to have a presence with the L.A. Phil.”
Operating the Hollywood Bowl is a partnership between the L.A. Phil and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes the Hollywood Bowl, said in a statement that the L.A. Phil has been “a trailblazer in the arts” for more than a century. Their new accessibility initiative, she said, is “that same spirit of innovation and partnership.”
“The Hollywood Bowl is one of Los Angeles County’s most cherished public assets,” Barger said, “and every resident should have the opportunity to experience the joy, inspiration, and sense of community that it offers.”
“But there’s no other L.A. County facility, for performing arts, that we found in our research that had an EBT Program,” Fuentes added. “Part of our goal is to take our findings to the field to share so that other performing arts non-profits follow, especially L.A. County-based [ones], so we can ensure we’re creating accessibility for everyone in the county.”
Fuentes pointed to her own upbringing to illustrate the importance of accessibility programs in the arts.
“I grew up in South Central with working-class parents that had three kids,” she said. “When you don’t have disposable income, you don’t have opportunities [to see arts performances]. Everyone should have the opportunity to go to a show and share a communal experience around music without the fear of not having enough to make your rent or mortgage.”
The 31-year-old became the first Irish player to represent Europe in the competition when she was selected for the 2021 version and broke the all-time rookie points record for either the Solheim Cup or Ryder Cup with a contribution of 4.5 points as the away team triumphed 15-13.
The County Cavan woman’s overall individual record in the competition after also taking part in the two subsequent editions reads eight wins, one half and three defeats.
“It’s one of my favourite events. It’s a team event which we don’t get to do very often and matchplay which I love,” she explained.
“I think once you’re part of one Solheim, the same as the Ryder Cup, you don’t want to miss any more.
“It’s competitive, there’s no money on the line, it’s all just for pride and all the rest. You’re doing whatever you can to help your teammates and the team.
“We obviously lost the last one so there’s an extra incentive to try and bring it back this time.”
Maguire, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour and a one-time victor on the Ladies European Tour, hopes the backing of home supporters can help Europe reclaim the trophy at the 20th running of the event.
“Home support always helps as well. There was massive Irish support in Spain two times ago so hopefully a few Irish will maybe make the trip to Holland.”
EasyJet announced this week that it will axe all its flights from Leeds Bradford Airport early next year – routes cut include Paris, Barcelona and Malaga
Ryanair is offering rescue fares to those affected by easyJet axing flights from a busy UK airport(Image: Getty)
Ryanair is offering bargain rescue flights after a rival axed flights at a busy UK airport.
EasyJet announced this week that it will axe all its flights from Leeds Bradford Airport early next year. The last easyJet flight from the hub will be on from January 5, 2027. Routes cut include Paris, Barcelona and Malaga.
Ryanair has launched “rescue fares” for £29.99 following easyJet’s flight cancellations at the airport.
From Friday, August 21, Ryanair flights between Leeds Bradford and Malaga in Spain, will be £29.99.
Ryanair currently operates 10 weekly flights between Leeds and the Spanish tourist spot.
Travellers can book the rescue fares until the end of February 2027.
“While easyJet abandons Leeds Bradford, cutting its full schedule from 5 Jan 2027, Ryanair is saving the day with rescue fares from just £29.99 for affected passengers – particularly those booked to fly easyJet from Leeds Bradford to Malaga, who can now switch to one of Ryanair’s 10 Malaga services per week,” Ryanair’s Director of Comms, Jade Kirwan, said.
When easyJet made the announcement, a spokesperson said: “Following a review of our routes from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have made the decision to no longer operate flights from the airport after 5 January.
“Our focus is on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers.
“We value the relationship we have built with Leeds Bradford Airport and we always keep options for our network under review, with the aim of providing more choice and connectivity where we see demand.”
The attraction was an adults-only zone where grown ups could unwind. However, this has now been closed, with customers who’ve booked their spot in advance being contacted for a refund
Butlin’s has closed the facility at its Bognor Regis site(Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)
Butlin’s has confirmed the closure of an attraction in its Bognor Regis park, with customers who had bookings saying they’re “gutted” by the news.
The park was home to Ocean Spa, a part of the resort primarily aimed at the adult market, with 13- to 17-year-olds admitted only if accompanied by an over-18. The spa included a steam room, sauna, heated tiled loungers, a hydrospa, and a sun terrace, allowing for relaxing spa days and a variety of treatments.
The spa, the last of its kind in its parks, is now set to close on August 28. Butlin’s is contacting customers with existing bookings to offer them their money back. Previously, the holiday park operator also operated a spa at its Skegness park, which closed in 2021.
Josh Engleman, communications manager at Butlin’s, said: “We can confirm we’ll be closing our spa at Butlin’s Bognor Regis. We’ve contacted the small number of guests who had booked to visit the spa and they will, of course, receive a full refund.
“The spa has always been a small part of the resort experience. Our focus is on the activities and entertainment that families come to Butlin’s for, including recent additions such as PLAYXPERIENCE, which opened at Bognor Regis last year.”
Butlin’s customers have taken to social media to express their disappointment in the news. One posted a copy of the email she received confirming her cancellation, and commented: “We going in October and just got this. Gutted. First year my daughter is old enough.”
