Sandra Bullock was left in hysterical giggles after she made a very racy joke about Nicole Kidman during their appearance on The One Show on Thursday night. 

The pair, who are currently promoting their new film Practical Magic 2, were chatting about the latest installment of the film, 28 years after the original. 

And as Nicole reminisced on how much she enjoys playing her whimsical character Gillian Owens, Sandra butted in as she said: ‘That’s how I see her in real life too.’ 

She continued: ‘That’s what I admire most about her. She’s so incredibly free and just brave to do things that I would say, “No, I’m going to stay home. I’m good right here where I am.”‘

Host Lauren Laverne jumped in as she said: ‘I love how Nicole is like “the pouncing roles don’t come around often enough.’ 

Laughing Nicole joked: ‘There’s only one person that would let me pounce her!’

Sandra teased: ‘ Anytime she wants, publicly or privately, do it…. But when I see her coming into her room, I’m like, “My pants are going down”‘

Sandra teased: ‘Anytime she wants, publicly or privately, do it…. But when I see her coming into her room, I’m like, “My pants are going down.”‘ 

The pair then burst out in hysterics together. 

Practical Magic two reunites Nicole, Sandra, Dianne and Stockard as the Owens family. 

Nicole reprises her role as Sally Owens and Sandra as Gillian – two sisters from a long line of witches trying to live normal lives despite a family curse.

The sequel takes place 25 years after the original film and is adapted from Alice Hoffman’s 2021 sequel story, The Book of Magic.

Nicole and Sandra who’ve been busy surprising cinema audiences amid their press tour, executive produced the Warner Bros. Pictures flick also featuring Lee Pace and Solly McLeod.

‘The Owens women must once again unite, traveling from their home in Massachusetts to the United Kingdom to confront the source of their magic and save the next generation of their family,’ a synopsis for the film reads.

The two leading women surprised fans as they showed up to a Cinespia screening of their 1998 flick at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles earlier this month.

The original Practical Magic earned $68.3million globally, according to The Numbers, falling below its $75million budget.

Despite lacklustre box office figures, the film became a cult classic.

Nicole confirmed in 2024 that she and Sandra would reprise their roles as orphaned sisters Gillian and Sally Owens (seen in the original film)

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Practical Magical 2 will hit theatres on September 11

Nicole and Sandra injected some spooky glamour to the Practical Magic 2 photocall as they continued their London press tour on Thursday

Practical Magic 2 is released in cinemas on September 11. 

On Thursday Nicole and Sandra injected some spooky glamour to the Practical Magic 2 photocall as they continued their London press tour.

The onscreen sisters united on the red carpet at Claridge’s hotel as they held hands in plunging black ensembles.

Nicole, 59, oozed elegance in a pearl-strapped minidress while posing up a storm after she was ridiculed for her over-the-top antics at last night’s premiere. 

Sandra, 62, dressed in a black lace blazer dress with a satin cream skirt and matching neck scarf.

Maisie Williams and Joey King, who play the daughters of Sandra’s character in the sequel, were also seen making glam arrivals. 

Maisie, 29, wowed in a spooky black gown while Joey, 27, dazzled in a racy crochet co-ord.

Rescuers are still searching for dozens of British nationals who are among those missing and feared dead in Nepal after devastating flash floods killed more than 160 people.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority in Nepal said on Thursday morning that 165 bodies had been recovered following flooding in the Rasuwa region, which borders China’s autonomous region of Tibet.

They said the number of missing people had risen from 403 to 826, with the Nepal Tourism Board saying on Wednesday that 33 UK citizens were among the foreign nationals unaccounted for.

According to the tourism board, 579 travellers are missing from the affected area, including 466 foreign nationals.

At least three people were in Tibet, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, while the Xinhua News Agency said 558 people were unaccounted for in the region.

How did it happen?

Flash floods caused rivers to swell their banks and spread thick mud across populated areas, burying houses and creating difficult conditions for rescuers.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said a magnitude 5.2 seismic event occurred near the border between Nepal and China on Wednesday at 8.37am local time.

It added that a “glacial collapse and debris flow” caused “subsequent catastrophic impacts downstream”.

There are long delays on the busy road

Drivers face “severe delays” along a busy A-road after a crash. Two lanes along the A14 at Exning in Suffolk are closed this morning (Friday, August 28).

The road is affected between J37 on the A142 Fordham Road to J36 of the A11 Nine Mile Hill. Traffic monitoring site Inrix reports this is due to a crash involving a motorbike and lorry.

It said: “Severe delays and two lanes closed due to accident, a lorry and a motorbike involved on A14 Westbound from J37 A142 Fordham Road (Newmarket / Exning) to J36 A11 (Nine Mile Hill). Congestion to J38 A11 (Red Lodge).”

