Among the most recognisable names is broadcaster Stephen Watson, who receives an MBE for services to broadcasting, kidney transplant awareness and fundraising in Northern Ireland

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Northern Ireland’s King’s Birthday Honours list is led by several well-known figures from broadcasting, business and public life, including BBC presenter Stephen Watson and Belfast Harbour chief executive Joseph O’Neill, alongside a wide range of recipients recognised for contributions to healthcare, education, business and community relations.

Among the most recognisable names is broadcaster Stephen Watson, who receives an MBE for services to broadcasting, kidney transplant awareness and fundraising in Northern Ireland. Also honoured are Belfast Harbour chief executive Joseph O’Neill, awarded a CBE for services to business and the Belfast community, and former Crown Solicitor for Northern Ireland Jennifer Bell, who receives a Companion of the Order of the Bath for services to the administration of justice.

The honours also recognise a number of prominent Northern Ireland business leaders, including Henderson Group executives Geoffrey Agnew and Martin Agnew, hospitality entrepreneur Trevor Annon of Mount Charles, and heritage advocate Mukesh Sharma. In sport, golf administrator Ian Bamford and disability football champion Alan Crooks are among those honoured.

Across the six counties, recipients are recognised for work spanning healthcare, agriculture, education, broadcasting, peacebuilding, entrepreneurship and charity, reflecting Northern Ireland’s strong tradition of civic leadership and community service.

Belfast

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Ian Bamford. For services to Amateur Golf. (Belfast, Belfast)
• Dr Susan Lagdon. Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Ulster University. For services to Ending Violence Against Women and Girls. (Belfast, Belfast)

County Antrim

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

• Professor Ian Stuart Young. Consultant Chemical Pathologist, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department of Health. For services to Health Services Research and Development and to Health Education. (Newtownabbey, County Antrim)

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• Paul Finnegan. Chief Executive, Lighthouse. For services to Charity. ( Lisburn, County Antrim)
• Dr Helen Kirkpatrick MBE. Lately Chair QUBIS Board, Queen’s University Belfast. For services to Economic Development and Innovation. (Crumlin, County Antrim)
• Mukesh Sharma MBE DL. Deputy Chair and Trustee, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Chair, Northern Ireland Committee, National Lottery Heritage Fund. For services to Heritage. (Newtownabbey, County Antrim)

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Geoffrey William Agnew. Joint Executive Group Chair, Henderson Group. For services to Business and to the community in Northern Ireland. (Lisburn, County Antrim)
• Trevor Annon. Managing Director and Chair, Mount Charles. For services to Business, to Sport and to Charity in Northern Ireland. (Lisburn, County Antrim)
• Brian Duff. Lately Principal, Carnmoney Primary School, Newtownabbey. For services to Education in Newtownabbey. (Carrickfergus, County Antrim)
• David Francis Heggarty. Principal, Cregagh Primary School and Deaf Unit. For services to Education in Northern Ireland. (Islandmagee, County Antrim)
• Gordon John Kane. Curriculum Area Manager, Advanced Technologies, Northern Regional College. For services to Further and Higher Education in Northern Ireland. (Islandmagee, County Antrim)
• Dr Michael McBrien. Consultant Anaesthetist, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. For Voluntary Service. ( Templepatrick, County Antrim)
• David Andrew Radcliffe. For services to Education and to the community in Coleraine, County Londonderry. (Ballymoney, County Antrim)
• Frederick Michael Stewart. For services to Military History in Northern Ireland. (Larne, County Antrim)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Valerie Alexander. For services to Disadvantaged Young People in India. ( Ballymena, County Antrim)
• Roger Frederick Bell. For services to Local Cricket. (Carrickfergus, County Antrim)
• Robert Edward Cullinan. For services to Community Relations and to Brazilian JuJitsu. (Newtownabbey, County Antrim)
• Tanya Evelyn Mary Hughes. For services to the community of Ballybeen, Belfast. (Newtownabbey, County Antrim)
• Angela Jane Manson. For services to Youth Musical Theatre. (Lisburn, County Antrim)
• Gregory Walter Thompson McKinley. Operations Director, The Gallaher Trust. For services to the Economy in Northern Ireland. (Ballymena, County Antrim)
• Samuel Todd. Service Delivery Manager, Bus Service Operations, Translink. For services to Public Transport. (Ballyclare, County Antrim)
• Ruth Verner. For services to the community in County Antrim. (Antrim, County Antrim)

County Armagh

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Wesley David Aston. Lately Chief Executive, Ulster Farmers’ Union. For services to Agriculture. (Armagh, County Armagh)
• Pauline Frances Bothwell. Charity Secretary, Crossfire Trust. For services to the People of South Armagh. (Downpatrick, County Armagh)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Campbell Best. For services to the community in Portadown, County Armagh. (Portadown, County Armagh)
• Maxine Chambers. Senior Youth Support Worker, Goal Line Youth Trust and Co-Founder, Bluebell Trust. For services to Young People in Portadown, County Armagh. (Craigavon, County Armagh)
• Patricia Feeney. Leader, Caledon Playgroup. For services to Young Children in Northern Ireland. (Milford, County Armagh)

