Chelsea Pensioners' show garden — and other news in pictures
JON SANTA CRUZ
Rubble is left behind after Israeli airstrikes hit the Syrian defence ministry and another target near the presidential palace in Damascus, as clashes escalate between regime forces and militia in the southern Druze city of Sweida
RAMI ALSAYED/NURPHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK
The Red Arrows surprise newlyweds Trevor and Dawn Stamp with a flypast. The bride's daughter wrote to the display team to ask if they would turn on their smoke after noting the venue in Somerset was under their flight path
SWNS
Nichole Ayers, a Nasa astronaut, gives a fellow crew member on the International Space Station a haircut 260 miles above Earth
SWNS
Children try to cool off in a public fountain and paddling pool as temperatures soar above 40C in Granada, Spain
ALEX CAMARA/ANADOLU/GETTY IMAGES
Elinor Brown shows off some of the 180 fabric designs on display at the 'Ikea: Magical Patterns' exhibition at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh
CRAIG BROWN/ALAMY LIVE NEWS
The Dutch 39-metre three-masted topsail schooner Gulden Leeuw enters Aberdeen harbour for the Tall Ships Races 2025
JANE BARLOW/PA WIRE
The UK's only Chilean flamingo chick — nicknamed 'flamingling' — is cared for by its father Moana five days after hatching at Bird Gardens Scotland in the Scottish Borders
SWNS
Two Amur leopard cubs try taking their first steps in the junior reserve at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster after two months sheltering in their den
DANNY LAWSON/PA WIRE
Sparks fly at a performance at the Household Division's Military Musical Spectacular at Horse Guards Parade, London
SGT DONALD C TODD/MOD
Hot air balloons rise as riders gallop horses past the 'fairy chimneys' of Cappadocia in Nevsehir, Turkey
AYTEN ALTINTAS/ANADOLU/GETTY IMAGES
Lion cubs from the Black Rock pride playfight in the Masai Mara national reserve in Kenya
AKASH AKINWAR/SOLENT NEWS
Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, gets close to panda Su Xing at a park in Chengdu, China, during his official visit to the country
LUKAS COCH/EPA
US actress and writer Alison Brie attends the 2025 ESPY Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California
VALERIE MACON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
A car is left up against a building after being swept away by flood waters in Zapopan, Mexico. Heavy rains in the region have severely damaged homes and vehicles
FRANCISCO GUASCO/EPA
The Royal Mint unveils its first official UK coin honouring the Princess Royal, issued in celebration of her 75th birthday and her 'remarkable lifetime of service'
ROYAL MINT/PA
Chinese farmer Zhang Shengwu floats in his homemade submarine in a river in Hanshan county, in China's eastern Anhui province. His five-tonne 'Big Black Fish' can accommodate two people, dive eight metres and stay below the surface for 30 minutes at a time
STR/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Owlets that couldn't manage to fly back to their nests are being rehabilitated at Duzce Nature Conservation and National Park in Duzce, Turkey
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Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Chris Hemsworth's sweet message to his wife Elsa Pataky on her birthday as the couple reunite after weeks apart
Chris Hemsworth has shared a sweet post dedicated to his wife Elsa Pataky on her 49th birthday. The Aussie star, 41, took to Instagram on Saturday to wish the Spanish actress a happy birthday as they celebrated her special day together. 'Happy birthday @elsapataky! Thank you for being an incredible human and each year continuing to allow me to eat the vast majority of the cake,' he captioned the post, which has received over one million likes. One snap showed the actress wearing a giant smile on her face as she sat alongside her husband with a giant chocolate cake in front of them. Another featured Chris leaning in as Elsa excitedly blew out her candles, surrounded by pastries, cakes and her loved ones. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Rumours have recently circulated about the couple after they spent several weeks apart due to work commitments. Elsa had been in her native Spain, filming her new TV series Matices, while Chris had been travelling, even attending the final day of Wimbledon without his wife. However, on Thursday, they reunited in London at the premiere of Chris' new National Geographic series, Limitless: Live Better Now, with their twin sons, Tristan and Sasha, 11. Sporting summer tans, the genetically-blessed duo glowed as they cuddled up, clearly happy to be back in each other's arms. The event was a family affair, with all of Chris' family in attendance. His father Craig and mother Leonie were present, as well as his brother Liam and his girlfriend Gabriella Brooks. For the glitzy evening, Chris, who stars in the show exploring how humans 'can live better for longer', looked handsome in a navy two-piece suit. He layered his tailored two-piece over a crisp white T-shirt and an unbuttoned dark blue shirt. Meanwhile, Elsa put on a leggy display as she slipped into a sparkly sheer dress which was layered over a strappy white dress. She added inches to her toned physique as she wore a pair of strappy silver heels and slicked her blonde tresses back into an up-do. Chris and Elsa tied the knot during the Christmas holidays in 2010. The Hemsworths have made Byron Bay their home in recent years, after relocating from Los Angeles to Australia nine years ago.
