The small hilltop village of Gordes in France has been named the world’s most beautiful small town – and it’s not hard to see why with its fairytale-like scenes
Gordes has been named the world’s most beautiful small town(Image: (C) Thanachai Wachiraworakam via Getty Images)
A quaint village nestled in the French countryside is so stunning it has previously been crowned the world’s most beautiful small town. Brits planning holidays to France usually flock to popular spots like Provence, the French Riviera or Paris, but the charming hilltop hamlet of Gordes often gets missed – even though it looks like it’s been lifted straight from a storybook.
Think art galleries, abbeys, and delightful cobbled lanes brimming with unique boutiques and cosy eateries serving up the globally renowned French cuisine. There are also some awe-inspiring landmarks including the majestic Gordes Castle, the intriguing Caves of the Palais Saint Firmin that burrow underground, and the 12th century Church of Saint Fermin with its striking interiors.
Despite its secluded location in the countryside, getting there won’t be too taxing for Brits. The simplest route is to fly to Marseille, from which it’s just a 45-minute drive away.
(Ryanair, easyJet and British Airways all provide direct flights). Alternatively, you can catch a train to Paris and then switch to the TGV for the 2hr40 direct journey to Gordes.
There’s also a wealth of affordable accommodation options. For instance, Tripadvisor lists Gordes’ top hotels starting at £73 a night, while Kayak offers stays from £102 a night.
Expedia also showcases some budget breaks including hotels from £32 a night, although the cheaper rates are typically available outside of peak seasons.
Lavender in-front of Abbey de Senanque near Gordes (Image: Shaun Egan via Getty Images)
The surrounding countryside is brimming with attractions, and one natural wonder that’s a must-see is Le Sentier des Ocres, currently topping Tripadvisor’s list of sights in the region. Its striking rock formations and panoramic valley views have garnered rave reviews from many visitors.
A thrilled tourist shared their experience: “You will have seen the pictures of the ochre cliffs, so yo know what to expect. But the colours and shapes really are amazing. The walk takes you to several viewpoints with views of the cliffs and spires.
Some information boards explain the geology and history. It’s an easy walk, although some sections are steep and sandy, so you do need decent trainers at least.
Expect your hands (and children, and dogs) to get dirty from the coloured sand. Yes you pay a few euro to get in but the boardwalks, handrails and information boards are worth it.”
A stunning lavender field during summer with the village of Gordes in the background(Image: Edwin Tan via Getty Images)
Another visitor was equally impressed, commenting: “A delightful, interesting site with spectacular cliffs and shapes of quarried and weathered ochre deposits. Very well maintained steps and walk ways with a choice of ‘short’ or ‘long’ walks through the wooded trails.
“Photo opportunities abound and also offer some great views of Roussillon itself – a unique red town mirroring the landscape. A must do on the tourist route.”
It’s hardly shocking when Travel and Leisure declared it the most visually appealing petite town on the globe. The team said: “Gordes tends to be swarming with tourists during the summer months. But can you really blame visitors for wanting to soak in the magic of one of the most beautiful villages in France, if not the world?
“Perched high on a cliff above the valley, it’s a must-see destination with cobbled lanes, churches, and a monastery punctuated by lavender fields that look like they’ve been plucked from the pages of a storybook.”
Another of Kang’s priorities is increasing attendances at Lyon fixtures.
“If you ask many female players what is at the top of your wishlist, they don’t say I want to get paid more, I want bigger cars. They say, ‘I want to play against the best players and best teams in a sellout stadium’. It’s my job that we fill the stadium,” she said.
Lyon will travel to Emirates Stadium on Saturday (12:30 BST) for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final with Arsenal – a stadium where the Gunners recorded an average attendance of 52,029 across six matches last season.
“When you see that Arsenal are filling Emirates Stadium, there is no reason why we can’t,” said Ponsot. “We realised that women’s football has an audience with a strong increase in appetite, but we are having trouble making it a reality.”
Lyon are on course for a record-extending 18th league title this season, having already booked their place in May’s end-of-season play-offs. Indeed, they have only lost two league matches over the past four seasons.
That sustained success, coupled with Aulas’ unmatched support, is seen by some as having had a negative impact on crowds, media interest, and investment in France.
Women’s football journalist Assile Toufaily said: “Some will say ‘why should we come and watch football that isn’t attractive because the level isn’t that good?’ We know OL are going to smash the other clubs 7-0. Fans aren’t intrigued to come and watch.
“They say if you want to have a better level of football, investors have to invest. Investors will then say why should we invest if the media isn’t promoting the game? So you find yourself in a vicious circle and it’s been like this for years.”
But she does not see Aulas’ investment as the problem.
“If he didn’t invest in 2004, maybe no-one would ever have done it in France. Aulas isn’t to blame, but maybe the problem is others didn’t follow along.”
Kang, unsurprisingly, is undaunted by this, working with Ponsot to “find the profile” of women’s football fans, with their own research indicating only a 5% overlap between fans who watch men’s and women’s matches.
She will likely find a powerful ally in Aulas, who was elected vice-president of the French Football Federation in December 2023 and has taken over responsibility for development of women’s football.
“The French league is going to be very strong in years to come,” vowed Aulas.
“If I acted badly before by being too strong [when I was] with Lyon, you can expect me to act badly [in my role] with France.”
North Korea warned Thursday of “overwhelming deterrence” after the United States deployed B-1B strategic bombers to the Korean Peninsula for joint air drills with South Korea. Photo courtesy of South Korea Defense Ministry
SEOUL, April 17 (UPI) —North Korea warned Thursday it would respond with “overwhelming deterrence” against the United States following Washington’s deployment of B-1B strategic bombers to the Korean Peninsula for a joint air exercise with South Korea this week.
The allies’ drills represent an “open threat to the security of our state and a grave provocation that raises the military tension in the region to an extreme dangerous level,” a spokesperson for North Korea’s Defense Ministry said in a statement carried by state-run Korean Central News Agency.
“The DPRK will exercise the overwhelming deterrence and continue to make the U.S. recognize that its unannounced deployment of strategic means is a reckless and unnecessary abuse of strength,” the spokesperson said, using the official acronym for North Korea. “The higher the level of provocation against the DPRK is, the greater the level of danger returning to the U.S. will be.”
The United States sent a pair of B-1B strategic bombers to participate in joint drills on Tuesday, which was a holiday in North Korea marking the birthday of founder Kim Il Sung. The exercise was intended to “respond to the continuous threat of North Korea’s increasingly sophisticated nuclear and missile programs,” Seoul’s Defense Ministry said.
Pyongyang has frequently objected to the deployment of U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula and condemns the allies’ joint military exercises as rehearsals for an invasion.
The ministry spokesperson said Thursday that the latest exercise was a “process of increasing the skillfulness in tactics and procedures for attacking the DPRK, and completing preparations for going into real action at any time.”
North Korea “will never tolerate the slightest sign of threat of the hostile forces against the security sovereignty of the state,” the spokesperson added.
The drills marked the second deployment of U.S. B-1B bombers to the peninsula since President Donald Trump returned to office. Days after a February joint air exercise, Pyongyang test-fired strategic cruise missiles in what it called a demonstration of its nuclear deterrence capabilities.
North Korea’s statement came as the United States and South Korea kicked off a two-week joint air exercise, called Freedom Flag, on Thursday.
The exercise, which runs until May 2, involves some 1,100 troops and 90 aircraft from both militaries, South Korea’s air force said in a press release. Assets mobilized for the drills include South Korean F-35A, F-15K and KF-16 fighter jets and American F-16 and F-35 B fighters.
