The Beach Boys have canceled a slew of summer concerts, including multiple planned state fair appearances, according to local reports.

The band is in the midst of the “Endless Summer Gold” tour, with shows scheduled through November. However, performances between July 23 and September 3 have now reportedly been canceled.

“We’ve been having a blast out there, and to keep the good vibrations going strong, we’ll be taking a short break,” the band said in a statement, as reported by Wisconsin’s ABC affiliate WISN.

Multiple state fairs have been impacted by the cancelations, including Wisconsin, Indiana, Oregon, Alaska and Colorado.

The Independent has contacted representatives for the band for comment.

Some of the canceled dates have already been rescheduled; others remain listed as TBA on ticket sites.

More follows on this breaking news story. Subscribe here to get the latest updates from The Independent

The bar will be open for the duration of the Fleadh

Work is well underway on a new bar which is set to open in the heart of Belfast City Centre.

The bar on Donegall Street will be open for the duration of the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann at the beginning of August. The new venue will be aptly named The Donegal Belfast.

The bar will have live music all day and feature three fully stocked bars throughout.

One of the main features will be the “huge” beer garden, which will rival many others across the city. There will also be a food truck to keep the punters well fed.

Advertisement

According to a TikTok page for the bar, “whether you’re here for the music, the pints or the craic, The Donegal is the place to be this Fleadh.”

They added, “whether you’re here for the trad sessions or just soaking up the festival vibes, we’ve got you covered.”

In addition to other entertainment, such as live music, they plan to have Irish dancers at the venue throughout the Fleadh.

We got a look at the progress so far and have all the details in the TikTok below:

A seven-day annual outdoor entertainments licence was granted for “The Donegal” at 11-17 Donegall Street, a prominent, long-term vacant former warehouse building in Belfast city centre. The site was previously associated with Eason and Son, the historic book and stationery retailer, and is currently being developed to include outdoor entertainment spaces.

The venue will continue as an entertainment space after the Fleadh. The day and hours that outdoor musical entertainment is proposed to be provided are Monday to Saturday 12noon to 11pm and Sunday 12.30 pm to 10:30pm.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here

The 26-year-old attracted interest from across the globe after scoring three goals at this summer’s World Cup

Swansea City have announced the signing of New Zealand winger Elijah Just from Scottish Premiership side Motherwell.

The 26-year-old recently returned from the World Cup, where he scored three goals in as many games to become his country’s all-time leading goalscorer in the tournament. His impressive performances attracted the attention of clubs around the world, with Celtic amongst those interested, but he has now committed his future to Vitor Matos’ side.

He becomes the Swans’ third signing of the summer after Stephen Welsh – who played alongside Just at Motherwell last season – and Moussa Yeo.

Putting pen to paper on a three-year deal, with the option of another year, the attacker also joins international team-mate Marko Stamenić at the Swansea.com Stadium.

The fee for Just has not been disclosed by the Championship club. However, our colleagues at the Daily Record report that Motherwell agreed a club-record fee with Swansea for Just.

They report the “multi-million deal” said to eclipse the sale of Scotland international Lennon Miller to Udinese last summer, which was said to eventually be worth £5 million.

After putting pen to paper on his Swans deal, Just said: “I’m over the moon, to be here now is pretty cool.

“I’m lucky to have Marko [Stamenic] here, we’ve obviously spoken on the phone a lot and he’s told me a lot about the club, and the playing style.

“Welshy [Stephen Welsh] is here too. As soon as Swansea showed interest, I researched as much as I could and it’s an incredible club. I spoke to him, and he is enjoying his time here very much.”

On his recent showing at the World Cup, he added: “It was a long journey, to make it to a World Cup with all the boys was so special.

“The stadiums and the fans were incredible. We were a little disappointed not to make it out of the group, but we had a great time.

“Scoring was an unbelievable feeling. In a World Cup, you know games are going to be tough. I never thought I would score, let alone three goals. New Zealand doesn’t have that much history at the World Cup, so hopefully there’s many to come.”

