EPIDAURUS, Greece (AP) — As Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” renews global fascination with Homer, a cast of disabled and non-disabled performers in Greece is staging the war’s other story.
It’s not about the triumph of returning heroes, but the suffering they left behind.
“The Trojan Women,” with a cast of 22, was staged at Epidaurus, the ancient open-air stone arena in southern Greece. It marked what organizers called the first fully accessible performance in the ancient theater’s 2,300-year history.
While Homer followed warriors sailing home from Troy, the playwright Euripides — writing some three centuries later — turned to the city’s ruins and its women, forced into exile and enslavement.
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The ancient theater offered a full range of accessibility services for the Aug. 2 performance. Blind audience members received Braille programs, tactile models and live audio description, while deaf spectators followed overhead titles. Physical adaptations also improved access throughout the site.
“It’s the first time a performance at Ancient Epidaurus has been made accessible to everyone,” said Greg Polychronidis, a Paralympic gold medalist who attended the event. “Today was a celebration of equality and it should serve as an example for everyone, forever.”
For many of the performers, standing on the ancient stage was itself part of the message: a voice for those often overlooked. Eirini Kourouvani, a 58-year-old cast member who uses a wheelchair, had never set foot inside the theater before.
“It is just grand,” she said. “I feel my heart opening up as wide as this theater is.”
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Ioanna-Maria Gertsou, a blind psychologist, attended with Babu, her guide dog.
“We too have the right to attend performances on an equal footing,” she said, relieved that her dog remained quiet during the play.
The National Theater of Greece produced the performance, and accessibility services were designed by the nonprofit Liminal with financial support from Greece’s Alpha Bank.
Argyro Chioti, the National Theater’s artistic director, said the production should become the norm rather than the exception.
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“This was complex, not simple. It required months of planning. It cost money. And it required very specific organizational expertise,” she said. “But that’s the standard and venues we need to reach — the major stages and the major theaters.”
Rory McIlroy has been playing a reduced schedule this season, but caddie Harry Diamond has still earned a huge sum
Tom Victor and Rory Robinson
07:00, 09 Aug 2026
Rory McIlroy has been operating on a lighter schedule this season, yet he has still accumulated a considerable sum in prize money — a healthy portion of which has been passed down to caddie Harry Diamond.
Diamond, McIlroy’s close friend and long-standing bagman, has earned more in 2026 alone than many players will pocket across an entire season. Estimates place his earnings for the year somewhere between $750,000 and $850,000 (£557,240 and £631,540).
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These figures are calculated on the standard caddie pay structure. Typically, caddies receive a 10 per cent cut following a victory, five per cent for a top-10 finish, and five per cent whenever their player makes the cut.
Diamond’s biggest payday of the year came at the Masters, where McIlroy successfully defended his title at Augusta National, pocketing a record $4.5 million (£3.3m) winner’s cheque — leaving Diamond with a $450,000 (£334,000) share for his 10 per cent cut.
That single payout alone put Diamond ahead of a significant number of PGA Tour professionals for the year. McIlroy then added a further $840,000 (£631,000) from the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open, including $637,050 (£473,300) from a T7 finish at the former as Aaron Rai claimed the title.
McIlroy’s 2026 campaign also included a T2 at the Genesis Invitational, a T12 at the Memorial, and a T7 at the Genesis Scottish Open, though he will not feature in the upcoming FedEx St. Jude Championship. Even his T46 finish at The Players, T32 at the U.S. Open, and T40 at The Open all contributed to the overall earnings.
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A level-par performance at The Players brought in $72,000 (£53,000), while a T40 at The Open generated $69,000 (£51,000) – his most modest payday of the season.
McIlroy’s showing at Aronimink secured Diamond another substantial sum in bonus payments. McIlroy himself has amassed $8.5m (£6.3m) in official prize money this season and stands a chance of hitting the $10m mark once again, having achieved it in 2025.
Consequently, several tour professionals’ earnings for 2026 place them behind Diamond, never mind McIlroy. Haotong Li stands at $741,536, with Keita Nakajima on $740,571, Stefano Mazzoli at $720,000, and Rico Hoey at $718,607.
Diamond isn’t topping the caddy earnings chart, however. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has banked $16.9m (£12.5m) in prize money this campaign, with bagman Ted Scott estimated to have pocketed close to $1.4m (£1m) as a consequence.
