opens

KATE Ferdinand has shown off her toned abs in Christmas PJs, while opening the doors to her stunning Dubai mansion. 

The 34-year-old revealed earlier this year that she and Rio had officially moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Bromley, South East London.

At the time of the summer move, the star captioned an Instagram post: “A new chapter, a fresh start — because if we don’t try, we’ll never know.”

Now, sharing a peek inside their lives there, the stunning star posted some fabulous festive snaps in her matching Christmas pyjamas. 

“The Christmas celebrations have begun with our babies,” Kate penned, while posing with pals at her Dubai abode. 

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Kate displayed her toned abs and wore her highlighted locks down for the festive photoshoot. 

She flashed a look inside her and Rio’s huge Dubai mansion, with marble floors, as she wandered to the door with her kids to let her friends in. 

Kate and the girls then posed with Santa and The Grinch for a playful photo outside the front of the home. 

And the fitness fanatic also gave a glimpse of her Christmas dining table, equipped with goody bags for the kids. 

Fans rushed to the comments to rave about Kate’s look, as one penned: “Girls your pjs are so nice, where are they from please, you look beautiful.” 

A second person added: “awesome smile and beautiful figure honey,” while a third penned: “Wow, Kate, how amazing do you look.” 

Kate and Rio’s move

Last month, Kate posted a photo dump captioned “recently,” where she shared a string of interior shots. 

The home boasts a huge bedroom with a fluffy beige rug and large bed, with brown wardrobes running alongside one of the walls.

Marble staircases can also be spotted inside the stylish abode, with the entrance hall looking very bright and airy. 

A large black and white family photo can be spotted in the backdrop of one of Kate’s snaps in the home.

Kate flashed another look at the stunning marble entrance as she clutched a huge bouquet of red roses. 

In the lounge, the family have opted for a huge wraparound white sofa with patterned scatter cushions and a white table with a bouquet of roses in the middle. 

The famous family also appear to have an outdoor swimming pool at their residence, which Kate shared a peek at.

The married couple are parents to son Cree, four, and daughter Shae, two.

Rio also has three children from a previous marriage, Lorenz, Tate, 16, and Tia, 13. 

The move to Dubai is full circle for the footballer and former TOWIE star, who met there in 2016 after being introduced out there by mutual friends.

Rio proposed to Kate in Abu Dhabi two years later and the couple tied the knot one year on.

A source said of the couple: “It holds a special place in their hearts as that’s where they met and both could easily travel back and forth for their work commitments in the UK.

“As well as his sporting success Rio has a huge business portfolio now and there is lots of potential in the Middle East.”

Emmerdale’s Bradley Riches – who stars as Lewis Barton in the ITV soap – revealed that acting classes had on big impact on him

Emmerdale star Bradley Riches revealed that acting “saved” him as he opened up about being on the autistic spectrum.

The actor – who plays Lewis Barton in the ITV soap – was diagnosed at nine and did not use words to communicate until he was 10.

However, during an appearance on ITV’s Loose Women on Friday (November 21) he told how drama classes had helped him.

Discussing his experience, the Heartstopper star told the panel: “So, with me, for example, especially with my childhood, I didn’t use words for formal communication until I was 10.”

Asked how he communicated, Bradley explained: “Through, like, sound, movement, communication cards. For example, if my shoes weren’t feeling right, I would have a card and slap it to communicate with my parents.”

Asked if drama classes had helped, he said: “Yeah, I feel like acting definitely saved me in a lot of ways. It’s like, obviously, growing up, not speaking, and then my nan being like, ‘Oh, let’s just throw him into a drama class for confidence.’

“I was like, OK, that’s bonkers. But I went in there and then I would start listening to you know, like you’re watching TV, like these American accents, and slowly over time, I was putting these accents on, and through characters, I kind of learn via myself.

“So through a character, I’ve kind of embedded, OK, how would Bradley say this? How would I do this?

“Through acting, it was kind of an escapism, and it was kind of changing.”

Bradley, 23, joined ITV’s Emmerdale this year as Lewis Barton and revealed that he jumped at the opportunity.

He told the panel: “When I found out Lewis was an autistic character, it was, everything I do, every job I take, I’ve always wanted to kind of fly the flag for the community I’m a part of, like, be it the queer community or the autistic community.

“So, when I found out, you know, Lewis was a double, gay and autistic, I was like, get in there!”

“I mean, I have always wanted to tell stories, autistic stories, especially positive ones,” the actor added.

Loose Women airs at 12.30pm on ITV on weekdays and Emmerdale airs weeknights on ITV1 at 7.30pm and available to stream from 7am on ITVX

KATIE Price broke her silence on her long-running feud with Kelly Brook as she ripped into their mutual ex Danny Cipriani.

Katie played down their bitter spat in the noughties as she turned on Danny and took a swipe at his manhood.

Katie, 47, heaped praised on I’m A Celeb star Kelly, 45 – after they traded digs in the past.

She said she’ll be supporting the Heart Radio presenter in the jungle and claimed on the latest episode of her podcast: “I love Kelly Brook.”

She added: “The only difference between us was she came from a dance background and wouldn’t get her t**s out.”

The glamour model – previously known as Jordan – also spoke out on their connection to rugby star Danny, 38.

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Katie said: “She was going out with Danny Cipriani, and I was going out with Danny Cipriani, and he was a player with a small willy, absolute k**b.”

Her podcast co-host and sister Sophie waded in with her own memory, saying: “I remember dad meeting him and thinking he was a k**b.”

Later in the pod, the sisters discussed reports that Kelly and Katie didn’t get along.

Sophie added: “Did you call her a heffer?”

Katie replied: “I can’t remember calling her a heffer.

“She’s always had a bigger figure than me. She’s a voluptuous figure – she’s stunning, beautiful.

“I am rooting for Kelly (in the jungle) from one glamour girl to another.”

Katie and Danny’s relationship happened a year after his split from Kelly in 2010.

Their romance was short-lived, ending when Katie claimed she discovered Danny in bed with another woman.

Kelly and Danny proved to be the more enduring as they dated for around two years between 2008 and 2010, though their time together was turbulent.

Both accused the other of cheating and Danny even alleged that when Kelly began dating his rugby teammate Thom Evans, she still secretly met up with him while on holiday.

Unsurprisingly, Danny became a key source of bitterness during the infamous clash between Kelly and Katie in 2013. 

