The first song I truly adored When I was about five or six, my mum only allowed Christian gospel music in the house. Then her friend Jane took pity on me and gave me a cassette: Whitney Houston on one side, Cher on the other. I was completely stunned by what I heard. I Will Always Love You made me realise: this is what I want to do. The first single I bought It was So Young by the Corrs, bought from Sainsbury’s in Walton Village, Liverpool. Music was something I could rarely afford as a child,

Collioure feels like a Mediterranean fantasy Last October, while cycling through south-west France close to the Spanish frontier, a recommendation from a local waiter brought me to Collioure, near Perpignan. It felt like a Mediterranean fantasy: the peak-season visitors had gone, leaving a calm, creative town filled with gentle light, golden warmth, cobbled lanes, small beaches and the Pyrenees rising behind it. In the early evening, the lingering autumn heat made it ideal for drifting through

Crossing the causeway that joins the small fortress island of Monemvasia to the south-eastern Peloponnese, with the Aegean glittering on either side, I thought of Yiannis Ritsos, among Greece’s most admired 20th-century poets. Ritsos lived here in Monemvasia, in a home now turned into a museum beside the ochre-coloured castle walls. One line of his stayed with me: “The voyage is neither a leave-taking nor a home-coming – an ethereal bridge …” My own journey into the far south of the Peloponnese

A territorial recruitment center denied a man a deferment from military conscription during mobilization, despite his claim that he needed to support his mother, who has a Group II disability. The decision was based on the fact that the man has a sister who may also provide care for their mother. The man filed a claim with the Ternopil Administrative Court. He asked the court to declare the recruitment center’s decision unlawful and cancel it. He also requested that the court require the

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 — A decision to limit a satellite network used by Ukraine for military communications and drone missions originated within the White House, according to two U.S. officials and a Western official familiar with the matter. The officials said Defense Department leaders were informed that SpaceX’s Starshield service, which supports the Ukrainian military, was to be restricted. Those speaking anonymously did not identify the White House official who made the decision or

Ukraine will restart attacks on Russian oil refineries, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, accusing the United States of pulling back support that Kyiv considers essential. The Ukrainian leader said he had paused the strikes for three days at Washington's request, even as Russia continued targeting Ukraine's energy system. “That is over,” he told the Financial Times. Zelensky also claimed that the US had reduced intelligence support related to Russian attacks in an effort to force

A 14-year-old boy has died after intense rainfall swept across Istanbul, flooding hundreds of properties, damaging roads and nearly paralysing traffic in Turkiye’s biggest city. Security camera footage showed the teenager being electrocuted in the Balat neighbourhood of Istanbul’s Fatih district after he stepped into a large puddle during the downpour. Recommended Stories • list 1 of 3Pakistan and Turkiye support Saudi efforts to deter the Houthis • list 2 of 3Could new proposals from India and

Russian air raids have killed at least six people across Ukraine and cut electricity supplies to hundreds of thousands, only days after United States President Donald Trump announced an “energy ceasefire” in the war that has lasted more than four years. Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that its forces launched a “massive” attack on Ukrainian communications and energy sites, according to Russian media reports. Recommended Stories • list 1 of 3What does Trump’s proposed “energy

Portavadie, Argyll Set beside Loch Fyne on Scotland’s west coast, Portavadie was first planned as an oil-rig construction site, though the project never came to fruition. It has since become a marina resort with self-catering accommodation, a restaurant and bar, a small shop, and an extensive leisure complex. Its standout feature is thought to be Scotland’s largest heated outdoor infinity pool, looking across the water towards the Isle of Arran. Guests can also use outdoor spa pools, a sauna,

US actor RJ Mitte, widely recognised for playing Walter White’s outspoken son in the drama series Breaking Bad, has died at the age of 34. “It is with immense sadness that we confirm the tragic death of beloved actor, philanthropist and committed disability-rights advocate RJ Mitte,” his representative said in a statement. Mitte died on Monday in Brownsville, Texas. His publicist said that his death was the result of suicide. The actor, who had cerebral palsy, brought personal understanding to

