Month: July 2025

A flight attendant has shared the reason why the cabin lights are dimmed during take-off and landing on a plane, and why it’s nothing to worry about and is just standard procedure

If you’ve ever been on a night flight and the cabin crew has dimmed the lights for no apparent reason, it may leave you feeling a little uneasy. Suddenly, the plane is plunged into darkness, and if you’re not in the know, you may not know that there’s a reading light above your head to ensure you can see better.

It can leave you sweaty-palmed and can set you on edge for the rest of take-off or landing. Most of the time, there will be a warning to let you know it’s happening, but even then, it can get a little nerve-wracking because you won’t realise the extent of how dark it gets. Then, when you’re plunged into darkness, you’re left desperately looking around, trying to figure out how everyone else is feeling about the situation.

But there’s no need to panic, and one flight attendant has shared the reasons why the cabin lights are dimmed during take-off and landing.

Many passengers will assume it’s a pointless exercise because the pilot isn’t in the same part of the plane – but it’s nothing to do with that.

Barbara Bacilieri, also known as Barbie Bac, shares videos about her flight experience with her 2.65million YouTube subscribers.

And the 29-year-old has confirmed the reason why take-off and landing are dark if you’re on a night flight.

A fan asked: “Why do planes dim the lights during take-off and landing?”

Barbara confirmed that it’s to “help your eyes adjust in case of an emergency evacuation,” so you haven’t been in bright lights previously if you need to get yourself out of the plane.

Lights are dimmed in the cabin of aeroplanes during take-off and landing – especially at night or in low visibility conditions – for safety reasons.

In the unlikely event of an emergency during take-off or landing, and passengers need to evacuate, their eyes will already be adjusted to the lower light levels outside the aircraft.

This helps them see better and move more quickly if they need to find their way to exits.

When the cabin lights are dim, the emergency lighting in the flooring also becomes far more visible, and it helps guide passengers to the exits in case of an emergency.

Dimming the cabin lights reduces glare and reflections on windows, allowing passengers and crew to see outside more clearly. This can be important for situational awareness.

It’s also not the main reason; dimming lights can help conserve power for critical systems during important flight phases.

Llandudno, Conwy

Some British resorts are about the beach. In others it’s walking along the prom. The fashionable ones push gastronomy, drink, street art, culture. Others stick to arcades, funfairs, kids’ stuff. Llandudno delivers all of these and a bit more besides – and it does so unpretentiously, warmly and ever so slightly Welshly.

My introduction came in the 1980s, when we – my Lancashire family, or rather, families, as my divorced mum and dad took us separately to Wales – descended from our chalet or static above Abergele and hit Llandudno high street. There, I was bought my first serious football kit – Wales away, yellow with green and red upside down Js. The “shops were better” in Llandudno. They still are, with the main drag, Mostyn Street, boasting chains and independents, Victorian arcades and Clare’s department store – still going after almost a century.

Llandudno was always busy, fun, a little bit upmarket. Perhaps an innate confidence has helped it fare better than other north Wales seaside towns. When I went last year, there were coach parties from Manchester and South Yorkshire. Locals – lots of them “expats” from England – were sunning themselves on benches. It was May, but sweltering, and the ice-cream vendors were scooping frantically, the chippies turning out endless trays of cod and chips. At the end of the pier there’s a pub – a great idea – and the alfresco benches were all taken.

The prom along the main beach, known as the North Shore, is a sweeping beauty of wedding-cake terraces, with a wide walking and cycling path running for almost two miles, shelters to use as shades or suntraps, a paddling pool and an Alice in Wonderland art trail (the real Alice holidayed here). Dylan’s Restaurant is installed inside the former Washington hotel, a stunning corner building by prominent local architect Arthur Hewitt – also responsible for Llandudno’s Winter Gardens and Savoy and Palladium cinemas; the latter survives as a pub.

Llandudno is framed by two limestone headlands – the Little Orme and Great Orme – at either end of town. The latter, mined in prehistoric times for copper and other ores, has a cable-hauled tramway and Kashmiri goats that became famous in 2020 during the pandemic, when they came down to the town centre looking for company, and hedges to eat. You can see the Isle of Man, Blackpool Tower and the Cumbrian fells from the top.

West Shore, below the Great Orme, is backed by dunes and feels a lot more natural. It has lovely sunsets and lively winds, drawing kite-flyers and kite-surfers.

Walking around town, which has sloping streets and narrow nooks to get lost in, you often catch sight of the rocky summits of Eryri (Snowdonia). I don’t know any other major resort in the UK that’s so close to serious hillwalking territory.

Over the years, Llandudno has been declared the daffodil capital, startup capital and fish and chip capital of north Wales. At the top end of the A470 – the Welsh Route 66, which starts in Cardiff – it is arguably the region’s main urban centre, though Wrexham might have a thing or two to say about that. No one, though, disputes Llandudno’s status as the queen of Welsh resorts.

One evening, during my visit last year, a sea fret descended on Llandudno Bay. I was walking along the prom from the pier towards Craig-y-Don – a sometime suburb long ago subsumed by Llandudno – and the Little Orme. Joggers and scooter riders appeared like wraiths out of the dense murk. The Alice in Wonderland statues looked spooky and out of place. The terraces looked grey and ghostly in the dimness. Suddenly, as I progressed east, the mist beat a complete retreat, warm sunlight pervading like an epiphany. Llandudno looked utterly beautiful, as if reborn, or at least rediscovered.

