United

Who: Manchester United vs Arsenal
What: English Premier League
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, August 16 at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT)

How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 4:30pm (15:30 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.

Arsenal face an immediate test of their Premier League title credentials against a revamped Manchester United.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the game.

How does the season shape up for Arsenal?

Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to keep digging for gold.

The Gunners have finished as Premier League runners-up for the last three seasons, sparking criticism of their failure to get over the line in the title race.

Arsenal blew significant leads when Manchester City pipped them to the trophy in 2023 and 2024, before Liverpool left the injury-plagued north Londoners trailing in their wake last season.

Arsenal’s title frustrations are mounting, with fans questioning whether Arteta is the right man to end their drought after winning only the 2020 FA Cup since he took charge in December 2019.

But the Gunners showed their potential last season, with a run to the Champions League semifinals that ended with a narrow defeat against eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.

And, buoyed by a host of new signings worth more than 180 million pounds ($244 million) in total, Arteta is convinced they can finally get their hands on the Premier League silverware this season.

“You keep digging, digging, digging, and you have to be digging because one day the gold is going to be there,” he told reporters on Friday.

“For three seasons, we’ve had more points than [nearly] any other team in this league, which is incredible.

“You have the consistency, but now we have to do it in a season, to end with more points than any other team.

“That’s the objective. When I’ve been taught, when I’ve been educated, that’s it.”

Hampered by injuries to Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz at various stages last season, Arsenal lacked a cutting edge and were held to 14 draws compared with Liverpool’s nine.

That was a crucial edge as Arsenal finished 10 points behind the champions.

Who did Arsenal sign this summer?

In an attempt to insulate Arsenal against another fitness-related collapse, Arteta has brought in Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres, Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, Chelsea winger Noni Madueke and Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard.

After bemoaning Arsenal’s failure to sign Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins as Liverpool pulled away during the January window, the Spaniard is a far more upbeat figure on the eve of the new season.

“I think we have great versatility, very different qualities in relation to the opposition, so we are very happy with that,” he said.

Arteta said that “too many” teams have a legitimate shot at winning the Premier League for his liking, some he even suspects will “surprise everybody”.

Whether that was a hint that United, who suffered their worst season since 1973-74 last term, could emerge as contenders after their summer spending spree remains to be seen.

Arsenal were linked with a move for United’s new striker Benjamin Sesko before deciding to bet on Gyokeres for a fee that could rise to 66 million pounds ($89.5m).

The Swede netted 97 times in 102 games in two years at Sporting, much of which came under United’s current manager, Ruben Amorim.

How is the season shaping up for Man Utd?

Instead of being reunited with Gyokeres, Amorim overhauled his attack with the signings of Leipzig’s Sesko, Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo and Wolves forward Matheus Cunha at a combined cost of more than 200 million pounds ($271m).

United, who have not won the title since 2013, had to spend big to erase the stench of their putrid campaign.

Amorim’s team finished a dismal 15th in the top-flight, and squandered a chance to qualify for the Champions League with a toothless 1-0 defeat against fellow underachievers Tottenham in the Europa League final.

The pressure is on Amorim, who replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, to deliver major improvements in his second season.

Amorim knows Sesko will be key to that target and believes the 22-year-old Slovenian is ready to rise to the challenge.

“I don’t need to tell Ben, ‘Ben, this is Manchester United, a lot of pressure. Every game is like do or die’,” Amorim said.

“He is always thinking about football. He’s really obsessed about that.”

Head-to-head

This is the 244th meeting between the clubs, with United winning 99 of those games and Arsenal winning 89.

The last two meetings ended in 1-1 draws, although one of those was in the FA Cup with United advancing on penalties.

The Red Devils have not beaten the Gunners since December 2022, a 3-1 home win lead by a Marcus Rashford double.

The Gunners have won four of the six following meetings.

Manchester United team news

Defenders Lisandro Martinez (knee) and Noussair Mazraoui (hamstring) are both injury absentees for United.

Joshua Zirkzee and Andre Onana have, however, both recovered from knocks and are available for selection.

Arsenal team news

Arteta has said that the new signings, Gyokeres and Zubimendi, are both “fit to play”.

Leandro Trossard has had a groin problem but is expected to recover in time for selection. Gabriel Jesus remains a long-term absentee with an ACL injury, but otherwise, Arteta has a full squad to choose from.

Manchester United predicted starting lineup

Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko

Arsenal predicted starting lineup

Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli

United States President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine.

On Wednesday, following a virtual meeting with European leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump warned of “severe consequences” if Putin refuses to accept a ceasefire after more than three years of war.

The venue for the high-profile meeting is Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a US military installation on the northern edge of Alaska’s most populous city.

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is Alaska’s largest military base. The 64,000-acre outfit is a key US site for Arctic military drills and readiness.

When Trump visited the base during his first term, in 2019, he said the troops there “serve in our country’s last frontier as America’s first line of defence”.

But that wasn’t always the case. Indeed, the US government actually bought Alaska from Russia – separated by just 90km (55 miles) at the narrowest point of the Bering Strait – in 1867.

At a news briefing on August 9, Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov pointed out that the two countries are neighbours.

