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What £40,000,000 could pay for instead of fund Jeff Bezos' wedding in Venice

What £40,000,000 could pay for instead of fund Jeff Bezos' wedding in Venice

Metro5 days ago
The wedding of Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez in Venice is so lavish it would make the Capital from The Hunger Games blush.
Five of the most extravagant hotels in the Italian city have been booked out to host up to 250 guests, like Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, alongside Hollywood A-listers like the Kardashians.
Almost 100 private jets are landing at nearby airports such as Treviso and Verona, while Venice's nine yacht ports have also been booked up for the event.
This is just a smidget of the display of wealth that feels less like a wedding and more like a coronation.
Flanked by other members of the ultra-rich, the Amazon CEO is rumoured to have spent £40 million on the spectacle.
Back in Britain, Metro looks at what the budget for a single wedding could fund.
The cost of full-time nursery care in England (50 hours a week) for a child under two is around £12,425 per year, according to DayNurseries.co.uk.
This means that Bezos' £40 million could help as many as 3,219 families with low income.
While this represents a price drop of 22%, when compared to 2024 – due to the government's 15 funded childcare hours scheme – it is still a massive strain on working parents.
And Scotland and Wales have not seen the same reduction in costs, which only apply to England.
As the cost of living continues to bite, an ActionAid poll shows that one in five (21%) women and people who menstruate are now struggling to afford period products – up from 12% in just one year.
This amounts to an estimated 2.8 million people in the UK, putting around one million more people into period poverty versus last year.
Trussell Trust figures show that the average monthly stock need per food bank is around £8,000.
Using the £40 million, Bezos could have funded 5,000 such institutions for an entire month.
Around 2.3 million people – representing 3% of the UK population – lived in households that had used a food bank in the previous 12 months between 2023 and 2024. This includes 6% of children and 3% of working-age adults.
In January 2025, almost 2.2 million pupils were eligible for the free school meal programme, 25.7% of all students – and representing an increase of 77,700 pupils from the previous year.
The standard NHS cost for an emergency dental appointment in England is £27.40, covering urgent treatment like pain relief, temporary fillings, and an initial examination.
In February, the government rolled out 700,000 additional appointments as statistics from the GP Patient Survey 2024 show that around one in four patients who tried to see an NHS dentist in the past two years were unable to book.
As many as 1,474 people died while homeless – one person every six hours – according to data from 2023. Freezing temperatures during the winter months often increase that number.
Tuition fees for UK students in England and Wales have been capped at £9,535 per year for the 2025/26 academic year, after the latest increase in December.
Research by Ipsos in 2023 showed that nearly one in two school leavers have reconsidered going to university because of the rising cost of living.
Furthermore, 31% believe university is not affordable. A survey also found that a quarter of Britons do not believe university is worth it for young people, with fees and student loan debt being major contributing factors.
This is oligarchy. This is obscene.While 60% live paycheck to paycheck & kids go hungry, Jeff Bezos, worth $230 billion, goes to Venice on his $500 million yacht for a $20 million wedding & spends $5 million on a ring while his real tax rate is just 1.1%.End this oligarchy. — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 24, 2025
The cost of an initial asylum claim in the UK varies, but can range from £3,800 to £5,000 for legal representation, plus additional costs for accommodation and support.
Figures by the Migration Observatory show that the UK's asylum backlog – defined as the total number of asylum applications awaiting an initial decision – stood at around 91,000 at the end of 2024..
That was 31% lower than the record levels reached in 2022, though still high by historical standards.
Of those waiting for an initial decision, around 50,000 people (55%) had been waiting for more than six months.
Raising and training an assistance dog can cost anywhere between 22,000 to £55,000, depending on the type of dog and organization. More Trending
Support Dog, a charity that provides its services entirely for free, says that the cost to support a dog partnership, from initial training, to client training and support throughout its working life, is approximately £36,000.
Declining biodiversity and habitat loss are just some of the reason some parts of the UK are in a desperate need of rewilding.
While only an estimated 1% of Britain's land is currently rewilding, there is a growing movement to increase this to 30% by 2030, according to Rewilding Britain.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
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Nan shows off her payday fake designer clobber haul from Turkey – but trolls say they'd ‘put them straight in the bin'
Nan shows off her payday fake designer clobber haul from Turkey – but trolls say they'd ‘put them straight in the bin'