Part of this was no doubt childhood memories flooding back. But it was also a sense of being genuinely taken aback. Llandudno is a major town and a resort, a place to live as well as to holiday, a Welsh location that has always welcomed outsiders, and an urban centre with wild edges. It has endured by maintaining traditions and keeping up. I think it’s special, a little bit magical.
Where to stay: St George’s is a well-preserved seafront hotel dating from the Victorian era, with a great restaurant. Doubles from £114, B&B
Chris Moss

Folkestone, Kent

When I cycle down Folkestone’s Earls Avenue, I can see the sea before I reach the end of the street. I turn left on to the clifftop promenade, the Leas, and the view across the Channel is suddenly expansive. This mile-long stretch is lined with Edwardian and Georgian hotels and modern apartments, in a spectrum that runs from faded to grandeur. Works in progress include another apartment complex and a 1930s toilet block being repurposed into a cafe. I have a drone’s-eye view of the curve of new-build apartments on the beach, but prefer to look across the water, where the stubby silhouette of Dungeness power station appears and disappears with the visibility.

To swim, I can head down to Mermaid Beach, with its easy incline into the water. The Zig Zag Path is the way to get there (at least until the funicular Leas Lift is restored in 2026). The convincing grottos of this 1920s path were hewn from Pulhamite: fake rock with genuine charm, which still fools casual visitors.

Well-heeled Edwardians once paraded on the Leas, and it’s cited as evidence of Folkestone’s glory days that Edward VII frequented the Grand hotel. Our French neighbours once thought Folkestone a prestigious holiday destination, as did many English. Booming summer seasons may have departed with budget flights, but the past two decades have delivered newsworthy regeneration. The logic of the Creative Folkestone foundation – one of the ways through which philanthropist Roger De Haan has pumped tens of millions of pounds into the local economy – has been to make Folkestone a great place to live and work, on the basis that visitors will follow.

The Grand is now private residences, and was crowned in 2014 with a Yoko Ono morse code artwork. There are several subtle contemporary artworks on the Leas, and tens more throughout the town and on its beaches – from an Antony Gormley statue gazing out to sea, to Lubaina Himid’s Jelly Mould Pavilion on the boardwalk. These are the legacy of the Folkestone Triennial, Creative Folkestone’s flagship project since 2008. The open-air exhibition, which returns for summer 2025 (19 July-19 October), has helped transform the town’s fortunes, assisted by a game-changing high-speed rail link to London. To live here is to encounter art, gently and often. The one time I lost my children for a significant length of time, they turned out to be investigating a Mark Wallinger piece.

In recent years, visitor numbers have risen, as have (thornier subject) house prices. In part, that’s down to the buzz of the Harbour Arm, where quirky food and drinks vendors have repurposed train carriages, shipping containers and even the lighthouse. I favour Sail Box, on the very tip of the arm, for the scale of its sea view and pancake stacks. In town, the subsidised Creative Quarter sees independent businesses spill down the Old High Street – where Steep Street coffee offers a Parisian-inspired books-and-cakes combo – to the artists’ studios on Tontine Street.

Folkestone has so many things it didn’t have 10 years ago: the world’s first multistorey skatepark; a New York Highline-inspired garden walkway, leading to the revitalised Harbour Arm; an annual Pride, and LGBTQ+ bookshop; mini golf on the beach. A Labour MP. And, as of spring 2025, a Reform-led council. So, we’ve still got range.

One of my favourite things is not new, it’s simply to linger on the beach whenever seals or porpoises are in the water. One Sunday, a pod of dolphins splashed about for 30 minutes in view of where I sat with friends and kids, beach-bar drinks in hand. It’s really hard to beat Folkestone on a hot day, with dolphins.
Where to stay: overlooking the harbour a short walk from town, the London and Paris Hotel has 11 pretty rooms, doubles from £175, room only
Sophy Grimshaw

Scarborough, North Yorkshire

Scarborough residents refer to visitors as “comforts”, because they have usually “Come for t’ day”, rather than the week, as was once the seaside norm. The negative shift helps explain why Scarborough will receive £20m from the government’s Plan for Neighbourhoods, to fund significant regeneration over the next decade.

The plan is designed for “left-behind” communities. If Scarborough is left behind, it is also majestic, what with the great sweep of the two bays, divided by the verdant castle headland. Most of its main attractions – which tend to be commensurately large-scale – are unaffected by the current regeneration, since the town has been quietly maintaining them for decades, even centuries.

Take the place where it all began, not only Scarborough tourism but seaside holidays in general. Scarborough Spa stands adjacent to a spring, whose salty waters oozing from the base of a cliff were promoted as therapeutic in the early 17th century. The gentry came to drink them, along with other things. “Health is the pretence, dissipation is the end,” wrote one 18th-century visitor, and the spa was the focus of the jollity. A storm destroyed the first spa in 1836. Its replacement burned down in 1876, the present baroque palace arising three years later. Whereas the spa was once associated with dinner-jacketed palm court orchestras, a more characteristic modern bill-topper would be Tony Skingle (who “IS” Elvis). But the vision is consistent: a night out is improved by the proximity of the sea.

Similar doggedness is evident in the history of the nearby South Cliff Lift, opened in 1875. Back then, the power was hydraulic. Today, the system is fully automatic, but the cars are still made of wood, one descending as the other ascends, like floating garden sheds.

They carry passengers up through the near-vertical South Cliff Gardens, recently refurbished and underpinned. Subdivisions include the genteel Rose Garden, which was created in 1883 and has been carefully tended ever since (it’s not easy to grow roses by the sea), including a major restoration in 2015.

On the North Bay, Peasholm Park was opened in 1912, with an oriental theme, which (this being Scarborough) meant an Oriental Garden surmounted by a pagoda and surrounded by a fairy-lit boating lake. Such playfulness did not suit the brash 1970s, and the park went to seed, but a programme of renewal brought a Grade II listing in 1999. The narrow-gauge North Bay Railway also runs through gardens, and has done since 1931, skirting the Open Air Theatre, which closed in 1986 but was triumphantly relaunched in 2010.

Now, let us return to the South Bay and the harbour, where the white lighthouse has stood like a cake decoration since 1806. Well, more or less. The original was destroyed by the German bombardment of 1914, its replacement erected in 1931. The harbour is attractively gritty: at low water, the pleasure boats are slumped in the mud. The kids with their crab lines seem to be emulating the adult fishers, who operate around the Victorian buildings of the West Pier.

