Doing something romantic for Valentine’s Day does not need to involve a heart-shaped box of chocolates, roses or an atypically expensive dinner, according to relationship experts.

In fact, therapists encourage couples craving intimacy and a deeper connection to focus less on grand gestures and more on expressing love with mundane acts that recognize what matters to their partner.

Romance is not one size fits all. For some people, it means holding hands, opening a car door or drawing a bath for their lover. Others respond to receiving a hilarious text, coffee in bed or an offer to run a nagging errand. Either way, demonstrating kindness and care in small ways over time helps to support relationships as they evolve, says Traci Lee, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Dallas.

“The more that early on, you as a couple are able to establish good habits of whatever romance is going to look like for you, the better it is,” Lee said.

Couples counselors and people in relationships share ideas for showing a romantic partner love throughout the year:

Romance is constantly evolving

Early in a relationship, it doesn’t take much to show romantic intentions, but that changes as couples learn more about each other as individuals, discover what their partner needs for emotional and physical well-being, and experience life together.

“Depending on what stage of the relationship you’re in, romance can mean different things,” Lee said. For example, couples with parenting and caregiving responsibilities have less time to devote to each other than they did during the honeymoon phases right after they started dating or got married.

Gabrielle Gambrell, who lives in New York with her husband of seven years and their two children, thinks romance “should be an evolution” and therefore takes work. One piece of advice she received before getting married stuck with her: Never stop dating.

“You keep romance alive by continuously dating,” Gambrell said. “No matter how busy or what happens in the world, me and my husband have a mandatory date night. And every single date night, we leave the date energized and happy and grateful, and reminded what means the most to us.”

Taking the pressure off Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day carries a heavy burden of social pressures, fantasies from movies and books, and individual desires and expectations that often go unexpressed. All can be managed with planning and communication, experts say.

“Some people will say, ‘If I have to tell my partner what to do, then it won’t be romantic.’ But I have to remind people that their partner is not a mind reader,” Lee said. “I try to blow up the myth that romance can only happen if it’s created spontaneously out of thin air.”

Gambrell, who describes herself as a planner by nature, says she typically starts asking her husband questions about their plans for Feb. 14 days before. Making assumptions about the best way to celebrate Valentine’s Day and comparisons with other couple’s relationships are likely to lead to disappointment, she said.

“Love is not perfect. Romance is not perfect. Relationships, there’s nothing perfect about them, but they are beautiful,” she said.

Clarence Smith IV, a 29-year-old middle school teacher and video content creator in Phoenix, remains a big believer in using traditional acts of chivalry to communicate respect and care for his girlfriend, such as positioning himself closer to the curb when they are walking together on a street.

“Romance today involves more seen gestures – let this be seen, let this be shown, let this be big,” Smith said, adding that in his dating experience some people see his gentlemanly behavior as old-fashioned. “I do little things like that, and they’re looked at as superbly impactful. We don’t do this anymore. But to me, baby, this is basics.”

Express love beyond February

While some relationship experts recommend establishing traditions around meaningful holidays, anniversaries and birthdays, others say that creating rituals to mark new seasons or weekends are equally valuable as part of the foundation for merging lifestyles and routines.

Lee says she often explains to her clients a popular analogy in the counseling industry: If you get in a fight with your partner and apologize with a dozen roses, that would be great, but bringing one rose every day for 12 days would communicate consistency and dedication.

She asks patients, “What are some small things that you can do that are going to be a way for you to show up for your partner in the way that they need it?”

Gambrell says gift-giving is the way she prefers to receive and show love. As a result, it touches her deeply and comes across as a romantic gesture when her husband buys her a scratch-off lottery ticket or stationery item, like a pen or notebook, at the store.

“It’s knowing that you’re thinking about me, that I’m on your mind, that you stop what you’re doing to think of me,” she said.

Smith encourages people to not be afraid of expressing love regardless of how experienced a dating life or how long a relationship they have.

