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Daily horoscope August 25, 2026: Predictions for your star sign

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Daily horoscope August 25, 2026: Predictions for your star sign
Here’s what the stars have in store for your day (Picture: Metro.co.uk)

Mercury joins the Sun in Virgo today, instilling a sense of meaning into the day before you. Look for messages and signals.

Cancer, Leo and Virgo, varied perspectives and takes will work to your favour. Discuss big ideas with those around you.

We often hear of ‘signs from the cosmos’; today, those carry some extra weight. Keep your cosmic senses attuned.

Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Tuesday August 25, 2026.

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Aries

March 21 to April 20

Mercury is the winged messenger in mythology, and very much to do with communication, and messages. However, Mercury also rules the sign of precision and practicality, Virgo, and moves to join the Sun in that sign today. This is an excellent opportunity to sharpen your focus onto practical strands or to look to find all sorts of meaningful efficiencies.

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

Today’s celestial guidance for Aries

Taurus

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April 21 to May 21

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You may find yourself feeling a bit lighter and perhaps even more mischievous. If life has seemed more reflective, now you can be more minded to connect to others and be social. If this doesn’t call out to you, what can, is working on pet projects but feeling more in the mood to showcase your talents with others. Either way, you have entered a brighter phase, now

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

Today’s planetary forecast for Taurus

Gemini

May 22 to June 21

Thinking comes easily to you, and the planets are asking you to direct your ideas towards home, family or property considerations. Long considered working from home or converting a hobby into a small enterprise? This can gain traction too. However, when it comes for conversations with people close to you, look to stay in touch with your feelings, not just logic.

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

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How the stars aligned for Gemini today

Cancer

June 22 to July 23

The people you encounter daily, locally or online, can bring a spark to your world. This could because of a meet up, a group or shared interest, but you can bring an effervescent quality to these connections, and a spark of excitement. Still, your attention span can be a little lower, so to ward off losing interest, you may find yourself juggling several strands, all out at once.

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

Celestial energies for Cancer today

Leo

July 24 to August 23

Recent weeks have been enriched, by a whole series of planetary influences, encouraging you to focus and the plans and people dear to your heart. With the zippy Mercury moving into the practical Virgo, today is an excellent opportunity to appraise how some of those strands are developing. Don’t be self-critical about what’s not gained traction, but recognise what has, Leo.

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

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Your daily zodiac insight for Leo

Virgo

August 24 to September 23

Your thinking can become more agile, as Mercury your guide, arrives in Virgo. This will help to bring you into the moment, after a time of reflection or focusing on personal issues. Your appetite to reinvigorate ongoing projects, or to start new ones, will be positively increased. Stay in touch with those more recent sensory vibes though, they are likely valuable.

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

Cosmic messages for Cosmic messages for Virgo today

Libra

September 24 to October 23

Whenever the Sun coursing through the sign before yours of Virgo, it’s a chance for you to take stock. This year, the sharp-eyed Mercury follows the Sun. In the next few weeks their joint energies give you an excellent to reflect, research and recharge. After an extremely busy time, the opportunity to pause and digest all that has happened can prove to be therapeutic.

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

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Your daily stellar guidance for Libra

Scorpio

October 24 to November 22

You may have found yourself experiencing a lot of fated encounters, worldly-wise of late, but if your social scene has taken the celestial back seat, now’s a fine time to rekindle meaningful friendships, or to step up your social connections. Lots of fine ideas can be exchanged and these can help you to think your longer-term direction, and deciphering what truly moves you.

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

Star alignments for Scorpio today

Sagittarius

November 23 to December 21

Your appetite for expansion has been activated recently, but perhaps a yearning for new experiences. These may be through travel, education, or online courses or is it around your work that you may be in the mood for a change? If so, don’t limit the scope of what you might do. With the world changing fast, think of how your experience can be used in a fresh way.

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

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Today’s astral messages for Sagittarius

Capricorn

December 22 to January 21

Mercury’s move into fellow Earth sign Virgo can help you make sense of ideas or plans that have been gathering momentum. Whether you’re considering travel, study or broadening your horizons in another way, this influence encourages careful preparation without dampening your ambition. Give finer details attention, for these will be as important as the overall plan.

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

Your zodiac forecast for Capricorn today

Aquarius

January 22 to February 19

If recent events have encouraged you to think more deeply about financial or emotional commitments, Mercury’s move into Virgo can help you to slice through to the nub of these. Whether discussing shared resources, or clarifying responsibilities, whilst your instincts can be strong, let them be guided by careful and precise fact finding. Not all maybe as it seems.

