Latest news with #Tornado
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
7 brilliant British breaks to make the most of the sun this summer – without the airport hassle
NOW that the sun is finally shining over the UK, there's no better time to get out and enjoy the very best of what our beautiful country has to offer. From botanical breaks in blossoming gardens, to traditional steam trains along the coast, every corner of Great Britain has its own gems to explore. Advertisement These package deals bundle stylish stays with some delicious food and unforgettable experiences. With Cornwall Coastal Retreat 15 Lunch with a view - you'll be tucked away in a charming Cornish cove Credit: Great Little Breaks 15 The Lugger Hotel is right on the harbour in Portloe Credit: Great Little Breaks Cosy up on the Cornish coast with a retreat package that will leave you feeling purely pampered. Tucked into the cobbled streets of Portloe, this harbour hotel is truly postcard-perfect. Advertisement Read More On Staycations In the heart of a traditional Cornish Once a 17th century smugglers' hideout, the hotel now boasts 23 luxurious bedrooms. Each room is complete with an en-suite and dreamy bathtub - perfect for a relaxing soak after a day of exploring the cliffs of the South West Coast Path. A dog-friendly hotel, feel free to bring your pooch along for the adventure and admire the rugged coastline together. Advertisement Most read in Travel Latest Exclusive Exclusive This two-night package includes a traditional The Iconic steam train Tornado delights crowds as it powers through Cornwall on rail tour All-Inclusive Trip to Cumbria 15 This country house hotel is the perfect base to explore the quieter parts of the Lake District Credit: Great Little Breaks 15 Ennerdale is one of the most remote valleys in Cumbria Credit: Great Little Breaks Advertisement An all-inclusive break in Cumbria might sound like an absolute dream - but it can become your reality on this trip. This two night stay at The Ennerdale Country House Hotel includes two nights' bed, breakfast, lunches and two course dinner. If that isn't generous enough, the stay also includes unlimited tea, coffee and house beers, wine and soft drinks in the evenings (6-10pm). Located in Cleator on the edge of the Advertisement Venture out into the beautiful Ennerdale Valley to discover a stunning yet less touristy area of the Lake District - home to the wild river Liza and 30 miles of traffic-free paths. Enjoy the Isle of Wight Seaside Stay 15 The Isle of Wight boasts some pretty spectacular views Credit: Great Little Breaks 15 Luccombe Manor country house hotel looks over the sea Credit: Great Little Breaks Advertisement It's hard to say no to this five-night retreat overlooking the stretches of the Isle of Wight's Sandown Bay. Situated upon a clifftop with breathtaking coastal views, the award-winning Luccombe Manor Country House Hotel blends Victorian charm with modern luxury. The views from Luccombe Manor showcase the best of the Isle of Wight's sensational southeast seafront - think miles of soft golden sand complete with a traditional British The manor is a short walk from Shanklin Old Village, a picturesque small town painted with pretty shopfronts and thatched roofs. Advertisement The package includes a five night stay complete with breakfast, a two-course dinner on your first night, and a return car ferry from Southampton to East Cowes for hassle-free travel. Great Little Breaks' Dorset Sea Train Adventure 15 Two tickets to hop onboard a traditional steam train are included with this package Credit: Great Little Breaks 15 The Hermitage Hotel overlooks stretches of Blue Flag beaches Credit: Great Little Breaks Advertisement Packaged with a welcome treat, three course dinner and seaside steam train, this two night stay at Bournemouth's Hermitage Hotel is packed with plenty to do. Starting with a scenic cruise from Poole to Here you'll step onboard a charming heritage steam train taking you to Norden, where you'll visit This adventure break combines boat and steam train travel with extra special touches at your hotel, such as a three course meal on your welcoming night and a comforting coffee and cake on arrival. Advertisement Booking with Great Little Breaks can save you up to 21% on this deal - helping you Stay in