The Northern Irishman’s background beyond golf is understood to be in the hospitality sector. His family has connections to pubs, hotels and eateries around Bangor and Belfast, and maintained links with the Marine Hotel and Dukes Hotel.
Today, however, it’s Diamond’s partnership with McIlroy that has earned him the substantial income. Despite a lighter schedule, the Masters champion is not expected to face any PGA sanctions for falling below the minimum tournament requirement.
Shanghai’s two airports canceled more than 1,300 flights and authorities relocated some 300,000 people in surrounding regions as China prepared for Typhoon Dolphin, after the storm brought heavy rains to northern Taiwan.
The outer bands of the storm on Saturday hit northern Taiwan, including the capital Taipei, bringing rain.
Some Taiwanese airlines also canceled their flights to China on Sunday.
The storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at about 162kmph (101mph) as of Sunday morning. It is bringing heavy rains, creating a risk of severe flooding as well as landslides and is expected to hit Zhejiang province and northern parts of neighbouring Fujian province late on Sunday.
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(AFP/Getty)
That is equal to a Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, a storm capable of producing extensive damage to homes, trees and infrastructure.
Forecasters in China predicted that areas could see 200-400mm (7.9–15.7in) of rainfall over the next few days.
Authorities are warning of severe landslide risks in Zhejiang.
Shanghai’s Hongqiao and Pudong airports respectively also canceled about 60 per cent of Sunday’s expected flights, according to the Paper, Shanghai’s state media.
On Saturday evening, authorities in Zhejiang evacuated some 390,000 people in the city of Taizhou.
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Authorities in Shanghai evacuated some 30,000 plus from riskier areas. Zhejiang authorities also suspended all water-based activities, including ferries and cruises.
Before its landfall in China, authorities moved offshore workers to safety, ordered vessels back to port and increased checks at reservoirs, mountain streams, landslide-prone areas, construction sites and tourist locations.
Torrential rai After landfall, Dolphin is forecast to track westward before slowing over central and southwestern China and gradually losing strength, Wang Haiping, chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Centre, told state broadcaster CCTV.
Shanghai’s Yangshan port cleared ships from its berths and moved more than 500 small and medium-sized vessels to shelter ahead of Dolphin, the city’s maritime safety administration said.
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That could prolong heavy rain and raise the risk of flooding and landslides, especially in mountainous areas and along smaller rivers.
Here is your round-up of the key cases that were heard before Northern Ireland courts during the week of August 3-7
06:00, 09 Aug 2026
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Cases heard at courts across Northern Ireland this week included a notorious sex offender with “literally hundreds of convictions” going back 20 years, who has been charged with exposure and indecent behaviour.
Elsewhere, the High Court heard how a Co Down-based barber allegedly threatened to kill his family in a car crash as part of a worsening campaign of child cruelty.
Meanwhile, Hadi Alodid, the man accused of a knife attack which sparked rioting in Northern Ireland, has been urged by a judge to seek legal representation.
Here is your round-up of the key cases that were heard before Northern Ireland courts during the week of August 3-7.
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Notorious sex offender with ‘prodigious record’ charged with exposure and indecent behaviour
A notorious sex offender with “literally hundreds of convictions” going back 20 years has been charged with exposure and indecent behaviour.
Richard McFarland appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court by video link from prison, where he was charged with two offences alleged to have been committed on July 29 this year.
McFarland, listed as from no fixed abode, Belfast, is accused of exploit in that he allegedly “intentionally exposed your genitals intending that unnamed persons would see them and be caused alarm or distress.”
The alleged background was not opened in court, but a prosecution lawyer confirmed the PPS “cannot accept a plea” until a senior prosecutor has looked at the file.
Defence counsel Michael Boyd conceded that McFarland, “does have a prodigious record…. Literally hundreds of convictions,” so he had no objections to the case being adjourned.
Remanding McFarland in custody, Deputy District Judge Gerard Trainor adjourned the case to August 21.
Man with addiction issues granted bail to attend residential rehabilitation centre
An Armagh man with addiction issues has been granted bail today to allow him to attend a residential rehabilitation centre in Newry.
Despite objections from the Crown, the application to vary Anthony Lee Reilly’s bail was granted on Tuesday by Judge Catherine Chasemore at Belfast Crown Court.
The 27-year old, from Cathedral Road, attended the hearing via a videolink with HMP Maghaberry.