County Down

Companions of the Order of the Bath (CB)

• Jennifer Agnes Bell. Lately Crown Solicitor for Northern Ireland. For services to the Administration of Justice. ( Bangor, County Down)

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

• Joseph O’Neill. Chief Executive Officer, Belfast Harbour. For services to Business and to the community in Belfast. ( Newtownards, County Down)

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• Arlene Kee MBE. Director Youth Service, Education Authority. For services to Young People. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Paul Joseph McBride. For services to Education. (Belfast, County Down)
• Eileen Murphy. Chief Executive, Women’s Aid Armagh-Down. For services to Charity. (Newry, County Down)

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Martin John Agnew. Joint Executive Group Chair, Henderson Group. For services to Business and to the community in Northern Ireland. (Hillsborough, County Down)
• Dr Rosemary Elizabeth Agnew. Lately Director of Agricultural Policy, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. For services to Agriculture. (Dromore, County Down)
• Professor John Stanley Alan Anderson. For voluntary services to Education and to the community in Northern Ireland. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Thomas Malcolm Calvert. Senior Professional Technical Officer, Rivers Directorate, Department for Infrastructure, Northern Ireland Civil Service. For services to Flood Risk Management and Digital Transformation. (Belfast, County Down)
• Alan William Crooks. Disability Manager, Irish Football Association. For services to Disability Football. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Ivor William McKee Dunne. Prison Officer, Northern Ireland Prison Service. For services to Criminal Justice and the Rehabilitation of Offenders in Northern Ireland. (Lisburn, County Down)”
• Maurice Henry Geddis. Co-Founder and Co-Chair, Avondale Foods Ltd and ENE Ltd. For services to Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Northern Ireland. (Dromore, County Down)
• Richard Lyttle. For services to the Horse Racing Industry. (Ballynahinch, County Down)
• Agnes Jane McCullough. For services to the Art of Lacemaking and Needlecraft in Northern Ireland. (Bangor, County Down)
• Paul Robert Millar. For services to Architecture and the Arts in Northern Ireland. (Belfast, County Down)
• Rose Neill. For services to Broadcasting and to Charity. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Brian O’Hagan. For services to Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. (Newry, County Down)
• Martin Howard Pitt. Chair, Radius Housing Association. For services to Social Housing. ( Holywood, County Down)
• Evelyn Elizabeth Jean Smyth. Medicines Management Specialist Nurse, Southern Health & Social Care Trust. For services to Health and Social Care. (Banbridge, County Down)
• Brenda Lydia Tighe. Chair, Northern Ireland Counselling Forum. For services to Counselling in Northern Ireland. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Claire Vincent. Deputy Director Marine and Fisheries Division, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. For services to Marine Science and to Women in Science. (Bangor, County Down)
• Brian Walsh. For services to Cricket. (Belfast, County Down)
• Stephen Watson. Broadcaster. For services to Broadcasting and to Kidney Transplant Awareness and to Fundraising in Northern Ireland. (Belfast, County Down)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Janet Beck. Sign Language Interpreter. For services to Interpreting and to the Deaf Community. (Holywood, County Down)
• Dr Nichola Booth. For services to the Autistic Community and their Families in Northern Ireland. (Bangor, County Down)
• David Coffey (Desmond Coffey). For Charitable Service. (Newtownards, County Down)
• Claire Margaret Anne Flowers. Chief Executive Officer, Girlguiding Ulster. For services to Girls and Young Women. (Bangor, County Down)
• Dr Stephen Jess. Lately Senior Scientific Officer, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute. For services to Agriculture in Northern Ireland. (Bangor, County Down)
• Henrietta June Kirk. For services to the community in Groomsport, County Down. (Bangor, County Down)
• Clare McCawley. Victorian Garden Manager, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. For services to Health and Social Care and to the Community and Voluntary Sector. (Castlewellan, County Down)
• Peter Scobie. Head Chef, Queen’s University Belfast. For services to Higher Education. (Newtownards, County Down)
• David Thomas Crowe Workman. For services to Rugby and to Community Relations in Ballynahinch. (Ballynahinch, County Down)

County Fermanagh

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• The Very Reverend Dean Kenneth Robert James Hall. For services to Reconciliation and Peace Building in Enniskillen and County Fermanagh. (Enniskillen, County Fermanagh)
• The Right Reverend Monsignor Peter O’Reilly. For services to Reconciliation and Peace Building in Enniskillen and County Fermanagh. (Enniskillen, County Fermanagh)

County Derry

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• John Paul Harkin. Director and Founder, Alchemy Technology Services. For services to Economic Development and to Entrepreneurship. (Coleraine, County Londonderry)

