SHOPPERS are running to Dunelm for a gadget that heats up a room without the need for central heating.
Bargain hunters keen to keep bills in check this winter are snapping up the plug-in PTC heater, £18, from the retailer.
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The gadget is £18 from DunelmCredit: Dunelm
This gadget delivers through an efficient ceramic heating element.
The LED display and digital thermostat provide precise control over the temperature, and you can set the timer and choose from two fan speed settings.
Best of all it only costs 13p hour to run if you are on an average electricity tariff, though the exact amount depends on your individual rate.
The reviews for the gadget are glowing.
Read more on energy bills
One user said: “Good product, gives some decent heat out. Actually bought two of them. Well worth it.”
Another added: “Fabulous little heater, really pleased with this. Heats up my kitchen in no time.”
One user described the tool as “small and mighty”. The added: “Does the job for a small kitchen without any other heating source.”
It comes after it was confirmed the energy price cap would rise by 2% in October costing the average household more to heat their home.
There are plenty of other ways to help keep bills down and stay warm using gadgets that don’t cost too much to run.
For example, an electric throw can cost just 4p an hour – calculated using the average electricity unit rate in the UK for the period of 1 October to 31 December 2025 is 26.35 pence per kilowatt-hour.
Washing the blankets are usually easy too, as it is both machine washable and tumble dryer safe.
You can buy these blankets for around £30 and they’re perfect for when you’re on the sofa watching TV and don’t need to warm up the entire home.
The United Arab Emirates has quickly become a favourite holiday spot for UK travellers, and it’s not hard to understand the appeal
15:13, 09 Sep 2025Updated 15:13, 09 Sep 2025
Ras Al Khaimah City often gets overlooked because of Dubai (Image: Jeff Kingma via Getty Images)
The United Arab Emirates has swiftly emerged as a top holiday destination for British tourists, and it’s easy to see why. Boasting diverse landscapes from deserts and oases to mountains and valleys, the UAE caters to all kinds of holidaymakers, whilst showcasing year-round luxury living.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi shine as the crown jewels of the UAE’s premium travel scene. However, merely an hour’s journey from Dubai sits a hidden paradise that guests have dubbed the nation’s best-kept secret.
Harry Leach ventured to Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), the UAE’s most northern emirate, last November seeking thrills – and discovered them in abundance, reports Bristol Live.
Al Marjan Island is still establishing itself as a holiday hotspot(Image: (Image: Getty))
Upon his arrival, Harry watched daredevils racing along the planet’s most extensive zipline, Jais Flight, hitting jaw-dropping speeds of up to 100mph across the 1.75-mile track.
He captured the moment: “Ahead of me, adrenaline junkies shoot across the world’s longest zipline, Jais Flight, reaching hair-raising speeds of up to 100mph on the 1.75-mile journey,” before noting, “Suspended in Superman positions, 4,869ft above sea level, I can just make out their gleeful shrieks as they reach safety after a three-minute dopamine hit.
“To my right is the Jais Sledder: a 1.14-mile mountainside toboggan on a low-slung track. It’s certainly not for the faint-hearted, and I’d argue far more exhilarating than any rollercoaster at Alton Towers.”
Harry summed up his experience: “This is Ras Al Khaimah, only a short 45-minute drive away from Dubai airport. It’s a thrillseekers’ dream destination while also a relaxing desert paradise.”
Harry enjoyed a lavish break at the five-star Mövenpick Resort, positioned on Al Marjan Island’s stunning coral-shaped isles, encircled by the Persian Gulf’s glistening azure waters.
“When I arrived in late November, temperatures were still reaching 30C and above, despite being on the cusp of winter,” he explained.
His trip was made even more pleasant thanks to an ocean breeze which helped make the intense sunshine more bearable – a crucial element for someone who must slather on factor 50 throughout the British summer.
The resort catered to a diverse crowd, from older tourists and youngsters to families seeking retreat, solo travellers in search of tranquillity, adrenaline junkies, and those content with lounging on deck chairs.
Harry found an array of activities at his disposal, including relaxing in the spa, immersing himself in an online gaming cave, trying out arcade games, watching over kids in the play centre, and enjoying frequent live shows.
After a strenuous gym session, Harry treated himself to what he described as the ultimate post-workout reward: “I followed up a tough gym session by treating myself to the best post-workout meal available: Mövenpick’s ‘chocolate hour’ – 60 minutes of complimentary eclairs, truffles and choccy fondue. It’s pure indulgence.”
Despite the number of options to keep him occupied, he felt that “There’s a lot going on, a lot to see, a lot to do, but it never feels overwhelming.”
“It goes without saying that Mövenpick, a well-established Swiss hotel management brand in Europe, has exceptional dining options – with four first-rate restaurants on site, all focusing on sustainability and fresh food, each with their unique style, character and draw.”
Harry enjoyed a lavish break at the five-star Mövenpick Resort on Marjan Island(Image: (Image: Getty))
The Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island’s culinary heart is The Market, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which has been hailed as the hotel’s vibrant hub by visitor Harry.
Sharing his experience, Harry highlighted the dedication to genuine dining: “It’s about creating meals from the heart,” a philosophy echoed by Chef Rajiv Ranjan Singh during a masterclass in preparing Switzerland’s cherished rösti.
The resort isn’t only renowned for its cuisine but also for its lavish Neo Sky Bar. Additionally, it provides views of the round-the-clock building site for the UAE’s first casino, expected to welcome guests in 2027.
This £3 billion project is set to boost visitor numbers to Al Marjan Island, a destination still establishing itself as a holiday hotspot, particularly amongst Western travellers despite its relatively young 12-year existence.
Looking back on his stay, Harry said: “I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived here. But after five days, I left feeling revitalised and refreshed. The warmth and friendliness of locals and the tranquillity of the island made it a tough goodbye on the final morning.”
He added: “Dubai gets most of the attention, and grabs the headlines, and perhaps that will always be the case.
“But I’m fine with that because Al Marjan Island is currently the country’s best-kept secret.”
Here are some handy tips to ease the effects of cold weather on your hands …
A pair of mitts can really help your hands through the winter months.
Wear gloves outside so that the cold air doesn’t zap the moisture out of your skin.
For washing up, protect your hands with rubber gloves. Apply hand cream before putting on the gloves and the warm water will help the cream soothe your hands.
Dry, brittle and split nails are a real pain in winter, when our hands are craving moisture. The answer may lie in your food cupboard.
Rubbing olive oil into your nails and cuticles each day can strengthen and soothe them, reducing the risk of splits.
Nursem is a handcare brand started by former children’s intensive care nurse Antonia Philp, whose hands were left cracked and sore from constant handwashing.
Or, to soothe winter hands, try this. Blitz 100g oats in a food mixer until it becomes a powder.
Add to a bowl of warm water with 50ml of olive oil. Soak hands for 10 minutes before drying and apply hand cream.
It’s now been revealed that this year’s payment will be between £100 and £300, to help cover the cost of higher heating bills this winter.
The money will become available to most eligible pensioners in November or December.
The amount is determined by both age and household circumstances of a claimant over the qualifying period, which is the week of September 15 to 21.
Where you were born is also a contributing factor.
Letters can be expected for those who qualify for it in England and Wales in October or November.
Scottish State Pensioners to Receive Winter Fuel Payment Boost in 2025
The letter will provide details on how much money you will be offered, as well as which bank account the payment will go into – which is usually the same as where you receive State Pensions or other benefits.
DWP guidance states: “You’ll get a letter in October or November telling you how much Winter Fuel Payment you’ll get, if you’re eligible.
“If you do not get a letter but think you’re eligible, check if you need to make a claim.”
This scheme follows similar eligibility criteria as outlined by the DWP, but will be issued automatically by Social Security Scotland from the end of November.
The GOV.UK website provides further guidance on the scheme and how to be a claim.
It also warns people to be wary about scammers who may send out trick messages that provide a link to click on and make a claim.
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Couples are eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment but may be given a different amountCredit: Getty
These are not official DWP messages and should be deleted.