At the time, Katie used her newspaper column to take a swipe at Kelly, labelling her a “heffer” and remarking on her size with backhanded compliments.

Katie wrote: “Kelly is a brilliant role model for young girls because of her curvy figure. 

“Every mum should make her daughter look at the recent set of pictures that show Kelly modelling her latest New Look range in Miami.

“They don’t appear to be airbrushed and I’m FLABbergasted to see how big Kelly really is.

“Rumour has it she’s been hanging out with our mutual ex Danny Cipriani. Knowing him, I guess she’s probably been doing a bit of comfort eating.

“You’re a heffer, Kelly, but still a hot one.”

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Her comments came amid rumours that Kelly was considering rekindling things with Danny. 

The following day, Kelly responded, insisting that such remarks were “unladylike.”

AUSSIE actress Isla Fisher has revealed she feels like a new woman and is ready to embrace life following her divorce from Sacha Baron Cohen.

Her comments came as the comic was linked to a woman half his age.

Commenting on her split, Now You See Me star Isla, 49, said: “I’m not going to lie, it’s been a really challenging time.

“I definitely feel like there’s something about the divorce club that anyone in it understands in a way other people don’t. It’s a different grief.

“I feel like creating a new identity after your divorce is so fun, though. You get to reflect on your values and goals, explore new interests, focus on what you want and rebuild your sense of self.”

Isla made her comments in an interview for New Beauty magazine, for which she also posed in a series of outfits.

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The Sun on Sunday revealed yesterday that Ali G star Sacha, 54, had swapped numbers with US influencer Kelsey Calemine, 26, at a Hollywood nightclub.

The Kylie Jenner lookalike was then seen chatting and laughing with the British actor for several minutes outside the venue.

Sacha is said to be “playing the field” following his £120million divorce.

The Sun told in September that he ate out with 27-year-old model Hannah Palmer.

They spent two hours at a Beverly Hills steakhouse and then left in a limo.

Isla and Sacha announced they had split in April last year after 14 years of marriage.

They have three children together.

As the sun begins to set over the San Gabriel Mountains, a group of people runs across a vibrant turf soccer field, passing a ball through the air. They’re surrounded by the glow of the downtown Glendale cityscape — in view are tree-lined streets, handsome civic architecture and an Eiffel Tower-esque structure.

It’s easy to forget you’re atop a parking structure at a mall.

Skyline Pitch is a 25,000-square-foot open-air sports facility that’s taken over the top level of the Americana at Brand, turning what was once a block of concrete into a playground for soccer lovers of all ages and skill levels.

Pickup games start at $15 at the open-air venue.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Created by Chicago-based marketing agency Elemento L2, the complex opened its L.A. location this fall with two rooftop soccer fields, a panna cage (basically a small enclosed area for 1-on-1 or 2-on-2 speed-focused games), a fut tennis court (a small rectangular court with a net dividing it), a soccer golf section and other interactive play zones — offering players 15 ways to engage with the sport. The venue also boasts sleek lounge areas where patrons can hang out, order food, sip on mocktails, watch games on flat-screen TVs and dance to music spun by live DJs on special nights.

Skyline Pitch follows a trend of athletic clubs moving into shopping centers as retail leaders try to tap into customers’ desire for communal experiences and new activities. In the past couple years, indoor pickleball venue Pickle Pop debuted in Santa Monica, in part to try to revive the ailing Third Street Promenade, and Padel Up (dedicated to the sport of padel) entered Westfield Century City. Also this past summer, a social club for racquet sports announced that it would be taking over the defunct Macy’s building at The Bloc in Downtown L.A.

In the world of recreational soccer, converting a portion of a parking structure to create Skyline Pitch is a welcomed move, helping alleviate one of the constant barriers for players in L.A.: a shortage of fields.

A view from the soccer field to downtown L.A.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

“Finding somewhere to play is the hardest thing,” says Matthew Bambrick, founder of SoCal Youth Sports, one of the local organizations that’s partnered with Skyline Pitch to host youth training camps and other programming. “So finding underutilized spaces or space that can be revitalized in different ways is really, really clever. This should be the blueprint.”

For Ivan Lopez, co-founder of elemento L2, it made sense to open the second Skyline Pitch location in L.A. — the first was in Chicago — not only because it’s home to three professional teams and will host the FIFA World Cup next summer but also because of the city’s rich soccer culture.

People enjoy an evening playing soccer.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

“The stadiums are jam-packed whether it’s [the] Gold Cup, World Cup, [UEFA] Nations League, and we celebrate the game in so many ways,” says Lopez, who’s been traveling to L.A. for years to build soccer activations for brands like Target and Coca Cola. “This is where the game is alive and well.”

Anyone wanting to play at Skyline Pitch can sign up for pickup games starting at $15, rent an entire field starting at $150 or buy a $20 activity pass, which grants you access for two hours. The venue is also available for private events and birthday parties. Along with SoCal Youth Sports, other local partners include Cal South Soccer and Soccer Stars Los Angeles.

Jimmy Conrad, who played for the national soccer team for five years and 12 years for Major League Soccer, became a brand ambassador for Skyline Pitch and says he would’ve loved to have a space like Skyline Pitch when he was growing up in L.A., a place where people are “encouraged to play soccer.”

“It just didn’t exist in my generation,” he says. Although the street and local parks [offer] more than enough room to play, he says, having a dedicated venue with the proper goals and lines “just raises the cool factor.”

THE LEAD up to Christmas hasn’t fully begun until Winter Wonderland opens, and today that is happening.

Every year one of the UK’s biggest Christmas markets returns to Hyde Park in London.

And this year, there are a number of changes.

I was one of the first to check it out – so here is my full rundown of everything that is worth it, from food and drinks to rides, as well as what you can skip.

The atmosphere

Winter Wonderland 2025 certainly has had a glow up.

The entrances all have exciting new themes and twinkling lights are everywhere.

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It feels a lot like Christmas has thrown up in Hyde Park, in the best way possible.

Throughout, the attention to detail is impressive.

For example, in the alpine-themed bar after you exit Bar Ice, there are disused ski lift pods changed into seating areas and heaters in every corner to ensure it is nice and toasty, despite still being outside.

The rides all glow and the music booms, but not too loud that you can’t hear yourself think.

Rides and existing attractions

For 2025, fan favourites have returned including rollercoasters, drop towers, a giant Ferris Wheel and Bar Ice.

