Protests have erupted in Syria after the government raised fuel prices by up to 40% for diesel and up to 28% for gasoline. The government cites higher import costs and the Baniyas refinery overhaul.
Published On 14 Sep 202614 Sep 2026
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FORMER glamour model Katie Price has shared a worrying health update about her mum, Amy, amid her terminal illness battle.
Amy Price was diagnosed with a terminal lung disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) back in 2017 with the irreversible scarring of the lungs making it difficult for her to breathe.
During a Good Morning Britain interview in May, Katie, 48, told how her mum was “really not well.”
The admission came two months after Amy was hospitalised in March after being diagnosed with an infection.
Amy has been in and out of hospital, battling the cruel disease for years.
Now, Katie has shared a health update on her mum and it doesn’t sound positive as she’s made a return to the hospital.
Speaking on her podcast The Katie Price Show, she said: “Mum is still in hospital. She’s very poorly.
“She’s very poorly at the minute, but she loves watching what we’re doing. She loves us at the NTAs, she loved it, seeing us all there.”
Amy appeared fit and fighting at the launch of her new documentary Katie Price: Nothing To Hide.
The glamorous 74-year-old made sure she was right by her daughter’s side for her big night.
She wore a beautiful white and blue floral dress and was seen posing up for snaps with a beaming Katie.
During a podcast episode with her sister, Sophie, back in July Katie revealed she was terrified her mum was going to die while they were filming her Sky show.
“There were so many times we thought we were gonna lose mum through the filming,” admitted Katie.
Sophie agreed saying at one point, she didn’t think Amy was “going to make it.”
Katie went on: “She just keeps battling through and I never thought she’d make the BAFTAs [in February], none of us did.”
In 2023, Amy underwent a major lifesaving lung transplant after being in critical condition in a coma.
Despite the transplant, Amy’s health has remained touch-and-go with Katie noting her struggles with mobility and breathlessness.
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The last major data point before the Fed meets has arrived, and it arrived while Americans were paying record prices at the pump.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday afternoon that the annual rate held steady, with core inflation, which strips out food and energy, easing to 2.4% from 2.5%.
Every figure matched the consensus of economists and the monthly number is where the pressure shows.
Prices rose 0.4% in August against 0.1% in July, a fourfold acceleration and the fastest pace in three months. The annual rate stayed flat only because it is measured against the strong summer of 2025.
Markets had largely made up their minds before the figures landed.
CME’s FedWatch tool put the probability of a quarter-point increase at the 16 September meeting at 67.4%, up sharply from around 40% before Chairman Warsh’s Jackson Hole address in late August.
Following the inflation data release, those odds moved to 91.6%.
Warsh’s first keynote as chair was the turning point as he argued the American economy had strengthened rather than weakened, that the labour market was consistent with full employment, and that he “would be hard pressed to describe broad financial conditions as restrictive.”
On inflation Warsh was blunt by stating that “we must be confident that underlying inflation is moving to our objective, clearly and at sufficient speed. Otherwise, we have work to do.”
By that test, Friday’s numbers are ambiguous.
Core inflation has now fallen for a second month and sits within half a point of the 2% target, which is underlying inflation moving in the right direction. The monthly acceleration points the other way.
Warsh also refused to say what would trigger a move, rejecting forward guidance as a practice that “has overstayed its welcome”. The Fed has held its benchmark rate at 3.50% to 3.75% since December, though three regional presidents dissented in July in favour of an increase, the most in one direction since 2016.
The pressure is coming from energy, and it is intensifying.
US crude futures topped $100 a barrel this week as fighting between American and Iranian forces escalated around the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington striking five Iranian tankers after attempted missile attacks on a US Navy warship.
Diesel is where it bites hardest.
The US national average crossed $6 a gallon on Friday for the first time in the country’s history, at least in nominal terms, according to the American Automobile Association, and leaving truckers and farmers paying around 63% more than a year ago.
In California the average is close to $8. As for petrol, it is averaging $4.22 nationwide, against $2.98 before the war began.
Ukraine’s strikes on Russian refineries prompted Moscow to ban diesel exports, removing roughly 800,000 barrels a day, while disruption around Hormuz has cost another 1.2 million.
Refineries representing about 5 million barrels a day of capacity have been shut by the two wars, and close to 8% of global diesel supply is currently disrupted.
Some retailers have already added delivery surcharges, and the effect on grocery prices tends to arrive with a lag, which means the energy shock in Friday’s numbers may not yet be the whole of it.
KATIE Price has taken aim at Love Island stars after an awkward run-in at the National Television Awards on Tuesday evening.
She recalled the incident at the glitzy bash while speaking to her sister Sophie on the newest episode of her podcast, The Katie Price Show.
Katie, 48, fumed: “I’m nice to everyone, some look at me like their s**t don’t stink.
“Are you actually for real? You went on Love Island or Love Island before.
“Just in general, loads are so nice, you always get some who think their s**t don’t stink.
“As Nikki Grahame used to say, ‘who are you?’.
“It just makes me laugh, up their bloody arse.”
She debuted a dramatic new look on the red carpet as she wore a white shirt tucked into sheer black shorts with a flower-print.
Katie brought her look together with black tights and a pair of heels.
The mum-of-five went for a very bold make-up look with heavy eyeshadow and overlined lips.
She slicked her hair back in a wet-look style and wore some huge gold earrings.
Ahead of hitting the red carpet, she told fans she’d been ditched by her glam squad.
The reality star explained that her glam squad decided “to pass” on getting her red carpet ready after they had a disagreement.
She said she wanted to do something “different” with her look and her glam squad were just not on the same page.
Katie expressed: “So originally I did have a glam squad by they’ve passed on doing my glam for the NTAs, because I wouldn’t wear the outfits they wanted me to.
“They wanted to do something different. But the outfit I’ve chosen myself is still different, because I don’t like to follow what everyone else follows.
“So in a way they did me a favour by saying they’re going to pass on my glam because I wouldn’t use the whole team.
“So someone I could never even dream of working, this is beyond art, iconic.”
Earlier that day, the Celebrity Big Brother winner took to Instagram to reveal she’s been left with a swollen face, black eyes and bandaged boobs after going under the knife again.
COMEDIAN Jim Davidson has called off his sixth wedding to his fiancée Natasha after secretly separating – and exclusively revealed to The Sun the reasons behind the split.
The Celebrity Big Brother star, 72, was set to wed at Hampton Court Palace last year – and ending it all has come at quite a cost.
The palatial venue, where all six of King Henry VIII’s wives lived during their marriages, was an amusing nod to Jim’s string of failed marriages – but Davidson and Natasha, 49, have now lost their £10k deposit.
Despite plans to marry six times like the former King of England, funnyman Jim confirmed the engagement is off.
He told The Sun: “There’s no bad blood. Natasha is the most caring and dutiful person.
“It’s not like we’re splitting up because we don’t love each other anymore.
“It’s a sort of a grown-up separation. The timing’s not right because she has so much time for everybody and how can you knock that?”
Dad-of-five Jim met Natasha, who is 23 years his junior, at the Southampton Boat Show in 2023 soon after the breakdown of his fifth marriage.
The smitten comic later introduced her to pals at Reform leader Nigel Farage’s birthday party saying he was going to make her his sixth wife – despite previously admitting his divorces had cost him around £60million.
He even renamed his £350,000 yacht – previously called Princess Mitchie after his ex-wife Michelle Cotton – Lady Natasha in honour of his new love.
However, the former Big Break and Generation Game host says the couple are no longer in a relationship ahead of their third anniversary.
He told us: “We still speak every other day, but whether we’ll ever find room to see one another again, I don’t know.
“She is very dutiful. She puts family first. And of course she has three children and now a grandson as well.
