A NEW train line is set to launch in 2032, making the connection between two popular holiday hotspots in Europe a lot faster.

Train journey times between Paris and Milan will be slashed by three hours when the Turin-Lyon high-speed railway opens in eight years.

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A new train line is set to launch between Paris and Milan, reducing journey times[/caption]

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Turin-Lyon high-speed railway is set to open in 2032 (stock image)[/caption]

Stretching for 167 miles, the new train route hopes to improve passenger services and increase opportunities for freight transport.

Although direct trains already operate between Paris and Milan, these services take seven hours.

This means journeys between the two cities will be reduced to four hours and 30 minutes, roughly.

Journey times between other holiday destinations are also set to improve, with services between Paris and Milan said to take four hours – saving 90 minutes.

Trains will journey through the Alps in the Mon d’Ambin Base Tunnel.

Stretching for 56.8km, the Mon d’Ambin Base Tunnel will become the longest tunnel of its kind when it opens.

Not only will the new railway improve journeys for passengers, it will also take freight traffic off the read in turn helping to reduce local air pollution.

The project is already slated to cost an eye-watering €25billion (£21billion).

Roughly 40 per cent of the project is being funded by the European Union – although this contribution could increase to 55 per cent in the coming years.

Despite the good news for passengers and freight services, the new rail plans have been met with fierce backlash by some locals.

Residents in the French town of Chimilin are set to be divided by the new stretch of railway.

According to Time Out, residents from the French town have been opposing the development of the new railway lines since 1992.

This is because residents believe the rail project could result in “economic uncertainty” for the town.

OTHER EUROPEAN ROUTES

Earlier this year, ÖBB announced the launch of three new sleeper trains departing from Munich, Salzburg or Vienna to top destinations in Italy.

Passengers can choose to visit Bologna, Florence, or Rome on the sleeper services.

These new sleeper services are set to come into force on September 10.

Meanwhile, a new 15-hour sleeper train is set to connect Brussels to the Italian Alps next year, running overnight.

They hope the seasonal service will attract skiers and snowboarders from the UK.

And a new sleeper service is set to run between Lisbon and Madrid, linking the two cities for the first time in a decade.

The news comes after prime ministers in both countries endorsed plans to improve cross-border rail connections.

A train service, which was operated by Renfe, used to link the two capitals until the route was scrapped in 2020.

The route is slated to be fully operational by 2034 – marking 14 years since the two countries were connected by a direct rail service.

Dutch train operator GoVolta hopes to launch train routes from Amsterdam to Berlin and Copenhagen in 2025.

And Czechia public transport operator Leo Express has revealed plans to connect Belgium to Slovakia via a 19-hour train journey.

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Journeys between Paris and Milan will be slashed to four hours when the line opens[/caption]

MISFITS BOXING 18 will take place in Newcastle later tonight.

This weekend’s show in the North East comes hot on the heels of the Series 17 showpiece in Dublin just two weeks ago.

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Elle Brooke will defend her MFB middleweight championship title[/caption]

Misfits Boxing 18 sees Elle Brooke return to the ring as she defends her MFB middleweight championship against Jenny Savage.

The OnlyFans star is in action for the first time since her controversial draw with Paige VanZant back in May.

Brooke is set for her toughest test yet against Savage, who comes with a frightening reputation from bare-knuckle boxing.

Before the main event, Newcastle native Lewis Bowden goes head-to-head with online rival George ‘Stokey’ in one of the most anticipated bouts on the undercard.

But who else is on the huge Misfits Boxing 18 bill?

Who is on the Misfits 18 card?

Here are all the confirmed fights on the Misfits 18 card:

Main card:

• Elle Brooke (c) vs Jenny Savage (MFB middleweight championship)
• Jully Poca (c) vs Crystal Pittman (MFB cruiserweight championship)
• Stake Pro tournament final
• Chris Avila vs Benson Henderson (Stake Pro tournament semi-final)
• Nikki Hru (c) vs Carla Jade (MFB women’s lightweight championship)
• Anthony Taylor vs Nahom Wedi
• Joey Knight vs Lil Cracra
• Ashley Rak-Su vs Tristan Hamm
• George Stokey vs Lewis Bowden

Misfits Kick-offs

• Idris Virgo vs Fes Batista (Stake Pro tournament semi-final)
• Big Tobz vs Kelz

@MisfitsBoxing

How can I watch Misfits Boxing 18?

