rush

Disneyland is going to “Fortnite.”

Launching Thursday, “Disneyland Game Rush” is a new island that will bring some of the Happiest Place on Earth’s most popular rides into the “Fortnite” sandbox for the first time. A part of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration, the limited-time experience includes mini-games inspired by attractions such as Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure, Space Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: Breakout! and Haunted Mansion.

The in-game island will also feature a replica of the 70th anniversary sculpture inspired by Sleeping Beauty Castle as well as glimpses of the theme park’s familiar landmarks including the Incredicoaster and Pixar Pal-a-Round across the virtual skyline. Players who complete the island’s mini-games will collect keys that can be used to unlock Disneyland 70th-themed island-exclusive cosmetics so players will be able to show their Disney spirit.

“Fortnite” players can access the island by searching for Disneyland Game Rush or using island code 4617-4819-8826.

“Disneyland Game Rush” marks the latest Disney-affiliated “Fortnite” crossover since Walt Disney Co. acquired a stake in Epic Games in 2024. Earlier this year “Fortnite” launched “Galactic Battle,” which was billed as its biggest Star Wars-themed tie-in, as well as a “Simpsons”-themed battle royale mini-season that kicked off earlier this month.

Still to come is Disney and Epic Games’ interconnected “games and entertainment universe,” which will include brands such as Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar and Avatar. This “new persistent universe” was announced last year.

On Tuesday, voters will determine the fate of redistricting measure Proposition 50. But if you’re eager to vote in person, you don’t have to wait. You can easily pop into the polls a day early in many parts of California.

Where to vote in person on Monday

In Los Angeles County alone, there are 251 vote centers that will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday. (They’ll also be open again on Tuesday, election day, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) At vote centers, you can vote in person, drop off your vote-by-mail ballot, or even register to vote and cast a same-day provisional ballot, which will be counted after officials verify the registration.

“Avoid the rush,” said Dean Logan, the L.A. County registrar-recorder/county clerk. “Make a plan to vote early.”

Also on Monday, San Diego County’s 68 vote centers are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Orange County’s 65 vote centers from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Riverside County’s 55 vote centers and Ventura County’s nine vote centers between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

All of those vote centers also will be open on election day Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Other populous counties with a similar vote center system include the counties of Santa Clara, Alameda, Sacramento, Fresno, San Mateo, Stanislaus, Sonoma, Placer, Merced, Santa Cruz, Marin, Butte, Yolo, El Dorado, Madera, Kings, Napa and Humboldt.

Other counties have fewer in-person polling locations on Monday

San Bernardino County, however, only has six designated early voting poll stations. They’re open on Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and also on election day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Otherwise, San Bernardino County residents who want to vote in person on Tuesday can go to their assigned neighborhood polling location.

In Santa Barbara County, if you’ve lost or damaged a vote-by-mail ballot, you can request a replacement ballot through county’s elections offices in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria or Lompoc. Otherwise, voters can cast ballots at their assigned neighborhood polls on Tuesday.

How to drop off your vote-by-mail ballot

All Californian registered voters were mailed a vote-by-mail ballot. There are various ways to drop it off — through the mail, or through a county ballot drop box or polling place.

Ballot drop box or polling place

Be sure to get your ballot into a secured drop box, or at a polling place, by 8 p.m. on Tuesday. You can look up locations of ballot drop-off boxes at the California secretary of state’s or your county registrar of voters’ website (here are the links for Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties).

In L.A. County alone, there are 418 drop boxes.

You can drop off your ballot at any polling place or ballot drop box within California, according to the secretary of state’s office.

Mailing your ballot

You can also send your ballot through the U.S. Postal Service. No stamps are needed. Note that your ballot must be postmarked by Tuesday (and received by the county elections office within seven days).

But beware: Officials have warned that recent changes to the U.S. Postal Service earlier this year may result in later postmarks than you might expect.

In fact, state officials recently warned that, in large swaths of California — outside of the metros of Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento area — mail that is dropped off at a mailbox or a post office on election day may not be postmarked until a day later, on Wednesday. That would render the ballot ineligible to be counted.