“Do not be afraid to love in your own way,” he said. “It’s always worth it. You always win in the end.”

Major changes to car tax will come in over the next two years

The Government has released an update regarding changes to road tax. Vehicle Excise Duty, also known as road tax, is expected to rise in accordance with inflation once more in April 2026.

Independent MP James McMurdock questioned Chancellor Rachel Reeves in a written parliamentary inquiry about whether she intends to “review the structure of Vehicle Excise Duty”. Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson delivered the Government’s response.

He said: “Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), sometimes known as ‘road tax’ or ‘car tax’, is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different rates apply to cars, vans, and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions.”

Addressing the possibility of reforms to the system, Mr Tomlinson said: “The Government has no current plans to review this structure.” Nevertheless, he did acknowledge that major modifications are on the horizon.

The minister outlined: “At Autumn Budget 2025, the government announced the introduction of Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, which will come into effect from April 2028. Drivers will pay for their mileage alongside their existing Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).”

Under the new proposals, electric vehicle drivers will be charged 3p per mile, while plug-in hybrid motorists will pay 1.5p per mile, with both rates subject to inflation-linked increases. The Government has launched a consultation on these plans.

The consultation document states: “It will be set at half of the equivalent rate of fuel duty for electric cars, and half again for plug-in hybrid cars. eVED will ensure all car drivers contribute, but will still maintain important incentives to switch to an electric vehicle. eVED will not require ‘trackers’ in cars, nor will the government ask people to interact with a whole new tax system: car drivers will pay for the miles they drive alongside paying their usual road tax (VED).”

From April 2025, electric vehicles became liable for vehicle excise duty. Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out in the Autumn Budget that the VED Expensive Car Supplement threshold would be raised from £40,000 to £50,000 from April 2026. VED rates for vehicles of all types will rise in line with inflation from April 2026.

With rough sleeping on the rise across Scotland, the Sunday Mail’s Dan Vevers decided to see what it’s like first-hand.

More than 2000 Scots reported sleeping rough at some point in the six months from April to September last year, official stats show.

The numbers sleeping rough the day prior to applying for homeless status have rocketed by 24 per cent.

So with rough sleeping on the rise, I decided to see what it’s like first-hand.

It was a very chilly, early February night, just at the tail-end of a yellow weather warning from the Met Office for high winds and sleet, and it was nippy to say the least.

The most sheltered spot I could find to unroll my sleeping bag was under the Clyde Bridge on the Broomielaw – a known refuge for rough sleepers.

I’d wrapped up pretty warm – a big parka jacket, a scarf. But still, it was cold enough to pull on my emergency hat.

I was away from the worst of the wind and cold. But there’s nothing comfortable about sitting or lying on concrete.

I was tired, it was late and I hadn’t eaten since the afternoon.

When I closed my eyes on my camping pillow, I thought I might even nod off.

But then I’d hear voices, or footsteps. Or loudest of all, the whooshing of a train flying across the bridge, rattling my skull. All that put me back on my guard.

I thought I’d been there for hours before I gave up the experiment. But when I looked at the time, I’d lasted for less than two hours. After all, I had a real bed to go home to.

Councils in Scotland have a statutory requirement to give temporary housing to homeless people.

But from April to September, there were 10,710 instances of local authorities failing to provide this – despite it being unlawful – which is a shocking 42 per cent rise in a year.

Many of these people might have been forced into a night on the cold streets. I don’t envy them.

When the job of eSafety Commissioner came up, she bashfully explains there was a small pool of candidates to choose from. The man who helped write the bill, Malcolm Turnbull, went on to become prime minister. He hired her and, she says, wanted a commissioner with a background in online safety, but also experience in the tech sector itself.

As Bad Bunny prepares to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, Cardi B says she’s proud to see him step onto the world’s biggest stage, praising his cultural impact and willingness to speak out during heightened immigration arrests.