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He has been charged with, and denies, wounding a man with intent to do him grievous bodily harm and possessing a knife with intent to commit wounding on January 27, 2022.
He was told that a preliminary inquiry would be held in his case next month.
Alodid is charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie on June 8, who the court previously heard lost his left eye and received deep cuts to his head, face and back.
Man detained in Belfast allegedly convicted of rape in Dublin under different name
A man detained in Belfast following an international police hunt was allegedly convicted of rape in Dublin under a different name, the High Court heard.
Prosecutors claimed Teklemariam Lijam, 42, used separate identities in a bid to mislead the authorities about his criminal past.
The Eritrean national, of no fixed abode, faces new charges of failing to register as a sex offender, providing false information to police, and perverting the course of justice.
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Refusing bail, Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan ruled there were no conditions under which he could be safely released.
Woman left with “regular flashbacks” after husband’s uncle sexually assaulted her as she slept
A 63-year old man who sexually assaulted his nephew’s wife as she lay sleeping beside her child and husband was handed a 30-month sentence on Thursday.
The term was divided equally between prison and supervised licence and was imposed at Belfast Crown Court.
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The abuser, who can’t be named to protect the identity of his victim, appeared via a videolink with HMP Maghaberry and was told he will spend the rest of his life on the Sex Offenders Register.
He stood trial and was convicted by a jury last November of two counts of sexual assault which occurred in the early hours of July 15, 2023.
Co Down barber threatened to ‘kill his family in a car crash in cruelty campaign’, court told
A Co Down-based barber allegedly threatened to kill his family in a car crash as part of a worsening campaign of child cruelty, the High Court heard on Friday.
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Prosecutors claimed he also beat at least two of his daughters so severely they thought he would not stop until they were dead.
The 49-year-old defendant, who cannot be identified, is accused of subjecting his wife and their children to violence and manipulation stretching back over a number of years.
Details emerged after a judge refused his bail application amid fears he could try to contact them again.
The man faces multiple charges of threats to kill, common assault, child cruelty and a further domestic abuse offence.
Child sex offender jailed for probation breaches after “coming off rails”
A pensioner who breached a Probation Order which was imposed for a sexual offence against a child was jailed on Friday.
As a result of the breaches, Kevin Cornelius O’Connor was re-sentenced at Belfast Crown Court for the sexual offence and was handed a 12-month sentence divided equally between prison and licence.
The 76-year old, with an address on the court papers as Drumard Park in Derry, was made the subject of a three-year Probation Order in October 2023.
After a three-year absence, the new episodes see Ted being brought back to Richmond FC, this time to try and reverse the fortunes of the club’s female team.
Because of this, regular faces like Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple and Brett Goldstein are joined by an exciting array of new additions to the cast – some of whom you have seen in other big-name shows and films.
Here’s a quick guide to where you may well have seen Ted Lasso’s new recruits before…
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Tanya Reynolds
Tanya Reynolds in Sex Education
Tanya Reynolds rose to international fame thanks to her scene-stealing performance as the loveable misfit Lily Iglehart in all four seasons of Netflix’s Sex Education.
Before that, she’d played Dawn French’s daughter in the British comedy Delicious, and appeared in shows like Death In Paradise and Outlander.
Faye Marsay as Detective Sargeant Frank in Adolescence
Before that, she was known for her work in Doctor Who’s 2014 festive special Last Christmas, the BBC crime drama McMafia, the Black Mirror episode Hated In The Nation or Game Of Thrones, in which she played “The Waif”.
Over on the big screen, Faye has also acted in Pride, Darkest Hour and A Private War.
Abbie Hern
Abbie Hern as Mae in Enola Holmes 2
Before being cast as one of the new Lady Greyhounds, Abbie Hern was known for her work in the second Enola Holmes movie and the fantasy series My Lady Jane.
She also played Mary Bone in Peaky Blinders back in 2022, and appeared in Jordan Peele’s Twilight Zone reboot and the Welsh drama The Pact.
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Jude Mack
Jude Mack pictured on the set of Mickey 17 with Robert Pattinson
Some of Jude Mack’s more recent TV appearances have included the James Norton drama Playing Nice, the dark comedy I Hate Suzie, the thriller Prime Target or the BBC crime series The Capture.
You may have also seen them in minor roles in the films Mickey 17, Back In Action or the most recent instalment in the Mission: Impossible series.