As a result, some officials are recommending that — at this point — it’s better to deliver your vote-by-mail ballot through a secure drop box, a vote center or a neighborhood polling place, rather than through the Postal Service.

“If you can’t make it to a vote center, you can go to any post office and ask at the counter for a postmark on your ballot to ensure you get credit for mailing your ballot on time,” the office of Atty. Gen. Robert Bonta said.

Most common reasons vote-by-mail ballots don’t get counted

In the 2024 general election, 99% of vote-by-mail ballots were accepted. But that means about 122,000 of the ballots, out of 13.2 million returned, weren’t counted in California.

Here are the top reasons why:
• A non-matching signature: 71,381 ballots not counted.
• Ballot was not received in time: 33,016 ballots not counted.
• No voter signature: 13,356 ballots not counted.

If the voter didn’t sign their ballot, or the ballot’s signature is different from the one in the voter’s record, election officials are required to reach out to the voter to resolve the missing or mismatched signature.

Other reasons included the voter having already voted, the voter forgetting to put the ballot in their envelope, or returning multiple ballots in a single envelope.

THIS is the head-scratching moment a food delivery cyclist can be seen pedalling along the M4 in rush hour traffic.

The bizarre video of the delivery rider was captured by a passerby on a bridge running over the motorway.

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Desperately trying to keep up with the traffic, the rider furiously pedals down the motorway road.

Cars speed past on both sides of the road as he takes up an entire lane.

A police car then steers up to the bike with its siren blaring to pull up to the rider.

Unfazed, the man on the bike takes a quick glance over looks over.

A following angle then shows the rider pulled to the side of the motorway.

He is surrounded by three cops, with two more who can be seen approaching.

Three police vehicles are also spotted parked along the roadside to attend the incident.

The video was shared on social media, with a caption which read: “Absolute scenes on the M4.”

Text on the video also says: “I hate to tell you your McDonalds might be cold.”

Several viewers questioned why so many cops were needed for the delivery rider.

One wrote: “Why do they need 3 cop cars for one bro on a pushbike…sure this is overkill? Motorway or not.”

“3 cars vs 1 just eat man on his bike. Sounds legit.”

Others joked about the wait for the food delivery: “Estimated delivery time 6 hours. Yeah.”

“When you set your just eat account to car not bike by mistake,” another wrote.

“Still waiting for my big mac meal…”

Some were more sympathetic to the rider: “He deserves a tip!”

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“I feel so bad for him. Cycling his whole way through all the for some food,” another added.

It comes after another delivery rider was spotted passing motorists on the M6 earlier this year.

The Just Eat employee was filmed by a driver on the M6 in Birmingham, West Mids., which was shared to X.

In response to the incident, a Just Eat spokesperson said: “Most delivery drivers delivering food to customers’ doors are employed directly by independent restaurants.

“We do work with third-party courier companies, agency couriers and self-employed independent contractors in certain areas.

“We hold ourselves to the highest standards and in line with these, we would expect all drivers associated with Just Eat to act responsibly and respectfully at all times.”

The surviving members of progressive rock titans Rush will reunite for a 50th anniversary tour in 2026.

Rush co-founders Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson will play 12 dates in honor of the band’s late drummer Neil Peart, whose monumental percussion talents made Rush a defining act in prog rock. The tour will begin June 7 at the Kia Forum — the site of the band’s last show with Peart in 2015.

“After all that has gone down since that last show, Alex and I have done some serious soul searching and come to the decision that we f— miss it,” Lee said in a statement announcing the tour. “And that it’s time for a celebration of 50-something years of Rush music.”

The question of a Rush reunion without Peart, who died of brain cancer in 2020, was a fraught one. Even up to last year, Lifeson had told Rolling Stone that “there’s no chance that we’re going to get a drummer and go back on the road as the rebirth of Rush or something like that.”

For this tour, the band will be joined by Anika Nilles, a German drummer acclaimed for her work with Jeff Beck.

“As we all know, Neil was irreplaceable,” Lee said in the band’s statement. “Yet life is full of surprises, and we’ve been introduced to another remarkable person; an incredible drummer and musician who is adding another chapter to our story while continuing her own fascinating musical journey. Her name is Anika Nilles, and we could not be more excited to introduce her to our loyal and dedicated Rush fan base, whom, we know, will give her every chance to live up to that near-impossible role.”

