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Venezuelan Gov’t Announces New Popular Consultation, ‘Productive Pilgrimage’

Delcy Rodríguez kicks off the new “pilgrimage” stage at the Cabelum company in Bolívar State. (Presidential Press)

Mérida, May 21, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced that on 12 July the country will conduct its second popular consultation of the year to fund local projects. 

The Venezuelan leader made the announcement during the inauguration of the “City of Entrepreneurship” at the Giant Cacique Tiuna commune in Caracas on Monday, an event with local small-scale entrepreneurs. The upcoming vote follows the first consultation of 2026, which took place on March 8 in 5,336 communal circuits.

“I am pleased to announce that the second popular consultation will take place on July 12. So, everyone should prepare for this national consultation,” Rodríguez stated. “It will be open to projects in any of the Seven Transformations,” she added, referring to the government’s development plan across different areas.

A significant development for the upcoming vote is the incorporation of new types of organizations into the process. The acting president announced that the consultation will include 120,000 condominium boards and 15,000 neighbor associations, emphasizing the importance of consolidating a “common effort” alongside traditional communal projects. Following the March 8 consultation, Rodríguez pledged to expand the process to traditionally middle-class areas where there is no grassroots organization.

Popular consultations have become the main mechanism of government policy to transfer funds to grassroots organizations. Prior to the vote, communities hold assemblies to identify the local priorities, traditionally focusing on infrastructure, public services, or supplying healthcare facilities.

The most-voted initiative receives the equivalent of US $10,000, with the local organizations charged with executing the projects and rendering accounts. According to official figures, the Venezuelan government supported 33,743 initiatives in 2025. On some occasions, state, regional, and municipal offices have funded the second-place projects in several communes.

The upcoming July vote will be the seventh national consultation since the mechanism was consolidated, following two rounds in 2024 and three in 2025.

Venezuelan authorities have yet to specify whether the condominium boards and neighbor associations will access similar funding and if all will be eligible to participate. Their jurisdiction and ability to access state funds have yet to be defined. The move to expand the consultation to organizations in traditionally middle-class apartment complexes and residential areas bypasses the communal instances envisioned by former President Hugo Chávez as “unit cells” for the construction of socialism.

New Phase of ‘National Pilgrimage’

The announcement of the July consultation coincided with the launch of a second phase of the “Great National Pilgrimage” to defend peace and oppose sanctions. The pilgrimage, a large-scale political mobilization strategy, began the new stage on 19 May with a special emphasis on dialogue with the productive sectors of the economy.

According to Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, this new phase differs from the first stage, which concluded on April 30, by expanding its reach to non-metropolitan areas and focusing on specific regional economic activities such as fishing, agriculture, and the oil industry.

During a rally in the western state of Zulia on Tuesday, Cabello explained that the objective is to establish direct engagement with the population, independent of political affiliation, and to channel proposals on public services, security, and financing to the Rodríguez administration.

At the same time, the Caribbean nation’s acting president held meetings in Bolívar state with the aluminum conductor company Cabelum. She stated that the pilgrimage aimed to go “to the heart of productive Venezuela” to identify structural obstacles and promote productivity. In recent months, the Venezuelan National Assembly has approved several pro-business reforms with the stated purpose of attracting private sector investment, both national and foreign.

Rodríguez explicitly linked the pilgrimage’s goals to the need for diplomatic dialogue with the Trump administration to request a removal of unilateral coercive measures, which she lamented have imposed a “very high cost” on the Venezuelan population.

The pilgrimage, which also includes mass assemblies and the collection of proposals for public management, is expected to run alongside the preparations for the upcoming July consultation. Venezuelan authorities have defended the initiative as an effort to reach out to other political factions under common national goals.

Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.

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‘Extreme’ health risk warning for popular Brit holiday destination

People visiting these islands could be at risk of high UV levels

People have been urged to take certain precautions as the ultraviolet radiation risk at a popular holiday destination area has been raised to “extreme”. Health officials in the Canary Islands have elevated the UV risk across several of the islands.

According to the Canary Islands Health Department, UV radiation levels are presently classified as “very high” across all islands. And Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria have reached the highest “extreme” warning category.

Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation can lead to serious health complications, including DNA damage, severe sunburn, allergic skin reactions, eye conditions and a heightened risk of skin cancer, including melanoma. Health experts also caution that UV exposure can suppress the immune system and even trigger the reactivation of viruses such as cold sores.

The alert particularly impacts those who spend lengthy periods outdoors, whether for work or leisure, as well as individuals with fair skin, light eyes or a family history of skin cancer. Children and older adults are also regarded as especially at risk.

