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AUSTIN, Texas — “The Sun Never Sets” is filmmaker Joe Swanberg’s 10th indie to premiere at SXSW but his first to play the event since 2017. The astonishing pace with which he made his early work — loose, idiosyncratic stories that were progenitors of the emergent style known as mumblecore — has slowed significantly, but also given way to a newfound maturity as both a person and an artist.

Introducing “The Sun Never Sets” at its world premiere on Friday night to a sold-out crowd at the Zach Theater, Swanberg called his latest “my favorite film I’ve ever made.” Shot on 35mm in Anchorage, the movie follows a 30-ish woman, Wendy (Dakota Fanning in a vibrant turn), torn between pursuing a fresh romance with a reckless old flame (Cory Michael Smith) or continuing on with the settled-in-his-ways divorced father of two (Jake Johnson) she’s been seeing for a few years.

Dakota Fanning in Joe Swanberg’s “The Sun Never Sets,” filmed in Alaska.

(SXSW)

“I guess this is what they tell you about getting older and doing this job longer,” said a thoughtful Swanberg in a video interview from his home in Chicago shortly before the South by Southwest festival. “You get better at it and you sort of mature and all of this.”

The film marks Swanberg’s fourth collaboration with Johnson, a partnership that goes back to 2013’s “Drinking Buddies.” (The actor partly financed the new project along with his brother.) Following completion of the third season of the Netflix anthology series “Easy” in 2019, for which he wrote and directed all the episodes, Swanberg was planning to take a break. A divorce and the pandemic caused that pause to grow even longer.

In the intervening years Swanberg produced a number of projects for other filmmakers, did some acting and opened a small video store in Chicago. Swanberg knew Anchorage-based producer Ashleigh Snead, who encouraged him to consider shooting something there. The scenic location would give Swanberg the opportunity to expand his visual style from his usual couches, bars and apartments of much of his work. (There still are a surprising number of scenes on couches and in bars.)

“Joe’s a real filmmaker,” says Johnson in a separate interview. “And I think sometimes he doesn’t get that credit because he can make movies with nothing. This is a real adult movie. This is a film about how complicated breakups are and how messy they get. And it’s in beautiful Alaska.”

Swanberg, center, on the set of “The Sun Never Sets.”

(SXSW)

Swanberg has now gone from someone making talky, provocative and at times controversial films about the lives of post-collegiate 20-somethings to exploring the nuances and specifics of being a 44-year-old divorced father of two still trying to figure out his place in the world. His original cohort of SXSW-affiliated filmmakers, many of whom also fell under the rubric of mumblecore — nobody much liked the name, but no one ever came up with anything better, so it stuck — included Greta Gerwig, Lena Dunham, Barry Jenkins, Ti West and others who have gone on to more conventional mainstream success.

But Swanberg doesn’t seem to feel left behind. Rather, he only sees doors opening.

“It’s gone so much better than I thought it was going to go for me,” he says. “I mean, when I was making these really tiny, sexually explicit 71-minute movies, I was like, I’m just grateful to be here. I can’t even believe these festivals are showing this work and it’s so cool that there’s a space for me in this ecosystem.

“And so to watch my friends go off to do these giant movies, to see Greta doing ‘Barbie’ and stuff like that, to me it just opens up the possibilities,” he adds. “Each time a friend of mine sets some new record or moves into some new space, I’m kind of like: Oh, that just opened up for all of us now.”

His earlier work often featured raw sex scenes, sometimes featuring Swanberg himself. From practically the start of his career, well predating the #MeToo-era reckoning that began in 2017, Swanberg weathered accusations that he was exploitative and manipulative of his female performers. His stepback from productivity coincided with a moment when his explorations of sexual power dynamics fell out of favor. It would be easy to interpret that Swanberg preemptively soft-canceled himself to avoid a broader scandal. He doesn’t see it that way.

“Certainly in Chicago, where I’ve spent the last five years, I’m not unwelcome places,” he says, drawing a distinction between himself and “people who lose jobs or are capital-C canceled. But also my work has always pushed those boundaries and always attracted some amount of positive and negative attention.”

Though “The Sun Never Sets” has numerous kissing scenes, it doesn’t go too much further than that.

“I won’t do it,” Johnson says of more graphic scenes. “When I worked with Joe early on, I was like, ‘I love you, man — I’m not doing this.’”

For her part, Fanning had no reservations about working with Swanberg. He offered both Fanning and Smith the opportunity to work with an intimacy coordinator, but neither felt it was necessary.

“There was no planet where you’d ever be asked to do anything you were uncomfortable with,” Fanning says. “If there was ever a moment like, ‘I don’t want to do that,’ he’d be like, ‘Oh, then let’s not.’ There was a day where there was a scene and it was pouring rain outside. And we both looked at each other and he was like, ‘We’re not going to do it. The scene’s cut.’ He’s just open. And I just trusted him implicitly.”

Jake Johnson and Dakota Fanning in the movie “The Sun Never Sets.”

(SXSW)

Swanberg has long worked in an unusual style in which the script is essentially a detailed outline and the actors work to come up with their own dialogue during rehearsals. For “The Sun Never Sets,” Swanberg and Johnson developed the longest, most complete outline Swanberg has ever used, including some dialogue exchanges. Then the actors were allowed to make it their own.

Fanning recalled an early Zoom call with Swanberg and Johnson on which they explained the process.

“It’s still made like a real film,” Fanning says. “And Jake and Joe promised it’s not like we’re just flying by the seat of our pants: ‘You will know what to say, I promise.’ And then friends that know me asked, ‘Are you so nervous?’ And I was, but for some reason, I don’t know why, I just knew that it was going to be fine. And that just proved to be true.”

Even though it takes places in Anchorage, Swanberg calls “The Sun Never Sets” “extremely personal.”

“I was definitely writing a movie about a divorced mid-40s guy dating a younger person,” he says. “The questions of marriage and having children were sort of an amalgam of two real relationships that I merged into one onscreen.” He describes the material as “questions that I had and have about what my own relationships are going to look like post-divorce.”

That comes through in Fanning’s rich, layered performance, which might rank among the best of her already lengthy career. Swanberg’s style draws both an ease and an intensity from Fanning, who captures a woman at a pivotal moment of figuring out what she wants amid the emotional whirlwind she is going through. (At the film’s premiere, Fanning said, “I’ve never put so much of myself into a role before.”)

“I think the goal of Joe’s films, and I think at least my goal with this film, is trying to make everything feel real,” she says. “Things are just a mess some of the time.”

Dakota Fanning and Cory Michael Smith in “The Sun Never Sets.”

(SXSW)

Swanberg himself appears in a small role as the new husband of the ex-wife of Johnson’s character. And the characters of the two kids in the movie are named after the director’s own children. With a newfound maturity and emotional depth, Swanberg is continuing to make movies that are part diary, part generational markers.

“It’d be really cool in my 40s to make movies about characters in their 40s,” he says, “and in my 50s, 60s and 70s. It’d be neat to be making sexually explicit movies about 70-year-olds in their dating lives and sex lives and stuff. It’s really exciting to have movies about characters at this phase of their life, whether they’re finally settling down in their 40s or whether they’re getting out of relationships and reexamining their life. It’s where my head is at.”
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Bruno Fernandes reaches 100 assists in all competitions after setting up two goals in crucial 3-1 win over Villa.

Manchester United bolstered their bid to qualify for the Champions League with a vital 3-1 win against top-four rivals Aston Villa.

Michael Carrick’s side took the lead through Casemiro’s second-half opener at Old Trafford on Sunday before Ross Barkley hauled Villa level.

United finished strongly with Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko scoring in the closing stages to seal Carrick’s seventh win in nine games since taking over as interim boss.

Sitting third in the Premier League, United are three points clear of fourth-placed Villa in the race to reach the Champions League via a top-four finish.

United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe this week praised Carrick’s “excellent” work but stopped short of committing to the former Old Trafford star on a long-term basis.

However, Carrick is making a strong case to earn the job on a permanent basis after stabilising United after Ruben Amorim’s sacking.

United’s latest victory came after an 11-day break since the first defeat of his reign at Newcastle, and Carrick celebrated with a jig of delight on the touchline after Sesko wrapped up the points.

Spluttering Villa have lost their last three league games and have just one win in seven top-flight matches, leaving them three points above fifth-placed Chelsea with eight games left in the battle for European places.

After a lethargic first half, United finally prised open the Villa defence in the 53rd minute.

Bryan Mbeumo’s stinging strike was palmed away by Emiliano Martinez, earning a corner that brought the opener.

Bruno Fernandes curled a corner to the near post, and Casemiro made a perfectly timed run to glance a header past Martinez.

With Casemiro likely to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season, United fans serenaded the Brazilian midfielder with chants of “one more year”.

United lost focus and surrendered the lead in the 64th minute.

In his first Premier League start for 14 months, Barkley slammed a superb strike past Senne Lammens from 11 metres (12 yards) after United failed to clear the danger.

But Cunha netted in the 71st minute to ensure Carrick’s men did not pay for their stumble.

Bursting onto Fernandes’s sublime pass into the Villa area, the Brazilian forward slotted a fine finish into the far corner.

It was Fernandes’s 16th Premier League assist this term, moving the United captain past David Beckham’s previous club record of 15 in 1999-2000.

He has 100 assists for United in all competitions since signing from Sporting Lisbon in 2020.

Sesko came off the bench to prove a point to Carrick after being dropped, and the Slovenian striker fired home with a deflected effort in the 81st minute.

Fernandes said he was delighted to provide two assists for his teammates to move past Beckham’s record.

“I’m more proud and pleased because I did it serving my teammates. Giving joy to others is also very good,” he said.

