The Dragon’s Eye is a striking cabin in west Wales that provides a staycation that is very much out of the ordinary

Staying in a unique glamping pod will provide an unforgettable stay and there are still outstanding properties to choose from even though we’re heading towards the summer. If you’re searching for a staycation that’s anything but ordinary, this striking lakeside cabin in West Wales is unlike any glamping retreat you’ve seen before.

The Dragon’s Eye is a one-of-a-kind hideaway which has been featured on Cabins in the Wild. The Dragon’s Eye offers a rare chance to reconnect with nature in a setting that’s both memorable and peaceful.

Located in the rolling countryside near Mydroilyn, the solar-powered cabin blends bold, contemporary design with the tranquillity of its natural surroundings. It is a curved, eye-shaped structure that creates a dramatic focal point while framing uninterrupted views across the landscape.

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One of its standout features of the Dragon’s Eye is the rotating king-size bed, allowing guests to wake up to countryside views before turning it away from the windows at night for a cosier feel. As part of its off-grid experience, there’s no television or WiFi, encouraging visitors to fully embrace the peaceful surroundings and enjoy a digital detox.

Outside, guests can soak in a private jacuzzi-style hot tub overlooking the lake, gather around the fire pit beneath star-filled skies or make use of the shared pizza oven and gas barbecue for relaxed alfresco dining.

The Dragon’s Eye Cabin

£503

£435

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Dragon’s Eye is a unique and award-winning wild cabin experience. A three night stay this July is currently on offer at holidaycottages.co.uk

One downside to the Dragon’s Eye is that it is not pet-friendly. If you are after a holiday home that accepts dogs, the Middle Tumble Cottage in Powys accepts two well-behaved dogs and is an excellent choice for a luxury holiday in mid-Wales with friends or family.

Buyagift also offers deals on short getaways, like the Two Night Memorable Break for Two. The Buyagift £249.99 exclusive voucher is flexible hotel gift opens the door to a curated range of 3- and 4-star stays across the UK and beyond.

Guests who have booked the Dragon’s Eye cabin have given it very good reviews. The property is praised for its good location and cool architecture

One visitor said: “Absolutely stunning place had a great time and will never forget it, could not recommend this place enough simply amazing location and cabin.”

Another said: “Great little cosy hut in a beautiful location with a unique architecture. Inside is basic but has what you need. Having a hot tub under the stars is amazing and there’s plenty of good walks/things to do or see in the area.”

A third pleased guest, enthusiastically wrote: “Fantastic place to stay! So picturesque and tranquil, great facilities and star gazing in the hot tub and the huge bed at night was just amazing, plenty of wood provided for the fire. Cant rate this place highly enough! Will be back in the future.”

One visitor pointed out: “Stunning views and very quiet surroundings and the animals are great fun to watch from the hot tub this is an off-grid cabin with no reception or WiFi which I loved but some may struggle.”

Regardless, the Dragon’s Eye cabin is a much-loved property, with another holidaymaker saying: “The Dragon’s Eye is an amazing place to stay. The views from the room and hot tub were unreal especially during sunset.

“Going when we did (out of holiday season) it was quiet with no other guests so was very relaxing. An amazing find and it’s safe to say we’ll be returning.”

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

A major incident has been declared by emergency services with people being told to leave their homes due to a wildfire.

Pictures and videos show a fire spreading on the hillside with smoke seen from miles around. North Wales Police and multiple crews from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service are at the scene near Sychnant Pass on Conwy Mountain.

People are being moved from their homes and people are told not to travel to the area unless essential.

The large-scale wildfire has been burning since the early hours. Firefighters are working in what has been described as “challenging conditions” and are trying to contain the fire and protect surrounding communities, property, infrastructure and the environment.

A spokesperson for Penmaenmawr Town Council said: “Emergency services have advised that residents in parts of Capelulo, around the Fairy Glen public house, should evacuate the area due to smoke. Residents in the affected area are asked to leave safely and follow the instructions of the emergency services on scene.”

The designated place of safety for residents has been moved. Their statement read: “Following advice from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, the place of safety for evacuated residents has now been moved. Penmaenmawr Golf Club is now closed, and The Gladstone is now acting as the designated place of safety for residents affected by the precautionary evacuation.

Jami Jennings from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “Firefighters remain on scene working in challenging conditions to contain the fire and protect surrounding communities, property, infrastructure and the environment. The incident involves a coordinated response from multiple fire appliances, specialist wildfire resources and partner agencies.