The allies “plan to strengthen interoperability and cultivate capabilities for wartime joint mission execution,” the release said. “In addition, they will intensively review and master the latest tactical and operational procedures that reflect the changes in the operational environment of modern warfare.”
The winning photo depicts nine-year-old Mahmoud Ajjour, whose arms were severed in an Israeli attack in Gaza last year.
The solemn portrait of a nine-year-old Palestinian boy, whose arms were severed and mutilated during an Israeli attack on Gaza City, has won the 2025 World Press Photo of the Year award.
The picture, given the accolade on Thursday, was taken by Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times newspaper, and depicts Mahmoud Ajjour.
“One of the most difficult things Mahmoud’s mother explained to me was how when Mahmoud first came to the realisation that his arms were amputated, the first sentence he said to her was, ‘How will I be able to hug you’?” said Abu Elouf.
The photographer is also from Gaza and was herself evacuated in December 2023. She now takes photos of badly wounded Palestinians based in Doha.
“This is a quiet photo that speaks loudly. It tells the story of one boy, but also of a wider war that will have an impact for generations,” said Joumana El Zein Khoury, World Press Photo’s executive director.
The jury praised the photo’s “strong composition and attention to light” and its thought-provoking subject matter, especially questions raised over Mahmoud’s future.
It also lauded how the photo depicts “the dehumanisation of a region, and about the relentless targeting of journalists in Gaza alongside the continued denial of access to international reporters seeking to expose the realities of this war”.
The boy is now learning to play games on his phone, write, and open doors with his feet, but still needs special assistance for most daily activities, such as eating and dressing, the jury said.
“Mahmoud’s dream is simple: he wants to get prosthetics and live his life as any other child,” said the World Press Photo organisers in a statement.
The statement cited the United Nations Works and Relief Agency (UNWRA)’s recent estimation that by December last year, Gaza had more child amputees per capita than anywhere else in the world.
“Children are disproportionately impacted by the war,” the jury stated.
Runner-up prize
The jury also selected two photos for the runner-up prize.
The first, entitled “Droughts in the Amazon” by Musuk Nolte for Panos Pictures and the Bertha Foundation, shows a man on a dried-up river bed in the Amazon carrying supplies to a village once accessible by boat.
The second, “Night Crossing” by John Moore shooting for Getty Images, depicts Chinese migrants huddling near a fire during a cold rain after crossing the US-Mexico border.
Chinese migrants warm themselves under a cold rain after crossing the US-Mexico border, Campo, California, on March 7, 2024 [John Moore/ Getty Images]
The jury sifted through 59,320 photographs from 3,778 photojournalists to select 42 prize-winning shots from around the world.
Nairobi-based Luis Tato won in the “Stories” category for the Africa region for a selection of photos depicting Kenya’s youth uprising.
Jerome Brouillet won in the “Singles” category Asia Pacific and Oceania for his iconic picture of surfer Gabriel Medina seemingly floating above the waves.
Clarens Siffroy won in the “Stories” category North and Central America for his coverage of the gang crisis in Haiti.
Finally, Anselmo Cunha won in the “Singles” category for South America for his photo of a Boeing 727-200 stranded at Salgado Filho International Airport in Brazil.
MORE than 8million UK pensioners will see their income hit by Labour’s ‘retirement tax’, but there are three ways you can minimise the impact on your finances.
Pensioners will be required to pay income tax under new guidelinesCredit: Getty
The government’s decision to continue the freeze to tax thresholds will couple with high inflation and lead to millions of households having to start paying income tax in the next three years.
Data provided by HMRC through a freedom of information (FOI) request made by wealth manager Quilter and shared exclusively with The Sun, showed nearly 18million people will be forced to pay income tax.
Of those, 8.2million will be over the age of 60 and paying tax on their retirement income for the first time.
Normally, tax thresholds increase every year to account wage increases in line with inflation, as this stops people being left worse off in real terms.
But in April 2021, the then-Conservative government decided to freeze all tax thresholds, and these are now due to stay frozen until 2028.
The freezing of thresholds means more people must pay tax, or pay tax at a higher rate.
For pensioners the triple lock – which ensures the state pension rises by the highest ofinflation, 2.5% orwage growth – has seen payments increase, but tax thresholds have not risen alongside.
As a result of steep inflation driving up pension rates the number of pensioners set to be dragged into paying income tax has soared as a result.
What are the different types of pensions?
Originally, the government predicted that around 1.3million people would be dragged into paying income tax, with a further 1million people paying at the higher rate.
The latest figures show this has leapt up to almost 30million people affected in total, with 18million starting to pay tax – 8.2million of who will be pensioners.
But, there are ways those in their retirement can minimise the impact of the increase.
Laura Suter, director of personal finance at AJ Bell, and Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, have shared their tips.
But it’s not just the interest you earn on them that is tax-free, but any withdrawals too.
Laura explained using an example of someone withdrawing 4% a year from a £100,000 ISA pot.
This would amount to £4,000 income each year earned tax-free compared to taking it out of a regular savings account which is subject to tax.
Laura said: “Pensioners looking to reduce their tax bill need to think about how they can maximise their tax-free income.
“For example, any withdrawals made from their ISAs will be free of any tax, so they can use that pot of money to boost their income without impacting their tax bill.”
Make the most of your other pensions
It’s tempting to take out your whole private or workplace pension when you reach retirement and put it into a savings account.
But do this and you’ll end up paying income tax on any sitting in taxable accounts.
Instead, you can actually take out 25% of the value of the pension tax-free.
You can either do this as a lump sum or in smaller gradual amounts to top up your state pension without being taxed on it.
Laura said: “You can take ad-hoc amounts or regular withdrawals from the pot to use your tax-free amount gradually.
“This is a great way of boosting your income but not increasing your tax bill.”
Marriage Allowance
If you are married or in a civil partnership you might be able to reduce the amount of tax you pay overall via the Marriage Allowance.
It lets you transfer some of your personal allowance to a spouse if you are a non-tax payer and they are a basic rate taxpayer.
Marriage Allowance for this current tax year is worth £252
Helen Morrissey, from Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “The non-taxpaying partner can transfer £1,260 of their Personal Allowance to their partner.
“This reduces their own personal allowance so it might mean they end up paying some tax but the boost to the taxpaying spouse means you pay less tax overall as a couple.”
How does the state pension work?
AT the moment the current state pension is paid to both men and women from age 66 – but it’s due to rise to 67 by 2028 and 68 by 2046.
The state pension is a recurring payment from the government most Brits start getting when they reach State Pension age.
But not everyone gets the same amount, and you are awarded depending on your National Insurance record.
For most pensioners, it forms only part of their retirement income, as they could have other pots from a workplace pension, earning and savings.
The new state pension is based on people’s National Insurance records.
Workers must have 35 qualifying years of National Insurance to get the maximum amount of the new state pension.
You earn National Insurance qualifying years through work, or by getting credits, for instance when you are looking after children and claiming child benefit.
If you have gaps, you can top up your record by paying in voluntary National Insurance contributions.
To get the old, full basic state pension, you will need 30 years of contributions or credits.
You will need at least 10 years on your NI record to get any state pension.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Given that choice — between principle and profits — many high-powered litigators have collapsed like a cheap umbrella.
But not all.
Last week, the L.A.-based law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson filed a federal court brief denouncing Trump’s targeting of Perkins Coie — which numbered Hillary Clinton among past clients — and other legal firms facing wrongful retribution for, among other things, holding the Jan. 6 rioters to account.
