Paramount CEO David Ellison settled antitrust concerns by promising 30-plus theatrical releases a year, but exhibitors worry about what comes after year five. Paramount chief executive David Ellison has committed to releasing at least 30 films in theaters in 2027 and 2028, and at least 32 films in each of 2029, 2030 and 2031, as part of a settlement that clears a path for his company's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The deal combines two of Hollywood's oldest studios. The theatrical guarantees are written into an agreement Ellison reached this week with a group of state attorneys general who had raised antitrust concerns about the merger. Ellison framed the output in blunt terms: a new movie roughly every 11 days. The combined company already has 35 films scheduled for release next year, according to data from Rentrak. The settlement does more than set a headline number. It specifies how many of the releases must be distributed widely and how many must carry budgets above $50 million. Paramount agreed to face steep financial penalties if it misses those thresholds during the five-year period. Theater owners split on the promise Hollywood has been pressing for more theatrical titles since the Covid pandemic closed theaters and backed up the production pipeline. Ellison began promoting his theatrical commitment as early as April, at the industry's annual CinemaCon event. That pitch won early support from the chiefs of the three largest cinema chains - AMC's Adam Aron, Cinemark's Sean Gamble and Regal's Eduardo Acuna - before the settlement was even finalized. Cinema United, the lobbying group representing theater owners, had firmly opposed the merger. This week it reversed course, saying the agreement with the states "accomplishes many of exhibition's objectives." Not everyone in the business is satisfied. Several theater executives, speaking anonymously to talk candidly, said they remain skeptical. Their doubts center less on the raw count of films than on what those films will be and how the enlarged company will behave. "This is much more complicated than simply asking whether 30 movies is enough," said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Rentrak. He called 30 wide releases "a meaningful commitment to theatrical" and said exhibitors would welcome a strong pipeline. "But ultimately the proof will be in how those movies perform, how varied the slate is, how consistently they reach theaters and how the combined company executes on those commitments," Dergarabedian said. Concerns over leverage and debt Exhibitors' worries extend beyond the quality of the slate. Several operators told CNBC they fear the merger will shrink the number of studios feeding films into the market and weaken competition. That, they argue, would hand the combined company a stronger hand in negotiating windowing terms and rental fees. The pressure would not fall evenly. Chains that run hundreds of locations can absorb consolidation. Smaller chains and independent operators carry far less bargaining weight and stand to lose the most from any reduction in film supply. The backdrop is an industry still reshaping itself after the pandemic. Screen counts have fallen and audiences have thinned. Higher ticket prices have papered over some of that decline - and are expected to push the domestic box office past $10 billion for the first time since the pandemic - but the economics of moviegoing remain in flux. Historically, studio mergers have led to fewer releases, which cuts into revenue and hits smaller theaters hardest. That pattern is precisely what critics of the Paramount-WBD tie-up are watching for. The sharpest question is what happens when the five-year agreement runs out. Some theater owners doubt Paramount can sustain output of more than 30 theatrical films past the deal's expiration, particularly as production and marketing costs keep climbing. Adding to the strain, the company will carry roughly $79 billion in debt once the merger closes. "Of course, I worry about what happens in year six," said Rob Lehman, president and chief operating officer, capturing the unease among operators who welcome the near-term commitment but see no guarantee beyond it. For now, the settlement resolves the immediate antitrust hurdle and locks in a defined slate of releases through 2031. Whether it delivers the varied, high-performing lineup exhibitors say they need - and whether the pace holds once the obligations lapse - will not be clear for years. Paramount Warner Bros Discovery merger, David Ellison, theatrical release commitment, movie theater exhibitors, antitrust settlement, box office 2027, Cinema United, Rentrak

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Ryan Williams struck before the break as India held Panama to a 1-1 draw in Bengaluru, with Omar Valencia levelling. Brazil and Uruguay are next. India shared the points with Panama in a 1-1 friendly in Bengaluru on Friday, matching a nation sitting 94 places above them in the FIFA rankings and fielding several players from a recent World Cup squad. Forward Ryan Williams put the hosts in front late in the opening half, but Omar Valencia's second-half strike from distance pulled the world No. 44 side level. The outcome was a boost for coach Khalid Jamil, whose team is ranked 138th. It was India's first outing in Bengaluru since they lifted the SAFF Championship at the same ground in 2023. Two much harder assignments now follow: a meeting with five-time champions Brazil in Kolkata on October 3, then two-time winners Uruguay at the same venue on October 6. Panama controlled the ball in the early exchanges, yet India stayed organised and grew sharper on the counter-attack, unbothered by opponents who had featured at the World Cup only months before. Their first real sight of goal arrived in the eighth minute, when Akash Mishra's pull-back reached Williams inside the area, though the striker could not get his effort off. Williams then steered a shot just wide 10 minutes later, and Ashique Kuruniyan struck the side-netting as the pressure built. The reward came in the 41st minute. Akash launched the ball forward, Williams read the flight to slip behind Panama's back line, and he stayed calm to beat goalkeeper Marcos Reyes, handing India a 1-0 advantage four minutes before the break. Panama returned after the interval with sharper intent and quickly probed India's rearguard. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu answered the first serious threat, keeping out Giovany Herbert five minutes into the half. The leveller landed in the 68th minute, Valencia driving in from outside the box to reset the scoreline at 1-1. India refused to sit back. Ashique whipped a low ball across the six-yard box in the 79th minute, but Edmund Lalrindika could not connect cleanly. Two minutes on, Edmund cut inside from the right and teed up Manvir Singh, who tried an ambitious backheel and squandered the chance. The visitors then hunted a winner, rattling the frame of the goal and drawing another crucial stop from Gurpreet. Carlos Harvey, among Panama's World Cup contingent, also forced the goalkeeper into action, but India held firm through the closing spell. Manvir threatened once more after substitute Edmund found him, while Abhishek Singh Tekcham dragged a shot off target from a corner as the hosts kept probing. For Jamil's side, the value of the night lay less in dodging a loss than in how they went toe-to-toe with a far higher-ranked opponent. Williams' finish gave them a lead worth defending, Panama eventually found the response, and India still fashioned enough openings to feel they might have claimed the win. The tests against Brazil and Uruguay will be steeper, but the Bengaluru display leaves the Blue Tigers with genuine momentum heading into them. India football, Panama draw, Ryan Williams, Khalid Jamil, Blue Tigers, India vs Brazil, India vs Uruguay, Bengaluru friendly

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Ex-England striker Andy Carroll reveals in his autobiography 'Owning It' that he was sexually assaulted in 2021 by a man later jailed for three years. Former England striker Andy Carroll has said publicly for the first time that he was sexually assaulted by a man at his home in 2021, during his second stint with Newcastle United. The 37-year-old, who was automatically given anonymity as a victim of sexual assault, chose to disclose what happened in his new autobiography, 'Owning It'. Carroll writes that the man responsible was convicted of sexual offences, sentenced to three years in prison and added to the sex offender register. The player, who was capped nine times by England and spent time in the Premier League with Liverpool, West Ham, West Brom and Reading, gave evidence at the trial. He describes the court process as humiliating, embarrassing and horrendous. According to Carroll, the attacker was a friend of a former partner. She was away at the time, and the man had come to the house to watch a boxing match and was due to stay the night. Carroll says the assault happened while he was asleep. He threw the man out and then knocked him unconscious when the man tried to get back inside. Carroll called the police afterwards. He recounts breaking down in tears in the arms of his children's nanny in the aftermath. Deciding to speak The decision to put the account in the book came late. Carroll says he settled on including it "at the very last minute" after long conversations with his girlfriend, hairstylist Lou Teasdale. He admits he dodged his publisher for a stretch, to the point that they may have thought he was backing out of the project altogether. "I was sexually assaulted, there I said it," Carroll writes. "Scary to even think about and only a few people knew about it before now." He adds that opening up frightens him but has shaped who he is "as much as any of the good stuff," and that speaking out will be worth it if it helps even one other person. Carroll also describes the lasting toll. He says the experience touched every part of his life, occupied his thoughts daily and made it hard to concentrate on anything, football included. The trauma, he writes, has not left him. Back on the pitch Carroll has since moved into the non-league game. He joined National League South side Dagenham & Redbridge in July 2025 as a player and co-owner, and has turned out six times for the club this season. His arrival at the Daggers came around the same time as the involvement of online figure KSI. Over his career Carroll also played abroad, featuring for French clubs Amiens and Bordeaux, before returning to the English pyramid. The move into ownership marks a new chapter for a striker who broke through at his boyhood club on Tyneside. Anyone affected by the issues raised in Carroll's account can find help through support services such as the BBC Action Line. Andy Carroll, Andy Carroll sexual assault, Owning It autobiography, Newcastle United, Dagenham & Redbridge, England striker, sexual assault survivor, Lou Teasdale

