price

KATIE Price looks worryingly thin in new snaps – after admitting she’d been to hospital over weight loss mystery.

The pics came just a day after the former glamour model, 46, showed off her super-toned stomach following a new beauty procedure.

They are also hot on the heels of the mum of five’s medical trip, where fans were left concerned when she was rushed to hospital.

Katie, who has claimed medics are baffled by her slimmed-down frame, was seen posing in all-black attire for a recent photoshoot.

The reality TV star pulled on a snug black zipped tracksuit from brand JYY London, giving her Facebook followers a glimpse from both the front and the rear.

Katie flashed a huge smile as she struck her poses against a brick wall in a garden, and gushed in the image caption: “So comfy it’s unreal.”

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Yet instead of honing in on the loungewear, some social media users opted to make distasteful remarks on her shape.

One female Facebook user posted: “Shame isn’t it she was stunning once.”

One then posted: “U must be freezing all the time.’

Katie’s loyal fans were quick to have her back and one sarcastically clapped back at the user: “Very mature.”

Another posted: “Calling people names is why a lot of people begin to hate themselves and go to far with plastic surgery. Not nice at all.”

Earlier this week, Katie revealed her “snatched and defined” look as she headed for lymphatic drainage in Greater Manchester.

A series of images posted to Drain and Define’s Instagram page showed her lying on her back, with her bare tummy and array of body artwork exposed.

Katie, who sought further medical advice for her weight just last month, has undergone an “ultimate reset” with full-body lymphatic drainage treatment.

Katie Price surgery boxout

KATIE Price’s love for surgery is no secret – here’s the details

1998 – Katie underwent her first breast augmentation taking her from a natural B cup to a C cup. She also had her first liposuction

1999 – Katie had two more boob jobs in the same year, one taking her from a C cup to a D cup, and then up to an F cup

2006 – Katie went under the knife to take her breasts up to a G cup

2007 – Katie had a rhinoplasty and veneers on her teeth

2008 – Katie stunned fans by reducing her breasts from an F cup to a C cup

2011 – Going back to an F cup, Katie also underwent body-contouring treatment and cheek and lip fillers

2014/5 – Following a nasty infection, Katie had her breast implants removed

2016 – Opting for bigger breasts yet again, Katie had another set of implants, along with implants, Botox and lip fillers

2017 – After a disastrous ‘threading’ facelift, Katie also had her veneers replaced. She also had her eighth boob job taking her to a GG cup

2018 – Katie went under the knife yet again for a facelift

2019 – After jetting to Turkey, Katie had a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift and a tummy tuck

2020 – Katie has her 12th boob job in Belgium to correct botched surgery and a new set of veneers

2021 –  In a complete body overhaul, she opts for eye and lip lifts, liposuction under her chin, fat injected into her bum and full body liposuction

2022 – Katie undergoes another brow and eye lift-and undergoes ‘biggest ever’ boob job in Belgium, her 16th in total

2023 – Opting for a second rhinoplasty, Katie also gets a lip lift at the same time as well as new lip filler throughout the year

2024 – Katie has her 17th boob job in Brussels after revealing she wanted to downsize. She performed at Dublin Pride just days later and surgeons warned the lack of recovery posed a risk of infection

HEALTH CONCERNS

Just last month, Katie uploaded a selfie to social media with a concerning caption.

She wrote: “First day off and straight to the doctors to find out what’s happened to my weight.”

She also shared another snap of herself in a pink hoodie and said: “Doctors for bloods to see why I’m losing weight.”

This comes after she revealed she was in hospital last month after drastically shedding the pounds over the past 12 months.

The Celebrity Big Brother winner told her fans on Snapchat at the time: “I’ve been up early at the doctors so she could do some bloods and because my veins are so s*** they had three attempts.

“They could only fill two tubes up, so I’ve got to go back in two weeks.

“And I’ve got to have my stitches out then because they looked at my little stab wound that I did.”

Her frail frame has been a cause of concern for her fans over the last few months, with many of her loyal followers taking to the comments section of her pictures to share their worries.

FAMILY CLAP BACK

Her fans aren’t the only ones who have shared their concerns as the former glamour model’s family have also said their piece.

In August, while filming the first episode of her new podcast, The Katie Price show, she was joined by her sister Sophie.

As the podcast was wrapping up, the sister duo were joined by Sophie’s dad and Katie stepdad Paul as talk soon turned to Katie’s weight loss.

On the episode, Katie, who recently showed off her newest surgery, asked her dad: “What are you looking at?” to which he replied: “Look how thin them legs are, terrible they are, my hand can go round them.”

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She replied: “They’re obsessed with my weight,” as Sophie chimed in: “You are thin.”

Katie was heard insisting: “I am happy,” as her dad retorted: “No it’s not right, it’s probably that vaping crap.”

The annual TV licence fee is set to rise in April 2026

Calls have been made to scrap the BBC TV licence fee and introduce either advertising or a paywall system before the annual price increase in April. A new online petition has urged the Government to make changes to the TV licence system.

The current fee stands at £174.50 and households must pay this if they watch or record live television, or face potential fines. This charge usually increases alongside September’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate, which reached 3.8 per cent.

Such a rise would push the licence fee up by £6.65 to £181.15 for the 2026/27 financial year. The Daily Record reports that this isn’t guaranteed and awaits confirmation from the UK Government later this month, typically around the Autumn Budget on November 26.

From April 1, 2024, the UK Government determined the licence fee would increase annually with CPI inflation for the Charter period’s remaining four years. The BBC’s current Charter continues until the end of 2027.

Campaigner David Gilmore contends that “even if you don’t watch the BBC you still have to pay for it”. He continued: “You don’t have to pay for content put on by theatres or cinemas if you don’t watch it so why should you be required to pay the BBC if you don’t watch their content?”

The petition titled “Scrap the BBC TV licence and replace funding with adverts or paywall” appears on the UK Government’s petitions-parliament website. At the time of reporting, it had over 1,300 signatures.

The petition needs 10,000 signatures to receive a written response and at 100,000 signatures, it would be considered for debate in Parliament. The petition can be viewed online here.

Other calls to change the TV licence

Over 15,200 people have signed a similar petition, urging the UK Government to cover the TV licence fee for all State Pensioners and those who reach the current official retirement age of 66. As per the current rules, only those over the age of 75 who are receiving Pension Credit are entitled to a free TV licence, saving them £174.50 on the annual fee.

Michael Thompson, the creator of the petition, argues that “many pensioners live on the breadline with only the TV for company”.

He further stated: “With the cost of food soaring and utility bills ever higher, we feel there is a desperate need to provide all pensioners with at least this concession.”

Mr Thompson added: “We feel it is a double outrage that those who have given their all to this country in taxes and raising children have to pay a TV licence fee and are only exempt if they receive means-tested Pension Credit. Meanwhile, some media figures draw huge salaries.”

The “Fund free TV licences for all pensioners” petition can also be seen on the UK Government’s petitions-parliament website.

GLAMOUR model Katie Price has claimed she once kissed footie hunk Jack Grealish.

She also said the Premier League star — who is 17 years her junior — is one of the most famous celebrities she has smooched.

Mum-of-five Katie, 47, did not specify when they kissed after making the claim on a live show of her tour with singer Kerry Katona, 45.

An audience member told The Sun: “Katie and Kerry had Instagram messages from fans to be asked at the show.

“One asked who is the most famous person they have kissed.

“Katie said to Kerry, ‘Do you know who I have? Grealish’.

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“She went bright red and hid her face with a pillow.

“The audience was shocked.”

Katie was speaking in front of around 300 people at the gig in Northwich, Cheshire, on Friday.

Jack, 30 — on loan at Everton from Man City — is in a long-term relationship with Sasha Attwood, 29.

His representative was asked to comment.

The government has asked the media regulator to revisit its rules on phone companies raising their prices in the middle of a contract, after O2 unexpectedly announced it was raising prices by £2.50 a month.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said O2’s higher than expected price increase is “disappointing given the current pressures on consumers”.

