A simple cleaning hack ensures the shower tiles and grout look sparkly clean – and no scrubbing is needed.

Bathroom tiles have a tendency to accumulate dirt and grime, and ultimately mould, without regular weekly cleaning. And let’s face it, a demanding weekly deep clean of the bathroom might not be everyone’s priority.

Grout can become discoloured quite easily, developing a dark brown coating that makes the bathroom tiles appear unhygienic. Over time, it can become a breeding ground for mould spores and bacteria.

Fortunately, John Klee – an expert from the Big Bathroom Shop – has revealed to Express.co.uk a straightforward and efficient cleaning method.

Whilst you could purchase a chemical cleaning product for your tiles, all you really need for a thorough clean is something acidic.

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John recommended: “The best way to keep grout looking in top condition is to spray down the shower with a 1:1 vinegar and water mix before stepping out of the shower.”

White vinegar, which contains antibacterial acetic acid, can break down soap and remove any oily residue left on the bathroom tiles.

Regular use of white vinegar will also eliminate mould and prevent its return, as the spores cannot thrive in an acidic environment.

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Keeping white vinegar in your bathroom might seem unusual, but it makes tackling tile stains and mildew simple, ensuring your tiles remain as spotless as possible.

Here’s an easy approach to prevent mould and to eliminate soap scum while maintaining sparkly clean bathroom tiles – without the need for intensive scrubbing or harsh chemical solutions.

How to deep clean tile grout in a flash

All you need to do is spritz white vinegar on the tiles grout twice a week, just before you step out of the shower.

If you spot any black or brown stains, you can also use a soft-bristled brush, or even an old toothbrush, to gently scrub the grout lines using a circular motion. Any build-up should easily come off.

Wipe the surface dry with a cloth and your tiles should remain impeccably white with minimal effort.

The survey captured the perspectives of 1,500 privately owned businesses across the UK, including 122 in Yorkshire, spanning sectors such as professional services, finance, technology, industrial manufacturing and retail.

Plans to introduce new technology were identified as the primary driver of confidence, cited by 52% of Yorkshire businesses – significantly above the UK average of 42%.

Digital transformation was also cited as a leading investment priority for 39% of Yorkshire businesses – mirroring the UK average and reflecting the region’s growing technology ecosystem.

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Diversification remains high on the agenda, with more than half of private businesses across Yorkshire (56%) planning to introduce new service lines and broaden their client offerings as they seek to unlock new revenue streams.

Appetite for international expansion is also high, with more than half of respondents (58%) confirming that appetite for international expansion has increased over the last 12 months

The appetite for alternative funding options is also strong, with over half of Yorkshire businesses (51%) now open to private equity investment, exceeding the UK average of 47%.

More broadly, over 60% of businesses are engaged with acquisitions in some capacity: 32% are actively pursuing acquisitions, while a further 32% are open to acquisition opportunities even if they are not currently seeking deals. The remaining 39% are focused solely on internal growth.

Phil Murden, Leeds Office Senior Partner at KPMG UK, said: “Businesses across the region are prioritising new technology and digital skills as a way to boost productivity and sharpen their competitive edge.

“This confidence is being reinforced by the strength of Yorkshire’s growing tech ecosystem, particularly in Leeds, alongside momentum behind initiatives such as the AI Growth Zone bids in York, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Barnsley, which have the potential to accelerate innovation, support skilled job creation and strengthen collaboration between business and academia.

“Businesses are diversifying, exploring new markets and showing greater openness to alternative funding, all of which points to a region that refuses to stand still. Despite headwinds Yorkshire’s private businesses are confident. They are positioning themselves to grow and compete internationally.”

Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of War, is “missing a good party” by choosing to skip a meeting of his fellow NATO defence ministers in Brussels, one ally has said.

Other allies were more diplomatic, playing down the no-show, though Germany’s defence minister underlined the need for the alliance to become “more European” to remain transatlantic.

The comments were made as defence ministers from the 32-nation bloc gathered at NATO headquarters on Thursday to discuss steps to increase European security one year after Mr Hegseth warned them that the United States was shifting its focus to other priorities and Europe needed to take the lead in defending itself.

Sky News asked a number of ministers, as they arrived, what they thought about the secretary of war deciding not to return to NATO headquarters for this year’s ministerial, instead sending Elbridge Colby, his deputy – and whether this was a signal that the United States was less interested in the security of Europe.

Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, the foreign minister of Iceland, who is also responsible for defence, said: “Sadly for him he is missing a good party. Of course, it is always better that the ministers attend here but I will not describe it as a bad signal.”

She said allies had already been tested earlier in the year when Donald Trump threatened to seize Greenland – even though it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a fellow member of NATO.

Mark Rutte, the head of the alliance, defused that crisis when he spoke with the US president on the sidelines of a major economic forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, making clear that defending the Arctic is a core priority for all allies.

On Wednesday, NATO announced an enhanced mission to protect the high north, called Arctic Sentry. The move appears designed to demonstrate to Mr Trump that the territory is well protected from threats from Russia and China.

“I think now the alliance is stronger than in the beginning of the year,” the Icelandic foreign minister said.

Boris Pistorius, the defence minister of Germany, which is hugely ramping up its defence spending in response to Mr Trump’s demands, said he was “not disappointed” that his American counterpart had stayed away from the NATO meeting.

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“I know everybody, each of us had a full, full agenda,” he told Sky News.

Mr Pistorius said it was right that Europe played a much greater role in defending itself.

“The time has come that the Europeans take over more and more step by step in the years to come,” he said.

“This is absolutely normal and natural. I understand, and I support this direction.”

Mr Pistorius said the main point for him was that the United States is a member of NATO and remains a member of NATO.

But “a key to keep NATO transatlantic, it is necessary to make it more European”.

“We also agree that loneliness, the lack of emotional maturity, the pressure of mounting debts, the lack of consistent mental health care and support and recurring heartache are all contributing factors of Robin Jamie Windsor’s mental health deterioration which in turn led him to take his own life.”

Nottingham Forest are close to appointing former Wolves boss Vitor Pereira as their new head coach.

The Premier League club sacked Sean Dyche shortly after being held to a goalless draw by bottom club Wolves on Wednesday, leaving them three points above the relegation zone with 12 games remaining.

BBC Sport earlier reported Forest had opened talks with Pereira and those discussions are understood to have progressed with an agreement now described as close.

The 57-year-old quickly emerged as the preferred option to replace Dyche, having worked previously under Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis at Greek club Olympiacos.

Pereira was credited for keeping Wolves in the Premier League last season having joined midway through the campaign, but he was sacked in November with the club on two points from 10 matches.

The Portuguese is in line to become Forest’s fourth manager of the season following Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Dyche.

The crime thriller has returned to Prime Video for a second season with a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score.

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A gripping crime thriller has made its comeback to Prime Video this week and viewers are applauding its ‘genius’ plot twists. The hard-hitting detective drama initially premiered back in November 2024 and is adapted from a collection of best-selling novels by acclaimed author James Patterson.

Season 1 of the TV series secured a respectable 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but its second season has launched with a significantly higher rating of 90%. The opening season saw Aldis Hodge headline the cast as a detective hunting down a chilling serial killer, portrayed by New Amsterdam’s Ryan Eggold, who disguised his victims as infamous serial killers from history.

Meanwhile, season 2 features a race against the clock to locate a female killer who is plotting to take “revenge” on some of the world’s most powerful CEOs. Cross, which sees Hodge portraying the titular Detective Alex Cross from Patterson’s novels, arrived on Prime Video yesterday. The opening three episodes of Cross are available to stream now, with the remaining episodes releasing weekly until the season 2 finale on March 18.

The official Prime Video synopsis for Cross season 2 reads: “Starring Aldis Hodge, CROSS is a Washington DC based crime drama that follows Alex Cross, a brilliant homicide detective and forensic psychologist, uniquely capable of digging into the minds of serial killers in order to identify and catch them. In Season Two, Cross is in pursuit of a ruthless vigilante who is hunting down corrupt billionaire magnates.”

Season 2 promises even higher stakes and has welcomed some thrilling new cast members, including Scooby-Doo star Matthew Lillard, Roswell, New Mexico actress Jeanine Mason and The Expanse’s Wes Chatham. Taking to X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, fans expressed their views on the series, with some catching up on the show for the first time, reports the Express.

