“Heated Rivalry” will soon steam up a movie theater near you. Special Season 1 marathon screenings will celebrate the one-year anniversary of the smash sports romance series that set HBO Max ablaze last November.
Three sets of paired episodes will screen Nov. 6-30 in more than 650 theaters around the world (in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand): over 275 Regal theaters and 375 others, including AMC and Cinemark locations, distributor Sphere Abacus announced Thursday.
Tickets will cost $9.99 per screening, and Regal showings will include filmed greetings from the cast and show creator-writer-director Jacob Tierney. (The show is based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Reid.) Advanced tickets are available now at Regal (showtimes: Episodes 1 and 2, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6).
”Heated Rivalry” is a global phenomenon creating a rush of social media and press activity wherever it lands. We’re very excited to give audiences the opportunity to watch the drama unfold on big screens,” Hana Palmer, Sphere Abacus’ executive director of global distribution and partnerships, said in a statement.
For a limited time, participating locations will offer themed cocktails, including “Summer in Montreal” and “Russians Don’t Blush.” Shane (Hudson Williams) plays for the fictional Montreal Metros hockey team; although Shane’s cottage, where Ilya (Connor Storrie) agrees to spend the summer, is technically in Lanaudière, Québec, two hours outside of Ottawa.
Ilya, a gruff Russian from Moscow, is a fellow professional hockey player for the fictional Boston Raiders. The latter cocktail references a scene in the Raiders’ locker room: One of Ilya’s teammates sees him secretly texting Shane. “You’re straight up blushing,” he tells him. “Never in life have I blushed,” Ilya snaps back. “Russians do not do this.”
“Heated Rivalry” stars Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov.
(Sabrina Lantos / HBO)
“When a series connects with audiences the way ‘Heated Rivalry’ has, we look for ways to bring it to the big screen and give fans a reason to experience it together,” Regal’s SVP of U.S. content Brooks LeBoeuf said. “Nearly a year after its premiere, we’re proud to work with our partners to turn a season fans have watched again and again into a true theatrical event. It’s a chance to celebrate the story, its creators, and its performances before Season 2 arrives in 2027.”
Filming and production are still underway on Season 2, which is slated for release in spring 2027 on Crave and HBO Max.
WHO doesn’t love a holiday bargain? Well, British Airways is launching new flights that cost less than the average UK pint.
However, the two return journeys to the beautiful Mediterranean islands come with a small catch.
British Airways is launching return flights for £5 – but there is a catchCredit: AlamyAnyone wanting to take advantage of the cheap flights needs to have Avios pointsCredit: Getty
British Airways is launching two Avios-Only flights nextsummer – so you have enough points on its reward scheme to go on them.
The new return flights will be to Palma in Majorca and Heraklion in Crete.
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Flights to the Greek island of Crete will depart on August 14, 2027 and returning a week later on August 21.
Seats will be available for 35,500 Avios + £5 return in Euro Traveller.
For a return flight in Club Europe its 60,000 Avios + £40.
Crete is the largest island in Greece and one of the biggest in the Mediterranean Sea.
On the same dates, British Airways will also have an Avios-Only flight to Palma, Majorca.
Seats will be available for 28,000 Avios + £5 return in Euro Traveller.
In Club Europe, seats are available for 49,000 Avios + £40 return with checked baggage included as standard.
Majorca meanwhile has a beautiful coastline, picturesque villages and its busy capital of Palma has lots of bustling restaurants and a huge cathedral in the centre.
Heraklion in Crete has a Venetian port and pretty beachesCredit: Getty Images
Once you’ve joined the British Airways Club, you can earn points by shopping online through the Avios portal, booking hotels and car hire, using co-branded credit cards, or converting Nectar points.
If you’re a frequent flier, you can earn through BA flights, as well as other IAG airlines like Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL, as well as partner airlines Qatar Airways, Finnair, and Loganair.
Other brands associated with IAG loyalty include brands like Domino’s, Deliveroo, River Island, Marks and Spencer and Boots.
For a more in-depth look at Avios and how to claim points, read more here.
The British Airways Avios-Only flights go on sale tomorrow.
Their face is gone, LeBron James getting kicked to a Philly curb.
Their voice is gone, longtime public address announcer Lawrence Tanterdying last month at age 76 after more than four decades of dulcet downtown tones.
Meet the 2026-27 Lakers, a team that will look different, sound different, feel different, play different and behave different from their recent predecessors in every way but one.
They’re still not winning a championship.
They’re still not getting to the conference finals.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic enters this season as the face of the franchise after LeBron James’ departure.
(Luke Hales / Getty Images)
They’re still destined to a sixth seed and a first-round knockout in the impossible West, a mediocre finish that is sure to convince new ownership to make massive changes — look out Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick! — and start all over again next season.
So call this a gap year.
They’ve graduated from LeBron, but they’re still not quite sure what they want to do with the rest of their life.
They’re planning on majoring in Luka Doncic, minoring in Austin Reaves and specializing in Walker Kessler, but there are flaws in all three, and the rest of the proposed curriculum is an unknown collection of ideas that have yet to be put together in a cogent package.
For now, the league’s biggest roster overhaul includes names that are just names, the likes of Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney. Who knows where they will fit? Who knows what they can do?
Then there’s the name Bronny James, whose future here took a nosedive when his pops moved to Philadelphia and he had a lousy training camp. Who knows how long Bronny will stick around, but at least the Lakers are out of the LeBron family drama business, which is good, because this team will create enough drama on its own.
First, there’s Doncic, and the risk in building around him, considering he’s missed an average of 20 games a season the last three years. He’s appeared in a total of five playoff games since leading the Dallas Mavericks to the Finals three years ago. He’s 27, but sometimes he trudges around the court like he’s 50.
Lakers guard Bronny James dribbles during a preseason game against the Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Oct. 8.
(Luke Hales / Getty Images)
Now that this is Doncic’s team, will he act like it?
Every centerpiece player in Laker history — from Mikan to West to Kareem to Magic to Kobe to Shaq to Pau to LeBron — has carried their group to a championship. They’ve not been considered a true Laker until they have done so. In the case of LeBron, one was not even enough.
Is Doncic prepared to shoulder this burden? He says yes. He says he’s done this before, although he’s never won an NBA title, so, um …
“It feels great,” he told reporters at media day last month. “Obviously, it’s a new challenge. I was in this position in my career a lot of times, so it’s not new to me. But I feel great. I feel excited, and like I said, I’m ready to go. It’s been a long time since I played basketball, so I’m ready.”
He got off to a good start this summer when he flew the team to his native Slovenia to spend a few days bonding. He is already acting like a captain. Now he needs to play every day like one.
“I see myself in this role, nothing new, but it’s very important,” Doncic said. “Everybody on the whole team, you know, look up to me, I have to look up to them. And it’s just, there should be many leaders, you know. You should be able to hold each other accountable.”
