Виростити хрін на своєму городі легко, це невибаглива рослина. А от позбутися його, то вже ціла проблема. У хріну дуже сильна коренева система й боротися з ним доведеться довго. Подробиці Хрін важко вивести з города навіть за допомогою хімічних засобів. Його кореневище розростається і в довжину, і в ширину. При знищенні верхньої частини, коріння продовжує […]
BEING in the royal family certainly has its perks, particularly when it comes to extravagant gifts.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who celebrated her 60th birthday this month, recently dazzled in a £15,000 Chopard jewellery gift, thought to be from Prince Edward.
The stunning diamond set – which included a necklace, bracelet and stud earrings, could well have been a Christmas present from her husband of 25 years.
The jewellery items are from the ‘Happy Diamonds’ collection – and Sophie debuted them on Christmas Day as she went to church with the royals.
If they were from Edward, they appear to have gone down well with Sophie.
The hard-working duchess showed off the set again last Thursday on a visit to Sandhurst, the Royal Military Academy that trained up the likes of Princes William and Harry.
As she attended the Royal Corps of Army Music Dinner in her role as Colonel-in-Chief, Sophie looked sensational in a grey floor-length Erden “Lindsay” gown.
The dress, which features a high neckline and long, sheer sleeves was cinched in at the waist with a matching belt.
Sophie has worn the sparkly dress a number of times before, including during her 2023 Canadian trip, and she could have taken style notes from Princess Kate.
The Princess of Wales wore a similar Erdem style in a midi length at the UK-India Year of Culture launch event in 2017 that was hosted by the late Queen.
Sophie celebrated her birthday with a party organised by her husband Prince Edward.
The dinner and dance was held at Bagshot Park, the grand house in Berkshire which Edward and Sophie moved into shortly after their wedding in 1999.
Yet despite its grandeur, 120-room Bagshot has rarely been used by Edward and Sophie for formal entertaining.
But they opened up their home for Sophie’s black-tie bash, to which all members of the Royal family were invited.
Staff for the party were borrowed from nearby Windsor Castle as the Edinburghs do not lead an ostentatious life.
Their only everyday employees are a butler (whose actual job title is Household Manager) and a housemaid/cleaner.
“Neither Sophie or Edward are what you might call big party animals,” says a source close to the family.
Naturally included for the celebrations were the Edinburghs’ son James, Viscount Severn, 16, who is studying for his A-levels at the all-boys boarding school Radley, and daughter Lady Louise, 21, who is reading English at St Andrew’s University.
Sophie has been a pillar of support at a time when the Royal Family was hit by two alarming developments – the news that the Princess of Wales was suffering from cancer which had been discovered after she had abdominal surgery – and the shock announcement shortly afterwards that King Charles was also being treated for cancer.
William especially was grateful that the moment she heard of Kate’s condition Sophie was in touch to see how she could help.
When Kate stepped back from public life, Sophie was the first to take on some of her engagements.
“That sort of pragmatism, a genuine desire to help and support someone who has been knocked off kilter, is pure Sophie,” says a senior royal source.
“It really helped William and Kate, obviously in a practical way, but also knowing Sophie could always be relied upon to give her support whenever it was needed.”
UNLIKE Prince Edward, Sophie comes from humble beginnings.
The daughter of a tyre salesman and a secretary, she was working in PR at Capital Radio when they met in 1987.
Edward was dating her friend at the time, but six years later they got together after a charity event.
Sophie continued to work for a few years after they got married before finally becoming a full-time royal in 2002.
“I remember our first meeting many years ago when she was just becoming known as Edward’s girlfriend,” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said.
“I was lunching at The Ritz with one of the Queen Mother’s ladies in waiting when I saw Sophie at a nearby table. I seized the moment and introduced myself which was probably very annoying for her, but she was charm personified, and we chatted for a few minutes.
“And I really don’t think she has changed much since then.
“Yes, she and Edward live in a mansion, have titles and huge privilege, but Sophie has known a life outside those cloistered palace walls and she has kept her sense of perspective.
“For example, she has told her children that, titles or no titles – and they have chosen thus far not to use their HRH status – they should expect to have to earn a living.
