First-time homebuyers could save hundreds in new Labour reform

The government has announced what it claims is the biggest shake-up to the homebuying system in history, promising to slash costs for buyers and cut transaction times.

Proposed reforms include requiring property sellers and estate agents to provide more information when a home is listed. This aims to reduce extensive buyer searches and surveys. Binding contracts could also be introduced earlier, reducing chain collapse risk.

Further proposals seek to offer consumers clearer information on estate agents and conveyancers, detailing track record and expertise. New mandatory qualifications and a code of practice would also drive up standards.

Housing secretary Steve Reed said the reforms, which are the subject of a consultation, would help make “a simple dream a simple reality”.

The government will set out a full roadmap in the new year after consulting on its proposals.

Mr Reed said: “Buying a home should be a dream, not a nightmare.

“Our reforms will fix the broken system so hardworking people can focus on the next chapter of their lives.”

Officials believe the proposed package of reforms could cut around a month off the time it takes to buy a new home and save first-time buyers an average of £710.

People selling a home could face increased costs of around £310 due to the inclusion of upfront assessments and surveys.

Those in the middle of a chain would potentially gain a net saving of £400 as a result of the increased costs from selling being outweighed by lower buying expenses.

Wider use of online processes, including digital ID, could help make transactions smoother, the Government argued, pointing to the Finnish digital real estate system which can see the process completed in around two weeks.

The consultation also draws on other jurisdictions, including the Scottish system where there is more upfront information and earlier binding contracts.

The planned shake-up was welcomed by property websites and lenders.

Rightmove chief executive Johan Svanstrom said: “The home-moving process involves many fragmented parts, and there’s simply too much uncertainty and costs along the way.

“Speed, connected data and stakeholder simplicity should be key goals. We believe it’s important to listen to agents as the experts for what practical changes will be most effective, and we look forward to working with the Government on this effort to improve the buying and selling process.”

Zoopla boss Paul Whitehead said: “The homebuying process in the UK remains far too long, too complex, too uncertain, and has seen far less digital innovation than many other sectors. ”

Santander’s head of homes David Morris said: “At a time when technology has changed many processes in our lives, it is incredible that the process of buying a home – an activity that is a cornerstone of our economy – remains much the same for today’s buyers as it did for their grandparents.”

Nationwide’s group director of mortgages Henry Jordan said: “Buying a home is often complex and stressful, which is why the homebuying process needs to be simplified and streamlined for the benefit of consumers, brokers and lenders. But to tackle this issue effectively, we must collaborate.

“That is why we look forward to working closely with Government and the wider industry to modernise the homebuying process, so that buyers are given certainty earlier and to help reduce any unnecessary costs.”

How a moving film about a Palestinian boy become a target for Netanyahu’s government

Israeli film director Shai Carmeli-Pollak has a striking image pinned to the wall of his office in Kfar Sava. The picture, designed by his late friend and artist Dudu Geva, depicts a cartoon duck being pierced open with a knife.

“It is like what’s happening now. An apocalypse,” he tells The Independent. “He has many knives stuck in his body but is still optimistic. That’s how I feel.”

He has reason to feel both joy and fear. Last week, his film The Sea swept up five trophies at Israel’s national film awards, The Ophirs, including the top prize for Best Picture.

It follows the story of a 12-year-old Palestinian boy Khaled, played by Muhammad Gazawi, who dreams of seeing the Mediterranean for the first time in his life. However, he is turned away at a military checkpoint while on a school trip, due to what authorities say is an invalid permit.

The film places Palestinian lives at its core, which has caused anger in Israel. Within hours of the award being given out, Israel’s culture minister Miki Zohar threatened to cut funding for the ceremony, blasting the win as a “slap in the face of Israeli citizens” and calling the event “embarrassing and detached”.

But Carmeli-Pollak says it is the “terrible reality of the government that this person belongs to, which is now creating a genocide, and we can’t deny it. We can’t blame films.”

Last month, a UN report concluded that Israel is committing genocide. Israel says the charge is “false” and “distorted” but rights groups, including Amnesty International, have backed the claims.

