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A man and his partner decided to visit the best beach in the world, according to Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2025 list, and were left stunned by one thing about the sand

Have you ever fancied a trip to a beach with pristine white sand and crystal-clear blue waters? One man decided to do just that, visiting one of the world’s top-rated beaches.

Despite being an island nation with plenty of coastlines, most UK beaches are pebbly rather than sandy, and our seas are often darker and murkier compared to the vibrant blue waters found in more tropical climates. Of course, there are exceptions like some of the beaches in Cornwall, but they often lack the tropical heat and sunshine for the full beach experience. So what makes a beach truly perfect?

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2025 list shed some light on this, crowning a beach in Queensland, Australia, as the world’s best. Keen to see if it lived up to the hype, a couple named Dan and Janie jetted off to Whitehaven Beach to discover why it had earned the ‘world’s best’ title.

“Look at this,” Dan exclaimed in his TikTok video, moving the camera around to capture an overview of the idyllic beach. “Ranked in the top five in the world apparently.”

The beach was indeed picture-perfect, boasting a white sandy shore, bright blue waters, and glorious sunshine under a clear blue sky. But there was one aspect of the beach that truly left him gobsmacked.

As he shifted the camera downwards to reveal the sand, he instructed his audience to listen carefully while he strolled across it. With each footstep he took on the sand, a distinctive squeaking noise could be heard.

Further into the clip, he was also captured playing about with the noisy sand, moving his hand backwards and forwards through it, producing squeaks with every motion.

Despite the video racking up more than 1.3 million views on TikTok, the majority of watchers expressed their fascination with the squeaky sand.

“Why does the sand squeak?!” questioned one viewer, with hundreds of others echoing the same bewilderment.

This curious occurrence goes by numerous names, though it’s most commonly referred to as ‘singing sand’ or whistling sand, and remains something of a scientific mystery.

The sound occurs due to friction between uniform, almost perfectly round, pristine, and dry quartz sand particles, which causes them to oscillate and scrape against one another at a particular frequency, producing the noise.

Given that the requirements for squeaking sand are so precise, it’s an uncommon spectacle found exclusively on select beaches with the correct sand type and environmental conditions.

Nevertheless, not all were charmed by this discovery, with one viewer remarking: “I’m sorry but I’m too sensory triggered to even stand on that sand. Beautiful yes! Squeakiness no chance!”

Apple (AAPL -3.17%) shares dipped slightly on Tuesday as the tech giant unveiled its latest iPhones. The company behind the world’s most popular premium smartphone now has fresh hardware headed to stores later this month. Investors will be watching early demand closely, but one detail from the event deserves special attention: pricing. Apple raised the starting price of the iPhone 17 Pro to $1,099 in the U.S., $100 above last year’s Pro entry point.

Apple’s iPhone business has already regained momentum. In the quarter ending Jun. 28, Apple posted record fiscal third-quarter revenue, with double-digit growth in iPhone and an all-time high in services. Management also highlighted growth across every geographic segment and said the installed base of active devices hit a new high. Those are the right conditions heading into a price-supported product cycle.

Image source: Getty Images.

Recent results point to a healthier iPhone backdrop

Apple‘s fiscal third quarter showed the core engine is running well again. Total revenue rose to $94.0 billion, up 10% year over year, while iPhone revenue climbed 13% to $44.6 billion from $39.3 billion a year ago. Services revenue reached $27.4 billion, also a record for the June quarter. All of this pushed earnings per share for the quarter up 12% year over year. This mix shows iPhone still doing the heavy lifting while services keeps compounding on a larger base.

Apple CEO Tim Cook captured the tone in the company’s fiscal third-quarter release in late July: “Today Apple is proud to report a June quarter revenue record with double-digit growth in iPhone, Mac and services and growth around the world, in every geographic segment.” That comment, paired with an all-time-high installed base noted by the CFO, underscores the company’s momentum as new models arrive later this month.

Apple stock’s valuation reflects high expectations. As of Tuesday’s close, the stock traded around the mid-30s on a trailing price-to-earnings basis and sported a market cap near $3.5 trillion. Premium valuation multiples require sustained growth, so whether the iPhone lineup can support another leg higher matters for returns from here.

A Pro price bump and a new Air could lift iPhone revenue

The most consequential change this fall may be simple: Apple lifted the iPhone 17 Pro’s starting price to $1,099 from $999 for last year’s 16 Pro. Even before any unit growth, that change can nudge average selling prices higher, especially if Pro models continue to draw enthusiasts who want the iPhone models with the best cameras and performance. Apple also doubled the entry storage on 17 Pro to 256GB, which supports the higher entry price while still benefiting revenue recognition.

Additionally, Apple introduced iPhone Air — the thinnest iPhone yet — with a polished titanium frame and new Ceramic Shield 2 front and back that Apple says is more scratch- and crack-resistant than prior models. Priced below the Pro line at $999, Air offers a sleeker and tougher design that should appeal to mainstream upgraders who have waited. Together with iPhone 17, this broadens the ladder for buyers and may support both units and richer configurations. Preorders begin Friday, with availability next week.

These product dynamics line up with the fundamentals Apple reported in late July: iPhone is growing again, services is setting records, and the installed base is larger than ever. A higher Pro entry price, a compelling non-Pro option in Air, and the usual mix of trade-in and carrier promotions could translate into higher iPhone revenue in fiscal 2026, potentially in the double digits, if Apple sustains healthy Pro demand and nudges more mainstream buyers to upgrade. The risks are clear, including price sensitivity at the high end, macro softness in key regions, and intense competition. But Apple’s scale, brand strength, and rapidly growing services business help cushion those pressures.

In short, Apple just made its most popular premium phones more valuable — and more expensive — while adding a new, tougher design at a slightly lower price point than Pro. If that combination drives strong Pro mix and steady upgrades, it can lift average selling prices and total iPhone revenue next year. With services already at record levels and the installed base expanding, that is a reasonable path for the stock to maintain a premium valuation over time, allowing the stock price to grow with earnings growth.