“I believe we need to go further, faster. I am keen that we look at in-contract price rises again,” she wrote in a letter to the media regulator.

Ofcom said it shared the government’s concern “customers who face price rises must be treated fairly by mobile providers”.

O2 said in a statement: “We appreciate that price changes are never welcome, but we have been fully transparent with our customers about this change, writing directly to them and providing the right to exit without penalty if they wish.”

Ofcom has been given until 7 November to respond to Ms Kendall’s letter, and said it would respond to her specific questions shortly.

In January, new rules came in which cracked down on phone and broadband providers increasing prices in the middle of a contract without warning.

However, last week O2 announced it would be raising its monthly prices by more than originally promised.

It was able to do this because the increase was not linked to inflation, and it has given customers 30 days to leave without penalty – so long as they pay off the cost of their device in full.

The company said it has not gone against the regulation and Ofcom’s rules do not stop providers from raising prices.

“A price increase equivalent to 8p per day is greatly outweighed by the £700m we invest each year into our mobile network, with UK consumers benefitting from an extremely competitive market and some of the lowest prices compared to international peers,” it said.

Ms Kendall said O2 went “against the spirit” of the rules in her letter to Ofcom’s chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes.

She has asked Ofcom to look into whether the 30-day switching period makes it easy enough for consumers to move to another provider.

“I would welcome your undertaking a rapid review on how easy it is for customers to switch providers,” she said.

“If companies are determined to increase pricing, it is beholden on us to make sure that customers are able to go elsewhere as easily as possible.”

She has also asked for an assessment into whether the January rules give consumers enough transparency into price rises during their contracts.

Ofcom’s rules require companies to tell customers how much their bills will rise by in pounds and pence before their contract starts.

O2 initially said its monthly prices would increase by £1.80 a month in April 2026 for current customers.

But the firm now says they will go up by £2.50 instead.

Ms Kendall said she wants phone providers to inform all their customers – including those whose contracts started before the new rules – how much their monthly prices will go up by.

“We’ve always said fixed should mean fixed,” said Tom MacInnes, director of policy at the Citizens Advice charity, and added the current rule “hasn’t gone far enough to protect customers”.

“If one company is able to get away with this, other providers could follow suit,” he said.

“The time has come for the regulator to banish mid-contract price rises for good.”

Meanwhile, telecoms analyst Paolo Pescatore of PP Foresight said UK network operators are “cash-strapped as margins are being squeezed”.

He added: “Striking the right balance between raising much-needed funds and investing in next-generation networks is never easy.”

But he said while other providers would have usually followed in announcing similar prices rises, “it seems highly unlikely that rivals will follow suit, given the consumer backlash and awareness generated thus far”.

Kelsie Stonya, from Southend-on-Sea, recently took on the ultimate ‘extreme day trip’ – travelling to Palma, Mallorca, and returning to the UK in the same day – all for just £143

A woman who jetted off to Spain for just a few hours – and still managed to squeeze in sightseeing, shopping, and sunbathing – says it cost her less than a night out in the UK.

Kelsie Stonya, from Southend-on-Sea, recently took on the ultimate “extreme day trip” – battling a storm while trying for a quick getaway. She hopped on a delayed plane to Palma, Mallorca, and returned to Britain in the same day – all for just £143.

The 25-year-old hit the beach, tucked into paella for one, and even ended up in the cockpit chatting to the pilot after a delayed flight. Her whirlwind day out proved a hit online too – with a TikTok video of her experience racking up 42,600 views from viewers loving the spontaneous adventure.

“It was so hot, so sunny – it was absolutely dreamy,” she told What’s The Jam. “The whole trip cost £143.08 including flights, transfers, food and everything – definitely cheaper than some nights out I’ve had before.

“By the end of it, with all the walking and being hot, I was so, so tired. I’d definitely do it again, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for no delayed flights next time.”

The communications manager started her day at the airport, but things didn’t exactly go to plan when she arrived to find every flight delayed due to Storm Amy battering parts of Europe. Thankfully, her flight did eventually take off.

Once she landed, Kelsie jumped on a 20-minute bus into Palma’s city centre where she admired the cathedral, wandered the streets, and hunted down a restaurant. After lunch, she strolled to the beach to soak up the sun, calling the weather “absolutely dreamy”, before hitting the shops.

By the end of the day, exhausted but happy, she splurged on an Uber back to the airport – putting her Spanish skills to the test with the driver.

The return leg didn’t go smoothly either, with the flight delayed by two hours – but things took a turn for the better when the friendly pilot invited passengers into the cockpit for a peek.

Kelsie says she’d “absolutely do it again”, but is hoping for smoother skies next time.

She said: “I just had a really nice lunch and then headed over to the beach. I walked about 20 minutes and then sat down for a good hour. The thought of getting back on the bus to the airport was honestly upsetting me, so I just jumped in an Uber.”

Viewers were quick to praise Kelsie for making the most of her mini break. “That’s an impressive day Kels,” said one person.

Someone else said: “I do it all the time; great way to spend the day.”

Another viewer added: “I love doing these! So far I’ve done Belfast, Wroclaw, Alicante, Copenhagen and now have Barcelona booked for the end of this month.”

Last week, HBO Max announced it raised its standard subscription by $1.50 to $18.49 a month — up 23% from when the streaming service launched five years ago amid the pandemic.

Such announcements have become almost routine in the television business as inflation hits streaming platforms that are under growing pressure to turn a profit and pay for higher programming costs.

Once seen as a cheaper alternative to cable, the cost of a streaming subscription for the top platforms continues to rise, much like higher prices for groceries, gasoline and housing.

In fact, the average price for subscriptions to the top 10 paid subscription streaming services in the U.S. increased 12% this year, following double-digit percentage increases per year since 2022, according to Victoria, British Columbia-based Convergence Research Group.

The research firm included streamers such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, Apple TV and others in its data set. It factors subscriptions that are with ads or ad-free and does not take into account bundling. All of the major streaming services in the U.S. raised their prices on plans this year, except for Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video, which boosted rates last year.

The price hikes reflect the tough economic realities of media companies that need to replace dwindling revenue from legacy pay TV channels that have seen sharp declines in viewership.

“The rest of their businesses have effectively been under attack by streaming and so they need this area to be profitable in order to compensate for the decline in their own businesses,” said Brahm Eiley, president of the Convergence Research Group. “It’s been tremendous pressure on them.”

Streaming services have been running as loss leaders for some time, said Tim Hanlon, chief executive of Vertere Group LLC, a media consulting firm.

“There’s no question that streaming is now under the gun to be its own profit center,” Hanlon said.

If rates go much higher, consumers may balk, experts said.

“The industry is playing a dangerous game by continuing to raise prices,” said Andrew Hare, senior vice president for the media research consultancy Magid. “We’re nearing a boiling point of rising churn and overwhelming choice.”

Magid has also already seen an uptick in the percentage of consumers who intend to cancel at least one streaming service in the next six months. The figure was 24% in the second quarter of 2025, up from 19% a year earlier.

“Hard as it is to imagine, the cable bundle is starting to look like a better value all the time,” Hare said.

Here is a look at which major streamers have raised prices on their ad-free streaming plans this year.

HBO Max

HBO Max raised prices across all of its plans. Its lowest-cost, ad-free streaming plan went up by $1.50 to $18.49 a month, while the annual version of that plan also increased $15 to $184.99.

HBO Max’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, had 125.7 million global streaming subscribers in the second quarter, up 22% from a year earlier.

Like other streamers, HBO cited the need to help pay for quality content. The platform offers big-budget shows including drama “The Gilded Age” and “House of the Dragon,” which takes place in the “Game of Thrones” universe.

Consumers should brace themselves for more price hikes. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said at a Goldman Sachs investors conference last month that he believes HBO Max is underpriced.

“We want a good deal for consumers, but I think over time there’s real opportunity, particularly for us in that quality area to raise prices,” Zaslav said.

Peacock

Big-time sports properties have been moving to streaming platforms and guess who is going to help foot the bill? Consumers, of course.