The Sea is not the only recent film to critique Israel that has been met with backlash. Earlier this year, No Other Land, a story following Palestinian activist Basel Adra’s resistance to forced displacement from his home in Massafer Yatta, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature Film.

The reaction in Israel was similar: Zohar called it “a sad moment for the world of cinema” and “sabotage against the State of Israel”.

A Palestinian activist and father of three featured in the film, Awdah Hathaleen, was killed by an Israeli settler weeks after the film’s success. Adra has also reported recent raids on his home in the West Bank.

Reflecting on his work, Carmeli-Pollak says: “Making a film like this isn’t simple to do, even before the war. There’s always a spirit here that there is too much support for dissident films, which are not for the Israeli public but to go to audiences outside Israel and show how terrible we are. It’s always like this, but now it’s even stronger.”

Reacting to Zohar’s comments about his film, Carmeli-Pollak says it’s become “tradition” for the culture minister to speak out against projects that he disapproves of. “I would tell him to open his mind and watch the film before he speaks,” he says.

He credits the Israel Film Fund for its support in backing the film, but worries it may be “impossible” to operate in an environment with such constraints on artists.

“I’m really happy I had the chance to do this and to give a voice to people whose voice is not heard very much in our society.”

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel is investigating whether the ministry is able to carry out Zohar’s threat to cut funding, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Despite the backlash, Carmeli-Pollak says the response to The Sea has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Anyone without a political perspective who watches this film – even Israelis – can see it’s a story about someone being discriminated against just because of the place where they were born. It’s more complicated than his [Zohar’s] reaction.”

He adds that Israelis are “not like these people with horns, they’re also ordinary people who live in this arrangement”. He believes art can help foster the connection between Israelis and Palestinians.

During the film, Khaled travels to the coast to see the waters of the Mediterranean for himself, but does not know the way or how to speak Hebrew. Khaled’s father, Ribni (Khalifa Natour), is an undocumented labourer and embarks on a high-risk search for his missing son after abandoning his job.

“I was worried people wouldn’t want to come and watch the film because it’s about a Palestinian child. But there is no other way to do this. And people have reacted emotionally; it touches my heart. They shed a tear because they see that this is a child who uses his will to go to the sea.”

Carmeli-Pollak, who was born in Haifa, committed to raising awareness about the plight of Palestinians after first visiting the West Bank, aged 32.

“Life for Palestinians under occupation is terrible. I feel responsible because I live under this regime that discriminates between people just because of their ethnic origin,” he says.

“Looking at the history of the Jewish people, it’s something we suffered a lot in the past and it’s unacceptable and it needs to be changed now, not tomorrow and not in the future.”

He adds: “This is not just a Palestinian story, it’s the story of Israeli society.”

Accepting his award, Gazawi, 13, said: “I wish for all the children of the world, everywhere, to have the same opportunity – to live and dream without wars.” He was discovered when the director opted to audition Palestinian children from a Thai boxing club filled with “tough” young people. Gazawi had no previous acting experience and spoke no Hebrew when he was recruited.

“In the beginning, I didn’t notice him,” Carmeli-Pollak says. “I filmed him and came back home and watched the footage and thought: ‘Wow. This kid is very, very, talented.’”

However, the director says that many Israelis don’t understand the extent of suffering in Gaza and the West Bank, as “there is a really big problem with Israeli media”.

The film’s Palestinian producer, Baher Agbariya, said in a statement read at the Ophirs: “This film was born from love for humanity and cinema, and its message is one – the right of every child to live and dream in peace, without siege, without fear, and without war.”

Natour, who played Khaled’s father, did not attend the awards, citing “the army’s entry into Gaza and the genocide that frightens me greatly”.

The controversy surrounding the film comes after Hollywood actors announced a cultural boycott of Israeli film institutions.

The pledge, circulated by an organisation called Film Workers for Palestine, has been supported by actors including Javier Bardem, Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Riz Ahmed and over 4,000 more industry professionals. Global entertainment giant Paramount criticised the move, saying it did not agree with “silencing individuals”.