National Highways said emergency services were at the scene at 6.40am. Drivers face around 50 minutes of delays along the road.

Emergency services have been contacted for more information.

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Former footballer Michael Owen has thrown the doors open in his new reality series

Viewers tuning in to Michael Owen’s new reality show have been left curious about his son James Owen’s eye condition.

Six-part series Meet the Owens landed on Prime Video today (August 28) and gives audiences a candid insight into the life and family of former footballer-turned-racehorse owner Michael, his wife Louise and their four children Jessica, Emily, James and Gemma. Episode three shines a spotlight on 20-year-old James as it’s revealed that Michael’s son is clinically blind and suffers from a rare, degenerative eye condition.

During the episode, James and his parents all separately open up about their thoughts and feelings about the condition. Many people are curious to know more about the condition – here’s what James has said about it as well as the condition itself.

Michael Owen’s son James’ eye condition explained

James suffers from Stargardt disease, which is a hereditary eye disorder that progressively gets worse. The condition means that he has limited vision, restricted to his peripheral vision.

According to the NHS ’ Moorfields Eye Hospital states: “Stargardt disease is a rare inherited condition affecting one in 8,000 to 10,000 people.” The site goes on to state: “In Stargardt’s the light-sensitive layer of cells in the macular region of the eye degenerate.

“The macular is the area at the back of the eye which is responsible for the fine detailed vision necessary for activities such as watching TV and reading.” The symptoms of Stargardt disease typically develop before the age of 20.

James, who was born with Stargardt disease, only discovered he had the condition when he was just eight after a teacher called his parents into school and told them that their child might be struggling to see at school. It later took the family a while to get the diagnosis.

James said: “Obviously, as you can imagine, it’s been tough growing up. It’s not good in the centre of the view and it makes it hard for me to look straight.” He went on to say: “Quite often people think I’m rude for not keeping eye contact. I’m actually looking at them in the clearest way I possibly can.”

In a heartbreaking admission, James said he’d always wanted to be a professional footballer like his father but his dreams were shattered by the diagnosis. James explained: “That was my dream, to follow my dad’s footsteps: to be a footballer and make a great career.”

He went on to say: “To have a realisation that it’s not possible, it kills you. It used to break my heart.” James added: “Every day coming back from school and I just used to cry and I used to think life was unfair.”

He now works as a trader online, buying and selling gold by himself. However, James said he wanted to put back into his father’s horse racing business Manor House Stables at some point in the future.

Ex-England and Liverpool player Michael, 46, also admitted he felt guilty about his son’s condition because it was genetic. Michael said: “We made James and I don’t think I’d be normal if I didn’t put myself in the mirror and think, ‘You know, it’s down to us that he’s got this eye condition.’”

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The footballing legend continued: “So I did feel guilty for a little while and could say I still feel guilty now.” Nonetheless, Michael said he was looking at the “positives with him” and then the “guilty sort of evaporates”.

Meet the Owens also sees his daughter and Love Island star Gemma taking on her first race after coming from a background in dressage. Gemma had to undergo rigorous training to become a jockey as she planned to take part in the charity race. Moreover, the series sees Michael trying to make a success of Manor House Stables and trying to turn a profit by finding investors to put their money into his business.

Meet the Owens is streaming on Prime Video now

Dolly Parton told her friend and fellow country star Lainey Wilson a poignant message in their final call just a few weeks before her death

Lainey Wilson has recalled the special message Dolly Parton had for her in their final call before her death.

Dolly died aged 80, with her sad passing being announced earlier this week. Her death was confirmed by nephew Bryan Seaver on Instagram, who shared: “I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now. It is an honour, an honour that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness.”

Representatives for the country star confirmed Dolly died after a “brief battle with cancer”. The type of cancer was not disclosed. “After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” the statement concluded.

Since her death, tributes have been paid for Dolly, with fellow country star Lainey Wilson now speaking out to reveal details of their final phone call.

Lainey wrote: “My Dolly. I felt like you were my friend before we even met.. you made everybody feel that way. But once we became friends, boy did we have a lot to talk about…

“I sure am glad you called a couple of weeks ago. We got to talk about the business, the sacrifice, how special Carl Dean was to you and how important Duck is to me.. you told me that ‘it’s all great and stuff that Duck lets you be you, but you better make sure you let Duck be himself too.’”

Lainey was a huge fan of Dolly growing up but when Lainey became famous, Dolly became a mentor for her. The pair worked on music together, and have even shared the stage regularly. During their phone call, the pair discussed their faith and it was then that Dolly made a poignant comment, that she felt like she wasn’t “finished” yet.

“You also told me to take my time reading the book of Revelation and that I might need to go on back to Psalms for a minute to catch my breath. We talked about how we both feel like we were called into this business and you told me you felt like you weren’t finished. Well my friend, you are not,” she shared.