As reported by Canarian Weekly on May 21, health authorities are strongly advising people to avoid direct sunlight between 11am and 5pm wherever possible, seek out shaded areas and wear protective clothing, wide-brimmed hats and approved sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection. The application of SPF 50 sunscreen is highly recommended, even on overcast days.

Authorities also issued a reminder to parents that babies under one year old should never be exposed directly to sunlight, as their skin is particularly sensitive and incompatible with most sun creams. The Canary Islands consistently record some of the highest UV radiation levels across Spain throughout the year, owing to their geographical position and climate.

How to apply sunscreen

The NHS warns that most people do not apply enough sunscreen. As a guide, adults should aim to apply around six to eight teaspoons of sunscreen if you’re covering your entire body.

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If sunscreen is applied “too thinly”, the amount of protection it gives is reduced. If you plan to be out in the sun long enough to risk burning, sunscreen needs to be applied twice:

  • 30 minutes before going out
  • Just before going out

Sunscreen should be applied to all exposed skin, including the face, neck and ears, and head if you have thinning or no hair, but a wide-brimmed hat is better. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied liberally and frequently, and according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

This includes applying it straight after you have been in water, even if it’s “water resistant”, and after towel drying, sweating or when it may have rubbed off. It’s also recommended to reapply sunscreen every two hours, as the sun can dry it off your skin.

Further to this, the NHS recommends you should do the following to stay safe in the sun:

  • Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm
  • Never burn
  • Cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses
  • Take extra care with children
  • Keep babies under six months out of direct sunlight
  • Use at least factor 30 sunscreen – make sure to use enough and re-apply frequently

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Column: Jack up taxes on California’s rich? Popular liberal mantra, but bad idea

The Democrats’ mantra this election year — especially among wannabe governors — is that the richest Californians should “pay their fair share.” But by any objective measurement, they already do.

I’m referring to state taxes, not federal. It’s a valid argument that the most prosperous Americans should kick in more to the federal government, particularly after President Trump and the Republican Congress lowered taxes for the wealthy, who already had a pretty good deal.

But it’s a different story in California, where state government lives off the well-heeled. Yet, never-satisfied liberal Democrats and public employee unions constantly cry for more.

In fact, an unexpected surge of $16.8 billion in state tax revenue, mostly due to the stock market boom and capital gains earnings, is bailing out Gov. Gavin Newsom and allowing him to claim a balanced budget as he prepares to depart Sacramento and run for president in 2028.

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The state Franchise Tax Board recently reported which income groups pony up the most taxes. The more money you earn, the steeper your income tax burden. Of course, that’s the way it should be. But California pushes its progressive tax system to the extreme.

We’ve got by far the highest state income tax rate in the nation at 13.3%.

In 2024, the latest year for which there’s complete data, the top 1% of California taxpayers accounted for 40% of the total state income tax revenue, the FTB reported. But they earned just 24% of the taxable income. To be in the top 1%, your annual earnings had to be at least $973,000.

The top 0.1% kicked in 21% of the tax, while earning 12% of the income. To be in that megarich class, you needed annual earnings of at least $4.7 million.

By contrast, middle-class families with incomes between $73,000 and $139,000 paid 9% of the state’s income tax take.

This doesn’t mean we should weep for the rich and demand more from the struggling lower middle class.

But the problem with Sacramento living off the wealthiest taxpayers is that they’re unreliable. Their fortunes flourish in boom times and fall when the economy busts. When the stock market sneezes, California state government catches pneumonia.

If the state treasury is overflowing, Democratic lawmakers tend to spend freely, expanding programs and creating new ones. Then when the cache inevitably shrinks in bad times, the policymakers’ usual response is to essentially turn their eyes.

Rather than sharply whack spending and raise taxes, they gimmick up the budget with borrowing, deferred spending and crossed fingers. And they dig the hole deeper.

For decades, under Democratic and Republican governors, we’ve sorely needed to update our archaic tax system to make it less volatile and more dependable.

A reform that makes lots of sense is to extend the sales tax to services primarily used by businesses. They could deduct the cost on their federal tax returns. And California state and local governments would steadily collect several billion dollars annually. Some income and sales tax rates could even be lowered.

California also has the nation’s highest state sales tax rate at 7.25%. Combining state and local sales tax rates, we have the seventh-highest at 8.99%.

Taxing deductible business services makes sense to many politicians — but only privately. They’re too weak-kneed to seriously consider it in public. There’d be winners and losers and high political risks.

When Xavier Becerra, the current Democratic front-runner in the June 2 gubernatorial primary, entered the race a year ago, I asked him about extending the sales tax to services, as all other states do. He wanted nothing to do with it.

