What to do in Abu Dhabi, from beach days to Grand Prix weekends
This week, TravelSmart is all about Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates and a place known for its modern skyline, luxury resorts and rich heritage.
Simon Calder, The Independent 's travel correspondent, and Annabel Grossman take a dive into the best of the beaches, with pristine white sand and turquoise water on offer along the Persian Gulf – whether you're looking for a family-friendly day on the shore, water sports on the sea, or simply time to relax in the sunshine. Annabel recommends visiting during the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend for those seeking full-on glamour, while Simon shares his fondness for the cultural immersion on offer.
Watch TravelSmart on Independent TV.
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Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
How to unlock everything in Mario Kart World: all characters, costumes and more
Nintendo's flagship launch title for the Switch 2 has a lot of very specific requirements for unlocking all of its secrets, including Mirror mode. The Switch 2's headline attraction at the moment is Mario Kart World and, as explained in our review, it's a brilliant evolution for Nintendo's kart racer. While Mario Kart games always have secret characters and vehicles, the series isn't known for making things particularly difficult in unlocking them – with most tied to beating the Grand Prix cups or collecting enough coins during races. Mario Kart World has these same progression paths but things get more complicated with its Free Roam mode, which broadens how you can unlock its various hidden delights. If you're looking to chase down every costume, or if you're simply trying to figure out how to crack into Mirror mode, we've compiled all the information you'll need below. There are two ways to unlock characters in Mario Kart World. A bunch are tied to completing Grand Prix cups (on any cc difficulty, with no placement requirements), while the rest have to be triggered by the Kamek item during races. However, the Kamek item, which transforms players into different characters for a short period, has an annoying quirk. If you use Kamek yourself, you won't unlock the character your opponents turn into. So during races, you simply have to hope another player uses the item and it picks a character you haven't already unlocked, in order to attain the full roster. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Donkey Kong – beat Mushroom CupDaisy – beat Flower CupBirdo – beat Banana CupRosalina – beat Star CupLakitu – beat Shell CupKing Boo – beat Leaf CupBowser Jr – beat Lightning CupCataquack – Kamek itemChargin' Chuck – Kamek itemCoin Coffer – Kamek itemConkodor – Kamek itemDolphin – Kamek itemFish Bone – Kamek itemPeepa – Kamek itemPianta – Kamek itemRocky Wrench – Kamek itemSpike – Kamek item Swoop – Kamek item In a similar vein to Mario Kart 8, every kart and motorbike is unlocked by collecting coins in Mario Kart World. You start out with 11 vehicles but there are 40 in total, and you unlock each one (in a random order) every time you hit a milestone, which is usually every 100, 200, or 300 coins. Starting vehicles: Standard KartRally KartStandard BikeRally BikePlushbuggyBaby BlooperCute ScootMach RocketZoom BuggyChargin' Truck Funky Dorrie Require coins:Hyper PipeHot RodRoadster RoyaleBuggybudRibbit RevsterB DasherRally RomperTune ThumperW-Twin ChopperDread SledJunkyard HogLobster RollerStellar SledReel RacerCarpet FlyerBig HornBumble VFin TwinR.O.B. FlyerCloud 9Dolphin DasherBlastronaut IIILi'l DumpyLoco MotoMecha TrikePipe FrameBilldozerRallygator Bowser Bruiser The classic Mario Kart course is part of the Special Cup, which is unlocked by completing every other cup in Grand Prix on any cc and in any position. Along with Rainbow Road, the cup includes Acorn Heights, Mario Circuit, and Peach Stadium. This is easily the most tricky secret to uncover, especially as the unlock requirements aren't exactly clear. However, it seems you have to complete the four steps below to unlock Mirror mode. Complete all Grand Prix cups on 150cc (third or higher) Finish every Knockout Tour rally on 150cc (fourth or higher) Find 10 Peach Medallions, 10 panels, and complete 10 P-switch missions in Free Roam. Complete the Special Cup again after the above is completed Some players have claimed they unlocked Mirror mode without the final position requirements, so there may be some variation in what causes the special cutscene to trigger after completing Special Cup again. Once you have unlocked Mirror mode, you can access it in Free Roam as well. If you travel to Peach Stadium and navigate your way to the Princess Peach stained glass window near the top of the castle, you can drive into it and flip the entire world. There are an overwhelming amount of stickers – well into the hundreds – in Mario Kart World, which you can use to customise your vehicles. We won't list them all here, but you can unlock them by completing specific tasks (racing a specific distance, doing a certain number of tricks) across