But Carmeli-Pollak, who attends both pro-Palestine protests and protests campaigning for the release of hostages, says that working with Palestinians to make the film gave him a glimpse into life in coexistence. He has not been able to sleep, enjoy films, or live a normal life since the intensity of the conflict and the horror of the 7 October attacks.

“The filming itself was a very special experience,” he says. “We were a joint crew – Israelis and Palestinians working together, on a modest budget, with the shared intention of doing the best work we could.

“Hebrew and Arabic blended naturally on set, and in a way, we ourselves made the same journey that the film portrays – moving between Palestinian villages and Tel Aviv. It was a truly unique and moving experience.”

Nurse has leg amputated after rare tumour found in her calf

An NHS nurse whose leg was amputated after an “extremely rare” cancerous tumour was found in her calf has spoken of entering “survival mode” to “process” her diagnosis and “stay positive”.

Sophie Fay, 26, an intensive care nurse for four years, lives in Merseyside with her father, Paul Fay, 67.

She first noticed an “aching” pain behind her right knee in March 2024. Having recently enlisted a personal trainer, Ms Fay initially dismissed the pain as a muscle injury.

However, when her calf became “swollen” and “hot to touch”, and work colleagues noticed the visible difference, she sought medical help.

After being told her symptoms could be caused by a blood clot or a muscular problem, Ms Fay’s worsening pains prompted her to push for further answers, especially when she found her right calf was “six centimetres bigger than the other”.

Ms Fay had an MRI scan in November 2024, which revealed a large tumour “taking up the entirety of (her) calf”, and the mass was diagnosed as spindle cell sarcoma of the bone, an extremely rare soft-tissue tumour.

As her blood vessels and nerves were “completely encased” by the tumour, Ms Fay was informed the only option was an above-the-knee amputation, which she received in December 2024 – and she is now adapting to life with a prosthetic.

Ms Fay is sharing her story as part of the Bone Cancer Research Trust’s Bone Cancer Awareness Week, which runs from October 6 to 12, to raise awareness of her symptoms and prevent others from “falling through the cracks”.

“It was a massive shock but it felt like the best chance of living a normal-ish life afterwards,” she told PA Real Life.

“Going into survival mode helped me to process the diagnosis and stay so positive in the recovery period.

“The only thing I wanted was to not have cancer anymore, and I thought once it’s gone, I can deal with that.

“You do get the realisation with something like this that our days are numbered and we’re not all invincible.”

Ms Fay said she started exercising with a personal trainer in March 2024, but over the subsequent weeks she noticed feeling an “aching” pain behind the knee of her right leg.

“It would just happen when I exercised but I remember going for a walk and I thought the back of my knee was really sore,” she said.

She noticed the pain got “progressively worse” over the next few months, to the point her leg would hurt even with light activity.

At the end of August 2024, Ms Fay was getting ready for a late shift at work when she noticed her leg was “swollen” and “warm to touch”.

“I had a visible limp at this time now as well, because it was hurting whenever I walked,” she said.

“My colleagues noticed it was swollen, and they suggested it could be a small blood clot in my leg.”

Ms Fay explained her intensive care ward contains “mini ultrasound machines”, and a consultant suggested doing a scan on the back of her leg.

The scan was inconclusive, Ms Fay said, and she was advised to go to her hospital’s A&E department.

There, it was thought Ms Fay could be suffering from a muscular injury.

“I didn’t really know any better at the time, I thought it could probably be muscular – what it ended up being was so far from my mind, it was unreal,” she said.

After having a more thorough examination on her leg, Ms Fay was told she could have a Baker’s cyst, a fluid-filled lump at the back of the knee that can sometimes get better on its own, according to the NHS.

Ms Fay said she was “happy” with the diagnosis as the symptoms she felt appeared to be similar.

By November 2024, however, Ms Fay said the pain became “constant” and she could no longer bend her leg.

“My calf was massive, I think it measured six centimetres bigger than my other one,” she said.

Ms Fay sought further help from her GP, who recommended she see a physiotherapist, but while waiting for the appointment she felt something “was not right”.