Lakers guard Austin Reaves dribbles past the Kings’ Nique Clifford during a preseason game at Crypto.com Arena on Oct. 8.
(Luke Hales / Getty Images)
Many leaders? Probably only two, Doncic and his newly minted $180-million running mate Reaves.
The Lakers were 30-11 when the two gunners were on the court last season, and no NBA duo averaged more points, but, again, this year is different.
Last year they both had LeBron as a safety net. This year, it’s all on them.
Just like Doncic, Reaves said he is ready to help guide his new teammates on this arduous journey.
“The expectation here of being a Laker is higher than it is anywhere in the world,” Reaves said. “The media presence, you know, every day something is going to come out about us, and just being able to know how to navigate that and help others navigate that is the main thing. One second we’re going to be the best team in the world. And the next you lose two in a row, you’re the worst team, you can’t figure it out. So, helping these guys understand that none of that really matters, it’s all about what goes on within these walls, is the main thing.”
Actually, for Reaves, the main thing is the postseason, where he has mightily struggled, even taking into account the slight guard usually enters each spring with all sorts of bumps and bruises. He’s been a lousy playoff shooter. He’s been a clumsy playoff playmaker.
But one of the greatest undrafted free agents in recent league history appreciates and embraces every chance to change the narrative, and he’ll have no greater chance than this season.
“You’re going to have failures within this long season,” he said. “But every single night you’re going to have an opportunity when you take the floor, especially for this organization, for this fan base to show the world what you’re capable of. So, you’re going to have every single opportunity to do good with the opportunities that you’re given.”
No Laker, it seems, will have a greater nightly opportunity to write his legacy than Kessler, who was acquired this summer from the Utah Jazz for the princely sum of two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps.
He is being projected as a perfect lob and pick-and-roll partner for Doncic and a long-awaited rim protector, but let’s be real.
He played in five games last year and never started a full season in his four years in Utah and even for a perpetually tanking team, that’s not a big resume. What sort of NBA center he will be is anybody’s guess.
The Lakers are guessing huge, and at least he sounds like he’s ready for it.
Laker Walker Kessler fouls the Warriors’ Yaxel Lendeborg during a preseason game on Oct. 13 in Las Vegas, Nev.
(Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
“And as far as the belief that they’ve shown in me, I mean, it makes me excited for this year,” he said. “It makes me feel like I can run through the wall for this organization, this team, my teammates, so yeah, I’m just so excited.”
Good thing about that wall, because with this unsettled bunch, there will be plenty of them.
But, hey, at least one looming question has been answered. During media day, new power forward Mamukelashvili gracefully explained how to pronounce his last name.
“So, a lot of people think it’s hard, but I don’t think so,” he said. “It is Mamu-kela-shvili. So if you take like, I feel like, two letters at a time, and “shvili” at the end, it’s not that hard.”
If only the rest of this season would go so smooth.
BUTLIN’S is continuing its all-inclusive family breaks into summer 2026 and 2027 – and absolutely everything is included.
From food and drink to waterparks and swimming pools to the adventure playgrounds – there are no hidden surprises.
Butlin’s will continue its all-inclusive bundles through to 2027Credit: Butlins
Called the ‘All Inclusive Bundles‘ these include accommodation, breakfast, dinner, and drinks, Splash Waterworld, unlimited fairground rides, live shows, playgrounds and soft play.
The price starts from £125 per person for a family of four – or £41.50pppn.
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When it come to the bundle, families have four different dining plans to choose from.
There’s the Food Court Dining & Drinks which has an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast and dinner, DineAround, which offers a choice of restaurants across each resort.
Premium Buffet Dining Plan which is the best of the buffets including live cooking stations and themed nights, and Hotel Dining Plan which has the variety of the premium plan but at your own hotel restaurant.
Meanwhile, the drinks package includes unlimited soft drinks, spirits, wines, cocktails, draught beers and ciders, as well as non-alcoholic choices and Costa Coffee.
It will be hosted by a celebrity presenter and performers will take to the stage in an attempt to get the Golden Buzzer.
During February half-term, there will be the new DreamWorks’ Madagascar – A Musical Adventure on stage.
Other new performances include K-Pop Forever! which has hits from groups like BTS and Blackpink.
Included is food and drink, fairground rides and waterpark accessCredit: Butlin’s
Animals Magnified by the Animal Guyz which is a family show perfect for anyone who loves animals from hippos to tiny insects.
A Billion Streams will be its new concert-style show where guests can hear some of the world’s biggest hits from the likes of Harry Styles and Dua Lipa.
The Skyline Gang will compete in a Battle of the Bands competition so get ready to hear incredible drum solos and guitar riffs.
The price of an all-inclusive bundle starts from £499 for a family of four – or £41.50pppn.
This is based on two adults and two children in a Comfort Room on an October Half Term three-night break with Food Court buffet breakfast and dinner, and the All Inclusive Drinks Package.
During the 2027 summer holidays, a three-night break to Skegness from August 13-16 with a Food Court Dining & Drinks bundle costs £739.98 – or £61.66pppn.
While her kids headed to all the free activities from go karting to the fairground and outdoor playground.
Jon Hendry Pickup, CEO at Butlin’s, said: “The cost of a family holiday doesn’t stop at the booking price.
“Meals and drinks can be harder to budget for in advance, so extending our All-Inclusive bundles to school holiday breaks gives families a much clearer picture of the overall cost before they arrive.”
A Kalkan sunset is always a beautiful thing – the horseshoe-shaped bay deepening to azure blue against an apricot-rose sky – but, in October, when the light is low and the sun drops early, it’s almost transcendentally lovely. In some Turkish resorts, you’d be sitting watching it surrounded by quiet streets, half-empty bars and that melancholic sense that another season is over. In Kalkan, it still feels like summer; the harbourfront restaurants throng with visitors, the day gulets (wooden boats) still putter in and out of the bay and you don’t have to wait an hour to get a taxi back to your villa.
For me, the best thing about an autumn break – besides the sunsets – is that I can visit some of my favourite places that just get overrun in summer. The glittering beach at Kaputas, sandwiched into a triangular gap on the mountainous Kalkan-Kas road, has become a victim of Instagram; from May to September, it’s impossible to get near. In October, the waters are still warm and the beach – although still busy – has plenty of space for a dip and a laze.
About 20 minutes’ drive inland, the mountain village of Bezirgan, which used to serve as a summer retreat for wealthier Kalkan residents, settles back into complete peace in autumn, save for the woodpeckers battering away at the bark of the almond trees and the squirrels skittering through the leaves. The Lycian Way weaves through the village, past Ottoman-era grain stores, with the lush gardens of the Pirha Köy Sofrası restaurant a great bet for a plate of traditional manti (dumplings in yoghurt) or kofte (meatballs), before setting off for a hike (they do fantastic breakfasts too).
