The town’s Christmas markets are a must-visit for anyone looking to get into the festive spirit, with a wide range of stalls selling everything from food and drink to handmade gifts
The ancient town comes alive with its festive market(Image: David Anstiss/Geograph)
One of the highlights of the winter season is undoubtedly the return of the delightful Christmas markets, offering a plethora of fantastic options across Kent.
Over these three days, a colourful mix of stallholders will descend on Market Place and Court Street, presenting a diverse range of local food and drink, unique crafts and handmade gifts that are perfect for filling up those stockings.
On Friday, locals and visitors alike will have the opportunity to explore the Festive Food Market, showcasing the very best of Kent’s remarkable food and drink businesses, reports Kent Live.
Then, on Saturday, the town will play host to the Bumper Charter Market and Best of Faversham artisan market, ideal for discovering unique, locally-crafted gifts.
Finally, Sunday will see the arrival of the Christmas Gift Market where you can complete your holiday shopping – whether you’re searching for that perfect, unique gift or need to stock up on cards to send to all your friends and family over the holidays, you’re bound to find what you’re looking for.
There will be live Christmas carols and plenty of festive music for all to enjoy, and there is even a planned visit from the Happy Endings donkeys for guests to pet and feed.
These markets will follow the fabulous Christmas lights switch-on in Faversham town centre, which will take place on the evening of Saturday, 29 November.
Crowds will flock to the historic Market Place to see the spellbinding illuminations come to life at 5pm, bathing the town in a sea of colour. Again, there will be Christmas carols and live music to add that extra Christmas spirit.
From 4pm to 8pm on this day, the Festive Night Market will run on Preston Street, bringing plenty of opportunities to shop and tuck into delicious seasonal food. Between the numerous craft stalls and mouth-watering street food choices, this is one event you won’t want to miss.
Faversham may be rich in history, with its ancient port, maritime industry and hop-growing heritage, but it’s also brimming with contemporary attractions that today’s visitors will love.
The town offers a wealth of shopping opportunities and businesses, a theatre, thrilling events and activities, and a vibrant market, which proudly proclaims itself as “Kent’s oldest”. There are also beautiful scenic spots, such as Mount Ephraim Gardens, which will soon be ablaze with autumnal hues.
The English Football League has criticised the “undermining” of the Carabao Cup after it was forced to compromise on the date of Crystal Palace’s quarter-final because of fixture congestion.
Palace will now face Arsenal in the last eight at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, 23 December at 20:00 GMT.
The other three quarter-finals take place the previous week but the Eagles’ commitments in the Uefa Conference League – they host Finnish club KuPS at Selhurst Park on 18 December – has left them with four games in nine days.
Palace host Manchester City on 14 December and are away to Leeds on 21 December, either side of the KuPS game.
A statement from the EFL was critical of the “expansion of European cup competitions” which it believes was “implemented without adequate consultation with domestic leagues”.
The EFL said it had “shown a willingness to compromise” but scheduling conflicts are “now entirely unavoidable”.
“To continue making endless concessions only serves to undermine the reputation of the EFL Cup,” said the statement.
“It also challenges the traditional scheduling of the English football calendar and strength of our domestic game.”
Uefa’s European calendar now stretches across 10 midweeks, rather than the six of two seasons ago, with the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League each given a standalone week for exposure.
It has caused a huge logistical headache, with the third round of the EFL Cup having to be seeded and played across two weeks to keep clubs in the Champions League and Europa League apart.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner said last week it would be “irresponsible” if the club were forced to play two games in three days.
The EFL said it shared the “frustration and concern” of managers and players concerning the congested programme which deprived clubs of the “necessary time for preparation” and ability to “field their strongest line-ups” in the EFL Cup.
Boxing Day fixtures have been a long-standing tradition in English football but this year the only Premier League game will be Manchester United’s home match with Newcastle United (20:00 GMT).
SOME places in the UK are especially memorable thanks to television series that have been filmed there, particularly in the south of England.
The pretty village of Looe is famous for being the backdrop of Beyond Paradis and Port Isaac was used for years in Martin Clunes‘ series Doc Martin – now the Lizard peninsula is set to be big thanks to the HBOHarry Potter series.
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Cast of the new Harry Potter series have been seen filming on the Lizard peninsulaCredit: AlamyThe peninsula has steep cliffs and hidden covesCredit: Parkdean
The beach on the cove is split in two, one part is where you’ll find the fishing boats, and the other is where visitors and locals will go swimming, snorkelling and rock pooling.
Further around Cadgwith Cove is a 200-foot blowhole called the ‘Devil’s Frying Pan’.
The village itself is full of chocolate-box looking cottages, and anyone wanting to stay in Cadgwith Cove can do so at the local inn.
Harry Potter is also expected to film in Kynance Cove, a tidal beach famous for its white sand, turquoise sea and rock stacks.
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Anyone can visit Kynance Cove, but there is a small fee for parking – unless you’re a National Trust member.
It’s worth the trip though with some visitors even describing it as “the best beach, give you Portugal vibes”.
Others describe it as a “Cornish gem”, however, there are warnings of strong waves and fast-rising tides.
While there aren’t many facilities, there is a cafe on the beach that serves sandwiches, salads, jacket potatoes, pasties and hot drinks.
For more budget-friendly holiday stay option on the peninsula, Brits can head to Lizard Point Holiday Park run by Parkdean Resorts.
The site is closed for the winter season, but reopens in March next year.
Actor John Lithgow who plays Albus Dumbledore was seen filming in Cadgwith CoveCredit: Alamy
A five-night stay in May on a Trelan Caravan with a flatscreen TV, comfy sofas and sleeps up to six starts from £219, which is £7.30pppn.
The Compass Bungalow is the same price but sleeps up to four people; however, it is more spacious and has a brand new kitchen and bathroom.
Facilities include indoor and outdoor pools, kart and bike hire, children’s shows from PAW Patrol to Milkshake Mornings.
Kids can also check out the soft play, amusement arcade, bungee trampoline, adventure golf, high ropes, table tennis, football as well as art and craft sessions.
There are on-site bars and restaurants, an ice cream parlour, drinks van and Street Eats for takeaways.
Port Isaac further north became so well-known after being used as the filming location for the BBC Doc Martin series that ran for 18 years.
It became the fictional village of Portwenn, showing off its clusters of stone cottages and narrow streets.
Port Isaac on the Cornwall coast was used as the backdrop of Doc MartinCredit: Getty ImagesBeyond Paradise is filmed in the coastal town of Looe in DevonCredit: Red Planet Pictures, Joss Barratt
The spin-off to Death in Paradise started in 2023 and is set in the fictional town of Shipton Abbott. The beaches of Looe and Fore Street are popular locations and the Guildhall is what they use for the Shipton Abbott Police Station.
Martha’s restaurant, The Ten Miles Kitchen, is filmed in The Stables, Port Eliot House & Gardens a cafe 20 minutes inland from Looe in the parish of St Germans.
