THIS year's Wimbledon Championships could be postponed or cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELT) said on Wednesday (25).
The "build" for the June 29-July 12 championships was supposed to start in little over a month, but it looked increasingly likely that Wimbledon will be forced to miss a year for the first time since 1945.
The June 29-July 12 event will not be played behind closed doors and postponing the only Grand Slam grasscourt event until later in the year "is not without significant risk and difficulty", the AELTC said in a statement.
"The unprecedented challenge presented by the Covid-19 crisis continues to affect our way of life in ways that we could not have imagined, and our thoughts are with all those affected in the UK and around the world," chief executive Richard Lewis said.
"Our thoughts are with all those affected in theUKand around the world. The single most important consideration is one of public health, and we are determined to act responsibly through the decisions we make.
"We are working hard to bring certainty to our plans for 2020 and have convened an emergency meeting of the main board for next week, at which a decision will be made."
The tournament so far survived the cull of the world's most prestigious sporting events due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The AELTC has been contingency planning since January, working closely with theUKgovernment and public health authorities to follow their advice and understand the likely impact of COVID-19 and the government's emergency measures on The Championships, and our thoughts are with all those affected by this crisis at this time," said the statement.
"Based on the advice we have received from the public health authorities, the very short window available to us to stage The Championships due to the nature of our surface suggests that postponement is not without significant risk and difficulty."
The Australian Open, the year's first Grand Slam, was completed before the coronavirus crisis exploded to virtually shut down world sport, including the men's ATP Tour and women's WTA Tour.
The French Open last week made the decision to move the claycourt tournament to Sept. 20-Oct. 4 from its May start because of the outbreak.
While the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday potentially opened a two-week slot in the calendar in July/August, it would appear unlikely Wimbledon would use it.
Switching to a later time in the year is even less likely as Wimbledon has only two covered courts and elite outdoor grasscourt tennis is not feasible past late summer.
Wimbledon said it was communicating closely with the LTA, and with the ATP, WTA, ITF and the other Grand Slams.
Hundreds of British holidaymakers are facing potential disruption to their summer travel plans following the collapse of travel company Great Little Escapes. The firm is no longer licensed to operate under the UK’s financial protection scheme for package holidays, the Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (Atol).
Atol protection withdrawn
As of 13 June 2025, Great Little Escapes ceased trading as an Atol holder, according to a notice issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This means the company is no longer authorised to sell Atol-protected holiday packages, leaving current and future bookings in doubt.
The CAA said it is currently collecting information from the company and will provide further updates in due course. A statement on the regulator’s website advises customers not to submit claims until the data collection process is complete.
Company background and operations
Great Little Escapes, based in Sandhurst, Berkshire, has been operational since September 2002, according to Companies House records. The firm offered international travel packages and promoted “holidays to the most iconic cities in the world” through its official channels.
The company also operated under several brand names, including Your Holidays, Tunisia First, and Great Little Escapes. Associated websites included:
themaldives.co.uk
yourholidays.co.uk
thecaribbean.com
greatlittleescapes.co.uk
These brands and websites were all listed by the CAA in its update on the firm’s trading status.
Refunds and next steps
The Atol scheme is designed to protect UK travellers who purchase package holidays. If a travel provider with Atol protection ceases trading, customers are typically entitled to refunds for unfulfilled bookings or assistance to complete their trips if they are already abroad.
However, as the CAA is still gathering information, customers are advised not to initiate refund claims immediately. Further instructions will be issued once the authority has reviewed the company’s situation.
Broader industry troubles
The collapse of Great Little Escapes is the latest in a series of closures among UK-based travel firms. In April, Balkan Holidays UK also ceased operations after nearly six decades in business. The company had provided holiday packages to destinations such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Malta and northern Cyprus, along with winter ski trips.
Earlier in March, Jetline Holidays lost its Atol protection and shut down, leading to significant uncertainty for customers who had booked cruise packages through the company. Cruise lines including Princess, Cunard, and Holland America reported contract breaches that led to widespread cancellations.
Travellers urged to check Atol status
In light of the recent closures, UK travellers are being encouraged to verify that their holiday bookings are made through Atol-protected providers. The CAA offers an online tool for checking whether a travel company holds a valid Atol licence.
For those affected by the Great Little Escapes collapse, updates and guidance will be published on theCAA’s official website.
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Gwyneth Paltrow has shared a new breakfast recipe in her latest cooking video — and stirred attention by going topless while preparing the meal.
