Japan is holding a snap election on Sunday, in the first electoral test for the country’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, since she became leader.
Her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is projected to win a decisive mandate, thanks to the “sanamania” among younger voters who idolise the 64-year-old leader, her favourite pink pen and her rice cracker snacks.
A recent poll suggests about 90% of voters under 30 support Ms Takaichi, while her overall popularity stands at around 60%. Her personal approval ratings are almost double that of her party, according to a new poll by public broadcaster NHK.
Image: The Japanese prime minister hopes to gain a strong majority in the lower house of parliament. Pic: AP
Known for being ultra-conservative on social issues such as gender and sexual diversity, Ms Takaichi hopes to win back voters who flocked to emerging populist parties in recent elections.
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So who is the PM, why is she so popular, and what has she done to enflame tensions with China?
Japan’s ‘Iron Lady’
A protege of late prime minister Shinzo Abe, Ms Takaichi was elected by the LDP as their new leader in October,making her country’s first female prime minister, leading a governing coalition with the right-wing Japan Innovation Party (JIP).
The presidential election came after her LDP predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, was forced to step down due to significant losses in the 2024 lower house and 2025 upper house elections. Analysts said the LDP’s failed economic policies and political corruption were behind the loss in voter support.
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This was her third bid for leadership of the LDP, after attempts in 2024 and 2021.
During her most recent campaign, Ms Takaichi, whose mother was a police officer and father worked at a car company, said she wanted to become the “Iron Lady” – a homage to Margaret Thatcher, the daughter of a Grantham grocer who became Britain’s first female prime minister.
Image: A large crowd gathered to listen to Ms Takaichi appealing for votes for an LDP candidate in January. Pic: AP
Ms Takaichi was first elected to parliament as an independent in 1993 to represent the constituency that includes her hometown of Nara, before briefly joining the liberal New Frontier Party in 1994 and then moving to the LDP, when it won the general election in 1996.
She has taken on several roles within her party and in government over the last three decades, including minister of economic security, internal affairs, and gender equality.
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What are her politics?
Ms Takaichi has called for a stronger military, more fiscal spending for growth, promotion of nuclear fusion, cybersecurity and tougher policies on immigration.
She supports the imperial family’s male-only succession and opposes same-sex marriage and a law allowing wives to have separate surnames from their husbands.
The new prime minister has stuck with old-fashioned views favoured by male LDP heavyweights, backing financial support for women’s health and fertility treatments as part of her party’s policy of having women serve in traditional roles of being good mothers and wives.
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But she also recently talked about her struggles with menopausal symptoms and stressed the need to educate men about female health to help women at school and work.
Image: Ms Takaichi is ultra-conservative and a wartime history revisionist. Pic: AP
Ms Takaichi is a wartime history revisionist and China hawk who recently enflamed tensions with Beijing over her remarks on Taiwan.
In November, she appeared to suggest that Japan could become involved if China takes military action against Taiwan, a self-governing island Beijing considers part of its territory, as this would qualify as “an existential threat”. In retaliation, China increased economic and diplomatic retribution.
Endorsed by Trump and friends with Meloni
US President Donald Trump who is trying to maintain a fragile trade truce with China, asked Ms Takaichi not to further aggravate Beijing in a private phone call in November, sources told Reuters.
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Trump hails ‘golden age’ of Japan relations
But he had already endorsed her leadership during his visit to Japan in October. He said he was looking forward to hosting her at the White House in March after lauding Ms Takaichi for breaking Japan’s glass ceiling.
The women snapped a selfie together – with Ms Meloni later posting an anime version next to the caption: “Two distant nations, but ever closer. Friendship and harmony.”
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Image: An anime-style selfie of Ms Meloni and Ms Takaichi. Pic: x.com/GiorgiaMeloni
Image: Ms Takaichi presented her counterpart with some gifts. Pic: Reuters
The pair shared a long hug as they said goodbye, with the Italian prime minister telling her Japanese counterpart: “Count always on me, okay? For whatever you need. I know it’s not easy but we’ll do it together.”
Why is she so popular with young voters?