“I’m proud of everything that he’s been standing up for against ICE and everything,” Cardi B told The Associated Press ahead of her performance at Michael Rubin’s star-studded Fanatics Super Bowl Party on Saturday, which featured performances by SZA, Don Toliver and Travis Scott.

The Grammy winner spoke with admiration and unity about Bad Bunny, who appeared with J Balvin on her chart-topping hit, “I Like It.” The collaboration helped propel Latin music further into the global mainstream.

Bad Bunny is set to take the Super Bowl stage on Sunday, one week after winning album of the year at the 2026 Grammys for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” It is the first time an all-Spanish-language album has taken home the top prize.

At the Grammys, the Puerto Rican superstar said “ICE out” while accepting an award, criticizing President Donald Trump‘s administration for its dramatic expansion of immigration arrests.

“It just feels like everything is aligned right now,” said Cardi B, who is of Afro-Caribbean descent with roots in Trinidad and the Dominican Republic. “It just shows how Hispanics, Latinos. … We standing. They standing. We all standing.”

With Super Bowl buzz swirling around “I Like It” and the possibility of surprise guests, Cardi B was asked what it would mean to share the stage with Bad Bunny on such a massive platform.

“That’d be exciting,” she said.

As Bad Bunny readies for his halftime moment, Cardi B is preparing for the launch of her highly anticipated tour, which opens Feb. 11 in Palm Desert, California. The run marks her first headlining arena tour and her first tour in six years.

The tour arrives on the heels of her sophomore album, “Am I the Drama,” just four months after the birth of her first child with New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs, her fourth child overall.

Her preparation has centered on long rehearsal days that double as physical training, building momentum and confidence ahead of life on the road, Cardi B said.

“The rehearsing is my workout,” she said. “I’m just doing my job.”

With her recent project connecting strongly with fans and plans to work on her new album while on tour, Cardi B said the momentum has sharpened her excitement for returning to the stage.

“I feel really confident,” she said. “Knowing the fans are going to be there and know the music. It’s exciting.”

RMT union chiefs point to ‘horrendous’ stories of workers being spat on, abused and attacked while on duty on trains, buses and ferries.

A trade union is demanding a new law to protect transport workers in Scotland against a surge in assaults.

Gordon Martin, the RMT’s ­Scottish organiser, said members have told him “horrendous” stories of being spat on, abused, threatened and attacked while at work on trains, buses and ferries.

The RMT is to rally outside Holyrood this week demanding a new standalone offence for assaulting transport staff – similar to protections for retail workers introduced in 2021.

It comes as British Transport Police reported a 43 per cent increase in assaults against ­Scottish rail workers between April and September last year, compared to the same period in 2024.

A recent RMT survey found 70 per cent of women staff had experienced workplace violence in the past year.

Martin told the Sunday Mail: “It was only a few short months ago we had the terrible situation in Cambridgeshire of a mass stabbing on a train, with victims including the train manager, and the guard on that particular service.

“That is at the more extreme end of the scale, but it still happens.

“More commonly, there’s a lot of low-level verbal abuse, people getting spat on, people getting threatened. When I say it’s low-level, that’s not to say it’s not important, because of course it is.

“You end up with people traumatised and it happens right across the transport sector, from pier workers on the ferries to railway guards and ticket examiners.

“I’ve heard horrendous stories of station staff in particular facing real, heavy threats as well as people actually getting attacked.

“We hope a new standalone offence against assaulting a transport worker when they’re on duty will act as a deterrent..”

But he added this would have to go hand-in-hand with an increased police presence in trouble spots and a boost to public transport staffing to prevent lone working, particularly at train stations.

The union says it wants all parties to commit to measures to tackle violence on public transport ahead of May’s Holyrood election.

The most common abuse reported by women transport workers last year was verbal assault, followed by threats of physical violence, while over 20 per cent said they had been sexually harassed.