The current regeneration does include the West Pier, where a hoarding announces plans for a multimillion-pound refurbishment, “improving amenities for local people and visitors”. But when you ask the local people about this, you encounter eye rolls and dark muttering. Their suspicion is that the pier will become too touristy at the expense of the fishing, and the plans are on hold for consultations. Scarborough has generally polished – rather than recut – the jewels in its crown, so I trust the harbour will not be too drastically “improved”.
Where to stay: Weston Hotel on Esplanade, Scarborough’s poshest street, has doubles from £100, room only
Andrew Martin
To the Sea By Train by Andrew Martin is published by Profile Books on 31 July (£18.99). To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply

Portobello, Edinburgh

A starling skips from wall to floor to table on the Portobello promenade, eager to nick the parmesan from the preposterously large slice of pizza I’ve acquired from Edinburgh institution Civerinos. On the beach to my right, sunbathers battle melting ice-creams, dogs disrupt beach volleyball bouts and kids dig for Australia. Beyond, bobbing heads brave the North Sea chill, knowing the wood-fired Soul Water Sauna is waiting back on the prom if they get a little nippy.

Portobello is a trendy spot these days. The coastal suburb of Edinburgh is only a 30-minute bus ride from the city centre, but “Porty” has its own identity, distinct from the capital.

“I loved growing up here,” says Michael Pedersen, Edinburgh’s makar (poet laureate). “I loved the sea. I loved the arcade. I loved Arthur’s Seat looming in the background like a behemoth bull seal about to enter a brawl. But it didn’t feel like you were in a trendy, chic epicentre of a place. It felt like you were on the outskirts, trying to claw your way back in.”

The neon storm of Nobles – a battlement-themed penny arcade on the promenade – offers a portal to Porty’s past. Portobello was incorporated into Edinburgh in 1896, when it was one of Scotland’s most popular seaside resorts. Cheap tram and train access brought the masses in from Edinburgh and Glasgow, and an open-air pool and pleasure pier awaited them. Both of those attractions are long gone – the rise of package holidays ending the boom – but the Victorian swimming baths (and Edinburgh’s only Turkish baths) remain, council-run. As I backstroke under bunting strung across the pool, the sun shines through the glass roof, illuminating the columns and gallery.

It is not nostalgia that draws people to Porty today, though. It is – as well as veggie eateries such as Go Go Beets and speciality coffee spot Tanifiki – the rebellious flair of the community and what they’ve created. In 2017, for example, a Georgian church in town was due to be sold off. Luxury flats beckoned, but local campaign group Action Porty intervened and led a rare urban community buyout. It’s now Bellfield – home to a community cafe, art classes and ceilidhs.

“When we moved here in the 1990s, Portobello was very down-at-heel,” says Justin Kenrick, chair of Action Porty, as we stroll the promenade. “Newspapers called it dangerous. What we’re trying to fight off now is the place turning into one big holiday let. If there’s no community, there’s no point.”

The town hall was also saved by the community. It hosts regular events, such as Porty Pride’s annual ball, top Scottish comedians and sold-out showcases from Edinburgh’s Discovery Wrestling.

The main draw for many visitors is The Portobello Bookshop, a beloved indie with Corinthian columns. “You see people really warming to anything anybody does that is enhancing the community,” owner Jack Clark tells me. Their exceptional events programme has brought in authors from Eimear McBride to Zadie Smith. Pedersen packed out the bookshop in May to launch his debut novel Muckle Flugga, glimmers of which were inspired by his home town.

Pedersen has seen the Portobello skyline demolished and rebuilt since his childhood. “It’s so important, as independent businesses get successful and the area becomes more affluent, to invest in community groups,” the poet says. “The fact that there are these buildings coming back into community leases and hands retains a lot of the integrity of the area.

“I love Portobello in all its foibles and flaws; all its chintzy glamour; all its new-wave chicness.”

Walk along the promenade, looking across the Firth of Forth to Fife, and it’s easy to see why.
Where to stay: Straven Guesthouse is a traditional, family-run place close to the promenade, doubles from £107, B&B (minimum two nights)
Stuart Kenny

I’ve used this makeup artist-approved brush cleaner for years now, and it’s the only one I’ll trust to clean my makeup tools – it works instantly and smells like summer holidays

As any beauty lover knows, the right tools can make a huge difference to your makeup, which is why keeping them in good condition is essential. As well as helping your brushes to perform better, cleaning them is also key to keeping them hygienic and safe to use – a dirty brush can be a breeding ground for bacteria, cause breakouts and leave your skin looking oily or patchy. Not to mention layers of different foundations, blushers and bronzers can affect the colour of your products when you apply them.

Although I generally find cleaning my makeup brushes to be an arduous task that I can almost never be bothered to do, discovering Isoclean’s Paradise Scented Make Up Brush Cleaner has absolutely changed the game for me. It’s easy to use, takes barely any time at all, and smells amazing, and – dare I say it – I’ve actually started to enjoy cleaning them?

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Unlike other cleaners which require copious bowls of water, cloths, and leaving them to drip dry for hours, the Isoclean spray top means I need nothing except the bottle and some paper towels. You can currently pick up a large 275ml bottle for £19.50, or a full size bottle and 275ml refill worth £35 for £31.15. In my experience the 275ml bottle lasts around four months with a weekly clean, although that obviously depends on how frequently you clean your brushes and how many brushes you clean.

To use it, you just need to spray the brushes with the cleaner, then rub them into some paper towels or tissues and the makeup comes straight off. Some more stubborn products (like full coverage foundation) might need a couple of goes, but generally I can have a brush fully cleaned in around 30 seconds.

If you do prefer a more traditional solid soap style cleaner, Zoeva (who makes some of my favourite makeup brushes of all time, FYI) has the Brush Shampoo Bar for £12, which deep cleans and nourishes the bristles, helping prolong their life span. You could also try the CLOMANA BEAUTY Chocolate Orange Brush & Sponge Cleanser, which is currently on sale down from £16 to £10.40 at Sephora, and smells like chocolate orange.