“She is just so busy and so I’m very busy as well. I’ve just finished a tour and my a*** is shaped like my car seat after travelling around the country. I get out of the car and I walk like I’m still in it.
“Our busy lives mean we’ve not been seeing one another. I previously fitted into her life because I’m hardly ever around myself.
“But there’s no bad feelings. I do love her. She’s fantastic.
“She’s the best friend you could ever have. She’s the best mother you could ever have.
“She’s the best daughter you could ever have. And I’m so proud that she was my girlfriend up until now.”
Jim – who was awarded an OBE in the 2001 New Year Honours – launched the Ustreme streaming channel after a successful stint recording short videos during Covid when he was unable to perform live and had no idea how audiences would respond.
The content includes exclusive stand-up shows and in-depth interviews with the aim of “making people laugh like they used to”.
Natasha’s new series is set to air on Jim’s website, where she jokingly refers to herself as the ‘future ex Mrs Davidson’.
Jim continued: “We planned to get married last year and even booked Hampton Court Palace, which we thought was great because Natasha would be the sixth wife and she thought that was hysterical.
“But these days we just don’t have the time to see each other and split up every month.
“So going forward, we might end up seeing each other again, or we might draw a line under it because it’s not practical for the pair of us.
“I said to her, ‘Are you going to give me my jewellery back? and she told me, ‘If you want it back, I’ll just get it from someone else’,” Jim laughed.
“She’s a beautiful girl. How she found time for me, I’ve no idea. She does everything for everybody and asks nothing for herself.”
Ruling out there being another potential wife-to-be on the cards, Jim joked: “The only thing that’s in my life now is a Hyundai Santa Fe and a dressing room.”
Natasha’s new eight-part series launches in October, interviewing an array of celebrity guests.
Meanwhile Jim Davidson – The Christmas Cracker Tour – launches on December 2.
JIM married his childhood sweetheart Sue Walpole in 1971 at the age of 17 after she became pregnant with their daughter Sarah.
The marriage only lasted a year, and they divorced in 1972.
Jim wed second wife Julie Gullick in 1981 and had his second child, Cameron, but split five years later.
Jim wed TV presenter Alison Holloway in 1987, but the marriage was hit with rumours of infidelity and was over by 1989.
One of Jim’s most successful relationships was a 10-year marriage to former Page Three girl Tracy Hilton – the mum of his three youngest children – Charlie, Fred, and Elsie.
Jim married his fifth wife Michelle Cotton in 2009 with hopes that she was ‘the one’.
During an interview on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, the host asked him about his wife, and Jim replied: “She is a very nice person. She’s impatient, she’s fiery like me.
“I hope I’m with Michelle for the rest of my life, there’s no one better I’d want to spend the rest of my life with. Liz Hurley, perhaps?”
However in 2023, the comedian revealed they had split up, with their divorce finalised in 2024.
He said in an interview posted on ustreme.com: “There you go, the divorce came through today, so it’s done. I’m divorced again, my fifth divorce.
“The house has been sold and that will be going through in March, fingers crossed.
“It’s a new chapter for all of us.”
DUBAI: A late-night craving for dessert led Hasan Sarwar to leave investment banking and build Peekabox, a Dubai-founded app that sells fresh unsold food from cafes, bakeries and grocery stores at discounts of 50 to 70 percent.
Sarwar was in a Dubai cafe at about 11 p.m. when he noticed the pastry shelves were still full.
“I simply asked them, I said: ‘What do you guys actually do with these items?’ And they said, ‘We make it in the morning, and then throw it the same day,’” he told Arab News. “All of these sort of very high-end pastries are getting thrown every single day.”
He went on to develop the idea, comparing it to Too Good To Go, a model he had used while at university in the UK. “We’ve grown up in Dubai. We know the UAE. We know the F&B space,” he recalled telling his parents.
He started alone. Three months in, he asked his brother Omair to join him as co-founder. “It was way too much work for one person,” Sarwar said.
The first brand to sign was Tim Hortons, part of Dubai’s Apparel Group, after a pitch that ran three months with no app and no demo. “I didn’t leave them alone for three months,” he said. Once the contract was signed, he used the name to bring other brands on, and boxes now come from coffee chains, bakeries, restaurants, grocery stores and hotel buffets.
Customers do not choose what they get. “If you say I have this exact item that you want, people are never going to buy full price,” Sarwar said, describing the surprise box as a way to gamify the purchase without cannibalizing full-price sales. His own highlight came from The Grey, an independent Dubai cafe — a strawberry tart, his favorite dessert, with croissants and pain au chocolat.
Getting there meant fighting the same objection on two fronts. Premium brands worried that discounting would dilute their brand equity, so he pointed them to luxury department store Harrods in London, which runs similar schemes, while customers had to be persuaded the food was fresh rather than left over. Both concerns were successfully countered, he said, pointing to the app’s 45 percent repeat order rate.
Peekabox is now in talks with Ne’ma, the UAE’s national food loss and waste initiative, under the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
It plans to open in Riyadh and Jeddah next year with franchise partners that have already committed to the launch. “In terms of Saudi (Arabia) as a market, people are more price sensitive for sure, and also the density of stores is greater,” he said.
KATIE Price’s fans are convinced she’s photoshopped her latest social media photo as she posed in a skimpy outfit.
The former glamour model, 48, shared a picture of herself wearing a fluorescent yellow lace-up bodysuit.
Katie put her slim figure on display as she posed for snaps alongside a fan at Yours bar in Manchester.
The star showed off her tanned and heavily tattooed legs, but some eagle-eyed followers spotted a blunder with the photo.
Fans pointed out that Katie’s right arm looked unusually long.
One wrote: “Her arm is about 10ft long.”
A second said: “Arm extensions.”
A third commented: “Well noticed, now I can’t unsee it.”
“What’s really weird is that her foot is about 10 arms,” a fourth added.
The Sun revealed last week how Katie had finally ended her seven-month marriage to Dubai-based Lee, 43, after learning the extent of his financial deceit.
During their short-lived relationship, the former glamour model had two tattoo tributes to him.
As well as having his name inked on her hand Katie also etched the words ‘owned by Lee’ on her ribs.
Following her split from Peter Andre in 2009, the mum-of-five waited just a few weeks before inking a black cross through his name on her wrist, so it shouldn’t be long before she’s keen to get rid of every trace of Lee.
To have just the words on her ribs lasered off, Katie is looking at between eight and 10 painful sessions which could set her back upwards of £2,500.
Katie had Lee’s name tattooed on her hand days into their whirlwind romance in January.
She later revealed the shocking words ‘owned by Lee’ on her ribs in August.
The Sun revealed this week how the final straw for Katie came when she discovered Lee had just £2.22 in his crypto bank account – not the £37million he had promised.
WASHINGTON — A sporadic global trade war led by President Trump is fueling inflation across the U.S. economy, elevating prices on everyday goods, as the war with Iran sends the price of gas on a roller coaster.
Aggressive tax cuts have pushed the national debt past $40 trillion, driving a growing crisis in the bond market. And an unprecedented immigration crackdown is disrupting the labor supply in agriculture, construction, hospitality and food processing, raising prices even further.
Approaching the halfway point of Trump’s second term, a president who won reelection based on a promise to turn the economy around now faces a reckoning in the midterm elections centered largely on his economic record.
Trump’s economic agenda has emerged as an increasingly awkward liability for Republicans heading into the November elections, leaving lawmakers to defend policies that have delivered political pain at home, even as the White House argues they will pay off in the long run.
Polling on Trump’s handling of the economy has remained in precariously low territory throughout the summer, entering Labor Day weekend with less than a third of Americans supporting his job performance on their most pressing concerns. One recent poll, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, found that only 22% perceive the economy in a good or fair state.