England's Oldest Town 15 The George Hotel has been around for 500 years Credit: Great Little Breaks 15 The courtyard is the perfect spot to sip on a delicious cocktail or two Credit: Great Little Breaks Step back in time and stay in England's oldest recorded town with this heritage stay in the heart of Advertisement Your base will be The George Hotel: a heritage hotel standing proudly on Colchester High Street, welcoming you with 500 years of rich British history. (They also serve some pretty delicious cocktails in their stylish bar and Moroccan-style courtyard!) The historic Colchester was the first city colonised by the Romans, and was even the original capital of the UK. Venture out to Colchester Castle to see a slice of fascinating Norman history, take your pick of museums and art galleries, or stroll through the meadows of nearby Highwood's Country Park. Plus, you're only a 15 minute drive from Colchester Zoo. This plush two night break includes an á la carte dinner served with wine on your first night, as well as a hearty English breakfast in the mornings. Advertisement You can save a whopping 38% on this bargain city break by booking the Shakespearean Stay with River Cruise 15 Stay the night in a former farmhouse - the Clarion Hotel Charlecote Pheasant Credit: Great Little Breaks 15 Soak up the scenery on a river cruise through and admire the Tudor-style houses Credit: Great Little Breaks Stay in Advertisement Start your historical getaway with a relaxing welcome drink upon arrival. After an afternoon of exploring local delights like the Royal Shakespeare Theatre or the stunning Holy Trinity Church, you can look forward to a two course dinner in the evening. This break also includes two tickets for a scenic Avon Boating River Cruise. Here you can admire historic buildings and pretty Booking with Great Little Breaks can save you up to 31% on this charming night away - and for as little as £95 per person, the Advertisement Botanical Break at Harrogate Hilton Hotel 15 The breathtaking DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa Credit: Great Little Breaks 15 Escape into a lush paradise at RHS Harlow Carr Credit: Great Little Breaks This 4-star stay at the impressive DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa is pure luxury. This escape blends spa serenity with botanical bliss, as you'll enjoy delightful teas, Advertisement You'll enjoy an hour of pool and spa facilities each day, a traditional This pampering package deal also includes two tickets to the famous RHS Harlow Carr, eight acres of famous public gardens full of fairy-tale woodland walks. Browse blooming gardens and stunning water features before stopping to relax with a cup of tea and a freshly baked scone at the Harrogate Arms Café, a treat included with your stay. You can save up to 32% on this Advertisement 15 The lush gardens of Harrogate or the sweeping sands of Cornwall - which is your pick? Credit: Great Little Breaks
New Statesman
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Statesman
A samurai lost in the wilderness
The Scottish director John Maclean's austere second feature film opens halfway through the story, with its heroine, Tornado (played by the Japanese singer Kōki), trying to save herself from a group of hideously threatening men. The year is 1790 and the setting somewhere in the British Isles; the group chasing her is following the orders of head honcho Sugar (an enjoyably dead-eyed Tim Roth). We don't know yet why these ne'er-do-wells are after Tornado, but they obviously mean business. As they follow her, Sugar casually slits the throat of one of his own underlings; even when Tornado seeks refuge in a beautiful manor house, her chances of survival don't look great. The film has been described as a samurai western – Maclean's debut, the much-admired Slow West, was set in 19th-century Colorado – and it does feel like it's been made by someone who knows their way around Akira Kurosawa's collected works. But it's also a gory revenge thriller in which considerable amounts of blood end up darkening the wind-beaten heath, and a period drama that says audaciously little about the period or locations it's set in (much of it was in fact shot in the Pentland Hills, near Edinburgh). Tornado, we soon learn, is being pursued by the men, who are thieves, because