“The kind of love and light you shined in your lifetime is the kind that never goes away. I am thankful the Lord gave you a gift, you decided to share it, and the Lord decided to share you with us. I can’t wait to see you again and I know when I hug your neck in heaven someday you are still gonna be saying, ‘don’t mess up hair, Lainey girl.’ I will always love you, my friend.”

In a series of interviews before her death, Dolly said she had some health issues she wasn’t “paying attention” to whilst looking after her husband Carl Dean, who died March last year.

“I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” she said in an interview on Friday. However, her diagnosis hadn’t stopped her living life.

“You know me, as I’ve often said, I’ve dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve,” she told People on August 21. Dolly vowed to continue working, just “as long as I can to see everything come to life. It’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health. I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’.”

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The UK is about to see a stunning, strange “blood Moon lunar eclipse” – though it comes with a catch.

A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves between the full Moon and the Sun. As the Earth blocks out the light hitting the Moon, it changes it so that the lunar surface looks much darker and redder than usual, giving it its informal name.

Here’s everything you need to know about the lunar eclipse, when and how to see it and why it happens.

When will the lunar eclipse be visible in the UK?

The lunar eclipse will arrive early in the morning on 28 August, appearing on this month’s full Moon, which known as the Sturgeon Moon. It will begin at 3.33am local time, and reach its peak at 5.12am, when 90 per cent of the Moon will be covered.

As such, the lunar eclipse is only “partial”. But it will be enough to cause the light-scattering effect that makes the blood moon particularly compelling.

What causes the moon’s ‘blood red’ appearance?

The “blood moon” happens because the light that reaches the Moon must make its way around the Earth. As it does, dust in the atmosphere absorbs more of the higher-frequency blue light, and so gives the Moon a coppery colour and its dramatic name.

How to see the lunar eclipse in the UK

Seeing it is simple, beyond the early wake-up that will be required. It requires no special equipment or particular placement, and can be taken in simply by looking up into the sky.

Because the lunar eclipse arrives shortly before the Moon sets and moves out of sight, however, it may be useful to choose somewhere with a clear view southwest. Otherwise, the Moon itself might be obscured by any buildings or other things on Earth that might block the view.

This time around, for the same reason, it will be especially dramatic. The Moon will be low on the horizon, which makes it appear bigger and even more spectacular than useful because of the view of the Earth that surrounds it.

Are lunar eclipses common?

The lunar eclipse comes amid a busy month for our Moon. It is just weeks since the UK saw its most spectacular solar eclipse for 30 years.

Lunar eclipses of this kind are more common than their solar counterparts. The last total one came on 7 September, 2025, though the Moon was also low on the horizon then and so made parts of the totality hard to see.

They still require a specific and coincidental alignment of the Moon, Sun and Earth, however, and so are still fairly rare. They only happen between two and five times a year – and a total lunar eclipse happens about every two or three years.

Almost 500 people are now ill with salmonella as UK authorities identify two new clusters of infection.

Last week, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the outbreak ‘may be linked to eggs imported from outside of the UK’.

Two people are now said to have died as cases have risen to 474, after two new clusters were discovered.

Some cases date back a year, but all have been linked to almost genetically identical bacteria, suggesting a common food source.

Salmonella outbreaks have been found around Europe, with cases in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

The over 100 cases in the Netherlands have been linked to chicken rather than eggs, according to investigations.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) previously said: ‘The investigation done in the Netherlands in 2026 pointed towards chicken meat, although it is based on a small number of patient interviews.’

Investigations go as far back as August 2025, with the majority of UK cases in London, Yorkshire and Humber, although cases have been found in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland too.

Over a third of those affected have needed hospital care, with ages of patients ranging from babies to those in their 90s.

Most get better with treatment and of the almost 500 cases, only two deaths have been linked to salmonella.

This outbreak involves a few specific, near-identical genetic clusters called t5.9411, t5.9765, and t0.24068, with the deaths linked to the first two.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said that there is ‘no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected’.

Eggs with the British Lion mark or are produced under the Laid in Britain scheme are safe to eat, with a strict salmonella vaccination standard in place for hens.

Prof Ian Young from the Food Standards Agency said: ‘We continue to work closely with the UK Health Security Agency and other partners to investigate.

‘The exact causes of these outbreaks have not yet been identified, but investigations so far have identified links to imported eggs. There is no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected.’

Will Raw, chair of the NFU Poultry Board, described the news that the serious outbreak was being linked to eggs from abroad as ‘hugely concerning’.

He said: ‘This undermines the excellent work British egg producers have undertaken over decades, adhering to the highest standards, abiding by rigorous testing and building a world-leading reputation.

‘Food produced to standards that would be illegal in the UK is still being allowed into our market. This simply cannot be allowed to continue.’