Shoppers at Lincoln Heights Certified Farmers Market in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
And Americans’ confidence in the economy is unlikely to improve much ahead of election day, Nov. 3, in part because bad economic news has shown to sink confidence fast. Good news takes much longer to win people back, experts said.
“Voters’ opinion of the economy has mostly hardened,” said Aaron Klein, chair of economic studies at the Brookings Institution. “People vote the economy of the spring and summer, not November.”
Good news has been harder to come by.
Heading into the holiday weekend, Trump dismissed communities opposed to data-center construction as “backwards and poor.” A rapidly escalating trade dispute with Canada threatens Republican gains in battlegrounds along the northern border that could determine control of the Senate.
Sean Zabriskie, center, helps his son Connor, 7, try on hockey pants at The Ice Box Hockey shop in Harbor City. The trade war between the U.S. and Canada is affecting products like hockey gear, most of which is made in Canada and imported to the U.S.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
And fresh polling found that more than 90% of Americans believe corruption is rampant in Trump’s government, even as the president spends hundreds of millions of dollars on vanity projects across the capital.
Susan Collins, the incumbent Republican senator from Maine seeking another term in a strategically critical race, chastised the Trump administration for its latest trade spat with Ottawa as “making the job harder” of securing reelection.
“There’s just nothing good you can say about them,” Collins said of the tariffs.
Trump has pushed back on criticisms of his record, declaring the country has “the greatest economy we’ve ever had” and touting what he calls a manufacturing boom, all while distancing himself from potential midterm losses.
“I’m not affected by the election,” Trump told reporters last week. “I’m not running. But my party’s running, and I’m going to help my party.”
But Rep. Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican and speaker of the House, said last week that the midterms would serve as a referendum on Trump’s presidency.
Rep. Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward) and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La. ) arrive for a ceremonial swearing-in at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 2.
(Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)
“Even though his name isn’t in the midterm, his legacy is,” Johnson said. “The America First priorities and principles are. His administration is.”
Several embattled incumbents fear that’s the case and are distancing themselves from the president. Several Republican lawmakers — including Reps. Tom Barrett of Michigan and Zach Nunn of Iowa — plan on skipping a midterm GOP convention called by Trump for this week in Texas.
Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s Survey of Consumers, said that gas prices were a chief frustration among Americans, and found that consumer sentiment soured rapidly once it became clear the conflict in Iran would not be short-lived.
“Consumers are absolutely not feeling great about the economy right now, and the factors that are underpinning their frustrations with the economy at this time are factors that are pretty tough to turn around on short notice,” Hsu said.
Even if the Iran conflict reached a resolution, confidence in the economy is likely to change only when the prices are reflected at the gas station, she said.
“When it comes to the views of the economy, it’s really about what’s happening to my wallet,” Hsu said.
During a White House press media briefing on Thursday,Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the Iran war has led gas prices to rise and that he does not know when Americans can expect those prices to go down.
Vice President JD Vance talks to reporters during a news briefing at the White House on Sept. 3.
(Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)
“The reason gas prices are so high now is because the Iranians are shooting at commercial shipping,” Vance said. “Gas, frankly, could have been much, much higher were it not for our efforts. But I am not going to make a promise about when it is going to return to $3.”
The day after Vance spoke, diesel hit a record all-time high of $5.85 a gallon. In California, it sold for as much as $7.71.
Yet Trump has tried to downplay the economic pressure the war in Iran is placing on Americans, in particular as the Strait of Hormuz — a vital shipping corridor for oil and gas — remains under threat by Iranian troops.
Diesel prices over $7 a gallon are displayed at a gas station in Los Angeles on Aug. 21.
(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
“We have the Strait of Hormuz in extremely good shape,” Trump said, adding that the U.S. Navy has escorted ships through the channel. “A lot of oil is coming out. That’s why you haven’t seen the price of oil going the way they thought it might have to go.”
Trump on Monday also touted an agreement with the Venezuelan government to develop a vast amount of the South American country’s oil reserves. Asked how he sees the deal affecting American consumers, Trump said: “Ultimately prices are going to come down.”
One of the Arts of War statues, newly covered in gold leaf, is visible at Arlington Memorial Bridge near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
(Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)
“Now, will it happen before the election? I can’t tell you that. But I think people are very smart,” he said.
For some Americans, the economic pressures are a key driver ahead of the midterm elections.
Monica Escalante, a home care provider who is a member of the United Domestic Workers union, said she started feeling the pinch on her wallet after Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on a number of products she buys at the grocery store. Gas, she noticed, became harder to cover after the Iran war started.
Escalante, who lives in Bakersfield, said she also has to drive her client to the grocery store, and that mileage reimbursements are not enough to cover her costs.
“It’s really hard when I don’t have the money for gas, and she doesn’t have the money for gas. Then it is like: What do we do?” she said. “It is either she’s borrowing or I’m trying to figure out how I can get gas in my tank.”
THE summer holidays might only just be wrapping up, but I’m already deep in the database looking at where you should be booking for Summer 2027.
Before you accuse me of wishing the year away, there’s method in the madness.
Securing your booking now gives you plenty of time to spread the cost, turning a peak summer holiday into a manageable monthly payment.
I crunched live booking numbers to track down the resort areas where early bookers are securing the lowest average monthly direct-debit payments per person.
Couples are booking breaks from an average of just £40pp a month, while family packages are getting snapped up from just £45pp a month.
So, instead of clogging the list with ten resorts on the same two Spanish islands, I’ve broken down five top spots for couples and five for families across ten completely different coastlines – counted down from five to one.
La Cala de Mijas is my top shout for families who want all the convenience of the Costa del Sol without being swallowed by the high-rise noise of the massive resorts.
It still feels like an authentic seaside town, with a wide sandy beach, a flat seafront promenade for buggies, and family tavernas that won’t cause an argument when the bill arrives.
Our booking data shows families booking in September 2026 to spread the cost until Summer 2027 are paying an average of £51pp a month for this resort.
I managed to beat that, though. I found a 7-night bed & breakfast stay at Gran Hotel Costa del Sol from £460pp, flying directly from London Luton on 25 August 2027.
Spread across 11 monthly payments, that specific deal comes out at just £42pp a month.
The direct garden access onto the sand here is brilliant too, meaning you can step straight off your breakfast terrace onto the beach without navigating busy coastal roads.
Malta serves up a brilliant hybrid of sun, sea, and exploring, and Mellieha is the ultimate base if you want a proper beach holiday.
Mellieha Bay is the largest sandy stretch on the island, while the historic village sits elevated on the hill with open-air bistros overlooking the coast.
Couples booking early in September 2026 are locking in Mellieha for an average of £55pp a month.
But I found a 7-night self-catering stay at Luna Holiday Complex from £510pp, flying directly from Newcastle on 24 August 2027.
Spread across 11 monthly payments, that works out at just £46pp a month.
What makes this complex a steal is its rooftop panoramic pool deck – it’s a quiet, adult-friendly sanctuary looking out over Gozo, allowing you to avoid the busier beach crowds when you just want a relaxed afternoon swim.
Agadir is a fantastic shout if you want an exotic North African beach trip that remains entirely hassle-free for kids.
The broad sandy bay is backed by a wide, paved promenade custom-built for evening pushchair walks, while modern resort hotels take the stress out of daily parenting.
The data reveals families booking early in September 2026 are spreading the cost at an average of £50pp a month for Agadir.
I found a 7-night all-inclusive stay at Allegro Agadir from £625pp, flying directly from Manchester on 24 August 2027.
Split across 11 monthly payments, the deal works out at £57pp a month.