“When you play in the position I play, I’m very happy I can help them to score and be happy in that moment. It’s a huge achievement for me, but the main achievement would be in the top spot at the end of the season.”

Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest climbed out of the relegation zone after a 0-0 draw against Fulham at the City Ground.

Still waiting for their first win under Vitor Pereira, fourth-bottom Forest, who have had four managers this term, are above third-bottom West Ham on goal difference.

Ten-man Leeds held on for a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace despite Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s missed penalty and a red card for Gabriel Gudmundsson.

Later on Sunday, troubled Tottenham head to Liverpool with only goal difference keeping them outside the relegation zone.

I SKULK swiftly through the labyrinth of shrubs. The grass is so tall it strokes my shoulders with each stride.

Fresh dung and paw prints in the sandy pastures point to South Africa’s most famous mammals lurking nearby — but they stay hidden.

Suddenly, among the chorus of bird call, a rustle and a huff from the nearby shrubs sends adrenaline surging through me.

My feet spring into action before my brain, as I pelt in the opposite direction, following the urgent calls of my rifle-carrying guide.

We had found ourselves mere metres from two wild buffalo, part of the elusive Big Five and one of Kruger National Park’s deadliest animals.

In the east of South Africa and arguably the most famous park for safari in the world, Kruger is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

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It’s not been much of a start to its birthday, though.

Severe floods ripped through the plains in the early days of this year, wreaking havoc.

But nature is resilient and the wildlife here always bounces back fast.

That’s in part thanks to the committed rangers, who are continually working on the park’s infrastructure and a fierce anti-poaching programme.

And their work meant my chances of spotting wildlife hadn’t been diminished.

In fact, within 24 hours of checking into Rhino Walking Safaris’ Plains camp, I ticked off the Big Five — lions, leopards, buffalo, rhino and elephants — almost twice over.

Full credit goes to the guides accompanying me, James and Orance, who know precisely how to spot clues, including claw marks on trees, with their hawk-like eyes.

Earlier that day, we had pulled to a halt for a lion sleeping in the road.

He was within touching distance.

Not that you’d risk extending an arm beyond the truck.

You have a greater chance of a lion fleeing than attacking, though.

Guide James tells me the Kruger lions are used to seeing trucks of humans.

They’re still very much wild, but they generally feel safe in our presence, which makes for spectacular observing — that’s if you manage to spot one (more tips on that).

Next it was hippos braving dry land after the blistering heat had subsided, an agile leopard creeping through the long grass, then elephants shaking the last of the green fruit from the branches of a Marula tree.

Smiling broadly, I returned to my luxury safari tent, which featured wooden twin beds, a private bathroom with a shower head that dangles from a tree branch and a large decking area from which you can lazily watch wildlife, beyond the small electric fence.

Rhino Walking Safaris owns a 12,000 hectare private concession within Kruger and its Plains camp is near a popular watering hole, so the chances of spotting creatures even during downtime is high.

Buffalos, a wildebeest named Steve, baboons, and even a duo of young rhinos called by.

With only four tents and no wifi, strangers become friends and you’re wholly immersed in the experience.

The real highlight for me, however, was the morning walks.

A 4.45am alarm may sting, but observing the misty pink sunrise from beyond a buffalo’s resting place makes it all worthwhile.

There’s something magical about safaris on foot, treading the same path as the animal you’re tracking, away from all things man-made and with the exhilaration of imminent danger.

Guides carry rifles, although they’re so knowledgeable about the creatures around us, they’ve never had to fire them.

Morning walks come with snacks and coffee, followed by a brunch feast at camp, a few hours of downtime and high tea.

Then it’s the afternoon game drive with sundowners (in my case a healthy pouring of gin), an 8.30pm three-course dinner back at camp and 10pm stargazing — or bedtime for those whose eyes are too weary.

Exhaustion is combatted by sheer adrenaline, but there are also plenty of less rural camps offering more laid-back itineraries where lazy mornings can be enhanced by spa treatments or dips in the pool.

Mdluli Safari Lodge, on the western periphery of Kruger, has a spectacular infinity pool overlooking a watering hole.

The very large safari tents, of which there are 50, are raised on stilts and come with greater levels of creature comforts such as aircon, plugs in rooms, internet access and a swinging egg chair on the decking.

Choice of game drives is plentiful. You can head out at pretty much any time of day, on short sunset safaris or day-long drives.

We even managed to squeeze in a final early sunrise ride before our transfer to the airport, admiring a mob of dwarf mongoose rustling at the edge of the road.

Before heading home or ahead of your safari, a day in Johannesburg is worthwhile.

Holidaymakers travelling from the UK will fly into this city and it’s a poignant area for delving into South Africa’s troubled past.

June 2026 marks 50 years since the brutal killing of Hector Pieterson, a 12-year-old schoolboy, who was shot by police during the Soweto student uprising.

You can learn all about this tale, and the apartheid regime, on a tuktuk tour with Lebo’s Soweto Backpackers (£35pp, sowetobackpackers.com).

We rolled through modern-day communities and old hostels, before passing Nelson Mandela’s former home, now a museum.

It’s a humbling experience.

Top it with a ride through untrodden pastures with the Big Five for an adventure of a lifetime.

Watching a David Attenborough documentary back in the UK, I feel a little smug.

A TV screen can’t quite capture that magic.

TEN TIPS FOR BUSH HOLS 

1. BRING LOTS OF CLOTHES: You’ll sweat a lot and clothes get grubby on both walks and game drives because of the dust. I often changed outfits twice a day. 

2. EARTHY COLOURS: When you’re in the truck, it really doesn’t matter what you wear – although bring a fleece or jacket, even in summer, as it gets chilly. On walks you should wear neutral, earthy tones like beige, green or brown – no whites or brights. And don’t worry about buying chic or stylish garments for walks; comfort is key. 

3. WAKE UP FOR THE EARLY SAFARIS: Even if you’re knackered and desperate to stay in bed, those early-morning  game drives or walks are some of the most spectacular. This is when a lot of animals come out and some of the sunrises were even more impressive than the sunsets. 

4. IGNORE THE WEATHER FORECAST: The Met Office and BBC Weather forecast rain for every day I was in Kruger. Yet it didn’t rain once. It’s best to come prepared for all eventualities – rain jacket, shorts, trousers and  binoculars. 

5. CASH FOR TIPS: Bring more than you think you’ll need. If you run out of money, it’ll be a struggle to get more and gratuities, although not always expected, are very common. We tipped our guides 200-250 rand per day. You’ll likely want to tip other staff too, such as  cooks, cleaners and waiters.  

6. BRING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT: Worldwide adaptors rarely work in South Africa – the sockets aren’t common. So order one online before you go and make sure to pack a battery pack if you  plan to  use your phone to take pictures and videos.  

7. DON’T SELF-DRIVE: Self-drives are popular in Kruger and do give you a greater level of independence, but if you’re going for the first time, you’ll see heaps more with the help of a guide. These guides are experts and are connected with all the other guides in the area so will be first to hear of a sighting. They live on site so know exactly where certain herds rest. 

8. BRING EARPLUGS: Remember, you’re in the wild, so if you’re a light sleeper, ear plugs are a must. I thought it would be sleep-inducing listening to the hum of animals at night. They were much louder than expected and I was woken up several times by a relentless owl. 

9. DON’T JUST CHASE THE BIG FIVE: Everyone likes to say they’ve seen them, but some of my most magical experiences were with creatures I’d never heard of. Even the trees and flora we spotted were fascinating, as were the birds. 

10. CHOOSE YOUR STAY WISELY: Camps have their own guides – and each guide or ranger varies in skill and expertise. Do your research and try to book a camp where two guides accompany you on safari as opposed to one – double the people means double your chances of spotting wildlife. We’d met people who were yet to spot a single one of the Big Five in a week, but we’d seen them all in a day and that’s thanks to our guides. 

Despite morale-sapping staff layoffs, bizarre executive orders and a 43-day federal government shutdown last fall, the grandeur and serenity of national parks in California remain irresistible to outdoors lovers looking to unwind.

The nine national parks in the Golden State — including Yosemite, Death Valley and Joshua Tree — attracted nearly 12 million recreational visits in 2025, according to statistics from the National Park Service.

That’s up more than 800,000 visits from 2024 and up more than 300,000 from the previous record set in 2019, according to the data, which stretches back to 1979.

Nationally, visits were high, at 323 million, but down a couple of percentage points from the record set in 2024, according to a park service press release.

“America’s national parks continue to be places where people come to experience our country’s history, landscapes and shared heritage,” said Jessica Bowron, acting director of the NPS.

“We are committed to keeping parks open, accessible and well-managed so visitors can safely enjoy these extraordinary places today and for generations to come,” Bowron added.

President Trump’s critics beg to differ.

Since Trump resumed office in January 2025, his administration has slashed the NPS workforce by nearly a quarter, buying out or laying off hundreds of rangers, maintenance workers, scientists and administrative staff across the country.

And last year, as part of his war on “woke,” Trump instructed the park service to scrub all signs and presentations of language he would deem negative, unpatriotic or smacking of “improper partisan ideology.”

He also ordered administrators to remove any content that “inappropriately disparages Americans” living or dead, and replace it with language that celebrates the nation’s greatness.

That gets tricky at places such as Manzanar National Historic Site in the high desert of eastern California — one of 10 camps where the U.S. government imprisoned more than 120,000 Japanese American civilians during World War II.

It’s also hard to dance around disparaging details at Fort Sumter National Monument, where Confederates fired the first shots of the Civil War; Ford’s Theater National Historic Site in Washington, D.C., where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated; and Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park, which commemorates the assassination of the country’s best known civil rights leader.

