Taiwanese authorities have warned that Bavi could bring up to 1m (39 inches) of rainfall. Some 29,000 soldiers have been put on standby to help with relief efforts, according to the island’s defence ministry.

Bavi is set to be the largest storm, by size, to hit the island since 1987, Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration told Reuters.

Farmers across the region rushed to harvest or protect their crops while the weather held earlier on Friday, while fishermen made sure to secure their vessels tightly.

“Don’t be fooled by the nice and calm weather now. A storm like this could be the most terrifying,” 60-year-old fisherman Chen Ming-hui told Reuters.

Thousands of sandbags have been distributed to residents and shop-owners in flood-prone areas.

Across the strait, China has also warned of “significant impact” from the typhoon that could move northward after smashing into the south-eastern Fujian province.

“Bavi’s large size and abundant energy mean its remnants and outer rainbands could move from Jiangsu and Anhui provinces toward the Bohai Sea region,” said Ma Jun, director of China’s Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs.

The northern provinces, which have “less experience” dealing with typhoons in comparison with the south, should “strengthen preparations”, he warned.

Some forecasts suggest Bavi could make landfall twice in China.

Children aged five to 15 will be able to travel free on participating local bus services throughout August, potentially saving parents hundreds of pounds on trips during the school break.

The offer will run from August 1 until August 31, with ministers saying it will make family days out more affordable as households continue to feel the pressure from the cost of living.

Who qualifies for free bus travel?

The scheme is open to children aged between five and 15 travelling on participating bus services in England.

It means families will not have to pay child fares, which typically cost between £1 and £2 per journey.

Under-fives already travel free with most major bus operators.

How much could families save?

Parents using buses regularly during the school holidays could save significant sums over the month.

The free travel can be used for journeys to beaches, museums, parks, shopping trips, theme parks and other summer attractions.

The initiative forms part of the Government’s Great British Summer Savings campaign, which also includes discounts on children’s meals, cinema tickets, theatre performances and family attractions.

Minister says scheme will help families enjoy summer

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the initiative would help families enjoy more affordable days out.

She said: “Great British Summer Savings means more people can be excited about getting out and about this summer, whether it’s seeing the Roman Baths, learning something new at the Science Museum, or falling asleep on the bus ride home after a day riding rollercoasters at Alton Towers.

“I know that the cost of living is a concern for households across the UK, which is why we’re cutting the cost of the day-to-day, with free bus travel for children this summer and the £3 bus fare cap helping more families make the most of the small plans that make life enjoyable.”

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More travel support for households

The Government has also confirmed the £3 bus fare cap for adults will remain in place until March 2027.

Ministers say the move is part of wider efforts to make public transport more affordable, alongside investment in local bus services across England.

Roads Minister Simon Lightwood visited Bath ahead of the launch to promote the scheme, which follows similar free bus initiatives that have already proved popular in some parts of the country.

Families will be able to take advantage of the free travel throughout August before schools return in September.

Fery is certain to have the Centre Court crowd firmly behind him on what is a baking afternoon at SW19, but Zverev comes into the match full of confidence. He is now a Grand Slam champion after winning the French Open earlier in the summer and has his eyes on going back-to-back. The German’s serve has been broken just four times all tournament and he cruised past Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog below!

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Eight South Carolina National Guard helicopter pilots have been returned to flying duties following a suspension over a low-flying sweep over beachgoers as part of a July 4 event honoring servicemembers.

“Effective immediately, the suspension of all involved South Carolina pilots has been lifted,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote Friday morning on social media. “Carry on Patriots.”

The suspension followed “Salute from the Shore,” a July 4 tradition honoring servicemembers in South Carolina since 2010 that features vintage and modern military aircraft flying along the 187-mile length of the state’s shoreline, with the intent of sparking patriotism among thousands of beachgoers gathered for the holiday.

This year’s salute included F-16s with the South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing out of McEntire Joint Base, as well as a C-17 from the 437th Airlift Wing based at Joint Base Charleston. For the first time, Apache helicopters joined the air parade, which also featured civilian-owned vintage planes like T-34s and T-6s.

