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A BRAINWAVE test could detect early signs of Alzheimer’s disease in just three minutes – years before clinical diagnosis would even be possible.

Researchers say the test, nicknamed ‘Fastball’, could even be used at home and serve as a cheap tool for those who struggle to get a diagnosis.

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Fastball measures patients’ brain waves through the use of a headset that uses electroencephalogram (EEG) technology.

It records the brain’s automatic response to a series of flashing images displayed on a screen.

Its inventors, from the universities of Bristol and Bath, say it can detect subtle changes to brain waves during the very early stages of dementia.

A £1.5million funding boost from the government will allow it to be tested on 1,000 patients in Bristol to find out if it can be used for mass screening.

Researchers hope the test could slash five years off the average age of diagnosis.

Dementia is often diagnosed too late, they said, up to 20 years after it has started to develop and when it’s already damaged the brain beyond repair.

Currently, diagnosis relies on tests to assess people’s memory, which researchers have previously said can be limited and may be impacted by a person’s education, language skills and whether or not they’re nervous.

They claimed Fastball swerves these issues as the test assesses patients ‘passively’, without requiring participants to follow instructions or recall information.

Dr Liz Coulthard, from the University of Bristol, said: “Patients can wait a long time for diagnosis and some of our current tests can be inaccurate and stressful for them. 

“A quick, easy-to-administer memory test, like Fastball, could transform that.”

A new study, led by experts from the universities of Bath and Bristol and published in the journal Brain Communications, included 52 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 54 healthy older adults.

MCI refers to a decline in memory and thinking. Not all cases progress to Alzheimer’s disease, but it can be an early sign and risk factor for the condition.

As well as the Fastball test, patients on the trial also completed a number of neuropsychological assessments that tested their memory, their ability to pay attention and general cognitive function.

Researchers found Fastball could reliably identify memory problems in people with MCI.

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Patients with amnestic MCI – which involves significant memory loss, such as forgetting appointments and recent conversations – showed significantly reduced responses to the Fastball test compared to healthy patients and those with non-amnestic MCI.

Researchers re-tested the group after one year and found Fastball “showed moderate to good test-retest reliability” in healthy older adults.

The study also demonstrated for the first time that the test can be performed in patients’ homes.

Researchers now say the Fastball could also be used in GP surgeries and memory clinics to speed up diagnoses.

Lead author Dr George Stothart, a cognitive neuroscientist in the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath, said: “We’re missing the first 10 to 20 years of Alzheimer’s with current diagnostic tools.

“Fastball offers a way to change that – detecting memory decline far earlier and more objectively, using a quick and passive test.”

Alzheimer’s Society estimates there are around 982,000 people with dementia in the UK, but more than a third do not have a diagnosis.

The number is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

Dr Stothart added: “There’s an urgent need for accurate, practical tools to diagnose Alzheimer’s at scale. Fastball is cheap, portable and works in real-world settings.”

Chris Williams, chief executive of BRACE Dementia Research, which supported the study, said: “Fastball is an incredible tool that could offer anyone who, for whatever reason, cannot access a dementia diagnosis in a clinical setting.”

Reacting to the findings, Sir John Hardy, professor of neuroscience and group leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, said: “Identifying individuals early for cognitive decline is going to be of increasing importance as therapies for Alzheimer’s and other dementias are developed and this protocol Fastball seems as if it may be helpful in this regard.

“What it does not do, and does not claim to do, is distinguish early Alzheimer’s from other causes of decline and this latter is also important.

“Because of this, it is likely that additional tests, biomarker or imaging, would also be needed for this second important aim.”

Dr Julia Dudley, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, added: “Too many families face dementia without answers, with one in three people with the condition living without a diagnosis.

“Therefore it’s encouraging to see studies exploring potential ways to detect memory problems earlier.

“This study, in a small group of people, suggests that it can be used to measure mild memory impairment, which for some people can be an early sign of diseases like Alzheimer’s.

“However, as participants were only followed up one year later, we don’t know if those people will definitely go on to develop dementia.

“Longer-term studies in larger, diverse groups of people are needed to find out if this technology can predict how memory problems will unfold over time.”

Barriers to diagnosis

The trial results come as a new report by the Alzheimer’s Society warned that one in five people impacted by dementia receive no support.

A survey, carried out for the charity by Walnut Unlimited, included almost 3,500 impacted by dementia, such as patients, loved ones and unpaid carers.

Just a third said their experience of diagnosis was positive, while 52 per cent faced long wait times and 41 per cent had to see multiple healthcare staff.

Professor Fiona Carragher, chief policy and research officer at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Almost a million people are living with dementia, yet its scale and the day-to-day realities often remain hidden.

“These findings tell us that far too many people are going without the help they need, whether it’s support after a diagnosis, trained care professionals, or someone to turn to when things get hard.”

The charity also found more than a third (35 per cent) of people living with dementia are scared of getting diagnosed, while 31 per cent are apprehensive about talking to healthcare professionals.

Professor Carragher said: “An early and accurate diagnosis is vital to enable people living with dementia to access the care, support and treatments they so desperately need.

“Those who have been able to access these treatments experienced benefits, but we simply aren’t diagnosing people early or accurately enough to see current and prospective treatments rolled out widely.”

Real Madrid score twice in two minutes against Mallorca as they come from behind to maintain winning La Liga start.

Real Madrid claimed a third straight La Liga victory, with a 2-1 triumph over Real Mallorca, to continue their perfect start to the campaign.

Arda Guler and Vinicius Junior scored in quick succession for Los Blancos on Saturday, after Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi opened the scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

Xabi Alonso’s Madrid also had three more goals ruled out as they continued to improve following the coach’s arrival at the start of the summer.

After competing in the Club World Cup this summer and not having much of a preseason, winning all their games before the first international break is an impressive feat for Alonso.

The former Bayer Leverkusen coach brought Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold back into the starting lineup, after both began last weekend’s win at Real Oviedo on the bench.

Kylian Mbappe, who has started the season in fine form with three league goals, thought he had broken the deadlock early on after a fine pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold, but was judged to be offside.

Mallorca took a surprise lead after 18 minutes, when Vedat Muriqi used his shoulder to divert a corner past Thibaut Courtois.

It was the first goal Madrid had conceded in La Liga this season after two clean sheets in their opening victories.

Alonso’s side responded with two goals in under two minutes.

Dean Huijsen headed Alvaro Carreras’s cross into the 6-yard box for Arda Guler to nod home in the 37th minute.

With Mallorca rocking, Vinicius surged into space before breaking into the box and scuffing a finish into the bottom corner.

Mbappe could have extended Madrid’s lead before the break, but nudged wide from close range after Guler’s drive was deflected into his path.

The Frenchman struck moments later, but was again offside, and the goal was ruled out.

Bright summer signing Franco Mastantuono fired narrowly over, early in the second half, on the 18-year-old’s first Santiago Bernabeu start, during which he showed few nerves.

The Argentinian attacker was involved in Madrid’s third disallowed goal of the night, after some superb footwork in the box, before he forced Roman into a save, and Guler eventually turned home.

However, the Turkish playmaker was judged to have handled the ball before striking, and the goal was ruled out, upsetting Madrid fans.

Carreras produced a spectacular goal-line clearance to keep out Samu Costa’s thumped effort to safety, as Mallorca sniffed for an equaliser.

Under Alonso’s predecessor, Carlo Ancelotti, Madrid were not always able to close games out, but after that scare, they showed a good level of control in the final stages to keep Mallorca at arm’s length.

On Sunday, champions Barcelona visit Rayo Vallecano, looking to match Madrid on three wins from three. Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao could also do the same should they beat Celta Vigo and Real Betis, respectively.

Veteran producer Kim Harvey has been tapped to take over the “CBS Evening News,” which has lost viewers since a recent revamp.

The network announced Thursday that Harvey will replace Guy Campanile, a “60 Minutes” producer who joined the program last year.

Campanile, who was brought on by former “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens when he oversaw recent changes at the newscast, will return to the newsmagazine.

“CBS Evening News” has been struggling to retain viewers since it replaced Norah O’Donnell, who held the anchor chair for five years.

Kim Harvey is the new executive producer of “CBS Evening News.”

(CBS News)

CBS News added John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois as co-anchors and put an emphasis on longer stories closer to the style of “60 Minutes.” But the program has failed to gain any traction against ABC’s “World News Tonight With David Muir” and NBC’s “Nightly News With Tom Llamas.”