A drummer in a heavy-metal band and a motorbike rider as a student, Ms Takaichi has built a large social media following that tops any of her rivals, with 2.6 million followers on X compared to about 64,000 for Yoshihiko Noda, the leader of Japan’s main opposition party.
Many of her posts have gone viral, including clips of her drumming to the hit song Golden from Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters film alongside South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, or her serenading Ms Meloni.
Image: Ms Takaichi playing the drums with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Pic: Reuters
Her upbeat image has earned her strong approval ratings.
“She has a clear, decisive way of speaking,” Takeo Fujimura, a 24-year-old clerical worker, said. “She communicates in a bright, positive way and I think that energy resonates with young people.”
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Her personal style has also been praised by fans, who rushed to snap up the £660 black leather bag Ms Takaichi regularly carries, causing a nine-month backlog at the brand Hamano.
Image: Ms Takaichi carries Japanese leather goods maker Hamano’s tote leather bag. Pic: Reuters
There is a similar hype around the pink ballpoint pen she uses for note taking in parliament and the shrimp rice crackers she has been spotted holding while travelling by train.
But some analysts question whether enough young people will actually go and vote for Ms Takaichi, as younger people have historically been less likely to vote than older generations that had helped the LDP to a near-unbroken post-war rule in Japan but are not the guarantee of power they once were.
Why has she called an election?
Ms Takaichi’s call for this month’s snap election in January has been seen as an attempt to capitalise on her strong approval ratings of around 70% to help her beleaguered governing party gain more seats.
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Image: She has gained a massive following on social media. Pic: AP
Polls show that the LDP could capture around 300 seats in the 465-seat lower house – the more powerful of the parliamentary chambers.
This would be a major improvement on the current razor-thin majority the LDP and its coalition partner JIP have in the lower house after losing many seats in 2024 and being defeated in the upper house election last July.
The LDP and JIP are hoping they can secure a supermajority of more than two-thirds, which would give Ms Takashi’s coalition the ability to push through legislation even if it doesn’t secure enough votes in the upper house.
In December, Ms Takichi’s cabinet approved a record 122.3 trillion yen (£565 billion) budget that needs parliamentary approval before the upcoming fiscal year starting April to fund measures to fight inflation, support low-income households and projects to help economic growth.
Winning the election would help her pass this budget after opposition leaders criticised her for delaying it with the snap election.
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Polling and media reports suggest that some voters have not been convinced by Ms Takaichi and her party, as her promised fiscal largesse has been partly credited for the yen sliding.
But opposition groups in Japan are seen as too splintered to win an election, with several polls putting Ms Takaichi’s party and coalition partner firmly in the lead.
The crash, which took place on Saturday (March 28), involved a police car
A police officer has been injured in a crash. Cambridgeshire Police were called to a two-vehicle crash in Princes Street, near Huntingdon bus station, just after 9am on Saturday (March 28).
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The crash involved a police vehicle. A police officer suffered minor injuries in the crash.
A police spokesperson said: “We were called at 9.12am on 28 March to a two-vehicle collision in Princes Street near the bus station, which involved a police vehicle. The officer received minor injuries, no one else was injured.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — One of the first things an Argentine emigre did after her son was born in Florida last year was get him a U.S. passport.
She saw the passport as tangible evidence that he’s an American. But now people like her are in a legal fight over President Donald Trump’s executive order that would deny U.S. citizenship to children born in the United States to people who are in the country illegally or temporarily.
“It’s funny because I actually booked him for his passport application appointment even before he was born,” the 28-year-old woman said, as her now 7-month-old son napped nearby. She spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, insisted upon by her lawyers, out of fear of possible retribution by the Republican administration if she were publicly identified.
“I would say that I am definitely relieved that at least he is protected,” she said.
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The Supreme Court is hearing arguments on Wednesday over whether Trump’s order, signed on Jan. 20, 2025, his first day back in office, comports with the post-Civil War 14th Amendment and an 86-year-old federal law that has been widely understood to make citizens of everyone born in the country, with narrow exceptions for the children of foreign diplomats and invading armies. Every court to have considered the issue has found the order to be illegal and prevented it from taking effect.