In their own statement, Peart’s wife Carrie Nuttall-Peart and daughter Olivia gave their blessing for the tour: “We are thrilled to support the Fifty Something Tour, celebrating a band whose music has resonated and inspired fans for generations, and to honor Neil’s extraordinary legacy as both a drummer and lyricist.”

SHOPPERS are racing to a major retailer to pick up dirt-cheap snacks and sweets ahead of the spookiest day of the year.

Sweets lovers are going wild as Halloween treats have hit Home Bargains, with prices starting as low as £0.75.

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Marketed under the “Hallow Scream” range, the store released more than 80 products on its website.

The sale has kicked off featuring Zed’s Gummy Corn sweets for £0.75, described as “sweet, creamy and zesty”.

Other sweets encouraging shoppers to get into the spooky spirit for under £1 include crowd pleasers Haribo Bone Shakers and Sour Skeletons, both priced at £0.99.

Shoppers can also get their hands on a bucket of vanilla flavoured Hallow-scream candy floss for £0.99 in three colours – green, orange and purple.

The last item under £1 is the Pimlico Coffin Sour Gummy sweets at £0.99.

The spooky treat is described as “tangy and chewy” and is sold in a variety of flavours.

The prices range from £0.75 all the way up to £10.89 – with Vidal Monster Jellies at the top end of the Halloween sweets sale.

Bargain hunters can find chocolates, sweets, savoury spooky items and everything in between as Halloween approaches.

The sale is available at all stores across the UK and online.

Home Bargains isn’t the only retailer to offer up great deals to customers as both Halloween and Christmas approach.

Lidl‘s Christmas-Ready Wooden Toy sale is set to launch with some of the country’s most sought after wooden toys massively discounted.

Kicking off on October 9, Lidl Plus members have a short six-day window to get their hands on early Christmas presents.

The long-awaited sale offers a collection of quality, sustainable toys at unbeatable prices, which kick off at £1.99.

Some showstoppers include the Wooden Play Kitchen (£44.99 with Lidl Plus, £49.99 without) and Bakery & Cafe (£16.19 with Lidl Plus, £17.99 without).

The new range will also come with a huge variety of wallet-friendly stocking fillers, such as the Wooden Food Play Set (from £4.99) and Wooden Railway Set (£6.39 with Lidl Plus, £7.99 without).

Hitting the stores very soon, the wooden toy collection has plenty of options to tackle a day of cheffing or provide hours of indoor fun. 

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To keep kids from climbing up the walls, the sturdy Wooden Balance Board (£23.99 with Lidl Plus, £29.99 without) and Wooden Balance Beam (£17.99 with Lidl Plus, £19.99 without) are the ideal additions to help the little ones reach new heights.

Or for those looking for something more instrumental for their little treble makers, the Hape Baby Musical Instruments come in a groovin’ guitar or a classic keyboard for a price sure to strike a chord at £11.69 with Lidl Plus (12.99 without).

With cooler weather rolling in for the holidays, the Wooden Puzzle (£1.79 with Lidl Plus, £1.99 without) and Wooden Play Set available as a Farmhouse, Fire Station or Stable (£9.59 with Lidl Plus, £11.99 without) are perfect for providing hours of indoor fun for the chips off the old block. 

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NEW YORK — The NBA will not rush to any judgment in its probe of whether a business relationship between Kawhi Leonard and a California company was legitimate or merely a way for the Clippers to circumvent salary cap rules, Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday.

Silver spoke after a board of governors meeting in New York — one that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer attended — and said the league will wait to see the report from the outside firm it has hired to run its investigation before taking next steps.

“We’re constantly learning in the league office and again, I’m reserving judgment because I don’t know the facts here,” Silver said. “I don’t know what Kawhi was paid. I don’t know what he did or didn’t do. We’ll leave all that for the investigation.”

The NBA opened its investigation last week into whether a $28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and sustainability services company Aspiration Fund Adviser, LLC — one that filed for bankruptcy earlier this year — broke league rules, following a report by journalist Pablo Torre.

The Clippers have strongly denied that any rules were broken and said they welcomed the league’s investigation.