Trump’s actions “pose a grave threat to our system of constitutional governance and to the rule of law itself,” the firm said in its brief. “The looming threat … is not lost on anyone practicing law in this country today: any controversial representation challenging actions of the current administration (or even causes it disfavors) now brings with it the risk of devastating retaliation.”
The ranks of Munger, Tolles used to include one Usha Vance, who resigned in the summer after her husband, JD, was chosen as Trump’s vice presidential running mate and avenging mini-me.
Small world.
The political views of America’s second lady are something of a well-kept mystery.
Its reputation is no secret. In a 2019 column, the American Lawyer called Munger, Tolles “a top contender in the cool, woke category” — which is about as far removed from the Trump World groove as it gets. Kind of like a drag queen showing up at a MAGA picnic.
It’s impossible to know what’s going on inside Vance’s head as she finds her old law firm so fiercely at odds with her new political peer group. But there was a definite hostage-video vibe to her appearances during the presidential campaign, giving students of body language a speculative field day.
Kamala Harris’ spouse, a longtime entertainment, media and intellectual property attorney in Los Angeles, joined the white-shoe law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher after the former vice president left the White House. This month, Willkie Farr caved to Trump’s intimidation campaign, agreeing to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal work during Trump’s presidency and beyond.
The firm’s services will be dedicated to helping veterans, Gold Star families, law enforcement offices and first responders — all unarguably meritorious individuals deserving of support. Still, blackmail is no way to enlist the firm’s good counsel.
By coincidence, Emhoff spoke to Georgetown Law School students shortly before a preening Trump announced Willkie Farr’s surrender on social media.
“The rule of law is under attack. Democracy is under attack,” Emhoff said. “And so, all of us lawyers need to do what we can to push back on that. Us lawyers have always been on the front lines, fighting for civil rights, for justice. … I love being a lawyer, this is what we do: We fight for people. We fight for what’s right.”
Emhoff subsequently made known his unhappiness with the firm’s capitulation, though he’s stopped short of quitting — as some have urged — to protest its bended knee.
“I disagree with the decision that my firm made to settle — I do,” he said at a recent Los Angeles fundraiser for Bet Tzedek, a legal aid organization Emhoff has supported for more than 30 years. “I wanted them to fight a patently unconstitutional potential executive order.
“Our legal system depends on the willingness of institutions — law firms, clients — to stand firm, and stand together,” he went on. “They need to do that in the face of pressure and we need to do it to defend the principles that define our democracy.
“At this very critical moment, I urge my colleagues across the legal profession to remain vigilant, engaged and unafraid to challenge actions that may erode our fundamental rights.”
Emhoff’s summons was a clarion call, crisp and clear.
Would that a certain resident of the vice presidential mansion add her public voice to the fight to preserve the rule of law and protect our imperiled democracy.
Cypress has had one of the toughest nonleague baseball schedules this season, with games against Harvard-Westlake, Sierra Canyon, JSerra, Loyola, Bishop Amat and Aquinas.
It has helped prepare the Centurions for their weekly battles in the competitive Crestview League. On Wednesday, they took over sole possession of first place with a 5-3 win over Foothill that featured a three-run home run from Paul Dominguez off Foothill ace Gavin Lauridsen in the first inning.
Cypress is 13-9 overall and 5-2 in league play. Foothill is 15-7 and 4-3.
Oaks Christian 12, Westlake 5: Quentin Young hit two home runs, giving him 12 on the season, and brothers Ryan and Carson Sheffer also homered to power Oaks Christian to the Marmonte League win.
Westlake was unable to rally in the bottom of the seventh, ending a streak of six straight home games in which the Warriors won on walk-offs in their final at bat. Sebastien Ajemian was the relief pitcher to stop the Warriors in the seventh.
St. John Bosco 7, Servite 0: The Braves (15-4) continue to thrive in the Trinity League. Gavin Cervantes threw six scoreless innings, Noah Everly hit a grand slam and Jack Champlin had a two-run double.
JSerra 6, Mater Dei 2: Blake Bowen had two hits and two RBIs and Owen Capron hit a solo home run for JSerra. Jax Janeski threw five innings of scoreless relief.
Huntington Beach 8, Los Alamitos 1: Jake Grindlinger allowed no hits in four shutout innings and Trevor Goldenetz finished with three RBIs.
Rancho Cucamonga 3, Los Osos 1: Jacob Peyton hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning for the Baseline League victory.
Etiwanda 13, Chino Hills 0: Ryan Severns, Jaeden Toki and Derick Kim each had three RBIs. Michael Aleman threw a complete game with five strikeouts.
Damien 3, Upland 2: The Spartans won the Baseline League game with two runs in the sixth inning.
Simi Valley 2, Bishop Alemany 1: Greg Lopez threw a complete game for Simi Valley.
South Hills 7, Los Altos 0: Joseph Moreno threw a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts for South Hills.
La Mirada 6, Gahr 3: After losing to Gahr in nine innings on Tuesday, the Matadores came back to record a win. Jason Rodriguez had two hits and two RBIs.
Vista Murrieta 8, Great Oak 5: RJ Holmes had three hits for Vista Murrieta.
Loyola 6, Cathedral 0: Three Loyola pitchers combined for the shutout.
San Clemente 4, Beckman 3: Jake Starling hit a game-winning sacrifice fly in the 10th inning.
Summit 4, Kaiser 0: Kody Smathers hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning and Ryan Oaks threw the shutout, striking out eight.
Softball
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 14, Harvard-Westlake 4: Freshman Jackie Morales hit a grand slam for the Knights.
Cambodia is an important leg in Xi’s regional tour, with half of businesses there exporting to the US Chinese-owned.
Cambodia is hoping to shore up more financial support from China as President Xi Jinping arrives in Phnom Penh in an effort to strengthen regional trade ties to offset the effect of steep US tariffs.
As part of a three-pronged Southeast Asia tour, which included Vietnam and Malaysia, Xi on Thursday is meeting Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni, Prime Minister Hun Manet and Senate President Hun Sen.
“We expect more cooperation including on infrastructure development,” Meas Soksensan, a spokesman for the Cambodian Ministry of Economy and Finance, told the Reuters news agency on the eve of Xi’s arrival.
He was answering a question about whether Cambodia expected Beijing to announce financial support for the 180km (110-mile) Funan Techo Canal, the country’s most ambitious infrastructure project.
Phnom Penh is a close partner of China, which has invested billions of dollars in various projects, including roads and airports, and is the country’s largest creditor.
“The Trump administration is very clearly trying to isolate Beijing, and Beijing’s response is here to extend its arms to its Asian neighbours,” said Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu, speaking from the Chinese capital.
Yu added that Xi received the warmest support in Cambodia on his tour because the two are “ironclad friends”, with deep military ties in addition to the infrastructure investments.
Meanwhile, Cambodia is a major exporter of clothing and footwear to the US, with half of these companies owned by Chinese business owners, Yu explained.
Phnom Penh was slapped with a US tariff rate of 49 percent, one of the highest globally, before most duties were paused until July.
“[Cambodia] will try to negotiate that [tariff rate] down, and Xi Jinping wants to remind them that, here we are friends, and we don’t want you to cut any deals at Beijing’s expense,” said Yu.
In an article published on Thursday morning in Cambodian media, Xi urged Phnom Penh to oppose “hegemonism” and “protectionism”, repeating messages he sent earlier this week to Vietnam and Malaysia in the first two legs of his trip.