Another said: “What a massive mistake! This was one of the only things for adults to relax and have a break from the kids! Such a disappointment.” While another complained: “Why close the spa? We need a place to de-stress!”, accompanied by a string of angry emojis.
While the spa closure has been confirmed, Butlin’s has announced some new facilities in its parks in recent months. It recently added self-service bars to its parks, allowing people on both self-catering and all-inclusive packages to skip the queues and easily pour their own pints, soft drinks, and cocktails.
It also added bookable karaoke pods, where groups of up to 12 can choose from 45,000 chart-topping hits and throwback tunes, with a 55-minute session costing £36. You can even keep the party going by ordering drinks to your pod.
PLAYXPERIENCE was also added to Butlin’s Bognor Regis in autumn 2024, a 50,000 square feet activity centre that offers nine experiences across two floors for kids and adults. These include escape rooms, a virtual reality arcade, laser tag, and hi-tech mini golf courses.
In addition to family holidays, Butlin’s also continues to offer its adult-only Big Weekenders for visitors who’d prefer to enjoy the parks without kids around. These include themed weekends based around music genres and decades.
Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
Vogue Williams and Luke Mabbott are helping homeowners with their difficult renovations
Vogue Williams returned to screens(Image: Channel 4)
A heartwarming tribute was aired after a special renovation.
After launching in 2024 as one of Channel 4′s biggest new lifestyle titles, Renovation Rescue has returned for a second series with two brand new hosts.
Armed with a degree in Construction Design and Management and another in Quantity Surveying, presenter Vogue Williams has taken charge of proceedings alongside trained heating and plumbing engineer and former Love Island star Luke Mabbott.
The series follows ambitious renovations as Vogue and Luke share money-saving skills, offer design inspiration, and demonstrate simple DIY techniques that anyone can try.
During the latest episode on Thursday (August 6), Vogue and Luke helped retired artist Penny in Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex.
After losing her partner of 20 years, Penny planned to make a fresh start near her daughter and grandchildren by the seaside.
“He died very suddenly of septicaemia, virtually overnight. He was climbing trees one minute and the next minute he was gone. I woke up one day and said, ‘Look, Penny, he’s dead. You’re alive, so get on with it and make the best of the time you have here,'” she said.
But after Penny fell for a house that needed a total overhaul, the plans were put on hold as the renovation went badly over budget and behind schedule.
“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced this level of anxiety and stress,” Penny revealed.
To make Penny’s remaining budget go further, Vogue showed her clever ways to achieve the artistic aesthetic she loves without spending a fortune, including helping to create some beautiful cupboard doors with a lozenge-shaped detail.
Meanwhile, Luke showed Penny how to tackle DIY tasks including blockwork in the courtyard and creating a garden gate.
Later in the episode, Penny showed Vogue a picture that her late partner, Martin, had drawn years before – which has become one of her most treasured possessions.
“To me it’s quite important because I haven’t been able to show any of his work. He was very proud of this piece of work, actually,” she said, before Vogue added: “I think this should be the last thing that you put on the wall.”
Penny agreed: “Yeah and I will feel that Martin’s finally found a place,” leading Vogue to share how pleased she was that Penny could start looking to the future.
After all the work had been done on the property, Vogue and Luke paid Penny a visit and were stunned by the transformation.
Penny had even put Martin’s “beautiful” framed picture in the centre of her living room, flanked by a pair of floor-to-ceiling alcove cupboards that the hosts had made.
“It looks amazing,” said Vogue, with Penny concluding: “I feel as if I’ve got past the grieving stage where I’m not crying at the drop of a hat. Now, I can look at it and feel pleased that it’s there. He was very pleased with that piece of work.”
Renovation Rescue is available to stream on Channel 4
People are racing to visit this seaside bench which supposedly offers the ‘best views in England’. It overlooks a picturesque seaside bay which is perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy the views
12:33, 01 Aug 2026Updated 12:33, 01 Aug 2026
A coastal bench offers ‘probably the best view in England’ according to recent visitors (stock)(Image: Photo by Andrew Boxall via Getty Images)
A small bench offering “possibly the best views in England” is likely to become a tourist magnet after a video was shared online.
When it comes to staycations, it doesn’t get much better than the sight of a beach with golden sands and crystal-blue waters – and this is exactly what this particular destination provides its visitors. The basic wooden seat was hailed as a “100 out of 10” spot for those who like like to relax and watch the waves from the clifftops. Indeed, experienced travellers Cat Smith and Joe Bird – who go by ‘UK Wanders’ online – clearly captured the bench’s beautiful surroundings in a video judging by the half a million TikTok users who have tuned in to view since it was posted a week ago.
Their clip begins with a view of the seat, with Cat and Joe soon swinging their camera round to unveil the stunning bay below them.
The pair received dozens of responses requesting the bench’s whereabouts, while others proudly revealed they would visit it too.
“Shh this is a beach we don’t want overpopulating,” one person joked in response. Another added: “My favourite place to go.” While a third chimed in: “What a view.” And a fourth said: “I’ve lived in Cornwall for 19 years now. It’s amazing here.”