Harvey’s appointment is likely a precursor to larger changes at the program, including a possible return to a single anchor and a more traditional approach to the newscast. She was a trusted lieutenant of O’Donnell during her run.

Harvey has been with “CBS Evening News” since 2017, eventually rising to senior broadcast producer. She is thoroughly familiar with the operation that has gone through three anchor changes since she arrived.

“Kim brings a sharp news sense and terrific track record of producing from across the broadcast and cable networks,” CBS News President Tom Cibrowski said in a statement. “She is a well-respected newsroom leader and her relationships with our on-air talent, producers and reporters run deep.”

Harvey’s career includes stints at the three major cable news networks. She started her career as a video journalist at CNN.

She spent several years at Fox News, where she produced “The O’Reilly Factor,” which was the network’s top prime time program before host Bill O’Reilly was ousted over sexual harassment allegations.

At MSNBC, Harvey was part of the team that launched “The Rachel Maddow Show” and “All In with Chris Hayes.”

The future of CBS News has been a subject of much speculation since the network’s parent company Paramount Global was taken over by Skydance Media.

Before the merger closed, Paramount Global agreed to pay $16 million to settle President Trump’s legal salvo against “60 Minutes” over the editing of an interview with his 2024 opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The lawsuit, considered frivolous by 1st Amendment experts, damaged the morale of the news division and likely led to the ouster of Owens in April.

The new owners have also promised the Federal Communications Commission that it will hire an ombudsman who will report to Paramount’s new president, Jeff Shell.

EVERTON’S Carabao Cup clash with Mansfield Town has been delayed.

The Toffees announced that the game has been pushed back by 15 minutes to allow fans “safe access” in time for kick off.

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Everton are hosting Mansfield at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium, having played their first competitive match at the ground at the weekend.

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Mallam Abakar and his two sons leave their home in Gyawana, Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State, northeastern Nigeria, at 5 a.m. every weekday. Thirty minutes later, they arrive at the farm, and each one of them takes a position.

Five-year-old Isiaka sits at the entrance, guarding a wide bed of ripening rice. His older brother, Abu, stays in the opposite direction. Their father settles near their makeshift shelter, his gaze sweeping across the entire field. 

Isiaka and Abu clutch pieces of zinc and wooden sticks to make a sound. Day after day, the boys repeat this routine, standing guard over their father’s rice field as if it were a battlefield.

By 6 a.m., the team is on high alert. As the father patrols the edges of the field, the boys pound their gongs and shout fiercely, driving away swarms of quelea birds before they can descend.

The quelea species native to sub-Saharan Africa is the most numerous bird species in the world, with a peak post-breeding population estimated at 1.5 billion, according to the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International. Known as the red-billed quelea, this small weaver bird is notorious for its attacks on small-grain crops. It is a major pest throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa and can cause significant economic losses.

Across Nigeria, the recurring quela bird invasion of rice farms remains a great challenge to farmers, especially those in Adamawa, Taraba, Sokoto, Jigawa, and Yobe. The invasion is noted as one of the reasons driving food shortages in these regions, as the dangerous parasites are capable of wiping out hectares in minutes during every invasion.

The family that watches

Mallam Abakar has been cultivating rice for more than a decade. Apart from the recurring flood, farmer-herder clashes, another challenge he faces in the region is quelea bird invasions. 

The first major invasion in Adamawa State was reported in 2016, when the birds swept through 12 council areas, destroying crops worth millions of naira. Since then, the birds have repeatedly unleashed large-scale devastation, pushing rice farmers in the region into crippling losses.

“The birds come every year. In the last few years, we noticed a decline in their invasions, but this year, they are back with full force,” Abakar said. 

HumAngle gathered that the birds usually appear at the end of July and stay until October. As early as 6 a.m., they start hovering above the fields, attempting to descend, prompting farmers to chase them away in an effort to protect their crops. 

The birds are scarcely seen in the afternoon, as they retreat to nearby sugar cane plantations for rest. However, around 5 p.m., they re-emerge in their thousands, and farmers resume their vigilant watch. 

Local farmers say the birds are highly sensitive to sound, often targeting unguarded farms. 

Flying in a swarm of thousands, they descend, settle, and can strip a hectare of rice in minutes. The birds are attracted to mostly rice fields, especially those nearing maturity. They feed by sucking out the milky sap from developing grains or plucking out fully ripened seeds. In addition to feeding damage, their rapid wingbeats shake the plants, causing seedlings and grains to fall to the ground.

To keep them away, the farmers patrol their farms, and since they can’t be everywhere at once, they set up dummies to create the illusion of a human presence. Sometimes they tie strips of leather or plastic across the farms. When the wind blows, the strips flutter and mimic movement, which discourages the birds from descending. Farmers also hit gongs to scare the swarms away or alert neighbouring farms that the birds are on the move. 

Mallam Abakar said he and his children only rest when the birds leave the fields in the afternoon. The family has set up a small tent on the farm, where they take shelter from the scorching sun. There, they pray and share meals before returning to their watch. 

Shaking his head repeatedly, Abakar told HumAngle, “It’s draining. Imagine doing this every day before harvest. We get tired, and sometimes it feels like we should just let them be.”

However, he cannot ignore the birds, as he is a full-time farmer who relies on his farm yields to cater for his family. In a good year, he usually harvests around 20 bags of rice or more. However, in recent times, he has endured repeated tussles with the birds.

“There was a certain year they wiped off my entire rice field,” Abakar recounted. “It was devastating, and since then, I’ve been on guard.”

It was after the birds wiped off his rice fields that he started bringing his children to the farm to assist in scaring the birds away. 

“We don’t wait for them to attack before we start defending,” Abakar said. 

Tiny birds, huge losses 

Bernard Ramson, a 40-year-old rice farmer in the region, who also works as a private security guard, told HumAngle that the quelea bird invasion on his farm left him depressed. He started farming in the region last year and enjoyed a bountiful harvest in April after taking part in irrigation.

“We started sighting the birds around July, and by August, their numbers tripled,” he said. 

For months, Bernard tended to his rice farm, applying pesticides and weeding by hand. With less than a month to harvest, he was counting down until he arrived at his rice field one morning to find it destroyed. The birds had drained the milky sap from the ripening rice, leaving behind husks and wasted seeds. 

“I was expecting over 20 bags of rice, but I ended up with half a bag. I was so disturbed to the extent that I was bedridden for days,” he said. 

Bernard has not returned to the farm since the incident. He said the sight of the farm devastates him, and the loss has even disrupted his work routine, making him unable to cope. 

He attributes the loss to his tight schedule. “Farmers who can’t wait all day hire people to watch their farms 24/7 and scare the birds away, but as a security guard who shuffles between work and farming, I wasn’t always available, so the birds took advantage of my absence and wreaked havoc on my farm,” Bernard said.  

While they also damage guinea corn farms, he said, rice farmers suffer the most severe losses.

“I’ve seen people hitting gongs and walking around their farms. Others spread nets on the farm to trap the birds, but even that is not sufficient because some of them end up escaping from the net,” he said. While he is still grappling with the loss, he intends to resume farming next year, and this time, he said, he’d be prepared. 

HumAngle spoke to some farmers in Garin Overseer, another community battling with the invasions in the Lamurde Local Government of Adamawa State. 

Richard Pwanidi, a 35-year-old who inherited his father’s farmland, has erected a makeshift shelter on the farm. There, he and his brothers take turns warding off the quelea birds in the night. He had lost a significant portion of his rice crop to their invasion. 

Richard said that though all mechanisms were in place to drive the birds away, the invasion had cost him a lot. 

HumAngle observed leather strips tied around his farm, dummies placed in front of each rice bed, and his brothers constantly patrolling the fields, creating the impression of human movement. These strategies are similar to the ones adopted by other farmers in the area. 

“We beat drums, we screamed when we saw them approaching, but it seems they were already used to it, because despite the effort, they flew into my farm, descended, and did their thing,” Richard said.  

He lost three beds of rice to the birds, as did his brother on the same day. 

Richard is currently carrying out an early harvest due to the invasion. Even though his rice crops require a week or more to fully ripen, he said he’d rather harvest them now than lose everything to the birds. 

According to Richard, farmers in the region are tired. “We are not talking about five or ten thousand of them. We are talking about thirty thousand and above, descending at once,” he said. 

‘Overlapping schedules’

After witnessing the devastation, HumAngle consulted Bethel Clement, a conservation biology scholar at the A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, University of Jos, Plateau State, on why the invasion persists. “The issue continues because farming schedules overlap with Quelea migration. Altering rice production timing to avoid this overlap could drastically reduce damage, though local constraints such as water availability may limit such flexibility,” he said. 