The towering wheel, which is the largest travelling wheel in the world, has been upgraded with pods that close to keep you dry and warm.

For £10 per adult and £8 per child, I was skeptical, but you do get around four full rotations for that and the views are unmatched.

The Bavarian Hall is as big as ever, and offers the ideal spot to have as a base if you’re attending as a group of friends.

Bar Ice has also returned, and though this was the thing I was most skeptical about costing between £15.50 and £18 depending when you visit, for a 20 minute experience, it ended up being my favourite attraction.

The impressive bar made entirely of ice, features fantastical carved creations and has all been made in collaboration with Mixtons cocktails (which you get one included in the entry fee).

The cocktails are then served in a glass made entirely of ice.

In London, cocktails can often set you back upwards of £12, so when you think about it you’re paying around £5 for the experience – which in my opinion was more than worth it.

At the other end of the spectrum is the ice skating rink, which claims to be the UK’s largest open-air ice rink, which I find hard to believe having also visited Somerset House’s ice rink which I feel is bigger.

It costs between £11.50 and £17.50 per adult and £8.50 and £12.50 per child, and rather sneakily you are not allowed to take your bag onto the ice with you and are consequently forced to pay an additional £2 for the cloakroom.

The ice rink also sits at the edge of the attraction, and felt like it had been squeezed in and forgotten about – plus the entrance is super confusing to find.

Of all the attractions I visited, I would say this is the one to definitely miss.

Instead, head to Somerset House which costs from £15 per adult and from £10 per child and is in a stunning setting.

The new features

There are a number of new features at the event this year, including a good number of new attractions for kids.

Conveniently located next to the Red Gate (the recommended entrance if you want to head to more child-friendly activities), you will find the new Jingle Bell Bistro – a food market designed with kids in mind.

There are a number of street food vendors selling different child-friendly options, such as chicken nuggets and burgers.

Adults can also get food from here, but I think the idea is that it isn’t fussy food with all the bells and whistles, it is more core staples and comfort food that pleases everyone – a very good idea in my opinion.

Prices varied, including £8 per child-sized pasta dish, or £12 for an adult portion.

Just steps away from the new food area is Santa’s Grotto and Workshop, which is free to visit once inside Winter Wonderland.

The outside is impressive, looking as if it has just been plucked from the movie Elf – in fact, it made me want to be a kid again.

Visitors can explore the Elves Workshop where they help elves solve puzzles before heading into Santa’s Grotto, which is beautifully decked out with Christmas trees and Santa himself.

There is also the Dr. Archibald VR Experience (Horror Edition) from 5pm each day.

It features special effects and a lot of robotics, and is rather costly per turn at £7 per adult and £5 per child.

Though, maybe this is still designed for kids as throughout the entire ride I didn’t jump until the very end when the ride host came to lift up my safety bar… How ironic.

The Magical Ice Kingdom also has a new theme for this year based around the four elements.

Inside, you will find an abundance of carved ice creations all set in a -10C world, that truly are breathtaking to see.

It costs from £9 per adult and £7 per child to see, which I do think is on the steep side as the experience lasts about 15 minutes.

I would say it is more for families who don’t like the rides.

Another new spot for this year, this time for the adults, is the Après-Ski Themed Village with live DJs.

Sadly, upon our visit it was raining so there was no DJ playing and no one around, but I can imagine this area coming alive when it isn’t wet and windy.

There is also a new Zippos Christmas Circus (between £11.50 and £17 per adult and between £8.50 and £14 per child) show to check out, and a new Cirque Berserk (between £12.50 and £18 per adult and between £9.50 and £15.00 per child) show too.

Food and drink

Now let’s not lie… Every year TikTok and Instagram becomes full of people slating Winter Wonderland for its prices, and this includes food.

Winter Wonderland has loads of different places to grab food, but we headed to the Street Food Village, which is where you will find most of the meals you see go viral on social media.

And of course, we tried those options.

I opted for Stakehaus’ Xmas Sub, which was crowned the best Christmas sandwich in London by Time Out last year.

At £16.50 it certainly was the most expensive Christmas sandwich I have ever had (though I am not sure I can compare M&S Christmas edition sandwiches to this).

Encased in a soft bread bun, was dry-aged roast beef rump with gravy, sage and shallot crumble, parsnip crisps, cavolo Nero, cauliflower cheese with horseradish mayo.

And my word, it was as good as it sounds.

The gravy really helped to not make the whole thing dry, and the different textures made it truly feel like Christmas in a sandwich.

Admittedly, I would have perhaps liked to taste the horseradish a little more or have some cranberry.

The key thing to remember is that a lot of the vendors are in markets across the city, and when I compared prices between Stakehaus’ Winter Wonderland stall and their Camden Market one – I was please to see only 50p difference between their classic steak and fries option.

Fellow travel reporter Alice Penwill said: “The Mac Factory serves gourmet mac and cheese so of course I had to give their new Holy Quackaroni a try.

“It was £12.50 for a very generous portion, inside my pot was hot and creamy macaroni pasta topped with duck, cranberry sauce, crispy onions and two slices of brie – which if you leave long enough will melt on top.

“The cranberry sauce was a bit much for me and very sweet – but all in all it was delicious, and so filling I couldn’t even finish it.

“You’ll struggle with this one if you still you want room for dessert.”

Travel writer Jenna Stevens said: “I went for the Mango Box from fried chicken shack, Only Jerkin’.

“For £14.50 I was served a generous portion of mango and coconut chicken strips, jerk fries, coleslaw, BBQ sauce and a chilli mango aioli.

“I’m so used to paying hefty prices and being disappointed by small portions from street food vendors.

“But I have nothing to complain about here – the flavours were the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy, and the big portion kept me full all night.”

For dessert I opted for the viral London Cheesecake Company – a frozen vanilla cheese cake, dipped in melted chocolate and the covered in a topping of your choice.

Of course I added a trend to the trend by getting Dubai chocolate as my topping.

The dessert came in at £9 – admittedly expensive – and it was extremely decadent.

One can definitely be shared between two or three people.

I reckon for a family of four, for a main meal, dessert and drink each, you would be looking at the £100 mark.

Though, you could definitely skip dessert as the mains are super filling and if there is one thing to not miss, it is Stakehaus’ Xmas Sub.

Elsewhere we also found a pick n’ mix and of course had to grab some for nibbles between rides.

However, when selecting our chosen sweets it was hard to know how much it would cost.