all modes. You also unlock some by finishing all the Grand Prix races, and completing missions, collecting medallions, and activating ? panels in Free Roam. All the costumes for different characters are tied to the golden meal bags called Dash Food you find outside of Yoshi's drive-through diners, or on the back of trucks, scattered around races and Free Roam. When you use Dash Food, you'll receive a speed boost and your character might change into a new outfit. More Trending Every outfit you uncover will be added to the character select screen, so you can cross reference the ones you have with the table below. Crucially, the outfit you unlock for each character is determined by the food they eat, and different food spawns at different courses across Grand Prix, Knockout Tour, and Free Roam. For example, the curry with naan can be found around Desert Hills, while pancakes are mostly restricted to Acorn Heights. As such, the easiest way to unlock every costume is by hopping between the areas in Free Roam, rotating between characters and consuming the required Dash Food. We won't tell you how to have fun though, but you can find the full list below. MarioHappi (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls)Aviator (Spicy Curry at Wario Stadium)Sightseeing (DK Barrel Bites at DK Spaceport)Cowboy (Popcorn at Boo Cinema)Dune Rider (Pokey Roast at Choco Mountain)Mechanic (Chips and Soda at Dry Bones Burnout)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City) All-Terrain (Donut at Mario Circuit) LuigiPro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Happi (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls)Mechanic (Chips/Soda at Dry Bones Burnout)Gondolier (Coffee/Chips at Whistlestop Summit)All-Terrain (Donut at Mario Circuit)Touring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Oasis (Popcorn at Boo Cinema) Farmer (Milk at Moo Moo Meadows) PeachTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Farmer (Milk at Moo Moo Meadows)Sightseeing (DK Barrel Bites at DK Spaceport)Aviator (Spicy Curry at Wario Stadium)Yukata (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls)Aero (Donut at Mario Circuit) Vacation (Popcorn at Boo Cinema) YoshiTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Aristocrat (Popcorn at Boo Cinema)Soft Server (Ice Cream at Sky-High Sundae)Biker (Spicy Curry at Wario Stadium)Swimwear (DK Barrel Bites at DK Spaceport)Matsuri (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls) Food Slinger (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar) BowserPro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Supercharged (Coffee/Chips at Whistletop Summit)Biker (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) All-Terrain (Donut at Mario Circuit) ToadPro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Engineer (Coffee/chips at Whistlestop Summit)Burger Bud (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) ToadettePro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Conductor (Chips at Whistlestop Summit)Soft Server (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Koopa TroopaRunner (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Sailor (Popcorn at Boo Cinema)All-Terrain (Curry at Desert Hills) Work Crew (Chips at Whistlestop Summit) WarioPro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Oasis (Popcorn at Boo Cinema)Wicked Wasp (Pancakes at Acorn Heights)Biker (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pirate (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar)Road Ruffian (DK Barrel Bites at DK Spaceport) Work Crew (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls) WaluigiMariachi (Chips/Soda at Dry Bones Burnout)Biker (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Road Ruffian (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City) Wampire (Popcorn at Boo Cinema) Baby MarioWork Crew (Pancakes at Acorn Heights)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City) Swimwear (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls) Baby LuigiPro Racer (Cake at Crown City) Work Crew (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Baby PeachTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Sailor (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Baby DaisyTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Sailor (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Baby RosalinaTouring (Burgers at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Sailor (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Pauline Aero (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) Shy GuyPit Crew (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) Slope Styler (Ice Cream at Sky High Sundae) Donkey Kong All-Terrain (Curry at Desert Hills) BirdoPro Racer (Cake at Crown City) Vacation (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls) DaisyTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Oasis (Popcorn at Boo Cinema)Swimwear (DK Barrel Bites at DK Spaceport)Aero (Donuts at Mario Circuit) Vacation (Chips at Whistlestop Summit) RosalinaTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Aurora (Popcorn at Boo Cinema) Aero (Donuts at Mario Circuit) LakituPit Crew (Curry at Desert Hills) Fisherman (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls) King BooPro Racer (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Aristocrat (Popcorn at Boo Cinema) Pirate (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar) Bowser Racer (Donut at Mario Circuit)Biker (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Games Inbox: Is Mario Kart World too hard? MORE: Fast Fusion review – 4K and 60fps on the Nintendo Switch 2 MORE: The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – the GOAT gets an upgrade
