trip

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom dismissed an escalating federal investigation into his administration, including the donations that paid for his travel, saying it was retribution for his criticism of President Trump and his policies.

Newsom’s response Saturday comes after a report in the San Francisco Standard that subpoenas were issued in early September seeking records from the California State Protocol Foundation. The nonprofit pays for Newsom’s travel expenses and is funded primarily by corporate donations and run by a board Newsom appoints.

The latest legal development comes three months after Newsom accused the Justice Department of launching a baseless, politically motivated investigation of him and his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The Democratic governor, who is considering a 2028 run for president, at the time said that federal agents had “knocked on the doors of family friends and former employees,” and were digging through years of records in a quest to find any kind of wrongdoing by him or his wife.

Newsom’s spokesperson Tara Gallegos called the latest developments part of a “baseless MAGA conspiracy theory.”

“There is just a sick man in the White House weaponizing the federal government to settle personal scores. It’s deeply upsetting to see innocent staff, friends, and family have their names dragged through the mud just because they’re associated with the Governor,” Gallegos said in a statement.

The subpoenas issued stated that the information sought was for an ongoing criminal inquiry and was signed by Assistant U.S. Atty. Michael D. Anderson, according to the Standard. The information requested included communications with Steve Kawa, who has served as head of the foundation and was Newsom’s chief of staff when he was mayor of San Francisco, and Rebecca Prowda, who works for the foundation and is the wife of San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, the news report stated.

“We are not able to discuss any investigations at present, but the Protocol Foundation will continue its work, defraying costs from taxpayers while representing all Californians,” said Lily Becker, an attorney who provided a statement on behalf of the foundation.

The protocol foundation was created as a tax-exempt charity during Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration in 2004, and was intended to defray taxpayer costs for the governor’s travel.

When Schwarzenegger left office, his supporters turned the protocol foundation over to Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown’s backers, who in turn handed it over to Newsom’s team. The foundation describes its mission in federal tax filings as “relieving the State of California of its obligations to fund certain expenditures of the Governor’s Office.”

Newsom appoints members to the foundation board, which determines what expenses to cover in the governor’s office.

The foundation covers the cost of Newsom’s international travel and certain domestic trips. His staff’s travel is also covered by the foundation. The foundation paid nearly $4,000 for his trip to Mexico City to attend the inauguration of Mexico’s first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum, and paid $15,200 for the governor’s 2023 trip to China, where he visited five cities in seven days.

In 2020, the foundation paid $8,800 for Newsom to travel to Miami for Super Bowl LIV — where he said he was representing the state as the San Francisco 49ers faced the Kansas City Chiefs.

Among the donors to the foundation are healthcare giants Centene and CVS Pharmacy. Others include the clean-energy nonprofit U.S. Energy Foundation, which donated $150,000 for the California delegation to attend COP30 in Belém, Brazil. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation donated $300,000 in a 2023 behested payment earmarked for the California delegation traveling to China for the meetings on climate change. UC Berkeley gave $220,000 for the governor’s office’s trip to the Vatican in 2024.

HOPPING from place to place in a motorhome may not sound a particularly relaxing way to spend a week, compared to lying on a sun lounger at a resort.

But there’s a sense of excitement with a road trip that no fly-and-flop holiday could ever match.

The sheer adventure, access to off-grid locations and freedom to move wherever the wind takes you are something money can’t buy.

That’s why I dragged my wife and two kids (aged six and three) away from the beach for our first ever campervan voyage, through the West Midlands, rural Shropshire and the North Welsh countryside.

And it beat all of our beach holidays, hands down.

We were in a Swift Trekker 584, a beast of a motorhome that’s nicer than my house, with sleeping space for four people, a roomy bathroom and mini kitchen complete with oven and hob.

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From day one my boy fully embraced #vanlife, becoming a key helper in the not-so-glam, but necessary, daily tasks as we moved between driving, eating and sleeping — hooking up the electricity and water, ensuring things were properly stowed away and always making sure the toilet hatch was closed.

We cheated a little by switching out motorhome staples like spag bol or soup for the occasional restaurant but, by the end, we’d fully mastered road-trip life.

Our first base was Llanberis, a stunning village at the foot of Snowdon offering brilliant hiking in the surrounding mountains and watersports at two lakes on its doorstep.

Ahead of arrival, we’d booked a pitch with Morris Leisure, a highly rated camping operator specialising in motorhomes and caravans, with parks across North Wales, Herefordshire and Shropshire.