It’s a great place to pop in for a coffee or brunch and a look over the garden estate.
On Barry Island itself, there’s the famous Marco’s Cafe and the Arcade where Nessa worked the slots.
Just up the road is The Colcot Arms aka Smithy’s local Essex hangout and of course the Tadross Hotel which doubles as The Dolphin – where pints cost £4, according to reviews left by guests.
Midsomer Murders
In rural Oxfordshire there is one of the deadliest villages around, Midsomer. ITV’s Midsomer Murders is filmed mostly in the quaint and historic town of Wallingford.
Wallingford isn’t the only location used. Just 30 minutes up the road is the village of Thame which also doubles as Causton village.
In Thame, the Spread Eagle, a red-brick hotel that serves up four roast mains on a Sunday, has been used for filming. They’ve also used The Black Horse, which has monthly offers from Happy Hour to deals on main courses.
Rumsey’s Chocolaterie has also appeared on-screen, and it’s worth a trip there just for the hot chocolates alone. They also offer workshops where you can make truffles and chocolate figurines.
At the Thame Museum, they offer a free Midsomer Walking Tour leaflet and there’s an opportunity to have a photo taken next to the ‘Causton Town Hall’ sign.
Grassington becomes the fictional market town of Darrowby and there are lots of familiar sights, as most of the village is used for filming.
The production team dress up shop fronts, with The Stripey Badger Bookshop becoming G F Engleby Grocers and The Devonshire transforming into the Drovers Arms.
The traditional family pub is very highly rated and offers everything from hearty breakfasts to Sunday lunch. It even offers ‘Dining for Dogs’ with ‘Diced Chuck Steak Doggy Dinner’ or ‘Sausage Stew’ on the menu.
For the chance to spot some filming, plan a trip in late Spring, early Summer as the cast begin with the Christmas special around that time.
Call the Midwife
Call the Midwife has returned for series fourteen and there are plenty of locations from over the years to visit for free.
In the latest series, the ladies of Nonnatus house took a trip to the seaside which was filmed on West Wittering beach, in Sussex.
Another recognisable location is the lighthouse from the 2019 Christmas Special, where Nurse Val and Nurse Lucille go to Scotland.
It’s actually the Eilean Glas Lighthouse on the east coast of the island of Scalpay. To get there, park in the village of Kennavay and take the 30-minute trail. The building also operates as a small museum and serves tea and coffee during open hours.
Shetland
Talking of Scotland, Shetland is the filming location for Shetland, obviously. The TV series starring Ashley Jensen is filmed in the main town and port, Lerwick.
The most recognisable spot of Lodberries House, which was the home of former lead DI Jimmy Perez (Douglas Henshall).
Another popular location for the show is Commercial Street, which has featured in almost every single series of Shetland ever.
There are also lots of other iconic locations in Lerwick, including Lerwick Town Hall, Bain’s Beach and Lerwick Harbour.
AN ABANDONED UK airport that was set to re-open in 2027 has been hit by a £193million blow.
The site is also expected to make a loss for the first nine years, which is an increase from its previous estimate of five.
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An abandoned UK airport that was set to re-open in 2027 has been hit by a £193million blow.Credit: Getty
South Yorkshire council leaders and South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, approved spending £160m of public money to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).
Previous owners, Peel Group closed the airport in 2022 after it continued to make yearly losses.
But, Mayor Coppard said reopening the airport would support 5,000 jobs, boost the economy by £5bn and provide wider benefits of £2bn by 2050.
However, the projected cost of re-opening has now risen by nearly £50m to £193m, according to City of Doncaster Council’s cabinet.
Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones said the rising costs in the report set out the challenges and opportunities in a project “of this size and scale”.
She added that re-opening the airport was a massive undertaking but one that was “vital for the future prosperity, well-being and economic growth of the city, region and the country.”
She also stated: “The ambition is that the airport does become a success story for Doncaster and South Yorkshire.”
The report, however, says the £160m will only be released in annual instalments and will not cover all the start-up costs of the first few years.
However, the papers also suggest there is a chance that costs may continue to spiral even further by 20 per cent.
This would put the overall reopening costs at £222m, and the papers say that if this takes place – closing DSA would need to be considered.
The report explains: “The profile of the additional costs and extent of the increases would impact on the borrowing costs; therefore, the consideration of the potential closure decision point would need to be regularly evaluated, and scenarios updated.”
According to the council papers, the airport is projected to make losses for the first nine years of operation (2026-2034) of £81.1m.
However, the council is predicting that from 2034 onwards the airport will start to make a profit, totalling £230m before tax and interest by 2049.
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The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority had already allocated £16.1m to the project, with City of Doncaster Council expected to provide further funding of £17.4m.
A South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority spokesperson told The Sun: “These numbers are not new, nor do they identify any new risks.
“We’ve always been very clear and upfront about the commercial and financial challenges we have taken on when committing to reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport, and the need for public financial support for those plans in the medium term.
“That’s why we took extra time and undertook significant added due diligence before agreeing the MCA’s funding commitment in September.
“The figures released in the City of Doncaster Council’s papers remain in line with the funding envelope we set for the project at that point.
“The information in CDC’s papers has been made available because of that additional work, which helped us understand the risks and opportunities of reopening DSA.
“The extensive work we have undertaken makes clear that reopening DSA and creating a world leading sustainable aviation and advanced manufacturing hub at Gateway East offers a unique opportunity for jobs and growth.
“We will remain diligent in the protection of taxpayers’ money as we pursue that opportunity, while recognising the risks and challenges we face developing a project of this size and scale. As we have been throughout, we will continue to be transparent and accountable throughout this process.”
The airport is expected to be fully operational with passenger flights, planned for summer 2028.
The household name should prove a hit with ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here viewers after his many decades in the public eye and hugely successful career
10:30, 30 Oct 2025Updated 10:30, 30 Oct 2025
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here is back on ITV next month and the line-up is still being finalised(Image: PR)
A huge TV and pop icon from the ’80s is in ‘advanced talks’ to appear on this year’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Martin Kemp is poised to become the first star to join I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here as the second member of a family to have the jungle experience. The Spandau Ballet star is in “advanced talks” to join the hit ITV show when it launches next month.
And he’ll be following in the footsteps of his radio presenter son, Roman, who took part back in 2019. One insider said: “Martin is a household name having been top of the hit parade with Spandau Ballet in the 80s and then in EastEnders in the early 2000s – he’s a great signing and everyone is very excited at the prospect of getting him Down Under.”
One person who’ll be particularly thrilled is Roman himself, 32, who told the Mirror a couple of years ago that he’d be “very up” for his famous dad to take part.
When Roman did it, he lasted the full 22 days and finished in third place, behind Corrie star Andy Whyment and winner Jacqueline Jossa.
But along the way he tackled some pretty tricky Bushtucker Trials – for which he held his dad partially responsible after he urged the public to nominate his son.