“This administration is actively erasing the history, science and culture that our national parks protect,” said Emily Douce, deputy vice president for government affairs for the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Assn.

Douce argued that morale among staff at the parks — a string of 63 federally protected natural wonders often described as “America’s best idea” — has never been lower.

But the fact that employees still showed up, including without pay during last year’s federal government shutdown, demonstrates their commitment to keeping the beloved parks flourishing.

“The enduring popularity of America’s national parks is not surprising,” Douce added. “What’s shocking is this administration’s relentless attacks on these places and their caretakers, which threatens their future.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The National Park Service is routinely ranked among the most admired branches of the large and sprawling federal government. Even Americans who have never watched a minute of C-SPAN, or get a little lost in the alphabet soup of other agencies, will probably never forget standing in Yosemite Valley and admiring a towering waterfall.

There were 4.3 million visits to Yosemite in 2025, 2.9 million to Joshua Tree and 1.3 million to Death Valley, according to the data.

The 323 million visits to America’s national parks in 2025 are more than twice the attendance — 135 million — at professional football, baseball, basketball and hockey games combined.

Of course, it’s a lot cheaper to get into a park. U.S. residents pay between $20 and $35 per vehicle for a day pass, or $80 for an annual pass. The Trump administration recently raised the annual fee to $250 for foreign visitors.

National Park Service officials did not respond to emails requesting comment on California’s 2025 attendance.

The UK’s most beautiful places have been ranked and one English spot has particularly impressed thanks to its enchanting scenery and quaint villages

A beautiful region full of rolling green hills, lakes with azure waters and charming villages that are the stuff of fairytales has been named England’s most beautiful place for 2026.

The Lake District has long been attracting visitors from around the world, often featuring on rankings of the more scenic spots and picturesque landmarks across Britain. Now, it’s been named one of the UK’s most beautiful places, taking the silver medal in new rankings from Big 7 Travel.

“England’s largest national park, the Lake District, is surely one of the UK’s most beautiful areas,” the team behind the research explained. “Whether it’s grass-covered fells, England’s highest mountain (Scafell Pike), beautiful lakes such as Ullswater and Windermere or quaint towns like Grasmere and Keswick, the Lake District has it all. Perfect for everyone from hikers to swimmers, photographers to artists and more, the Lake District is easily one of the most beautiful places in the UK.”

While it’s hardly a hidden gem, it’s not difficult to see why the Lake District is so popular with tourists. There are plenty of breathtaking lakes to explore in the region – 16 in fact – with popular highlights including the likes of Lake Windemere, Derwentwater and Ullswater which boast a host of water sports facilities and attractions. (Families may particularly want to bookmark the World of Beatrix Potter which brings the stories of Peter Rabbit and his friends to life).

Then of course that lush green landscape is packed with everything from scenic strolls to epic hiking trails, depending on how far you want to cover in your hiking boots. Oh, and the region is renowned for the many, many brilliant pubs where you can warm up by a fire, tuck into a hearty roast and enjoy a well-deserved drink after a busy day of exploring.

As for where to stay, there’s a plethora of accommodation to choose from, with the likes of Sykes Holiday Cottages and Holidaycottages.co.uk both offering up some brilliant options that look like the stuff of storybooks, or if you fancy treating yourself to a hotel stay, TripAdvisor has a handy guide to some of the best cheap Lake District hotels you’ll want on your radar.

Meanwhile, if you’re after more staycation inspiration then you could of course head to the UK’s most beautiful destination in the rankings. That accolade went to the Queen’s View in the Scottish Highlands, a picturesque viewing point that overlooks Loch Tummel. One of its most famous visitors, Queen Victoria, arrived at the site in 1866 and reportedly assumed that the location was named after her. (In reality, It is thought that it was named after Isabella, Robert the Bruce’s first wife, who lived more than 500 years before Victoria’s visit).

You can see the top 10 rankings below…

The UK’s top 10 most beautiful places

1. Queen’s View – Perthshire, Scotland
2. The Lake District – Cumbria, England
3. The Forest of Dean – Gloucestershire, England
4. Fairy Pools – Isle of Skye, Scotland
5. Rathlin Island – County Antrim, Northern Ireland
6. Berwyn Mountains – Powys, Wales
7. Heights of Abraham – Derbyshire, England
8. Holkham Beach – Norfolk, England
9. Eilean Donan Castle – Highlands, Scotland
10. Knaresborough – North Yorkshire, England

You can find out more on enjoytravel.com.

Is there a destination you think deserved to be in the top 10 rankings? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

Iran’s sports minister said his nation will not participate in this summer’s World Cup following the attacks on the country by the U.S., one of the tournament’s hosts.

The U.S. bombing campaign against Iran, which began two weeks ago, has triggered a region-wide conflict and killed more than 1,300 Iranians including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader, according to Iran’s U.N. ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani.

“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said on state television Wednesday.

“Our players do not have security, and fundamentally the conditions for participation do not exist.”

Donyamali’s statement came just hours after FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he had received assurances from President Trump that Iran would be allowed to participate in the tournament, which will be played in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

“President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino wrote in an Instagram post. “We need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever, and I sincerely thank the President of the United States for his support.”

Last year President Trump signed an executive order suspending visa issurance to nationals of 19 countries, including Iran, although the State Department can make exceptions for “participants in certain major sporting events” such as the World Cup.

Iran, which has played in the last three World Cups, earned its place in this summer’s tournament by dominating its group in the Asian confederation tournament. However it did not send a representation to a World Cup planning summit last week in Atlanta.

Iran was drawn into Group G for the World Cup and is scheduled to begin play June 15 against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Iran’s second group-stage game, against Belgium, is also scheduled for SoFi Stadium before the team finishes the first stage of the tournament against Egypt in Seattle.

According to The Athletic, no country has withdrawn from a World Cup after qualifying since the 1950 tournament in Brazil, when India, Scotland, France and Turkey pulled out, mostly over costs and logistical issues.

Donyamali did not say whether he has begun the formal process or withdrawing Iran from the World Cup but FIFA could be facing a time crunch if it had to replace Iran in the 48-team field. Article 6.7 of FIFA’s 2026 World Cup regulations states: ‘If any Participating Member Association withdraws and/or is excluded from the FIFA World Cup 26, FIFA shall decide on the matter at its sole discretion and take whatever action is deemed necessary. FIFA may decide to replace the Participating Member Association in question with another association.”

The most likely replacement scenario would have Iraq, the top non-qualifier from the Asian confederation, taking Iran’s place. Iraq is scheduled to play the winner of a Suriname-Bolivia playoff in Mexico later this month for a final World Cup berth but with airspace over the Middle East closed because of the war, the Iraqis are unsure how they will get to Mexico. Giving them Iran’s berth would solve that problem but it would create another; who would replace Iraq in the playoff against the Suriname-Bolivia winner? Based on the Asian qualifying tournament, the UAE would be the most likely candidate but it, too, would face travel concerns in getting to Mexico.

FIFA could leave those playoffs untouched and give Iran’s spot to Italy, which is ranked 13^th in the world but must win a four-team UEFA playoff later this month to qualify for the World Cup. Basically FIFA can do whatever it wants.

FIFA regulations say that any team that withdraws from the tournament “no later than 30 days before the first match” will be fined and could face other “disciplinary sanctions” including expulsion from subsequent FIFA competitions. This summer’s World Cup kicked off June 11 in Mexico City and Toronto. The U.S. opener is scheduled for June 12 in Inglewood.

Earlier this week six members of Iran’s delegation to the Women’s Asian Cup were granted humanitarian visas and allowed to remain in Australia rather than return to Iran where they feared persecution for not singing the national anthem during the tournament.

Everyone’s getting into podcasts — even demons.

“undertone,” a muted, personal and static microbudget horror debut by Ian Tuason, takes place in the writer-director’s actual childhood home where he tended to both of his parents before they died. Both hospice and inspiration, it’s a stifling place decorated with floral wallpaper and crucifixes. The pain and exhaustion and grief are so real and oppressive, the camera never dares set a foot outside.

Upstairs, Evy (Nina Kiri), watches over her own terminally ill mother (Michèle Duquet). Tuason funneled his emotional gloom into this movie; Evy co-hosts a horror podcast with her overseas best friend Justin (voiced by Adam DiMarco). “This is the only thing keeping me sane right now,” she says. They’re words she’ll regret within the week.

Kiri and DiMarco have the comfortable, convincing chemistry of two old pals who have done a show for a while. One snippet seems to be an episode on Elisa Lam, the real-life tourist found dead in the rooftop water tank of Los Angeles’ Cecil Hotel. There’s also a reference to a website with a red-faced ghoul who hypnotizes victims into cutting off their ears. The latter may be Tuason seeding his idea for a sequel.

Here the central story is that Justin, who lives in London, has received an email with 10 audio files recorded by a couple named Mike and Jessa (Jeff Yung and Keana Lyn Bastidas) who are trying to understand what she’s saying in her sleep. The sender is unknown. (Possibly an evil spirit hoping for the exposure of a mattress ad?) Justin, the believer, is instantly alarmed by how these eerie tapes escalate from cute banter to ghostly crying babies and backward incantations. Evy is the skeptic who dismisses the noises as either an online hoax or bad plumbing.

Due to the time zone differential, Evy and Justin record their show just before he heads out to work in the morning, which for her is 3 a.m. Most of the movie takes place in that witching-hour window, an airlessly silent time where an at-home podcaster doesn’t worry about being interrupted by a leaf blower, an ice cream truck or a dog. Sound-designed by David Gertsman, “undertone” is so quiet that a tea kettle sounds like a fire alarm. Story-wise, it’s equally inert. One of the biggest action shots in the first hour comes when — eek! — a sink turns on.