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A practical Jaisalmer travel guide: the living Golden Fort, Patwon ki Haveli, Thar desert camel safaris, best season to visit and how to reach this Rajasthan gem. Rising out of the Thar like a sandcastle that decided to stay, Jaisalmer is India's westernmost city and one of its most cinematic. Built almost entirely from local golden-yellow sandstone, the town glows amber at dawn and deepens to honey at dusk - which is exactly how it earned the nickname the Golden City. Once a wealthy caravan halt on the trade route between India and Central Asia, Jaisalmer today rewards travellers with a rare combination: a genuinely inhabited medieval fort, a cluster of jaw-dropping merchant mansions, and the great sand sea of the Thar right on its doorstep. Why Jaisalmer earns a place on your route Most of Rajasthan's famous forts are museums you visit and leave. Jaisalmer Fort - locally called Sonar Quila - is different: roughly a quarter of the old city still lives inside its walls. You walk through the four massive gates into a warren of lanes where families cook dinner, children play cricket, and shops sell mirror-work textiles beneath 12th-century bastions. That living quality, set against the emptiness of the surrounding desert, gives the town an atmosphere you won't find in the bigger tourist hubs of Jaipur or Udaipur. Top things to see and do Start with Jaisalmer Fort itself, one of the very few forts in the world still occupied. Inside, seek out the intricately carved Jain temples, a group of seven interconnected shrines famous for their filigree stonework and thousands of sculpted figures. Climb to the ramparts for a rooftop view over the sea of flat brown roofs stretching to the horizon. Down in the lower town, the havelis - the mansions of long-gone merchant families - are the other essential stop. Patwon ki Haveli, a cluster of five houses, has the most elaborate carved facades and latticed windows. Nearby, Nathmal ki Haveli and Salim Singh ki Haveli, with its distinctive peacock-shaped upper storey, are worth the short walk. For a change of pace, head to Gadisar Lake on the edge of town, a man-made reservoir ringed by small shrines and pavilions - beautiful in the soft light of early morning when migratory birds gather. On the outskirts, the abandoned village of Kuldhara, said to have been deserted overnight by its Paliwal Brahmin inhabitants generations ago, makes an atmospheric half-day trip. Into the Thar: the desert safari No visit is complete without heading into the dunes. The classic base is the Sam Sand Dunes, about 40 km west of town, where ripple-patterned sand rises in soft ridges. Quieter and less crowded are the dunes near Khuri, to the southwest, which many travellers now prefer. A camel safari at golden hour is the signature experience - plodding out to watch the sun sink over the sand, then spending the night at a desert camp. Camps range from simple tented setups to elaborate 'luxury' operations with folk musicians, Rajasthani thali dinners and Kalbelia dancers around a fire. If camel-back feels too slow, jeep safaris cover more ground and reach remoter dunes. Whatever you choose, book through your accommodation or an established operator rather than a street tout, and confirm exactly what the overnight includes before you set off. Best time to visit This is a desert, so timing matters more than in most of India. The comfortable window runs from roughly October to March, when days are warm and nights cool - pack a jacket for after dark and for the desert camp, where temperatures drop sharply. The famous Jaisalmer Desert Festival, with camel races, turban-tying contests and folk performances, takes place in winter. Avoid the peak of summer (April to June), when daytime heat becomes genuinely punishing. Getting there Jaisalmer sits in the far west of Rajasthan, so it takes some effort to reach - part of its charm. The town has a small airport with seasonal domestic flights. More reliably, overnight trains connect it to Jodhpur, Jaipur and Delhi; the sleeper journey across the darkening desert is part of the experience. Many travellers pair Jaisalmer with Jodhpur (roughly five to six hours by road or rail) as part of a wider western Rajasthan loop. Within town, the old city is best explored on foot, with auto-rickshaws for longer hops. Local tips Try the regional specialities: ker sangri, a tangy dish of desert berries and beans, and dal baati churma, the baked-wheat-and-lentil classic of the region. For shopping, Jaisalmer is known for mirror-embroidered textiles, leather goods and camel-wool blankets - polite bargaining is expected in the fort lanes. One practical note travellers debate: sleeping inside the fort is romantic, but the extra water load from guesthouses has raised conservation concerns, so many now choose atmospheric heritage havelis in the lower town instead. Finally, carry cash for the desert, where card machines are scarce, and reserve your last evening for a sunset from the ramparts - it's the image of Jaisalmer you'll remember. Jaisalmer travel guide, Golden Fort Jaisalmer, Thar desert safari, Sam Sand Dunes, Rajasthan tourism, Jaisalmer Fort, camel safari Rajasthan, Patwon ki Haveli

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A travel guide to Meghalaya's Shillong and Cherrapunji: the double-decker living root bridges, giant waterfalls, when to go, how to get there and what to eat. High on a plateau in India's northeast, the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya trade the country's usual heat and dust for pine ridges, drifting cloud and some of the heaviest rainfall on Earth. That rain does something remarkable here: it feeds rivers that plunge off sheer cliffs in curtains of white, and it grows the rubber-fig roots that local Khasi communities have trained, over generations, into living bridges you can actually walk across. Base yourself in the state capital, Shillong, make the run down to Cherrapunji (Sohra), and you have one of the most distinctive short trips in Asia. Why these hills are worth the detour Meghalaya means "abode of clouds," and the name earns itself daily. Unlike much of India, the vibe is cool, green and unhurried, with a matrilineal Khasi culture, Presbyterian churches, and a music-loving capital that locals call the "rock capital of India." The two big draws are natural: waterfalls on a scale that stops conversation, and the root bridges, which are genuine living infrastructure rather than a tourist stunt. It is compact, too - you can pack bridges, falls, caves and viewpoints into four or five days. The living root bridges The headline experience is the double-decker