Its Llanberis Touring Park is ideally located, with direct footpaths to Snowdonia and a five-minute walk to the village centre.

Some pitches have electricity and wifi while others have fresh water, plus there’s a shower block and a laundry area.

And the best thing is, if you are motorhome novices like us, there’s an on-site shop crammed with anything you may have forgotten, plus caravan accessories and essentials.

After Wales, we made our way to the market town of Oswestry and Park Hall Farm (make sure to watch one of the hilarious pig races), then it was on to the Shropshire town of Shrewsbury.

Its high street is frequently named one of the best in the UK, so we had high hopes.

It didn’t disappoint. Rather than being overrun with vape shops, bookies and barbers, the main stretch was littered with Tudor architecture and chock-full of independent shops, cafes, pubs, restaurants, ­museums and galleries.

The place is buzzing and a pleasure to walk around.

Kids will love the Quarry Park for the splash zone, while budding young artists may prefer to get stuck into one of the workshops at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery.

Or you can ditch the road for the water and book a trip along the river Severn with Sabrina Boat.

Prefer to travel by train? The ­Severn Valley Railway is a delightful experience and offers day trips through the rolling countryside, as well as special themed events.

Those visiting during October half-term will be able to book ­Halloween-inspired journeys from Kidderminster station, with scare trains for little ones as well as those aged 18 and over.

Our only regret was missing out on a film at Old Market Hall cinema, an independent screen sitting in a beautiful building dating from 1596.

It’s not just the destinations themselves that make a motorhome trip so magical, though.

Journeying along the A4086 and the A5 offered gorgeous scenery and rolling hills that kept us entertained for hours.

When we eventually dropped off the van, our home for the week, it was with a very heavy heart.

No motorhome trip will ever be stress-free and it does require a level of planning and organisation beyond your average resort holiday.

But the freedom can’t be matched.

And the memories from our motorhome will long outlive those from a Spanish sun lounger.

UNITED NATIONS: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making a whirlwind 24-hour trip to speak at the annual U.N. gathering of world leaders this month because “there is no option” after New York’s mayor urged his arrest over the war in Gaza, Israel’s U.N. envoy said Tuesday.

Ambassador Danny Danon accused Mayor Zohran Mamdani of “doing politics” when he called the prime minister a “war criminal” and called for his arrest, which he had to withdraw because New York City does not have authority to take Netanyahu into custody.

“You know, it became very trendy to do politics by blaming Israel,” Danon added. He stressed, “For us, it’s important the prime minister will come.”

Netanyahu has become an increasingly polarizing figure over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Mamdani, whose office did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Tuesday, has pointed to the arrest warrant issued by the world’s top war crimes tribunal against Netanyahu in November 2024, accusing him and another Israeli official of crimes against humanity.

The International Criminal Court warrant said there was reason to believe Netanyahu used “starvation as a weapon of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeting civilians in the campaign against Hamas — charges Israel denies.

While New York City does not have legal authority to execute an ICC arrest warrant, Mamdani has encouraged the federal government to do so. The U.S. and Israel are not members of the court, and the Trump administration has imposed a series of sanctions on ICC staffers in a campaign to dismantle the tribunal.

Netanyahu is scheduled to arrive in New York late on Sept. 23, address the U.N. General Assembly the afternoon of Sept. 24 and fly back to Israel that night, Danon said.

Danon noted that the meeting of leaders from the 193 U.N. member nations is taking place during the Jewish holidays and an election campaign as Netanyahu tries to keep his job as prime minister.

Danon said protests against Netanyahu would “create more chaos” on New York streets during the high-level meetings the week of Sept. 22-28.

Last year, there was a mass walkout from the U.N. General Assembly hall when Netanyahu started to speak from the podium. This year, Danon said, “I expect that there will be something like another show.”

But the ambassador said Netanyahu is experienced, “and I’m sure he will deliver his speech despite those attempts.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect from an autumn trip to Finland, my first ever to the country, but spending an afternoon sprawled on a deck chair beneath blazing blue skies certainly wasn’t part of it. After a morning walking beneath the leafy canopy at the Mustila Arboretum – the oldest, most extensive botanical garden in the country – and a lunchtime wine-tasting (more of which later), my friend Sara and I pitched up at the Sahanlahti resort, deep in the Finnish Lakeland, only to find sun-drenched scenery that felt far more Mediterranean than Nordic.