“It seems quite logical for our delegation simply to fly over the Bering Strait and for such an important … summit of the leaders of the two countries to be held in Alaska,” Ushakov said.

When did Russia assume control of Alaska?

When Russian Tsar Peter the Great dispatched the Danish navigator Vitus Bering in 1725 to explore the Alaskan coast, Russia already had a high interest in the region, which was rich in natural resources – including lucrative sea otter pelts – and sparsely populated.

Then, in 1799, Emperor Paul I granted the “Russian-American Company” a monopoly over governance in Alaska. This state-sponsored group established settlements like Sitka, which became the colonial capital after Russia ruthlessly overcame the native Tlingit tribe in 1804.

Russia’s Alaskan ambitions, however, quickly faced numerous challenges – the vast distance from then-capital St Petersburg, harsh climates, supply shortages, and growing competition from American explorers.

As the US expanded westward in the early 1800s, Americans soon found themselves toe to toe with Russian traders. What’s more, Russia lacked the resources to support major settlements and a military presence along the Pacific coast.

The history of the region then changed dramatically in the mid-19th century.

Why did Russia sell Alaska after the Crimean War?

The Crimean War (1853-1856) started when Russia invaded the Turkish Danubian principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, modern-day Romania. Wary of Russian expansion into their trade routes, Britain and France allied with the ailing Ottoman Empire.

The war’s main theatre of battle became the Crimean Peninsula, as British and French forces targeted Russian positions in the Black Sea, which connects to the Mediterranean through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits – previously controlled by the Ottoman Empire.

After three years, Russia humiliatingly lost the war, forcing it to reassess its colonial priorities. According to calculations by Advocate for Peace, a journal published by the American Peace Society in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Russia spent the equivalent of 160 million pounds sterling on the war.

Meanwhile, due to overhunting, Alaska yielded little profit by the mid-1800s. Its proximity to British-controlled Canada also made it a liability in any future Anglo-Russian conflict.

By the early 1860s, Tsar Alexander II concluded that selling Alaska would both raise funds Russia desperately needed and prevent Britain from seizing it in a future war. The US, which had continued to expand across the continent, emerged as a willing buyer, leading to the 1867 Alaska Purchase.

How was the sale received in the US?

After the American Civil War ended in 1865, Secretary of State William Seward took up Russia’s longstanding offer to buy Alaska. On March 30, 1867, Washington agreed to buy Alaska from Russia for $7.2m.

For less than 2 cents an acre (4 metres), the US acquired nearly 1.5 million sq km (600,000 square miles) of land and ensured access to the Pacific northern rim. But opponents of the Alaska Purchase, who saw little value in the vast ice sheet, persisted in calling it “Seward’s Folly” or “Seward’s Icebox”.

“We simply obtain by the treaty the nominal possession of impassable deserts of snow, vast tracts of dwarf timbers… we get… Sitka and the Prince of Wales Islands. All the rest is waste territory,” wrote the New York Daily Tribune in April 1867.

But in 1896, the Klondike Gold Strike convinced even the harshest critics that Alaska was a valuable addition to US territory. Over time, the strategic importance of Alaska was gradually recognised, and in January 1959 Alaska finally became a US state.

What’s its economy like now?

By the early 20th century, Alaska’s economy began to diversify away from gold. Commercial fishing, especially for salmon and halibut, became a major industry, while copper mining boomed in places like Kennecott.

Then, during World War II, the construction of military bases brought infrastructure improvements and population growth. The most transformative moment, however, came in 1968 with the discovery of vast oil reserves at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic coast.

Oil revenues became the cornerstone of Alaska’s economy, funding public services as well as the Alaska Permanent Fund, which pays annual dividends – via returns on stocks, bonds, real estate, and other assets – to residents.

These payments, known as the Permanent Fund Dividend, will ensure that Alaska’s oil wealth continues to benefit residents even after reserves run out. This system has allowed Alaska to have no state income tax or state sales tax, a rarity in the US.

More recently, tourism has surged in Alaska, drawing visitors to the state’s national parks and glaciers. Today, Alaska has transformed from a ridiculed purchase into a resource-rich state, built on a mix of natural resource extraction, fishing and tourism.

Meanwhile, despite Alaska’s history of trading land like currency, President Zelenskyy will hope that Friday’s meeting between Trump and Putin does not come at the expense of Ukrainian territory.

Roma have made an offer to sign England winger Jadon Sancho from Manchester United, where he remains excluded from training with the first-team squad.

United sources have not revealed the size of the bid from the Serie A club, nor whether it has been accepted.

However, the offer in itself underlines that there is interest in the 25-year-old, who has been told to find a new club before the transfer window closes on 1 September.

Juventus, who unlike Roma have qualified for this season’s Champions League, are also known to be interested in Sancho.

The former Borussia Dortmund wide man returned to United in the summer after Chelsea paid a £5m penalty to get out of an obligation to buy him, having spent last season on loan at Stamford Bridge.

There have also been suggestions that Roma would be interested in a loan, containing clauses that could be triggered at the end of the season.

However, that issue is complicated by the fact that Sancho’s United contract expires next summer. The club does have an option to extend it by an additional year, although given Sancho’s salary, it is debatable whether they would be willing to do that.