At the specific stall we were at, there were no signs to tell you how much 100g would cost.

So, you can imagine the gut wrenching feeling I got when 425g of sweets (for reference that’s around the same weight as three bags of fruit pastilles) cost me a staggering £16.11.

For that, I got around 35 sweets – so I would say to avoid the sweet stalls like the plague.

When it came to drinks though, I was pleasantly surprised.

Mulled wine was £6.40, and whilst this is 30p more than last year, I don’t think it was ridiculous.

The same went for beer with a pint costing between £6.50 to £7.75, a double shot spirit and mixer came in at £11.50 and cocktails around £12.

Non-alcoholic drinks like Pepsi, 7UP or Tango would set you back £2.90 a can.

And that viral deluxe hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows? Well, it was still cheaper than heading to Starbucks (£4.85), at £4.70.

Prices to enter Winder Wonderland vary from free to over £7.50 during peak hours.

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Despite her injury, Warda Abu Jarad has started baking cookies and bread to help provide for her family.

A woman in Gaza blinded in an Israeli air strike has opened a bakery to make ends meet and keep her hopes for the future alive, she tells Al Jazeera.

Warda Abu Jarad, 51, is one of 170,698 Palestinians who have been wounded in Gaza since Israel began its genocidal war on the territory in October 2023.

Abu Jarad explained that she lost her sight when her house was bombed by the Israeli military, causing debris to fall into her eyes.

“The smoke from the bombing blinded me completely,” she said.

Speaking from a tent in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, the mother told Al Jazeera that she was still adjusting to being blind and needs someone to guide her whenever she wants to move from one place to another.

“Even when I want to move inside the tent, I wait for someone to help me cross,” she said. “I tried to enter the tent once, hit my head and fell, … so now I feel the ground with my feet to know what’s in front of me.”

Her daughter has been her biggest support, she said.

Her blindness has been hard for her to take. “The most precious thing in life is sight. Every time I struggle to reach something I need, I start crying,” Abu Jarad said.

Despite such challenges, Abu Jarad is, like other Palestinians in Gaza, trying to rebuild her life amid the ruins, ongoing Israeli bombardment, restricted aid and grief.

“I decided to open a business to provide for my family. I opened a bakery and started to grow it. I started baking ma’amoul [filled butter cookies] and bread,” she said one month into a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

“I need to keep going because the situation here is so hard,” she added.

Since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10, there have been some small improvements in daily life in Gaza, but the United Nations and NGOs have warned that the amount of aid Israel is letting into Gaza remains wholly insufficient.

Israel claims it has adhered to the truce by permitting entry to 600 aid trucks each day while Hamas says the daily number is actually about 150.

On Wednesday, Israel said it had reopened the Zikim crossing to the northern Gaza Strip.

“The opening of direct crossings to the north is vital to ensure that sufficient aid reaches people as soon as possible,” the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said recently.

“All I want in life is to have my sight restored, and I want to see my daughter as a bride in her wedding dress. This is my greatest wish from God,” Abu Jarad said.

Nothing quite prepares you for your first glimpse of Chatsworth. As we turn into the drive, the house reveals itself, a handsome limestone edifice framed by a steep ridge of wooded hills, ablaze with autumn colours, and fronted by rolling parkland where sheep graze on the riverbanks. Despite its bucolic aspect, this is a landscape that has been carefully honed and crafted over centuries by successive generations of the Cavendish family, who have lived in this beautiful corner of Derbyshire for more than 450 years.

Some of the most significant alterations were made in the 19th century by the 6th Duke of Devonshire (also known as “the Bachelor Duke”), an extravagant character who had the estate village demolished and rebuilt over the brow of a hill because he felt it was spoiling the view from the house. His perfectionism paid off; as the long queue of cars snaking up to the ticket office on a beautiful October morning attests, Chatsworth is one of the most popular stately homes in the UK today, welcoming more than 600,000 visitors a year.

Opening its doors to the public is just one of the ways that this grand old pile keeps the show on the road. The estate is a sprawling enterprise that covers a sizeable chunk of the Peak District national park and has grown to encompass the Chatsworth Farm Shop, dozens of holiday lets – ranging from shepherd’s huts to a 16th-century hunting tower – two pubs (the Beeley Inn and the Pilsley Inn), and the Cavendish Hotel.

The latest addition to the fold is the Hide hotel, which is being pitched as an affordable, family-friendly alternative to some of the pricier accommodation in the Chatsworth Escapes portfolio, with doubles from £80 a night, room only. Previously known as the Highwayman hotel, it sits on the A619 road from Chesterfield to Bakewell and was run as a Premier Inn and Beefeater restaurant for many years (“lots of orange and pictures of cows”, as one staff member described it to me). It reopened in October after a refurbishment overseen by Laura Burlington, daughter-in-law of the current Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. We’re among the first guests to stay in the new-look hotel.

After completing the automated check-in (there’s no reception desk, but staff are on hand in the bar/restaurant next door), we settle into our family bunk room, which has a kingsize bed and built-in “cabin bunks”. The decor is simple but cosy, with soft woollen blankets and carpets, furniture made from reclaimed wood and modern artwork from the Cavendish family’s private collection.

We’re booked in for dinner at the Hide Grill and Pizzeria, which offers a “campfire-inspired menu designed for sharing and cooked over an open flame”. Fears of being marched outside and forced to sing Ging Gang Goolie quickly dissipate as we’re shown to a fireside table in a quiet corner of the large and sprawling restaurant. The menu offers a long list of crowd-pleasers from fish and chips to wood-fired pizzas and barbecued spare ribs, as well as kid-friendly desserts such as s’mores sharing boards. The food isn’t the only thing that’s designed with families in mind. There’s a dedicated play corner, with books, toys and a miniature kitchen to keep younger diners entertained while they wait for their food. It’s a Sunday, so we order from the roast menu – a choice of rotisserie chicken, Chatsworth estate-reared beef or lamb with all the trimmings, followed by ginger parkin with custard. The food is great, the portions generous and, at £18 a person, it’s incredibly good value.

Entry to the house and grounds is not included in the room rate, but multi-entry tickets are available, which give unlimited access for the duration of your stay. Hotel guests can buy a day pass to the Chatsworth Health and Fitness Club, a couple of miles away, with its pool, gym, tennis courts and treatments, and can book conservation tours during the winter when the house is closed to the public. Another perk is having direct access to the estate’s 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres) of park and moorland.