Landing a full all-inclusive stay with meals, drinks, and snacks in August for under £650pp total is a massive result.
The on-site highlight is the property’s dedicated, shaded kids’ splash park that lets younger children cool off out of the intense midday sun.
Caleta de Fuste is built for couples who want a chilled holiday without feeling stranded in the middle of nowhere.
The horseshoe bay keeps the Atlantic waters calm and flat, the marina is packed with waterside bars, and the resort sits barely 10 minutes from the airport – meaning you go from arrivals to the sunlounger in record time.
Booking data shows couples locking in summer 2027 trips this September are averaging £53pp a month here.
But I found a 7-night all-inclusive stay at SMY Tahona Fuerteventura from £570pp, flying directly from London Gatwick on 25 August 2027.
Spread across 11 monthly payments, that deal costs just £52pp a month.
The standout feature at this hotel is its low-rise bungalow layout built around three separate pool zones, allowing you to easily find a quiet sunbathing corner away from the main bar.
Los Cristianos is a classic for a reason: it makes family travel feel effortless.
You get a sheltered sandy beach, flat walking paths, loads of kid-friendly restaurants, and quick access to Siam Park just down the road.
Families booking in September 2026 to spread payments out until next summer are averaging £49pp a month for Los Cristianos.
I found a 7-night half-board stay at Sol Arona Tenerife from £558pp, flying directly from Bristol on 25 August 2027.
Across 11 monthly payments, that works out at £51pp a month.
For energetic kids, this place has a massive on-site climbing block and outdoor play zone, giving toddlers and kids a safe space to burn off their final energy reserves before dinner while parents grab a drink at the pool bar.
While Lloret de Mar has a famous reputation for high-energy nightlife, there is far more to the town than neon lights.
The main beach is enormous, the surrounding Costa Brava cove scenery is gorgeous, and cheap direct train links into Barcelona make day trips effortless.
Couples securing their 2027 spot in September 2026 are paying a destination average of £49pp a month.
When I went deal-hunting, I found a 7-night half-board stay at Clipper Affiliated by FERGUS from £395pp, flying directly from London Luton on 25 August 2027.
Split across 11 payments, that brings the cost down to just £36pp a month.
This hotel’s central location is perfect too – it sits tucked just two streets back from the main beach, giving you a quiet pool area during the day while keeping the coastal nightlife and seafront dining within a two-minute walk.
Sidari takes the runner-up family spot because of the sheer quality of the local beach infrastructure, offering shallow waters, traditional tavernas, and the iconic Canal d’Amour rock formations right around the corner.
Families booking early in September 2026 are locking in Sidari for a resort average of £48pp a month.
I found a 7-night self-catering stay at Megali Luxuries from £543pp, flying directly from London Gatwick on 20 August 2027.
Divided across 11 monthly payments, that deal works out at £49pp a month.
Booking self-catering here is a smart move because the property sits directly adjacent to Sidari’s main strip of family-run Greek tavernas, where you can get authentic local dinners without spending a fortune.
Hear me out: if your ideal couples’ break involves stylish beach clubs, modern seafront dining, and not being forced into bed by 9:30pm, modern Magaluf is one of the best-value options on the island.
The main beach is immaculate, high-end hotel refurbishments have elevated the waterfront, and quiet Palma Nova sits right next door.
Couples getting their 2027 plans sorted in September 2026 are averaging £47pp a month.
I spotted a 7-night bed & breakfast stay at Sol Guadalupe from £595pp, flying directly from London Luton on 25 August 2027.
Spread across 11 monthly payments, that deal costs £54pp a month.
The hotel features a huge lagoon-style pool setup with underwater lounger jets, giving you a sleek, high-end resort feel just a short walk from the seafront.
Gerani takes the number one family spot on our board as an absolute value anomaly.
Tucked near Rethymnon, this peaceful Cretan village is built for families who want space, wide beaches, and a slow, authentic Greek pace away from commercialised tourist hubs.
Our booking data shows families getting in early in September 2026 pay an average of just £45pp a month to spread the cost to Summer 2027 – the single lowest family figure on the map.
And I found a 7-night bed & breakfast stay at Hotel Ideon from £575pp, flying directly from London Luton on 23 August 2027.
Divided across 11 monthly payments, that featured deal comes out at £52pp a month.
The highlight here for families is the studio room setup – every room features a wide balcony looking out over olive groves towards the sea, giving you a peaceful, spacious base for a fraction of standard hotel prices
Taking the absolute overall crown is Tholos (also known as Theologos) on the breezy west coast of Rhodes.
It is infinitely more relaxed than Faliraki or Rhodes Town, serving up traditional tavernas, uncrowded beaches, and incredible Mediterranean sunsets.
This is the single cheapest destination average in our database: couples booking in September 2026 pay an average of just £40pp a month to spread payments until Summer 2027.
I found a 7-night self-catering stay at Sunlight Studios from £365pp, flying directly from London Luton on 25 August 2027.
Across 11 monthly payments, that featured deal costs just £33pp a month.
At under £38pp a month, that is quite literally the cost of one takeaway each – and a week under the Greek sun lasts a whole lot longer.
Worawith Ounpeng/iStock via Getty Images
An Accountant in Asheville
On 31 August, in Asheville, North Carolina, Anton Siluanov sat down at a G20 finance ministers’ meeting for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine. When he tried to open a conversation about areas of mutual interest, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cut him off: nothing is possible until the war is over. European ministers refused to appear beside him in the traditional group photograph, and the photograph was taken without him.
The snub is not the story. The composition of the delegation is. Ten days earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov had told a Russian outlet that Moscow was ready to hear new ideas for ending the war, provided they aligned with the goals Putin has set and with realities on the ground. Read alongside Asheville, that statement stops looking like an opening and starts looking like an invoice. Moscow is not testing whether it can stop fighting. It is testing what stopping would be worth, and it sent its finance minister to find out.
The Missing Fifth of Donetsk
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Four and a half years in, the war has settled into an asymmetry that neither side’s rhetoric captures. Russian forces hold roughly 80 percent of Donetsk oblast and virtually all of Luhansk, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The missing fifth of Donetsk is the “fortress belt”, the fortified urban chain of Kostiantynivka, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk that has anchored Ukraine’s eastern defence since 2014. Putin has issued fifteen separate deadlines to take Donetsk since 2022 and missed all of them. The current one expires on 31 December 2026.
Diplomacy has been dormant since March, when a scheduled round collapsed as Washington went to war with Iran alongside Israel. Before that came a 28-point American framework, drafted with Russian input in late 2025, that would have recognised Crimea, Luhansk and the whole of Donetsk as de facto Russian, frozen the southern front, and phased Russia back into the global economy. Kyiv and Europe forced it into revision. In August, Volodymyr Zelensky put forward a joint Ukrainian-American-European counter-proposal built on three planks: a ceasefire, reciprocal withdrawal from the current line, and security guarantees underwritten by the EU and NATO. Moscow has not responded to it.
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RYANAIR warns the price of jet fuel could soar next summer – meaning the cost of flights could too.
The airline has warned that other competitor airlines could struggle to ‘survive’.
Conflict in Iran has caused jet fuel costs to climb due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and it will continue to affect holiday prices.
In a statement, Ryanair said: “If high oil prices continue through to S.27 (summer 2027), Ryanair believes short-haul airfares in Europe will increase materially to reflect higher oil prices as some less well-hedged competitors will struggle to maintain capacity or even survive this coming winter season.”
Ryanair said it currently hedges fuel (which means it pays a set price).
The airline added that 80 per cent of its jet fuel is hedged through March 2027 at about $67 (£50) a barrel.
Currently the price of jet fuel is around $140 (£103) a barrel.