Sahanlahti was the second stop on a mid-September road trip from Helsinki to the shores of Lake Saimaa; a journey in search of ruska, the spectacular autumn colours that blaze for a few short weeks before the long Finnish winter sets in. However, on our opening drive east from the airport to the Radalla resort, set on Lake Urajärvi, most of the thousands of trees we drove past were resolutely green, with just the very tips of the leaves tinged with auburn, like a foliage balayage.

“You’re too early,” the waitress told us, cheerfully, after we had checked in to our chic waterfront cabins, and were tucking into hefty plates of crispy garlic chicken, scattered with freshly picked chanterelles, in Radalla’s quiet dining room. “But you might get some sun tomorrow.” Later, walking back to our cabins through thick drizzle, we agreed she was most probably just being kind.

The Radalla resort is just one of dozens of lakeside hotels scattered across southern Finland – many with self-catering cabins, sauna complexes and gleaming metal steps that lead from wooden piers down into the chilly waters of the lake. The grey drizzle we awoke to made a dip less than appealing, and instead we decided to set off for our next stop, taking in the arboretum en route before finding a place for lunch.

Driving in southern Finland turned out to be quite different from other countries. Most settlements fringe the lakesides, so they tend to be tucked away down side roads leading off from the main highway. Instead, trees – those resolutely green trees – rolled past us for mile after mile, until slowly the fields began to melt into lakes, one after another, the road snaking alongside the blue-grey waters, or stitching together small islets that lay scattered between them.

Googling somewhere for lunch, Sara came across the Ollinmäki winery, an unexpected find in a country that grows absolutely no grapes. Instead, berry wines are hugely popular, and once settled in at our table, we were persuaded to try a flight of six, accompanied by a bowl of hearty elk soup (which tasted considerably better than it looked) and a leaf salad with local cheese. One wine, the white currant and berry Myllärin Matti was particularly delicious, with the tang of a crisp sauvignon – although I wouldn’t want to find out what a Finnish hangover feels like.

From the winery it was an easy drive to Sahanlahti, by which time the weather had cleared and pin-sharp blue skies gleamed above the shores of Lake Saimaa. The main house – painted butterscotch-yellow and dating back to the mid-18th century, when the owners presided over the local sawmill – had a languidly old-fashioned air, but dinner at the Koskivahti restaurant was anything but: rich mushroom soup, slivers of goose confit with lingonberry sauce, wafer-thin beetroot carpaccio with tangy goat’s cheese.

It might have been too early for the leaves to turn, but we had arrived right in the middle of harvest season, when heading out into the fields and islands to pick wild mushrooms and berries (of which there are 35 different varieties) is practically a national sport. We had barely set down our bags at our final stop, Järvisydän resort, before we were whizzing out across Saimaa on a small motor boat, baskets tucked between our feet, to hunt for chanterelles and look for rare ringed seals and ospreys.

The sky was flawlessly blue as we whipped across the water, disembarking first to pick the mushrooms – slashes of bright yellow among the green undergrowth. We were guided in our harvesting by Sebastian, the 12th generation of the Heiskanen family to be running Järvisydän. “Back in 1654,” he told us, “my family were given a portion of land by the Russian tsar, to build a tavern on the route between St Petersburg and Helsinki.” More than 350 years later, the tavern has morphed into a 100-room resort, offering everything from starkly modern glass-walled cabins, high in the forest, to hexagonal log houses with bedrooms set off a central, fire-lit atrium, and camping pods.

It’s an extraordinary place: everything – from the vast reception, dwarfed by a replica Viking longship hull hung above reception, to the restaurants, bar and the Hobbit-like spa – is built entirely from local stone and timber. A visit to the spa seemed the perfect way to warm up after our chilly boat trip, with six different saunas to dip into – although the “sunken log” sauna, where the temperature reached 70C, gave me some sense of how an ice-cream might feel if left out in the sun.

Of the three resorts we visited, Järvisydän was the standout – for its history, for the spectacular scenery of Lake Saimaa that surrounds it, for the delicious mushroom soup and for the long, sunlit walk we took on our final afternoon, through the dense pine forest, where red squirrels skittered around in the branches above. It was a wrench to leave on our last morning, but as we sped back along quiet roads to Helsinki, we agreed Finland had – in spite of our foliage fail – outstripped our expectations. It was more beautiful, more peaceful, more sunkissed than we could ever have imagined.