“Sophie was happy for her daughter to take on a seasonal job at a garden centre for less than £7 an hour.
“And during the pandemic Sophie served as a volunteer with the Royal Voluntary Service, talking with people on the phone to help them combat the feeling of isolation – and she carried on talking with some of them after the pandemic ended.
“She will also often travel under the radar to places like Malawi, Botswana or Ethiopia to visit projects dedicated to promoting eye health and preventing blindness, and she does this from the heart after her daughter Louise was born with a squint.
“Sophie is one of the strengths of the new monarchy – elegant, engaging and empathetic. I think people have really taken her into their hearts.”
And that support was extended to the Wales’s children, with ‘Aunt Sophie’ arranging picnics and playdates at Bagshot for George, Louis and Charlotte, during the times when Kate needed to rest after her debilitating sessions of chemotherapy.
Despite their 18-year age gap, Sophie’s relationship with Kate – which has always been warm – has deepened in the last year.
Her support for the princess was evident on Remembrance Sunday, when Kate looked to be on the verge of tears at the end of the service at the Cenotaph.
Sophie simply placed her hand on Kate’s shoulder as the pair made their way from a balcony.
WORKERS will make only three longstanding and genuine friendships from their career, a survey has found.
Research of 2,000 employed adults has revealed that over a third rely on work friends to help them “overcome” personal and professional challenges.
Nearly 90 per cent of team members report having made friendships at work, with 76 per cent believing that these relationships help to “enhance” their careers.
In fact, 72 per cent are more motivated to perform when they have friends among their colleagues.
Women are 10 per cent more likely to seek emotional support during difficult times from friendly colleagues, compared to men.
The research was commissioned by Santander UK as part of its Women Business Leaders’ Mentoring Programme, which connects aspiring leaders with experienced mentors to foster growth, innovation, and collaboration.
Sarah Willingham, an entrepreneur and former Dragons’ Den investor, said: “Building strong, supportive relationships in the workplace is invaluable.
“This research highlights the importance of creating meaningful professional networks and friendships, and in many cases, it is key to overcoming challenges and achieving goals.
“Strong workplace relationships aren’t just about career success – they can enhance confidence, resilience, and overall wellbeing.
“That’s why mentoring programmes are crucial for helping individuals develop these relationships, offering a pathway to both personal and professional growth.”
Younger employees, aged 18 to 24, are especially keen on forging professional friendships, with 85 per cent stating this is important to them.
This stands in contrast to 66 per cent of older employees (aged 55-64) who share the same sentiment.
Those earlier into their careers are having weekend lunches and shopping trips with colleagues.
While less than 20 per cent are going to gigs, around ten per cent to hikes and slightly less going on bike rides together with work friends.
When it comes to building professional connections, 34 per cent of all respondents said it’s easiest to connect with others in the same industry, while 28 per cent find it easy to do so with those of the same gender.
Additionally, 78 per cent think workplace friendships improve job satisfaction, with 41 per cent saying it enhances collaboration and 39 per cent believing it aids problem-solving.
The figures also reveal men are significantly more comfortable approaching professional contacts in several scenarios – including to collaborate on projects, asking for career advice, and job referrals.
While 21 per cent of women are comfortable approaching professional contacts about mentoring or sponsorship, compared to a third of men.
The research, conducted via OnePoll, went on to highlight the importance of mentorships, with 65 per cent considering it vital for career growth.
Among these, 41 per cent value mentors for sharing advice based on experience, while 36 per cent appreciate the constructive feedback they provide.
Susan Davies, head of business banking at Santander UK, said: “Workplace relationships are vital for career development and personal wellbeing.
“Having a mentor can make a world of difference by providing guidance, sharing knowledge, and fostering confidence – all of which can help people navigate their career path.
“The programme is designed to help business founders create these meaningful connections, empowering individuals to thrive in their careers and beyond.”
ARSENAL fans think they’ve spotted Leandro Trossard making a “hilarious” comment about referee Michael Oliver during the Gunners’ 1-0 win over Wolves on Saturday.
Oliver has been the subject of much chatter since the match after controversially sending off Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly.
But it was his first yellow card to Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes that had Trossard passing comment on the Premier League official.
