JD Vance to spend summer vacation in UK countryside spot beloved by A-listers after Disney disaster: report
Vance will travel to the U.K. with his wife Ursha and three young children, in mid-August to stay at a quaint rural cottage in the Cotswolds in the south west of England, before heading to Scotland for five days, The Telegraph reports.
The Cotswolds is a quintessentially English hotspot that stretches across counties including Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire, and has been compared to the Hamptons. It attracts an estimated 38 million visitors per year, as visitors flock for a countryside retreat.
Holiday cottages at the thriving spot can range from $900 to $3000 or more, for a week's stay, with peak seasons and popular locations soaring prices even higher, reports Country Living magazine.
Sources stressed to the British newspaper that Vance's vacation itinerary had not been finalised.
But a government source told the Telegraph: 'The ties run deep. Whatever any policy differences, the history, heritage, and appeal of the United Kingdom are a huge draw to the current administration … unlike with their predecessors.'
The Vice President joins a plethora of other U.S. celebrities seeking a taste of rural England, with its honey-colored stone cottages and cobbled market streets.
Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Taylor Swift are among the American celebrities who have also travelled to the idyllic spot while British A-listers, including David and Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, Elizabeth Hurley and Hugh Grant all have properties in the area.
Vance's reported overseas trip comes after a disastrous family trip closer to home earlier this month.
When news dropped that the vice president was planning to head to Disney, protestors appeared in the hundreds outside the nearby Grand Californian Hotel.
The following day Vance, his wife, Usha, and their two kids were spotted strolling through the California park's Bayou Country section. Other park goers complained that regular guests were experiencing delays and long lines because of the additional security and rides being shut down for the Vance family.
The news of the trip follows the announcement of President Trump's state visit to the U.K, planned for September.
The Palace confirmed Trump will be hosted by King Charles at Windsor Castle during his visit from September 17 to 19. Ahead of the trip, the President will visit Turnberry and Aberdeen in Scotland later this month.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on the visit between 25 to 29 July.
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The Independent
12 minutes ago
- The Independent
Substation fire that shut Heathrow Airport to cost it ‘tens of millions'
The boss of Heathrow has revealed the chaotic closure of the London airport in March after a substation fire is expected to cost it tens of millions of pounds. Chief executive Thomas Woldbye told the PA news agency the financial impact of the temporary closure caused by a power outage was expected be in the 'low tens of millions'. The group is now waiting for a report from energy watchdog Ofgem to finalise its findings into the incident to see if it can claim compensation from National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET). No flights operated at the west London airport until about 6pm on March 21 because of the blaze which started late the previous night. More than 270,000 air passenger journeys were disrupted by the incident. Mr Woldbye told PA the group had 'learnings' to take away from the incident. A report into events clarified that Mr Woldbye had been asleep with his phone on silent as the overnight decision to close the airport was taken. He said: 'That is one learning and that will not happen again. 'I would have liked to see my personal role play out differently. 'That said, we need to have procedures in place that ensures that this company can take the right decisions at the right time by the right people, no matter what the situation is.' 'An organisation like ours has to be able to manage, whether the captain's on the bridge or not,' he said. In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he denied misjudging what it meant to be the head of one of the world's busiest airports. Ofgem has launched an official enforcement investigation into NGET after a report found the fire that caused the shutdown of Heathrow was due to a preventable technical fault. The report by the National Energy System Operator (Neso) said an 'elevated moisture reading' had been found in oil samples at the North Hyde substation in west London in July 2018, but that action was not taken to replace electrical insulators known as bushings. The comments came as the airport revealed half-year profits fell by more than a third despite seeing passenger numbers soar to a record high. The group posted a 37.2% drop in pre-tax profits to £203 million for the six months to June 30 as its costs surged, partly driven by a higher wage bill after last autumn's budget measures.