root bridge at Nongriat, a village reached by a steep descent of roughly 3,500 stone steps from Tyrna, below Cherrapunji. It is a real trek - knee-testing on the way down, lung-testing on the way back - but the payoff is two tiers of interwoven fig roots spanning a clear stream, with turquoise natural pools nearby for a swim. Give it a full day, or better, stay overnight in a Nongriat guesthouse to enjoy it without the day-trip crowd. For an easier taste, the single-span bridge at Riwai near Mawlynnong is a short walk from the road. Mawlynnong itself, billed as one of Asia's cleanest villages, is worth pairing with it. Waterfalls, caves and canyons Cherrapunji is waterfall central. Nohkalikai Falls, India's tallest plunge waterfall, drops in a single ribbon into a jade-green pool and is at its thunderous best after rain. Nearby, the Seven Sisters Falls (Nohsngithiang) fan out across a cliff face, especially dramatic in the wet months. Duck underground at Mawsmai Cave, a lit limestone cave you can walk through, or the longer Arwah Cave with its fossils. Back toward Shillong, don't miss Laitlum Canyons, a jaw-dropping green amphitheatre of ridges, and Elephant Falls, a tiered cascade just outside the city. If you have an extra day, drive to Dawki on the Bangladesh border, where the Umngot River runs so clear that boats appear to float on air. When to go October to April is the sweet spot: skies clear, trails dry, and the plateau is crisp and comfortable. This is the easiest window for the Nongriat trek and for photography. The flip side is that some waterfalls shrink in the dry season. If you want them roaring, come in the tail of the monsoon (September) or early in it, but be ready for near-constant downpours - Cherrapunji and neighbouring Mawsynram are among the wettest inhabited places on the planet. Whenever you visit, pack layers and a waterproof; hilltop mornings are chilly even in summer. Getting there and around The gateway is Guwahati in neighbouring Assam, home to the region's main airport (Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International), well connected to Delhi, Kolkata and other cities. From there it is roughly a three-to-four-hour drive up to Shillong on NH6; shared "sumo" taxis and private cabs run the route, and there's a helicopter service on some days. Cherrapunji is about another one-and-a-half to two hours south of Shillong. There is no train or airport in Shillong itself, so plan around road transfers. Once in the hills, hiring a car with a driver for a day or two is the practical way to string together the scattered falls, caves and villages; distances are short but roads are winding. What to eat and a couple of local tips Khasi food rewards the curious. Try jadoh, a hearty rice cooked with pork and spices; doh-neiiong, pork in a rich black-sesame gravy; and tungrymbai, pungent fermented soybean. Shillong's Police Bazaar is the go-to for eating, shopping and people-watching, and the city's cafes serve strong coffee and live music. Two tips worth remembering: start the Nongriat trek early so you can climb back before dark, and carry cash, as ATMs and card machines thin out fast once you leave Shillong. Respect village rules on plastic and photography, especially in Mawlynnong, and hire a local guide for the longer root-bridge trails - the routes are unmarked in places and the guides bring the stories that make them come alive. Meghalaya travel guide, living root bridges, Cherrapunji, Shillong, Nohkalikai Falls, Nongriat trek, Northeast India travel, Khasi Hills

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A Loughborough family paid £73 for a London apartment that turned out to be a Wetherspoon pub. Which? says staff turn away 20 tourists a day. A family from Leicestershire paid £73 for a one-night stay at what was advertised as a luxury London apartment, only to find the booking pointed to a Wetherspoon pub near the Tower of London. Paul Dawson, 55, of Loughborough, reserved the room through Booking.com so his family could see the musical Hamilton in the West End. The listing, called The London Crown apartments, gave an address that Dawson later traced to The Liberty Bounds, a Wetherspoon pub in Trinity Square at Tower Hill. Consumer group Which? found that staff at the pub have been sending away as many as 20 tourists each day after fraudsters lifted its address and passed it off as a block of upmarket flats. Dawson made the reservation in August. Two days later, he said, an email arrived from The London Crown carrying a link to a page dressed up to look like Booking.com. The page asked him to enter his bank details. Suspicious, he contacted the platform. According to Dawson, Booking.com told him he would have to travel to the address and wait until after 7pm before it would move him elsewhere. He said he pushed back, explaining he had already worked out the location was The Liberty Bounds and that no apartment existed there. "I explained to the support staff that I had autistic children and the idea of turning up at a clearly non-existent property at 10.30pm would have been catastrophic," he told Which?. He said the answer did not change: he was still directed to the property, and told that if he could not check in he should get back in touch for an alternative. The family eventually booked a room at the Premier Inn in Goodge Street instead. A second listing at Portcullis House Which? said the pub was not the only real building caught up in the fraud. The group was alerted to another advert, headed "Apartments near Big Ben", that listed its address as Portcullis House. That building forms part of the House of Commons estate and provides offices for hundreds of MPs. Booking.com told Which? that in both cases genuine listings had been attacked. The company said criminals had used a "sophisticated phishing attack" to seize control of the entries and redirect bookings. Wetherspoon