Latest news with #Traveller
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
1 dead, 18 Injured in 25-vehicle pile-up on Mumbai-Pune Expressway
NAVI MUMBAI: One woman died and 18 others were injured after a container trailer whose brakes failed rammed into 25 vehicles on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Saturday afternoon. The pile-up took place near Adoshi tunnel under the Khopoli police station. Navi Mumbai, India - July 26, 2025:Mumbai-Pune Expressway accident ,16 Vehicles Collide , One Dead in Navi Mumbai, India, on Saturday, July 26, 2025. (Photo by / HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO) The deceased, Anita Sahadev Ekhande, 58, a resident of Padoli village in Dharashiv district, was traveling in an SUV along with her family. The trailer was heading from Pune towards Mumbai, when its brakes failed as it was descending the ghats. 'It collided with vehicles in front of it, resulting in a pile-up of 25 vehicles, including cars, buses and trucks. The impact was so great that the trailer dragged several vehicles nearly 3.5km,' said superintendent of police, Raigad, Anchal Dalal. Seven vehicles, including a Mercedes and an Innova, were badly damaged. Volunteers from the HELP Foundation involved in the rescue operation said the deceased woman was travelling with her family comprising nine people in an SUV. 'She and her family were travelling from Solapur. A 17-seater Traveller was badly damaged in the accident. Most of the injured were inside this vehicle,' said Bhakti Sathelkar, a volunteer. While 17 of the 18 injured were taken to MGM hospital, Kamothe, for treatment, one of them is in a private hospital. 'Prima facie, the accident was the result of brake failure. The trailer driver was not under the influence of alcohol. The damage was major as the brakes failed while the trailer was driving down a slope,' said Dala. Police have arrested the trailer driver, identified as Rajeshkumar Ramsumer Patel, 29. Director of MGM Hospital, Kamothe , Dr Kuldeep Raj Salgotra, said 17 patients were brought to the hospital from the accident site, the first at 3pm. One is in critical condition, on ventilator support, owing to serious head injuries. Another patient is also relatively serious and has a cervical spine fracture. Of the remaining 15 patients, two have pelvic fractures, one has a fractured collar bone, and three have sustained other fractures. Of the 17 patients admitted, 15 are women and two are male, including a 9-year-old.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
I've travelled to the US for 35 years. My ESTA was revoked without warning
Homeland insecurities My daughter lives in the US and, for the past 35 years (excluding the pandemic), I have visited her at least once a year, as part of an extended overseas trip. This year, I made my usual US ESTA [Electronic System for Travel Authorisation] application. When it was approved, I purchased a ticket. But a few hours before my flight departure time, I received an email from US Homeland Security cancelling my authorisation to travel. No reason was provided, leaving me in the Kafkaesque situation of having breached some official procedure, while having no way to appeal the decision or determine what that breach could be. It is, of course, unthinkable that in the US, the land of much-vaunted freedom of speech, I should be penalised – as I suspect – for posting online several comments critical of President Trump and his administration, but it remains difficult to think of any reason why it should be acceptable for me to visit the US in May and, then, be suddenly unacceptable in July. There was a time when we only worried about such matters when travelling behind the Iron Curtain. Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy, NSW Letter of the week: Makes scents I toured Beppu, Japan (Traveller, July 12) in early April and there was a lot to see in addition to the various 'hells' (hot water springs). I visited the Otia Fragrance Museum, a two-kilometre downhill walk from the concentration of 'hells' along a funky shopping street. As well as a great history of the development of the fragrance industry and the various packages fragrances come in, the museum has a high-quality and reasonably priced gift shop and a lovely garden coffee shop. Its fragrance is quite different from the springs. I also participated in a workshop developing your own personal perfume for about $30. Yet another fun-filled, different activity in Japan, my favourite destination. Alex Gosman, Canberra, ACT Not so fast track Travelling from Singapore Changi to Sydney on QF2, the queue to enter security was clearly divided into two lines, indicating boarding groups one and two on the left and boarding groups three and four on the right. With no one to separate the boarding groups, not surprisingly the entire planeload joined the groups one and two queue, leaving the groups three and four queues virtually empty. I was travelling business class, entitling me to board in group one and two. Rather than ask for my due, I sauntered over to the near-empty group three and four queue and quickly sailed through. So much for the supposed privileges of fast track/priority boarding. Shamistha de Soysa, Vaucluse, NSW Brownied off
The Age
4 days ago
- The Age
I've travelled to the US for 35 years. My ESTA was revoked without warning
