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Now that's what you call a burner phone! Creepy case is covered in fake SKIN that burns just like human flesh when exposed to UV

Now that's what you call a burner phone! Creepy case is covered in fake SKIN that burns just like human flesh when exposed to UV

Daily Mail​5 days ago
From sparkly plastic cases to the classic Boomer-favourite wallet case, phone cases already come in a range of weird and wonderful styles.
But the latest case is arguably the most unusual one yet.
O2 has joined forces with pioneering Creative Technologist, Marc Teyssier, on a new phone case, which is designed to mimic human skin.
Dubbed the 'Skincase', the creepy case is 3D-printed using silicone, which means it not only looks like human skin, but also feels like it.
Available in four skintones, the Skincase features special pigments that change colour when exposed to UV – just like our skin burning in the sun.
O2 hopes it will remind holidaymakers to take as much notice of their skin while on holiday as they do their phone.
'Our phones are objects we don't expect to change and to react in a humane way,' Mr Teyssier said.
'By creating a tangible, visceral reaction to UV exposure, together with O2, the Skincase not only raises awareness of sun safety towards but highlights how sun protection is an undeniable priority.'
Europe has seen record-breaking temperatures this week, as a deadly heatwave sweeps the continent.
Spain recorded its hottest June day on record at the weekend, with 46C recorded in El Granado, in the Andalucían province of Huelva.
Meanwhile, a new record high for June was also recorded in Mora in Portugal on Sunday, at 46.6C (116F), according to the national meteorological agency.
With many Brits counting down to their European breaks, O2 set out to find a way to remind these holidaymakers about sun safety.
'Holidays should be about creating unmissable moments, bringing home souvenirs and making memories – not about roaming bills and sunburn,' said Christian Hindennach, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media O2.
'With mobiles being such an essential part of everyday life, and while on holiday as our research shows, we've created the Skincase to demonstrate in real time just how severe the effects of sunburn can be, and to promote awareness of vital sun safety among holidaymakers.'
To create the case, Mr Teyssier combined silicone with a UV-reacting pigment, and fed the mix through a 3D printer.
To make it look as lifelike as possible, the researcher even etched lines into the synthetic skin, making it look like the palm of a hand.
To create the case, Mr Teyssier combined silicone with a UV-reacting pigment, and fed the mix through a 3D printer
When it's inside or in the shade, the case is either beige, tan, or dark brown, depending on the design.
However, when you take it outside, or shine a UV light on it, it quickly changes colour - turning either pink or darker brown.
Unfortunately, the phone case is still a prototype, and it remains unclear when, or if it will go on sale in the UK.
This isn't the first time that Mr Teyssier has come out with a skin-inspired phone case.
Back in 2019, the researcher developed a skin-like phone case that r esponded to different forms of human contact such as tickling, caressing and pinching.
Speaking at the time, he said: 'This skin has a subtle surface texture – the sensing is performed in the dermis and the hypodermis layer (fat layer) and the elasticity is what allows us to perform expressive gestures such as pinching.'
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Justin Bieber gasps at wife Hailey's racy bikini snap after hinting at marriage troubles on new album
Justin Bieber gasps at wife Hailey's racy bikini snap after hinting at marriage troubles on new album

Daily Mail​

time19 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Justin Bieber gasps at wife Hailey's racy bikini snap after hinting at marriage troubles on new album

