Michelle Keegan denies her marriage to Mark Wright is in trouble
Michelle Keegan has been forced to deny once again that her marriage to Mark Wright is in trouble.
The world’s most wanted billionaire Nirav Modi has had his extradition to India approved by Priti Patel. The Home Secretary ordered the extradition of the diamond tycoon after a British judge ruled there was sufficient evidence to send him back to India for trial. He has been accused of money laundering and fraud over allegations that he embezzled more than $1 billion (£700 million) from the Punjab National Bank (PNB). Mr Modi was tracked down by The Telegraph after he went on the run. He was found living in a luxury apartment in a high rise block in London’s West End in March 2019.
‘Very few people had any idea what she was clearly going through,’ tweets GB News presenter Dan Wootton
Pro-UK parties could yet stop an independence majority at Holyrood because even “hardline” SNP voters are unsure about Nicola Sturgeon’s mid-pandemic push for a new referendum, the Lib Dem leader has claimed. Launching his party’s manifesto, Willie Rennie said the SNP vote was “softer than I’ve ever seen it” in the current campaign and insisted it was “all to play for”. He predicted that momentum could rapidly swing away from the nationalists in the final weeks of the campaign, despite opinion polls currently suggesting a pro-independence majority after May 6 is a near certainty. The Lib Dems have said the next Holyrood term should be focused on recovery from the pandemic rather than a new independence vote. The party is proposing large increases to spending on mental health services, a jobs guarantee for young people and play-based education up to the age of seven. It also published proposals for MSPs to be able to vote to hold Scottish ministers in "contempt of parliament" after the SNP repeatedly defied votes in the previous term. The Lib Dems won just five seats at Holyrood in 2016 but Mr Rennie insisted his party had the potential to make gains across Scotland, highlighting Caithness, Sutherland and Ross as a seat he believes he can take from the SNP. “There's a lot to play for, and the vote amongst the SNP is softer than I have ever seen it,” Mr Rennie said. “The hesitation amongst the SNP voters is considerable. “There was a lady I met the other day, she's been a hardline SNP supporter all of her life. She said she was just not sure this time, and [her reasons were] Alex Salmond and pushing an independence referendum in the middle of a pandemic.” He also claimed that centrist Tory voters were moving to the Lib Dems because they were put off by a “harder, darker edge” to the Conservatives under Douglas Ross. He claimed socially liberal voters attracted by the “bubbly and bright” Ruth Davidson at the last election did not like the current incumbent. Mr Rennie said the Tories had adopted more right wing positions under Mr Ross and cited a masked photocall on a military jeep as an example in which he “just looked a bit darker”.
Downing Street has insisted that the red list of countries is “under constant review” amid concerns over a new coronavirus variant first identified in India. The variant, known as B.1617, carries two mutations in the spike protein that experts fear may help it evade the body’s immune response.
Flames of burning gas that puncture the sky are not just killing the planet – they’re killing Iraqis. In oil towns blighted by this toxic air across the country, locals tell Bel Trew they fear for their future as, one by one, their friends and family are struck by disease
Mass surge testing underway in parts of the capital after cluster of South African variant detected
One of the inevitable results of Prince Philip’s sad death is a shake-up in the House of Windsor. And Prince Edward, who will in time become the Duke of Edinburgh, is bound to take on a more prominent role in supporting the Queen and, in time, her successor, Prince Charles. Prince Philip may not have been in the royal line of succession. But his importance to the monarchy was paramount – and his death leaves a huge gap to be filled. The title of Duke of Edinburgh has now been automatically inherited by Prince Charles. But, in a sign of the affection of the Queen and Prince Philip for their youngest son, it will be passed on to Prince Edward on the sad day of the Queen’s death. This was made clear by the Queen in 1999, when Prince Edward married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999 and was made Earl of Wessex. When Prince Charles becomes king, the title of Duke of Edinburgh will ‘merge in the Crown’, meaning the title no longer exists. But Charles III will bestow on his youngest brother a new ‘creation’ of the ‘Duke of Edinburgh’ – the fourth creation of the title since it was first bestowed in 1726. It makes perfect sense. Of Prince Philip’s four children, Prince Edward has always been most closely associated with the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, created by Prince Philip in 1956. Prince Philip funeral news and royal family updates
When it comes to Europe’s Covid vaccination rollout, could it be that slow and steady wins the race? After a lacklustre start to delivering doses around the continent, that is certainly the message European leaders are now sending. Following a debut marred by delays and a dearth of supplies, the EU’s vaccination drive is finally gathering pace, leading some even to suggest - chief among them President Emmanuel Macron himself - that it could catch up with Britain “in the coming weeks”. “With all the shots rolling in, it’s even no longer unthinkable that the EU will finish vaccinating its entire adult population ahead of the UK,” claimed Joshua Livestro, member of the Committee on European Integration of the Advisory Council on International Affairs of the Dutch Foreign Ministry. "While the UK is likely to finish its vaccination marathon crawling on all fours, the EU will be sprinting toward the tape.” As the UK reopens, such claims appear wildly exaggerated. Indeed, with the continent still in the grip of a deadly third wave and fresh health concerns over the new Johnson&Johnson jab as well as new variants, the EU is struggling to make headway against the pandemic. Yet undoubtedly there are encouraging indicators.