Ahead of becoming a major provider of NBA games this season, Peacock increased prices on its plans, including the premium plus ad-free streaming service, by $3 to $16.99 a month. That was the third price hike since Peacock launched in 2020, where its ad-free plan started at $9.99 a month.

The Comcast-owned streamer, which has 41 million paid subscribers, has weekly games on Mondays and Tuesdays and will have a Peacock exclusive NFL game on Dec. 27. Peacock next year will air the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and continue to stream major sporting events such as NFL games.

In a July earnings call, Comcast Corp. President Mike Cavanagh touted how Peacock will have the most hours of live sports of any streamer next year.

Netflix

Netflix has also gotten into the sports business, with the addition of two NFL games on Christmas Day.

The streamer, which remains the industry juggernaut, is also expected to add Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby and an opening night game when MLB finalizes a new media rights deal this year.

The company cited its entry into high-priced sports when it raised its prices on most of its plans, including on its cheapest ad-free monthly plan by $2.50 to $17.99 in the U.S. earlier this year.

“As we continue to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members, we will occasionally ask our members to pay a little more so that we can re-invest to further improve Netflix,” Netflix said in a letter to shareholders in January.

The slice of sports is coming at the expense of fans who need multiple subscriptions — if they want to keep up with every NFL game.

“A certain type of fan is starting to recognize they are being fleeced,” Hanlon said.

Higher prices on ad-free plans can help drive traffic to a streamer’s lowest-priced plans with ads. Netflix launched its subscription plan with ads in 2022 at $6.99 a month and it has only increased by a $1 to $7.99 a month since then in January 2025.

While many major streamers offer cheaper plans with ads, others offer free streaming services with ads such as the Roku Channel or Tubi.

A recent research study by Magid found that three-quarters of consumers are fine with watching commercials, if it saves them money.

Four in 10 said they’re “overwhelmed” by the number of services they use. The average number of streaming subscriptions per household in the third quarter is 4.6, up from 4.1 the previous year.

“Together, these trends point to a more value-driven streaming consumer seeking affordability and simplicity,” the study said.

Apple TV

Apple TV was once one of the lowest-priced subscription service plans, launching at $4.99 a month. Since then, prices for Apple’s video streaming service have increased to $12.99 a month, with its latest price jump of $3 in August.

The Cupertino-based company has been trying to make its streaming business more financially sound, but faces a formidable task as it has been a big spender in attracting name talent to its programs and movies.

When Apple TV first launched, it had just nine programs, but since then has expanded its library to include critically acclaimed shows and films including comedy “Ted Lasso,” drama “Severance” and “The Studio.”

Apple said in a statement that while it did raise its prices on its standard monthly ad-free plan, the cost of its annual subscription remains at $99 and Apple One bundled packages did not change.

Disney+

Last month, Disney+ announced it would increase the cost of its ad-free streaming plan by $3 to $18.99 a month. Hulu did not increase its price on its ad-free monthly streaming plan.

It was the fourth consecutive year the Burbank entertainment giant has boosted its streaming prices since launching Disney+ six years ago, when the service cost just $6.99 a month.

Despite the recent price hikes from Disney and others, Eiley from Convergence Research Group thinks there’s still room for customer growth.

At the end of last year, just 36% of U.S. households had a traditional TV subscription, compared with more than half of U.S. households in mid-2022, according to Convergence Research Group data. By the end of 2028, the research firm forecasts just 21% of households will have traditional TV subscriptions.

“There’s still a massive amount of cord cutting going on,” Eiley said.

The novel “Violet Project” aims to test whether success in politics is achieved through ethical values ​​or pragmatic approaches. The project is the product of a philosophical debate between three old friends—idealist academic Dr. Thomas Wan, morally committed businessman John Mendoza, and results-oriented car salesman Christopher Hamilton—who meet after many years at an Orlando restaurant. The tension between Hamilton’s assertion that “in politics, all means are justified” and Mendoza’s belief that “ethical values ​​pay off in the long run” will be tested through an unusual social experiment devised by Wan.

Dr. Wan chooses two of his former students from the University of Central Florida, James Frank and Gary Metros, to implement the project. These two young people are polar opposites in character. Ambitious, unruly, and down-to-earth James Frank is offered a campaign in Crystal Lake, Illinois, where he challenges ethical boundaries. Meanwhile, honest, introverted, and idealistic Gary Metros is asked to run for office in Southaven, Mississippi, adhering to ethical principles. Both accept the offer in exchange for a lucrative salary and a potential $150,000 prize.

James Frank’s Crystal Lake Adventure: The Triumph of Pragmatism

James takes quite ambitious steps as he launches his campaign. First, he brings on former mayor Roy Jimenez, who struggles with alcoholism, as an advisor. Roy’s sordid political experience will prove an invaluable resource for James. With the addition of seasoned strategist Michael Benson, a campaign driven by dirty tactics under the guise of “honesty” despite Crystal Lake’s calm and uneventful demeanor is waged.

James’s team employs various manipulation tactics throughout the election process. After Roy discovers that incumbent mayor George William has a secret relationship with a Ukrainian immigrant and aids illegal immigrants, he blackmails him into withdrawing his candidacy and directing his supporters to James. Furthermore, other independent candidates, Brian Harris and Aaron Rivera, are manipulated with money and personal accounts to James’s advantage, forcing them to withdraw just before the election.

James faces a difficult time in a televised debate due to his inexperience. Despite being outmatched by his rivals (Warren Collins and George William), thanks to the team’s backroom operations, he wins the Crystal Lake mayoral election with 6,179 votes. This victory is presented as proof that pragmatic approaches to politics can work in the short term.

Gary Metros’s Southaven Adventure: Constructive Change with Ethical Values

Gary, however, pursues a completely different strategy. He works with a professional team consisting of sociologist Dr. Lawrence Travis and urban planner Dr. Nelson Vincent. They act in accordance with Travis’s philosophy of “reviving social happiness and unity by creating a common ideal and enemy.”

Gary’s campaign in Southaven quickly evolved into a comprehensive socio-economic development project. First, he took steps to reduce unemployment by establishing a startup center. Then, he strengthened the city’s sense of belonging by establishing the New Southaven sports club and encouraging residents to attend matches frequently. His campaign, which is driven by public engagement, transparency, and positive promises, established him as a trusted leader in the eyes of Southaven voters.

Gary’s uncompromising approach to ethical values ​​led him to achieve long-term and sustainable success, and he won the Southaven mayoral election with 12,127 votes. This victory demonstrates that adhering to ethical values ​​in politics can also lead to success eventually.

Final Meeting and Project Evaluation

After both candidates are successful, they meet with the project’s funders at a luxurious restaurant in Orlando. Dr. Thomas Wan explains the criteria established at the project’s inception: the winner will be the one receiving the most votes and will receive a $150,000 prize.

James Frank is declared the official winner because he received a higher percentage of votes than Gary Metros. This result supports Christopher Hamilton’s thesis that “the end justifies the means.” However, Wan also emphasizes that both young men performed exceptionally well.

The novel’s finale presents a profound moral question. While James’s victory is based on blackmail, manipulation, and dirty tactics, Gary’s victory is based on a model that is sustainable, strengthens society, and leaves a more solid legacy in the long term. “Project Violet” demonstrates that short-term gain in politics can be achieved through pragmatism, but true lasting success and social trust can be built through ethical values.

Both young politicians have begun their new careers, but which of them will truly be considered successful will be revealed later in their political careers. The novel concludes by inviting the reader to consider the true meaning of “winning.”

WE all love a city break, but heading to the main European capitals can give your bank balance a battering.

The Serbian capital of Belgrade offers all the history and grandeur for a fraction of the price.

With beers or coffees in local cafes from £1.50, meals with wine in a decent restaurant for £15 and hotels from £40 a night, it’s perfect for those tourists looking to expand their city-break horizons without spending a fortune.

WHY SHOULD I GO? One of Europe’s oldest cities, its architecture tells its history from Roman and Ottoman to Austro-Hungarian and Yugoslav.