The call to repeal birthright citizenship is part of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on immigrants that has included stepped-up deportations, drastic reductions in the number of refugees allowed into the U.S., suspension of asylum at the border and stripping temporary legal protections from people fleeing political and economic instability.
The case presents another test for a high court that has allowed some anti-immigration efforts to continue, even after lower courts had blocked them.
Constitution vs. executive order
The first sentence of the 14th Amendment, the Citizenship Clause, makes citizens of “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” The case turns on the meaning of the final phrase about jurisdiction, which also was used in citizenship laws enacted in 1940 and 1952.
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Trump’s view, asserted in the order titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship” and backed by some conservative legal scholars, is that people here illegally or temporarily are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States and therefore their U.S.-born children are not entitled to citizenship.
The court should use the case to set straight “long-enduring misconceptions about the Constitution’s meaning,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote.
In that regard, Sauer likened the case to the seminal 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which outlawed segregation in public schools, and the landmark 2008 Heller case, which declared that people have a constitutional right to keep guns for self-defense.
Last year, Justice Sonia Sotomayor called the Trump administration’s effort to defend the order “an impossible task in light of the Constitution’s text, history, this Court’s precedents, federal law, and Executive Branch practice.”
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Sotomayor was joined by the other two liberal justices in a dissent from a decision by the court’s six conservative justices that used an earlier round of the birthright citizenship dispute to limit the use of nationwide injunctions by federal judges.
Challenging Trump
The pregnant mothers and their advocates challenging the order, as well as lower-court judges who have blocked it, have said the Trump administration’s arguments lack merit.
“We have the president of the United States trying to radically reinterpret the definition of American citizenship,” said Cecillia Wang, the American Civil Liberties Union legal director who will face off against Sauer on Wednesday.
More than one-quarter of a million babies born in the U.S. each year would be affected by the executive order, according to research by the Migration Policy Institute and Pennsylvania State University’s Population Research Institute.
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While Trump has largely focused on illegal immigration in his rhetoric and actions, the birthright restrictions also would apply to people who are legally in the United States, including students and applicants for green cards, or permanent resident status.
‘The most beautiful thing’
The woman from Argentina said she came to the U.S. in 2016 on a visa to attend college and has since applied for a green card.
She described a moment of panic following the court’s June ruling, when it was at least possible that the restrictions could take effect, particularly in states such as Florida that had not challenged Trump’s order. Lower-court rulings over the summer ensured the order remained on hold and set up the current Supreme Court case.
On top of the predictable worries of a first-time mother, she said, “I never thought that, you know, so close to the end of my pregnancy that I would have to be even thinking about … the executive order and how it would have impacted my baby.”
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She has not reconsidered her decision to come to the United States or her desire to stay, she said, as her son stirred.
“And so nothing that happens, politically or otherwise, would have changed my views of the country, I mean, because it gave me the most beautiful thing I have today, which is my family,” she said.
Los Cules are fully aware of what is required of them to land the England winger on a permanent move. The terms have always been clear that a £26million fee will get the deal done, but Barca aren’t necessarily in a position to fork out big sums in light of the Camp Nou renovation.
But what Barcelona do have is a steady flow of homegrown talent, which could make up any deficit, with the Daily Mail reporting that the Catalans are open to sales to raise funds. And in Marc Casado, there’s one realistic target who could well function as the perfect makeweight this summer.
In a dream scenario, United might love to poach a player like Alejandro Balde, Fermin Lopez or Marc Bernal to fit certain needs at left-back and central midfield. However, each of those players has either signed a new contract in the past 12 months or is otherwise unlikely to be obtainable without forking out a sum far beyond Rashford’s valuation.
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The same wouldn’t be said for Casado, whose deal is set to expire in the summer of 2028. The defensive midfielder made his senior debut for Barca back in 2022, but it wasn’t until 2024 that he really started to embed himself within Hansi Flick’s senior setup.
He earned his first senior Spain cap in the same year. And although he hasn’t kept his place in Luis de la Fuente’s squad since then, that achievement nonetheless serves as another stamp of his quality.
United are already sourcing options for midfield as Michael Carrick seemingly prepares to oversee a rebuild of his own this summer. And one of those who arrives at Old Trafford must be able to function in the same role Casemiro has operated with such efficiency.