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Popular Spanish city with strict curfew rules in place - what it means for Brits
In a huge blow to sun-worshipping Brits, a huge Spanish city has unveiled a strict curfew impacting bars, nightclubs, and restaurants - following noise complaints from fed-up locals Brits are being warned of a brutal clampdown in one of Spain's most popular tourist destinations. Last year, a staggering 18 million international visitors passed through Alicante-Elche Airport - located on the southeastern stretch of the iconic Costa Blanca region - marking a 16.8 per cent spike compared to 2023. While droves of these passengers will have left the city on cramped coaches heading over to party-mad resorts like Benidorm, almost five million chose to stay in the city for their holiday. Famed for its sugar-like sand, rich history and eclectic range of shops - there's no denying Alicante's mass appeal. Here, you'll find the Santa Bárbara Castle, the old town of Santa Cruz, the bustling Central Market, and half a dozen golden beaches. However, following a series of noise complaints from fed-up locals - authorities green-lighted a strict curfew ahead of the peak summer season. The ruling, which impacts bars and restaurants, means establishments will have to close at 12.30am on weekdays. They will be allowed to stay open slightly later (1am) on Fridays, Saturdays, and on the eve of national holidays. Nightclubs will also be given permission to stay open a little later, but must still close their doors at 1am during weekdays and at 3am on the weekend. Those dining outside on terraces will also be impacted by the crackdown, as Alicante is slashing its al-fresco seating by half. According to local press, customers will be asked to leave their table 30 minutes ahead of closing time. The curfew, which will be a huge blow to Brits wanting to dance the night away, applies to two areas of Alicante City that have been designated as Acoustically Saturated Zones (ZAS). This includes parts of the Old Town as well as the area around Calle Castaños, which was previously known for its 'lively' nightlife. The Independent reports that police will be enforcing the rules and helping 'disperse revellers from the area'. It is said the ruling will also have an impact on 24-hour shops that cash in on drunken Brits desperate for a nightcap, as they will also need to comply with the curfew. Alicante's crackdown follows escalating anti-tourist sentiment that has grappled the country in recent months. Last year, a slew of protests erupted across the country as angry residents blamed Brits for Spain's worsening housing crisis. The movement's momentum has continued into this summer season, with more demonstrations to take place in Spanish hotspots this month (June 15). As previously reported the Assembly of Neighbourhoods for Tourism Degrowth, which is behind the action, has been encouraging protestors to bring water pistols to target holidaymakers and get their message across.
Times
14 hours ago
- Times
Inside F1: The Movie – how Brad Pitt hit 180mph (with Lewis Hamilton's help)
What if you made Top Gun, but with cars? And if Tom Cruise isn't available, what if you cast Brad Pitt? The idea was simple, as the most successful in Hollywood often are. It started with the fact that Top Gun: Maverick had made $1.493 billion in 2022, thrilling a worldwide audience who had been stuck at home for two pandemic-heavy years. The movie was produced by the industry heavyweight Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean, Beverly Hills Cop) and directed by Joseph Kosinski: together the two men had the sort of brainwave that could go on to make a further billion. The result? F1: The Movie is a racing movie that aims to bring the live thrills of Formula 1 and the behind-the-helmet personal dramas of the hit Netflix series Drive to Survive to the big screen (and later the small). Taking place over several key races, it's the first movie that effectively captures the details and daring of F1. Funded by Warner Bros and Apple, a studio and a streamer, it has had full co-operation from the official Formula 1 body (Lewis Hamilton is a producer) with a video game and soundtrack tie-in to boot. This is the modern way to make an enormous budget film — proving that the movies did not die, they just needed to collaborate more. 'I've been doing this for over 50 years and the same thing has been echoed again and again — that the cinema business is done,' Bruckheimer, 81, says. 