82 m. ago Rod Stewart celebrates 18th wedding anniversary with Penny Lancaster after health battle

Rod Stewart and his wife Penny Lancaster marked their 18th wedding anniversary with a trip down memory lane as they took the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express from Paris to Venice

Events

92 m. ago ‘It is impossible to recall him without smiling’: Simon Rattle on Alfred Brendel

The conductor first heard Brendel as a schoolboy. He was to become his cherished friend, inspirational collaborator and valued mentor for many decades. Simon Rattle remembers the great pianist’s wit, wisdom – and a particular pair of scissorsIt’s hard even to know where to start with Alfred: for any musician of my generation he was simply always there, the very definition of integrity and a kind of unique probing humour.I heard him first in Liverpool, playing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 22, K482, an unforgettable concert for an impressionable 14-year-old. I could never have imagined then that my first collaboration with him would be in the same city when I was 20. That Beethoven – his first piano concerto – began a long journey of learning and friendship over the subsequent decades. I cannot stress how much I learned from him, or how painfully obvious it was to me just how steep the climb was to be able to come anywhere near to being an adequate partner for him. I remember clearly th...

Politics

2 h. ago Britain is one step closer to compassionate, kind death for all | Kim Leadbeater

This historic day comes too late for many who supported my bill, but I will never forget their courage and selflessnessKim Leadbeater is Labour MP for Spen ValleyI am relieved and overjoyed by the historic vote on assisted dying in the House of Commons today. The road has been long and hard, and I am very aware that many others have been on that journey since long before I even became an MP. The question of whether to offer choice to people at the end of their lives was first raised in parliament in 1936 – almost a century ago.Since then, terminally ill people have pleaded repeatedly with MPs to heed their simple wish to have control and autonomy at the end of their lives. A courageous few have taken their cases to the courts, even while they confronted the prospect of their own imminent and inevitable deaths. The judges said it was for parliament to decide. Now, at last, the House of Commons has responded, and responded decisively to recognise the justice of their cause.Kim Leadbea...

Events

2 h. ago Nationwide customers could get £100 bonus if they meet two conditions

Some Nationwide customers could be entitled to a £100 bonus if they meet two simple conditions. Here's how you can find out

Economics

3 h. ago A man of sense and wide sensibilities, Alfred Brendel was simply the pianist of pianists

His technique was of the highest order, his performances unmatched – but it was always at the service of the music, not of his own reputationAlfred Brendel would have scorned the suggestion he was the world’s leading pianist. He would have dismissed such an accolade as banal, journalistic and ignorant. He would, of course, have been right. Piano playing, he once said, was never sufficient, even when it was faultless.Yet, for a generation of musicians, especially in Britain, where he lived the second half of his long life, this dismissal of his own greatness could itself be dismissed as false modesty. When London’s Royal Festival Hall, still at that time the capital’s most cherished classical music large venue, reopened after a long renovation in 2007, the choice of its first recitalist was a no-brainer. For his legions of admirers, Brendel was always the one. Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago EastEnders legend Natalie Cassidy slams 'disgraceful fake story' circulating on social media

The popular actress had to address rumours surrounding her health

Politics

3 h. ago The internet’s nastiest gossipmonger has been exposed and guess what – he wants his privacy | Marina Hyde

If you’re not familiar with Tattle Life, congratulations. It’s a site that subjects women to relentless scrutiny, and lo and behold it’s run by a spineless manWith as much as two weeks to kill before nuclear winter sets in, many of you will be looking to road-test your new fallout suits. In which case: can I interest you in the sensational unmasking of the founder of Tattle Life? It turns out the guy who operates the radioactively toxic gossip forum is a “vegan influencer” – I think it’s one of those new types of job, dear – and his name is Sebastian Bond. From that professional description, Sebastian would never hurt a living creature – unless it’s a mummy blogger, in which case he would gut her like a pig. Metaphorically, of course! Sorry, but that is simply the price you pay for not declaring the nappies you’re unboxing on Instagram are actually sponsored.But I’m racing ahead. If you’re not familiar with Tattle Life, it’s an online forum that claims to be “a commentary website on...