Gomes, who was ultimately sent off for a second yellow card offence in the second half, was booked for delaying the restart in the first half.
And Arsenal star Trossard was quick to try and intervene while the Brazilian protested his innocence to Micheal Oliver.
Gomes was hoping to talk his way out of the booking, but Trossard reminded the 23-year-old that he had suffered the same fate against Man City earlier in the season.
A clip of the Belgian forward appeared to show him saying to Gomes: “That’s what he did to me”.
Trossard was sent off against Man City back in September after receiving a second yellow card for delaying the restart.
Arsenal fans were loving their star’s hark back to the 2-2 draw and reacted on social media.
One wrote: “Funniest thing I’ve seen today”.
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While another added: “Trossard is low-key hilarious”.
A third joked: “He said, ‘welcome to the club bro’.”
And a fourth posted: “I’m still laughing at this clip the next day”.
Oliver would later send off 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly for a trip some 90-yards from the Arsenal box, sparking fury from former players and pundits across the football world.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta claimed he was “fuming” about the decision, but remained calm enough to suggest that he won’t be complaining.
Arteta told reporters that he hopes that an appeal won’t even be necessary and that the PGMOL will overturn the decision themselves as they did with Bruno Fernandes’ red card against Tottenham earlier in the season.
Ian Wright claimed that the refereeing in the Premier League is “nowhere near it” in a video on social media.
While Match of the Day host Mark Chapman claimed the red card was “baffling and nonsensical from supposedly one of our best referees”.
Alan Shearer blasted it as “one of the worst decisions I’ve seen in a long time”
He said: “As a referee, you can get it wrong on the pitch, you might see something which is incorrect.
“How on earth Darren England, the VAR, thinks that the referee has got that right and there is no need to send him to the screen is beyond me.
By Mark Halsey
VAR Darren England should have recommended a review as soon as referee Michael Oliver showed Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly a straight red card for his challenge on Wolves’ Matt Doherty.
An official has to decide whether the challenge was careless or reckless — careless is a free-kick only, reckless is a yellow card — or worthy of a red card.
When a player lunges at an opponent with one or two feet from the front, the side or from the back which endangers the player’s safety with excess force or/and brutality, it must be sanctioned with a red.
I saw it as a reckless challenge worthy of a yellow, not a red.
So why did Darren not recommend a review? Once the red card was shown, the VAR should have intervened.
If Michael had the opportunity to view the challenge again, I’m sure he would have changed his mind, cancelled the red card and issued a yellow.
As for Arsenal fans’ views that Michael is biased against them, I’m not buying into that. You can never question the integrity of a match official and Michael is one of our best referees.
Officials cannot get everything right and that is why we have VAR to help. So questions have to be asked of Darren.
With the second yellow for Joao Gomes after catching Jurrien Timber on the ankle, you could argue that was a worse challenge than the Lewis-Skelly one.
“I just cannot see and work out what VAR is thinking going along with Michael Oliver’s decision. No wonder it gets criticised by so many people.”
And BBC Five Live pundit Pat Nevin said labelling such a challenge serious foul play was setting “a bar so low even a limbo dancing snake couldn’t get under it”.
Even ex-Tottenham star Jamie O’Hara said: “I’m all for Arsenal having a beast but that is never ever a red card, one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen. Jheez lol”.
While the comments on social media from fans went too far, with the PGMOL releasing a statement revealing Oliver had been subject to death threats and “abhorrent abuse”.
It read: “We are appalled by the threats and abuse directed at Michael Oliver following the Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal fixture.
“No official should be subject to any form of abuse, let alone the abhorrent attacks aimed at Michael and his family over the past 24 hours.
“The police are aware, and a number of investigations have commenced. We are supporting Michael, and all those affected, and are determined to tackle this unacceptable behaviour.
“Sadly, this is not the first time a match official has been forced to deal with threats in recent times.
“We will continue to support all investigations.”
IAN WRIGHT has joined the long-list of former professionals and pundits to be left reeling by the decision to send off Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly on Saturday.
The cynical challenge left most fans expecting a yellow card, but the Hale End graduate was shown red by referee Michael Oliver instead.
Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes led the on-field protests as Arsenal’s players showed their frustration at the decision.
And now Gunners icon Ian Wright has weighed in on the incident, claiming that it’s “never a red”.
In a video posted on social media by the former Premier Legue bagsman, he fumed: “It’s a joke!
“Anyone that has ever played the game, and I’m not even talking Premier League, I’m talking five-a-side, Sunday league, knows that it’s never a red.
“Yellow card, nobody says a word. Time and time again, this level of refereeing [and] the decisions in the Premier League… the inconsistency, the excuses, the apologies.
“All of them are just the centre of attention for me. We can’t criticise too hard because, where are the refs going to come from? Where are we going to get them?
“But I’m sorry, this is the highest level of football and we do not have the highest level of referees. When will the Premier League bring the best refs into the so called ‘best league in the world’?
“Because at the moment, with this level of refereeing, we’re nowhere near it. Nowhere near it.”
A MET Office map reveals Storm Herminia’s wrath with 80mph wind and flash floods rampaging across the UK.
The latest named storm comes after Eowyn killed two people over the weekend and caused major disruption, with some Brits warned to stay indoors.
The national forecaster says the next few days look “set to remain very unsettled”.
An interactive map shows a blanket of rain drenching much of the UK over the next few hours.
A series of yellow warnings for wind and rain have been issued for large parts of England and Wales with more than 40 flood warnings in place.
Parts of Wales and central, southern and northern England are under a 24-hour warning for strong and gusty winds from the same time.
A warning for periods of heavy rain that could cause some flooding of roads and properties was in place for the West Midlands and most of Wales until 11.59pm on Monday with the Met Office predicting 20mm to 40mm to fall quite widely and 50mm to 70mm on higher ground.
Okehampton in Devon had 35.8mm of rain on Sunday, while an 83mph gust was recorded in Berry Head, south Devon, and 81mph in Capelcurig, North Wales.
A yellow wind warning was in place until 7am on Monday for large parts of southern England, the North West, the West Midlands and Yorkshire.
Flooding saw stretches of the A36 and A303 closed in Devon and Wiltshire overnight, while National Rail said services were running normally between Taunton and Castle Cary after flooding.
Most of the 40 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, issued by the Environment Agency cover the south west and south coast, the two warnings issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Scotland is recovering from the effects of Storm Eowyn.
ScotRail said engineers had made “great progress” in removing debris and repairing damage, but several lines were unlikely to reopen for the start of services on Monday.
The Largs to Adrossan line will not reopen on Monday after an overhead gantry was brough down by a falling tree.
Avanti West Coast said services to and from Glasgow and Edinburgh had resumed, but warned of late starts and possible delays on Scottish routes.
Northern Ireland Electricity Networks said around 74,000 customers remained without power at the end of Sunday following Storm Eowyn, while the Northern Powergrid said teams were working to reconnect more than 150 customers overnight.
Ben Lukey, a flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Although not expected, impacts could include localised flooding from watercourses, drains, channels and flooding from overland flow.
A wet and windy spell arrived in the South West on Sunday morning and was moving across the north of the UK overnight.
Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said: “Things are going to stay unsettled in the next few days. We’re getting successive spells of wet and windy weather, which is obviously adding to impacts
While not as powerful as Storm Eowyn, a low-pressure system was named Storm Herminia by meteorologists in Spain which was expected to feel the strongest winds.
Today:
Showers or longer spells of rain across most areas. Showers turning heavy at times in the south with a chance of thunder, plus hill snow in the north. Strong, gale-force winds continuing in the south, and temperatures around average.
Tonight:
Showers and longer spells of rain continue overnight. Gales in the southwest slowly easing, but winds picking up in the far north. A patchy frost forming in the northwest.
Tuesday:
Further heavy showers in the south with a risk of thunder. Longer spells of rain in the northwest, but easing later. Strong winds at first, and temperatures around average.
Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:
Remaining wet and windy in the south on Wednesday. Becoming more settled for all on Thursday and Friday. Temperatures near the seasonal average, but chilly at night.
A TEENAGE cyclist was killed in a horror traffic collision during a training ride.
