IF you love surfing but can’t quite make it as far as Hawaii, there is a place in Europe that might be just as good.
Denmark’s fishing village of Klitmøller has been transformed into a prime surf location in the last few years, leading to its nickname “Cold Hawaii”.
The stretch of coast in North Jutland in Denmark gained the moniker thanks to its wind conditions making it a prime surfing location.
There are 31 other surf spots in this part of Denmark, including places like Agger and Hanstholm.
The nickname of Cold Hawaii came from a 1994 windsurfing documentary, the BBC reports.
Located in rural Jutland, Klitmøller hosts several surf competitions throughout the year like the Cold Hawaii PWA World Cup where 32 surfers compete for the cup.
Its most famous spot is known as the Reef where surfers can test out their skills on more challenging waves.
Beginners can stick to the more sheltered bays that provide more manageable conditions.
And lining the beachfront are surf shops, co-working sites and cafes, and even some saunas to warm up in.
Local Casper Steinfath said that while surfing is a huge part of the area, it still remains relatively quiet.
He told GQ: “My dad says it reminds him of what California was like back in the 60s and 70s. It still feels untamed.”
Just don’t expect the warmer weather of Hawaii – Denmark reaches around 2-3C in winter, while Hawaii is closer to 24C.
If you’re a surfer, the best time to visit Cold Hawaii is between September and November, as this is when the best waves are.
Even though surfing is the area’s main draw, there are plenty of other outdoor activities for holidaymakers to try, including kite surfing, windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding.
Fishing is another popular activity in the area.
For holidaymakers who prefer to stay on land, there’s also the nearby Thy National Park that’s home to hiking and cycling trails.
The Sun’s Jacob Lewis previously visited – here’s what it was like.
My home for the weekend is Niels Juel, a thatched-roofed fish restaurant and B&B with panoramic sea views and a wood-burning hot tub, run by Jesper and Helle Birch.
Taking full advantage of the waves is Westwind, a surf school and shop staffed by absurdly chiselled, sun-tanned, blonde instructors.
I’m paired up with Kristine. A confident teacher who speaks perfect English, she helps me catch a few waves, while I whine about feeling seasick in the choppy conditions.
After a mouthwatering seafood platter, Jesper, a friendly face with an easy laugh, cracks open the homemade herbal akvavit.
Birch For Homesickness or Hawthorn For Seasickness — I go for an extra measure of the latter.
The locals were so warm I felt I’d made friends with the entire town.
B&Bs are the most popular form of overnight accommodation in the area, with stays starting from £62 per night, based on two people sharing a room.
Brits can fly to Copenhagen from a number of UK cities such as Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham and London.
Klitmøller located is then a four-hour drive from Copenhagen.
Denmark is home to plenty of other lesser-known stretches of sand, including Hornbæk, which is located within the Danish Riviera in North Sealand.
The seaside town of Hornbæk is just under an hour away from Copenhagen (Denmark’s capital city), and it is also home to the largest beach on the Danish Riviera.
Hornbæk Beach is a Blue Flag beach with stretches of soft sand.
Last September, travel reporter Hope Brotherton visited Aarhus, Denmark’s happiest city.
She wrote: “It’s easy to see why it’s the world’s happiest. The city is home to quaint cobbled streets, winding waterways and cosy independent shops, which make it both easy-going and vibrant.
And it’s the city’s vibrant atmosphere, one where you can’t help but smile, that has earned it the moniker of the “city of smiles”.
During my trip, I challenged myself to enjoy a two-night break in Aarhus for just £250, so I know how to explore the city on a budget.
Unfortunately, there are some things that just can’t be done on the cheap, like visiting the city’s top attractions.
Den Gamle By is the world’s oldest living museum, making it one of most unique attractions in the Danish city.
I spent around two hours exploring every nook and cranny of the re-constructed buildings, some of which date back to the 1800s.
There’s also ARoS Art Museum, which dominates the Aarhus Skyline thanks to its rainbow walkway that sits on top of the gallery.
There are plenty of free attractions in the city too, including a stroll along the Salling Rooftop — a network of wooden walkways and green spaces built on top of a department store.