Ryanair isn’t the only airline to warn of higher costs on the horizon, easyJet has said the same.
Talking to The Times earlier this year, easyJet said it would increase minimum ticket prices of its winter 2026-27 flights “by two to three pounds” to offset higher costs and uncertainty around customer demand.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby also said he expects fares to keep rising into the first half of next year.
According to Reuters he said: “I think you’re going to still see gradual increases in fares. Not as big a jump as happened this year.”
When it comes to finding the cheapest flights right now – it’s best to use a comparison site.
Skyscanner is a great option for comparing the price of flights with various airlines – and it even have a price drop tool.
The feature claims to scour up to 80 billion prices a day and shows which destinations have seen flights that have dropped 20 per cent compared to the last week.
Google Flights is another search engine which compares flight prices and shows multiple airline options.
If you choose the ‘explore’ option, it can show the cheapest, direct flights across the world.
For even more hacks on when to fly, Expedia has put together a handy list on the cheapest days to fly – which is Friday.
Compared to travelling on a Saturday, jetting off the day before can save up to 18 per cent.
It also found that found that international travellers can save £93 on average by booking between 15 and 30 days ahead, instead of six months.
Where you fly from also makes a difference – some of the most expensive UK airports to fly from are London Heathrow, Humberside and Manchester..
For more hacks, head here.
IT’S BEEN nine months of drama for Katie Price after she said “I do” to con man Lee Andrews.
After The Sun revealed tonight that Katie, 48, is talking to top divorce lawyers, we take a look at all the signs that pointed to her secretly planning to split from her jailbird fifth husband, 43.
Katie has had a rocky year so far, with the drama surrounding her marriage to Lee, who is currently in jail.
Since trouble started brewing in May, when he was first banged up, the former pin-up has had a very on/off relationship with her wedding ring.
Just yesterday, in a clear sign that the marriage is in big trouble, the star ditched the significant piece of jewellery as she enjoyed time in Marbella.
Katie was also seen without her wedding ring as she flashed her bum while dancing on her close pal during her wild trip.
One of the biggest signs that Katie was not happy with her marriage to Lee is her refusal to go back to Dubai, where he lives.
The star hasn’t returned to the UAE since the end of June, which was just before Lee was sent back to jail, for a second time.
Previously speaking about how she would never move to Dubai to live with Lee, she said in a YouTube vlog: “I don’t know why people think I’m moving to Dubai.
“My family’s here. The husband is there, but the husband come here and I can go to Dubai when I can.”
Katie then added: “It’s a lot of hoo-ha.”
At an awards ceremony earlier this month, as Lee languished behind bars, Katie asked Jake Quickended if she was “his type”.
The star was seen publicly flirting with the former The X Factor star at The Hair and Beauty Awards.
It happened as they shared the stage to present an award, and Katie told him how This Morning host Ben Shephard had said to her that she would make a “good match” for Jake.
She then proceeded to see how Jake felt about that, and when he was left red-faced she said: “Are you blowing me out? Is that a yes or a no? I’m putting you on the spot.”
Lee was sent back to jail in July, just weeks after he was freed from prison the first time this year.
The con man was originally locked up in May for fraud, but was most recently nabbed for unpaid debts.
However, Katie has refused to pay any of the money he owes, in order for his release.
She told The Sun: “He’s in prison and the only way Lee will get out of prison, he has to sort it out himself.
“That’s the end of that. If not, he’ll be prison. There’s nothing I can do. I’m not here to pay anything for anyone. I’ve got my own life. Even though he’s part of my life.”
Last, but not least, Katie has stopped speaking about Lee on her podcast.
The star drops an episode of The Katie Price Show, which she does with her sister Sophie, every Thursday.
However, recently Katie has been very quiet on the topic of her jailbird husband.
KATIE Price has not laid eyes on her soon to be ex-husband Lee Andrews since June.
The star, 48, has started proceedings to divorce the Dubai-based alleged conman just eight months after their surprise ceremony in his home city.
Lee has been in out of jail in Dubai since May and is currently holed up in the UAE’s notorious Al Awir prison.
The last time Katie saw Lee was shortly after he was released from prison the first time.
He then went back to prison at start of July and has been in there for eight weeks over three civil cases.
Katie has now vowed to never go back to Dubai and visit him.
The Sun revealed exclusively tonight that Katie had quietly consulted a top London divorce lawyer about ending her marriage.
She discovered he only had £2.22 in his crypto bank account — not the £37million he had promised her.
Katie told a pal on Tuesday: “I have come to my senses — Lee has lied and lied and lied. I am sick of it. It is over.”
A source added: “The marriage is done. She will never go to Dubai to see Lee again.
“It was, of course, an accumulation of many things but the final straw came after Lee had told Katie he had $50million (£37million) in a crypto wallet, and promised her some of the funds.
By Ellie Henman
JANUARY 23, 2026: Katie announces she is engaged to Andrews just days after meeting him.
JANUARY 25: The former glamour model marries Andrews in a Dubai hotel and shares photographs of their big day with The Sun.
JANUARY 27: Andrews is exposed as a Walter Mitty who faked AI pics with celebrities, lied about top jobs and is on a travel ban.
JANUARY 28: Andrews’ ex Alana Percival and a business associate Crystal Janke warn Katie that Andrews is a conman and urge her to leave him.
FEBRUARY 17: Katie and Andrews legalise their marriage inside Abu Dhabi’s civil family court.
MARCH 3: In an interview with The Sun, Katie insists Andrews isn’t a con artist and claims he showed her proof of his wealth.
MARCH 27: In a shock U-turn, Andrews admits he did lie on his CV and blames his PA.
MAY 17: Andrews is listed as a missing person after telling Katie he was kidnapped in Dubai.
MAY 18: The Sun’s Clemmie Moodie’s bombshell investigation proves Andrews is a con artist after she invests £1,000 with him. And he has still not repaid her.
MAY 27: Katie confirms Andrews has been arrested in Dubai as he calls her from prison.
JUNE 12: Andrews is freed from Al Awir prison and Katie vows to interrogate him over the scam allegations.
JULY 11: Andrews is arrested again in Dubai put back in jail and is told he will need to pay a £120,000 fine to be released.
JULY 17: In a fresh twist, Andrews’ dad Peter is arrested and sent to the same prison over alleged fraud.
JULY 23: Clemmie Moodie releases the Lee Andrews files which expose him once and for all.
AUGUST 31: Katie removes her wedding ring as Andrews remains behind bars.
SEPTEMBER 1: She confirms to pals she is dumping Andrews after gaining access to his crypto account containing just £2.22. Katie calls in top divorce lawyer.
“He gave her the ‘recovery phrase’ — the passkey — to get into his account, and on Monday she had a financial expert access the wallet — and, to her shock, discovered it contained just $3, or £2.22.
“Lee never had $50million; he doesn’t have a bean. The most he ever had on any one day was in March for $14,490 (£10,720) which was sent out the very same day.
“Obviously over the past few months Kate has seen all the damning evidence building up against him — and was always planning her exit once the white noise became unavoidable.
“But after seeing his accounts — as opposed to his AI mock-ups — she lost her s***.
“He has deeply embarrassed her and, more importantly, has scammed, hurt and cheated so many other women. Enough is enough.”
Aug. 31 (UPI) — Oil prices surged early Monday after fighting flared in the U.S.-Iran conflict for the first time in four weeks since U.S. President Donald Trump announced a “pause” in U.S. military strikes on Aug. 1.
The contract for the benchmark Brent crude for November delivery jumped by 3.4% to $91.09 a barrel and the October contract for American crude saw a similar-sized increase to $86.22 after U.S. forces hit rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Hormuz Strait on Sunday night and Iran’s military retaliated, targeting American bases in Jordan.
