Latest News

Чотири компактні супутники місії NASA PUNCH готуються до спільного запуску з космічним телескопом SPHEREx на ракеті SpaceX Falcon 9. Їх мета — вивчити зовнішню атмосферу Сонця та її еволюцію в сонячний вітер, обіцяючи розширити наші знання про космічні явища. Прибуття та підготовка Чотири невеликі супутники NASA PUNCH прибули 18 січня в Astrotech Space Operations, розташовану на базі космічних сил […]

Улюблениця багатьох шанувальників романтичного реалітішоу показала, як проводить час на гірськолижному курорті. Учасниця 13-го сезону реалітішоу «Холостяк» – Юстина Багай – поїхала на відпочинок до Буковелю. Звідти дівчина опублікувала в Instagram відео, на якому вона позувала, закутана у плед, на тлі ялинкових декорацій. У Юстини була красива об’ємна зачіска з локонами та ніжний макіяж. «Вкрали […]

En ny variation av crêpes-desert som inte lår nång nång likgittig. Den ljuvligaste chokladcrêperullen Med ovaanlig Grädde Blir ett perfect ...

Read more

THE former partner of a “kind-hearted” gran-of-five found “attacked” in the street has appeared in court charged with her murder.

Claire Chick, 48, was discovered seriously injured in Plymouth, Devon, on Wednesday evening.

FACEBOOK/UNPIXS

Claire Chick was found in the street with serious injuries[/caption]

Tragically she could not be saved and was declared dead in hospital the following morning.

Her ex-partner Paul Butler appeared at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court today charged with her murder.

Claire’s family were in court as Butler, 53, was remanded into custody following a short hearing.

He has been ordered to appear before a crown court on January 28.

A further hearing has also been fixed for March 3.

District Judge Stuart Smith told Butler: “These matters are going to be sent to the crown court.

“You will be committed into custody. You will have a hearing tomorrow at the crown court where a crown court judge will consider your remand status further.”

Claire, previously known as Claire Butler, worked as a lecturer at the University of Plymouth.

She was found seriously injured in West Hoe Road, Plymouth, at around 8.55pm on Wednesday.

Claire was rushed to hospital from the scene, but died of her injuries in the early hours of the following morning.

In a moving tribute released by police, her family said they were “devastated and broken”.

They added: “She was the most beautiful lively soul and was there for everyone.

“Everyone who knew our mum had so much positive words to say about her. She was the life and soul of any place where she was.

“She loved to dance and sing, even though she was pretty bad at it; she had no shame in doing it in front of any audience.

“We will never get over this as a family, she was our glue and our go-to.

“We won’t ever get the justice our mum deserves for this, because no amount of justice will bring her back.”

Vice-chancellor Professor Richard Davies said the university was “shocked and saddened” by Claire’s death.

He said: “Having spoken with Claire’s colleagues, I know that her contribution to Plymouth was significant and deeply felt – she was a respected nurse, lecturer and personal tutor, ensuring students were supported academically and pastorally.

“As associate head of school for international in our school of nursing and midwifery, she was closely involved in developing nursing programmes, students and academics in Europe, Africa and Asia.

“As a colleague, Claire’s humour and warmth will be dearly missed by academic and support staff.”

PA

Paul Butler has been charged with murder[/caption]

PA

Claire died in hospital following the horror[/caption]

FACEBOOK/UNPIXS

Her family have paid tribute[/caption]

Українська ведуча Маша Єфросиніна 25 січня вперше за тривалий час опублікувала в Instagram Stories світлину з матір’ю Людмилою і привітала її зі святом. «День народження жінки, яка вміє не тільки насолоджуватися життям і любити безумовно, але й підзаряджає як космічний генератор усіх, хто потрапляє в її поле, – моєї фантастичної мами!» – написала 45-річна Єфросиніна. […]

Виростити хрін на своєму городі легко, це невибаглива рослина. А от позбутися його, то вже ціла проблема. У хріну дуже сильна коренева система й боротися з ним доведеться довго. Подробиці Хрін важко вивести з города навіть за допомогою хімічних засобів. Його кореневище розростається і в довжину, і в ширину. При знищенні верхньої частини, коріння продовжує […]

STRICTLY Live Tour bosses have hit out at contestant Wynne Evans for making a crude remark about co-star Janette Manrara ...

Read more

A MET Office map reveals Storm Herminia’s wrath with 80mph wind and flash floods rampaging across the UK.

The latest named storm comes after Eowyn killed two people over the weekend and caused major disruption, with some Brits warned to stay indoors.

George Cracknell Wright

Commuters on London Bridge this morning[/caption]

BNPS

Strong winds have brought big waves at West Bay on the Jurassic Coast[/caption]

The national forecaster says the next few days look “set to remain very unsettled”.