Ruska (the vibrant colours of autumn foliage) begins in the north of the country in early to mid-September, reaching the Lake Saimaa region in the south by early October.

The trip was provided by Discover the World. A four-night bespoke self-drive trip staying at Radalla, Sahanlahti and Järvisydän resorts starts at £794pp, including B&B and car hire, but not flights.

KYIV: US envoy Steve Witkoff said he and fellow emissary Jared Kushner held “important” talks Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on ending the war with Russia — but offered no sign of a breakthrough.

The envoys met with the Ukrainian leader on their first trip to Kyiv, a day after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.

Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s business ally, and Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, have been to Moscow several times, but had never held talks in the Ukrainian capital — hit by deadly Russian strikes for more than four years.

“We’ve had a very meaningful discussion, substantive, important, and we are very encouraged and we look forward to continuing this as long as it takes,” Witkoff said after the talks.

“Hopefully this trip has come out with some new ways to advance forward. I think we’ve learned a lot from the trip,” Kushner said after the meeting with Zelensky.

Witkoff and Kushner traveled to the region hoping to revive the Trump administration’s push for peace in Europe’s worst conflict since World War II, after a summer of escalation.

Another round of talks in the presence of British, French and German representatives was still ongoing.

“We are grateful that the Europeans are with us today and that we are in such a coalition of countries,” Zelensky said.

“Here we are all on the same side.”

‘Peace Express’

Like all visiting officials, the American delegation arrived by train, with “Peace Express” written on the platform at Kyiv Central Station.

Zelensky said Kyiv had “prepared everything to make our airports operational,” but that Russian strikes made arriving by plane impossible.

Ukrainian airspace has been closed since Russia launched its invasion in 2022.

Russia and Ukraine have vowed not to strike each other’s capitals during the US envoys’ trip.

‘Substantive plans’

Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions.

A White House official said in a statement to AFP that in Moscow the envoys had “discussed substantive plans which will be announced in the coming weeks.”

The Kremlin said the Americans “put forward a number of ideas on possible routes to a settlement,” but did not elaborate.

Putin has repeatedly said Moscow intends to seize the rest of eastern Ukraine, and Russia increased deadly strikes this summer.

Since Putin launched the invasion in February 2022, the war has dragged on with no end in sight.

In Kyiv, many welcomed the fact the Americans even made it to Ukraine, but few believed in a breakthrough.

Nataliia Lipekh, 67, said it was “absolutely necessary (for them) to be here” and to see that “our land is already soaked with this blood and that we need some help.”

“At the moment, I have no grounds for hope,” said 29-year-old Yaroslav, saying he had seen “far too many of these negotiation processes.”

‘Idea for peace’

Putin on Saturday told the US envoys that Moscow would ensure their safety in Kyiv.

Just days ago, Russia struck the headquarters of the SBU security building in central Kyiv.

Trump has said his envoys were bringing a “proposal” to end the fighting.

“We have an idea for peace,” he said, without elaborating.

Undercutting Trump’s vow to end the war quickly, US peace efforts have stalled, in part because of Washington’s war with Iran.

‘Deceived us’

Despite the ceasefire pledges for the capital cities, fighting continued elsewhere.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia had attacked overnight with 108 drones and missiles, while Moscow said it had shot down 258 drones.

Ukraine said Saturday that 10 people were killed by Russian strikes, including an 11-year-old boy.

With the war in its fifth year and thousands dead, peace seemed out of reach for most.

Yulia, a 41-year-old who came from a town now occupied by Russia and worked as a cleaner in Kyiv, said it was a “positive step” the Americans were in Kyiv.

“But taking our opponent into account… I can’t put my hopes on this, because for thousands of years they have deceived us with their empire and imperial habits,” she said, adding:

“We want to believe in it, but it’s very difficult.”

When it comes to asking for travel advice, there is nobody better at giving you hints and tricks than cabin crew who travel multiple times a month for their job

A member of British Airways cabin crew has shared one thing she believes everybody should do before they board a plane to make their trip less stressful. When it comes to taking advice from people ahead of travelling, there is nobody better to ask than cabin crew.

With many members of crew doing multiple long and short trips each month, they know all the tips and tricks to make boarding, packing and planning even easier.

This is true for one member of cabin crew who has shared one thing she believes everybody should do before stepping foot on a plane ahead of any holidays.

The member of staff gave people her advice after being asked what her top-tip was for travel on the official British Airways TikTok account.