The hikes were driven by the renewed hostilities stoking fears ongoing supply disruption caused by a drastic curtailment of tankers traffic transiting the Strait of Hormuz would be made worse and persist for longer, according to experts.
“Supply risk will persist and oil inventories will continue to deplete in the coming weeks and months. The Iranian crisis has likely changed the security status quo in the Middle East,” said PVM Oil Associates’ London-based analyst Tamas Varga.
Investment bank Goldman Sachs, the impact of destructive attacks on refining capacity was responsible for upward pressure on margins.
“Rising strikes on refineries in the Middle East and Russia have further constrained already-stretched global refining capacity, pushing refined products margins to new highs,” the bank said in a note.
Prices at the pump in the United States on Monday remained broadly flat from the previous day, with the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded up 0.2 cents at 4.08 a gallon, and diesel down by a little over 0.3 cents at $5.60 a gallon, according to the American Automobile Association.
The developments came as the United States’ Strategic Petroleum Reserve has fallen to its lowest level since 1982.
President Trump said Sunday he would restock it with oil from his Venezuela deal giving the United States secure a stake in more than 65 billion barrels of oil despite the fact it could to produce take many years to before the agreements yields any significant volumes because the oil is reserves, as yet to be drilled.
The price of oil has seesawed over the past two weeks after rising in response to Trump’s Aug. 19 threat to wage a “crushing economic operation” against Iran that his officials said would cause the regime to collapse, and then retreating again in the hours before the mainly-sanctions package of measures were unveiled on Aug. 24.
Apple TV, the streaming service known for series such as “Ted Lasso” and “Severance,” is raising its prices, effective immediately.
A monthly subscription will cost $14.99, up $2. The annual plan climbs by $20 to $119.99. This marks the tech giant’s fourth price bump in the last four years.
Other Apple bundle plans are seeing price increases as well. Apple One’s individual plan, which includes access to Apple Music, Apple Arcade, cloud storage and other features, is going up $2 to $21.95 per month.
The Cupertino-based tech giant does not offer an ad-tier, unlike some of its competitors that use ad-supported subscriptions as a lower-cost option for consumers.
Apple TV is the latest streamer to increase prices. The industry has sought to bolster bottom lines against the rising cost of programming.
Earlier this month, Peacock bumped its pricing, ahead of the new NBA and NFL season. The NBCUniversal-owned streaming service’s ad-tier will now cost $12.99 monthly, up from $10.99, while its most expansive plan will be $19.99 per month, up $3.
ESPN is also raising its streaming prices in September. The Disney-owned sports giant’s unlimited plan will rise from $29.99 to $31.99 a month. The annual cost is also rising — from $299.99 to $319.99.
Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube Premium also hiked prices earlier this year.
Apple TV+ launched in 2019 at $4.99 a month and was a low-cost perk for Apple users. The tech company still offers a free three-month trial to customers who purchase a new Apple device.
Over the last several years, Apple TV has sought to distinguish itself from competitors by offering premium, original series. It’s home to over 300 original movies and TV shows, including “Ted Lasso,” which returned for its fourth season earlier this month. Many of its shows have also attracted award show attention. Last year, Seth Rogen’s “The Studio” took home 13 Emmys. This year, the streamer’s shows “Widow’s Bay” and “Pluribus” are up for 19 and 18 awards, respectively.
Apple TV also recently secured the rights to Formula One races in the U.S, and offers Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer games.
TWG Global — the holding company of Dodgers owner Mark Walter — rejected allegations of financial impropriety in the purchase and operation of the Dodgers and reiterated the team is not for sale.
At a time insurance regulators and federal investigators are looking into allegations that insurance companies under Walter’s umbrella did not properly disclose and conduct transactions between other companies he controls, and after Walter sold his controlling interest in the Lakers at a record $12.5 billion valuation, potential bidders have monitored whether the Dodgers might be sold as well.
In a statement Tuesday, TWG Global decried “multipronged attacks against TWG … by unnamed sources with self-serving interests” and said no insurance policyholder has been hurt as a result of the company’s financial transactions.
“There is no victim here,” the statement said. “No one has been harmed, and no one has claimed they were harmed.”
In 2012, when Walter and his partners bought the Dodgers for $2 billion, The Times reported the use of $1.2 million from Guggenheim Partners insurance funds into the deal. At the time, rival bidders expressed concern over the unusual financing, but state insurance regulators cleared the deal and Major League Baseball approved it.
“The transaction was subject to a full investigation conducted by an outside law firm on behalf of insurance regulators from multiple states,” the statement said, “which identified no irregularities and resulted in no further action.”
Even with the Dodgers issuing over a billion dollars in deferred contracts and amid whatever transactions might have been conducted between TWG-related insurance companies and the Dodgers’ affiliates — including ones that hold the team’s television rights and ticket revenues — the Dodgers’ ability to fund player contracts is not at risk, according to the statement.
“The Dodgers have the highest revenue in baseball, and it significantly exceeds the team’s obligations to its players,” the statement said.
The statement reiterated that, as Dodgers president Stan Kasten has said, “the team is not being sold and no sale process has been initiated.”
The Dodgers, if sold, could likely command a price in the range of $10 million to $13 million, industry analysts have told The Times.
The Lakers sold at a record price for a North American sports franchise, although industry analysts have said a competitive bidding process likely would have resulted in an even higher sale price.
Said the statement: “Mr. Walter was approached by Josh Kushner and his team about this transaction and the agreement represents a 25% premium to the price paid by Mr. Walter less than a year ago (and an even higher premium to the $5.0 billion valuation Mr. Walter paid in 2021) — hardly a ‘fire sale.’”
The statement added: “TWG is not looking to sell its sports assets at ‘fire sale’ prices to raise capital for its insurance operations.”
TWG said it is “working cooperatively and in partnership with the Delaware Department of Insurance” to resolve the regulatory issues and “is committed to working with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission to resolve their inquiries.”
“TWG stands firmly behind the integrity of its business,” the statement read. “Despite what has been reported, there has been no fraud.”
KATIE Price has spoken out on her 26-year feud with Victoria Beckham as a throwback clip goes viral on social media.
The media personality, 48, has famously been long-rumoured to be at loggerheads with Posh Spice since the early 2000s when Victoria admitted they’ll never be “best friends”.
But Katie has now re-shared Victoria’s interview clip to her Instagram story as it continues to go viral.
Putting an end to any speculation, Katie shared her love for Victoria with a simple message.
Katie wrote online: “I have no problem with @victoriabeckham either [red love heart emoji].
“She is [an] amazing business woman.”
In the clip from T4 in 2000, Victoria was asked about Katie, then known as Jordan, amid reports the pair were feuding.
Victoria clarified that they “used to” know each other as Katie’s boyfriend at the time, Another Level singer Dane Bowers, worked closely with Victoria to create her debut solo album after leaving the Spice Girls.
When Victoria was asked if she would ever form a friendship with Katie, she appeared to politely decline and explained her reasons as to why.
She said on the old Channel 4 morning show: “I actually used to know her.
“She was going out with Dane and I was working with Dane and she was very sweet.”
Victoria then added: “Now, I don’t really know her anymore.”
That comment was used as fuel in the fire as to their apparent rowing.
Posh Spice went on to add: “I very much doubt we would ever become best friends.”
Charlie Herlihy and Sophia have been living frugally since their teens(Image: SWNS)
A savvy couple who “never pay full price for anything” by using discount apps and reward offers manage to save £1,600 per year living in London. Charlie Herlihy, 26, and partner Sophia Woodcock, 24, have been living frugally since their teens, and since moving to the capital on entry-level salaries in 2025, have been working out ways to maximise their savings.