She instead went to a walk-in health centre, where it was advised she have a full ultrasound scan on her leg.

Following the scan, Ms Fay said she was sent to the urgent care centre at her hospital for further examinations, and a few days later she underwent an MRI scan on November 11 2024.

The very next morning, on November 12 2024, Ms Fay was asked to return to receive her results, saying she thought: “Oh no, this is soon,”

Ms Fay said she was told her scan had revealed a large tumour in her calf, which was thought to be primary bone cancer.

“I just lost my head, there were all sorts of mad things going through my mind,” Ms Fay said.

“I had a bit of knowledge around cancer and cancer care with my work, and I couldn’t help but think it was a death sentence.

“I was really emotional and the worst part was knowing I had to go home and tell my dad.”

She was signed off work and referred to The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Shropshire.

Following a biopsy, Ms Fay was diagnosed on November 29 2024 with spindle cell sarcoma of the bone – an extremely rare soft-tissue tumour, according to the Bone Cancer Research Trust.

Such tumours most commonly arise in patients over the age of 40 and are extremely rare, making up just 2-5 per cent of all primary bone cancer cases, the charity says.

Ms Fay was informed her only viable treatment option would be amputation, as her blood vessels and nerves were “completely encased” by the tumour.

“They showed me a picture of my scan, and the tumour takes up the entirety of my calf,” she said.

“There wasn’t a way they could remove it safely to leave me with a functioning leg.”

Ms Fay received an above-the-knee amputation on December 17 2024, and she said the operation and her healing process was “very smooth”.

Adapting to using a prosthetic was “very difficult”, however, and she initially found it “exhausting” to walk short distances.

“It’s comforting to know this is the hardest it will ever be,” she said.

“As time goes on, I’ll get better prosthetic parts, a better socket and knee joint, things that will make it easier.”

Ms Fay will now have a scan every three months for the next two years to monitor any potential recurrences of cancer.

She has also returned to work, in a non-clinical setting for the time being, where she noticed she feels “more emotional” following her experience.

Ms Fay is sharing her story to mark Bone Cancer Awareness Week by the Bone Cancer Research Trust, the UK’s leading charity dedicated to fighting primary bone cancer.

“If sharing my story means bone cancer is spoken about more within healthcare, that’s the main thing,” she said.

For more information, visit the website for the Bone Cancer Research Trust here: bcrt.org.uk

Masked pair ‘spray accelerant’ on mosque in suspected arson attack

Police are treating a fire that caused significant damage to a mosque in East Sussex as suspected arson attack and a hate crime – as detectives release images of two people they wish to identify.

The blaze, which broke out shortly before 10pm on Saturday at a mosque in Peacehaven, damaged the building’s front entrance and a vehicle parked outside. No one was injured in the incident, Sussex Police confirmed.

The force said footage showed two people wearing masks and dark clothing appearing to approach the front door before spraying accelerant on the entrance of the mosque and igniting a fire.

Images circulating online showed a burnt-out car at the entrance to the building.

Detective Inspector Gavin Patch said: “This was an appalling and reckless attack which we know will have left many people feeling less safe.

“We are treating this as an arson with intent to endanger life and are continuing to pursue a number of lines of enquiry to identify those responsible.

“We are releasing images of two people we wish to speak with, shown in the footage, wearing distinctive clothing.”

Police patrols have been been stepped up in the area and around other places of worship across East Sussex to provide reassurance.

“There is already an increased police presence at the scene and there are also additional patrols taking place to provide reassurance at other places of worship across the county,” Detective Bohanna said.

“Sussex Police takes a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime and there is no place for hate across the county.”

The force is working with local leaders to support the affected community while forensic teams continue to examine the site. Officers are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity or captured footage near the mosque on Saturday evening to come forward.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The suspected arson attack has been widely condemned.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in a post on X: “At a time like this, we must stand united. This country’s greatest strength has been its ability to build one nation from many communities. Attacks against Britain’s Muslims are attacks against all Britons and this country itself.”

Chris Ward, the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, said: “Appalled by the disgusting arson attack on Peacehaven mosque last night.