The Cultural Production Center Godsbanen, Aarhus Cathedral and Aarhus Concert Hall are also all free to enter.
Meanwhile, this affordable city break destination has been tipped to be big this year.
And these cheap city break deals are on offer this year.
THE proposed date for the Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois rematch has been revealed.
Dubois, 27, stunned AJ at Wembley last month.
His monster right hand emphatically downed the Watford man in the fifth round.
And that ensured he kept hold of his IBF world title and wrecked Joshua’s dream of a spring blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury.
But AJ looks set to get a shot at revenge with a repeat of the all-British dust-up next year.
And Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh told fans to mark their calendars because there is a provisional date in the diary for the rematch.
He revealed at the controversial Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol fight night that the plan is for Joshua vs Dubois 2 to take place on February 22, 2025.
The date is only tentatively pencilled in at this stage.
The other thing yet to be decided is the location.
Wembley hosted the initial bout but many expect the second version to be held in the Saudi desert.
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Four of AJ’s 32 fights have been in Saudi Arabia – including his rematches with Andy Ruiz Jr and Oleksandr Usyk.
Dubois, meanwhile, beat both Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
When previously discussing the Joshua vs Dubois rematch, AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn said: “I think it would be part of Riyadh Season in Riyadh. Riyadh Season runs from October to end of February, early March.
“So anything within that period takes place in Riyadh. So yeah, it would be part of Riyadh Season if it were to happen.”
There was a suggestion that the rematch could be pushed back after the IBF ordered a fight between Agit Kabayel and Martin Bakole to decide who will become the heavyweight challenger to Dubois.
The fighters were told this week to make their availability known in the coming days, and there is even a chance the bout could take place before the end of the year.
However, it seems the IBF could sanction the AJ-Dubois rematch before ordering Dubois to face his mandatory challenger.
Dynamite Dan, meanwhile, will be keeping a close eye on the Usyk vs Fury rematch in December – knowing he could battle to be undisputed heavyweight champ next year.
A TAX expert has shared that boosting your 401k contribution is among the best ways to reduce the tax you pay, ahead of the upcoming filing deadline.
With the late tax filing cut off day fast approaching, registered accountants have shared their do’s and don’ts to make the filing process easier.
Tax season can be a difficult time, but being properly informed can make it smoother.
While the Internal Revenue Service’s April 15 cut-off date for tax returns has passed, some taxpayers may have filed an extension to have more time to compile their claim.
The final cut off date for the extended deadline is October 15.
Business owners and workers must ensure all their documents are up to date, according to licensed tax professionals.
Sheri Fiske Schultz, a certified public accountant and managing partner of Fiske & Company, said taxpayers should keep their records straight throughout the year to avoid any trouble.
They should also be aware of their deductions, especially business owners to ensure they claim for things like office supplies and travel
Consumers should keep all records for medical expenses and mortgage interest to ensure they are not double taxed.
Schultz also urged people to get professional help when needed, and try not to ignore taxes.
She also said people should be honest about their income, because underreporting can lead to audits and hefty fines.
Chris Rivera, founder of Ecommerce Accountants and licensed CPA, said taxpayers should double check their tax return for accuracy, which is especially critical for people filing last minute.
“Double check personal details, Social Security numbers and account numbers as mistakes can lead to processing delays,” Rivera said.
“Rushing through your return increases the likelihood of mistakes, which can lead to rejected returns or an IRS audit.
“Take the time to review before hitting submit.”
Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting principal federal tax analyst Mark Luscombe said anyone who is unable to pay by the October 15 deadline must contact the IRS to try to work out a compromised arrangement otherwise interest and penalties will be incurred.
However, taxpayers impacted by recent hurricane events including Helene and Milton may be able to get a further filing extension.
“Filing by October 15 with an extension on file will avoid a failure to file penalty,” Luscombe said.
“If taxes were not paid by April 15 and throughout the prior year through withholding or estimated tax payments, a failure to pay penalty may be imposed by the IRS.”
Experts also suggested increasing the amount of money you contribute to your 401k through your job.
By putting more money away in your 401k, taxpayers can decrease their taxable income resulting in an lower tax liability overall.
Taxpayers should also get familiar with IRS.GOV which has a wealth of information as well as up to date press releases.