“Listen, I would do anything to see my dad eat llama anus,” Roman told the Mirror in 2022. “I’ll tell you why, because when I got nominated the first time it was the eating trial,” he recalled. “When you’re in there, you get so paranoid about why people are voting for you, because you’re like ‘am I coming across as a d*** and people want to see me suffer’?
“When I got out I was looking through some of the headlines, and it turns out the only reason I got voted to do that trial at the beginning was because my dad tweeted: ‘Let’s get my son to eat kangaroo anus’. So, my God, I’m very up for him going in.”
Once Martin arrives in the jungle, there will be a Kemp TV takeover in Britain with him on ITV alongside hosts Ant and Dec and his kids Roman and elder sister Harley Moon competing on BBC1’s Race Across the World from next week.
And Martin, who is a regular on Celebrity Gogglebox with Roman, will also be following his old bandmate Tony Hadley, who competed on the show in 2015, finishing in sixth place.
The singer of hits including True, Gold and To Cut a Long Story Short, afterwards described his jungle experience as “one of the best things I’ve ever done” despite his endless conflict with fellow contestant Lady Colin Campbell, who took an instant dislike to him.
Martin, 64, married to former Wham backing singer Shirley Holliman, is unlikely to ask Hadley for tips, after the rest of the Spandau members fell out with the lead singer when he quit the band in 2017.
Hadley told the Mirror earlier this year that he and Martin’s brother Gary – the band’s songwriter – were unlikely to work together again. “I haven’t spoken to him in 10 years. I don’t have anything to do with the Spandau thing at all,” he said.
This came after Gary claimed, in 2021, that he and Tony had never been mates “even at school”. But Martin has always remained hopeful about the possibility of a reunion, saying a few years ago: “It’s something I would love to do and I know Gary would love to do it. It’s very difficult to get five adults to say ‘yes’ at the same time. Tony at the moment doesn’t want to do it and I understand his reasons for wanting to be a solo singer.”
I’m a Celebrity is expected to start on ITV on November 16 with other camp-mates likely to include Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley and ex- EastEnder Shona McGarty plus radio host Nick Ferrari, comedian Ruby Wax, model Kelly Brook and presenter Vogue Williams.
A show spokesman said the official announcement would come soon, adding: “Any names suggested for I’m A Celebrity are speculation.”
The hair of the dog is no miracle remedy. Colin Farrell knows this from experience.
The Irish actor learned the limits of the folk remedy many moons ago while filming “Minority Report,” the Steven Spielberg-directed tech noir film based on Philip K. Dick’s science fiction novella of the same name.
That fateful day on set, as Farrell told it Tuesday on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” was perhaps even more disturbing than the surveillance-state setting wherein the 2002 film unfolds.
It all started on the eve of Farrell’s birthday, he said. That night, he “got up to all sorts of nonsense” that landed him back home in the wee hours. At the time, Farrell was struggling to kick a longtime substance abuse habit.
“I remember getting into bed, and as soon as I turned off the light the phone rang,” the Academy Award winner said. He was 10 minutes late for his 6 a.m. pickup.
“I went, ‘Oh, s—.’”
Farrell said he had hardly fumbled his way out of his car when assistant director David H. Venghaus Jr. intercepted him, insisting, “You can’t go to the set like this.”
In response, the young actor requested six Pacifico beers and a pack of Marlboro Reds.
“Now listen, it’s not cool because two years later I went to rehab, right?” Farrell told Colbert. “But it worked in the moment.”
Did it, though?
In the end, Farrell said it took him 46 takes to deliver one single line, albeit a verbose one: “I’m sure you’ve all grasped the fundamental paradox of pre-crime methodology.”
“Tom wasn’t very happy with me,” Farrell said. Lucky for Cruise, he got a consolation prize in the form of a Saturn Award nomination from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films. Plus, “Minority Report’s” $35.6-million domestic opening didn’t hurt.
At first, the transition was difficult to manage, Farrell said: “After 15 or 20 years of carousing the way I caroused and drinking the way I drank, the sober world is a pretty scary world.”
But “to come home and not to have the buffer support of a few drinks just to calm the nerves, it was a really amazing thing,” he said.
The Faithfuls have finally banished a Traitor, as Jonathan Ross was voted out – but the twists aren’t over as the Celebrity Traitors finale draws near
Celebrity Traitors reveal mega double plot twist in semi-final
The Celebrity Traitors has been packed with twists and turns so far, and though the show is nearing its end, those plot twists are far from over. A dramatic double twist has already been revealed for the penultimate episode.
The hit BBC series is set to conclude on 6 November. Ahead of that episode, Claudia Winkleman revealed two twists that would shake things up for the celebs. It comes just after the Faithfuls finally managed to nab a Traitor and sent Jonathan Ross home.
As the Faithfuls celebrated their victory, Claudia rained on their parade by revealing that, at the next roundtable, banished players would not tell the remaining group if they were Faithful or a Traitor. “After tomorrow, the banished players will not reveal their true identity,” Claudia warned.
This is not the only twist. Claudia also revealed to the remaining Traitors, Alan Carr and Cat Burns, that they had to murder in plain sight that evening. In letters read by each deceitful player, Claudia said: “Traitors, tonight there will be no secret meeting in the turret. Instead you must murder in plain sight at tonight’s dinner.
“To do this one Traitor must toast the player you want to murder while saying the words ‘Parting is such sweet sorrow’ followed by their name. You must do this before the night is over.”
Alan has already killed in plain sight, having murdered his friend Paloma Faith by touching her face after touching a ‘poisoned’ plant. In a quiet discussion, Cat and Alan agreed that he would be the one to kill again, as Cat wasn’t very convincing when she tried to say it.
Cat suggested that Alan pretend to quote recently banished Stephen Fry whilst delivering the phrase, which is from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.
In an aside, Alan joked that he always had to do the Traitors “dirty work”. He said: “I have to do all the dirty work for these traitors. I’m surprised they don’t have me up in that turret with a hoover doing some light dusting. Why is it always me?”
The episode also saw Jonathan Ross head home. He was the first Traitor caught on the show and was voted out by six people, including both Cat and Alan. In fact, all bar two people voted for Jonathan, with the outliers being him and David Olusoga. David voted for Nick Mohammed.
Jonathan’s exit speech, dubbed “ridiculous” by Joe Marler, kept the other Faithfuls on their toes. He said: “I’ve got no idea what everyone is doing wrong.
“I cannot believe you’ve done it again. I can’t believe I’m standing here for no good reason so I don’t want to be rude but you’re idiots. But I am not judging because it’s fiendish.
“I’m not blaming the players, I’m blaming the game. I am now and have always been throughout the game completely faithful… to the Traitors!”
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket pictured Oct. 19 as it launched 28 Starlink satellites on mission 10-17 from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. On Wednesday, 29 additional Starlink satellites devices will liftoff around 12:16 p.m. EDT on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket into low-Earth orbit at the same complex. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 29 (UPI) —SpaceX is set to launch Wednesday more than two dozen Starlink satellites in Elon Musk’s bid to expand global Internet access.