An interactive map shows a blanket of rain drenching much of the UK over the next few hours.

WARNINGS

A series of yellow warnings for wind and rain have been issued for large parts of England and Wales with more than 40 flood warnings in place.

Parts of Wales and central, southern and northern England are under a 24-hour warning for strong and gusty winds from the same time.

A warning for periods of heavy rain that could cause some flooding of roads and properties was in place for the West Midlands and most of Wales until 11.59pm on Monday with the Met Office predicting 20mm to 40mm to fall quite widely and 50mm to 70mm on higher ground.

Okehampton in Devon had 35.8mm of rain on Sunday, while an 83mph gust was recorded in Berry Head, south Devon, and 81mph in Capelcurig, North Wales.

A yellow wind warning was in place until 7am on Monday for large parts of southern England, the North West, the West Midlands and Yorkshire.

Flooding saw stretches of the A36 and A303 closed in Devon and Wiltshire overnight, while National Rail said services were running normally between Taunton and Castle Cary after flooding.

Most of the 40 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, issued by the Environment Agency cover the south west and south coast, the two warnings issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Scotland is recovering from the effects of Storm Eowyn.

ScotRail said engineers had made “great progress” in removing debris and repairing damage, but several lines were unlikely to reopen for the start of services on Monday.

The Largs to Adrossan line will not reopen on Monday after an overhead gantry was brough down by a falling tree.

Avanti West Coast said services to and from Glasgow and Edinburgh had resumed, but warned of late starts and possible delays on Scottish routes.

Northern Ireland Electricity Networks said around 74,000 customers remained without power at the end of Sunday following Storm Eowyn, while the Northern Powergrid said teams were working to reconnect more than 150 customers overnight.

Ben Lukey, a flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Although not expected, impacts could include localised flooding from watercourses, drains, channels and flooding from overland flow.

A wet and windy spell arrived in the South West on Sunday morning and was moving across the north of the UK overnight.

Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said: “Things are going to stay unsettled in the next few days. We’re getting successive spells of wet and windy weather, which is obviously adding to impacts

While not as powerful as Storm Eowyn, a low-pressure system was named Storm Herminia by meteorologists in Spain which was expected to feel the strongest winds.

MET

The Met Office has issued weather warnings across England and Wales[/caption]

PA

Storm damage in Dechmont in West Lothian[/caption]

LNP

Drivers on the A3 in New Malden south-west London this morning[/caption]

BEING in the royal family certainly has its perks, particularly when it comes to extravagant gifts.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who celebrated her 60th birthday this month, recently dazzled in a £15,000 Chopard jewellery gift, thought to be from Prince Edward.

Getty

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh looked spectacular at the Royal Corps of Army Music dinner last week[/caption]

Getty

Sophie showed off a beautiful Chopard diamond set, which included stud earrings and a matching necklace and bracelet[/caption]

The stunning diamond set – which included a necklace, bracelet and stud earrings, could well have been a Christmas present from her husband of 25 years.

The jewellery items are from the ‘Happy Diamonds’ collection – and Sophie debuted them on Christmas Day as she went to church with the royals.

If they were from Edward, they appear to have gone down well with Sophie.

The hard-working duchess showed off the set again last Thursday on a visit to Sandhurst, the Royal Military Academy that trained up the likes of Princes William and Harry.

As she attended the Royal Corps of Army Music Dinner in her role as Colonel-in-Chief, Sophie looked sensational in a grey floor-length Erden “Lindsay” gown.

The dress, which features a high neckline and long, sheer sleeves was cinched in at the waist with a matching belt.

Sophie has worn the sparkly dress a number of times before, including during her 2023 Canadian trip, and she could have taken style notes from Princess Kate.

The Princess of Wales wore a similar Erdem style in a midi length at the UK-India Year of Culture launch event in 2017 that was hosted by the late Queen.

Sophie celebrated her birthday with a party organised by her husband Prince Edward.

The dinner and dance was held at Bagshot Park, the grand house in Berkshire which Edward and Sophie moved into shortly after their wedding in 1999.

Yet despite its grandeur, 120-room Bagshot has rarely been used by Edward and Sophie for formal entertaining. 

But they opened up their home for Sophie’s black-tie bash, to which all members of the Royal family were invited.

Staff for the party were borrowed from nearby Windsor Castle as the Edinburghs do not lead an ostentatious life. 

Their only everyday employees are a butler (whose actual job title is Household Manager) and a housemaid/cleaner.  

Arthur Edwards / The Sun

Sophie also wore the set on Christmas Day with the royal family[/caption]

PA:Press Association

Princess Kate wore a similar Erdem dress during a reception to mark the launch of the UK-India Year of Culture 2017 at Buckingham Palace[/caption]

Getty

It has been thought that Sophie’s Chopard set could have been a Christmas present from Prince Edward[/caption]

“Neither Sophie or Edward are what you might call big party animals,” says a source close to the family. 