I’d love to understand why horror films that I find excruciatingly dull give others the heebie-jeebies. My working theory is that they tap into audiences with a preexisting suspicion that the world is wicked — they prove paranoia to be well-founded. My mental default is that the world is neutral-good, and that may be why I prefer movies with active villains scaring me out of my complacency. I spent “Paranormal Activity” and “Skinamarink” restlessly admiring the production design; here, my main thrill came from the soundscape, like when a vibrating cellphone made my chair rattle like it was a tractor, or a noise that can only be described as death-rattle ASMR.

When Evy slips her on headphones, she’s so focused making sense of the latest scary tape, playing it forward, reversed and slowed-down, that she’s oblivious to the bumps in the night in her own house, upstairs near her comatose mother’s bedroom. I suspect Tuason deeply relates to Evy, to the disassociation of living with death every day, and uses her resistance to explore denial. She refuses to admit that the supernatural is real, even as she repeatedly takes a break to steady herself and, as she puts it, “get back into character.” Her stifled panic makes it obvious that fear is taking over.

The screenplay also has a passing reference to Evy’s useless, off-screen boyfriend Darren (voiced by Ryan Turner). Their miserable dynamic is compelling but overall comes off like a plot point Tuason stuffed in his pocket and never got around to using. Our one peek into it comes when Darren phones Evy to pressure her to ditch her mom and come to a party. He claims he’s throwing a kegger to cheer her up. (A frozen lasagna on the doorstep would be better, dude.)

Evy does reluctantly leave the house — we don’t follow her there — and that one moment says as much about crossed-signals communication as anything else in the movie. It’s bullseye-accurate about how isolating it is to lose a parent earlier than your peers.

The film is so committed to its rigors — the two-person cast, the glacial camera pivots, the moody lighting — that it teeters on the line of becoming monotonous. When Tuason eases up a bit, say in a scene in which Evy pops on a sleep podcast that begins by describing a babbling brook and rapidly becomes a nightmare tale of bobbing corpses, he finally shows you that he has the potential for range.

But “undertone” is rooted in that slow-and-still horror discipline that holds its breath waiting for something to happen. It requires the audience to bring their own bad vibes to shots of religious icons on the wall and long takes of Evy clacking on her laptop, unaware of a flickering light behind her. (Rumor is Tuason has already signed on to shoot the next “Paranormal Activity” sequel.)

Mostly it puts the audience in the position of watching a protagonist so passive that chunks of the running time are watching her sit at a table waiting for Justin to look up things for her on Wikipedia. Like amateur detectives, we learn alongside them as they click around pages about Sumerian devils, Catholic saints and the origin of the nursery rhymes “London Bridge” and “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.”

As visuals go, “undertone” is so far removed from anything resembling the cinematic experience that I left with a fresh appreciation for campfire storytelling. At least then the listener gets to use their own imagination. But production designer Mercedes Coyle does dig up two satisfyingly creepy props: one, an antique speaking doll, the other, a small white statue that appears to be the Virgin Mary until we get a better look at her mouth, deformed by a hungry scream.

Despite my quibbles with how her character reacts when things really go awry, Kiri’s Evy has a clarity of purpose that holds our attention despite not having that much to do. In her strongest sequence, she and Justin take a few live callers on their podcast, some of whom bear bad news about Mike and Jessa, and another who phones up in the middle of a crisis that’s too big for these self-positioned experts to handle. Real violence is coming and these armchair ghosthunters are totally out of their depth. Yes, everyone is into podcasts. Maybe they shouldn’t be.

WINNIPEG, Canada — Ryan Poehling had a goal and an assist to lead the Ducks to a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.

Alex Killorn and Jackson LaCombe also registered a goal and an assist. Tim Washe also scored for Anaheim. Lukas Dostal made 12 saves for the Ducks, who extended their lead in the Pacific Division to three points over Vegas.

Morgan Barron scored for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck had 30 saves for the Jets, who saw their three-game win streak and six-game point streak halted.

After a scoreless first period in which Anaheim outshot Winnipeg 8-2, the Jets opened the scoring at 5:04 of the second when Barron notched his 10th of the season, assisted by Elias Salomonsson and Cole Perfetti.

The Ducks quickly flipped the script, scoring three times in less than two minutes. Washe tied it at 6:24 and Poehling gave Anaheim the lead just 14 seconds later. Killorn added the insurance marker at 8:08 to give the visitors a two-goal lead.

The Ducks outscored the Jets 12-6 in three games this year. Dostal has won 13 of his past 15 games.

Newey’s Red Bull cars prevented Alonso winning at least two further championships, when he was at Ferrari in 2010 and 2012, and the two have long wanted to work together.

Aston Martin signed to become Honda’s works partner in May 2023, while the Japanese company was in the course of four consecutive drivers’ titles and two constructors’ championships with Red Bull.

Newey, a design legend regarded as the finest aerodynamic engineer in F1 history, said Honda’s problems were founded in its decision to quit F1 in 2021, only to change its mind on the basis of the new rules that are being introduced this year.

Newey, who joined Aston Martin in March last year, said he and the team did not know about Honda’s problems until November, when he, team owner Lawrence Stroll and chief strategy officer Andy Cowell visited Honda’s base in Tokyo “to discuss rumours” that the Japanese company “wouldn’t achieve” their “original target power”.

He added: “Out of that came the fact that many of the original workforce had not returned when they restarted.

“When they reformed, a lot of the original group had it now transpires disbanded and gone to work on solar panels or whatever.

“A lot of the group were new to F1 and didn’t have the experience they had previous.

“Plus, when they came back in 2023 that was the first year of the budget cap for engines.

“All their rivals had been developing away through 2021-2022, with continuity, existing team and free of budget cap.

“They re-entered with, let’s say, only, I’m guessing, 30% of their original base staff and now in a budget cap era so they started very much on the back foot and unfortunately they have not been able to catch up.”

By day, you’d be forgiven for walking past the newest theater in downtown L.A.

It isn’t hidden in an alley or obscured via a nameless door. No, this performance space is essentially a theater in disguise, as it’s designed to look like an electrical box — a fabrication so real that when artist S.C. Mero was installing it in the Arts District, police stopped her, concerned she was ripping out its copper wire. (There is no copper wire inside this wooden nook.)

Open the door to the theater, and discover a place of urban enchantment, where a red velvet door and crimson wallpaper beckon guests to come closer and sit inside. That is, if they can fit.

With a mirror on its side and a clock in its back, Mero’s creation, about 6 feet tall and 3 feet deep yet smaller on its interior, looks something akin to an intimate, private boudoir — the sort of dressing room that wouldn’t be out of place in one of Broadway’s historic downtown theaters. That’s by design, says Mero, who cites the ornately romanticized vibe and color palette of the Los Angeles Theatre as prime inspiration. Mero, a longtime street artist whose guerrilla art regularly dots the downtown landscape, likes to inject whimsy into her work: a drainage pipe that gives birth, a ball pit for rats or the transformation of a dilapidated building into a “castle.” But there’s just as often some hidden social commentary.

With her Electrical Box Theatre, situated across from the historic American Hotel and sausage restaurant and bar Wurstküche, Mero set out to create an impromptu performance space for the sort of experimental artists who no longer have an outlet in downtown’s galleries or more refined stages. The American Hotel, for instance, subject of 2018 documentary “Tales of the American” and once home to the anything-goes punk rock ethos of Al’s Bar, still stands, but it isn’t lost on Mero that most of the neighborhood’s artist platforms today are softer around the edges.

Ethan Marks inside S.C. Mero’s theater inside a fake electrical box. The guerrilla art piece is near the American Hotel.

“A lot of galleries are for what can sell,” Mero says. “Usually that’s paintings and wall art.”

She dreamed, however, of an anti-establishment place that could feel inviting and erase boundaries between audience and perfomer. “People may be intimidated to get up on a stage or at a coffee shop, but here it’s right on street level.”

It’s already working as intended, says Mero. I visited the box early last week when Mero invited a pair of experimental musicians to perform. Shortly after trumpeter Ethan Marks took to the sidewalk, one of the American Hotel’s current residents leaned out his window and began vocally and jovially mimicking the fragmented and angular notes coming from the instrument. In this moment, “the box,” as Mero casually refers to it, became a true communal stage, a participatory call-and-response pulpit for the neighborhood.

Clown Lars Adams, 38, peers out of S.C. Mero’s theater inside a fake electrical box. Mero modeled the space off of Broadway’s historic theaters.

A few days prior, a rideshare driver noticed a crowd and pulled over to read his poetry. He told Mero it was his first time. The unscripted occurrence, she says, was “one of the best moments I’ve ever experienced in making art.”

“That’s literally what this space is,” Mero says. “It’s for people to try something new or to experiment.”

Marks jumped at the chance to perform for free inside the theater, his brassy freewheeling equally complementing and contrasting the sounds of the intersection. “I was delighted,” he says, when Mero told him about the stage. “There’s so much unexpectedness to it that as an improviser, it really keeps you in the moment.”

A downtown resident for more than a decade, Mero has become something of an advocate for the neighborhood. The area arguably hasn’t returned to its pre-pandemic heights, as many office floors sit empty and a string of high-profile restaurant closures struck the community. Mero’s own gallery at the corner of Spring and Seventh streets shuttered in 2024. Downtown also saw its perception take a hit last year when ICE descended on the city center and national media incorrectly portrayed the hood as a hub of chaos.

Artist S.C. Mero looks into her latest project, a fake electrical box in the Arts District. Mero has long been associated with street art in the neighborhood.