We now have our first full look at a modified 2,000-pound-class GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM, optimized for use as an anti-ship munition as part of the U.S. Air Force’s Quicksink program. The Air Force has been pursuing Quicksink as a lower-cost means of bolstering its capacity to launch strikes on enemy ships.

The Air Force released pictures of Quicksink GBU-31s yesterday. The image set also shows smaller 500-pound-class GBU-38 JDAMs, but it is not entirely clear if they are in the Quicksink configuration. All of the pictures were taken ahead of a recent test that saw a B-2 bomber “sink” an unspecified “maritime target” in the Norwegian Sea with at least one of the modified JDAMs.

TWZ had previously reached out to the Air Force for more information after a B-2 bomber was tracked online flying from Whiteman Air Force Base toward northern Europe last week.

B-2 stealth bomber reportedly on its way to Europe, potentially part of exercise that has been underway off northern Norway. https://t.co/8hYSDgPens

— Hans Kristensen (also on Bluesky) (@nukestrat) September 3, 2025

Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35A Joint Strike Fighters participated in the event, as well. A picture also shows a Norwegian P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane flying alongside the B-2 and the F-35s at one point, but it is unclear whether it directly took part in the test.

In addition to the 2,000 and 500-pound-class types, there are also 1,000-pound-class GBU-32 JDAMs. All JDAM kits consist of a tail section containing a GPS-assisted inertial navigation system (INS) guidance package and clamp-on aerodynamic strakes. It turns unguided bombs into ‘warheads’ for the resulting precision-guided munitions.

The pictures released yesterday show tail units marked “Quick Sink Only,” suggesting there might be a specialized configuration for use on these bombs. This could be in part due to a need to interface differently with the new imaging infrared seeker attached to the nose. The seeker gives the Quicksink bombs the ability to engage moving targets. Standard JDAMs can only be employed against a fixed set of target coordinates, though versions with add-on laser guidance capability (called Laser JDAMs or LJDAMs) that can be used against targets on the move exist, as well. Unlike the Quicksink configuration, LJDAMs are not fire-and-forget and require the target to be lased from a platform in relatively close proximity.

As shown in the video below, the Air Force has described Quicksink’s mode of operation as using GPS-assisted INS guidance to get to a designated target area before the seeker in the nose takes over. Though unpowered, standard JDAMs can glide out to targets around 15 miles away, depending on the weapon’s exact configuration and release envelope. Quicksink bombs then find and categorize their targets by checking their length against a detailed internal reference database. The seeker then feeds additional course correction data to the tail kit to put the weapon on a path to try to detonate right next to the target ship’s hull, just below the waterline. Initial cueing to the target, which could be provided to the launch platform from offboard sources, is necessary.

In addition, the image set released yesterday shows a Quicksink GBU-31 with a ‘warhead’ painted with large black-and-yellow bands. Large sections of the front and the back of the warhead on another one of the bombs are seen painted a red/pink color. That munition also has what looks to be a yellow band at the front.

In addition, as seen at the top of this story and below, the black-and-yellow-banded Quicksink bomb also has a cartoon bumblebee and the logo of the Autobots from the popular Transformers media franchise painted on the side. One of the more well-known Autobots is named Bumblebee.

What any of these markings might reflect is unknown. For munitions employed during tests, bright color choices could help make them more visible to assist with observing their performance. The markings might also just reflect nicknames or have other unofficial significance for the individuals working on the project.

The U.S. military does have standardized markings for ordnance to indicate their purpose and configuration, with yellow bands signifying live high-explosive contents. Black bands are often used to signify some type of purpose-designed armor-penetrating effect. Red markings on U.S. ordnance are often associated with incendiary effects, and to a more limited extent with tear gas and other so-called riot control agents. Globally, there have been instances of red markings on thermobaric munitions, as well. Thermobaric munitions are designed to create long-duration high-pressure blast waves, which then create vacuums resulting in reverse waves, leading to intense overpressure. In addition to the blast effect, this also produces very high heat.

However, there are no clear indications that anything besides standard ‘iron bombs’ were used to build the Quicksink munitions for the recent test.

TWZ has reached out to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), which has been managing the Quicksink effort, for more details. When reached separately for comment, the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, which has been involved in past Quicksink testing, told us that they could not provide any additional information about Quicksink at this time.

The recent test also highlights other aspects of the Quicksink effort that underscore its potential value, including pairing the bombs with the stealthy B-2 and the potential to employ them as part of future coalition operations with allies and partners.

“The B-2 played a central role, employing precision-guided QUICKSINK munitions to engage and sink the maritime target,” according to an Air Force press release on the test. “In addition to testing the munition’s capabilities, the mission also validated the aircraft’s enduring advantages, including its stealth, range, and payload flexibility, while reinforcing its evolving role in maritime strike.”

Not mentioned here are the magazine depth benefits that the B-2 offers. As TWZ has noted in the past, this could be especially valuable when with Quicksink munitions. Each one of the bombers has a maximum payload capacity of around 60,000 pounds and two especially cavernous bomb bays. The B-2 has a demonstrated ability to carry up to 80 500-pound-class JDAMs at once. This is so many bombs that during a separate test in the past, personnel at the sprawling Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) ran out of shipping containers to turn into targets for one of the bombers to hit during a single mock attack run. The crew of that aircraft had enough munitions to leave a smiley face made out of bomb craters, as you can read more about here. With all this in mind, a B-2 could also carry a substantial load of 500 and/or 2,000-pound class Quicksink-configured JDAMs in addition to other munitions.

Stealthy aircraft, in general, make good sense as launch platforms for Quicksink, given the need for the bombs to be released relatively close to potentially defended targeted ships, at least in their current form. Non-stealthy aircraft could still use Quicksink munitions, especially to help finish off damaged small surface combatants with already degraded defenses. They could also engage targets that are less-well-defended, or even essentially defenseless, to begin with, including vital, but typically more vulnerable sealift assets and civilian cargo vessels pressed into military service.