The IRS also has an interactive tax assistant to help navigate tough questions.
A FIT and healthy mum who did all the right things to prevent cancer was shocked to hear she had been living with the disease for at least a year.
Natasha McGlinchey, 41, from Norfolk, has since been told her cancer is incurable.
She has seven inoperable tumours, four of which are in her heart.
The mum-of-two, aged eight and 10, says she first saw her GP about a lump on her leg in September 2019, more than a year before her diagnosis.
At multiple A&E visits, once more symptoms occurred, she claims she was told the lump must be a symptom of long Covid – despite there being no evidence she’d been infected – or because she was a runner.
But when her lump was discovered to be a tumour with an MRI scan, she was told she had sarcoma cancer over the phone.
“I just thought, ‘That’s ridiculous’,” Natasha recalls. “‘I can’t have cancer. I’m fit and healthy. I’m not even 40’.
“It’s so frustrating because I have this huge amount of guilt that if I had nipped it in the bud straight away, I would be in a much better position than I am right now.”
Natasha was super sporty – she did yoga, took part in triathlons and ran daily.
“I couldn’t have had a healthier diet, a healthier lifestyle,” Natasha, a PE teacher, says.
“I had stress in my life, but I also did what you would consider all the right things to not get cancer.
“There was never any chilling in front of the telly – we were always on the go.
“I ate a super healthy diet. It was in the back of my mind that if I did all these things, I was going to be lifelong healthy.”
In 2019, during a sports massage, a therapist pointed out a lump in Natasha’s leg and advised her to see a doctor.
“I went to the GP, who refused to even touch my leg,” Natasha remembers.
“He just said runners get weird lumps and that it was completely normal.
“He said it would probably be a fatty deposit and that it would go away.
“He was one of the senior GPs at my practice, so I thought it was fine.
“He didn’t ask if I had any other symptoms. He didn’t talk about a scan. So off I went.”
The NHS says lumps and swellings are very common and they “do not definitely mean you have soft tissue sarcoma, but it’s important to get checked by a GP”.
A lump – usually deep under the skin, solid, painless and hard – is the most common symptom of soft tissue sarcoma.
Medics in A&E were very dismissive. There was no talk of a scan
Natasha
Natasha’s lump got bigger and bigger, affecting her movement, but she continued to be active during the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020.
However, when Natasha’s school reopened in September 2020, her colleagues were shocked to see the size of her leg.
“From the back of my knee to the bottom of my bum, was a massive solid tumour,” Natasha explains. “But obviously at the time we didn’t know what it was.”
Natasha began to feel exhausted and breathless, unable to complete her usual tasks at her job.
Her GP said it may be a blood clot, and advised her to go to A&E, where Natasha was refused entry because it was the peak of a Covid wave.
The second time she went, when she was allowed in, the doctors diagnosed her with long Covid, and said she had fatty deposits.
“They were very dismissive,” Natasha adds. “Again, there was no talk of a scan.
“I’d actually done an antibody test which proved that I didn’t have Covid. I had never had Covid.
“We were feeling really frustrated because I just couldn’t get better no matter how much sleep I had or how much good food I was eating.”
Going back to her GP again, Natasha spoke to a locum, who finally sent her for an MRI.
“I got a phone call from my GP saying, ‘the MRI has come back and you have sarcoma’,” Natasha remembers.
“I didn’t know what that was because I’d never heard of it.
“So I said, ‘Okay, fine, what do we do and when can I return to work?’
“He said, ‘It’s not as simple as that – it’s a form of cancer’.”
Sarcoma is an aggressive and rare type of cancer that typically begins in the bones or soft tissue.
Sarcoma accounts for about one per cent of all cancer diagnoses, and Natasha suffers from metastatic myxoid liposarcoma, of which there are only 72 cases a year.
It was stressful and really upsetting because I didn’t want to be retired at 39 years old
Natasha
Two days before Christmas in 2020, Natasha found out the sarcoma had spread.
It was now in her heart and her chest wall and she started chemotherapy within a week.
Natasha says: “I lost all my hair and couldn’t get out of bed.
“My husband had to take me to the toilet and had to help me wash. It was just horrendous.”