So those eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment are people living in England and Wales born before September 22, 1959.
You will not be eligible if:
you live outside England and Wales
you were in hospital getting free treatment for the whole of the week of September 15-21, 2025 and the year before
you need permission to enter the UK and granted leave says you cannot claim public funds
you were in prison for the whole of the week of September 15-21
It is possible for people living in a care home to get the Winter Fuel Payment.
However, there are two factors that if combined mean you will not be eligible.
This is if you are on Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Alloance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), whilst having lived in a care home during since June 23, 2025 or earlier.
If you live alone, or none of the people you live with are eligible for Winter Fuel Payment:
you will get £200, if you were born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959
you will get £300, if you were born before September 22, 1945
If you live with someone else who is eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment:
£100 if you and the person you live with were both born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959
£100 if you were born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959 but the person you live with was born before September 22, 1945
£200 if you were born before September 22, 1945 but the person you live with was born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959
£150 if you and the person you live with were born before September 22, 1945
Your payment will also be different if you are receiving other benefits payments.
£200 if you were born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959
£300 if you were born before September 22, 1945
If you and a partner jointly claim any benefits, one of you will get a Winter Fuel Payment of:
£200 if both of you were born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959
£300 if one or both of you were born before September 22, 1945
The money will be paid into the bank account where benefits are usually paid into.
Care home residents that are eligible will get:
£100 if you were born between September 22, 1945 and September 21, 1959
£150 if you were born before September 22, 1945
Those with an income of more than £35,000 will have all of their Winter Fuel Payments returned by the HMRC, either through PAYE or submitting a Self Assessment tax return.
The DWP has said: “If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by 28 January 2026, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.”
It is also possible to opt out of the Winter Fuel Payment, either by completing an opt out form by September 14, or calling the helpline before 6pm on September 12.
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The Winter Fuel Payment was first introduced by the Labour government in 1997Credit: Getty
FOR warm weather, beach resorts and mountain views, Tunisia is slowly becoming the hot new destination again.
The African country had been a popular spot with Brits for years up until the attack in Sousse 10 years ago – but numbers reveal it is rising in popularity once again.
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Visitors are returning to Tunisia with tourism levels returning to pre-2015 numbersCredit: Alamy
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The country boasts warm winters and beautiful towns and citiesCredit: Alamy
Tunisia has so much to offer for an autumn or winter break for Brits wanting sun, sea and sand.
In November, you can easily laze about on a beach in Tunisia as temperatures can still reach at 20C.
The most popular beaches in Tunisia include Hammamet which is known for its long sandy shores and Sousse, a lively resort town.
Ten years ago, the attack at the Bardo Museum in Tunis followed by the one on the beach resort in Sousse, resulted in plummeting bookings for Brits heading to Tunisia.
Now, statistics have revealed that holidaymakers are returning to the country in similar numbers.
Foreign arrivals to Tunisia have jumped by nearly 10 per cent this year compared with 2024, reaching 5.3 million through July 20, according to the National Tourism Office.
The government hopes to attract 11 million visitors by the end of the year – which is a million more than in 2024.
Back in 2014, there were 7.1 million tourists visiting the country, one year later in 2015, that dropped to 5.3 million.
The capital of Tunisia is Tunis, and is found on the northeastern coast.
Visitors to the city will find an ancient Medina and Roman Mosaics as well as plenty of bars and restaurants.
Tunisia and the island of Djerba
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Tunisia is full of history too and plenty of ancient ruinsCredit: Alamy
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Some of the towns have been described as looking more like GreeceCredit: Getty
Just outside of the capital is the pretty town of Sidi Bou Said which has a completely different feel with white coloured houses and cobbled streets.
It has lots of al fresco eateries and small art galleries with a marina on a sandy beach.
Lisa said that one thing she noticed was that it had an uncanny resemblance to the Greek islands.
Like Mykonos and Santorini, Djerba has vibrant pink bougainvillaea and white-washed buildings with blue window shutters and doors – unlike Greece, coffee costs 25p.
Lisa said: “Relatively undiscovered by us Brits, Djerba is a great-value option for those looking to explore beyond the Med favourites.
“Sizzling insummer, temperatures remain high all the way through to November and rarely dip below the 20Cs, even in the depths ofwinter, making it ideal for out-of-season sunshine.“
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Lisa explored Tunisia and discovered Star Wars filming locationsCredit: Supplied
The island is a great place to explore for any fans of Star Wars as the small town of Erriadh was used as a filming location.
Back on the mainland, the city of Tataouine was said to have inspired the location for Star Wars with its desert look and unique house exteriors.
George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, even called his fictional planet, Tatooine.
EasyJet runs flights to Tunisia from multiple airports across the UK – one-way flights from London Southend to Enfidha in November are as cheap as £26.
It launched year-round flights to the island of Djerba from bothLondonLutonandManchester with one-way flights starting from £35 in November.
EasyJet even runs multiple tours from Djerba, over the ancient Roman Road that crosses the sea to southern Tunisia.
TUI also offer all inclusive holidays to Tunisia, as do Thomas Cook and On the Beach to name a few.
We’ve made it to September. It’s a transitional time in SoCal gardens as well as in our daily lives. It’s the end of summer! The beginning of school! The triumphant return of pumpkin spice! 🤮
In this year of seemingly ceaseless transitions, let’s just take a minute to catch our breath.
Below, you will find, as always, a list of plant-related workshops and events, but I’d first like to consider this lightning-fast year, where titanic changes keep coming with bewildering speed, from devastating and deadly wildfires to ICE raids, tariffs and gut-wrenching international conflicts, to name several.
If you pitched this stuff for a movie (even turmoil with Canada?), it would seem too preposterous to be made. Except we’ve been living this preposterous movie, and it’s been a lot.
A volunteer tomato plant — variety unknown — grows like a champion against a fence, sans any kind of tending, yet it’s outproducing all the other vines planted in carefully prepared beds full of compost and other amendments. To the left is a huge colander of tomatoes picked off the plant with many more left to ripen.
(Jeanette Marantos / Los Angeles Times)
But here’s the thing: Our gardens don’t care, and there’s a certain beauty and reassurance that comes with that. Take the volunteer tomato plant that appeared in a corner of my yard last winter. It grew up and over my fence, while I was preoccupied with everything else going on in the world. Since July, it has been happily producing tons of tomatoes, which are particularly delicious when they’re roasted with garlic and olive oil.
Or consider how at the fire sites in L.A. County, many oaks and other venerable trees survived next to houses destroyed in the flames. I’ve visited burned properties where tall tangles of native sunflowers literally emerged from the ashes to delight native bees, and even roses, supposedly the fussiest of flowers, are blooming on scorched properties sans water, tending or expectation.
Our gardens can’t change the turmoil in our world, but they can help us cope. Even if all you have is a balcony with room for a couple of pots, find a way to plant something this September that can sustain you with fragrance or food or just plain beauty.
Winter veggies
Yvonne Savio ran Los Angeles County’s UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener program for 25 years before she retired. She’s been gardening for nearly 60 years, so I’d put her in the expert category. For many years, she’s been sharing her wit and wisdom on her website GardningInLA.net, and just recently she started writing for L.A. County’s Master Gardeners’ online newsletter, offering timely tips for plant lovers.
Savio has a huge, envy-inspiring garden in Pasadena. She considers September a transitional time to plant the last of her fast-growing warm-season crops such as green beans and summer squash, and the first of her cool-season crops such as lettuces, kale, peppery greens like mustard and arugula, beets, broccoli and peas (edible) and sweet peas (not edible but beautifully, deliciously fragrant).
For those with smaller gardens, she recommends focusing on cool-weather crops. Even a wide container can grow a thick crop of loose-leaf lettuce — just trim a few leaves from each plant to fill your salad bowl.