“I think as a matter of fundamental fairness, I would be reluctant to act if there was a mere appearance of impropriety,” Silver said. “I think the goal of a full investigation is to find if there really was impropriety. … I would want anybody else in the situation that Mr. Ballmer is in now or Kawhi Leonard for that matter, to be treated the same way I would want to be treated if people were making allegations against me.”

Ballmer made a $50-million investment in Aspiration, and the company and the team announced a $300-million partnership in September 2021. That was about a month after Leonard signed a four-year, $176-million extension with the Clippers.

The team ended its relationship with Aspiration after two years, saying the contract was in default. Aspiration’s co-founder, Joseph Sanberg, agreed to plead guilty last month after facing federal charges of wire fraud. Prosecutors said he defrauded investors and lenders out of $248 million, adding that “Aspiration’s financial statements were inaccurate and reflected much higher revenue than the company in fact received.”

The league — which previously looked into claims that Leonard’s representatives asked for certain things that would be considered cap circumventions when he was a free agent several years ago — can issue stiff penalties if cap rules are found to have been broken by a team, including a fine of up to $7.5 million, the voiding of contracts and the forfeiture of future draft picks.

“I’m a big believer in due process and fairness and you need to now let the investigation run its course,” Silver said, adding that he has “very broad powers” when determining penalties if wrongdoing is found.

If the Rams pass rush wants to christen itself as the NFL’s most ferocious, the Houston Texans could offer a prime chance to showcase its “dangerous” capabilities.

The offensive line has been a significant concern for the Texans, to the point where coach DeMeco Ryans is tired of talking about it. Despite quarterback CJ Stroud being sacked 52 times last season (third most in the NFL), Houston wasn’t necessarily able to improve the unit, especially after trading blindside protector Laremy Tunsil to Washington.

The mostly fresh-faced starting five will be tasked with staying in front of a Rams pass rush contingent that enters the season ranked sixth in the NFL by Pro Football Focus.

Jared Verse, Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske and Byron Young could create significant issues for Stroud, and Poona Ford could be the missing ingredient the Rams need to shore up their defensive front to create even more problems for opposing offenses.

Stroud isn’t the only one facing a tough pass rush. Matthew Stafford and his recovering back will be tested against a Houston defense that racked up 49 sacks (fourth in NFL) and 19 interceptions (second) last season.

The 37-year-old quarterback didn’t practice until late into training camp, but Stafford and coach Sean McVay have said they are confident everything will be normal.

Footage shows cars parked in the Cornish seaside town of Polzeath as the tide rises around their tyres, with visitors rushing to rescue their vehicles before they are submerged.

Holidaymakers visiting the Cornish seaside town of Polzeath were left stunned to discover their cars slowly disappearing beneath the waves over the bank holiday weekend.

Video footage captures vehicles parked in the town on Cornwall’s north coast as the tide creeps up around their wheels, with panicked visitors scrambling to save their cars before they vanished underwater.

Dramatic scenes showing a 2010 Subaru Outback in danger were filmed by 34-year-old Sam Peters, who witnessed the mayhem as good Samaritans rallied to help the motorist retrieve their vehicle.

He said: “Everyone was panicking and it caused much distress. Many onlookers were surprised and concerned, and some tried to help.

“Several cars got caught in the rising tide and became stuck on the beach. The car finally got pushed out by many supporters on the beach.”

This marks yet another occasion that tourists and residents have witnessed cars stranded by the waves at Polzeath, reports Cornwall Live.

Further footage, filmed in May, revealed a Mini falling foul of the tide on the same stretch of sand. The clip, recorded by the Polzeath Beach Ranger Service, depicted the vehicle parked and encircled by water.

In a Facebook post, they cautioned drivers about the perils of parking on sand. They said: “If you drive over seaweed to get to your parking space, consider how the seaweed might have been delivered.”

Despite the cheeky comment, the service confirmed that the owner managed to rescue their car before it was carried off during one of the May bank holidays.

A spokesperson for the service, speaking to Cornwall Live, offered some advice to drivers on how to avoid a similar situation.