said it flagged the scam to Booking.com as soon as the pub team became aware of it. The chain added that the fake apartment entry was taken down but then returned, and that the option to make a reservation now appears to be switched off. "We have again notified them, asking for the listing to be permanently removed," Wetherspoon said. The company described the situation as "clearly unacceptable" and said fraud of this kind was "upsetting for the pub team, as there is little they can do to help, but even more so for the people who have been misled and have lost money as a result". It called on Booking.com to bring in stronger checks that would stop bogus listings appearing at all. Hundreds of warning reviews The London Crown entry had drawn 250 negative reviews across August and September, alongside a small number of positive ones that Which? said were probably fabricated. When the BBC examined the listing on Thursday, its details were still on view but the page carried a notice reading: "We're sorry, but this property isn't taking reservations on our site right now." Dawson described the episode as a "sophisticated phishing attack", the same phrase Booking.com used about the way the accounts were hijacked. He was left to arrange fresh accommodation at short notice for a trip built around a single theatre performance. The case points to a pattern in which scammers do not invent addresses out of thin air but instead attach their fake apartments to recognisable, real locations, from a busy chain pub steps from Tower Bridge to a Parliamentary office block beside Big Ben. For travellers, the address on a booking confirmation offered no guarantee that a room existed at all. Booking.com scam, Wetherspoon pub, The Liberty Bounds, phishing attack, fake holiday apartment, Which? consumer, London Crown apartments, travel fraud

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A practical three-day Singapore itinerary covering Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa Island and the city's legendary hawker centres, plus tips on timing and transit. Singapore packs an astonishing amount into a small, humid island: futuristic gardens, colonial shophouses, tropical beaches and some of the best cheap food on the planet. It is compact, spotlessly organised and endlessly walkable between air-conditioned refuges, which makes it a rewarding stop whether you have a long layover or a proper holiday. Three days is enough to hit the headline sights without rushing. This route pairs the greenery of Marina Bay, the theme-park energy of Sentosa and the soul of the city - its hawker centres - into one tidy loop. Day one: Marina Bay and the Supertrees Start where modern Singapore shows off. Gardens by the Bay is the anchor: wander the free outdoor Supertree Grove, those towering vertical gardens wrapped in ferns and orchids, then pay to step inside the Cloud Forest dome, where a 35-metre indoor waterfall mists a mountain of hanging plants. Next door, the Flower Dome shifts its displays with the seasons. Time your visit so you are back at the Supertrees after dark for the free light-and-sound show, best viewed lying on the lawn. Ring the bay on foot. The waterfront promenade links the lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum, the Merlion statue spouting into the harbour, and the Helix Bridge, with the three-towered Marina Bay Sands looming over everything. It is a short, photogenic circuit and a good introduction to how the city stitches nature and architecture together. Day two: Sentosa Island Day two belongs to Sentosa, the resort island just off the southern coast. Getting there is half the fun - ride the Sentosa Express monorail from VivoCity mall, take the cable car for aerial views, or simply walk across the Sentosa Boardwalk. Thrill-seekers head straight for Universal Studios Singapore and the adjacent S.E.A. Aquarium, one of the largest in the world. Families and slower travellers can mix beach time at Palawan or Siloso with the toboggan-style Skyline Luge. Don't overload the day; Sentosa rewards a relaxed pace. Wind down at Siloso Beach for sunset, then head back to the mainland for dinner. If you have energy, the Southern Ridges walk near HarbourFront - including the wave-like Henderson Waves bridge - offers a lush, canopy-level stroll back toward the city. Day three: Hawker food and the old quarters Spend your last day eating and exploring on foot. Singapore's hawker centres are open-air food courts where individual stalls, some awarded Michelin recognition, sell single dishes perfected over decades. Try Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown for Hainanese chicken rice, Lau Pa Sat in the business district (its satay street fires up in the evening), or the sprawling Old Airport Road Food Centre for laksa, char kway teow and carrot cake. Order the national obsessions: chilli crab, Hokkien mee, and a plate of kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs for breakfast. Walk it off in the historic districts. Chinatown has its temples and heritage shophouses; Little India is a riot of colour, spice shops and the ornate Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple; and Kampong Glam, centred on the golden-domed Sultan Mosque, hides the street art and boutiques of Haji Lane. Each neighbourhood is a short MRT ride apart. Best time to visit Singapore sits just north of the equator, so it is hot and humid year-round with no real seasons - expect afternoon downpours any month. The relatively drier stretch runs roughly from February to April. The wetter monsoon months around November to January bring heavier rain but rarely all-day washouts, and indoor attractions keep the city viable in any weather. Aim to sightsee in the mornings and evenings, retreating indoors during the fierce midday heat. Getting there and around Changi Airport is one of the world's best-connected hubs, with direct flights