In general, Quicksink offers a valuable additional anti-ship tool for various aircraft, especially tactical jets, which may otherwise have limited, if any, options for munitions dedicated to this target set. Smaller aircraft could also carry more of the GBU-38-based versions per sortie compared to traditional anti-ship cruise missiles. Any Quicksink-armed aircraft could also be tasked with targeting ships at anchor, especially if their congested closely together, as well as engaging ones on the move.

The Air Force has been developing with low cost in mind, too. JDAM kits have historically cost between $20,000 and $30,000 apiece, with the unguided bombs that they are paired with adding a minimal increase to the total price point. AFRL has told TWZ in the past that the Quicksink seeker unit cost around $200,000, but that the goal was to get the unit price down to around $50,000 once production ramped up.

Quicksink reflects a broader trend within the Air Force, as well as other branches of the U.S. military, in the development of new, lower-cost precision bombs and missiles that can also be readily produced at scale. American officials see this as particularly important for bolstering munitions stocks ahead of any potential high-end fight with China in the Pacific, as well as being able to sustain inventories in any such campaign. More advanced anti-ship cruise missiles would be in particular high demand in a Pacific conflict.

It’s also worth pointing out that wing kits capable of extending the maximum range of standard JDAMs from 15 miles up to 45 miles exist now, and could be paired with the Quicksink configuration. The JDAM-Extended Range (JDAM-ER), which can help reduce the vulnerability of the launch platform, as well as offer greater reach, is now a combat-proven capability thanks to their employment by Ukraine’s Air Force in recent years. JDAM’s prime contractor Boeing has also been working on a cruise missile derivative of the munition, or Powered JDAM (PJDAM), which you can learn more about here. The Air Force is itself known to be at least exploring pairing the Quicksink seeker with Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) low-cost cruise missiles now in development for Ukraine and potentially other customers.

Extended range could also put additional emphasis on the importance of offboard cueing for Quicksink munitions, which could come from assets belonging to various branches of the U.S. military, as well as allies and partners – like Norwegian F-35s and/or P-8s. So far, there is no indication that the Quicksink bombs have a datalink to allow them to receive additional targeting information after release.

“In addition to Norwegian F-35s and personnel who participated in the strike, support from Norway enabled U.S. forces to gain access to critical infrastructure and airspace, allowing the test to be conducted in a strategically relevant and operationally challenging environment,” the Air Force’s press release on the recent test notes. “The event advanced tactics, techniques, and procedures for long-range sensor-to-shooter operations. These included integrating beyond-line-of-sight communications and multi-domain targeting, both crucial capabilities in highly contested environments.”

U.S. allies and partners, not to mention the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, could just acquire Quicksink munitions for their own use, as well.

With the Air Force continuing to expand the scale and scope of Quicksink testing, more specific details about the bombs and their capabilities, as well as how they could be employed, look set to emerge.

Contact the author: [email protected]

The security of former Vice President Kamala Harris, once the duty of the U.S. Secret Service, has been thrown into flux, again, days after President Trump canceled her federal protection.

My colleague Richard Winton broke the news Saturday morning that the Los Angeles Police Department, which was assisting the California Highway Patrol in providing security for Harris, has been pulled off the detail after internal criticism of the arrangement.

Let’s jump into what Winton wrote about this quickly-evolving story.

What happened to Harris’ Secret Service protection?

Former vice presidents usually get Secret Service protection for six months after leaving office, while former presidents are given protection for life.

But before his term ended in January, President Joe Biden signed an order to extend Harris’ protection to July 2026.

Aides to Harris had asked Biden for the extension. Without it, her security detail would have ended last month, according to sources.

Trump ended that arrangement as of Monday.

How did the CHP and LAPD get involved?

Winton wrote Aug. 29 that California officials planned to utilize the CHP as her security detail. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was required to sign off on such CHP protection, would not confirm the arrangement. “Our office does not comment on security arrangements,” said Izzy Gordon, a spokesperson for Newsom. “The safety of our public officials should never be subject to erratic, vindictive political impulses.”

Fox 11 broke the story of the use of LAPD officers earlier this week and got footage of the security detail outside Harris’ Brentwood home from one of its news helicopters.

On Thursday, Winton verified that LAPD Metropolitan Division officers designated for crime suppression had joined the security detail.

The effort was described as “temporary” by Jennifer Forkish, L.A. police communications director.

Roughly a dozen or more officers have begun working to protect Harris.

Sources not authorized to discuss the details of the plan said the city would fund the security while Harris was hiring her own security in the near future.

Controversy ensued

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents rank-and-file LAPD officers, lambasted the move.

The union did not address Harris as a former vice president, nor as California senator or state attorney general, in its official rebuke.

“Pulling police officers from protecting everyday Angelenos to protect a failed presidential candidate who also happens to be a multi-millionaire, with multiple homes and who can easily afford to pay for her own security, is nuts,” its board of directors said.

The statement continued: Mayor Karen Bass “should tell Governor Newsom that if he wants to curry favor with Ms. Harris and her donor base, then he should open up his own wallet because LA taxpayers should not be footing the bill for this ridiculousness.”

What’s next?

The CHP has not indicated how the LAPD’s move would alter its arrangement with the former vice president or said how long it will continue.

The curtailing of Secret Service protection comes as Harris is going to begin a book tour next month for her memoir, “107 Days.” The tour has 15 stops, which include visits to London and Toronto. The book title references the short length of her presidential campaign.

For more info, check out the full story.

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Los Angeles police Metropolitan Division officers, meant to be working crime-suppression assignments in hard-hit areas of the city, are instead providing security for former Vice President Kamala Harris, sources told The Times.

The department is “assisting the California Highway Patrol in providing protective services for former Vice President Kamala Harris until an alternate plan is established,” said Jennifer Forkish, L.A. police communications director. “This temporary coordinated effort is in place to ensure that there is no lapse in security.”