Myxoid liposarcoma is a type of liposarcoma that is most frequently found in the limbs (and in particular, the thighs).
There are an average of 72 cases of myxoid liposarcoma diagnosed every year in England.
Although myxoid liposarcoma can affect anyone of any age, the median age at diagnosis is 46 years old.
Source: Sarcoma UK
The doctors told Natasha that the treatment was not working and that the tumours were not shrinking, so she began five weeks of radiotherapy.
“My consultant said, ‘You’re not going back to work: you need to take ill health retirement because you will need more treatment’,” Natasha explains.
“’There will be more tumours, you can’t commit to a job. You can’t be a PE teacher anymore because your body can’t cope’.
“That was stressful and really upsetting because I didn’t want to be retired at 39 years old.”
Natasha has unfortunately since discovered more tumours on top of those in her heart and chest wall, including near her liver.
She has had to face the reality that her disease is not curable and have palliative chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which leaves her feeling extremely poorly.
As well as the physical burden, she struggles emotionally with her diagnosis and the toll on her children.
“Having children gets me through, gives me hope, gives me a will to get up and do these things,” Natasha says.
“But it’s also so tricky. How much do you tell them? How much do you involve them?”
Natasha wishes she had pushed her doctor to take her lump more seriously, adding that many GPs are unaware of sarcoma, especially in areas where there are no sarcoma specialists.
“GPs don’t know what sarcoma is,” she says.
“My advice is if you have a lump anywhere, go to your GP and don’t let it go – you need to have it scanned.
“I left it way too long. I’m a bit of a people pleaser. I don’t like to push. I don’t like to make waves.
“Don’t let things go. Really push. It’s not being rude to your GP.
“You always think, ‘There’s someone worse off than me, there’s someone that needs that doctor appointment more than me’. No, they don’t.
“As women, we’re ready for breast cancer. We all check our breasts, and we go for smear tests, and we’re conscious that if you find a lump in your breast, you go to the doctor and it will be taken seriously.
“But if you have a lump in a limb, it seems like it won’t be cancer because you don’t think about that sort of cancer.”
For information on sarcoma, visit Sarcoma UK.
The most common symptom of soft tissue sarcoma is a lump somewhere on the body.
But this doesn’t necessarily mean cancer – there are all sorts of reasons for lumps and swellings, but it must always be checked by a GP.
The lump is usually found deep under the skin and might be felt before it can be seen.
The lump is usually solid to the touch, painless and hard to move around under the skin.
It will continue to grow and as it does, it can become painful.
Other symptoms depend on where in the body the lump is.
These can include:
Source: NHS
HAMAS planned a giant large-scale assault inside Israel which included a 9/11-style terror attack on skyscrapers in Tel Aviv.
Bombshell documents recovered by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly revealed Hamas’ top brass was looking to inflict “an unprecedented crisis” akin to the September 11 attacks.
IDF forces discovered the digital and paper records from Hamas command centres in Gaza last November, according to the Washington Post.
The terrifying documents – made up of 36 pages – reportedly showed plans for a number of strategic attacks from the terror group.
The plans were all drawn up prior to the October 7 massacre which documents revealed was given the code name “The Big Project”.
A worrying 17,000 images were also said to be included in the database of evidence believed to be made around September 2022.
Among which were pictures of Israeli air bases, public airports and various busy transport and shopping hubs.
Many of the sinister plots appeared to involve hijacking trains, boats, and even horse-drawn chariots equipped with explosives.
The bombshell documents revealed that Hamas plotted to attack prominent skyscrapers in Tel Aviv, such as the 68-storey Moshe Aviv Tower in Ramat Gan.
Another key target was the Azrieli Towers complex – three towering skyscrapers often packed out with tourists and locals due to there being a large shopping mall, a train station and a cinema inside.
The trio of towers – all with over 40 floors – have underground car parks beneath them.
Pages from the document says cells would “boobytrap the cars with a quantity of explosives that could blow up the towers”.
The bombs would have not only downed the towers but also destroyed the Israeli defence ministry headquarters which sit next to them.
The harrowing plans were sat alongside a chilling statement saying: “If this tower is destroyed in one way or another, an unprecedented crisis will occur for the enemy.