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

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Daily cosmic update for Aquarius

Pisces

February 20 to March 20

Mercury joins the Sun in your opposite sign of Virgo, putting relationships very much in the spotlight. Whether in your personal life or professionally, clear communication can help smooth strengthen important bonds. But here’s the thing, the more you sharpen up your listening skills, the more all this will flow more smoothly, but try not to expect perfection.

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

Your cosmic energy update for Pisces

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.

Check out the tarot horoscope reading for the month of August here.

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Victims of ‘handyman’ serial killer raped and then had eyes sown open

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WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT Israel Keyes confessed to murdering up to 11 people, and he was a dedicated true crime enthusiast who buried sickening ‘kill kits’ across the country

A sick serial killer committed a string of murders after sexually assaulting his first victim, later stitching another corpse’s eyes open, and raping her corpse.

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Taking a holiday with his family was no break, and he carried out more vile acts abroad. Horrifyingly, Israel Keyes was also a true crime fan, murdering at least 11 people in the US and perhaps more on his travels.

“I probably know every single serial killer that’s ever been written about, it’s kind of a hobby of mine,” he told Alaska investigators after his arrest. However, Keyes showed no guilt for his crimes.

Keyes buried his nauseating “kill kits” across the country, later digging them up and using them to inflict abject torture on his victims.

In one of his worst acts of violence Keyes kidnapped a young woman from her workplace and strangled her, then subjected her to sexual abuse both before and after her death.

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Then, in an attempt to extort $30,000 from her grieving family, he stitched her eyes open to make her appear alive in a photograph that was sent with his ransom demand.

Brought up in a Christian white supremacist family, Keyes lived in a remote cabin without modern amenities. He learnt to hunt for his food but seemed and loved killing animals.

A girl who knew Keyes during childhood said being in his presence “made my skin crawl”.

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In his childhood Keyes was obsessed with Satanism and wanted to perform a ritualistic murder. In the late 1990s he brutally sexually attacked a teenage girl.

Despite originally planning to kill his victim, he had a change of heart at the last second and let her go. “I was too timid. I wasn’t violent enough,” he said to detectives. “I made up my mind I was never going to let that happen again.”

Shortly afterwards, in July 1998, Keyes enlisted in the US Army, serving as a Specialist in Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. “He was an extremely capable soldier,” said content creator Kris Collins in a new podcast about Keyes and his crimes.

She said the man was exceptionally strong, had excellent self-control and good firearms knowledge as “all the horrifying traits of a devastating serial killer”.

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Keyes was a heavy drinker but was also a model soldier and earned an honourable discharge in July 2001. He later started a relationship with a woman living on the Neah Bay reservation in Washington state, where investigators believe his killing spree began.

When later asked about whether he had killed during that period, Keyes cryptically replied: “Yeah, Neah Bay’s a boring town.”

Keyes would rob banks to finance his obsession with killing, assembling “kill kits” that he hid across the US. One uncovered by the FBI was fit with a 22-caliber Ruger pistol, empty magazines, ammunition, and a silencer.

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During interrogation, Keyes said there are countless other stashes still hidden throughout the US, packed with weapons, money, and items used to dispose of victims.

The precise number of people Keyes slaughtered will never be known. Unlike many other serial killers he had studied, Keyes did not crave notoriety and acknowledged he minimised the true scale of his crimes for fear of distressing his daughter.

He insisted he had never murdered a child but, unlike most other serial murderers, he did not target a particular type of victim and is known to have selected both male and female victims ranging in age from late teens to the elderly.

Keyes kept off the radar of law enforcement for over a decade as he primarily hunted in the Pacific Northwest, but also travelled as far as Mexico and Belize to stalk his victims. Keyes’ final confirmed victim was 18-year-old Samantha Tessla Koenig, who worked at a coffee booth in Anchorage, Alaska.

Keyes abducted Samantha from her workplace on February 1, 2012.

After sexually assaulting and savagely beating her, Keyes strangled Samantha with a rope, his favourite method of killing.

Following the murder, Keyes went on a two-week cruise holiday with his family, returning to Alaska on February 18 to rape the woman’s dead body. Keyes applied makeup to the lifeless face and stitched her eyes open using fishing line.