“We need to stabilize our tax system in California with a more steady source of revenue,” he told me. “But I’m not a fan of the sales tax to begin with. It lands on working families.”

He was not interested in exploring a possible tax on services that didn’t hit working families.

Becerra, a former California attorney general and U.S. health secretary, added: “Before we start exploring new taxes, we should explore existing budget spending. We have to scrub the budget.”

In revising his new budget proposal last week, Newsom proposed $5.1 billion in modest tax hikes on businesses — even as unanticipated revenue was surging. He asked the Legislature for a limit on corporate tax credits and a tax on digital software.

He also proposed to trim $3.7 billion from Medi-Cal healthcare for the poor.

Newsom proposed spending $349.9 billion in the next fiscal year and asserted that budgets would be balanced for 18 months. But after that, he and practically everyone else in Sacramento foresee deficit spending without extensive fiscal restructuring.

But you don’t hear a peep about that from leading Democratic candidates running to replace Newsom. Most are talking about imposing significantly higher business taxes to pay for new or expanded programs.

Billionaire hedge fund founder Tom Steyer wants to close “the corporate tax loophole.” What he’s talking about is gutting Proposition 13’s property tax breaks for commercial holdings. He’d make it easier to reassess when partners sell their portions of a property — a commonly called “split roll” that would treat commercial property differently than residential.

That was tried in 2020 and rejected by voters.

Steyer also supports the billionaire tax that’s expected to be on the November ballot. It would impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of California’s 200-plus billionaires.

To their credit, no other gubernatorial candidate supports this misguided proposal. Practically all the $100-billion windfall would flow solely into healthcare while causing fed-up super wealthy to flee the state.

Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter would raise taxes on the most profitable corporations to pay for free child care and college tuition. They’re both good causes but of questionable fiscal feasibility right now.

Rather than pushing rich investors and job creators out of state, we should be encouraging them to stick it out in California and continue to pay their fair share.

What else you should be reading

The must-read: Who won and who lost in Thursday night’s California gubernatorial debate? Our columnists weigh in
TikTok dough: The Steyer campaign pays influencers. Their posts don’t always make that clear
The L.A. Times Special: Steyer campaign staffer linked to video of rival Katie Porter berating staff

Until next week,
George Skelton


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I visit popular holiday spot every year — but noticed a sad change this time

The holiday destination is hugely popular with UK tourists, and it’s brilliant – but one significant difference is hard not to notice

There’s nothing quite as exciting as discovering somewhere new on holiday. Trying out new restaurants, exploring the attractions and wandering for hours makes for the ideal short break, especially when the weather’s lovely and warm.

I love to travel and aim to visit a new city or country at least once a year. That said, I’m also a bit of a creature of habit, and there’s one destination I’ve returned to repeatedly that never loses its appeal. I first went to Playa Blanca in Lanzarote aged just nine, and it’s since become my family’s ultimate go-to retreat.

If you’ve visited before, you’ll know it feels very much like a second home. British and Irish tourists are everywhere, numerous seafront bars screen football while serving pints and full English breakfasts, and the streets are lined with familiar shops including Spar, Mango, Aldi and Lidl.

But the glorious sunshine, stunning beaches, distinctive landscape and lovely villas make it exceptional, so it’s hardly surprising that my family and I always look forward to our visits there.

We’ve been so often that all the typical tourist attractions have been crossed off our list. Timanfaya volcano, the cactus gardens and Mirador del Rio – a spectacular viewpoint nearly 500 metres above sea level – are all worthwhile visits, but nowadays when we go it’s purely for unwinding.

However, after our return earlier this month, I spotted a major difference, and unfortunately not a positive one.

Like most holidaymakers, there’s only one thing occupying my thoughts when I travel — and that’s the food. Playa Blanca has an abundance of outstanding restaurants catering to every possible taste, from traditional Spanish tapas and paella to sushi, curries, pasta and countless other options.

There are certain places we return to without fail, as well as exciting newcomers constantly appearing on the scene. It’s really unusual to have a disappointing meal anywhere across Playa Blanca.

However, this year many of the restaurants we went to were noticeably quieter than usual. The island itself appeared no less busy than normal, but even during peak periods, the dining spots we passed or visited had noticeably fewer customers.

Asia Playa Blanca, a personal favourite, was practically empty when we dropped in for lunch one afternoon. One family arrived, took their seats and promptly left — a disheartening sight, especially given the exceptional standard and presentation of the Japanese cuisine.

La Bodegon, a superb tapas spot along the waterfront, also seemed to be serving considerably fewer customers than I’ve seen before. While Lanzarote has pleasant weather throughout the year, visitor numbers typically drop during winter — but this was May, and the streets were as packed as ever.