“Similar to the crisis of the World Trade Center towers in New York.”
It is unclear on the exact method set to be used to carry out the attacks with a note next to the plans reportedly reading “working to find a mechanism to destroy the tower“.
Another terror blueprint foiled included a Hamas strike on Israel’s rail network.
The documents laid out a plan to send droves of fighters on various trains carrying powerful explosives.
One page read: “The railway line is designated for transporting fuel, which is a weak point in the event of a train explosion after moving inside one of the cities (a moving bomb).”
A similar sinister ploy would have seen Hamas operatives hijack boats and chariots and transform them into attack vessels equipped with explosives.
The target of the boats would have reportedly been Israeli ports.
The bizarre chariot method would have seen terrorists riding in horse drawn carts transporting weapons across major Israeli cities.
Pictures and text showed modern versions of three-person chariots specially built to handle rough terrain at speed and in-built with a quiet engine.
The potential attack plans were all included in the Arabic document, titled “strategy to build an appropriate plan to Liberate Palestine”.
Israel believe the documents show Hamas originally plotted a three stage attack through various different methods.
They later decided that a smaller and more contained attack would be the best option with the October 7 attacks being drawn up shortly after, it is claimed.
A rocket barrage was followed by a few thousand militants storming across the Israel-Gaza border on the fateful day over a year ago.
Over 1,200 people were slaughtered – many at a music festival – as hundreds more were taken as hostages and dragged into Gaza.
Israel hit back with months of daily bombardments, planned invasions and secure strikes on Hamas infrastructure and fighters.
By Ellie Doughty, Foreign News Reporter
HAMAS’ horror October 7 massacre plot escaped Israeli spies in a catastrophic security failure that sparked a year of unprecedented chaos, experts say.
It was the catalyst that plunged four nations – Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Iran – into war, killing tens of thousands and marking a historic shift in the Middle East.
Experts have branded the spiralling situation in the Middle East as “one of the biggest human rights crises in the world right now” – triggered by the October 7 atrocity.
Bruce Riedel, who spent 30 years in the CIA including a stint in Israel at the Tel Aviv embassy, said Israel is now “fighting a war on multiple fronts”.
“We’ve never seen anything like this in Israeli history,” he said.
Since October 7, Israel’s archenemy Iran has used its terror proxies to do its dirty work.
Hezbollah has fired rockets from Lebanon in solidarity with Hamas, while the Houthis in Yemen have terrorised the Red Sea by attacking any ships they deem to be connected with Israel.
Israel is also still razing much of Gaza as its troops look to wipe out Hamas and rescue hostages still being held by Hamas thugs a year on.
Another front has also opened in Lebanon after Israeli troops and tanks poured over the border on a mission to wipe out Hezbollah’s war machine.
It comes as more secret documents have exposed how Hamas plotted to get Iran to launch strikes on Israel on October 7.
Minutes of the terror group’s secret meetings have been obtained by the New York Times and show its leader trying to persuade the Islamic Republic to join it.
The documents reveal Hamas sought to deceive Israel and draw it into a wider regional war which its leader, Yahya Sinwar, thought would destroy it.
Months before the terror attack, Hamas officials met a senior Iranian commander in Lebanon and requested help with striking sensitive sites at the start of the assault.
The Iranian commander said it supported helping in principle, but needed more time to prepare.
Iran ultimately did not strike Israel as part of the October 7 terror attack, but did so in April and October of this year.
The documents were discovered on a computer found in January by IDF soldiers as they searched an underground Hamas command centre.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has denied Iran had any role in the October 7 terror attack.
But in the 12 months since, Iran and Israel have become embroiled in a bitter feud with Iranian proxy Hezbollah vowing war with Benjamin Netanyahu’s troops.
Israel launched an invasion into Lebanon in the last few weeks to seek and destroy Hezbollah infrastructure.
It followed constant cross border attacks on both sides with repeated missile strikes decimating both groups.
The Middle East was then left teetering on the brink of all-out war when Iran claimed it was defending its proxy by launching 181-missiles into Israel.
Israeli PM Netanyahu has vowed Tehran “will pay” for making a “big mistake”.