Back in Kalkan, it’s always cocktail hour somewhere; often on a roof terrace, with a jazz soundtrack floating out above the streets of the Old Town. This year, the Fountain Terrace Cocktail Bar has been popular, but I still love sitting in the Merkez Cafe, a Kalkan institution since the early 1990s, smack-bang in the heart of the village and a prime spot for people-watching when the evening begins.
The glittering beach at Kaputas near Kalkan. Photograph: daphnusia/Alamy
And because the season’s end is in sight, all the restaurant owners and waiters are cheerfully giddy, and the whole place swings with an end-of-term vibe. Sitting at the Blue Marlin (tucked away beneath the Pirat hotel) with a cold Efes beer and a selection of the town’s best meze, the only thing that makes me rueful is that it will be several months before I’ll be back here again.
The village of Agua Amarga, where Sexy Beast was filmed. Photograph: Juana Mari Moya/Getty Images
Along Spain’s wild Costa de Almería are a handful of exquisite little towns and villages. San José is probably the best known, put on the map by its most famous inhabitant, the late Joe Strummer, but 25 miles east is the real jewel of the Almería coast. Agua Amarga is a typical Andalucían fishing village moonlighting as a stylish low-key holiday destination, perfect for late-season sun-seekers.
Its location, on a crescent bay, makes for spectacular sunrises and sunsets over the arid headlands that bookend the 500-metre-long beach. In the narrow, whitewashed streets, a lush palm grove and splashes of pink bougainvillaea remind you that north Africa is just a short hop across the Mediterranean. In the summer, Agua Amarga’s unspoilt sands and turquoise waters attract plenty of visitors, but the vibe remains relaxed. There are a handful of restaurants and bars around the main plaza, and a few eateries on the beach, including Los Tarahis, a traditional chiringuito (beach bar) where you can enjoy dishes such as arroz negro con bogavante (black rice with lobster) with your toes in the sand. In winter, the town goes into hibernation, but in autumn the sun and sea are still warm and the bars and restaurants are still open for business.
Agua Amarga is not the place to go to party. It’s a world away from the overdeveloped costas to the west and north, but it is the perfect base to immerse yourself in nature. Hiking trails lead from the village over the cliffs to a string of isolated coves and the ruins of 18th-century forts dotted along the headlands. And if you tire of following the shimmering sea, you can strike out inland to explore the Cabo de Gata nature reserve, with its winding ramblas (dry riverbeds), prickly pears and eerie abandoned goldmines.
The sea by Agua Amarga is still warm in autumn. Photograph: Dronie_Spain/Shutterstock
This corner of Spain is famous for its movie locations, notably Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns and Hollywood blockbusters including Lawrence of Arabia and Conan the Barbarian. For UK cinephiles, British gangster classic Sexy Beast was filmed in Agua Amarga, and Ray Winstone’s swanky villa is available as a holiday rental (minus the boulder in the swimming pool).
The name Agua Amarga translates as “bitter water”, dating back to the 19th century and the contamination caused by mining iron ore. Those days are gone, and now Agua Amarga couldn’t be sweeter.
Cascais was once the summer retreat of Europe’s nobility. Photograph: Chunyip Wong/Getty Images
As many of Portugal’s southern resorts prepare to hibernate for winter, Cascais’s green-fingered municipal workers set to work on the town’s well-manicured flower beds, ensuring a seamless seasonal rotation. Violas, primroses and cyclamen furnish pops of purple, magenta and orange below tall palms lining a promenade punctuated with palatial homes and pockets of golden sand. Even in late autumn, the semi-tropical scene banishes the blues.
My happy place when the off-season rolls around, Cascais has enough energy and atmosphere to entertain, and is arguably at its finest after summer’s beach throngs and Lisbon day trippers (Cascais lies 20 miles west of the city, a 30- to 40-minute train ride from Cais do Sodré station) have receded.
Once the summer retreat of Europe’s nobility, Cascais is now Portugal’s year-round crowd-pleaser – and come autumn, accommodation prices are far less aristocratic. There are stately manors and spa hotels aplenty, but my pick is Casa Vela, a surprisingly spacious sidestreet bolthole. Its sauna, shrouded in tropical gardens imported by the owner and his grandfather, brings joy even on the chilliest days. And if rains do come, there are a clutch of cultural attractions in the town, including the pyramid-shaped, terracotta-hued Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, featuring works by the acclaimed Portuguese-British artist.
Still, with about 300 sunny days a year, Cascais’s main off-season pull is for those who like to be active outdoors. Blue-sky mornings see waterfront joggers pass pretty squares carpeted in black-and-white calçada portuguesa (the distinctive patterned pavement mosaics), the hulking 15th-century citadel, and a mustard-hued palace overlooking a cove. Swimming is bracing, but kayaking on the calmer waters where the Tagus River meets the Atlantic more than compensates.
Casa das Histórias Paula Rego in Cascais. Photograph: Witold Skrypczak/Alamy
Better still, hire a bicycle and trace the craggy coastline, which grows wilder as it arches north-west, with sheer cliffs appearing in the distant haze. Praia do Guincho is the star, a glorious dune-backed beach battered by winds that keep surfers of all stripes well sated.
A half-hour bus ride from Cascais, Sintra’s iconic palaces and quintas unfurl across the forest-clad mountains. Summer in the town will test your patience. But with fewer crowds in the off-season, the essence of this former elite enclave and trove of European Romantic architecture returns. Hiking the hewn stairs to the Moorish Castle in thick fog is magical, while the vibrant burgundy-and-yellow facade of the fairytale National Palace of Pena brightens the greyest of days.
As the nights start to draw in, you can chase the dwindling sunlight by heading to windswept Cabo da Roca at Portugal’s far western tip. Not only are the sunsets here spectacular, for much of autumn and winter they are the latest in mainland Europe – a sweetener for the shorter days.
Senigallia and its Velvet Beach. Photograph: Michal Szymel/Alamy
Velvet Beach (Spiaggia di Velluto) is the alluring name for the miles of fine sand that fringe the town of Senigallia, in Italy’s Marche region. But from May to September, that golden loveliness all but disappears under the umbrellas and sunbeds of beach clubs.
Italians love the place, some returning every summer for decades, but in high season it is probably best left to them. However, Senigallia has an allure beyond the beach that can be enjoyed year-round – and autumn is particularly rewarding.
It’s known in Italy as the “five-star town” for the number of Michelin stars its top two restaurants hold between them. At Uliassi (three stars) and Madonnina del Pescatore (two), ambitious locally born chefs have kept one another on their toes for decades, and their fame has encouraged other restaurateurs to up their game.