At Urban Homestead, a family farm in residential Pasadena, salad mix seeds are planted thickly in narrow trenches, so when the plants emerge they can be easily harvested just a few leaves at a time.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Remove spent warm-season plants first. Bag any diseased plants and put them in the landfill trash so you don’t taint compost piles. Then, she said, enrich your soil with a few inches of compost and mix in some slow-release organic fertilizer such as earthworm castings or Dr. Earth.
Now comes the fun part — choosing your plants. Browse your local nursery for starter packs of greens, lettuces or brassicas like broccoli. But be sure to pick up some packets of seeds as well, especially for beets, which are a double treat with delicious leaves — a bounty in soups! — and colorful roots. They are so good roasted.
Sweet peas such as Renee’s Garden varietal ‘Fire and Ice’ come in a huge mix of colors, but almost all offer a similar prize: an unforgettable sweet fragrance that fills a room with happiness.
(ReneesGarden.com)
Spring blooms
Bulbs are a miraculous boon of color in snow country, when early spring is otherwise grim and gray. They’re easy to plant, and once established, they spread and return year after year, making that initial sometimes pricey investment seem very worthwhile.
Sweet peas such as Renee’s Garden varietal ‘Fire and Ice’ come in a huge mix of colors but almost all offer a similar prize: an unforgettable sweet fragrance that fills a room with happiness.
(ReneesGarden.com)
But here’s the scoop about bulbs: Although most will grow in SoCal, many require freezing temperatures to spread and thrive, Savio said.
If you have the cash and patience to treat bulbs like annuals and replant them every year, that’s great. But for the rest of us, Savio recommends focusing on bulbs purchased from Southern California nurseries that do well in our climate. Find out your hardiness zone on the USDA Hardiness Zone Map (most of the Greater Los Angeles Area has a zone around 10, meaning our low temperatures generally stay above freezing) and be sure to choose bulbs that will thrive in your zone.
Some of Savio’s tips for choosing bulbs: Buy the biggest, firmest, driest bulbs you can, without any mold, early in the season. Avoid end-of-season sales because those are usually smaller bulbs that didn’t sell from the previous year.
Savio said she’s found that frilly double-type varieties or late-season bloomers don’t do as well in warmer climates. Try a few by all means, she said, but invest most of your budget in simpler varieties that bloom early in the spring and will likely spread and flourish to give you years of repeat blooms with just one planting.
She said daffodils, paperwhites and fragrant colorful freesias do particularly well.
And finally, don’t forget to order some sweet peas! Renee’s Garden and Enchanting Sweet Peas in Sebastapol, Calif., have an inspiring selection. Get some now and be sure to plant them before Thanksgiving as a little happiness insurance for next spring.
Need gardening help?
The UC Master Gardeners of Los Angeles County are once again offering their modestly priced Grow LA Gardens classes, a series of four basic gardening classes in September and October in Boyle Heights, Van Nuys, Hollywood, San Marino, West Adams, Long Beach and South Pasadena. The classes are on Saturdays or Sundays. Times and prices vary, but most cost $70 for all four classes (the highest rate), or $30 for those who need financial assistance.
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Jeanette Marantos gives you a roundup of upcoming plant-related activities and events in Southern California, along with our latest plant stories.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
Upcoming events
Sept. 6 and ongoing The new Little Tokyo Farmers’ Market from Food Access Los Angeles and the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center opened Aug. 30, and will continue to operate every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the JACCC’s Isamu Noguchi Plaza in downtown Los Angeles. Admission is free. foodaccessla.org
Sept. 6, 7 and 13 Santa Monica Mountains Fund’s free milkweed giveaways provide four to six narrow-leaf milkweed plants per household that were grown and distributed by the Los Angeles Parks Foundation. Milkweed is the host plant for endangered monarch butterflies whose caterpillars dine exclusively on their leaves. Plants will be given away, with instructions on how to put them in the ground, at the Tarzana Community & Cultural Center from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 6; at the Encino Farmers Market in Encino from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 7; and at the Pacoima Back-to-School Resource Fair at Vaughn Global Green Generation Elementary from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 13. Admission is free, but registration is required. eventbrite.com
Sept. 7 Gardening 101: The Whys of Gardening in San Diego is a free class at City Farmers Nursery in San Diego from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. that will offer growing advice and plant tips for gardeners. Admission is free, and no RSVP required. cityfarmernursery.com
Sept. 11 Intro to California Native Plant Garden Design with Theodore Payne Foundation Horticulture Director Tim Becker. It’s from 9 a.m. to noon at the foundation in Sun Valley. Register online, $103.22 ($81.88 members). eventbrite.com
Sept. 12, 19 and 26 3-Part California Native Garden Design with landscape designer Carol Armour Aronson of Seco Verde. It’s from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day at the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley. The prerequisite course, Right Plant, Right Place, is available online on Sept. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. for $37.66. The design course is in person. Register online, $396.11 for one; $471.96 for couples working on one design. events.humantix.com
Sept. 13-14 Southern California Begonia Society’s Begonia Show & Sale is from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at Sherman Library & Gardens in Corona del Mar. The show includes free talks and demonstrations about growing begonias in terrariums at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 13, basic begonia culture at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 14 and a tour of the garden’s begonia collection at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 14. The show is free with a $5 admission to the garden (members and children 3 and younger enter free). thesherman.org
Sept. 13 Re-wild: Site Design and Establishing New Plants, led by Tree of Life Nursery co-founder Mike Evans, is from 10 a.m. to noon at the nursery in San Juan Capistrano. Learn how to design a native plant landscape. The class is free, but registration is required. eventbrite.com
Avocado 101 Seminar, a free class about avocado varieties and best practices for growing the trees in your garden, is 10 to 11 a.m. at Otto & Sons Nursery in Fillmore. Reservations are not required. ottoandsonsnursery.com
California Native Plant Container Gardening, taught by Theodore Payne Foundation nursery technician Terrence Williams, is at the nursery in Sun Valley. Register online, $55.20 ($44.52 members). eventbrite.com
Monrovia Community Garden’s Green Care Day is from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the garden in Monrovia. Help weed, mulch and otherwise improve the garden with raised bed maintenance and soil topping. Participation is free. monroviacommunitygarden.org
Your Backyard Orchard, a free class about planning and caring for fruit trees taught by the UC Master Gardeners of Orange County, is from 9 to 10:15 a.m. at the Santa Margarita Water District in Rancho Santa Margarita. ucanr.edu
Rose Care Basics, a free class at City Farmers Nursery in San Diego, is from 9 to 10 a.m. and will offer tips about growing roses in San Diego. Admission is free, and no RSVP required. cityfarmernursery.com
Native Plant Summer Maintenance Basics with Theodore Payne Foundation horticulture educator Erik Blank is from 9 to 11 a.m. at the foundation’s demonstration garden in Sun Valley. Register online, $55.20 ($44.52 members). eventbrite.com
Sept. 14 California Biodiversity Day Free Day is from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at California Botanic Garden in Claremont. The event includes bilingual tours of the garden’s production nursery at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.; a native plant loteria game with help from the Chino Basin Water Conservation District from noon to 1 p.m.; and activities provided by exhibitors from various community organizations between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance. calbg.org
Horticulturist Andrew Hankey discusses four new ledebouris species from the Steenkampsberg, Mpumalanga in east South Africa, at the September meeting of the South Coast Cactus & Succulent Society at Fred Hesse Jr. Community Park’s McTaggart Hall in Rancho Palos Verdes. The meeting starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. Admission is free. southcoastcss.org
Gardening for Wildlife, a free class at City Farmer’s Nursery in San Diego, is from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and covers how to create a wildlife-friendly sanctuary garden for birds, pollinators and small mammals in San Diego. Admission is free, and no RSVP required. cityfarmernursery.com
Sept. 19 Propagating California Native Plants From Cuttings, a Theodore Payne Foundation class led by Horticulture Director Tim Becker, is from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the foundation’s new Los Angeles satellite Los Nogales Nursery at the Audubon Center at Debs Park in Montecito Heights. Each participant will leave with a flat of a few starts for their own garden. All materials provided. Register online, $108.55 ($81.88 members). eventbrite.com