“Due to the size and complexity of the incident, operations are expected to continue for some time. We would ask members of the public to avoid the affected area to allow emergency services to work safely and efficiently. Please follow any road closures, evacuation advice or safety instructions issued by the emergency services.“Residents in nearby communities of Dwygyfylchi and Penmaenmawr should keep windows and doors closed if affected by smoke and seek medical advice if they experience breathing difficulties. Motorists are advised to expect delays and consider alternative routes.“Wildfires can spread rapidly, particularly during periods of hot, dry and windy weather. We continue to ask everyone to act responsibly by avoiding the use of disposable barbecues, ensuring cigarettes are fully extinguished and reporting any signs of fire immediately by calling 999.“This response is being managed in close collaboration with our partners, including the police, ambulance service, local authority, landowners and environmental agencies.“We will continue to assess the situation and deploy resources where they are needed most.”

The statement says North Wales Police is coordinating the evacuation strategy for residents who are being told to attend an agreed rest centre.”

“We appreciate the patience and co-operation of the community and would also like to thank our firefighters, control staff, partner agencies and volunteers whose professionalism and commitment are helping to bring this incident under control.“We will provide further updates as more information becomes available through our official communication channels,” it continues.

A spokesperson for North Wales Police said: “The road is currently closed on Conwy Old Road, Dwygyfylchi, due to a fire. Additionally, can local residents please keep all doors and windows closed for the time being.”

You can follow live updates from the incident below:

PAMPLONA, Spain (AP) — A runner was gored in the face and many more were fortunate to not be seriously injured during a chaotic bull run at Spain’s San Fermin festival on Saturday.

The six bulls and accompanying steers charged through crowds of thrill-seekers who packed the narrow street course in Pamplona. The huge animals knocked down bodies to the cobblestones, and stumbling runners caused several pileups during the two-and-a-half-minute run from the pen to the bull ring where bullfighters will kill the bulls later in the day.

One runner was pierced by a horn in the face, while 12 more people needed medical treatment for an assortment of knocks, according to the University of Navarra Hospital.

A black bull broke away from the pack early in the 875-meter (957-yard) run and plowed into a group of people, smacking one full in the side of the face with a horn. It was not clear if that was the moment of the goring.

Many runners appeared completely unaware when bulls were breathing down their necks and, instead of trying to gore them, just shoved them out of the way.

Saturday’s was the fifth morning run of the eight-day festival in northern Spain.

This year’s festival comes 100 years since the publication of Ernest Hemingway’s novel “The Sun Also Rises,” whose publication launched the San Fermin festival to international fame.

The last death at San Fermin’s bull runs occurred in 2009, but gorings and broken bones are common, partly due to the large number of novice bull runners and foreign tourists who join the experienced locals.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Justice has subpoenaed New York Times journalists after they reported on security concerns involving the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One, marking a dramatic escalation of President Donald Trump ’s campaign against the media that has drawn condemnation for eroding a fundamental freedom of American democracy.

The new jet, a present from the U.S. ally that the administration spent $400 million on to retrofit and upgrade, entered service last week. But Trump used an older model Air Force One jet to leave a NATO summit in Turkey and later referenced threats against him made by Iran.

The subpoenas seek to force the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan next week, the Times said, adding that federal agents delivered some subpoenas to the reporters at their homes.

They were issued after FBI Director Kash Patel and other Justice Department officials met at the White House on Friday to talk about the matter, according to a person familiar with the discussions who was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The journalists subpoenaed included Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt, the Times reported.

It also said that before its first story was published, a senior official at the FBI contacted a reporter and editor to ask that the article be held, citing national security issues. The newspaper said that the FBI official declined to explain the security issue but asked The Times to disclose its sources for the story, which the Times said it refused to do.

“The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects,” David McCraw, a lawyer for the Times, said in a statement.

The White House did not answer messages seeking comment about the subpoenas of the Times journalists.

Bruce D. Brown, president of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said Trump’s “war on the press is looking for another victim.”

He said in a statement that the subpoenas “break from longstanding Justice Department practice to protect the public interest and press independence by requiring prosecutors to only seek information from reporters as a last resort when all other avenues have been exhausted.”

The Justice Department said that “to be clear, reporters are not the targets, those leaking classified information are.”