In our room is a booklet of circular walks that start from the hotel or the nearby village of Baslow. One route takes you from the hotel’s back gate across the fields to Chatsworth House, a walk of around 5 miles; another takes you up to Curbar Edge, one of the Peak District’s distinctive gritstone escarpments. Walkers and cyclists are made to feel welcome here with bike and boot wash stations, cycle storage and an outdoor dog bath and shower for those bringing a four-legged friend. There’s also a bus service that runs from Chesterfield to Chatsworth with a stop outside the hotel, making this a viable base for exploring the national park without a car.

We’ve arranged to have a private tour of the house, and our guide, Martin, proves to be a mine of fascinating facts about the 17 generations of Cavendishes who have called this their home. He leads us through the breathtaking Painted Hall with its colourful frescoes, the regal State Rooms, the chapel, the cosy library (where a huge Christmas tree is being installed) and the purpose-built Sculpture Gallery, pointing out some of the artworks, which range from Roman and Egyptian sculpture to old masters.

Impressive though these masterpieces are, it’s the everyday details that bring the place to life. Martin tells us the house was used as a girls’ boarding school during the second world war. When the 17th-century tapestries in the State Drawing Room were removed for cleaning, they found Cadbury’s chocolate wrappers dating back to the 1930s stuffed behind them.

We spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the grounds – the greenhouses, grotto, maze and spectacular Emperor Fountain, built in 1844, another addition by the 6th duke, who wanted to build the tallest fountain in the world to impress Tsar Nicholas I. In the event the tsar was a no-show, although Chatsworth has had its fair share of illustrious guests, from King Edward VII to novelist Elizabeth Gaskell and political philosopher Thomas Hobbes. There has been speculation that Jane Austen based her descriptions of Pemberley on Chatsworth, although there is no evidence that she visited. Nevertheless, the house stood in for Mr Darcy’s grand estate in the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. “There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire,” wrote Austen in that same novel. If you’re looking for an affordable, comfortable and friendly base from which to explore the county, the Hide is a very decent place to start.

The Hide has doubles from £80 a night, and bunk rooms sleeping two adults and two children from £125, both room-only

The carmaker first announced the plan for battery production in 2021.

Toyota Motor Corporation has begun production at its $13.9bn North Carolina battery plant as it ramps up hybrid production and confirms plans to invest $10bn over five years in United States manufacturing.

The Tokyo, Japan-based carmaker announced the developments on Wednesday.

It first introduced the plan in December 2021 to produce batteries for its hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs). Batteries from the plant are set to power hybrid versions of the Camry, Corolla Cross, RAV4, and a yet-to-be-announced, all-electric, three-row-battery vehicle. The plant is producing hybrid batteries for factories in Kentucky and a Mazda and Toyota joint venture in Alabama.

“Over the next five years, we are planning an additional investment of $10bn in the US to further grow our manufacturing capabilities, bringing our total investment in this country to over $60bn,” said Ted Ogawa, president of Toyota Motor North America.

Toyota’s 11th US factory, on a 1,850-acre (749-hectare) site, will be able to produce 30 gigawatt-hours of energy annually at full capacity and house 14 battery production lines for plug-in hybrids and full EVs. It will eventually employ 5,000 workers.

Last month in Japan, US President Donald Trump said Toyota planned a $10bn investment in the United States.

“Go out and buy a Toyota,” said Trump, who has been critical of Japanese and other auto imports and has imposed hefty tariffs on imported vehicles.

Toyota has been one of the slowest carmakers to move to full EVs, but has rapidly moved to convert its best-selling vehicles to hybrids.

“We know there is no single path to progress”, Ogawa said on Wednesday.

“That’s why we remain committed to our multi-pathway approach, offering fuel-efficient gas engines, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electronics and fuel cell electronics.”

Other car companies like Volkswagen have said they will add more hybrids as the Trump administration has rescinded EV tax credits and eliminated penalties that incentivised EV sales.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at the event that the administration plans to soon propose to ease fuel economy standards, saying prior rules were too aggressive.

Duffy in January signed an order to direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to rescind fuel economy standards issued under former US President Joe Biden, a Democrat, for the 2022-2031 model years that had aimed to drastically reduce fuel use for cars and trucks.

Toyota’s stock is up by about 0.4 percent in midday trading in New York.

IT’S that time of year again where the festive markets open their doors with thrilling rides and magical experiences – and the best one in the UK will open in a matter of days.

Winter Wonderland in London – which was recently named the UK’s best Christmas market – will launch on November 14 and run for six weeks until January 1.

As well as fan favourites, a number of new experiences and attractions will be appearing at the extravaganza.

Here’s the rundown…

Revamped Santa Land

Santa Land has been revamped this year with a new interactive Elves Workshop experience.

Visitors can play puzzles, spin giant cogs and help the elves bring Santa’s toys to life.

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Families can also uncover hidden treasures and get Santa’s autograph.

Then they can head into a snow-dusted forest, with the scent of pine in the air, to sit in Santa’s sleigh.

Free Santa’s Grotto

Part of the revamped Santa Land will also be a free Santa’s Grotto experience.

Visitors will head off on a journey through the new Elves Workshop and see Mrs Claus before meeting the big man himself.

World’s first street food market just for kids

Completely new for this year is the world’s first street food market just for kids.

Known as Jingle Bell Bistro, inside elves have collected the top foodie finds from across the globe for kids to enjoy.

New theme for Magical Ice Kingdom

Whilst the Magical Ice Kingdom is nothing new, it will have a new theme this year – ‘A Mystical, Mythical Fantasy World’.

Visitors will be able to adventure through the Four Realms of Earth, Fire, Air and Water, which will all be made from 500 tonnes of snow and ice by sculptors from the UK and Belgium.

The Magical Ice Kingdom is rather chilly at -10C and it is one of Europe‘s largest ice attractions.

New Après-Ski Party Resort

Over in the much-loved Bavarian Village – where there is usually live music, traditional German food and mulled wine – there will be a new Apres-Ski themed village.

Here visitors will be able to grab a festive-themed drink, bratwursts and enjoy live DJ sets.

New Luminarie Market

The iconic Luminarie light arches were introduced to Winter Wonderland back in 2015, but this year will feature a new extension with an additional 50,260 LED bulbs.

It will also feature a market selling unique and traditional festive gifts.

New Zippos Christmas Circus show

Zippos Christmas Circus will be returning with a new show featuring acrobats, trapeze performers and funny characters.

