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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.

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.

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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.

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.

Meanwhile, the Spanish city of Palma in Majorca is planning on banning another popular tourist activity, boat parties.

The Mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez Llabrés, has announced new measures to stop tourists from behaving badly in the city.

Party boats will be completely banned from Palma’s sea front where they dock, starting next season.

Mr Martínez added that the local council is working with the Balearic Ports Authority (APB) to determine how the restriction will be enforced.

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Read more on San Sebastian from one Sun Writer who visited…

The Sun’s Nuria Cremer-Vazquez visited sunny San Sebastian earlier this year…

“As I enjoy views from the open-air bar on San Sebastian’s Monte 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.”

Here’s more on whereabouts in Spain is set to introduce strict new smoking at beaches, restaurants and bars.

Plus the alternative Spanish beach town in the Basque Country with seaside cocktail bar and towering cliffs.

Angels star Mike Trout is planning to testify Tuesday in a lawsuit over whether the MLB team should be held responsible for the drug overdose death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs.

Trout, a three-time American League most valuable player who hit his 400th career home run this year, is expected to take the stand in a Southern California courtroom and speak about his friendship with Skaggs, who died on a team trip to Texas in 2019 after taking a fentanyl-laced pill he got from Angels communication director Eric Kay. Trout could also be asked about what he knew of Kay’s drug use at the time.

The testimony will come in the trial for a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Skaggs’ wife, Carli, and his parents seeking to hold the Angels’ responsible for his death. The family contends the Angels made a series of reckless decisions that gave Kay access to MLB players when he was addicted to drugs and dealing them; the team has countered that Skaggs was also drinking heavily and his actions occurred on his own time and in the privacy of his hotel room when he died.

During opening statements, a lawyer for the Skaggs family said Trout was aware of Kay’s drug problem and had offered to pay for him to attend rehab. Other players, including former Angels pitcher Wade Miley, who currently plays for the Cincinnati Reds, could also testify during what is expected to be a weeks-long trial in Santa Ana.

The civil case comes more than six years after 27-year-old Skaggs was found dead in the suburban Dallas hotel room where he was staying as the Angels were supposed to open a four-game series against the Texas Rangers. A coroner’s report says Skaggs choked to death on his vomit and that a toxic mix of alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone was found in his system.

Kay was convicted in 2022 of providing Skaggs with an oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl and sentenced to 22 years in federal prison. His federal criminal trial in Texas included testimony from five MLB players who said they received oxycodone from Kay at various times from 2017 to 2019, the years he was accused of obtaining pills and giving them to Angels players.

Angels outfielder Mike Trout catches a fly ball in front of graphic honoring the life of Tyler Skaggs at Angel Stadium in 2019.

(John McCoy / Getty Images)

The family is seeking $118 million for Skaggs’ lost earnings, compensation for pain and suffering and punitive damages against the team.

Skaggs had been a regular in the Angels’ starting rotation since late 2016 and struggled with injuries repeatedly during that time. He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

After Skaggs’ death, the MLB reached a deal with the players association to start testing for opioids and to refer those who test positive to the treatment board.

Taxin writes for the Associated Press.

ONE of Yorkshire’s prettiest towns is set for superstardom this December, as it stars in a new Christmas film featuring some of Hollywood’s top actors.

Earlier this year, Hollywood stars like Kiefer Sutherland, Rebel Wilson and EastEnders‘ Danny Dyer descended on Knaresborough for the upcoming movie, Tinsel Town.

Between January and February 2025, cast and crew were spotted in the Yorkshire town, in areas like Castlegate, Riverside, and Green Dragon Yard.

Filming of the Sky Original Christmas movie meant that the festive decorations were up for months longer than usual.

The film, set to be released n November 28, will see Kiefer Sutherland play Bradley Mack, a failed Hollywood action star ending up in a small, snow-dusted village to star in the town’s eccentric production of Cinderella.

It’s here that he encounters a number of oddball locals, one of whom is no-nonsense choreographer Jill, played by Rebel Wilson.

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It’s no wonder Knaresborough was picked as a filming location, as The Sun’s Katrina Turrill, who hails from the town, reckons it’s the “most beautiful town in the country” and “picture perfect”.

Knaresborough has pretty waterfront cafes and the opportunity to canoe down the river, while watching steam trains travel over the viaduct.

Katrina said: “If you venture down by the river from either Bond End or walking down the steps at the castle you’ll stand at the foot of the iconic viaduct. 

“Amongst the cafes and houses are two boat hire places – Blenkhorn’s and Marigold Cafe & Boating.  Both are open daily, weather permitting, and are a great way to soak up the stunning scenery.

“No visit to Knaresborough is complete without heading to Knaresborough Castle for the best view of the viaduct. 

“You don’t need to pay to enter the castle grounds, and I recommend seeing the view during the day and at night time, with the viaduct all lit up.”

Katrina also suggested checking out the many pubs in the area from Blind Jack’s in the market square, to Carriages.

As for attractions, there’s Mother Shipton’s Cave which is named after the Yorkshire prophetess who predicted many things, including the great fire of London and the black death.

It’s also the oldest tourist attraction to charge a fee in England, and has been open to visitors since 1630.

The town is also lobbying for cash to buy a tourist land train, which would mean visitors could easily go exploring without having to climb steep hills and steps.

A previous grant to get a land train was rejected due to “concerns over the scheme’s viability”, as reported by the BBC.

Now, the Knaresborough & District Chamber, which submitted the bid, is looking for alternative funding to get the service started.

The hope is that the land train would increase the number of visitors to all of Knaresborough, from the river to the main town.