Its statement said “we value and appreciate the important role that the press plays in this country, but DOJ also plays an important role to make sure that the people entrusted with our nation’s secrets do what they’re supposed to do with that information, which means not sharing classified information.”

While recognizing “there may always be natural tension there,” the department said “we are not going to ignore the law and stop investigating the people who work in the administration and think it’s okay to leak classified information impacting national security.”

Part of a pattern of anti-press actions

Issuing subpoenas represents further ramping up of Trump’s effort to threaten independent new organizations by leveraging the power of the federal government against them. It is also part of a systematic pattern by the Republican president to attempt to undermine press freedom in order to shield him from negative coverage.

Earlier this year, the Justice Department issued subpoenas seeking to compel testimony from reporters at The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. In both cases, the department later withdrew the subpoenas, though.

In January, FBI agents searched the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson, who has been covering Trump’s transformation of the federal government, as part of a leak investigation into a Pentagon contractor accused of taking home classified information.

Adam Steinbaugh, senior attorney for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said Friday’s subpoenas and the prospect of “hauling reporters before grand juries sends a chilling message to journalists and whistleblowers alike: Watch what you say, or expect a knock on the door.”

“These tactics are becoming more common,” Steinbaugh said in a statement. “That doesn’t make them normal.”

During his first term, Trump suggested that the press constituted an “enemy” of the American people. Since returning to the White House, he has waged an aggressive campaign against the media unlike any in modern U.S. history.

Trump’s attacks against news outlets and media figures he believes are overly critical of him has included filing lawsuits against outlets whose coverage he dislikes, threatening to revoke TV broadcast licenses and seeking to bend news organizations and social media companies to his will.

The Justice Department over the years has developed and revised internal policies governing how it will respond to news media leaks.

Though the department across presidential administrations has periodically seized the phone records of individual journalists in hopes of identifying sources for national security stories, it is extremely rare for the government to attempt to compel reporters to reveal their sources before a grand jury.

In April 2025, then-Attorney General Pam Bondi rescinded a policy from President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration that protected journalists from having their phone records secretly seized during leak investigations — a practice long decried by news organizations and press freedom groups.

Doing so again gave prosecutors the authority to use subpoenas, court orders and search warrants to hunt for government officials who make “unauthorized disclosures” to journalists.

A memo Bondi issued said members of the press are “presumptively entitled to advance notice of such investigative activities,” and subpoenas are to be “narrowly drawn.” Warrants must also include “protocols designed to limit the scope of intrusion into potentially protected materials or newsgathering activities,” the memo stated.

Trump didn’t use his new Air Force One while leaving Turkey

The president flew the new Air Force One to Turkey during this week’s visit. But he departed Wednesday on one of the older-model Air Force One jets for Mildenhall, a Royal Air Force base in Suffolk, England.

The newer plane also flew to Mildenhall. Trump then switched to that plane for the flight home to Joint Base Andrews.

The abrupt swap came as a shaky ceasefire with Iran had collapsed, with the U.S. launching airstrikes on Iran and Tehran attacking three Gulf Arab states. Iran and Turkey share a border, sparking speculation that the new jet lacked certain sophisticated security and countermeasure systems.

The Times, citing anonymous sources, reported the switch had come at the urging of the Secret Service, and that the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features of the older aircraft, including antimissile capabilities.

Trump denied any security concerns, posting on social media that the stop in Mildenhall was so that service members there could view the new jet. During the flight, Trump denied to the reporters accompanying him that security concerns involving Iran were a factor in flying two planes home.

Still, asked if he was aware of any credible threats against Air Force One by Iran, Trump responded, “I have a threat all the time. I’m No. 1 on their list.”

___

Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer, Michelle L. Price and Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.

The school has taken a leap forward with an improved rating

A Cambridgeshire school that children feel “immensely proud” to be a part of has been praised by Ofsted in its latest inspection. Elm C of E Primary School, on Main Road in Elm caters to children aged between two and 11, according to the education watchdog.

At current, there are 228 children on its roll. In 2022, the school was rated as ‘good’ overall by Ofsted. However it was rated ‘strong standard’ and ‘expected standard’ in its most recent inspection report published on July 2.

The school received a ‘strong standard’ rating in four areas. These areas are: attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion and leadership and governance.

In the categories early years, personal development and wellbeing and achievement, the school was handed an ‘expected standard’ rating.