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• George Alexander Fleming. Chair, Fleming Agri Products. For services to Business, to Employment and to Apprenticeships. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)
• Ian William John Glendinning. Managing Director, Irish Grouse Conservation Trust. For services to Country Sports and to Conservation. (Magherafelt, County Londonderry)
• William Robert Lyon Moore DL. For services to the Agriculture Sector in Northern Ireland. (Derry, County Londonderry)
• Dr Patricia Podmore. Consultant, Western Health Trust. For services to Dermatology in the Northwest of Northern Ireland. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)
• Sarah Marina Sweeney. For services to Counselling and Psychotherapy, to Community Education and to Peace Building through Restorative Dialogue. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Lloyd Wallace Magee. For services to the community in County Londonderry. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)
• Audrey Moore. Chair, Friends of Rossmar School. For voluntary services to Special Education. (Limavady, County Londonderry)
• David Stewart Smallwoods. For services to Local Football. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)
• Jennifer Elizabeth Smyth. For services to Disability Sport. (Londonderry, County Londonderry)

County Tyrone

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Kathleen Elizabeth Courtenay. Lately Head of Children and Disability Services, Southern Health & Social Care Trust. For services to People with Disabilities. ( Dungannon, County Tyrone)
• John Irwin Dickey Johnston JP. For services to Local History in Northern Ireland and the Adjoining Border Counties. (Clogher, County Tyrone)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Erica Sarah Maxwell. For services to the Economy and to the community in Northern Ireland. (Dunganon, County Tyrone)
• Joyce Montgomery. For services to the community in County Tyrone. (Dungannon, County Tyrone)
• Maurice Neely. For services to Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. (Strabane, County Tyrone)

The now Sir Kevin has raised more than £11 million through endurance challenges, having been inspired by his friend and Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow’s battle against the muscle wasting condition.

Kevin Sinfield crosses the finish line at York Minster in December 2023 (Image: PA/Danny Lawson)

His honour comes days after he announced his final ‘7 in 7’ challenge – in which he will try to complete an ultra-marathon every day for seven days – which will call at York in September.

It will be the third of Sir Kevin’s challenges to feature York, with hundreds of people turning out to greet the athlete after crossing finish lines at the Minster in November 2022 and December 2023.

Sir Kevin, 45, embarked on his first fundraising quest in 2020, running seven consecutive marathons with the initial intention of raising £777,777, inspired by Burrow’s famous shirt number.

His further gruelling challenges took the figure raised into eight figures, and contributed to the opening of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in November 2025, just over a year after Burrow’s death aged 41.

Kevin Sinfield with his former teammate Rob Burrow who died in 2024 aged 41 (Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

Sir Kevin praised the MND community after he was knighted and vowed to use his status as rugby league’s second ever knight to step up his inspirational battle to aid further research into MND.

“My playing career was everything I could ever have dreamed of as a young man but the last seven years have given me so much inspiration,” he said.

“The MND community are the very best of us and it has been my privilege to support them and put their battle on the stage it needs.”

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Sir Kevin showed his support for the family of Paul Bradley, 35, of Holgate, whose death from the disease in March left his loved ones with no income but a mortgage and bills to pay after he died.

The athlete wrote to Paul’s widow, Emma, saying the family had his “full support whenever you need it”, and that he would send them “something meaningful” to auction off to contribute to a fundraiser for them.

Paul and Emma Bradley. A fundraiser has been launched to raise money for Paul’s family after his death aged 35 from motor neurone disease (Image: Supplied)

Lindsey Burrow, widow of Rob, welcomed Sir Kevin being knighted.

“On behalf of the whole Burrow family, I would like to congratulate Kevin on his knighthood, we are all delighted for him and I can not think of a more deserving recipient,” she said.

“Kevin did so much for Rob but also the whole MND community with raising awareness and funds to support families and aid research.

“I know he has said he is dedicated to supporting the MND community for however long it takes to find a cure and that means so much to so many people to have a champion like Kevin in their corner.

“As Rob used to say, everyone should have a friend like Kevin and so many people will be pleased to see him get this recognition.”

Calls for Sir Kevin to be knighted in recognition of his fundraising exploits had grown in recent years. He was made an MBE in 2014 for services to rugby league, an OBE in June 2021 and a CBE in the 2024 New Year honours.

On June 13, Venus (the planet of love and pleasure) moves into Leo (the sign of drama, passion and self confidence), so expect your love life to heat up a lot.

This is all about attracting and giving attention. If you’re single, now is the phase to get out and about and catch someone’s eye that you feel chemistry with.

If you’re attached, then sizzle and schmooze! Date nights, intimate moments, escapades, and paying each other all the compliments (ideally with gifts and grand gestures thrown in too) is the order of the day.

Venus in Leo is the perfect start to 2026’s ‘summer of love’.

Let’s see what you need to acknowledge and express with my Zodiac Love Match oracle deck, which uses a unique colour-coded system to give you a full and frank love forecast covering everything you need to know.

Aries

March 21 to April 20

Tarot cards for Aries for Venus in Leo: Gemini, Power Couple, Set A Deadline 

Meaning: Timing matters in all relationships — fledgling, new, mature or fading. We can all carry our feelings for a long time before the opportunity arises to do something about them. You will be presented such an opportunity this coming month. You can set that deadline!