‘Pivotal role’
China is Cambodia’s biggest trading partner and source of investment, and more than a third of Cambodia’s $11bn in foreign debt is owed to China, according to the International Monetary Fund.
So far, China has made no public financial commitment to Cambodia’s canal project, while Phnom Penh has changed its statements on Chinese engagement from covering 100 percent to 49 percent of total costs, estimated at $1.7bn.
Beijing signed no new loans to Cambodia last year, according to Cambodian official data, a marked contrast with previous years when it lent the country hundreds of millions of dollars.
The drop in funding came as China reduced overall overseas investments amid domestic economic woes and concerns over unsuccessful projects.
Despite this, Hun Manet, in a video posted on Wednesday, said the two countries had “common interests based on the principles of respect for sovereignty, equality, and noninterference in internal affairs”.
He also said China had played a “pivotal role” in Cambodia’s socioeconomic development.
The platform at Colchester Railway Station in Essex is the longest in the UK, stretching a total of 620 metres from one end to the other – or around 10 minutes to walk across
Colchester Railway Station’s platform stretches an impressive 620 metres(Image: Google Maps)
An Essex railway station boasts the country’s longest platform, which takes a whopping ten minutes to walk from one end to the other. Cross Country Trains’ website reveals that Colchester Railway Station’s platform stretches an impressive 620 metres.
Given that the average human walking speed is approximately 5km/h, it would take between eight and ten minutes to cover the entire length of the platform. Greater Anglia informs us that the station features a Victorian Ticket office, now sporting a modern interior, while the other half of the station houses a ticket hall constructed in the 1970s.
The station comprises six platforms, including two bay platforms, as well as a stabling yard – a feature some stations possess for parking trains when they’re not in use, according to the company.
Primarily served by Greater Anglia, the station connects Norwich to Colchester and London to Colchester, according to the TheTrainLine.
However, rail enthusiasts will know that due to its division into two sections, Colchester can’t lay claim to the longest uninterrupted platform in the UK, reports the Express.
That accolade goes to Gloucester railway station, with its staggering 602m of continuous platform alongside the track.
Its length is reportedly equivalent to around 32 carriages.
Gloucester train station has 602m of continuous platform(Image: tbradford via Getty Images)
However, considering that UK trains typically consist of fewer than 12 cars, Gloucester’s platform could easily accommodate two trains end to end.
The platform underwent an extension in 1977, courtesy of a British Rail overhaul, with the aim of accommodating two InterCity 125 trains at once.
However, when compared to the country’s leading transport hubs, the station itself is relatively modest, boasting three rail lines, a car park and a cafe.
Predominantly, the station sees services from GWR, CrossCountry and Transport for Wales trains, as per TheTrainLine.
A wave of Israeli air strikes has hit multiple encampments for displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, killing dozens of people, according to the enclave’s civil defence agency.
Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said Israel’s targets overnight included several tents in the al-Mawasi area of the southern city of Khan Younis.
“At least 16 martyrs [were killed], most of them women and children, and 23 others were wounded following a direct strike by two Israeli missiles on several tents housing displaced families in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis,” Bassal told the AFP news agency.
The al-Mawasi area was designated by Israel as a so-called “humanitarian zone”.
Seven others were killed in an attack on tents in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, while another attack near the al-Mawasi area killed a father and his child who were living in a tent, Bassal said.
The Disneyland Resort is turning 70 in July, and it has never missed an opportunity to throw a party — especially one rooted in nostalgia. For the year-long event, a number of fan favorites are making their return, in addition to some new shows and tweaks to favorite attractions.
The festivities officially launch May 16, although not all offerings will be available right away. Some will be rolled out to coincide with Disneyland’s official birthday on July 17. The celebration is planned to last through summer 2026.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration — including details on a ticket deal.
Disneyland Park
The return of a fan-favorite parade. Evening parade Paint the Night made its debut in Anaheim during Disneyland’s 60th anniversary a decade ago, and it’s back for the 70th. A sort of spiritual successor to the on-again/off-again Main Street Electrical Parade, Paint the Night has a fast-moving soundtrack, more than 1 million LED lights and glittering, shimmering floats that honor franchises such as “Toy Story,” “Frozen” and “Cars.” Paint the Night is a vibrant, high-energy show that intersperses dance, tech and the requisite amount of evening sparkle.
Anna and Elsa will rejoin the Paint the Night parade on the float inspired by “Frozen.”
(Paul Hiffmeyer / Disneyland Resort)
A legendary ride gets an update. It’s a Small World is so filled with details — playful dolls, adorable creatures, colorful vignettes, all of it designed in the style of artist Mary Blair — that it’s impossible to see all of it on one ride through. And when the attraction reopens on May 9, it will have even more characters, as Disney is adding Miguel and Dante from the film “Coco” to the ride’s Mexico section. That’s not the only tweak planned for this legendary ride. Coming in July will be an additional verse to its memorable song, this one written by original co-composer Richard Sherman shortly before his death in 2024. Sherman wrote the verse to celebrate the song’s 60th anniversary, as the attraction opened at the New York World’s Fair in 1964 before being installed at Disneyland in 1966.
Miguel and Dante from the Disney/Pixar film “Coco” will be added to classic It’s a Small World when the ride repoens in May.
(Disney concept art)
A new projection show comes to It’s a Small World. The work and style of Blair also will be honored via a new projection experience that will unfold on the façade of It’s a Small World. Titled “Tapestry of Happiness,” this nighttime show, described by Disney as an “animated mosaic of Disneyland attractions, moments and memories,” will include many songs associated with the park as well as the new tune “Celebrate Happy.” Expect a projection show that digs into Disneyland history and is high on nostalgia, with no doubt a moment or two designed to bring longtime fans to tears.
An evening performance that celebrates animation. The fireworks show “Wondrous Journeys” will return for Disneyland’s 70th. Introduced for the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Co., “Wondrous Journeys” focuses on the history of the company’s animated works. Some fine print: Not every night of “Wondrous Journeys” will feature fireworks, but it remains one of Disney’s better-received evening shows, as it features snippets of more than 60 films as well as nods to many shorts that helped define the studio.
A new character cavalcade will launch May 16 and continue throughout the year. Characters such as Duffy and ShellieMay, rarely seen in Anaheim, will take part.
(Artist concept / Disneyland Resort)
Say hello to Duffy. First, the bad news: The terrific, contemporary dance-focused parade Magic Happens is currently not slated to run during Disneyland’s 70th anniversary. The consolation prize? Disneyland is introducing a new afternoon character cavalcade that will feature some 70th-anniversary attire and the arrival of rarely seen characters at Disneyland, such as Duffy and ShellieMay. The teddy bear characters are international Disney superstars, and cult favorites among American Disney fans.
Take a tour that honors Disneyland history. Disneyland will launch a new guided tour for its 70th anniversary, this one focused squarely on the history and development of the park. The two-hour experience, available for an additional charge, will be available for booking beginning April 24. Disney says the tour will place a special emphasis on the park’s opening-day attractions, as well as Walt Disney’s original vision for the park.
An audio-animatronics figure of Walt Disney will appear in the show “Walt Disney — A Magical Life,” which will debut in the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland in July.