Catch up on its recent history at the Museum of Yugoslavia, home to the tomb of Josip Broz Tito, founder of socialist Yugoslavia. The Belgrade Fortress is free to enter and offers panoramic views of the Danube and Sava rivers.

Elsewhere, the Sava Lake offers water sports, tennis and cycling, with restaurants and bars perched on the shore.

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STREETS MADE FOR WALKING? Public transport in Belgrade is free, making it easy to hop on and off the buses and trams. However, walking around the city means you can stop and rest at the traditional kafanas (coffee houses).

The main cobbled street in the city — Skadarlija — is regarded as the city’s “bohemian quarter” and is a great spot to enjoy a drink.

A walking tour of the Red Star Belgrade football stadium is not to be missed, even for those not familiar with the club. Take a walk through the famous tunnel which at 787ft is the longest pre-match walk in Europe.

Fans can get a taste of what the players go through as they are transformed into gladiators with the thumping chants from the stands.

ANYTHING FOR THE BUCKET LIST? Tara National Park is a four-hour drive from the city for those wanting to escape the hustle.

Lake Perucac offers floating houses that allow guests to wake up on the water and look over to the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The national park has the largest population of brown bears in Serbia.

Also worth a hike is the path up to the viewpoint known as Banjska Stena, soaring above the Drina River.

Kayaking down the river also gives the best views of the worldfamous Drina River House.

The hut, first built by swimmers wanting to rest, is perched on a rock in the middle of the water and has been rebuilt multiple times. It’s definitely an Insta-worthy picture.

WHERE SHOULD I EAT? Belgrade is without doubt a city for meat eaters. For an authentic lunch, head to Drama Cevapi in the heart of Belgrade’s Dorcol district for grilled meat and fresh flatbreads.

The cevapi — minced sausages with a mix of beef, lamb or pork — come in generous portions of five from £3, and flatbreads just 45p. If you fancy a smarter dinner, Iva New Balkan Cuisine shows off traditional Balkan recipes with a stylish twist.

Beef ribs with a celery and apple cream, honey and mustard seed glaze or pork belly with kohlrabi salad, pickled beetroot and crackling will set you back just over £10.

The main cobbled street in the city — Skadarlija — is regarded as the city’s ‘bohemian quarter’ and is a great spot to enjoy a drink

Meanwhile, Restoran Uzelac is a short taxi ride from the city centre where spit-roasted lamb is served by the kilo.

WHERE SHOULD I STAY? There’s a bed for every budget.

The Stari Grad district is best for a central location and the five-star Square Nine is great for those with deep pockets.

The gold-fronted building gives a cool oasis from the busy streets and features a wellness spa with a 59ft swimming pool.

Expect luxury linen and cashmere throws, with rooms from £300 a night. But there are also some fantastic budget options.

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Boatel Charlie is set on the Danube. It is a chic barge with contemporary interiors that has rooms from £43 a night.

The neighbourhood of Dorcol is the place to stay to meet the locals, with multiple coffee shops and markets.

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — President Trump declined to say Friday whether he plans to resume underground nuclear detonation tests, as he had seemed to suggest in a social media post this week that raised concerns the U.S. would begin testing nuclear weapons for the first time in three decades.

The president told reporters “You’ll find out very soon,” without elaborating when asked if he means to resume underground nuclear detonation tests.

Trump, who spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One as he headed to Florida for a weekend stay, said, “We’re going to do some testing” and “Other countries do it. If they’re going to do it, we’re going to” but then refused to offer more details.

His comments on nuclear testing have drawn confusion inside and outside the government when the president seemed to suggest in a brief post that the U.S. would resume nuclear warhead tests on an “equal basis” with Russia and China, whose last known tests were in the 1990s. Some of Trump’s comments seemed to refer to testing missiles that would deliver a warhead, rather than the warhead itself. There has been no indication that the U.S. would start detonating warheads.

The U.S. military already regularly tests its missiles that are capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, but it has not detonated the weapons since 1992. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which the U.S. signed but did not ratify, has been observed since its adoption by all countries possessing nuclear weapons, North Korea being the only exception.

The Pentagon has not responded to questions. The Energy Department, which oversees the U.S. nuclear stockpile, declined to comment Friday.

Trump’s post on nuclear tests came as Russia this week announced it had tested a new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone and a new nuclear-powered cruise missile.

Russia responded to Trump’s post by underscoring that it did not test its nuclear weapons and has abided by a global ban on nuclear testing. The Kremlin warned though, that if the U.S. resumes testing its weapons, Russia will as well — an intensification that would restart Cold War-era tensions.

Vice Adm. Richard Correll, Trump’s nominee to lead the military command in charge of the nation’s nuclear arsenal, struggled to interpret the president’s comments when he testified before senators during a Capitol Hill hearing Thursday, telling them, “I’m not reading anything into it or reading anything out of it.”

Price and Ceneta write for the Associated Press. Price reported from Washington.

KATIE Price has launched a fresh attack on ex Dwight Yorke, as son Harvey chants his name and wears Man United kit in a new video. 

The former footie star, the father of Katie Price’s son Harvey, now 23, has had little to do with his first-born child, who has autism, Prada-Willi syndrome and septo-optic dysplasia.

Katie has repeatedly criticized Dwight for his lack of involvement in Harvey’s life, claiming he “didn’t give a s**t.”

And she says the last time he saw Harvey was in 2012, and he told her he didn’t want to be in his life.

Now, in a new attack, Katie has shared a video of Harvey on her Instagram Stories, with him dressed in Man United kit. 

Katie tells her son “go,” which leads him to start chanting:“oi oi yorkey.” 

PUPPY PUNT?

Horrifying moment Katie Price seems to KICK new puppy in shocking new video

KATIE’S PAIN

Katie Price makes cryptic comment after Kieran Hayler charged with raping girl

And the star has tagged both Man United and her ex Dwight in the new clip. 

Dwight played for Manchester United, joining the club in 1998 and leaving in 2002.

In a 2023 interview, Katie said her mum contacts Dwight’s manager every year and asks if he wants to see Harvey for his birthday and she is always told “no”.

Back in May, Katie took a swipe at her ex in an interview saying that he cheated on her and was never around for Harvey.

“I was with Dwight Yorke, but he cheated on me and that ended anyway and he wasn’t around for Harv,” she said on podcast Outlet Ten Discussion.

“So, that’s a different thing. I fended for myself, for me and Harv.

“Even though Dwight is very welcome, any time, to come into Harvey’s life, because I’m not that kind of person.”

Dwight initially denied he was Harvey’s father after his birth but a DNA test showed he was.

In a 2009 book, Born to Score, Dwight denied claims he had abandoned Harvey saying: “From the moment I set eyes on the little fella, I have loved my son like I could never ever have imagined possible. I am not going to hear any more that I did not care for Harvey, or have any understanding of his needs or that I was not interested in his welfare.”

HARVEY’S HEARTBREAK

However, Katie says that Harvey has only seen his dad about nine times in his entire life.

Katie has made countless public appeals to Dwight to be part of Harvey’s life.

She says the situation “confuses” Harvey who doesn’t understand why other people get to see their dad and he doesn’t.

In 2019, Katie made a heart-wrenching plea to Dwight, in which Harvey himself said  in a video: “Daddy Dwight. I love you Daddy Dwight. You look beautiful.”

Alongside the post, Katie wrote: “Anyone who knows Dwight Yorke please get him to contact his son. Harvey doesn’t deserve this.

FOOTBALLER GONE

Football League star tragically dies aged just 42 after cancer battle

CHA-CHA-CHAOS

Strictly’s Amber Davies breaks silence after pro Nikita pictured kissing her

“He sees his other son Tiger, so I don’t understand! He does charity work for different kids charities, yet doesn’t see or support his own son. I don’t get it!”

A rep for Dwight declined to comment when approached by The Sun. We also reached out to a rep for Katie.

KATIE Price has shocked fans after appearing to KICK her new puppy in newly surfaced footage.