However personally I love the spray formula that Isoclean has. It means they dry almost instantly, so you can clean as you go or give them a quick clean before swapping between two different coloured products without muddying the shades. The Isoclean Paradise Scented Make Up Brush Cleaner also kills off all bacteria, keeping them safe to use.

The only real downside to the Isoclean Paradise Scented Make Up Brush Cleaner is that it can be tricky to make sure the bristles at the middle of your brush are fully saturated, especially on denser brushes like foundation ones. However a few repeat goes makes sure you get everything out and clean.

I’ve also found in the past that most brush cleaners tend to have quite a strong, harsh alcohol smell which can be off putting. However the Paradise Scented version of Isoclean’s cleaner quite honestly smells like a summer holiday. It has notes of salted caramel, vanilla, almond and pistachio, and the scent lingers on your brushes so you can still smell it next time you use them. Anything that makes me keep my makeup brushes clean with minimal effort is a winner in my book!

INDIANAPOLIS — Azurá Stevens scored 21 points and had 12 rebounds, Kelsey Plum added 20 points and the Sparks won at Indianapolis for the second time in 10 days, defeating the Fever, minus Caitlin Clark, 89-87 on Saturday.

Since dominating the fourth quarter en route to an 85-75 win over Indiana on June 26, the Sparks had lost two straight. The Fever had won three, including the Commissioner’s Cup, without Clark. She missed her fifth consecutive game with a groin injury.

This game was close throughout. The Sparks’ biggest lead was three points in the first quarter, and the Fever went up by eight midway through the third.

Dearica Hamby scored 18 points for the Sparks (6-13) and Rickea Jackson added 15, including the go-ahead basket that made it 88-87 with 57.4 seconds left.

Indiana missed its last five shots, four in the final minute. Stevens rebounded a miss and was fouled, making a free throw with 3.3 seconds to go. The Fever used their reset timeout but Aliyah Boston missed a shot from the top of the key.

Boston led Indiana (9-9) with 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Natasha Howard had 21 points and nine rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell added 19 points. Howard surpassed 2,000 career rebounds and Mitchell, who reached 600 three-pointers with three, broke a tie with Fever assistant coach Briann January with her 251st game for the Fever, second behind Tamika Catchings.

Mitchell had 13 points and Plum 11 in an evenly played first half that featured nine ties and nine lead changes before Indiana went on top 45-42. Plum scored the last seven L.A. points in the third quarter for a 70-69 lead heading into the fourth.

Tesla CEO says he has formed a new political party after falling out with US President Donald Trump over the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’.

Billionaire Elon Musk has followed through on his pledge to create a new political party in the United States after President Donald Trump signed his controversial budget legislation, the so-called “One Big, Beautiful Bill”, into law.

Musk in a post on X on Saturday declared the formation of the “America Party“, to “give back” the people of the US their freedom and challenge what he called the nation’s “one-party system”.

He cited a poll, uploaded on Friday – the US’s Independence Day – in which he asked whether respondents “want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system” that has dominated US politics for some two centuries.

The yes-or-no survey earned more than 1.2 million responses.

“By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!” Musk wrote on Saturday.

“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” he declared.

The move comes amid a worsening of the feud between the world’s richest man and Trump over the new budget law, which the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said would bankrupt the US.

Musk was Trump’s main campaign financier during the 2024 election, and led the Department of Government Efficiency from the start of the president’s second term, aimed at slashing government spending.

The two have since fallen out spectacularly over disagreements about the “Big, Beautiful Bill”.

Musk said previously that he would start a new political party and spend money to unseat lawmakers who supported the bill, which experts say will pile an extra $3.4 trillion over a decade onto the US deficit.

“They will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,” Musk had said.

There was no immediate comment from Trump or the White House on Musk’s announcement.

Trump earlier this week threatened to cut off the billions of dollars in subsidies that Musk’s companies receive from the federal government, and to deport the South African-born tycoon.

“We’ll have to take a look,” the president told reporters when asked if he would consider deporting Musk, who has held US citizenship since 2002.

It is not clear how much impact the new party will have on the 2026 mid-term elections, or on the presidential vote two years after that.

On Friday, after posting the poll, Musk laid out a possible political battle plan to pick off vulnerable House of Representatives and Senate seats, and for the party to become “the deciding vote” on key legislation.

“One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,” Musk posted on X.

All 435 US House seats are up for grabs every two years, while about one-third of the Senate’s 100 members, who serve six-year terms, are elected every two years.

Despite Musk’s deep pockets, breaking the Republican-Democratic duopoly is a tall order, given that it has dominated US political life for more than 160 years, while Trump’s approval ratings in polls in his second term have generally held firm above 40 percent, despite the president’s often divisive policies.

Chunks of blue ice could plunge from an aircraft as it comes in to land, and the block is made up of waste and disinfectant mixed together

The definition of blue ice on an aircraft has nothing to do with fancy drinks or cocktails. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

According to SKYbrary, ‘blue ice’ is known as “the frozen sewage material that has leaked mid-flight from commercial aircraft lavatory waste systems.”

In simpler words, it’s frozen waste from the lavatories, a mixture of human waste and blue disinfectant, which freezes at temperatures below 60C.

The ‘blue ice’ that has been accumulated throughout the flight can then detach from the aircraft during the landing. Although it’s rare to fall from its high altitude, it could be dangerous to anyone it falls on, and could even damage a property.

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Airlines are not actually allowed to deliberately dispose of such waste mid-flight and, according to Skybrary, they have no means of doing so.

There is no special lever to pull. But there have been occasions where leaks have happened from the septic tank on-board an aircraft.

Heathrow Airport, Britain’s biggest aviation hub, says there are on average 25 ice fall incidents per year countrywide. “So the chance of experiencing property damage due to falling ice is extremely low,” it added.