If Uliassi’s famous €280 tasting menu is beyond your budget, Senigallia has plenty of innovative, quality places that are more affordable. It’s hard to eat badly here, but fish fans will relish the exquisitely prepared raw stuff at Cuocodi Bordo (two courses from €34) on the seafront. The more rustic Rimante (two courses from €27), in the cobbled centre, offers super-friendly service, great pasta and a roast goose speciality. For pizza nights, nearby O’sarracin has superlative margheritas (€8.50) and tasty ragù-filled arancini to start.
Senigallia is renowned for seafood restaurants such as the Michelin-starred Madonnina del Pescatore. Photograph: Brambilla Serrani
Pizza al formaggio, by contrast, isn’t pizza at all, but a sort of savoury panettone, flavoured with parmesan and pecorino cheese, maybe with chunks oozing out of a warm slice. It’s usually an Easter treat, but bakery Pandefrà makes it from October until May. Autumn in Senigallia also brings amazing fresh produce (chestnuts, persimmons, grapes and pomegranates; pumpkins, greens and radicchio) to chefs and market stalls.
And, of course, it brings the olive harvest, with new oil to taste in local delis and at the Festa dell’Olio Nuovo (6-10 November) in Scapezzano, three miles inland, reached by a pleasant hour’s walk up the quiet Strada di Fontenuovo (there’s a bus back).
With so much eating, you do need to work up an appetite. Hiking the Heron Trail along the Misa River will help, and offers downy oaks in their autumn finery, but the best walk for me starts at the splendid Rotonda a Mare gallery on its 1930s pier, heads inland on quiet lanes to Gabriella and Montignano villages, then descends to the coast for a sunset stroll back along that – now peaceful – Velvet Beach.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz holds on to the warmth of summer a little longer than the rest of France’s west coast. Photograph: Mehdi33300/Alamy
Tucked away in the corner of France just before the Basque coast runs into Spain, Saint-Jean-de-Luz hangs on to the warmth of summer a little longer than the rest of the west coast. Its enticing crescent beach is sheltered by two headlands and so, as the Atlantic crashes against the rest of the coast, you can dig your toes into the golden sand as the sea gently laps the shore and truly feel as if you’ve escaped the world.
The town makes for a great introduction to the French Basque Country, with its traditional red or green timber-framed architecture, adorned in many cases with strings of the local espelette chilli pepper – its gentle heat infuses many of the local dishes. Pick up a pot at the local market hall, which is a good place to find other hero products of the local cuisine, such as Ossau-Iraty cheese and black cherry jam.
Elsewhere, the patisserie Maison Adam is the place to find the local almond macaron called the pare gabea (it means incomparable in Basque), which was first made in 1660 to celebrate the marriage of King Louis XIV and Marie-Thérèse of Spain. Their nuptials took place just round the corner at the Saint-Jean-de-Baptiste church – half-built at the time – which has an extraordinarily detailed gilt altarpiece that was installed in 1669, as well as a three-tiered gallery for the congregation. Meanwhile, a votive ship hanging from the ceiling is a nod to the town’s close relationship to the sea, with small fishing boats departing the neat harbour to fish for hake, a local speciality.
You can venture out on to the seas too, with a boat trip on the small cruiser Nivelle V (€20), which goes along the coast towards Spain, first passing the 17th-century cylindrical fort at Socoa and its sea wall that juts across the bay. As you cruise past the Flysch cliffs, which look like layers of diagonally stacked cardboard, you might spot a few silver flying fish jumping out of the steely blue Atlantic.
The neighbouring village of Ciboure. Photograph: Andia/Alamy
On arrival back at port, take the short walk across the bridge that spans the River Nivelle to the neighbouring village of Ciboure. It’s a warren of red and green Basque townhouses that overlook narrow streets winding up the hill. Between them sits the restaurant Chez Mattin (mains from €28), a local institution, where chef Michel Niquet serves his signature dish, ttorro, a fish stew that was invented by his grandfather.
THE Cotswolds is one of the few places in the UK that looks even more beautiful at this time of year than during the summer months.
Gorgeous thatched-roofed cottages offer a snug escape, old pubs light up roaring fireplaces and woodlands are carpeted with fiery leaves.
The Cotswolds is one of the few places in the UK that looks even more beautiful at this time of year than in summerCredit: AFPA four-night midweek break at Kestrel Cottage is from £476.50 in January and early February (excluding half term)Credit: Supplied
I was visiting Bourton-on-the-Water, which offered all of this and more. In fact, the picture-perfect village has been dubbed the “Venice of the Cotswolds” thanks to its gorgeous scenery.
Weaving its way through the heart of the village, the River Windrush has a series of low stone bridges spanning its clear, shallow waters.
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Honey-coloured homes line the grassy banks, creating a stunning backdrop that looks like the set of an English murder-mystery drama.
Its charm is magical and it comes as no surprise to learn that Kourtney Kardashian pipped me to the post, visiting the village and snapping the cottages I was lucky to call home for the weekend in her Instagram story.
Kestrel Cottage is the perfect bolthole for a weekend away. With one beautifully-decorated bedroom and a comfy sofabed, there is more than enough room for a couple, family or group of friends.
It’s one of four cottages set within an old mill and it’s bursting with character. It looked like it was straight out of an interior design magazine with fluffy carpets, a chic olive-coloured kitchen and bare-brick walls.
I loved how well equipped and homely the kitchen was, with enough facilities to whip up dinner for a cosy night in, along with all the decor you’d want to jazz up your own home.
Kourtney Kardashian has visited the Cotswolds villageCredit: GettyThe reality star posted this snap of her in Bourton onlineCredit: kourtneykardash/Instagram
My fairytale visit does come with a cautionary tale, though.
And Bourton-on-the-Water serves up the perfect picture spots, with a steady stream of visitors — although slightly less so now that summer is over (another good reason to visit in autumn).
Plus, staying in the heart of the village comes with the luxury of slipping out before the crowds for a peaceful wander in the sunshine to grab a morning coffee.
Bakery On The Water is the enemy of your waistline, but well worth it. Two cappuccinos and a side of pastry and sausage roll was the fuel we needed to explore.
We bounced from gift shop to restaurant, perusing all the lovely-looking menus, past the sweet store and ice cream parlour (making a note to return in summer), before turning the corner to find the beautiful Victorian Christmas Shop — a treasure trove for the festive-obsessed among us, myself included.
Coffees long gone, we treated ourselves to a pint or two by the fire at The Old New Inn, and wiled away the afternoon playing cards and debating where to eat that evening.
Bourton-on-the-Water leaves you completely spoilt for choice when it comes to food. With Smiths, the award-winning burger joint, two Italians, a Chinese, chippie and pizza spot, it’s almost impossible to agree.
A beautiful old mill towers above the River Eye at Lower SlaughterCredit: Getty
GO: COTSWOLDS
STAYING THERE: Save 20 per cent off all 2027 dates for all Cotswold Cottages, when booked before November 16.