A dozen or more officers have begun working a detail to protect Harris after President Trump revoked her Secret Service protection as of Monday. Sources not authorized to discuss the details of the plan said the city would fund the security but that the arrangement was expected to be brief, with Harris hiring her own security in the near future.

Trump ended an arrangement that had extended Harris’ security coverage beyond the six months that vice presidents are usually provided after leaving office. California officials then put into place a plan for the California Highway Patrol to provide dignitary protection for Harris. At some point, the LAPD was added to the plan, according to the sources, as California law enforcement scrambled to take over from the Secret Service on Monday.

A security detail was captured outside Harris’ Brentwood home by a FOX 11 helicopter as the station broke the story of the use of L.A. police.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents rank-and-file LAPD officers, criticized the move.

“Pulling police officers from protecting everyday Angelenos to protect a failed presidential candidate who also happens to be a multi-millionaire, with multiple homes and who can easily afford to pay for her own security, is nuts,” its board of directors said in a statement to The Times. Mayor Karen Bass “should tell Governor Newsom that if he wants to curry favor with Ms. Harris and her donor base, then he should open up his own wallet because LA taxpayers should not be footing the bill for this ridiculousness.”

Newsom, who would need to sign off on CHP protection, has not confirmed the arrangement to The Times. Izzy Gordon, a spokesperson for Newsom, simply said, “The safety of our public officials should never be subject to erratic, vindictive political impulses.”

Newsom’s office and Bass’ office had discussions last week on how best to address the situation, according to sources not authorized to talk about the details.

Bass, in a statement last week, commented on Trump scrapping the security detail for Harris, saying, “This is another act of revenge following a long list of political retaliation in the form of firings, the revoking of security clearances, and more. This puts the former Vice President in danger and I look forward to working with the governor to make sure Vice President Harris is safe in Los Angeles.”

Her office did not respond to comment on the LAPD deployment on Thursday.

Two law enforcement sources told The Times that the Metro officers had been slated to go to the San Fernando Valley for crime-suppression work before their assignment changed.

Deploying LAPD officers to protect Harris was a source of controversy within the department in years past.

During L.A. Police Chief Charlie Beck’s tenure, when Harris was a U.S. senator, plainclothes officers served as security and traveled with her from January 2017 to July 2018. It was an arrangement that then-Mayor Eric Garcetti said he was unaware of until Beck’s successor ended it. Beck said at the time through a spokesman that the protection was granted based on a threat assessment.

Beck’s successor, Michel Moore, ended the protection in July 2018 after he said a new evaluation determined it was no longer needed. The decision came as The Times filed a lawsuit seeking records from Garcetti detailing the costs of security related to his own extensive travel.

Trump signed a memorandum on Thursday ending Harris’ protection as of Monday, according to sources not authorized to discuss the security matter.

Former vice presidents usually get Secret Service protection for six months after leaving office, while former presidents are given protection for life. But before his term ended, then-President Biden signed an order to extend Harris’ protection beyond six months, to July 2026. Aides to Harris had asked Biden for the extension. Without it, her security detail would have ended last month, according to sources.

The Secret Service, the CHP and Los Angeles police do not discuss details of dignitary protection in terms of deployment, numbers, or travel teams. CNN first reported the removal of Harris’ protection detail.

The curtailing of Secret Service protection comes as Harris is about to begin a book tour for her memoir, titled “107 Days.” The tour has 15 stops, which include visits to London and Toronto. The book title references the short length of her presidential campaign. The tour begins next month.

Harris, the first Black woman to serve as vice president, was the subject of an elevated threat level — particularly when she became the Democratic presidential contender last year. The Associated Press reports, however, a recent threat intelligence assessment by the Secret Service conducted on those it protects, such as Harris, found no red flags or credible evidence of a threat to the former vice president.

Micah Parsons is headed to the Green Bay Packers after a blockbuster trade on Thursday, leaving the Dallas Cowboys following a lengthy contract dispute.

The two-time All-Pro edge rusher confirmed the deal in a text to The Associated Press. The Packers also announced the deal.

A person with knowledge of the details said Parsons and the Packers have agreed on a record-setting $188 million, four-year contract that includes $136 million guaranteed. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade hasn’t been announced.

Parsons becomes the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

“I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control,” Parsons wrote in a statement he posted on X. “My heart has always been here, and still is. Through it all, I never made any demands. I never asked for anything more than fairness. I only asked that the person I trust to negotiate my contract be part of the process.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones declined to discuss Parsons’ deal with agent David Mulugheta. Instead, Jones spoke directly to Parsons and insisted they had agreed on the parameters of a new contract.

The Cowboys are receiving two first-round picks and veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark for Parsons, a person with knowledge of the details told the AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams haven’t released the terms.

The 26-year-old Parsons has 52½ sacks, recording at least 12 in each of his four seasons while making the Pro Bowl each year.

Parsons provides a huge boost for a franchise that has reached the playoffs five of the past six years but hasn’t made it to the NFL championship game since Aaron Rodgers led them to their fourth Super Bowl title 15 years ago.

Parsons bolsters a defense that was inconsistent at getting to opposing quarterbacks last season, when the Packers went 11-7 and lost to Philadelphia in the NFC wild-card round. The Packers had 45 sacks last season to tie for eighth place in the NFL, but more than half of those sacks came in just four games.

In seven of their 17 games, the Packers had no more than one sack.

Green Bay ranked 16th in pressure rate, which calculates the number of hurries, knockdowns and sacks for each team divided by an opponent’s drop-back attempts.

Now, the Packers add one of the game’s elite pass rushers while the Cowboys lose their best player because of a power struggle with Jones.

Even with Parsons, who missed four games because of injury last season, Dallas finished 28th in defense and the team went 7-10. The Cowboys have a healthy Dak Prescott returning but this is a devastating blow for the defense.

The Packers haven’t had anyone get 12 sacks in a season since Za’Darius Smith had 12½ in 2020.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst spoke Wednesday about the philosophy of taking a “big swing” to land a superstar.