she's nicked their stuff. Specifically, their gold. They've stolen two sacks' worth of coins from a church. First the gold was taken from the thieves by a young urchin (Nathan Malone), then Tornado took the gold from him and hid it beneath a tree. What she hopes to achieve with the loot long-term the audience is never told – no one does anything so gauche as explain themselves in this film – but she seems to want to strike out from her father, Fujin (Takehiro Hira), who runs a travelling puppet show. Fujin is also a samurai of sorts, who has taught Tornado how to wield a sword with deadly skill. When they aren't practising sword-swishing, or putting on their quaint little show for entranced and grubby locals, Fujin gives his daughter life advice in weighty proclamations. She finds them, and him, quite annoying. 'I hate you,' she tells him, before he is killed by one of Sugar's men. The film looks and sounds like a better film than it is. Beautifully shot by Robbie Ryan (the director of photography on Poor Things) in a wilderness that feels forsaken, it has the tawny look of a Toast ad campaign. The costumes, too, are gorgeous, if a little distracting: Tornado troops around in an enviable poncho-type outfit and yeti boots, and Sugar's men – including Jack Lowden as his taciturn son, Little Sugar – sport rugged sweaters and overcoats. The score (by Jed Kurzel, who also wrote the soundtrack for Slow West) is angular and appropriately melodramatic, and the production design, by Elizabeth El-Kadhi, is charming. Among the places Tornado seeks refuge is a circus, and every frame of this sequence reveals inventive attention to detail, from the delicate lace left drying in the open air to the circus troupe's rickety carriages. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Even so, moments of beauty aren't enough to make a film worth seeing, and there is something lacking here. Characters speak ponderously and act incomprehensibly. Though Tornado looks deeply cool, with her long black hair flicking in the biting wind, you never particularly care about her. Lowden and Roth acquit themselves perfectly in their roles, but they're not given that much to do. As top baddie, Roth spends his time looking disappointed with the life he's condemned himself to, while Lowden mainly strides through long grasses and remains impassive when Sugar punches him. It's not unusual for films that present themselves as avant-garde – as Tornado does in its trailer – not to have all that much to say. Depths are promised but never delivered; characters are well acted, but the words they're saying are banal. Viewers who go to the cinema to see such films may feel virtuous for doing so, like they're engaging with high culture, but they are unlikely to emerge moved or amused or changed in any way. It's not bad cinema, per se, just rather pointless. 'Tornado' is in cinemas now [See also: Bruce Springsteen faces the end of America] Related
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Best Clash Royale Decks for the Magical Trio Event
Magical Trio in Clash Royale (Image via Supercell). The best Clash Royale decks for the Magical Trio event will help you easily get all the rewards before you hit three losses. The Magical Trio event in Clash Royale centers around the powerful synergy of Wizard, Ice Wizard, and Electro Wizard, making it essential to build decks that complement and amplify their spell-casting dominance. Here are the top five Clash Royale Decks for the Magical Trio Event to maximize your wins, including all cards, preferred evolutions, and average elixir costs. 5 Best Clash Royale Decks for the Magical Trio Event 1. Loon EvoMK Freeze Deck Cards Needed: - Balloon - Mega Knight (Evo) - Freeze - Electro Spirit - Ice Spirit (Evo) - Magical Trio - Tornado - Barbarian Barrel Overview: This deck leverages the heavy-hitting Mega Knight for defense and counter-push, with Balloon as the primary win condition. The trio of Wizards provides versatile support, while Freeze and Tornado offer control and spell synergy. Use Barbarian Barrel for quick ground defense and cycle. 2. WB Miner Poison GobHut Evo Valk Deck Cards Needed: - Wall Breakers (Evo) - Miner - Poison - Goblin Hut - Valkyrie (Evo) - Skeletons - Ice Spirit - Magical Trio Overview: A fast-cycle control deck, this setup uses Wall Breakers and Miner for chip damage, with Poison to clear swarms. The evolved Valkyrie provides strong ground presence, while Goblin Hut supports lane pressure. The Wizards handle air and splash threats. 