“A lot has changed in the 13 years when I first got down here,” Mero says. “Everybody felt like it was magic, like we were going to be part of this renaissance and L.A. was going to have this epicenter again. Then it descended. A lot of my friends left. But I still see the same beauty in it. The architecture. The history. Downtown is the most populous neighborhood in all of L.A. because it belongs to everybody. It’s everybody’s downtown, whether they love it or not. And I feel we are part of history.”

Art today in downtown ranges from high-end galleries such as Hauser & Wirth to the graffiti-covered towers of Oceanwide Plaza. Gritty spaces, such as Superchief Gallery, have been vocal about struggles to stay afloat. Mero’s art, meanwhile, remains a source of optimism throughout downtown’s streets.

At Pershing Square, for instance, sits her “Spike Cafe,” a mini tropical hideaway atop a parking garage sign where umbrellas and finger food props have become a prettier nesting spot for pigeons. Seen potentially as a vision for beautification, a contrast, for instance, from the nature intrusive barbs that aim to deter wildlife, “Spike Cafe” has become a statement of harmony.

Elsewhere, on the corner of Broadway and Fourth streets, Mero has commandeered a once historic building that’s been burned and left to rot. Mero, in collaboration with fellow street artist Wild Life, has turned the blighted space into a fantastical haven with a knight, a dragon and more — a decaying castle from a bygone era.

“A lot of times people are like, ‘I can’t believe you get away with that!’ But most people haven’t tried to do it, you know?” Mero says. “It can be moved easily. It’s not impeding on anyone. I don’t feel I do anything bad. Not having a permit is just a technicality. I believe what I’m doing is right.”

Musician Jeonghyeon Joo, 31, plays the haegeum outside of S.C. Mero’s latest art project, a theater in a faux electrical box.

After initially posting her electrical box on her social media, Mero says she almost instantly received more than 20 requests to perform at the venue. Two combination locks keep it closed, and Mero will give out the code to those she trusts. “Some people want to come and play their accordion. Another is a tour guide,” Mero says.

Ultimately, it’s an idea, she says, that she’s had for about a decade. “Everything has to come together, right? You have to have enough funds to buy the supplies, and then the skills to to have it come together.”

And while it isn’t designed to be forever, it is bolted to the sidewalk. As for why now was the right time to unleash it, Mero is direct: “I needed the space,” she says.

There are concerns. Perhaps, Mero speculates, someone will change the lock combination, knocking her out of her own creation. And the more attention brought to the box via media interviews means more scrutiny may be placed on it, risking its confiscation by city authorities.

As a street artist, however, Mero has had to embrace impermanence, although she acknowledges it can be a bummer when a piece disappears in a day or two. And unlike a gallerist, she feels an obligation to tweak her work once it’s out in the world. Though her “Spike Cafe” is about a year old, she says she has to “continue to babysit it,” as pigeons aren’t exactly known for their tidiness.

But Mero hopes the box has a life of its own, and considers it a conversation between her, local artists and downtown itself. “I still think we’re part of something special,” Mero says of living and working downtown.

And, at least for now, it’s the neighborhood with arguably the city’s most unique performance venue.

Feb. 27 (UPI) — Britain’s Green Party won the Gorton and Denton byelection in southeast Manchester with a more than 4,000-seat majority, beating the ruling Labour Party into third place, and 12 points clear of Reform UK.

The Greens’ new Member of Parliament, Hannah Spencer, a plumber from a neighboring suburb of Manchester, produced a convincing win in Thursday’s poll, overturning the 13,000-seat majority won in the 2024 general election by the previous Labour holder of the seat who is standing down due to ill-health.

Spencer won 14,980 seats, or 40.7% of the vote, Reform’s Matt Goodwin, 10,578 and Labour’s Angeliki Stogia trailing in third place with 9,364. The Conservative Party’s candidate came in a distant fourth with just 706 votes. Turnout was 47.6%.

The win, a first for the Green Party in a byelection, takes the party’s contingent in the House of Commons to five.

Speaking in the early hours of Friday after the results were announced, 34-year-old Spencer vowed to “fight” for the people of Gorton and Denton “who feel left behind and isolated.”

“There is an appetite here for change, and there are people across this constituency and much further beyond who are rejecting the old political parties and who are coming together to fight for something better, but who are doing it positively and in a really hopeful way.”

Spencer said her victory proved there was “no longer any such thing as a safe seat” and that there was “no part of the country where the Green Party cannot win.”

Asked if the Greens’ intention was to “eviscerate” Labour, Party leader Zack Polanski said that taking a seat Labour had held for more than 100 years showed it was “beginning already.”

“If we see a swing like this at the next general election, there will be a tidal wave of new Green MPs. This is an existential crisis for the Labour Party,” he said.

Labour’s second-straight loss of a byelection with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the helm, and with local elections just around the corner in May, could prove highly consequential for his future.

Speaking to reporters Friday, a defiant Starmer rejected any suggestion he might be considering his position, saying he would never quit.

“I came into politics late in life to fight for change for those people who need it. I will keep on fighting for those people for as long as I’ve got breath in my body,” he said.

Starmer played down the loss saying that while it was “very disappointing,” voters often took out frustrations on sitting administrations in mid way through their terms.

However, Strathclyde University Politics Professor John Curtice said the Green Party was now challenging Labour’s stranglehold on the left of British politics in a way that would cause the parliamentary wing of the party to seriously question whether Starmer was still the right person to lead the country.

Reform UK chairman David Bull, telling the BBC he was “absolutely thrilled” with his party’s performance,” echoed that analysis.

“Keir Starmer is in big trouble now — it is not a matter of if he leaves office, it’s when he leaves.”

Party leader, MP Nigel Farage, warned the Greens’ win would embolden the radical left and said opposition Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch should apologize for leading the party to the worst result in its history.

“Roll on the elections on May 7. It will be goodbye Starmer and goodbye to the Tory [Conservative] party,” he wrote on X.

Badenoch, who is Black, called on Starmer to quit immediately.

“Our country is not broken, but this byelection showed that Labour, Reform and the Greens are trying very hard to break it. Labour trying to buy people off with more and more benefits spending, Reform telling people you can’t be British if you’re not white. The Greens running a nasty, sectarian campaign while simultaneously wanting to legalize crack-cocaine,” she wrote in a statement.

“The result shows Keir Starmer’s premiership is finished. He lost authority a long time ago, a mere hostage at the mercy of a divided Labour Party that cannot decide who to replace him with. He has lost the support of his MPs and the country. He is in office but not in power. If had any integrity he would go,” said Badenoch.

Andy Richter has found his place.

The Chicago area native previously lived in New York — where he first found fame as Conan O’Brien’s sidekick on “Late Night” — before moving to Los Angeles in 2001. Three years ago, he moved to Pasadena. “Now that I live here, I would not live anywhere else,” he says.

There are some practical benefits to the city. “I am such a crabby old man now, but it’s like, there’s parking, you can park when we have to go out,” Richter says. “The notion of going to dinner in Santa Monica just feels like having nails shoved into my feet.”

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

But he mostly appreciates that Pasadena is “a very diverse town and just a beautiful town,” he says.

For Richter, most Sundays revolve around his family. In 2023, the comedian and actor married creative executive Jennifer Herrera and adopted her young daughter, Cornelia. (He also has two children in their 20s, William and Mercy, from his previous marriage.)

Additionally, he’s been giving his body time to recover. Richter spent last fall training and competing on the 34th season of “Dancing With the Stars.” And though he had no prior dancing experience, he won over the show’s fan base with his kindness and dedication, making it to the competition’s ninth week.

He hosts the weekly show “The Three Questions” on O’Brien’s Team Coco podcast network and still appears in films and TV shows. “I’m just taking meetings and auditioning like every other late 50s white comedy guy in L.A., sitting around waiting for the phone to ring.”

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.

7:30 a.m.: Early rising

It’s hard for me at this advanced age to sleep much past 7:30. I have a 5 1/2-year-old, and hopefully she’ll sleep in a little bit longer so my wife and I can talk and snuggle and look at our phones at opposite ends of the bed, like everybody.

Then the dogs need to be walked. I have two dogs: a 120-pound Great Pyrenees-Border Collie-German Shepherd mix, and then at the other end of the spectrum, a seven-pound poodle mix. We were a blended dog family. When my wife and I met, I had the big dog and she had a little dog. Her first dog actually has passed, but we like that dynamic. You get kind of the best of both worlds.

8 a.m.: Breakfast at a classic diner

Then it would probably be breakfast at Shakers, which is in South Pasadena. It’s one of our favorite places. We’re kind of regulars there, and my daughter loves it. It’s easy with a 5-year-old, you’ve got to do what they want. They’re terrorists that way, especially when it comes to cuisine.

I’ve lived in Pasadena for about three years now, but I have been going to Shakers for a long time because I have a database of all the best diners in the Los Angeles metropolitan area committed to memory. There’s just something about the continuity of them that makes me feel like the world isn’t on fire. And because of L.A.’s moderate climate, the ones here stay the way they are; whereas if you get 18 feet of winter snow, you tend to wear down the diner floor, seats, everything.

So there’s a lot of really great old places that stay the same. And then there are tragic losses. There’s been some noise that Shakers is going to turn into some kind of condo development. I think that people would probably riot. They would be elderly people rioting, but they would still riot.

11 a.m.: Sandy paws

My in-laws live down in Long Beach, so after breakfast we might take the dogs down to Long Beach. There’s this dog beach there, Rosie’s Beach. I have never seen a fight there between dogs. They’re all just so happy to be out and off-leash, with an ocean and sand right there. You get a contact high from the canine joy.