The reality star, 47, recently added new pup Arlo to her family, posting loving snaps of her new dog with son Harvey on her social media accounts.

But on Tuesday, Katie shared a sponsored post on her Facebook account where fans insisted she appeared to boot Arlo in video promoting a clothing brand.

“Taking my new baby Arlo for walkies [dog emoji]”, she wrote, before adding the link to a grey trench coat she’s wearing in the video.

But eagle-eyed fans were too distracted by a moment in the video, where the reality star appeared to have booted her pup.

One joked: “She just kicked the poor thing [laughing emoji]”.

KATIE’S PAIN

Katie Price makes cryptic comment after Kieran Hayler charged with raping girl

BUMPY PRICEY

Katie Price shares pic of ‘humps’ on forehead after Botox and weight loss woes

While another warned: “Watch your foot”.

Some viewers also joked about the length of the ‘walkies’ in the 20 second clip.

Another quipped: “Great walk.. 8 yards.. lord be with u arlo… may u live to see Xmas”.

Katie‘s new arrival to the family comes against the backdrop of a petition designed at preventing her from being a pet-mum, which has reached more than 37,000 signatures.

It also came after her home life was thrown into chaos last month when her cat Doris had kittens, yet they became seriously unwell.

During her new short clip, Katie was seen wearing a white hoodie and propping herself up against the headboard in her bedroom.

The tiny puppy, with white and grey fur, appeared to be asleep as it sat perched by her side.

Katie did not initially address the new pet as she spoke to the camera and instead said: “This filter is so needed today, I am so tired.”

In another slide, she spoke of her new family member purely to say: “And this little one just does not leave my side.

“I can’t wait for him to meet Rookie, he’s met all of the other animals.

“This is Rookie’s new little friend for when we go horse riding, walks, everything.”

Katie was recently slammed for allegedly putting black dog Rookie in danger as she headed on a horse ride.

It came just weeks after she was called out by an animal charity over a “dangerous” move which saw her dog hanging out of her car window.

Dodgers fans Aiden Mashaka and his dad, Akida Mashaka.

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

How long have you been a Dodgers fan?

Akida: What are you talking about? Kirk Gibson! I’m Tommy Lasorda, baby!

How much did you pay for your ticket?

Akida: $900. We bought our tickets from a third party. I’ve been asking my brother-in-law how much I owe him, but he’s such an amazing human being. He’s like “Don’t worry. I got this!”

Was it worth it?

Akida: Of course it’s worth it. We’re seeing the Dodgers World Series. The flight costs more than $900. If you have it, it’s worth it. If you don’t have it, it’s not worth it — you can watch it on TV. If I was still in school, I would be watching on TV. But I am a 53-year-old man, after many years of life, so I can spend $900 to watch the Dodgers.

Aiden: This is maybe my second or third game that I’ve been to for the Dodgers. Being at the World Series, like the grand finale, I feel like it’s a great time to be here. I’m really proud of my dad, my auntie and my uncle for bringing me here. I want to thank them.

Akida: Can we get a crying emoji?

KATIE Price showed off some worrying bumps on her forehead after revealing concerns about her health and weight loss.

The 47-year-old mum-of-five took to Snapchat to share a close-up selfie of her forehead where she pointed to the series of “humps” that protruded from her skin.

“I’ve got HUMPS on my forehead,” Katie captioned the post.

The selfie, which she also shared to her Instagram Stories, showed several bumps from her eyebrows up to the middle part of her forehead, with the biggest bump in the centre.

On her Snapchat, Katie posted a video of her ‘before’ getting the botox, where there was a number of black marker dots on her forehead, presumably injection points for the botox.

“I’ve gone from this,” she said in the first video and it quickly changed to the next Snapchat where she spoke about the bumps on her skin.

CASH BID

Katie Price’s ex Kieran selling off old clothes after charge for ‘raping girl, 13’

PRICEY SECRETS

Katie Price reveals she snogged EMINEM and two more A-list Hollywood stars

“At the moment, it looks like I’ve got humps on my face, my ‘lovely lady lumps’,” Katie said referring to the Black Eyed Peas song, My Humps, which she had playing over the video.

Bumps are a common reaction to Botox and could occur because of a reaction to the needle or allergic reaction to the Botox itself.

It comes weeks after she started going to the doctors over her unexplained weight loss and months after undergoing a £10,000 facelift in August.

Katie revealed she was in hospital last month after drastically losing weight over the past 12 months.

The Celebrity Big Brother winner told her fans on Snapchat at the time: “I’ve been up early at the doctors so she could do some bloods and because my veins are so s*** they had three attempts.

“They could only fill two tubes up, so I’ve got to go back in two weeks.

“And I’ve got to have my stitches out then because they looked at my little stab wound that I did.”

Her boyfriend, JJ Slater, worried that Katie might be running herself into the ground.

 MAFS alum JJ, 32,  was “terrified of her [Katie] losing any more weight,” according to a source published in the Daily Mail.

“It’s not an easy thing to sit back and watch your partner running themselves into the ground health-wise.”

They added this concern was a consensus among the star’s wider family and said: “JJ and Katie’s family think she is putting way too much pressure on herself.

“She’s been constantly on the move with tour shows, but isn’t right mentally or physically – something she knows deep down.”

Katie’s health woes come amid more personal drama as her ex-husband Kieran Hayler was charged with raping and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.

The former stripper will appear at Crawley Magistrates Court on November 19.

COOL OFF

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UNMASKED

Chilling unheard tapes reveal how cops tore apart smirking serial killer Ted Bundy

Hayler, 38, has been charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault on a 13-year-old girl and is under police investigation.

The alleged offences occurred between June and October in 2016, when Katie was still married to Hayler.

Nvidia (NVDA -0.31%) stock has been a fantastic performer over the short and long terms. Shares of the artificial intelligence (AI) chip and infrastructure leader have returned 1,440% and 26,960% over the last three years and decade, respectively, as of Friday, Oct. 17. These performances have transformed a $1,000 investment into $15,400 and $270,600, respectively. By comparison, one grand invested in the S&P 500 index has turned into $1,894 in three years and $3,910 in 10 years.

With Nvidia stock’s eye-popping gains, it’s easy to wonder if you missed your chance at buying shares. The answer is no, in my view, as Nvidia stock has many years of great performance left.

There are two reasons for my optimism. First, the AI revolution is still in its early stages. Second, Nvidia’s graphics processing units (GPUs) are the gold standard for processing AI workloads, and there is no indication that they’re in danger of losing that status, at least not for some time.

Below are my prediction ranges (a best case and a base case) for Nvidia stock’s price in about five years, or by the end of 2030. My estimates are built upon data provided by Nvidia’s CEO and CFO on the company’s most recent quarterly earnings call. (Nvidia’s earnings calls are chock-full of valuable data — and listening to them is worth the time.)

Image source: Getty Images.

Nvidia CFO: “We see $3 [trillion] to $4 trillion in AI infrastructure spend by the end of the decade.”

From CFO Colette Kress’ remarks on Nvidia’s fiscal second-quarter earnings call in late August:

We are at the beginning of an industrial revolution that will transform every industry. We see $3 [trillion] to $4 trillion in AI infrastructure spend by the end of the decade. The scale and scope of these [AI infrastructure] buildouts present significant long-term growth opportunities for Nvidia Corporation. [Emphasis mine.]

Numbers from CEO: 58% to 70% of an AI faciility’s cost goes to Nvidia

From CEO Jensen Huang’s remarks on the fiscal Q2 earnings call:

And so our contribution … is a large part of the AI infrastructure. Out of a gigawatt AI factory, which can go [cost] anywhere from … $50 to $60 billion, we represent about $35 [billion] plus or minus of that.

Huang is saying that a typical 1-gigawatt AI data center or other AI facility costs about $50 billion to $60 billion to build, and that about $35 billion of that cost is for Nvidia’s AI technology.

So, about 58% ($35 billion divided by $60 billion) to 70% ($35 billion divided by $50 billion) of the total cost of an AI facility is the cost of buying Nvidia’s tech.