Naturally included for the celebrations were the Edinburghs’ son James, Viscount Severn, 16, who is studying for his A-levels at the all-boys boarding school Radley, and daughter Lady Louise, 21, who is reading English at St Andrew’s University.

Sophie’s bond with Kate

Sophie has been a pillar of support at a time when the Royal Family was hit by two alarming developments – the news that the Princess of Wales was suffering from cancer which had been discovered after she had abdominal surgery – and the shock announcement shortly afterwards that King Charles was also being treated for cancer.

William especially was grateful that the moment she heard of Kate’s condition Sophie was in touch to see how she could help. 

Getty

Sophie celebrated her recent 60th birthday with a party at Bagshot Park[/caption]

Getty

Sophie has supported Princess Kate during her cancer treatment[/caption]

When Kate stepped back from public life, Sophie was the first to take on some of her engagements.

“That sort of pragmatism, a genuine desire to help and support someone who has been knocked off kilter, is pure Sophie,” says a senior royal source. 

“It really helped William and Kate, obviously in a practical way, but also knowing Sophie could always be relied upon to give her support whenever it was needed.”

And that support was extended to the Wales’s children, with ‘Aunt Sophie’ arranging picnics and playdates at Bagshot for George, Louis and Charlotte, during the times when Kate needed to rest after her debilitating sessions of chemotherapy.

Despite their 18-year age gap, Sophie’s relationship with Kate – which has always been warm – has deepened in the last year. 

Her support for the princess was evident on Remembrance Sunday, when Kate looked to be on the verge of tears at the end of the service at the Cenotaph. 

Sophie simply placed her hand on Kate’s shoulder as the pair made their way from a balcony.

WORKERS will make only three longstanding and genuine friendships from their career, a survey has found.

Research of 2,000 employed adults has revealed that over a third rely on work friends to help them “overcome” personal and professional challenges.

SWNS

Workers are likely to make just three longstanding relationships during their working life, a study has found[/caption]

SWNS

The research was commissioned by Santander UK as part of its Women Business Leaders’ Mentoring Programme[/caption]

Nearly 90 per cent of team members report having made friendships at work, with 76 per cent believing that these relationships help to “enhance” their careers.

In fact, 72 per cent are more motivated to perform when they have friends among their colleagues.

Women are 10 per cent more likely to seek emotional support during difficult times from friendly colleagues, compared to men.

The research was commissioned by Santander UK as part of its Women Business Leaders’ Mentoring Programme, which connects aspiring leaders with experienced mentors to foster growth, innovation, and collaboration.

Sarah Willingham, an entrepreneur and former Dragons’ Den investor, said: “Building strong, supportive relationships in the workplace is invaluable.

“This research highlights the importance of creating meaningful professional networks and friendships, and in many cases, it is key to overcoming challenges and achieving goals.

“Strong workplace relationships aren’t just about career success – they can enhance confidence, resilience, and overall wellbeing.

“That’s why mentoring programmes are crucial for helping individuals develop these relationships, offering a pathway to both personal and professional growth.”

Younger employees, aged 18 to 24, are especially keen on forging professional friendships, with 85 per cent stating this is important to them.

This stands in contrast to 66 per cent of older employees (aged 55-64) who share the same sentiment.

Those earlier into their careers are having weekend lunches and shopping trips with colleagues.

While less than 20 per cent are going to gigs, around ten per cent to hikes and slightly less going on bike rides together with work friends.

When it comes to building professional connections, 34 per cent of all respondents said it’s easiest to connect with others in the same industry, while 28 per cent find it easy to do so with those of the same gender.

Additionally, 78 per cent think workplace friendships improve job satisfaction, with 41 per cent saying it enhances collaboration and 39 per cent believing it aids problem-solving.

The figures also reveal men are significantly more comfortable approaching professional contacts in several scenarios – including to collaborate on projects, asking for career advice, and job referrals.

While 21 per cent of women are comfortable approaching professional contacts about mentoring or sponsorship, compared to a third of men.

The research, conducted via OnePoll, went on to highlight the importance of mentorships, with 65 per cent considering it vital for career growth.

Among these, 41 per cent value mentors for sharing advice based on experience, while 36 per cent appreciate the constructive feedback they provide.

Susan Davies, head of business banking at Santander UK, said: “Workplace relationships are vital for career development and personal wellbeing.

“Having a mentor can make a world of difference by providing guidance, sharing knowledge, and fostering confidence – all of which can help people navigate their career path.

“The programme is designed to help business founders create these meaningful connections, empowering individuals to thrive in their careers and beyond.”