Road trip meme

The Hairy Bikers will return to the UK for their next road trip, describing their new series as “a love letter to the North”. Northerners Si King and Dave Myers, who have been globe-trotting for years, went back to their roots for the eight-part BBC show they filmed last summer. The “joyous” food adventure takes them through regions they grew up in as they explore ­Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire, the Peak District in Derbyshire, Northumberland and Newcastle. Dave, 63, who is from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, said: “It has been nearly a decade since we went on the road in Britain. “We had already decided to film in the UK before Covid stopped foreign travel. You quite often miss what is on your own doorstep. “Please join us for a joyous romp through some of the world’s finest food – and the world that is ours.” Si, 54, who hails from County Durham, said: “This is without doubt the most personal, emotional and enlightening journey we have undertaken. “We flipping loved … [Read more...] about The Hairy Bikers to return to their Northern homeplaces for brand-new BBC series

It was a bright sunny day on the morning of Wednesday 21 September, 2016. Just like any other weekday morning, I woke up my two children, Helena and Daniel, who were seven and four at the time, and got them ready for school. My husband Berat cleared away breakfast, as I put on a beautiful dress for church on one of the last warm days before autumn. When I waved my children goodbye at the school gate, I felt a sense of pride. I had been a stay-at-home mum, and although my kids are everything to me, I was so happy they were now in school and enjoying it. At 36, I finally had the freedom to focus on getting back to college to study for my PGCE and qualify as a teacher . I hopped on my bike and headed to my church in Finsbury Park, north London, to catch the 10am service. I loved cycling – for the past 13 years I used to get around London on my bike, rain or shine. I weaved through the streets and came to some busy traffic lights. I could never have predicted what was about … [Read more...] about ‘I was on my bike when I heard a loud bang and my living nightmare began’

The US House of Representatives approved a $1.9 trillion (€1.57 trillion) coronavirus stimulus fund in the early hours of Saturday morning. Lawmakers passed the bill — aimed at giving money to individuals, businesses, states and cities hit hard by the pandemic — on a narrow, near party-line vote of 219 to 212. President Joe Biden has been pushing for the relief package, saying it will be used to stimulate the economy and create new jobs. All Republican representatives voted against the bill, which will now go to the Senate, where many progressive Democrats are also keen on resuscitating a drive for an increase to the minimum wage. Joe Biden returns to Munich Security Conference in new role 2009: The vice president meets the chancellor Weeks after being sworn in as vice president of the United States, Joe Biden made his first visit to the 45th Munich Security Conference in 2009. There he met German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who at that time had already led … [Read more...] about US House passes Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill

Auckland is set to go back into lockdown after a new case of COVID-19 was detected on Saturday. It is the second lockdown for Auckland's nearly 2 million residents in a matter of weeks. They entered a snap three-day lockdown on February 14 after a family of three was diagnosed with the more transmissible UK variant of COVID-19. The seven-day lockdown will go into force at 6 a.m. local time on Sunday. "It's frustrating. I know it is," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a news conference. Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, is set to enter a weeklong lockdown from Sunday Saturday's new case has not yet been linked to the previously discovered family cluster, forcing the government to implement the lockdown, Ardern said. According to the NZ Herald, the person infected with the case went to the doctor in the afternoon on Friday for a COVID test and then went to the gym. The rest of New Zealand will be put under Level 2 restrictions that limit public … [Read more...] about Coronavirus digest: New Zealand’s Auckland goes back into lockdown

Taylor Swift has apologised after she was forced to cancel previously postponed tour dates due to the pandemic. The pop superstar announced in April last year she was axing all live appearances and performances in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 outbreak. Speaking at the time, Taylor said she hoped to reschedule her US and Brazil tour dates and fans were allowed to hold on to tickets However in a new statement on Friday, the singer said she was "so sorry" to confirm those dates too had now been cancelled. She said: "I love coming on here to tell you good news, or to share a new project with you. "It's not my favourite thing in the world to have to tell you news I'm sad about. I'm so sorry, but I cannot reschedule the shows that we've postponed. "Although refunds have been available since we first postponed the Lover Fest shows, many of you hung onto your tickets and I too hung onto the idea that we could reschedule." Taylor, 31, said the "near future" of touring … [Read more...] about Taylor Swift ‘so sorry’ as she’s forced to cancel tour dates again due to Covid