One of the cabin crew said: “Just screenshot everything. Screenshot your boarding pass. Have a copy of the hotel that you’re going to.

“A photographic copy, so that you have it on your phone, just in case when you land to your destination, and your phone doesn’t have 4G, you actually have a picture of it.”

It’s common for people to struggle to get a signal in a new country due to phones having been on airplane mode for a number of hours and trying to connect to a new local network. The metal cabin of the airplane can also block out cellular radio waves.

Three more members of crew also gave their advice to holidaymakers, with one coming up with a solution for travellers who treat themselves in duty free.

Another member of BA staff said: “I would say as cabin crew, always pack a portable tote bag. You’re always going to need it, and it’s something to put stuff in, and then you’re not lugging a big suitcase around when you’re travelling.”

A third said: “My top travel tip is to bring electrolytes on board. Having electrolytes in your water makes you rehydrated.”

While a fourth added: “My travel top tip would be to have your phones and devices set to automatic before you depart, so that they’re already synced to the local time before you arrive.”

People took the time to comment on the video and share their own experiences with British Airways.

One person said: “My best customer service was with BA. it was a very long time ago, but I had to travel back from Paris to London and I missed my flight, it was the first flight.

“I was so desperate because I had to go to work straight after arriving. The lady offered me a seat on next flight free of charge. I was so happy because I was on budget and I couldn’t afford another flight ticket, perhaps she sensed it. Thank you for the empathy.”

A second said: “Can you pls start flying from London Southend again.”

A third said: “Always have a great experience on BA.”

Hayley Hayes, 60, from Newport, Wales, hasn’t been on a proper summer holiday in eight years because of her husband’s love of sport – but she’s now won a trip of a lifetime to Svalbard, Norway

A woman who has gone without a proper summer holiday for eight years, due to her husband’s passion for sport, has been rewarded with the trip of a lifetime — without him in tow.

Hayley Hayes, from Newport, Wales, hasn’t enjoyed a summer getaway in almost a decade. Their summer plans have long been dictated by major sporting events, allowing husband Anthony, 66, to watch his favourite fixtures — meaning the couple typically holiday at other times of the year.

Yet even then, a large chunk of their time away is still taken up by sport. A trip to India in 2024, for example, coincided with test match cricket, and when the couple — who married in 2016 — returned to India the following year, they found themselves there during the Six Nations.

Despite a four and a half hour time difference, Hayley pulled on her Wales rugby shirt and sat up with her husband for late-night and early-hour match screenings from their holiday accommodation.

Now, the 60-year-old retiree has been handed the chance of a lifetime — a journey to Svalbard, Norway, a cold weather landscape that has long captivated her — alongside her friend Rebecca, while her sports-loving husband stays home to follow his beloved fixtures.

Hayley was named the winner of giffgaff’s Fair-play Summer Fund, an initiative designed to help people break down the barriers preventing them from having a great summer and make the season feel a little more equal.

Speaking about her trip of a lifetime, Hayley said: “I was literally both bouncing up and down and crying with excitement when I found out I’d won and would be going on a cold weather summer holiday I could only previously dream about.

“I’m fascinated by the landscapes of Svalbard, and in particular the varied wildlife that calls the island home.

“Since my husband absolutely does not tolerate the cold, a wintry weather trip was never going to be on the cards for us, so this prize delivers on two fronts. Summer is turning into a whole new adventure for me.”

Juggling sports and summer holiday plans isn’t just a balancing act for Hayley and Anthony. Research revealed that more than a fifth (21%) of holidaymakers regularly check the sporting calendar before booking a trip.

A poll of 2,000 holiday-goers discovered 22% have booked, changed or adjusted their travel plans because of a sporting event, with 42% of those scheduling activities around matches.

A quarter of fans have cut their trips short to return home for a sporting event, while 14% admitted they’ve previously cancelled a holiday altogether because of sport.

Half of respondents who were still away watched or streamed live sport, according to the OnePoll findings. Of those, a quarter have tuned in from a restaurant, while 14% have followed the action poolside.

Time differences don’t stop dedicated supporters either, with 21% waking up early or staying up late to catch their favourite team in action.

And some admit to going to remarkable lengths to avoid missing a moment on holiday – with 5% of all those polled confessing they’ve watched while in the middle of sightseeing.

Others have been willing to spend extra to stay connected, with 10% paying for Wi-Fi access and nine% using mobile data despite incurring roaming charges.

giffgaff internal data backs up this demand for watching sports abroad, as it saw large data roaming surges during the football this summer with international matches seeing uplifts of up to 90% for key matches.