One of the local council members told the BBC that visitors who visit usually wander around the castle and marketplace but don’t go down to the river because of the steep hill and steps.

If the land train becomes a reality, it would join other UK towns which run services generally during the summer.

Weymouth has its very own land train which runs across the promenade, meanwhile Bridlington has two trains, one which heads north, and the other, south.

Other popular destinations with land trains include Hull, Torquay, Hunstanton and Scarborough – each charges between £2-£6 per journey.

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And another Yorkshire destination to add to your To Do list…

Hutton-Le-Hole is said to be one of the last unspoiled villages in the UK, thanks to its very quaint houses and attractions.

Home to just 400 locals, it has been named one of Yorkshire‘s “best looking villages” by Lonely Planet, as well as one of the UK’s prettiest by Conde Nast Traveller.

Jane Austen fans will recognise it, having featured in the Death Comes To Pemberley BBC drama.

In the summer, locals sit on the village green, with the sloped grass leading into the river to cool off.

But the village is just as beautiful in autumn with the trees turning bright orange.

Most of the sheep are free-roaming, so expect to see a few munching on the grass.

If you fancy some retail therapy, The Chocolate Factory, which opened 20 years ago, is one of the top attractions.

Despite being small, there are a number of places you can stay like The Crown Inn and The Barn Guesthouse or a number of small B&Bs.

Here’s another Yorkshire village that looks like it is from the 18th century – where every front door is the same colour.

Plus, the pretty English town that attracts thousands of tourists a year with iconic shops and cosy barn stays.

Right-wing Japan Innovation Party says it will support the governing LDP, allowing Sanae Takaichi to be voted in as leader.

Hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi appears set to become Japan’s first female premier as the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) prepares to sign a coalition deal.

Hirofumi Yoshimura, coleader of the Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin, said on Monday that his right-wing party was prepared to back a Takaichi premiership, providing the LDP with the support it needs to remain in power.

The LDP had appeared on the cusp of losing power when Japan’s legislature meets for an extraordinary session to vote for the next prime minister on Tuesday.

“I told Takaichi that we should move forward together,” Yoshimura told reporters in Osaka as he made the 11th-hour announcement. He added that he would meet Takaichi at 6pm local time (09:00 GMT) to sign the agreement.

The deal clears the way for Takaichi to win Tuesday’s vote, which will see her replace incumbent Shigeru Ishiba, who has resigned.

Political turmoil

Takaichi, a 64-year-old China hawk from the right-wing party, became leader of the LDP earlier this month.

Her bid to become Japan’s first female premier was disrupted when the centrist Komeito party ended a 26-year alliance with the LDP.

Coming just days after Takaichi’s election as the LDP leader, the move plunged the country into a political crisis.

The Buddhist-backed Komeito said the LDP had failed to tighten funding rules in the wake of a slush fund scandal. It was also unnerved by Takaichi’s ultraconservative positions, including a history of harsh rhetoric on China, despite Takaichi having toned that down recently.

The deal between the LDP and Ishin would deliver a combined 231 seats in the lower house of parliament, two short of a majority, meaning the new coalition would still need support from other parties to push through legislation.

But should the vote for Ishiba’s replacement go to a second-round run-off, Takaichi would only need support from more MPs than the other candidate.

Muted response from women

Despite Takaichi appearing set to break the glass ceiling to become the first female premier, many Japanese women were not celebrating her rise.

“The prospect of a first female prime minister doesn’t make me happy,” sociologist Chizuko Ueno posted on X, saying her leadership “doesn’t mean Japanese politics becomes kinder to women”.

Chiyako Sato, a political commentator for the Mainichi newspaper, said Takaichi’s policies were “extremely hawkish and I doubt she would consider policies to recognize diversity”.

“I’ve absolutely loved my time at Saracens and have made some friends for life,” explained Reading-born Willis, whose brother Jack plays for French club Toulouse.

“I will continue to give everything for this club for the remainder of the season and I’m very excited about what this squad can achieve.”

The Telegraph, external has reported that Willis is set to rejoin Bordeaux-Begles, having left them for Saracens in January 2023.

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said he is “disappointed” by Willis’ desire to leave but respected the player’s “decision to pursue a new challenge”.

“He [Willis] has made a great impact on the field and been a popular team-mate off it,” McCall added.

“I know he is determined to give everything to the group over the coming months.”

Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaichi appears back on track to become Japan’s first female prime minister.

Japan’s governing party and the main opposition are set to form a coalition government, setting the stage for Sanae Takaichi to become the country’s first female prime minister, local media report.

Sanae Takaichi, the leader of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and Hirofumi Yoshimura, the head of the smaller right-leaning Japan Innovation Party (JIP), known as Ishin, are set to sign an agreement on their alliance on Monday, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported on Sunday.

Takaichi became leader of the governing LDP earlier this month, but her bid to become Japan’s first female premier was derailed by the collapse of her governing coalition.

Since then, the LDP has been working to cobble together a different political alliance, putting her chances for the top job back on track.

“The LDP has entrusted Takaichi with handling the coalition matter, while the JIP will hold an executive board gathering in Osaka on Sunday and a plenary meeting of lawmakers the following day before giving final approval to the agreement with the LDP,” Kyodo reported.

Japan’s leading Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper also said that Takaichi and Yoshimura were “likely to sign a coalition agreement after talks on Monday”.

Reports of a new coalition come after the LDP’s junior partner, the Komeito party, left the governing coalition after 26 years, plunging the country into a political crisis.

The sealing of an alliance between the LDP and JIP could lead to Takaichi’s election as premier as early as Tuesday, but the parties are still two seats short of a majority to pass the vote.