“I think every opportunity that’s out there to help your football team, we’ve always taken a look at try to see how it affects us right now, how does it affect us in the future and make the best decision we can,” Gutekunst said. “Sometimes we’ve been right, sometimes we’re wrong. Sometimes we’ve taken risks that really worked out for us. Sometimes it didn’t.

“Sometimes we didn’t take risks, and we look back and wish we would have and sometimes, you know, as (former general manager) Ted (Thompson) used to say, you know, God helps those that can’t help themselves a little bit sometimes. So sometimes the best deals you make are the ones you don’t, you know. And so you just kind of, I think you weigh everything, and you weigh what is in the moment and what is in the future as well.”

The Packers, who once signed Reggie White in free agency, just took their biggest swing in decades. White helped a Green Bay team led by Brett Favre win a Super Bowl and reach another on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Destination X fans were left unimpressed by a challenge in the latest instalment of the BBC gameshow with many branding it ‘boring’ and spotting a glaring ‘fake’ detail

Destination X viewers slammed a “boring” challenge on the BBC gameshow, after spotting a “fake” detail.

Rob Brydon’s programme is in full swing, having been labelled a cross between The Traitors and Race Across The World.

It features 13 strangers competing to scoop £100,000 as they’re whisked across Europe and try to work out their location through various challenges.

In tonight’s instalment (Wednesday, 13 August), the participants were challenged with carrying wine glasses across a vineyard on a tray held by one hand, whilst answering questions about one another in an attempt to eliminate their rivals.

The more responses they got wrong, the more glasses they had to balance, resulting in several being knocked out when their trays tumbled, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Yet viewers were swift to spot that whilst the BBC episode featured sounds of glass shattering, the contestants seemed to be using plastic.

“The smashing glass sound effects for them dropping plastic champagne flutes is sending me,” one penned.

Another questioned: “Why have they put a shattering glass sound on when the glasses are clearly plastic? Haha.”

Others branded the challenge as “boring”, as one posted: “Not liking this part… it’s very boring.”

Another raged: “Well this is riveting tv.. Not!”

Someone else fumed: “Sorry that wine task was total c***. I’d rather watch paint dry. switching off.”

Prior to the new series launching, host Rob confessed he nearly wrecked the entire game by almost spilling a secret.

The high-stakes programme only functions if the contestants are genuinely able to participate without receiving any hints about the outside world during their journey.

Despite numerous production safeguards being implemented to guarantee this, Rob nearly sabotaged everything.

Speaking before the show’s debut, the star confessed that although he was “very careful”, he did encounter one close call.

He revealed: “I won’t say where we were, but we were on a hillside, that’s all I’ll say, and we were about to visit a lovely location, and I was looking forward to where we were going next.

“I was chatting to some of the crew and I said out loud, ‘I can’t wait to get to [the place]’ and then I realised that just over there was one of the players and I had a sinking feeling in my stomach.”

He continued: “Luckily they didn’t hear, and I can be sure of that because of what happened next which told me that they’d not heard. That was the only one but it was a constant fear.”

Destination X continues tomorrow night at 9pm on BBC One and is available to watch on iPlayer.

SEOUL  — When South Koreans start to obsess over a movie or TV series, they abbreviate its name, a distinction given to Netflix’s latest hit “K-pop Demon Hunters.” In media headlines and in every corner of the internet, the American-made film is now universally referred to as “Keh-deh-hun” — the first three syllables of the title when read aloud in Korean.

And audiences are already clamoring for a sequel.

The animated film follows a fictional South Korean girl group named “HUNTR/X” as its three members — Rumi, Mira and Zoey — try to deliver the world from evil through the power of song and K-pop fandom.

Since its release in June, it has become the most watched original animated film in Netflix history, with millions of views worldwide, including the U.S. and South Korea, where its soundtrack has topped the charts on local music streaming platform Melon. Fans have also cleaned out the gift shop at the National Museum of Korea, which has run out of a traditional tiger pin that resembles one of the movie’s characters.

Much of the film’s popularity in South Korea is rooted in its keenly observed details and references to Korean folklore, pop culture and even national habits — the result of having a production team filled with K-pop fans, as well as a group research trip to South Korea that co-director Maggie Kang led in order to document details as minute as the appearance of local pavement.

There are nods to traditional Korean folk painting, a Korean guide to the afterlife, the progenitors of K-pop and everyday mannerisms. In one scene, at a table in a restaurant where the three girls are eating, viewers might notice how the utensils are laid atop a napkin, an essential ritual for dining out in South Korea — alongside pouring cups of water for everyone at the table.

“The more that I watch ‘Keh-deh-hun,’ the more that I notice the details,” South Korean music critic Kim Yoon-ha told local media last month. “It managed to achieve a verisimilitude that would leave any Korean in awe.”

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“K-pop Demon Hunters” has nods to traditional Korean folk painting, a Korean guide to the afterlife, the progenitors of K-pop and everyday mannerisms.

(Netflix)

Despite its subject matter and association with the “K-wave,” that catch-all term for any and all Korean cultural export, “K-pop Demon Hunters,” at least in the narrowest sense, doesn’t quite fit the bill.

Produced by Sony Pictures and directed by Korean Canadian Kang and Chris Appelhans — who has held creative roles on other animated films such as “Coraline” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” — the movie is primarily in English and geared toward non-Korean audiences. But its popularity in South Korea is another sign that the boundaries of the K-wave are increasingly fluid — and that, with more and more diaspora Korean artists entering the mix, it flows in the opposite direction, too.

Those barriers have already long since broken down in music: many K-pop artists and songwriters are non-Korean or part of the Korean diaspora, reflecting the genre’s history of foreign influences such as Japanese pop or American hip-hop.

“Once a cultural creation acquires a universality, you can’t just confine it to the borders of the country of origin, which is where K-pop is today,” said Kim Il-joong, director of the content business division at the Korea Creative Content Agency, a government body whose mission is to promote South Korean content worldwide. “Despite what the name ‘K-pop’ suggests, it is really a global product.”