Putting together the data provided by Nvidia’s CFO and CEO

Kress said the company expects total global AI infrastructure spending to be $3 trillion to $4 trillion annually by the end of the decade. (It’s not clear whether she meant by 2029 or 2030, but I’m using 2030 to be conservative. Moreover, Nvidia just published a presentation that uses the $3 trillion to $4 trillion projection by 2030.)

Of that $3 trillion to $4 trillion, Nvidia stands to take in 58% to 70% of it, according to Huang. This assumes that percentage range remains about the same. This will be part of my “best-case estimate,” but I am also going to calculate a “base-case estimate” that assumes Nvidia’s percentage of total AI infrastructure spend declines moderately, by 20%. This will account for the potential for increased competition by chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and others.

Revenue from AI infrastructure spend that Nvidia should generate in about five years:

• Best-case estimate: 58% to 70% of $3 trillion to $4 trillion = $1.74 trillion to $2.8 trillion.
• Base-case estimate: 46% to 56% (I chopped 20% off the percentages in the best-case range) of $3 trillion to $4 trillion = $1.38 trillion to $2.24 trillion.

Calculating my Nvidia stock price target ranges for 2030

Now, I’ll use the numbers calculated above to come up with price target ranges for Nvidia stock in about five years. Two additional data points needed:

• Nvidia stock’s closing price on Oct. 17: $183.22.
• Nvidia’s AI-driven data center revenue was $41.1 billion (of its total revenue of $46.7 billion) in its most recently reported quarter (fiscal Q2, ended July 27). This equates to an annual run rate of $164.4 billion ($41.4 billion X 4).

Nvidia stock best-case price target in five years: $1,942 to $3,115.

1. Nvidia’s projected AI infrastructure revenue in five years: $1.74 trillion to $2.8 trillion.
2. Nvidia’s AI infrastructure revenue currently: annual revenue run rate of $164.4 billion.
3. Step 1 numbers divided by Step 2 number: 10.6 to 17.0. This means Nvidia’s annual data center revenue should increase by 10.6 to 17.0 times in 5 years.
4. Nvidia stock price at market close on Oct. 17: $183.22.
5. Valuation assumption: I am assuming that Nvidia stock’s earnings-based valuation will remain the same in five years. That’s because its valuation is reasonable now given its growth and projected growth dynamics, in my view. (Trailing and forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios are 51.5 and 28.7, respectively.)
6. The above assumption means the conversion from revenue growth (Step 3 numbers) to stock price growth will be straightforward.
7. $183.22 X 10.6 to 17.0.
8. Stock price target in five years: $1,942 to $3,115.

Nvidia stock base-case price target in five years: $1,300 to $2,125.

1. Nvidia’s projected AI infrastructure revenue in five years: $1.38 trillion to $2.24 trillion.
2. Nvidia’s AI infrastructure revenue currently: annual run rate of $164.4 billion.
3. Step 1 numbers divided by Step 2 number: 8.4 to 13.6. So, Nvidia’s annual data center revenue should increase by 8.4 to 13.6 times in five years.
4. Nvidia stock price at market close on Oct. 17: $183.22.
5. Valuation assumption: I am assuming that Nvidia stock’s earnings-based valuation remains the same in five years.
6. The above assumption means the conversion from revenue growth (Step 3 numbers) to stock price growth would be straightforward.
7. BUT, I’m going to assume that the data center platform’s profitability declines modestly due to the possibility of increased competition. I can adjust the factors in Step 3 down by 15% to account for this since I had been assuming a straightforward relationship between revenue, earnings, and price target growth.
8. [8.4 to 13.6] x [85%] = 7.1 to 11.6.
9. $183.22 X 7.1 to 11.6.
10. Stock price target in five years: $1,300 to $2,125.

Why there is upside to both these target ranges

I only considered Nvidia’s data center market platform growth when calculating my price targets. That’s because this AI-driven platform accounts for the vast majority of the company’s revenue and earnings — and stock price gains are usually driven by earnings growth.

In the first half of the current fiscal year, the data center platform accounted for 88% of Nvidia’s total revenue. And it accounted for an even higher percentage of total earnings. That percentage is unknown because management does not break out earnings or other profitability metric by platform. But management has said that its data center platform is more profitable than its overall business. So, the data center platform probably accounts for in the mid-90% of total earnings.

If one or more of the company’s other market platforms (gaming, professional visualization, and auto) grows revenue and earnings tremendously over the next five years, that should be upside for my price targets. The auto platform has the potential to be a big winner over the next five years due to driverless vehicles steadily progressing toward legality. Nvidia’s end-to-end AI-powered driverless tech platform is widely adopted.

Caveat about the economy and overall stock market performance

My estimates assume the U.S. economy remains in at least a minimal growth mode and the stock market remains in a bull market for much of the next five years.

I don’t think a mild and relatively brief recession would derail my Nvidia stock price targets, at least not by much, but a deep or long-lasting recession and long-lasting bear market would almost surely derail them.

My wrap-up

Nvidia stock best-case price target in five years: $1,942 to $3,115. (Of course, the stock would most likely split before it reached these levels, but the underlying growth remains the same.) This equates to Nvidia’s stock price increasing by 10.6 to 17.0 times. It also equates to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 60% to 76%.

Nvidia stock base-case price target in five years: $1,300 to $2,125. This equates to Nvidia’s stock price increasing by 7.1 to 11.6 times. It also equates to a CAGR of 48% to 63%.

Taken together, the Nvidia stock price target range in five years is $1,300 to $3,115.

Maria worked cleaning schools in Florida for $13 an hour. Every two weeks, she’d get a $900 paycheck from her employer, a contractor. Not much — but enough to cover rent in the house that she and her 11-year-old son share with five families, plus electricity, a cellphone and groceries.

In August, it all ended.

When she showed up at the job one morning, her boss told her that she couldn’t work there anymore. The Trump administration had terminated the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program, which provided legal work permits for Cubans, Haitians, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans like Maria.

“I feel desperate,’’ said Maria, 48, who requested anonymity to talk about her ordeal because she fears being detained and deported. “I don’t have any money to buy anything. I have $5 in my account. I’m left with nothing.’’

President Trump’s sweeping crackdown on immigration is throwing foreigners like Maria out of work and shaking the American economy and job market. And it’s happening at a time when hiring is already deteriorating amid uncertainty over Trump’s tariffs and other trade policies.

Immigrants do jobs — cleaning houses, picking tomatoes, painting fences — that most native-born Americans won’t, and for less money. But they also bring the technical skills and entrepreneurial energy that have helped make the United States the world’s economic superpower.

Trump is attacking immigration at both ends of the spectrum, deporting low-wage laborers and discouraging skilled foreigners from bringing their talents to the United States.

And he is targeting an influx of foreign workers that eased labor shortages and upward pressure on wages and prices at a time when most economists thought that taming inflation would require sky-high interest rates and a recession — a fate the United States escaped in 2023 and 2024.

“Immigrants are good for the economy,’’ said Lee Branstetter, an economist at Carnegie-Mellon University. “Because we had a lot of immigration over the past five years, an inflationary surge was not as bad as many people expected.”

More workers filling more jobs and spending more money has also helped drive economic growth and create still more job openings. Economists worry that Trump’s deportations and limits on even legal immigration will do the reverse.

In a July report, researchers Wendy Edelberg and Tara Watson of the centrist Brookings Institution and Stan Veuger of the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute calculated that the loss of foreign workers will mean that monthly U.S. job growth “could be near zero or negative in the next few years.’’

Hiring has already slowed significantly, averaging a meager 29,000 a month from June through August. (The September jobs report has been delayed by the ongoing shutdown of the federal government.) During the post-pandemic hiring boom of 2021-23, by contrast, employers added a stunning 400,000 jobs a month.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, citing fallout from Trump’s immigration and trade policies, downgraded its forecast for U.S. economic growth this year to 1.4% from the 1.9% it had previously expected and from 2.5% in 2024.