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Where To Find Cornwall’s Secret Clifftop Viewpoint
So, where exactly is this bench located? It looks out over Lantic Bay from Cornwall’s Coastal Path – a four-mile journey by car from the nearest town of Fowey, in the county’s south east.
The National Trust describes Lantic Bay as a “large shingly beach on a beautiful bay, great spot for paddling and picnicking, well worth the climb back up”.
Meanwhile, Cornwall Beach Guide has issued several warnings about the location, stating online: “South East Cornwall’s best kept secret, Lantic Bay is a quiet sheltered cove with white sands, feeling more like the Mediterranean, than Cornwall.
“An excellent beach, but it can be difficult to find. Bathing can be hazardous and toilets are some distance away.”
The website continues: “Rip currents make swimming hazardous at Lantic Bay. Risk of getting cut off at high tide.
“The closest car park is about a 20 minute walk. The final climb down to Lantic Bay Beach is very steep and unsuitable for wheel chairs or push chairs.”
Why Cornwall Is a Must-Visit UK Destination
Cornwall is popular due to its stunning coastline and rich industrial history. It is famous for its hearty Cornish pasties, creamy teas and breathtaking views.
Whether you fancy natural beauty or a surfing trip, Cornwall is your best bet. As for pop culture, Cornwall’s dramatic landscapes have even made it on hit TV shows and films like Poldark and Doc Martin.
It’s worth noting Cornwall can be extremely touristy and crowded during peak times. However if you visit in off-peak months you’ll be able to enjoy plenty of quiet and peaceful areas.
President Donald Trump has promised that the United States will “help” Lebanon as he met with his Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun amid continued occupation of the south of the country by Israeli forces.
The US president did not announce any concrete policies towards Lebanon as he spoke to reporters alongside Aoun at the White House on Tuesday.
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Asked whether there will be a timeline for Israel’s withdrawal from the country, Trump said: “They’re in the process of doing that. They’re in the process of redeploying [to] other sections.”
In reality, Israel has not pulled back from any area it has occupied since March. On Monday, the US State Department announced the establishment of the first “pilot zone” under a Lebanon-Israel framework.
Such areas are supposed to see the Lebanese army deploy to previously occupied towns and ensure that there is no Hezbollah military presence, so reconstruction can begin and residents can return. But the three towns announced in the first pilot zone were not under Israeli control, so Israel did not withdraw from them.
Israel has been systemically razing entire villages in south Lebanon, with Israeli officials openly declaring the objective of erasing Lebanese border towns out of existence.
On Tuesday, Aoun did not mention Israeli abuses in his comments next to Trump. Instead, he heaped praise on the US leader and hailed the US-brokered framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, which conditions Israeli withdrawal on disarming Hezbollah.
“I would like to thank President Trump, really, and his team for the historic visit and for the historic achievement that we did together by signing the framework with the ultimate objective of ending the state of hostility between Lebanon and Israel forever,” the Lebanese president said.
‘We’re going to help it a lot’
Israel has killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon since the all-out regional war broke out earlier this year, targeting hundreds of medics and journalists as it invaded the country.
In his opening remarks, Trump said that Lebanon had been “badly treated” for decades without elaborating on the source of the mistreatment.
“We’re going to help it. We’re going to help it a lot,” the US president said. “So it’s an honour to have the president and your representatives here.”
Trump also renewed his suggestion that neighbouring Syria should intervene militarily in Lebanon to help disarm Hezbollah – a proposal that has been repeatedly rejected by Syrian authorities.
Hezbollah and the current government in Damascus – led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa – fought on opposite sides of the Syrian civil war.
The Lebanese group backed the government of President Bashar al-Assad, and al-Sharaa was a rebel commander who, early in the war, led the al-Qaeda branch in the country.
Trump took the opportunity on Tuesday to express his admiration of al-Sharaa once again.
“He’s pulled Syria together. He would like to come in and do something with Hezbollah. You know, they’ve been fighting. He’s been fighting Hezbollah for a long time. I think it’d be very effective. So it’s something I think about,” he said.
A Lebanese reporter asked Trump what concrete support he may offer Aoun during the visit. The US president said, “You’ll find out.”
‘I would speak to Hezbollah,’ Trump says
Trump also said he is open to speaking directly with Hezbollah.
“I would speak to Hezbollah. I speak to everybody,” he told reporters.
“I would say this: If the president wanted me to speak to Hezbollah – you know, he’s lived with Hezbollah for a long time – and if the president wanted me to speak to Hezbollah, I would,” Trump added, referring to Aoun, who previously served as Lebanon’s top general.
Aoun had called for assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), saying that the military remains the “backbone of security and stability”.
Hezbollah has been highly critical of Aoun’s decision to engage in direct talks with Israel, as well as the framework in which Lebanon agreed not to pursue accountability for Israeli abuses in international courts and at the United Nations.
For his part, Aoun has accused Hezbollah of dragging Lebanon to war on behalf of Iran, stressing that the Lebanese military must be the sole armed force in the country.
A federal prosecutor in Texas has shared new details about the moments before an immigration officer shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo that cast doubt about the government’s claim that the man struck an ICE vehicle before he was shot.
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer killed Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican national and longtime American resident, on July 7 as he was driving to a Houston construction job site with three co-workers, including his brother. ICE has acknowledged he was not the target of the operation.