(Disneyland)
Speaking of Walt … Opening July 17 will be a show in the Main Street Opera House that will celebrate the life and legacy of the park’s patriarch. “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” will for the 70th anniversary displace the show centered on Abraham Lincoln, and will feature the first-ever audio-animatronic of Disney, which the company has teased is its most lifelike figure to date. The figure, images of which the company is currently keeping under wraps, will be brought to life via audio recordings and will be situated in a setting designed to evoke Walt’s office. After the show’s initial run during the 70th, it will play in tandem with “Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln.” The exit hall for the attraction will feature concept art for Disneyland attractions in the works.
Explore Disney tech at a historical art exhibit. Guests likely will want to arrive early for “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” once the show launches, as the gallery in the Opera House will be filled with a new exhibit developed by the company’s archives department in collaboration with San Francisco’s Walt Disney Family Museum as well as Walt Disney Imagineering, the secretive arm of the company devoted to theme park experiences. First, explore a selection of photographs and artifacts from before and during the Walt era that helps tell the Disneyland development story. Many items, including never-before-shown artifacts from Disney’s private Disneyland apartment, are on loan from the Walt Disney Family Museum. A final section will be dedicated to the development of audio-animatronic figures, looking at Walt’s passion for the creations and how they have evolved over the decades.
Disney California Adventure
A brand-new “World of Color” show that you can vote on. “World of Color Happiness!” is a new lagoon-based show for the 70th anniversary, this one inspired by Walt Disney’s original dedication for the park. “To all who come to this happy place, welcome,” Disney said in July 1955. “Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America.” Although here’s betting the World of Color show — sure to feature impressive fountains, projections and pyrotechnics — doesn’t delve too heavily into any “hard facts.”
The new “World of Color Happiness!” will debut in Disney California Adventure in May to celebrate Disneyland’s 70th anniversary.
(Artist concept / Disneyland Resort)
Some of the animated works featured in the performance include “Turning Red,” “A Goofy Movie,” “Tangled” and “The Lion King,” and it will be hosted by the blue-haired character of Joy from the “Inside Out” films. Arrive early and vote via the Disneyland app to see various “Inside Out” characters — Sadness, Anger, Disgust or Envy — given greater prominence during the show. A new song from Fitz of Fitz and the Tantrums fame will be featured in the production, and Boyz II Men have recorded a rendition of “Rainbow Connection” for it.
Carthay Circle will spring to life each night. The façade of the park’s upscale restaurant, Carthay Circle, will morph into a performance space. While Disney hasn’t detailed too heavily what audiences may expect to see on the building, expect a projection-based show with inventive lighting and music. The projections and lighting will be set to the 70th-anniversary theme song, “Celebrate Happy,” which is to be recorded by the Jonas Brothers.
Toy Story Midway Mania! will be updated with animations that nod to the 70th anniversary.
(Artist concept / Disneyland Resort)
New surprises adorn Toy Story Midway Mania! While not the first video game-inspired ride, Toy Story Midway Mania! was quite possibly the first successful implementation of one. The ride works well with what is now known as Pixar Pier, a land full of carnival rides and games. It still holds up thanks to its simplicity. Of course, a unique ride vehicle — a carnival car with a spring-action launcher — doesn’t hurt. Now, the 2008 attraction will receive an ever-so-slight makeover for the 70th. Look for new animations that nod to the festivities peppered throughout the ride’s digital games.
A Pixar-focused daytime parade makes a comeback. Last year California Adventure unveiled a new daytime parade, “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration,” and it’s returning for the 70th. Colorful floats that nod to recent films like “Luca” and “Turning Red,” the latter complete with a larger-than-life red panda Mei, are contrasted with smaller, more playful units that touch on “Toy Story” and “Monsters, Inc.” Throughout, there’s an underlying theme of friendship.
Dining, merchandise and more
A barbecue buffet, with a side of duck. Duck isn’t on the menu, but a certain waterfowl is the star of this dinner at the Grand Californian’s Storytellers Cafe. Donald’s Tales of Adventure Dinner Buffet launches May 16 and features what’s described a a campfire-style barbecue. Expect spareribs, fried chicken, prime rib and more, and look for the likes of Donald, Daisy, Clarabelle, Goofy and Pluto in new adventure-inspired outfits. Reservations are recommended and the meal starts at $62 for adults and $36 for children.
Storytellers Cafe at Disney’s Grand Californian will host a new Donald Duck-led character dinner buffet.
(David Nguyen / Disneyland Resort)
Specialty merchandise abounds. Disneyland is launching multiple merchandising lines for its 70th anniversary, some of which have already started to infiltrate the parks. The so-called “celebration collection” features brash colors and new collaborations with Loungefly and Dooney & Bourke. The “castle collection” is just that, featuring regal wear and jewelry inspired by Sleeping Beauty Castle, while the “vault collection” is where all those seeking Disneyland nostalgia will want to head. The vault collection will be released in waves throughout the year, the first rendition looking at Disneyland maps. The “Disneyland Resort 70th Anniversary Walt Disney Nostalgia Collection” is said to boast vintage-style accessories and attire outfitted in some of Walt’s famous quotes. There’s plenty more, including pocket watches and charms, and a giant interactive key that will light up and play music as guests explore the park.
Disneyland is launching multiple new merch lines for the 70th anniversary, including one that features quotes from Walt Disney.
(Disneyland Resort)
And you can see it all for a (slight) discount. Disneyland fans willing to commit to more than a day in the park can take part in a limited-time ticket offer. An anniversary ticket is on sale now, good for visits from May 16 to Aug. 14. It’s a three-day, one-park-per-day ticket that sells for $360, which works out to $120 per day. That’s a slight savings, as peak spring and summer tickets typically can’t be found for less than $142 per day and can run as high as $206. Those who opt in for a four-day $400 ticket will be able to access the parks for $100 per day. The tickets do not have to be used on consecutive days.
Throughout the event, look for popular characters in new celebratory attire.
Khloé Kardashian says she turned into a psychopath when she caught then-husband Lamar Odom cheating on her with another woman in a motel in downtown L.A.
It was 3 a.m. when she found them, she said on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast Wednesday. That night she had seen people talking on Twitter about seeing Odom, then scoured the #LamarOdom hashtag to get clues to his location. When he asked her later how she found him, she mentioned that he was 7 feet tall and a famous member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Duh.
“Everyone knows who you are. Like, you’re very identifiable,” Kardashian, who was 26 at the time of the incident, said on the podcast.
At the motel — which was apparently not exactly the Four Seasons — she asked the person at the front desk which room Odom was in, got an answer and headed in that direction.
“I saw in the window that him and this girl were — they were either naked or she was in lingerie, something like that,” she said. “I knocked on the door, they answered it for some reason and I just started going ballistic.”
The next day she went to a cowboy-themed birthday party for sister Kourtney’s daughter, Penelope.
“My knuckles were all bloody and gross and I just had bandannas wrapped around — I was on theme,” Kardashian said. “And I acted as if nothing ever happened and I don’t think I ever said a thing.”
Kardashian didn’t share details of what “going ballistic” entailed, but it’s probably a safe bet she didn’t get bloody knuckles from knocking on the motel-room door. She said Odom seemed to be stunned that she managed to find him.
“He could not understand how I knew where he was and I was like, ‘I don’t give a s—, I’m not telling anybody anything. And why are you in a motel in downtown L.A. at 3 in the morning?’”
Of course, that marriage ended in divorce, though it wasn’t finalized until after Odom recovered from overdosing at a brothel in Nevada in 2015. L.A. County’s slow court system meant the divorce papers were waiting to be signed by a judge when Odom got in trouble. They were still married and he was covered by her health insurance, which he needed as he rehabbed from the 12 strokes and six heart attacks he had while comatose. They called off their divorce temporarily, then split permanently the next year.
