22 h. ago Dust to Dreams review – a baffling short film from director Idris Elba

Toronto film festival: The actor recruits Seal for a Lagos-set 19-minute misfire that inelegantly stuffs in far too muchOn the face of it, there’s a formidable aggregation of talent and media firepower on display in this lively but faintly baffling short film set in Lagos, with an original story credit for its producer, the Nigerian super-producer Mo Abudu; it is written and directed by Idris Elba and stars Seal. Within its 19-minute running time it appears to try summarising the action of an entire 90-minute feature film. There isn’t a moment to really relax and explore any relationship in any satisfying and plausible way; the line-readings are rushed and uncomfortable and, most bewilderingly, Seal doesn’t actually get to sing all that much, although as an actor he has a strong and confident address to the camera.The premise is that Millicent (played by Nse Ikpe-Etim) runs a vibrant and hugely successful club in Lagos, but she is very ill, and the question of who is to inherit this...

Politics

9 d. ago You're washing your clothes wrong! Expert reveals why you should NEVER use fabric softener on your laundry

It's a chore that many of us dread. And now it turns out you've probably been washing your clothes wrong this entire time.

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Anything can happen’: how 14 empty nesters are reimagining their lives

From starting new careers and reconstructing houses to keeping children’s rooms the same, these parents are navigating a ‘rollercoaster’The term “empty nest” first emerged in the late 19th century, gaining traction in psychological and sociological discourse by the 1940s. Originally, it evoked a singular image: a mother alone in a quiet house, mourning the departure of her last child. But the reality, then and now, is far more nuanced. While the term was once gendered, today the emotional impact is felt across all parents, regardless of role or identity.The empty nest is not a fixed state but a mutable one. For some, it arrives with a deep ache, a sense of disorientation or loss. For others, it marks a period of renewal, space reclaimed, silence embraced, autonomy rediscovered. The nest may stay quiet or grow noisy again with boomerang children, ageing parents or new partners. Some preserve their homes like time capsules; others transform them entirely, reimagining their lives withi...

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3 w. ago Coffee shop owner shows 'right way' to make iced lattes at home as people make 2 mistakes

A coffee shop owner has shared a 'game-changing' tutorial on how to make an iced latte at home and it turns out you might have been doing it wrong this whole time

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3 w. ago 'I'm a coffee shop owner and you've been making iced lattes wrong this entire time'

A coffee shop owner has shared two mistakes people have been making when crafting iced lattes at home and he demonstrated how he does it instead, including what to avoid

Politics

3 w. ago Asian Persuasion review – indie New York romcom of divorcee meddling in his ex’s dating life

A coffee-shop owner tries to get out of paying alimoney with a scheme that lacks finesse at best and is sociopathic at worstIt is unexpected to see vintage romcom values upheld in an indie movie populated almost exclusively by Filipino-Americans. Tony award-winning producer Jhett Tolentino at least has a good high-concept hook for his feature directorial debut: a beleaguered divorcee tries to get out of paying alimony to his ex-wife by making a fake dating profile to bag her a new partner. Sadly, this tonally shaky and borderline-sociopathic outing doesn’t have the class or skill to be part of the much-needed renaissance for the genre.Asian Persuasion takes place on the great New York dating grounds beloved of many a romcom: feckless single dad Mickey (Dante Basco, who played the leader of the Lost Boys in Steven Spielberg’s Hook) is struggling to elevate his Queens coffee shop, Da Fili Beans, to hipster notoriety. Ponying up payments to his fashion designer ex Avery (KC Concepcion)...

Events

3 w. ago Parents with toddlers can visit Alton Towers all year for less than price of a day ticket

From half price day tickets to an entire year of fun, little ones cost less with this limited time deal

Politics

3 w. ago King Charles to make 'important' speech to entire nation at this exact time tomorrow

King Charles will address the nation from 7.30am tomorrow morning to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, in a special message to the nation, Realms and Commonwealth

Politics

3 w. ago Taylor Swift new album Easter eggs from specific letter and key colour to door

Taylor Swift announced her 12th studio album, The Life Of A Showgirl, on October 12, but it turns out the news was hiding right under our noses this entire time

Politics

last month UK heatwave forecasts mega 33C blast in HOURS with UK expected to be hotter than Ibiza

One weather map is predicting the UK could be hotter than Ibiza in just a few days' time, with temperatures of up to 33C possible across the entire country in a major heatwave blast

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