He shocked his fans on Thursday night when he surprise-released his seventh studio album, Swag. But even as Justin Bieber 's fans acquainted themselves with songs that hinted at marital strife between himself and his wife Hailey Bieber, the 31-year-old singer–songwriter couldn't help but ogle at the 28-year-old model on Friday. After her Rhode cosmetics account posted stunning photos of her in a skimpy bikini that were snapped in Majorca, her husband reposted one of his favorites from the set to his Instagram Stories with an R-rated response. 'F***KKKKKKKKKK,' he wrote over a photo of Hailey sunning herself on the deck of a yacht. She flaunted her pert derriere in the revealing swimsuit while a picturesque coastal town rose up in the hills in the background. Although the steamy outburst contrasted with some of the more searing lyrics on Swag, it was perfectly in line with some of Justin's more unabashedly sexy songs, including Sweet Spot. After her Rhode cosmetics account posted stunning photos of her in a skimpy bikini that were snapped in Majorca, her husband reposted one of his favorites from the set to his Instagram Stories with an R-rated response Hailey showcased her fit physique in her photos while wearing a yellow patterned Pucci string bikini that costs around $475 for the top and bottom together from the brand's website. The brunette beauty contrasted her swimsuit with a navy blue headscarf decorated with polka dots, and she added some sparkle with thick gold earrings. She could be seen relaxing on a yacht in one photo as she applied one of her Rhode products to her face. Hailey also satisfied her need for speed in other photos and videos as she cruised around in a jet ski. Later, Hailey was seen enjoying a martini on the shore while wearing a matching yellow patterned crop top and high-waisted pants that appeared to be from the same brand. Hailey's post was likely celebrating the recent billion-dollar sale of her cosmetics company, though it also coincided with the promotional push for Justin's new album. The hitmaker left fans plenty to chew on with newly released songs featuring cryptic lyrics, including Walking Away, which seems to allude to his rumored marriage problems with his wife Hailey Bieber, 28. That song features lyrics about 'taking a break' and 'testing patience,' which could refer to reported strain between the two. But that song and others also seemed to express hopes for a better future, as the singer vowed to 'change' after a period of ups and downs. 'Days go by so fast, don't wanna spend them with you / So tell me why you're throwing stones at my back / You know I'm defenseless,' he sang in the first verse. 'Girl, we better stop before we say some s*** / We've been testing our patience / I think we better off if we just take a break,' he continued. The chorus painted a rosier picture of the relationship, though. 'Baby, I ain't walking away / You were my diamond / Gave you a ring / I made you a promise / I told you, I'd change / It's just human nature / These growing pains / And baby, I ain't walking away,' he sang. One track, Therapy Session, was nothing but a skit between Bieber and the actor and comedian Druski in which they appeared to defend his mental health and recent bizarre social media meltdowns against fans claiming that 'he's f***in' losin' his mind.' Justin released the album, which features 21 songs, four years after his previous album Justice dropped to mixed reviews but solid sales. Swag features guest vocals from Gunna and Cash Cobain, as well as a particularly raunchy verse from the rapper Sexyy Red that left fans blushing and begging for a sweeter version without her. As Bieber quickly publicized the album, he and his wife Hailey shared numerous moody photographs of the two and their 10-month-old son Jack Blues that appeared to have been shot for the album. The singer launched multiple billboards around the globe on Thursday that appeared to promote the album, with images spotted in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Reykjavík, Iceland. Some of the promotional images included what looked like a track listing for the LP, though it wasn't certain if they reflected the final track order. The apparent song titles for Swag include All I Can Take, Daisies, Yukon, Go Baby, Things You Do, Butterflies, Way It Is, First Place, Soulful, Walking Away, Glory Voice Memo, Devotion, Dadz Love, Therapy Session, Sweet Spot, 405, Swag, Zuma House, Too Long and Forgiveness. One song title that was notably missing from the billboard track listings was number 16, Standing On Business. It's not a full-fledged song, but rather another skit between Bieber and Druski that features audio from a confrontation the singer had with paparazzi last month in which he uttered the viral phrase, 'It's not clocking to you that I'm standing on business, is it?' Justin's song Walking Away featured lyrics that appeared to allude to his marriage to Hailey and their recent highly publicized struggles. 'Days go by so fast, don't wanna spend them with you / So tell me why you're throwing stones at my back / You know I'm defenseless,' he sings in the first verse. One fan wrote on X, 'I want everyone who said Justin and Hailey gonna divorce to listen right here cause he ain't walking away' 'Justin Love Hailely... liKe that's his TRUE LOVE!!!' another fan gushed in response to the album But some fans didn't buy the more romantic tunes, with one suggesting that his songs that appeared to be inspired by Hailey felt 'so forced' compared to earlier pop songs that fans believed were inspired by his ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez 'Girl, we better stop before we say some s*** / We've been testing our patience / I think we better off if we just take a break,' he continues. But the chorus and subsequent verses paint a picture of enduring love despite strife. 