Politics

3 h. ago Drains can be unblocked in 'minutes' with plumbing expert's natural cleaning method

A whole host of substances can lead to a blocked drain, especially when it comes to the shower drain. But a plumbing expert has shared a simple cleaning hack to help unblock drains.

Politics

4 h. ago Garden expert's fence cleaning DIY spray that removes algae, mould and stains

Wooden fences can become easily stained with algae, moss and mould. But one expert has shared a simple hack to remove green streaks without using a pressure washer

Politics

4 h. ago We need to take the cost and complexity out of going electric to supercharge EV adoption

Greener options need to be simple and affordable, rather than another thing to worry about

Politics

5 h. ago Five causes of snoring — and simple solutions to address each one

Snoring can stem from something as minor as a blocked nose, but it can also hint at more serious concerns like obstructive sleep apnoea

Politics

5 h. ago Israel, we’re begging you: please let aid organisations do our jobs in Gaza | James Elder

Four hundred distribution points have dwindled to four under this private and militarised ‘aid’ system. This is not how to avert a famineJames Elder is Unicef’s global spokespersonAbed Al Rahman, just a boy, carried the weight of his family’s hunger as he stepped into the streets of Gaza in search of bread. He had his father’s money, but when he saw the tide of people pushing towards a food distribution site in Rafah, hunger pulled him into their flow.Almost immediately, the site descended into chaos. Gunfire. Drones. Then in a flash, shrapnel from a tank shell ripped through his little body. When I met him at a hospital in Khan Younis – where painkillers, like food, are scarce – the 13-year-old was in agony. “I have shrapnel inside my body that they couldn’t remove,” he told me. “I am in real pain; since 6am I have been asking for a painkiller.” As he recounted the chaos, his father’s composure shattered, and tears rolled down his face. Was he going to lose his son simply because A...

Politics

5 h. ago Israel, please let aid organisations do our jobs in Gaza | James Elder

Four hundred distribution points have dwindled to four under this private and militarised ‘aid’ system. This is not how to avert a famineJames Elder is Unicef’s global spokespersonAbed Al Rahman, just a boy, carried the weight of his family’s hunger as he stepped into the streets of Gaza in search of bread. He had his father’s money, but when he saw the tide of people pushing towards a food distribution site in Rafah, hunger pulled him into their flow.Almost immediately, the site descended into chaos. Gunfire. Drones. Then in a flash, shrapnel from a tank shell ripped through his little body. When I met him at a hospital in Khan Younis – where painkillers, like food, are scarce – the 13-year-old was in agony. “I have shrapnel inside my body that they couldn’t remove,” he told me. “I am in real pain; since 6am I have been asking for a painkiller.” As he recounted the chaos, his father’s composure shattered, and tears rolled down his face. Was he going to lose his son simply because A...

Politics

6 h. ago Amanda Holden flashes legs with no trousers on as she declares it's 'so hot'

Britain's Got Talent beauty Amanda Holden has decided the heat was simply too much, so she walked out the door and stepped into the office without any trousers on

Politics

6 h. ago Two stress symptoms you can see in your bedroom and bathroom

There are simple ways to fix them

Politics

7 h. ago Experts share simple 49p plant that will keep wasps out of your garden this summer

Wasps will be out in force over the weekend as soaring temperatures will see a surge in insects. Garden experts have shared a simple 49p plant that will keep them at bay this summer

Science

7 h. ago A simple blood test could offer first reliable diagnosis for ME

The only way to diagnose ME is by ruling out other illnesses, which can take years

Events

8 h. ago Russell Martin in unfiltered Rangers address as he sticks up for Souttar, buzzes over transfers and Dessers vow

The new Light Blues addressed a number of issues ahead of a return to pre-season training

Politics

8 h. ago Labour Government frontbencher resigns over proposed disability benefit cuts

Vicky Foxcroft has resigned as a Government whip because she did not believe the proposed cuts “should be part of the solution”.

Politics

8 h. ago Mosquito, tick or other insect bite? How to tell the difference and treat them

Experts say informed action can be the difference between a simple, itchy nuisance and a major medical emergency

Politics