New Cirque Berserk show

This year the award-winning Cirque Berserk will return with their “most thrilling exclusive show yet” called Ignite.

It will include a number of daredevil performers, including motorbike stunts and fire acts.

The show lasts 45 minutes and costs from £12.50 per adult and £9.50 per child.

Dr. Archibald VR Experience – Horror Edition

This year the Dr Archibald ride has had a revamp.

From 5pm each day, this VR-supported ride is plunged into a horror edition, with special effects, zombies, man-eating plants and spiders.

It costs £9 per person, or £12 per person for fast-track.

New packages

In addition to the new attractions, Winter Wonderland also has a number of new packages available for visitors.

The Arctic Adventure package allows visitors access to the ice rink, a journey through the Magical Ice Kingdom and a race down the Real Ice Slide.

Then the Festive Favourites package, allows visitors to take in panoramic views of London on the giant wheel, sip cocktails in the bar and go ice skating.

The Show Spectacular package includes the top fairground activities, including entry to either Zippos Christmas Circus or Cirque Berserk: Ignite.

Finally, The Taste of Bavaria package allows visitors to enjoy food and festive brews in the Bavarian village.

Returning favourites

A number of attractions will be returning including the UK’s largest ice rink.

The Giant Observation Wheel, which measures 60 metres tall, will also return and is great for looking over the city.

Of course, the popular Bavarian Village will be back as will the tonnes of stalls selling pretty gifts and decorations.

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If you are looking for other festive things to do this winter, here are 27 free festive experiences across the UK for families including light trails and Santa’s grotto.

Plus, UK Christmas market that attracts nearly two million visitors is getting three new attractions.

About 50,000 people are expected to attend the 12-day climate summit in the Brazilian city of Belem.

The 30th annual United Nations climate change conference (COP30) has started in the Brazilian city of Belem, with leaders calling for countries to take a united approach against global warming.

“In this arena of COP30, your job here is not to fight one another – your job here is to fight this climate crisis, together,” the UN’s climate chief, Simon Stiell, told delegates on Monday.

Some 50,000 people from more than 190 countries are expected to attend the 12-day event, which is being held at the edge of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest.

Addressing the conference, Stiell said that previous climate talks had helped, but that there was “much more work to do”.

The UN climate boss noted that countries would have to move “much, much faster” in driving down greenhouse gas emissions. “Lamenting is not a strategy. We need solutions,” he said.

His comments came as a new UN analysis of countries’ climate plans found that the pledged reductions fall far short of the drop needed by 2035 to limit temperatures to 1.5C (2.7F) above pre-industrial temperatures.

If this threshold is breached, the world will experience far more severe impacts than it has so far, experts say.

“Climate change is no longer a threat of the future. It is a tragedy of the present,” Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stressed at the start of COP30.

Brazil’s leader condemned those seeking to undermine efforts to combat the climate crisis.

“They attack institutions, they attack science and universities,” he said. “It’s time to inflict a new defeat on the deniers.”

The United States is not sending any delegates to COP30 in keeping with President Donald Trump’s anti-climate change stance.

“It’s a good thing that they are not sending anyone. It wasn’t going to be constructive if they did,” the US’s former special envoy for climate, Todd Stern, said of the Trump administration’s decision.

COP30 President Andre Correa do Lago said the US’s absence “has opened some space for the world to see what developing countries are doing”.

Pablo Inuma Flores, an Indigenous leader from Peru, urged world leaders to do more than simply give pledges at this year’s conference.

“We want to make sure that they don’t keep promising, that they will start protecting, because we as Indigenous people are the ones who suffer from these impacts of climate change,” he said.

In a letter to COP30 that was published on Monday, dozens of scientists expressed their fears about the melting of glaciers, ice sheets and other frozen parts of the planet.

“The cryosphere is destabilising at an alarming pace,” they wrote. “Geopolitical tensions or short-term national interests must not overshadow COP30. Climate change is the defining security and stability challenge of our time.”

Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin appeared on BBC The One Show and opened up about the final season of the show

Stranger Things fans are bracing themselves to bid farewell to the beloved programme that has captivated audiences since 2016, as the final instalment of the science fiction drama draws to a close.

Caleb McLaughlin, who portrays Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix series created by Matt and Ross Duffer, has reflected on wrapping up filming, describing it as the “best day”.

The star joined fellow cast members Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp and Gaten Matarazzo on BBC’s The One Show on Monday (November 10) evening, where he discussed the upcoming final season with presenters Alex Jones and Angelica Bell, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Alex immediately remarked: “You’ve been together for ages, you’ve grown up together and the chemistry between you is so brilliant.”

The presenter then enquired: “What was it like to film that last moment before they shouted ‘that’s a wrap?'”

Caleb confessed: “It was really emotional honestly. I reference a 90s anime flashback, I felt like I was reminiscing on my future, my present and the past.”

He continued: “I’ve been on the show almost half my life, I mean all of us have. It’s been 10 years, it’s wild. It’s something so deep that I can’t truly understand yet because my frontal lode is still closing but it was an emotional day but one of my best days.”

When questioned about whether he’d managed to take any mementoes from the set, the actor disclosed: “With permission, my bandanna, a wright locket and some clothes from each season.”

After the explosive finale of series four, Netflix unveiled the trailer for series five last month, showing our beloved Hawkins youngsters gearing up for a final showdown with Vecna.

The clip reveals where Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) has been lurking, as it begins with the arch-villain stepping out from the shadows in the Upside Down’s version of Hawkins’ town hall, declaring: “We can begin.”

It then switches to the residents of Hawkins, who find themselves “stuck” in their town due to military intervention as authorities attempt to contain the chaos Vecna unleashed at the close of series four.

The tension escalates as Finn Wolfhard’s Mike Wheeler and his mates devise one final assault against Vecna to “end this once and for all”.

The trailer also features Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) using her abilities to soar through the sky, whilst Max (Sadie Sink) is shown being carried from the hospital by Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), who then finds himself chased by a demodog.

In the trailer’s closing moments, an epic confrontation is hinted at, as Vecna lifts Will into the air towards him, saying: “You are going to help me…one…last…time.”

The One Show airs weekdays from 7pm on BBC One and iPlayer

Climate-related disasters and conflict have displaced millions of people across the globe, the United Nations has warned before the opening of its annual climate change conference.

The UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a report, published on Monday to coincide with the launch of the 30th annual UN Climate Change conference (COP) in Brazil, that weather-related disasters caused about 250 million people to flee their homes over the past decade.

The migration agency issued its second major report on the effect of climate change on refugees – No Escape II: The Way Forward – in the run-up to COP 30, as it appears that the enthusiasm of countries to agree action to curb climate change continues to ebb.

“Over the past decade, weather-related disasters have caused some 250 million internal displacements – equivalent to over 67,000 displacements per day,” the report said. 

The UNHCR added that climate change is also increasing the difficulties faced by those displaced by conflict and other driving forces.

“Climate change is compounding and multiplying the challenges faced by those who have already been displaced, as well as their hosts, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings,” it continued.

Floods in South Sudan and Brazil, record heat in Kenya and Pakistan, and water shortages in Chad and Ethiopia are among the disasters noted in the report.

The number of countries facing extreme exposure to climate-related hazards is projected to rise from three to 65 by 2040.

Those 65 countries host more than 45 percent of all people currently displaced by conflict, it added.

“Extreme weather is … destroying homes and livelihoods, and forcing families – many who have already fled violence – to flee once more,” UN refugees chief Filippo Grandi said in a statement.

“These are people who have already endured immense loss, and now they face the same hardships and devastation again. They are among the hardest hit by severe droughts, deadly floods and record-breaking heatwaves, yet they have the fewest resources to recover,” he said.

By 2050, the report reads, the hottest 15 refugee camps in the world – in The Gambia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Senegal and Mali – are projected to experience nearly 200 days of hazardous heat stress per year.

Weakening commitment

The refugee agency’s report emphasised that while the effect of climate change is growing, the commitment towards dealing with it has been weakening.

The UNHCR hopes to reawaken efforts to fight the effects at the conference in Brazil.

Under President Donald Trump, the United States, traditionally the world’s top donor, has slashed foreign aid.

Washington previously accounted for more than 40 percent of the UNHCR’s budget. Other major donor countries have also been tightening their belts.

“Funding cuts are severely limiting our ability to protect refugees and displaced families from the effects of extreme weather,” Grandi said.

“To prevent further displacement, climate financing needs to reach the communities already living on the edge,” he said. “This COP must deliver real action, not empty promises.”

About 50,000 participants from more than 190 countries will meet in Belem, in the Amazon rainforest, to discuss curbing the climate crisis.

One topic on the agenda exposing the difficulties of agreeing on global action is the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

The policy is designed to prevent “carbon leakage” by requiring importers of carbon-intensive goods like steel and cement to pay the same price for embedded emissions that EU producers face domestically.

While the EU promotes CBAM as a necessary environmental tool to encourage greener practices, critics of the policy, including major trading partners like the US and China, view it as a veiled act of protectionism.

Developing nations, meanwhile, are concerned that it unfairly shifts the financial burden of climate action onto them.

The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in China has been officially opened and is now the highest bridge in the world – reducing the journey time for locals from two hours to just two minutes

China has unveiled a stunning new record-breaker after officially opening the world’s highest bridge in Guizhou province in the southwest of the country. The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge has slashed journey times from two hours down to just two minutes, according to local state media.

The remarkable structure boasts a deck-to-surface measurement of 625 metres – more than half a kilometre – making it tower above the previous record holder. It beats the Beipanjiang Bridge (Duge Bridge), also in China, which stands at 565.4 metres, by nearly 60 metres.

China’s rapid construction capabilities have recently drawn admiration from figures including Reform UK MP Zia Yusuf, who publicly expressed frustration on social media about the lengthy timescales for smaller infrastructure schemes in the United Kingdom.

Work on the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge commenced in January 2022 and was finished in under four years. The ambitious scheme resulted in a structure stretching almost 3km across a canyon dubbed the “Earth crack”.

The bridge measures 2,890 metres in total length and underwent rigorous testing before authorities gave the green light for public use.

As reported by ITV, before the bridge could be deemed safe for traffic, a dynamic load test was conducted, reports the Express.

This involved 96 lorries driving onto specific points of the structure in groups.

The new structure has now bagged the Guinness World Record for being the tallest bridge globally.

Now, globetrotters from all corners of the world are keen to witness the magnificent construction that officially opened its doors on 28 September 2025.

The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge boasts glass walkways for visitors to gaze down at the Beipan River, approximately 580 metres below.

It also features viewing platforms and a glass lift leading to its sky-high café, set to open in November this year.

For those seeking a thrill, they can bungee jump from the bridge.

State media have reported plans for professional BASE jumping events.

PREDATOR: BADLANDS

(12A) 107mins

★★★☆☆

WHAT happens when the hunter becomes the hunted? That’s the question in this latest outing for the marauding monster franchise.

And for the first time it’s a Predator and not a person who is our protagonist.

This fundamental plot twist takes the action into pure sci-fi territory, too.

While Badlands still has a cat-and-mouse chase at its core, director Dan Trachtenberg disposes of the previous man versus masked extraterrestrials that glued together all predecessors.

And not a single human lifeform features in this script.

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Forget Predator’s 1980s roots, which saw Arnold Schwarzenegger battling other-worldly beings in the jungle.

Decent curveball

Here an epic 22-minute opening explainer sees our lead Predator — young Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) — witness the murder of his brother Kwei by their Yautja father.

Cast out from his clan he takes flight to a far-flung planet with the intention of hunting down and slaying the gigantic apex hunter known as the Kalisk.

As well as this mutinous adversary, poisonous plants that can paralyse and lethal grass made of razor blades, here Dek also encounters Thia (Elle Fanning) — a Weyland-Yutani android left hanging from a tree after the Kalisk cut off her legs.

This becomes Dek’s cyborg-in-crime as they help each other across the Badlands with the aim of taking out their mutual target.

Thia’s spoken sentences after an awful lot of subtitled (uncannily Dutch-sounding) Yautja language are a welcome relief.

There’s an unexpected amount of humour too, mostly centred on an additional cute critter travelling companion called Bud.

But amusing segues aside, the idea that everyone is doggedly hunting something does still stand.

The Kalisk and Thia’s evil android twin Tessa are intent on trying to capture Dek, which enables all the heavyweight stand-off set pieces you could hope for.

The graphics are consistently excellent and there’s a decent curveball at the end to leave the door to the next instalment open.

Predator fans may feel dissatisfied by just how far-removed Badlands has travelled from the original.