The slump in restaurant footfall could be down to the construction of several large, all-inclusive hotels near the resort over the past few years.

For families in particular, opting for half-board at one of these properties is likely far more cost-effective and convenient than hunting down a different restaurant each evening.

If Playa Blanca is on your travel radar this year, a wander through the old town and a visit to a couple of local restaurants is highly recommended. Top picks would include Imagine India, La Casa Roja and Primari for curries, paella and Aperol Spritz respectively.

The staff are wonderfully friendly and attentive — you’ll often be treated to a complimentary Limoncello or honey rum at the end of your meal — and you might just stumble upon your new favourite dining destination.

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Ryanair warns passengers travelling to 12 popular destinations

Popular budget airline is to cancel routes in 2026 after a row with officials

Ryanair has given bad news for passengers going to 12 destinations. The airline regularly keeps customers with bookings in the loop regarding travel updates and on its website has explained that the routes are being chopped.

It said that 12 routes are being cut – with the result that 700,000 seats are effectively being lost to air gtravel. The issue has arisen around its Thessaloniki base – meaning it’s closing for the three aircraft based there. It said: “This devastating loss in off-peak winter connectivity is the direct result of the hopelessly uncompetitive costs charged at the German-run Fraport Greece monopoly and Athens Airport.

“The Greek Govt. made the wise decision to reduce the Airport Development Fee (ADF) by 75% (from €12 to €3 per passenger) from November’24, which should have directly stimulated year-round connectivity and tourism across Greece. However, most Greek airports, particularly those run by Fraport Greece, refused to pass the tax cut onto passengers and instead have pocketed the tax cut for themselves. Since then, Fraport Greece have continued to increase charges, which are now +66% above their pre-Covid levels. Likewise, Athens Airport will hike charges this Winter.

“Consequently, Greek airports are no longer competitive in the off-peak shoulder and Winter months, when the tourism industry’s reliance on low-fare connectivity is most acute. Ryanair has therefore been left with no choice but to reallocate capacity to more competitive countries like Albania, regional Italy, and Sweden where airports have passed on the savings from Govt. tax reductions. “

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Ryanair said it presented an ambitious growth plan to the Greek government in what it said would grow traffic to 12m passengers per annum, base 10 additional aircraft and launch 50 new routes over the next 5 years. It said it would carry out the plan if airport charges were frozen and the 75% Airport Development Fee reduction is passed on to passengers at all airports.

Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness said: “Ryanair regrets to announce the closure of our Thessaloniki base and reductions in Athens for Winter ‘26, resulting in the loss of 700,000 seats and 12 routes across Greece, as well as the suspension of operations at Chania and Heraklion during the off-peak months. These preventable traffic reductions are a direct result of the airports’ failure to pass through the ADF reduction, particularly in Thessaloniki where the Fraport Greece monopoly have hiked airport charges +66% since 2019.

“The removal of 3 based aircraft, 500,000 seats (-60% vs. Winter ‘25) and 10 routes from Thessaloniki for Winter ‘26 will be devastating for the city and region, as Ryanair provided 90% of international capacity to Thessaloniki last Winter. Unfortunately, there will now be less low-cost air fares for Thessaloniki’s citizens and visitors, and year-round tourism will be harmed as a result. These aircraft will be reallocated to Albania, regional Italy and Sweden, where airports have passed on their Govt’s aviation tax savings – resulting in more connectivity, tourism and jobs this Winter in those regions.

“There is an opportunity for Greece to secure significant year-round traffic growth however, this investment can only be realised once the German-run Fraport Greece monopoly fully passes through the Greek Govt.’s sensible tax cut from November’24 – allowing airlines such as Ryanair, to deliver the connectivity required to reduce Greece’s chronic seasonality.”

The cancelled routes:

  • Thessaloniki to Berlin
  • Thessaloniki to Chania
  • Thessaloniki to Frankfurt-H
  • Thessaloniki to Gothenburg
  • Thessaloniki to Heraklion
  • Thessaloniki to Niederrhein
  • Thessaloniki to Poznan
  • Thessaloniki to Stockholm
  • Thessaloniki to Venice-T
  • Thessaloniki to Zagreb
  • Athens to Milan-M
  • Chania to Paphos

Ryanair has also pulled its aircraft from Chania and Heraklion.

Fraport, which runs 14 airports in Greece said Ryanair’s decision is “exclusively related” to the airline’s commercial strategy and profitability considerations. “Any claims linking this decision to airport charges or the airport development fee imposed by the Greek state are entirely unfounded,” it adds. Fraport Greece has invested over €100 million (£86 million) to upgrade Thessaloniki, the statement added.