United are determined to sell Sancho. However, the closer to September they get without a deal in place, the more likely they are to consider a potential loan move, given it would at least take a significant sum off their wage bill.

Four players – Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Tyrrell Malacia – have been training away from boss Ruben Amorim’s squad since the start of pre-season last month as the club believes they will have left before the window closes.

Bringing in a new centre-back was a priority for Newcastle this summer as manager Howe looks to increase competition and lower the average age of an experienced squad.

But getting deals over the line has been a tall order, with the Magpies missing out on several targets across all positions, including Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro and James Trafford.

There has also been speculation over the future of striker Alexander Isak, who is determined to leave the club and join Liverpool.

Howe said: “We’re really pleased to have Malick on board. He’s a player I’ve admired for a long time and somebody who will add real quality to our defensive options.

“Malick is still young but brings valuable experience of Champions League football, as well as playing in the Bundesliga and Serie A, which is a major positive for us as we return to Europe this season.”

Thiaw, who has three caps for Germany, joined AC Milan from Schalke in 2022.

He made 31 appearances in all competitions for the Serie A giants last season, scoring his only goal of the campaign against Real Madrid in the Champions League in November.

Newcastle open their Premier League campaign at Aston Villa on Saturday.

Life is never dull at FC Barcelona – or ‘Can Barca’ as the club and its surrounding environment is known in Spain.

Even the sleepiest off-season Sunday can suddenly erupt into the latest melodramatic controversy, with rumours, counter-rumours and abrupt U-turns a matter of course.

This summer has been no different, with Rashford’s first fortnight at the club overshadowed by a series of sagas.

The biggest of those, centred on club captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen, looked for a while as though it would even delay Rashford’s league debut.

Ter Stegen is a Barca legend with more than 400 appearances and 17 trophies under his belt. But he has recently sustained several injuries, playing only nine games last season, and the summer signing of Joan Garcia from Espanyol strongly suggests the club is ready to shove their captain aside.

Attempts to sell him, however, were thwarted when the keeper underwent surgery on a back problem – and that also had wider ramifications.

Barca are currently barred by La Liga from registering their new signings, including Rashford and Garcia, because their troubled finances do not meet La Liga’s strict guidelines.

Selling Ter Stegen would have freed up enough salary space to do so, but his surgery made a summer sale impossible. So Barca devised another plan: de-register their captain until January.

Ter Stegen, however, refused to sign the necessary paperwork, reasoning that his injury should only sideline him until November.

Barca reacted furiously, opening disciplinary proceedings against the keeper and stripping him of the captaincy.

Ter Stegen then relented, had the captaincy restored and will spend the next few months as an unregistered player in rehab before – barring poor form or injury to his replacement Garcia – most likely being sold in January.

That should open the door for Rashford and other new signings to be registered (but take nothing for granted until the paperwork is complete), meaning he’ll be available for next Saturday’s league opener against Mallorca.

That game will be played away from home… and therein lies another summer drama.

Aug. 8 (UPI) — The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has become the most frequently stolen car in the United States, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute, or HLDI.

The HLDI’s analysis shows that in relation to the number of Camaro ZL1s on the roads, it has a whole-vehicle theft rate 39 times the average compared to all other vehicles.

The regular Camaro has also become a top target for thieves, with a whole-vehicle theft rate 13 times the average of all vehicles.

The targeting of Camaros is a recent development, according to HLDI, which reports it hasn’t historically appeared near the top of its vehicle theft claim frequency rankings.

However, its two latest reports for 2025 rank the ZL1 two-door, Camaro two-door and Camaro convertible among the 10 2022-24 passenger vehicles with the highest theft and whole vehicle theft claim occurrences.

“Muscle cars have often topped this list, as thieves are attracted to vehicles with high horsepower,” said Matt Moore, chief insurance operations officer at HLDI and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in a press release.

“That also helps explain why the more expensive, more powerful ZL1 is stolen so much more often than the standard Camaro.”

Aside from the horsepower, Camaros also have a technical issue that allows thieves to clone the key code for newer models by accessing the car’s on-board ports. General Motors launched a service campaign in March for 2020-24 Camaro models, under which owners can bring their vehicles to dealerships for a free software update that should reduce the theft risk.

In the other direction, the 20 least-stolen vehicles include eight electric vehicles and two plug-in hybrids, which all have whole-vehicle theft claim incidences that are more than 85% lower than the all-vehicle average.

HDLI studies have shown electric vehicles are not as attractive to thieves because they’re more likely to be in a garage or parked near buildings to facilitate charging.

The Slovenia striker was also a target for Newcastle United, having scored 39 times in two years for RP Leipzig.

Manchester United have signed Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko from Germany’s RB Leipzig on a contract until 2030, the Premier League club have announced.

The transfer fee is 76.5 million euros ($89m) with 8.5 million euros ($9.9m) in bonuses.

The 22-year-old, who joined Leipzig from the Austrian club RB Salzburg in 2023, scored 39 goals in 87 appearances across all competitions for the German side.

“The history of Manchester United is obviously very special, but what really excites me is the future,” Sesko said upon completing the deal on Saturday.

“When we discussed the project, it was clear that everything is in place for this team to continue to grow and compete for the biggest trophies again soon.