Sept. 20 Southern California Horticultural Society’s 2025 Annual Awards Banquet is from 5 to 9 p.m. at the La Cañada Flintridge Country Club and honors native plant horticulturist Katherine Pakradouni with the society’s first-ever Pathmaker Award, created to recognize forward-thinking individuals breaking new ground in horticulture. Pakradouni developed the native plant nursery for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing project, collecting about 1 million native seeds from the surrounding region, and has developed several micro forests and other ecological landscapes through her business Seed to Landscape. The society’s Horticulturists of the Year award will go to native plant horticulturist Melanie Baer Keeley, who is developing Alta Vista Natives Nursery in Three Rivers, and her husband, botanist and fire management scientist Jon E. Keeley. Banquet tickets, which include dinner, are available online, $80 ($70 members). socalhort.org
Sept. 20-21 Carbon Culture Workshop: Hands-On Hugelkultur is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Granada Hills and led by Studio Petrichor’s regenerative garden designers Leigh Adams and Shawn Maestretti. Learn how to build hugelkultur berms out of logs and layers of wood chips and soil; and lasagna mulching to tamp down weeds. Bring gloves and a water bottle; lunch provided. Register online $44.52. eventbrite.com
Sept. 26 and 27 California Botanic Garden’s Seeds Walking Tour involves guided tours through the state’s largest botanic garden dedicated to California native plants to learn about what seeds can tell us about their native plants. Tours available from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 10 to 11 a.m. both days at the garden in Claremont. Register online, $20 ($10 members). calbg.org
Sept. 26-28 44th Edition of the Fascination of Orchids International Festival of Orchids & Exotic Plants is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. all three days at the Santa Ana Zoo in Santa Ana. The event includes thousands of orchids and exotic plants on display as well as classes about growing orchids and vendors selling supplies. Purchase tickets online, $5.49 per person, valid for all three days. ticketleap.events
Sept. 27 Love Your Lands: National Public Lands Day Event with Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy is from 9 a.m. to noon at the conservancy’s White Point Nature Preserve in San Pedro. It will be a day of helping to remove nonnative plant species, watering new native plantings, seed preparation, garden walks and activities for children. Participation is free, but registration is required. pvplc.volunteerhub.com
Re-wild: Planting Design and Installation, led by Tree of Life Nursery co-founder Mike Evans, is from 10 a.m. to noon at the nursery in San Juan Capistrano. Learn how to implement your native plant landscape design. The class is free, but registration is required. eventbrite.com
After two winters of next-to-no rain, SoCal is heading back into drought conditions. Is this the year you finally remove your lawn? If you need inspiration, here are two of our latest stories about Angelenos who pulled out their turf to create native plant landscapes, with the help of an ocean-conscious designer in Long Beach and a creative DIY couple in Harvard Park determined to transform their dead lawn into a vibrant habitat.
Altadena was lush with plants before the Eaton fire, and resident Laurie Scott is intent on replacing that green — and lifting her community’s spirit — with her Regrow Altadena project, which gives free plants to residents to plant around their fire-damaged properties.
SHOPPERS have slammed a bargain retail giant after spotting Christmas decor on shelves four months early.
Many have claimed it is “ridiculous” and an “absolute joke” to see the festive decorations so early in the year.
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Christmas baubles and large Santas are up for grabs in The RangeCredit: Andrew Barr
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The retailler has shown off its new Christmas collectionCredit: Facebook / The Range
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Shoppers have been left furious after spotting the festive decor on shelvesCredit: Andrew Barr
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Shoppers said it was ‘spoiling the magic’ selling decor this earlyCredit: Andrew Barr
Despite this August being sunnier and warmer for Scots than normal, The Range is already preparing for the winter months.
And shoppers were left fuming when the retailer showed off its range of Christmas buys that are now up for grabs.
The Range took to social media to share its brand new collection of festive decor, which is already stocked on shelves.
In one Facebook post, the shop showed a number of festive cushions and teddies, including cuddly Christmas puddings, gingerbread men, candy canes, and snowy trains and villages.
There was also a huge collection of different Christmas bedding sets, each with its own theme, and large Santa toys.
Fan favourite festive candles were also on display, as well as diffusers with classic Christmas smells such as gingerbread and cranberries.
Our Christmas candles have officially landed. Because it’s never too early for a little festive magic
The RangeFacebook post
Other pieces of decor for the home were up for grabs, like little gingerbread house ornaments, green glass trees and gold lanterns.
The Range captioned one post: “They’re here… and yes, it’s still summer.
“Our Christmas candles have officially landed. Because it’s never too early for a little festive magic.”
And another post on Facebook read: “Not to sleigh the surprise… but since you asked for MORE, here’s a little festive teaser.
‘I’m so ready!’ people say as B&M drops this year’s Christmas PJs, with cute kids’ ‘pigs in blankets’ ones for a fiver
“Too early? Snow way! Our full Christmas collection is coming soon – stay tuned!”
But the posts led to an outcry from shoppers who said it “spoils the magic” by being in shops so early – especially when the summer is still considered to be in full swing.
Many flocked to the comments to blast the shop for selling Christmas decor before the official start of autumn.
One person said: “Have a day off, it’s bloody August!”
Another added: “Spoils the magic of it. It’s ridiculous”.
Someone else wrote: “Absolute joke…”
While a fourth shared: “Ridiculous, it’s not even Halloween”.
And a fifth chimed in: “I love Christmas, but this is far too early”.
How to save money at The Range
THE Range shoppers can save extra cash by using these tips…
Shop, within a shop – In some The Range stores there’s a ‘secret’ shop within a shop.
You can purchase Iceland products in over 85 of the retailer’s branches.
The budget grocery items are a must for plenty of shoppers with hungry mouths to feed back at home.
Shop the sale – Even some of the biggest ticket items are slashed in price if you know when to shop.
A good tip for online shoppers is to use the “offers” tab on The Range website.
It’s where you’ll find deals like this and all the best bargains are saved in one place so you can browse hundreds of products that have been reduced.
It’s also where you’ll find the “Mega Drop”.
Use Facebook – You can use Facebook to your advantage before you head out to shop at The Range.
Like-minded bargain hunters flock to the social media platform to post all about their latest finds and how they managed to score the best prices.
Others, however, seem delighted to get into the Christmas spirit before summer’s over.
A user posted: “Woop woop, skip Halloween and just have Christmas”.
A second commented: “Can’t wait to see the full range of Christmas stock out in shops”.
And a shopper agreed: “Please hurry, I keep popping in to check”.
While a fourth cheered: “Sooooooooo excited, I love Christmas”.
Someone else added: “YASSSSSS, IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS!”
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Candles, diffusers and glass trees are up for grabsCredit: Facebook / The Range
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There is also a range of different bedding setsCredit: Facebook / The Range
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Christmas gift sets are also already on shelvesCredit: Andrew Barr
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The Range showed off its new Christmas home decor on social mediaCredit: Facebook / The Range
The bustling capital of Tenerife, Santa Cruz is a city that offers a perfect mix of beach relaxation and cultural exploration – and it’s just a short flight away
11:34, 25 Aug 2025Updated 12:14, 25 Aug 2025
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Temperatures average 24C throughout November in Santa Cruz(Image: Andrea Comi via Getty Images)
Santa Cruz, the vibrant capital of Tenerife, is a favourite amongst holidaymakers with its stunning black and white sand beaches and rugged mountainous landscape.
With a matter of weeks before the end of summer, the UK is already bracing for the cooler temperatures and frequent heavy showers of autumn and winter. Luckily, there is a Spanish port city offering a warm haven for Brits in search of some winter sun.
Tenerife boasts warm temperatures all year round, averaging 24C throughout November and a comfortable 21C well into December, reports the Express.
A post-Christmas getaway to this Spanish city could be just the ticket, especially as Santa Cruz hosts one of the world’s largest carnivals each February.
During the carnival season, the streets of Santa Cruz come alive with music, dancing and a riot of colourful costumes.