They explained: “On this occasion, the tide was at its highest that day, but we do sometimes have higher spring tides. Many factors affect the height of the tide, including sun and moon phases, wind, waves and atmospheric pressure.

“It’s a beach car park – one of the last in the region – and it serves as a valuable resource for tourism and the community. It also helps to raise money to pay for necessary services like lifeguards, beach cleaning, road sweeping, bin emptying and toilets.

“As with all coastal destinations, there are risks associated with tides, weather and the landscape, and we encourage visitors to be aware of that. There are visible warning signs.”

SHOPPERS have gone wild for a fan-favourite Greggs product which has hit the shelves at Iceland. 

The incredible baked product only costs £3 and you can get 4 of the delicious treats in one pack.

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Greggs is known for its huge range of pastries, from its vegan sausage rolls to its steak and chicken bakes. 

The bakery’s pain au chocolat are a particular favourite and are normally only available in stores. 

However, customers now can pick up a four-pack of frozen pain au chocolat from Iceland. 

An eagle-eyed shopper spotted the product whilst shopping and took to Facebook to break the news.

They captioned their post: “Greggs frozen Pain Au Chocolat spotted at Iceland Foods.”

Fans flooded the comments section, sharing their love for the baked product. 

One wrote:”I got a bag yesterday, £3.”

Another raved: “They’re the best!”

The news comes after Greggs quietly axed a fan-favourite sandwich. 

Exclusively revealed by The Sun, the Roast Chicken Salad Roll has been pulled from the bakery’s shelves. 

Greggs has been revamping its lunch range, with a new sandwich – also named the Roast Chicken Salad Roll – taking the old product’s place. 

It includes sliced roast chicken breast, topped with tomato, cucumber, mixed leaf salad and mayonnaise.

Earlier this year, Greggs was also forced to make a major change to some of its stores. 

Due to a surge in shoplifting offences, several of the lunch items were moved behind the counter. 

In some locations, the bakeries were enduring one robbery every twenty minutes – prompting the change. 

One Greggs worker told The Sun: “The stealing before was so bad.

“I couldn’t put a number on how many thieves came in every day.”

At the time, a spokesperson for the bakery said: “This is one of a number of initiatives we are trialling across a handful of shops which are exposed to higher levels of anti-social behaviour.

“Safety of our colleagues and customers remains our number one priority.”

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Cleaning products can be a hidden cost when running a household, so if you find a good deal it can really help save money.

Right now, you can get the Flash Speedmop Floor Cleaner Starter Kit for almost half price, as it’s reduced from £25 to £13.

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Flash Speedmop Floor Cleaner
Starter Kit £13 (was £22)

Hard floors like wood and laminate may be slightly easier to clean than carpet, but it can still take effort to tackle stuck-on food and dirt.

If you favour specific brands for your cleaning products,  and you’re not heading to Amazon for deals on them, you could be paying more than you need to.

A mop is a basic cleaning necessity but the Flash Speedmop is an easy to use, mess-free alternative.

The starter pack comes with the mop itself, plus 8 wet cloths for spills and stubborn stains and 15 dry cloths for dust and dirt.

All you have to do to set us is connect the poles, and attach a sheet to the mop head.

The head swivels, so you can clean difficult areas, like beneath sofas and under furniture.

A Flash Speedmop is more convenient than the traditional mop, needing no water or cleaning fluid, and offering easy disposal.

The main difference is that you need to keep stocked up on the cloths, which is why the current deal is so handy.

Buying from Amazon also means home delivery, so when you run out you won’t have to rush to a supermarket.

Over 7,000 shoppers have left reviews on the Speedmop, which has now become an Amazon bestseller.

One shopper said: ‘’The Flash SpeedMop is incredibly easy to use and convenient, which makes it great for busy mums or anyone looking to speed up their cleaning.’’

‘’The spray mechanism is handy, and the pre-moistened pads really help cut down on the effort needed to get floors sparkling clean.’’

‘’Many users find it effective on both sticky messes and light dusting, especially in high-traffic areas.’’

Another shopper added: ‘’Wow this is so good – easy to fit and to store, takes up virtually no room.’’

‘’It cleans up brilliantly and wow the dirt it picks up, also the lemon smell is really nice, and the floor dries really fast.’’

