
2025 summer solstice at Stonehenge
Jim Powell Main image: Visitors welcome in the solstice sunrise at Stonehenge. Photograph: Jaimi Joy/Reuters
Sat 21 Jun 2025 08.42 EDT

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The Sun
5 minutes ago
- The Sun
Fury as train fares could soar by inflation-busting 5.8% next year despite services getting WORSE
TRAIN passengers could face a 5.8 per cent fares rise next year, even though punctuality is the worst since 2020. It would see the price of a Liverpool-to-Manchester annual flexi ticket jump by £120.30 to £2,195.10. 2 Increases are usually calculated by adding one percentage point to the Retail Price Index figure for inflation — which yesterday hit 4.8 per cent for July. The RPI is calculated by looking at the prices of 700 products and services but also includes mortgage interest payments and council tax. Fare rises could see a Woking-to-London season ticket soar by £247 to £4,507. Meanwhile, punctuality is at its lowest in more than five years. The Office of Rail and Road found trains reached 66.7 per cent of station stops on time in the year to July 19 — the worst since the year to May 2020. Labour is nationalising operators as contracts expire, with South Western Railway and c2c now under public ownership. Ben Plowden of Campaign for Better Transport said: 'The fundamental question for the Government is how to use its role in setting fares policy to deliver a more affordable network and encourage customers.' Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden said: 'Labour's election promises ring hollow as passengers are hit with inflation-busting rises on top of cancelled trains, driver shortages and chaos on the network.' The Department for Transport said an update on fares will be released later this year. Peak rail fares scrapped by John Swinney 2


The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
The London hotel with a ‘secret garden in the sky' and indoor swimming pool
THE Leonardo Royal Hotel Tower London is in a prime spot with a rooftop bar overlooking the capital. But what is the food like and how comfy are the beds? Read on to find out. 4 4 Where is the hotel? This smart hotel has a great location – it's right by St. Paul's Cathedral and just a ten-minute walk from the River Thames and Southbank, with cultural draws including the Tate Modern and National Theatre. The nearest tube stations are Aldgate and Tower Hill, both under ten minutes walk away. What are the rooms like at the hotel? The 459 rooms have all the mod cons you'd expect too - spacious, with big, comfy beds and crisp white linen. The style is contemporary, with brightly coloured armchairs and modern art on the walls. Some rooms offer glimpses of St Paul's dome and all have flat-screen TVs, Nespresso machines and high-speed Wi-Fi. Self-catering studio apartments, 100 metres from the main building, are also available. After a night here I felt rejuvenated and like I'd had a proper mini-break. One night's B&B costs from £269, based on two people sharing. Click here to book. What is there to eat and drink there? The laid-back Leo's Restaurant serves everything from traditional full English breakfasts to Mediterranean dishes. On the seventh floor, Sabine's Rooftop Bar and Restaurant is a chic hangout. This secret garden up in the sky features a cool glass roof, a menu of funky cocktails and amazing vistas. It's open until 2am at weekends so you can settle in with a drink to watch the sunset, and then keep the party going. The bar snacks are delicious, particularly the mac and cheese bonbons. What is there to do at the hotel? Make sure take a quick dip in the hotel swimming pool inside. Otherwise you can take a guided tour of St Paul's, do some shopping and grab lunch by the river – all within a ten-minute stroll from your base. Is the hotel family friendly? Yes, the restaurant is family-friendly and you can book a room with two queen-sized beds. Is there access for guests with disabilities? Yes, there are accessible rooms and lifts for wheelchair users. 4 4


BreakingNews.ie
3 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Hundreds of ships and boats sail into Amsterdam to mark city's maritime history
Crowds packed vantage points along a major canal and took to the water themselves on Wednesday to watch a flotilla of hundreds of historic ships sail into Amsterdam at the start of a five-day festival celebrating the Dutch capital's maritime history. Ships from all over the world, many with their masts and rigging decorated with flags, sailed from the North Sea coastal town of IJmuiden on an hours-long journey up the North Sea Canal and into Amsterdam's IJ waterway for Sail 2025, the first edition in a decade. Advertisement A puff of orange smoke erupted into the sky and ships' horns sounded as the replica, three-masted clipper Stad Amsterdam passed through a lock to mark the official start of the event. Each ship is greeted with two cannon shots and its country's national anthem as it enters the harbour. Orange smoke signals the start of the parade of hundreds of tall ships sailing into Amsterdam's harbour (Peter Dejong/AP) Hugo Peek was one of the thousands of people who sailed in smaller boats together with the tall ships. Along with his grandfather and several other family members, he travelled on a smaller boat that accompanied the tall ship Europa. 'There was almost no water. It's almost all boats, ' the 21-year-old student said. Advertisement Mahek Singahl was waiting in Amsterdam's central train station, looking onto the harbour with her two small children and several large suitcases. Her family was headed back to Ivory Coast after a holiday in Iceland and had stopped in Amsterdam for a few days. They had no idea what the crowds were for. 'My husband went to look at the boats and left me here,' she said, laughing. 'He loves this stuff.' The event, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors, is held every five years. The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Advertisement Wednesday's parade culminates in an evening fireworks display. The ships will remain in Amsterdam, many open for visitors, through the weekend. The first event was held in 1975 to celebrate Amsterdam's 700th anniversary and this year's edition coincides with the city's 750th birthday.