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He then staged a photograph of Samantha holding a recent edition of the Anchorage Daily News, creating the illusion that she was still alive, and demanded a ransom of $30,000 (approximately £19,000 at the time) from her family.

After receiving the ransom, Keyes dismembered Samantha’s body and disposed of the remains into Matanuska Lake, north of Anchorage. He had accessed Samantha’s bank account to collect the ransom, and through tracking his cash withdrawals, authorities were able to trace the murderer’s movements.

After his arrest, Keyes tried to copy the courtroom escape of notorious serial killer Ted Bundy but was swiftly tasered by an alert security guard. While behind bars, Keyes originally worked with authorities, disclosing information about the many killings he had committed.

After the case attracted press coverage, he stopped helping investigators, worrying the horrific details of his offences would distress his young daughter.

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He confided to an FBI interrogator: “The problem is that nowadays, the more stuff my name is attached to the more likely it is that somebody’s gonna try to do some kind of stupid freaking TV special … with all this true crime bulls**t that people are obsessed with ..”

Eventually, on December 1, 2012, Keyes found a razor blade, which he used to kill himself in his cell.

A blood-drenched suicide note found beneath his body was described as an “ode to murder” but offered no clear clues about who his other victims were.

He had also used his own blood to draw eleven skulls on a piece of paper hidden under his bed, believed to signify the true number of his murder victims.

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Met Police submit Mohamed Al Fayed suspect case file to prosecutors

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Met Police submit Mohamed Al Fayed suspect case file to prosecutors

A spokesman from the Fayed survivor group, No One Above, said: “We call on the Met to confirm it is securing evidence on all perpetrators and co-conspirators – including the financial and documentary evidence of how victims were recruited, screened, moved, harboured and silenced.”

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Ukraine hands the UK a trove of top-secret intelligence to help AI train our troops to defeat Putin

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Prime Minister Andy Burnham met president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Monday on his first foreign trip since entering Downing Street

Britain is to receive an intelligence ‘goldmine’ from Ukraine to boost its defences against Russia.

A trove of data covering the Kremlin’s secrets and tactics will be shared as part of a landmark military agreement.

The vital information recovered since Russia’s invasion will provide an AI-bolstered training blueprint for Britain’s forces.

With the Kremlin stepping up its sabre-rattling against the UK, the Ukrainian database will assist in intercepting Russian drones and thwarting cyber attacks.

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The deal was struck as Prime Minister Andy Burnham met president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Monday on his first foreign trip since entering Downing Street. It comes after the joint offer by the UK and France to hand over the blueprints for Scalp long-range missiles so Ukraine can build them.

Russia has vowed to destroy UK factories providing weapons for Ukraine after British-made drones were fired into the country for the first time.

After Russia warned that the UK was ‘adding fuel to the fire’ by stepping up its support for Ukraine, Mr Burnham said: ‘Who started the fire? That’s the question, isn’t it?

‘I have only been in office a short time but already in that time Russia has threatened the UK for its support for Ukraine and I know other countries have faced similar threats.

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Prime Minister Andy Burnham met president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Monday on his first foreign trip since entering Downing Street

Members of the OMEGA special forces unit, conduct a training session for civilians and volunteers of a frontline community at an undisclosed location in the Kharkiv region, northeastern Ukraine

Members of the OMEGA special forces unit, conduct a training session for civilians and volunteers of a frontline community at an undisclosed location in the Kharkiv region, northeastern Ukraine

‘It just shows that what we are doing is having an impact and we should stand firm together.’

British defence chiefs want to benefit from Ukraine’s battle-proven technologies that have seen AI-supported drones and robots dominate the warzone.

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The UK is also interested in Ukraine’s application of AI technologies to defend its national energy infrastructure and to combat the Kremlin’s attacks on manufacturers.

The UK will become the first country to gain access to Ukraine’s so-called ‘Avengers AI lab’, where its scientists have made major breakthroughs. AI has accelerated decision-making in the conflict zone.

Mr Zelensky said a declaration had been signed confirming a partnership between the UK and Ukraine ‘in the field of artificial intelligence’. He added on X: ‘We value the fact that the UK’s course remains unchanged – full support for Ukraine and our defence. Thank you, Andy! Thank you, Great Britain!’

The PM also chaired a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing – the UK, France and Germany – to discuss further support for Ukraine.

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With Ukraine facing further Russian ballistic missile bombardment, Mr Burnham said the coalition was doing ‘everything we can’ to ‘dig into our own stocks and help others dig into their stocks’.