Should the vote go to a second-round run-off, however, Takaichi would only need support from more MPs than the other candidate.

The moves to form a coalition come just days before the expected arrival in Japan of United States President Donald Trump.

Trump is scheduled to travel to Japan before the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea.

The crash and Verstappen’s subsequent sprint win cut the four-time champion’s deficit to Piastri to 55 points, while he is now 33 behind Norris.

The Australian led Verstappen by 104 points after the Dutch race on 31 August, so nearly half that advantage has been eroded in three grands prix and a sprint. There are still six races and two further sprints to come.

In the normal run of things, it seems inevitable that Piastri will lose more ground to Verstappen on Sunday in Texas. Norris has a chance to get ahead, but as he pointed out, the McLaren has not looked like a Verstappen-beating car at any point this weekend.

“It’s going to be difficult,” Norris said. “We were hoping to learn a lot in the sprint in terms of how the car set-up would be from qualifying to race and hopefully make tweaks but that didn’t go to plan so we are certainly on the back foot. But we won’t make it an excuse for tomorrow.

“It’s clear we were not going to be as quick as the Red Bull so we have to be happy with second. It’s not being distracted by the mess and nonsense that everyone creates.

“Saturdays have never been as good this year so I’m hoping we can turn it up tomorrow and be a little bit quicker.

“I have to be optimistic. Every lap we did today was 0.3-0.5secs off Max so to turn that around will be pretty difficult. I’m sure if Max had done his final lap he would have gone a good step quicker anyway.

“They have been quick in a lot of races recently. They have been doing a very good job and seemed to catch us up a little bit. It’s not a lot, just enough that they are more consistently ahead. And then you can get more opportunities and of course Max is good at making the most of them.”

Meanwhile, Stella admitted that McLaren were even more aware of just how potent Verstappen can be for the remainder of the season.

“I would have expected a smaller gap here, if anything, so we have to look at the facts, we have to look at the numbers,” he said. “Just objectively, not necessarily we maximised what the performance was available today in the car.

“But we need to be ready as a team and as drivers for Max and Red Bull being competitive and possibly the fastest car at every one of the remaining races.”

The plant’s last external lines were severed in September in attacks that Russia and Ukraine blame on each other.

Repair work has started on damaged off-site power lines to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant following a four-week outage, the United Nations nuclear watchdog has confirmed.

The work began after local ceasefire zones between Ukrainian and Russian forces were established to allow the work to proceed, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said in a post on social media platform X on Saturday.

“Restoration of off-site power is crucial for nuclear safety and security,” Grossi said.

“Both sides engaged constructively with the IAEA to enable complex repair plan to proceed.”

The Russian-appointed management of the occupied plant, in one of the war’s most volatile nerve points in southeastern Ukraine, confirmed the maintenance work, saying it was made possible by “close cooperation” between the IAEA and Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom.

The Russian Defence Ministry will play a key role in ensuring the safety of the repair work, the plant said on Saturday via its Telegram channel.

The plant is in an area that has been under Russian control since early in Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and is not in service, but it needs reliable power to cool its six shutdown reactors and spent fuel to avoid any catastrophic nuclear incidents.

It has been operating on diesel generators since September 23, when its last remaining external power line was severed in attacks that each side blamed on the other. The IAEA has repeatedly expressed alarm about the nuclear plant, which is the biggest in Europe.

The Associated Press news agency reported earlier this week that the IAEA is proposing to restore external power to the plant in two phases, quoting a European diplomat briefed on the proposal by Grossi. A Russian diplomat confirmed some aspects of the plan.

Both diplomats spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the confidential negotiations publicly.

During the first phase, a 1.5km-radius (1-mile-radius) ceasefire zone would be established to allow repair of the Dniprovska 750-kilovolt line, the main power line to the plant that has been damaged in an area under Russian control.

During the second phase, a second such ceasefire zone would be established to repair the Ferosplavna-1 330-kilovolt backup line, which is in area under Ukraine’s control.

Grossi held talks with both Kyiv and Moscow last month. He met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on September 29 at the Warsaw Security Forum, following meetings in the Russian capital with President Vladimir Putin on September 25 and Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev on September 26.

The IAEA warned that if diesel generators fail, “it could lead to a complete blackout and possibly causing an accident with the fuel melting and a potential radiation release into the environment, if power could not be restored in time”.

Ukraine’s foreign minister accused Russia on Sunday of deliberately severing the external power line to the station, to link it to Moscow’s power grid.

A top Russian diplomat this month denied that Russia had any intention of restarting the plant.

SACRAMENTO — Gubernatorial hopeful Katie Porter said Friday that she mishandled a recent television news interview that called her temperament into question, but explained she felt the reporter’s questioning implied she should cater to President Donald Trump’s supporters.

Porter, an outspoken Democrat and former U.S. House representative from Orange County, said that she was “pushing back on” the reporter’s implication that she needed to be more temperate politically.

“I think Trump is hurting Californians,” said Porter, speaking at the UC Student and Policy Center in Sacramento. “I am not going to sell out our values as a state for some short-term political gain to try and appease people who are still standing and still supporting what this president is doing as he is trampling on our Constitution.”

Porter came under fire last week for snapping at the CBS reporter and threatening to end the interview. A second video has since emerged of Porter cursing at a young staffer who walked behind her during a video conference in 2021.

Porter, who was speaking as part of the policy center’s California Leaders Speaker Series, said she apologized “in real time” to her staffer.

“It was inappropriate,” she said. “I could have done better in that situation and I know that. I really want my staff to understand that I value them.”

After the videos emerged, several of Porter’s rivals criticized her behavior, including former state Controller Betty Yee, who said she should drop out of the race.