In “K-pop Demon Hunters,” Zoey is a rapper from Burbank. In addition, the soundtrack was written and performed by a team that includes producers, artists and choreographers associated with some of the biggest real-life K-pop groups of the past decade.

Streaming productions are increasingly flying multiple flags, too: Apple TV’s “Pachinko” or Netflix’s “XO, Kitty” are both American productions that were filmed in South Korea. But few productions have been able to inspire quite the same level of enthusiasm as “K-pop Demon Hunters,” whose charm for many South Koreans is how accurately it captures local idiosyncrasies and contemporary life.

While flying in their private jet, the three girls are shown sitting on the floor even though there is a sofa right beside them. This tendency to use sofas as little more than backrests is an endless source of humor and self-fascination among South Koreans, most of whom would agree that the centuries-old custom of sitting on the floor dies hard.

South Korean fans and media have noted that the characters correctly pronounce “ramyeon,” or Korean instant noodles. The fact that ramyeon is often conflated with Japanese ramen — which inspired the invention of the former decades ago — has long been a point of exasperation for many South Koreans and local ramyeon companies, which point to the fact that the Korean adaption has since evolved into something distinct.

It’s a small difference — the Korean version is pronounced “rah myun” — but one that it pays to get right in South Korea.

Apple TV’s “Pachinko,” with Sungkyu Kim, Eunchae Jung and Minha Kim, is an American production filmed in South Korea.

(Apple)

The girls’ cravings for ramyeon during their flight also caught the eye of Ireh, a member of the real-life South Korean girl group Purple Kiss who praised the film’s portrayals of life as a K-pop artist.

“I don’t normally eat ramyeon but whenever I go on tour, I end up eating it,” she said in a recent interview with local media. “The scene reminded me of myself.”

South Korean fans have also been delighted by a pair of animals, Derpy and Sussy, which borrow from jakhodo, a genre of traditional Korean folk painting in which tigers and magpies are depicted side by side, popularized during the Joseon Dynasty in the 19th century.

In the film, Derpy is the fluorescent tiger with goggle eyes that always appears with its sidekick, a three-eyed bird named Sussy.

“K-pop Demon Hunters” is peppered with homages to Korean artists throughout history who are seen today as the progenitors of contemporary K-pop.

(Netflix)

Though they have long since been extinct, tigers were once a feared presence on the Korean peninsula, at times coming down from the mountains to terrorize the populace. They were also revered as talismans that warded off evil spirits. But much like Derpy itself, jakhodo reimagined tigers as friendlier, oftentimes comical beings. Historians have interpreted this as the era’s political satire: the magpie, audacious in the presence of a great predator, represented the common man standing up to the nobility.

The movie is peppered with homages to Korean artists throughout history who are seen today as the progenitors of contemporary K-pop. There are apparent nods to the “Jeogori Sisters,” a three-piece outfit that was active from 1939 to 1945 and is often described as Korea’s first girl group, followed by the Kim Sisters, another three-piece that found success in the U.S., performing in Las Vegas and appearing on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

Longtime K-pop fans might recognize the demon hunters from the 1990s as S.E.S., a pioneering girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment, the label behind present-day superstars Aespa and Red Velvet. (Bada, S.E.S.’s main vocalist, recently covered “Golden,” the film’s headline track, on YouTube.)

For a long time, South Korean audiences have often complained about outside depictions of the country as inauthentic and out of touch. Not anymore.

“Korea wasn’t just shown as an extra add-on as it has been for so long,” Kim said. “‘K-pop Demon Hunters’ did such a great job depicting Korea in a way that made it instantly recognizable to audiences here.”

Come Dine With Me has been a firm favourite with British fans for years, but what do Americans make of the show?

In a city renowned for Mardi Gras, gumbo, and extravagant hospitality, I was curious how New Orleans locals would react to a programme that seems completely opposite: Come Dine With Me.

The enduring British cult series features strangers taking turns hosting dinner parties, whilst secretly rating each other in competition for £1,000. So, I gathered three locals – all proud Big Easy dwellers – and pressed play.

First was Brad Collins, a French Market business owner, who confessed he mainly watched for Channel 4 star Dave Lamb’s sharp-tongued commentary.

“That voiceover guy is savage!” he chuckled. “He says what everyone’s thinking, but way more brutal. It’s so British – sounds polite, but they’re low-key scheming and roasting each other behind their backs. Like smiling while they plan your downfall.”

However, not everything went down smoothly for him: “Some of the food? I had no clue what I was looking at. I’m like, is that dessert or dinner? And sometimes I had to put the subtitles on because I didn’t know what they were saying. But I kept watching – it’s addictive,” reports the Express.

Next was mum-of-two Izzy Althans, 36, who works as an advertising operations coordinator. After tuning into the show, she rapidly became captivated.

Izzy revealed: “Come Dine With Me is such a fun way to see British at-home entertaining. In the US, it’s all about a theme – props, photo booths, curated playlists – but the Brits seem more focused on good ingredients and proper courses.

“It felt structured but relaxed, without all the over-the-top effort.”

She was particularly impressed by the presenting approach on the Channel 4 programme, saying: “In America, it’s very ‘make yourself at home’ – we want to have fun as hosts too.

“But the show felt more like, ‘how can I take care of you?’ It’s not that this doesn’t exist in America, but it’s definitely a declining part of our culture.”

Whilst she adored the programme’s British appeal, she also valued its sharp edge.

“They can be so catty towards each other – but in this incredibly emotionless way. I loved it! And I’m obsessed with watching them shop at these cute speciality stores. In short, I think it is a brilliant show that I plan to continue watching it,” she explained.

Finally, there was Jenny Collins, a local teacher, who was captivated by the authentic, unvarnished approach.

She enthused: “After watching a few episodes I realised why I was so drawn to the show. It was the realism; from the appearance of the individuals, to the unedited conversations.”

She also spotted a stark difference in style, saying: “I felt like it was real. In the States, even series that are supposed to be reality TV, are severely edited as not to offend anyone.