3. Hog EvoMK Ghost Deck Cards Needed: - Hog Rider - Mega Knight (Evolved) - Royal Ghost - Log - Ice Spirit (Evo) - Magical Trio - Tornado - Fireball Overview: This is one of the Best Clash Royale Decks for the Magical Trio Event and it focuses on Hog Rider for fast tower pressure, with Mega Knight and Royal Ghost for defense and counter-push. The Wizards and Tornado provide control, while Fireball adds spell damage for finishing off pushes or defending. 4. Valk Bats Deck Cards Needed: - Valkyrie (Evo) - Bats (Evo) - Skeletons - Ice Spirit - Magical Trio - Miner - Poison - Log Overview: A balanced, mid-cost deck with Valkyrie and Bats for ground and air defense. Miner and Poison serve as the main win conditions, while the Wizards handle splash control. Log is included for cheap cycle and swarm management. 5. Evo Pekka Bandit Ghost MA Deck Cards Needed: - Pekka (Evolved) - Bandit - Royal Ghost - Magic Archer - Ice Spirit (Evo) - Skeletons - Magical Trio - Tornado Overview: This is a heavier control deck, and is one of the best Clash Royale Decks for the Magical Trio Event. This lineup uses Pekka for tank destruction and Bandit for pressure. Magic Archer and the trio of Wizards provide ranged support and splash, while Tornado synergizes with Magic Archer and Wizards for optimal value. Summary Table Deck Name Key Cards (Evos) Avg. Elixir Strategy Focus Loon EvoMK Freeze Balloon, Evo MK, Freeze 3.8 Heavy control/push WB Miner Poison GobHut Valk Miner, WB, Evo Valk 3.3 Fast cycle/control Hog EvoMK Ghost Hog, Evo MK, Ghost 3.9 Hog cycle/counter-push Valk Bats Valk, Bats, Miner, Poison 3.0 Balanced chip/control Evo Pekka Bandit Ghost MA Evo Pekka, Bandit, MA 3.6 Heavy defense/control Tips for the Magical Trio Event in Clash Royale - Always prioritize synergy with the Wizards, using spells and Tornado to maximize splash value. - Choose evolutions that complement your main defensive or offensive strategy. - Manage elixir carefully, as the Wizards can be expensive but provide immense value when used together. Also read: Best Evolution Mayhem decks in Clash Royale (June 2025) These are among the highest-rated and most successful Clash Royale decks for the Magical Trio Event, ensuring you have a strong chance to secure wins and progress through the challenge.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Minnesota tornado tracker: When will twister reach Minneapolis, St Paul, Twin Cities and Park Rapids
Several parts of Minnesota were on a tornado watch on Monday, with twisters rapidly approaching populated areas like Minneapolis, Twin Cities, and St Paul, the National Weather Service (NWS) noted in its press release. Severe thunderstorms with radar-indicated rotation threatened communities, including Minneapolis, St Paul, the Twin Cities, Park Rapids, Staples, and Wadena. The NWS issued urgent alerts, with tornado warnings expiring by 4:45 PM CDT but a Tornado Watch remaining until 9:00 PM CDT. Southwestern Cass and Northwestern Crow Wing Counties (Expired 4:45 PM CDT): At 4:21 PM, the NWS Duluth office warned of a tornado-capable storm near Leader, 18 miles west of Brainerd, moving northeast at 45 mph. Minneapolis, St. Paul, Twin Cities: No active tornado warnings targeted the Twin Cities as of 4:45 PM CDT, but a Tornado Watch remains until 9:00 PM for Hennepin and Ramsey counties, including Minneapolis and St Paul. Park Rapids: Included in the Tornado Watch until 9:00 PM for Hubbard County, Park Rapids was near a warning for Wadena County. A 4:00 PM warning for Wadena, 30 miles southeast, expired without impacting Park Rapids directly, per NWS bulletin. Storm Activity: As of 5:00 PM CDT, no new tornado warnings are active for the listed areas, but the Tornado Watch covers 34 Minnesota counties, including Aitkin, Anoka, Cass, Crow Wing, Hennepin, Ramsey, Todd, and Wadena, until 9:00 PM. Safety Measures: The NWS urges residents to seek shelter in basements or interior rooms, avoid windows, and move to sturdy buildings if outdoors, per the NWS bulletin. Minneapolis and St. Paul schools canceled after-school activities, and emergency operations centers were activated.