Russia’s sickening attacks on undefended Ukrainian civilian areas have resulted in at least 23 deaths and more than 100 casualties in the past three days alone.

Mr Burnham also called on President Donald Trump to join Britain in doing more to support Ukraine, saying: ‘We need to go further together, I think, because there are some urgent problems that Ukraine is facing. We will do whatever we can to convene people to share that burden together and we’ll continue to provide steadfast support.’

The PM’s visit was timed to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Ukrainian independence from the Soviet Union.

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He addressed crowds outside Kyiv’s St Sophia Cathedral, praising the ‘sheer strength’ of the Ukrainian people and likening their defence of their country to Britain’s fight against the Nazis in the Second World War.

He also laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown Ukrainian soldier during a ceremony at the national military memorial cemetery in nearby Hatne.

Poignant: Andy Burnham lays a wreath at Ukraine’s military memorial cemetery

Poignant: Andy Burnham lays a wreath at Ukraine’s military memorial cemetery

Striking a chord: The Prime Minister smiles as he plays a Smiths song for Ukrainian troops

Striking a chord: The Prime Minister smiles as he plays a Smiths song for Ukrainian troops

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How should Britain balance supporting Ukraine with avoiding further escalation with Russia?

In his own independence day speech, president Zelensky insisted Ukraine would ‘not submit’ to Russia. Mr Burnham reiterated Britain’s support for Ukraine was ‘unwavering’ after a visit to a military hospital.

He wrote on X: ‘It was a privilege to meet with Ukrainian veterans today at a military hospital in Kyiv.

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‘I’m proud that the patients here have been supported by a UK charity who have trained over 1,000 surgeons, anaesthetists, and other healthcare workers. Our support for Ukraine is unwavering.’

In a lighter moment the PM played the 1985 song Rusholme Ruffians by Manchester band The Smiths after being handed a guitar by a Ukrainian soldier.

Former Manchester mayor Mr Burnham, a lifelong fan of The Smiths, was visiting a mobile recording studio used by the military and artistic unit.

‘I won’t sing,’ he joked. The UK Prime Minister said music can help ‘lift spirits’ on the front line. The soldiers then performed an Oasis song.

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NHS-worker mother of first Brit to die fighting for Putin in Ukraine reveals he told her he was going to Romania – and how his family are now being made to suffer by the Kremlin

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Bradley Townsend, 33, from Barnsley, travelled to Russia in April of this year to join Putin's army

The mother of the first British man to die fighting for Russia has revealed that her son told her he was going to Romania, not the front lines in Ukraine

Yorkshireman Bradley Townsend, 33, died in combat after leaving his hometown of Barnsley to enlist in Putin‘s war.

The keen fisherman – with no previous military experience – perished on the front line whilst fighting in Lyman, in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, on June 10. 

He was the victim of a drone strike, and is the first known British fighter to have died fighting for Russia since Putin’s forces first invaded Ukraine in 2014.

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Today, his mother Maureen, an NHS care support worker, told the Daily Mail that her son did not tell her he was going to fight for Russia, instead telling her that he was visiting Romania. 

She added that Russia is refusing to co-operate with the British government to allow his body to be repatriated back to the UK, deepening their suffering.  

Bradley – whose call sign was ‘Badger’ – secretly packed his bags for Russia on April 1. 

It was only after he featured in a video on April 4 for the Russian International Volunteers Association that his family, made up of Maureen and two of Bradley’s siblings, learned he had joined the Russian ranks.

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Bradley Townsend, 33, from Barnsley, travelled to Russia in April of this year to join Putin’s army

Townsend is the first known British fighter to have died fighting for Russia since Putin's forces first invaded Ukraine in 2014

Townsend is the first known British fighter to have died fighting for Russia since Putin’s forces first invaded Ukraine in 2014

In the video Bradley described himself as a ‘normal working-class lad from Yorkshire’.

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His mother said: ‘He was going to go travelling for a year, and I was glad about that because he had two failed relationships. That was sad, they were lovely girls, but it just didn’t work out, and he wanted to do something different and he said “I’m going to go travelling”.’

He had claimed he was visiting Romania and posted pictures of his travels.

‘He phoned me up and told me he was not in the country he said he was going to be in. He said he was going to Romania.

‘And I believed him, because he has friends from work that he’s met.