The overarching positive from United’s perspective is that they already have a capable Rashford replacement in Matheus Cunha. That allows the club to use Rashford’s sale strategically and focus on reinforcing another area of Carrick’s team in greater need.
Any move for Casado wouldn’t be a straight trade but rather two separate transfers, especially as it might mean United having to fork over a little cash on top. Casado may not have the same excitement around him like Fermin or Bernal, but he’s a 22-year-old Barcelona regular with 29 appearances this season – and those never come cheap.
England’s 2026 World Cup kits
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That being said, Casado has found himself on the fringes more often since Frenkie de Jong’s return to fitness. And the allure of becoming a part of United’s resurgence, with a greater chance at starting minutes, might appeal.
The youngster has already won a domestic treble with Barca in 2025, with European glory perhaps the glaring achievement missing. Nevertheless, that sense of accomplishment may smooth over United’s hopes of tempting him from the Camp Nou.
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By no means would United’s summer expenditure stop with Casado, but he could make for a convenient start to expedite Rashford’s exit.
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At least 22 people have died in Afghanistan so far due to multiple natural disasters including heavy rain, flooding, and landslide, officials said, warning of worsening bad weather in the region.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in Afghanistan on Monday said nearly two dozen people have died and 32 have been injured over the past two days, taking the death toll up from 17 reported on Sunday.
“Twenty-two people were killed, 32 injured and 241 houses damaged in flooding and other weather-related incidents across 13 provinces over the past two days,” an NDMA official told Reuters on the condition of anonymity.
Torrential rains have triggered major flash floods and caused houses to collapse in rural and mountainous regions of central and eastern provinces of Afghanistan, the NDMA said. It added that this has caused most deaths in the Parwan, Maidan Wardak, Daykundi and Logar provinces.
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There is a continued risk of further rain and flooding in some areas as conditions remain “unstable” in parts of the country recovering from conflict, the agency said.
Afghanistan is geographically placed in a region which is prone to natural disasters and experiences flooding, drought and earthquakes which routinely cause heavy damage to the country.
Earlier this year, heavy snowfall and flash floods left dozens of people dead across the country.
The extreme weather events, especially the snow and heavy rain that trigger flash floods, often kill dozens, or even hundreds, of people at a time.
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A United Nations Development Programme report in November said earthquakes, floods, and drought had destroyed 8,000 homes in Afghanistan in 2025 and strained public services “beyond their limits”.
In 2024, more than 300 people died in springtime flash floods. Decades of conflict, coupled with poor infrastructure, a struggling economy, deforestation and the intensifying effects of climate change have amplified the impact of such disasters, particularly in remote areas where many homes are built of mud and offer limited protection against sudden deluges or heavy snowfall.
This has further aggravated the challenges for millions of Afghans who are under the Taliban-run government which has no formal recognition.
Afghanistan receives international humanitarian aid which primarily forms the backbone of the government’s finances but that has been slashed since the Taliban seized power in 2021, leaving millions of Afghans to cope.
Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio has teased the upcoming seventh series with a behind-the-scenes image from filming.
12:10, 30 Mar 2026Updated 12:12, 30 Mar 2026
Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio has offered fans a glimpse of the forthcoming series through a behind-the-scenes photograph taken during production. The acclaimed BBCcrime drama, which originally launched in 2012, is making a comeback with a seventh series after many believed it had concluded in 2021 following its sixth. Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar are all confirmed to reprise their roles, with the BBC having announced the show’s revival earlier this year.
The synopsis teases: “In series seven AC-12 has been disbanded and rebranded the Inspectorate of Police Standards. Anticorruption work has never been more difficult and in this challenging climate Steve Arnott (Martin Compston), Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar) are assigned their most sensitive case so far.
“Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, a charismatic officer winning plaudits for a string of takedowns of organised crime, is accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator. But is Gough’s case a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows?”
Joining the cast as a guest star is Robert Carlyle, portraying Detective Constable Shaun Massie, a Specialist Rifle Officer (SRO) and seasoned marksman operating within Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7), tasked with dismantling Organised Crime Groups. A gruff loner, Massie is not one for socialising, yet when his superior, TO-7’s commanding officer DI Dominic Gough, faces allegations of sexual predation, Massie’s typically aloof disposition shifts dramatically.