The conservation biologist also said that while chemical spraying is widely used, it harms ecosystems and is unsustainable. He recommended more integrated measures, including synchronised planting and early harvesting, organised community bird-scaring, habitat management to reduce roosting near farms, and encouraging natural predators such as kestrels and owls through nest boxes and perches. These approaches, he said, balance food security with environmental protection and offer farmers long-term resilience.

‘We need help’

In 2020, the sum of  ₦13 billion was approved by the Federal Government to tackle the quelea bird and other pest invasions across 12 affected states in Nigeria, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Taraba. Four years later, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development flagged off the project in Kebbi. However, the affected farmers in Adamawa who spoke to HumAngle said they have yet to benefit from the intervention.

“I’ve been farming rice in this region with my late father since I was a boy, and I’ve never witnessed any aerial spray of chemicals facilitated by the government. We heard that money was approved by the government for aerial spraying, but we’ve not seen it so far,” Richard said. 

He added that the only support they received was from Savannah Sugar, a private company that sprayed chemicals around farms in Gyawana, Garin Overseer, Opalo, and other areas, approximately ten years ago. “[After the company spread the chemical, the birds vanished for like three years before they returned,” Richard added.

HumAngle contacted the office of the Adamawa State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development for comments on the state government’s planned response to the invasion, if any, but received no reply at press time. 

Richard believes government intervention could prevent further losses. 

“We need help,” the farmer said. 

A DAD has revealed how a five-minute money hack slashed more than £1,000 off his household bills and paid for his dream holiday.

Like millions of Brits, Rob Lock, 29, from Shrewsbury, had been paying his monthly bills without giving them a second thought.

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His broadband, mobile and energy costs were ticking along on autopilot, even though some of his contracts had quietly expired.

But when he landed a new job, a perk from his employer gave him access to Nous, a bill-cutting service that uses AI to find cheaper deals.

Within minutes, the tool flagged up where he was overspending and with a few simple switches, Rob saved £1,029 a year.

The biggest saving came from his mobile phone contract.

Rob had paid off his iPhone and Apple Watch months earlier, but was still being charged the full monthly rate, which is a common trap known as “double paying”.

By switching to a SIM-only plan, he slashed £750 off his yearly bill.

His broadband was another eye-opener.

Rob had originally signed up to BT on a new customer deal costing around £50 a month.

But when that deal expired, the cost crept up, without him realising. Nous found a Virgin Media package for £22 a month with the same speeds, saving him another £336 a year.

Finally, he cut his energy bill down to £126 a month, adding to the overall total.

He explained: “I was using the BT broadband until Nous told me that they had found a cheaper rate for me with Virgin Media. 

“They had even checked the connection and download speeds to make sure I wasn’t going to lose out just for a better price. 

“The deal with Virgin was only £22 a month which is a massive saving when compared to the £50 odd I was paying to BT.”

Once he realised he had saved over £1,000, Rob knew exactly how to spend it.

“We booked a trip to Iceland to see the Northern Lights – something we’ve always dreamed of. It really was the holiday of a lifetime.”

“We just thought it’s not every day that you’ll save over a grand so might as well use it for something we really want.”

Rob admitted he used to be “a bit laid-back” about bills, but says the experience has transformed how he manages his money.

He added: “I never really analysed whether I was getting a good deal or not.

“I actually wish that Nous had come into my life sooner as they’re brilliant at monitoring everything and continually checking to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

“It’s very relaxed and Nous give some really sound financial advice on what you can save by switching and when.”

Costly mistakes

Consumer reporter, Lucy Andrews, has warned that thousands of households are making the same mistakes without even realising.

She said: “Think you’re good with money? I bet you’re making some silly mistakes that could be costing you hundreds – just like I did.”

Lucy explained that she too had fallen into the “double paying” trap after forgetting that her 24-month mobile contract had ended.

“I logged into my mobile app and saw loads of upgrade offers,” she said.

“I thought it was weird, because I was still in contract, but when I checked, my deal had actually ended a month earlier.”

She had missed an email warning her that the contract was ending.

As a result, she was still paying £34.58 a month, even though the handset was already paid off.

“I was kicking myself,” she said.

I could have switched to a SIM-only deal and saved a fortune.”

After acting quickly, she moved to a £7 SIM-only plan, saving £27.58 a month or £330.96 a year.

According to Uswitch, five million mobile customers are at risk of overpaying like this, with providers pocketing an extra £1.6 billion a year as a result.

To check if you’re one of them, simply text INFO to 85075. This free service will tell you whether you’re still in contract, and if you’ll face an exit fee.

Lucy also discovered she was paying £4.99 a month for a streaming subscription she’d forgotten about, which was a reality TV channel she hadn’t used in months.

“That was £15 down the drain,” she said. “I cancelled it straight away and saved another £60 a year.”

She now recommends doing a “direct debit spring clean” twice a year, by checking your bank app for forgotten subscriptions.

Research by HSBC found that 48% of people admit to paying for services longer than they should, wasting £61 a year on average.

Lucy said: “These things are easy to miss, but if you don’t keep an eye on them, you’re just handing money away.”

Even small, simple switches can lead to big savings and even fund a holiday.

And as Lucy’s warnings show, millions of Brits are still overpaying on old phone contracts and unused subscriptions.

Whether it’s AI tools like Nous, free services like 85075, or just a quick look at your bank app, the key is to take a few minutes to check what you’re paying and act before it’s too late.

It’s not every day you save over a grand, but it could be if you catch the same mistakes.

Alnmouth in Northumberland is a beautiful seaside village with a dog-friendly beach, independent shops, and wildlife – and it’s just a stone’s throw away from Alnwick

A stunning coastal village mere minutes from the renowned Northumberland town of Alnwick has been praised by tourists for its peaceful shoreline, delightful independent retailers, and abundant wildlife.

Alnmouth is nestled within one of the county’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its canine-friendly coastline ranks among most visitors’ preferred destinations.

Adventure seekers can enjoy rambles along St Oswald’s Way and Northumberland Coast Path, where a varied collection of wildlife can be observed.

The shoreline’s sand hills provide an excellent spot for birdwatching, and the location has even featured in Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes.

Alnmouth has also been captured on television as the imaginary settlement of Mardle in the ITV detective series Vera, reports the Express.

History enthusiasts can explore the Ferryman’s Hut in Alnmouth, recognised as the tiniest museum in Northumberland.

The Old School Gallery, dubbed a “hidden gem” and situated in a renovated village schoolhouse from 1872, displays fine art, printmaking, and illustrations.

Tourists celebrated the serenity of the coastline, with one posting on TripAdvisor: “Really lovely beach! Was nice and quiet when we went so was so peaceful. Great place to chill on a day out. Good fun wading in the water!”.

Another said: “Picturesque and peaceful beach. Great place for a long stroll on the beach and a walk round the village. Always love visiting here!” A third described it as an “amazing expanse of beach”, adding: “You can enjoy a lovely bracing walk along the sands. There are some great birds among the rocks at one end.”

Someone else posted: “We recently had the pleasure of stopping in Alnmouth for a week. We walked our dog every day on Alnmouth beach, the beach is simply stunning. It is one of the most beautiful I have ever been to, the sand is very soft and the scenery is amazing. It really is a great beach for dog walking and is dog friendly all year round.”

Alnmouth is also renowned for its row of vibrant houses, called Lovaine Terrace, which prove irresistible to photographers.

The village’s railway station provides a picturesque glimpse of these homes as your train arrives in Alnmouth, whilst you can also travel to Berwick-upon-Tweed from the station or catch a train southbound to Newcastle for a day out.

The high street features coffee shops, eateries, pubs, and gift shops whilst the Alnmouth Golf Club sits close by in Foxton Bay.

It was founded in 1869 and ranks as England’s fourth oldest golf club.

The famous town of Alnwick lies nearby, where tourists can explore its castle, the Alnwick Garden, and the archway of Bondgate Tower.

Alnwick also hosts a farmers’ market which takes place in the town square on the last Friday of every month.

Comedy Central’s “South Park” continues to target President Trump, and viewers appear to be loving it.

Ratings for the 27th season of the irreverent and often ribald animated series have surged, according to data from Nielsen and Comedy Central. The second episode, which premiered Aug. 6, scored 6.2 million viewers across the cable network and Paramount+, now the exclusive streaming home for the series, over the first three days.