Temperatures in the winter can still reach 24C(Image: Getty)
These festivities typically draw around 150,000 tourists, contributing to the nearly one million participants who join in over the approximately five weeks of celebrations.
Outside of the carnival season, Tenerife offers a more tranquil retreat, making it the perfect time to unwind and soak up the rich cultural history of Santa Cruz.
Nestled near the city centre is the Palmetum of Tenerife, a vast botanical garden boasting one of the world’s largest collections of palm trees, where you can also savour breathtaking views of the island’s coastline.
Las Teresitas is the city’s main beach(Image: itchySan via Getty Images)
The main beach in Santa Cruz is Las Teresitas, a stretch of golden sand specially crafted using sands imported from the Sahara desert.
In the bustling port of Santa Cruz, one of Spain’s busiest, holidaymakers can discover the Auditorio, a contemporary concert hall that echoes the design of the Sydney Opera House and is crafted to resemble a ship’s sails.
Tenerife, already a favourite amongst British holidaymakers, is frequently serviced by numerous budget airlines, with a flight time just over four hours from the UK.
Santa Cruz, situated near the North Airport at the island’s peak, offers flights from London for a bargain price of as little as £36 during the winter season, according to Skyscanner.
UNCERTAINTY looms over Saudi Arabia’s plans to build a high-tech mountain ski resort in the middle of the desert.
The project has met such substantial woes that the country is even reportedly in talks to relocate the 2029 Asian Winter Games.
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Trojena is planned to feature 30km of ski-runsCredit: Dezeen
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Snow for the ski slopes would be artificialCredit: Dezeen
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NEOM’s many projects have been bogged down with delays and setbacksCredit: Dezeen
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These games had been expected to take place in Trojena – in the futuristic city of NEOM in the north of Saudi Arabia.
But the project has faced substantial difficulties as the desert Kingdom scrambles to complete the resort in time, the FT has reported.
Trojena is planned to feature 30km of ski-runs – which will include the Asian Games’ 400m slope.
Snow for the ski slopes would be artificial, and would be pumped from the Gulf of Aqaba 200km away.
“Trojena will become one of the most dazzling destinations in NEOM and across the world,” says a NEOM spokesperson.
But for all the promise of a glittering, high tech future, NEOM’s many projects have been bogged down with delays and setbacks, with Trojena being no exception.
Amid construction woes, South Korea and China are reportedly being considered as alternate venues for the games.
But a source familiar with the project told the Telegraph: “The difficulties have been magnified by the schedule imposed on the project.”
Another said: “The Saudis are really committed to building something there.
“Maybe not on the scale that they have imagined in the first place.”
Inside Saudi Arabia’s bloody £1TN Neom megaproject ‘with 21k workers mysteriously DYING & labourers trapped like slaves’
NEOMwas announced as part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s Project 2030 in 2017.
It came as part of a major push to wean the oil-rich nation’s economy off its reliance on fossil fuels.
Human Rights Watch researcher Joey Shea previously told the Sun: “Unfortunately migrant workers in Saudi Arabia continue to face widespread abuses, some of which may amount to situations of forced labour, including at high profile gigaprojects.
“On NEOM, Human Rights Watch has found that ambitious targets set by Saudi authorities have tight and unrealistic deadlines which can lead employers to demand that workers continue to work under dangerous conditions.
“Migrant workers in Saudi Arabia experience illegal and exorbitant Recruitment Fees, limits to job mobility, obstacles exiting the country, as well as serious health and safety risks.”
One NEOM worker previously told The Sun that the project’s management has “overspent quite a bit” since its announcement.
He said: “They were focusing on way too many things at the same time.
“They just wanted everything at the highest level possible. The biggest entertainment complex in the world. The biggest media studio in the region.
“No matter how much money you throw at the thing, it takes more than just money to make it work.”
Top 5 blunders plaguing NEOM project
BY Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News Reporter
Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project, despite its ambitious vision, has been criticized for several major blunders that have raised concerns about its feasibility, ethics, and overall execution.
Here are the top five major blunders associated with the project:
Forced Displacement of Indigenous Communities: One of the most significant controversies surrounding NEOM is the forced displacement of the Huwaitat tribe.
This indigenous community, which has lived in the area for centuries, was forcibly removed from their ancestral lands to make way for the development of the mega-city.
The Saudi government’s crackdown on those who resisted, including the killing of a tribal leader, Abdul Rahim al-Howeiti, has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organisations.
This blunder not only sparked international outrage but also tainted NEOM’s image as a forward-thinking, humane project.
Environmental Impact and Sustainability Concerns: NEOM has been marketed as an environmentally sustainable city, but the environmental impact of such a massive development is a major concern.
The project’s scale—covering over 26,500 square kilometers—poses significant risks to local ecosystems, particularly in the Red Sea, which is home to rich marine biodiversity.
Critics argue that the construction of artificial islands and extensive urbanisation could lead to irreversible ecological damage.
The enormous water and energy demands required to maintain a green city in the desert also raise questions about the project’s sustainability.
Economic Viability and Cost Overruns: NEOM is one of the most expensive development projects in history.
But there are serious doubts about its economic viability. Critics question whether the project can attract the necessary foreign investment and whether it will generate sufficient returns to justify the enormous expenditure.
The economic risks are further compounded by potential cost overruns and delays, which are common in megaprojects of this scale.
This financial gamble has led some to worry that NEOM could become a costly white elephant if it fails to meet its ambitious goals.
Technological Overreach and Ethical Concerns: NEOM is envisioned as a high-tech city, heavily reliant on artificial intelligence, robotics, and extensive surveillance systems.
While this technological ambition is central to NEOM’s identity, it also raises significant ethical concerns. The level of surveillance planned for the city could lead to unprecedented control over residents’ lives, sparking fears about privacy and civil liberties.
The lack of transparency about how AI will be used, coupled with concerns about job displacement, has also led to criticism that NEOM’s technological vision may be more dystopian than utopian.
Cultural and Social Disconnect: NEOM’s vision of a futuristic, liberalized society clashes sharply with Saudi Arabia’s deeply conservative cultural norms.
The project plans to introduce mixed-gender sports, entertainment events, and other liberal lifestyle elements that are rare in the kingdom.
This cultural shift has raised concerns about a potential clash between NEOM’s globalised vision and the traditional values of Saudi society.
The disconnect between the project’s ambitions and the broader cultural context has led to skepticism about whether NEOM can truly integrate into Saudi Arabia’s social fabric without causing significant friction.
SHOPPERS are rushing to snap up a £13 Sainsbury’s summer dress, that is super flattering on all body types.
With just a few weeks left of the school summer holidays, many Brits are likely hoping to make the most of the hot weather, with days out at the beach and last-minute trips abroad.
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Shoppers are raving about this gorgeous summer dressCredit: Sainsbury’s
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The stylish frock is already sold out in some sizesCredit: Sainsbury’s
And what better way to get yourself excited for summer plans, than to treat yourself to a brand new frock.
Sainsbury’s Tu is one of the best-loved brands on the high street, and is constantly wowing us with its stylish but affordable fashion.
From cute dresses to on-trend work attire, the supermarket fast-fashion range always hits the mark, and its summer collection is no exception.
Elegant summer dress
One dress in particular that has caught the eye of fashion fans is the Yellow Square Neck Poplin Midaxi Dress which has been slashed from £26 to £13, a saving of 50%.
Read more fashion stories
The stunning frock is perfect for those with bigger busts, as it has chunky straps, meaning you can wear a supportive bra underneath.
It is made with a lightweight fabric, which will keep you cool on hot summer days, and even has pockets, so you don’t even have to take a bag out with you.
Pair the bright-coloured gown with chunky wedge sandals and eye-catching accessories for a statement holiday look.
The dress is available in a wide range of sizes, from size six to size 24.
However, it has proved so popular with fashion fans that it is sold out in some sizes, so you better be quick to snap up the deal.
Shoppers have been raving about the summer frock on the Sainsbury’s website.
One customer said: “I really like the cut and colour of this dress and it has thick shoulder straps so you can wear your regular bra.”