'Baby, I ain't walking away / You were my diamond / Gave you a ring / I made you a promise / I told you, "I'd change" / It's just human nature / These growing pains / And baby, I ain't walking away,' Bieber sings in the chorus. One fan wrote on X, 'I want everyone who said Justin and Hailey gonna divorce to listen right here cause he ain't walking away.' 'Justin Love Hailely... liKe that's his TRUE LOVE!!!' another fan gushed in response to the album. One fan was particularly moved by Walking Away and said Hailey was 'Justin Bieber's muse.' Other early listeners singled out the love song Devotion, with one fan saying it 'might be one of Justin's best love songs ever. 'Miss Hailey idk what you doing but keep doing it PLEASE,' they added. Some songs had seemingly autobiographical titles, like Dadz Love, which could refer to Justin becoming a father last year. The song was also a clue to how long Bieber had been sitting on the material, as one fan clocked it as the tune soundtracking their pregnancy announcement 'I'm startin' to be open to / The idea that you know me too / I like when you hold me to ya / I like when you scold me too,' Justin sings in the first verse. But some fans didn't buy the more romantic tunes, with one suggesting that his songs that appeared to be inspired by Hailey felt 'so forced' compared to earlier pop songs that fans believed were inspired by his ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez. Some of the songs had potentially autobiographical titles, like Dadz Love, which could refer to Justin becoming a first-time father last year. The song was also a clue to how long Bieber had been sitting on the material, as one fan clocked it as the tune that soundtracked their social media post announcing Hailey's pregnancy with Jack. Others, like Therapy Session and Forgiveness, seemed to allude to reports of marital strife between him and Hailey in recent months, as well as to his bizarre public displays. But other titles seemed primed for love songs, such as Devotion, Soulful and Sweet Spot. The latter tune came in for criticism from some early listeners for an unexpectedly X-rated guest verse from Sexxy Red that conflicted with the more romantic tone Justin set with his lyrics. Several posters urged the pop star to put out a new 'solo' version of the song without Sexxy Red's verse, or to do a remix with a different performer in her place. Several posters urged the pop star to put out a new 'solo' version of the song without Sexxy Red's verse, or to do a remix with a different performer in her place One fan suggested that Justin couldn't pull off the steamy tone that the song called for. 'Sweet Spot should've been a Chris Brown or Usher song,' adding that, 'Justin needs to quit the act like fr.' Another user joked, 'OG Justin fans gon hear sexy redd on sweet spot and ain't gon know what to do [sic]' One fan suggested that Justin couldn't pull off the steamy tone that the song called for. 'Sweet Spot should've been a Chris Brown or Usher song,' they wrote, adding that, 'Justin needs to quit the act like fr.' Another user joked, 'OG Justin fans gon hear sexy redd on sweet spot and ain't gon know what to do 😂😂 [sic].' Although Bieber didn't clarify which — if any — of the images he shared are intended as Swag's album cover, one prominent black-and-white photo showed him shirtless from behind while Hailey stood in front of them and held Jack in her arms. They appeared to be standing at the entrance to a barn bathed in darkness aside from a small rectangular door open on the other side that let in a sliver of light. To the left, Swag was written in capital letters over a completely black background. Other images featuring the Swag graphic showed a the titled in a minimalist black box, while next to it was a black-and-white photo of a shirtless Justin holding Jack in front of a sofa placed just inside of the the makeshift barn. Bieber appeared to use his massively anticipated album drop to help promote another of his business, his new fashion project Skylrk. The clothing brand, which he moved on to after publicly denouncing his previous apparel company Drew House, announced a surprise drop on its website. The site now has two nondescript $160 hoodies in a light blue, faded black or yellow, along with multiple pastel tank tops, beanies, sunglasses and a variety of slide sandals. As of Thursday evening, several of the 20 different items appeared to have already sold out. Although it was a surprise to fans that Bieber was so close to releasing his seventh album, he hasn't exactly been hiding that he was working on it. The artist posted several photos of him at work in the studio in recent months, suggesting he was making progress. However, he had reportedly been nearing completion of an album way back in May 2022. It's unclear if the album being released as Swag is essentially the same project he was working on as far back as 2022, or if it represents primarily new material. Bieber's most recent collection of multiple songs was his 2021 gospel-influenced EP Freedom He released his sixth studio album, Justice, earlier that year. It received only mixed reviews, but it managed to top the Billboard 200 albums chart and was certified 2x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Justin's previous LPs include Changes (2020), Purpose (2015), Believe (2012), the Christmas album Under The Mistletoe (2011) and My World 2.0 (2010).