About 29 additional Starlink satellites devices will liftoff around 12:16 p.m. EDT on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket into low-Earth orbit via Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Space Launch Complex 40.
A live-streamed broadcast of Starlink 10-37 mission will begin minutes prior to the scheduled launch.
It will be the 15th flight for the Falcon 9 stage booster transporting the company’s scores of Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites.
Satellites are expected to be deployed roughly an hour into the SpaceX mission.
Meanwhile, the first stage booster will land following separation on Just Read the Instructions — a droneship which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Kai Trump, President Trump’s eldest granddaughter, a high school senior and University of Miami commit, has secured a sponsor invitation to play in an LPGA Tour event Nov. 13-16.
The 18-year-old will compete in the Annika at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla. She currently attends the Benjamin School in Palm Beach and is ranked No. 461 on the American Junior Golf Assn. rankings. She also competes on the Srixon Medalist Tour on the South Florida PGA. Her top finish was a tie for third in July.
“My dream has been to compete with the best in the world on the LPGA Tour,” Trump said in a statement. “This event will be an incredible experience. I look forward meeting and competing against so many of my heroes and mentors in golf as I make my LPGA Tour debut.”
Sponsor invitations have long been used to attract attention to a tournament through a golfer who is from a well-known family or, in recent years, has a strong social media presence. Kai Trump qualifies on both counts.
She is the oldest daughter of Donald Trump Jr. and his ex-wife, Vanessa, and has nearly 8 million followers combined on Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube and X. In addition to posting her own exploits on and off the course, she creates videos playing golf with her grandpa and chronicled their visit to the Ryder Cup.
She also recently launched her own sports apparel and lifestyle brand, KT.
“Kai’s broad following and reach are helping introduce golf to new audiences, especially among younger fans,” said Ricki Lasky, LPGA chief tour business and operations officer, in a statement.
The oldest of the president’s 11 grandchildren, Kai became known nationally when she made a speech in support of her grandfather’s campaign at the 2024 Republican National Convention. Her parents divorced in 2018, and her mother has been dating Tiger Woods for about a year.
Paramount on Wednesday was expected to cut 1,000 employees, the first wave of a deep staff reduction planned since David Ellison took the helm of the entertainment company in August.
People familiar with the matter but not authorized to comment said the layoffs will be felt throughout the company, including at CBS, CBS News, Comedy Central and other cable channels as well as the historic Melrose Avenue film studio.
Another 1,000 jobs are expected to be cut at a later date, bringing the total reduction to about 10% of Paramount’s workforce, sources said.
The move was expected. Paramount’s new owners — Ellison’s Skydance Media and RedBird Capital Partners — had told investors they planned to eliminate more than $2 billion in expenses, and Wednesday’s workforce reduction was a preliminary step toward that goal.
Paramount has been shedding staff for years.
More than 800 people — or about 3.5% of the company’s workforce — were laid off in June, prior to the Ellison family takeover. At the time, Paramount’s management attributed the cuts to the decline of cable television subscriptions and an increased emphasis on bulking up its streaming TV business. In 2024, the company eliminated 2,000 positions, or 15% of its staff.
The Paramount layoffs are the latest sign of contraction across the entertainment and tech sectors.
Amazon said this week it was eliminating roughly 14,000 corporate jobs amid its embrace of artificial intelligence to perform more functions. Last week, Facebook parent company Meta disclosed that it was cutting 600 jobs in its AI division.
Last week, cable and broadband provider Charter Corp., which operates the Spectrum service, eliminated 1,200 management jobs around the country.
Los Angeles’ production economy in particular has been roiled by a falloff in local filming and cost-cutting at major media companies.
As of August, about 112,000 people were employed in the Los Angeles region’s motion picture and sound recording industries — the main category for film and television production. The data does not include everyone who works in the entertainment industry, such as those who work as independent contractors.
That was roughly flat compared with the previous year, and down 27% compared with 2022 levels, when about 154,000 people were employed locally in the industry, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The industry has struggled to rebound since the 2023 strikes by writers and actors, which led to a sharp pullback in studio spending following the era of so-called “peak TV,” when studios dramatically increased the pipeline of shows to build streaming platforms.
“You saw a considerable drop-off from the strikes and the aftermath,” said Kevin Klowden, an executive director at Milken Institute Finance. “The question is, at what point do these workers exit the industry entirely?”
Local film industry officials are expecting a production boost and an increase in work after California bolstered its film and television tax credits.
But Southern California’s bedrock industry is confronting other challenges, including shifting consumer habits and competition from social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
“There is a larger concern in terms of the financial health of all the major operations in Hollywood,” Klowden said. “There’s a real concern about that level of competition, and what it means.”
LILY Allen and David Harbour are selling their Brooklyn townhouse just days after her new album and are set to make millions in profit.
The stunning property has hit the market for a whopping $8 million (around £6m) after the pair bought it for just $3.3 million (£2.5m) in 2020.
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Lily Allen and David Harbour are selling their Brooklyn townhouse and are set to make millionsCredit: The U.S SunThe property was listed on Sunday, just two days after the release of Lily’s new albumCredit: Getty
The 19th-century townhouse only went on sale yesterday – two days after Lily, 40, released her breakup album which has been branded her “revenge” album by fans.
David had even made a shock “cheating” joke while doing a tour of their New York City home two years prior.
Lily and David bought the property under two separate trusts as co-owners, according to documents seen by The U.S. Sun, and made several renovations worth thousands.
Lying at the heart of Brooklyn and spread across four levels, the house has five bedrooms and four bathrooms interspersed throughout.
The property listing eloquently describes the home as a “layered narrative of traditional English charm, modern Brooklyn sensibilities and rich Italian influence”.
The main level opens out into an exotic living room wrapped in high-end Zuber wallpaper and “detailed crown mouldings”.
With a fireplace at its centre, the room is framed by glass doors that lead to a private backyard with a sauna and cold plunge at the owner’s disposal.
The kitchen is described as spacious with “plain English cabinetry” and houses a huge island as well as a custom-built banquette beneath is windows with natural light flooding the room.
Walk upstairs and you’ll find another sitting area with a fireplace as well as dual walk-in closets alongside the main bedroom.
There are two well-equipped guest bedrooms on the third floor as well as a skylit lounge and a home office.
There’s an additional guest suite on the garden level too with a powder room and casual living room, another fireplace and access to the backyard.
And a fully-furnished basement see’s a gym, ample storage and closet areas as well as a laundry room.
The pair took out a big mortgage on the house which they first purchased on November 16 2020 for $3.35 million.
The loan is listed for $2,512,500 with City National Bank in 2021, and they had until February 1, 2051 to pay it back.
They made extensive renovation on the property filing several building permits, many for tens of thousands, with the most expensive being for $282,600 and $265,600 for general construction.
Lily had moved to New York to start a new life with the US actor, who she wed in 2020 a year after meeting oncelebritydatingappRaya.