from most Indian metros and cities worldwide; the airport itself, complete with the indoor waterfall at Jewel, is worth arriving early for. From the airport, the MRT metro or a taxi reaches the city centre quickly. Once in town, skip taxis for the MRT - it is clean, cheap and reaches nearly everything in this itinerary. Tap in with a contactless bank card or buy a stored-value transit card. English is an official language and signage is universal, so navigating is painless. Local tips At hawker centres, "chope" your seat by leaving a packet of tissues on the table before you queue - it is the accepted local custom. Carry a small bottle of water and a light rain layer, and dress for humidity. Singapore enforces its rules seriously: no eating or drinking on the MRT, no littering, and heavy fines for jaywalking, so follow the crowd's lead and you will glide through the city as smoothly as its trains do. Singapore three day itinerary, Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa Island guide, Singapore hawker food, Marina Bay Singapore, things to do in Singapore, Singapore travel guide, Changi Airport transit

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SportMediaset's Carlo Landoni says Massimiliano Allegri confronted Napoli players after a 1-1 draw, while president De Laurentiis has skipped several home games. Napoli manager Massimiliano Allegri confronted his players in the dressing room after a 1-1 draw at Fiorentina, according to journalist Carlo Landoni, who spoke to SportMediaset about a tense period at the club. Landoni also drew attention to president Aurelio De Laurentiis, who has not attended a home match at the Stadio Maradona for several games. Landoni described the outburst at the Stadio Artemio Franchi as directed at the team's senior players, but not only them. He said the squad's senators - Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Stanislav Lobotka and Matteo Politano - remain behind Allegri despite the confrontation. According to Landoni, Allegri's frustration is aimed above all at players he has been giving a second chance, footballers who were sidelined last season under previous coach Antonio Conte. He named Noa Lang and Lorenzo Lucca as the main examples, saying neither has produced the level of performance Allegri expected of them. While some reports had raised questions over Allegri's position on the bench, Landoni played down speculation about a coaching change. Instead, he pointed to De Laurentiis's repeated absences from the Maradona as the more notable detail of the moment. Landoni characterised the situation as a complicated one for both Allegri and Napoli, tying together the heated exchange with the squad after the Florence draw and the unresolved issues surrounding Lang and Lucca. Napoli, Massimiliano Allegri, Aurelio De Laurentiis, Stadio Maradona, Fiorentina Napoli, Serie A, Noa Lang, Lorenzo Lucca

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India's latest NSO domestic tourism survey shows urban travellers favour hotels while rural travellers rely on dharamshalas, with modest average spending. Most urban travellers in India stay in hotels, guesthouses or rented homes when they take an overnight domestic trip, while dharamshalas remain the leading choice for those from rural areas, according to the latest domestic tourism survey by the National Statistical Office (NSO). The survey, conducted between July 2025 and June 2026, found that the average spend on such trips was Rs 16,420 for urban travellers and Rs 15,560 for rural travellers. Nearly 64% of trips lasted no more than three nights, and travellers were usually accompanied by just one companion. Only about a third of households took overnight trips in the past year. Of Indians who travelled, more than three-fourths did so for medical or pilgrimage reasons, which helps explain the low spending and the reliance on dharamshalas among rural travellers. The survey defined an overnight trip as travel to a destination lasting at least 12 hours, including the midnight hours, across two consecutive calendar days and no longer than 180 days. It found that the frequency of domestic travel has risen over the past decade compared with the previous survey in 2014-15. For every 100 tourist households, rural areas now record 127 trips, up from 118 in 2014-15. Urban areas logged 132 trips, compared with 121 earlier. Leisure trips concentrated in cities Holiday or leisure travel was far more common among urban households. While 22% of Indian households took a leisure trip, only 12.5% of rural tourist households did so, against 36.4% of urban ones. May and October were the peak months for such trips. More than 95% of religious and leisure trips were self-financed, with no government or institutional reimbursement available. For health and medical trips, 8% were reimbursed by the government. Trains for cities, buses for villages Transport patterns differed by region. Buses were the main mode of travel in rural areas at 32%, while trains were the preferred option for urban travellers at 35%. Transport also took the largest share of spending on religious and leisure trips, accounting for nearly 35% of trip costs in both rural and urban areas. For medical trips, medicine was the biggest expense, making up close to 75% of the total. The survey also tracked households that took overnight trips in the past month. Social trips made up the largest share at 89%, and nearly 80% of these trips lasted less than three days. NSO domestic tourism survey, India domestic travel, dharamshalas, urban travellers hotels, travel spending India, pilgrimage travel, overnight trips India, rural tourism