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‘But the next thing he had phoned me up and told me he is in Russia.

‘I said “what are you doing there?” And then it all came out and I asked him “you’re joking?”

‘I thought he was joking with me. The pictures that he posted. My son put them into Google to check where he was because he didn’t think it looked like Romania.’  

Bradley trained as a joiner after leaving school and had no interest in enlisting as a squaddie in the British Army.

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His family has no Russian connections whatsoever. 

In a social media post, Townsend said his reason for joining was to ‘repay the favour’ to miners in Donbas who had donated a month’s wages to striking Yorkshire miners in the 1980s.  

Townsend added: ‘I came with the idea that I probably wouldn’t be able to go home. I’d definitely get persecuted if I went back.

‘I’m not here for a suicide mission, but I understand that’s what can happen. This was my own decision, I wasn’t pushed into anything.’

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Townsend described himself as 'a normal working-class lad from Yorkshire' who wanted to support Russian separatists in Ukraine's Donbas region

Townsend described himself as ‘a normal working-class lad from Yorkshire’ who wanted to support Russian separatists in Ukraine’s Donbas region

Now, his family is struggling to repatriate his body as the Kremlin is refusing to co-operate with the British Government.

His grief-stricken family is desperate for answers and want to lay Bradley to rest in the UK.

The heartbroken mother-of-three said she is too in the dark, because of lack of communication with the Russian authorities, to comment further: ‘Me and the rest of Bradley’s family continue to grieve for him.’

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Other Brits serving in the Russian Armed Forces took to social media to pay tribute, with one saying Townsend ‘wanted to help the people of Russia defeat the Nazis’.

Aiden Minnis added in a post on Facebook: ‘I had the pleasure of spending some time with Bradley before he decided to sign his contract. We discussed the danger he would be facing, but he insisted that his mind was made up…Ultimately, he sacrificed his life for our cause.

‘His service was brief but he blazed the brightest star. Rest in Paradise brother. “To die a warrior in a Holy War is to live forever.”‘

Ben Stimson, another Brit who went to fight for Russia, also paid tribute on Telegram, writing: ‘Bradley had been a follower of my YouTube and Telegram channels for over 2 years. I had advised him to stay in the UK and support anti-NATO protests at home. He contacted me 3 months ago to say he was coming to Russia to join the army.

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‘I told him just to come for a holiday. He arrived at the same time as another volunteer was on his holiday. We both told him the realities of the Special Military Operation and the dangers. I later said to Bradley he could still use his return ticket. Brad was adamant he wanted to go and fight.’

Stimson, who was jailed in the UK in 2017 after joining a Russian-backed militia in eastern Ukraine, wrote online that Townsend’s flat cap had been brought back to the UK by a friend and would be left on Ilkley Moor, a rural moorland 40 miles from where he grew up. 

One man who knew Townsend told LBC the fisherman struggled with his mental health and addiction in the past.

Another said the 33-year-old was a ‘normal guy’ who had been ‘indoctrinated’ by people who ‘saw his vulnerability as an opportunity to recruit him into their twisted cause’.

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Conservative MP for Tonbridge and former security minister Tom Tugendhat said he was ‘very sorry for him and his family’ but that joining the Russian armed forces was ‘unbelievably stupid’.

He added: ‘It’s extremely misguided and, you know, no question about it, it’s criminal because you’re engaging in an army that is committing the most barbarous war crimes that the world has seen in decades.’

The Foreign Office earlier told the Daily Mail: ‘We are aware of reports that a British national has died in Ukraine and are in contact with his family.’

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How Urban Outreach charity is feeding Bolton children this summer

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How Urban Outreach charity is feeding Bolton children this summer

Urban Outreach is a Christian charity providing food and support to some of the borough’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable people.

The charity was founded 36 years ago by David Bagley and his wife, Christine.

We joined volunteers at the charity’s Food Hub at Trinity Retail Park.

Every morning during the school summer holidays, volunteers prepare lunch packs and sandwiches to be distributed to children across Bolton.

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The charity’s Food HubThe charity’s Food Hub (Image: NQ)

Discussing the idea behind the initiative, David said he could not understand why children receiving free school meals during term time were not supported in the same way during the holidays.

“I couldn’t work out, both morally and socially, how we squared that circle,” he said.

“If somebody is in need during term time, what’s the difference during the holidays?”

After “moaning a lot”, David said he felt the only way to do something about it was to see whether the charity could provide lunch for as many children as possible.