“That there were no injuries is purely by chance. I have spoken with Sussex Police this morning, and I’m very grateful to them and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service for their response.

“This violence and hatred has no place in our peaceful, tolerant local community. We will root it out and we stand in solidarity with all affected.”

The leader of the local council, Lewes District, said she was “shocked and saddened” by the fire.

Councillor Zoe Nicholson added: “This is a deeply distressing incident that strikes at the heart of our community.

“On behalf of Lewes District Council, I want to express our unwavering support and solidarity with the Muslim community in Peacehaven and across our district. Be in no doubt, we stand shoulder to shoulder with you.”

Piastri loses cool at Norris and McLaren as Russell wins Singapore GP

Oscar Piastri blasted Lando Norris’s driving and then accused McLaren of being “unfair” as the world championship rivals collided on the opening lap of the Singapore Grand Prix, which was won by George Russell.

The title tension between teammates Norris and Piastri has bubbled along all season without boiling over, but that changed on the first lap when they banged wheels at the third corner.

Norris, who started two places behind Piastri in fifth, cleared his title rival with an aggressive move that was noted by the stewards but not investigated.

Much to Piastri’s fury, McLaren then elected against swapping their drivers with Norris crossing the line in third place, one position ahead of Piastri. McLaren clinched the constructors’ championship for the second year in a row on a bittersweet night for the British team.

Max Verstappen held off Norris in the closing stages to finish runner-up to keep his outside chances of a fifth consecutive title alive.

Norris trails Piastri by 22 points in the standings with Verstappen a further 63 points off the championship pace with 174 points still to play for across the concluding six rounds.

Kimi Antonelli finished fifth, one place ahead of Charles Leclerc, with Lewis Hamilton in eighth after a late brake problem resulted in a five-second penalty due to exceeding track limits.

McLaren have so far managed to keep a lid on the brewing rivalry between two men bidding to be crowned champion of the world for the first time.

Piastri left last month’s Italian Grand Prix annoyed that he had been asked to concede second place and three points to Norris following a slow pit stop for the Briton.

Piastri reluctantly moved aside in Monza and was just able to mask his annoyance when quizzed on the controversial decision. Here, he was unable to do so.

The flashpoint arrived at the third corner. A fast-starting Norris swatted Antonelli aside to take fourth before the opening left turn, before drawing half a car’s length alongside Piastri at the ensuing right corner and then going deep into the next left.

It was certainly aggressive from Norris and he tagged the back of Verstappen’s Red Bull – contact which sent him into his teammate’s McLaren.

Both Papaya men lived to fight another day, with Norris sustaining only minor damage to his front wing. Piastri was straight on the radio.

“That wasn’t very team-like, but sure,” he said. “So we are cool with Lando just barging me out of the way?”

Piastri was informed by race engineer Tom Stallard that McLaren were looking into it. The stewards were also busy noting the collision but elected against any action.

Stallard was back on the intercom: “As a team we can see that Lando has to avoid Verstappen, so we won’t take any action during the race. We can review further afterwards.”

Piastri was not impressed, adding: “Mate, that is not fair. I’m sorry, that is not fair.”

Stallard replied: “Oscar, we will have the opportunity to review together afterwards. Focus on this race, mate. We can still get a good result here.”

Piastri bit back: “Yeah, but if he (Norris) has to avoid another car by crashing into his teammate, then that is a pretty s*** job of avoiding.”

On to the sole pit stops, and Piastri’s night was dealt another blow. A slow rear-left tyre left him stationary for 5.2 seconds and now 10 seconds behind Norris and out of the running.

With Russell in total control – and in a class of one as he cruised to his second win of an impressive year – attention turned to Norris and whether he could move ahead of Verstappen at a track where overtaking is virtually impossible.

Norris tried his luck with 10 laps to go, but Verstappen, who earlier called his Red Bull “s***” to drive, slammed the door closed. Norris spent the remaining laps occupying Verstappen’s Red Bull mirrors but made no lasting impression.