Lone working was identified as a major risk with about 60 per cent of those who experienced violence saying they were on shift alone at the time.

Three-quarters of respondents said violence at work was getting worse.

Scottish Government research published in 2023 also found women and girl passengers feel safer on public transport when staff are present at stations, in ticket offices and onboard trains.

For shop staff in Scotland, a 2021 law made it a specific criminal offence to assault, threaten, abuse, obstruct, or hinder retail workers, with offenders facing up to 12 months imprisonment, a fine of up to £10,000, or both.

While Forest are just three points above West Ham in 17th, Sean Dyche will hope his side has the quality to pull clear having spent around £200m on players over the last 12 months.

Opta rank the two-time champions of Europe as having a 15.3% chance of being relegated and it is likely Dyche will have to juggle his resources due to the club’s continued involvement in the Europa League, where they are due to face Fenerbahce in the knockout play-offs for the last 16.

“Too many times recently, I’ve seen Nottingham Forest look passive,” said Murphy.

“Whether that’s legginess from the amount of games in which Sean Dyche has had to play the same players. He gave fringe players the chance to stake their claim against Wrexham and they didn’t take it, so he’s had to pick the same eight or nine week in week out.

“I’ve done it myself and it’s hard trying to play every few days and playing to your best, especially under pressure of relegation. Plus, they are trying to manage Europe as well.”

Leeds, who claimed a valuable win over Forest on Friday, appear to be in the best form of the three sides on 29 points.

Millions claiming Universal Credit will have to wait until June to receive increased payments despite rates rising in April due to arrears payment system

Millions of Universal Credit claimants face a lengthy wait to see increased payments in their bank accounts – despite rates rising in April.

The Universal Credit standard allowance – the basic amount recipients are entitled to before any deductions or additional elements are factored in – will increase above inflation from April 13.

For a single claimant aged over 25, their monthly standard allowance will increase from £400.14 to £424.90. However, because Universal Credit is paid in arrears, claimants won’t see the pay rise reflected until June.

The enhanced rates will only apply to Universal Credit assessment periods that began on or after April 13. Universal Credit payments are issued a week after the final date of each assessment period – meaning the new rates won’t come into effect until June payments.

Your assessment period determines how much Universal Credit you receive, calculated on earnings or deductions during this timeframe. Nearly eight million people across the UK claim Universal Credit, reports the Mirror.

Whether you qualify for Universal Credit depends on your individual circumstances, including your age, living arrangements, relationship status, income, savings, and in some cases, your physical and mental wellbeing.

For those in employment, a taper rate reduces your maximum Universal Credit payment as your earnings grow. The taper rate stands at 55 percent, meaning 55p is deducted from your maximum Universal Credit payment for every £1 you earn.

Some individuals are entitled to a “work allowance”, which is a predetermined amount you can earn before your Universal Credit is reduced. If you also receive assistance with housing costs, the “work allowance” is £411 per month, and if you don’t, it’s £684 per month.

Universal Credit payment rates for 2026/27 are as follows:

Single

• Under 25: £338.58 a month (from £316.98)
• 25 or over: £424.90 a month (from £400.14)

Couples

• Joint claimants both under 25: £528.34 a month (from £497.55)
• Joint claimants, one or both 25 or over: £666.97 a month (from £628.10)

Child amounts

• First child (born prior to 6 April 2017): £351.88 a month (from £339)
• First child (born on or after 6 April 2017 / second child and subsequent child (where an exception or transitional provision applies): £303.94 a month (from £292.81)

Limited Capability for Work

• Limited Capability for Work amount: £158.76 a month (no change)
• Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity amount (new claimants): £217.26 a month (from £423.27)
• Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity amount (pre-2026 claimant, severe conditions criteria claimant or claimant who is terminally ill): £429.80 a month (from £423.27)

Carer amount

Work allowances

• Higher work allowance (no housing amount) one or more dependent children or limited capability for work: £710 a month (from £684)
• Lower work allowance one or more dependent children or limited capability for work: £427 a month (from £411)

The complete list of additional elements and reductions or deductions for Universal Credit payments can be found on GOV.UK.