Flash Speedmop Floor Cleaner
Starter Kit £13 (was £22)

If you want to deep clean your carpet and need recommendations on which vacuum cleaners to buy, check out our pick of the best vacuum cleaners.

Or, if you consider ironing one of your least favourite household chores, I swear by this Amazon clothes steamer for a much easier solution to crease-free clothes.

Star cancelled all appearances earlier this year after being hit by a ‘health situation’

Red Dwarf legend Chris Barrie has given worried fans an update after being struck with a ‘health situation’ earlier this year. The 65-year-old played Arnold J. Rimmer on the popular science fiction sitcom which has been a smash hit on the BBC and has a huge fanbase.

A post earlier this year said he had cancelled all forthcoming public appearances due to an ongoing “medical situation”. He had been due to appear at London Comic Con over the weekend alongside Red Dwarf co-stars Robert Llewellyn, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, and Hattie Hayridge.

Now he has given an update in a new post on his website. He said: “For those interested, here is an update on my health situation. Since being discharged from hospital in early July I have been feeling better and stronger with each passing day. I am not on any medication and am now a month into a 3-4 month healing process and there may be more diagnostic tests towards the end of that period.

“Apologies for being utterly non specific but I would rather keep it that way for now. So, in brief, feeling much more myself, enjoying being at home and busying myself with light tasks, although this is about to be stepped up to medium tasks….

“With regard to working, it is still too early to say. If my rate of recovery remains the same as over the last month, then I could be looking at working the odd day in October, but I will not be in a position to confirm this until early September. As usual I will update on this page as and when anything is confirmed. In the meantime good ‘ol Scarborough remains on the schedule as I really hope to be back working by November.”

The popular science fiction sitcom aired on the BBC from 1988 to 1999 and on Dave from 2009 to 2020. The show, starring Craig Charles as Dave Lister, the last living human, gained a cult following over time.

Barrie is also known for his role as Gordon Brittas in The Brittas Empire. Fans greeted the better news and Paul said: “When I heard Chris was ill, like a lot of people, my stomach churned. It’s massively good news he is recovering and I hope he’s back on his feet soon. I know we all say this because of Ace Rimmer but I’m talking about Chris Barrie. What A Guy!”

Angela said: ”Thanks for sharing. Bless him. I hope he stays in “stasis” relaxing for a full recovers. Ruth said: “That’s great news. I hope he still gets to film RD as planned and that he’s well and happy. Great that he’s not having to be on any meds.”

Mart D. added: “Get well soon Chris. Awful being laid up in dock, but Scarborough is even worse.”

BBC Breakfast star Nina Warhurst has made her return to the show after a heartbreaking family death

BBC Breakfast presenter Nina Warhurst has returned to the programme after her father’s passing.

The popular morning show was back on air on Sunday (August 3) with Ben Thompson and Nina presenting together once again.

It’s been a tough period for Nina, who recently revealed that her father had passed away peacefully in a care home on July 2 after a prolonged struggle with dementia.

READ MORE: BBC Breakfast star’s secret job revealed and it’s worlds away from presenting

READ MORE: BBC Breakfast presenter says ‘it made my heart ache’ after major change-up in role

Sharing a touching black-and-white image of her hand clasped with her father’s, she penned: “My Dad died on Wednesday night. From Sunday me, my Mum and sisters spent precious time with him around the clock….singing, crying, laughing, sharing memories. On his last day we had nursing home afternoon tea, chippy chips and wine together.

“He drifted away gently with me and Amy (Nina’s sister) holding him and telling him to ‘go head. We’ll see you there soon.’ And he did. I had my hand on his heart as the ripples softened and stopped.”, reports the Express.

“A gentle end to a gentle life. So much love and laughter and sunshine across days I’ll never forget. He is in my mind all the time now as we adjust to a world without him in it.

“I can’t quite accept that’s real yet. But we think it’s really important for anyone going through this to know that the end can be peaceful and beautiful.”

Supporters immediately flooded Nina with messages of comfort at the time. One viewer commented: “Oh my darling, this is such sad news. He seemed like a beautiful soul.” Another said: “So sorry, dear Nina and family. You did him proud. Always.”