The report said: “Pupils are immensely proud to be part of their school community. They feel safe, valued and well supported. Pupils experience a strong sense of belonging and trust in adults across the school. They know that if they need help or are struggling with an aspect of learning or wellbeing there is always an adult who will respond and provide guidance.

“Pupils consistently meet staff’s high expectations for attendance and behaviour. They attend well. Pupils benefit from consistent routines that lead to calm and purposeful classrooms. This helps them focus, concentrate and learn effectively. Pupils approach learning with confidence. As they progress through the school, they develop high expectations of themselves.”

Inspectors praised the school for teaching an “ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum” which “encourages pupils to achieve well”. In addition, teachers were found to “meticulously check that pupils have grasped new learning, so pupils know what they understand and what they need to practice”.

Staff at the school say they “relish the challenge of guiding children through life” and offer a “unique experience for the children” and “the richest learning opportunities”, according to its website.

Elm C of E Primary School were approached for comment.

I’m ragin’ at myself for not coming here sooner

Ragin’ Ramen just moved locations from Church Lane to Ann Street this week and I decided now was the time to try the spot that I’ve walked by a hundred times and vowed to try out.

Their old location was always busy, so opening a larger location was a no-brainer for the guys here. It might be a dead giveaway with the name, but this spot focuses on ramen, but it also has a few options if ramen isn’t your thing.

Here’s what we ordered

• Cheeseburger spring rolls with a burger sauce dipping pot.
• K-Pop Chicken, which had a sweet and spicy maple syrup gochujang sauce.
• A chicken sando topped with pickles, craft cheese slice, tonkatsu kewpie mayo and napa cabbage with a side of curly fries.
• The Akira ramen, which had roast peppers, red onion, spring onion and katsu curry broth. This came with a side of spice bag chicken and sweet chilli curly fries.

What we liked

Straight away, I really liked the decor of this store, and it was clear that a lot of work had gone into creating this space. The walls were covered with artwork and the furniture had clearly been carefully chosen to create the look.

In terms of the food, the cheeseburger spring roll was a great idea, and adding that dipping pot of burger sauce was a fantastic move that won me over from the start. It was a bit of a Western touch on the menu that didn’t feel really out of place.

The ramen was absolutely brilliant, the flavours were great and it was a huge portion. I am a katsu curry fan, so I knew this one would be my go-to on the menu.

The chicken sando was great and really highlighted the quality of the meat used here. It was essentially a chicken burger and curly fries, but one of the best chicken burgers I’ve had in a while, which is surprising from a ramen restaurant. I think this is a testament to their mix of flavours here.

What I didn’t like/ would change

This is entirely on me, but I didn’t know that the Akira came with a side of chicken. It does say “spice bag chicken” on the menu, but I thought it came with the ramen, so we ended up over-ordering by adding the K-Pop chicken. This was nothing about the taste at all, but just something to be mindful of so you don’t end up as stuffed as I did.

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How much it cost

Our meal came to £56 in total and we had two soft drinks on top of what we ordered. I thought this was a reasonable price given the great quality of the food. In the future, I would probably leave a starter off our order because we ended up with too much food, which would reduce the price a little for you.

Ragin’ Ramen for me is a spot you shouldn’t walk past like I did too many times. It is a really trendy spot, with fantastic staff who really seem like a great spot, and the food really is fantastic. Mix all that with a cool atmosphere and it is a winner in my eyes.

I am just ragin’ I didn’t try it sooner because it’s one of the coolest spots in Belfast City Centre!

In the interest of fairness and transparency, we pay for all the meals and drinks we review. This ensures that we are giving accurate and honest representations of the food and service that we receive. So, unless we state otherwise that we were invited down, we have paid for the meal ourselves and visited without the knowledge of the eatery, so you can trust our opinions aren’t skewed by a freebie.

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There are plenty of British politicians who love talking about sport. It makes them appear normal, grounded and relatable to voters.

But it seems that not many enjoy talking about the political side of it – especially the concept of “sportswashing”, when sport is allegedly used by a country to deflect attention away from concerns over issues such as human rights violations it might be involved in.

My recently published research shows that UK politicians have been extremely reluctant to discuss this difficult subject. The term “sportswashing” has been uttered just 37 times in the UK parliament since its first mention in 2021 (that was in relation to the failed plans for a breakaway European super league).

Elsewhere, the idea of sportswashing has become widely discussed, as ever increasing levels of sporting investment are used by (usually authoritarian) governments as a form of global influence.