Scottish Sun

time41 minutes ago

  • Scottish Sun

Nan shows off her payday fake designer clobber haul from Turkey – but trolls say they'd ‘put them straight in the bin'

Plus, can you be prosecuted against if you buy counterfeit products in Turkey? RUBBISH HAUL Nan shows off her payday fake designer clobber haul from Turkey – but trolls say they'd 'put them straight in the bin' TURKEY has become one of the biggest destinations for those looking to snap up designer fakes on the cheap. The popular holiday destination has long been regarded as the 'capital of fakes' among Brits looking to rock designer styles for the price of a coffee. 2 One nan decided to go wild after getting paid whilst in Turkey Credit: tiktok/@littlelisa_48 2 The gran napped up a mega haul of fake designer gear, including replicas of Nike and Hugo Boss Credit: tiktok/@littlelisa_48 A quick four hour flight could land you in a bustling market flogging 'Gucci belts' for £3 and Louis 'Fuitton' handbags for £20. So it comes as no surprise one gran, only known as Lisa, went totally wild after she got paid during her holiday in Turkey. The nan, who works for the NHS, snapped up a mega haul of fake designer gear, including replicas of Nike and Hugo Boss. To treat herself without forking out a fortune, Lisa purchased trendy Nike trainers in black, as well as several purses. One of these - a replica of Louis Vuitton - cost her just a tenner, while a similar version online will set you back close to £1,500. Although Lisa already boasts a huge collection of bags, the bargain deal was too good to sleep on, she chuckled in the video. The monster haul, posted under the username @littlelisa_48, also had plenty of prezzies for the smallest ones in the family, such as Crocs knock-offs, a stylish Hugo Boss set for her grandson and Adidas football jersey. Another gift her eldest grandson will be treated to is the viral and sought-after Palm Angels T-shirt in white - which on average retails for around £100. With the grandson's birthday to look forward to, it seems the nan went all out - as she also purchased fake Louis Vuitton trainers with faux leather detailing and the iconic logo. In the clip, Lisa revealed that she also couldn't resist the same trainers but in a baby version. My favourite outfit has been labelled 'frumpy & ageing' by cruel fashionistas, but screw them… I'll be buried wearing it ''Baby LV, so cute I had to get them.'' The epic haul was indeed a successful one, as the Brit nan went to show off her brand new ''designer'' bags and wallets - more than a dozen in total. ''When you get paided [paid] while in Turkey,'' Lisa wrote in the seemingly never-ending video. Is it Illegal to Buy 'Designer' Dupes in Turkey? In Turkey, buying counterfeit goods is generally considered illegal. If you buy a counterfeit product for personal use, you're unlikely to be prosecuted against - unless your purchase involves a significant quantity or the intent to resell. Customs authorities have the power to stop and seize counterfeit goods entering or leaving Turkey. That means they can stop you upon your return home and seize any designer dupes you've bought on holiday. 'Where did you buy these? So I can avoid' Although the clip was posted just a day ago, it's already taken the internet by storm - but for all the wrong reasons. As close to 250k people viewed the video, almost 2,000 gave it a like and 160 flooded to comments to share their brutal verdict on the cut-price items. One wasn't impressed by the quality and joked: ''The crocs look like those real or cake videos.'' Another chimed in: ''Where did you buy these? So I can avoid.'' ''Grandson finna be looking fly in this new gear,'' someone else chuckled. ''If my nan bought me any of this it's getting dashed straight in the bin,'' a fourth added, as Lisa had the perfect response. ''Just shows how ungrateful you are,'' she hit back.