The 10 best cities on Earth (according to you)
The 10 best cities on Earth (according to you)

Telegraph

timean hour ago

  • Telegraph

The 10 best cities on Earth (according to you)

What makes a city a perfect travel destination? Does it need to be eye-catching from the first moment you see it – in a television show, or in an Instagram feed? Does it need a long history – promising a mini-break where you can drift back through the centuries? Does it need a bucket-list landmark – a soaring tower or an epic palace that you just have to photograph? Does it need amazing restaurants, or a lively bar scene? Or does it need a little of all of the above – an alchemic combination that turns a maze of roads, buildings and everyday life into a vibrant hub of which holiday dreams are made? This would seem the conclusion to be taken from the latest Telegraph Travel Awards – and, in particular, the list of the top 10 cities favoured by you, the readers. It adds up to an exclusive club, but also an eclectic one, with urban hotspots from Asia, Africa, Europe and North America all making the grade. The following article examines each of the tantalising 10, and compares their current high rankings against previous performance in this poll. Are there notable risers and fallers? Has a city jumped from nowhere to be one of your new firm favourites? And has the winner in the last (2023) edition of the awards managed to keep its shiny crown? All is revealed below. 10. Singapore 2023 position: 20th These latest Telegraph Travel Awards have seen the readership's gaze shift a little towards the Far East. There are three cities from the region in this top 10 (only one made the cut in 2023), so Singapore is a flavour of things to come. In truth, although it has generally been absent from the upper reaches of this poll (it only made the top 10 once in the six prior awards), it is no surprise to see Singapore held so highly in your estimation. The city-state at the tip of the Malay Peninsula is a classic travel destination, drifting into the evening on cocktails and polite conversation. True, it has 21st-century attractions aplenty, such as the flashing 'supertrees' of the Gardens By The Bay urban park. But much of Singapore sings of prior eras – not least the Raffles Hotel, now restored to full majesty following a two-year refurbishment. 9. Porto 2023 position: 11th Europe has so many intriguing cities that some, inevitably, will sit just beyond your travel plans, forever the 'maybe next year' option for an autumn mini-break. Perhaps Portugal's second city is one of them. And perhaps it is coming increasingly into focus. This is the first time that Porto has been listed as one of your chosen top 10, its ascent to ninth marking a continuation of an upward curve: from 22nd in 2019 to 11th in 2023. Moreover, it has managed to eclipse Lisbon (16th) in this latest poll – maybe because the Portuguese capital, famously picturesque, has become famously busy; maybe because Porto's charms are obvious to those keen to look – such as the Luis I Bridge, crossing the Douro in a double-deck iron arch. There is also the two-for-the-price-of-one factor. Vila Nova de Gaia and its port lodges, on the south side of the river, is technically another city. 8. Venice 2023 position: 2nd In some senses, a drop of six positions should be seen as a sign of waning affections. But perhaps a plunge in Venice's fortunes is only to be expected. Italy's lagoon city has flirted with a less positive sort of travel headline of late: haunted by the spectre of overtourism, questioned over its introduction of an entrance fee, and framed – not for the first time – as a playground for the super-rich by Amazon boss Jeff Bezos's wedding. But equally, 'La Serenissima' will always have its serenity, and while the image of canals, gondolas and bridges is recognisable to the point of cliché, there is a rare beauty to the picture all the same. It definitely resonates with you, the reader. While eighth is Venice's lowest rank in the last seven editions of The Telegraph Travel Awards, it has not failed to be one of your 10 favourite cities in that same 11-year window. Some things – and places – are timeless. 7. Vancouver 2023 position: 4th The Telegraph readers' relationship with America remains curiously muted. It is 11 years since the US appeared in the roll-call of your top 10 favourite countries (10th, in 2014). And for all the glamour of New York and Chicago, it is New Orleans and its southern charms that polls best in this particular list – although only in 26th. It is a different matter, however, on the far side of the border, Vancouver preserving an ever-present relationship with the top 10 which also dates back to 2014. It is not difficult to understand the appeal of this urban giant at Canada's south-western corner – a haven for skiing in the cold months, when the slopes are alive at Whistler Blackcomb and Cypress Mountain; a sensation in summer, when the sun catches on the totem poles in Stanley Park, and adjacent Vancouver Island beckons for road trips. 