The figure is 49% higher than the first three days for the season premiere, which debuted on July 23. The second episode scored 1.56 million viewers on Comedy Central, making it the highest rated episode since 2018, with nearly all of them in the 18 to 49 age group coveted by advertisers.

The new season of “South Park” launched amid the tensions between Comedy Central’s parent Paramount and the Trump White House. It also arrived after the show’s co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone scored a massive $1.5-billion five-year deal with Paramount for the streaming rights, which previously belonged to HBO Max.

Paramount paid $16 million to settle a lawsuit over Trump’s claim that “60 Minutes” deceptively edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris to aid her in the 2024 Election. First Amendment experts said the suit had no merit. But the settlement was seen as necessary for Skydance Media to get federal regulatory approval of its $8-billion acquisition of Paramount, which closed on Aug. 7.

“Late Show” host Stephen Colbert joked that the settlement was a bribe. Days later he was told by CBS that his program was being canceled at the end of the 2025-26 season due to financial losses.

But “South Park” has not held anything back in its comedic takes on Trump, presenting him naked and in bed with the devil. Trump’s boast that Paramount is giving him $20 million in public service announcements as part of the “60 Minutes” settlement was also lampooned. (The company has not confirmed that such a deal was made for free ad time).

Cartman the podcaster in Comedy Central’s “South Park.”

(Comedy Central)

The second episode showed the president dressed in a white “Fantasy Island”-style suit with Vice President J.D. Vance as his diminutive sidekick. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was portrayed with a melting face and a trigger-happy response to puppy dogs. Both were were running gags throughout the espisode.

“South Park” regular Cartman became a conservative podcaster in the second episode and was seen sporting a hairstyle similar to that of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

Parker and Stone will take a break this week as Comedy Central will air the very first “South Park” episode — 1997’s “Cartman Gets an Anal Probe” — on Wednesday as part of a marathon for the series.

A POLICE force sent undercover cops jogging to expose vile catcallers who target women on their runs.

Two officers from Surrey Police hit the streets in sportswear to show how often women get harassed while running – and, unsurprisingly, they were “catcalled within minutes”.

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The operation, first reported by LBC, saw undercover officers jogging through known harassment “hotspots” in Reigate, Surrey during the evening rush hour.

Specialist units were close by, ready to step in if the women faced abuse, Surrey Police said.

The two officers were “targeted within minutes” by a man in a large truck who “honked at them and made gestures out the window”, according to LBC.

“These behaviours may not be criminal offences in themselves, but they need to be addressed,” a spokesperson for the force said.

Inspector John Vale said: “One of our officers was honked at within ten minutes – then another vehicle slowed down, beeping and making gestures just 30 seconds later – that’s how frequent it is.

“Someone slowing down, staring, shouting – even if it’s not always criminal – it can have a huge impact on people’s everyday lives and stops women from doing something as simple as going for a run.

“We have to ask: is that person going to escalate? Are they a sexual offender? We want to manage that risk early.”

PC Abby Hayward, who went undercover, said this kind of sexual harassment was a daily reality for women – and leaves her feeling “diminished” and “uncomfortable”.

She said: “This behaviour is either a precursor to something more serious or it’s ignorance, and it’s fixable.

“That’s where our interventions come in: to stop potential repeat offenders or help people understand that what they’re doing isn’t OK.”

Surrey Police said its ‘Jog On’ campaign – launched just four weeks ago – has led to 18 arrests, including for sexual assault and theft.

Inspector Vale said: “We know that this kind of harassment is significantly under reported thanks to a study carried out by Surrey County Council this year, which revealed that of 450 female residents surveyed, 49 per cent never reported.

“To date, we have made a number of interventions following reports of harassment of our plain clothes runners. 

“In these cases, it was deemed appropriate to provide education around anti-social behaviour.

“For repeat offenders or where the behaviour is more serious, we will robustly pursue all criminal justice outcomes. 

“We recognise this is a significant worry for women and girls, and we’ll continue to patrol running routes throughout Redhill.”

He continued: “This type of harassment isn’t just being experienced by communities in Reigate and Banstead, but communities across the whole of Surrey, and it’s unacceptable.

“We have female officers and staff members who have been the subject to such behaviour when off duty. 

“The message I would like to impart to perpetrators is this; your actions will not be tolerated. 

“Please reflect and ask yourself ‘is this how you would treat or want your partner, mother, sister to be treated?”

“The next time you see a female jogger, just think, they could be a police officer with colleagues nearby ready to stop you. Your behaviour is not welcome in Surrey.”

The campaign faced criticism from the Free Speech Union, who called it a “bizarre social psychology experiment” and urged police to “stop hunting pre-crimes”.

Other forces have also taken steps to tackle the sexual harassment of women runners by men.

In 2022, the Met Police launched a buddy system, with officers accompanying a women’s running club in London.

84 per cent of women have been harassed while jogging, according to a 2021 survey by Runner’s World.

4

Tonight, Channel 4 viewers sat down for the first instalment of gripping new thriller, In Flight but it seemed like they all had the same complaint as they took to X to discuss

Tonight, Channel 4 aired the first episode of highly anticipated thriller, In Flight. The six-part series follows the story of single mum and flight attendant Jo Conran whose life is turned upside down when her son is imprisoned for a murder in Bulgaria. However, he swears he didn’t commit it.

In a desperate attempt, to save her son, Jo takes a huge risk and begins to smuggle drugs over the boarder through her job – but how will things pan out?

Fans sat down at 9pm to watch the first instalment on Channel 4, starring Katherine Kelly, but it seemed like a number of fans had the same comment, as they took to X, formerly known as Twitter to complain. It comes after BBC Death in Paradise’s Kris Marshall shares heartbreak over being sacked and losing job.

Fans had no complaints about the series, just the lack of it. “Too many bloody ads,” said one disappointed viewer, while another penned: “More adverts than programme!”

Aside from the adverts, the series had good reviews, with excited fans ready to watch the new series. One penned: “I Can’t wait! I’m going to have to watch the rest of the series on 4 now!”

Those who can’t wait for the next episode next week can catch all episodes on the streamer now. Fans were left on a cliffhanger with Jo telling a concerned Dominic that she needed her help – and some can’t wait until next week to find out what happens next.

We won’t give too much away for those who haven’t caught up, but for those wanting to know more, the official synopsis for the drama reads: “As Jo becomes ensnared in the murky underworld of corruption and hired killers, she is forced to carry out their orders while desperately trying to find a way out.

“She turns to her ex, Dom, for help. However, no matter how far Jo finds herself from her old life, her mission remains the same: to keep her son alive.

“Set against the fast-paced, high-pressure backdrop of international air travel, In Flight follows Jo’s relentless quest to protect her family while entangled in a dangerous criminal syndicate.”

The fictional crime drama, which stars Coronation Street‘s Katherine Kelly in the lead role, is set to air weekly, with fans not wanting to binge online having to wait until Tuesday for the next part of the series.

Joining Katherine Kelly in the series is Babylon’s Stuart Martin who plays the role of lead criminal gang member Cormac.

Jo’s ex, Dom Delaney also plays a key part in the role and is played by actor Ashley Thomas, who also goes by stage name Bashy. Fans may recognise the star for his role as Jermaine Newton in TopBoy.

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If you’re planning a trip to Spain, one travel influencer has shared a must-see attraction in the country that looks like it belongs in a fairytale – and it’s located just 20 minutes from Malaga

With destinations like Benidorm, Mallorca and the Canary Islands, Spain continues to be amongst the top holiday spots for Brits seeking sunshine, as the nation offers something for every traveller. In 2023, Brits made over 17.8 million visits to Spain, making it the most popular holiday spots that year.

Whether you’re after a peaceful seaside break or somewhere to party until dawn every evening, this varied country boasts destinations to match all preferences. Yet what numerous holidaymakers frequently overlook is discovering the nation’s more obscure cities that are equally stunning as the well-known attractions. However, one travel enthusiast Kristina Cors, who regularly uses social media to reveal her travel tips, has now unveiled a ‘secret treasure’ in Spain that’s located 20 minutes from Malaga and looks to be straight from a fairytale.

Posting on TikTok, where she boasts more than 751,300 followers, she highlighted one destination she believed every tourist in Spain should experience.

“When people go to Malaga, Spain and miss places like this 20 minutes away,” she wrote on top of the video.

She proceeded to show footage from her trip to Colomares Castle, situated in the town of Benalmádena in southern Spain. Whilst the fortress appears ancient, it was constructed between 1987 to 1994, and was devoted to the life and expeditions of Christopher Columbus.