'There was VHS, DVDs, multiple-channel TV, but we're still doing it.' He smiles. 'You have a kitchen, right?' I do. 'But you also go to restaurants?' Guilty. 'Why? Because the food is good and you want a change. So all we need is to make films people want to leave their home for. That's our job. And if we fail then, yes, we have a problem.' The titan behind behemoths from Top Gun to Armageddon and Con Air, Bruckheimer has made glossy action films that have changed Hollywood, for better or worse — ushering in today's multiplex era. Yes, he has had his flops, but there is a reason he is still making films in his eighties. First, he lives and breathes them. Second, he is very good at making money. Surely it is trickier now to predict a hit, when the industry has fragmented across various formats and platforms? 'Well, anybody who tells you they've made a hit movie is lying,' Bruckheimer says with a shrug. 'They have never known. You can put all the bells and whistles on a movie and have the best actors in the world, yet nobody shows up. You just don't know. It's always a crapshoot.' In F1: The Movie Pitt plays the fictional driver Sonny Hayes, a once brilliant racer whose career has been ruined by an accident (he is partly based on the British driver Martin Donnelly, who had a career-ending crash in 1990). Now retired, Hayes is called on by his old friend Ruben (Javier Bardem) to save his struggling team and try to improve the chances of their main driver, Joshua (Damson Idris). Filming began at Silverstone in 2023 and continued in Japan, Mexico, Abu Dhabi, Hungary, Italy and beyond. It is a truly international production, made at a time when President Trump is threatening tariffs on films not made in the US. Bruckheimer is a rarity in Hollywood, in that he has previously donated to the Republican Party. Does he think the Trump tariffs are workable? 'I don't think it's going to change anything,' he says. 'The only way America can deal with [movies being made abroad] is to be competitive with tax rebates — then they'll have a chance of keeping more movies in America. But when you can save 40 per cent by making a movie somewhere else, that will always be a big incentive to go.' I had read that the budget for F1: The Movie was $300 million, which would put it among the 15 most expensive films ever made and demand a huge box-office haul. 'It's quite a bit lower than that,' Bruckheimer says with a grin. 'Look, other studios try to inflate our budget to make their high budgets look lower, but it was a lot less. We had the advantage of putting advertising on the cars, so we saved a fortune. Sponsors all realised how important it was to get their product on a car driven by Pitt. That is pretty cool. That's how Hollywood miscalculated our number.' The film came about partly because Hamilton had wanted to be in Top Gun: Maverick, but the timings did not work out. He had stayed in touch with Kosinski, and became the technical adviser on F1, which puts cameras on real racing cars to make it as realistic as possible. The seven-time champion was able to tell the film-makers that they were, for instance, using the wrong gear on a turn — the sort of detail that matters to petrolhead punters. Hamilton was also adamant that the actors experience genuine speed: the film uses very little CGI. 'Throughout my career I would tell people how difficult it is in a race,' Hamilton says. 'And they would ask, 'How much weight did you lose?' or 'What bruises do you have?' We can lose up to ten pounds [during a race], so having these actors go through the challenges we do as racing drivers — the speed in which you're processing information, the effect on the body, the G-force — was really important. Because you can't fake that.' So, yes, that is the A-lister Pitt driving at 180mph. 'The expression on his face, that concentration and intensity? It's all real,' Kosinski says. 'That's not him acting — he is trying to keep himself alive at that moment.' Surely their insurance company balked at the idea of Pitt filming at those speeds? 'Well, people loved the idea, but when reality set in there was a lot of concern,' Kosinski says. 'And a lot of hand-wringing and conference calls. Ultimately, Brad's natural talent in the car allowed us to get it through.' • 10 best sporting lives on screen — from Maradona to Tonya Harding 'Our insurance policy put a limit on how fast Brad could drive,' Bruckheimer adds. 'It was about 160mph. But our stunt drivers went to the brokers and said, 'It's more dangerous to hold him back, because you need centrifugal force going into these corners.' And they bought it.' Over to audiences then, to see whether F1: The Movie will rival Asif Kapadia's Senna documentary as the racing fans' favourite. Bruckheimer has had hits with Eddie Murphy, Johnny Depp, Will Smith — is Brad Pitt an actor who makes people want to leave their house to watch a movie? 'We'll see, won't we?' F1: The Movie is in cinemas from June 25 Two-for-one cinema tickets at Everyman Times+ members can enjoy two-for-one cinema tickets at Everyman each Wednesday. Visit to find out more