Telegraph
12 minutes ago
- Telegraph
The 10 songs that defined Ozzy Osbourne
Here's a game that can be played at home: how many artists and bands can you name that single handedly created an entire new genre of music? For all his achievements, both famous and infamous, towering above them all is the bald and immortal truth that Ozzy Osbourne, as a member of Black Sabbath, not only forged a new musical form, but that its sound was the most redoubtable of all. Metal. Please don't be fooled by the encomiums and eulogies, though, because Ozzy was not always loved. Long before the Prince of Darkness became an unlikely international treasure, and certainly before metal reaped the credit from high-minded critics that it so obviously deserves, much of his musical output received a very rough ride indeed. In a far from untypical review, Creem magazine, for example, dismissed Sabbath's masterful 1972 album Vol. 4 as 'the same old s---'. But metal is the people's music, and, ultimately, the people will out. Perhaps the only pleasing aspect of the death of Ozzy Osbourne is that he lived long enough for his finest singles and albums to be accepted by all. In receiving his just due, those early-day critics – or the worst of them, at least – were proved wrong. The kids, meanwhile, as ever, were right. Please stand by, then, for 10 highlights from the musical career of Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne… 10. Shot in the Dark (1986) Although its parent album, The Ultimate Sin, is something of a pop-metal dud, the record's leadoff single, Shot In The Dark, is a peach. With a chorus to die for, the song's reverb-heavy sound typifies loud music in the middle part of the eighties – a period that was about to be usurped by speed metal bands who turned up the volume, quickened the tempos and darkened the lights. Ironically, it was this tranche of groups – with Metallica, Slayer and Pantera among them – who would help revivify the reputation of Black Sabbath themselves. Curiously, Shot In The Dark is notable for its absence from subsequent compilation albums. Ostensibly, the reason given is that Ozzy hates The Ultimate Sin. Maybe. But rumours persist that complications as to who actually wrote the song might be the real story behind these rather glaring omissions. 9. Supernaut (1972) In a case of too-much-too-soon that seems extreme even by the standards of rock and roll, by the time Sabbath came to record their fourth album, Vol. 4, in Los Angeles in 1972, they were so frazzled on cocaine that they considered titling the record Snowblind. Ensconced in a shared home in Beverly Hills, things became so arduous that, upon returning to England, Geezer Butler's girlfriend didn't even recognise him. If any song can be said to represent the sound of a band running on adrenaline, anxiety and heavy-duty substances, Supernaut is that song. Even the lyrics speak of a artists who are losing control of their senses. 'I want to reach out and touch the sky,' Ozzy sang, 'I want to touch the sun'. And speaking of people who were on a different plane, Frank Zappa would later tell Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler that Supernaut was one of his favourite rock songs of all time. 'You can just hear the adrenaline on it,' he said. 8. Suicide Solution (1980) Some of the cuts featured on our list are stone cold bangers. Others, though, make the grade for reasons of wider significance. In its heralding of the moral panic into which metal and hard rock would be swept in the United States, in the 1980s, Suicide Solution belongs to the latter camp. In 1984, the parents of 19-year-old John McCollum, who had shot himself in the head (it was claimed) immediately after listening to the song, sued Osbourne along with CBS Records for 'encouraging self-destructive behaviour' in young people who were 'especially susceptible' to the influence of rock and roll. That the lawsuit was dismissed on the grounds that the First Amendment protected the singer's right to free speech did nothing stop the coming war on loud music. As well as the efforts of the Washington lobby group the Parents Music Resource Center, groups such as Slayer, Suicidial Tendencies and Judas Priest would also find themselves the subject of unwanted legal attention in the wake of tragedies for which they bore no responsibility. 7. Mama, I'm Coming Home (1991) The tasteful monster ballad Mama, I'm Coming Home makes the cut for sentimental reasons. As one of the songs Ozzy Osbourne sang at the Back To The Beginning farewell concert at Villa Park – which, incredibly, took place just this month – the sight of Osbourne singing about returning home, in this case to the very neighbourhood in which he was raised, was poignant even before he passed away. But with the news this week that the gig will next year receive a theatrical release, the performance may well become a defining moment in the history of rock and roll. There's a different sentimental reason for the song's inclusion, too. Mama, I'm Coming Home was co-written by another hard-bitten legend whose death made the world of music an emptier place. Take a bow, Ian 'Lemmy' Kilmister. 