Numerous attendees often post video on social media of the display, but this year, online images of the Apaches flying at what appeared to be a low height over crowded beaches sparked concern with the South Carolina National Guard, which launched a review of the event and temporarily suspended the eight pilots from flying duties while that was ongoing, later clarifying the suspension was “a routine, non-punitive safety measure, not a disciplinary action.”

Late Thursday night, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted on social media that the Pentagon was getting involved, writing, “We’ll fix this. Carry on, Patriots.”

South Carolina Republicans rebuked the suspension, too. Rep. Russell Fry, who represents the Myrtle Beach area, said Thursday that the pilots “should be celebrated, not sanctioned.”

Less than two hours before Parnell’s post noting the suspension had been lifted, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster — who serves as commander-in-chief of the state’s National Guard — said Friday he trusted the pilots’ acumen, writing in a social media post that Guardsmen fly in wartime.

“Surely, they know how to safely navigate the coast of South Carolina — and her scores of cheering residents and tourists on our 250th anniversary,” McMaster wrote.

Officials with McMaster’s office and South Carolina National Guard did not immediately return messages seeking comment on Friday, including whether McMaster — a longtime ally of President Donald Trump — had directly intervened. The Pentagon declined to comment beyond Parnell’s statement.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

Man United have agreed a deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos after missing out on other targets.

It’s not an exact science, but the reaction of a club’s supporters when a player is sold can be a good gauge of whether they will be a successful signing.

With that in mind, the reaction of the majority of Chelsea fans to Andrey Santos’ exit can only bode well for Manchester United. Most of their supporters cannot believe they have allowed him to join United in a deal worth £50million.

There has been surprise that Chelsea have allowed Santos to leave after being patient with his development, and that United have been able to strike a deal for what has been perceived as a reasonable fee.

The bizarre thing is that the majority of United supporters on social media are not pleased with the transfer either. Some have compared it to United shopping at Tesco while their rivals have been shopping at Waitrose.

Tottenham have finished 17th in back-to-back seasons, but they have shown ambition by signing Mateus Fernandes for £85m and Sandro Tonali for £100m. Manchester City landed Elliot Anderson for £116m.

United wanted to sign Anderson before pivoting to Fernandes because of the cost of that deal. Then it became apparent that Tottenham were prepared to meet West Ham’s asking price for Fernandes.

The Reds have worked down their midfield shortlist and have landed on Santos. The Brazilian compares well statistically to United’s former priority midfield targets, but football is played on a pitch, not on a spreadsheet.

United have placed immense trust in their overhauled data department over the last 18 months. Michael Sansoni’s appointment as director of data was seen as a coup, with the data expert joining United after working as the senior performance engineer at the Mercedes F1 team.

Sansoni contributed to eight world championship-winning seasons at Mercedes, but he’s got his work cut out to help shape a United squad that would be the first since 2013 to lift the Premier League trophy.

United’s transfer strategy is not entirely based on data, but there are certain signings, like Santos, which are more influenced by the numbers than others. Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo were statistically attractive, for example, but they were hardly unknown quantities in the Premier League.

Although Santos does not fall into the ‘unknown quantity’ category having played for Chelsea last season, he only made 13 starts in the top flight, so there is a smaller bank of evidence to assess.

The reaction from Chelsea fans to Santos’ departure is encouraging, though. It suggests that United have secured a talented player for a fair fee, which is ultimately the club’s main goal in the transfer market.

A Chelsea fan account with over 200,000 followers on X posted: “Christopher Vivell sold us Garnacho then got Andrey Santos off us. He must be laughing again at these people he walked away from.”

United fans will have to wait to see whether Santos is a success. The concerns are understandable, given that other clubs have spent top dollar on more established midfielders, but he has the talent to be a hit.

Santos was not starting regularly at Chelsea because Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez were ahead of him. Caicedo was signed for £100m and Fernandez was signed for £115m. There is no such competition at United.