“From the moment that I arrived, I could feel the positive energy and family environment that the club has created. It is clearly the perfect place to reach my maximum level and fulfil all of my ambitions.

“I cannot wait to start learning from [manager] Ruben [Amorim] and connecting with my teammates to achieve the success that we all know we are capable of together.”

Manchester United, who finished 15th in the Premier League last season, have also signed forwards Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo for the new campaign, which starts at home against Arsenal on August 17.

It was only ever United. pic.twitter.com/JpzKueYSIc

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 9, 2025

Sesko had also been a target for Newcastle United, who are actively seeking replacements for wantaway striker Alexander Isak.

“Benjamin possesses a rare combination of electrifying pace and the ability to physically dominate defenders, making him one of the most exceptional young talents in world football,” Jason Wilcox, Man Utd’s director of football, said in the club’s announcement.

“We have followed Benjamin’s career closely; all of our data analysis and research concluded that he has the required qualities and personality to thrive at Manchester United.

“Working under the guidance of Ruben and our excellent performance team, Benjamin is joining the perfect environment to support him to reach his world-class potential.

“The desire that all of our new signings have shown to join the club this summer highlights the appeal and stature of Manchester United, as we continue to build and develop a team capable of challenging for the biggest honours.”

Current United strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee scored just 18 goals between them in all competitions last term as United fell to a club-record 18 losses in the Premier League era and its lowest points total of 42.

Only four teams scored fewer goals than United in the top flight last term — including the three relegated clubs – as the 20-time English champion recorded its lowest finish in the modern era when it placed 15th, just three places above the relegation zone.

Sesko has been compared to former Paris Saint-Germain and United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic because of his height – both are 1.95 meters (6 feet, 5 inches) tall – and flashes of technical skill.

Of his goals, the striker has six goals in 28 Champions League games for Leipzig and his previous club Salzburg. He has also tallied 16 goals in 41 games for Slovenia.

Manchester United have completed the signing of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko in a deal worth £73.7m.

The five-year contract includes a guaranteed payment of £66.3m, with the remainder in add-ons.

The Slovenia international is United’s third major signing in attack following the arrivals of Matheus Cunha for £62.5m and Bryan Mbeumo for £65m with £6m in add-ons.

Sesko, 22, was also a target for Newcastle United but has chosen to join Ruben Amorim’s side.

“The history of Manchester United is obviously very special but what really excites me is the future,” said Sesko.

“When we discussed the project, it was clear that everything is in place for this team to continue to grow and compete for the biggest trophies again soon.

“From the moment that I arrived, I could feel the positive energy and family environment that the club has created. It is clearly the perfect place to reach my maximum level and fulfil all of my ambitions.

“I cannot wait to start learning from Ruben and connecting with my team-mates to achieve the success that we all know we are capable of together.”

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick forecasts the revenue increase even as Trump announces higher pharma and semiconductor chip levies, which have yet to kick in.

The United States expects to bring in at least $50bn a month from tariffs as higher levies on imports from dozens of countries begin to kick in.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday outlined the forecasted revenue, an increase of $20bn from last month, when tariffs brought in $30bn.

“And then you’re going to get the semiconductors, you’re going to get pharmaceuticals, you’re going to get all sorts of additional tariff money coming in,” Lutnick said in an interview with Fox Business Network.

US President Donald Trump’s higher tariffs on imports from dozens of countries took effect on Thursday, raising the average US import duty to its highest in a century, with countries facing tariffs of 10 percent to 50 percent.

Trump on Wednesday also announced plans to levy a tariff of about 100 percent on imported semiconductor chips unless manufacturers commit to producing in the US, as well as a small tariff on pharmaceutical imports that would rise to 250 percent over time.

Details of those sectoral tariffs are expected in the coming weeks after the Commerce Department completes investigations into the impact of those imports on US national security.

Lutnick told Fox Business Network that companies could win exemptions from the expected semiconductor tariff if they filed plans to build plants in the US, and those plans were overseen by an auditor.

“[Trump’s] objective is to get semiconductor manufacturing done here,” he said, predicting that the initiative would result in some $1 trillion in investment to bolster domestic manufacturing.

Other exemptions have already been agreed, including with the European Union, which said its agreement to accept a 15 percent tariff on most EU exports includes chips, and with Japan, which has said the US agreed not to give it a worse rate than other countries.

The push to boost domestic chip manufacturing is not new.

The US Congress created a $52.7bn semiconductor manufacturing and research subsidy programme in 2022 under former President Joe Biden, and all five leading-edge semiconductor firms agreed last year to locate chip factories in the US.

Last year, the Commerce Department said the US produced about 12 percent of semiconductor chips globally, down from 40 percent in 1990.

Lutnick, asked about separate talks under way with China on extending a tariff truce that is due to end on August 12, said he felt an agreement was possible.

“I think we’re going to leave that to the trade team and to the president to make those decisions,” he said. “It feels likely that they’re going to come to an agreement and extend that for another 90 days, but I’ll leave it to that team.”