Homeland insecurities My daughter lives in the US and, for the past 35 years (excluding the pandemic), I have visited her at least once a year, as part of an extended overseas trip. This year, I made my usual US ESTA [Electronic System for Travel Authorisation] application. When it was approved, I purchased a ticket. But a few hours before my flight departure time, I received an email from US Homeland Security cancelling my authorisation to travel. No reason was provided, leaving me in the Kafkaesque situation of having breached some official procedure, while having no way to appeal the decision or determine what that breach could be. It is, of course, unthinkable that in the US, the land of much-vaunted freedom of speech, I should be penalised – as I suspect – for posting online several comments critical of President Trump and his administration, but it remains difficult to think of any reason why it should be acceptable for me to visit the US in May and, then, be suddenly unacceptable in July. There was a time when we only worried about such matters when travelling behind the Iron Curtain. Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy, NSW Letter of the week: Makes scents I toured Beppu, Japan (Traveller, July 12) in early April and there was a lot to see in addition to the various 'hells' (hot water springs). I visited the Otia Fragrance Museum, a two-kilometre downhill walk from the concentration of 'hells' along a funky shopping street. As well as a great history of the development of the fragrance industry and the various packages fragrances come in, the museum has a high-quality and reasonably priced gift shop and a lovely garden coffee shop. Its fragrance is quite different from the springs. I also participated in a workshop developing your own personal perfume for about $30. Yet another fun-filled, different activity in Japan, my favourite destination. Alex Gosman, Canberra, ACT Not so fast track Travelling from Singapore Changi to Sydney on QF2, the queue to enter security was clearly divided into two lines, indicating boarding groups one and two on the left and boarding groups three and four on the right. With no one to separate the boarding groups, not surprisingly the entire planeload joined the groups one and two queue, leaving the groups three and four queues virtually empty. I was travelling business class, entitling me to board in group one and two. Rather than ask for my due, I sauntered over to the near-empty group three and four queue and quickly sailed through. So much for the supposed privileges of fast track/priority boarding. Shamistha de Soysa, Vaucluse, NSW Brownied off
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
The 40 kid-friendly & free activities that you can do on EVERY day of the school holidays this summer – starting today!
THE school holiday season is upon us and we have six weeks to keep everyone in the house happy without going bonkers or broke. Never is the demand for snacks, activities and attention greater than in the UK summer break, and many parents find themselves juggling jobs and kids, while keeping their cool in the heat. Advertisement 9 Wheelgate theme park in Nottingham is a good choice for children under 12 Credit: Instagram 9 Park Run is a great way to get outdoors and stay active during the holidays Credit: Getty 9 Ruislip Lido is one of London's best-kept secrets, with a beach and huge play area. Credit: Alamy Coming up with new things to do every day can sometimes be as exhausting as the actual task of Luckily, there is so much going on over the holidays, you can take your pick of Advertisement To help give you some inspiration on how to keep the clan busy, here are 40 cheap and cheerful things to do with kids from toddler-age to teens in summer 2025. Fun things to do outdoors with kids 1. Something really fun to do in summer is take a picnic and some foldaway chairs and watch a movie on an outdoor big screen. There are open-air cinemas popping up all over the UK this year, and some of them are completely free. Screen on the Green in Newcastle, which is in Old Eldon Square, will be showing two or three films a day from 21 July to 31st August, as well as some key sporting events. If you're closer to Manchester, Screen on the Square in Deansgate has a similar vibe and will be showing old favourites like Back to the Future and Cool Runnings as well as kids films like Frozen and Sing. Open until 14 th September. 2. A cheap beach day is always a summer holiday go-to, but if you want to ensure no one gets bored relaxing on the sand, pick a beach where you can go Advertisement The best places in the UK to go fossil hunting are Lyme Regis and Charmouth on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, Compton Bay on the 3. If you don't want to travel too far, and live inland, there are still opportunities to get on the water. Look for lakes with natural or man-made beaches in your area, such as Cotswold Country Park, Loch Morlich in Scotland, Rutland Water in the Traveller has great money saving hack that also allows you to experience destinations better 4. For those who don't own their own paddleboard or kayak, you can rent one from Decathlon for £35 for the day and test your skills. Boards start from £99 to buy, so this is a great way to see if SUP (stand-up paddle) is for you without shelling out for your own. 5. If you're in London but you fancy a beach day, head to 6. As part of the Advertisement 7. At the 8. In Nottingham, the 9. There are three huge playgrounds, a small zoo, a water park and an indoor soft play. Tickets are cheaper when purchased in advance, with entry starting from £10.50 for the day and £6 for toddlers, seniors and children with additional needs. If you have a Gaby's Dollhouse fan in the house, she too will be visiting on August 5th 2025. 