COLDPLAY fans are furiously venting their frustration with Ticketmaster after facing major issues while trying to buy tickets for the band’s 2025 UK tour.

Tickets for the eagerly anticipated shows at Hull’s Craven Park and London’s Wembley Stadium went on general sale this morning, but many fans faced long delays and technical problems.

Several buyers reported being asked to “authenticate their accounts” without receiving the necessary verification codes, while others were hit with error messages instructing them to “check their internet connection.”

The latest fiasco comes after Ticketmaster’s ‘dynamic pricing system’ sparked outrage, with prices for Oasis’ tour tickets soaring as high as £355.

THE best hotels in the world have been revealed, from beachfront resorts to towering city skyscrapers.

And I was lucky enough to visit one during my trip to Hong Kong, when I stayed in The Peninsula.

kara godfrey

kara godfrey

kara godfrey

The Telegraph recently named the prestigious hotel as one of of the world’s best, after looking at everything from in-room perks, personal reviews and staff-to-guest ratios.

The Peninsula, which came in fourth, is the oldest in Hong Kong having opened in 1928, and nicknamed the “Grande Dame of the Far East.”

They certainly show you on arrival why they are the creme de la creme.

All guests get picked up from the airport in their own branded Rolls-Royce cars in Peninsula green, as well as a complimentary newspaper inside.

It’s not always faster, what with Hong Kong traffic sometimes making the public transport a quicker option.

But it’s certainly one in style.

The grand Art Deco lobby is rather breathtaking too, with huge marble columns and glass chandeliers lining the corridors,

I was stunned that all of the staff seemed to know my name by day two of staying (and not because of any bad behaviour).

The rooms

With 300 rooms, the best ones are the suites overlooking the river.

My room had its own lounge, bedroom and two bathrooms (one for ‘guests’) with the main one having a corner bath overlooking the city.

My bedroom even had its own telescope for looking out to the waterfront.

One very exciting element I had never seen were drawers that had their own chargers in, as well as wireless chargers.

The food and drink

There is enough to explore in Hong Kong but the hotel does its best to keep you there.

There is its own on-site chocolate shop, where you can watch as they make everything in house.

I was greeted by a different chocolate work of art in my room most days, from planes to passports… all handcrafted.

You won’t get hungry with the huge number of restaurants on-site either.

There is the one Michelin-star Gaddi’s, serving French cuisine, as well as the Michelin-starred Spring Moon serving traditional Cantonese.

kara godfrey

kara godfrey

Their suites overlooking the waterfront are some of the best at the hotel[/caption]

kara godfrey

A Swiss-themed restaurant will take you straight to the Alps, or you can go to the Japanese restaurant Imasa.

The rooftop bar Felix is a must too with even more amazing views, abd tge miost deliciously fresh melon yuzu cocktails.

I dined with their nine course menu with all of the decadent dishes you can think of – by that I mean truffle gnocchi and juicy scallops.

What we didn’t realise was there is often an evening light show, which was an amazing surprise as we finished off our drinks.

I also tried the hotels’ amazing breakfast buffet in the Verandah restaurant, which blew me away with the choice.

Already a dim-sum obsessive, every morning i gorged on juicy prawn dumplings, refreshing cold noodle soups and my favourite – congee (think a savoury rice porridge).

Of course there were also Western options if you don’t fancy the local cuisine.

The only sad thing was not being able to sit outside, but there was nothing tempting me to be in the humidity.

The amenities

The Peninsula has is its own shopping arcade, albeit with expensive designer brands such as Chanel and Prada.

And the extremely beautiful swimming pool on the ground floor comes with ornate water fountains and sun loungers.

Make sure to check out the spa with massages also overlooking the Hong Kong skyline.

You can even tour its helicopter pads on the roof which only the elite guests use.

Even if you can’t stretch to a stay at the hotel, you can book its famous Afternoon Tea, loved by the locals and with live music.

Can’t quite swing to Hong Kong? The Peninsula London opened last year, becoming the city’s first billion-pound hotel.

Otherwise here’s a hotel in Greece that was named the best in the world by TUI.

And this hotel has one of the best views in the world.

Scared shoppers hid inside changerooms in a shopping centre south of Perth on Friday afternoon after a juvenile was allegedly armed with a fake gun.

A fan who says he is the rightful owner of the Shohei Ohtani 50/50 home run ball has filed a civil lawsuit seeking, according to court records.

KROGER has announced its first-ever ”mega-sales event” – and shoppers can bag deals from just 99 cents.

The popular retailer is running “Customer Appreciation Week” as it awaits a judge’s decision in a legal battle over its multibillion-dollar plan to merge with Albertsons, reported Grocery Dive.

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AFP

Shoppers will be able to bag deals for as little as 99 cents[/caption]

On Wednesday, the supermarket operator began a weeklong set of fantastic promotions the brand described “a mega-sales event honoring customers with the retailer’s hottest deals and digital coupons”.

Known as “Customer Appreciation Week,” Kroger‘s program – their first-ever – will run through October 1st and fans will indeed be spoilt for choice.

Shoppers visiting the the store will be able to get their hands on discounts on a broad range of private label and name-brand products.

Stuart Aitken, the retailer’s senior vice president and chief merchant and marketing officer, said Customer Appreciation Week is intended to show loyal fans Kroger is “so grateful for the trust” it receives from shoppers.

The marketing officer added that the supermarket wants to “show our sincere appreciation and say thank you for choosing Kroger”.

Customer Appreciation Week boasts a number of bargain deals that are too good to be slept on, with prices starting from just 99 cents.

Promotions include two half-gallons of Kroger orange juice for $5 and and a 24-ounce jar of Kroger pasta sauce for 99 cents – ideal for the perfect cosy dinner.