Marisa Lagos, a correspondent with KQED radio who moderated Friday’s discussion, asked if Porter felt any of the blow back was unfair, especially given Trump’s mannerisms.

Trump has a long history of belittling or targeting journalists, continually accusing them of being the “enemy of the people” and, during his 2016 presidential campaign, mocking the appearance of a disabled reporter with a congenital joint condition.

“Let me just say, Donald Trump should not be anyone’s standard for anything,” Porter said. “From how to use self-tanner to how to deal with the press, that is not the benchmark.”

Porter said she would work to demonstrate throughout the rest of her campaign that she has the right judgment to serve as governor.

“I think we all know that those were short videos that were clipped, there is always a larger context, but the reality is every second of every minute I am responsible for thinking about how to lead California and do my best,” she said.

Throughout the discussion Friday Porter also shared her support for Proposition 50, a ballot measure that would change congressional district boundaries and likely shift five more seats to Democrats in the U.S House of Representatives. The measure, which will be on the Nov. 4 statewide ballot, was drafted to counteract a redistricting plan in Texas intended to give Republicans more seats.

Lagos asked Porter how she would respond to residents who fear they’re being disenfranchised, especially those from rural areas.

Porter said she grew up in a rural area and wanted rural Californians to feel heard. But she said California was approaching redistricting in a different way than Texas by giving residents the opportunity to vote on it.

“It’s a question being put to each Californian about what they want to do in this political moment,” she said. “Circumstances were one way, and we had one policy, but the world has changed — in light of that, what do you as a Californian want to do about that?”

During a question-and-answer round at Friday’s event, a student referenced legislation on antisemitism and asked for Porter’s thoughts on whether criticizing Israel counted as antisemitism.

Porter said it was a complex issue but that criticizing Israel was not automatically antisemitic.

“There are plenty of people in Israel who criticize Israeli policy,” she said. “There are plenty of people around the world who don’t like Donald Trump and criticize (the United States) all the time. There is a right to criticize policy.”

IT’S hard to believe, but at the age of 68, Gloria Estefan, one of the biggest-selling and most-celebrated artists of all time, is marking her 50th year in music.

She has had a stellar career, racking up everything from a slew of Grammy awards to the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

But after her musician daughter Emily performed with Cyndi Lauper at Glastonbury last year, she now has one more thing she wants to strike off her bucket list – a major slot on the prestigious Pyramid Stage.

In an exclusive chat, she told Bizarre’s Howell: “It’s very exciting, big and complex from what I hear from Emily. Like, it was crazy. But that would be super exciting.

“If I’m still around, I would love to do that. Now, Glastonbury likes all kinds of artists.”

With hits like Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Dr Beat and, of course, Conga, she would have plenty of songs to entertain Worthy Farm.

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And she may soon be wowing even more viewers, with a big-budget biopic on the cards.

For the first time, she has confirmed Rachel Zegler, who shot to fame in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, Disney’s Snow White and recently in Evita on the West End, is set to play her.

She said: “I think she’s awesome. I think she’s incredible. I know she’s killed it in Evita.

“We’re still working on the green light because we’re figuring out where to do it, how to do it.

“This has been in the works for quite a few years now. And that’s how it is. You work, you work, you work, and then all of a sudden, boom, the trigger’s pulled and you’ve got to do it right away. But she’s lovely.”

But asked if she thinks Rachel will take the part, she continued: “I think she would. I just need to offer her an actual part. So we need to be greenlit completely and we’re almost there.

“I met her by Zoom. She’s got a beautiful singing voice and she’s a great actor. So absolutely.”

It was originally claimed the film will be an adaptation of her 2015 jukebox musical On Your Feet! although that idea has changed.

The star explained: “The movie’s not going to be the show. There’s a lot in there.”

Gloria was born in Cuba but her family fled to the US during the Cuban Revolution and she has now become one of Miami’s most famous residents.

And as one of the city’s stars, she has become pals with David and Victoria Beckham, who have a home there and have become key to the area with Becks’ football team Inter Miami CF.

But it’s clear they all move in the upper echelons when Stateside.

In a major name drop when quizzed on hanging out with them, she said: “I’ve been at their home. It’s lovely. David is such a lovely man – and Victoria.

“We actually went to a dinner at their home and President Obama was there, and the head of Reddit, and Jeff Bezos. It was really cool.

“It was small, but only the most powerful people in that room. It was great.

“They’re very kind people. And he’s done amazing things for soccer or football, as you call it here.”

And there have been more Brits in Miami, with Dua Lipa performing there last month, when she covered Gloria’s 1985 hit Conga.

“I was so sad that I wasn’t in town,” Gloria said.

“She had invited me to go and do that with her. And I love her. I’m a big fan of Dua Lipa. And that’s the sexiest conga you’re ever going to see, hands down.”

After such an illustrious career, she recently released her 30th album Raíces, which is largely Spanish-language escapism and the perfect soundtrack for a soiree or relaxing evening in.

And it was her husband of 47 years, producer Emilio, who made it happen.

Gloria, who was writing another musical at the time, explained how the salsa record poured out of him.

She added: “It’s got beautiful, romantic ballads. Emilio said, ‘I wrote you a love song’. I go, ‘Babe, you’re going to sing it?’.

He goes, ‘No, you’re going to sing it for me’.”

Charming.

And as for retirement after five decades in the game? Don’t count on it.

She giggled: “In ten years time, I hope to still be alive. That’s my first plan. Who knows?

“I only choose what I really, really want to give my time to. It’s just that. I had all these amazing opportunities. And they just converged this year.”