Meanwhile, Ryanair has announced the closure of its Berlin operating base and a 50% reduction in its winter schedule to the German capital, citing escalating aviation taxes in the country. The Irish budget airline confirmed that relocating seven aircraft to alternative hubs would see its Berlin passenger numbers drop from 4.5 million to 2.2 million annually.

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The popular European country being hit by the worst airport queues as ‘families forced to wait six hours’

WAITING times in airports have increased since the introduction of EES – but one destinations has had travellers queueing for up to six hours.

Portugal is a beautiful country for a family break, but the lengthy queues mean that some are spending longer lining up in the airport than they do on the plane.

Portugal has been experiencing very high queues at its airports Credit: Alamy
Some travellers have experienced queues up to six hours Credit: Alamy

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

EES delays and travel chaos have dominated the news, and some airports in Portugal in particular have passengers waiting in very long queues.

One travel blogger posted on Instagram: “Last week a family I advised landed in Lisbon and stood in line for 6 hours and 40 minutes. Their toddler slept on a suitcase. They missed their transfer to the Algarve.

“EES (the EU’s new biometric entry system) is now live. Faro processes 7x more summer traffic than its capacity. Luggage handlers are striking April through June. And the airport you choose to land in will define your first 24 hours in Portugal.”

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The flight time between the UK and Lisbon is up to three hours, so some British travellers are standing in the airport for longer than they’re on the plane.

Queues through Lisbon Airport have been causing frustration amongst many travellers.

One Brit wrote just yesterday on X: “Warning if you are flying to Portugal any time now, actually spent longer queuing than the actual flight, was a shambles with half the machines not working, and further queues to passport control.”

Bottlenecking is a cause of lengthy wait times at Lisbon and Faro Credit: Alamy

Another said leaving Lisbon Airport was the “one of the worst passport control experiences” with hours of waiting.

The EU’s EES (entry/ exit) system has increased the queuing time for inward and outward passengers by four and even five times as much, according to The Resident.

It’s not just Lisbon either; Faro Airport in the south is experiencing lengthy delays too with some saying that they’ve queued from the terminal to airside.

One big reason for the delays that Lisbon and Faro airports suffer from is caused by what’s called ‘bottlenecking’.

Essentially it’s airport congestion from when lots of flights land at the same time, or delays cause lots of passengers to be in one place at the same time.

One holidaymaker called Lisbon Airport one ‘of the worst passport control experiences’ Credit: Alamy

They occur mostly at security checkpoints, passport control, boarding gates, and baggage handling areas resulting in lengthy queues.

One of our own Travel Reporters experienced the situation herself in Lanzarote when multiple flights landing at the same time ended up in a three-hour queue through the airport.

The queues have been getting so bad that airlines like Ryanair have even called for EES to be suspended until September – after the peak summer travel period.

While you can’t avoid EES queues, there are ways to make them less uncomfortable.

Make sure to check out our tips from where to sit on the plane to the best time to take a flight.



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Ryanair to axe 700,000 seats to popular European holiday destination this year

RYANAIR is axing MORE flights to Europe – hitting four popular airports this year.

The budget airline has confirmed that it would be closing its base at Thessaloniki as well as reducing flights at Athens.

Stunning views of Kalyves bay and beach. Beautiful Crete island, Greece.
Greek holiday destinations Crete (pictured) as well as Athens and Thessaloniki are the latest to have Ryanair flights scrapped Credit: Alamy

Not only that, but off-season flights to Chania and Heraklion in Crete have been scrapped.

This means 700,000 fewer seats on sale this winter, working out to a 45 per cent reduction, and resulting in 12 routes being scrapped in total.

Ryanair has cited airport charges as the reason behind the reduction in flights, saying the airports are “no longer competitive” in the off peak season.

Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness said they “regretted” the closures and reductions, but said it was because of the “failure to pass through the ADF reduction” unlike other airports in Greece.

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He added: ” The Fraport Greece monopoly have hiked airport charges +66% since 2019.

“Unfortunately, there will now be less low-cost air fares for Thessaloniki’s citizens and visitors, and year-round tourism will be harmed as a result.

“These aircraft will be reallocated to Albania, regional Italy and Sweden, where airports have passed on their Govt’s aviation tax savings – resulting in more connectivity, tourism and jobs this Winter in those regions.”

It comes as the budget airline axes millions of seats elsewhere in Europe.

Last summer, they airline confirmed two million seats across Spain would be scrapped, with all routes to Tenerife North, Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, Jerez and Valladolid cancelled.

And back in March, Ryanair cancelled all flights to The Azores, often dubbed the Hawaii of Europe.