Rex Hayes
Aisling Sharkey and Rex Hayes in the new season of Ted Lasso
Like co-star Abbie Hern, Rex Hayes previously appeared in the Welsh drama The Pact.
Ted Lasso is Rex’s biggest on-screen credit to date, but they have also had supporting roles in Bang, The Bastard Executioner and Bregus.
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Aisling Sharkey
Aisling Sharkey in Jurassic World: Dominion
Jurassic World fans might remember Aisling Sharkey for her performance as Madison in the 2022 offering Dominion.
Before that, her only other listed credit was in the fantasy TV series Heirs Of The Night, in which she played the character Ivy.
Grant Feely
Grant Feely as a young Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars universe
In the fourth season of Ted Lasso, Grant Feely is taking over the role of the titular character’s son, Henry Lasso.
The child actor has an impressive CV already, most notably appearing as a young Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars spin-off Obi-Wan Kenobi.
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New episodes of Ted Lasso arrive on Apple TV+ on Wednesdays.
Every family has to think, from time to time, about funerals. It may not be welcome, but it is usually wise.
It is certainly not the taboo it used to be – some TV stations nowadays are full of advertisements for funeral plans.
For the Royal Family, the problem is rather bigger. The death of any senior royal raises delicate and intricate questions of protocol and precedence.
Where will the service be held? Where will the interment be?
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We must all die, even if the current Royal Family has developed a reputation for longevity.
The well-oiled machine of the British monarchy does not wish to be unprepared for any eventuality, and quite right too.
So inevitably the awkward question of the funeral of the former Duke of York, now Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, has come up.
And currently there are plans for him to have a funeral thought to be similar to that accorded to the late Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret.
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Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Queen Elizabeth II attend the funeral of Patricia Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma in 2017
Let us not be vindictive here, but the former Prince, by his behaviour and attitude in the Epstein affair, has surely forfeited any entitlement to such ceremonies.
Plainly, in common decency, he should be buried with his forebears, and his unquestioned bravery in the Falklands will not be forgotten by the Navy.
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But the British public will be dismayed if his obsequies take place in royal surroundings or with the trappings of monarchy.
He is now a private citizen and his funeral should be private too.
A fine choice of school, minister. A shame others can’t follow suit
Has Labour under Andy Burnham quietly become the party of the super-rich?
Roughly 21 per cent of Mr Burnham’s Cabinet went to private schools, which are now increasingly beyond the reach of the aspiring middle classes.
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This is thanks to tax changes – VAT, National Insurance increases and business rates – imposed on them by Labour Party chairman and former Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.
Even those ministers who went to state schools seem to have been fortunate in their education.
An impressive 54 per cent of the Burnham Cabinet attended either Oxford or Cambridge, as 99 per cent of British children do not do.
And now we learn that the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Miatta Fahnbulleh, is educating her own three children privately. We do not know how much she and her husband – who is said to be ‘in finance’ – pay.
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Miatta Fahnbulleh (pictured with Andy Burnham) championed Labour’s decision to slap VAT on public school fees – despite sending all three of her own children to private school
But Ms Fahnbulleh’s own former school, Beechwood in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, currently charges boarders almost £45,000 a year and day pupils up to £24,597.
There is nothing wrong with that. The Mail on Sunday supports aspiration and ambition. We only wish more children could go to independent schools.
The problem is that Labour’s own actions are currently devastating much of private education across the country. We must assume they know what they are doing, when they make private schools too expensive for the middle class while continuing to use such schools themselves.
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Even if they do not make the same choice as Ms Fahnbulleh, they must surely grasp that Ms Phillipson’s fierce taxes have reinforced the privilege of wealth, not weakened it.
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MAIL ON SUNDAY COMMENT: Andrew is not worthy of ANY royal money
One MLA spent £300 on a computer keyboard, while others claimed for everything from a £500 coffee machine, an Alexa speaker, to drinking water.
06:00, 09 Aug 2026
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AI subscriptions, social media blue ticks, coffee machines and cameras are among the more unusual items claimed by Stormont MLAs on expenses over the past year.
An analysis of the latest Assembly expenses returns by Belfast Live shows that politicians are increasingly using public money to pay for AI tools such as ChatGPT, as well as software designed to create social media videos and subscriptions to verify their online accounts.
The records, covering April 2025 to March 2026, also include claims for coffee machines, vlogging equipment, water coolers, smart speakers and hundreds of pounds worth of camera equipment.