Sara Piffer, 19, was hit head-on and killed when an oncoming car overtook from the other side of the road and crashed into her.
The incident occurred as Piffer went for the ride with her brother near her home in Trentino, northern Italy, with several eyewitnesses confirming details of the crash with police.
A driver who hit and killed her, a 70-year-old man, is being investigated by police for vehicular homicide.
Reports suggest the driver struggled to see her due to the sun. Piffer was taken to hospital by helicopter but died due to her injuries.
But in a stunning gesture, the father of the young athlete, Lorenzo, has said he forgives the driver.
It came following a plea from his son, Christian, who was out with Priffer when the crash happened.
Lorenzo said: “After the accident, my son Christian hugged me and said, ‘Dad, please forgive him. Because I think he’s suffering right now too.’
“So I decided to forgive him. Then justice will take its course.”
Lorenzo added his daughter was “always careful” on the roads, which he later described as a “Wild West”.
Christian reportedly called his father following the crash, tragically telling him, “Sara is not breathing”.
Before heading out, Piffer is said to have told Lorezno before going out: “‘Dad, we always pay attention, it’s the others who don’t pay attention to us.’ And unfortunately, that’s how it was.”
The death of Piffer – said to be sporty and artistic and enjoy painting and making sculptures – has rocked the local community, with tributes pouring in.
Lorenzo told Italian media in an emotional interview she was “a flower, a gift from God” and he was “grateful” to have had her in his life.
He added: “She was good at doing everything.”
Maurizio Fugatti, the President of the Province of Trento, said in a statement: “Our condolences go out to the family, friends and the entire community.”
Piffer was a winner of the Under-23 Giornata Nazionale Rosa – GP Città di Corridonia in 2024, a member of Mendelspeck Continental women’s team and earned fourth place in a team time trial event at the Italian National al Championships.
Christian miraculously only suffered minor injuries from the incident.
He said: “I heard a noise, I looked back, then ran to my sister but there was nothing I could do. At first I was angry with the driver, then I saw that they were scared and ashamed.”
Lorenzo also highlighted how the roads around town had gotten out of control.
He said: “I’d say we need more common sense. Unfortunately, they always realise it too late. Maybe to save that minute they put other people’s lives at risk. I see things getting worse on the roads.”
Piffer’s funeral was held today.
In an interview with La Repubblica, her mother, Marianna, said: “They asked me to choose the clothes for my daughter’s funeral, I picked a cycling jersey she won last year.
“It has ‘winner’ on the front and she dedicated that success to Matteo Lorenzi, who was killed last year. Sara was always a winner for me.”
AS Valentine’s Day approaches, many people might be thinking of how to create the most romantic date ever, but others have wilder ideas in mind on how to spend the day (or night).
With that in mind, search experts at Didgeheads analysed the average monthly searches for various popular sex toys and accessories, including fleshlight and anal beads, across cities and towns in the UK with over 50,000 inhabitants.
The ranking was determined by the number of searches per 100,000 people.
So, is your significant other keen to spice things up in the bedroom this Valentine’s Day?
According to the findings, Manchester is the kinkiest city in the UK, with 1,401 average monthly searches per 100,000 people.
With a total of 5,540 monthly searches, this means one in 71 Mancunians is interested in making their pre-sleep romp more exciting.
The favourite sex toys among the city’s kinky residents are fleshlights, with a total of 1,310 average monthly searches, followed by rose toys, with an average of 890 monthly searches, and butt plugs, searched 730 times on average.
Croydon comes in second, with 1,287 average monthly searches per 100,000 people.
Residents searched for the toys a total of 2,230 times, a proportion of one in every 78 residents.
The favourite sex accessories in Croydon are fleshlights, with a total of 490 average monthly searches, followed by rose toys, with 320 average monthly searches, and butt plugs, searched an average of 270 times.
Norwich is the third kinkiest city in the UK, with an average of 1,174 monthly searches per 100,000 residents.
With a total of 1,680 monthly searches, one in 85 people is looking for ways to have an exciting Valentine’s Day this year.
Norwich residents’ favourite sex toys are fleshlights, with a total of 490 average monthly searches.
In second place are butt plugs, searched 220 times on average, followed by rose toys, with an average of 180 monthly searches.
