Metro co uk

Abba legend Benny Anderson, 75, on being an avatar, why he tries not to see Eurovision and why he needs a beard trimmer. Hi Benny, we are talking two days before the premiere of Abba’s London live residency featuring avatars of the band. How are you feeling? I feel good. I do. I haven’t worried much about my part of the work, which is to see that it is good musically. The million-dollar question is whether the audience will connect to what’s going on up there. It takes them about two minutes before there is a bond between ‘us’ on stage and the band and the audience. Then they go, ‘OK, this is the real thing.’ You’ve had big opening nights for shows such as Chess and Mamma Mia! Does this feel like the highest stakes yet? It is higher stakes. This is a huge thing. We have been working for five-and-a-half years. The people at Industrial Light & Magic, who have created the digital versions of us, have really done a fantastic job. I’m looking at myself and We spent five … [Read more...] about Abba legend Benny Andersson doesn’t find Eurovision fun anymore – but was impressed by the UK’s Sam Ryder

A grant of £400 will help struggling households cope with the energy bills crisis. Previously, a £200 loan in place for UK families was expected to be paid back. Rishi Sunak announced today this would no longer be the case, and increased its sum to £400. All households with a domestic electricity connection will be automatically eligible for the grant. Mr Sunak said: ‘The outlook for energy prices has changed. I’ve decided those repayments will be cancelled. So, for the avoidance of doubt, this support is now unambiguously a grant. ‘Furthermore, we have decided that the £200 of support for household energy bills will be doubled to £400 for everyone.’ He told the Commons: ‘We are on the side of hard working families with £6 billion of financial support.’ The grant comes in the form of a council tax rebate to households. Energy suppliers will deliver the discount to households with a domestic electricity meter over six months from October. Direct debit and … [Read more...] about Every house in UK to receive £400 grant to help with rising energy bills

Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty have made the Sunday Times Rich List for the first time with their joint £730million fortune. It comes as the number of billionaires in the UK swells to a record high, as the country is gripped by a cost of living crisis. Sunak, 42, is the first frontline politician to appear on the rich list since it began in 1989. The Chancellor and his wife’s finances came under intense scrutiny last month after it was revealed Ms Murty had non-dom status. This allowed her to avoid paying UK tax on foreign earnings as she one day planned to return to live in India. It has been estimated Ms Murty’s non-dom status could have saved her £20million in taxes on dividends from her shares in Indian IT company Infosys. Questions were also raised over the pair’s tax arrangements after it emerged that Sunak and his wife had kept hold of their US green cards after returning to Britain. Ms Murty later agreed to pay UK taxes on her worldwide income, while … [Read more...] about UK’s wealthiest people revealed in new Rich List

Rishi Sunak has said around eight million of the lowest income households will be sent a one-off payment of £650. The Chancellor told MPs: ‘We need to make sure that for those whom the struggle is too hard and for whom the risks are too great they are supported.’ Those on Universal Credit, Tax Credits, Pension Credit and legacy benefits will receive the payment automatically. This afternoon the government set out a £15 billion package of support in the House of Commons to help people deal with the cost of living crisis, with inflation at 9% and energy bills set to rise again in October when Ofgem raises the price cap. It comes the day after Sue Grey finally released her report into rule breaking gatherings in Downing Street while the country was in lockdown. Boris Johnson apologised for the breaches but refused to step down, despite several Tory MPs saying that they thought he should resign. Mr Sunak insisted that the government is ready to support those … [Read more...] about One-off £650 payment to be given to 8,000,000 of UK’s lowest income households

A 20-year-old paedophile is facing jail for possessing almost 1,500 sick cartoons showing children and babies being sexually abused. Frederick Cooper was found with the banned images on a USB stick when police raided his home. He admitted possession of prohibited images of a child when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates’ Court. The court heard police swooped on his home in Warndon Villages in the city on September 24 last year and seized 1,468 vile cartoons. Shivali Patel, prosecuting, said: ‘A warrant was executed by West Mercia Police at the defendant’s home address. ‘Present at the address was the defendant’s father and the defendant’s mother. ‘During the investigation, two mobile phones were presented by the defendant and a search of his bedroom revealed two USB sticks. ‘A computer hard drive and a computer tower were seized.’ The court heard the ‘realistic cartoon’ images included one showing a child aged eight and a baby aged six to 10 months old … [Read more...] about Paedophile, 20, facing jail after he was caught with 1,500 sick cartoons