What to do? Well, the Gemini and Power Couple cards ask you not to ‘settle’. You are a high energy partner and need someone who can keep up and even challenge you. You thrive on passion, curiosity, adventure and ambition. You want someone to build a secure, fun, successful, and exciting lifestyle with, so you’re never bored, never stagnated, never feeling low or like you don’t know what’s next.

Light the spark in your love life, see who can match you, trust that, within the month, the opportunity to (re)build that power couple vibe is coming your way. Don’t miss it!   

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aries

Taurus

April 21 to May 21

Tarot cards for Taurus for Venus in Leo: The Ex, Don’t Drink The Poison, Fading Feelings

Meaning: Your love life is going forwards, not backwards, and you might need to work on that consciously as tethers from your past try to curl around you again.

The truth is that all Taureans struggle to ever truly lose/give up on someone or someone they once loved. You have a possessive core.
But you must give up on it, no matter what they’re saying to you now.
The ex still has some kind of hold, even if it’s just lingering limiting self beliefs they left you with.

Don’t drink this poison any longer! Put down the bottle of old feelings and memories, pour it down the drain, throw it in the bin. Your feelings and ties to this past situation or person will fade, they already have, so don’t stoke it all up again. The best is all yet to come. What you’re building now is worthwhile, don’t look back.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Taurus

Gemini

May 22 to June 21

Tarot cards for Gemini for Venus in Leo: Free Spirit, Fun Fling, Say Goodbye

Meaning: This trio of cards absolutely spell: hot holiday romance. A summer fling! A casual encounter that reignites you in many ways… but is not meant to be a permanent fixture, it serves its purpose and then moves along, so let it be.

Don’t chase what fades. Be free spirited, be yourself, be untethered. Even if you’re attached, take your space and create your own adventures… you’ll have more to talk about together!

A fun fling doesn’t have to be sexual or even romantic, maybe it’s with a certain place, friend, hobby, interest or pursuit. A temporary but intense fascination that you enjoy. Either way, learn to let it go when it’s delivered whatever it’s meant to. Life is full of ebb and flow, comings and goings, and you will feel that energy this Summer.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Gemini

Cancer

June 22 to July 23

Tarot cards for Cancer for Venus in Leo: Libra, Spill the Tea, Stormy Weather

Meaning: You see and know everything! Nothing escapes your ‘spidey senses’ and yet you rarely let on what you know. You prefer to keep in all inside. However, you are going to spill the tea this Venus in Leo season.

Some stormy weather or drama will activate your desire to speak the truth, tell it how it is, show that you’re not being played or fooled, that you can see the true motivations in play. Tell them, Cancer!

I feel like it will clear the air. The Libra card promises harmony and peace, after a phase of conflict and revelation. Sometimes you have to break eggs if you want to make a delicious omelette and you’re getting busy in the kitchen!  

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Cancer

Leo

July 24 to August 23

Tarot cards for Leo for Venus in Leo: Leo, Do The Groundwork, Smooth Sailing

Meaning: Venus moving into your sign makes it all about you, even more than usual! Be bold, be beautiful, shine and glow wherever you go and bask in the attention you receive; the Leo card grants you full permission to be centre stage and love it.

In love, in relationships, make sure you’re doing the groundwork. Talking, planning, sharing, discussing, building, creating, aligning. If it doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere and you’re not on the same page, then move along, it’s not for you.

You deserve harmony and bliss, a phase of smooth sailing, and if that’s not how it feels then question if this is where you belong. Your love life has the potential to be amazing and fulfilling right now.    

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Leo

Virgo

August 24 to September 23

Tarot cards for Virgo for Venus in Leo: Scorpio, Align Future Goals, Temptation

Meaning: Don’t bottle things up, play into keeping secrets, or suppress your true desires and feelings, Virgo. The Scorpio card is a warning that you’re protecting yourself by pretending you don’t feel a certain way or want a certain outcome. The truth will come out. Don’t prolong this limbo by pretending.

Align your future goals and focus. Know what you want from your love life and what you bring to it, and what suits you. You may be asking for commitment or clarity, that might make you feel vulnerable, but do it anyway. And, remember, that no answer is the answer…

Avoid temptation, be that distraction so you don’t have to face this, or honey-coated words that don’t align to reality. Be clear-eyed and clear voiced. Speak your mind. Get clarity.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Virgo

Libra

September 24 to October 23

Tarot cards for Libra for Venus in Leo: The Best Friend, Spill the Tea, Smooth Sailing

Meaning: Did you know that 80% of relationships come from initial friendships? We all like to take our time, and sometimes, we all benefit from getting to know someone before the attraction blossoms, because then it’s more than physical.

The Best Friend card puts you in that position (even if it’s a re-evaluation of your partner and you’re thinking how much you like them as well as love them). Spill the tea! Tell them how you really feel. Venus in Leo is the time for the reveal. Secret admirer role soon to be relinquished…

I think it will go well. I think this revelation or even just warmer levels of flirting will be reciprocated and met with equal fervour. Nothing to lose, right? Flirting can always be scaled back, or put back in the box altogether, if the reaction is neutral. Go on. See if you can take this to the next level… it’s time.  