With the new Championship season getting under way next month, Just continued: “I can’t wait, it’s something I’ve wanted to do in my whole career. I’ve watched a lot of Championship games, and it’s a tough league.

“I’m looking forward to playing many games, I think it’ll suit me well. I’m looking forward to being out there with the boys, contributing and hopefully, we can do something special.”

*Follow all of our social channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Swans news. Sign up to our daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here. Our Swansea City correspondent Tom Coleman is also on social media. He can be found on his X account here, on Instagram, on TikTok and on Facebook.

Fire crews were called to the scene of the fire at a Welsh primary school early on Wednesday morning

Children had to be evacuated from a playgroup after a fire broke out at a Welsh school during the summer holidays. Huge flames and billows of thick smoke were seen coming from windows of Awel Y Mor Primary School in Port Talbot on Wednesday morning.

Multiple fire crews rushed to the scene shortly after 10am. Before they arrived, staff at a Flying Start group being held at the school jumped into action to evacuate children who were at the Lots of Tots holiday club, which was being held in a separate part of the school.

The group will be cancelled for the rest of the week as a result of the fire.

A post from the group said thanked staff “for their calm and professional evacuation of the children”.

A video shows flames billowing from a window of the primary school, where scaffolding is currently erected. Stay informed on everything Neath Port Talbot by signing up to our newsletter here

Firefighters from Port Talbot, Neath Swansea Central, Morriston and Swansea West Fire Stations worked to bring the blaze under control, before leaving the scene at around 12.45pm.

A spokeswoman for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 10.10am on Wednesday, July 22, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Port Talbot, Neath Swansea Central, Morriston and Swansea West Fire Stations were called to an incident at Awel Y Mor Primary School, Port Talbot.

“Crews responded to a fire within Sandwich Panels of the school. Crews utilised four breathing apparatus sets and two hose reel jets, turntable ladder and water bowser to extinguish the fire.

“Crews left the scene at 12.43pm.”

A post from the Lots of Tots group read: “Following the fire in the main school building, we’ll remain closed for the rest of this week. We’ll assess the damage and plan for the safe return of children and staff to the undamaged playgroup. A reopening date or decision can’t be made until a full assessment is complete.

“Finally, a massive thank you to the staff for their calm and professional evacuation of the children and ensuring everyone’s safety.”

Neath Port Talbot Council has been approached for comment.

Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice

The cause and manner of 18-year-old Nolan Wells’ death was ruled “undetermined” pending further investigation in an independent autopsy commissioned by his family.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Wells family, announced the preliminary findings Wednesday at the annual NAACP National Convention in Chicago.

The autopsy report showed no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries, Crump said. It described a “red discoloration” in the back of Wells’ skull as “inconclusive” and meriting further investigation.

Without further information, the forensic pathologist, Dr. Roger Mitchell, wrote that he could not rule out the possibility that “non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death.”

Wells had traveled to an island off the coast of Mississippi on July 4 with a group of friends, who later returned to the mainland without him. His body was discovered two days later floating off the island’s coast.

In his report, the pathologist pointed to several challenges inherent to the independent autopsy, including the decomposition of the body and outstanding questions about whether Wells was conscious when he entered the water.

Because an initial autopsy was performed by the medical examiner in Mississippi, Wells’ body arrived without organs or neck structures — making it impossible to determine if he had suffered a neck injury or whether water had entered his lungs, according to the report, which notes that the practice is not unusual.

Still, the revelation, relayed by Crump, prompted gasps from the crowd of several hundred in Chicago. The attorney called on state officials to provide that evidence for the family to review as part of their own independent investigation.

The Mississippi medical examiner, which has not released the results of the state autopsy, did not return a message seeking comment.

The second autopsy was paid for by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, whose group Know Your Rights Camp has paid for other independent autopsies.

“This is only another part of the puzzle, and even though it tells us significant information, we still have more questions than we have answers at this time,” Crump said of the results.

The still-unknown circumstances around Wells’ death have touched off rampant online speculation and prompted calls from Black leaders for transparency from local authorities. Wells, who was Black, had traveled to the island with a group of high school friends, all of whom are white.