• Misfits Boxing 18 main card will be shown LIVE on DAZN.
• The event will begin at 8pm BST.
• You can subscribe to DAZN in the UK for £9.99-a-month, which commits you to an entire year of action.
• A flexible pass, worth £19.99-a-month, is also available, and you can cancel anytime.
• You can also pay £99.99 for the year upfront, and this is the lowest cost option.

Can I live stream Misfits Boxing 18?

• DAZN subscribers can live stream Misfits Boxing 18 via the DAZN app.
• The DAZN app is available to download for FREE on to your mobile or tablet device.
• Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all the action via SunSport’s live blog.

Can I watch the Misfits 18 kick-off show for FREE?

• You can watch the Misfits 18 kick-offs for FREE on the official Misfits Boxing YouTube channel.
• The stream will begin at 6pm BST.

ENZO MARESCA loves Jadon Sancho — but it is tough love.

Chelsea’s boss revealed he called his final and most high-profile signing of the summer transfer window to lay down a few ground rules even before the deal was done.

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Enzo Maresca has revealed he called Jadon Sancho before his loan transfer to Chelsea[/caption]

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Maresca said he wanted to lay down some ground rules before the deal was done[/caption]

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Sancho joined the Blues on loan from Manchester United[/caption]

Winger Sancho is set to feature at Bournemouth tonight having joined on loan from Manchester United.

It was there where the one-time England international, 24, fell out with coach Erik ten Hag amid criticism of the player’s attitude and effort.

Maresca, 44, feels signing Sancho is zero risk but also warned him and fellow new man Joao Felix the hard work starts now — and will not stop.

The Italian said: “Listen, we have Jadon, Joao, these kinds of players.

“Before they joined I had a chat with them and one of my messages was if you come here and don’t work properly you are not going to play.

“Before they arrived the message was clear. For Jadon. For Joao.

“But I said, ‘the reason I’m speaking to you is that I really like you. If you come here in the way that we want, we are happy.

“But if you come there and don’t work hard, it’s better if you don’t come’.”

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Sancho has not played a Premier League game since August last year. He was banished to train alone by fuming Ten Hag for the first half of last season thanks to their fallout.

Sancho thrived on loan at his old club Borussia Dortmund from January as they finished runners-up in the Champions League.

Maresca will pick up the baton as he strives to make Chelsea a force once again.

He added: “I don’t consider Jadon a risk because I consider Jadon as a player who can help us.

“I don’t have any idea about what happened with Erik. I can just judge the player in the weeks he has been with us and he has been perfect.

“If the players perform during the week then they have a chance.

“This is for everybody, if they don’t work properly they are not going to play.

“Jadon has been working well with us since he arrived. I love Jadon, I love the players we have.

“I knew him in terms of a player and what I have seen in two weeks is exactly what I expected.

“With the way we play he is that kind of player who can help us a lot, especially in the last third  — when we arrive there so many times and need more quality, more patience, more accuracy.”

Forward Cole Palmer is fit again after missing England’s Nations League games with a minor hamstring problem.

Midfielder Romeo Lavia has also recovered from a knock.

Q)I BOOKED a return flight with TUI from Birmingham to Rhodes for me and my wife and paid an extra £110 for extra legroom seats.

We regularly fly with TUI and as soon as we boarded the flight we realised there had been an error. 

There was nowhere for us to move to, so TUI staff advised us to make a complaint – but we’re going round in circles trying to get a refund.
Can you help?

Mark Vickerstaff, Wolverhampton

A)YOU couldn’t wait for your summer trip to the island of Rhodes in Greece in June.

But when you boarded your flight from Birmingham Airport, you immediately realised you hadn’t been allocated the extra legroom seats you’d paid an extra £60 each for.

You fly with TUI regularly and find the extra legroom seats comfortable.

But on this occasion, you ended up on a plane operated by a different airline, and your knees were touching the seat in front of you.

You asked to switch seats, but there was nowhere free to move to, so a staff member advised you to make a complaint after you landed.

When you contacted TUI and asked for a refund a customer service agent insisted you had been sat in extra legroom seats. 

You checked the seating map for your flight, which confirmed you had been given standard seats.

But despite your protests, TUI wouldn’t budge – until you contacted me and I got in touch on your behalf.

It’s since refunded you the £120 and apologised for the mix-up.

You’re pleased with this outcome, but I found what happened to you concerning.

Airlines often charter other planes to fly their routes, and if those planes don’t have the same seating arrangements, customers who have forked out extra could miss out.

It’s important airlines have a system in place to refund customers who don’t get what they paid for in these situations, so I’ve asked the airline to investigate further to stop this happening in future.

In total our Squeeze Team has won back £179,860 for readers.