A four-night midweek break at Kestrel Cottage is from £476.50 in January. For this autumn, four nights arriving November 20 is from £532 in total.
Members of Boundless – the club for public sector and civil service workers, employed and retired – can save an extra ten per cent. See boundless.co.uk.
After much debate, we opted for one of the lovely village pubs, The Willow, which has a huge garden overlooking the river.
This hostelry does pub classics properly, including a top-notch fish served with suitably crunchy chips (£19.95) and a traditional steak and mushroom pie loaded with moreish gravy (£19.50). The roast dinners looked good, too. Although those are best saved for Sundays.
Ahead of filling your belly, a Sunday in the Cotswolds is best spent strolling the scenic landscapes — and this time we decided to venture beyond the confines of the village.
A gentle, winding footpath guided us through the countryside towards the twin villages of Lower Slaughter and Upper Slaughter.
The peaceful, 1.5-mile route takes you along the banks of the River Eye, past wildflower meadows and yet more honey-coloured cottages.
The tranquillity of Lower Slaughter (despite its name) is what struck us most, especially when compared to its tourist hotspot neighbour. Crowds were minimal and all that could be heard was the chirp of birds and a gentle stream.
If you’d like to fuel here ahead of your walk back, Slaughters Country Inn is known for its excellent roasts.
Cosying up inside by the fire, we enjoyed another well-earned drink before ducking low ceilings to get to the restaurant, where we were met by giant Yorkshires, roast beef and all the trimmings.
Skip dessert, though, and end your meal at the Hawkstone Brewery instead — another gem we can thank Jeremy Clarkson for.
It’s less Aperol spritz and more traditional English pints — mine with an elderflower twist. The perfect way to toast an autumn escape.
Erin Cuthbert expressed joy and relief at making her first appearance of the season in Scotland’s impressive 2-0 win over the Czech Republic.
By winning the Women’s World Cup round-one play-off away leg, the Scots are well set up for the return in Paisley on Tuesday, with Sweden the likely opponent for the team that progresses.
Chelsea captain Cuthbert, 28, is yet to feature at club level this season following a knee injury and came on as a substitute in Pardubice. Fellow sub Claire Emslie finished superbly for the Scots’ second after captain Caroline Weir’s stunning opener.
“It’s so good,” Cuthbert told BBC Scotland.
“It’s been such a long summer. It’s always great to come on and play for my country again – I’ll never take it for granted when I get a serious injury.
“I’m just glad to get back on a football pitch. The relief, the amount of self-doubt that you have, the amount of stress – am I going to be back to the same level, how am I going to perform, is my knee going to be alright? All those things run through your head.
“It was a bad one. I was in crutches and a brace for the best part of a month. I lost a fair amount of muscle and over the summer I was trying to rebuild all of that again.
While none of the routes are new for Brits, more routes also mean lower prices.
The flights are already on sale, with the cheaper options if you book sooner rather than later.
The Greek island of Rhodes is getting two new flight routesCredit: AlamyCity break destinations like Porto will also be easier to get toCredit: Alamy
Ryanair CMO Dara Brady, said: “These are the first of our new Summer 2027 routes to go on sale, with more exciting additions to be announced as Ryanair continues to expand Europe’s largest route network.
“Customers looking to secure the lowest fares for their Summer 2027 travel should head to the Ryanair app/website and book now to get ahead of the curve.”
PHOENIX — An Arizona congressional candidate says she was knocked unconscious and sexually assaulted this summer when repairing campaign signs overnight.
Bernadette Greene-Placentia told investigators that two men raped her, and she kicked her feet up at one point to try to fight back. She said she felt the weight of one of her attackers on her body, and had bruises on her arms from being held down, a bump on her head and other injuries, according to police reports.
“I knew that I had been knocked out,” Greene-Placentia told the Associated Press on Wednesday.
Greene-Placentia, 52, is a Democrat who is challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh for the 8th Congressional District seat representing parts of metro Phoenix that are reliably red. She said she told her husband and campaign staff about the mid-August attack in Sun City days after it happened. The Phoenix New Times first reported on it Wednesday.
Greene-Placentia told the AP she was disgusted that two men took control of her body and she had no say in it. She said she decided to speak out publicly when she realized she was telling voters she would advocate for them when she was not advocating for herself.
“My takeaway is that I have a lot more empathy and understanding of why so many women don’t come forward,” she said. “And, and I’m hoping that I can encourage them.”
Greene-Placentia said she couldn’t recall many details of the Aug. 14 assault, including the exact location or a description of the men, though she said one wore black boots and had small feet. She told investigators one of the men used an expletive to describe her, and she believes he referenced her political party.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on its investigation of the attack.
Greene-Placentia is a former long-haul trucker and later ran a small transportation company, according to her campaign.
In a social media post supporting Democrat Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 run for the presidency, Greene-Placentia called herself a former Republican and a “never Trumper,” and said she voted Libertarian in 2016. Greene-Placentia later became more engaged in Arizona Democratic politics.
She said she often put up and repaired campaign signs overnight because it was cooler than the blistering summer days and there was less traffic.
Arizona Democratic Party treasurer Greg Freeman said he got a call from Greene-Placentia, a friend who ran his 2024 campaign for a county assessor, the morning of Aug. 17. She told him she had been sexually assaulted by two men, Freeman said, and he could tell she wasn’t ready to go to the police or share it publicly.
“Obviously she was processing it on the phone,” Freeman said. “She was just in shock. She was just horrified by what happened.”
Greene-Placentia said she wishes she had called police immediately and gone to the hospital. After the attack, she took multiple showers and washed the clothes she was wearing, police reports state.
The embarrassment and anger made it hard for her to come forward, she said. She reported the attack to police in late August.
SAN FRANCISCO — This was never going to be a game for the Lakers to remember. But with nearly half of the roster sidelined because of injuries or resting, Adou Thiero at least tried to inject some life into a sleepy preseason back-to-back.
Thiero’s towering one-handed dunk over two Golden State defenders provided a highlight in the Lakers’ otherwise forgettable 124-98 preseason loss to the Warriors at Chase Center on Tuesday. The Lakers leaned on their depth to get through their second short-handed preseason game in as many nights.
Guard Quentin Grimes, the only player who started in the second consecutive game for the Lakers, had 12 points and three assists. Forward Sandro Mamukelashvili started at center and had 15 points and a trio of three-pointers. Thiero, getting a rare starting moment, scored seven points and grabbed four rebounds while Bronny James had four points and five assists in a starting role.
Star guard Luka Doncic sat out after scoring 21 points in one half Monday against the Sacramento Kings. After setting the tone defensively against the Kings, forwards Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle watched from the sideline Tuesday. The Lakers were also without center Walker Kessler (finger), guards Austin Reaves (ankle) and Collin Sexton (lower body) and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma (lower body), who all missed their second consecutive preseason game.