The shooting sparked protests in the nation’s fourth-largest city, echoing Salgado Araujo’s family’s calls for transparency. The family describes him as a hardworking father who was close to obtaining legal status in the U.S. after living in the country for 35 years.
The shooting came just days before two other men were killed, in Florida and Maine, in confrontations in President Trump’s federal immigration crackdown, renewing scrutiny on the Department of Homeland Security’s law enforcement tactics.
Aaron Reitz, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas, said for the first time Thursday that ICE officers were targeting two Guatemalan men who were potentially subject to deportation. He said they were driving a van similar to the one Salgado Araujo was driving when he was killed. In an earlier statement released the day Salgado Araujo was killed, Homeland Security said he was targeted in an immigration enforcement operation and he was living in the country without legal permission.
Reitz also said that the officers believed that Salgado Araujo and the passengers in his car fit the description of the Guatemalan men the agents were looking for.
Four officers driving two separate law enforcement vehicles attempted to pull over Salgado Araujo’s van using their police lights. Salgado Araujo then made a U-turn and drove over a median to evade getting pulled over, Reitz said.
Later that morning, the officers again encountered Salgado Araujo’s van and for the second time tried to pull him over, this time essentially surrounding the vehicle, Reitz said. Two of the four agents got out of their cars and told Salgado Araujo to put the vehicle in park. Just before he was shot, one of the agents was “partially inside the van or immediately next to it” when Salgado Araujo tried to reverse the van and then drive forward again, Reitz said.
An earlier Homeland Security statement accused Salgado Araujo of “weaponizing” his vehicle. The agency said he rammed his van into a law enforcement vehicle and said an officer opened fire in self-defense. The most recent statement from the U.S attorney’s office, however, didn’t mention any collision between Salgado Araujo’s van and a law enforcement vehicle. It also didn’t explicitly say that the officer feared for his life. There are no reported injuries among the officers involved.
The latest statement didn’t name the officer who killed Salgado Araujo, nor did it specify whether the officer who fired the shot was the same person who was next to, or partially inside, the van.
Reitz also said in the statement that officers “saw in plain view several small bags of a white, crystal-like substance inside the van” and that the FBI later executed a search warrant to investigate for possible illicit substances.
Salgado Araujo’s brother, who was in the van when the shooting happened, has been in ICE detention since the incident. His attorney said the white substance was a salt mixture that the men used as electrolytes to stay hydrated while doing manual labor in the grueling Texas heat.
Few photos or videos surrounding the shooting in Houston have emerged on social media, unlike other deaths involving federal immigration officers.
Paramount Skydance’s top antitrust attorney told a judge Friday that David Ellison’s company would voluntarily delay its proposed $111-billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery at least until mid-August amid a legal challenge brought by 12 state attorneys general.
The states, led by California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, have asked a judge to issue a temporary restraining order that would prevent Paramount from finalizing its deal as the court battle ramps up. Paramount made the pledge in hopes of avoiding such a ruling that would tie its hands — and give the states an early win in the litigation.
Federal District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín said she would decide by Wednesday whether to issue a restraining order.
Tech scion David Ellison has been a regular in Washington D.C. this year as he races to consolidate Warner Bros. Discovery — less than a year after his family bought Paramount.
(Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)
Friday’s hearing in Oakland opened the first chapter in the fight over the blockbuster deal that both sides agree would dramatically reshape Hollywood. Two century-old film studios — with rights to Harry Potter, Batman, “Top Gun,” “The Big Bang Theory” and “Game of Thrones” — would be combined, and HBO and CNN would come under new ownership.
Antitrust attorney James H. Weingarten, of the Washington law firm Milbank, represents California and the other states. He told the judge it would be impossible to untangle the two companies if they are allowed to combine.
“If this merger is allowed to close … the harms begin,” Weingarten said. “The job losses, the synergies — that’s the fancy word for ‘we’re going to save money and there might be job cuts.’ All of that process starts rolling.”
Bonta filed the suit Monday, alleging the proposed merger — the largest in Hollywood in decades — would violate the U.S. Clayton Antitrust Act, a 112-year-old law to prevent mergers that weaken competition and raise costs for consumers.
The lawsuit alleges antitrust violations in three markets where the two companies currently compete: wide-release films, potential blockbuster movies and cable television, where the combined entity would own more than 50 cable channels.
Paramount shares fell 4.3% to $8.75 on Friday. Warner stock slipped 1.5% to $26.87 — below Paramount’s offer of $31 a share.
More than two dozen lawyers attended Friday’s hearing, including from Colorado, Oregon, Washington and New York who came to support California, which is leading the case.
Paramount, represented by antitrust lawyer Jeffrey L. Kessler, argued a temporary restraining order was not necessary. The two sides should instead focus on the next big step — whether the judge issues a preliminary injunction, he said. Such a ruling could delay the deal for months.
Kessler said Paramount should be allowed a hearing to defend against a preliminary injunction by the end of August. The company wants to wrap up the litigation by late September to avoid a higher payout to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders.
In a show of confidence earlier this year, Paramount offered Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders a “ticking fee” of 25 cents for every quarter after Sept. 30 — until the deal was done. Such payments would cost Paramount more than $7 million a day, which Kessler called a “massive injury.”