A second said: “I loved this dress from the moment I spotted it in store and thus I purchased it the second I was able to!
“Fabric wise this dress is very much a summer wear, though I suspect if you layer just right you could well push it into winter.”
A third shopper wrote: “This is a lovely dress. Lovely material.
“I’m a size 12 and it fitted perfectly.”
A fourth remarked: “This lovely dress is made out of quality material, in a triumphant colour and cut beautifully.
Is supermarket fashion the new high street?
DEPUTY Fashion Editor Abby McHale weighs in:
The supermarkets have really upped their game when it comes to their fashion lines. These days, as you head in to do your weekly food shop you can also pick up a selection of purse-friendly, stylish pieces for all the family.
Tesco has just announced a 0.7 per cent increase in the quarter thanks to a ‘strong growth in clothing’ and M&S has earnt the title of the number one destination for womenswear on the high street.
Asda’s clothing line George has made £1.5 million for the supermarket in 2023, 80 per cent of Sainsbury’s clothes sold at full price rather than discounted and Nutmeg at Morrisons sales are also up 2 per cent in the past year.
So what is it about supermarket fashion that is becoming so successful?
Apart from the clothing actually being affordable, it’s good quality too – with many being part of schemes such as the Better Cotton Initiative.
A lot of the time they keep to classic pieces that they know will last the customer year after year.
Plus because they buy so much stock they can turn around pieces quickly and buy for cheaper because of the volumes.
Stevie Nicks has postponed several upcoming tour dates after fracturing her shoulder.
“Due to a recent injury resulting in a fractured shoulder that will require recovery time, Stevie Nicks’ scheduled concerts in August and September will be rescheduled,” the Fleetwood Mac singer announced over the weekend.
The affected shows include all her August and September shows, which include Detroit, Brooklyn and Florida dates. Those dates have been rescheduled for later in the fall and winter.
Nicks’ shows scheduled for October are still on as planned, including Portland, Sacramento and Las Vegas.
“Stevie looks forward to seeing everyone soon and apologizes to the fans for this inconvenience,” the statement continued.
Nicks recently delighted Fleetwood Mac fans by reaching enough of a detente with her on-and-off bandmate Lindsey Buckingham to reissue their beloved 1973 collaborative LP “Buckingham Nicks,” their only album together before joining Fleetwood Mac. That LP is out Sept. 19.
They won’t finish this season with the best record in history, as they could win every one of their remaining games and still not realize the 120-win season that was envisioned for them.
They might not even finish this season with the best record in the National League — or in their own division, for that matter.
The Dodgers look beatable.
Their perceived vulnerability didn’t necessarily inspire the frenzied action around baseball before the trade deadline, but it certainly didn’t discourage it either.
With blood in the water and the World Series field wide open, several contenders moved to prepare their rosters for October. No team changed as much as the San Diego Padres, who are suddenly positioned to turn the Dodgers’ title defense into a humiliation exercise.
“We went in knowing, OK, we have a team that can compete and play deep and ultimately we have these needs and let’s go fill them,” Padres general manager A.J. Preller said.
Mason Miller, who throws a fastball with an average velocity of 101 mph, will turbocharge what was already the No. 1 bullpen in baseball. Ramon Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn will improve the balance of a top-heavy lineup featuring Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Freddy Fermin will address a hole at catcher. JP Sears and Nestor Cortes will add depth to a rotation on the mend.
Particularly revealing of the Padres’ ambitions was what Preller didn’t do. He didn’t trade closer Robert Suarez, an impending free agent. He didn’t trade underperforming former All-Star pitcher Dylan Cease, who will also hit the market this winter.
The Padres were only three games behind the Dodgers at the trade deadline, making Preller’s team a legitimate threat to overtake them in the division and cost them a top-two seed in the NL, for which the reward is a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The danger didn’t compel the Dodgers to act, their relative inactivity in this situation reflecting the contrasting philosophies of the two organizations.
The Dodgers make deals on their terms. When president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman overpay for players — the combined $85 million the Dodgers spent over the winter on relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates is an example — it’s usually by accident.
The mentality often results in the market dictating to the Dodgers what they can and can’t do. For better or worse, the Padres have elected a proactive approach.
Landing Miller required to part with Leo De Vries, an 18-year-old shortstop who is widely considered one of the five best prospects in the entire sport.
Preller knew what he gave up.
“He’s going to be a very good major league player,” Preller said of De Vries.
Preller has done this before, He traded Max Fried and he traded Emmanuel Clase and he traded Josh Naylor. When he acquired Juan Soto at the 2022 trade deadline, he sent the Washington Nationals a package that included three future All-Stars in CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore and James Wood.
Impact players have considerable price tags, and they’re higher in some years than in others. The Dodgers examined the prices of the best relievers and outfielders available, and they settled for more affordable options. The Padres went for it, with Preller saying he was confident the team’s scouting and player development departments would once again replenish the farm system.
“In different points in time over the last few years, we’ve been able to be in this position, to be able to make these types of decisions and calls,” Preller said. “It’s just because we have good players that other teams want.”
The Padres weren’t alone. The two New York teams reconstructed their bullpens, the Philadelphia Phillies found a closer in Jhoan Duan and the Seattle Mariners added some pop to their lineup by dealing for Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor.
Why wouldn’t these teams be bold?
The Dodgers couldn’t make this a one-horse race. Their inability to separate themselves from the pack presented competitors with opportunities to pass them by at the trade deadline. Some of them might have.
State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
War Widow’s Pension
Widowed Mother’s Allowance
Widowed Parent’s Allowance
Widow’s Pension
If you’re part of a married couple, in a civil partnership or live together, you’ll both get the cash bonus – as long as you both are eligible.
If you or your partner do not get one of the above qualifying benefits, then they could still get the bonus if they are over the state pension age by the end of the qualifying week.
Winter Fuel payment
The Winter Fuel Payment is made every year to help cover the cost of energy over the colder months.
It has been changed in recent months so that fewer can claim.
However, the cash boost, worth up to £300, is still valuable for those who quality – particularly those on Pension Credit.
The cash is usually paid in November and December, with some made up until the end of January the following year.
If you haven’t got your payment by then, you need to call the office that pays your benefits.
Households eligible for the payment are usually told via a letter sent in October or November each year.
If you think you meet the criteria, but don’t automatically get the winter fuel payment, you will have to apply on the government’s website.
The Child Winter Heating Assistance
If you’re based in Scotland, you could receive a child winter heating assistance payment of £255.80.
You get child winter heating payment for a child or young person under 19 who lives in Scotland and who is entitled to:
the highest rate of the care component of child disability payment (CDP) or disability living allowance (DLA), or
the enhanced rate of the daily living component of adult disability payment (ADP) or personal independence payment (PIP).
They must be entitled to the relevant disability benefit during the ‘qualifying week’, which is the week beginning on the third Monday in September (w/c Septmber 15 in 2025).
You do not have to make a claim for the payment, but it should be paid by Social Security Scotland, usually in November.
If you think you’re entitled but have not received payment by the end of December, you should contact Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.
Warm Home Discount
The Warm Home Discount is an automatic £150 discount off energy bills.
As the money is a discount, there is no money paid to you, but you’ll get the payment automatically if your electricity supplier is part of the scheme and you qualify.
You’ll have to be in receipt of one of the following benefits to qualify for one of the payments:
If you don’t claim any of the above benefits, you won’t be eligible for the payment.
Cold Weather payment
Cold weather payments are dished out when temperatures are recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees or below, on average, for seven consecutive days between November 1 and March 31.
Eligible Brits are then given extra money to help heat their homes.
You get £25 for each seven-day period where the weather is below zero Celsius on average during this time frame.
You can check if your area has had a cold weather payment by popping your postcode into the government’s tool on its website.
You’ll need to be on certain benefits to qualify, which are:
Student maintenance loans are paid to university students to help cover living costs such as rent.
They are usually paid at the start of each new term, so you typically receive three payments a year.