Thiero has been prepared for this type of opportunity. The second-year forward is trying to take advantage of his first true NBA preseason after knee injuries marred his rookie season. He played in his first summer league games, showing incremental progress during games in San Francisco and Las Vegas.
Thiero started the summer moving too quickly through games, crashing into the lane and flying recklessly toward the rim. He even missed time from a minor wrist injury suffered during a fall. But as the summer progressed, he settled into the pace of the game. During a Las Vegas Summer League game, Thiero flashed his potential with 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks with zero turnovers in 30 minutes.
“I feel like that just came with playing more, and just understanding what I was supposed to do, understanding my role,” Thiero said this week of his progress during the summer. “I feel like my role during summer league is very different compared to my role during the season. I was on-ball more. Even creating the offense in summer league. And I didn’t have much experience with that at the time, but as summer league kept going on, I got more comfortable with it and realizing when to speed up and everything.”
Thiero is fighting for minutes in a deep wing group led by Williams and Thybulle. The Lakers have stocked their team with versatile perimeter defenders to help complement their offensive-minded backcourt of Doncic and Reaves. Thiero, whom Reaves described as “a freak-of-nature” athlete, could add a unique quality to the rotation.
“Our ceiling rises if he’s able to [contribute defensively] and be an impactful offensive player with crashing, with cutting, with touching the paint, playing off two feet,” coach JJ Redick said before Monday’s preseason game. “I’ve seen a lot of growth there from him over the last six, seven weeks. That’s exciting.”
PADDLING kayaks through the serene 8,000-year-old bog, we’re about to enter the “second maze”, according to our guide Elina.
Locals call it this because the small islands of shrubs, moss and reeds we’re navigating are constantly shifting above the mineral-rich water, making the route through ever-changing.
The cobbled streets and colourful art nouveau buildings of Latvia’s capital, RigaCredit: Shutterstock / Altug GalipYou’ll find lush landscapes at Kemeri National ParkCredit: Alamy Stock Photo
If you want a moment to really pause, Latvia’s the place.
Over half of the country, which is a quarter of the UK’s size, is covered in forest, and with a population of fewer than 2 million, it’s not hard to find a stunning spot all to yourself – even in the height of summer.
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We return to the shore to find Elina’s mother-in-law cooking up a feast on a portable stove.
Slices of ham and bread are served alongside a huge flask of coffee, helpings of traditional grey pea and bacon broth, and piles of fresh pancakes, both savoury potato and apple, which are demolished by my kids Poppy, seven, and Raffy, five.
It’s a brunch made from simple ingredients, but it is utterly delicious, especially when devoured in the vivid green landscape of Kemeri National Park.
Kayaking tours cost from £21.50 per person (Boardsyou.lv).
Ravishing Riga
Suite digs at Hotel Grand Poet By SemarahCredit: Supplied
The starting point for our trip is the cobbled streets and colourful art nouveau buildings of Latvia’s capital.
Riga sits little more than half an hour from the white sandy beaches of the Baltic coast (with a sea warmer than Cornwall’s come summer, FYI) and an abundance of nature, like those ancient bogs.
We arrive during celebrations for the city’s 825th anniversary and to streets alive with brass bands and artistic performances.
Even at its busiest, though, Riga still feels gloriously uncrowded, despite striking architecture and sculptures at every turn – the black felines perched on the turrets of Cat House and the Bremmen Town Musicians Statue of four animals balancing upon each other (said to bring luck if you rub their noses) our favourites.
Hotel Grand Poet By Semarah, with its flamboyant interiors, lies opposite pretty Bastejkalna Park, just a short stroll from the beautifully kept Old Town.
Its spa – where kids are welcome throughout the day – is home to a swimming pool, whirlpool, steam room and two saunas, and we even spot TV chef Prue Leith at the breakfast buffet one morning.
The black felines perched on the turrets of Cat House are said to bring luck if you rub their noseCredit: Alamy Stock Photo
One of Riga’s most popular weekend spots, Mežaparks, is set on alluring Lake Kišezers, where pedalos, rowing boats and SUPs are for hire, and swimming from its sandy shore is a breeze.
Cabo, with its hammocks and swinging seats, is an idyllic spot for sipping a rhubarb spritz, £7.70, while the kids splash about, and we hire a four-seater pedal kart to whizz around the forest trails, £17 per hour (Cabo.lv).
It would be easy to while away a whole day shoreside, but with Riga Zoo also here, we soon find ourselves giggling at the swaggering chief gelada (similar to a baboon), then wide-eyed at the glow-in-the-dark scorpions in the tropical house.
Another morning well spent is at Marupe Wake Park – its inflatable water obstacle course is one of Europe’s largest, with slides, swings, zip wires and climbing challenges.
As we hop across a giant panda and unicorn, the kids’ confidence grows with each leap, before we all revive ourselves in the sauna overlooking the lake, chuckling about our most spectacular splash landings.
Later, among vibrant Mediterranean-inspired wall murals, we find a meal worthy of any great city.
We’re at Italissimo, where the little ones tuck into proper lasagne, £4, and pasta in butter broth with parmesan, £3, glugging down home-made berry lemonades, £3.70, while I dig into sublime truffled burrata with parma ham and wine-poached pear, £13.50, and tiger prawn ravioli with asparagus and a creamy bisque sauce, £14.50.
Cocktails, such as the Malfy Sour – a limoncello and citrus gin blend, £9 – are also excellent.
We soon clock children disappearing downstairs and discover a pastel playroom with a giant ball pit and interactive games screen, much to the kids’ glee (Facebook.com/restaurant.italissimo).
Going medieval
Turaida Castle towers over Gauja National ParkCredit: Alamy Stock Photo
Restaurant Rozengrals, meanwhile, is a celebration of Riga’s medieval roots.
One lunchtime, we descend the steep steps and follow torch-lit tunnels to an underground dining hall for a huge platter of oven-baked duck with cherry-onion jam on a bed of pulses, £25, and pastry parcels stuffed with spinach and cheese, £7.20.
Sea buckthorn with honey, £4, is quickly declared a hit by all and we finish off by sharing Countess Amelia’s Caprice – tiny iced cakes encased in filo pastry, made from another 15th-century recipe, £6 (Rozengrals.lv).
Nearby, we discover GunsnLasers, an entertainment arcade tucked away in Galerija Centrs shopping centre, where e-karting proves to be a blast for kids and we all tear around the interactive Pixels Room, trying to avoid stepping on the ever-moving red squares of a giant light-up grid.
Donning VR headsets for family challenges is also a lot of fun for everyone.
Expect al dente deliciousness at ItalissimoCredit: Italissimo Restaurant/Instagram
Still, we’re here to explore Latvia’s stunning landscapes, and an hour’s drive from Riga is Gauja National Park, the home of Turaida Castle – a reconstructed medieval fortress in lush grounds dotted with sculptures.