Perhaps the biggest trend to emerge is the growing use of ChatGPT.
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SDLP MLA Cara Hunter claimed £19.99 for ChatGPT on eleven separate occasions throughout the year.
Independent MLA Claire Sugden also regularly claimed £19.99 each month for ChatGPT Plus, while Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong submitted recurring claims of £20 for the premium AI service.
The SDLP’s Sinéad McLaughlin also claimed monthly ChatGPT subscriptions, with payments ranging between £17.85 and £18.84, while party colleague Daniel McCrossan opted to expense a single £189.90 payment covering ChatGPT Plus between May 2025 and February 2026.
The latest returns also show MLAs using public money to bolster their social media presence.
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Cara Hunter claimed £11 each month for an X subscription, as well as £11.99 a month for Meta Verification, giving her verified accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
DUP MLA Peter Martin also expensed an annual X subscription costing £114.99.
Creating online content is another area where spending appears to have increased.
Cara Hunter claimed a monthly CapCut subscription, while Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw claimed £139.99 for the video editing software. Similar claims were also made by Sinn Féin’s Colm Gildernew and SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin.
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Meanwhile, several MLAs also purchased dedicated camera equipment.
DUP MLAs David Brooks and Cheryl Brownlee each claimed £329 for cameras bought from Currys during April this year.
Jonathan Buckley claimed £319.99 for a camera from Argos, while Alliance MLA David Honeyford expensed £498 for a camera and microphone package.
DUP deputy leader Michelle McIlveen also claimed £419 for a DJI camera.
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Elsewhere in the returns, Daniel McCrossan claimed £549.99 for a coffee machine from Argos. His SDLP colleague Sinéad McLaughlin also claimed £45 for what was listed as an Argos coffee machine.
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly spent £378 on a water cooler and a further £65.99 on bottled water and disposable cups.
Linda Dillon also submitted claims totalling £198.43 for water cooler rental, drinking water and disposable cups.
There were also claims for equipment aimed at improving online content.
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UUP deputy leader Diana Armstrong expensed a £92 Hasselblad microphone and a £219.95 Apple SnapCreator Kit, while her party colleague Steve Aiken claimed £79.19 for a vlogging kit.
SDLP Leader of the Opposition, Matthew O’Toole, claimed £44.50 for fountain pens purchased from Amazon.
Meanwhile, DUP MLA Cheryl Brownlee recorded the largest catering claim in the period, expensing a single transaction of £300 for refreshments from a catering company.
The returns also show a range of technology purchases.
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Alliance MLA David Honeyford claimed £299.25 for an Apple keyboard, Kellie Armstrong claimed £49 for an official Apple iPhone case, while DUP MLA Deborah Erskine expensed an Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker costing £54.99.
In addition, new mobile phones featured prominently.
Kellie Armstrong claimed £874 for an iPhone 16; Andrew Muir expensed £699 for an iPhone 16e; Orlaithi Flynn claimed £649 for an iPhone from Currys; and William Irwin purchased an iPhone 16e for £549.
Other MLAs opted for refurbished devices, with Claire Sugden claiming £463 for a refurbished iPhone 14 Pro Max from Back Market and Diana Armstrong claiming £425 for a handset from CEX.
Meghan Markle quipped that her husband Prince Harry ‘loves bagpipes’ as the couple arrived at a gala to celebrate music mogul David Foster on Friday night.
In a video posted to Instagram on Saturday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could be seen walking through a corridor lined with bagpipers at the 40th anniversary celebration of The David Foster Foundation in Canada.
At the start of the video the Duchess told the musicians: ‘My husband loves bagpipes!’
As they continued to walk past the pipers, Meghan added: ‘Oh my god, this is amazing!’
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Harry then joked with the musicians, asking: ‘Where are mine?’ He then protested he could play both ‘pipes and drums’.
Meghan’s video then cut to a plate featuring what appeared to be an edible piano and musical notes before panning to the programme for the evening’s gala and concert.
Foster, 76, founded the organisation in 1986 to provide financial support for Canadian families with children who need life-saving organ transplants and raise awareness of organ donation in Canada and the US.
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Meghan Markle joked with bagpipers as she attended an event to celebrate David Foster, the music mogul and close friend of the Sussexes
Dressed in a gown by Canadian designer Greta Constantine she quipped to the musicians: ‘My husband loves bagpipes!’