Tom Weston-Jones is set to portray Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, head of Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7). The BBC describes him as “a charismatic officer who has won plaudits for a string of takedowns of organised crime, Gough is accused of abusing his position of trust to act as a sexual predator. But is his case a deliberate distraction from a bigger threat still operating in the shadows?”
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Gavin and Stacey’s Laura Aikman has also been confirmed for Line of Duty as DC Paula Beckman, alongside Levi Brown as DC Luke Tobin and Amy Leigh Hickman as DC Nira Rashid. Mark Bonnar (former Deputy Chief Constable Mike Dryden), Owen Teale (Chief Constable Philip Osborne), Perry Fitzpatrick (DS Chris Lomax) and Christina Chong (DI Nicky Rogerson) will all reprise their roles for the forthcoming episodes, reports the Express.
While supporters eagerly anticipate further information about the new series, creator Jed has offered a glimpse from filming in Belfast, with the fresh instalments scheduled for next year. He posted a photograph of Adrian in police uniform as Superintendent Ted Hastings, surveying a bustling office.
The caption featured one of Hastings’ most memorable lines: “There’s only one thing I’m interested in and one thing only and that’s bent coppers.”
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Fans responded enthusiastically, with one writing: “Just started rewatching the whole lot from series one, in preparation for the new series – so good,” while another declared: “I’m so happy.”
Following the announcement of additional casting details earlier this year, Robert Carlyle revealed: “Having been a huge admirer of Jed Mercurio’s work for many years, I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to join such an exceptional cast for series 7 of Line of Duty. The scripts for the series are excellent and will absolutely maintain the quality that the audience have come to expect from this fantastic show. DC Massie is an extraordinary character and I look forward to bringing him to life.”
Jed commented: “On Line of Duty we’ve been honoured by the glittering guest leads who’ve joined the cast over the years. We couldn’t be more thrilled that Robert Carlyle will star in series 7 as Specialist Rifle Officer Shaun Massie. I’ve been a huge fan of Robert’s work for many years and it will be a career highlight to work with him. Robert always brings mesmerising power and depth to every role; I know viewers will be on the edge of their seats wondering what his character will do next, and why.”
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Line of Duty is set to return to BBC One and iPlayer next year.
Hollywood superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger has been honoured today by Ulster University in acknowledgement of his exceptional career and his outstanding achievements in public service, environmental campaigning, and the arts.
The former Governor of California has been conferred with an Honorary Doctorate this morning at the University’s Belfast campus.
Born in Austria before relocating to the United States, Dr Schwarzenegger achieved worldwide fame as a seven-time Mr Olympia champion prior to establishing himself as one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors. He subsequently served as the 38th Governor of California and has gained widespread recognition for promoting environmental initiatives, civic leadership, charitable work, and public service.
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The honorary degree also acknowledges Arnold Schwarzenegger’s impact on global arts and culture through a film career that contributed to defining the contemporary action genre and shaped generations of cinema-goers across the world.
Dr Schwarzenegger’s appearance at Ulster University Belfast holds particular personal meaning – it marks 60 years since his initial visit to Northern Ireland. As a young bodybuilder, he arrived in Belfast in 1966 where he was unexpectedly asked to address an audience after a competition.
Professor Paul Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University, commented: “Few individuals have shaped global culture across sport, film and public life in the way that Dr Arnold Schwarzenegger has.
“His story – from a young athlete finding his voice in front of an audience in Belfast to becoming one of the world’s most recognisable leaders, actors and activists – speaks strongl y to the significance of self-belief, resolve and aspiration. He forged a reputation in professional bodybuilding and the film industry, leveraging that prominence for genuine benefit – championing environmental causes, serving the citizens of California and supporting the charitable initiatives close to his heart.
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“This is why Dr Schwarzenegger is a true inspiration to our incredible students here at Ulster University – it was memorable to witness him sharing his advice and motivations with them and I am confident it will encourage them to also go on to achieve great things.”