Maintenance Loans are paid straight into your student bank account in three (almost) equal instalments throughout the year.
The amount you will receive depends on where in the UK you’re from, whether you’ll be living at home or not, your household income and how long you’re studying for.
The average Maintenance Loan is approximately £6,116 a year.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Newcastle make Giorgio Scalvini their top defensive transfer target, Mikel Arteta sets Arsenal a deadline for Viktor Gyokeres deal and Barcelona are ready to make fresh Luis Diaz move.
Newcastle United have made Italy international Giorgio Scalvini their top defensive transfer target with the Magpies hoping they can sign the 21-year-old Atalanta centre-back for about £30m. (Times – subscription required), external
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has set a deadline of less than two weeks for the club to agree a deal for Sporting’s Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres, 27, with RB Leipzig’s 22-year-old Slovenian forward Benjamin Sesko and Aston Villa and England’s Ollie Watkins, 29, alternative options. (Mirror), external
Barcelona will make a fresh approach for Liverpool’s 28-year-old Colombia winger Luis Diaz after another target, 22-year-old Spain winger Nico Williams, signed a new contract with Athletic Bilbao. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Everton’s 35-year-old Senegal midfielder Idrissa Gueye, whose contract expired on Monday, has signed a new one-year deal with the option of another year. (Footmercato – in French), external
Tottenham are among the clubs showing interest in Genoa centre-back Koni de Winter, 23, with the Belgium international valued at £21.5m by his Italian club. (Talksport), external
Napoli are considering rivalling Manchester United and Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah for the signing of Fiorentina’s 25-year-old Italy striker Moise Kean, whose release clause of 52m euros (£45m) expires on 15 July. (Calciomercato – in Italian), external
Burnley and Crystal Palace are among the Premier League clubs interested in 25-year-old Napoli and Sweden midfielder Jens Cajuste, who spent last season on loan at Ipswich Town. (Sky Sports), external
Crystal Palace have also made an offer to sign Ajax left-back Borna Sosa, with the 27-year-old Croatia international among several options Oliver Glasner’s side are considering to add depth to the squad. (Athletic – subscription required), external
Inter Miami remain in talks with 38-year-old Argentina striker Lionel Messi over an extension to his current contract, which expires at the end of 2025. (ESPN), external
Jennifer Dodds is aiming for back-to-back Winter Olympic gold medals, with the curling teams the first officially confirmed Team GB athletes for Milan-Cortina 2026.
And, with a silver medal on their debut, Bruce Mouat and his rink are aiming to go one better in Italy next year.
Mouat, along with Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan Jr, were narrowly beaten by Sweden in the 2022 final.
Dodds teamed up with Eve Muirhead, Vicky Wright and Hailey Duff in Beijing as Britain topped the podium for the first time in 20 years.
This time, she will be joined by Rebecca Morrison, Sophie Sinclair and skip Sophie Jackson.
“Winning gold last time was a dream come true, so I’m excited to get back there, obviously with a new team,” Dodds told BBC Scotland.
“We’ve been building a lot over the last couple of seasons and I’m excited to see where the trajectory of our performance can go over the next eight months.
“I’ve known a couple of the girls for quite a while, but that’s the thing, we probably had to build that teamwork, build the friendships and I feel like we’ve done that really well. I think you can see in our performances, our teamwork has improved, and a big part of that is communication and understanding each other.”
Mouat’s Scotland rink won World Championship gold for a second time this year, having been European champions on four occasions.
Now the Edinburgh curler wants to add Olympic gold to their list of achievements.
“We were close last time,” he said. “It came down to a matter of centimetres in the final. It was tough at the time but we’ve really bounced back and got our two world championships and now we’ve got 10 Grand Slam titles, so we have a lot of momentum.”
WE may well be seeing lower slug and snail numbers this summer thanks to colder weather in winter and the recent dry spells.
But mother nature never makes it easy for us. Instead – of course – there’s a new pest in town.
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RHS members have found aphids to be the biggest problem this yearCredit: Getty
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Adam Woolcott told Sun Gardening how to get rid of garden pestsCredit: Supplied
Aphid levels have rocketed this year – and the RHS reckons it’s top of the list of gardening queries to their hotline.
There’s over 500 different species found in the UK – and can be red, yellow, black, green, brown or pink.
They feed by sucking sap from plants – and can cause severe damage – including distorted growth, sooty mould and plant viruses – and sometimes plant death.
Chelsea award winning gardener Adam Woolcott – and Webb ambassador – gave Sun Gardening some top tips on how to tackle the most common early summer pests.
APHIDS
Physically remove the aphids from the stems and leaves. Use natural insecticidal soaps. Blast off with water jets. Encourage predators such as ladybirds, lacewings, and hoverflies
VINE WEEVIL
Both the adult vine weevil beetles and their larvae cause damage. Adults — all female — chew distinctive ‘U-shaped’ notches in leaves, particularly on evergreen shrubs like rhododendrons, escallonias, and viburnums. Underground: larvae feed on plant roots and can kill container plants like Heucheras. Remove adults at night when they’re most active Break the life cycle with biological controls such as nematodes (apply in spring and autumn when grubs are active) Chemical treatments are a last resort, but offer longer-term control
LILY BEETLE
The bright red beetles and their larvae are both covered in their excrement. They can strip a plant in days, affecting flowering and bulb health.
Remove beetles by hand where practical Encourage wildlife into the garden. Birds and ground beetles will eat the larvae Grow a resistant variety. Tolerate some damage if you can — total eradication isn’t always necessary.
CATERPILLARS
Especially troublesome in veg patches. Cabbage white butterfly caterpillars love brassicas, while box tree caterpillars are spreading rapidly across the UK, stripping foliage as they go.
Remove the caterpillars by hand if you can and destroy any badly affected plants (if practical) to stop the infestation from spreading. Use biological sprays like nematodes. In some cases, hot water and a mild detergent can help. Ecover is on sale at Dunelm for £2.45. As a last resort, chemical controls can be effective
Also in Veronica’s Column this week…
Top tips, Gardening news, and a competition to win a £250 lawnmower
NEWS KING Charles made a surprise visit to Windsor Flower Show last Saturday. Celebrities including Alex Jones and Kirsty Gallacher were at the one-day show – which had wonderful village fair vibes, vegetable and cake competitions and fantastic floral displays.
TOP TIP JUNE is actually a good time to take Hydrangea cuttings – and get your own plants for free. They’ll have produced some soft green growth – which is what you want. Choose healthy, non flowering shoots that are 10-15cm long and cut just below the node (the leaf joint). Don’t collect cuttings from plants with leaves that are turning brown. And try to collect in the morning if you can. Remove the lower leaves – leaving just one or two at the top. Then dip the end in rooting powder or gel – then pop it straight in a pot. You could splash out on seeding and cutting compost – but multi purpose will do – just add a bit of grit or perlite. Then keep them out of direct sunlight and keep moist. They should have rooted within about a month.
NEWS A RARE ‘sheep-eating’ South American plant has flowered in an English primary school for the first time. The Puya Chilensis, with its iconic spike pattern, is normally found in the Andes in Chile. But after it was planted 10 years ago by school horticulturalist Louise Moreton, it has sent out a 10ft spike at Wicor Primary School in Portchester, Hants. It’s called a Sheep Catcher as it would normally entangle wildlife, hold onto it – and then when the animal died – would take the nutrients. Ms Moreton said it was exciting but a worrying sign of global warming.
WIN! Keep your lawn looking its best this summer by winning a Webb Classic Self Propelled Petrol Lawn Mower worth £249.99. To enter visit www.thesun.co.uk/WEBBCOMP or write to Sun Webb competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Entries close 11.59pm. July 5, 2025. T&Cs apply.
TOP TIP IF you want to get more flowers from your sedums (now called Hylotelephiums) and prevent them from collapsing – pinch them out around now. Pinch off around four sets of leaves down – which will make them bushier.