6. No More Tears (1991) At the time Ozzy Osbourne released No More Tears, the leadoff single from the album of the same name, in 1991, his career was in something of a slump. Despite his previous album, 1989's No Rest Of The Wicked, attaining double-platinum status in the States, a review in Rolling Stone had stung its creator. It's fine, they said, but it's nothing new. Change, though, was afoot. With its subterranean groove and its excoriating lead guitar work, courtesy of Zakk Wylde, with No More Tears, Ozzy managed to deliver a song that was both familiar yet somehow new. With lyrics such as 'your mama told that you're not supposed to talk to strangers, look in the mirror, tell me, do you think your life's in danger?' the sense of unease remained, as it should, but the spacious music heralded a surprisingly adept reappraisal of his sound. In short, despite not being a particularly big hit, No More Tears signalled that there was life in the old god yet. Duly, its parent album would go on to sell more than five million copies in the United States alone. 5. Crazy Train (1980) As far as debut solo singles go, this one is hard to beat. Anchored by Randy Rhoads's irresistible riff – a series of notes that deftly moved away from the blues-based rock template of the seventies to a sound that would come to define eighties metal – Crazy Train would go on to sell five million copies across the world. It also happens to be the song to which Osbourne's once-local football team, Aston Villa, take to the field. Remarkably, following his sacking by Black Sabbath, in 1979, believing his career to be over, Ozzy retired to a hotel room in Los Angeles in which he intended to take drugs and drink until he ran out of money. He then planned to return to Birmingham to rejoin life as a civilian. Little did he know that his career's second act was about to begin. 4. War Pigs (1970) To be perfectly honest, at least four songs are deserving of the number one slot on this. Among them, clearly, is War Pigs. Rather impressively, the song was born not from a writing session, but from good old musical chops. On the road in mainland Europe, in 1968, Black Sabbath (who at that time were trading under the name Earth) used to fill out their sets with improvisational jams. According to drummer Bill Ward, this most notable of tracks came together in this way. As well as much else, War Pigs heralded the news that a new sheriff was in town. Held in check by Ozzy Osbourne's (largely) unaccompanied vocal, the song offered the clearest imaginable evidence that the hopeful days of the sixties were at an end. Buckle up, boys and girls, things were about to get dark. 3. Iron Man (1970) If Crazy Train set the template for metal riffs in the eighties, it was Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi's hulking chord progression in Iron Man that provided the spine for the genre as a whole. So perfect is it, in fact, that when adding his vocal, Ozzy Osbourne wisely decided to simply sing along with Iommi's thunderous emanations. No additional melody was required. And here's a fun fact for you: at the time of the band wrote the song, Iron Man was actually called Iron Bloke. Yeah. Doesn't work quite so well, does it? 2. Paranoid (1970) With their tritone chord structures – known as 'diabolus in musica', or 'the Devil's music' – and their dark themes, one thing Sabbath never expected to become was pop stars. But when Paranoid, the title track from their second LP, reached number two on the British singles chart, they did just that. Remarkably, the whole thing came together in an instant. With the parent album needing an extra three-minutes or so of music, at the very last minute, the band wrote the track on the hoof. As Geezer Butler recalled to Guitar World magazine, 'A lot of the Paranoid album was written around the time of our first album, Black Sabbath. We recorded the whole thing in about two or three days, live in the studio. The song Paranoid was written as an afterthought. We basically needed a three-minute filler for the album, and Tony [Iommi] came up with the riff. I quickly did the lyrics, and Ozzy was reading them as he was singing.' As fast as that, a classic was born. 1. Black Sabbath (1970) Placing the opening song from Sabbath's first album at the top of this pile may imply that things went downhill right from the start. Evidently, they did not. But in a blush over six minutes, with Black Sabbath, the group set the template that is still being followed this day by metal bands from all over the world. The term 'heavy metal' may not have been affixed to Sabbath for a further four years – and even then, at first, it was used as an insult – but it was born right here, with this song. Fifty-five years after its initial release, the damn thing still sound otherworldly. What's more, its hallmarks remain in constant use. Ominous tempo? Check. Down-tuned guitars? Tick. Lyrics about Satan? Gotcha covered. And then there's the vocals. With his strange and hypnotic voice drifting uneasily over the top of the music, weirdly off the beat, Ozzy's own contribution is in itself deeply significant. Welcome to a new world of overwhelming dread.
Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Ozzy Osbourne's final act of generosity is revealed after hellraising rocker's death aged 76
Black Sabbath's final performance is said to have raised £140million for charity just two weeks before the band's frontman Ozzy Osbourne died yesterday aged 76. The gig in Birmingham on July 5 saw all profits equally split between Birmingham Children's Hospital, Acorns Children's Hospice and the Cure Parkinson's charity. Following the concert, its director Tom Morello revealed the charities would share the money which included revenue from livestreams and merchandising. The Rage Against the Machine musician wrote on Instagram: 'Back to the Beginning'. More than 190 million dollars will be donated to houses and hospitals for children.' If true, this meant Osbourne's gig raised the most money for any charity concert on record when not adjusted for inflation, according to US music magazine Billboard. It came after George Harrison and Ravi Shankar's Concert for Bangladesh in 1971 raised £180,000 for Unicef and popularised the idea of an all-star benefit show. The benchmark for charity gigs is widely seen as Sir Bob Geldof's Live Aid in 1985, with estimates of how much it raised varying between £40million and £114million. Many will also remember the America: A Tribute to Heroes charity telethon two weeks after 9/11 in 2001 which raised £95million for the victims of the attacks. Another major concert was the eight-hour livestreamed One World: Together at Home, which organisers Global Citizen said raised £94million for Covid relief efforts. Heavy metal singer Osbourne - who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019 - was reunited with fellow original Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Terence 'Geezer' Butler and Bill Ward on stage at Villa Park football stadium for a final performance. The band were the last to appear on stage as part of a star-studded line-up for the 'Back to the Beginning' concert, barely two miles from the Crown pub where they first played their first gig together more than half a century ago in 1968. A Birmingham Children's Hospital spokesman said last night: 'We're so very sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne's passing. Ozzy had an incredible career and life, but never forgot his Brummie roots. 'Our hospital was extremely lucky to have his support over the years and most recently with his iconic final performance, which will leave a lasting legacy for our sick kids. Our thoughts are with Sharon and the whole Osbourne family. Our hospital has lost a friend, Birmingham a son and the world a musical legend.' And an Acorns Children's Hospice spokesman said: 'We are deeply saddened by the passing of Ozzy Osbourne and send our heartfelt condolences to Sharon and the entire Osbourne family at this incredibly difficult time. 'Ozzy was more than a global rock icon – he was a true son of Birmingham whose legacy transcended music. As the frontman of Black Sabbath, he not only pioneered a genre and inspired generations, he carried the pride of Birmingham and the West Midlands with him on every world stage he performed. 'For us at Acorns, Ozzy's generosity and compassion will never be forgotten. His decision, alongside Black Sabbath and Sharon Osbourne, to support Acorns during their unforgettable 'Back to the Beginning' show at Villa Park was a moment of pure magic. 'It was a tribute not only to their extraordinary musical journey, but to the community that shaped them – a community we are proud to serve every day. 'That night and in the weeks since, thanks to Ozzy, our children's hospice care has been embraced by people across the world. Families who so often can feel unseen have been celebrated by millions.' At the start of his solo performance on July 5, Osbourne entered the stage by rising on a large black throne through a trap door, wearing his signature black attire and thick eye make-up. He started the set by saying: 'Let me hear you. Are you ready? Let the madness begin!' Later, he told the crowd: 'It's so good to be on this f***ing stage. You have no idea. I f***ing love you all. Let me see your hands in the air. You are the best, each and every one of you. God bless you all.' In an emotional moment, he added: 'I don't know what to say, man, I've been laid up for, like, six years. You have no idea how I feel - thank you from the bottom of my heart. You're all f****** special. Let's go crazy, come on.' The rocker sang five songs in his own set, with fans waving torches from their phones during Mama, I'm Coming Home. He finished his performance with Crazy Train, before confetti rained over a packed Villa Park. After a short break, he re-entered the stage to join the rest of Black Sabbath for the first time in 20 years. The band performed some of their greatest hits, ending with a rendition of Paranoid. Fans chanted 'Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy' as the rock great thanked and blew kisses to those in attendance, before departing in an emotional ending to cap an illustrious career on stage. It capped a day-long metal festival that included performances from Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N´Roses. Artists who sent plaudits and well-wishes included Jack Black, Dolly Parton and Sir Elton John. Personal videos from dozens of fans were also broadcast at the event, in which they credited Osbourne and Black Sabbath for inventing heavy metal and thanked them for their generational influence on music.