It then went on to explain exactly how the waste is collected, and said: “Waste collection happens when the aircraft lands at an airport and is disposed of responsibly. However, there have been reported incidents where the hose valve that is used to empty the aircraft has been faulty and leaked fluid which has frozen at altitude.

“This rare occurrence usually results in discoloured ice and is commonly referred to as “blue ice.”

Blue ice has caused injuries and damage

As reported by the Daily Mail in December 2015, a woman in her 60s got almost hit with a chunk of a mysterious block of ice that fell from the sky over a village in India.

The woman was left with a shoulder injury. However, she said that those from her village, Aamkhoh, could’ve received worse injuries. Witnesses said the ice crashed onto someone’s home terrace before it got to her.

In 2016, a teacher from Canada claimed that a “frozen lump of excrement from a plane passing overhead” created a hole in the roof of her mother’s home.

She claimed that right after waking up from a loud noise, she found a hole in the ceiling with a puddle of water on the floor, 15 feet from where she was sleeping.

After calling a professional to inspect and repair the damage, they described it to be the “strangest thing they had ever seen.”

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Nicolás Pasquali, 44, who describes himself as the “first Argentinean to visit every country in the world”, has finally managed to tick off North Korea from his list after eight years of travel

Nicolás Pasquali, a man who has travelled to every country on Earth, has revealed that his favourite place is closer to home than one might expect. Nicolás, who considers himself to be the “first Argentine to visit every country in the world”, has recently smashed his impressive target after spending a remarkable eight years travelling.

In February, he finally put a pin in the last country on his list after a year waiting, the hermit kingdom of North Korea in East Asia, which often only grants tourists access via tightly controlled tours.

However, you’d imagine that picking a favourite from the near-200 on offer would prove to be a tricky task, but Nicolás was left in “no doubt”.

In an interview with Argentine newspaper Infobae, he stated: “As an Argentinean, there’s no doubt Argentina is number one. We have identity, culture, gastronomy, sports and unique natural landscapes. Despite economic problems, we keep standing out globally.”

A sense of unity

Nicolás pointed out that the South American nation has a “marked identity and a sense of unity” that he hasn’t “seen elsewhere”. He went on to draw comparisons with England, pointing to one aspect in particular.

He went on to say: “You go to England, and Britons aren’t proud of being British like we are proud of being Argentinean. We feel part of something bigger, which is impressive.”

Language also plays a significant role for the Buenos Aires native, who went on to explain that Spanish is the “second-most spoken language”, making it “easier for us to move around”.

It’s still a jewel

Nicolás encapsulated his experience by revealing something he’d learned while visiting all those other countries, a pearl of wisdom that may offer insight into his choice of Argentina as his favourite country.

Reflecting on his homeland, he remarked: “When you live in Argentina, you think that in other countries everything is perfect. But the truth is that it’s not. There are countries at war, countries where people don’t even have water, and countries where you can’t say what you think. And that’s when you realise that Argentina, with all its problems, is still a jewel.”

Second-largest country on the continent

Argentina, the second-largest country in South America, is divided into four distinct regions: the Andes, the Pampas, the north, and Patagonia.

The climate varies dramatically from subtropical in the north to sub-Antarctic conditions in the south, and the nation is home to an impressive array of wildlife.

In the rugged terrain of Patagonia, intrepid adventurers might spot sea lions, penguins, and seals along the coast. Meanwhile, offshore in the Atlantic, you could encounter dolphins, orcas, and even sharks.

Up in the northern parts, the wildlife includes crocodiles, caimans, flamingos, toucans, and jaguars.

How many countries are there?

The UN (United Nations) recognises a total of 195 countries, 193 of which are member states. The final two regions are the non-member observer states of Vatican City and Palestine, although the true number is actually disputed.

This is due to a number of disputed zones and countries with either full or partial sovereignty, writes the BBC. In fact, the CIA (the US’ Central Intelligence Agency) lists the full number as 237, for example.

I lost my heart to this beautiful part of the country and now I can’t wait to return

Tucked away in the undulating hills of Suffolk, The Wilderness Reserve offers a quintessential English summer experience. I recently had the pleasure of spending a weekend there and was utterly charmed by this tranquil corner of the county, bathed in the glow of a June heatwave sun.

The walled garden was a riot of colour as I watched a couple tie the knot, and while enjoying elderflower cocktails, I felt like I’d stepped into a Merchant Ivory film. But it wasn’t just the stunning venue that captivated me to be honest, the entire region truly stole my heart.

Suffolk, with its gently rolling hills, expansive skies, and patchwork of fields, meadows, and ancient woodlands, epitomises rural England. The 8,000-acre private estate near Saxmundham is just one of many highlights in the area, with attractions such as Framlingham Castle, Sutton Hoo, RSPB Minsmere, and Yoxford Antiques Centre and Gardens all within easy reach.

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Scattered with picturesque villages, timber-framed cottages, medieval churches, and quiet lanes, much of Suffolk is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Then there is the stunning Suffolk coastline with its mix of sandy beaches, rugged cliffs and pretty seaside towns. Southwold is known for its beautiful beaches, iconic lighthouse and Victorian pier, while Aldeburgh Aldeburgh offers a more artistic atmosphere with its historic high street and rich cultural heritage, including the famous Aldeburgh Festival.

Nearby, there lies the 12th-century Framlingham Castle, while the town of Woodbridge is home to the impressive Tide Mill and a charming blend of Georgian buildings and independent shops. While a visit to the Wilderness Reserve was a delicious treat, there are so many other ways to explore the region, along with a multitude of places to stay.

Take Winkle Cottage for instance – a fishermans cottage bathed in Aldeburgh’s seaside charm. This classic fisherman’s cottage offers snug living spaces and can comfortably accommodate five guests. It has been praised by visitors as “a great place to stay.”