Dr Schwarzenegger’s appearance coincides with Ulster University’s expanding influence in the future of cinema, television and digital narrative. Recognising one of the globe’s most iconic personalities in film-making demonstrates Ulster University’s dedication to nurturing the next wave of creative expertise and innovation through Studio Ulster, a pioneering $96 million, cutting-edge Virtual Production studio facility.
Furthermore, the University is progressing research and development in virtual production and emerging screen technologies via its Co-star Screen Lab within Studio Ulster and through Ulster Screen Academy, where contemporary and industry-focused programmes cultivate highly qualified graduates prepared to thrive in one of the economy’s most rapidly expanding sectors. The honorary degree comes during the year in which the USA celebrates its 250th anniversary. Schwarzenegger’s remarkable life story embodies that international dimension – an immigrant who forged a global career spanning sport, film and public life.
As part of the graduation ceremony, Dr Schwarzenegger took part in a special on-stage Q&A with broadcaster and presenter Holly Hamilton, delving into themes of resilience, determination and leadership that have defined his remarkable career.
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The ceremony also showcased a specially commissioned musical and dance performance led by Belfast TradFest Artistic Director Dónal O’Connor, which wove together Irish traditional music and dance with a nod to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Austrian roots through Johann Strauss’ The Blue Danube Waltz, before building into a cinematic soundscape drawn from The Terminator, creating a playful and uniquely Belfast welcome.
At a glance: Why Florida is the ultimate family holiday destination
What: Spaceships, surfing, manatee sightings and treetop adventure trails. Absolutely no one can moan they’re bored in the Sunshine State
Where: Central Florida for natural springs and nature reserves, Cape Canaveral for Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and Gulf and Atlantic beaches across the state for watersports
Don’t miss: Everglades National Park, the largest tropical wilderness in the United States. Exploring via airboat is guaranteed family fun
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The highlight: Siesta Beach, with its white quartz sand and dazzling blue sea. No filter needed
See real spacecraft, admire majestic manatees and unwind on sugar-white beaches. Florida offers a family holiday packed with sunshine, discovery and moments you’ll talk about long after you’re home. Fly with British Airways and arrive ready and raring to make the most of every sunny Florida day.
Best beaches for kids in Florida
Clearwater Beach on the west coast of Florida draws visitors all the year round
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Visit Florida
While the grown-ups are keen to hit the sunbeds with a good book, Florida’s spectacular beaches offer plenty for family members who prefer to stay active.
With its gentle waves, Cocoa Beach on the Atlantic coast is perfect for beginner surfers. You’ll find a great choice of surf schools here, and nearby Ron Jon Surf Shop (known to be the world’s biggest surf shop) will have everything a budding young boarder could need.
For little ones getting used to the water, Siesta Beach on Siesta Key, an eight-mile-long Gulf island off the coast of Sarasota, is ideal for paddling. The sand here is 99 per cent quartz, which means it’s not only brilliant white but never gets too hot, as the mirror-like quartz reflects most of the sun’s rays. Soft, sensitive feet won’t have any problem padding about.
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Forest trails, caves and canopy experiences
There’s plenty of outdoor fun to be had away from the coast, where pine, oak and cypress trees shape a greener landscape. Tucked among them are treetop adventure courses and woodland trails.
At Canyons Zip Line & Adventure Park , children and adults can navigate guided canopy circuits, while at Zip the Canyons, those age 10 and up can take part in supervised canopy experiences set among lakes and woodland.
Prefer to stay closer to the ground? Florida Caverns State Park offers guided cave tours through impressive limestone chambers. Beyond that, there are organised quad biking routes, gentle river kayaking and solar-powered cycling.
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Where to see incredible wildlife in Florida
Go manatee-spotting from November to March
Carol Grant/Visit Florida
If you’re a family of wildlife lovers, Florida offers rich opportunities for spotting native species in their natural habitats. A 1.5-million-acre expanse of natural wetland, Everglades National Park teems with alligators and wading birds, and is home to the elusive Florida panther.
In summertime, Florida’s natural springs are a must-visit for swimming and kayaking, but in winter months many provide warm refuge for hundreds of manatees. From November to March, aggregations of West Indian manatees from the Gulf relocate to the springs’ naturally heated waters, as the ocean becomes too cold for them. Activities in the water are closed to the public at this time, but you can admire the enormous marine mammals socialising with one another from a distance.