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David Bagley Urban OutreachDavid Bagley, Urban Outreach (Image: NQ)

That idea became Bolton Lunches, which has since provided hundreds of thousands of meals to children over the years.

“In the first year, we made 12,500 lunches,” David said.

“We targeted areas of deprivation in the borough and then grew over time.”

At its peak after the pandemic, Urban Outreach made 74,000 lunches across more than 50 sites, according to David.

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However, the charity’s approach changed after the Government introduced the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.

The huge space where the Bolton lunches are madeThe huge space where the Bolton lunches are made (Image: NQ)

The HAF programme provides healthy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families.

In Bolton, the programme supports those receiving benefits-related free school meals with free activities alongside a hot meal for a minimum of four hours a day, four days a week, for four weeks over the summer.

Eligible families typically receive a voucher code to book the activities and meals.

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“Bolton was particularly generous with its voucher system,” David said.

Urban Outreach volunteers Urban Outreach volunteers (Image: NQ)

Urban Outreach has been involved with the programme since it began and has made 22,000 packs and just short of 21,000 sandwiches this year, as well as supporting the hot food offer.

The charity has received longstanding support from Warburtons, which provides all of the bread free of charge.

Warburtons was founded in 1876 by Thomas and Ellen Warburton, when they opened a small grocery shop in Bolton.

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“We have some big businesses involved in volunteering and have upward of 20 to 25 volunteers each morning,” David said.

Volunteers preparing sandwiches early in the morningVolunteers preparing sandwiches early in the morning (Image: NQ)

During our visit, volunteers were busy preparing sandwiches at the Food Hub.

Lynda Howarth from Heaton, has been involved with Bolton Lunches for the last five years.

This year, she has attended every Monday during the six-week holiday.

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“I think it’s a wonderful organisation that does so much good,” she said.

“It’s very worthwhile and I enjoy coming along and working with the team.”

The volunteers have a well-rehearsed system, allowing them to prepare the sandwiches quicklyThe volunteers have a well-rehearsed system, allowing them to prepare the sandwiches quickly (Image: NQ)

Stephen Bryan from Over Hulton, has been volunteering for the last five years.

He started coming along with a school friend of more than 50 years.

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“I’d just retired and I thought it was something for me to do,” he said.

Hymns Wong from Tonge Moor, joined Urban Outreach this Easter.

Hymns Wong from Tonge MoorHymns Wong from Tonge Moor (Image: NQ)

“It’s really interesting, I enjoy helping people,” he said.

Hymns first saw an Instagram post from the charity asking people to get involved.

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“I’ve made a lot of friends and I will definitely get involved next year,” he said.

“If you have time or you’re not doing much, come along and help.”

Youngsters taking part in the volunteeringYoungsters taking part in the volunteering (Image: NQ)

David expressed his gratitude to those who give up their mornings to help.

“It’s an ongoing demonstration of the willingness that people have in Bolton to stand alongside those who need it at the most critical times,” he said.

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David said support from the “big players” and Bolton Council is critical.

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York holiday park plans at A64 Malton Road Starbucks

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York holiday park plans at A64 Malton Road Starbucks

An application from Dennis Harley Developments Ltd would see the chalets built on land at the back of the former Four Alls Inn in Malton Road beside the A64 close to Stockton On The Forest.

Plans stated the development would create a new rural enterprise generating an estimated yearly turnover of around £1 million which would deliver significant economic benefits.

It comes after plans for convert the Four Alls Inn into a Starbucks was granted in 2022.


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The conversion has since taken place and plans for the holiday park stated they aimed to make use of the rest of the site.

Plans lodged with City of York Council would see 32 chalets erected along with onsite roads, drains, waste facilities and other infrastructure.

Each chalet would feature two bedrooms, including one with an en-suite, a bathroom, kitchen and open plan living and dining room.

Private decking areas would be outside the chalets which would also have their own outdoor space.

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The site layout of a holiday park proposed in Malton Road, Stockton on the Forest, York (Image: Dennis Harley Developments Ltd)

Chalets would be arranged around an access road running around the site which is enclosed by woodland.

Secure and weather-resistant cycle storage would also be included on site.

The chalets would offer accommodation for nightly or short-term stays and would not be used as people’s main homes.

Developers estimate around £913,881 could be spent by visitors off-site every year.

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Plans stated the site would create jobs through the employment of management, cleaning, groundskeeping and administrative staff year-round.