The village of Campsea Ash also hosts an ideal spot for larger family reunions, offering a glorious barn conversion on a private estate. Quill Farm Barn is touted as a “delightful” holiday home, nestled away in “the perfect setting.” Then there’s the Sea Tower, a chic apartment boasting sea vistas that has earned accolades as “a special place” or the grand Holly Lodge – a robust five-bedroom countryside house capable of hosting group getaways for up to 10 individuals.

For something completely different, the Pound Farm Mirror Houses in Framlingham offer contemporary dwellings in the heart of the countryside. An upscale alternative to traditional ‘tiny homes’ each house comes with its own hot tub.

Booking.com boasts a diverse array of accommodation options in Suffolk. The Swan Hotel in Southwold, a four-star establishment nestled within a historic building just 200 metres from the seafront, is one such gem. For those seeking a more traditional vibe, The Ship at Dunwich serves up home-cooked fare and real ales in an authentic inn setting.

Adventure-seekers drawn to RSPB Minsmere will find Moonlight Lodge an ideal retreat close by. Available through Holidaycottages.co.uk, it’s set against the backdrop of Dunwich beach and surrounded by woodlands – a nature lover’s dream.

For a touch of grandeur, The Great House in Orford stands as a majestic Grade II-listed holiday home right in the village’s heart. This quintessential country haven sleeps 12 and has been hailed as “a stunning house” and “absolutely perfect for larger parties” by visitors.

The tranquil beauty of Suffolk has garnered thousands of glowing reviews on TripAdvisor from enamoured visitors. One tourist said: “Loved our afternoon in Southwold especially the pier! Such a pleasant surprise to have a clean characterful pier with a brilliant quirky water fuelled clock at the end! The beaches looked amazing, beautiful clean sand and so pretty with the huts behind!”.

Another visitor, charmed by Aldeburgh, shared: “It was a dream in July to swim in the early hours of the morning and have fish and chips looking out to sea.”

Of course, the accommodation is key to any memorable holiday, and Sykes Cottages are dazzling holidaymakers, boasting a 4.6 out of five-star rating. One chuffed guest remarked: “We wanted a quiet weekend getaway and we found exactly that in Suffolk. Perfect for young and old…the cottage we booked we know it’s a fabulous place and beautifully presented.”

Another satisfied customer shared: “Suffolk in the sunshine. This was an important family holiday following my dad being very unwell last year, our holiday with Sykes gave us the quality time we needed and the chance to make some wonderful memories.”

However, not all feedback was glowing. A less impressed guest posted a three-star review: “Sykes offer a vast range of holiday accommodation. From experience so far, the description and photos of accommodation are fairly accurate, however, the cleanliness of the accommodation is another matter. It is difficult to get hold of anyone from Sykes by telephone.”

But praise continued with another beaming five-star critique: “We were looking for pet friendly cottages in Suffolk, Sykes cottages came up with the goods. A nice cottage plenty of details about the cottage giving us all the details we needed. So many thanks looking forward to our holiday.”

Alison Hammond’s son Aidan has revealed that as a child he would seek solace at his grandmother’s house which was across the road every time his mum annoyed him

Alison Hammond is best known for her bubbly personality while presenting This Morning along with Dermot O’Leary. However, according to her son and Celebrity Gogglebox co-star Aidan, the TV presenter wasn’t always a delight to live with.

Alison, 50, who soared to fame following her memorable stint on Big Brother back in 2002, made her Celebrity Gogglebox debut last night, critiquing TV shows with her rarely seen sister Saundra and her 20 year old son. Giving fans a more intimate account of his mother while growing up, Aidan revealed that he used to run away from home and stay with his grandmother, who lived across the road.

And this would happen on a regular basis every time he and Alison failed to agree on certain things. Speaking on the Spin Justice podcast, Aidan said: “When we were in the flat, she (his grandmother) had a house pretty much opposite us, so we could literally leave and run across the road.”

He added: “So when my mum was doing my head in, I’d just go to my nan’s.”

Before Alison’s mother Maria sadly passed away five years ago, the trio enjoyed an incredibly special bond. Aidan described their relationship as “very, very close”.

Despite his youthful age, Aidan is no stranger to the world of TV after appearing on a number of quiz shows with his mum and starring in their very own travel show, Florida Unpacked which aired on BBC Two.

He then went on to say: “She’s passed away now, but we were very close all the time – me, my mum and my nan – and that was kind of the little trio.”

Alison will sit along side her sister and son for their debut on the popular TV show, mugs in hand ready to analyse TV shows watched by the nation.

Speaking about sharing the moment with another family member apart from her son, Alison chimed in: “I’m so excited to be doing Celebrity Gogglebox with my son Aidan.”

She said: “We’ve always loved watching telly together, and now we get to do it on the sofa for the nation! It’s a real family affair too, because my fabulous sister Saundra is getting involved as well. “

The Great British Bake Off presenter then went on to say: “Expect laughs, eye-rolls, and lots of commentary, classic Hammond style!”

Alison and her family with join the cast of the new series for the charity Stand Up To Cancer.

A TV source reportedly told The Sun: “Producers were impressed by the dynamic between Aidan and his mum on their new travel show, so wanted a piece of it for Celebrity Gogglebox.”

They added: “They’re always looking for new duos to appear on the programme to keep it constantly feeling fresh, and, of course, fronting the Great British Bake Off means she’s already part of the C4 family.”

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The mind games began before the opening bell, when Catterall sent Conor Benn – who was defeated by Harlem’s cousin, Chris Eubank Jr, in their April grudge match – to inspect Eubank’s hand-wrapping.

“Didn’t want to miss this,” Benn quipped during the awkward encounter, before returning to Catterall’s dressing room to report, “[Eubank’s] head has gone”, as the pair embraced.

Inside the ring, Eubank smiled nervously through a tentative opening as Catterall, as expected, edged the early rounds with his superior skill and ring IQ, though without fully imposing himself.

Eubank, who has gained popularity through his appearances on free-to-air television, began to land single shots, but it was apparent he was second best against the more accomplished fighter.