December is traditionally a busy month for travel. While some holidaymakers head to Europe’s most atmospheric Christmas markets, others prefer to escape the cold and enjoy warmer weather. Travel specialists have selected 13 appealing destinations around the world where visitors can catch some winter sunshine: • Gran Canaria, Spain: the average December temperature is around +20°C, with approximately 6 hours of sunshine per day. • Cancun, Mexico: the average temperature in December reaches

Rust-red leaves and burnt sienna tones scatter across the green slopes rising from Lake Iseo, while soft autumn sunshine glitters on the water below. Monte Isola, the largest island on an Italian lake, is a rugged mix of steep cliffs, thick woodland, fishing settlements and small villages clinging to the hillsides. It has the charm of Lake Como and Lake Garda, yet without their crowds. I reach the little harbour of Peschiera Maraglio on a ferry from Sulzano, a journey of barely five minutes

KYIV/WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 - U.S. President Donald Trump unexpectedly declared on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had entered an energy ceasefire that was “effective immediately,” though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he had yet to receive the agreement’s details. Moscow made no immediate comment on Trump’s statement. The announcement came after several days of pressure from the U.S. president on Kyiv to stop striking Russian oil refineries. Trump has linked those attacks to higher

Hurricane Isaias was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone a day after making landfall on Florida’s northern Gulf Coast, where it brought torrential rain and damaging winds. Isaias, the first named hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, continued moving through south-eastern parts of the United States. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across Florida, Alabama and Georgia lost electricity, while all three states declared emergencies. Storm warnings were lifted after expiring on

Once regarded as an awkward agricultural leftover, rice husk is increasingly being turned into a tough, long-lasting material for buildings. In 2023, contractor David Fine faced a difficult assignment. He had been brought in to renovate an upscale ski condominium complex in Park City, Utah. The site’s design requirements were unusually demanding. The older condos had started to deteriorate beneath the town’s deep, powdery snow, which can remain on the ground for much of the lengthy winter. The

Australia’s energy minister has said Russia must not be allowed to benefit from its “illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine” after US president Donald Trump announced an agreement with Vladimir Putin to purchase Russian diesel. Energy and climate change minister Chris Bowen said on Saturday that Australia neither needed nor wanted Russian fuel, as he provided an update on the nation’s fuel stockpiles. However, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said it was important for countries to cooperate

Mont Blanc is veiled by cloud, yet the Aiguille du Midi still pierces the sky above slopes glowing in copper, amber and ochre. Maple leaves burn scarlet, while rowan branches hang heavy with deep-red berries. Our small party rattles up to Mont Lachat station, 2,115 metres above sea level, aboard the Tramway du Mont Blanc. This historic cog railway has been hauling passengers up remarkably steep ground from the French Alpine town of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains since 1909. It was originally meant to

From October 10, 2026, four zodiac signs may enter a phase associated with welcome changes and renewed momentum. The focus could fall on career opportunities, financial matters, and personal relationships. Astrology, tarot reading, numerology, palmistry, psychic practices, and similar approaches are not scientific disciplines. They are based on long-standing traditions, beliefs, and interpretations that have not been confirmed by scientific research or objective evidence. These methods are not

Emergency power outages have been introduced on Kyiv’s right bank and in parts of the Kyiv region. According to DTEK, the restrictions were imposed on the instruction of Ukrenergo. “Emergency outages have been applied on Kyiv’s right bank, as well as in the Bucha and Vyshhorod districts of the Kyiv region, following an order from Ukrenergo. During emergency outages, previously published schedules do not apply,” the company said. Meanwhile, scheduled restrictions remain in effect on Kyiv’s left

This follow-up to The Social Network turns Facebook’s whistleblower scandal into a drama about corporate secrecy. Yet despite Jeremy Strong’s cold, vacant Mark Zuckerberg, the film rarely generates much suspense. The Social Network (2010) was, on paper, a story about socially awkward students building a website. In practice, it became a sharply entertaining awards success, winning three Oscars and receiving five further nominations. David Fincher directed Aaron Sorkin’s rapid-fire script, while