“Even the participants who we are expected to see as every day people, go in to make up like celebrities to improve their appearance prior to filming. I felt that I was seeing a true slice of the people who were hosting each meal.”

Despite the cultural differences – Yorkshire puddings, passive-aggressive banter, and sarcastic hosting – the consensus was clear: Come Dine With Me had charmed them.

It appears that all it takes is a bit of sarcasm, some peculiar fish pies, and a ruthless narrator – and even one of the most renowned food cities in America will take a seat at the dinner table.

Come Dine With Me is available to stream on Channel 4

Sometimes you just want a moment back. Just one tiny moment. For example, the moment that a kiss-cam busted you and your head of HR for cheating at a Coldplay concert on Wednesday night.

Andy Byron, chief executive of data-infrastructure company Astronomer Inc., was caught on camera holding human resources chief Kristin Cabot — a woman who is not his wife — tenderly in his arms.

The moment was an instant classic for those attending the concert: “Ohhh, look at these two,” singer Chris Martin said as the cam spotlighted the couple, prompting Byron to suddenly, awkwardly duck out of camera range while Cabot turned her back, covered her face and ultimately fled.

“Wait, what? Either they’re having an affair,” Martin said, “or they’re just very shy.”

Or maybe, just maybe, they were actually really stupid to react that way? No cheating experts here, but if they had simply smiled and continued their loving embrace, the details of their entanglement might have stayed unknown to the 65,000 or so folks packed into Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL’s New England Patriots.

All they had to do was nothing.

But ooh, they did something.

So much for conscious uncoupling. Nice move, Martin.

But the singer wasn’t really to blame for this week’s hottest story. What happened in Foxborough, Mass., could have stayed in Foxborough, Mass., were it not for one Grace Springer. Springer is reportedly the 28-year-old who posted the clip on TikTok. She told the U.K. Sun she made the video public because she thought the couple’s “something” was “an interesting reaction.”

“A part of me feels bad for turning these people’s lives upside down, but, play stupid games … win stupid prizes,” Springer said before adding that she hoped their partners could “heal” and get a second chance at happiness.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Ouch.

The internet, of course, has been quite happy to mete out those stupid prizes left and right.

There’s now merch to commemorate the moment, including one tee on Etsy that simply reads, “Not Shy. Just Married. #Coldplaygate.”

Another seller is offering a sweatshirt that screams in all-caps, “I TOOK MY SIDEPIECE TO THE COLDPLAY CONCERT AND IT RUINED MY LIFE.” One T-shirt dips its toes into political waters, urging people to MAPA: “Make Affairs Private Again!” The tee with an actual photo of the couple is unlikely to last long, what with copyright and all, but the animated version might hang around a bit longer.

Alas, there are no koozies for sale. Not yet.

Then there are the memes. One shows the couple with the hitchhiking ghosts from the famous finish of Disney’s Haunted Mansion ride. Another shows Miss Piggy in the arms of a tall Fozzie Bear, with a sign in one corner saying “Coldplay’s Caught-in-the-Act Cam.” On X, Elon Musk chuckled at an image of the couple reimagined in the style of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.” Then there was the classic MasterCard meme: “Priceless.”

“Coldplay hasn’t made a single in years,” one wit said on X, posting a still from the video. “Last night, they made two.”

“This is outdated,” another account said, commenting on a ChatGPT blurb about a Taylor Swift ticket allegedly selling for $200,000 on the secondary market. “Coldplay now holds the record for most expensive concert ticket ever sold.”

“Uh, it’s time to ‘Kiss It Goodbye,’ ” ESPN’s Randy Scott said as he and “SportsCenter” co-anchor Gary Striewski reenacted the viral moment live Friday morning. “Baseball’s probably not the only thing you could say that about recently.”

And if Andy Byron appeared to be having some really bad days, what about other dudes named Andy Byron? “NOT THE GUY FROM THE COLDPLAY GIG” reads the Threads bio of one such Andy, who apparently hails from Dublin. “The only one having a worse day than Andy Byron is all the other Andy Byrons,” one user snarked.

However, an apology statement attributed to the Astronomer CEO turned out to be fake, according to the company itself.

The real Astronomer Inc. announced Friday that it is looking into the matter and that Alyssa Stoddard, whoever that poor thing is, is not in the video. Um, we were concerned? Turns out Stoddard is the company’s VP of HR, a step or so down from Cabot, and probably doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in this context at all.

“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability,” the company said in a post on LinkedIn. “The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.”

Additional. Details. Very. Shortly.

Soooooo — the fun won’t be ending any time soon.

Meanwhile, the real Andy Byron’s real wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, nuked the “Byron” from her name on Facebook and then deactivated her account entirely amid an onslaught of comments from the public, according to Newsweek.

Looks like she’s choosing to do something instead of nothing, too.

This Morning presenter Alison Hammond spoke to Alexandra Burke and Lesley Joseph about the impact of performing live as the two stage stars head on tour.

On a recent instalment of This Morning, ITV’s well-loved Alison Hammond shared that she’ll be taking a breather from her hectic career schedule.

In conversation with Alexandra Burke and Lesley Joseph about their upcoming musical tour, The Addams Family, the famed presenter shed light on the demanding nature of live performances.

As Alexandra gave insight into the intense routine of touring, where performers can take on up to a dozen shows a week, she said: “You don’t really get a life outside of it, but that’s ok because you’re entertaining other people.”

Lesley, turning towards Alison, commented: “We’re looking at the panto Queen! Birmingham. Three panto Queens sitting on the sofa.”

Alison admitted: “But the thing is, you’ve been doing it year after year. I’m having a year off because I was so exhausted from last year and the year before. It is a discipline.”

The theatre enthusiast Lesley Joseph emphasised her adoration for pantomime, underlining the unique family atmosphere it creates, reports Wales Online.

She said: “The whole family comes and it’s the one time in the year that anybody, grandma down to the youngest children can come and really love it. You know, you’ve done it now.”