Another deal to look out for offers Kroger’s customer two free 12-packs of certain kinds of refreshing soda if they purchase two.

The retailer added that people who belong to Kroger’s Boost membership program will also have access to additional savings during the program and can redeem those offers up to a whopping five times.

The cut-price event represents the first time the brand has run this type of sales program, a Kroger spokesperson said in a statement.

Kroger has made a point of drawing attention to its intention to slash prices if it is able to combine with Albertsons – however, the brand didn’t link Customer Appreciation Week to the mega-merger proposal.

Earlier this summer, in August, Kroger company announced it would invest $1 billion in price cuts if it consummates its merger with Albertsons.

Kroger has long emphasized that merging with Albertsons would lead to more affordable prices for grocery shoppers.

In February, when the brand promised to cut prices following its proposed merger with Albertsons, Kroger claimed that the move is “not new” as it has lowered prices after the approval of previous mergers.

As well as friendlier and lower prices for customers, Korger has also pledged to expand employee resources and boost its local assortment.

However, despite the promises, The Sun previously reported that shoppers aren’t too sure how they feel about the chain’s plans to merge with Albertsons.

Antitrust concerns were detailed in the suit, with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) insisting that the proposed merger would cause higher prices for American consumers and lead to lower-quality products, as well as a lack of healthy competition in the industry.

“Direct competition between Kroger and Albertsons has brought grocery prices down and the quality of grocery products and services up,” the FTC said.

“The proposed acquisition would destroy this.”

A NEW law will see drivers hit with a $75 fine every time they’re caught using their cellphone.

The bill, which was passed by the Colorado legislature this year, brings in a host of new rules across the state around phone-use while driving a vehicle – although there will be some exceptions.

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A new law will see drivers hit with a $75 fine every time they’re caught using their cellphone[/caption]

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Stricter rules around phone-use across the state of Colorado while driving will come in the new year – although there will be some exceptions[/caption]

Set to go into effect on January 1, 2025, Senate Bill 65 will allow cops to hand out fines and issue license points to drivers caught using their phone – barring the use of hands-free tech such as Bluetooth.

Anything else, like checking message while in traffic or scrolling through social media at stoplights could result in a ticket.

The official wording states that drivers won’t be cited for talking on or using their phone while driving unless a law enforcement officer sees them doing so in a “manner that caused the individual to drive in a careless and imprudent manner, without due regard for the width, grade, curves, corners, traffic and use of the streets and highways and all other attendant circumstances.”

KEY EXCEPTIONS

A handful of exceptions to the new law have been revealed, which includes drivers using their phone in an emergency situation or to call first responders, as well when used for navigation or transcription.

Also, employees or utility contractors are exempt, as are first responders and municipal or county employees who could be using their phone as part of their official duties while behind the wheel.

It is already illegal to text message or browse the internet while driving in Colorado, but now this law will expand to include answering calls or nearly anything else with a phone while a vehicle is not parked.

Currently, only vehicle-owners under the age of 18 are prohibited from talking on a phone while driving – though there are exceptions for using a phone in emergency situations.

FINES AND PUNISHMENT

Drivers caught talking on or using their phone while driving will be hit with a $75 fine and will also have two points added to their license.

However, the fine can be waived if a driver is then able to produce a hands-free accessory or proof of purchase of a hands-free accessory.

If a driver is caught for a second time within a two-year period, they will then face a $150 fine and three points on their license, and that increases to $250 and four points for anyone caught a third or subsequent time in a two-year period.

For drivers aged 21 and older, receiving 12 or more points in a 12-month period or 18 or more points in a 24-month period will lead to a suspension.

What’s more, if a driver is using a phone and that’s considered the “proximate cause” of an accident in which someone is injured or killed, they can then be charged with a Class 1 traffic misdemeanor – which is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

This comes as a new law is set to crack down on decades-old car safety issues – as officials insist women have been “paying the price” for too long.

The bipartisan bill could significantly improve health outcomes for drivers of both sexes and reflect that “everyone is a priority.”

The legislation, which is currently working its way through the Senate, would force car makers to change the way they safety test their vehicles before sale.

This would include a female crash test dummy designed to replicate the effects of car crashes on women.

Elsewhere, drivers have been left furious after a popular automaker failed to deliver on last year’s promise to bring their vehicles to online stores.

Hyundai and Amazon announced their partnership last year, leaving car lovers excited to see what online vehicle sales would look like – but the program never launched.

In November 2023, the giant companies promised that auto dealers would be able to sell cars on Amazon’s US store in 2024.

With less than four months left in the year, dealerships are frustrated as it seems the calendar will close without any movement in the pilot program, which was set to make Hyundai the first brand available to buy online.

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Fines can be waived if a driver is able to produce a hands-free accessory[/caption]

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Drivers will be let off if they’re using their phone in an emergency situation or to call first responders[/caption]

Unknown gunmen have reportedly killed a 22-year-old man, Idowu Oguntuase and kidnapped four persons in Ekiti state. The kidnappers were said to have abducted the four victims along Isan-Iludun-Ekiti Road in Ilejemeje local government area of the state. It was gathered that the victims were travelling along the road Sunday evening when the driver to …

With the Samsung Galaxy S25 likely just four months away, it looks like it’s time to talk about the Samsung Galaxy S26 – and it’s tipped to offer some significant performance improvements when it launches in early 2026. Flagship phones always get faster year after year, of course, but there’s a new report of it […]

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Monica Bellucci put on a busty display in a black dress with her partner Tim Burton on Thursday at the 72nd San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain. Monica, 59, stunned in the long-sleeved dress which was slightly off-the-shoulder before plunging down the middle to expose her cleavage. The solid-colored dress cinched her waist and […]