6. Copenhagen 2023 position: 21st Every time the results of The Telegraph Travel Awards are announced, this top 10 tends to feature at least one city which rises to prominence from a previously unheralded slot in the statistics. In 2023, it was Rio de Janeiro, surfing a wave of post-pandemic escapism to surge from 31st to seventh – only to drop back whence it came (to 37th) this time around. The Danish capital's leap to sixth in the 2025 poll – up from 21st in 2023, and 34th in 2019 – feels similarly rocket-powered. There is no reason to doubt Copenhagen's allure – Michelin-starred cuisine at Noma and Geranium; the trendy bars of Vesterbro; the painted buildings of the Nyhavn waterfront; the theme-park kitsch of the Tivoli Gardens. Whether it can maintain its popularity with Telegraph readers, or will splash back to a lower ranking, will make for interesting viewing in 2027. 5. Kyoto 2023 position: 9th The second of the three Far Eastern cities in this poll stands on a firm footing. Kyoto has now enjoyed a single-figure placing in three consecutive editions of The Telegraph Travel Awards – and in rising four positions in this latest iteration, cements its reputation as one of the essential stops on any tour of Japan. None of this is a shock. In contrast to the neon gleam that illuminates many of the other major cities in the Land of the Rising Sun, the former ' Heian-kyō ' – the name translates as 'peaceful capital' – clings to much a quieter ideal. The twin Buddhist temples of Kinkaku-ji (with its Unesco World Heritage status) and Ryōan-ji (with its karesansui rock garden) have come to symbolise Kyoto's sense of calm, although if it is crowds and Instagram moments that you crave, a hike up through the (800 or so) orange torii gates of the Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine will tick all the boxes. 4. Tokyo 2023 position: 18th In 2023 and 2019, Kyoto was your most highly rated Japanese city. Here in 2025, it has been eclipsed by its compatriot – via a surge from 18th position (in both 2019 and 2023) to the heady heights of fourth. Of course, any long-haul jaunt to reach Kyoto will almost certainly pass through the Japanese capital, and Tokyo has clearly seized the attention of those who have made the journey. But then, few would deny that it shines as one of the most eye-catching cities on the planet – literally, in the case of Shinjuku and Akihabara, where technicolour signs and billboards make for a 21st century glow, and in Shibuya, where the famous five-way street crossing is a constant flurry of people. Indeed, whether it is Blade Runner or Lost in Translation, a stay in Tokyo can give you the impression that you have stumbled into a movie – where each of your senses is stimulated simultaneously. 3. Sydney 2023 position: 8th Australia's most celebrated city (with apologies to Melbourne) is no stranger to the top branches of this particular tree; Sydney has been listed among your 10 favourite cities in every Telegraph Travel Awards since 2014. However, its ranking in 2023 was an unusually meagre eighth – a side effect, perhaps, of Australia's notably stern response to Covid-19, which left the country effectively closed off to international travellers until well into 2022. Three years of relative normality have now passed, and Australia's image as a haven of southern sunshine and astonishing geography – rather than a shuttered shop – is fully restored. With this, Sydney is back to third in this poll – the Opera House once again resplendent in its waterfront setting, the Harbour Bridge arcing mightily, Bondi Beach preening, and the restaurants of Surry Hills waiting for diners. Business as usual. 2. Seville 2023 position: 3rd Seville's popularity in this poll is remarkable. Not only is it consistently named as your favourite city in Spain (it has now outscored each of Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia in every one of the past six Telegraph Travel Awards), it has now risen to become your best-loved city in the whole of Europe (an achievement it also managed in 2018). Anyone unfamiliar with the Andalusian capital might wonder how, without a beach, or a La Rambla-style mega-boulevard, Seville can be so appreciated. Anyone who has wandered through a city where memories of the region's Moorish era as Al-Andalus swirl at almost every turn will already know the answer. The Alcazar palace recalls the distant mists of the 11th century in its tinkling fountains and cool courtyards. The Casco Antiguo tells a later story of tapas bars and boutiques – but is no less alluring. 1. Cape Town 2023 position: 1st We live in a turbulent era, where war rages, heatwaves stalk the Mediterranean summer, and travel can feel a more precarious prospect than we might admit. So it is reassuring to find that some things do not change. In the past 11 years, Telegraph readers have been asked the question 'What is your favourite city on the planet?' seven times. And seven times, you have replied: 'Cape Town'. In truth, this unswerving consistency is easy to unpick. Few places can match South Africa's most feted metropolis for photogenic power: the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront fringing the Atlantic, Table Mountain rearing as an epic backdrop, the land ebbing down to the beaches of Camps Bay and the flicked tail of the Cape of Good Hope. Then there are the winelands to the east; the promise of fine vintages in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. What price eight times out of eight in 2027?