One tweeted: “Just binged Cross S1 on Prime Video. Thought it started slow, but wow… it completely hooked me. Turning the subplot into the real story was genius. The suspense, twists, and performances go crazy. Anticipating Season 2,” they enthused, before later adding: “Holy s***. Season 2 is definitely gonna be fire.”

“First 3 episodes of season 2 #Cross was pretty damn good,” a second person wrote, while another concurred: “#Cross is real good this season!” Another fan confessed they would be “watching #cross for the rest of the day”, as one more remarked: “Watching new season of #cross so far so good.”

Other fans were keen for more episodes to be released following a change to the release schedule from season 1, with one individual lamenting: “Bruh they’re gonna air the episodes weekly for #cross.. ugh. Just drop the damn 8 episodes.” Another added: “Why is #Cross not being released all in one go? First episode of S2 was good.”

Meanwhile, over on Rotten Tomatoes, critics offered their views on series two, with CBR noting: “The second season of Cross tells a disturbing, yet provocatively captivating story that peels back the layers of human morality.”

RIOTUS wrote: “Season 1 left us breathless with no one to trust, but Season 2 is brutal. If you think you’re ready, be worried because the drama-trauma coming your way is real.”

The Movie Blog observed: “Cross Season 2 delivers a timely, twisty mystery that stays sharp and relevant. Aldis Hodge anchors the season with control, and the supporting cast keeps the momentum strong all the way to the finale.”

However, not everyone was impressed, with a critic from Roger Ebert stating: “The highs and lows of this second season mirror a spindling rollercoaster, one whose mechanisms slowly falter until the wheels come loose, before the whole ride comes crashing down.” Collider added: “While Cross Season 2 is mostly entertaining, it’s missing some of the key aspects that made Season 1 work so well.”

Cross season 2, episodes 1-3 are available to stream now on Prime Video and new episodes will arrive every Wednesday.

The Turning Point Brewing Company has announced the proposed sale on its social media sites.

Owners Cameron Brown and Aron McMahon say the sale of the Knaresborough-based brewery follows “nine joyous and successful years.”

Turning Point Brewery began in 2017, originally in Kirkbymoorside, before it moved to its current site in 2019, where the Rooster’s Brewery was until it moved to Hornbeam Park, Harrogate.

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The brewery statement said: “The brewery will operate and trade as normal until a new ownership is found and implemented and all planned projects and events, such as Taproom openings, Imperial March etc, all continue as scheduled.

“The reasons for sale are personal to the Directors, and they feel the time is right for someone with equal passion and drive to take the reins and move this wonderful, thriving brewery and brand forward for many years to come.”

The sale includes The Falcon pub in Micklegate, York, which the pair also own and which Cameron used to run when it was known as the Falcon Tap, before it closed in 2018, until re-opening in 2022.

Cameron Brown outside the Falcon in 2022 when it re-opened after several years. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

For a time, earlier this century, the property, which first opened as a pub in 1715, was a ‘fun pub’ known as Rumours, before returning to its Falcon branding.

The Turning Point Brewery is known for an extensive range of styles, with a focus on New England IPAs, sours, and imperial stouts.

Over the years, it has made 160 different ales, often featuring space-themed names like Astral Voyage and Cosmic Slop. It’s best selling beer is best-selling beer is Disco King, a 5.1% ABV American pale ale.

Some of its beers are stocked in the craft beer sections of Asda, Sainsbury’s and The Co-op.

Turning Point has won many awards over the years. They included last September, the brewery winning gold at the York CAMRA Beer Festival for its Velvet Goldmine in the 4.8%-5.4%ABV category and silver in the 4.5%-4.7% ABV category.

The Turning Point statement added: “Should you be interested in buying a prospering, profitable business, please get in touch at office@turningpointbrewco.com where a full sales prospectus is available.”

A groundbreaking new study has identified the gene that allows melanoma skin cancer to spread and evade the immune system – it’s hoped the findings could help save thousands of lives each year

Scientists have made a major skin cancer breakthrough which it is hoped could save thousands of lives each year.

A tiny molecule that usually helps regulate gene activity has also been shown to drive the growth of the deadly cancer by allowing tumours to evade attacks by the body’s immune system, according to the new study. The gene, named HOXD13, is a key factor in melanoma growth, said study lead investigator Pietro Berico, and also suppresses the T cell response needed to fight the cancer – allowing it to spread to other parts of the body.