In the tale of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, along with an ice-cream cone, a pickle, a slice each of Swiss cheese and salami, a lollipop, a wedge of cherry pie, a sausage, cupcake and a slice of watermelon, our ravenous protagonist devours a piece of chocolate cake. It is perhaps no coincidence that the latter has become synonymous with the insect (and visa versa), and subsequently that a caterpillar-shaped sponge is often the most familiar guest at birthday parties and office celebrations across the land. Nor is it surprising that the news of Marks & Spencer taking Aldi to court in a bid to protect its Colin the Caterpillar cake has provoked such an uproar. The retailer has accused the discounter chain of riding on its reputational coat-tails after Aldi began selling its own Cuthbert the Caterpillar cake, which looks very similar. But since M&S launched Colin (a chocolate-coated sponge cake bearing buttercream, topped with sweets and fronted by a smiling white-chocolate face) some 30 years ago, similar critters have emerged, and not only from the German discount store. From Cuthbert and Wiggles to Curly and Carl the free-from caterpillar, there are cute-faced chocolate Swiss rolls in almost every supermarket – and each has a band of fervently loyal supporters. But how do they compare to each other? Does Colin hold the gold standard when it comes to softness of sponge and flavour of edible boot? Are the sprinkles on Curly superior to those adorning Morris? While Aldi has not stocked its Cuthbert cake since mid-February and so was sadly unavailable for review, we netted the best of the rest and put them to the test.
Tributes have been paid to Peaky Blinders star Helen McCrory who has died aged 52 from cancer. In a message posted on social media, Lewis said: “I’m heartbroken to announce that after an heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family.” McCrory, who was awarded the OBE for services to drama in 2017, was probably best known for playing the fearsome matriarch Polly in crime drama Peaky Blinders but also had a critically acclaimed stage career winning plaudits for National Theatre roles in productions of Medea and Terence Rattigan’s post war drama The Deep Blue Sea.
The countess developed a close friendship through a shared love of carriage driving.
Prep time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling | Cooking time: 45-50 minutes MAKES 30 small squares INGREDIENTS For the base 250g unsalted butter, room temperature 90g granulated sugar 250g plain flour ¼ tsp salt For the filling 6 extra-large eggs, room temperature 600g granulated sugar finely grated Zest of 5 lemons Juice of 6 lemons 125g plain flour, sifted Icing sugar, for dusting METHOD Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/Gas 3½. To make the crust, cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer on a medium speed until light but not too fluffy. On a very low speed add the flour and salt and mix until just combined. Turn out the dough (don't worry if it hasn't come together) on to a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Using well-floured hands, press into a buttered tin measuring 30 x 22cm. Prick all over with a fork and chill for a good 30 minutes (or put it in the freezer for about 10). Place this in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until pale gold. Set aside to cool but leave the oven on. Using a balloon whisk beat together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and juice. When combined gradually whisk in the flour. Pour over the cooled crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until set (feel for doneness by touching the centre with your index finger). Leave to cool completely. Cut into squares and dust with icing sugar.
If you think you’re a master of British superstitions, try your luck with our multiple choice quiz.
Prepare for your dreams of walking the Drag Race runway to be ruined, because an investigation has ReVealed the astronomical amounts previous contestants have spent competing on the sow.
New rules allowing Scots to travel outside council areas and meet more people outdoors have come into force, as it emerged that Scotland endured one of the most stringent lockdowns of anywhere in the world. From Friday, Scots can travel anywhere in mainland Scotland and meet up to six others from six households outside. Announcing the latest easing of restrictions at an unscheduled briefing on Tuesday, Nicola Sturgeon said the continued decline in virus cases meant the restrictions could be eased earlier than planned. But on Thursday, the First Minister said that while it was “positive” the easing of restrictions had been brought forward, Scots should not allow their guard to drop. "Don't go to crowded places, if you're headed to a beach or a park and it's crowded please come away again because crowded places are not safe places to be.” She added: "As long as we all stick to the advice that's still in place, this easing of restrictions tomorrow should be the first of many and I think, not least because of the vaccine programme, we can all afford to be just that bit more optimistic right now."
The pictures were unearthed from a private collection and show Philip looking after a 13-year-old Elizabeth.
‘We need to stop this third wave of the pandemic’, chancellor says
Under-30s in the UK will be offered Pfizer or Moderna vaccines rather than the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine due to concerns over a very rare risk of blood clots. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK said there were still huge benefits of the vaccine in preventing Covid-19, and has not concluded that the vaccine causes rare clots, although it says the link is getting firmer.
Dylann Roof was bought a Burger King by police after his arrest, while Toledo — who was pictured with his hands in the air moments before cops fatally shot him — has been painted as a dangerous gang member
Exclusive: Professor Adrian Hill says his team at the Jenner Institute are ‘very excited’ by the prospects of their vaccine, which enters into large-scale testing in Africa this month