But five years later, one local resident said: “It appears no one has been home for quite some time”
“Every house on the street has Halloween decorations, but not Lily and David’s”
“It’s a very family-friendly neighbourhood, Lily was very active in the community when she lived here with David.”
The Smile singer has now moved back to London with her two daughters from her first marriage.
The pair wed in 2020 and moved into the Brooklyn townhouse in November of that yearCredit: AFPLily had moved to New York to start a new life with the US actorCredit: Getty
Officials signal that trade deal is close as Trump and Xi prepare to meet for the first time since 2019.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The United States and China have hailed the outcome of trade talks in Malaysia, raising expectations that Donald Trump and Xi Jinping will seal a deal to de-escalate their trade war at their first meeting since 2019.
US and Chinese officials on Sunday said the sides had made significant progress towards a deal as they wrapped a weekend of negotiations on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur.
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Trump and Xi are set to meet on Thursday on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, marking their first face-to-face talks since the US president returned to the White House and embarked on a radical shake-up of global trade.
US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent told reporters in Kuala Lumpur that the sides had come up with a “framework” for Trump and Xi to discuss in South Korea.
Bessent said in a subsequent interview with NBC News that he expected the sides to reach a deal that would defer China’s threatened export controls on rare earths and avoid a 100 percent tariff that Trump has threatened to impose on Chinese goods.
Bessent also said in an interview with ABC News that Beijing had agreed to make “substantial” purchases of US agricultural products, which the treasury secretary said would make US soya bean farmers “feel very good”.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, Beijing’s top trade negotiator, said the sides had reached “a basic consensus” on “arrangements to address each side’s concerns”.
He said they agreed to “finalise specific details” and “proceed with domestic approval processes”, according to a readout from China’s Ministry of Commerce.
Asian stock markets surged on Monday on hopes of easing US-China tensions.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 and South Korea’s KOSPI both hit record highs, with the benchmark indexes up about 2.1 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively, shortly after midday, local time.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng also saw strong gains, rising about 0.85 percent.
After attending the ASEAN summit, Trump on Monday departed for Japan, where he will meet newly sworn-in Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
The US president is scheduled to then travel on to South Korea on Wednesday.
While Trump has imposed significant tariffs on almost all US trade partners, he has threatened to hit China with higher levies than anywhere else.
Countries have been anxiously anticipating a breakthrough in the tensions, hoping Washington and Beijing can avoid a full-blown trade war that could do catastrophic damage to the global economy.
In a major escalation in US-China tensions earlier this month, Beijing announced that it would require companies everywhere to acquire a licence to export rare-earth magnets and some semiconductor materials that contain even trace amounts of minerals sourced from China or are produced using Chinese technology.
The proposed rules, which are set to take effect on December 1, have raised fears of substantial disruption to global supply chains.
Rare earths, a group of 17 minerals including holmium, cerium and dysprosium, are critical to the manufacture of countless high-tech products, including smartphones, electric cars and fighter jets.
Trump responded to Beijing’s move by threatening to impose a 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods from November 1.
Analysts have cast the tit-for-tat moves as efforts by the Chinese and US sides to gain leverage in their negotiations ahead of the Trump-Xi summit.
For decades, the image of maritime power centered on gray hulls and carrier groups. Today, the center of gravity has shifted to the white hulls that police, escort, ram, repel, rescue, and repair in the murky space between peace and open conflict. Call it the coast-guardification of security. In the Indo-Pacific, and especially around the South China Sea, coast guards are now the first responders for sovereignty spats, illegal fishing, disaster relief, drone sightings, and the protection of undersea infrastructure. The trend is not cosmetic. It is strategic, and it is accelerating. Recent scenes off Scarborough Shoal and near Thitu Island show why. In September and October 2025, the China Coast Guard used water cannons and ramming tactics on Philippine civilian and government vessels, injuring crew and damaging hulls, while Washington and others publicly backed Manila. These were not naval shootouts. They were high-stakes law enforcement encounters led by white hulls that managed political sensitivity without signaling immediate military escalation.
History helps explain how we got here. Through the 2010s, piracy in Southeast Asia declined as coordinated patrols tightened the Strait of Malacca. At the same time, gray zone pressure rose as coast guard and militia fleets, not destroyers, pushed claims around the Senkakus and the Spratlys. A 2015 Reuters dispatch already highlighted Japanese and Philippine coast guard anti-piracy drills, and by 2025 Japanese reporting still records routine intrusions by Chinese coast guard vessels around the Senkakus. White hull presence became the everyday instrument of statecraft at sea, a domain where legal authorities matter as much as tonnage.
Coast guards have also become the backbone of coalition building. The most telling images of 2025 are not only of naval flotillas but also of trilateral coast guard exercises among Japan, the United States, and the Philippines. Tokyo hosted large drills in June, the Philippine flagship returned from joint maneuvers later that month, and USNI News has tracked a steady tempo of multilateral activities that blend navies and coast guards. These events rehearse search and rescue, firefighting, interdiction, and uncrewed systems integration. They build habits of cooperation at the level most relevant to day-to-day friction.
What counts as “security” has widened too. Undersea cables that carry the world’s data now sit squarely on the white hull docket. Policymakers across the region are writing playbooks for detection, attribution, and rapid repair when cables are cut or damaged. Analysts urge Quad Plus partners to formalize protocols and run sabotage response drills that rely on law enforcement and coast guard authorities. New scholarship details how geoeconomic competition around cables is intensifying across the Indo-Pacific and why civilian maritime forces will need new sensors, legal tools, and public-private coordination to keep data flowing after an incident.
The mission creep is not only about geopolitics. It is also about fish. Vietnam has spent 2025 pushing to shed the European Commission’s IUU “yellow card,” tightening enforcement and compliance across its vast fishing fleet. IUU policing is classic coast guard work. It requires boarding teams, AIS analytics, community outreach, and a credible threat of penalties. Success here matters for livelihoods and for legitimacy, since foreign perceptions of fishing practices can shape export earnings as much as tariffs do.
Technology is transforming these forces in real time. Maritime drones and high-altitude ISR have moved from prototypes to daily tools for search and rescue, disaster response, and wide-area surveillance. Regional programs, from Japanese UAV support to Southeast Asian partners to Malaysia’s investments, reflect a simple truth. Persistent eyes and quick cueing make small coast guards feel bigger without inviting the diplomatic blowback that armed naval build-ups can trigger.
If coast guards now run the show, two practical steps can help them run it better.
First, fund an Indo-Pacific Seabed Protection Network with coast guards in the lead. Start with an agreed checklist for cable incident response that combines attribution standards, rapid permitting for repair ships, common data on seabed maps, and a secure channel for operators to notify authorities. Build this around recurring tabletopand at-sea exercises that simulate simultaneous cable cuts, and let civilian agencies command the play unless naval forces must step in. The legal authorities and public legitimacy of coast guards make them the right first responders for cable attacks that sit below the threshold of armed conflict. Allies are already converging on this logic. They should codify it.