Kristen chilled Water

KRISTEN STEWART didn’t let the falling temperatures bother her as she headed out in this white mini-dress.

The Twilight actress showed off a stark fringe and bare legs as she left a screening of her new film The Chronology Of Water at the Curzon Mayfair on Thursday night.

It was part of the BFI London Film Festival and the movie, an adaptation of US writer Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, is her directorial debut.

Lily ‘cheat’ pain

LILY ALLEN has confirmed my story that she is about to make a return with her fifth album.

And on it, she seemingly accuses ex-husband David Harbour of cheating on her.

The Smile singer married the Stranger Things actor in 2020.

But things crumbled last year, with the relationship inspiring the latest record which is expected to be released imminently.

A new interview with Lily came out in Vogue magazine yesterday.

It features lyrics from two tracks that suggest David romanced other women while they were together and the pair then decided to “open” their marriage.

On one song, Sleepwalking, Lily sings: “You let me think it was me in my head, and nothing to do with them girls in your bed.”

On another, called Dallas Major, she reveals: “You know I used to be quite famous, that was way back in the day.

“I probably should explain how my marriage has been open since my husband went astray.”

And Lily didn’t hold back in her interview, either.

She told the magazine: “I’ve had real problems with my food over the past few years.

She added that during their break-up “it got really, really, really bad”.

Lily, who is sober, said: “The feelings of despair that I was experiencing were so strong.

“The last time I felt anything like that, drugs and alcohol were my way out, so it was excruciating to sit with those [feelings] and not use them.”

KYLIE JENNER says being a pop star is her lifelong dream – despite being mocked this week when she sang on Terror JR’s new song Fourth Strike.

Having just started singing under the name King Kylie, she said: “You know this is my dream. I’ve been talking about this since I came out of the womb… that like I wanted to be a pop star.

“I just never had the confidence or… I think turning 28 just does something to you. Like I’m going to be 30 soon and I don’t want to look back on life and have any regrets.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to try.”

JENNIFER LOPEZ is up for returning to the Super Bowl stage in February – six years after her stellar half-time show with Shakira.

The singer, whose parents are from Puerto Rico, waved the country’s flag during her performance and next year will see rapper Bad Bunny, who is from there, playing the show.

Quizzed on US TV whether they could do something together there, she said there had been “no talk” of a collaboration but that she would be open to it.

She said: “There’s no talk. I have not gotten any calls. So I just want to put the expectation down. But of course if he wanted me to do something, I would definitely do it.”

Crouchy Enter the Dragon

ABBEY CLANCY and Peter Crouch are slowly turning their home into a zoo – and the next animal they are adding is a bearded dragon.

The couple, who live in Surrey with their four children, already own two dogs, cats and a horse but now they are adding reptiles to the menagerie.

Crouchy says they are getting the reptile, which is native to Australia, because their son is desperate for one as a pet.

As well as the lizard, Abbey wants to also get lambs and chickens.

Peter said: “The more animals the better, apparently. Bearded dragons are next on the horizon. My little boy has wanted one for years. They’re actually all right. I thought it would be a nightmare, but I’ve been down the shop and held them.

“We’re actually going to get one. They grow to be quite big but they’re quite chilled.”

Michael makes big money

MICHAEL McINTYRE’s firm raked in more than £3.2million last year – making him one of the biggest earners on TV.

He had another stellar year presenting Saturday-night series Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and quiz The Wheel.

The comedian’s TV production firm Hungry McBear paid £805,000 in corporation tax in its last financial year up to December 31.

That rate suggests he made just over £3.2million.

Reserves in the company now stand at £1,718,407.

The firm is jointly controlled by Michael and TV producer Dan Baldwin, who is married to Holly Willoughby.

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It makes all of Michael’s shows, including Christmas and Easter one-offs and Michael McIntyre: Showman for Netflix.

But the cash doesn’t include earnings from his stand-up tour, so he will be raking in even more.

NEW images have revealed what the world’s biggest airport will eventually look like.

Located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Salman International Airport is set to surpass all other airports in size, including the current biggest airport in the world which is also in the country.

The 22sqm airport will feature six runways – up from two – parallel to each other and will be built around the existing King Khalid International Airport.

It will approximately be the same size as Manhattan in New York – or twice the size of the city of Bath, in the UK.

And now the airport has moved into its construction phase.

The airport will be designed by Foster + Partners, a UK firm which is behind London‘s famous Gherkin.

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Inside, travellers will be able to explore 4.6sqm of shops.

A lot of features in the airport are set to include high tech, such as climate-controlled lighted.

Travellers will have plenty of seating, indoor and outdoor spaces with greenery and vast glass windows, ideal for a bit of plane spotting.

Foster + Partner’s is also developing the Wadi Loop, which will connect the airport to other developments allowing travellers to access different sites more easily.

The airport was announced back in 2022 and is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman‘s Saudi Vision 2030 – which is set to make Riyadh into a major hub for transport, trade and tourism.

It will eventually accommodate up to 120million passengers each year, which is then expected to rise to 185million by 2050.

And the number of aircraft takeoffs will rise from 211,000 per year to over one million.

In total, the project is estimated to cost around $30billion (£22.5billion).

Earlier this year, the existing airport revealed a newly-expanded terminal with 38 new check-in counters, 10 self-service kiosks, 26 passport control counters and 10 automated gates.

Terminal 1 also has 24 boarding gates, 40 passport control counters in the arrivals area and 11 self-service gates.

As a result of the expansion, Terminal 1 will be able to handle seven million passengers a year – up from three million.

Saudi Arabia is already home to the world’s largest airport – King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.

The airport features a large mosque, landscaped gardens and a Royal Terminal dedicated for use of the Saudi royal family, government officials, and VIP guests.