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Japan must beat Nepal by a big margin at Korogi Sports Park on September 26 to stay in the Asian Games 2026 quarterfinal race. Nepal already sit second in Group A. Hosts Japan take on unbeaten Nepal on the final day of the Group A stage at the Asian Games 2026, with a quarterfinal place on the line for both sides. The match, the fifth of the tournament, is scheduled for September 26 at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. Japan enter the game in a precarious position after losing their opener to Afghanistan by 48 runs. That defeat pushed their net run rate down to -2.4 and left captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming and his team needing not just a win, but a win by a large margin, to climb into the top two of Group A. Anything short of a heavy victory will end their campaign. Nepal come in with momentum. They beat Afghanistan by five wickets in their first match, a result that lifted them to second place in the group. A second win would carry them to the top of the table and secure direct passage to the quarterfinals. The two nations have met only once at international level, last year, and Nepal won that encounter by five wickets. Kadowaki-Fleming scored 60 in that game and remains Japan's most reliable batter at the top of the order. Japan need runs across the order For Japan to swing the net run rate back in their favour, their batting will have to fire as a unit and their bowlers will have to keep Nepal's total in check. Alongside Kadowaki-Fleming, the home side will look to Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake, Reo Sakurano-Thomas and Charlie Hara-Hinze for runs. Much of Japan's hope rests on all-rounder Ibrahim Takahashi. He can strike big shots lower down the order and bowls off spin, giving the captain options with both bat and ball. A strong contribution from him in either discipline would go a long way toward the kind of dominant performance Japan require. Nepal lean on Bhurtel and Airee Nepal's win over Afghanistan showed a side clicking with both bat and ball. Their batting is built around Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Rohit Paudel and skipper Dipendra Singh Airee. Bhurtel remains the team's batting mainstay despite a duck in the opening match. He has scored more than 500 runs across his last 10 T20I innings, and Nepal will expect him to return to form against a Japan attack under pressure to take early wickets. The middle order also carries weight. One Nepal batter made a useful 34 in the win over Afghanistan before being run out, and his role again looms as important in the middle overs. Kushal Malla adds power to the line-up, while all-rounders Sompal Kami and Karan KC lend balance between bat and ball. Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane leads the bowling attack. The equation is clear for both teams heading into Nisshin. Nepal need only to avoid a heavy defeat to top the group, while Japan must produce a commanding, high-margin win to keep their quarterfinal dream alive on home soil. Asian Games 2026 cricket, Japan vs Nepal, Nepal cricket team, Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, Kushal Bhurtel, Korogi Sports Park Nisshin, Group A cricket, Dipendra Singh Airee

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Washington has granted visas to President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for next week's UN General Assembly in New York. Washington has issued visas to a group of senior Iranian officials, clearing them to travel to the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, even as the conflict between the two countries stretches past the six-month mark and into a seventh month. The permitted group is led by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to information obtained by the BBC. A US State Department spokesman confirmed the visa approvals on Thursday, adding that the visitors will operate under tight limits during their stay and will be blocked from buying a defined list of American goods. "Consistent with our host country obligations, the core delegation from the Iranian regime will be able to attend UN General Assembly High Level Week," the State Department spokesman said. The official noted that the officials would be subject to movement restrictions and barred from purchasing luxury and other items, and pointed out that this year's group is smaller than the one sent in the previous session. The curbs echo measures imposed a year earlier. During the last assembly, Iranian diplomats were kept out of membership warehouse retailers such as Costco. They also had to obtain clearance from US authorities before buying high-end products, a category that covered jewellery, alcohol and vehicles. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott framed the restrictions as a way to stop the visiting officials from indulging in what he called "shopping sprees" while ordinary Iranians contend with shortages of water and electricity, "brutal repression" and rapidly rising prices. Writing on X, he said Washington would not permit "the Iranian regime's elites" to turn the assembly into "a luxury retail splurge paid for by the Iranian people's suffering, all while the regime funnels Iran's wealth to support its terrorist proxies." He urged New York retailers to "be on guard" against selling to the delegation, but did not say whether officials had learned of any actual purchasing plans. The decision lands with no resolution to the fighting in sight. The war opened on 28 February, when the United States and Israel carried out joint strikes on Iran. Since then, the conflict has pushed global energy prices higher and spilled across into surrounding countries. Iran has struck repeatedly at American military bases and at allied governments in the Gulf, as well as launching attacks on Israel. The visa approvals come against a backdrop of growing demands, both from the public and within the political system, for the White House to bring the confrontation to a close. A packed speaking schedule The 81st session of the General Assembly is already in progress, with