‘We need these people’

Goodwin Living, an Alexandria, Va., nonprofit that provides senior housing, healthcare and hospice services, had to lay off four employees from Haiti after the Trump administration terminated their work permits. The Haitians had been allowed to work under a humanitarian parole program and had earned promotions at Goodwin.

“That was a very, very difficult day for us,” Chief Executive Rob Liebreich said. “It was really unfortunate to have to say goodbye to them, and we’re still struggling to fill those roles.’’

Liebreich is worried that 60 additional immigrant workers could lose their temporary legal right to live and work in the United States. “We need all those hands,’’ he said. “We need all these people.”

Goodwin Living has 1,500 employees, 60% of them from foreign countries. It has struggled to find enough nurses, therapists and maintenance staff. Trump’s immigration crackdown, Liebreich said, is “making it harder.’’

The ICE crackdown

Trump’s immigration ambitions, intended to turn back what he calls an “invasion’’ at America’s southern border and secure jobs for U.S.-born workers, were once viewed with skepticism because of the money and economic disruption required to reach his goal of deporting 1 million people a year. But legislation that Trump signed into law July 4 — and which Republicans named the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — suddenly made his plans plausible.

The law pours $150 billion into immigration enforcement, setting aside $46.5 billion to hire 10,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and $45 billion to increase the capacity of immigrant detention centers.

And his empowered ICE agents have shown a willingness to move fast and break things — even when their aggression conflicts with other administration goals.

Last month, immigration authorities raided a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia, detained 300 South Korean workers and showed video of some of them shackled in chains. They’d been working to get the plant up and running, bringing expertise in battery technology and Hyundai procedures that local American workers didn’t have.

The incident enraged the South Koreans and ran counter to Trump’s push to lure foreign manufacturers to invest in America. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned that the country’s other companies might be reluctant about betting on America if their workers couldn’t get visas promptly and risked getting detained.

Sending Medicaid recipients to the fields

America’s farmers are among the president’s most dependable supporters.

But John Boyd Jr., who farms 1,300 acres of soybeans, wheat and corn in southern Virginia, said that the immigration raids — and the threat of them — are hurting farmers already contending with low crop prices, high costs and fallout from Trump’s trade war with China, which has stopped buying U.S. soybeans and sorghum.

“You’ve got ICE out here, herding these people up,’’ said Boyd, founder of the National Black Farmers Assn. “[Trump] says they’re murderers and thieves and drug dealers, all this stuff. But these are people who are in this country doing hard work that many Americans don’t want to do.’’

Boyd scoffed at Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ suggestion in July that U.S.-born Medicaid recipients could head to the fields to meet work requirements imposed as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. “People in the city aren’t coming back to the farm to do this kind of work,’’ he said. “It takes a certain type of person to bend over in 100-degree heat.’’

The Trump administration admits that the immigration crackdown is causing labor shortages on the farm that could translate into higher prices at the supermarket.

“The near total cessation of the inflow of illegal aliens combined with the lack of an available legal workforce results in significant disruptions to production costs and [threatens] the stability of domestic food production and prices for U.S. consumers,’’ the Labor Department said in an Oct. 2 filing to the Federal Register.

‘You’re not welcome here’

Jed Kolko of the Peterson Institute for International Economics said that job growth is slowing in businesses that rely on immigrants. Construction companies, for instance, have shed 10,000 jobs since May.

“Those are the short-term effects,’’ said Kolko, a Commerce Department official in the Biden administration. “The longer-term effects are more serious because immigrants traditionally have contributed more than their share of patents, innovation, productivity.’’

Especially worrisome to many economists was Trump’s sudden announcement last month that he was raising the fee on H-1B visas, meant to lure hard-to-find skilled foreign workers to the United States, from as little as $215 to $100,000.

“A $100,000 visa fee is not just a bureaucratic cost — it’s a signal,” said Dany Bahar, senior fellow at the Center for Global Development. “It tells global talent: You are not welcome here.”

Some are already packing up.

In Washington, D.C., one H-1B visa holder, a Harvard graduate from India who works for a nonprofit helping Africa’s poor, said Trump’s signal to employers is clear: Think twice about hiring H-1B visa holders.

The man, who requested anonymity, is already preparing paperwork to move to the United Kingdom.

“The damage is already done, unfortunately,’’ he said.

Associated Press writers Wiseman and Salomon reported from Washington and Miami, respectively. AP writers Fu Ting and Christopher Rugaber in Washington contributed to this report.

We paid half of what we were going to – and it was a nice way to end the holiday

Screaming kids and a four-hour delay. That’s what my boyfriend and I were faced with when we set foot in the airport last week – and after we decided to escape to the airport lounge no matter the cost, we were shocked that we were entitled to a discount, cutting the price in half.

Flying from Tenerife, we were due to land back home in Scotland at 11pm and instead arrived home at 4am – so it’s safe to say it was a heck of a delay. Thankfully, though, as my partner is a member of Monzo Premium, he got us a discount, and we had no idea it was a perk he was entitled to.

We were told the Montaña Roja VIP Lounge was €44 each, and whilst paying €88 seemed a lot, it was worth it. The last thing we needed was to end our holiday with parents ignoring their screaming kids, letting them run wild and screaming in people’s faces (I wish I was making that part up).

On top of that, airport chairs are not comfy enough for a three-hour wait – and that doesn’t even include waiting to board once we’re called to our gate. So how do you get the discount and how much did we end up paying?

How to get an airport lounge discount worldwide

We ended up paying a total of around £48, which brought it down to £24 each. Saving us half the price, we were delighted. We were given free WI-FI, access to showers (towels provided) as well as all-you-can-eat food and drink – including alcohol.

Explained on the Monzo Help page, the online-based bank revealed they have teamed up with LoungeKey to give anyone with Monzo Premium or Monzo Max discounted access to airport lounges worldwide.

It explained: “You and guests can access 1,100 airport lounges around the world for a flat fee of £24 per person, per visit. This rate includes Max Family, and you will need to pay per person, per visit.

“You are required to complete strong customer authentication (SCA) before visiting a lounge for the first time. You will only need to go through this process once, as subsequent transactions will be processed from your stored card on file.

“If you replace your card you will need to re-register the payment method and complete SCA again, this includes physically presenting your new card at the lounge the first time you intend to use it.”

Do you have to pre-book?

We didn’t book and instead just turned up, as it was never our plan to go to the lounge until we were faced with loud kids and a massive wait. Monzo explained that some lounges will allow you to pre-book before your visit.

Howeve,r if you go for this option, you will be charged at least £6 on top of your discounted price. It states this price is determined by the airport lounge and has nothing to do with Monzo.

It added: “If you visit on the day without pre-booking, you will just pay the discounted price of £24 per person, but this is dependent on whether the lounge has space.”

It is worth noting that Monzo says that customers will need to have their physical Monzo card with them for their first visit. We had ours with us, but were also able to give the staff the number on our card to get the benefit too.

So where are you planning on holidaying next – and will you be getting comfy in an airport lounge? Let us know in the comments.

Oct. 16 (UPI) — President Donald Trump announced a deal Thursday between his administration and a pharmaceutical company that could reduce the cost of some fertility medications.

Administration officials say the deal between the government and EMD Serono will help millions of U.S. women who have trouble conceiving afford the cost of medications that could help.

“In the Trump administration, we want to make it easier for couples to have babies, raise children and start the families they’ve always dreamed about,” Trump said during his Oval Office announcement.

The president said during the announcement that EMD Serono, the world’s largest fertility drug manufacturer, has agreed to provide discounts for the drugs it sells in the United States, including Gonal-f, which is used to treat infertility by men and women.

A fertility drug cycle typically costs between $5,000 and $6,000, the administration said, and only about 30% of families have access to employer insurance that will cover the treatment. Women trying to conceive can require different amounts of the drug.

Trump said his administration is working with employers to make it easier for them to offer supplemental insurance coverage for fertility treatments.