They added it would also generate income for local pubs, cafés, shops, attractions and other places tourists staying there would visit.

Applicants stated: “These figures are illustrative rather than guaranteed, but demonstrate the potential scale and breadth of the recurring contribution to the rural and visitor economy.

“The development would deliver substantial rural economic and tourism benefits, make efficient use of established access and service infrastructure, provide accessible year-round visitor accommodation, secure landscape and biodiversity enhancements and remain subject to effective occupancy
and operational controls.”

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Your legal rights if bad weather cancels your flight

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With wet and unsettled weather expected, travellers are being reminded of their rights if poor conditions cause disruption at the airport

Holidaymakers hit by flight cancellations or lengthy delays could be entitled to refunds, replacement flights, food and accommodation – and in some cases compensation worth up to £520.

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With wet and unsettled weather expected, travellers are being reminded of their rights if poor conditions cause disruption at the airport. Citizens Advice has issued guidance setting out what passengers can demand from airlines when flights are delayed or cancelled. Once a delay reaches the relevant threshold, the airline must provide food and drink, access to communications and, where necessary, hotel accommodation and transport.

These are the usual thresholds:

  • Under 1,500km: 2 hours
  • 1,500km–3,500km: 3 hours
  • Over 3,500km: 4 hours

If the airline does not provide assistance, keep your receipts. You can claim back reasonable expenses, but expensive meals, alcohol and luxury hotels are unlikely to be covered.

If you arrive more than three hours late because of an issue within the airline’s control, compensation may be worth up to £520. Bad weather is normally considered outside its control, so compensation is unlikely.

If you are delayed by five hours or more

You do not have to take the flight. You can choose a full refund, including eligible unused onward or return flights booked with the airline. If you are part-way through your journey, you may also be entitled to a flight back to your original departure airport.

If your flight is cancelled

You can choose between a full refund or a replacement flight to your destination.

The airline may also have to provide food, drink and accommodation while you wait. Compensation of up to £520 may be available if the airline caused the cancellation, notified you less than 14 days before departure and the replacement journey resulted in sufficient delay. Weather-related cancellations are generally not eligible for compensation.

How to claim

Contact the airline operating the flight, even if you booked through another airline or travel company. Provide your flight details and booking reference, explain what happened, and attach copies of relevant tickets and receipts. Keep records of your claim and the airline’s response.

If the airline refuses compensation you believe you are owed, you may be able to use an alternative dispute resolution scheme or, where appropriate, contact the Civil Aviation Authority. More information here.

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No.23 Milton Street pizza serving authentic Italian food in Saltburn

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No.23 Milton Street pizza serving authentic Italian food in Saltburn

No.23 Milton Street Pizza is a well-loved independent venue in the heart of Saltburn that has built a reputation for authentic Neapolitan pizza.

The team prides themselves on using traditional Neapolitan methods – making fresh dough in-house every day before allowing it to rest for 48 hours.

Specially curated pizzas at No.23 Milton Street Saltburn. (Image: TRIP ADVISOR)

Once ready, each pizza is hand-stretched and topped with carefully selected Italian ingredients before heading into a wood-fired oven reaching temperatures of 450C.

The result is everything fans of authentic Neapolitan pizza could hope for – a light, thin base paired with a soft, airy crust packed with flavour.

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One visitor, Jodie, described the venue as “a little gem”, praising both the food and atmosphere.

She said: “Went to No.23 for some food and a couple of drinks and think it is brilliant.

“The food is lovely and the atmosphere is fantastic. I would recommend this bar to anyone. It’s a little gem and can’t wait to visit it again.”

Another customer, Craig, said: “Amazing pizza. Really authentic with a great choice of toppings.

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“The place has been done to a really high standard throughout.

“My wife and I could have stayed all night drinking by the fire.”

Away from the pizza oven, guests can also enjoy a carefully curated drinks offering designed to complement the menu.

Step inside and you’ll find a venue that balances industrial-inspired décor with a warm and welcoming feel – creating a space that feels equally suited to a casual lunch, an evening meal with friends or a laid-back drink at the bar.


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Plus, for dog owners, the bar area is dog-friendly, meaning four-legged companions can join in the visit too.

Combining authentic Italian flavours with a stylish yet comfortable setting, No.23 Milton Street Pizza has become one of the area’s most popular spots for those looking to enjoy great food in good company.