At the event on Friday night, held in Foster’s home city of Victoria, British Columbia, Meghan was pictured wearing Princess Diana‘s diamond and sapphire earrings.
She also owns the late Princess of Wales‘s butterfly earrings and matching cuff bracelet as well as a diamond tennis bracelet, a Cartier Tank Louis and Diana’s ‘divorce ring’, an emerald-cut aquamarine surrounded by diamonds gifted to her by close friend Lucia Flecha de Lima in 1996.
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Meghan, 45, has previously worn Diana’s earrings at public events and chose to sweep her hair into an updo to show off the stones on Friday night.
Harry, 41, wore a black tuxedo and bow tie while his wife was dressed in a black maxi one-shouldered gown by Canadian designer Greta Constantine.
The Sussexes posed for pictures with 16-time Grammy winner Foster and his wife, actress and singer Katharine McPhee, 42.
Meghan and Harry have long been friends with the couple and were previously pictured on a double date with them.
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In 2019 Foster arranged for the Duke and Duchess to stay at a close friend’s mansion on Vancouver Island, telling the Daily Mail at the time: ‘I felt honoured that I was able to help Meghan there because I’m a Canadian, and we’re a Commonwealth country – we’re the Crown’s.
‘It’s important to us, so I grew up with that kind of sentiment. I was really happy to be able to help them to find a respite just to take a little time off.’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the gala, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Foster’s organ donation foundation, in Canada on Friday night
The Duke and Duchess are close friends of Foster and his wife, actress and singer Katharine McPhee
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Meghan wore diamond and sapphire earrings belonging to her late mother-in-law for the gala
The mansion, a secluded waterfront estate in North Saanich, British Columbia, was owned by Mr Foster’s close friend, whose identity he refused to give away.
McPhee went to school with the Duchess and told Access Hollywood in 2020 that her husband and the Duke had a ‘really, really beautiful relationship’.
‘They’re so cute. They’re like father and son.
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‘We just stay in touch with them [the Sussexes]. But mostly, Meghan and I knew each other from childhood, but really Harry and my husband are friends. It’s really nice.’
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Meghan Markle beams ‘my husband loves bagpipes!’ as she and Prince Harry share banter with Scottish band at event to support music mogul friend
Paddy McGuinness is reported to be dating a ‘stunning Radio 2 publicist’ following his split from wife Christine McGuinness.
In new pictures, the comedian, 52, could be seen enjoying a stroll with Emma Carey down a London street after having dinner together on Thursday.
The pair had enjoyed a meal at the swanky five-star Rosewood Hotel, with the publication reporting that they later headed to another nearby hotel.
Paddy, who hosts a weekly show on BBC Radio 2 where Emma works, was staying in London last week as he acted as a stand-in host on ITV‘s This Morning.
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In the images, Paddy – who earlier this year revealed his incredible body transformation following a gruelling fitness regime – donned a tight black T-shirt which clung to his muscular frame.
Meanwhile, Emma was dressed to impress in a plunging black halter neck top, accessorising her look with a selection of chic gold jewellery.
Paddy McGuinness is reported to be dating a ‘stunning Radio 2 publicist’ (pictured) following his split from wife Christine McGuinness
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In new pictures, Paddy could be seen enjoying a stroll with Emma Carey down a London street after having dinner together on Thursday (Paddy pictured in 2023)
The brunette beauty was clearly relaxed in the Take Me Out star’s company, placing an arm around his back as they walked together.
An onlooker told The Sun: ‘Paddy looked so at ease with her. It was obvious they are incredibly comfortable together, and they laughed a lot.
‘Fans will be thrilled to see him so happy after the anguish of his marriage split with Christine.
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‘It’s easy to see why he’s so smitten with Emma by his side. Paddy looked like the cat that got the cream.’
As well as her publicity job on BBC Radio 2, it is said that Emma is a yoga and wellness enthusiast, sharing yoga sessions and Thailand wellness retreats on Instagram.
The Daily Mail has contacted Paddy’s representatives for comment.
TV star Paddy split from wife Christine in 2022 after 11 years of marriage but have remained living together in their family home while co-parenting their three children.
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The pair had enjoyed a meal at the swanky five-star Rosewood Hotel, with the publication reporting that they later headed to another nearby hotel (Emma pictured on LinkedIn)
TV star Paddy split from wife Christine in 2022 after 11 years of marriage but have remained living together in their family home while co-parenting their three children (pictured in 2021)
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The pair maintain a good relationship for the sake of their children, with it said that the pair tell each other when they are going on dates.