Rishi Sunak has unveiled a windfall tax on energy firms who’ve been enjoying extraordinary profits as people face a record hike in fuel bills. The Chancellor previously was against the idea, claiming it would hamper these companies’ investments and raise prices for consumers. But he later appeared to change his tune, saying ‘no options are off the table’ if he doesn’t see ‘significant investment back in the UK economy’. Supporters of a new tax on energy firms say it would be an ideal way to partly fund a support package to help people through the cost of living crisis. Sunak finally introduced one today, but he dressed it up in the Commons as a ‘temporary targeted energy profits levy’ – rather than a plain old windfall tax. He told MPs it would include a ‘new investment allowance’ to incentivise the Sunak also said he’d make the £200 loan for energy bills a grant that no longer needs to be paid back and increased its sum to £400. Meanwhile the Treasury is to … [Read more...] about Desperate Tories put windfall tax on fuel giants to soften PR blow of Partygate

He’s been saddled with the responsibility of carrying loads of litter. But when it comes to enthusiasm for the job, Pumpkin the 38in tall Shetland pony doesn’t come up short. Owner Georgina Craig says the 21-year-old has come out litter-collecting with her for two years now and gets excited at the sight of bags as it means a walk. The mum-of-two said she picks up the rubbish while Pumpkin walks in front – but she said the 220kg pony has perfect recall and canters back when asked so she can load him up. At first, Pumpkin was a bit wary of wearing the bags but now he enjoys it. The pair go out once a month along a cycle path and Georgina puts Pumpkin on a long lead if it gets busy or they are near a road. Retired Georgina, from Edinburgh, said: ‘I thought “Why am I carrying these heavy bags when I have a pony who could help me?” ‘He carries two bags across his saddle. ‘His recall is very good — better than a lot of dogs . He canters back when I call, stands … [Read more...] about ‘My litter pony’ helps collect local rubbish

The Duchess of Sussex has made no attempt to contact her dad since he suffered a stroke earlier this week, it has been claimed. Author Tom Bower, who told ITV’s Good Morning Britain she had not been in touch, said Meghan should show some ‘compassion’ after Thomas ­Markle was admitted to hospital in Mexico on Tuesday. The 77-year-old dad — estranged from his daughter since 2018, the year she married Prince Harry — is said to be unable to speak. But his other daughter Samantha, 57, said he was now ‘recovering’ after being transferred to a clinic in California. ‘He just needs peace and rest. Godspeed. We are praying,’ she told MailOnline. Tom, who is writing a book about 40-year-old Meghan, said he last spoke to Thomas at the weekend and was in contact with the family. He told GMB presenters Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid: ‘If we knew what she [the duchess] was going to do, that would be terrific. ‘But what we do know is that Meghan has always said she’s a very … [Read more...] about Meghan ‘has not had any contact’ with dad Thomas after he suffered stroke

The UK has been rocked by soaring energy bills , petrol price hikes and other rising expenses amid the cost of living crisis. Many families and households have been plunged into poverty , with half of people saying their health has gotten worse since costs began rising . However, less than 24 hours after Sue Gray’s damning Partygate report was released, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a string of measures to help struggling households cope. If you’ve been worried about how to cover costs, you’ll be pleased to know you could be eligible for over £1,000 of support that will no longer need to be repaid – a huge U-turn from the initial offerings laid out by the government just months ago. Here’s everything you need to know about every cost of living measure that has been announced and whether you’re eligible for the incentives. All the new government Cost of Living support Energy Bills With gas prices reaching record highs amid a surge in demand … [Read more...] about What cost of living support is available? New Rishi Sunak measures explained

‘Good evening, my name is Harry…’ begins the planet’s biggest male pop star as he swaggers into the spotlight at O2 Brixton Academy, tongue surely lodged in cheek. After all, this is a chap who doesn’t need an introduction. At this point, Hazza is a religion with an obsessive fanbase of (mostly female) diehard devotees. Outside the venue, anguished teenage girls desperately brandish boards begging for tickets to his sold-out One Night Only show – and it’d genuinely come as no surprise if they were also clutching the heads of sacrificial lambs to help the cause. It is easy to see why folks bow down at the altar of the former 1D heartthrob. From the moment he steps up to the mic stand, wearing white flared trousers, a polka-dot top and pearls, Styles has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand. Every single song on the setlist is ‘remixed’ with the deafening screams of a practically orgasmic crowd, piercingly punctuated by interchangeable iterations of ‘I love … [Read more...] about One Night Only with Harry Styles review: ‘Swoon levels were pandemic high’