the General Debate - the annual gathering's central event - set to open on Tuesday. That opening day is due to feature addresses from US President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron. Iran's turn at the podium is expected the following day. Wednesday's line-up is anticipated to include the leaders of Ukraine, Syria and Iran, placing Tehran's representatives on the world stage within days of their arrival. Last year, Pezeshkian was photographed at the assembly shaking hands with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, an image that underscored the diplomatic access the annual meeting affords even to governments at odds with the host nation. Palestinian officials turned away The approvals for Tehran contrast sharply with a separate visa decision. The BBC has established that the United States refused entry to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the wider Palestinian delegation seeking to take part in the assembly. It marked the second consecutive year that the group was denied visas. The White House, which rejects the Palestinian delegation's standing, again declined to grant them the documents needed to attend. The two contrasting outcomes highlight how the United States, as the country that hosts the United Nations, exercises control over which foreign officials can reach the New York gathering - clearing a delegation from a government it is actively fighting while shutting out another it does not recognise. Iran UN delegation, Masoud Pezeshkian, Abbas Araghchi, UN General Assembly, US Iran war, State Department visas, UNGA 81st session, travel restrictions

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Iranian and US officials met at the UN in New York, mediated by Qatar, hours after Trump threatened to 'annihilate' Iran. No breakthrough was reported. Senior officials from the United States and Iran met at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday, holding their first direct contact since a June ceasefire between the two sides broke down. The meeting brought together Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Steve Witkoff, the envoy of US President Donald Trump, with Qatar acting as mediator. The encounter came on the same day Trump warned he could "annihilate" the Islamic Republic if the conflict remained unresolved. No breakthrough emerged from the discussions. Witkoff said the two delegations had finished a round of talks that he hoped would "prove constructive and promising," while Iran again pressed Washington to halt what it called its "acts of aggression." The fighting began on 28 February, when the United States and Israel struck targets inside Iran from the air. Tehran hit back by attacking Israel and US military bases across the Gulf, striking Arab states allied with Washington and shutting the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas once moved through the waterway, and its closure sent energy prices swinging sharply. The disruption has sharpened the pressure on Trump to bring the confrontation to a close, with the United States approaching Congressional elections in November. His appearance at the annual UN General Assembly reflected that political backdrop. He opened his address by listing achievements on the economy, immigration, border security and crime, remarks that appeared aimed more at American voters than at the diplomats seated before him. Much of the speech was devoted to defending the war against Iran. That stance stood in stark contrast to earlier comments from UN Secretary General António Guterres, who cautioned that divisions between nations were widening and stressed the "interdependence" binding the world's peoples together. Trump's ultimatum at the podium Trump told the assembly that the campaign against Iran had stopped Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, presenting it as proof of what he called peace through strength - a doctrine built on ultimatums rather than negotiation or compromise. He framed the choice starkly. "Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before?" he asked. "Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell?" The president said an agreement with Iran, which has so far escaped him, would likely take shape once November's elections had passed. His words captured a strategy of coercive diplomacy: dangling the threat of overwhelming military force while leaving the door to talks ajar. A three-hour meeting on the sidelines Later, speaking to reporters, Trump described a "very productive" three-hour session between American officials and the Iranian delegation held alongside the General Assembly. Iranian state television confirmed that Araghchi had sat down with Witkoff. According to Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, quoted by the state broadcaster IRNA, the exchanges ran through a Qatari intermediary who relayed Tehran's terms. Those conditions included an end to the war on every front and a stop to what Iran describes as American aggression. As Witkoff left the UN building, the BBC asked how the meetings had gone; he answered with a thumbs up. He later set out more detail on X, saying the two sides had never met face to face but had communicated through mediators who "shuttled between the two sides throughout the day." "They successfully completed a round of discussions that we hope will prove constructive and promising," Witkoff wrote. "The mediators will continue their work." Since the June ceasefire fell apart, the two countries have traded fire on and off, and Tuesday's contact marked the first attempt to talk since that truce collapsed. Neither side announced any agreement, but both left open the prospect of further rounds through Qatar. US Iran talks, Steve Witkoff, Abbas Araghchi, Trump Iran annihilate, UN General Assembly, Qatar mediation, Strait of Hormuz, Iran nuclear

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