They eat out using apps that give huge discounts, choose their energy providers wisely to get the best rewards and use Gold Amex cards to earn points “anywhere” they spend to exchange for luxury perks like plane tickets. In July, the duo were able to save £137.02 from their swaps.
After travelling to South-East Asia for six months after saving £12,000 in just three months in 2022 using their tips and tricks and spending less, their next goal is to afford return tickets to Singapore. Charlie, a graphic designer, from London, says: “Kind of our brand became we never pay full price for anything.
“I think mainly the reason it became a habit is anywhere you go you tap your card without thinking about it. We have a back catalogue of apps on our phones that do deals and discounts and websites we research on first.
“Say we’re planning a weekend we’ll check certain websites for offers and places that are doing different discounts. It takes 15 minutes in the morning but to plan it out is the most cost-effective way of doing it.
“I was used to doing it myself and a lot of people don’t factor it in and go with the flow but you end up spending loads of money without planning. It really does add up.”
Sophia and Charlie have a “portfolio” of methods to ensure they can live frugally, especially on food and drink. Sophia said: “Eating out and coffee is something me and Phi love to do and one of the things we spend on and apps are the best way to save money on a big expense.
“The Paace app rewards you with coffees for getting your steps in. Eat Club gives you discounts at restaurants that don’t have their tables filled.”
They also make use of First Table, an app that often gives you a 50% discount on your food bill if you dine early. The pair try to shop at Sainsbury’s where they can – as Charlie says they have an affiliate with Amex where they can earn four points per £1 spent, as oppose to £1 at other supermarkets.
Lidl Plus is also a go-to, and they will check out the app before hitting the shops to see what’s on offer, as well as making use of Ocado’s 25% off offers.
“We use Octopus energy as it gives you stuff like two for £8 cinema tickets, e-bike rides around London and free coffees for literally paying your bills as you would with every other provider,” Charlie says.
“We use the gold Amex card which gives you points on everything you spend anywhere really. You can build those up and buy flights, stuff like that.
“Our project we’re working towards is return tickets to Singapore. We’ve made it our default card even when tapping on the tube and stuff like that.”
She is also a “big advocate” for checking promotions that come through from restaurants on emails – having recently “paid nothing” after bagging a £15 voucher and cashing in on half price ramen at a restaurant. Charlie said: “We’re not really saving for anything but just to have enough money for freedom in life as we’d love to go to Australia and go travelling again.”
You can follow Charlie and Sophia on TikTok @lifeofphiandcharlie. Charlie and Sophia’s July savings:
Octopus Energy
-Cinema trips £11.96 saved
-Free Forats bike hire – 30-minute free session (usual price £10.90)
Paace
-They bought four coffees and saved £16.60 (£8.30 each)
Eat Club
-Went out to dinner using discounts 3 times and saved 30% on one bill (£51.07 became £29.86 saving £11.21)
First Table
-Saved 50% on one saving £23.69 from a £65.38 bill (including the first table £6 booking fee)
London on the Inside
-£88.90 down to £50 with a 50% off offer (with service charge)
Too Good To Go
-Didn’t use this month but normally pick up a £3.99 Gail’s bag worth £15, an £11.01 saving
The Amex Gold card
-The couple say they make back between 0.05%-1% every time they tap their cards on anything with Avios redeems – which is how nothing they pay for is really ever full price (unless they do not accept Amex). In July, they spent £850 through Amex which equates to £4.25-£12.75 depending on where they redeem their Avios.
They are still saving up for their first fully paid for Avios flight. Also, whenever purchasing anything online they try and do so through the Avios portal – similar to TopCashback – which gives them Avios for free just for buying something through the portal.
Total savings – £137.02
With two LA28 ticket drops done and an ever-shrinking number of Olympic seats remaining, some sports fans are looking at a possibility they hadn’t considered before: hospitality packages.
These are combined Olympic experiences — an event ticket paired with upgrades in access and perks, designed by LA28’s official hospitality provider On Location. And they’re not not bargain-basement options. The LA28 hospitality packages start at $400 and run up to $15,000 per person, sometimes more. They’re becoming more tempting to many because they give buyers access to otherwise unavailable seats, bypassing ticket draw lotteries like the one that happened in April and another that wraps up Thursday.
“It’s more than a seat. It’s a seamless way to experience one of the biggest global sporting events,” On Location President Paul Caine has said.
But sports fans have mixed opinions. Some ticket hopefuls scoff at the price tags, which are far higher than the widely promoted $28 tickets that half a million people snagged in the first locals presale. Others warmed up to the offer. In a public LA28 Facebook group, a member named Tara initially described the $1,700-per-person price for a three-hour equestrian event as “robbery” but four days later, announced their decision to “splurge.”
“Crazy expensive but I’m assured of seeing the event that I want, have great seats and food …” Tara wrote. “I know I’ll probably never go to another Olympics so hoping I walk away feeling [that] it was completely worth it and I think I will.”
So are these packages worthwhile? Nobody will know until 2028 and answers will depend on the package, your tax bracket and your level of fandom. Here’s what you get with the hospitality packages and some things to consider.
Many guests who buy hospitality packages at the 2028 Olympics will get access to lounges. Artist’s portrayal shown here.
(On Location)
Yes, and the offerings include more in-demand sports and sessions than you will find in LA28’s ticket-only sales. Packages that included tickets for artistic gymnastics, diving, swimming and beach volleyball appeared in an Aug. 19 search.
Even when stand-alone tickets are unavailable, hospitality-package tickets are often available because they are handled separately. An On Location spokesperson said that LA28 Hospitality “is the only provider that offers those coveted and exclusive front row seats, private suites, etc. … We have reserved sections in each venue for each sport for hospitality guests, ensuring they have the best vantage points of the event, and they get the best value out of their package.”
For basketball competition, the top seating categories (including most or all courtside seats) have been made available only through hospitality packages.
Veteran ticket-seekers warn, however, that consumers should always make sure they’re satisfied with locations of their hospitality-package seats.
All hospitality packages include tickets to events, their prices varying by event, supply and demand. Also, hospitality-package tickets do not count toward the limit of 12 stand-alone tickets per buyer.
As packages are unveiled and sold, available inventory on the website fluctuates — which means fans can spend a lot of time checking and rechecking.
A lot more. Seats alone at the 2028 Games can cost anywhere from $28 to north of $500, including a 24% service fee. The most affordable hospitality packages cost $400 and many cost far more.
As of Aug. 19, a hospitality-package shopper could pay $15,000 and up for one ticket to opening ceremonies (July 14, 2028) coupled with eating, drinking and hanging-out privileges in a Premium Lounge at SoFi Stadium before or during the event. (That same $15,000 would cover about eight months’ rent for the average tenant in L.A. County, according the U.S. Census data.)
For $450 and up, a fan could buy a hospitality package for the July 15 elimination round of the men’s and women’s judo competition in L.A. Convention Center Hall 2. Besides a seat, the package includes access to a shared lounge space, a welcome drink, an L.A.-inspired food item and entry to a hospitality pavilion before or after the selected session.
Hospitality packages for the 2028 Games include access to private lounges and pavilions. Artist’s portrayal shown here.
(On Location)
(On Location)
In the Olympic hospitality pecking order, the premium lounges beat the leisure lounges and the hospitality pavilions, which provide shared havens for followers of multiple sports.
For instance, the Valley Zone Pavilion is “a backyard-inspired oasis” near venues for 3×3 basketball, modern pentathlon, skateboarding, cycling BMX racing and cycling BMX freestyle.
The Carson Zone Pavilion is an open-air setting near the archery, track cycling, hockey, rugby sevens and tennis venues. There are similar pavilions elsewhere, including Long Beach and DTLA, for the multiple sports in those areas.