Second, scale coast guard capacity through targeted training pipelines and shared tech. The U.S. Coast Guard’s 2025 program that opens more than a hundred training courses to Philippine personnel is a good template. Expand it to include a regional curriculum on IUU enforcement, drone employment, incident documentation, and evidence handling for prosecutions. Pair classrooms with pooled hardware. A rotating inventory of UAVs, portable radars, and small craft that partner coast guards can book for surge operations would lift outcomes faster than waiting for each budget cycle to deliver new ships.
Coast Guard decks will never replace carrier decks, and they should not try. What they can do is shape almost every day short of war. In Southeast Asia’s crowded waters, that is where strategy lives. The white hulls are already writing the script. Policymakers should give them the resources and rules they need to keep the peace, protect the seabed, and put predatory behavior on notice.
Catherine Connolly, a pro-Palestine, left-wing candidate, is on course for a landslide victory as vote counting continues.
Published On 25 Oct 202525 Oct 2025
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Left-wing independent candidate Catherine Connolly is set to become Ireland’s next president after her rival conceded defeat.
Vote counting in the presidential election was still under way on Saturday, but Heather Humphreys of the centre-right Fine Gael party told reporters she “wanted to congratulate Catherine Connolly on becoming the next president of Ireland”.
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“Catherine will be a president for all of us, and she will be my president, and I really would like to wish her all the very, very best,” Humphreys said.
Voting slips were being counted by hand with the final result of Friday’s election expected to be declared later on Saturday once all 43 electoral constituencies across the country have completed counting.
Polls had suggested consistent and strong voter support for Connolly, 68, over her rival Humphreys, 64.
Deputy Prime Minister and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris also was quick to wish Connolly “every success”, adding: “She will be President for all this country.”
“Her success will be Ireland’s success,” he posted on X.
Vote counting at the RDS count centre in Dublin, Ireland, on October 25, 2025 [AFP]
Connolly, a former barrister and independent lawmaker since 2016, has been outspoken in criticising Israel over its war in Gaza and has garnered the backing of a range of left-leaning parties, including Sinn Fein, the Labour Party and the Social Democrats.
Her campaign was especially popular among young people, who approved of her strong pro-Palestine stance and her commitment to social justice, among other issues.
Connolly and Humphreys were the only contenders after Jim Gavin, the candidate for Prime Minister Micheal Martin’s Fianna Fail party, quit the race three weeks before the election over a long-ago financial dispute. Martin had backed Gavin in the race.
While Irish presidents represent the country on the world stage, host visiting heads of state and play an important constitutional role, they do not have the power to shape laws or policies.
The winner will succeed Michael D Higgins, who has been president since 2011, having served the maximum two seven-year terms.
If confirmed, Connolly will be Ireland’s 10th president and the third woman to hold the post.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is set to rule for the first time on whether the president has the power to deploy troops in American cities over the objections of local and state officials.
A decision could come at any time.
And even a one-line order siding with President Trump would send the message that he is free to use the military to carry out his orders — and in particular, in Democratic-controlled cities and states.
Trump administration lawyers filed an emergency appeal last week asking the court to reverse judges in Chicago who blocked the deployment of the National Guard there.
The Chicago-based judges said Trump exaggerated the threat faced by federal immigration agents and had equated “protests with riots.”
Trump administration lawyers, however, said these judges had no authority to second-guess the president. The power to deploy the National Guard “is committed to his exclusive discretion by law,” they asserted in their appeal in Trump vs. Illinois.
That broad claim of executive power might win favor with the court’s conservatives.
Administration lawyers told the court that the National Guard would “defend federal personnel, property, and functions in the face of ongoing violence” in response to aggressive immigration enforcement, but it would not carry out ordinary policing.
Yet Trump has repeatedly threatened to send U.S. troops to San Francisco and other Democratic-led cities to carry out ordinary law enforcement.
When he sent 4,000 Guard members and 700 Marines to Los Angeles in June, their mission was to protect federal buildings from protesters. But state officials said troops went beyond that and were used to carry out a show in force in MacArthur Park in July.
Newsom, Bonta warn of dangers
That’s why legal experts and Democratic officials are sounding an alarm.
“Trump v. Illinois is a make-or-break moment for this court,” said Georgetown law professor Steve Vladeck, a frequent critic of the court’s pro-Trump emergency orders. “For the Supreme Court to issue a ruling that allows the president to send troops into our cities based upon contrived (or even government-provoked) facts … would be a terrible precedent for the court to set not just for what it would allow President Trump to do now but for even more grossly tyrannical conduct.”
“On June 7, for the first time in our nation’s history, the President invoked [the Militia Act of 1903] to federalize a State’s National Guard over the objections of the State’s Governor. Since that time, it has become clear that the federal government’s actions in Southern California earlier this summer were just the opening salvo in an effort to transform the role of the military in American society,” their brief said.
“At no prior point in our history has the President used the military this way: as his own personal police force, to be deployed for whatever law enforcement missions he deems appropriate. … What the federal government seeks is a standing army, drawn from state militias, deployed at the direction of the President on a nationwide basis, for civilian law enforcement purposes, for an indefinite period of time.”
Conservatives cite civil rights examples
Conservatives counter that Trump is seeking to enforce federal law in the face of strong resistance and non-cooperation at times from local officials.
“Portland and Chicago have seen violent protests outside of federal buildings, attacks on ICE and DHS agents, and organized efforts to block the enforcement of immigration law,” said UC Berkeley law professor John Yoo. “Although local officials have raised cries of a federal ‘occupation’ and ‘dictatorship,’ the Constitution places on the president the duty to ‘take care that the laws are faithfully executed.’”
He noted that presidents in the past “used these same authorities to desegregate southern schools in the 1950s after Brown v. Board of Education and to protect civil rights protesters in the 1960s. Those who cheer those interventions cannot now deny the same constitutional authority when it is exercised by a president they oppose,” he said.
The legal battle so far has sidestepped Trump’s broadest claims of unchecked power, but focused instead on whether he is acting in line with the laws adopted by Congress.
The Constitution gives Congress the power “to provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel Invasions.”
Beginning in 1903, Congress said that “the President may call into Federal service members and units of the National Guard of any State in such numbers as he considers necessary” if he faces “danger of invasion by a foreign nation … danger of a rebellion against the authority of the government of the United States or the president is unable to execute the laws of the United States.”
While Trump administration lawyers claim he faces a “rebellion,” the legal dispute has focused on whether he is “unable to execute the laws.”
Lower courts have blocked deployments
Federal district judges in Portland and Chicago blocked Trump’s deployments after ruling that protesters had not prevented U.S. immigration agents from doing their jobs.
Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, described the administration’s description of “war-ravaged” Portland as “untethered to the facts.”
In Chicago, Judge April Perry, a Biden appointee, said that “political opposition is not rebellion.”
But the two appeals courts — the 9th Circuit in San Francisco and the 7th Circuit in Chicago — handed down opposite decisions.