The Oscar-winning actress, 52, posted the video on her Instagram on Saturday, 14 June, where she demonstrated how to make what she calls a “boyfriend breakfast”. The dish included sausage from a local butcher, white beans, spinach, cherry tomatoes and eggs.
The video begins with Paltrow waking up in white linen pyjamas and sipping coffee. It then cuts to her at the stove, topless, cooking the protein-rich skillet. The video is set to Prince’s 1987 track Starfish and Coffee, adding to its light-hearted and intimate tone.
Recipe with a Tuscan twist
In the caption, Paltrow described the dish as a “Tuscan inspired high protein #boyfriendbreakfast skillet” and listed the ingredients, all of which were locally sourced. She used a large pot to cook the meal in her spacious kitchen before enjoying the breakfast solo in her garden, overlooking a scenic mountain view.
Fans and friends responded positively to the post, with many commenting on both the recipe and her appearance. Actress Jennifer Garner joked, “Can I be your boyfriend?”, while lifestyle influencer Yasmin Sewell wrote, “Yum! Food looks good too ❤️.” Another fan simply commented, “You are a vibe.”
Summer in Italy
The cooking video comes shortly after Paltrow returned from a summer trip to Italy. She was recently photographed yachting along the Capri coast, wearing a minimalist black scoop-neck swimsuit, oversized Wayfarer sunglasses, and gold jewellery.
Later, she changed into a black maxi dress, paired with gold hoop earrings, a simple necklace, and a Gucci raffia-effect tote bag. Paltrow was accompanied by her husband, television producer Brad Falchuk, and friend and fellow actor Edward Norton. Norton, 55, kept it casual in a short-sleeved white shirt and navy blue trousers during an evening outing.
Second 'boyfriend breakfast' post
This marks the second time Paltrow has shared a recipe under the “boyfriend breakfast” theme. On 24 May, she posted another Instagram video where she cooked grain-free almond and coconut pancakes with a strawberry compote.
In that earlier clip, she wore pyjamas and danced around to Strawberry Swing by Coldplay — the band fronted by her ex-husband Chris Martin, with whom she shares two children. That post also promoted one of her favourite Goop cookware items, which was on sale at the time.
Paltrow’s signature style
Paltrow, who is known for her wellness brand Goop, continues to blend lifestyle content with personal flair, often combining cooking demonstrations with fashion and travel glimpses. Her “boyfriend breakfast” series has gained attention for its casual charm and luxury aesthetic.
The latest video adds to her signature mix of health-conscious recipes, scenic backdrops, and an effortlessly stylish approach to home living.
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The house, designed as a symbol of enduring love and modesty
In Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh, Anand Prakash Chouksey has built a striking replica of the Taj Mahal — not as a monument to grandeur, but as a tribute to his wife. The house, designed as a symbol of enduring love and modesty, has captured the internet’s attention following a viral video tour.
The house is a four-bedroom property built using Makrana marble — the same stone used in the original Taj Mahal in Agra. While the original monument's dimensions are in metres, Chouksey’s version was constructed using scaled-down measurements in feet. This results in a structure roughly one-third the size of the original, but retaining key architectural elements such as domes, carved pillars, and Mughal-style arches.
Located on school campus founded by owner
What makes the house even more distinctive is its location within the grounds of a school established by Chouksey himself. In a now-viral video shared by content creator Priyam Saraswat, Chouksey offers a tour of the home and highlights personal touches embedded in its design.
One notable detail is a buffalo motif on the floor — a nod to Chouksey’s early life distributing milk. He explained that this reminder of his humble beginnings serves as a daily lesson in staying grounded and avoiding arrogance.
Viral video receives overwhelming praise
The video, shared on Instagram, quickly gained traction, racking up over 6.5 million views within just eight hours. Viewers were drawn not only to the impressive architecture but also to the emotional story behind the home.
Comments across social media praised the gesture and the message it conveyed. “Uncle has a more beautiful heart than his Mahal,” one user wrote, while another highlighted the buffalo symbol as a meaningful lesson in humility. Many also remarked on the positive energy and “cool vibe” of the homeowner.
Promoting unity through design
Inside, the home reflects a blend of traditional Islamic design and modern interiors. Future plans reportedly include placing the Indian national flag on top of the structure and adding symbols from India’s major religions on the minarets. According to Chouksey, the aim is to promote a message of unity and peace in an often divided world.
The replica Taj Mahal in Burhanpur stands not only as an architectural feat but also as a reminder of love, simplicity, and the importance of staying connected to one’s roots.