Kate Dohaney, CEO for the mobile and broadband provider, which is currently giving data boosts on SIMs starting from just £8 per month, said: “We launched the Fair-play Summer Fund following new data that showed many of us feel like summer doesn’t always play fair.

“From rising costs and hidden charges to missing out on experiences that matter, we wanted to help tackle some of these. This season, we’ve provided even greater value on our SIM plans so our members can stay connected for less.

“We’ve also helped 200 people solve their summer sting via our Fund, and are delighted to be sending Hayley to Norway as her fairness fix so she doesn’t have to miss out on the summer trip she’s always dreamed of.”

A WOMAN who hasn’t had a proper summertime holiday in eight years due to her husband’s dedication to sports has been treated to the trip of a lifetime – without him.

Hayley Hayes, from Newport, Wales, hasn’t been on a getaway over the summer for almost a decade, as their plans were often made around key sporting events so husband Anthony was able to watch them, meaning they have had to travel at other times of the year.

In some instances, their holiday destinations have even been determined by the sporting events taking place nearby, with one trip to India in 2024 coinciding with test match cricket.

The couple – who wed in 2016 – found themselves back in India a year later, this time during the Six Nations.

Despite the time difference, Hayley donned her Wales rugby shirt and joined her husband for late-night and early-hours match screenings from their holiday accommodation.

But now, the 60-year-old retiree has been given the chance for a trip of a lifetime to Svalbard, Norway – a cold weather landscape that fascinates her – but with her friend Rebecca, leaving sports-loving husband Anthony, 66, at home to keep up with the sports fixtures.

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Hayley was chosen as the winner of giffgaff’s Fair-play Summer Fund, which was designed to help people overcome the barriers standing in the way of a great summer and make the season feel a little fairer.

Speaking about her trip of a lifetime, Hayley said: “I was literally both bouncing up and down and crying with excitement when I found out I’d won and would be going on a cold weather summer holiday I could only previously dream about.

“I’m fascinated by the landscapes of Svalbard, and in particular the varied wildlife that calls the island home.

“Since my husband absolutely does not tolerate the cold, a wintry weather trip was never going to be on the cards for us, so this prize delivers on two fronts.

“Summer is turning into a whole new adventure for me.”

Juggling sports and summer holiday plans isn’t just a balancing act for Hayley and Anthony, as research found over a fifth (21 per cent) of holidaymakers regularly check the sporting calendar before booking a trip.

A poll of 2,000 holiday-goers found 22 per cent have booked, changed or adjusted their travel plans because of a sporting event, with 42 per cent of those scheduling activities around matches.

Some fans have gone even further to avoid missing out, with 24 per cent returning home early from a trip and 14 per cent admitting they’ve cancelled a holiday altogether because of sport.

Meanwhile, half of all respondents have watched or streamed live sport while away, according to the OnePoll findings.

Of those, a quarter have tuned in from a restaurant, while 14 per cent have followed the action poolside.

Time differences don’t stop dedicated supporters either, with 21 per cent waking up early or staying up late to catch their favourite team in action.

And some admit to going to surprising lengths to avoid missing a moment on holiday – with five per cent of all those polled confessing they’ve watched while in the middle of sightseeing.

Others have been willing to spend extra to stay connected, with 10 per cent paying for Wi-Fi access and nine per cent using mobile data despite incurring roaming charges.

giffgaff internal data backs up this demand for watching sports abroad, as it saw large data roaming surges during the football this summer with international matches seeing uplifts of up to 90 per cent for key matches.

Kate Dohaney, CEO for the mobile and broadband provider, which is currently giving data boosts on SIMs starting from just £8 per month, said: “We launched the Fair-play Summer Fund following new data that showed many of us feel like summer doesn’t always play fair.

“From rising costs and hidden charges to missing out on experiences that matter, we wanted to help tackle some of these.

“This season, we’ve provided even greater value on our SIM plans so our members can stay connected for less.

“We’ve also helped 200 people solve their summer sting via our Fund, and are delighted to be sending Hayley to Norway as her fairness fix so she doesn’t have to miss out on the summer trip she’s always dreamed of.”