It’s also interesting to compare data radars between Santos and Aurelien Tchouameni. The latter is seen by many as a dream midfield signing, but there is not much difference between him and Santos in key metrics.

Again, it’s important to stress that football is not played on a spreadsheet, but United have looked at the numbers in front of them and identified an opportunity for a fee that they are comfortable paying.

It’s a strategy that could look like a stroke of genius 10 games into the campaign. Santos will inevitably be compared to Anderson and Fernandes, and the transfer will be widely praised if he performs as well as either of them.

There is obvious potential for United to look foolish if Santos does not succeed, although the reaction of Chelsea fans, who have watched him closely, provides optimism that won’t be the case.

The plans received nearly 50 objections

Plans for more than 300 homes on the Cambridgeshire border have been approved. Vistry Group submitted a hybrid planning application in 2024 to build up to 325 homes on land south of Newmarket Road in Royston.

The plans were proposed in two phases, with the first phase consisting of 106 homes with a public open space and access from Newmarket Road. The second phase proposed up to 219 new homes, with access from Burloes Hall Drive.

These plans have now been approved by North Hertfordshire Council. Before approval, the applicants said the vision for the site was for it to become a “highly desirable place to live, play and socialise”.

They added: “Furthermore, it will be to highlight the unique qualities of the scheme and its setting whilst providing a high quality new development with its own sense of place. It will link with the natural green spaces and be carefully integrated with sustainable urban drainage, enhanced biodiversity and high levels of visual amenity.”

Vistry also set out to create a new community that has its “own sense of identity” but has “strong links” with Royston. Homes in the first phase will be a “good mix” of accommodation, the plans said.

They will be: two one-bedroom maisonettes, two two-bedroom maisonettes, four two-bedroom bungalows, 12 two-bedroom houses, 47 three-bedroom homes, 33 four-bedroom homes and six five-bedroom homes.

The applicants said those in the homes for phase one will be provided with “good pedestrian connections” in and out of the development, as well as the surrounding area. The open space is planned to be “joyful to use, with opportunities for sitting, meeting and play on the way”.

The development will also have a woodland edge, acting as a “green frame”, providing viewpoints, parkland pockets, and exercise spaces.

Despite being approved, the plans received 48 objections. One objector, who lives in Saffron Street, Royston, said the number of homes seemed “excessive”. They added: “This will exacerbate traffic on Newmarket Road and Melbourn Street which is already very busy. In addition the infrastructure available in the surrounding area will struggle to cope.”

Another person in Aintree Road that the local infrastructure was “already struggling” and Newmarket Road was “continually congested”. They said: “We have lived in our house in Royston for over forty years and have always valued the peace and quiet and use this field and woods to walk daily as a form of escapism. The impact additional housing will have with noise and light pollution alone will make a great difference to our happiness.”

One person in Bury Plantation said they feel their home would be “overlooked” if the homes were built. They added: “The noise and disruption for endless months of building will definitely have an impact on my wellbeing.

“The wildlife will be vastly disrupted and it’s hard enough now to get a doctor’s appointment without more houses being built. There are already 2 very large developments being built in Royston, the town can certainly not take on any more with the overcrowding.”

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Western leaders came to Turkey to discuss security in an increasingly perilous world. They each left with a revolver and six rounds.

The unconventional gift from the host of this week’s NATO summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was meant to showcase his country’s growing defense industry.

But it left officials across the alliance scratching their heads. Some were forced to leave their gifts behind due to gun laws in their countries, while others donated theirs to museums.

“It struck me that ⁠my gift of maple syrup kind of undermatched,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters, adding that the firearm was now in police possession. “I would like to reassure Canadians, they keep guns away from me.”

The revolvers were engraved with leaders’ names

“An unusual gift from President @RTErdogan at the NATO Summit: a Magnum revolver with ammunition, engraved with my name,” Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on X, posting a photograph of a display box containing the revolver and six cartridges.

It was not immediately clear what he did with the gift.