I'm too ill to travel – why won't the hotel refund me?
I'm too ill to travel – why won't the hotel refund me?

The Independent

timean hour ago

  • The Independent

I'm too ill to travel – why won't the hotel refund me?

Q Is it legal or reasonable for a hotel not to offer any sort of refund? I was booked to stay at a well-known hotel chain this coming Saturday night. Unfortunately, I am ill and can't go. The hotel has refused to refund me. It seems quite harsh that it's a flat 'no' like this! A The hotel responded to your polite request for a refund by saying: 'Unfortunately due to the cancellation policy, the amount due is not refundable even if the booking is cancelled or modified.' I checked the conditions for the 'advance saver' you booked; in return for a 15 per cent discount on the regular, flexible rate (refundable until midnight the night before), it makes quite clear you are not getting your money back. Sorry. Yet there is rather more to your case than that. I have tried to make a booking for Saturday night and found the place is full up. The website says: 'Unavailable for the selected dates'. There are two possibilities that I can see: one is that the hotel will have an unoccupied room on Saturday night because you won't be showing up; that would be a shame. The other is that the hotel has deliberately overbooked. Hotels often predict a certain number of no-shows of people who have booked and paid in advance, perhaps selling 102 rooms in a 100-room hotel. (I recently asked at the front desk of a four-star hotel in Brussels if they had any rooms available that night, and was told 'minus two' – ie it was overbooked.) Whichever explanation is correct, I think it would be fairer and commercially smart on a busy night to allow you to change dates for a fee or to allow you to cancel completely for, say, a 50 per cent refund. Then the hotel could resell your room with confidence, and probably price it at significantly more than the £95 you paid due to strong demand. For now, though, I fear all you can do is spend your hard-earned money elsewhere in future. Q What countries have you not been to? Steve Holland A Far too many to mention. While I relish visiting new nations, I am in no sense a 'completist' wanting to visit every country in the world. I am sure the scattering of island nations across the Pacific have their charms, but I won't be putting together a complicated, expensive and time-consuming itinerary to visit them. (I have, though, been to Easter Island, part of Chile, which I wholeheartedly recommend.) My most pressing wish is to explore more of Africa. In the west, I have heard great things about Sierra Leone and Ghana. Congo looks fascinating. And, in the southeast, Malawi and Mozambique are tempting. In the Indian Ocean, Reunion (technically part of France) and Madagascar appeal. In the Middle East, I will be visiting Lebanon for the first time this October, but Syria, Iraq and Iran I will save for later. The main Asian nations I long to visit are Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. I have tried to visit the last of those. The authorities refused to issue a visa. I hope officials in Ashgabat may be more lenient next time. North Korea? I would much prefer to visit when this strange land is freed from tyranny. In South America, my 'missing' nations are the sole Dutch and French representatives on the continent, Suriname and French Guiana. I will reach them one day. Mostly, though, I am desperate to explore more of the countries I have already visited. I am looking forward to returning to Ukraine – as well as Belarus and Russia – when the war ends; tourism is a force for healing after conflict. Large swathes of Turkey look enticing, as do Georgia and Armenia. At the other end of Asia, I have barely done Indonesia justice, and will do so soon. Finally, the more I see of the great European nations – France, Spain, Italy, Germany... – the more I want to return. Q I am going to Belgium in early September. I don't think we have time for Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp. Which two of those would you choose? John Gregory A Without question, Antwerp and Ghent. Bruges is a superbly preserved medieval city with a magnificent, Unesco -listed historic centre. But in summer it is Belgium's strongest contender for overtourism, especially when a big cruise ship docks at nearby Zeebrugge. According to maritime sources, vessels will call at the port on most days in the first half of September. Bruges and Ghent are sometimes portrayed as similar – but in my view, the latter has more to offer. Rivers and canals slice Ghent into a collection of enticing quarters. You can survey them from the top of the 14th-century belfry – accessible by 366 steps. The first cultural highlight is a superb Modern art museum, Smak. Next, a spectacular work of art, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb by Jan and Hubert Van Eyck, on display in the cathedral; it is also known as the Ghent altarpiece. And Citadelpark has much to offer, including the beautiful University Botanic Gardens, with 10,000 species of plant, and MSK – the Museum of Fine Arts. Antwerp is twice the size of Ghent and more industrialised, but the city centre is eminently walkable. The central station is more than a busy transport hub: it is a palace of mobility and the grandest possible entry point to a city. The impressively refreshed Royal Museum of Fine Arts (also known as KMSKA) is lots of fun. Antwerp's Flemish renaissance Grote Markt feels like a more enjoyable central square than even the Grand-Place in Brussels. Both Antwerp and Ghent offer superb food and drink at reasonable prices – as does everywhere else in Belgium. Just in case you have time en route from Antwerp to Brussels airport or main railway station for your journey home, Mechelen is well worth a lunch stop, too. Q I was booked to fly from the Maldives to Doha and onwards to London on Qatar Airways on the day the Iranians fired their missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base. The flight to Doha was cancelled. Ground staff at the airport could only give me a slip of paper telling me to contact the local Qatar Airways office. That was impossible; two emails only got automated replies. So I bought full-price British Airways tickets home for the following day. Qatar now refuses to pay any compensation or expenses and has only offered a refund of the unused return portion. Of course, I accept the cause was beyond the airline's control. Even though it was a 'non-UK sector' that was cancelled, because the whole journey started and finished in London, that gives me UK rights, I think? Leon D A Your experience mirrors mine last November when Qatar Airways cancelled a flight from Kathmandu to Doha, not in such dramatic circumstances as yours. The carrier washed its hands of the matter, offering a replacement flight a week later. I ended up spending £1,300 to get home via Bangkok. Qatar Airways issued a refund for the return leg promptly, but it didn't cover even half of that cost. You have, I'm afraid, become the latest traveller to learn of the loophole in British and European air passengers' rights rules. They do not apply to a non-European airline flying from outside the UK or the EU. So there is no obligation to find another flight or provide hotels and meals. This is infuriating and should be addressed. Rules notwithstanding, the passenger-friendly course of action for Qatar Airways would have been to rebook you immediately on the British Airways flight for which you ended up paying top whack. But tens of thousands of passengers were stranded in various locations. Many of them, such as those flying out for the UK, were covered by air passengers' rights rules. So it is unsurprising that they were prioritised. If you happen to have been on a package holiday to the Maldives, then the holiday company is required to look after you and should recompense you. Otherwise, I suggest you try your travel insurer.

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