“As a result of these actions, the per-cycle cost of drugs used in IVF will fall by an estimated 73% for American consumers, and the numbers are going to actually be very substantially higher as time goes by when it really kicks in,” Trump continued during the announcement.

Trump blamed inflated fertility drug prices as a reason for the high cost of IVF treatment, and claimed the cost for the procedure is 700% times more expensive in the United States than in the rest of the world.

Seroni said in its statement that IVF patients will be able to buy Gonal-f at an 84% discount.

The field of comparatively low-cost standoff munitions offerings continues to expand, with Kratos throwing its hat into the ring in the form of the Ragnarok Low-Cost Cruise Missile (LCCM).

The slender munition, which is named after the cataclysmic end of the world in Norse mythology, is capable of fitting into the bays of the XQ-58 Valkyrie drone, another Kratos product. The missile has a 500 nautical mile range and can carry an 80-pound payload, according to a release from the company. Ragnarok can also cruise at up to 35,000 feet at Mach 0.7.

While these performance figures, as least as claimed, are quite impressive, the price is perhaps more so. Kratos says the missile will cost $150,000 per unit in quantities of 100. One would imagine that number would drop further, possibly substantially so, if purchase volumes were expanded.

The performance and cost figures fit precisely with the USAF’s previously stated goals for such a weapon, which you can read about here.

Other listed features of Ragnarok’s design include a heavy use of carbon composites in its construction, an innovative wing-folding mechanism for compact storage and transport, and its ability to be deployed from weapons bays, wings, and from pallets. The fact that it is clearly built with the XQ-58 as a host in mind could prove to be a major advantage for Kratos, as the stealthy drone has extreme interest from various customers, and especially the USMC. Beyond fighters, advanced drones, bombers, and transports, its small size could see it migrate to non-traditional aircraft, including attack helicopters, if its weight allows it. U.S. Special Operations Command is also highly interested in a small cruise missile with this kind of performance, and is actively testing similar ones now.

No mention of a ground/surface launch variant is made in the release, nor are guidance packages and payload options, beyond a warhead, but we have reached out for more info on that and other aspects of the program.

Kratos has found a unique niche in the current defense acquisition environment, as its roots are primarily in target drones. The expertise built up by producing these often expendable uncrewed aircraft has ported over to the current rush toward lower-cost long-range munitions, as well as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and other affordable highly autonomous uncrewed systems.

The push for low-cost cruise missiles has exploded with companies large and small coming to the table with various offerings. Few have the pedigree of reliably building relatively advanced, but low-cost airframes like Kratos. Competition is growing rapidly in this space to meet emerging U.S. and foreign demands, which are in some cases intertwined. Ukraine is now in line to receive thousands of low-cost cruise missile-like munitions developed through a USAF program called the Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM). However, other U.S. allies and partners, and the U.S. military itself, could be on track to benefit from the ERAM effort. Whether they come via ERAM or other programs, U.S. military purchases of weapons in this general vein are clearly on the horizon as advanced munitions stockpile concerns are now making headlines.

Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems, is quoted as stating the following in the official release from Kratos:

“The Ragnarök LCCM represents our commitment to developing high-performance strike systems, for Valkyrie, that meet the evolving needs of today’s warfighter in conjunction with the budget realities that dictate what systems ultimately make it to the field… Its modular design delivers maximum combat capability for carriage and launch options. With complementary capability to the Northrop Grumman’s Lumberjack that’s recently been in the news, weapons in this new class which support unmanned and manned applications are coming to the forefront demonstrating their performance value per cost.”

As noted earlier, we reached out to Kratos with a number of questions about Ragnarok and the vision for it as it evolves, as well as its exact developmental state, although the company does say in their release that it is “ready for production.”

Contact the author: Tyler@twz.com.

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats are poised for the 10th time Thursday to reject a stopgap spending bill that would reopen the government, insisting they won’t back away from demands that Congress take up healthcare benefits.

The repetition of votes on the funding bill has become a daily drumbeat in Congress, underscoring how intractable the situation has become. It has been at times the only item on the agenda for the Senate floor, while House Republicans have left Washington altogether. The standoff has lasted over two weeks, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed, even more without a guaranteed payday and Congress essentially paralyzed.

“Every day that goes by, there are more and more Americans who are getting smaller and smaller paychecks,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, adding that there have been thousands of flight delays across the country as well.

Thune, a South Dakota Republican, again and again has tried to pressure Democrats to break from their strategy of voting against the stopgap funding bill. It hasn’t worked. And while some bipartisan talks have been ongoing about potential compromises on healthcare, they haven’t produced any meaningful progress toward reopening the government. Thune has also offered to hold a later vote on extending subsidies for health plans offered under Affordable Care Act marketplaces, but said he would not “guarantee a result or an outcome.”

Democrats say they won’t budge until they get a guarantee on extending the tax credits for the health plans. They warn that millions of Americans who buy their own health insurance — such as small business owners, farmers and contractors — will see large increases when premium prices go out in the coming weeks. Looking ahead to a Nov. 1 deadline in most states, they think voters will demand that Republicans enter into serious negotiations.

“The ACA crisis is looming over everyone’s head, and yet Republicans seem ready to let people’s premiums spike,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer in a floor speech.

Still, Thune was also trying a different tack Thursday with a vote to proceed to appropriations bills — a move that could grease the Senate’s gears into some action or just deepen the divide between the two parties.

A deadline for subsidies on health plans

Democrats have rallied around their priorities on healthcare as they hold out against voting for a Republican bill that would reopen the government. Yet they also warn that the time to strike a deal to prevent large increases for many health plans is drawing short.

When they controlled Congress during the pandemic, Democrats boosted subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans. It pushed enrollment under President Obama’s signature healthcare law to new levels and drove the rate of uninsured people to a historic low. Nearly 24 million people currently get their health insurance from subsidized marketplaces, according to healthcare research nonprofit KFF.

Democrats — and some Republicans — are worried that many of those people will forgo insurance if the price rises dramatically. While the tax credits don’t expire until next year, health insurers will soon send out notices of the price increases. In most states, they go out Nov. 1.

Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she has heard from “families who are absolutely panicking about their premiums that are doubling.”

“They are small business owners who are having to think about abandoning the job they love to get employer-sponsored healthcare elsewhere or just forgoing coverage altogether,” she added.

Murray also said that if many people decide to leave their health plan, it could have an effect across medical insurance because the pool of people under health plans will shrink. That could result in higher prices across the board, she said.

Some Republicans have acknowledged that the expiration of the tax credits could be a problem and floated potential compromises to address it, but there is hardly a consensus among the GOP.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) this week called the COVID-era subsidies a “boondoggle,” adding that “when you subsidize the healthcare system and you pay insurance companies more, the prices increase.”

President Trump has said he would “like to see a deal done for great healthcare,” but has not meaningfully weighed in on the debate. And Thune has insisted that Democrats first vote to reopen the government before entering any negotiations on healthcare.

If Congress were to engage in negotiations on significant changes to healthcare, it would likely take weeks, if not longer, to work out a compromise.

Votes on appropriations bills

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are setting up a vote Thursday to proceed to a bill to fund the Defense Department and several other areas of government. This would turn the Senate to Thune’s priority of working through spending bills and potentially pave the way to paying salaries for troops, though the House would eventually need to come back to Washington to vote for a final bill negotiated between the two chambers.

It could also put a crack in Democrats’ resolve. Thune said Thursday, “If they want to stop the defense bill, I don’t think it’s very good optics for them.”

It wasn’t clear whether Democrats would give the support needed to advance the bills. They discussed the idea at their luncheon Wednesday and emerged saying they wanted to review the Republican proposal and make sure it included appropriations that are priorities for them.

While the votes will not bring the Senate any closer to an immediate fix for the government shutdown, it could at least turn their attention to issues where there is some bipartisan agreement.

Still, there was a growing sense on Capitol Hill that an end to the stasis is nowhere in sight.

“So many of you have asked all of us, how will it end?” said House Speaker Johnson. “We have no idea.”

Groves and Jalonick write for the Associated Press.