10. If you haven't booked a holiday this summer, you can still take the kids on a mini adventure with a Advertisement Plus, they often have free events and workshops for kids centred around the area, so you get even more than just a stay at a regular hotel 11. The Southport Air show on 9 The Gruffalo Trail in Essex is a fun way to explore your children's favourite stories. Credit: 9 Southport Airshow is always a spectacle and a great day our for families Credit: Alamy 12. Children's farms are a simple and wholesome day out, and many of the best ones are free. Advertisement 13. Go for a ride on an open-top tour bus in London with hop-on-hop-off stops around the city. You can go for a general sightseeing tour, which takes in all the major sights, and there is also a kids-themed one that cuts out all the 'boring' adult bits. Book online for up to 35% off tickets 14. Camel Creek in Cornwall is another fun, family theme park that has over 40 rides and an affordable ticket deal if you think you'll go more than once. Entry tickets, from £20, are valid for seven days' entry, meaning you can go back in as many times as you want to. But when you upgrade to the annual pass, you can visit all year for £35. If you want to make a full holiday out of your visit, check out the new glamping pods. 15. Ever taken out a family canoe? At Canoe Wild in Kent, you can take out an old-school canoe, big enough for the whole family and spot wildlife along the scenic River Stour for only £27. Plus, if you need a little 'me time', kids 8+ can join the every Wednesday for fun, games, and learning new paddling skills. This is a drop-off session, so grown-ups can relax or even enjoy a peaceful paddle of their own while their kids are safely looked after. 16. If you have kids that love fantasy stories, there is no greater legend than the Loch Ness Monster. If you are based in the north of England or in Scotland, head to the famous loch to hunt for 'sea creatures' on a little build-your-own adventure. Stop in at the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition, visit Urquhart Castle and take on the Loch Ness 360 Trail for free while you are there. Advertisement Family festivals and outdoor events 17. Queens Park Arena in Glasgow has a full summer programme for 2025, including movie screenings, concerts and dance and fitness classes. Movie screenings, with favourites like Mean Girls, are perfect for teens, and until 1 st August, you can get two free tickets per person. 18. Follow the 19. Nottingham Beach is returning to Old Market Square from Wednesday 16th July - Sunday 31st August. This pop-up festival has sand, rides, music, arcades and games on an 'urban beach' right in the heart of the city centre. Ideal for all ages 20. Take a seat on Bournemouth Beach or anywhere along the seafront and watch the Summer Fireworks light up the sky over Bournemouth Pier. Spend the day at the beach and then grab some fish and chips on the front and enjoy the free show, which takes place at 10pm on Fridays from 1 to 29 August 2025. 21. If you have an active clan, you can join one of hundreds of Junior Park Runs around the UK this summer. Shorter than the usual Park Run distance, families can run, walk or jog an official 2k route with lots of other children and grown-ups, usually on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Advertisement Events include Riverside junior parkrun in Ballymoney, Phear Park junior parkrun in Exmouth and Alyn Waters junior parkrun in Wrexham. 22. Another upbeat activity that is free to join is one of many Park Tennis events hosted by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and Barclays Bank. You need an LTA membership, but it's free to join. Then, just search for an event near you, with extra sessions being added every day. 23. If you're not feeling sporty but still want to stay active and help the kids learn a new skill, Dobbies Garden Centres have a summer programme of Little Seedlings Children's workshops for children aged four to 10 years. These are free and teach - not just kids, but adults too - about growing plants, vegetables and other garden friends like insects and birds. There are also some additional, special events like a Prehistoric Plants and Summer Scents smell workshop, which can be booked online in advance. Kids also eat for £1 at Dobbies Gardening Centre cafes at breakfast and lunchtime, so you can spend a large part of the day hanging out there with lots to do and bargain grub. 24. Advertisement 25. They also offer orienteering sessions for adults and older children, which might be more suitable for the big kids 26. If you like Beatrix Potter, the 27. Summer is colourful at RHS Garden Bridgewater, where families can take on The Great Woodland Adventure—a programme of outdoor fun running from 23 July to 31 August. From den building challenges and tree climbing to storytelling adventures and woodland crafts, there's something for every young explorer. 