HOUSEHOLDS could get up to 90% off water bills due to little-known schemes.

Each water company has its own social tariff for low-income customers – but the discount varies based on where you live.

Residential households can’t choose their water supplier, so it’s pot luck regarding the generosity of your supplier.

Another issue is that social tariffs aren’t widely advertised and they tend to be hidden away on water companies’ websites.

The best thing to do is check your supplier’s website and see if you meet the eligibility criteria.

How much help can you get?

Eligibility for social tariffs usually depends on your household income and specific circumstances.

Some water companies will do a deep dive into your financial situation while others will require evidence that you claim certain benefits such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit.

Some social tariffs cap bills at a certain amount, while others offer discounts on average or actual bills.

For example, South East Water’s Social Tariff scheme is available to households with an income of less than £18,725 a year, excluding certain benefits. If you qualify, your annual bill will be capped at £182.82 (East) or £146.94 (West). 

Much less generous is Yorkshire Water’s WaterSupport scheme. This caps bills at £364 for 2024/25 and requires an income of less than £19,000 a year.

Anglian Water, Essex and Suffolk Water and Northumbrian Water all offer bill discounts described as “up to 50%”.

Anglian Water assesses individual circumstances before moving customers to a social tariff.

But both Essex and Suffolk Water and Northumbrian Water have quite specific criteria: either a household income of less than £23,933, or a member of your household being in receipt of Pension Credit, and an annual water bill which is 3% or more of your net household income after housing costs.

Some other suppliers offer much bigger savings. For example, Southern Water’s Essential tariff offers discounts up to 90% off the average bill.

To qualify you need a household income of less than £22,010 (excluding some benefits) and savings of less than £16,000.

Other water companies potentially offering discounts of 85% or more include Wessex Water, South West Water and Bournemouth Water.

Could a single tariff help?

According to the CCW, the independent body for water consumers, more than 2 million customers are receiving some form of support with paying their water bill.

This includes more than 1.3 million low-income households in England and Wales on social tariff schemes.

But millions could be slipping through the net due to a lack of awareness of social tariffs.

Andy White, senior leader for social policy at the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), said: “Every water company has been allowed to develop its own social tariff scheme, which has led to some big variations in eligibility criteria and the level of support provided.”

The CCW, Citizens Advice and several other charities have been campaigning for a single scheme across England and Wales with fairer and better targeted support for those that need it most.

Last month Independent Age wrote an open letter to the Minister for Water and Flooding, Emma Hardy, asking the government to help people in poverty with their water costs.

Any decision regarding a single social tariff would be made by minsters and it’s understood that discussions are ongoing.

Tom MacInnes, interim director of policy at Citizens Advice, said: “It’s essential that people on the lowest incomes can afford their water bills and are shielded from the above-inflation price rises we’re set to see over the coming years. Yet current social tariff schemes are falling far short of ensuring this.” 

Water bills typically increase each year. The water regulator Ofwat has proposed that bills should increase by an average of £19 a year between 2025 and 2030, a rise of 21% over the five-year period.

Some water companies would raise their bills by much more than this if they could get away with it.

Last month saw Thames Water beg Ofwat to let it hike bills by 59% over the next six years.

What is watersure?

WaterSure is different to a social tariff.

Available across England and Wales, the water assistance scheme is targeted at metered customers who are in receipt of certain benefits and have to use a lot of water due to a medical condition or the size of their household.

It caps bills at an amount set at your supplier’s average household cost.

This figure varies between water companies. For example, the average annual bill for 2024/25 with Severn Trent is £438, while at Thames Water it is £471.

To be eligible for WaterSure, you must have a water meter (or have applied for one), be on a means-tested benefit (such as Universal Credit or Income Support), and have a need to use additional water.

How are water bills calculated?

Households are charged for water in one of three ways: unmetered based on your home’s rateable value, via a water meter, or an assessed household charge .

If your water is unmetered, your bill is based on your home’s ‘rateable’ value.

This depends on your property’s size and location.
If you have a water meter, your bill will depend on how much water you use.

You can save money by using less. In general, if there are more bedrooms in your home than people, you’ll save money with a water meter.

All properties built since 1990 have a water meter installed, while occupants of older homes can ask their water company to install a meter for free.

But some properties won’t be able to have a water meter. For example, many blocks of flats have shared pipes or inaccessible pipework.

If you’re rejected for a water meter, you’ll be put on your water company’s ‘assessed household charge’. This is based on the average metered bill for the number of bedrooms your home has.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

SAVING for Christmas can be a huge task, with the festive season costing Brits more and more every year.