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In other airport news, one UK airport has started a massive £60million expansion ahead of new Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2 flights.

Plus, these are the best and worst airports in the UK – with regional airport coming in number one.

ONE European island with dreamy beaches and a crowd-free city has been named as a top destination for 2026 holidays.

Whilst it is part of Italy, Sardinia is actually located closer to Africa than mainland Italy and as a result, it boasts warm temperatures and exotic fauna and flora.

And now it has been named as a Destination of the Year by Expedia Group’s Unpack ’26: The Trends in Travel report, which gathered data from millions of visitors and revealed that searches for Sardinia holidays have risen by 63 per cent.

Having recently visited, I know exactly why – Sardinia is a Mediterranean gem unlike any other.

Most travellers head to Olbia in the north of the island, but Cagliari in the south – the capital of the island – is also a great destination to explore.

The south of the island and around Cagliari is full of quaint villages, rocky hills and breathtaking beaches.

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I stayed in a small village called Chia, which is home to two Hilton hotels.

The resort has a number of pools to enjoy and there are two hidden beaches resort guests can access, both with crystal-clear warm waters and hardly any people.

Rooms at one of the hotels – the Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia – start from £257 per night, for two people including breakfast.

You can also do a number of activities from the resort, including a two-hour horse ride up into the island’s hills.

It was such an amazing way to see the island and experience a bit of local life.

And from the resort, it took me less than an hour to reach Cagliari.

The city is small, but even on a sunny Saturday at the end of August, its streets were quiet from hordes of tourists.

As well as sitting on the coast with panoramic views of the sea, the city has a great blend of culture and history.

One of my favourite spots in the city is Bastione di Saint Remy – a neoclassical fortress made from white and yellow limestone.

While you do have to climb tens of steps, once at the top of the monument you are treated to spectacular views of not only the city, but the islands stretching coastline.

For a while I just sat enjoying the blazing sunshine and the views, with boats whizzing in and out of the port accompanied by the sounds of bustling cafes on the city’s streets below me.

Around Bastione di Saint Remy, there are many winding streets with quaint shops and cafes to explore, which form the city’s historic quarter.

Prices in the shops and cafes are cheap too, with coffees setting you back around 87p to £1.74.

Food didn’t set me back much either, with a salmon and avocado brunch setting me back less than a tenner at Ex Tipografia.

Cattedrale di Santa Maria, Cagliari’s main cathedral is also worth exploring.

It features a mix of different architectural styles and has a stunning crypt inside – just remember if you are visiting to cover up as this is a place of worship.

Make sure to not miss The Underground Cagliari Tour – this unique activity takes you to three different underground sites across the city.

Stops include the Salesian Institute Tunnel-Shelter, which was used by a school as a shelter during heavy WWII bombings.

The entire tunnel is also lit by candles when you visit.

The second stop is at the Crypt of Santa Restituta – it is a natural cave that has been expanded over centuries and has also served as a place of worship.

Finally, you head to the Archaeological Area of Sant’Eulalia, which sits beneath the Church of Sant’Eulalia in the Marina district and reveals the remains of a Roman road.

The tour costs from £26.61 per person.

If you want to enjoy the Mediterranean weather, make sure to explore Orto Botanico.

It is a huge garden with lots of different varieties of plants and Roman archaeological remains and it costs less than £4 to visit.

Return flights to Cagliari cost as little as £38 in November from London with Ryanair.

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If you are looking for more inspiration for an Italian getaway, then check out this tiny Italian island set to be ‘turned into an oasis’ to escape hordes of tourists.

Plus, the brilliant five-star Italian campsite with beautiful beaches, affordable restaurants and activities for the whole family.

India is set to host the centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030 – the second time in 20 years that the event will have been held in the world’s most populous nation.

The city of Ahmedabad in the west of the country has been chosen ahead of Abuja in Nigeria by an evaluation commission from governing body Commonwealth Sport.

And the decision to hold the Games there in five years time is now expected to be ratified at the organisation’s general assembly in Glasgow on 26 November.

Ahmedabad can boast the Narendra Modi Stadium – the largest in the world, with a capacity of 132,000 – which hosted the Cricket World Cup final in 2023.

The city has a population in excess of five million people, and has even been suggested as a potential bidder to host a future Olympic Games.

“We see the 2030 Games as a powerful opportunity to inspire our youth, strengthen international partnerships and contribute to a shared future across the Commonwealth,” said Dr. P T Usha, president of Commonwealth Games Association India.

The Games first visited India in 2010 when Delhi hosted.

It is the second time Abuja has missed out on staging the Commonwealths, having been overlooked for the 2014 edition in favour of Glasgow.

And it also means Africa’s wait to hold the event for a first time will continue.

The news looks set to end fears that Glasgow 2026 might be the last-ever Games, with Scotland’s largest city having stepped in after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew for financial reasons.

That came after Birmingham took on the 2022 event after the South African city of Durban pulled out.

However, a reimagined format – with fewer sports, athletes and venues – has lessened the cost and enticed India, Nigeria and a handful of other countries to make their pitch to welcome the 74 Commonwealth Sport nations and territories.

A Commonwealth Sport statement said they “assessed candidate cities against a wide range of criteria including technical delivery, athlete experience, infrastructure, governance, and alignment with Commonwealth Sport values”.

It added: “The Commonwealth Sport Executive Board has agreed to develop a strategy for supporting and accelerating Nigeria’s hosting ambitions for future Games, including consideration for 2034.”

The 2030 Games will mark the centenary of the inaugural event held in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930.