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Libra

Scorpio

October 24 to November 22

Tarot cards for Scorpio for Venus in Leo: Virgo, Unlock New Insight, Uncharted Territory

Meaning: The route to the love life you yearn for is delivered in Virgo-type way; project-managed, planned, organised, seeking info and insight. How well you know someone will dictate how intimate and trusting you can be with them, so invest in unlocking new insight about your object of affection.

Ask weird questions, share something vulnerable about yourself to set the tone, brainstorm, play word associations, pick unusual themes for discussion, ask about their childhood, share a favourite memory- maybe show them or take them someplace. Make them a mix tape!

You’re heading into uncharted territory. The relationship you’re in, or about to enter, will go further, deeper than others, and will mean something new to you. This is exciting, go all in.   

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Scorpio

Sagittarius

November 23 to December 21

Tarot cards for Sagittarius for Venus in Leo: Aries, Don’t Drink The Poison, Power Couple

Meaning: Jealousy is in the air. Don’t drink the poison that others are offering to you, maybe with sly digs or hints about your object of affection. Question them, validate what they’re saying or debunk it. Be like Aries- brave, direct, passionate, heart worn on sleeve.

Sometimes you have to fight to protect what you love, sometimes other people try to get involved just for drama, out of boredom, or because they are jealous. You have got real ‘power couple’ energy around you and it attracts the gaze and imagination of folk.

You actually quite like being centre stage and knowing people are talking about you both, but don’t stoke the fires or get into squabbles. Challenge the haters, get the facts, and then sidestep them for good. You don’t need negative interference in your love life right now.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Sagittarius

Capricorn

December 22 to January 21

Tarot cards for Capricorn for Venus in Leo: The Ex, Pause and Reflect, Spiritual Connection

Meaning: You know, life lessons occur to us at strange times and it’s often the case that the wisdom of an experience doesn’t become apparent until months or years later… when the emotions have faded and you can see look at it dispassionately.

The Ex and the Pause and Reflect card combine to bring you a fresh insight on an old relationship this Venus in Leo, and it’s a powerful one. Maybe the one that got away, the one that hurt you most, the one you never understood, the one that shocked you.

Use it. Use that insight to impact your closest relationship now, even if it’s just to share your processing and new opinion. They will be surprised and may reveal something of their own past or life lesson collection. Spiritual connections come from sharing wisdom and experience and your survival and out-take from it. Live and learn, together.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Capricorn

Aquarius

January 22 to February 19

Tarot cards for Aquarius for Venus in Leo: Capricorn, Take The Crown, Solitude

Meaning: Solitude is not an unwelcome state of affairs for Aquarius folk as you prize your independence, love space and freedom, and enjoy your own company. It can make for misunderstandings or tensions in close relationships and maybe you do need to take accountability for that right now.

Take the Crown means owning your actions and the consequences (intended or not) of them. Acknowledge the impact your need for solitude has had. Explain it. Ask for understanding, share something of your inner workings.

The Capricorn card reveals that practical actions can totally resolve this tension. Committing to certain time/place/activities. Being clear how much time you need in a planned period of time. Not fibbing about where you’re at (only to avoid an argument, but somehow it always backfires). Tackle this healthy conflict head on. Put measures in place to reassure them and also give you your space. It can work!

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aquarius

Pisces

February 20 to March 20

Tarot cards for Pisces for Venus in Leo: The Free Spirit, Pursue Passion, A Fun Fling

Meaning: Someone is due to enter your life during Venus in Leo that you find almost impossible to resist. Their presence may not be long-term, so if you’re happily attached then maybe this is a temptation you can ride out, so to speak.

But if you’re single, well, why not? They are a Free Spirit, a roving wanderer, a casual encounter. But the intensity of the chemistry between you is undeniable… and life is for living, right?

It will certainly be a fun fling, and maybe it has more potential, but for now it’s not something to bet your house on. That doesn’t mean it’s a waste of time. There is awakening energy to be drawn from this phase, and of course many happy memories to look back on. Don’t skip it… unless skipping it is the best thing to protect what you already have. Be shrewd.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Pisces

Kerry King has been reading, teaching and creating tarot for 30 years. Join her magical, exclusive Tarot Club for forecasts, predictions, lessons and readings straight to your inbox. Enjoy one month free for all Metro readers (no lock-in or commitment) over on Patreon.

Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.

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(left to right) Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Prince Louis, the Prince of Wales, Prince George, the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, to view the flypast following, the Trooping the Colour ceremony in central London, as King Charles III celebrates his official birthday. Picture date: Saturday June 14, 2025.

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With the new set up in this extended 48-team World Cup, third place could be enough to extend our trip a little longer.

If the Scotland players need to find any motivation at all going into our crucial opener tonight, they just need to look at the efforts of Craig Ferguson.