However, a few weeks later and on Sunday, Nina was back on the famous red sofa on BBC Breakfast – and fans were more than chuffed to see her back. On X, one person penned: “Lovely to see Nina this morning.”

Nina’s father Chris, had been diagnosed with mixed dementia, which is Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, in 2022.In April this year, she spoke candidly about how his condition had affected her life.

The mum-of-three penned in an Instagram post: “I don’t think I really became a proper grownup until we had to look after my Dad. Because of dementia I lost the home I could go to and still be a child. I lost one of those few pillars of people who I knew would love me, whatever. I thought that support was lost.

But now I know that just being with him is enough. I don’t know if it’s primal, hormonal, chemical, emotional….. but leaning my head on his chest and closing my eyes for a few minutes gives me the sense of safety and love that I’ve always had and that I still need.”

BBC Breakfast airs everyday from 6am on BBC One.

An Israeli drone attack on a car killed at least one person and injured three others near the Lebanese capital Beirut on Thursday during rush hour, according to local authorities. Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr was at the scene as officials inspected the wreckage.

Portugal, France and Spain all suffered through temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, but for many Brits looking to abroad, that feels preferable to staying put

Brits are ignoring ‘red alert’ health warnings and heading to the Continent en masse.

Thousands of Brits have booked holidays in the past 48 hours, with many boarding flights in the next seven days as part of last-minute deals, swapping the uncomfortable British heat for Europe’s scorching sun.

In arguably classic British fashion, a huge number of holidaymakers are ditching the mere 34C temperatures of the UK for something a little more sizzling on the Continent. According to On the Beach, in the past 48 hours, bookings to Europe increased 23% and there was a whopping 47% increase in bookings leaving in the next week.

Portugal, France and Spain all suffered through temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, but for many Brits looking to be abroad, that feels preferable to staying put.

Have you been affected by the intense heat? Email [email protected]

This is despite the serious danger to life that is posed by the temperatures in parts of Europe right now. A record number of heat alerts are in place across France as the country and other parts of southern and eastern Europe remain in the grip of soaring temperatures.

Sixteen French regions, including Paris, have been placed on red alert for Tuesday, the country’s highest, while 68 others are on orange alert. Heat warnings are also in place for parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, and Balkan countries, including Croatia.

In Barcelona, a woman has lost her life, allegedly after spending a gruelling shift cleaning the streets of the Spanish city. According to the newspaper El País, the cleaner was working in the Raval neighborhood of Ciutat Vella during the heat of the day. She spent eight hours outside, enduring temperatures above 30°C, according to Aemet.

So far this year, 2,168 people have died from causes attributable to the heat in Spain alone. Last year, 3,521 deaths were linked to extreme temperatures in the country, CLM24 reports.

Despite the clear risk of heatwaves as intense as the one scorching Europe right now, clearly many Brits feel things could be a little hotter. Bookings to Amsterdam and Paris reached record highs this Monday, with On the Beach recording a 178% increase in bookings to Paris year on year.

Perhaps they are attracted to the quality of heat, as opposed to the quantity of Celsius. The UK heat is famously muggy, sticky, and airless, with little breeze and minimal chance of proper cooling off at night. Homes aren’t designed for heat, and air conditioning is rare, leaving people tossing and turning through humid, sleepless nights.

In contrast, much of southern Europe is built for the heat. Even at 35 or 40 degrees, there’s often dry, baking sunshine rather than the suffocating humidity Brits face at home.

Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at On the Beach, said: “It’s official, Europe is roasting and Brits can’t get enough of it. Let’s be honest, 35 degrees in Spain feels like a glorious bake in the sun, while 28 in the UK feels like trying to sleep in a damp greenhouse. As soon as Brits see Europe heating up, they book their almost immediate escape, because roasting under a Spanish sun is paradise compared to stewing in the UK’s clammy heat.”

“City break bookings have jumped by 32% in the past 24 hours as Brits rush to make the most of Europe’s scorching heatwave. It’s not just the beaches calling this time, urban getaways are booming too. After all, cities offer shady streets for exploring, cool museums and cafes to duck into, and air conditioning in abundance, making even the hottest days easy to enjoy.”