Spanning 1,500 metres, it stands as the world’s largest tribute to the explorer, whilst also housing the globe’s tiniest church, occupying merely 1.96 square metres. In her video, Kristina provides glimpses of the castles from various angles, with blooming flowers enhancing the picturesque scenes.

She’s also seen strolling around the castle grounds and standing on a balcony, soaking in views straight out of a fairytale.

“Don’t go to Spain without visiting THIS incredible castle,” she write again in the video caption.

The comment section quickly filled up, with many likening the castle to ‘The Spring Court’ from Sarah J Maas’ fantasy book series A Court of Thorns and Roses.

“Wow,” one person simply commented, while another added: ” Been there once, really worth a visit!”.

“I live 5 minutes away from this castle and it’s stunning,” shared another viewer.

“Omg… I feel like I’m in a fairytale,” a fourth person exclaimed.

For those visiting Malaga who don’t fancy the 20-minute drive to Colomares Castle, one person suggested: “[Take] the train from Malaga to Arroyo de la Miel, then bus to the village of Benalmadena pueblo. Its a 2€ entrance fee, go early morning and explore the church grounds nearby too.”

However, not everyone was as enchanted, with one viewer branding it a ‘tourist trap’ due to its relatively recent construction in the 1980s.

Santorini has been described as one of the most beautiful islands in the world, but is it worth a visit? I took a trip to the popular Greek island to find out.

Santorini, with its unique beauty and geological marvels, is far from overrated in my opinion. The island’s breathtaking landscape was shaped by one of history’s most significant volcanic eruptions, resulting in towering cliffs encircling a caldera, atop which sit traditional Greek towns painted in white, boasting stunning sea views.

The dreamy images of Santorini that most people conjure up are likely of Oia or Fira, the island’s capital. As my friends and I began planning our trip, we discovered how these two locations were often bustling with tourists. To escape the flurry of tourists, we opted to stay in two lesser-known towns, both brimming with charm and beauty.

Our visit to Santorini took place in July, at the height of summer, when the island was teeming with visitors and the scorching sun left us nursing some rather painful burns.

Despite the crowds, Santorini lived up to its reputation as a picturesque paradise, just as it appears in countless social media posts. However, it’s worth noting that other towns on the island were significantly less crowded than Oia and Fira.

Perched on the rim of an extinct volcano, Oia offers stunning views of the azure ocean from its many cliffside buildings. This is the Santorini you’ve seen on Pinterest.

However, Oia is often so crowded that it can feel claustrophobic when navigating the popular spots. Snapping photos without queuing or being surrounded by people was challenging, but not impossible.

Just a 20-minute journey from Oia will land you in Fira. The cliffside walks offer breathtaking views, and there are plenty of nooks to explore, along with intriguing shops and eateries to try out.

Here, blue church domes rise majestically against a backdrop of white, and as long as you’re appropriately dressed, you can sneak a peek inside some of Fira’s numerous churches.

The broader streets are frequently teeming with visitors – the square outside the cathedral can become jam-packed – but veer off the busier routes and you’ll find serene, shaded pathways where only a few cats wander.

To avoid the hustle and bustle of Santorini, we opted to stay in Vothonas and Perissa instead of Oia and Fira, which turned out to be a brilliant decision. Given the less-than-stellar public transport in these areas, we rented a car, making the entire island easily accessible.

Vothonas, a mere 10 minutes from Fira, is a charming traditional Greek village with hardly any tourists. If you’re seeking a tranquil and relaxing holiday setting, this is the place to be.

The village is nestled in a picturesque ravine and features traditional houses carved into rocks. A leisurely walk around the paved lanes reveals white-domed churches and traditional homes.

If you’re on the hunt for scrumptious, genuine Greek cuisine bursting with flavour, Vothonaki in Vothonas is a must-visit. We stumbled upon this hidden gem thanks to a local’s recommendation.

Should you choose to lodge here, I’d suggest renting a car or quad bike for commuting, as taxis can be pricey and buses are few and far between.

A mere 20-minute drive south-east will land you in the coastal village of Perissa, boasting a unique blend of warm local hospitality, a tranquil beachfront promenade, and mouth-watering Greek fare. With more attractions than Vothonas, Perissa offers all the essentials for a laid-back yet entertaining holiday.

Perissa Beach is an idyllic spot for a leisurely day of sun-soaking and unwinding. The landscape is striking, featuring black sand and deep blue, crystal-clear waters.

Crucially, its location, shielded by Mesa Vouno hill, ensures calm, inviting waters for swimming and shields it from the often strong Santorini winds, even in July.

My overall impression of Santorini is that, while undoubtedly a tourist hotspot, its popularity is well-deserved. However, I can understand how some might overlook this if they don’t adequately plan their island visit.

Santorini has reportedly experienced a drop in visitor numbers this year, particularly following a series of earthquakes earlier this year between January and February. Nonetheless, I believe it’s certainly a destination worth adding to your bucket list.

If you’re seeking a scenic and tranquil getaway to Santorini, I’d strongly suggest lodging in the smaller towns, arranging your own transport and meticulously planning your journey.

David Ellison finally clinched his prize Thursday, completing Skydance Media’s $8-billion takeover of the historic Paramount.

But the tech scion immediately faced questions about President Trump’s boast that he expects $20 million in free advertising and programming as part of a settlement to end Trump’s lawsuit over CBS “60 Minutes” edits. The settlement cleared the way for Skydance’s takeover of the company that, in addition to CBS, includes MTV, Comedy Central and the storied Paramount Pictures.

Last month, Paramount paid $16 million to settle the lawsuit, which 1st Amendment experts said had no merit. Three weeks later, Ellison’s acquisition of Paramount was approved by federal regulators.

If Skydance participated in such a deal to give free public service announcements to Trump to settle his “60 Minutes” lawsuit, viewers are going to have to watch CBS to find out.

The first question Ellison, the newly minted chairman and chief executive of Paramount, fielded from reporters during a news briefing Thursday was about the purported PSAs. Ellison would not directly answer it.

“We are not going to politicize anything today,” Ellison said at the event held at Paramount headquarters in Times Square in New York.

Paramount Global handled the settlement and Skydance was not involved “in any way,” Ellison said. But Trump — who has a friendly relationship with Ellison’s father, Larry — has proclaimed numerous times that he’s been promised $20 million in free air time for public service announcements that promote causes favored by the White House. Trump’s former agent Ari Emanuel also helped Ellison make its case to the president to allow the deal to go forward.

Ellison and the other top executives stated their support for the news division at the news conference. Ellison said CBS News and “60 Minutes” were among the first stops on his tour of the company’s offices after the deal was closed.

As for the news ombudsman that Skydance agreed to as part of the terms to get approval, Paramount’s new president, Jeff Shell, said the position should not be viewed as a censor.

“The ombudsman is meant to be a transparency vehicle, not an oversight vehicle,” Shell said. “We do believe in transparency.”

Asked how Skydance will handle the ongoing attacks on mainstream media that continue to come from the White House, Ellison said the company will stand its ground.

“We’re obviously going to be fierce defenders of our talent,” Ellison said. “We always have been.”

Before the news conference, Ellison put out a mission statement for the merged company, promising to combine the company’s storied movie and TV properties with technological prowess. Paramount is also the home of several iconic but aging cable brand names, including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.

“Moving forward, we will work with conviction and optimism to transform Paramount into a tech-forward company that blends the creative heart of Hollywood with the innovative spirit of Silicon Valley,” Ellison wrote.

The immediate challenge facing Skydance will be building the scale of Paramount+, which, despite a decent number of popular shows, has lagged in the streaming competition led by Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Ellison promised the direct-to-consumer offering can be “a leading global streaming service.”

The mogul is taking over the most-watched television network in CBS, but like the rest of the legacy media industry, it’s fighting the migration of viewers to streaming.

Ellison’s note made a point of praising “60 Minutes,” saying it has “a long tradition of impactful reporting led by seasoned journalists committed to accuracy, integrity, and public trust” and expressed thanks to the news division for continuing to toil through the controversy.

“We take immense pride in CBS News’ legacy of impactful journalism and look forward to continuing to foster a newsroom culture where journalists are empowered, trusted, and equipped to do their best work,” Ellison wrote.

The new company is now called Paramount, a Skydance Corp, with its stock trades under the PSKY ticker. Shares were trading down about 3%, to $11.25, in midday trading.