Irish Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Post
Rotterdam - where the world came ashore
I'M STARING up at a vast steel structure, rising from a former warehouse building in Rotterdam. This is the Tornado, a double helix-shaped staircase designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects, with different paths that intersect at key points as you head upwards. The idea is that you choose your own route to the rooftop, rewarded by panoramic views of the Rotterdam city skyline and what was once the world's largest port. From this area, millions of migrants began and ended their journeys due to war, persecution, or the need for a fresh start. The Tornado tops off the impressive new Fenix Museum, which is all about human migration stories and migration-related art. Suitably it's in the Katendrecht district, which was a base for sailors and settlers from around the globe. Today, Rotterdam is proud of its multicultural roots, and Katendrecht is on the up. Fenix is a mind-boggling place, in the best possible way, with so many narratives jostling for your attention. A labyrinthine suitcase installation takes up one corner of the ground floor, each suitcase with its own story of displacement, hope and fear. Lampedusa Boat at Fenix (Pic: Allen) Opposite, a photography exhibition, Family of Migrants, documents people on the move. Amongst the emotive mix, you'll recognise Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother and Steve McCurry's Afghan Girl as iconic migration images. Upstairs, two huge gallery spaces are interspersed with all kinds of artwork - installations, paintings, sculptures and videos - across six themes, such as Fortune and Identity. Some pieces jump out at me instantly: a real migrant boat recovered from Lampedusa in 2022, complete with discarded water bottles; Yinka Shonibare's Refugee Astronaut IX sculpture, desperately heading to another planet. Others demand closer inspection: Do Ho Suh's replicated door locks from his old homes; Moroccan-style hairpins made from Dutch coins; expressive paintings on top of residence applications by Ukrainian artist Maria Kulikovska. I can't help thinking Niall Conlon's More Irish, More Blacks, More Dogs print would be a brilliant addition, countering the offensive signs ('No blacks, no dogs, no Irish') displayed in some English boarding house windows in the 1950s and 60s. If you come away from this museum with anything less than profound empathy, I'd suggest you might struggle to connect with what Rotterdam represents. Suitcase Labyrinth at Fenix (Pics: Polly Allen) Walking the diaspora Taking the Landverhuizers walking tour with expert Anja Brand helps uncover more of Katendrecht's history. Lots of local street names reflect its past residents, like Timorstraat (Timor Street) and Sumatraweg (Sumatra Way). The Netherlands' colonial rule included Timor-Leste, Suriname, Indonesia, the Dutch East Indies and West Indies; many people from these lands made the journey to Rotterdam, before and after liberation. As Anja explains, Rotterdam has residents with an estimated 206 nationalities: this figure includes unacknowledged nations such as Palestine, Tibet, Kurdistan and the Basque Country. Anja introduces us to Jorge Oliveira Lizardo, a historian and storyteller with proud Cape Verdean heritage, whose great-uncle was legendary local figure Joao Silva, who arrived here in the 1950s and became a musician with his own record label. 'Cape Verde was a stronghold, a refuelling station and a slave market for the Portuguese and Spanish,' explains Jorge. It's estimated there are 23,000 people of Cape Verdean origin in the Netherlands; in fact, Rotterdam has the third biggest Cape Verdean diaspora in the world. Many like Joao Silva arrived in the 1950s and 60s, before Cape Verdean independence from the Portuguese in 1975. The community still celebrates national festivals like Sao Joao, held every June. Jorge's heritage is part of the rich mix of Katendrecht: 'There were different nationality boarding houses for sailors, so you'd have a Chinese boarding house and so on,' he says. 'You could find people from your country.' In fact, as we learn from meeting author David Zee, who has Chinese, Taiwanese and Dutch heritage, Katendrecht once had the biggest Chinatown in Europe. Fenix Museum Tornado (Pic: Polly Allen) 'There were 60 Chinese boarding houses, with up to 50 people living on each floor,' he says. 'By 1918, 40,000 Chinese people worked in the shipyards. 'However, the Dutch government didn't allow marriage between Chinese and Dutch people – they referred to the Chinese as 'Asian vermin',' says David. 