When Luka Doncic plays in his first exhibition game of the season for the Lakers against the Phoenix Suns Tuesday night, Coach JJ Redick said the plan with his star is pretty simple.

“Give him the ball,” Redick said, laughing.

Redick paused for a second.

“You talking about minutes?” he asked.

Redick said they are “still working through what that looks like” with the Lakers’ staff and Doncic’s team.

“I think very likely it’ll be some form of a ramp-up from tomorrow to whenever the second game is that he plays in,” Redick said. “What that looks like in terms of the total minute, I don’t know.”

But one thing is for certain when Doncic steps on the court with his teammates.

“Yeah, he’ll touch the basketball,” Redick said.

The Lakers then play a back-to-back game Wednesday night in Las Vegas against the Dallas Mavericks, Doncic’s old team, but it’s highly unlikely he plays in that game.

The Lakers finish their preseason against the Sacramento Kings Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, which is when Doncic probably will play, especially since he said last week that he wanted to play in two preseason games.

The Lakers open the regular season Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors at home and that is the main thing Doncic is getting ready for.

He’s done more in practice, giving his teammates a view of what Doncic is like.

“Oh, he’s moving great,” Jarred Vanderbilt said. “Everything that I’ve seen from him, he’s being vocal. He’s leading the charge. He’s being everything we need him to be right now. So, we’re happy to have him out there right now during this week, him getting some good practices and running with us, and just starting to build that momentum towards the regular season.”

Etc.

Redick said Marcus Smart, who has been recovering from an Achilles tendinopathy injury, will play against the Suns. … Redick said Maxi Kleber (quad) participated in the Lakers’ stay-ready game Monday.

THE National Lottery Set For Life numbers are in and it’s time to find out if you’ve won the top prize of £10,000 every month for 30 years.

Could tonight’s jackpot see you start ticking off that bucket list every month or building your own start-up as a budding entrepreneur?

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You can find out by checking your ticket against tonight’s numbers below.

Good luck!

The winning Set For Life numbers are: 04, 24, 27, 31, 36 and the Life Ball is 08.

The first National Lottery draw was held on November 19 1994 when seven winners shared a jackpot of £5,874,778.

The largest amount ever to be won by a single ticket holder was £42million, won in 1996.

Gareth Bull, a 49-year-old builder, won £41million in November, 2020 and ended up knocking down his bungalow to make way for a luxury manor house with a pool.

1. £1.308 billion (Powerball) on January 13 2016 in the US, for which three winning tickets were sold, remains history’s biggest lottery prize
2. £1.267 billion (Mega Million) a winner from South Carolina took their time to come forward to claim their prize in March 2019 not long before the April deadline
3. £633.76 million (Powerball draw) from a winner from Wisconsin
4. £625.76 million (Powerball)  Mavis L. Wanczyk of Chicopee, Massachusetts claimed the jackpot in August 2017
5. £575.53 million (Powerball)  A lucky pair of winners scooped the jackpot in Iowa and New York in October 2018

Sue Davies, 64, bought a lottery ticket to celebrate ending five months of shielding during the pandemic — and won £500,000.

Sandra Devine, 36, accidentally won £300k – she intended to buy her usual £100 National Lottery Scratchcard, but came home with a much bigger prize.

The biggest jackpot ever to be up for grabs was £66million in January last year, which was won by two lucky ticket holders.

Another winner, Karl managed to bag £11million aged just 23 in 1996.

The odds of winning the lottery are estimated to be about one in 14million – BUT you’ve got to be in it to win it.

A UK train station that lost its direct routes to Europe during the pandemic could soon welcome them back.

Eurostar rival Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) said they were likely to restart train routes from Ashford International Station when they launch.

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The Italian train operator revealed plans earlier this year to take on Eurostar with UK-Europe routes.

And it has since confirmed a £1billion investment into the UK economy which would include reopening the Kent station.

Initial plans include an “Innovation Hub” in Ashford International Station by early 2026, the Times reports.

The first trains to Europe will then launch in 2029 from London to Paris, which includes a stop in Ashford.

Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy also backed the return of European connections at Ashford International.

He said earlier this year: “I firmly believe that competition offers the best prospect of international services returning to Kent stations.”

Eurostar scrapped all trains from Ashford back in 2020, as well as trains at Ebbsfleet International.

Despite a campaign with more than 75,000 signatures for trains to return to Ashford, Eurostar has yet to confirm if they will.

Initial suggestions of reopening it in 2026 have been quashed.

The Eurostar has been the only railway line to use the Channel Tunnel since 1994.

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However, other operators have since revealed plans to take them on.

Virgin has revealed plans to launch trains from the UK to Europe by 2030.

This would include routes from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam – similar destinations to Eurostar.

Another rival is Gemini Trains, who has teamed up with Uber.

The new train operator recently bought 10 high speed trains ahead of plans to launch from both London and Ebbsfleet to Paris and Brussels by 2029.

Evolyn, a new start up, expressed plans for London-Paris trains back in 2023, with initial plans to launch next year.

And Eurostar themselves has revealed huge expansion plans, with potential new European destinations.

When it comes to France, it could relaunch train routes to Marseille and Bordeaux, having previously once stopped there.

And the CCO said they could also one day stop in cities in both Germany and Switzerland.

This could include places like Cologne and and Frankfurt, as well as Geneva and Zurich.

Here are four Eurostar routes that have been scrapped over the years.

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Families in Palestine and Israel await the return of their loved ones as the Israeli-Hamas truce continues to hold.

For most retirees, Social Security is more than just a monthly deposit into their bank accounts. It represents a financial lifeline that helps them make ends meet.