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Kennedy Space Center and other Florida attractions
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is an out-of-this-world experience for all ages
Visit Florida
Florida’s world-renowned theme parks are, of course, a huge draw for families. But beyond the big hitters, there are other attractions to add to your Florida to-do list.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is a captivating place, where you can meet astronauts, wander around real-life spaceships and experience landing on the moon (via a VR headset, we must add). What’s more, a short drive from the visitor complex, The Wizard of Oz Museum (which is moving to Cocoa Beach, a 30-minute drive away, in May) immersive experience takes you on a family trip to Emerald City. Further afield, the mind-bending Museum of Illusions at ICON Park in Orlando will provide plenty of fun photo opportunities for teens.
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For a stay in the heart of Orlando’s action (and only an hour’s drive from Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex), book a family suite at Drury Plaza Hotel or Caribe Royale.
Booking with British Airways
British Airways offers an extensive network of direct flights to Florida, serving Orlando, Miami and Tampa, making it easy to reach the Sunshine State from the UK
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The museum will be open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10.30am to 3.30pm until early November.
Volunteers have worked over the winter to create the new exhibitions which showcase more of the museum’s collection.
In the western room the theme is Roman Myth and Mysticism where the visitor will discover superstitions from long ago and learn about the role of magic in Roman Delgovicia.
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In the eastern room, visitors will learn about the influence of Monks, Merchants and Medicine, and the effect these had on Old Maltune, as it was then known, and St Mary’s Priory.
Here visitors can learn about the Gilbertine monks and meet the merchants who bought wealth and prosperity to the town.
The museum’s displays team have recreated the interior of a Victorian Pharmacy so come and see some of the wondrous potions that were available to treat all manner of ailments. The Museum has worked closely with volunteers from the Malton & Norton Heritage Centre to display some of the medical items from their Woodhams-Stone Collection.
The entrance fee for the 2026 season is £5 per adult but children are free.
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Outside the museum, there are town tours and summer lectures to whet your appetite and of course not forgetting Malton Roman Festival V on Sunday, July 19 where discounted early bird tickets are available for that event.
More details are available from www.Maltonmuseum.co.uk
Linda Wade, Kensington and Chelsea Councillor for Earl’s Court, has also made a representation against the application, proposing that the shop should not run as a 24/7 venue. She said if the licence is granted, Silvertime should be required to close at 11.30pm, from Sunday to Thursday, and at 12am, on Friday and Saturday.
Our inclement weather makes drying clothes on a line all year round nigh-on impossible, so the Great British public has two choices: a cheap-to-run heated clothes airer, or a convenient but energy-intensive tumble dryer. Or so you might think. In fact, the best tumble dryers these days are decidedly low-energy, costing around 60p per load but the tricky part is weighing up how much to spend up front.
Tumble dryers at the affordable end are less energy efficient, so could cost you more in the long-run. Heat pump tumble dryers are more expensive, but don’t require as much electricity to generate heat, making them more energy-efficient and cheaper in the long run.
We’ve broken down the differences between heat pump, vented and condenser tumble dryers below and asked experts for recommendations of specific tumble dryers. Where possible, we’ve got hands-on experience with the tumble dryers in question and answered your tumble dryer FAQs.
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The best tumble dryers: At a glance
How to choose a tumble dryer
The best tumble dryers have multiple programme settings – for example for cottons, synthetics or delicates – helping you keep your clothes in the best nick for longer. Delay starts mean you can have your cycle begin at the best time for you, LED warnings will tell you when you need to empty a water container or replace a filter and programming lights help you keep track of drying.
At the time of testing, machines are given ratings from A+++ to D, with A+++ indicating the utmost energy efficiency. Newer appliances tend to be more energy-efficient, but it depends on how long a cycle takes and how often you use your machine as well.
Large capacity drum sizes are more energy-efficient because they’ll dry clothes in less time. Most range from 7kg to 9kg. You might also want reversible doors to change the direction in which your door opens to better suit your location. Finally, child locks prevent children messing around with the machine.
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