For pizza lovers visiting the seaside, it’s the perfect place to find both atmosphere and delicious authenticity in equal measure.

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One popular High Street coffee has as much caffeine as 4 cans of Red Bull

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Wales Online

Experts have compared the caffeine content of drinks served at Costa, Starbucks, Caffe Nero, Greggs and Pret

Coffee drinkers may be getting more or less caffeine in their drinks than they anticipated, with levels varying “wildly” between popular high street chains, a new study shows. The latest research from consumer champion Which? analyses the caffeine content in an array of drinks sold by chains Caffe Nero, Costa Coffee, Greggs, Pret A Manger and Starbucks.

It found that a medium cappuccino from Costa contains 325 milligrams (mg) – almost three-and-a-half times as much as the same drink at Starbucks, at 89mg. The caffeine content in Costa’s cappuccino is the equivalent of around four cans of Red Bull, Which? found.

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The second and third-highest cappuccino caffeine levels were found at Greggs and Caffe Nero, at 235mg and 221mg respectively. Costa also comes out on top for drinks including its espresso shot, which contains 100mg of caffeine per serving, and its flat white, which has 241mg.

In contrast, Starbucks has 45g of caffeine per serving in its espresso shot, and 89mg in its flat white. While Costa’s caffeine content for cappuccinos and single-shot espressos has not changed since Which?’s last study in 2023, Caffe Nero’s has noticeably increased – which its cappuccino now containing around double the level of caffeine than before.

And while Starbucks continue to serve the least caffeine overall across its drinks, its caffeine levels have increased in its espressos, cappuccinos and filter coffees over three years. Matcha drinks also vary significantly between the chains – with the drink, made from green tea powder, booming in popularity in recent years and prompting high street coffee chains to put their own versions on the menu.

The study found that Costa’s hot matcha latte contained the highest caffeine content at 99mg, followed by Starbucks at 57mg and Pret at 28mg. Which? said its research showed customers should “pay attention” to the differences in caffeine levels across high street retailers, particularly for those who are advised to restrict their intake for health reasons, including pregnancy.

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Jessica Carson, its health and wellbeing expert, said: “For many of us, there is nothing quite like a strong cup of coffee to start the day, but Which? found even matcha enthusiasts could be consuming more caffeine than intended. “Our research shows caffeine content varies wildly from chain to chain.

“If you drink multiple cups a day or need to cut back for health reasons, pay attention to where you shop and what you order to avoid any unwanted side-effects.”

A spokeswoman for Costa said: “At Costa Coffee, we’re committed to helping customers make informed choices. That’s why caffeine and nutritional information is available across our menu and online, so customers can choose the drinks that best-suit their individual preferences and needs.

“We also offer decaffeinated coffee and a range of non-caffeinated drinks. Coffee naturally contains caffeine and levels can vary depending on factors such as the blend, recipe and serving size.”

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Starbucks has been contacted for comment.

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Reese breaks single-game and season rebounding records as Dream beat Sparks

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Reese breaks single-game and season rebounding records as Dream beat Sparks

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Angel Reese broke the WNBA single-game rebounding record with 26 while also breaking the league’s season record for rebounds as the Atlanta Dream beat the Los Angeles Sparks 78-71 on Monday night.

Reese surpassed Chamique Holdsclaw’s record of 24 rebounds, set on May 23, 2003 for Washington.

The Dream star has 458 rebounds this season, seven more than A’ja Wilson’s mark set in 2024. Atlanta still has six games remaining in the regular season.

“I’m just in awe watching her rebound,” teammate Allisha Gray said after the game. “That’s a talent.”

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Reese finished with 11 points. She secured her WNBA-leading 27th double-double of the season on a basket with 13.9 seconds left in the game.

The Dream have won four straight games — all on the road.

Gray led Atlanta (25-13) with 20 points. Rhyne Howard added 18 points to eclipse 3,000 for her career. Gray set an Atlanta record for field goals in a season with 247.

Nneka Ogwumike had 27 points and 16 rebounds for Los Angeles (13-25), which has lost nine straight games in the series. Dearica Hamby and Cameron Brink each scored 15 points.

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Atlanta trailed 37-36 at halftime before starting the third quarter on a 9-2 run. The Dream also began the fourth on a 9-2 run to make it 71-57 with 6:57 left.

Up next

Dream: Host Portland on Friday.

Sparks: Host Washington on Friday.

___

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See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

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