California Atty Gen. Rob Bonta is leading a coalition of 12 state attorneys general to try to halt Hollywood’s biggest merger in decades.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Paramount would also have to pay Warner a $7-billion breakup fee should the deal fall apart.
Kessler argued the states had not made a sufficient case that competition would be harmed. “We don’t think they’ve come close to jumping through that hurdle,” Kessler said.
Earlier this year, Kessler represented the state attorney generals in their winning case against Live Nation Entertainment. A jury found that Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, operated as a monopoly. This time, Kessler is representing corporate interests.
Prominent Los Angeles litigator Daniel Petrocelli is representing Warner Bros. Discovery.
Paramount hired attorney Jeffrey Kessler to lead its antitrust defense.
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
The case was assigned to Martínez-Olguín Wednesday after Paramount requested an earlier judge be removed because he formerly worked as a labor attorney.
Martínez-Olguín said she inherited the case because she was already overseeing another lawsuit dealing with the merger — not because Paramount had agitated for a change.
Avanti West Coast has partnered with Family Holiday Charity to offer free family train tickets to vulnerable families, supporting summer holiday breaks at destinations on the West Coast Main Line from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh
Milo Boyd Deputy Travel Editor & Commercial Writer and Neil Lancefield Press Association Transport Correspondent
10:47, 17 Jul 2026
Some families will get free train travel(Image: Getty Images)
A rail operator is offering free travel to vulnerable families so they can enjoy a holiday this summer.
Avanti West Coast has revealed it’s teamed up with Family Holiday Charity to enable breaks at destinations along the West Coast Main Line, which runs from London through to Glasgow and Edinburgh via the West Midlands and north-west England.
The getaways will be made available to families facing challenges including financial struggles, bereavement, caring duties, housing insecurity and domestic abuse.
Avanti West Coast customer experience director Kathryn O’Brien said the firm is “really proud” to help families embark on holidays they “may otherwise not have the chance” to experience.
She continued: “We serve many picturesque towns and seaside destinations along the West Coast Main Line that will be the perfect destination for the families to enjoy new experiences and escapism from their day-to-day reality.
“The trips will offer something that many could take for granted – the opportunity to nurture relationships, create memories and reconnect with one another.”
Family Holiday Charity depends on referrals from sources such as social workers and the NHS to identify people it can assist.
Rob Parkinson, chief executive of Family Holiday Charity, said: “While many of the families we support have not been on a holiday before, it will also be the case that some have never travelled together by rail.
“Providing new experiences and opportunities to make enduring memories is central to what we do as a charity, and so we’re very excited to be working with Avanti West Coast on this summer pilot project.”
Avanti West Coast confirmed it will initially assist six families with summer holiday travel, calling the trial a “first for the rail industry”.
Family Holiday Charity’s mission is to help “families’ children who have never seen the sea, for teenagers who can’t remember when they last saw their mum smile. For parents having to choose between a day out and a new pair of school shoes. For young carers, kinship carers, families facing illness isolation and bereavement.”
Its philosophy is that holidays open up new possibilities and provide a time to reconnect, to try new things, and to make happy memories together.
The charity’s website features stories of those it has helped, as well as details on how you can support it.
One family who received help is Tobi’s. The 12-year-old has Takayasu arteritis, a type of vasculitis that causes inflammation in his blood vessels, damaging his large arteries. It’s treatable but not curable. He’s had two major heart surgeries this past year and life has been so hectic. If Tobi has to go to the hospital, all his family have to go.
“We could be there for months at a time, with Lanny commuting from the hospital to his school. At one point, Tobi was going in every three days for blood transfusions and he missed three years of school,” his mum Fathimas said.
Family Holiday Charity paid for Tobi, his siblings and mum to stay at the seaside in Essex.
“We were so happy to hear it was near the sea. We all love the beach and it reminded us of our days in Ghana. We hugged each other as we started making plans. I checked how far Clacton-on-Sea was from London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital by train, just to be sure we could get there quickly if we had to. That helped ease my mind,” Fathimas said.
NEW YORK — If LeBron James knows where he will play this coming season, he’s still not saying.
The NBA’s career scoring king and current free agent spoke publicly for the first time in weeks Thursday afternoon, though stopped short of revealing which team he’ll choose to play for this fall — despite at least one cry from someone in a jampacked room shouting for him to “pick a team.”
“It’s going to be fun wherever I land,” James said.
The four-time NBA champion was recording an episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast alongside guest co-host Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers in New York on the opening day of Fanatics Fest, a four-day event featuring dozens of athletes, celebrities and sports legends. Single-day general admission tickets were sold out, organizers said, and it’s likely that many of those patrons — there were at least several hundred there, phones out to capture the moment — were hoping to hear James’ next decision.
Not yet, he said.
“There’s no decision,” James said.
Thursday’s appearance has been planned for months; it was announced publicly in May. James playfully chided Haliburton for asking him about his future — “didn’t we talk about this in the back?” James asked, and Haliburton said he’d ”leave it alone.”
Of course, they didn’t leave it alone. James made reference to a slew of teams such as Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia and Golden State, though didn’t appear to give much in the way of hints. He did sip from a bottle of red wine that he opened and shared with Haliburton, calling it one of his podcast traditions.