1 p.m.: Lunch in Belmont Shore

That would take us to lunchtime and we’ll go somewhere down there. There’s this place, L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele, in Belmont Shore. It’s fantastic for some pizza with grandma and grandpa. It’s originally from Naples. There’s also one in Hollywood where Cafe Des Artistes used to be on that weird little side street.

4 p.m.: Sunset at the gardens

We’d take grandma and grandpa home, drop the dogs off. We’d go to the Huntington and stay a couple of hours until sunset. The Japanese garden is pretty mind-blowing. You feel like you’re on the set of “Shogun.”

The main thing that I love about it is the changing of ecospheres as you walk through it. Living in the area, I drive by it a thousand times and then I remember, “Oh yeah, there’s a rainforest in here. There’s thick stands of bamboo forest that look like Vietnam.” It’s beautiful. With all three of my kids, I have spent a lot of time there.

6:30 p.m.: Mall of America

After sundown, we will go to what seems to be the only thriving mall in America — [the Shops at] Santa Anita. We are suckers for Din Tai Fung. My 24-year-old son, who’s kind of a food snob, is like, “There’s a hundred places that are better and cheaper within five minutes of there in the San Gabriel Valley.” And we’re like, “Yeah, but this is at the mall.” It’s really easy. Also, my wife is a vegetarian, and a lot of the more authentic places, there’s pork in the air. It’s really hard to find vegetarian stuff.

We have a whole system with Din Tai Fung now, which is logging in on the wait list while we’re still on the highway, or ordering takeout. There’s plenty of places in the mall with tables, you can just sit down and have your own little feast there.

There’s also a Dave & Buster’s. If you want sensory overload, you can go in there and get a big, big booze drink while you’re playing Skee-Ball with your kid.

9 p.m.: Head to bed ASAP

I am very lucky in that I’m a very good sleeper and the few times in my life when I do experience insomnia, it’s infuriating to me because I am spoiled, basically. When you’ve got a 5 1/2-year-old, there’s no real wind down. It’s just negotiations to get her into bed and to sleep as quickly as possible, so we can all pass out.

Reform UK’s Matt Goodwin came second with 10,578, while Labour’s Angeliki Stogia was third with 9,364. The Conservative’s Charlotte Cadden came fourth with 706 votes – the party’s worst ever by-election result – and the Liberal Democrats’ Jackie Pearcey had 653. No other parties got more than 200 votes.

A NEW $21 airport surcharge is now in place for American travelers flying to a popular destination.

It’s due to the introduction of an electronic permit – which is mandatory from today for visitors.

Visitors to Britain from 85 countries must now obtain an electronic permit in advance of their trip.

This includes those taking flights, or booked on cruises, coaches and even rail journeys.

Those failing to do so will be barred from traveling, the UK interior ministry warned.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme requires all visitors who do not need a visa to enter Britain to buy a pre-travel permit online at a cost of $21.57.

The scheme was introduced three years ago, and extended to European visitors last April, but has not been strictly enforced – until today.

Airlines will stop passengers from boarding flights if they do not have an ETA, eVisa or other valid documentation, the interior ministry also warned.

The UK is trying to beef up border security checks.

It’s following the likes of Canada, the US, and other countries which already use the system.

What is the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme?

An ETA is a digital permission to travel to the UK

It is not a visa or a tax and does not permit entry into the UK – it merely allows a person to travel to the UK.

Visitors can find more information about applying for an ETA on Gov.uk

It lets you travel to the UK for tourism, visiting family or certain other reasons for up to six months.

It currently costs Americans $21.57 to obtain one.

Those without an ETA will be banned from boarding their flight, ferry, coach or train for travel to the UK.

An ETA lasts for two years and is linked to your passport.

If your passport has expired or changed, you’ll need to apply for a new ETA.

EXEMPTIONS:

There are some people who do not need an ETA, for example if you have:

• A current British or Irish passport
• Permission to live, work or study in the UK

“The ETA scheme is a vital part of our work to strengthen the UK’s border security,” said migration minister Mike Tapp.

It will “help to deliver a more efficient and modern service that works for both visitors and the British public,” he added.

An ETA lets you travel to the UK for tourism, visiting family or certain other reasons for up to six months.

Visitors will usually need an ETA rather than a visa if they’re traveling from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other countries.

Each person traveling needs an ETA, including babies and children.

It covers visits for tourism, business or short-term study.

“We are making improvements to deliver a more streamlined, digital immigration system which will be quicker and more secure for the millions of people who pass through the UK border each year,” said the Home Office.

“Visitors without an ETA will not be able to board their transport and cannot travel to the UK, unless exempt.

“Eligible visitors who take connecting flights (transiting) and go through UK passport control need an ETA.

“Those transiting through Heathrow and Manchester airports who do not go through UK passport control do not currently need an ETA.”

Flyers have complained the new system’s introduction has already caused delays at some airports.

Plus, there are fears it’ll muck up schedules when traveling to the UK over Easter, as it can take several days for requests to be processed.

British citizens with a second nationality risk being blocked from entering the UK as a result of the new rule, the Home Office has confirmed to British newspaper The Guardian.

There are already plans to hike the price of the ETA to $27 at an unspecified future date.

The San Fernando Valley is back in the spotlight, thanks in part to Bravo’s reality franchise “The Valley,” where viewers may recognize a slew of Ventura Boulevard staples (we see you, Rocco’s Tavern).

Much of the show is filmed in and around Studio City, a neighborhood just west of the Cahuenga Pass, about 10 miles from downtown L.A. and within the city of Los Angeles.

That last fact is what usually throws people off guard.

“Isn’t Studio City a separate city from L.A.?” they ask.

Get to know Los Angeles through the places that bring it to life. From restaurants to shops to outdoor spaces, here’s what to discover now.

This is when I must reply no and launch into an explanation on the expansiveness of the 818, the identity crisis it never asked for and how its lore has endured for decades on the silver screen, from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” to “The Karate Kid” and “Licorice Pizza,” to name a few.

See, long before Kendall Jenner bottled our area code with her tequila brand or “The Valley’s” Golnesa “GG” Gharachedaghi created her Valley Girl jewelry line (a response to a castmate’s constant gripe that the area had no vibe), Studio City was already a vibrant L.A. hub. It claimed a roster of power players — “The Brady Bunch” soundstage, Laurel Canyon News and the iconic Studio City Hand Car Wash — all of which still transcend ratings or storyline.

The neighborhood was originally formed around film producer Mack Sennett’s studio, which later became Republic Studios and then CBS Studio Center. With the studio as the focal point, the U.S. Postal Service designated its branch in that area as the Studio City Post Office, formalizing the name Studio City. Not exactly poetic, but it stuck. By the 1940s, Studio City developed into a “just over the hill” refuge for Hollywood’s working families, with new restaurants and bars abuzz.

My first memories of Studio City were hanging out with a childhood friend whose parents worked at CBS, and back then, it felt like the ultimate suburban dream. Fast forward to the mid-aughts and I got to live it myself, renting an apartment a few blocks from Tujunga Village, the neighborhood’s own “small-town U.S.A.” I spent countless weekends perusing food stands and trendy coffeehouses, the flaky bread and baked goods reviving me after hours of line dancing at Oil Can Harry’s or a booze-soaked late night at Page 71.

As one of the Valley’s most social enclaves, where nature is within reach, strip mall sushi is world-class and shaded residential streets feel worlds away from the Sunset Strip, Studio City still feels like the perfect remedy. Sure, finding parking after 6 p.m. can feel like something out of “The Hunger Games,” but on any given weekend you’ll still find me channeling my inner Katniss, circling blocks and deciphering cryptic signage all to revisit one of the L.A. neighborhoods that raised me.

Studio City must be the place. Then again, it always was.

AUDLEY End is home to family-favourite miniature railway that has been running for 60 years.

It’s now announced a new electric steam locomotive – which is the first-of-its kind in the country.

The team behind Audley End Enchanted Railway in Essex has announced that a “brand-new fully electric steam-outline locomotive” will be joining its fleet.

The electric steam locomotive will be the first-of-its-kind in the UK and visitors can hop onboard from March 17, 2026.

The new train, nicknamed part of the “Steamless Revolution” will combine timeless railway romance with cutting-edge green technology.

The miniature train will be fully electric, but designed to look and sound like a traditional scale steam engine.

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Other locomotives at Audley End include Electra which was introduced on the 60-year anniversary.

Henrietta Jane is its long-standing diesel train and Robin, which is a diesel engine.

The attraction that has been open for more than six decades takes visitors along a mile and a half journey through Fulfen Forest on the Audley End estate.

Visitors can head along to Woodland Adventure Days from March 17, when the miniature railway reopens for the season, until October 4, 2026.

Families can hop onboard the train, but also explore themed play areas, hunt for hidden forest treasures, go on a fairy or elf walk, and join in eco-crafts.

Adults can take a pit-stop at the Woodland Café for a hot drink, and pick up a bite to eat there too.

The menu changes seasonally but visitors can pick up sandwiches, jacket potatoes, pizza, pies, salads and ice cream which can be enjoyed at one of the picnic tables on the grounds.

Throughout the year are seasonal events like Mother’s Day Weekend, Easter Special, and the Summer Festival with live music and dancing.

Later in the year is the Halloween Spooky Special and Christmas events.

Prices vary from free to £20.50 depending on dates, times and events.

Audley End itself is a 17th-century Jacobean country mansion in Saffron Walden, managed by English Heritage

It’s managed by English Heritage and visitors can go back in time to see how a great house worked in the past.

In the 1830s nursery, kids can try on costumes and play with replica toys.

Upstairs in the Coal Gallery, see how servants kept the house stocked with coal and hot water.