Echoing Lesley’s sentiments, Alison then discussed how cast members bond like a true family through the numerous hours spent together.

Previously, audiences were captivated as Alison dazzled as the Magical Mermaid in Birmingham’s Hippodrome Theatre’s Peter Pan pantomime, even sharing behind-the-scenes moments with This Morning viewers before hitting the stage.

At the time Alison wore her stage costume and shared her most cherished aspect of being in the play. She revealed: “Do you remember last year when lovely Dermot (O’Leary) and the whole team brought me a wonderful chair with the plaque of my mum’s name on it?

“It’s dead centre in the middle of the stage and literally, it’s like I’m performing to my mum. It means the world to me, it’s beautiful. It’s lovely to be back.

“I look at the person (in the seat, the person thinks I’m looking at them, I’m not! I’m seeing my mum!”.

The TV favourite lost her mum Maria in January 2020 to lung and liver cancer, and just months later, she faced the heartbreak of her father Clifford’s also dying.

This Morning is available to watch on ITVX.

SPOTTING these exact details on rare coins could make them worth up to 416 times their face value.

A coin is usually regarded as rare if a limited amount of the piece was put into circulation, meaning fewer people will have one lying around at home.

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Sometimes, the coin will have an unusual marking, and other times it can feature a familiar character or cartoon on it.

These features can drive up demand from collectors.

But do bear in mind that coins are only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.

The Sun recently found four rare coins that sold for a combined total of £423.59 this June.

Atlantic Salmon 50p – £70.59

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This coin features a portrait of King Charles III on the front, while the back of the coin depicts an Atlantic salmon leaping from the waves.

Research by Change Checker found only 200,000 of these coins have entered circulation, making it one of the rarest coins in the UK.

The group said only around one in 335 people in the UK could have the chance of snagging one.

And it appears collectors are prepared to pay a pretty penny for one of these coins.

On Saturday, June 21 a seller managed to flog an Atlantic Salmon coin for £70.59. That makes it 141 times its face value.

That was after a fierce bidding war with 18 wannabe buyers.

Kew Gardens 50p – £127.08

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The front of this rare coin has an image of the late Queen Elizabeth II, with the engraver’s initials, Ian Rank-Broadley, below.

But what makes it special is the reverse, which features a leafy vine wrapped around a Chinese pagoda.

It also has the date of the year it was made to commemorate the anniversary.

There are around 210,000 of these coins in circulation making it another rare find.

Recently one of these coins sold for £127.08 on June 22 after 16 people tried to bid for it.

That makes it a whopping 254 times its face value.

But in the past, Kew Gardens coins have sold for up to £700.

Olympic Football 50p – £17.59

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This coin, also known as the Offside Rule 50p, is one of twenty-nine commemorative 2012 Olympic 50ps issued by The Royal Mint.

The design was created by Neil Wolfson, a sports journalist and features a diagram to show how the Offside Rule works.

Around 1.2million of the Olympic Football 50p’s were put into circulation, so you might have a better chance of finding one lying around your house.

On June 22, one of these coins sold for £17.59 after eight bids.

On this occasion, the coin has sold for over 35 times its face value.

But in the past, it has sold for £24 so there is a chance you get more depending on collectors’ interest at the time.

Blue Peter 50p – £208

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This Blue Peter 50p coin was released in 2009 ahead of the London Olympic games in 2012.

It features a cartoon of a high jumper on the back, with the design etched by a nine-year-old girl.

Over 2.2million of the Blue Peter 50p coins were issued, with most minted in 2011.

In the past, this coin has sold for up to £223.

On Sunday June 22 The Sun spotted one of these coins sold for £208 after an eight-person bidding war.

On this occasion, the Blue Peter coin has sold for 416 times its face value.

Members of a British Airways cabin crew team found themselves in a mortifying situation after being accidentally being checked into a sex hotel, complete with an anatomically detailed tub

Crew members aboard a British Airways flight endured a seriously awkward night, after a booking blunder saw them being checked into a sex dungeon.

While in the stylish Italian city of Milan, it had been decided that the colleagues would spend the night at the Motel Mo.om, a popular modern hotel with good transport links.

Unfortunately, in what has been described as a “comical mistake”, the team reportedly found themselves bedding down for the night at the similarly named Mo. om Hotel. Although at a glance, the names of these hotels appear almost indistinguishable, this is where any comparisons end.

It soon became clear to the crew that this was no ordinary establishment, as they took in the bondage-themed beds and vagina-shaped spa tub. And if these features didn’t drive the point home, the incessant “moaning and groaning” from fellow patrons certainly did.

READ MORE: British Airways ex-flight attendant says ‘I’m not safe to fly’ after sneaking drugs onto plane

A source told The Sun: “Crew were booked into a pay-by-the-hour sex hotel last Thursday. They were confronted with bondage sets, mirrored ceilings, human dog cages and leather harnesses. It was obvious that this wasn’t the place the crew was supposed to stay.”

Although there are humorous elements to the mishap, this sleeping situation was decidedly less than ideal for airline staff, for whom adequate rest is imperative.

As the source explained: “It was a comical mistake by the hotel booking team, but had serious implications. Some of the team who stayed in the sex dungeon didn’t get any sleep, so they couldn’t operate on BA services the following day. They were kept awake by thrill seekers moaning and groaning all day and night.”

As well as struggling through “constant noise” as a “24 hour orgy” raged on, employees allegedly also had to deal with witnessing “suspicious fluids in their rooms which made their skin crawl”.

A British Airways spokesperson told the Mirror: “A small number of crew were moved to unapproved hotel rooms following availability issues with our usual accommodation provider. This happened without our knowledge, and we’re urgently investigating to prevent it from taking place again.”

It’s understood that 12 crew members spent one evening in the unapproved accommodation, due to availability issues with the airline’s usual provider.

There was also thankfully no delay to the flight that the staff members had been scheduled to operate, meaning they were able to get back to normal after their unexpected stay.

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