While the pair are still close friends, with Christine describing their amicable set-up as a ‘blessing,’ she confessed that she struggled amid the breakdown of their marriage.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Christine shared: ‘Divorce is scary and it was scary for me – obviously, I’ve never done a divorce before! It’s an awful time.
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‘But as much as it was challenging and difficult, a lot of the thoughts and feelings were really from listening to other people’s stories.
‘Obviously, you hear about divorce, you instantly think negativity, heartbreak and a broken family or whatever, you don’t hear about other families that [continue to] share their home.’
Paddy and Christine’s children, twins Penelope and Leo, 13, and Felicity, ten, all have autism, with the couple choosing to continue to live together so as not to disrupt their routines.
‘A lot of families that have got children with special educational needs choose to do it this way,’ Christine explained. ‘Maybe they don’t talk about it so much, but they’re the ones who really get it and understand it.’
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Christine continued: ‘I actually do think it is a blessing, the way we work co-parenting.
‘It was always a decision from the beginning that no matter what, between me and Patrick, our priority is always the children, and that’s how we’ve kept it, fortunately…
‘We’re lucky that we genuinely get on so well. We’re not in a rush to sell the house. We don’t want to be putting the kids in mummy’s house and then in daddy’s house – and our work’s not in a routine and our children thrive on routine.
‘They love the home, and in my head it’s the children’s home for them to grow up in. I’m not in a rush for that to change, to be honest.
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‘I’d love my own little flat somewhere, but this is my home.’
Following the breakdown of her marriage, Christine has been open about dating women, but said she’d never bring a date back to the house she shares with Paddy.
‘I would never do that,’ Christine insisted. ‘Like I said, this is the family home, and then Paddy and I have our lives outside.
‘But we never did have many visitors to the house, even when we were married. We don’t introduce the children to just anybody.
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‘So certainly when it comes to dating, anything like that is going to take a very, very long time, like years, years and years.’
According to Sam, clothes horses deserve to live a fulfilling life (Picture: supplied)
As someone who spent much of her adolescence devoted to a Lemur named Ron who lived at Howletts Zoo, I can empathise with those who want to protect vulnerable species.
That’s why I knew I was going to enjoy my conversation with Sam Smith – a Brighton-based activist who’s spent the last decade rescuing, caring, and mending abandoned clothes horses.
As I waited for the 33-year-old to join me on Zoom, I had a million questions: Why did you start collecting clothes horses left by strangers on the street? Why open a sanctuary dedicated to a household item? And what’s the real message behind it all?
Never once breaking character, which included regularly referring to the clothes horses as ‘animals’, our chat was both enlightening and entertaining.
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And while some might call his passion project ‘absurd’, it’s connected with thousands of people online.
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‘Clothes horses are the quiet heroes in pretty much everyone’s house,’ he tells Metro.
‘Everyone’s had one, whether it’s at your childhood home or in a uni room. And most of us also have a memory attached to a clothes horse – it breaking or getting your fingers caught.’
Sam’s always had an affinity for clothes horses (Picture: supplied)
I saw a herd of three abandoned just a few weeks ago
The smile that spreads across Sam’s face as he talks about the clothes horses reflects the deep affection that first prompted him to rescue one back in 2016.
After seeing so many dumped next to bins, often with broken hinges, the social care worker and father-of-two decided to take them home.
‘I started giving them all their own little stories. You know, “where have they been?”, “who was looking after them?”, “How did they end up here?”, “was it a drop-off in the middle of the night?”‘
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Pretty soon, he shares, he had nine abandoned clothes horses taking up space in his small Brighton flat – all of whom he’d named (personal favourites include Rita and Ruth) and created extensive backstories for.
Describing how it quickly became apparent that he’d need a bigger space to keep the ‘herd’, Sam explains: ‘Clothes horses have a mind of their own, so although I’d put them to one side, I’d just step around the corner, knock one over, and it would jump back into life.’
Luckily, Sam had a friend who graciously offered to let him use some of his land to keep the ‘animals’ – a strip of gorgeous countryside where they graze still to this day.
At night, the clothes horses sleep in the stable (Picture: supplied)
Once a clothes horse is in his possession, Sam’s ultimate goal is to get it adopted – a process that involves him spending hours on local forums advertising the clothes horses and scanning for anyone new to the area in search of handy household items.