Russell crossed the line a commanding 5.4 seconds clear of Verstappen, who finished just six tenths ahead of Norris, with Piastri two seconds further back.

The McLaren boss Zak Brown will now be tasked with managing the fallout between his two stars before the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 19.

Norris, when asked about his contact with Piastri on lap one, told Sky Sports: “It’s racing. I put it on the inside. Nothing more than good racing.”

He added: “It was a tough race. I gave it my all. I got close to Max. A few chances. But it is difficult to overtake.”

Brown said: “They have driven brilliantly all season. Two awesome racing drivers. As you can see we are letting them race. Bit of a nailbiter there.”

Eats, Beats and Storied Streets: A journey through Louisiana

Few places in America are as spellbinding as Louisiana. Streets are alive with music, every table groans with food that tells a story, and every river bend reveals landscapes as mysterious as they are beautiful. Whether you’re dancing to zydeco in Lafayette, devouring beignets in the French Quarter, or gliding through the Atchafalaya swamps in search of alligators, this is a destination which offers travellers an unforgettable blend of rhythm, flavour and culture.

Music that Moves You

A seemingly never-ending party, a stroll through the bouncing streets of New Orleans’ French Quarter is one of America’s most thrilling sensory experiences. Guitars crunch, symbols crash and horns howl on every street corner, from Bourbon Street to Frenchmen Street. This Cajun corner of the US has a deep heritage too, and the Preservation Hall – dating back to 1961 – is an essential stop. With its intimate time-worn walls and wooden chairs facing the small stage, it’s a shrine to New Orleans jazz and every note should be savoured.

But Louisiana’s music tradition goes far beyond the Big Easy. Beginning in 1981, the Baton Rouge Blues Festival is one of the country’s oldest blues festivals and the state capital is a haven of Cajun music. It’s also the home of the swamp blues, so to hear the best of these laid-back rhythms, spend a foot-tapping night at Phil Brady’s Bar & Grill or Henry Turner Jr’s Listening Room. And for a little backyard boogie from local Louisiana musicians, try and hit the wonderfully chilled out Bee Nice Concert Series.

One of the more niche regional sounds is zydeco, and these infectious beats driven by accordions and washboards are perfect for dancing the night away. Over in Lafayette, the lush outdoor Hideaway on Lee and the charming Blue Moon Saloon host high-energy zydeco and Cajun jams. For a deeper dive into this unique music of the swamp, drop by the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles for three glorious days of Cajun, Creole, and zydeco sounds.

Flavours to Savour

Louisiana has one of America’s most distinct food cultures, with Creole dishes like gumbo and jambalaya not found anywhere else. Needless to say, the fiery flavours found in these creations are sublime and it’s no surprise that 2025 is Louisiana’s Year of Food.

With its rich broth, often featuring a roux base and embellished by juicy shrimp and thick sausage, gumbo is arguably the quintessential Creole dish. If you’re in New Orleans, look no further than no–frills downtown spots like Coop’s Place or head out to neighbourhood joints like the upscale Gabrielle Restaurant who serve a smoky take on Cajun-style gumbo or the dense dishes plated up at Liuzza’s by the Track. And if you’re so enraptured by this unique stew, then learn how to make it at home at the New Orleans School of Cooking.

A Cajun rice dish that originated in southern Louisiana in the 18th Century, Jambalaya is also iconic down here and can include meats, vegetables, seafood and spices in its mouthwatering mix. The Jambalaya Shoppe is dotted all around southern Louisiana and is a good place to start, though make time to visit Gonzales – the ‘Jambalaya Capital of the World. It even has its own Jambalaya Festival every spring.

Remember to make time for sweet treats though, as Louisiana’s beignets are something special. Warm, deep-fried pastries dusted with powdered sugar, these gentle delights are the perfect cafe snack. Open since 1862, the Cafe du Monde is an iconic French Quarter spot to watch the world go by with a beignet and café au lait.

And if you’re here for Mardi Gras, make sure to sample the sweet colourful King Cake as the jaunty floats pass by.