JOB OF THE WEEK Weeds thrive this month – keep on top of them by hoeing. Tie in sweet peas, and give your plants a good feed – liquid seaweed feed is great – and Tomorite works with nearly everything. Give agapanthus a high-potash feed every couple of weeks.
For more top tips and gardening news, follow me @biros_and_bloom
To date, Ryding has achieved seven World Cup podium finishes, capped by his historic gold in the Kitzbuhel slalom.
In the aftermath of that race, Ryding said he had “never stopped believing, never stopped trying” – encapsulating his “Northern grit” and determination to rise to the top of the sport, despite the odds being stacked against him.
Unlike most of his global peers, Ryding was not brought up on snow.
His first experience of skiing came as a six-year-old on a plastic dry slope in Pendle, Lancashire, while he did little training on snow until he was 13. He continued to race on the dry into his early twenties.
He had a late breakthrough to the top circuit of the sport, earning his first World Cup points just a few weeks shy of his 26th birthday and not adding any more until two years later.
It was in Kitzbuhel, Austria, that he stood on a World Cup podium for the first time with silver in 2017, while his most recent medal, a bronze, came in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, in December 2023.
His best finish at the Olympics is ninth at Pyeongchang 2018, but Ryding feels he has “left something on the table” at the Games, where he will be watched by his nearly three-year-old daughter, Nina.
“I think ninth is not a true reflection of my ability,” he said.
For one last season, Ryding will train with British team-mates Billy Major, 28, and Laurie Taylor, 29. They have big boots to fill, but follow tracks that have taken British skiing to a whole new level.
“Hearing kids openly and talk normally about World Cup podiums, it almost makes me laugh, because this is nuts,” said Ryding.
“I don’t necessarily go to a race thinking of podiums, but the next generation are certainly thinking that.
“The belief that I’ve given to the next generation, I absolutely see it, and I’m really excited to see what that becomes for the next 20 years.”
SAN DIEGO — Fernando Tatis Jr. sat in front of his locker late Monday night, assessing his San Diego Padres in the wake of an extra-inning loss to the Dodgers. He did not have much to say, but he did not have to say much.
“We can still play better,” he said. “It’s that simple.”
Tatis reached base three times Monday, but his OPS is 78 points below his career average. The Padres dropped the highly anticipated opener of the season series of baseball’s best rivalry by one run, but their most productive and healthy starting pitcher got hit hard, one of their relievers threw away a comebacker, one of their outfielders misread a line drive, and their shortstop lost a pop fly in the twilight.
Yet, after all that, the Padres (37-28) awoke Tuesday nine games over .500 and two games out of first place in the National League West. At this point last season, the Padres were one game under .500 and eight games out of first place.
The Padres rallied to clinch a postseason spot and came within one game of eliminating the Dodgers in the first round of the playoffs. Then came winter, with the Padres going into hibernation as the Dodgers signed most of the free world.
The Padres did not win the winter, by choice. That did not endear them to their fans, particularly not after the Dodgers took home a championship trophy because no one could beat L.A. in October.
“I don’t think we were ever bad,” Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove said. “People see the additions of big name players for a lot of money and think that directly correlates to the ability to win.”
That is true for fans, and truer still for major league owners operating in markets far smaller than San Diego, refusing to spend and then pointing fingers at the Dodgers. The Padres earned a playoff payoff last season, and they have sold out 27 of 31 home dates so far this season.
San Diego’s Jackson Merrill celebrates after hitting an run-scoring double against the Dodgers in the 10th inning Monday.
(Orlando Ramirez / Associated Press)
“I don’t think the fans are wrong for feeling how they felt,” Musgrove said. “That’s just a natural, knee-jerk reaction to seeing everyone move and you not move.”
The Padres lost Tanner Scott, Jurickson Profar and Ha-Seong Kim over the winter. They lost Juan Soto, Blake Snell and Josh Hader the previous winter.
That would frighten any fan base.
The Padres traded Soto and got two New York Yankees relievers — Michael King and Randy Vasquez — that now start in San Diego. The Padres replaced Soto in the outfield with a minor league shortstop, Jackson Merrill, who should have been the NL rookie of the year.
They didn’t use Scott as a closer when they traded for him; Robert Suarez closed then and closes now. Gavin Sheets, signed to a minor league contract, has 11 home runs, more than anyone on the team besides Tatis.
Utilityman Tyler Wade scoffed at the winter notion that the Padres might not fare as well this season.
“Look around our room, man,” Wade said. “We’ve got a super-talented bunch. We basically have the same team as last year — minus a couple of key pieces, obviously.”
The Padres’ catchers have a negative WAR. So do their left fielders, and their .248 on-base percentage is the lowest among any team’s left fielders.
The Angels’ Taylor Ward would be a nice fit here. A.J. Preller, the Padres’ president of baseball operations, is the rare executive who trades actual prospects. He’ll make the Padres better in the seven weeks between now and the trading deadline.
Said Musgrove: “The people in this room felt extremely confident in the staff, and in the belief that we have in A.J. to put a good product on the field and make adjustments as necessary throughout the year.”
What might distinguish the Padres from the Dodgers this season — and vice versa — is how many starting pitchers return from the injured list, and how effective they can be.
The Dodgers have Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tyler Glasnow and Tony Gonsolin on the injured list. The Padres have King, Musgrove and Yu Darvish on the injured list.
Darvish has yet to pitch this season but has resumed throwing bullpen sessions. King is expected to miss several weeks because of a pinched nerve. Musgrove, who had Tommy John surgery last October, is not expected to rejoin the rotation this season but is hopeful he can pitch in relief in the postseason, if the Padres get there.
The Dodgers’ relievers have thrown the most innings in the league. Both the Dodgers and Padres’ starters rank among the bottom five in innings pitched. The relievers for both teams are pitching very well, but too often.
Ultimately, lest the bullpen arms become injured and/or ineffective, the manager said, “We’re going to need some depth out of some starters.” (The manager was the Padres’ Mike Shildt, but it could just as easily have been the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts.)
And, amid all the hype and analysis surrounding the Dodgers and Padres, there is one little wrinkle: The Dodgers lead the NL West, but the team in second place is not the Padres. It’s the San Francisco Giants. Did someone say rivalry?
The front page of the Times reports that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to set out a “winter fuel U-turn” in her spending review on 11 June. It says the payment will be restored and then clawed back “from millions of better-off pensioners through higher tax bills”. The paper also features an image of Queen Camilla shaking hands with “moss people” at Canary Wharf.
There are fears of “chaos” over the return of winter fuel payments writes the Guardian. It reports the bereaved families of dead pensioners could be pursued by tax officials to recover the sums in a potential new Treasury scheme. The full details of the scheme have not yet been announced.
“Farage backs call for full U-turn to help OAPs” the Daily Express headlines on the winter fuel payments. Also from the Express, the Queen is pictured holding a bunch of flowers, with the caption “Queen of smiles for British flower week”.
The i Paper is another to feature the winter fuel cuts reversal as its top story, reporting that 1.3m more people are likely to receive the payment this year. In an exclusive, it reports the chancellor has been “given £27,000 donation from lobbying firm linked to Thames Water bidder”. A Labour Party spokesperson said: “All necessary declarations have been made, in line with the rules.”
The Mail’s headline reads “Battle lines drawn over immigration” and features a literal dotted line between blocks of texts laying out the opposing policies from Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch on cutting migration numbers.
The Telegraph reports that Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been “forced to drop net zero cuts” she had been considering for the spending review next week, with Energy Security Secretary Ed Miliband fending off cuts to the £13.2 billion warm homes plan.
The Sun also covers the story about weight-loss jabs, with warnings made to women about potential side effects of the medication.
The Financial Times reports that “Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ will swell US debt by $2.4tn (£1.1tn)”.
Under the headline “Glee School Meals”, the Daily Mirror reports 500,000 more school children will receive free school meals – an issue the paper has campaigned on
The Daily Star has an “ecclesiastical exclusive”: there’s a “Holy Grail hunt in UK” as it says the cup “supped by Jesus is secretly buried in St Albans, citing a documentary maker.