The Paisley lad walked the length of America, raising over £1million for men’s mental health.

After his gruelling walk from Hampden Park to Munich ahead of Euro 2024, it was hard to imagine what he could possibly do to top that feat.

But in a bid to mark our first World Cup in 28 years in style, the charity campaigner has truly outdone himself.

He was greeted at Boston Common by delighted fans yesterday as the world’s media once again surrounded the Tartan Army superhero, desperate to get his reaction at the end of the mammoth trek.

The Scotland fan will now get some well-deserved downtime before getting to enjoy our opening match against Haiti at the Gillette Stadium – and no one deserves to see us pick up that vital win more than him.

Elsewhere in the city fans are once again soaking up the glorious sunshine as they gave us their predictions ahead of the big match.

There is a real sense of anticipation. A feeling that this could be our time – our chance to finally get out of a group at a major tournament.

No one needs to be reminded that history isn’t kind to us when it comes to this sort of thing.

But the feeling across the pond is that things could – and should – be different this time.

With the new set up in this extended 48-team World Cup, third place could be enough to extend our trip a little longer.

One huge performance could be enough – and no one who has made the long trip over here wants to see us go home early again.

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Fans who have made the long trip across to Boston are desperate for us not to blow it.

The Tartan Army have issued a rallying cry to the national team ahead of our crucial World Cup opener against Haiti as fans beg… don’t mess this up.

We can give our chances of progressing through the group stage of a major tournament for the first time ever a huge boost by seeing off the Caribbean outfit on Saturday night – and fans who have made the long trip across to Boston are desperate for us not to blow it.

After a night of partying as we celebrated our arrival back on the world’s biggest stage, supporters brushed off the hangovers and headed out early again on Friday.

Temperatures had dropped ever-so-slightly to around 30C, but many fans who still haven’t been able to adapt to this kind of heat were seen diving into air conditioned eateries and boozers for cover.

We can only hope the Scotland team, who arrived over in the States over a week ago, have had time to adjust as we prepare for the big match – and supporters heading to the match tomorrow are feeling confident we can do it.

John Mackay, 33, an engineer from the Highlands, told the Record: “We came up here from Virginia on Thursday morning. It’s my first time seeing Scottish people in years.

“It’s been good catching up with some of the people from back home. When the draw came out, I was just praying for the east coast. It could have been anywhere, but Boston was perfect.

“We’ve got tickets for the Haiti game. We got them through resale, so we had to pay a huge amount for them.

“But it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity – we’ve waited all this time. It’s a bucket list item.

“We kind of had our World Cup final in November when we beat Denmark to qualify. The euphoria of a nation.

“We will never experience that ever again – but we can’t waste this opportunity. I think we’re going to get a big win and finally get out of a group. 4-0 Scotland.”

Glasgow brothers Gary Collins, an operations manager who now lives in York, and Paul Flynn, a chef who now lives in Brisbane, linked up in Boston for the trip of a lifetime.

Gary, 53, told the Record: “We’ve already had a tremendous time, it’s been terrific.

“It has really been magic, a great atmosphere. We’ve been made to feel at home. The Bostonians have been fabulous, really friendly.

“We’ve got tickets for the Haiti game and the Brazil match. We have to win on Saturday – but we know what history’s like. I think this group of players are different, though. I don’t think they’ll let us down.”

There’s been a family friendly atmosphere in the city with fans enjoying the American hospitality.

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Donna Sweeney, a social worker from Gartcosh, and her son Murray, 12, have been stopped everywhere they’ve went with locals desperate to get a picture of the youngster in his Duke of Wellington style traffic cone hat.

Donna, 47, said: “The atmosphere’s amazing. It’s really family friendly. Everybody’s been talking to us. We’ve done loads of trips and we’re going to the game tomorrow.

“We’re really looking forward to that. I’m confident we are going to get the result we need. 3-0 Scotland!”

Murray added: “I’ve had so many people come up to me, random people saying oh, nice hat! It’s been crazy. I’m taking the hat with me to the game. Hopefully it brings us luck.”

Kevin Findlay, 47, his wife Andrea, 45, and their son Aaron, 13, have travelled from St John’s in Canada.

Kevin, who is originally from Aberdeen, said: “We all live in Canada now and we travelled down yesterday and it’s been a blast ever since we landed here.

“As soon as I heard, we qualified we knew we couldn’t miss it for the world.

“We’ve got tickets, the three of us, so we’re getting the trained down at 4 o’clock to start the party straight away.

“I don’t want to be overconfident but I think we’re gonna make it past this round. Definitely. No question.”

Andrea added: “We’re really excited about the game. We can’t wait to see all the Scotland fans. The vibe has been amazing, and we’re ready to go. Come on Scotland!”

It look Mark Batchelor, 37, his wife Michelle, 37, and their kids Lewis, 14 and Sophie, 10, two days to get to America from Airdrie – but now they’re here they just can’t wait for kick off.

Michelle said; “I’s just been amazing. Just getting here, and the atmosphere – the train stations, airports, taxis, buses, it’s been a journey.