Skin cancer kills approximately 2,500 people per year in the UK, and over 8,000 in the US – but researchers hope that they will soon be able to develop inhibitor medicines that tackle melanoma at a molecular level.

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Pietro Berico, a postdoctoral research fellow at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine and Perlmutter Cancer Centre, said: “Our study provides new evidence that transcription factor HOXD13 is a potent driver of melanoma growth and that it suppresses the T cell activity needed to fight the disease.”

Dr Hernando-Monge, a professor in the Department of Pathology and a senior investigator in the study, said separate clinical trials are already underway to evaluate the safety, dose tolerance, and effectiveness of inhibitor medications to fight melanoma and other cancers. Some of the trials combined one of the inhibitors with another form of existing immunotherapy – drugs that use the immune system to attack cancer.

“This data supports the combined targeting of angiogenesis and adenosine-receptor pathways as a promising new treatment approach for HOXD13-driven melanoma,” she said. For the study, researchers analysed tumours from over 200 melanoma patients living in the US Brazil, and Mexico to see what genetic pathways were elevated or suppressed, with HOXD13 among the ones that stood out in the results.

Further experiments in mice and human melanoma cell lines showed that HOXD13 also drove angiogenesis – the formation of new blood vessels by tumours – and evasion from the immune system. Tests involving inhibition of HOXD13, VEGF, and adenosine went on to show that HOXD13 was key to the cancer’s growth and survival.

What are the symptoms of melanoma skin cancer?

The main symptom of melanoma skin cancer is a new mole or an existing mole that changes in size, shape, or colour, according to the NHS. These may present in different shades of brown, black, red, or blue.

Key warning signs include moles with uneven edges, multiple colours, or those that are itchy, inflamed, or bleeding. You should make an appointment with your GP if you notice any unusual or changing spots on your skin.

In Britain, most skin cancer diagnoses – approximately 90% – are for non-melanoma skin cancer, which is usually caused by ultraviolet light. The main types are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week, remaining within the historically healthy range of the past few years.

Applications for jobless aid for the week ending Feb. 7 fell by 5,000 to 227,000 from the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s basically in line with the 226,000 new applications that analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet had forecast.

Filings for unemployment benefits are viewed as representative of U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.

On Wednesday, the government reported that U.S. employers added a surprisingly strong 130,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate fell to a still-low 4.3% from 4.4%. However, government revisions cut 2024-2025 U.S. payrolls by hundreds of thousands. That reduced the number of jobs created last year to just 181,000, a third of the previously reported 584,000 and the weakest since the pandemic year of 2020.

While weekly layoffs have remained in a historically low range mostly between 200,000 and 250,000 for the past few years, a number of high-profile companies have announced job cuts recently, including UPS, Amazon, Dow and the Washington Post in recent weeks.

Mounting layoff announcements in the past year, combined with the government’s own sluggish labor market reports, have left Americans increasingly pessimistic about the economy.

The Labor Department also recently reported that job openings fell in December to the lowest level in more than five years, another sign that the American labor market remains sluggish, even though the economy is registering solid growth.

Data over the past year has broadly revealed a labor market in which hiring has clearly slowed, hobbled by uncertainty raised by President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the lingering effects of the high interest rates the Fed engineered in 2022 and 2023 to tamp down a spike of pandemic-induced inflation.

Economists are conflicted about whether the stronger-than-expected January job gains are a one-off or possibly the first sign of a recovering labor market, which could lead the Fed to further delay more cuts to its key interest rate.

Some Fed officials have specifically argued that last year’s weak hiring shows that borrowing costs are weighing on growth and discouraging companies from expanding. A sustained pickup in hiring could undercut that theory.

Fed officials signaled in December that they expect to reduce their key rate once more this year, while Wall Street investors expect two reductions, according to futures pricing.

Thursday’s unemployment benefits report from the Labor Department also showed that the four-week moving average of jobless claims, which balances out some of the weekly volatility, rose by 7,000 to 219,500.

The total number of Americans filing for jobless benefits for the previous week ending Jan. 31 increased by 21,000 to 1.86 million, the government said.

Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor’s cause of death has been confirmed at an emotional inquest, with heartbreaking testimonies from close friends and dance partners

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The cause of death for former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor was determined today following a three-day inquest.