I ‘live' on a cruise ship with my son & fiancé – the food's amazing, there's childcare & our laundry's done for free too
I ‘live' on a cruise ship with my son & fiancé – the food's amazing, there's childcare & our laundry's done for free too

Scottish Sun

time41 minutes ago

  • Scottish Sun

I ‘live' on a cruise ship with my son & fiancé – the food's amazing, there's childcare & our laundry's done for free too

She's allowed to spend up to eight weeks on board with her fiancé at a time SHIPPING OUT I 'live' on a cruise ship with my son & fiancé – the food's amazing, there's childcare & our laundry's done for free too Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A WOMAN who "lives" on a cruise ship with her almost two-year-old son and fiancé has revealed some of the perks of her unique lifestyle. Chelsea spends months at a time on the ship with her husband-to-be and their little boy Mattia, on a "friends and family" basis. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Chelsea spends up to two months at a time "living" with her fiancé while he works as an officer on a cruise ship Credit: tiktok/@ 7 She shares a double room with her other half and their son, so there's not a huge amount of room Credit: tiktok/@ 7 They have a little inflatable bath for their almost two-year-old, which is stored in the shower when it's not in use Credit: tiktok/@ 7 And Chelsea has done her best to make the most of the cupboard space in the room - using one shelf for Mattia's toiletries Credit: tiktok/@ While her man works as an officer on board the boat, she and the tot are able to make the most of some of the benefits, including amazing food and free accommodation. They share a room with Chelsea's Italian fiancé Domenico, which means they don't have to pay for it - although it's a tight squeeze thanks to the travel cot Mattia sleeps in. They also have an inflatable bath that they store in their shower when it's not in use, and Mattia's nappies and wipes take up almost an entire shelf in the wardrobe. In videos on her TikTok page, Chelsea has been sharing an insight into her life at sea, as she said she does up to eight weeks at a time on board while her other half works - the limit for friends and family. However, Domenico's assignments mean he can spend up to nine months at a time on a ship. So during that time Chelsea and Mattia split their time between the boat, Scotland - where she's originally from - and south Italy, where they have a house. "I say 'living' because we're not actually living here," she explained in a video on TikTok. "We're still passengers, but we are family and friends cruisers. "But when we do really long cruises it's basically like moving our life for that duration to be here." "And it means we can obviously be together for part of the long contract away from each other," she added. One of the Largest Cruise Ships in the World While Chelsea's hands are full looking after Mattia, she is no stranger to life on board a cruise ship - as she used to work on one as a dancer. And she knows about the best perks of temporarily relocating to the ship - including the amazing food. She and Mattia are treated like any other passenger with the food that comes included with their "friends and family" tickets, which means they have to pay for drinks or if they want to dine at one of the speciality restaurants for a change. There's also a kids' club on board, and that's free too - although Mattia isn't a fan. Pros and cons of going on a cruise ship Whether you're considering a long holiday, working remotely or even living on board a cruise ship for a few months or years, here are the pros and cons from a former cruise shipper. Pros Travel the world, learn and experience new cultures Meet new people Don't have to think or worry about room cleaning, or food Cons Internet connection can be painfully slow and expensive Limited luggage allowance so have to wear the same clothes on rotation Having no control of where the ship would go next and the possibility of visiting the same ports Having the same onboard entertainment, on-demand movies, and little choice of TV channels No fresh newspapers or new books unless someone adds them to the library Relatively the same food week after week unless major menu changes occur seasonally. Occasional rough seas, bad weather and viral outbreaks while inboard. "The baby care and club is completely free for everyone on board but it's baby care 10am-1pm (no parents you leave the baby with the staff) , then you can use the area to play freely with your baby 1pm-5pm, while 5pm-8pm is baby care!" Chelsea explained in response to another comment. "But my little one doesn't like baby cafe they always call me after like 10 mins!" Another benefit of joining Domenico on the ship is that Chelsea gets her and Mattia's laundry done for free. Domenico gets his done for no cost thanks to his job ranking, while Chelsea and Mattia are included in that too. 7 The room even has a sea view, thanks to a little porthole in the wall Credit: tiktok/@ 7 She also revealed she and her son get their laundry done for free, with an itemised sheet coming back along with the clean washing when it's finished