The kids love spotting ancient weapons and climbing the main tower with its views of the Gauja river.
Later, after venison stew with figs, £17.50, at quaint Kungu Riga (Kungurija.lv), we check out adventure park Tarzans.
Here, alongside the thrills of high-rope obstacle courses, tubing and bungee trampolining, there are activities such as a downhill hamster wheel, giant catapult and a toboggan track that hurtles us through the trees.
Packages cost £26 per child, £30 per adult (Tarzans.lv).
It all makes for a cracking afternoon – just as Latvia makes for a cracking summer adventure.
The Ducks have signed promising young defenseman Tristan Luneau to a six-year contract extension worth $43.2 million after just 14 NHL appearances.
The Ducks announced the deal Thursday with the 22-year-old Luneau, whose promising career has been slowed by injury. Now healthy and ready for a full-time NHL role, he inked a long-term deal with the team that drafted him in the second round in 2022.
Luneau was the Quebec major junior league’s top defenseman in the 2022-23 season and he made the Ducks’ roster out of training camp the next fall. But Luneau came down with a viral infection that winter while practicing with Canada’s national junior team, forcing him to miss the rest of the year.
Anaheim took a deliberate approach with Luneau’s health for the past two seasons, keeping him with its AHL affiliate in San Diego for most of that time. But the Ducks never wavered in their belief that Luneau will be an above-average defenseman, and they proved it with a long-term contract for a player who suited up in just one game for the NHL club last season.
Luneau will be expected to play a significant role this season for the Ducks, who lost four veteran defensemen — Jacob Trouba, captain Radko Gudas, John Carlson and Olen Zellweger — from last season’s already mediocre blue line group over the summer.
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek moved aggressively to lock up Luneau after being burned repeatedly in restricted free agency over the offseason.
Verbeek spent months failing to reach a deal with center Leo Carlsson, who then signed a $90-million offer sheet with Philadelphia that briefly made him the NHL’s highest-paid player before Anaheim matched it. Carlsson is among the best young centers in hockey, but his deal is worth much more than he was expected to get as a restricted free agent — as is the five-year, $36 million deal given to Pavel Mintyukov by Verbeek after other teams began to sniff around the Russian defenseman in the wake of Carlsson’s massive offer sheet.
Verbeek then signed high-scoring forward Cutter Gauthier to a six-year, $81 million extension last month, but the resulting salary cap constraints from Verbeek’s summer of misadventure effectively forced the Ducks to waive 22-goal scorer Chris Kreider, damaging their depth.
Luneau will join Jackson LaCombe and Mintyukov as the new core of the Ducks’ defense. Rising star LaCombe agreed to an eight-year, $72-million extension a year ago.
Anaheim ended a seven-year playoff drought last spring, advancing to the second round under coach Joel Quenneville. The Ducks open the regular season Friday at Vegas before their home opener Sunday against Florida.
WASHINGTON — A judge in the nation’s capital agreed on Thursday to permanently dismiss a criminal case charging a former Olympian with vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a move that could prevent federal prosecutors from reviving the case under political pressure from President Trump.
D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman ordered the dismissal of David Hearn’s case with “prejudice,” which would block U.S. Atty. Jeanine Pirro’s office from refiling the felony charge against him. The judge ruled nearly a month after hearing attorneys’ arguments.
Hearn’s lawyers say Trump administration officials have continued to falsely accuse the Maryland resident of vandalizing the reflecting pool despite Pirro’s decision to drop the case on July 31. Trump responded by saying Pirro “choked” and “folded like an umbrella.”
In a court filing in July, Pirro said new evidence produced by the Interior Department showed Hearn wasn’t responsible for damage to the pool’s lining. Pirro’s office attributed the damage instead to a botched installation by a contractor as well as a rush to complete the project in time for this summer’s America 250 celebration in Washington.
Pirro’s admission was an embarrassing setback for the White House. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has backed Trump’s claims that vandals damaged the pool.
Hearn has said he was on a bike ride on June 19 when he reached in to examine the pool’s newly peeled coating and briefly touched a chunk attached to the side of the pool. But he said he obeyed a park worker’s command to let go of it.
Hearn was charged with one count of property destruction, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. His lawyers questioned whether prosecutors properly presented the grand jury with adequate evidence to support the charge and the amount of damage alleged by the government.
Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, competed in three Summer Olympics, earning his best finish, ninth, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee says on its website.
Trump, a Republican, appointed Pirro, a former Fox News host, to serve as the top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia. Edelman was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama.
Hearn’s attorneys said the ruling is “a victory for the rule of law and for an innocent American seeking justice” and allows Hearn to “move forward with his life as he deserves.”
“This administration chose to pursue an unjust prosecution against Mr. Hearn. It should not get repeated chances to wield the power of criminal prosecution against someone who should never have been prosecuted,” the lawyers said in a statement.
IF you haven’t started planning your holidays for next summer yet, well you’re in luck as easyJet has just announced 18 new routes.
Whether you want to head off to a popular city break destination or explore somewhere you would have never considered, the major budget airline is launching routes to several countries.
EasyJet is launching 18 new flight routes for next summer including to lesser-known destinations such as Tivat in MontenegroCredit: Getty
For example, if you love visiting Spain there will be six new routes to the country including the airline’s first-ever flights to Girona.
Often dubbed the Immortal City due to its long history of being attacked and defended over the centuries, Girona is the perfect spot for Game of Thrones fans as it was used for filming the series.
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The route will take off from Liverpool on March 28 and operate twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Though, if you are based closer to London flights to Girona will also take off from Gatwick starting on June 3, operating three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Fancy somewhere else in Spain? Liverpool will gain a new route to Murcia from March 29, taking off twice a week on Mondays and Fridays.
Alternatively, if you are based in Scotland, Aberdeen will gain flights to Barcelona from March 31, taking off on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The same airport will also launch flights to Majorca from May 3, on Thursdays and Sundays.
Or with a 700-year-old historic quarter, you can travel to Bilbao from Edinburgh starting March 30 with flights operating on Tuesdays and Sundays.
In Tivat, make sure to head to the marina which is backed by mountainsCredit: Getty
Away from Spain, there will be three new routes flying to France from nextsummer as well.
Found on the island of Corsica, with sprawling Mediterranean beaches and scenic coastal walks, you could head to Ajaccio from London Gatwick, starting on June 30.
Alternatively, from Bristol Airport, head to Montpellier from July 1 or if you are based near Manchester, flights to Bastia launch on June 29.
Each of these routes will operate twice a week.
If enjoying delicious pasta in Italy is more your thing, there is a new route launching between Birmingham and Milan Malpensa from March 29 operating twice a week on Mondays and Fridays.