The Guardian
10 hours ago
- The Guardian
‘Literature has completely changed my life': footballer Héctor Bellerín's reading list
Héctor Bellerín's summer holidays look a little different from your typical footballer. Rather than pictures from a recent jaunt to Ibiza clubs such as Ushuaia or questionable birthday parties, his Instagram is dominated by books. Images of paperbacks he's read are all over his feed, a mix of classics and contemporary novels, with a majority from Spain and South America. Alana Portero's celebrated (and Pedro Almodóvar-approved) novels about queer life in 80s Madrid feature on his read pile, alongside the Mexican Juan Rulfo's classic surrealist novel Pedro Páramo, which inspired a young Gabriel García Márquez to write One Hundred Years of Solitude, and Federico García Lorca's Gypsy Ballads. Bellerín, who played for Arsenal for nine years before moving back to his native Spain with Real Betis, talks about literature's transformative power. 'Literature has become something that has – and I know it's a cliche – but to me, it has completely changed my life,' he said from a Betis training camp in Portugal. Bellerín's love of literature was sparked during the Covid-19 lockdowns, when the young full-back was isolating in his home in St Albans, Hertfordshire. He began reading the novels of Charles Bukowski while he was still playing for Arsenal. He made his way through Hollywood and Post Office, the American writer's autobiographical debut, which follows the life of the sardonic anti-hero Henry Chinaski. 'I was miserable in quarantine,' said Bellerín. 'I didn't know when football was going to come back. I was even drinking a lot … I had a bit of a tough time. Literature, I'm not gonna say made me survive, but it made my life way easier.' Some footballers might shy away from sharing their love of reading, especially in a climate when anything outside the football bubble is deemed a 'distraction', but Bellerín has made no secret of his interests beyond sport. He's flirted with fashion, and even started his own label. He loves photography, and believes passionately in the power of art to help with mental health. He has been a vocal advocate for sustainability in football, and in 2022 he criticised the lack of media coverage of conflicts in Palestine, Iraq and Yemen compared with Ukraine. Bellerín grew up in a house of books. His father had a passion for ancient Greece, which inspired Bellerín's first name. But between the ages of 19 and 26 he read mostly nonfiction (mirroring the habits of many young men). Reading was something he did to learn something, rather than for pleasure. 'When I read something, it had to have a purpose and then I realised it was the other way around,' he said. The work of the German-Swiss novelist Hermann Hesse followed Bukowski, but after making his way through 10 books, the Spaniard realised that he'd only read male writers and made a conscious decision to read more women. He moved on to The Vegetarian by the Nobel prize winner Han Kang, and Naomi Klein's Doppelganger, while cool, contemporary Spanish writers such as José Luis Sastre, Adrian Daine, Marta Jiménez Serrano, Carolina Yuste and the Granta young writer Cristina Morales dominate his book piles. Sergio C Fanjul, a culture writer at the Spanish daily El País, said the list showed Bellerín was 'closely attuned to the pulse of the publishing world', with writers such as Portero, Leila Guerriero, Marta Jiménez Serrano, Juan Tallon and Alejandro Zambra being some of the 'most critically acclaimed writers' of recent years. 'I think Bellerín is a reader who doesn't simply follow mainstream trends,' Fanjul added. On his Portuguese training trip he's brought a book of Leslie Jamison essays, Mary Karr's Art of Memoir, Sara Mesa's Cara de Pan, Simon Critchley's What We Think About When We Think About Football and Samanta Schweblin's Little Eyes, which the Guardian called 'ingenious'. The footballer gets recommendations from a writing group he attends every Tuesday night in Seville. Made up of students, doctors and engineers, the group has introduced him to the contemporary Spanish literary scene. 'We feed off each other, recommending books and movies. My taste has also changed, because the people I've got around me have great taste and give great recommendations, new names and new faces and new ways of writing.' There's only one book that's defeated him. He tried Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights in the original English before reverting to the Spanish translation, titled Cumbres Borrascosas. 'I couldn't get through that in English,' Bellerín confessed. 'I tried it, but couldn't.'