Tis the season to be beside the seaside – and to hype and critique coastal towns in surveys and rankings. I suppose lists of this year’s “in” and “out” resorts help tourists decide where to go; no point going to Skegness for Michelin-starred food, or to Salcombe for a laugh and cheap beer. Less obvious coastal towns provide more nuanced fare. Perhaps the most alluring spots are those where we don’t forget the sea. These three towns are routinely ranked last resorts or else ignored altogether, but they offer more than stuff to eat, drink, buy and post on socials – and are close to swimmable beaches.

Ayr, Ayrshire

A century ago, Clyde steamers and the Glasgow and South Western Railway took thousands of sunseekers from inland towns to the Ayrshire coast. They came to escape the smoke and noise of industry, breathe in the briny air, and admire the Isle of Arran and tiny Ailsa Craig – from afar or up close on an excursion. The bed and breakfasts on elegant Park Circus (a sweeping crescent lined with cherry trees that blossom red on one side and white on the other) and the Georgian villas on Eglinton Terrace evoke something of the golden days of yore.

It’s easy to imagine parasol-sporting ladies and tall-hatted gents strolling across the Low Green, a large field between the town centre and the beach. This open space – perfect for picnics, kite-flying and impromptu games – and the absence of any clutter on the prom make the seafront unusually peaceful. It’s as if Ayr has refused to become a traditional resort. No tat, no tack, not many tourists. There are places to play on swings and get an ice-cream or a pint, but lovers of amusement arcades and bucket-and-spade shops should probably stay away. On the short block beside the Low Green the buildings are mainly residential – including care homes, that standard fixture of coastal towns.

The beach is a golden sweep about two miles in length, with the old harbour at the north end. Wharves and quays once bustled all along the River Ayr. By the 14th century, this was Scotland’s principal west coast port. In the 18th century, more than 300 ships were moored every year, unloading American tobacco, French wine, Spanish salt, English earthenware and slate from Easdale in the Firth of Lorn. Walk south and you come to the ruins of Greenan Castle, a 16th-century clifftop tower. The sunsets over Arran are life-enhancing. I watched a woman of retirement age do her tai chi moves while keeping her eyes fixed on the island – spiritually separate from the dog-walkers and prom-striders.

Robert Burns was born near Ayr and baptised in the Auld Kirk. In Tam o’ Shanter he writes: “Auld Ayr, wham ne’er a town surpasses, / For honest men and bonny lasses”. A lively pub on the high street, which is set back a good mile from the beach, is named after the poem; it claims to be the oldest in Ayr, but so does the Black Bull on the opposite side of the river. The old bridge (or Auld Brig, if you prefer, which inspired another Burns poem) that takes you across is pedestrianised and a beauty. All the old pubs are enticing but I had my most enjoyable, peaceful beer and dram in the Twa Dugs – also named for a Burns poem. In Ayr’s Waterstones, I found a long-overlooked 1969 Booker-nominated novel by Gordon M Williams, From Scenes Like These, that provided a brutally realistic riposte to Burns-esque takes on rural Scotland. I read it in the boozers, the caffs, on benches.

People in Ayr will tell you the town has declined. They’ll tell you that in nine out of 10 seaside resorts. But this column gets me around, and I can vouch for the town’s general busyness and good looks. Sedate, somewhat stern, bereft of traditional fun stuff, it’s an ideal hideaway for those who want to do beach walks, read or write, and check into small, friendly guest houses.
Things to see and do: Rozelle House Museum, Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Culzean Castle and Country Park

Bangor, Gwynedd

Bangor, the oldest city in Wales, came second from bottom in the Which? 2025 rankings and absolute bottom in 2024. Perhaps the latter partly anticipated the former. Casually saddle a place with derision and it takes a great effort to shake it off.

As the gateway to the island of Ynys Môn (Anglesey), a university town and former royal capital, Bangor doesn’t need star ratings or hip amenities. The city’s origins stretch back to the founding of a monastery in the early sixth century. A cathedral was later built on the site. For centuries, Bangor was the spiritual and ecclesiastical hub for Gwynedd – a kingdom until the English came a-conquering – but remained a small settlement. Nonetheless, during the first flush of Welsh tourism, at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, pleasure steamers from Liverpool brought visitors to see the big church and the wild waters of the Menai Strait.

The boom years came after 1826 with the completion of the Holyhead Road, linking London with Dublin – hitched to the recently created UK by the 1800 Acts of Union. The first major civilian state-funded road building project in Britain since the Roman era, the job was given to Thomas Telford. The road (much of it on the same route as today’s A5) swept through central Bangor, making the former big village a major staging post, and creating the longest high street in Wales. To replace the ferry-shuttles, Telford’s magnificent Menai Suspension Bridge opened in 1826. Two decades later, Robert Stephenson built a tubular bridge to carry the Chester-Holyhead railway across the straits. With communications much improved, Bangor became a proper little port, with shipbuilding, sail making, iron founding, smithing and timber yards, as well as slate yards.