'My Dutch grandma was forced to revoke her nationality and become Chinese; the same applied to my mother. This meant they got no child support. My mother had to buy back her Dutch nationality in 1975.' Today, things are different: the Chinese diaspora is an important part of Rotterdam's identity, and events like Lunar New Year are celebrated here and in other major cities like The Hague and Amsterdam. Meanwhile, in terms of the Netherlands' post-colonial attitude, last year Rotterdam became the first Dutch city to return colonial artefacts to Indonesia. The city gave back 68 items that had been taken by Dutch military in the 19th and 20th century. Celebrating travel and cultural exchange Following the tour, the Story House Belvédère is a perfect pit-stop. Since its opening in 1894, it's been a restaurant, jazz club, Greek nightclub and a wrestling venue, but now it's a place to find cool international events, like gigs and exhibitions, and a guest chef of the day might cook up dishes from Egypt, Iran or Argentina. Across the water, there are further international sights, like New Ocean Paradise, a floating Chinese restaurant, garden and supermarket dating back to the 1980s. It was built to symbolise Rotterdam and Shanghai's status as twin cities, with their ports as gateways to the world. Further west, I head to the photogenic Delfshaven district, which held the original city port centuries ago, where the Pilgrim Fathers set off for America in 1620. Soak up the views over 400 years later at De Pelgrim (Aelbrechtskolk 12), a waterfront restaurant and brewery with its own signature beer, Mayflower, paying tribute to the connection; squeeze in a guided brewery tour and tasting if you have time. Near De Pelgrim there's a great antique shop, Maritieme Kunst & Antiekhandel (Voorhaven 33), selling global maritime-related treasures such as shipping charts and maps – a 1750 map of Ireland, by Dutch publisher Isaak Tirion, amongst them. Hotels with international roots The Hotel New York (Koninginnenhoofd 1) was formerly the Holland America Line offices, a pivotal company in migration to America. From 1901 until the late 70s, people could buy tickets here to New York. The Hotel New York (Pics: Polly Allen) The building is now dwarfed by skyscrapers, but its interiors blend heritage with modern twists, like Fornasetti wallpaper and a cocktail lounge. On a tighter budget, the 20-room Bazar (Witte de Withstraat 16) blends North African, West African and Middle Eastern influences in its cosy hotel décor – for example, Room 306 has Ghanaian motifs, whilst 308 has a sunken Ethopian-style bed. The international flavour translates to its restaurant menu: I spot Tunisian fish soup, Persian lamb stew, and Turkish yoghurt. Wherever you stay in Rotterdam, you can't help but be reminded that this city is a place of transitions and cultural exchanges, where each person's heritage or background just adds an extra something to the mix. More ways to find diaspora culture in Rotterdam The Rumah (Oude Binnenweg 110C) is a cocktail bar named after the Indonesian word for 'home', and giving a nod to the rum-focused menu. The owners have also brought pop-up events to other European cities, like Antwerp and Düsseldorf. Rotterdam had an influx of Scottish migrants from the end of the 17th century, and established trade links to Scottish ports. The Scots International Church (Schiedamse Vest 121), founded in 1643, is in the city centre. Like many buildings in this area, it was destroyed in the devastating Nazi bombing of 1940 and later rebuilt. Reading Room Rotterdam West (Rijnhoutplein 3) is a local-run library that holds 20,000 books in different languages, many you can keep for free. It's a useful place to study, enjoy a quiet coffee or meet people; volunteers have links to 23 different countries, including Greece, Somalia and Rwanda. See more of Ma Yangsong's global architecture on display at Nieuwe Instituut (Museumpark 25). Ma Yangsong: Architecture and Emotion runs until 11 October 2025. FACT FILE Visit Rotterdam and Visit Netherlands are your main sources for trip planning. The Landverhuizers Tour (€17.50 or £15pp), running until at least 20 July 2025, is bookable through the Story House Belvédère website. Rooms at Hotel New York by WestCord start at €100 or £84 per night; waterfront or pier views, €200-300 or £150-250 per night. Rooms at Bazar start from €75 or £63 per night. Rotterdam is an easy Eurostar journey from London St. Pancras or Brussels-Midi. Ferry connections are available from Hull. Flights to Rotterdam The Hague Airport go from 50 European or North African destinations, including Barcelona, Jersey and Rome. You can also fly to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, with many international connections such as Dublin and Cork, and take the train on to Rotterdam. See More: Rotterdam, Travel