A reward of $125,000 — jointly funded by the Rev. Al Sharpton, actor and producer Tyler Perry and former NFL player Terrell Owens — is now being offered in exchange for information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the death.

The autopsy announcement comes two days after Wells was laid to rest in his hometown of Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

In his eulogy, Sharpton lamented the “inconsistencies and unanswered questions” that had placed a dark cloud over the grieving family.

He questioned why Wells’ friends had left him behind, taken his phone and keys and failed to report him missing. And he suggested local investigators had spoken prematurely in statements to the news media indicating no crime was suspected.

“The reason that a lot of people across the nation are looking at this Nolan situation is because we’re looking at the history in Mississippi,” Sharpton added. “We can’t have someone in law enforcement saying there was no foul play before there was an investigation.”

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said initial interviews suggested Wells chose to stay on the island and that his friends believed he would get a ride with someone else. He has said the friends were cooperating with the investigation, which remains ongoing.

“We are trying to be respectful and collaborative as much as we can,” Crump said. “But it’s always troublesome to all of us when these investigations just take forever.”

The captain decided to return to Spain about 30 minutes after departure “due to the danger” the fight “posed to the safety of the flight”, the air traffic controller said.

Police met flight EZY3352 when it touched down at Tenerife South airport on Tuesday evening, per the crew’s request.

The 186-passenger aircraft then continued to Liverpool.

The air traffic controller said in its statement, originally written in Spanish: “Our full support goes out to the crews and passengers who are increasingly having to endure these situations.”

EasyJet said the plane “returned to the airport and was met by police due to a group of passengers behaving disruptively.

“The flight then continued to Liverpool.”

The airline added: “Our cabin and ground crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time.

“We take these incidents very seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behaviour towards our staff.

“The safety and wellbeing of customers and crew is always our highest priority.”

Air traffic control also said: “The crew of the flight from Tenerife South to Liverpool, after about 30 minutes of flight, informed us that they needed to return to the airport and requested police presence upon arrival.

“A group of about 10 passengers had started a fight on board, and the captain decided to return due to the danger it posed to the safety of the flight.

“We expedited their return as much as possible while coordinating with the airport for police presence.

“They landed and cleared runway 07 without incident.”

John Hallimond, of Weardale Street, Spennymoor, appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on July 17.

He pleaded guilty to driving a Kia Sportage while disqualified and without insurance on Market Place, Wolsingham, on July 16.

The court heard Hallimond had shown “a flagrant disregard for court orders”, which led magistrates to impose a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He must also complete up to 15 days of rehabilitation activities as instructed by his supervising officer.

In addition, Hallimond was banned from driving for 16 months and ordered to pay £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Hallimond’s early guilty plea was taken into account when imposing the sentence. 

A cut-price cruise missile containing engines bought from landfill sites is threatening to level the playing field in Ukraine‘s war against Putin‘s forces.

FP-5 Flamingo missiles are allowing Zelensky‘s men to hit targets deep into Russian territory for the first time, as foreign correspondent Chris Pleasance explains in the latest episode of the Daily Mail’s War On Tape.

The projectile’s distinctive name stems from the fact that prototypes were painted bright pink to make them easier to retrieve, while FP is the initials of the manufacturer Fire Point. 

The missile’s power and range are so extensive that many analysts initially refused to believe that they were real. 

 At 45 foot long and with a wingspan of 20 feet, the Flamingo is one of the largest and heaviest cruise missiles ever created.

The projectile weighs six metric tonnes, with a one-tonne warhead, and can fly at speeds of up to 600mph. It is likely its heaviness that gives the missile its signature ‘S’-shaped flight path.

But such power and speed also comes on a budget. Each Flamingo costs around $500,000.

The missile is powered by an Ivcheno AI-25TL engine, originally designed by the Soviets for their training aircraft. Many were scrapped at the end of their service life, so Ukraine bought them from landfill at a cut price. 