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Jason Statham and wife Rosie Huntington-Whitely build £25m ‘forever home’ next to popular nudist beach

JASON Statham and Rosie Huntington-Whitely have decided to build their grand ‘forever home’ right next to a popular nudist beach.

They’ll be in for an eyeful whenever they open their curtains though, as the gorgeous sea view is much-loved by naturists according to the Daily Mail.

Jason Statham and Rosie Huntington-Whitely are building their new home by a popular nudist beach Credit: Getty
The property cost them £20million and further renovations are estimated to cost another £5million Credit: Getty

The movie hardman and his supermodel fiancee opted for a 20-acre spot on the south coast to house the £20million property.

But it’s estimated to cost the couple a further £5million for additional building works.

The Sun exclusively revealed last weekend that Jason and Rosie, who share two children together, had bought the property.

It features five bedrooms, its own private beach and a treehouse.

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The couple share two children together Credit: PA
Jason and Rosie met in 2009 and got engaged 7 years later Credit: Getty

It also includes a wild swimming pond and a 42,000 sq ft boating lake.

Horse stables are currently under construction behind the main house, and plans for a large gym and pool are under way.

The house was originally designed by a trusted architect of the Royal Family in a modern, brutalist style.

It’s a far cry from the pair’s London abode, and Rosie shared how she was looking forward to living in the idyllic countryside ‘forever home’.

She told The Sun: “I’ve been dreaming of this since I left home. “It will be mud and kids climbing trees.”

Jason and Rosie met at a party in 2009 and got engaged in 2016.

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BBC Breakfast viewers ‘fuming’ as show ‘bins’ popular segment ‘completely in tatters’

BBC Breakfast has been hit with complaints by angry viewers following a major shake-up

BBC Breakfast viewers have been left rather unimpressed following a segment shake-up.

The morning show returned to screens on Saturday (May 9) for another instalment. Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt were back at the helm, to discuss some of the biggest stories hitting the headlines.

However, normally on the programme, the hosts pass over to Newswatch host Samira Ahmed, who delves into viewers’ thoughts on recent BBC News coverage.

BBC Newswatch is a weekly show offering viewers and listeners the opportunity to respond to BBC News. The segment sees Samira presenting viewer feedback on the BBC’s reporting of major stories, with audiences either praising or critiquing the coverage.

But fans hoping to watch the latest Newswatch were left disappointed as the segment was conspicuously missing from BBC Breakfast. As the clock approached the typical Newswatch time, Naga and Charlie continued their interview with Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell.

And when the interview stopped and the hosts moved onto the next topic, angry fans soon took to X to fume over there being no Newswatch. One person wrote: “Hope newswatch hasn’t been binned for repeats of the same political news.” A second added: “Never thought I’d be desperate for news watch.”

A third comment read: “Fuming it’s dropped.” Another person penned: “Mean buggers binning newswatch, it’s only 10min long sods.” Someone else said: “Saturday viewing fun completely in tatters lol.”

This is not the first time Newswatch has taken a break from screens. In March, Samira announced the segment would be off air for several weeks – but reassured viewers that it would return to screens.

“We are off air next weekend over Easter but we will be back to hear more of your thoughts about how the BBC covers the news, in a fortnight,” Samira told viewers.

Meanwhile, journalist and broadcaster Samira has 20 years’ experience in print and broadcast and has hosted Newswatch since 2012. In 2020, Samira was named British Broadcasting Press Guild audio presenter of the year.

She has presented many news and arts programmes over the years for BBC TV and radio, including The World Tonight, PM, Sunday Morning Live on BBC One, Night Waves on Radio 3 and The Proms on BBC Four.

BBC Breakfast airs Monday to Sunday from 6am on BBC One.

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Popular UK seaside pier opens famous Paris-like attraction this summer

BLACKPOOL Pleasure Beach has opened a brand-new attraction that you may have seen before.

The new love-lock installation is similar to ones found in Paris, New York and parts of London.

A large heart-shaped sculpture on a pier with text "love is in the air with Love Locks" and "buy yours now from the rides ticket boxes and lock in those memories."
Blackpool’s Central Pier has just opened its new love lock attraction Credit: Facebook
Aerial photograph of Blackpool Pleasure Beach and the resort town's seafront in North West England, UK.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach is following in the footsteps of cities like Paris and London Credit: Alamy

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Yesterday, Blackpool‘s Central Pier opened its new addition, a huge, red, love-lock installation.

Text on the heart reads ‘Heart of Central Pier’, ‘We Love Central Pier’.

The new display allows couples and visitors to attach their own padlocks to the heart, which is a trend that occurs in cities all over the world.