With career wins over Josh Taylor, Jorge Linares, and Regis Prograis, Catterall’s class was clear.

But the pair tumbled to the canvas in the third, and again in a messy sixth. Then came the accidental clash, followed by Eubank striking the back of Catterall’s head.

The home favourite returned to his corner to have the blood wiped away – an action not allowed mid-round.

Given the severity of Catterall’s cut, the bout was waved off at one second into the seventh, prompting boos from a 5,000 strong crowd.

Afterwards, promoter Eddie Hearn dismissed talk of a rematch and said Catterall would be manoeuvred back into world title contention.

July 5 (UPI) — Eight OPEC+ nations on Saturday agreed to increase their crude oil production by 548,000 barrels per day starting in August.

Of the dozen Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, five voted to increase the output: Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Iraq, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates. There are 10 subset members with Russia, Kazakhstan and Oman joining the member nations in boosting production.

OPEC nations not voting to increase output are Iran, Venezuela, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Nigeria.

The increase represents half of a percent of the worldwide production.

In April, the group increased production by 411,000 barrels a day. Also, there were changes in November 2023.

The nations said the change was based on “a steady global economic outlook and current healthy market fundamentals, as reflected in the low oil inventories.” It also was in accordance with a decision on Dec. 5 to start a gradual and flexible return of the 2.2 million barrels per day starting April 1.

They said the “increases may be paused or reversed subject to evolving market conditions. This flexibility will allow the group to continue to support oil market stability.”

The two largest oil producers are Saudi Arabia at 9.8 million barrels per day in August and Russia at 9.3 million. Iraq is third at 4.1 million.

The United States, which is not a member of OPEC, produced an average of 13.4 million barrels of crude oil a day in August 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Global Commodity Insights, a research firm, has said it expected supply would outpace demand by 1.25 million barrels a day in the second half of this year. These changes come amid the summer driving season and more oil for air conditioning amid heat waves in many places around the world.

The eight OPEC+ countries will next meet on Aug. 3 to decide on September production levels.

The Saudis have been seeking to boost production to please U.S. President Donald Trump, who has fostered a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia and UAE, The New York Times reported analysts as saying.

On Friday, August West Texas Intermediate oil futures settled at $68.30 per barrel, a decline of 50 cents. It dropped to $57.13 on May 13, which was the lowest since January 2021. The rose to $80.04 on Jan. 15 with it hitting $120.67 in June 2022.

Elon Musk says he is launching a new political party, weeks after dramatically falling out with US President Donald Trump.

The billionaire announced on his social media platform X that he had set up the America Party, billing it as a challenge to the Republican and Democratic two-party system.

However, it is unclear if the party has been formally registered with US election authorities. Musk, who was born outside of the US and is thus ineligible to run for the US presidency, does not say who will lead it.

He first raised the prospect of forming a party during his public feud with Trump, which saw him leave his role in the administration and engage in a vicious public spat with his former ally.

During that row, Musk posted a poll on X asking users if there should be a new political party in the US.

Referencing that poll in his post on Saturday, Musk wrote: “By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!

“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.

“Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”

As of Saturday, the Federal Electoral Commission had not published documents indicating the party had been formally registered.

While there have been high-profile players outside the traditional two-party system in US politics, it is difficult for them to gain strong enough nationwide popularity to pose a real threat.

In the presidential election last year, candidates from the likes of Libertarian Party, the Green Party and the People’s Party all tried in vain to stop Trump or his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, from winning.

Musk was until recently a core supporter of Trump, dancing alongside him during election rallies last year and bringing his four-year-old son to meet Trump in the Oval Office.

He was also Trump’s key financial backer: Musk spent $250m (£187m) to help him regain office.

After the election, he was appointed to lead the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which was tasked with identifying swingeing cuts in the federal budget.

His fallout with Trump began when he left the administration in May and publicly criticised Trump’s tax and spending plans.

The legislation – which Trump has called his “big, beautiful bill” – was narrowly passed by Congress and signed into law by the president this week.

The massive law includes huge spending commitments and tax cuts, and is estimated to add more than $3tn to the US deficit over the next decade.

Crucially for Musk, who owns electric-vehicle giant Tesla, Trump’s bill does not focus on green transition or subsidies for products like Teslas.

“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far,” Trump wrote on his social media site, Truth Social, this week. “Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”

Trump threatened to have Doge look into subsidies in favour of Musk’s companies, alluding also to the billionaire’s other businesses.

Musk also owns SpaceX, which launches rockets for the US government, and Starlink, which provides satellite service for US and European defence forces.

Sandbanks has been named the UK’s most expensive seaside town again after a new survey found that the average asking price for a home is an eye-watering £1,282,565

City-dwellers dreaming of coastal escapes during the sweltering summer heat want to think twice before setting their sights on Sandbanks.

The exclusive Dorset enclave has once again been named the most expensive seaside town in the UK, with property prices soaring well above the million-pound mark.

According to new figures released by Rightmove, the average asking price for a home in Sandbanks is now £1,282,565 – making it the only seaside location in Britain where average house prices break the £1 million barrier. That figure is more than three times the UK average of £378,240.

Despite the eye-watering price tag, the data also reveals that even Sandbanks hasn’t been immune to the wider market downturn. Prices in the coastal hotspot have dipped three percent compared to 2024. But that hasn’t dented buyer interest.

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“Sandbanks now stands out as the only seaside spot with an average asking price of over the million-pound mark,” said Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove.

The figures reflect a broader trend as buyer demand is up eight percent in the UK’s most desirable coastal areas, even as prices drop. Across the top 50 most expensive seaside towns, average asking prices have fallen one per cent year-on-year.

Long established as Britain’s answer to Monte Carlo, Sandbanks’ allure lies in its rare mix of golden beaches, luxury properties, and close proximity to London.

Nestled on a tiny peninsula at the mouth of Poole Harbour, the town boasts some of the most coveted real estate in the country – and it’s a magnet for celebrities.