But doing so does pave the way for some unadulterated futuristic action that can be enjoyed entirely on its own merits, and by a whole new audience.

ANEMONE

(15) 126 mins

★★☆☆☆

DANIEL DAY-LEWIS makes his big-screen return after seven years in this movie directed by his son Ronan.

On paper, that reunion sounds moving. In practice, the film feels heavy, distant and difficult to connect with.

It’s set in the late 1980s on a grey northern coast, and the movie commits fully to that gloom, as every scene reminds of the weight of past burdens the characters still carry.

Day-Lewis plays Ray, a recluse who has cut himself off from almost everyone.

His estranged brother (Sean Bean), seeks to bridge the gap, bringing with him long-buried resentment and unfinished conversations.

The performances themselves are strong, especially from Day-Lewis, who can still command a screen with the smallest gesture.

But the script – written by the actor and his director son – rarely gives the audience room to breathe.

Silence stretches on, metaphors pile up, and the film’s symbolism grows so thick it begins to feel jarring.

There are flashes of genius – a confrontation here, a quiet confession there – but the slow, sombre bits in between offer little or no reward.

The film wants to be profound about pain passed between generations, yet its emotional impact gets lost in its own seriousness.

LINDA MARRIC

THE CHORAL

(12A) 113mins

★★★★☆

YORKSHIRE royalty, writer Alan Bennett, is the recognisable voice behind the script of this feelgood World War One drama.

Set in his native God’s Own Country and with a stunning scenic backdrop, the movie is laced with Bennett’s trademark dry comedy and explores the hope and the horror of wartime Britain through the members of a local community choir.

Ralph Fiennes – superb as choirmaster Dr Guthrie – is brought in to help raise the roof for the ensemble’s annual performance.

Here he heads up a comforting cast of acting heavyweights including Mill owner Duxbury (Roger Allum), pianist Horner (Robert Emms) and Simon Russell Beale as the composer Elgar.

Initially regarded with suspicion thanks to pre-war years spent living in Germany and his fondness for reading naval pages (aka relationships with men) Dr Guthrie soon galvanises his motley mixed generational gang of voices, all dealing in their own way with consequences of war.

Lofty (Oliver Briscombe) and cheeky-chappy pal Ellis (Taylor Uttley) are about to be conscripted, others are grieving those who will not return.

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Poignant and heart-warming stuff.

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Nov. 5 (UPI) — The French government said it would begin action against online retailer Shein on Wednesday, just hours after the company opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Paris.

An outcry erupted last weekend after it was discovered that Shein was selling sex dolls that look like children, but on Tuesday, the company announced it was banning all sex dolls from the site.

On Wednesday, the government issued a statement saying: “On the instructions of the Prime Minister [Sébastien Lecornu], the government is initiating the procedure to suspend Shein for the time necessary for the platform to demonstrate to the public authorities that all of its content is finally in compliance with our laws and regulations.”

The store, which is the first Shein store in the world, also opened to chaos, as shoppers lined up to get in and protesters shouted at them, “Shame!”

Andreia Chavent, a worker at BHV Marais, said many employees were upset by the opening of Shein in Paris.

“We are directly concerned by how people work, what the conditions are like and how the clothes are made, even if it’s not in France,” Chavent, a member of the CFDT, France’s largest union, told The New York Times.

Shein has seen criticism over the way workers are treated in the Chinese factories that sell on the site.

The sex dolls controversy made things worse, Chavent added.

But not everyone is against the store.

“When I saw that Shein was coming to France, I said, ‘Yay!’ Because it still takes 20 weeks” for clothing from the site to arrive, Philippe Hamard, 27, told The Times.

He said that he doesn’t buy from Shein often because of “environmental issues and all that.” But said “I still buy from time to time for fun.”

On the sex doll controversy, he said, “I think there are a lot of controversies at the moment. But people will forget about it.”

Shein has plans to open seven stores in other cities in France.

Shein and AliExpress are also facing investigation in France over the dissemination of pornographic content to children, the prosecutor’s office told the BBC.

The Paris Office des Mineurs will handle the cases. The office oversees the protection of minors.

AliExpress said the adult listings violated its policies and were removed once the company learned of them.

“Sellers found to violate or trying to circumvent these requirements will be penalized in accordance with our rules,” AliExpress said in a statement, the BBC reported.

Nov. 1 (UPI) — The Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, is one of the world’s largest and opened on Saturday after decades of delays and a cost of more than $1 billion.

The 5 million-square-foot museum features exhibits and artifacts ranging across 7,000 years, from prehistory to about 400 A.D., according to CBS News.

It also is the world’s only museum that is dedicated to one culture, which is ancient Egypt.

“It’s a great day for Egypt and for humanity,” Nevine El-Aref told CBS News. “This is Egypt’s gift to the world.”

El-Aref is the media advisor to Egypt’s Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy.

“It’s a dream come true,” El-Aref added. “After all these years, the GEM is finally and officially open,” he said.

The triangular structure is located about a mile from the pyramids of Giza, which makes it a can’t miss for those who want to experience Egyptian antiquities up close with tours of the pyramids and a visit to the museum.

The GEM’s construction initially was budgeted for $500 million, but that price more than doubled over the past three decades amid delays and cost overruns.

Egyptian sources and international contributions covered the building cost.

The museum first was proposed in 1992, but significant events occurred between then and now, including the 2011 “Arab Spring” revolution in Egypt, a military coup d’etat in 2013 and the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, delaying its completion, CNN reported.

The GEM’s main entrance features a 53-foot-tall obelisk suspended overhead and is viewable from below via a glass floor.

A grand staircase containing 108 steps enables visitors to access the museum’s main galleries and view large statues from top to bottom.

The GEM has 12 main halls for exhibits and encompasses a combined 194,000 square feet that can hold up to 100,000 items, according to the museum.

The museum also two galleries that are dedicated to the pharaoh Tutankhamun and contain 5,300 pieces from his tomb, NBC News reported.

Those galleries and others will exhibit items that never have been made available for public viewing.

It’s also the first time that all of the young pharaoh’s items have been exhibited under the same roof since British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered King Tut‘s tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922.

The museum’s walls and slanted ceilings mimic the lines of the nearby pyramids, but the structure does not exceed them in height.

The museum’s opening prompted the Egyptian government to declare a national holiday on Saturday.

How it ranks with the world’s other iconic museums remains to be seen, but it likely will rank favorably with its unique collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts and other attractions.