In fourth place is Wrexham, with 1,111 average monthly searches per 100,000 residents.
With a total monthly search volume of 730, this means one in 90 people is searching for kinky ways to spend Valentine’s Day.
The city’s residents’ favourite sex toys are fleshlights, with a total of 120 monthly searches.
In second place are rose toys and butt plugs, tied with 80 average monthly searches each.
Anal beads, chastity belts, and sex swings tie in third place, with 30 average monthly searches each.
Newcastle upon Tyne ranks fifth, with 1,096 average monthly searches per 100,000 people.
The city’s total volume of searches for sex toys is 3,290, a rate of one in 91 residents.
The favourite sex accessories among Geordies are fleshlights, with 890 average monthly searches.
Rose toys and butt plugs tie in second place, with an average of 400 monthly searches each, followed by chastity belts, searched, on average, 220 times.
Bury ranks sixth, with 1,081 average monthly searches per 100,000 people.
With a total of 660 monthly searches, this means one in 92 Bury residents are interested in spicing things up on Valentine’s Day.
Bury residents’ favourite sex toys are fleshlights, with an average of 120 monthly searches, followed by rose toys and butt plugs, with 70 and 50 searches, respectively.
Dartford takes seventh place, with 1,076 average monthly searches related to sex toys per 100,000 people.
The accessories are searched an average of 610 times, a rate of one in 93 residents.
Dartford residents’ favourite sex accessories are fleshlights, with an average of 90 monthly searches.
By Emma Kenny, a TV presenter and psychologist
Raucous Role Play: If your partner enjoys dressing up for fun, it shows creativity and a desire to keep things exciting. However, it might signal that he struggles with responsibility.
Multi-Partner Fantasies: Craving variety doesn’t always mean he wants to cheat. However, it could indicate deeper feelings of unfulfillment.
Power & Control: A little dominance is normal, but if it’s always about control, it may hide insecurities.
Adventure: Men seeking thrills may push boundaries, so be sure your comfort zone is respected.
Passion: If he’s romantic, he’s emotionally tuned in—though occasionally avoiding tough conversations.
Flexibility: Openness to new experiences is great, but constant novelty-seeking could mean avoiding emotional connection.
Red Flag: If control is his ultimate fantasy, it may signal a deeper struggle with power dynamics.
In second place are rose toys, with 70 average monthly searches, followed by butt plugs, searched an average of 60 times.
Dunfermline comes in eighth, with 1,072 average monthly searches per 100,000 people.
Considering the total volume of monthly searches, 540 times, there are one in 93 residents searching for sex accessories in the Scottish city.
The sex toys of choice among Dunfermline residents are fleshlights, with 100 average monthly searches.
Butt plugs are next, followed by rose toys, with 50 and 40 average monthly searches, respectively.
Plymouth takes ninth place, with 1,065 average monthly searches per 100,000 people.
The total volume of monthly searches for sex toys in the city is 2,770, a rate of one in 94 Plymouth residents.
Fleshlights are the favourite sex accessories in Plymouth, with 730 average monthly searches.
Rose toys and butt plugs tie in second place, with 330 average monthly searches each, followed by sex swings, searched an average of 210 times.
Wellingborough comes in tenth, with 1,048 average monthly searches per 100,000 people.
With a total volume of 530 searches, one in 95 residents is looking for ways to have some kinky fun this Valentine’s Day.
The town’s favourite sex toys are fleshlights, with 80 average monthly searches.
In second place are rose toys, with an average of 50 monthly searches, followed by butt plugs, searched an average of 40 times.
Jessica Redman, CEO at Didgeheads, commented on the findings, “Interestingly, none of the capitals in the United Kingdom’s countries made the top 10 ranking — Edinburgh was the closest, in 34th place, while London came in 80th, Belfast in 129th, and Cardiff in 154th.
“While most of the cities and towns shared the same favourite accessories, fleshlights, rose toys, and butt plugs, it was interesting to observe that some places have other preferences, such as sex swings, and chastity belts.
This shows Brits are willing to explore their sexual side this Valentine’s Day, experimenting with different sex toys and ultimately having fun.”