Prototypes were painted bright pink to make them easier to retrieve, earning them them their distinctive nickname. Pictured: Two members of a Czech endowment fund for Ukraine look at a Flamingo cruise missile at the Fire Point secret factory at an undisclosed location

Workers inspect a Flamingo cruise missile at Fire Point’s secret factory in Ukraine on Monday, August 18, 2025

Advertisement

In comparison, America’s Tomahawk cruise missile is less than half that size, packs less than half the explosive payload, and costs almost four times as much.

The Flamingos are made of carbon fibre strands woven together by machines and so can be assembled quickly. 

Kyiv claims to be currently manufacturing three Flamingos a day, with the aim of increasing that to seven.

Pleasance said: ‘You can begin to see why this missile caused such a stir when it was first unveiled, and why some people refused to believe it was real. 

‘Because the Flamingo fills a large and sophisticated gap in Ukraine’s arsenal: long-range precision strike weapons.’

He added: ‘On a near daily basis, Russia pummels Ukraine with all manner of long-range precision weapons: cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, even experimental missiles like the Oresnik. These are fast-moving, difficult to shoot down.

‘So there’s a whole domain of warfare in which Russia can cause immense damage to Ukraine, but in which Ukraine cannot damage Russia. At least that is until now. 

‘The Flamingo fills this gap in three ways. First, it has a very long range. Second, it has a very large warhead. And third, it is Ukrainian-made.’

The Flamingo has a range of 1,900 miles – significantly beyond America’s ATACMS, Britain’s Storm Shadow or France’s Scalp missiles. 

A graphic detailing the Flamingo missile’s technical specifications and the sites of some of the strikes it has been used in

Pleasance said: ‘To say the Flamingo has a long range is perhaps understating things. It isn’t just comparable to the long-range Western weapons that Ukraine has been given in the past, it is significantly better.’ 

He added: ‘It is in an entirely different league, and puts virtually the entire western portion of Russia within striking distance. 

‘That means Ukraine can now hit strategically important factories, oil refineries, and military bases, large numbers of which are based in this region, and of course, both of Russia’s most important cities. Moscow and St. Petersburg.’ 

The Flamingo does not contain GPS or GNSS, or a terrain-scanning system like the Tomahawk, but has achieved remarkable military success during its short lifespan.

Ukraine’s first Flamingo strikes took place in late August 2025 and targeted an outpost in Crimea, around 65 miles behind the front line.

Three missiles were launched, two arrived on target, and one scored a hit, satellite images later revealed.

While the target held little value in and of itself, it proved the Flamingo’s capabilities beyond doubt. 

The next strike came a little over three weeks later, in September 2025, when a Flamingo missile hit a factory in Belgorod, Russia, around 40 miles from the front line, which makes components for Russian fighter jets.

The launch of a Ukrainian long-range FP-5 Flamingo missile, which represents a major advance in the country’s strike capabilities

Four missiles were launched. All four arrived on target, and photos from the scene showed fires inside the factory, suggesting significant damage was caused.

Russia then claimed two further attacks took place in October. It seems one failed when the missiles were shot down, while it is unclear where the other missile landed.

In November, the missiles were used again, this time against the Oryol power plant, more than 100 miles behind the front. 

Four were launched, all four arrived on target, but all of them were shot down during the final phase of the attack, raining fiery debris on the city. 

Further strikes in December and January saw Flamingos fired almost 400 miles behind the front line, one of which struck the firing range that Russia uses for its Oresnik missiles. 

The pattern appears to be that each strike pushes slightly further into Russian territory, testing the Flamingo’s range. 

Two more strikes took place in February, and both scored hits, destroying two significant facilities in the process. 

First, the Kotlaban ammunition storage, a little over 300 miles from the front was blown up, and then the Votkinsk missile factory was also badly damaged. 

The second strike was particularly significant because it occurred more than 800 miles from the front line, much further than Ukraine has been able to strike ever before, even with Western weapons. 

A further strike in March targeted the Chebyevsk ammunition factory, more than 600 miles away. And while two missiles arrived on target, neither of them hit it. 

An explosion from a Ukrainian strike on Orlovskaya Thermal Power Station in Russia’s Oryol region in January, a site known to have been hit by Flamingo missiles

The last reported strike occurred in May, targeting the Cheboksari factory that makes navigation components for Russian military vehicles. 