According to Ellison and his private equity Paramount investors, RedBird Capital Partners, the company will soon be positioned to reach new heights.

Ellison’s play for the studio began nearly two years ago during Hollywood’s summer of labor unrest, when then-controlling shareholder Shari Redstone’s family enterprise, National Amusements, found itself in a cash crunch after Paramount halted its dividend to its investors.

In December 2023, Redstone turned to Paramount’s board to approve the Skydance transaction. That triggered another fraught process as board members agonized over the structure of a deal that would reward rank-and-file shareholders — not just the Redstones.

The deal was finally signed July 7, 2024. As part of the Skydance buyout, the Redstones’ National Amusements Inc. was paid $2.4 billion. After the firm’s considerable debts are paid, the family should come away with about $1.75 billion.

Paramount shareholders will receive $4.5 billion. Skydance and RedBird Capital Partners also agreed to inject $1.5 billion into Paramount’s balance sheet to help pay down debt.

“Our investment in Paramount and long-term partnership with the Ellison family reflects our deep conviction in the value of world-class intellectual property and the potential to unlock substantial growth,” RedBird founder Gerry Cardinale said in a statement.

A WARNING has been issued to savers missing out on hundreds of pounds ahead of a key Bank of England (BoE) decision this week.

People risk the cash blow because they’re leaving money in low-paying easy access accounts.

The latest data from Moneyfactscompare.co.uk reveals someone with £10,000 in savings could earn an extra £300 by switching to an account with a higher interest rate.

Adam French, from the comparison site, said savers were in danger of their hard-earned cash “languishing” by making the mistake.

“Simply switching a £10,000 savings pot away from a high street bank’s easy access account to a market-leading one-year fix can leave you £300 better off in 12 months’ time.

“Not a bad return for a few minutes’ work, if you aren’t going to need access to the money sooner.”

The warning comes ahead of the BoE’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on Thursday (August 7) where it will decide what to do with the base rate.

The base rate is charged to high street banks and other lenders and usually reflected in savings and mortgage rates.

Any fall is good news for mortgage holders who tend to see rates plummet, but it spells bad news for those with savings accounts.

The bank is widely expected to cut the base rate, which currently sits at 4.25%.

The MPC, made up of nine members, last met in June when it decided to keep interest rates unchanged.

Six members voted to keep rates at the existing level while three members voted for a cut to 4%.

The BoE uses the base rate to control inflation, with a hike designed to discourage spending and keep prices in check.

The current Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure of inflation is 3.6%, over the BoE’s 2% target.

However, the MPC is under pressure to lower interest rates to get the stagnating economy growing.

How to make your savings work harder

You can’t do anything to control what the BoE does with the base rate, but you can make your savings work harder.

One way to do this is by locking your savings into a fixed-term account.

These accounts pay out an interest rate for a set period of time, from anywhere between six months and five years.

Fixed-rate savings accounts generally offer better interest rates in exchange for you not being to withdraw any cash.

Just bear in mind you may have to pay a charge for any early withdrawals.

Second, it’s worth making the most of ISAs which allow you to save money without having to pay tax on any interest earned.

You can spread a total of £20,000 across various ISA types including Cash ISAs and Stocks and Shares ISAs.

And of course, shop around for the best deals so you’re not left with a low-paying savings account.

Comparison sites like moneyfactscompare.co.uk and moneysavingexpert.com can help you find the best account suited to you.

Saturday Kitchen took an awkward turn just minutes in after the host apologised to viewers over his co-star’s remark

Saturday Kitchen host Matt Tebbutt was not too impressed as he was forced to issue an apology over a comment his co-star made.

The BBC show returned to screens on Saturday morning (August 2) with Matt back at the helm. Joining Matt – who is rumoured the new face of MasterChef – on the programme were chefs Paul Ainsworth, Ravinder Bhogal and Justin Tsang.

Strictly star Bill Bailey also made an appearance, and drinks expert Helen McGinn was on hand too, to discuss some booze and to pair the drinks with the studio dishes.

However, just minutes into Saturday Kitchen airing, and things took an awkward turn, when Matt turned to Helen and asked her what she’s got coming up.

“We’ve gone rosé. I cannot wait,” Helen said. Referring to the wine, she said: “It’s from volcanic soil, so it’s got like super energy. It’s like an energy drink!”

Baffled, Matt fired back: “Like an energy drink?!” Helen replied: “Yeah in my world.” Not impressed, Matt then said: “If there are any children watching at home, it is not like an energy drink! Sorry.” He then tried to swiftly move on and chatted to Bill and about his food heaven and hell dishes.

It comes after Matt welcomed back a beloved member of the Saturday Kitchen team last week. In the episode aired on July 26, Matt commented: “He’s back! Olly Smith, where have you been all my life?!”

Olly replied: “Oh well, all your life! Well, over the last few weeks, I’ve had a triple threat of writing, going to weddings, and festivals.”

This is a breaking showbiz story and is being constantly updated. Please refresh the page regularly to get the latest news, pictures and videos.You can also get email updates on the day’s biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters.

In her first interview since losing the election to President Trump and leaving office, former Vice President Kamala Harris told Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show” that her decision not to run for California governor was more “basic” than saving herself for a “different office” — which is to say, another run for president in 2028.

After years of being a “devout public servant,” Harris said in the interview, set to air Thursday night, she just doesn’t want to be “in the system” right now.

“Recently I made the decision that I just — for now — I don’t want to go back in the system,” she said. “I think it’s broken.”

She said that was not to take away from the important work being done every day by “so many good people who are public servants,” such as teachers, firefighters, police officers and scientists.

“It’s not about them,” she said. “But you know, I believe, and I always believed, that as fragile as our democracy is, our systems would be strong enough to defend our most fundamental principles. And I think right now that they’re not as strong as they need to be.”

She said she instead wants to travel the country and talk to Americans in a setting that isn’t “transactional, where I’m asking for their vote.”

Colbert said to hear Harris — whom he called “very qualified for the presidency” — say that the American system is broken was “harrowing.”

“Well, but it’s also evident, isn’t it?” Harris replied, to applause from the studio audience.

The interview came on the heels of Harris’ announcements this week that she is not running for California governor and is releasing a memoir about her short, whirlwind presidential campaign following President Biden’s decision to drop from the race, and it was a big get for Colbert in what appears to be his final chapter on late-night TV.

CBS, blaming financial concerns across late night, announced July 17 that the 2025-2026 season of “The Late Show” would be its last.

The announcement followed Colbert sharply criticizing Paramount Global’s $16-million settlement with Trump over a CBS News “60 Minutes” interview with Harris during the presidential campaign, which Trump accused the venerable news show of manipulating to make her look better.

Paramount Global was at the time seeking a major merger with Skydance Media and needed the Trump administration’s approval, which it ultimately got. Just days before the announcement that his show would be ending, Colbert described the “60 Minutes” settlement as a bribe to get the merger deal done.

All that caused many observers and allies of Colbert to speculate that the cancellation of the show was political in nature. The Writers Guild of America, for example, said the company appeared to be “sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration.”

Trump said it was “not true” that he was “solely responsible for the firing of Stephen Colbert,” and that the “reason he was fired was a pure lack of TALENT” and that Colbert’s show was losing Paramount millions of dollars a year.

“And it was only going to get WORSE!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Paramount has said the decision was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount,” though some polling has suggested many Americans don’t believe the company.

It’s unclear whether Harris considered any of that in granting Colbert her first interview since leaving office. However, it would almost certainly not have been her only reason.

Colbert is liberal and seen as a friendly interviewer by Democrats.

During Thursday’s interview, the late-night host heaped praise on Harris. After saying it was “harrowing” to hear she feels the system is broken, he asked whether she was giving up fighting.

Harris said she was not.

“I am always going to be part of the fight,” Harris said. “That is not going to change.”

The sleep experts at Bed Sava claim that this military technique for falling asleep quickly and in uncomfortable, noisy environments is perfect for red-eye travellers

If you struggle to sleep on planes, then this expert hack might come in handy on your next red-eye flight. While you cannot control the cramped seating, noisy neighbours or cabin light, this hack will put falling asleep back in your command. According to sleep experts at Bed Sava, there is a tried-and-tested method used by military personnel to fall asleep quickly – even in uncomfortable, noisy environments – that translates perfectly to sleeping on planes.

Known as the “military sleep method”, this technique was supposedly first introduced in a US military manual during the Second World War to help fighter pilots fall asleep fast and in uncomfortable positions.