“When you force a woman to go crazy, it’s like, what did you do?” podcast host Alex Cooper said right before Kardashian shared that 3 a.m. hotel story.
“That’s what I hate,” Kardashian said. “It’s like, do not act like you did not put me in this position and you did not make me be this psychopath. But I think that’s something I need to think is a red flag in a man, when they create the psychopath in me.”
You think you should consider that a red flag? Well OK then.
“It’s so true,” Cooper replied. “But it doesn’t mean we can’t look back with fond memories.”
They also discussed it being “freeing” when they finally rid themselves of their cheating significant others. Yup, Cooper had a cheating boyfriend too. Via an old iPad, Cooper got access to his iCloud and became so obsessed with what she found that a friend pretty much had to pry the iPad out of her cold, dead hands.
“It’s an obsession and an addiction and the best thing is when you’re free of that,” a sympathetic Kardashian said. “And I pray I’m never back there again.”
After Odom, Kardashian started a relationship with another basketball player, Tristan Thompson, and had daughter True Thompson. When she was nine months pregnant, in 2018, Kardashian found out that he too had been cheating on her. A year after that, in 2019, she went a little ballistic once again when it was rumored that her sister Kylie Jenner’s friend Jordyn Woods was connecting with Thompson — a rumor Woods denied. Apparently Thompson proposed to Kardashian that year, but she turned him down and kept the proposal a secret.
Kardashian and Thompson’s relationship was over, but also not really over, opening the reality star up to a lot of public criticism. They gave their relationship another try in 2020, went house shopping and discussed having another baby together via surrogate. Son Tatum Thompson came a couple of years later, after Thompson fathered a kid with another woman and after Kardashian finally decided she was done with the NBA star as a partner.
She said on the podcast that the second time around with Thompson, she could never “get back there” with regard to trusting him and feeling safe. If she hadn’t had True, Kardashian said, she never would have gotten back together with him after he cheated the first time.
That said, she and the now-Cleveland Cavalier are friends and co-parent their kids.
“I think the worst part of that experience was how much I let down my younger sisters,” Kardashian said on the podcast, “’cause I remember they were like, ‘He’s gonna do this again. Don’t stay with him.’ I don’t know exactly what was said, but I just remember sort of the disappointment in them.”
Ukraine has reported dozens of civilian deaths from Russian attacks over the past week, including three killed in a late-night assault on Wednesday in the southeastern city of Dnipro.
A child was among the victims of the drone attack, which came hours before high-stakes meetings in Paris due to take place later on Thursday, during which United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff are to meet French President Emmanuel Macron and other European officials to discuss the conflict.
Ukraine’s defence and foreign ministers, as well as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, are also in the French capital for talks with US and European Union delegations, though Kyiv’s delegation has not specified who it plans to meet.
But as Moscow’s self-imposed 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure approached its close, talks to achieve a broader ceasefire so far have showed little sign of progress.
Russia has stuck to its hardline positions while accusing Ukraine of violating the energy ceasefire, to which Kyiv never agreed.
“This temporary moratorium has not been and is not being observed by the Ukrainian armed forces,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.
Russia said Ukrainian drones targeted an electricity substation and a high-tension power line in the Bryansk region that day, an electricity substation in the occupied part of Kherson in Ukraine, and two low-pressure gas pipelines in Kursk.
Moscow’s forces claimed to have shot down seven UAVs near Shuya in the Ivanovo region on Wednesday, 260km (160 miles) east of Moscow and 500km (310 miles) from the Ukrainian border. In total, it said, 26 drones were downed over several regions of Russia.
Asked whether Russia would resume attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure on Friday, Peskov said, “Everything will depend on further orders from the supreme commander in chief,” a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin’s March 18 energy ceasefire proposal was a counteroffer to US President Donald Trump’s March 10 total ceasefire proposal, which Ukraine had agreed to. The US thus ended up with two separate ceasefire agreements, one with Moscow and one with Kyiv, to which each warring capital held the other.
“Today marks exactly a month since the Russian Federation refused to accept a full and unconditional ceasefire proposed by the American side in the negotiations,” said Ukraine’s General Staff last week. During that time, it said, Russia carried out 5,124 ground assaults, more than 3,000 of them against Pokrovsk, Toretsk and Lyman, the three Russian priority targets in Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
“Since the beginning of April alone, the Russian army has already used almost 2,800 aerial bombs,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.
The US has found itself not just between two failed ceasefires but denying that it had proposed an effective partition of Ukraine following a truce.
The Times, a British daily, reported that Washington’s special envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg proposed partitioning Ukraine into spheres of influence “almost like Berlin after World War Two”, with Russian and NATO troops controlling different zones.
Kellogg said The Times misrepresented his proposal, which was “referencing areas or zones of responsibility for an allied force”, not including US troops, “in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty”.
But speaking during a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Almaty on Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said “a return to the 1991 borders, as Zelenskyy continues to demand, is impossible.”
Even Kellogg’s idea of a Berlin-style occupation by troops of different nationalities was a nonstarter for Russia, which has said it would never accept NATO troops on Ukrainian soil.
Russian Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik told reporters on Saturday that maintaining military zones would later lead to “a new level of escalation”.
Given these divergences, Peskov said it is “hardly possible” to expect immediate results.
Russia warns Poland, Baltic nations
Moscow’s diplomatic messaging to isolate Europe was also running on all cylinders.
Peskov called EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’s exhortation for EU leaders to visit Kyiv, not Moscow, on May 9, the anniversary of the end of World War II, an “aggressive statement”.
Russian ambassador to Germany, Sergey Nechayev, told Russia’s Izvestia newspaper he expected a new coalition would “not want to repeat the mistakes of the previous coalition” in endorsing an “epochal change” in defence spending and seeking to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, but take a more pliable stance.
Sergey Naryshkin, [the director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, said that in the event of aggression from NATO, the first to “suffer will be the bearers of such ideas among the political circles of Poland and the Baltic countries”.
The US and Russia did make some progress in Istanbul on April 10 in talks to normalise the operation of their embassies, but even here, Russia leveraged the discussion to have sanctions against it lifted.
For instance, Moscow proposed lifting a ban on Aeroflot flights to the US so its diplomats could travel freely, and partially lifting sanctions on Russian banking so the country could pay its diplomats and other expenses.
A wounded woman stands near an apartment building damaged during a Russian missile attack in Sumy [Reuters]
Meanwhile, Moscow scaled up its attacks in Ukraine.
Ukraine said Russia attempted a battalion-sized mechanised assault in Zaporzhia on Tuesday.
Southern forces spokesman Vladyslav Voloshyn said the unit was destroyed while attempting an assault on Orikhiv eight kilometres (five miles) from the front line. Battalion-sized assaults of 400-500 soldiers are rare, especially on the southern front.
The Orikhiv direction has seen successful action by both sides. Ukraine mounted a counteroffensive there in 2023, winning back territory lost during the initial invasion. Last year, Russian forces recaptured most of that territory.
Ukraine reported another recent large-scale assault in the direction of Vesele and Skudne on the Donetsk-Zaporizhia regional border using five tanks and 20 armoured personnel carriers.
“More equipment and manpower are being used … The equipment moved in four columns filled with paratroopers. It was similarly destroyed,” with at least 100 Russian deaths, Ukrainian commander Serhii Naiev claimed on social media.
Ukraine offers to buy US Patriot systems
The only significant diplomatic shift came from President Zelenskyy, who changed tack with Washington and offered to buy 10 Patriot air defence systems, rather than asking for their donation.