And when fans shouted out suggestions for James’ next team — one even asked him to play for the New York Yankees — no clues were forthcoming.
“We’ll see,” he said.
If former Lakers forward LeBron James knows where he plans to play next season, he wasn’t sharing that news with fans on Thursday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
James is the NBA’s oldest active player at 41 and the only player in league history to have a career spanning 23 seasons; this coming season will be his 24th. Speculation has been rampant for more than two months about his future, officially starting in May when the Lakers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs.
At that time, James said he didn’t know what he would be doing.
And the only developments that he’s revealed since came on June 30, when he said he would play this coming season and that he was leaving the Lakers after an eight-season run highlighted by the 2020 NBA title.
For more than two weeks, the NBA has been waiting to hear what comes next. James, as he did in a social media post at the time, lauded his time with the Lakers, who also offered him well wishes as he moves forward.
“I spent eight great years with the Los Angeles Lakers,” James said.
James’ resume is beyond compare in NBA history. He’s a 22-time All-Star, a 21-time All-NBA selection, a four-time Most Valuable Player, a four-time NBA Finals MVP, a three-time All-Star Game MVP, and was a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.
He’s also coming off a season where he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. For his career, he’s averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists in more than 1,600 games.
The podcast was the first of two known speaking engagements for James in New York on Thursday.
He also has an appearance at the Game Plan Summit, an invitation-only event presented by CNBC and Boardroom. James is slated to have a conversation with Boardroom co-founder Rich Kleiman — Kevin Durant’s longtime business partner — about “how he’s built an empire beyond basketball, what’s ahead for him in business, and why the next generation of athletes is poised to wield more influence than ever before.”
James started his career in Cleveland in 2003 and spent seven seasons with the Cavaliers before heading to Miami for four seasons — where he won his first two titles. He then returned to Cleveland for four more seasons, leaving in 2018 to start an eight-season run with the Lakers.
Cleveland and Miami are believed to be on James’ radar again as he weighs this decision, as are several other teams including Philadelphia, Minnesota and Golden State.
“I’m looking forward to what comes next as I wind down my journey,” James said.
Whyno and Reynolds write for the Associated Press. Reynolds reported from Miami.
The Shell-led (SHEL) LNG Canada venture said Tuesday it reached a deal for five First Nations to have an equity option to invest as much as C$1B (~US$710M) to acquire infrastructure in Canada’s biggest liquefied natural gas project as a major
TD Bank Group’s (TD) merchant solutions business unit will offer the Clover commerce platform in Canada to help its clients accept payments and manage their business through a single, integrated ecosystem, the company said Monday.
South Korean Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol (C), who serves concurrently as the deputy prime minister for economic affairs, attends a meeting of the emergency economic headquarters at the government complex in Sejong, South Korea, 03 July 2026. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
July 3 (Asia Today) — South Korea will provide 14.9 trillion won ($9.7 billion) in emergency financing and expand tax and trade-insurance support for small and midsize companies struggling with higher import costs caused by the weak won.
The government announced the measures Friday during an emergency economic meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Koo Yun Cheol at Government Complex Sejong.
The package is intended to improve liquidity for companies facing rising raw-material costs and financing pressures as the won remains weak against the U.S. dollar.
The government will redirect 13.8 trillion won ($9 billion) in unused capacity from a 23.7 trillion won ($15.5 billion) policy-financing program previously established in response to the Middle East crisis.
An additional 1.1 trillion won ($719 million) in new financing will also be provided. The government said the total could be increased depending on demand and the pace at which available funding is used.
The Korea SMEs and Startups Agency will establish a special emergency stabilization fund for companies affected by the exchange rate.
Small companies that import raw materials or components worth at least 20% of annual sales will be allowed to apply without meeting an existing requirement that sales or operating profit must have fallen by at least 10%.
The Export-Import Bank of Korea will increase its special crisis-response program from 7 trillion won ($4.6 billion) to 8 trillion won ($5.2 billion).
The bank will also increase its maximum interest-rate reduction from 2 percentage points to 2.2 percentage points.
A new ultralow-interest loan program will provide financing at rates close to the state-run bank’s own funding costs for companies affected by the high won-dollar exchange rate.
The Korea Technology Finance Corp. will raise the coverage ratio for its emergency business stabilization guarantees from 95% to 100%. The reduction in guarantee fees will increase from 0.3 percentage points to 0.4 percentage points.
Companies already using government policy loans may also receive repayment deferrals and loan-maturity extensions.
The government will expand import insurance and currency fluctuation insurance to help businesses manage exchange-rate risks.
Small and midsize companies without an export record will be allowed to purchase import insurance, which was previously more difficult for companies focused primarily on the domestic market to obtain.
Import insurance premiums will be discounted by 50% through April 2027.
Companies facing higher costs for essential imported raw materials may also receive up to twice the normal loan-guarantee limit from the state-run Korea Trade Insurance Corp.
The amount available under the government’s currency fluctuation insurance program will increase from 1.2 trillion won ($785 million) to 1.3 trillion won ($850 million).
Premium discounts for small companies will double from 15% to 30%.