The Service Wing offers a unique insight into life ‘below stairs’ during the 1880s.

Audley End is on the outskirts of Saffron Walden, which in 2025 was declared the UK’s ‘best place to live’.

The Times has declared Saffron Walden as their winner based on schools, transport, broadband speed, mobile signal to culture, green spaces and high street health.

It’s even been dubbed a Cotswolds-alternative with a pretty high street and historic market square.

Saffron Walden dates back to the 1130s and while it is 15 miles from the nearest city of Cambridge, it still has plenty to offer.

In the town centre is a market that has been running since 1141 and is still going strong today.

One Sun Writer spent a night on the Audley End grounds…

Senior Consumer Reporter, Adele Cooke, headed to Audley End for a stay in the Victorian Gardener’s House…

“Before I boarded the train for my weekend break, Essex conjured up images of Gemma Collins rather than a refined getaway.

“So it was a pleasant surprise to arrive at our cottage set in the splendour of Audley End House and Gardens, just outside Saffron Walden.

“If you are looking for a place to get away from it all, it’s perfect. Arriving after dark, we explored the handsome red brick property – formerly the Victorian Gardener’s House – and it seemed to be gloriously isolated.

“So, flinging open the curtains the next morning, I was slightly surprised to see an elderly couple taking a stroll outside the window.

“Turns out the cottage is not just on the estate – but in the middle of it.

“While Audley End House is a splendid Jacobean mansion, cared for by English Heritage, a £1.25million refurbishment has transformed the former Gardener’s House.

“If you have kids, you can watch them enjoy the adventure playground through the window.

“Refreshed after a night’s sleep, we explored the estate. The 17th-century manor has been visited by everyone from Elizabeth I to screen royalty Olivia Colman, who filmed scenes from the Netflix hit The Crown at the house.”

For more on Essex, here’s the other side to the county with beautiful sandy beaches and biggest pleasure pier in the UK.

And here’s Britain’s smallest town named one of the coolest spots in the country with cosy pubs and coastal walks.

Vernon Kay is hosting brand new BBC gameshow Do You Know Your Place? teaming up with The Traitors star Paul Gorton

The BBC has introduced a new quiz show Do You Know Your Place?, which launches on Monday 23 February.

However, according to The Traitors star Paul Gorton, who is co-presenting the show with main host Vernon Kay, he was originally down to be a guest until the host they had booked to present his segment had to pull out.

The new series sees Paul lead an ‘unreliable’ UK tour of a different destination each day with three celebrity players battling it out to sort unbelievable facts from fiction.

From locations in Belfast to Wrexham, celebrity guests include EastEnders star Nitin Ganatra, the Reverend Kate Bottley, Gladiator ‘Apollo’ Alex Gray, Anneka Rice, Susan Calman, Owain Wyn Evans and Max Fosh.

Alongside Paul’s tours, Vernon will task the celebrities with a number of in-studio games, each taking inspiration from the day’s destination.

Whoever gets the most points across the show wins the episode and a souvenir that Paul has sent back from his travels with points accrued across five days with the overall winner at the end of the week receiving an ‘I Know My Place’ sweatshirt.

Talking about the new series, The Traitors star Paul said of how he got the role, telling us in an exclusive chat: “I think it was two years ago, there was an idea to do kind of like a travel show with celebs and then have all these kind of games in there and almost pack everything that you’ve watched into kind of like one show in one location, do it all there.

“I was booked to be a guest on one of these early iterations and the host pulled out, because the host was going to be out with the celebs, so Vernon [who has the main hosting gig] would be out with the celebs type of thing, and whoever they booked decided to not show and said, ‘Oh I can’t do it now’, so instead of finding someone, let’s see if Paul wants to have a go.

“We did the pilot which was me and these three celebs and it was just off you go, have fun.

“And I think they quite quickly realised that it would be nice to have this lovely kind of homely studio element to it with an absolute megastar [Vernon] and then we’ll still have Paul running around in a storm, in the rain and in the freezing cold.

“Luckily it all worked, it all clicked together. I did my bit which was all kind of the VTs, then Vernon’s done his bit in kind of like a mock studio and they stitched it together and the BBC just, it feels very weird to me because, and Vernon will know this a lot more than I do, but they were saying pretty much everything never gets commissioned.

“But the BBC guys were just like ‘Yep, we love it, we want it’ and that got us to almost present day where I’ve been running around the country finding all the weird and wonderful and magnificent parts of the UK.”

Do You Know Your Place? airs on BBC Two, weekdays at 6.30PM, starting from Monday 23 February.

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MAJORCA is no secret to Brits – it’s a great place for a holiday with its beautiful city, sandy beaches, nightlife and tasty food.

Now, the island has been named one of the ‘hottest destinations to visit in 2026’, and it’s not hard to see why it continues to be firmly on our radar.

The Independent named Majorca one of the ‘hottest’ places to visit this year – and travel company ASmallWorld named Majorca as Spain’s newest ‘It’ island

CEO Zain Richardson said: “What makes Mallorca stand out from other Spanish islands is its sheer diversity.

“You get the bohemian charm of stone-built villages, the buzz of Palma’s restaurants and galleries, and an ever-changing coastline of quiet calas and long sandy beaches, without having to compromise on comfort or style.”

I visited the island’s capital, Palma, myself almost a decade ago now.

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But I’m not surprised that it’s still up there with the most popular holiday destinations for Brits – almost 3.5million of us jet off there each year.

Palma has the perfect blend of city and beach with a busy Old Town full of winding streets with classic high street names and plenty of designer shops.

Passeig del Born, a street that’s also called the ‘Golden Mile’, has lots of luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari and Hugo Boss.

I could only window shop, but there are still plenty of other inexpensive shops to be explored.

For sunglasses, check out Óptica Santa Maria Boutique which has some lovely, and reasonably priced frames – along with designer ones of course.

Giovanni L. Gelato Deluxe is another must – it’s Palma’s oldest ice cream parlour with around 80 flavours on offer.

You can easily spot it thanks to its bright red awning and gem embellished ice cream mural outside.

Choosing a flavour was a no-brainer as the brand has award-winning ice cream and was awarded the title for the “World’s Best Pistachio Ice Cream” twice.

I opted for a simple blend of pistachio and vanilla – and it was delicious.

The city is of course framed by its huge 14th-century cathedral on the seafront, and tourists can go inside for around €11 (£9.61).

I find though that you can still appreciate it enough by wandering around the outside.

Next door, the Gardens of S’Hort del Rei (The King’s Orchard) at the foot of Royal Palace of La Almudaina is a lovely spot where you can find some shade – and it wasn’t busy either.

As for where to stay, I set up base at the Hipotels Gran Playa de Palma which is tucked behind the promenade at Playa de Palma – around 20-minutes outside of the city centre.

The hotel has two outdoor pools, three bars, two buffet restaurants and entertainment during the evening.

As much as I enjoy a fly and flop holiday, I do love some activity outside of the hotel, and here was a great spot.

The hotel was a short walk to the beach, and the promenade filled with cafes, restaurants and plenty of places to pick up a bucket and spade.

The beach has soft golden sand and while there are sun loungers which you can hire out for a fee, there’s plenty of space if you want to simply sit on a towel too.

One of my favourite spots was Levita Café where I ended up stopping in most days for a rosé sangria which set me back €6.50 (£5).

If you’re so inclined, it’s also near one of Majorca’s biggest clubs, MegaPark.

I didn’t venture inside, but it’s known for having a huge open-air disco, a large beer garden, and a show stage.

Even though our hotel was just a five-minute walk-away, I never heard any noise from the club.

While there are party opportunities dotted around the island, it’s becoming more welcoming for those who aren’t there to seek out the party lifestyle.

It’s been reported that local authorities are tightening rules on party boats and noisy beach activities.

When it comes to money, Majorca isn’t the cheapest place, it’s not hugely expensive either.

According to Numbeo, you can pick up a local beer for £3.49 and coffee for £2.51.

If you want to see more of the island outside of Palma, then some other top-rated spots include the Tramuntana region with huge mountain ranges.

Some of the best beaches in the country include Cala Mondragó which is within the Mondragó Natural Park – but there are plenty to choose from as the island has over 200 of them.

As for when’s best to head to the island, it can vary as this week there are highs of 21C and plenty of sunshine, but there is a risk of rain.

Personally, I’d head there in springtime – May, April and June are generally dry with lots of sun without being too hot.

In peak months like July and August, temperatures can reach the mid-30s.

Flights won’t set you back too much either, in April, you can fly from Birmingham and London Stansted from £15 with Ryanair.

And you’ll be setting down in two and a half hours from the UK.

Here are top eats in Majorca from experts…

Tour guides Georgiana Paun, Michelle van der Werff, Emily Himmer, 30, and travel agent Tomas Nanak, share their top Majorca tips…

Georgiana said: “Las Olas is a family restaurant located on the beachfront in Santa Ponsa on the west of the island, with incredible views.

“You can enjoy all kinds of Mediterranean food while watching the sun go down over the bay of Santa Ponsa.

“Choose between their fish, seafood, paellas and meat dishes, as well as a variety of delicious tapas made with local market products.”

Michelle and Emily said: “One of our local favourites is Toque de Queda in central Palma, because of its fresh, healthy cuisine served in a cosy ‘living room’ atmosphere.

“The laid-back vibe and delicious local dishes make it a perfect place for an easy evening out, with Balearic charcuterie boards from 14 euros, and fish tapas from 9 euros.”

Tomas said: “Bar Esperanza in Ses Covetes has great Mediterranean food, with tapas from 4 euros, while Organic on Cala Marsal beach offers the best brunch on the island, with hearty Spanish breakfasts from 12.50 euros.