The trigger for that offer was a Russian attack on Palm Sunday on April 13. Thirty-five people were killed and more than 100 injured when Russia fired two ballistic missiles into the city of Sumy.
Rescue crews had to cut bodies out of burned cars, as other bodies littered the street around them. Ukrainian military intelligence reported the missiles were Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles.
US ambassador to Kyiv, Bridget Brink, acknowledged that Russian forces used cluster warheads.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said the attack was not an indiscriminate assault on civilians, but a targeted strike against a gathering place of the command staff of Ukraine’s Siversk operational-tactical group.
It accused Ukraine of holding such meetings in civilian surroundings in order to use noncombatants as human shields.
Russia made similar claims after killing 20 civilians in the city of Kryvyi Rih on April 4.
Ukraine’s General Staff said their drones attacked “several objects in the Kursk region” belonging to a Russian brigade blamed for launching the ballistic missile attack against Sumy.
Two days after the Sumy attack, Zelenskyy told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte Ukraine was ready to buy Patriot systems.
“We are not just asking for Patriots – we are ready to buy them,” Zelenskyy told Rutte during a visit to Odesa.
Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuri Ignat told a telethon last week that a total of 137 downings of ballistic missiles during the war had demonstrated that “ballistics today are knocked down only by Patriot systems”.
There was no reaction from the administration of US President Donald Trump on whether it would sell the systems to Kyiv.
Since Trump’s election, the US has pulled out of the so-called Contact Group of roughly 50 countries donating military assistance to Ukraine.
Members of that group continued to pledge assistance to Ukraine on Friday.
Germany promised four IRIS-T short-range air defence systems, 120 man-portable air defence systems and 30 interceptor missiles for Patriot systems, among other things. Denmark said it would provide Ukraine with one billion euros ($1.1bn) in military aid between now and 2027, including air defence, artillery systems and ammunition.
The United Kingdom and Norway announced a $600m package for repair and maintenance of vehicles, radar, antitank mines and “hundreds of thousands of drones”. Norway pledged an additional $938m to equip a new Ukrainian brigade.
Rutte said NATO members had pledged 20 billion euros ($23bn) in aid to Ukraine in the first quarter of 2025.
Kallas said EU members – many of them also NATO members – had pledged 23 billion euros ($26bn) so far this year, compared with 20 billion euros ($23bn) last year.
‘Several hundred Chinese nationals are fighting’ for Russia, Ukraine claims
The puzzle of Chinese soldiers fighting alongside Russia on Ukrainian soil continues to grow.
Two Chinese soldiers reportedly captured by Ukraine were on Monday allowed to answer questions from reporters.
They said they signed up to fight on social media online, adding that it was also possible to be recruited through TikTok, and asked to be returned home in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war.
“Everything we heard from the Russians was a lie,” Wang Guangjun, one of the soldiers, reportedly said. “It turned out that Russia is not that strong, and Ukraine is not that weak. And, therefore, it is better not to take part in wars at all.”
“We have information that at least several hundred Chinese nationals are fighting as part of Russia’s occupation forces,” Zelenskyy said on Friday.
Two US officials told the Reuters news agency on Saturday that at least 100 Chinese nationals were fighting in Ukraine as mercenaries without a connection to the government in Beijing, but that China had sent officers to the front lines as observers to glean tactical observations.
The charming village is on the travel bucket list of history buffs and nature lovers alike, and it’s not hard to see why. Here’s why locals and tourists love Bamburgh so much
The historic Bamburgh Castle at sunset(Image: Steve Stringer Photography via Getty Images)
Bamburgh in Northumberland has been dubbed one of the UK’s “most beautiful” spots – winning hearts with its award-winning castle and stunning sandy beach. It boasts a rich history as Northumbria’s former Royal seat and is now a hotspot for those keen on heritage and scenic beauty.
From castle explorations to relaxing seaside vistas featuring Holy Island and the Farne Islands, Bamburgh is ideal for any age group seeking an idyllic day trip. The latest accolade comes from travel specialists at Staysure, who’ve placed Bamburgh among their top 50 must-see locations in the UK due to its standout feature – the ancient Bamburgh Castle.
The fortress, over 1,400 years old, dominates the impressive coastline, a testament to the many kings it has housed.
A visit to Bamburgh Castle is a journey through history, with an array of chilling weapons in the armoury, precious artefacts in the stately rooms, and two dedicated museums focusing on archaeology and aviation.
The grounds spread over nine acres, revealing chapel ruins, cannons, archaeological sites and unbroken sea views.
Bamburgh Castle, a must-visit destination, is open seven days a week from 10am until 5pm, with last admission at 4pm. Adult tickets are priced at £18.75 and children’s tickets at £9.40, reports Chronicle Live.
But Bamburgh has more to offer than just its castle. The village is also home to the RNLI Grace Darling museum which narrates the heroic tale of the local lighthouse keeper’s daughter who saved nine men from a catastrophic shipwreck on the nearby Farne Islands in 1838.
Bamburgh has a variety of restaurants serving fresh locally-sourced food(Image: by Marc Guitard via Getty Images)
A visit to this free museum will let you see the famous boat used by Grace and her father during the remarkable rescue, as well as personal items and portraits of the Darling family.
Another major attraction of Bamburgh is undoubtedly the stunning Bamburgh Beach, an ideal spot for a scenic walk throughout the year with its immaculate sands.
After soaking in the views, you can stroll up to the village’s main street, where you’ll find a collection of cafes including the renowned Copper Kettle Tearoom.
There’s also a selection of restaurants serving fresh locally-sourced seafood, with The Potted Lobster being the top-rated choice on Tripadvisor. Bamburgh is the perfect base for exploring some of Northumberland’s most breathtaking coastal attractions.
From the enchanting Holy Island of Lindisfarne with its 16th-century castle to the Farne Islands, home to thousands of puffins and other seabirds, which can be reached by boat trips from the quaint nearby village of Seahouses.
If you’re planning on extending your Northumberland adventure into a mini-break, consider staying in one of the unique cottages that have been converted into holiday lets in Bamburgh. You can find these on sites like holidaycottages.co.uk and Sykes Holiday Cottages.
If you want to make the most of your Northumberland trip by turning it into a mini-break, it may be worth checking out some of the quirky cottages that have been turned into holiday lets in Bamburgh via the likes of holidaycottages.co.uk and Sykes Holiday Cottages. Some of the top-rated options if you’re after inspiration include:
April 17 (UPI) — The Trump administration is seeking to have the Justice Department prosecute New York Attorney General Letitia James for mortgage fraud, according to reports, making her the latest political adversary to be targeted by President Donald Trump.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency this week sent a criminal referral letter concerning James to the Department of Justice, The New York Times and CBS News New York reported, with both outlets having seen the document.
According to the reports, the letter — dated Monday — was sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi, and stated that James “appeared to have falsified records” related to properties she owns, The Times reported. CBS News reported the letter also accused James of having “in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms.”
On the same day the letter was sent, Trump called James “a totally corrupt politician” in a post on his Truth Social media platform and demanded that she resign immediately.
“Everyone is trying to MAKE NEW YORK GREAT AGAIN, and it can never be done with this wacky crook in office,” he said.
A spokesperson from James’ office responded to the criminal referral in a statement saying the New York attorney general “will not be intimidated by bullies — no matter who they are,” Axios reported.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has used the presidency to attack perceived political foes, including several large firms associated with lawyers who have prosecuted or ared linked to Democrats, such as Hillary Clinton, who ran against the president in 2016.