“But we’re here now and it’s the experience of a lifetime.”

Mark added: “Imagine getting to bring your kids to something like this. It’s really is once in a lifetime thing.

“The kids weren’t even born the last time we qualified but I can just the agony of France 98 – but it’s going to be differnet this time!”

Jack Wattie, 37, an agricultural worker from Aberdeenshire, added: “The weather has been amazing – it’s been great.

“We came out here on Wednesday and we’re going home on Monday but we have tickets for the Haiti game. It’s going to be some buzz. It feels like this is our time. We won’t get a better opportunity than this.

“I fancy us to win 2-0. We need to play a 442, play two strikers up top and really go for it. That will put us in a really good position to get out of the group. Come on Scotland!”

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The Finest Hotel in Kabul: A People’s History of Afghanistan is about an institution tasked with the job of housing strangers – Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel. Through this hotel, which sits high on a hill, and the people within it, seasoned BBC journalist and current foreign affairs editor, Lyse Doucet, attempts tell an immersive history of the sweeping changes that have faced Afghanistan since it opened in 1969.

The book has won the third ever Women’s prize in non-fiction. As an scholar of the region, I can tell you that the hotel is a useful lens through which to tell the recent history of Afghanistan.

The modern state of Afghanistan occupies an integral position in the Silk Road region. It was home to an expansive and historic civilisation in which commerce and hospitality had long been entwined with one another.

Inns, better known as caravanseries in the region, played a central role in the provision of security, the exchange of information, and the formation of identity for traders.

Beyond caravanserais, caring for strangers occupied a critical place in the local moral universe of people in the region. In some contexts this took place in communal gathering places; in others, in villages or the guesthouses of the wealthy and powerful. Across the region, though, social institutions designed to receive, respect, and protect outsiders, from near and far, were a prominent feature of everyday life. While a very different sort of resting place, The Kabul Intercontinental sits within this rich history.

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As with other bold architectural buildings of the 1960s, whose history is also tied up to a flow of western capital, the hotel stood for a vision of Afghanistan’s future – of modernity, development and international prestige. As the years passed, the reality ebbed and waned.

Its initial guests included Pan American Airlines flight crews and Afghan socialite and fashion designer Safia Tarzi, a scion of the country’s ruling royal family. People staying in its plush rooms enjoyed local delicacies like drinks from the Afghan-Clemd factory (a state-owned distillery) whose products included the rare taste of alcohol imported from Mongolia and others flavoured with the finest Afghan red raisins.

This luxury, however, would change as the final decade of the cold war ripped Afghanistan and its families to shreds. This is when Doucet’s relationship with the hotel began as she first checked in on Christmas eve 1988.

In its walls she experienced the Soviet evacuation. She saw armed mujahideen commanders from the hills, internationally renowned terrorists, and Taliban leaders tear out the hotel’s bars and smash the bottles of brandy they discovered within. Gone was the glamour, along with the music and mixed-gendered dancing in the hotel’s ballroom.

After the events of 9/11, the international jetset did return. However, these guests were uniformed Nato officials, local elites, international journalists and the employees of aid organisations. They flocked to the hotel, but often pursued by Taliban fighters who tracked them down with ruthless and bloody efficiency.

So Kabul’s “finest hotel” became to be associated with the cloistered and security-cordoned lives of Afghan and international elites and their acolytes. But as Doucet emphasises throughout, it was ordinary people who kept the institution afloat. Responding to changes of personnel and ideological direction, they navigated the changing, violent and deeply unpredictable world around them with deftness and skill. Many losing their lives in the course of doing so.

Around the world, similar hotels were built to demonstrate prestige and signal prosperous futures. However, while the Intercontinental’s doors never closed, others have either fallen into disrepair or come to be used for purposes quite different from those for which they were designed.

Take the Sevastopol Hotel in Moscow, which was built in 1979 to accommodate visitors for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. In the 1990s, it was transformed by Afghan merchants. Rooms built to house guests visiting for Olympics were transformed into commercial offices and retail shops; the hotel’s underground levels becoming warehouses packed full of Chinese-made toys, hardware items, and suitcases.

Doucet’s book is one of the few conventional journalistic accounts of Afghanistan that depicts the country’s ordinary people as rounded individuals seeking to lead respectable lives amid violence and unpredictability. It is a welcome corrective work and a worthy winner.

This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something, The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

Construction workers have discovered the bodies of 29 unborn babies while digging at a family home in Lutory

A total of 29 unborn babies have been discovered buried beneath a family home in Poland.

Construction workers made the horrifying discovery while they were digging through a driveway on private land when they discovered the bodies, which led to the arrest of a 52-year-old woman.

The suspect is now being investigated for desecration of a corpse and illegal disposal of hazardous waste, according to Polish news agency PAP. The offence could result in a jail sentence of between two and 12 years, The Mirror reports.

According to the prosecutor’s office, “a significant amount of medical waste, mainly paraffin blocks and microscope slides,” were also found on the property, local media reported.