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Union commission president, thanked Erdogan for the gift, which will be decommissioned and donated to a military museum, her spokesperson said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters that the gift bag included a note waiving export controls. Still, he left his behind to be decommissioned, because it would be illegal to import it into Britain.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever handed his revolver to airport police upon arrival. The revolvers gifted to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten were left at their countries’ embassies in Ankara and would also be taken out of service, officials said.

In Italy, the gun was logged as a gift at Palazzo Chigi — the official seat of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, an official said. In Greece, officials said the firearm would be donated to the War Museum.

Croatian President Zoran Milanović said he only found out after his return from the summit that Erdogan had given him a gun. His office said it would probably be handed over to a police museum.

“I didn’t take it. I shoot from different weapons,” Milanovic said, referring to his political style.

The White House did not immediately respond to questions about Erdogan’s gift to the leaders.

Reports said the gun aimed to highlight Turkey’s defense industry, which in recent decades has transformed from a major importer into an increasingly self‑reliant producer of advanced military systems, including drones and warships. It is in the process of developing its own next‑generation fighter jet.

Gun culture is deeply rooted in Turkey, and the gift hardly triggered any reaction in the country. Umut Vakfi, a foundation campaigning for gun control, says incidents of armed violence have reached alarming levels, reporting more than 2,700 last year in the country of 86 million people.

Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency said participants at the summit were also given a more conventional gift: a copy of Erdogan’s biography, titled: “The politics of courage: Erdogan and the rise of Türkiye.”

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Associated Press writers Jill Lawless in London, Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Stefania Dazio in Berlin, Colleen Barry in Rome and Elena Becatoros in Athens contributed.

It comes ahead of National Mac and Cheese Day

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Frankie & Benny’s is launching its brand-new Mac Your Meal and until July 19, diners can order any food item from the menu and add a side of Mac & Cheese for 99p, available all day, every day.

A spokesperson said: “Mac and cheese has always been one of the ultimate comfort foods, and we wanted to give our guests a fun reason to indulge. For just 99p, diners can add a rich, creamy side of cheesy goodness to any meal and make their Frankie & Benny’s favourite even better.”

The Mac & Cheese comes with cheese sauce and a golden garlic and herb crumb. National Mac & Cheese Day is celebrated on July 14.

A passenger was reportedly nearly sucked out of a cabin window in mid-air on a Ryanair plane.

Witnesses told local media the man, said to be a Serbian citizen in his 60s, was left hanging head first out of the window as far as his shoulders for several minutes, before other passengers on the flight managed to pull him back inside.

In a statement, Ryanair said its Friday morning flight from the Greek city of Thessaloniki to Germany’s Memmingen returned “shortly after take-off when a passenger window dislodged inflight”.

It continued: “The aircraft landed normally and passengers returned to the terminal. One passenger requested and received medical assistance on the ground in Thessaloniki.”

The Irish budget airline added that “a replacement aircraft was arranged to bring passengers to Memmingen” several hours later.

Media reports in Greece and Germany quoted passengers describing a loud bang followed by the window breaking and oxygen masks falling from the ceiling shortly after the Boeing 737 had taken off.

They believe the window was smashed by pieces of the jet’s engine – although Ryanair has not commented on this.

“We immediately realised there had been a decompression. There were screams… for a moment I thought someone had accidentally opened the emergency door,” Christina, a fellow passenger, told Radio Thessaloniki.

“The masks dropped and there was a strong smell. The head and shoulders of one passenger were outside the window. Fortunately, he hadn’t taken off his seat belt.”

The aircraft – believed to have been an 18 year-old-plane – was operated by Ryanair’s subsidiary Malta Air.

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) later told the BBC that it “is aware of the incident involving a Ryanair group aircraft, registered and operated by Malta Air, departing Thessaloniki this morning”.

“The IAA will provide any requested assistance to the aviation safety investigation authority in Greece and the Maltese Civil Aviation Directorate, to aid their investigation,” it said.

In 2018, a passenger died when debris from a damaged engine caused a window to break on a Southwest Airlines flight in the US, and she was partially sucked out.