LA28 organizers say all of those pavilions will be climate-controlled or shaded, featuring “Olympic Games-inspired décor, an L.A.-inspired food item and welcome drink, and additional food and beverages available for purchase.” Those pavilions do not include direct views of each sport.
Similarly, leisure lounges often include one drink and one L.A.-inspired food item but may not have a direct view of competition. Premium lounges often do have direct views of competition and ongoing access to fancier food and drink.
For instance, package purchasers can spend $1,750 per person for seats and Premium Lounge access at the July 23 preliminary beach volleyball competition in Alamitos Beach Stadium. That Premium Lounge is expected to include a second-floor open-air terrace, “continuous food and beverage service,” priority entry and a commemorative gift. For the less-spendy Leisure Lounge version of this experience (one drink, one food item, access to a climate-controlled space at the venue), prices start at $625 per person.
A spokesperson said the LA28 On Location hospitality plan currently includes about 13 premium lounges and nine leisure lounges and hospitality pavilions.
Almost. There’s also a hospitality category that outranks all of the others: the Platinum Access packages, which often include luxury accommodations, private suites and private transport. These packages, which often run into thousands of dollars, attract many celebrities and corporate buyers who see the Games as a chance to butter up clients or reward top performers. (To see Platinum Access prices, you’ll have to sign up and wait for a response from On Location’s Platinum Access Team.)
Yes. As with individual tickets, hospitality packages are being gradually rolled out as 2028 nears.
On July 28, for instance, On Location unveiled a “Follow My Team” package, giving fans a chance at enhanced access to their country’s men’s & women’s basketball matches, allowing big spenders to avoid the scramble for individual event tickets. The packages include games in the Group Phases and Quarterfinals. As of Aug. 19, prices for a basketball package started at $5,250 to follow the USA men’s team, $3,150 to follow the USA women’s team. (According to census figures, the median monthly income per capita in L.A. County is about $3,800.)
More hospitality packages are due to open in August for football (soccer). Hospitality package offers for badminton, cricket and rhythmic gymnastics are due later in the year.
An On Location spokesperson said the company is also putting together hospitality packages for the LA28 Paralympic Games. Stand-alone tickets for those Games also will go on sale in 2027.
No, said a spokesperson from On Location.
That depends on many variables — how much you’re willing to spend, how eager/desperate you are to see a particular sport, how you feel about dealing with the resale market.
LA28 organizers have said more stand-alone tickets will become available in 2027, not through lotteries but first-come, first-served sales.
They have also authorized AXS and Eventim as the “official” marketplace for secondary (resale) tickets, beginning some time in 2027. Organizers have also said that Ticketmaster and Sports Illustrated Tickets will have “verified resale” status.
With so much unknown about availability and pricing in 2027, many have chosen to hold off on any Olympic purchases. Yet for those who can afford it, buying a hospitality package may bring peace of mind. As Tara wrote on Facebook: “I just didn’t want to wait and miss out.”
Import businesses have felt the impact as rerouted cargo vessels clog unprepared African ports, tying up inventory.
Asset-light corporations are becoming asset-heavier organizations as the on-again, off-again closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to disrupt global supply chains.
During the 30 days preceding Aug. 17, an average of 16.9 ships passed through the Strait transporting 2.2 million barrels of crude and 380,000 barrels of petrochemicals, as reported by The Strait of Hormuz Ship Monitor. By comparison, during the first quarter of 2025, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated that 14.2 million barrels and 5.9 million barrels of petroleum products were shipped daily through the waterway — a decrease of approximately 84% and 94%, respectively.
According to the Atlas Institute for International Affairs, the Cape route is becoming the default option for vessels. As a result, import businesses have felt the impact as rerouted cargo vessels clog unprepared African ports, tying up inventory even longer.
Bolstering inventories and increasing liquidity buffers may initially have been a short-term response to the disruption, but industry insiders view the change as permanent.
“Just-in-time has become just-in-case, and that converted inventory is now on the CFO’s balance sheet,” John Stevens, senior vice president and global head of financial institutions and working capital at Kybira, told Global Finance. ”Higher [days inventory outstanding] stretches the cash conversion cycle and that cash has to come from somewhere: You borrow it or extend supplier terms.”
According to the authors of Allianz Trade’s Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) & Cash Collection Cycle (CCC) report, published in July, the disruption is expected to add a global average of two days to the CCC in the second half as its effects permeate supply chains.
The authors also expected that the U.S.-Iran conflict would result in a lighter version of the 2022 supply chain shock, little appearing in listed firms’ first-half financials and more tangible in the second half as the disruption permeates supply chains with a lag.
“Electronics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, automotive suppliers, metals and paper face the most direct pressure: already inventory-heavy and running elevated cycles, they have the least room to absorb a further DIO rise without tipping their financing needs into distress territory,” they wrote. “Construction and machinery & equipment carry the largest absolute cycles (approximately 103 days) and are unlikely to escape a broad inventory rebuild. Second, the shock should be partly offset by continued private-sector spending on AI infrastructure and data centers, which supports computers & telecoms and software & IT, keeping a meaningful share of the economy on a compressing or at worst flat trajectory.”
“Every day of DIO you add is cash pulled out of circulation, and that comes at a premium at current financing costs,” said Stevens. “CFOs should be pricing the free cash flow hits before any DIO build-up.”
Companies should count days and dollars rather than units, he added. “Any universal number, in either units or DIO, is a guess. Transit patterns through the Strait of Hormuz have been highly volatile, with flows falling sharply and recovery remaining uneven.”
There is light at the end of the tunnel — if a company’s balance sheet is large enough.
“Large, investment-grade buyers may be better placed to fund inventory builds, while their mid-market suppliers may not be,” said Stevens. “If payment terms are stretched to fund DIO extensions, the biggest squeeze can land one or two tiers down the value chain. Supply-chain finance can help address that gap when it is structured transparently and appropriately.”
Rob Daly covers fintech and the economy. Contact him at rdaly@gfmag.com.
YOU might think celebrities are always off on lavish adventures to far-flung places, but sometimes they opt for a cheap stopover.
Katie Price, who is usually seen in the likes of Dubai or Ibiza, was spotted leaving the Radisson Hotel Manchester City Centre after an evening at the UK Hair and Beauty Awards – and the rooms are really cheap.
Found in the heart of the city, the Radisson Hotel Manchester City Centre is the perfect budget-friendly base for exploring the city.
Rates start from as little as £60 with rooms varying from standard and family rooms to suites.
Some of the rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows as well as 50-inch flat-screen LED televisions.
There’s also 24-hour room service for all guests.
In the mornings, laid out is a full buffet and cooked breakfast options. In the evening, guests can dine at the hotel’s RBG Bar & Grill.
The hotel has an outdoor terrace too with its own bar and plenty of room for drinks in the evening.
When it comes to facilities, this Radisson hotel has a fitness suite, heated pool, sauna, and steam room.
The Nu Spa offers a variety of treatments including facials, body treatments, and massages.
These facilities aren’t complimentary for all guests though as those with a standard booking will have to pay an extra £15 per room to use the pool, steam room, and sauna.
The gym remains free of charge for all bookings.
In the lobby is a self-serve refuelling station selling snacks and soft drinks throughout the day and evening.
For those who aren’t heading off to a glamorous event, the Radisson Hotel Manchester City Centre is in an ideal location to explore Manchester.
The AO Arena, which will see Hilary Duff take to the stage next month, is actually opposite the hotel.
Co-op Live is a short tram ride away which will welcome the likes of A$AP Rocky, Andre Roux, Karan Aujla and Westlife are performing in September.
It’s also near the National Football Museum, Printworks and Manchester Victoria Station.