A spate of ‘extreme weather’ in Ibiza has left many locals and tourists experiencing heavy rainfall, flooding and strong winds – and some are now worried about their flights home

A mum who booked a trip to Ibiza is having regrets after a spate of “extreme weather” has left her worried her “flight may be delayed”. Ibiza is widely regarded as the party capital of the world, with images of vibrant clubs packed with keen revellers moving to beats spun by world famous DJs most often coming to mind when hearing its name.

But that’s not all it’s known for – its pristine, serene beaches offer a breathtaking retreat for those craving a spot of relaxation; hikers are spoiled for choice with rugged yet scenic cliffs, coastal paths, pine forests and other dramatic areas; while the UNESCO-listed walled old town of Dalt Vila is a haven for history lovers; with plenty more on offer too.

It’s no surprise then that the destination is a top choice for a wide range of holidays, with its usually hot summers and mild, gentle winters making it a decent getaway destination all year round.

This August, however, is a different story entirely. A sudden change in sea levels has led to flooding, heavy rainfall and strong winds.

There’s been reports of locals and tourists alike bolting from Platja de s’Arenal beach, which can be found in the town of Sant Antoni de Portmany, while an event planned to honour the music of a Spanish rock band was cancelled by San Antonio Town Hall “for security reasons”, after the stage was surrounded by sea water.

The flooding followed previous warnings from weather chiefs on the threat of ‘mini tsunamis’ – or rissagas, as they’re known locally – due to hit parts of the Balearic Islands at the beginning of the week.

Majorca Daily Bulletin reported: “Mallorca experienced two minor ‘rissagas’, also known as meteotsunamis, in the ports of Andratx and Soller on Monday, as the Balearic Islands remained under watch for sudden sea level changes.”

How have holidaymakers fared?

Many visitors to Ibiza have shared their experiences of the “extreme weather” online. One mum captured footage of the pool area around her hotel, with winds whipping the palm trees and the cushions strapped to the sun loungers, and shared it to TikTok.

In text written over the top of the clip, the mum penned: “Go to Ibiza in August they said!!!” while in the caption, she added: “Think our flight may be delayed!”

In the comments section, fellow TikTok users were keen to share their thoughts. One person said: “I went in August and it was so sunny and hot 33 degrees.”

Another shared: “Mate last year we were caught in the worst storm’s Ibiza’s had in decades.”

A third said: “We are doing 12 hours in Ibiza with no hotel THIS SATURDAY.”

To which, the mum replied: “Saturday will be beautiful I’m sure! Don’t worry, it’s very rarely like this!”

But someone else said: “Everyone knows around this time of year there is a chance for extreme weather.”

And another agreed: “It rains every year by this time so it’s nothing new and won’t stop anything either.”

Another Ibiza-holidaymaker shared a light-hearted clip mocking herself after sharing envious clips of her getaway before being “humbled” by the torrential downpour.

In the caption, she explained: “Yesterday: ‘Basically, I’m in Ibiza… and you’re not.’

“Today: Ibiza humbled me. We held out under that umbrella for FAR longer than was sensible before admitting defeat!”

FROM pretty colonial towns and buzzing cities to rugged coasts, sandy beaches and beautiful mountains, there is nowhere quite like New England.

And the best time to see it is in the Fall (autumn), when the leaves turn red and gold and you can do a bit of whale watching, too.

New England’s six states – Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island – are all quite different but add up to one amazing holiday experience.

It is one of the ultimate bucket list trips and doable – if you plan carefully.

We decided to cover all six states plus Boston in one mega two-week, 600-mile round trip.

It can be done – New England is small enough to fit into Texas four times over.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

We didn’t see eveything, obviously, but we had a damned good go!

I hadn’t planned to enjoy any of this. As summer light fell on Stac Pollaidh – the summit’s teeth bared, the views stretching across the surreal emptiness of Assynt – I found myself ankle-deep in blanket bog next to a hiking path, back bent, hacking at the tough terrain with a heavy-duty mattock. Farther up the hillside, another hunched figure was cutting a deep brown scar into the moor grass and, while he worked, I stood back to look at my efforts. At my feet was a cross drain that I’d unblocked and repacked with new stonework to prevent storm damage and aid runoff from the path. A burble began to trickle, slow yet clear across the sparkling bedrock. It felt a little like appreciating a masterwork in a museum.

I’d come to Wester Ross with a bucket and spade, not for a beach break at particularly gorgeous Achmelvich or Clachtoll nearby, but with the notion of giving something back to the hills. The Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (Oats) is a steward of many of the Highlands’ most famous mountains – developing, building and repairing paths and habitats – and I’d joined a group of volunteers for a two-day stint on the north-west Highlands’ most visited peak. Factoring in a free stay at Ullapool youth hostel and the promise of a home-cooked communal meal in return, plus an acceptable midge-free forecast, I’d driven north from Edinburgh the night before in a buoyant mood.