“If you’re looking for delicious tapas, head to Babbo Portocolom with views of the harbour on the southeast side of the island, with dishes from 7.50 euros, or S’Arrosería in Colonia de San Jordi has the best paella – from 18 euros.”

For more of the top places to visit this year this European city with 3,000 hours of sunshine a year has been named the best destination to visit in 2026.

And here are the bucket list 2026 holidays you should go on for every month of the year.

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi has confirmed that further talks between the United States and Iran will take place on Thursday amid spiralling tensions between the two countries.

“Pleased to confirm US-Iran negotiations are now set for Geneva this Thursday, with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalizing the deal,” Albusaidi said in a social media post on Sunday.

The announcement comes as the US continues to amass military assets in the Middle East, raising concerns about an all-out war against Iran.

Hours before Oman’s announcement, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was ready to put in place a “full monitoring mechanism” to guarantee the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme and ease tensions.

Asked by Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan why Iran would want to pursue enrichment on its soil rather than buy enriched uranium from abroad, given the US military build-up and risk of an escalation, Araghchi said the issue was a matter of “dignity and pride” for Iranians.

“We have developed this technology by ourselves, by our scientists, and it is very dear to us because we have created it – we have paid a huge expense for that,” he said.

Araghchi cited among the costs two decades of US sanctions, the targeted killings of Iranian scientists, and US-Israeli attacks on nuclear facilities in June.

“We’re not going to give [our nuclear programme] up; there is no legal reason to do that while everything is peaceful and safeguarded” by the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Araghchi said.

As a “committed member” of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which requires non-nuclear-weapon states not to seek or acquire nuclear weapons, Iran is “ready to cooperate with the agency in full”, Araghchi added.

But he stressed that under the treaty, Tehran also has “every right to enjoy a peaceful nuclear energy, including enrichment”.

“Enrichment is a sensitive part of our negotiations. The American team knows about our position, and we know their position. We have already exchanged our concerns, and I think a solution is achievable,” the minister noted.

Enrichment is the process of isolating and garnering a rare variant, or isotope, of uranium that can produce nuclear fission. At low levels, enriched uranium can power electric plants. If enriched to approximately 90 percent, it can be used for nuclear weapons.

US officials, including President Donald Trump, have previously suggested that Washington is seeking “zero enrichment” by Tehran.

Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any deal with Iran would need to include agreements on ballistic missiles and support for its allies in the region.

Araghchi, however, said on Sunday that Iran was “negotiating only nuclear” at the present time.

“There is no other subject,” he told CBS News, adding that he was optimistic that a deal could be reached.

The second round of nuclear talks concluded in Geneva on February 17. The US and Iran also held indirect talks in Oman earlier this month.

The Iranian delegation is working ahead of the meeting to present a draft that includes “elements which can accommodate both sides’ concerns and interests” to reach a “fast deal”, Araghchi said.

The top Iranian diplomat added the agreement would likely be “better” than the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), negotiated by former US President Barack Obama in 2015.

“There are elements that could be much better than the previous deal,” he said, without elaborating. “Right now, there is no need for too much detail. But we can agree on our nuclear programme to remain peaceful forever and at the same time, for more sanctions [to be] lifted.”

Some observers were less optimistic about the chances of striking a deal. Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, told Al Jazeera that Iran is likely to put forward a proposal that goes beyond anything they ever offered, but even that may not be enough.

“Trump has been sold a narrative by the Israelis that portrays Iran far, far weaker than it actually is. As a result, he’s adopting maximalist capitulation positions that are simply unrealistic based on how the power reality actually looks,” Parsi told Al Jazeera.

“Unless this gets corrected, even if the Iranians put forward a very far-leaning proposal that is extremely attractive to the US, Trump may still say no because he’s under the false belief that he can get something even better.”

Met Office names Glenshiel Forest the UK’s wettest place below 200m with 3,778mm of rain a year – but the Scottish beauty spot offers red deer, historic battlefields and breathtaking mountain views

Britain’s wettest location also happens to be one of its most stunning destinations.

It has been a truly miserable winter. Cornwall and County Down recorded their wettest January on record, while Northern Ireland saw its wettest January is 149 years. Across the UK, 26 stations set new monthly records for highest January rainfall. Daily records also fell. Plymouth recorded its wettest January day in 104 years. And February has been no better so far. As of February 9, southern England had seen 72% of its monthly average.

In the midst of such sogginess, the prospect of venturing towards a region notorious for precipitation might not sound particularly appealing. However, in my view, the nation’s rainfall champion deserves a visit regardless of the season.

My initial trip to Glenshiel Forest in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, occurred when I was four years old, during a family getaway to the neighbouring village of Glenelg. Those familiar with Scotland’s western coastline throughout the year will recognise how weather systems shift with astonishing speed compared to elsewhere in Britain.

Sunshine and azure skies can transform into torrential downpours within moments, sending everyone scrambling for waterproofs.

Glenshiel Forest takes this phenomenon to extraordinary heights. Rainfall batters the foliage and trees lining the nine-mile glen with remarkable intensity, only to abruptly cease as clouds disperse above the surrounding peaks, before resuming their assault once more.

Due to their intensity and frequency, the Met Office has designated Glenshiel Forest as Britain’s dampest location below 200m elevation, recording 3,778mm of precipitation annually. This dwarfs London’s approximately 500ml yearly average, making Glenshiel Forest roughly seven times wetter. It’s also roughly four times wetter than the UK as a whole.

But don’t let that deter you from pulling on your wellies, slipping into some galoshes and paying a visit to the Scottish forest. The area has been largely untouched by human activity, giving it a wonderfully remote and pristine feel. Red deer roam freely among native tree species such as common alder, downy birch, sessile oak and rowan.

History buffs will be captivated by the area’s rich past. “There’s a powerful sense of history in Glen Shiel, with steep mountains rushing upwards from an historic battlefield where British government forces and an alliance of Jacobite and Spanish troops fought in 1719,” notes the Woodland Trust.

“You can also access a mountain path to the Five Sisters of Kintail ‘ a classic ridgewalk with three Munros (mountains over 3000 feet / 914 metres).”

For 15 years, I spent my Easter holidays in the nearby village of Glenelg, which is most easily reached by traversing the stunning 339m tall Ratagan Pass – the only route into the sea-loch side settlement for several months of the year when the iconic Glenelg-Skye turntable ferry isn’t in operation.

The vista from the summit of the Ratagan, gazing down upon Glenshiel’s drenched woodlands in one direction and Glenelg in the other, is utterly unforgettable once witnessed. Few thrills can match cresting the hill after navigating the treacherously narrow, serpentine roads and beholding the village’s whitewashed cottages dotted along a loch’s shore, its waters remarkably azure, set against the backdrop of Skye’s mountains and the landscape beyond.

Perhaps the only thing that surpasses it – and another reason my family kept making pilgrimages to this remote corner of Britain year after year until the bungalow we considered our holiday retreat eventually crumbled into complete disrepair – is the panorama from the Glenelg Inn’s garden. Should you ever venture to the area, savour a pint from the local brewery whilst seated at the Inn’s picnic tables, taking in the spectacular scenery – at least until the heavens open.

For those who’d rather not brave the elements and venture into the sodden outdoors, Sykes Cottages has numerous properties available that are perfect for settling in and shutting out the dreary world beyond.

One particularly appealing option is Silver Birch Lodge, a six-person cottage that can be yours for less than £100 a night. Travel a little further north and you’ll get to the spacious Old Distillery Lodge, which sits in the stunning Caingorns National Park.

As rainy as parts of Scotland can be, they pale in comparison to the world’s soggiest area. Mawsynram is a town unlike any other. Nestled amidst the lush green forests of the Khasi Hills in the far east of India above Bangladesh, it is a beautiful area but an absolutely soaking one. Mawsynram receives about 11,873 mm of rainfall annually, which is close to 11 times more than the 1,109mm that falls on famously sodden Glasgow.

Jyotiprasad Oza is a lifelong resident of the town who makes a living leading groups of curious holidaymakers around with TourHQ. People come from far and wide to experience what life is like in the rainiest place on Earth, with visitors regularly making the trip from the US and UK.

“We get about 10,000 tourists a year. During rainy time people like to visit because it’s very heavy rainfall, especially June to September,” Jyotiprasad told the Mirror just as the rain clouds – somewhat predictably – began to open above him.

The rain in Mawsynram is not like the rain in most places. When it starts sometimes it doesn’t stop for days on end. Often residents will dash inside when the heavens open, only to find that there has been no let up for a week straight. And it isn’t just the duration that makes it stand apart.

In one single June day last decade 1,003mm of rain fell on the town – twice as much as London receives in a single year. The impacts on Mawsynram of such intense rainfall can be quite devastating.

“During the time of heavy rainfall, it is impossible to go outside. We can’t do our daily walk. We are not supposed to go outside during the rainy time. Sometimes children can’t go to school during the rain. It is quite dangerous,” Jyotiprasad explained.

The rise of girls’ flag football is following a familiar path. There now are travel teams with girls competing in offseason competitions as all-star teams similar to seven-on-seven football tournaments.

Under The Radar sports media, which for years has shot videos for YouTube and been involved in 11-man football competitions, is sponsoring a flag football team gaining attention for its success this year.

Called the Ballerettes, the team has several high school athletes from Southern California.

Leah Davis is a sophomore from Upland who was All-Baseline League. Denver De Jongh was a standout freshman at Mater Dei.
Savvy Su’e was the freshman quarterback at Banning last season. She also plays softball and basketball.

As participation and popularity rise, you can expect more travel competitions, camps and opportunities for college recruiting.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.