READ MORE: Sleep tourism is the rising travel trend for holiday-goers who love to sleep in

Today, the technique has gained mainstream popularity, particularly on social media sites like TikTok and Reddit. People have claimed they’ve been able to use the sleep-inducing hack to fall asleep easily while travelling.

Step-by-step guide to the Military Sleep Method

1. Relax your face completely – releasing tension in your forehead, cheeks, jaw and tongue
2. Drop your shoulders – allowing them to sink down along with your arms
3. Exhale and relax your chest – letting the air out slowly
4. Relax your legs – starting with your thighs, then mindfully letting your calves and feet go limp
5. Clear your mind for 10 seconds – if intrusive thoughts arise, picture a calm setting to reset your mind
6. Repeat silently to yourself: “Don’t think… don’t think…” for approximately 10 seconds

The whole process takes around two minutes. But according to the original manual, the last 10 seconds are when most people drift off. The military method supposedly works because it targets both physical tension and mental overstimulation — the two biggest blocks to falling asleep, especially on planes.

“Most people on planes stay tense without realising it — shoulders hunched, jaw clenched, legs crossed,” say sleep experts at Bed Sava. “This method focuses on deliberately releasing that tension. Once your body relaxes, the mind follows.”

If you want to increase your chances of falling asleep faster and soundly on an aeroplane, there are a few other measures you can take.

One is making sure you wear loose, comfortable clothing onboard. While you may be tempted to dress to the nines to bag an upgrade, there are more effective ways to do that than donning an uncomfortable outfit.

Another must-do is to avoid caffeine before your flight, even if it’s early and especially if you’re trying to adjust to a new time zone. Avoiding the coffee and tea on planes is also recommended because the hot water taps are less than pristine.

There are a few helpful accessories you can pack as well, to aid your inflight sleep. A neck pillow will keep your head supported and decrease muscle strain, while an eye mask and earplugs will block out cabin distractions.

After finally getting approval from the Federal Communications Commission, Skydance Media is just weeks away from completing its $8-billion merger with Paramount Global, leading to sweeping changes for some of the most iconic media brands.

CBS, MTV Networks and Paramount Pictures are all bracing for upheaval when Larry Ellison and his son, David, take the keys from Paramount Global controlling shareholder Shari Redstone. The long-running ownership saga has played out while the rules of the media industry have been upended by streaming and, more recently, a White House unafraid to use its muscle to silence critics.

Skydance and its backer, RedBird Capital Partners, have promised investors that it will find $2 billion in cost savings, which means further belt-tightening and layoffs.

“This will be the most dramatic change to the organization since its inception,” said one longtime CBS insider who was not authorized to comment publicly.

Here is what Wall Street and the media industry will be watching for once the deal closes on Aug. 7:

Will Skydance spend enough to supercharge streaming?

Last year, Paramount+ added 10 million new subscribers to reach 77.5 million. Its subscriber count is now 79 million, thanks also to NFL programming, CBS shows such as “NCIS” and original hits including “1923,” “Landman,” “Lioness” and “Tulsa King.” Paramount has projected full-year U.S. profitability for Paramount+ this year, making it one of the fastest subscription services to get there.

But its relatively scant resources and thinner slate has made it difficult to truly compete with Netflix and the other biggest players. One potential solution: partnering with a rival streamer to increase its reach.

“Questions around the long-term scalability of Parmamount+ continue to loom large,” analyst firm MoffettNathanson noted in a report Friday. “Will the new management team pursue external partnerships as a viable path forward?”

Ellison and his team have suggested that they will bring a tech-focused sensibility to Paramount. Technological prowess would help Paramount+ improve its user interface and recommendation process, which insiders acknowledge is currently underwhelming. As expected, the architect of Paramount+ original series strategy, Paramount Global co-CEO Chris McCarthy, will leave when the deal closes.

Can traditional TV be saved?

Analysts also want to see Skydance will increase investment in film and TV franchises to revive assets that have been constrained by Paramount’s debt.

While Skydance will get a robust library of films and TV shows, it will also be faced with the slow-melting iceberg that is broadcast and cable TV, which continues to lose viewers. Streaming has surpassed broadcast and cable as the leading source of video consumption just as Skydance takes over CBS and Paramount Global’s array of channels that include MTV, BET and Comedy Central.

Doug Creutz, an analyst for TD Cowen, believes the merged company should consider spinning off traditional TV businesses, similar to what Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast are doing with their cable channels. Whether that will happen remains to be seen.

“There is a clear opportunity to improve Paramount’s growth profile by letting those assets go,” Creutz wrote Friday. “On the other hand, we suspect the Ellisons did not purchase Paramount in order to break it up for parts.”

A test of Skydance’s commitment to broadcast may come if the FCC relaxes TV station ownership rules, which would likely lead to consolidation.

“60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl with Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

(CBS Photo Archive / CBS via Getty Images)

How will ’60 Minutes’ reset?

CBS News’ “60 Minutes” received a vote of confidence with the naming of Tanya Simon, a respected veteran insider to take over as executive producer. She was the choice of the program’s strong-willed correspondents.

Simon’s appointment is expected to provide stability following the departure of longtime showrunner Bill Owens, who was forced out amid the push for a $16-million settlement over President Trump’s lawsuit claiming the program deceptively edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris to make her look better to voters.

“60 Minutes” remained tough in its White House coverage as negotiations went on. The question is whether that approach will continue with new owners. Larry Ellison has a friendly relationship with the president, and the new owners agreed to appoint an ombudsman to oversee news coverage.

Getting it right matters from a business perspective too, as “60 Minutes” remains the most profitable program on CBS.

With Simon in place, new management is expected to address other areas of the news division that can use improvement. The network’s revamp of the “CBS Evening News” has been a disappointment in the ratings and will likely see some changes.

In the longer term, there has been chatter that Skydance may set its sights on acquiring CNN from Warner Bros. Discovery and combining it with the broadcast news operation, an idea that has been considered numerous times over the last few decades.

“South Park” characters Eric Cartman, left, Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski.

(Comedy Central)

Will creative freedom be tested?

CBS canceled “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” upsetting his fans, progressive Democratic legislators and other late-night hosts who make their living lampooning President Trump.

The network said it was strictly a business decision, as the younger viewers who made late-night TV monstrously lucrative for decades are no longer showing up. The timing of the move made the company look as if it were capitulating to Trump, who long had the host on his enemies list.

But Colbert will remain on the air through May. The show has already been sold to advertisers for next season. The host has remained unrelenting in his mockery of Trump.

The season premiere of “South Park” only upped the ante. The animated series made references to the “60 Minutes” deal, showed Trump in bed with the devil and aired its own version of a Trump-mandated PSA, showing a naked president with talking genitalia.

There is no question both shows will test the patience of the new owners.

Pulling Colbert off or censoring the “South Park” creators, who just received a $1.5-billion deal to continue their show and move its library to Paramount+, would lead to a far greater backlash than what has been seen so far. Any attempt to curtail their voices will send a negative message to creative types who consider working with the company’s movie and TV operations going forward.

Tom Cruise in “Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One” from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

(Paramount Pictures and Skydance)

Can the movie business be revived?

Over the last few years, Paramount Pictures — home of franchises such as “Transformers” and “Mission: Impossible” — has ranked either fifth or fourth at the domestic box office. So far this year, the lone major movie studio still located in Hollywood proper has accounted for about 7% of ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada, according to box office website the Numbers.

Since the pandemic, the company has enjoyed a number of major hits, including “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3.” It has also had some solid singles and doubles, including “Bob Marley: One Love.” But overall, the more-than-century-old studio has struggled from underinvestment in its intellectual property and movie brands.

The latest “Mission: Impossible” starring Tom Cruise — the eighth and purportedly last in the series — grossed $589 million globally but cost $300 million to $400 million to make, not including marketing costs. Paramount’s latest effort, an animated “Smurfs” reboot, sputtered at the box office. Next up: a reboot of “The Naked Gun.”

The unit’s leader, Brian Robbins (also head of Nickelodeon at Paramount Global), is expected to leave the studio, though he has not officially announced his plans. David Ellison is a movie fan and is expected to take a particular interest in the operation, with plans to put Skydance’s chief creative officer, Dana Goldberg, in charge of film at Paramount. Skydance has worked with Paramount on movies before, producing “Maverick” and the “Missions: Impossible” films

HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 11: Denico Autry #96 of the Houston Texans sacks Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half of the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at NRG Stadium on January 11, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

(Brandon Sloter / Getty Images)

Will the NFL take its ball elsewhere?