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Visitors can buy a new lock and attach it to the heart frame, they can be bought from the ride pay boxes for £5 each.

The new installation has been met with positivity, one person wrote on Facebook: “Blackpool is where i found my Teen love after nearly 35 yrs so deffo want to buy 1 for here.”

Another said: “We coming on friday and its our 20 year anniversary so will defo be doing this x.”

Love locks are a trend in cities across the world, the largest being on the 400-metre-long Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne, Germany.

It’s considered the world’s largest and most famous love-lock bridge.

Another famous display is the Pont des Arts in Paris.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is taking steps closer to building a ride that will be “tallest of its kind” – a record-breaking gyro-swing called Aviktas.

The ride will carry 40 people at a time, swinging them through a massive 120-degree arc that reaches 138ft above the promenade.

An exact open date hasn’t been confirmed, but the ride is expected to welcome its first passengers later in the year.



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Major airline scraps two popular flight routes until next year

TWO holiday destinations are losing their Virgin flights until next year.

The major airline has confirmed that flights to both Dubai and Seattle will no longer go ahead this year.

Virgin Atlantic planes at the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, London.
Virgin’s Seattle and Dubai flights have been paused until next year Credit: Alamy
Aerial view of Atlantis The Royal Residences and Palm Jumeirah in Dubai.
Flights to Dubai have been suspended by a number of airlines Credit: Alamy

Flights to Dubai are off the cards for most airlines right now, with the Iran war putting the winter sun destination on the no-travel list.

Virgin Atlantic had already suspended flights from London Heathrow to Dubai, but has now confirmed they would not go ahead until winter 2027.

It comes as its London Heathrow flights to Riyadh were cancelled entirely after just a year.

The airline is also suspending flights to Seattle until March 27, 2027.

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A Virgin spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily suspend our seasonal service to Dubai for the winter 2026 season, while services to Seattle will also be temporarily suspended for the winter 2026 season only, before resuming in March 2027.

“Customers can continue to travel to Seattle with our partner Delta Air Lines who will offer daily services from London Heathrow.”

“We’d like to apologise to any affected customers and will be contacting them with their options which include rebooking or a refund.”

The airline is instead adding more flights to two of its destination in Africa.

From October 25, there will be 11 weekly flights to Cape Town, as well as 10 a week to Johannesburg.

They added: “The updated flight schedule enhances convenience for travellers, with earlier morning arrivals into South Africa allowing passengers to maximise their time on the ground, and later evening departures offering a more seamless overnight journey to London.”

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Ryanair threatens to scrap all flights at another popular European airport

RYANAIR is considering cancelling all flights to another airport in Europe over a dispute in airport fees.

The airline is reportedly set to close its base at Makedonia Airport later this year.

A plane taking off over the sea with a city and mountain range in the background, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Ryanair is reportedly considering closing its base in Thessaloniki Credit: Alamy
Aerial view of Thessaloniki Airport, a plane on the runway, and coastal suburbs along the Thermaic Gulf, Greece.
Thessaloniki is considered an entryway to spots like Mount Olympus Credit: Alamy

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Ryanair currently operates three aircraft from its base in Thessaloniki, but is considering shutting it down from October 2026.

Reports have been linked to issues related to a 15 per cent increase in airport charges.

However, no official announcement has been made by the airline.

With the airline considering leaving the city, there are growing concerns about tourism within Thessaloniki – a place where tourists visit to see Mount Olympus and the beautiful beaches of Halkidiki.

The news has prompted Thessaloniki Mayor Stelios Angeloudis to call an emergency meeting with regional tourism officials to assess the situation.

A tourism representative told local media that the “priority for everyone is and must be the interest of the city.

“If the reason for the possible closure is the high increases, then Fraport should reconsider its pricing policy.”

Sun Travel has approached Ryanair for comment.

This isn’t the first time Ryanair has closed a base due to the rising cost of airport fees.

The budget airline confirmed last year they would be cutting 1.2million seats across Spain and closing bases in the likes of Valladolid and Santiago de Compostela.

The airline also recently announced that it would be reducing its flight schedule to and from Berlin by 50 per cent.

When it comes to flights being affected, this means Ryanair passenger numbers will fall from 4.5million to 2.2million by next year.

This will affect flights from the UK which includes routes from LondonManchesterBirmingham and Edinburgh.



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A remote Northern California waterfall has gotten so popular that reservations are required

Sometimes, beauty is a burden.

Such is the case with Burney Falls, a Northern California waterfall whose loveliness became such a siren song to costume-wearing Instagram mermaids, selfie-taking TikTok tour guides and off-the-beaten-track road trippers that crowds grew and grew, until the natural wonder just couldn’t handle it any more.