Walk to the natural end of this high street – which turns residential – and you come to the shore, a pier and a large park between neo-Norman Penrhyn Castle and the sea. You don’t have an in-town beach, which might be why some of the raters have a low opinion of Bangor. But the Wales Coast Path and the railway line link Bangor with beaches at Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr, eight and 10 miles away respectively. In fact, this might be the best-connected seaside town in the UK, with Eryri national park (Snowdonia), Unesco-listed Caernarfon Castle and Criccieth and the Llŷn peninsula accessible by bus, and of course Anglesey on the doorstep.
Things to see and do: walk the Menai Suspension Bridge, kayaking off Caernarfon, Aber Falls Distillery

Millom, Cumbria

The Cumbrian coast is the most intriguing stretch of littoral in these islands. Backed by the towering, cloud-drawing fells of the national park, the shore is often beneath a blue dome. The towns along it are chapters in British social history. Whitehaven is like a Devon port town without the crowds. Workington is a fascinating ex-industrial town. Nethertown is a hidden hamlet in a spectacular setting.

Millom, at the southern tip of the old county of Cumberland, is a stop on the coast-hugging railway line – a superlative train ride – between Barrow-in-Furness and Sellafield. Its main connection to the nexuses of nuclear war and power are the Millomites who commute south and north for work. Millom once had industry; hematite ore (iron oxide) was found at Hodbarrow in 1856 and mined till 1968, the population swelling to 10,000. Much of the land was transformed into an RSPB nature reserve, centred on the north-west’s largest coastal lagoon; little, common and sandwich terns breed on the islands and you can see ringed plovers, redshanks, great crested grebes and oystercatchers around the wetlands.

Millom is tiny, but has none of the jams and crowds of the villages in the nearby Lakes. The Camra-rated Bear on the Square has real ales, good food and live music. The town has its own fell – Black Combe – and while only a 600-metre Marilyn, its isolation and proximity to the sea make it feel higher. The views from the summit are magnificent – with Blackpool Tower and Scafell Pike visible in clear weather.

The poet Norman Nicholson (1914-1987) was born in Millom and spent almost all his life here, shunning metropolitan literary circles and asserting that the much-maligned “provincial” has more in common with people of other times and lands and consequently “may be all the more aware of that which is enduring in life and society”. The titles of his books reflect the locale: Rock Face (1948); The Shadow of Black Combe (1978); Sea to the West (1981). St George’s church has a stained-glass window designed by Christine Boyce that was inspired by Nicholson’s writing. His house is being restored, while Millom as a whole is undergoing a major rebuild with heritage and health projects afoot as well as a 7.5-mile walking and cycling trail.

For a swim, head to Silecroft by train (one stop) or on foot (3.5 miles); Haverigg beach, though closer, often has pollution warnings.
Things to see and do: Millom Heritage and Arts Centre, Swinside Stone Circle

Further information: Visit Scotland, Visit Cumbria and Visit Wales

Aug. 6 (UPI) — United Airlines on Wednesday night briefly suspended flight departures nationwide because of a technology issue and expected further flight delays throughout the night.

Shortly after 7 p.m. CDT, the airline reported an outage and one hour later the system was coming back up, CBS News reported.

“Due to a technology issue, we are holding United mainline flights at their departure airports,” United said in a statement obtained by ABC News. “We expect additional flight delays this evening as we work through this issue. Safety is our top priority, and we’ll work with our customers to get them to their destinations.”

United later posted on Instagram: “We are working with customers to get them to their destinations after a technology disruption on Wednesday evening. The underlying technology issue has been resolved, and, while we expect residual delays, our team is working to restore our normal operations.”

The airline said to go to united.com or its United app for the latest flight information.

The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily issued a ground stop for United flights at United hubs: Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Denver International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Houston’s George Bush International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.

By 10:30 p.m. EDT, the stops were only in Denver and Newark until 11 p.m. EDT.

Airports urged travelers to check with the airline on status. Passengers on connecting flights with other airlines could be affected.

United Express Flights and those already in the air were not affected, the airline told ABC.

United, which is based in Chicago, has approximately 4,600 flights per day at 354 destinations in 38 countries.

Through 10:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday, 1,308 flights have been delayed and 53 have been canceled, according to FlightAware.

At O’Hare, 16 flights — 11 departures and seven arrivals — have been canceled. The airport was reporting delays ofg hours, as of 9:30 p.m. CDT.

A line of United planes at O’Hare were stopped at the tarmac waiting for available gates, according to video taken by a passenger to CBS News.

Torquay-born Moore began his career in his home town club’s youth system before playing non-league football with Paignton Saints, Truro City and Dorchester Town.

Signing for Championship side Yeovil Town in 2013 he made over 50 appearances but was released in his second season and had a short spell with Norwegian side Viking before returning to the Conference with Forest Green Rovers.

Given another chance in the English Football League (EFL) by Championship side Ipswich Town in 2017, Moore grabbed attention with 13 goals in 22 loan appearances for Rotherham United, before moving on to League One Barnsley and then Championship Wigan Athletic.

In 2020, the then 28-year-old forward signed a three-year deal with Cardiff City in a transfer deal thought to be worth £2m, scoring 25 goals in 65 games for the Welsh club before a £5m move to fellow Championship side Bournemouth in January 2022.

Although hampered by injury at the Vitality Stadium, Moore scored the goal that secured promotion for the Cherries and he scored five times in the Premier League before returning on loan to Portman Road and helping Ipswich gain promotion to the top-flight.

Joining Sheffield United on a three-year deal in July 2024, the 6ft 5in striker scored five goals in 28 Championship appearances for the Blades last season.

An England C international, Moore – whose grandfather is from Llanrug near Bangor – made his Wales debut against Belarus in 2019.