Outside of that, he also spends a lot of time fixing and nurturing them – emphasising that no clothes horse is a lost cause.
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‘There’s always a way to fix up a clothes horse. Some of the bigger medical procedures – like a snapped leg – are tricky but then it’s time to improvise. Some of our clothes horses have been repaired with old discarded fans or bits of an old hoover, whatever we can get our hands on really.’
Day to day, life at the sanctuary is simple.
Sam regularly hosts activities for the clothes horses to work on mindfulness (Picture: supplied)
‘By the time I get to sanctuary in the morning the clothes horses are all ready and have had their breakfast. Firstly, I’ll check on the ones who’ve just arrived because, if they’ve got a broken leg, you don’t want to leave them around with that injury, because the hinges will start to rust.
‘After that we’d probably all go out, down near the river and in the countryside for some recreational activities. I also take them into town sometimes.
‘Then in the evening everyone gets together for some team building exercises. Once that’s done they’ll usually go straight into their paddocks.’
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People have asked if they can sponsor a clothes horse
Although Sam has been rescuing clothes horses for a decade, it wasn’t until recently that he started documenting the journey and sharing it on social media.
With thousands of followers and over 111,000 likes, it’s safe to say that people have become incredibly invested in the sanctuary, and in Sam.
Comments range from ‘a clothes horse is not just for Christmas,’ to ‘Thank you for doing this important work’.
One particularly honest user, @rainbow, shared: ‘I’m ashamed to say I’ve previously overworked and abused one of mine with a heavy blanket. Poor thing buckled under the weight but managed to make it. I’ll do better now.’
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A number of users have also expressed interest in sponsoring some of the animals. At £3 per month, donations like these help Sam keep the operation afloat.
However, he does have exciting plans to hopefully start including Christmas cards and horse clothes plushies in future sponsorship packages.
So… Why does Sam do it?
This is a fun story, yes. Much like so many other wonderful and whimsical corners of the internet, it offers giggles and well-needed respite from everyday life.
But, amidst all of this imagination, there is a real topic of conversation here.
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From naming different clothes horse breeds to seriously discussing their tendency to leave peg droppings on the stable floor, Sam knows exactly what he’s doing.
He explains that while the humour of this objectively bizarre crusade might reel people in, underneath is a genuine message about ‘repairing, reusing and valuing things rather than treating them as disposable.’
Too many clothes horses end up abandoned by the bins, left without dignity or care. 💔 At the Clothes Horse Sanctuary, we give them fresh air, kindness, and a second chance. Every rescue matters. 🐎✨ Link in bio to support 🫶
He tells Metro: ‘We’ve reached a point where people are actually bringing unwanted clothes horses to the sanctuary instead of throwing them away.
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‘I have a house and outdoor space full of them, and I’ve rehomed a number of clothes horses with people who genuinely want to give them a second life.’
The sanctuary is taking a unique approach to raising awareness – calling out ‘Big Tumble’ and discussing a petition to get clothes horses classed as animals. But why not?
Sam’s dedication is admirable and, with so many clothes horses still out there – cold, alone and scattered across the streets of Brighton – I’m personally glad he’s got their backs.
BEIJING (AP) — Shanghai’s two airports canceled more than 1,300 flights and authorities relocated some 300,000 people in surrounding regions as China prepared for Typhoon Dolphin, after the storm brought heavy rains to northern Taiwan.
The outer bands of the storm on Saturday hit northern Taiwan, including the capital Taipei, bringing rain. Some Taiwanese airlines also canceled their flights to China Sunday.
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The storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at about 162 kilometers per hour (101 mph) as of Sunday morning. It is bringing heavy rains, creating a risk of severe flooding as well as landslides and is expected to hit Zhejiang province and northern parts of neighboring Fujian province late Sunday.
Forecasters in China predicted that areas could see 200-400 mm (7.9–15.7 inches) of rainfall over the next few days. Authorities are warning of severe landslide risks in Zhejiang.
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Shanghai’s Hongqiao and Pudong airports respectively also canceled about 60% of Sunday’s expected flights, according to the Paper, Shanghai’s state media.
On Saturday evening, authorities in Zhejiang evacuated some 390,000 people in the city of Taizhou. Authorities in Shanghai evacuated some 30,000 plus from riskier areas.
Zhejiang authorities also suspended all water-based activities, including ferries and cruises.
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