The current owners of the five acre plot, who were in the middle of renovations, alerted police to the discovery, local reports said.

It sparked a large emergency response, with police still digging the area and searches expected to last until next week.

Polish media outlet Interia Wydarzenia said “according to a statement from the District Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów, the first information about ‘the discovery of significant amounts of medical waste on the premises of one of the properties in Lutory’ was received by investigators on June 10.”

It added: “The discovered waste also included a human fetus and other remains that could have been human fetuses in the early stages of development or their fragments.”

Medical experts were sent to the scene and “confirmed that the secured remains were those of human fetuses,” the report said.

The excavator used to dig up the remains is now being tested for DNA samples, while a specialist waterworks truck was also deployed, sparking fears that nearby drains and sewer systems could hold further evidence.

Local residents described the former owner of the property as unsettling and reclusive. She is believed to have bought the house two years ago before selling it to a young couple, who currently reside there, six months ago.

“I don’t even know what this woman does. I knew her by sight,” one villager said.

Another said the woman, who had red hair, was “a bit strange.”

However, one man told local media a different story. “I remember that woman, but she hasn’t been here for about five years,” he said.. She supposedly performed some autopsy here, but I don’t know for sure.”

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By taking over Warner Bros, Paramount will become one of the most powerful forces in Hollywood, adding news network CNN, TV networks HBO, TBS, TNT, TCM, as well as studios DC Studios and New Line Cinema to its current stable of assets. Those include Paramount Pictures, CBS, Showtime and Nickelodeon.

Rugby league great Kevin Sinfield, actress Dame Helen Mirren and six of the European Championship-winning Lionesses lead the celebrities and famous faces featured in the King’s Birthday Honours.

King Charles III is again honouring those who have made a difference in many different areas of the country, with those getting the nods being revealed on Friday night (June 12) ahead of the monarch’s official birthday on Saturday (June 13).

As well as the ordinary people honoured for their services to the country, the list – which is released twice a year, at New Year and in June on the King’s official birthday – also recognises a whole host of famous faces and celebrities who have done the same – including actors, politicians, musicians and sportspeople.

Nearly 1,200 people from across the UK received honours in the latest list. Honours, including MBEs, OBEs, and CBEs, will be handed out to everyone from local community heroes and fundraising champions to stars of the stage, screen, and sporting field.

Among the celebrities being recognised this year are, as already mentioned, Oldham rugby star Kevin Sinfield, who has been knighted, and iconic actress Dame Helen Mirren. Sir Kevin has completed six running challenges, having been inspired by former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow, who died in 2024 after living with motor neurone disease (MND) for four-and-a-half years.

The former England rugby league captain, who has so far raised more than £10 million for MND charities, received a knighthood for his services to the MND community, as well as for services to league and union rugby. He is taking on his seventh and final endurance challenge – all of which have been based around the number seven as it was the number Burrow wore in his playing days – in September.

Dame Helen, meanwhile, was made a Companion of Honour for services to drama. There are only 65 Companions of Honour at any one time.

They are joined by Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, who became an MBE for his services to music and charity, and Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley, who received the same honour for her services to drama and her charity work.

Tony said: “What an unbelievable honour to receive an MBE. It’s been a privilege doing something I love and then to see that music connects with so many over the years.” Bury-born Lisa, who turns 50 in July, commented: “Wow, if this is not my best 50th birthday present, being awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list, I don’t know what is. To say I am humbled is an absolute understatement. Thank you so much, my heart is the warmest it could ever be.”

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Broadcaster and musician Cerys Matthews became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to music. The Catatonia singer, who fronts a weekly show on BBC Radio 6 Music, was made an MBE in 2014.

DJ Judge Jules, who became an MBE, said the honour feels like “a reward for my industry” while TV presenter Anneka Rice was made an MBE for her services to charity and broadcasting. She took on various tasks in her show Challenge Anneka, which aired from 1989 to 1995 and was briefly revived in 2023, often to raise money for charity.

The Gruffalo writer Julia Donaldson and Noughts and Crosses author Malorie Blackman both received damehoods for their services to literature.

Dame Julia was the UK’s best-selling author last year, overtaking Harry Potter creator JK Rowling amid the Gruffalo’s continued popularity and the success of more recent characters like Zog the dragon.

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Businessman Dave Fishwick, who inspired Netflix’s Bank of Dave film, was made an OBE for services to finance, business and charity. He said that being made an OBE was “wonderful” and “unbelievable”.

Beauty entrepreneur and make-up artist to the stars, Charlotte Tilbury, was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). The 53-year-old founded her eponymous beauty brand in 2013 after working as a celebrity make-up artist for more than 20 years, having created looks for the likes of Kate Moss and Kim Kardashian.

In football, Chloe Kelly, who scored the winning penalty in last summer’s nail-biting Euros final, was one of the players to be made an MBE. At 20 years old, rising star forward Michelle Agyemang is the youngest recipient on the list. Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, forwards Alessia Russo and Lauren James, and defender Jess Carter were also honoured.

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