Eligibility for the insurance will also expand from selected raw-material importers to companies importing nearly all categories of goods, excluding luxury products.
The government will establish a separate 10 billion won ($6.5 million) export-voucher program for companies affected by the exchange rate.
The maximum trade-insurance premium support available through the voucher system will temporarily double from 10 million won ($6,500) to 20 million won ($13,100).
The government also plans to allow insurance support to be paid in advance rather than reimbursed after the insurance contract ends.
Small companies borrowing from the Export-Import Bank of Korea will be offered a free option to convert loans between the won and foreign currencies or between two foreign currencies.
Tax relief will be provided alongside the financing programs.
Payment deadlines for corporate income tax, value-added tax, individual income tax and customs duties may be extended for companies experiencing exchange-rate-related financial difficulties.
The government will also provide consulting to help companies reflect currency movements in agreements that link subcontracting payments to changes in raw-material costs.
Companies that effectively operate the system may receive incentives, including exemptions from certain government-initiated investigations into subcontracting practices.
Financial institutions will receive credit under a government evaluation index for providing assistance to small companies affected by the weak won.
Regional export support centers will serve as one-stop contact points for companies seeking information on financing, insurance, tax relief and other assistance.
The government said it would continue reviewing the difficulties faced by businesses and consider additional measures if needed.
‘Uh oh, look at these!” I call to my friends, Annie and Mike. “Ominous,” remarks Annie. Mike raises an eyebrow. We’re hiking the Pevensey Levels, marshland first drained in 772, home now to sheep and cattle, but also water spiders, living underwater in air-filled webs. The ground is pocked with endless impressions of horseshoes.
“It’s almost as if an army came this way,” I say.
And we laugh, but only because we missed that army by 959 years. Annie, Mike, Fflos the dog, and I are on our first day of following the 1066 Country Walk across East Sussex, beginning at Pevensey, ending in Rye. At the midpoint is the town of Battle, where we have rented an outbuilding conversion for three nights. Battle is known as the probable site of the Battle of Hastings: the brutal killing field where about 2,000 Normans, 4,000 Anglo-Saxons and 700 horses died one day in October 1066, according to various sources, leading to William the Conqueror defeating King Harold for the crown of England.
Battle Abbey. Photograph: Maciej Olszewski/Alamy
History commands an immediacy outdoors that it doesn’t in books. You ask different questions on foot. We were on the Levels at the same time of year, September, as the Normans: did they note the blackthorn heavy with sloes? Spot blackbirds feasting on blood-red hawthorn berries? Hear the wind in the rushes alongside the River Pevensey? Did they remark how faded yet abundant this land was on the cusp of autumn? Doubtful, but the contradictions of war-making in such a gentle place – gentle light, gentle breeze, birdsong and river currents – make an impression on us. We notice how the landscape offers the same russet, sage and ochre hues as the Bayeux tapestry.
The 1066 Walk covers 31 miles, and we’ve given it four days: Pevensey to Herstmonceux, 6 miles; Herstmonceux to Battle, 11; Battle to Icklesham, 9; and Icklesham to Rye, 5. Our second day is the longest and steepest, and yet my favourite, as it establishes a pattern that continues throughout. We pick up the well-signposted route in the green secrecy of Wartling Wood, carpeted in acorns, lined by blackberries, and follow it around sunny fields. We emerge into the neat village of Boreham Street, plunge down a holloway guarded by beeches, and roll out into more fields with windswept, distant horizons. The impression is of a settled, well-inhabited landscape – a feeling augmented by morning tea at the Ash Tree Inn in the hamlet of Brownbread Street – but another deeper, more enduring impression underlies it.
Perhaps because the route is designed to call the distant past to mind, with every shift of scene we experience a slippage of time. One moment we’re walking down a contemporary street being passed by speeding cars, then we slip through a small opening in a hedge and plunge not only into fields or woods, but out of the present into time immemorial. There’s a constant weaving in and out of darkness and light, wildness and cultivation, close-grown tunnels of greenery and wide-open, windy spaces, and with each shift comes a hurtling from present to past and back again. The effect is of a temporal quilt sewn with our own footsteps. We encounter few other walkers to break the spell.
Colour saturated … St Thomas church in Winchelsea. Photograph: Nelson Art/Alamy
Elasticity of time is most apparent on Tent Hill, where, as Mike puts it, “the reward to effort ratio is quite good”. Sources suggest one army or the other – no one knows which – camped here, hence the name. Instead of troops, we discover an ancient horse chestnut with branches so immense they have touched the ground and put down roots of their own, creating a family of trees around a living, central ancestor. Joining their company is occupying past and present at once.
Because Mike has had the good sense to rent accommodation at Abbey View Cottages – there is indeed a view of Battle Abbey’s towers – we set forth on day three from our own digs. Another plunge off a country lane lands us on a bridle path in Battle’s Great Wood, where Mike announces: “My fungi sense is twitching.” Soon he is giving a mushroom tutorial: fly agarics; edible boletes and parasols; great penny buns (“the Rolls-Royce of mushrooms,” Mike pronounces).