A panel of the 9th Circuit said judges must defer to the president’s assessment of the danger faced by immigration agents. Applying that standard, the appeals court by a 2-1 vote said the National Guard deployment in Portland may proceed.
But a panel of the 7th Circuit in Chicago agreed with Perry.
“The facts do not justify the President’s actions in Illinois, even giving substantial deference to his assertions,” they said in a 3-0 ruling last week. “Federal facilities, including the processing facility in Broadview, have remained open despite regular demonstrations against the administration’s immigration policies. And though federal officers have encountered sporadic disruptions, they have been quickly contained by local, state, and federal authorities.”
Attorneys for Illinois and Chicago agreed and urged the court to turn down Trump’s appeal.
“There is no basis for claiming the President is ‘unable’ to ‘execute’ federal law in Illinois,” they said. “Federal facilities in Illinois remain open, the individuals who have violated the law by attacking federal authorities have been arrested, and enforcement of immigration law in Illinois has only increased in recent weeks.”
U.S. Solicitor Gen. D. John Sauer, shown at his confirmation hearing in February, said the federal judges in Chicago had no legal or factual basis to block the Trump administration’s deployment of troops.
(Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)
Trump’s Solicitor Gen. D. John Sauer presented a dramatically different account in his appeal.
“On October 4, the President determined that the situation in Chicago had become unsustainably dangerous for federal agents, who now risk their lives to carry out basic law enforcement functions,” he wrote. “The President deployed the federalized Guardsmen to Illinois to protect federal officers and federal property.”
He disputed the idea that agents faced just peaceful protests.
“On multiple occasions, federal officers have also been hit and punched by protestors at the Broadview facility. The physical altercations became more significant and the clashes more violent as the size of the crowds swelled throughout September,” Sauer wrote. “Rioters have targeted federal officers with fireworks and have thrown bottles, rocks, and tear gas at them. More than 30 [DHS] officers have been injured during the assaults on federal law enforcement at the Broadview facility alone, resulting in multiple hospitalizations.”
He said the judges in Chicago had no legal or factual basis to block the deployment, and he urged the court to cast aside their rulings.
WHEN Brits think about the best cities in the UK, the ones that come to mind are probably the likes of York, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton or London.
But according to National Geographic, one of ‘best places in the world to travel to in 2026’ is Hull – all thanks to its lively bar scene, award-winning aquarium, and completion of a huge project costing millions.
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The city of Hull is full of museums and Dutch architectureCredit: GETTYHull has a very rich maritime history and has put money into conserving itCredit: ALAMY
Hull, is a port city in East Yorkshire that sits on the north bank of the riverHumber.
National Geographic has named it as one of the best places in the entire world to visit next year, but it’s not always been so up and coming.
For example inHull took top spotin the book Crap Towns: The 50 Worst Places to Live in the UK back in 2003.
However, it’s set to become more popular in 2026, and National Geographic mentioned that one of the reasons why is Hull’s investment into conserving its rich maritime history.
Hull was a very important trade route during the 13th and 14th centuries.
Thanks to this, you can see Dutch-influenced architecture buildings that line the streets of the quaint Old Town.
Since 2020, the Maritime Museum has been undergoing a huge revamp worth £11million, but it will finally reopen to the public next year.
This has been part of a wider £27.5 million project to promote Hull’s maritime history which has gone into restoring the museum and ships.
Another reason is the city’s new leisure spots that have transformed warehouses and the old waterside Fruit Market to become bars, restaurants, and art galleries.
The publication added: “There’s also a spectacular performance amphitheater, called Stage@TheDock, overlooking River Hull where it meets the Humber Estuary.”
The Deep is one of the country’s best aquariums and looks over the HumberCredit: GettyYou’ll be spoiled for choice trying when looking for a pubCredit: Alamy
It continued: “And a former shipyard has for over 20 years been the base for The Deep, one of the United Kingdom’s most highly respected aquariums and marine conservation centers.”
The Deep is one of the country’s best aquariums, and the attraction is listed as one of top thing to do on Hull’s TripAdvisor.
Inside, visitors will be able to see sharks, turtles, penguins, and the UK’s only Green sawfish.
Head into the city and you’ll find the towering Hull Minster, the largest parish church in England (by floor area), it’s over 700 years old and is known to have some of the finest medieval brickwork in the country.
If visitors want to get a panoramic view of Hull, they can choose to climb the 180 steps up the spiral staircase.
It’s not just all about history, as Hull is a star of the screen having been used in the backdrop of lots of well-known TV shows and movies.
It even has its own showbiz trail called ‘It Must Be Hullywood‘, a walking route designed for tourists to see sites of their favourite shows.
Visitors to Hull can download a guide or grab a leaflet to follow the trailat their own pace.
It’s not the first time Hull has been revealed to be a city on the rise, it was even named one of Time Out’s best places to visit in 2024. In 2017, Hull was named the UK City of Culture.
Hull Minster is one of England’s biggest churchesCredit: AlamyHope Brotherton visited Hull last year where she climbed Hull Minster towerCredit: Supplied
For shopping, Hope suggested heading to Humber Streetwhich used to be lined with fruit and veg traders but now has cool independent clothing and homeware shops, an art gallery and some of the city’s trendiest restaurants.
When it comes to things to do, head to Dinostar, an interactive dinosaur museum designed specifically for inquisitive kids where there’s everything from yrannosaurus Rex skull to Triceratops bones.
After spending a weekend in the city, Hope said: “From its maritime history to its free walking tours and other cultural attractions, Hull has it all for a great weekend break.
After 48 hours in the city, I could see why the locals I met are so proud to come from Hull – I would be, too.”
National Geographic’s ‘best places in the world to travel to in 2026’…
The Dolomites, Milan, Italy
Québec, Canada
Beijing, China
Dominica
Rabat, Morocco
Hull, Yorkshire, England
North Dakota Badlands, U.S.
Manila, Philippines
Black Sea Coast, Türkiye
Khiva, Uzbekistan
Akagera National Park, Rwanda, East Africa
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
Route 66: Oklahoma, U.S.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Oulu, Finland
South Korea
Guimarães, Portugal
Basque Country, Spain
Maui, Hawaii, U.S.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Coastal Oaxaca (Costa Chica), Mexico
Fiji
Medellín, Colombia
Banff, Canada
Hull in Yorkshire is set to become incredibly popular in 2026Credit: Alamy
Maya Jama revealed that she was put on an IV drip after falling illCredit: Instagram / @mayajamaShe has been battling the flu this weekCredit: Instagram / @mayajama
“The flu struck,” she revealed alongside a photo of her with the IV drip in her arm.
Maya could be seen getting her makeup done while on set, with her hair in rollers.
As people flocked around the TV star and did her hair and makeup, someone else tended to her IV drip.
Maya explained how the IV drip came to “save the day”.
She later shared snaps of her dinner after heading out for a swanky meal.
It seems Maya is battling through the flu and continuing to work hard despite feeling under the weather.