In fact, research by comparison sit MoneySuperMarket found that the average cost of Christmas rose to £1,811.70 per household last year.

But there are ways you can save throughout the year to cut the cost of the holiday, from savings challenges to buying items at a discount.

Here, The Sun’s money team have shared all the ways they’re cutting costs this Christmas and their top money saving tips.

‘I’ll be looking on Vinted this Christmas’

By Lana Clements, Sun Savers editor

Being super organised with Christmas and having an idea of expenses helps spread the cost and takes some of the pressure off the big day.

I will be doing stockings for my two children as usual this year and have already started collecting things that can be used as fillers, I simply buy as and when I see suitable bargains.

I am also looking at buying a toy advent calendar and taking out the gifts to use as fillers which is a great way to make some savings.

Hampers are a great gift for hard-to-buy family members. And making your own is far cheaper than ready made.

I take advantage of deals and offers in the supermarkets now to stockpile items and tailor to the tastes of the chosen recipient.

I save all my supermarket points throughout the year to use around Christmas. I always check if cashback is available before buying anything – both through my bank account and through sites such as Topcashback.

I’ll be looking on Vinted for Christmas outfits and jumpers. Last year I bought a fab sequin dress from M&S for £5 through the app.

‘I’ve made hundreds of pounds towards Christmas with very little effort’

By Lynsey Barber, consumer editor

The run up to Christmas can be a stressful and pricey time – but not this year for me.

I’ve made hundreds of pounds extra with very little effort.

Banks give away free cash for moving your current account. I’ve now done it five times over the last 10 months and have stashed £875 in my festive fund.

I bagged £200 from Natwest in November 2023, followed by £150 from Co-op Bank.

Shortly after I moved again to Santander, bagging £175, and then Lloyds for a tidy £175.

Finally, I got £175 from moving to Barclays.

Doing this took very little effort, but does require filling in a few online forms each time. Using the Current Account switching service (CASS) means most of the work is done for you though, and it takes just seven days.

These deals have come and gone over the past year, so take advantage of them while you can.

First Direct is currently giving away £175. Sadly, I can’t get this one to take me past the £1,00 mark, as I already bank with them. But anyone who doesn’t should see if they can cash in for Christmas – after all it’s money for nothing.

‘I’ll be saving a few quid with second-hand wrapping paper’

By Sam Walker, consumer reporter

This year, me and my girlfriend will save a few extra pounds by using old wrapping paper stowed away from birthdays throughout the year.

When it comes to food and drink, we will make sure to not overload the fridge, as that can see the appliance forced into working harder and running less efficiently.

Instead we’ll put any soft and alcoholic drinks outside where they will likely stay cold enough.

A recurring theme among our family in the last two or three years, since my sister had kids, is to only buy presents for them and then do secret santa for the adults, which saves everyone a bit of money.

‘We’ve amassed a £600 cash pot and barely even noticed’

By Tara Evans, head of consumer

Every January, my boyfriend and I set up a plan for how much we want to save for Christmas so when it gets to December we aren’t left worrying how we’ll pay for everything.

This year we agreed on £25 each a month – adding up to a total of £600.

We then use this cash to pay for presents for our loved ones and our one-year-old twins.

We do our weekly shop online at Sainsbury’s and I’ve been saving up our Nectar points to use on our Christmas shop.

So far, we have almost £60 worth of points ready to spend.

In October, I usually start thinking of gift ideas for my family and friends and then keep an eye out for sales.

A big one for me to keep an eye on is Black Friday – the last Friday in November. While there are lots of not so genuine deals there are often good discounts around this time.

For example, my dad has been tracing our family tree for a while and likes to connect with extended family members.

A few years ago I bought him a DNA testing kit which was on sale on Black Friday for half-price.

‘I browse charity shops all year with Christmas in mind’

By Laura Purkess, consumer features editor

Whenever I pop into a charity shop (which is all the time), I’ve always got Christmas at the back of my mind.

Charity shops can be an amazing place to bag a bargain on brand new items.

If you go the bric-a-brac section, you can often find brand new, unopened gift sets for just a couple of pounds, often a fraction of the price from the original store.

And if you know someone who loves books, charity shops are excellent value.

Most sell books for £1 or less, or if it’s a particularly rare or valuable copy, you’re looking at a few quid maximum.

My partner loves reading, so I’m always looking out for nice copies of books I think he’d like and I pop them in a cupboard until the festive season.

When the Emmys air Sunday on ABC, Eugene Levy and Dan Levy will make Emmys history as the first father and son hosting team. Watch our full Emmys preview special.

Already the law 

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