Harry Redknapp, Karl Pilkington, and Liam Gallagher are among the A-listers believed to own homes in the area, which is known for its upscale dining, sleek modern builds, and sweeping views of the Jurassic Coast.

Just two miles up the road, the nearby neighbourhood of Canford Cliffs also made the list, claiming the second most expensive coastal town spot.

Properties there command an average price of £974,635, despite a nine per cent drop from last year.

In third place is Milford-on-Sea, a picture-postcard village in Hampshire, where buyers can expect to pay around £728,460 on average.

While the south coast dominates the luxury end of the market, bargain-hunters should look north.

The most affordable seaside town in the UK, according to Rightmove, is Saltcoats in Ayrshire, where average asking prices are less than a quarter of a million pounds – well below the national average.

Other budget-friendly options include Peterlee in County Durham, further underlining the North-South divide when it comes to coastal property prices.

“Lower-priced seaside spots like Saltcoats and Peterlee offer home-movers a sea view at a fraction of the price,” Babcock said.

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Celebs Go Dating coach Anna Williamson spoke to the Mirror about parenting amid concerns over technology and social media after hosting the Great British Phone Switch

Anna Williamson has opened up her approach to parenting, including revealing some of the rules that are in place within her home. The Celebs Go Dating coach offered advice to other parents whilst discussing her own experience.

The life coach and presenter, 43, has two children with her husband Alex Di Pasquale, 36. The couple, who have now been together for more than a decade, are parents to an eight-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter together.

Anna spoke to the Mirror about her family earlier this week whilst reflecting on the Great British Phone Swap. The Channel 4 show, in partnership with Tesco Mobile, sees parents swap phone habits with their children for 48 hours.

Fronted by Anna and clinical psychologist Dr Martha Deiros Collado, the experiment explores topics including online safety and the use of AI. Each parent and child duo left the experience with a set of goals for their family, such as scheduled time away from devices and weekly check-ins.

Asked her main takeaway, Anna said it was “boundaries” and having “healthy, open communication”. “Boundaries being time when you are not on your phone and I think we found that was really beneficial for all families,” she added.

The show also saw parents introduced to their kids’ lives on platforms like TikTok. Anna said: “When [they] lent into the teenager’s worlds, they were actually less fearful about what was happening because they understood it better.”

Although her own kids aren’t on social media, Anna revealed that her eldest child is now starting to ask when he will be allowed a phone. She shared that even though he doesn’t have one yet, she’s already using parental control on games and apps that he’s interested in on another device.

Concerns over screen time were raised on the Great British Phone Swap and Anna teased that she can relate to the other parents. Asked what the dynamic is like in her family, she told us: “We’re always fighting against screen time in my house but very much we try and lead from example.”

Anna said it’s “very difficult” as a parent because “a lot of our work nowadays is online”. She said that can be tough to convey to kids, who may interpret their parents being on devices as them playing a game or browsing social media.

Although that may sometimes be the case, Anna encourages leading by example. She said in our interview: “The approach of ‘just do it because I said,’ it doesn’t really wash because you’re typically gonna get a child that will rebel. They won’t trust you, they won’t lean in to you, they won’t talk to you and they will just do it anyway.”

Anna said that she tries to make sure that her own devices are away as much as possible between the time that she picks her kids up from school and their bedtime. She then explained: “I might jump on later on and reply to emails and do a lot of my messaging after that.”

She said that as a result when she’s trying to get her kids off their devices they know that she’s “boundaried” with her own. Anna revealed that her kids get an hour of screen time each per day, which they can use when they want.

Anna said their allowance could be used before or after school, through “approved apps” or “things they wanna watch”. She said that her son may choose to use his hour altogether on completing a video game level, for example, rather than taking it in scattered periods over the day.

“It’s teaching your children that they do have a choice but they have a choice within your boundaries,” Anna said. Summarising her approach, she added: “So we try and keep reduced screen time. We do have parental controls. I do keep a very close eye on what my children are watching.”

Anna went on to discuss one participant in the show having suggested that their generation spent time outside, rather than playing on devices, as children. The podcast host however said that it’s the “reality” of the world we live in now.

She said: “I do think that we have to accept where we are. We always evolve, we have to evolve. […] I think as we portray in the Great British Phone Switch phones aren’t a bad thing. Tech isn’t a bad thing. But it’s about consuming the right things on it and that’s the important thing here.”

Anna, who said that parents are “always grappling” with issues like screen time and whether to let their children have a phone, told us that she doesn’t support banning technology at home. She said: “What I always say is that banning it completely I don’t believe is a particularly useful or helpful idea in the long run.”

She explained: “Because what you ban, you’re not teaching someone to use it sensibly. The analogy being; you wouldn’t just stick a 17 year old out in a car without giving them driving lessons to teach them how to drive it safely.”

Anna suggested that the same benefits apply to technology. She said: “It’s exactly the same with tech – you need to teach your children how to navigate it. Where the pitfalls are, where the hazards are, where the safe spaces are.”

She added that banning it completely doesn’t give kids the “skills” and the “tools” that they need in the modern world. Anna however suggested that it doesn’t mean children should have no restrictions when it comes to using devices.

“The heavy caveat is to not be consumed by it and to make sure there are other things going on in your life that are face-to-face,” she said. “Making sure that those interpersonal skills are just as acute as their digital skills.”

Anna also shared that she isn’t letting her kids on social media at the moment and opened up about no longer showing their faces on her own Instagram. She recalled making the decision a few years ago when she “became increasingly aware around consent”. She said that although her job in the public eye is a choice that she has made, the same can’t be said for her kids.

“I didn’t want my children to be in a position where they thought I’d made the wrong decision for them,” she said. Anna went on to say: “I’m not shading anyone that does choose to share their children or their families online. I think everyone makes the right choice for them and their family.”

All five episodes of the Great British Phone Swap are available now through Channel 4.

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