His most recent appearance was in June’s World Cup qualifying victory over Liechtenstein, scoring the final goal for Craig Bellamy’s side in a 3-0 win at Cardiff City Stadium.

Wrexham, who have enjoyed three successive promotions from the National League to the Championship since their Hollywood takeover, begin their first second-tier campaign in 44 years at Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday, 9 August (12:30 BST).

The hills of the Scottish Highlands were still in sight when the cry went up: “Whale!” And there it was, a humpback on the port side of the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry, blasting a great cloud of mist from its blowhole, then with a farewell flick of its tail, disappearing into the Atlantic. On other voyages you may see glorious sunsets, rare migratory birds, ruined castles and historic lighthouses. Unlike the classic road trip or the great railway journey, however, the humble ferry rarely makes it to anyone’s bucket list. They are a means to an end, only chosen by necessity. And yet, the UK has some of the best and most exhilarating voyages within its borders. From exciting river crossings to island odysseys that test the mettle of the best sea captains, these boat journeys can be the high point of any trip.

Whale-watching on the way from Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly

Starting from Penzance’s South Pier, in sight of St Michael’s Mount, the crossing to St Mary’s is the indispensable highlight of any trip to the Isles of Scilly. The gas-guzzling, climate-clobbering helicopter doesn’t even approach the magic of this ship and its three-hour voyage into the Atlantic Ocean. Penzance bursts with nautical heritage; many of its remarkable number of pubs have existed since the days of Captain Kidd and Francis Drake. Once aboard the Scillonian (built in Appledore, Devon, in 1977), find a position with a view to the starboard to glimpse Land’s End on departure, then keep a lookout for wildlife. Dolphins and whales are sighted regularly on the voyage. Birdlife includes gannets, Manx shearwaters and puffins. Watch out for bird feeding frenzies, which may attract the attention of bluefin tuna (the half-ton fish can leap clear of the water and numbers are rising fast). Other potential highlights include fin whales, the planet’s second largest animal after the blue whale – with several sightings in 2024.
A day return on the Scillonian III is £35. Woodstock Ark, a secluded cabin near Penzance South Pier, sleeps two, from £133 a night. Star Castle Hotel, close to the Scillonian’s arrival point on St Mary’s, has great food and superb views; doubles with dinner from £245.

A tugboat tow on the River Dart in Devon

Dartmouth has a huge heritage of sailing and boats, and the lower ferry across the mouth of the River Dart is an absolute classic. The best approach is on the steam railway from Paignton, which brings you into what was once the Great Western Railway’s imposing Kingswear station on the east bank of the river. Alternatively, you could walk to Kingswear on the South West Coast Path from Brixham (a 10-mile yomp). There has been a ferry here since the 14th century and the latest incarnation is a barge with room for eight cars towed by a tugboat. The crossing is short but memorable, the flanks of the steeply wooded valley looming over a fast-moving tidal river that froths around the barge as it picks its way through a busy shipping lane. Landing is right in town, next to the blue plaque for John Davis, one of the great sea dogs of Devon, who searched for the Northwest Passage and died at the hands of pirates near Singapore in 1605. If the crossing has whetted the appetite, walk upriver along the historic waterfront to the Upper Dart ferry, another interesting boat. Originally a floating platform linked to cross-river chains that were pulled by horses, today it’s a diesel-electric paddle engine combined with cables that can manage about 18 cars.
The Lower Dart Ferry costs £5 return for a foot passenger; car and passengers £14 return. Ferryside apartment next to the ferry in Kingswear sleeps four, from £533 for three nights. Further away, Dartington Hall, once Britain’s leading progressive school, is now a top arts centre, offering wonderful gardens and accommodation, with doubles from £103 B&B.

An exhilarating passage from Berneray to Harris in the Outer Hebrides

Scotland is blessed with many memorable ferry routes, but none surpasses the short voyage from Berneray to Leverburgh on Harris. A hop of just nine nautical miles and taking an hour, it crosses the shallow Sound of Harris, which is strewn with deadly rocks, dangerous tidal currents and frequent mists. Before GPS, it was a rule that the captain would turn back if he couldn’t see two buoys ahead, and occasionally the ship would slither on to a sandbank and have to stay there until the tide lifted her off. These days it remains an exhilarating passage, weaving between dozens of jagged hazards with evocative names such as Drowning Rock and the Black Curran. Listen for the ghostly cries of seals on the larger islets, and look out for a majestic white-tailed sea eagle.
The Caledonian MacBrayne ferry costs £4.70 one way for a foot passenger. Camping at Balranald on North Uist is highly recommended (tent £14), or try 30 Backhill, a restored thatched stone croft on Berneray, from £535 a week.

Crossing Harwich harbour from Suffolk to Essex

As a shortcut at the end of the Suffolk coastal path, the ferry from Landguard Fort near Felixstowe to Harwich offers great panoramas of the harbour formed by the rivers Orwell and Stour. You’re likely to spot some of the planet’s largest container ships and a Thames barge. Alternatively, embark at Shotley Gate, the tip of the narrow and beautiful Shotley peninsula that separates the two rivers – the walk down the Orwell from Ipswich is particularly picturesque, taking in Pin Mill. Harwich old town is also well worth exploring, with some beautiful period buildings including the Electric Cinema, opened in 1911.
The Harwich Harbour Ferry connects Felixstowe and Harwich (tickets £6 one way), and Harwich and Shotley (£4.80); it runs from April to October. The Alma Inn is a gorgeous Grade II-listed pub in old Harwich, with doubles from £90 B&B.