Six missiles were launched, and one landed a hit on the factory, but the extent of damage remains unknown.

Pleasance said: ‘Overall, the hype is very real. Flamingos exist and are broadly capable of everything Ukraine said they would be capable of doing. 

‘They have been used in at least eight strikes over the last nine months, of which five caused significant damage. For the first time since the war began, Ukraine now has a long-range precision strike weapon in its arsenal over which it has full control. 

‘Russia can no longer launch missiles into Ukraine with impunity. Kyiv can and will hit back. The tide of this war is slowly but surely beginning to tilt back in Ukraine’s favour.’ 

By SOPHIE GABLE, US REPORTER

Published: 19:33 BST, 22 July 2026 | Updated: 20:17 BST, 22 July 2026

A retired female teacher was enjoying a walk at a local school when she was ‘violently struck’ and killed by a 45-foot pole, her family alleges in a new lawsuit against the district. 

Paula Budin, who was 73 at the time, died on December 5, 2024, after she was struck by a pole while walking at Roxborough High School’s track in Philadelphia, according to a civil complaint obtained by the Daily Mail. 

Her sister, Joyce Siegel, filed a lawsuit in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas last Friday, alleging that Budin’s death was a result of negligence by the School District of Philadelphia and the company hired to inspect the school’s facilities.  

Just after 11am on December 5, 2024, a witness saw Budin lying on the grass unresponsive and called 911. Paramedics rushed to the scene and found the former teacher ‘lying on the ground and bleeding from the back of her head,’ according to the complaint. 

Advertisement

Emergency responders attempted life-saving measures and transported her to Temple University Hospital, but she was pronounced dead about an hour later, complaint continues.  

An autopsy later concluded that Budin’s cause of death was ‘multiple blunt force injuries,’ and it was ruled an accident, according to the lawsuit. 

Siegel’s lawyers allege that the school district removed all of the poles after Budin’s death. 

They wrote in the lawsuit that they inspected the four poles and found that the one that snapped was manufactured in 1997. 

Advertisement

Paula Budin, a retired elementary school teacher, died in 2024 after she was allegedly struck by a pole while walking 

Budin was found at the Roxborough High School track. Her sister has alleged that the pole that struck her was not properly inspected 

A wrongful death lawsuit alleges that stormwater runoff decayed the pole that allegedly killed Budin 

Advertisement

‘There were no inspection tags anywhere on the subject pole indicated that the pole had never been inspected and therefore not properly maintained by the School District of Philadelphia,’ the lawsuit alleges. 

Siegel’s lawyers argued that the base of the pole was located close to a storm drain and runoff water caused it to deteriorate. They alleged that the pole was ‘almost completely rotted’ where it snapped. 

‘The School District of Philadelphia knew or should have known of the dangerous condition of the subject pole as there were visible signs of its decay as far back as 2014,’ the lawsuit alleges. 

‘Despite this actual and/or constructive knowledge and their appreciation of that risk of catastrophic harm, the district did not take corrective action nor did it warn students or members of the community of the risk of catastrophic harm,’ it continued.

Advertisement

The lawsuit also places blame on Parsons Corporation, which inspected Roxborough High and the track in 2015 and issued a 79-page review two years later. However, Parsons allegedly repeatedly failed to inspect the subject poles.

The lawyers in the lawsuit included images showing how close the pole allegedly was to a drain 

The lawsuit claims that the School District of Philadelphia ‘knew or should have known of the dangerous condition of the subject pole’ 

The district and Parsons are both accused of one count of negligence and one count of wrongful death. 

Advertisement

Four ‘John Does’ have also been named in the lawsuit. The attorneys noted that they could not pin down exactly who installed the pole or the drain inlet. 

Budin’s family is seeking compensatory damages and a jury trial. The defendants have yet to respond to the complaint.

The lawsuit describes Budin as someone who ‘enjoyed an active lifestyle.’ Before retirement, she taught elementary schoolers at the Community Partnership School. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Siegel, the School District of Philadelphia, Parsons and the lawyers involved in the suit for comment. 

Advertisement