Crowds in recent years have damaged trails, trampled plants and clogged rural roads.

Now, as part of a pilot program to reduce overcrowding, the California Department of Parks and Recreation will require advance reservations to visit the Shasta County waterfall on many days this summer.

“Burney Falls is a crown jewel of the California State Park System, and we want all visitors to have an enjoyable and memorable experience when visiting this one-of-a-kind destination,” State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in a statement. “By allowing visitors to make a reservation in advance, we can help keep crowds manageable and not push the park’s resources past the breaking point.”

The reservations, which can be purchased online, will be required to visit the falls Fridays through Sundays and on holidays during peak visitation season, from May 15 through Sept. 27.

On those days, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park will offer 103 parking passes for 8 a.m. to noon, an additional 103 passes for 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 35 passes for the entire day.

The day use passes will cost $11 per vehicle, according to State Parks, with discounts for seniors and people with disabilities.

California State Parks annual pass holders will pay no additional charge but must make reservations. Visitors with overnight campground or cabin reservations will not need additional passes for day use.

The 129-foot waterfall — a wide curtain of white water cascading from a basalt cliff face — generates its own rainbow and once was dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World” by President Theodore Roosevelt.

Visitors to Burney Falls pose for a selfie.

Visitors often endure long lines to get a selfie at Burney Falls. Here, Rachel Brussbau poses with her 1-year-old daughter, Sage, and Crysten Michol in July 2023.

(Paul Kuroda / For The Times)

But for much of its history, it “experienced limited visitation due to its rural location … and lack of publicity,” the State Parks department said in a statement.

“For generations of visitors, it had the reputation of a small, family-oriented park and one of California’s best-kept secrets,” the department said. “However, over the past decade, and especially with the growth of social media, that secret is now world-famous.”

Crowds swelled during the COVID-19 pandemic, when indoor public spaces closed.

A State Parks spokesperson told The Times in an email Monday that in 2015, Burney Falls had 121,495 visitors. Numbers “have steadily risen since that time, peaking at 322,192 visitors in 2020 during the pandemic,” the spokesperson said.

Since then, about 220,000 people have visited the park each year.

The spokesperson said the numbers account only for people who come in through the official entrance and not those who park illegally on the side of the road and enter off-trail.

Because so many people have veered off established trails, the park in recent years has experienced increased erosion and damage to sensitive vegetation and sacred tribal land, according to the State Parks department. Heavy traffic and illegal parking also have created unsafe conditions along State Highway 89, one of the heavily forested county’s main thoroughfares and a critical fire evacuation route.

“Campers with reservations are hesitant to leave the park, knowing that it may take up to two hours to re-enter on busy days,” the department statement read.

Because of limited parking, the gates often close for several hours each day.

“If lucky enough to gain entry, visitors inside the park are met with extreme overcrowding, long restroom lines, and overflowing trash cans instead of a peaceful, rejuvenating experience at one of the nation’s most awe-inspiring natural landmarks,” State Parks said.

In the summer of 2024, State Parks closed all access to the waterfall for the season to repair trails and slopes damaged by heavy crowds and storm erosion.

The department said it will evaluate the day use reservation system at the end of the summer and make adjustments if necessary for future peak visitation periods.

State Sen. Megan Dahle (R-Bieber), whose district includes Shasta County, said the pilot program “is likely to disrupt some trips” until word spreads.

“Unfortunately, for several years it has been clear something needs to change at Burney Falls,” Dahle said. “I hope this is an interim measure on the way to longer-term fixes to accommodate visitors.”



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Palestinian National Popular Action Committee condemns Israel abduction of flotilla activists – Middle East Monitor

The Palestinian National Popular Action Committee have today issued a press statement strongly condemning the Israeli abduction of activists Saif Abu Khashk and Thiago Ávila in international waters near the island of Crete. “This act of maritime piracy,” the Committee said, “is part of a continuing pattern of violations of all international norms and laws.”  The statement said Israel’s cross-border lawlessness comes as no surprise from an occupation that systematically disregards international law. “We hold all those complicit in these crimes, including those who remain silent, fully responsible.” 

It added; “While we hold the occupation fully accountable for the safety of Saif and Thiago, we urgently call on the Governments of Spain and Brazil to intervene immediately to secure their safety and ensure their prompt release.”

The Committee expressed its appreciation and esteem to the two activists, Saif and Thiago, as well as to all participants in the “Sumud Flotilla” who confronted the occupation’s arrogance and piracy with their unarmed presence and firm determination. “These sacrifices reaffirm that the struggle for freedom and justice will continue,” it concluded.

READ: Israeli court extends detention of 2 Gaza-bound flotilla volunteers

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