28. The Bridgewater Forest School has thrilling hands-on experiences like fire lighting and tool mastery from £5. The 29. For a more extended experience, children can join Advertisement 30. The annual Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is a free event where you can marvel at 100 hot-air balloons floating in the sky above the outskirts of the city. This year, from 8-10 August, you can watch the balloons take off twice each day, at around 6am and 6pm. 9 The Sky Garden in London is free and has amazing views of London but you do need to book an entry time because it's very popular. Credit: Getty 9 A city bus tour is an easy way to hop on and hop off at the sights and kids love the open-top. Credit: Getty 31. Lavender fields are not only a social media dream - so, therefore perfect for teenage girls wanting to post pretty pics - butmost have more than just beautiful fields of flowers to admire and pick. Mayfield Lavender, famed for its organic Banstead lavender farm has a brand-new visitor experience this summer: the Secret Lavender Garden. There will be time sessions in the morning and afternoon for visitors to explore the fragrant lavender, an apple orchard, over 500 fruit trees and local wildlife. There is a tall tree-lined avenue that leads guests to a second hidden lavender field, which boasts amazing countryside views and even the skyline of London is visible. Advertisement 32. The Greenwich Fair, a much-loved south London festival, is reopening this year after a few years off where it was unable to run due to lack of budget. However, a crowdfunding effort has brought it back to life over the weekend of 23-24th August 2025. The free event in Greenwich Park has dancing, theatre, acrobatics and family games. Things to do indoors this summer 33. Between Friday 25 th July and Thursday 28 th August 2025, Cineworld are offering £1 cinema tickets for kids and adults on selected movies, including Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and A Minecraft Movie. Book online and pack a little movie picnic to have before the film to make a day of it. 34. Pets at Home offer free workshops for kids called My Pet Pals. Here, 35. In London, you can get a brilliant view of the city from many indoor rooftop observatories completely free. Both 36. The Liverpool Central Library is free to enter year-round and a great activity for families in the summer. There is lots to explore, but don't miss the beautiful Discovery Room, which is perfect for younger children to explore too. The rooftop terrace has amazing views across St George's Quarter . Advertisement 37. At the National Space Centre in Leicester, you can learn about rocket launches, space shuttles, the Earth and environment in a huge display of 'out-of-this-world' immersive displays. Tickets start at £18.95 but you can go back and visit as many times as you like in 12 months, so it works out great value for budding astronauts. 9 Paddleboarding is a fun family activity and you can rent boards for the day to see if you and the kids can tackle it. Credit: Getty 9 Beach days can be a cheap day out for families wanting to spend quality time together. Credit: Getty 38. Kids and adults can take on 'The Monster' , an enormous Families and young thrill-seekers aged 6+ can book daytime sessions, but if you are a big kid - go back in the evening where it is open to adults-only. Advertisement 39. David Attenborough has launched an immersive film about the evolution and future of humanity and the environment at the 40. One final way to not lose your 'marbles' this summer is a visit to the House of Marbles Museum between
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Working Life: My first-ever audio recording was done with our local parish priest in Mayo
'I grew up with the radio always on in the background: Sunday Miscellany, Radio 1 news, and radio documentaries were often the springboard for conversations between my parents. 'My first-ever audio recording was done with our local parish priest in Mayo, when he interviewed myself and two classmates about our upcoming Confirmation. He played it at Knock Shrine over the loudspeakers. Fr Doherty was ahead of his time and recruited a few chatterboxes. 'I studied radio as part of a communications post-grad and had initially wanted to work in that area. After college, while working as a primary school teacher in Clondalkin, I volunteered at West Dublin Community Radio in Ballyfermot, where I conducted vox pops and interviewed teachers and young people for a radio show about education. I also covered news and local events, and it gave me great insight into marginalised groups within a community, often with limited resources. 'Like many, ambition and real life collided, and paid work led me down a different path, working with diverse and often marginalised groups — from ex-offenders to stabilised drug users. I found my way into the health service, specifically the then-Midland Health Board, where I worked with Traveller men and male adolescents as a health promotion officer. 'Today, I am still focused on promoting health, but now I work with a small communications team to promote and amplify health and wellbeing messages across a range of topics, using a variety of communication channels. We set up the HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast in 2023, for a trial run of 10 episodes — we recently released our 103rd episode. 'I host the podcast with two colleagues, Eamon Keogh and Noreen Turley. It's a platform that allows us to delve deeper into a range of sensitive matters of public concern, for example, mental health, obesity, vaping, alcohol, youth health, and men's health. The podcast gives the public a new way to engage with evidence-based health information. 'Communicating on behalf of the HSE through the podcast is incredibly rewarding. We have the privilege of speaking with fantastic experts, practitioners, and patients who generously share their stories and insights on a wide array of topics and policy areas.' The HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing podcast produces weekly episodes, aiming to empower listeners and their families to achieve their full health potential Read More What are the hidden health risks of zero and low-alcohol drinks?