A transfer of ownership means the NFL can reopen its long-term deal with CBS, which has a Sunday package of games, the AFC Championship Game and two Super Bowls. The NFL is the lifeblood of broadcast television, providing a vast majority of the year’s most-watched programs.

Without the NFL, CBS would face tremendous challenges in getting fees from pay TV operators who carry its stations. Revenue from affiliates who pay the network for its programming would also dramatically decline.

Although the NFL is known for taking a pound of flesh at every opportunity, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has signaled he will give careful consideration before making any changes.

“We’ve had a long relationship with CBS for decades and we also have a relationship outside of that with Skydance,” Goodell told CNBC earlier this month. “We have a two-year period to make that decision. I don’t see that happening, but we have the option and it’s something we’re going to look at.”

The NFL could wait until 2029 when it has the option to open up the contract with all of its media partners. The new media deal for the NBA — $76 billion over 11 years — has the NFL believing its pact is underpriced.

Times staff writer Meg James contributed to this report.

Barafundle Bay is a semi-remote, east-facing golden sandy cove shrouded by sand dunes and blocked in by cliffs – it might be tricky to reach there, but the views are well worth it

Pembrokeshire’s beaches are so stunning that it’s a task to pick one for a day out while on holiday in the west. However, there’s one beach that always stands out, not just for its golden sands but also for its iconic status in Welsh music. Barafundle Bay may lack practical facilities or a trendy cafe serving oat milk flat whites, but what it does have is an enchanting beauty that makes you forget about such amenities for a day.

The beach, located on Pembrokeshire’s south coast, is semi-remote and features an east-facing golden sandy cove surrounded by sand dunes and enclosed by cliffs.

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This tranquil oasis is nestled between Stackpole Quay, a small pebble inlet, and Stackpole Head, a breezy outcrop which, if you follow the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path around, will lead you to Broadhaven South, another top-rated beach worth visiting, though it doesn’t quite match up to its more compact neighbour.

What could be more delightful than a late afternoon spent frolicking in the waves, followed by an evening meal at Wales’ Best Local Restaurant 2025?

As The Good Food Guide reported, while the beach’s remoteness is a selling point for many seeking quiet beauty, its location in the southern part of the county means it’s just a quick drive to Wales’ top restaurant, Paternoster Farm.

After a quick change from your beach attire and a brush-off of the sand, you’ll be savouring locally caught oysters and home-reared beef and pork belly from a menu that changes every day, based on what’s in season, reports Wales Online.

The beach, which inspired Carmarthenshire’s psychedelic folk band, Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, for their third album release in 1997, Barafundle, is only accessible on foot. However, it’s just a short stroll from Stackpole Quay, where you can park your car and grab a flat white before embarking on your journey.

The path will lead you across the often breezy cliffs before you reach the beach. Part of the Stackpole Estate, the secluded nature of the bay means it requires a bit of effort to reach, ensuring it won’t be as crowded as other beaches in Pembrokeshire.

If you’re willing to carry your beach gear there (and you absolutely should, as you won’t want to leave), it will be well worth it. Most of the time, the sand is occupied by families and friends enjoying the golden sands and crystal blue sea, or keen walkers on the coastal path taking a break to soak up the view.

If you choose to park and walk, it’s about a 15-minute journey. The descent isn’t steep, but it could pose a slight challenge for those with mobility issues. Its proximity to Stackpole makes it a convenient spot for visiting the nearby Bosherton Lily Ponds and the award-winning Stackpole Inn is definitely worth a visit.

Being part of the renowned Stackpole Estate, formerly owned by the Cawdor Family who resided in Stackpole Court, the beach features charming stone steps and walls that make for an Instagram-worthy shot.

But it’s more than just a photo opportunity. The moment you catch sight of the sandy beach stretching out before you through the stone archway, your spirits are instantly lifted and the urge to dash into the sea is irresistible. It’s a view you won’t easily forget.

How to get to Barafundle and where to park

You’ll need to park at the National Trust-owned Stackpole Quay car park, which forms part of the Stackpole Estate. The postcode for this location is: SA71 5LS.

From there, you’ll need to climb the steps on your right as you head down towards the shore, and then continue up over the cliffs to reach the beach. Alternatively, you can park at Broadhaven South and follow the coastal path. The postcode for Broad Haven South car park is SA71 5DR.

“South Park” wasted no time putting its very existence on the line, again. On Wednesday, the Comedy Central series kicked off its 27th season with a searing indictment of President Trump and its network’s parent company, Paramount. Paramount recently paid the president $16 million toward his future library rather than fighting a lawsuit Trump brought against “60 Minutes” (Paramount is also a parent company of CBS).

It was also announced last week that “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” which airs on Paramount-owned CBS, was being canceled. Colbert is one of the most prominent political satirists in America, and from his pulpit has been a relentless critic of MAGA policy and Trump. Like the payout over the “60 Minutes” lawsuit, Colbert’s cancellation comes just as Paramount is seeking federal approval of an $8-billion merger with Skydance Media.

“South Park” couldn’t have returned at a better time.

The episode, titled “Sermon on the Mount,” opens with Cartman discovering his favorite radio station, NPR, has been canceled. Making fun of its wokeness was part of his identity, and now he’s lost and angry. “The government can’t cancel a show!” he laments before dropping a self-referential joke about “South Park’s” own vulnerability. “I mean, what show are they going to cancel next?”

Paramount might be tempted to cancel “South Park” after Wednesday night’s damning premiere, when the show repeatedly lampooned the company’s costly capitulation to Trump. And Paramount earlier this week announced a $1.5 billion deal with “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone for 14 new movies, six more seasons and streaming rights on Paramount+ for the next five years.

The new season continues to plumb the horrifying depths of 2025 when Cartman also finds that his school is demanding students accept the presence of Jesus, literally. Cartman is called to the principal’s office for not letting Jesus sit with his group in the cafeteria at lunch, even though there were no empty seats. There’s always room for the Lord, he’s told.

The townspeople become angry that they voted in a guy who they thought would target other people — like immigrants. They don’t want religion forced on their kids at school, but newscasts make their plight seem hopeless. “More protests today as the president pushes harder for Christianity in our schools. The president stated earlier today that the spirit of Jesus is important to our country and he will sue anyone who doesn’t agree with him.”

The truly wicked satire begins when they cut to Trump at the White House. He’s the only character whose head is an actual photo rather than a drawing, and the president’s image is deftly manipulated to reflect the many faces of the real man: pouting, grimacing, smiling, leering and pouting, again.

He repeatedly demands that everyone relax while he threatens to destroy them. He argues with Canada’s prime minister over tariffs (“You don’t want me to bomb you like I did Iraq,” says Trump. “I thought you just bombed Iran,” the PM replies. “Iran. Iraq. What the hell’s the difference?”). Trump also lies naked in bed with Satan, revealing his minuscule manhood. Disgusted, the devil rebuffs the president’s advances and says, “I can’t even see anything, it’s so small.”

Satan is also perturbed that some rando on Insta keeps commenting about sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein’s client list.

“Epstein, are we still talking about that?” Trump says.

“Are you on the list or not?” Satan asks. “It’s weird that when it comes up you just keep telling everyone to relax.”

Then we jump to a segment of “60 Minutes” where the beleaguered show’s hosts mumble in terror for fear of another lawsuit as the show’s signature stopwatch sound is set to the image of a ticking time bomb. They refer to the president as “a great man” who “is probably watching” before cutting to their reporter who is covering the protests against Trump in South Park, Colorado.

Jesus touches down to address his flock under the guise of fulfilling Trump’s wish to bring Christianity back into public schools. But he’s really there to warn the crowd, and does so in a whisper. “I didn’t want to come back and be in the school, but I had to because it was part of a lawsuit and the agreement with Paramount.”

“The president’s suing you?” a protester asks.

Jesus, through clenched teeth, explains: “The guy can do what he wants now that someone backed down. … You guys see what’s happened to CBS? Well, guess who owns CBS? Paramount! You really want to end up like Colbert? … All of you, shut the f— up or South Park is over!”

The town ends up being sued by Trump, and they, like Paramount, cave. They pay him off, but are also required to sing his praises as part of the settlement.

The episode ends with a pro-Trump ad by the town. It’s a realistic deepfake video of the president trekking through the desert heat in a show of loyalty to his supporters. He strips naked and once again we’re reminded that it’s not just his hands that are small.

That wail you just heard? It’s coming from the White House. A new lawsuit is born.