But even in 2022, referred to by some as sportswashing’s “biggest year” – because of the men’s World Cup in Qatar and the winter Olympics in Beijing – the term was uttered just five times.

This hesitancy to address the topic might appear strange when the UK is home to some of the most high-profile events and teams accused of being associated with sportswashing.

For example, the Premier League’s Manchester City is often cited as an example of sportswashing. It is owned by Sheikh Mansour, vice president and deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, which has been widely criticised for its record on human rights.

Some have argued that this kind of ownership transforms the club’s fans into “proxy defenders of the UAE government and Abu Dhabi royal family […] creating a halo effect whereby supporters conflate their joy over their club’s success with its ownership regime”.

Likewise, the Gulf State Bahrain essentially owns the UK-based Formula One McLaren team. Another Premier League side, Newcastle United is majority-owned by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund.

When the Saudi take over was finalised in October 2021, it was the subject of over 400 newspaper articles globally that month – all of which used the term “sportswashing”. But despite the international interest and the controversial nature of the deal, UK politicians decided it wasn’t worth talking about in the House of Commons.

No UK government minister has ever mentioned sportswashing in parliament, other than to confirm that the government does not have an official definition of the term. No official government documents or texts using the word, including research and policy papers, consultations and press releases, can be found on the official UK government website.

No Labour MP has used the term in the House of Commons since the party took office in July 2024, even when legislation on football governance was being passed. Yet part of that bill was designed to strengthen the “fit and proper persons” test for football club ownership.

There was one debate in the House of Lords in March 2024 however, which might help to explain why there has been such limited official discussion. That exchange included mention of the “benefits of inward investment” in the UK’s sports sector.

So perhaps the Conservative government of the time viewed foreign investment in UK sports as a positive development, and had no concerns about its source.

Human rights

Wider investments in other areas of the economy might also be a consideration. Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman warned the then UK prime minister Boris Johnson in 2021 that relations between the two countries would be “damaged” if the takeover of Newcastle United was not permitted by the Premier League.

Bin Salman has previously said he does not care about the accusations, telling Fox News: “If sportswashing is going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we’ll continue doing sportswashing.”

The recent announcement of a £3.7 billion trade deal between the UK and six Gulf States may also help to explain the apparent reluctance of UK politicians to raise the issue of sportswashing.

For sport and politics continue to be deeply entwined. This year’s men’s football World Cup, is a case in point. Human rights groups had suggested that the World Cup 2026 be a “bonanza of sportswashing” in the US, due to concerns about immigration and threats to press freedom.

In the event, politics has never been far from the action on the field.
To mention just a couple of examples, a tournament referee from Somalia was refused entry to the US, while Iran’s team had to move its training base to Mexico as conflict in the Middle East rumbled on.

So debates about politics and its relationship with sport will no doubt continue. But political inaction in sporting issues often represents a strategic decision to not intervene.

Keir Starmer may have felt comfortable calling for the recent Champions League final to be free to air or to ask Fifa not to change
the time of a match between Mexico and England.

But it would appear that he, his government, and many other politicians feel less inclined to get involved in the more difficult discussions relating to sport in the UK.

The US insists the Strait of Hormuz is open, despite Iran saying it has closed the waterway amid renewed strikes.

Hostilities, which flared up again this week, continued on Saturday after the US said it had struck more than 140 targets across Iran.

The attacks were a response to Iranian forces hitting a ship passing through the strait, which it said was using an unapproved route.

Iran has been trying to assert control over the waterway, and early on Sunday said it was closed until further notice.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also launched wide-ranging attacks on US bases and allies across the region on Sunday, marking an escalation in the scale of hostilities.

It said it had hit a US base in Jordan, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain all said they had responded to missiles and drones from Iran.

The BBC has approached US Central Command for comment on the attack in Jordan.

Qatar, a mediator in ceasefire talks, had not been attacked since April, while the UAE had not been attacked since May.

The renewed fire has put in jeopardy an interim ceasefire agreement signed last month, which aimed ​to reopen the Strait and eventually bring a permanent end to the conflict.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump declared the Iranian attacks meant the ceasefire was over, while Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US of violating the deal.

However, Trump said talks would still continue and mediators were trying to revive the process.

US media reported that Iran told American officials attacks on tankers earlier this week were a mistake and blamed a rogue internal group.

The latest hostilities were sparked after the IRGC said it had fired a naval cruise missile at a vessel that was attempting to sail along an unapproved route.