Oats’s purpose is to promote sustainable public access and these days that’s largely done through voluntourism, with helpers set to work lifting, resurfacing and filling pathways, yielding landscape-scale results. Iconic if traffic-heavy mountains such as An Teallach, Lochnagar and Braeriach are annual priorities, as are a throng of glens and estates from Skye to the Cairngorms. (Due to this summer’s devastating fires, some events in the north Cairngorms may be changed to a different location or postponed.) The trust’s volunteers even regularly get to work on the Lairig Ghru, arguably Britain’s most unforgiving mountain pass.

It might sound like all hard graft, but it’s not. Volunteers learn new practical skills and gain awareness of mountain path design and the causes of erosion – mostly a combination of human misuse and increasing extreme weather conditions – in settings with extraordinary views. No experience is required, but volunteers must be used to spending time outdoors, have good physical fitness and be capable of using hand tools.

We started that first morning from Stac Pollaidh’s car park, a space transformed by Oats two years ago to accommodate four times more vehicles – a result of the mountain’s accessibility from the North Coast 500, which hurtles past (from Kylesku to Ullapool) only five miles east, at the end of the road. But everyone comes with the same motivation. As we climbed the open moorland, Assynt’s surrounding sea of lochans (small lochs) sparkled. Stac Pollaidh’s summit, to the north, appeared even more welcoming with its porcupine ridge under a sky as blue as a newborn’s eye.

From below the hilltop to the lower forest’s edge, we worked the path – unclogging ditches, removing invasive grasses, dredging, stabilising the soil, repacking stone drains, replanting edges – all while the mountain came to life. Trail runners, dog walkers and hikers from across Europe weaved up the slopes, stopping to ask what we were doing. A French school group trooped past, the pupils plastered with blue Braveheart face paint. A Dutch couple stopped to offer biscuits. Everyone swallowed the stunning views of Suilven to the north.

Our group of seven volunteers – including two New Zealanders; three retirees, one from Inverness, one from Stirling and another from Forfar; and an Edinburgh IT worker using his annual corporate volunteer days – appreciated the smiles.

To a newcomer, the Highlands’ mountain paths may appear to have always been there, as if part of the landscape’s DNA. But as Oats’s volunteer coordinator Eva Kupska said, they are “always evolving and always at risk from erosion, because of the influences of nature and man … and it is our job to conserve them”.

Every volunteer is vital. Post-Brexit, with a lack of EU funding streams, Eva told me there is a drastic need for a public fund for path maintenance and habitat restoration, and the charity simply doesn’t have the manpower to tackle the deteriorating pathways or native tree planting alone. To complicate matters, some of the most popular mountain paths are on privately owned land, with no access to any public funding.

There are a further 12 one-day, plus three- and five-day, maintenance and conservation events scheduled to take place this year, including some dedicated tree-planting trips. It’s a joyful shared experience. That first afternoon, flasks of hot tea were unscrewed and homemade fruit loaf was shared. There was the warm smell of flowering heather and the earthy stink of the bogs, along with the satisfaction of time well spent in the wild.

That evening, back in Ullapool, the harbour abuzz with tourists eating fish suppers and gulls circling above the trawlers, we stood in the sea-view kitchen of Ullapool youth hostel sharing life stories and the day’s experience. There are plenty of excellent dinner options, including The Seafood Shack and The Dipping Lugger, but we settled on a night of each other’s company (delightful), local beers (necessary) and a giant gurgling stockpot of Eva’s courgette and tomato risotto (terrific). And boy, did I sleep well.

The next day brought a gossamer mist to the hills of Wester Ross. We arrived earlier, picked up where we’d left off and, largely, never complained as the sun slowly cracked through the clouds. But best of all was seeing our progress as we worked down the mountain, step by step, always avoiding the fragile vegetation at the path’s edges, creating something better and more sustainable for tomorrow. A staycation with a purpose – and it felt good.

The trip was provided by Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland, with support from VisitScotland. To register as a volunteer and to sign up for events on the annual path maintenance days programme, visit Oats’s volunteering portal. Overnight accommodation in a youth hostel or a bothy, plus evening meals and transport to and from the restoration site, are included