In 2023, Social Security lifted more than 22 million people out of poverty, according to an analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), and 16.3 million of these recipients were aged 65 and over. If Social Security didn’t exist, the CBPP estimates the poverty rate for adults aged 65 and up would jump nearly fourfold, from 10.1% (with existing payouts) to 37.3%.

Meanwhile, 24 years of annual surveys from Gallup show that 80% to 90% of aged beneficiaries lean on their payouts in some capacity to cover their expenses.

For retirees, few announcements have more bearing than the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) reveal in October. Though Social Security payouts are on track to do something that hasn’t been witnessed in almost 30 years, next year’s “raise” appears set to give retirees the short end of the stick, yet again!

Image source: Getty Images.

What is Social Security’s COLA and why might the 2026 reveal be delayed?

The fabled “COLA” you’ve probably been hearing and reading about over the last couple of weeks is the tool the Social Security Administration (SSA) has on its proverbial toolbelt to keep benefits aligned with inflation.

Hypothetically, if a large basket of goods and services that retirees regularly purchase increases in cost by 2% from one year to the next, Social Security benefits would also need to climb by 2%. Otherwise, these folks would see their buying power decline. Social Security’s COLA attempts to mirror the inflationary pressures that program recipients are facing so they don’t lose purchasing power.

This near-annual raise is based on changes to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which has measured price changes for Social Security since 1975. It has more than 200 individually weighted categories, which allows the CPI-W to be chiseled down to a single figure at the end of each month. These readings can be compared to the prior-year period to determine if prices are collectively rising (inflation) or declining (deflation).

What makes the COLA calculation unique is that only CPI-W readings from July, August, and September (the third quarter) are used to determine the upcoming year’s raise. If the average third-quarter CPI-W reading in the current year is higher than the comparable period last year, prices, as a whole, have risen, and so will Social Security checks in the upcoming year.

The catch with Social Security’s 2026 COLA is that its expected reveal on Oct. 15 may be delayed. The September inflation report is the final puzzle piece needed to calculate the program’s cost-of-living adjustment. However, most economic data releases are delayed during a federal government shutdown, which, in turn, can postpone the Oct. 15 COLA announcement set for 8:30 a.m. ET.

A higher prevailing rate of inflation in recent years has led to beefier annual COLAs. U.S. Inflation Rate data by YCharts.

A first-of-its-century raise is eventually headed retirees’ way

Once the SSA does have the necessary data to calculate and reveal the 2026 COLA, it’s a virtual certainty that beneficiaries will witness history being made.

Over the last four years, Social Security recipients — retired workers, workers with disabilities, and survivor beneficiaries — have enjoyed above-average cost-of-living adjustments. From 2022 through 2025, their Social Security checks grew by 5.9%, 8.7%, 3.2%, and 2.5%, respectively. To put these figures into some sort of context, the average COLA increase over the last 16 years was 2.3%.

Based on two independent estimates that were updated following the release of the August inflation report, a fifth-consecutive year above this 16-year average is expected.

Nonpartisan senior advocacy association The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) has pegged their 2026 COLA forecast at 2.7%, while independent Social Security and Medicare policy analyst Mary Johnson is calling for a slightly higher boost of 2.8%. These two forecasts would imply a roughly $54 to $56 per-month increase in the average retired-worker benefit in the new year.

More importantly, a 2.7% or 2.8% COLA would result in an event that hasn’t been witnessed in almost three decades. From 1988 through 1997, Social Security COLAs vacillated between 2.6% and 5.4%. If the 2026 COLA comes in at 2.5% or above, which looks like a virtual certainty based on independent estimates, it would mark the first time in 29 years that benefits will have risen by at least 2.5% for five consecutive years.

Image source: Getty Images.

The purchasing power of a Social Security dollar isn’t what it used to be

Unfortunately, this potentially history-making moment won’t be fully felt or enjoyed by aged beneficiaries. Though nominal payouts have notably climbed in recent years, the painful reality is that the buying power of Social Security income simply isn’t what it once was.

For example, you might be surprised to learn that the CPI-W isn’t doing retirees any favors. While this index is designed to mirror the inflationary pressures that Social Security’s retired workers are contending with, it has built-in flaws that keep this from happening.

The CPI-W is an index that tracks the cost pressures faced by “urban wage earners and clerical workers,” who, in many cases, are workers under the age of 62. By comparison, 87% of Social Security beneficiaries are 62 and above, as of December 2024.

Aged beneficiaries spend their money differently than workers under the age of 62. Specifically, retirees spend a higher percentage of their budget on medical care services and shelter than younger folks. Even though seniors make up 87% of all Social Security recipients, the CPI-W doesn’t account for the added importance of shelter and medical-care service costs in the COLA calculation.

Furthermore, the trailing-12-month inflation rate for shelter and medical care services has pretty consistently been higher than the annual COLAs beneficiaries have received. According to TSCL, this disparity has played a role in reducing the buying power of Social Security income by 20% from 2010 to 2024. A 2.7% or 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment isn’t going to offset or halt this decline in purchasing power.

To make matters worse, dual enrollees — those receiving Social Security income who are also enrolled in traditional Medicare — are expected to see sizable COLA offsets due to a projected double-digit percentage increase in the Part B premium in 2026.

Part B is the portion of Medicare responsible for outpatient services, and the premium for Part B is commonly deducted from a Social Security recipient’s monthly benefit. An estimate from the 2025 Medicare Trustees Report calls for an 11.5% jump in the Part B premium to $206.20 next year. For lifetime low earners, this increase might gobble up every cent of their projected 2026 COLA.

Regardless of whether or not Social Security’s 2026 COLA is delayed, it’ll mark another year where retirees get the short end of the stick.