Edinburgh will also gain flights to the ‘eternal city’ of Rome from March 30, with flights departing on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
There are new flights to Greece as well including RhodesCredit: Viliam MuchaAlternatively, you could head to a number of new destinations across Spain, France and ItalyCredit: Getty
For somewhere a little different you can head to Montenegro from Edinburgh, with flights heading to Tivat from March 29.
There will be flights between Birmingham and Tivat too, beginning on May 3.
Both routes will operate twice weekly.
When in Tivat, explore the marina backed by mountains and home to the Tivat Submarine, which is a decommissioned Heroj P-821 submarine that is part of the Maritime Heritage Museum.
If you happen to live in or near the Scottish capital, you can fly to Hamburg in Germany as well from March 29.
And Bristol will add flights to Burgas in Bulgaria from May 28.
Back in the north, from Newcastle you could head to Larnaca, Cyprus, and enjoy soft,sandy beaches from March 31, operating weekly on Wednesdays.
And if you want to live out your Mamma Mia dreams, there are two new routes to Greece launching including flights from London Southend to Rhodes starting on April 27 and operating twice a week as well as flights between London Luton and Thessaloniki starting on May 1, with weekly Saturday flights.
Ulster have handed starts to five of their summer signings for Friday’s United Rugby Championship opener against Edinburgh at the Affidea Stadium (19:45 BST).
They form part of a total of eight players in the matchday squad who are set to make their competitive debuts for the Irish province.
New forward additions Eduardo Bello, Eli Snyman, Ben Donnell and Martin Moloney are named in the starting team, with another new recruit, Jamie Benson, chosen among the backs.
Ireland wing Robert Baloucoune is back in the starting line-up, while last season’s top try-scorer Zac Ward is among the replacements, both players having been involved in Ireland camp over the summer.
Full-back Michael Lowry is named as captain.
After missing all of last season because of a knee injury, James McNabney makes his competitive return, starting at number eight.
Argentine debutant Bello joins Eric O’Sullivan and James McCormick in the front row, with Snyman and Donnell forming the second row.
In the back row, there is a debut for former Exeter Chiefs forward Moloney at open-side flanker, with McCann starting at blind-side.
Conor McKee and Jack Murphy make up the half-back combination, while ex-Harlequins back Benson and Ben Carson team up in midfield.
Baloucoune is selected on the right wing and Development back Aitzol Arenzana-King on the left.
Arenzana-King crossed for four tries in Ulster’s pre-season games against Edinburgh and Ospreys.
Development hooker Henry Walker, prop Keynan Knox and scrum-half Matthew Devine are named in a youthful bench.
Forwards Walker, Tom McAllister, Knox, Harry Sheridan and James McKillop, and backs Devine, Jake Flannery and Zac Ward are chosen as replacements.
THE CEO of Ryanair has warned that there’s “no doubt” that air fares will rise by summer next year.
However, if you secure a deal now, it’s likely to be cheaper than if you wait until the last minute – and we’ve found some worth booking.
Ryanair boss has warned that flight prices will go up next yearCredit: GettyTo avoid soaring costs – book your summer break now rather than leave it last minuteCredit: Getty
The conflict in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz has resulted in the rising price of oil – it has recently increased to over $100 (£75.57) a barrel.
Some airlines have hedged their fuel (meaning they pay a set price) but this could come to an end if the conflict continues into next year.
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Talking about 2027, Michael O’Leary said that flight prices were “only going one way”, which is “significantly upward”.
He added: “Fares for Ryanair passengers and every other passenger into the summer of 2027 are going to rise materially, I believe, because of significantly higher oil prices.
“I have no doubt fares are rising next year. The question is by how much.”
If you want to bag yourself a summer holiday now before the price increases begin, here are some more affordable deals that we’ve found…
The Costas, Spain
Whether you want to hit the coast or the cities, Spain is always a safe option for Brits.
Consider coastal regions like the Costa Brava, Costa del Sol, Costa Brava and Costa de la Luz for your next break.
There are beautiful Mediterranean beaches with sandy shores and warm seas especially in the summer months – not to mention lots of spots are very affordable.
With On the Beach, book a stay for two at the Merce Hotel on the Costa Brava from July 1 for seven nights from £335pp – it has a rooftop pool, a restaurant and the seaside village has plenty of bars and coffee shops.
The Costa Brava has beautiful beaches and is a few hours from the UKCredit: Getty Images
Marrakesh, Morocco
For guaranteed sun, and short flights, Marrakesh is a great option when it comes to holidays.
The city centre has lots to see and explore like busy souks and huge palaces.
If you’re after a quieter break, there are lots of riads outside of the city – one of which is just beyond the Atlas Mountains.
A seven-night break for two in Marrakesh at the Riad Atlas Prestige between July 12 -19 can be booked from £279pp with loveholidays.
The small hotel has nine guestrooms with a roof terrace for dining and is close to waterfalls and a small village – the city centre can be reached in an hour and a half by car.
If you pay a £19 deposit today today – the rest can be paid in nine monthly instalments.
Marrakesh is a great option for summer with city and remote breaksCredit: GettyParts of Albania have been compared to the MaldivesCredit: Alamy
Albanian Riviera
The Albanian Riviera is predicted to be a popular destination next year thanks to its consistently growing tourist numbers.
Much of the coastline has white-sand beaches and bright blue waters with bustling beach clubs and bars.
Even better is that Albania sits around the mid-20s in spring, and during summertime can be over 30C.
The four-star Hotel Aliko is a few minutes away from the beach with views of both the sea and mountains.
Bulgaria
If you’re heading away with the kids in 2027 consider Bulgaria as a cheaper alternative when it comes to package breaks.
It doesn’t even take that log to get there with the average flight time of just over three hours and temperatures of up to 30C in August.
A family of four can opt for full board seven-night break at the Garden of Eden Hotel with loveholidays from £549pp between August 2-9.
The hotel sits right by a sandy beach, it has eight outdoor swimming pools, three restaurants, a spa and there’s a children’s club during the summer too.
If you’re heading on a family holiday in 2027 – here are more options with some of the best deals from £36pp a month from Malta to Tenerife.
Here are some tips on how to find cheap flights…
Skyscanner is a great option for comparing the price of flights with various airlines – and it even have a price drop tool.
The feature claims to scour up to 80 billion prices a day and shows which destinations have seen flights that have dropped 20 per cent compared to the last week.
Google Flights is another search engine which compares flight prices and shows multiple airline options.
If you choose the ‘explore’ option, it can show the cheapest, direct flights across the world.
For even more hacks on when to fly, Expedia has put together a handy list on the cheapest days to fly – which is Friday.
Compared to travelling on a Saturday, jetting off the day before can save up to 18 per cent.
It also found that found that international travellers can save £93 on average by booking between 15 and 30 days ahead, instead of six months.
Where you fly from also makes a difference – some of the most expensive UK airports to fly from are London Heathrow, Humberside and Manchester..