Maya recently shed light on the mounting speculation over her Love Island hosting role – after we reported she hadn’t signed a contract earlier this year.
Eager to open up on her plans Maya took to social media and referred to the speculation she was about to walk away, before revealing she would be back.
“I did tell you if you were going to hear any news about it, it would come from me and me only,” she said.
“I will be hosting next year, I’ll be back for All Stars in January and then summer series in June and July. We go again, mother lovers.”
She also explained why she is not back hosting US spin-off, Love Island Games, which she presented the first series of.
She added: “Oh and I am obviously not hosting Love Island Games this year, as much as I love the show I physically could not host three Love Island series a year but Ariana [Madix] is doing a great job and I hope you are enjoying that one too.”
It comes as ITV chiefs offered Maya a deal reported to be worth nearly £2million to stay on.
It was believed Maya has been planning to walk away to explore work with streaming giant Netflix.
Kurt Suzuki wrapped up his 16-year playing career with the Angels in 2022.
Now, three years later, he is starting his professional coaching career with the same team, as multiple media outlets are reporting that the Angels are set to hire Suzuki as their next manager.
The Angels have yet to finalize or announce the deal.
Suzuki, a World Series champion with the Washington Nationals in 2019, played for the Angels in 2021 and 2022. After retiring as a player, he has served as a special assistant to Angels general manager Perry Minasian.
Suzuki will be the Angels’ fifth manager since 2018, when the organization parted ways after 18 seasons with Mike Scioscia — who led the team to its only World Series title in 2002.
He will replace Ron Washington, who was manager the past two seasons but missed roughly half of the 2025 season after undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery. Ray Montgomery was interim coach in Washington’s absence but wasn’t considered for the job on a permanent basis.
The Angels went a franchise-worst 63-99 in 2024 after losing Shohei Ohtani to the Dodgers in free agency. They were 72-90 in 2025, their 10th consecutive losing season.
Born in Wailuku, Hawaii, Suzuki hit the game-winning single that clinched the College World Series title for Cal State Fullerton in 2004. He was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the second round of the 2004 draft and spent his first five-plus MLB seasons with the organization. He also played for the Minnesota Twins.
The Angels are said to have considered fellow former team members Albert Pujols and Torii Hunter for the manager job as well.
Staff writer Steve Henson contributed to this report.
THE UK’S capital isn’t exactly short of train lines – but a completely new service is taking a step closer to getting approval.
Transport for London (TfL) is hoping that its proposed West London Orbital (WLO) line will get the green light next month.
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A new train route is hoping to get approval next monthCredit: Transport for LondonThe project is currently known as West London Orbital (WLO)Credit: Getty
Plans for the WLO launched back in 2017 and propose to create new connections to north and west London.
This would include the line travelling through Hounslow to Hendon and West Hampstead via Old Oak Common – the new rail hub created for HS2.
The proposed rail line promises to cut the journey time considerably between Harlesden and Brent Cross to just a few minutes.
Currently, travellers heading on this route need to make several changes.
In total, the project is expected to cost around £700million.
TfL is hoping that they will receive backing from the government in its autumn budget and if the project is approved, then the line will become the seventh branch of the London Overground network.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said that the WLO could “transform the future of transport in the capital”.
He added: “As the West London Orbital route would be integrated into the London Overground network, it would be given its own line name, consistent with the principles of the individual line names I launched in 2024.
“The local communities along the line, the local heritage, history, and interchanges with other lines would all be taken into consideration to find a suitable name that showcases London’s rich diversity and makes sense for wayfinding and navigation.”
A number of other rail projects are proposed for the capital including the DLR extension and Bakerloo extension.
The Bakerloo Line extension would extend the tube line from its current terminus at Elephant & Castle, to Lewisham.
If plans are approved, then the route will connect boroughs in both north and west LondonCredit: YouTube
The project would involve adding a number of new stations along the route, including on Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate.
And an extension will also be carried out on the DLR to Thamesmead, veering off the current line at Gallions Reach.
This involves adding a new station at Beckton Riverside too.
Commenting on the ongoing projects in July, Sadiq Khan said: “Subject to successful funding discussions, as well as further project development, planning and public consultation, I am confident that the DLR extension could be delivered by 2032, with the Bakerloo line extension and West London Orbital following later in the 2030s.”
THE resort town of San Sebastián on the Bay of Biscay is known for its beautiful beaches, and is making plans to keep it that way.
San Sebastián’s city council has announced that it wants to put new rules in place to conserve its famous coast.
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San Sebastián has three very popular beaches and the new rules are to keep them cleanCredit: AlamyDuring the summer, the pretty beaches of San Sebastián can get very busyCredit: Alamy
The first rule is a smoking ban across all its beaches, something that is becoming more common in Spain.
If it goes ahead, San Sebastián will become the second town in the Basque region to fully ban smoking on its beaches after Zarautz.
Beaches in San Sebastián could also have new rules when it comes to pets.
During the summer, dogs will only be allowed to walk on the beaches from 9pm until midnight.
Previously, locals were able to walk their dogs on public beaches between September 1 and May 30 at any time of the day.
Thanks to a growing number of noise complaints, loudspeakers could be joining the ban list too.
The city is inviting its locals to share their thoughts on the new rules from October 20, with the aim of the new rules being fully implemented by June 2026.
San Sebastián has three main beaches, La Concha, Ondarreta, and Zurriola and last year, Which? named San Sebastián Spain‘s ‘best coastal town’.
It was rated on factors like the quality of the beach and seafront, safety, food and drink, accommodation, and value for money.
An overall score was calculated based on satisfaction and the likeliness to recommend each destination, with places ranked out of 100.
La Concha Bay is popular with locals and tourists thanks to its soft sand and mountain viewsCredit: Alamy
San Sebastián claimed first place with an overall score of 88 per cent out of 100. Factors like its beach, attractiveness and food and drink scene were awarded five stars.
The town’s most famous beach is La Concha, a shell-shaped bay very close to the city’s Old Town, while Ondarreta is generally much quieter with calm waters.
Zurriola on the other hand is known for having stronger waves – which makes it a popular spot for watersports.
“As I enjoy views from the open-air bar on San Sebastian’sMonte Urgull hill, I can see the wild Bay of Biscay on one wise, and on the other, a panoramic view of the city and its shell-shaped beach.
“If you want to get out and about, there is so much to keep you entertained in San Sebastian, from surfing on Zurriola beach to enjoying the viewpoints at Monte Urgull and Monte Igueldo.
“A charming funicular railway comes in handy if you don’t fancy hiking up the latter. But the best activity is devouring yet more food in the Old Town, savouring the city’s famous “pintxos” scene.
“Pronounced “pinchos”, and most easily described as the Basque version of tapas, these elaborate, bite-sized treats are around €2.50 a pop and found in every bar.
“And regardless of how full you get, no visit to the Old Town is complete without stopping by La Viña, the restaurant where the now-viral Basque burnt cheesecake originated.”