The UKHSA said: ‘We will continue to follow up cases and investigate any further common sources if they come to light.’

Symptoms of salmonella include stomach cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting and fever, developing within the first 72 hours of being infected.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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By PETER HITCHENS, COLUMNIST AND COMMENTATOR

Published: 08:08 BST, 28 August 2026 | Updated: 08:37 BST, 28 August 2026

Donald Trump has signed an executive order officially changing Lake Ontario’s name to Lake America, his latest attack on Canada in an escalating trade war.

‘I guess the purpose of this, more than anything else, is we’re going to be changing the name of Lake Ontario, effective immediately to Lake America. That’s going to take place right now as I sign the order,’ the President said.

According to Trump, this official order is effective immediately, as he set his pen to paper.

‘We defend Canada for nothing, we don’t get anything,’ he told reporters in the Oval Office when asked what prompted these changes. ‘We love the people of Canada, but their representatives aren’t doing an appropriate job.’

Trump says he has been thinking of this name change for a ‘long time.’

The President announced the tariff increase after the two countries failed to reach a trade deal on Friday, sparking a tense back-and-forth between Trump and Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney.

Trump is set to increase tariffs on cars, trucks, automotive parts and steel from Canada to 50 percent by 2027.

‘On Trade, and in other ways, also, they are among the worst Nations in the World to deal with. They feel entitled, and yet, we don’t need Canada, they need us,’ Trump said on Truth Social.

The White House posted this photo on their X account showing the newly named ‘Lake America’

‘I deal with many countries, and Canada is easily the most difficult and unreasonable,’ Trump wrote on social media

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According to Trump, this official order is effective immediately, as he set his pen to paper

The executive order signed today directs Secretary Burgum and the Department of the Interior to update the Geographic Names Information Service to reflect an official name change.

Trump detailed that most of the lake actually sits in US territory.

Lake Ontario straddles the border with New York State, along its southern and eastern shores, and the Canadian province of Ontario to the north. It is not controlled outright by either Canada or the US and has instead been jointly managed under the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty for more than a century. 

When pressed on the message the move sends to Canada, Trump launched into an attack on Canadian leadership over defense spending and ongoing economic disputes. 

‘No message, as you know, Canada has been ripping us off for a long time on trade, very sadly,’ Trump said. ‘Even the military, you know, we defend Canada for nothing. We don’t get anything. They don’t pay us to defend Canada, but we defend Canada, and they understand that.’

He pointed to cross-border equipment as an example of Canada’s reliance on the United States: ‘As an example, we bought icebreakers. They’d like to use them. We have 11 brand new icebreakers coming in. They’d like to use the icebreakers. They don’t pay for anything, and they want to be treated like a state, but they’re not a state.’

Trump teased that the Atlantic and Pacific oceans could be next on his radar.

‘Actually, as you know, we took something called the Gulf of Mexico and we changed it, and now it’s very routinely the Gulf of America,’ Trump noted. ‘So, if you think about it, we have a Gulf and we have a lake. Now, all we need is an ocean. So, maybe we’ll have to change the name of the Atlantic and/or the Pacific.’ 

Trump announced on Monday a new 50 percent tariff on Canadian cars and automotive parts that is set to take effect on January 1 

Returning to his frustration with Canadian negotiators, Trump branded them the absolute hardest trade partners on the planet.

‘Canadian officials have treated us very badly. They’re nasty people. They charge our farmers 400 percent tariffs,’ Trump blasted. ‘People oftentimes they’ll ask me who’s the worst to deal with on trade, and I said that’s easy, Canada. They are the worst to trade, and they feel entitled, and just we can’t have that.’

Asked whether a deepening trade conflict could hurt broader economic affordability, Trump dismissed the concern: ‘Well, ultimately, it’s going to be very good for us because we’re losing… 62 billion a year on average with Canada… We can’t lose that.’

Carney previously claimed the US had made ‘threats’ and demands targeting French-language protections and Quebec culture during tariff negotiations.

This signing follows a viral teaser video posted on the President’s official TikTok account, where Trump offered a sneak peek at his bold rebranding scheme.

In the clip, the 80-year-old sat behind the Resolute Desk displaying a map of the Great Lake, which straddles the US-Canada border.

‘We’re gonna make a little change; we’re gonna call it something different than Lake Ontario,’ Trump said in the video. ‘We’re gonna call it Lake America. And all it takes is a good pen and some intelligence.’

Emergency services are dealing with an incident on the railway near Stalybridge this morning.

Trains have been stopped between Stalybridge and Huddersfield as a result, affecting TransPennine Express passengers heading between Manchester and West Yorkshire.

Services are being diverted, cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes, according to National Rail.

Disruption is ongoing, with the issue expected to continue for at least an hour.

Further details about the nature of the emergency incident are yet to be confirmed.