And then the temporal hopscotch continues. One minute we’re crossing a golf course, the next we’re in deep countryside with venerable oasthouses tucked into hill folds. Shortly before arriving at the welcoming Three Oaks pub, we come upon one of artist Keith Pettit’s 10 Bayeux tapestry-inspired sculptures on the route: six hollow, Celtic-carved oak pillars planted inside with hawthorn. Together they form a circle of growing, living wonder on a hillcrest.
Rye: ‘A town of Henry James, antique shops and good food’. Photograph: Jenifoto/Getty Images
Our final hike brings us to medieval Winchelsea, rebuilt by Edward I in the 1280s after the original town was washed away. We have traversed apple orchards and spent the morning in mellowness reminiscent of Dutch landscape paintings. To our joy, the modern stained glass windows of Winchlesea’s St Thomas church, created by Douglas Strachan as memorials following the first world war, bloom on the route like colour-saturated rainbows.
From Winchelsea, we head to Rye across the silted-in, coastal lowland that would have been underwater in Edward’s day. With Rye in eyeshot, we depart from the official 1066 Country Walk to detour past the ruin of Camber Castle, pressed into the flatland by a big, heavy sky. Begun in 1512, finished in 1544 and demolished in the 1640s by parliamentary forces in the English civil war, it’s a reminder of vulnerability – the waves and threats of invasions this coast has seen – and hubris, simultaneously.
With a final shift of perspective – pastureland to townscape – we fetch up in pretty, comfortable Rye, town of Henry James, antique shops and good food. We are more energised than exhausted, and grateful we didn’t have to conquer this place with anything more than our imaginations.
The Bayeux tapestry is on display at the British Museum from 10 September to 11 July 2027’ tickets now on sale. Abbey View Cottages sleeps four, from £200 a night; rooms as the Ship Innin Rye from £75.
Pamela Petro is the author of The Long Field,published by Little Toller (£14). To support the Guardian buy a copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
Amazon’s Prime Day sale is underway, and members can subscribe to platforms such as Apple TV, Paramount+ and MGM+ with up to 60% off.
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Project Haily Mary is streaming now on MGM+
Amazon has slashed the price of Apple TV, Paramount+ and MGM+ by up to 60% to mark the start of its latest Prime Day sale. On Tuesday (June 23), the retail giant kicked off its latest site-wide sales event, where subscriptions for several major streaming platforms now start at £2.99.
During the sale, Amazon customers can bag an Apple TV subscription for half price at £4.99 (was £9.99) per month. Those securing the deal will lock in the lower price for two months, after which it reverts to the usual £9.99 until cancelled.
Similarly, MGM+ – the home of Project Hail Mary – is now £2.99 (was £5.99) for two months, while Paramount+ is £2.99 (was £7.99) for one month. The deals are running until July 2 and come as Amazon kicks off its Prime Day 2026 sale.
A caveat is that both the reduced streaming subscriptions and free trials will roll on to standard paid subscriptions at the end of the promotional period. This means subscribers should make sure to cancel their subscription before the end of the discounted or free period if they want to avoid paying the standard rate.
Amazon customers can subscribe to Apple TV through Prime Video for £4.99 per month for two months until July 2.
Elsewhere, Sky is giving away streaming subscriptions at no extra cost with its TV packages, with customers signing up for the £24 Ultimate TV bundle able to claim free access to Netflix, HBO Max and Disney+. It also comes with around 135 channels, including Sky Atlantic
For those opting for Apple TV, the streamer has released some highly acclaimed titles already this year. Including comedy horror Widow’s Bay, which holds an impressive 98% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Just launched is the sophomore season of Sugar. The neo-noir detective series led by Colin Farrell as private investigator John Sugar.
Also available to stream are beloved series like Ted Lasso, Severance and Slow Horses. Alternatively, Apple TV offers a seven-day free trial when signing up directly on the platform.
MGM+ also has some hit new titles streaming now, such as Ryan Gosling’s space epic Project Hail Mary. The box-office smash only hit cinemas in March but is included at no extra cost with the Amazon deal, alongside series like Outlander and the James Bond film catalogue.
On Paramount+, members can catch the latest series of Michael Fassbender’s spy thriller The Agency and new episodes of Yellowstone spin-off Dutton Ranch. These are also available on the Paramount+ platform, which is running its own £2.99 deal.
VICTORIA Beckham has extended the biggest olive branch to estranged son Brooklyn yet with a touching Father’s Day tribute to David.
The fashion designer, 52, took to social media to share a snap of David, 51, with Brooklyn, 27, Romeo, 23, Cruz, 21, and Harper, 14, in happier times.
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Victoria shared a touching Father’s Day tribute to David which included estranged son BrooklynCredit: UnknownIt comes days after Brooklyn savagely mocked his strained relationship with his dadCredit: Instagram
Brooklyn has made it clear he has no intention of reconciling with his heartbroken parentsCredit: Samir Hussein/WireImageHe now lives in Los Angeles with wife Nicola PelztCredit: Admedia Photo / SplashNews.com
Brooklyn, who now lives in Los Angeles with wife Nicola Peltz, was seen in a clip saying: “You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the FIFAWorld Cup 2026 from home…”
Smirking Brooklyn then laughed: “It’s a long story.”
He went on to throw down his tickets onto the coffee table.
The advert then said: “It’s complicated. More soon.”