Hit Netflix series smashes records with 60,100,000 views in just 3 days
Hit Netflix series smashes records with 60,100,000 views in just 3 days

Metro

timean hour ago

  • Metro

Hit Netflix series smashes records with 60,100,000 views in just 3 days

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Netflix's biggest show Squid Game has returned for its third and final season and it simply can't stop breaking records. The South Korean thriller is by far the most watched series on the streamer with season one securing 265,2m views after its release in 2021, easily taking the crown for number one show globally. Season two, which came out at the end of last year, followed hot on its heels with a respectable 192.6m views. Now, the third season is rounding off an impressive run by securing its own milestone as the biggest TV launch for Netflix ever after totting up an eye-watering 60.1 million views (368.4m hours) in just three days. This means, just a few days after its release, it has already become the ninth biggest non-English language show, and will no doubt join the other seasons at the top of the chart sooner rather than later. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. For those not in the know, Squid Game follows Player 456, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) who enters a competition with a prize of 45.6billion won (£24.9million). The life-changing money comes with a deadly catch, however, as each task comes to a lethal conclusion with just one person left alive by the end of the games. After winning in the first season, Gi-hun re-enters the game in second season with the sole purpose of enacting revenge. In the final season we see the culmination of Gi-hun's attempts to take the lethal games down from the inside as he goes face-to-face with the overseer, the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun). Somehow, after three seasons and a total of 22 episodes, Squid Game manages to pull even more shocks and unexpected twists out of the bag right up until the last minute on screen, including with new games that take the savagery that the contestants are capable of to the next level. As for why season three is nearly perfect, and not a clear 10/10, the main qualm I have pertains to a group of characters shown in the trailer who are so distracting that they bring me back to real life with a sharp jolt – the VIPs. Their presence is jarring and feels unnecessary, even if the intention is to demonstrate who the game is being held for. Squid Game ends the way that it began – with audiences on the edges of their seat, questioning their morals, transfixed by the brutality of human beings but also hopeful that even in the darkest of times, goodness will prevail. A true TV masterpiece. The highly-anticipated finale, which somehow gorier than ever, has received mixed reviews from critics. 'The third season's worldbuilding efforts remain frustratingly unimaginative for the most part, although the season's final 10 minutes deliver some of its most glorious moments that take place outside the games,' The Verge wrote in a review. 'It brings me no pleasure to report that the third and thankfully last of Squid Game seasons only confirms that we, like Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), should've left that cursed island behind for good after his first victory,' Hollywood Reporter said. Meanwhile The Wrap argued: 'The show proves it's still more than capable of rendering a tragically compelling story that manages to entertain and have you emotionally invested in its characters. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Fans will have to tune in to decide whether creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has managed to pull a hattrick out the bag. More Trending One thing is for sure, Lee has no qualms that this is a 'career defining role' for him. 'When I was reading the scripts for seasons two and three, I knew that he would be put on another rollercoaster, and even more so. So I thought, wow, if I just play this character very well, it's going to be a very amazing, career-defining role for me,' he told Metro after the season three premiere. And Hwang has already teased his ideas for a potential spin-off so this may not yet be the end of the Squid Game universe. View More » Squid Game season three is available to stream on Netflix. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Bridgerton star 'relieved' after prolific thief who targeted her faces 22 months in jail MORE: Netflix fans rush to binge 'obscenely watchable' period drama after just one day MORE: Major WWE SmackDown spoilers as iconic star returns on Friday's episode

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