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A one-hour delay in sleep routine is linked to a sharper drop in cognition over time, the study found
A night owl, or an evening person with a late sleep-wake cycle, could be at a higher risk of cognitive decline with age compared to an early bird or a morning person, a study has found.
Chronotype refers to one’s sleep-wake type or times during the day when one naturally tends to be awake and asleep. A ‘night owl’ chronotype is said to have a later sleep-wake cycle, compared to an ‘early bird’ or a ‘lark’.
“Are you an early bird or a night owl? It’s hard to adjust what your biological clock – your so-called chronotype – is, but you can adjust your life to it as best you can,” study author Ana Wenzler, from the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands, said.
Analysing the performance of about 23,800 participants on a cognitive test over a period of 10 years, the study found that ‘evening’ people decline cognitively faster than ‘morning’ people. The findings have been published in the Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease.
“Unhealthy behaviour such as smoking, drinking and unhealthy eating happens more often in the evening,” Wenzler said.
“In our study, we also saw this: evening people smoke and drink more often and exercise less. Twenty-five per cent of the risk of cognitive decline can be explained from our research by smoking and poor sleep,” she said.
A greater decline was seen in higher-educated people – a delay of an hour in the sleep-wake cycle corresponded to a decline of 0.8 in cognition per decade. Wenzler said the decline might be related to their disturbed sleep rhythm.
“They are often people who have to go back to work early in the morning and are likely to sleep too short, giving their brains too little rest,” she said.
The author explained that people’s biological clock can change with age.
“Children are morning people. That changes when you reach puberty, when you become an evening person. Around your 20s, that gradually shifts back towards morning people for most people. By the age of 40, most people are morning people again,” Wenzler said.
However, this is certainly not the case for everyone, which is probably why evening people deviate from the norm, according to Wenzler, who recommended working against one’s body “as little as possible”.
“’You can try to go to sleep earlier, but if your body is not yet producing melatonin (sleep hormone), it will not work,” she said.
Wenzler added that if people are forced to work against their natural rhythm, their brains may not get enough rest, increasing the risk of unhealthy habits. “It would help if evening types were given the option to start work later,” she said.
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Father’s Day reflects a wide range of traditions shaped by history, culture and emotion
Father’s Day is often seen as a time for cards, tools or a family lunch, but across the globe, it carries a much deeper significance. Beyond the commercial promotions, Father’s Day reflects a wide range of traditions shaped by history, culture and emotion. While some mark the occasion with grand gestures, others focus on quiet reflection, respect and the bonds that define fatherhood.
Thailand’s day of respect
In Thailand, Father’s Day is celebrated on 5 December, the birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The day is as much about honouring the nation’s former monarch as it is about celebrating fatherhood. Citizens wear yellow, the king’s birth colour, and present canna lilies to their fathers as a symbol of gratitude and respect. It’s a cultural blend of familial and national reverence.
Germany’s tradition of brotherhood
Germany takes a different approach. Known as Vatertag, or Father’s Day, it coincides with Ascension Day and is often marked by groups of men going on hiking trips, pulling wagons of food and drink. While it may appear more social than family-oriented, the tradition is rooted in camaraderie and shared responsibility among men and father figures.
Remembering fathers in Mexico
In Mexico and across parts of Latin America, Father’s Day is a time to honour both the living and the departed. Families often visit cemeteries to pay tribute to late fathers and gather to share stories and memories. It’s a day that highlights legacy over materialism, where the emotional role of a father is celebrated beyond life itself.
The expanding meaning in India
In India, Father’s Day doesn’t have deep historical roots, but its popularity is growing among urban families. Influenced by Western customs, it is increasingly used to recognise not only biological fathers, but also mentors, guardians and elders who provide support and guidance. The day is evolving into a broader celebration of male role models across generations.
A shared message worldwide
Though celebrated in different ways, Father’s Day across cultures shares a central idea: appreciation. Whether through a gift, a walk, a meal or a memory, the day is about acknowledging the role fathers and father figures play in shaping lives. In a time when traditional family structures are changing, this occasion also highlights that fatherhood is defined not just by biology, but by love, responsibility and care.
A thoughtful reminder
Rather than focus on finding the perfect present, Father’s Day offers an opportunity to be present. A simple message, a phone call or a shared moment can mean more than any physical gift. In a fast-moving world, slowing down to recognise those who’ve quietly supported us is perhaps the most meaningful tribute we can give.