The BBC reboot, which is filmed in Utilita Arena (Sheffield), followed the original Gladiators, which aired on ITV between 1992 and 2000.

Before the current series began airing, it was revealed that four Gladiators had been injured while filming.

Legend (Matt Morsia), Bionic (Matty Campbell), Diamond (Livi Sheldon) and Athena (Karenjeet Kaur Bains) all suffered injuries.

Fan-favourite Legend discusses his injury with hosts Bradley and Barney Walsh on the latest episode.

Gladiators Legend opens up about injury

Walking out to the arena with his arm in a sling, Bradley asked Legend, “Ok first things first, what’s happened to the arm?”

As Legend revealed: “Unfortunately, I’ve damaged my bicep tendent so I’m going to be out.”

Adding: “It’s pretty devastating,” pausing before joking: “Devastating for you guys.

“Because everyone knows you only come here to see me.”

Before leaving the arena, Legend thanked the crowd and sent kisses to the audience.

But Bradley confirmed that Legend would still appear in the series, sharing,“he will be back.”

Which Gladiators were injured during Series 3?

Four Gladiators were injured during the filming of series 3, which took place in the summer of 2025:

• Legend (Matt Morsia) – Torn bicep tendon
• Bionic (Matty Campbell) – Shoulder injury
• Diamond (Livi Sheldon) – Knee and leg injury (including ACL)
• Athena (Karenjeet Kaur Bains) – Severe knee injury

During the time of the Gladiator’s injuries, a BBC spokesperson said: “The health and well-being of all Gladiators, contenders and crew is of paramount importance.

“Gladiators is one of the toughest and most physically demanding programmes on TV, and due to the high-impact nature of the show, it is not unusual for those competing to suffer injuries.

“In each instance, as soon as it became apparent that a potential injury had occurred, the correct protocol was immediately followed.

“The injured Gladiators are currently following medical advice and working on their recoveries.”

You can watch the Gladiators on Saturday evenings at 5.45pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

CambridgeshireLive readers have voted for their favourite charity shops in the county

Cambridgeshire is a county full of many charity shops, and our readers have had their say on what one is the best. With everything going up in price, everyone will be in search of a bargain.

The one place you can almost guarantee you will find a bargain is a charity shop. Whether you are buying some clothes or looking for some cheap household goods, a charity shop will have what you need.

We asked you, the CambridgeshireLive readers, where you thought the best charity shop is in Cambridgeshire. The votes are in and there is a clear winner!

Before we get to number one, here is a look at some honourable mentions.

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Shop in Great Shelford

The Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Shop in Wollards Lane, Great Shelford was voted as one of the best. People said it offers an “eclectic mix of interesting high-quality items”.

The staff are also described as “friendly” and “helpful”. The shop window displays are “frequently changed” and “make for an attractive shop in the village centre”.

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice in Ely

The East Anglia’s Children’s Hospital charity shop is based in Ely High Street. This charity shop is said to offer “high quality items” that are displayed in a “boutique environment”.

The stock is also “always changing” and it is “well worth a visit”.

The Hospital charity shop in Ramsey

The Hospital charity shop in Great Whyte, Ramsey, also got an honourable mention. A worker in the shop called Dee was described as “amazing” and “friendly”.

She was also said to be “always happy to help”. The shop itself was described as a “superb place”.

Scope in Cambridge

The one that topped the list was Scope in Burleigh Street, Cambridge. This charity shop won by a landslide, getting the most votes.

It’s described as “amazing”, and offers “lots of fresh stock daily”. The staff and volunteers do a “wonderful job”, and are also “very friendly”. People also said “you will always find a bargain”.