Trump had already stripped James of her security clearances last month.
James has been a target of Trump’s ire for years, as she prosecuted a civil fraud case against him.
In February, New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron found that Trump had engaged in years of financial fraud and illegal conduct by manipulating his net worth and the value of his properties to secure more favorable loan conditions.
Engoron ordered Trump to pay more than $450 million in penalties and banned him from serving as the head of any New York company for three years. His adult sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, were banned from serving in a financial management role in any New York company for two years.
The president has appealed the ruling, and the case is proceeding.
Deadly air attack on the city of Dnipro comes hours before Ukrainian officials meet US and European officials in Paris.
A large-scale Russian drone attack in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro has killed three people, including a young girl, according to the regional governor, hours before officials from the United States, Europe and Ukraine gather in Paris to discuss the conflict.
Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak said the attacks that also injured tens of people came late on Wednesday, triggering multiple fires and damaging a dozen apartment buildings.
A student residence, an educational institution and a food processing plant were also damaged, Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov added.
Photos posted online showed raging fires, burned-out vehicles and buildings with shattered windows and scorched facades, as emergency crews worked through the night.
Sixteen of the injured are in hospital, one of them in critical condition, according to Lysak.
“This is the latest in a series of strikes that have continued to hit civilian areas,” Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi reported from Kyiv.
A firefighter extinguishes a burning car at the site of a Russian drone attack in Dnipro, Ukraine, April 17 [Handout via Reuters]
Elsewhere, a separate Russian missile attack wounded two people in the northeastern town of Izyum, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.
Meanwhile, Russia claimed to have shot down 71 Ukrainian drones overnight, most targeting the Kursk region. Russian officials also claimed Kyiv waged a drone attack on the town of Shuya, east of Moscow, causing no casualties.
Later on Thursday, two senior Trump administration officials – Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff – are due to meet in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron and top European diplomats for talks on Ukraine.
Ukraine’s foreign and defence ministers are among those in the city to participate in talks, according to Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s presidential office.
Ukrainians remain sceptical that the US diplomatic push would “work out in their favour”, but officials are still hoping for an about-face from Washington, Basravi said.
So far, Moscow has rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire, insisting that key details remain unresolved, while continuing to bomb its neighbour.
A Russian ballistic missile attack in the heart of the northeastern city of Sumy on Sunday was one of the deadliest of the war, killing 36 people, including two children, and injuring 119 as people gathered to celebrate Palm Sunday.
The attack, according to Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, showed Russian President Vladimir Putin was “mocking” the US’s “goodwill”.
Still, US envoy Witkoff insisted on Monday that Putin remains open to a “permanent peace” agreement. On the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that finalising terms is “not easy”.
Death in Paradise’s first female detective, Anna Samson, has shared a major update on the show’s spin-off, Return to Paradise
09:17, 17 Apr 2025Updated 09:19, 17 Apr 2025
Return to Paradise: Anna Samson discusses filming
Anna Samson, actress in the Death in Paradise spin-off, has given fans an exciting update on the series’ spin-off, Return to Paradise. The Australian version of the show, which debuted last year, is set to return for a second series.
Anna, who portrays the show’s first female lead, Mackenzie Clarke, took to Instagram to announce the premiere of the show. In the photo, Anna stands next to her co-star Tai Hara, dressed in the detective costume and holding a clapperboard.
She captioned the post: “We’re back. Return to Paradise Season 2.”
This announcement sent fans into a flurry of excitement, with many expressing their joy in the comments section.
One fan commented: “Great news. How long will season 2 be filming for?” Another exclaimed: “AHHHH! ! ! ! I’m so excited for this! ! I LOOOOVE this show with my entire heart,” reports the Express.
Return to Paradise will be back for season 2(Image: (Image: BBC))
“Really enjoyed the first season. So glad it’s returning. You are an awesome actress. Have a great day,” added a third.
Another follower chimed in with: “YES! Had to happen. Congrats!”
The premiere date for Return to Paradise remains unknown, but fans are hopeful that former detective Jack Mooney (played by Ardal O’Hanlon) will return to his role as Mackenzie’s boss.
Discussing the Australian spin-off last year and its relation to Death in Paradise, Anna remarked: “So the show, without being a carbon copy of the original, has lots of tips of the hat to the original, not just with the characters but even certain shots are paying homage to the original, like on the beach with the suitcase and not [wearing] an appropriate outfit for the weather. That is certainly a wink and a nod to the original.
“I didn’t get to meet Ardal because he shot his stuff in London and my stuff in Australia. I want to meet all of [the Death in Paradise cast]. I think it is something about playing the lead detective in a Paradise show, so I want to talk to them; I would love to meet them all.”
The Return to Paradise cast(Image: (Image: BBC))
ABC’s synopsis for the second series hints: “Series two will reunite us with Detective Sergeant Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Clarke (Anna Samson), who’s longing to get back to the UK and the life she’s always craved.
“But for now, she’s stuck in Dolphin Cove, dodging her ex-fiancée Glenn’s (Tai Hara) upcoming wedding after overhearing his unexpected declaration of love in the series one finale – a confession that she can’t unheard.
“Luckily for Mack, her compulsion to solve impossible cases serves as a great distraction, and there’s no shortage of murders to investigate. From the literary world to state-of-the-art shark labs, dating apps and rock concerts, Mack and her team face challenging mysteries with their unique blend of humour and tenacity. But Mack’s biggest challenge of all? Finding a way to exist in Dolphin Cove as the ultimate outsider.”
Tim Key, Executive Producer at Red Planet Pictures, couldn’t hide his excitement about the new series: “We were delighted that the world took Mack and the rest of the Australian team to their hearts, and it’s a pleasure to be back on the beat with the wonderful cast and crew Down Under.
“We can promise another series full of ingenious murders, romantic complications and glorious Australian locations, all infused with the unique warmth and humour of the Paradise shows.”
Return to Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Edinburgh is not short of history, culture and hidden gems, especially this overlooked landmark which is only a few minutes’ drive from the bustling city centre
CELEBRITY Big Brother’s Jack P Shepherd could have had a very different acting career, but missed out on two major Hollywood roles.
Instead, Jack was cast as David Platt in Coronation Street 25 years ago and that role has helped make him a household name.
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Jack P Shepherd revealed he missed out on some major roles while in the Celebrity Big Brother HouseCredit: Eroteme
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Jack has played David Platt on Corrie for 25 yearsCredit: Rex
The Corrie actor revealed he almost became Harry Potter in the mega-film franchise based on the books of the same name, but was pipped at the post by Daniel Radcliffe.
He also admitted he came close to being cast as the eponymous Billy Elliot in the hit movie, but instead Jamie Bell won that role in what was a breakout performance from the young star.
Jack’s revelation came during a game of two truths and a lie on Wednesday’s episode of Celebrity Big Brother.
The actor, 37, said he was almost cast in Harry Potter, Billy Elliot and Gladiator, and his fellow housemates had to guess which one was lie.
Jack revealed that Gladiator was the untruth, as viewers of the ITV reality series reacted on X, formerly Twitter.
“The fact that David Platt could’ve been Harry Potter is ICONIC,” wrote one person.
Another added: “What sort of terrifying parallel universe would’ve seen Harry Potter played by Jack P Shepherd may I ask?”
And a third wrote: “Jack P Shepherd as Harry Potter would have made the film series look so much different. Imagine Daniel Radcliffe as David Platt in Coronation Street.”