The Sun
11 hours ago
- The Sun
James Argent's ex sparks romance rumours with Italian tennis star two months after Towie star dodged jail for assault
JAMES Argent's ex Nicoline Artursson has sparked rumours she's moved on with Italian tennis player Lucianco Darderi. It comes just weeks after Nicoline finally spoke out about the domestic abuse she suffered at the hands of James, 37, last month. 4 4 4 4 The Swedish model, 32, was injured after being pushed down steps outside the home they shared in Spain. The former Towie star was arrested and spent several hours in police cells before admitting a charge of domestic violence in court. Now, Nicoline has hinted that she may be romantically linked to sport star Lucianco, 23, following his match at the Nordea Open. The blonde beauty posed alongside the tennis star with her head tilted close to his and her hand placed on his stomach. She captioned the sweet photo: "Proud of you champ," along with the song Baby I Love Your Way by Big Mountain in the background. Nicoline flashed a big smile as she cosied up to the Argentine-born athlete. She looked incredible in a black and white gingham crop top and matching shorts with a pair of Gucci sliders and handbang. The pair then looked close in a selfie shared to her social media. She added the track Sweet Little Mystery by Wet Wet Wet and wrote: "Today we go again VAMOS!" The pair seem to have developed a friendship, following and liking each other's recent snaps on Instagram. James Argent parties with Towie pals at Tommy and Georgia's Majorca wedding after ex Nicoline broke her silence on his attack It comes after Nicoline claimed Arg's former Towie star Lydia Bright - who dated Arg on/off between 2007 to 2016 - was an unwelcome, interfering presence during their year together. Nicoline said: "I felt there were too many people in our relationship: me, my boyfriend and his ex. 'Three's a crowd', they say. 'I asked so many times if we could be just the two of us, but the answer was a strong NO. 'I experienced what I can only describe as targeted emotional distress which he allowed to continue.' Nicoline continued: 'After being together for one year my boyfriend finally promised me that he would have boundaries. 'He would put a stop to all that had been going on for months. 'But he didn't. Instead he broke the promise and her controlling behaviour continued. The rest is history.' Last month, Nicoline posted about "life taking you to rock bottom". She penned: "Partner with the right power! Meaning - Surround yourself with ONLY people who shares the motto of wanting to be their best extraordinary self with you and others." She added: "In the midst of a setback there is a comeback laying ahead of you. "I'm so blessed and privileged to be learning from our dear family friend Tim Storey." Nicoline went on: "I thank each and every one of you for all your supportive kindness & love you've been showing me - It means more than you'll ever know! I appreciate you all so much. "Going through hardships, your focus will be put to a test. Where you re-direct your mindset will be crucial." James Argent was handed a six month suspended sentence and a two-year restraining order banning him from contacting Nicoline. Nicoline Artursson's statement in full It's now been a month. I still can't believe it. My fractures on my body have finally healed but I'm wounded inside. I've been quiet long enough. Silence protects no one - and it almost destroyed me. What started as a love story sadly turned into something else. Behind the pictures, promises and the plans for a life together - the beautiful days - changed into something into sadness with emotional manipulation and eventually physical harm. I loved deeply, believed in our future and stood by someone I thought would protect me and instead I was left alone and harmed in ways I never imagined. I was not only failed by him but deeply affected by the presence of unresolved ties to his past. Yes I posted an Instagram story with a simple yes or no question about if your ex should be a part of your present relationship. I felt there were too many people in our relationship: me, my boyfriend and his ex. 'Three's a crowd', they say. I asked so many times if we could be just the two of us, but the answer was a strong NO. I experienced what I can only describe as targeted emotional distress which he allowed to continue. The ex and her family put us through so much misery and false accusations, I won't go into details. They had no reason whatsoever to do what they did to us, but for some reason they wouldn't let go and let us enjoy our love. Everybody knows that real friends support you and want to see you happy. So I posted a story on Instagram. After being together for one year my boyfriend finally promised me that he would have boundaries. He would put a stop to all that had been going on for months. But he didn't. Instead he broke the promise and her controlling behaviour continued. The rest is history. I was brutally thrown out of our new home in the middle of the night wearing only my pyjamas. I opened the door to let him in and only minutes after I found myself laying down on the stairs outside our house. My clothes and belongings were being thrown out from the balcony down on me. I was injured. Thanks to incredible neighbours who heard and saw what happened and acted, I got help. They called police, brought me to safety and ensured the incident was taken seriously. A gentleman does not abuse you and end up in jail and call you the love of his life. A gentleman does not blame you for his actions. A gentleman will confide in his partner, family and close circle of friends, keeping them close and safe. A gentleman chooses you always and leaves the past in the past - including exes. Life is to be lived together and not to please people who want to take advantage of you. At the end of the day, fame can only do so much - it's all about being strong and growing together. Life is simply not a reality TV show, life is real. I have tried to understand why. I have cried so many tears thinking about the way he chose to hurt me. He said he loved me and I believed him and here we are. There is now a legal record of what happened. Violence has no excuse - no matter how much love preceded it. To those who questioned me for staying as long as I did: I stayed because I believed in love. I believed he and we could grow, could heal, could choose peace. But love doesn't survive in chaos. And it cannot survive where violence lives. To every woman reading this: if you've ever questioned your worth, your safety or your sanity in a relationship - this is your sign. You deserved to be loved with care and integrity. And you are not alone. To the men: real strength is protection. Real love is safe. Be the kind of man who lifts women up - not one who breaks them down, neither by violence or silence. To the future: never say never. I will get the little family I've always dreamed of and have my dream wedding to symbolise and celebrate true love in front of my dear family and friends. I'm healing now. Slowly, bravely and unapologetically. I will rise and I will use my voice - not for vengeance but for truth. For every woman who's been silenced by someone who said 'I love you' and then proved otherwise. This is not just my story. It's a reminder: abuse - whether emotional, psychological or physical - has no place in love.