Culture and the Great Outdoors

Louisiana’s diverse cultural heritage is as unique as its landscape. French, Spanish, African, Caribbean and native influences all converge into Cajun and Creole identities and that’s most famously reflected in the state’s sublime cuisine. But don’t miss the great outdoors, as Louisiana’s biodiversity is enchanting too.

Acadiana’s humid moss-cloaked swamps and bayous are one of America’s last wildernesses, and boat tours of these serene and ethereal landscapes are unforgettable, especially if you spot wildlife like American Alligators, beavers, herons, eagles and white tail deer. The Atchafalaya Basin, just east of Lafayette, is a particular haven and several airboat tours depart from here, including McGee’s Swamp Tours and Last Wilderness Swamp Tours.

Road trails through these bayous can be just as inspiring, and the Bayou Teche National Byway tells stories. Running for 183 miles from Arnaudville down to Morgan City, this serpentine route passes by ornate antebellum homes like Shadows-on-the-Teche, tranquil fields of sugar cane, breezy swamps and historic towns packed with friendly cafes, zydeco dancehalls and local museums.

Look out for the region’s lively 400+ festivals too, which often celebrate Louisiana’s local culture. The Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette celebrates the links between Acadiana and the Francophone world, through music, art and food, while the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival in Opelousas aims to preserve Louisiana’s most gleeful music genre. And there’s no better way of learning about the state’s people and heritage than at the various tours, concerts, talks and cultural events held in Vermillionville in Lafayette.

Mount Everest rescue underway after storm traps almost 1,000 hikers

Rescue efforts are under way on the slopes of Mount Everest after a snow storm left almost 1,000 trekkers trapped on the mountain, according to Chinese state media.

Some tourists, who were trapped on the eastern face of the Tibetan slopes, have now been guided to safety by rescuers, Chinese state media, Jimu News, reported.

Villagers and rescue teams have been deployed to help clear the snow blocking access to the area which sits at an altitude of more than 4,900 metres (16,000 feet).

Visitors to the remote valley of Karma, which leads to the eastern Kangshung face of Everest, were in the hundreds this week, taking advantage of an eight-day National Day holiday in China.

However, heavy snowfall began on Friday evening and continued throughout Saturday.

The weather forced ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area to be suspended from late Saturday, according to the local Tingri County Tourism Company.

Tibet’s Blue Sky Rescue team had received a call for help saying that tents had collapsed due to heavy snow, and that some hikers were suffering from hypothermia.

The rescue mission started earlier on Sunday with 350 trekkers reaching the small township of Qudang, while contact with the remaining 200-plus trekkers had been made, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

The remaining trekkers will arrive in Qudang in stages under the guidance and assistance of rescuers organised by the local government, CCTV added.

It comes as the region faces extreme weather and neighbouring Nepal has been battered by heavy rains which caused flash floods and landslides killing 47 people in the last two days.

Thirty-five people died in separate landslides in the eastern Ilam district bordering India. Nine people were reported missing after being swept away by floodwaters and three others were killed in lightning strikes elsewhere in the country.

In China, about 150,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes due to destruction caused by Typhoon Matmo.

Five dead in mass missile and drone attack by Putin’s forces

At least five civilians have died after Russia launched drones, missiles and guided aerial bombs at Ukraine overnight in a major attack that officials there said targeted civilian infrastructure.

Moscow sent more than 50 ballistic missiles and around 500 drones into nine regions across Ukraine, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday morning.

NATO member Poland said it scrambled aircraft early on Sunday to ensure its air safety after Russia launched the airstrikes on Ukraine, with Ukrainian officials reporting missiles and drones raining down on the Lviv region near the Polish border.

On Saturday, a Russian drone strike against a railway station hit a passenger train, killing one and wounding 30, as Moscow stepped up strikes on Ukraine‘s rail and power networks.

Meanwhile, German media reported that drones had been spotted at airports and military installations across Germany over the past two days, suggesting sightings this week at Munich Airport, which forced the closure of both runways, were the tip of the iceberg.

There is mounting concern that Russia could be behind a growing number of recent drone incursions in the airspace of Ukraine’s European allies.