A hand ferry across the River Wye in Herefordshire

There cannot be many ferries that only run when the barman is free, but this classic crossing requires the pump-puller at the Saracens Head in Symonds Yat to shut up shop for a few minutes and haul half a dozen passengers across the River Wye using an overhead cable. Despite some deplorable environmental mismanagement upstream, the river here remains a beautiful sight. On the far bank, take the lane north to another good pub, Ye Old Ferrie Inn. Their ferry drops you on a footpath that heads up through the woods for the fine views along the curving river from the Symonds Yat rock itself. These crags were visited in 1770, by schoolmaster William Gilpin, who had an eye for untamed landscapes, triggering a revolution in the appreciation of views and nature that we still benefit from today. Alternatively, walk downriver and cross at the beautiful Biblins suspension bridge.
Both Symonds Yat ferries cost £2 for adults. The Saracens Head occupies a lovely riverside location, with doubles from £135, B&B.

Swivel from Glenelg to the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides

You may, of course, choose to take the bridge to Skye, but for a real Hebridean treat take the original ferry across the 500-metre-wide Kyle Rhea straits. This is the last manually operated turntable ferry in the world (built in Troon in 1969), carrying just six cars and 12 people on a five-minute voyage. Due to strong tidal currents running at up to nine knots and frequently windy conditions, the designers came up with the ingenious solution of a turntable to allow vehicles to disembark safely. Saved by a local campaign in 2006, it has now become a vital part of the Skye experience.
The Isle of Skye ferry from Glenelg costs £3 for foot passengers, and £20 for a car (with up to four passengers) one way. Sykes Cottages has a number of properties on Skye, including Beaton’s traditional thatched croft, from £457 a week.

Feyenoord have submitted an offer worth £15.6m (18m euros) for Sheffield United defender Anel Ahmedhodzic.

The 26-year-old has made 114 appearances for the Championship club since joining in July 2022 from Malmo.

Ahmedhodzic was a target for Premier League club Wolves last summer, but he remained at Bramall Lane for the 2024-25 campaign in which the Blades lost in the play-off final to Sunderland.

Feyenoord, who finished third in the Eredivisie last season, sold Slovakian centre-back David Hancko to Atletico Madrid in July and have turned to Ahmedhodzic as a replacement.

The Bosnia-Herzegovina international spent three years with Nottingham Forest between January 2016 and 2019, before spells at Malmo, Hobro IK and Bordeaux.

Sheffield United begin the Championship season under new manager Ruben Selles at home to Bristol City on Saturday, 9 August.

Dutch outfit Feyenoord host Fenerbahce in the first leg of third-round qualifying in the Champions League on Wednesday, 6 August.

Swansea City are closing in on the loan signing of West Ham United defender Kaelan Casey.

The 20-year-old Hammers academy product has made two substitute appearances in the Premier League, but will head out on loan in search of first-team experience.

Casey could well make his Swansea debut in their Championship opener at Middlesbrough next Saturday, with Alan Sheehan short of options as things stand.

Club captain Ben Cabango is doubtful for the Boro trip having been troubled by a calf injury during pre-season.

Fellow centre-back Ricardo Santos is also sidelined by injury, as is youngster Filip Lissah.

Cameron Burgess, another of Swansea’s summer recruits, is Sheehan’s only fit senior centre-back at present, with under-21 player Arthur Parker and midfielder Jay Fulton used at the heart of defence at times during pre-season.

Swansea are still looking for a number of new signings following a raft of summer departures, with a striker another top priority following the exits of Jerry Yates and Florian Bianchini last week.

He’s not for sale, Main

Manchester United have reportedly performed a U-turn on the prospect of selling Kobbie Mainoo to help balance the books.

That’s according to former club scout Mick Brown, who told Football Insider: “There are a number of players Man United want to get rid of.

“From what I understand, Kobbie Mainoo is not one of them after a change of mind.

“The likes of Garnacho, Sancho and the others who have been left out of training in pre-season, that’s who the club are looking to raise money from.

“In my opinion, they should never have been considering letting Kobbie Mainoo go, it was a crazy idea.

“After he didn’t sign that new contract, it looked like he had decided he wanted to leave.

“That interest didn’t really come as heavily as they maybe expected, but I won’t complain about that.

“From what I hear, he’s going to be happy to stay into the new season and hopes he’ll be a bigger part of the team as Amorim is going to use him more regularly.”

United are waiting to decide their next move and there have been reports that the player would prefer to switch to Old Trafford.

United sources are adamant they could do a deal before selling players.

But it is accepted that there would have to be exits to ensure they remain compliant with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.

And, if Sesko arrived, Hojlund would be marginalised.

If Hojlund was sold for £30m, it would effectively be a loss for United given the forward’s ‘book value’ is £43m as he is two years into the five-year contract he signed.

United have spent almost £130m this summer on Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.