A jury concluded the death was suicide after hearing the dancer was “vulnerable to rejection both emotionally and professionally.” Windsor was discovered dead at the Hoxton Hotel in Shepherd’s Bush, London, on February 19, 2024 at the age of 44.

The ex-Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer had a blood alcohol level more than double the drink-drive limit and had consumed the drug GBL. Following approximately two hours of deliberation, a 10-person jury established that Windsor had taken his own life, determining that the likely causes were “an accumulation of many attributes to depression”.

The jury forewoman informed the court: “Windsor suffered from childhood trauma, he was vulnerable to rejection, both emotionally and professionally.”

The jury also concluded that “loneliness, the lack of emotional maturity, the pressure of mounting debts, the lack of consistent mental health care and support and recurring heartache” were “contributing factors” to Windsor’s decision to take his own life, reports the Mirror.

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In a message to a close friend written before his death, Windsor stated: “This all actually really started when I lost my place on Strictly and I have been fighting it ever since.”

He wrote: “I had a good run, I’ve done some incredible things in my 44 years and had an unreal life doing what I loved, but all things must come to an end and my curtain has come down for the final time.”

A separate message addressed to former partner and actor Ollie Augstin, from whom Windsor had separated the previous year, stated “I need you to understand, this is not your fault!”.

The Latin and ballroom performer became part of Strictly in 2010, partnering with actresses Patsy Kensit, Anita Dobson and Lisa Riley, alongside Dragons’ Den businesswoman Deborah Meaden across four series until 2013. A back injury prevented him from participating in the 2014 series and he wasn’t invited back in 2015, though he still featured in that year’s Christmas special, performing with TV presenter Alison Hammond.

Upon delivering the verdict, Coroner van Dellen addressed Mr Windsor’s family member present in court: “I hope the family can take some comfort from the joy Robin brought to so many people and the positive effect he had on so many people.”

The coroner continued, “That’s a wonderful legacy for Robin to leave.”

Van Dellen instructed jurors to establish how Windsor met his death.

“You will need to consider the extent to which matters or events probably more than minimally contributed to Robin’s mental health deterioration, which in turn led him to take his own life,” van Dellen explained.

Throughout the inquest, deeply moving evidence was provided by Windsor’s friends and professional associates, including his Strictly partners Lisa Riley and Deborah Meaden, along with former Strictly professional Kristina Rihanoff.

In evidence presented at Wednesday’s hearing, Emmerdale actress Riley revealed that Windsor’s “glow had gone” following his removal from Strictly. “It was from this moment, on to the time of his death, he kept slipping deeper and deeper into endless depression,” she explained.

The soap actress revealed that she and Windsor maintained a particularly strong bond that endured well beyond their stint together on the 10th series of Strictly.

“To say we hit it off was an understatement. We were joined at the hip. Robin was my rock, my best friend.”

Lisa revealed Robin would “tell me of times where he would not feel good enough”. Riley indicated that Windsor had faced difficulties in his love life, splashing out on expensive presents which left him “drowning in debt”.

“Robin was and always has been influenced by other men. It became a standing joke he would fall in love after three days. He craved to be loved. I warned him so many times he was covering up his true feelings with booze, parties, and recreational drugs.”

The court was also informed that Windsor had battled with his perception of his own appearance. “Body image played an enormous part in his insecurities. He took steroids for his body shape” Riley documented, noting that she felt the steroids amplified the impact of Windsor’s excessive alcohol consumption.

Her statement continued: “He opened up to me and told me of a time where he was molested by his old dance teacher.”

In a separate statement, entrepreneur and Dragon’s Den personality, Meaden, acknowledged that whilst Windsor “always did his best to present a bright and sunny face”, she had witnessed her dancing partner “tearful and distracted at times.”

Another witness, John Gleede, a pantomime performer, revealed that Windsor “seemed obsessed with Strictly Come Dancing” whilst working on a 2023 production of Aladdin, a decade after his departure from Strictly.

He explained: “During the rehearsal period he had a lot of time on his hands. He was sitting on the sidelines watching footage of strictly, the current series. He was looking at it on his phone continuously. He missed it dearly.”

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. In the UK & ROI, Samaritans are available on 116 123. In the US, call or text 988.