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Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Joe Swash shares 'constant battle' he has with Stacey amid marriage concerns
They revealed on their reality TV series Stacey and Joe: Full House that they've been to marriage counselling to keep their relationship on track, but are still fighting a common parenting battle Loose Women star Stacey Solomon and her husband Joe Swash have given a realistic perspective on their home life, admitting they have a "constant battle" with their kids. Former EastEnders actor Joe, 43, and Stacey, 35, have six children between them. Together, they have Rex, five, Rose, three, and Belle, two. Stacey has two children from previous relationships, Leighton, 12, and Zachary, 17. Joe also has a 17-year-old son, Harry, who he had with his ex Emma Sophocleous. The couple separated when their son was very young, with Joe going to court to see his son. But parenting has taken on new difficulties in recent years, with Stacey and Joe forced to put their feet down when it comes to the relatable issue of screen time. They now call using the phone "a privilege", making sure Rex only has an hour at the weekend to play games if he behaves at school and completes his chores. In a new interview with Huffington Post, Joe explained his and Stacey's "battle" with their son and his weekly reward of screen time. He said: "But even that, me and Stacey begrudgingly let him have that. "It's difficult, it's a constant battle ... And even then, when he's playing the games, we're constantly watching what he's doing, what games he's playing. It's something that concerns us, you know?" Joe explained that he feels it's a balancing act - with their older children, he knows that access to a phone is a big part of their social life. But he still wants to keep tabs on their usage, to make sure they're safe. Although the couple are on the same page when it comes to using the internet, Joe admits there's "no real right or wrong". He added that every parent is "muddling through" and "making mistakes". The couple are always ones to keep it real, and with their new reality show Stacey & Joe: Full House, fans are getting a look into life behind closed doors for the close-knit family. Their series has given a realistic look into the ups and downs of family life, and how they all navigate their busy careers and home. The pair, who tied the knot in 2022, revealed they've turned to marriage therapy to keep their relationship on track. A source recently told OK! that Stacey and Joe may have underplayed how big a step having cameras around for every tricky moment would be. The source said: "They underestimated how difficult it was going to be doing this reality show and having cameras around, and watching it back hasn't been the easiest thing. The pressures of all the kids and work while balancing their relationship has been hard, they won't deny that." The source also claims they are proud of opening up about having couple's therapy on-air. 'They're going to therapy because they love each other and would never want to get to the point where they don't want to be together anymore. Yes, there have been ups and downs and it's been quite a rollercoaster - but they know there's no shame in therapy and both realise it's the best thing for their relationship and to iron out their issues.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Reclusive Country Star, 54, Gushes About Faith Hill: 'Most Kind and Most Generous'
has been a darling of country music since the early 1990s. She appears to have a picture-perfect life with husband and fellow major country star Tim McGraw and their three daughters, Gracie, 28, Maggie, 26, and Audrey, 23. But what might be nice for fans to know is that Hill is just as kind as she appears. On a Mother's Day post about Hill from youngest daughter Audrey, fellow country star Chely Wright, 54, made her true feelings known about Hill — and had nothing but wonderful things to say. "@audreymcgraw, your mom has always been the nicest, sweetest, most kind and most generous person around. This video took me way back in time.❤️," wrote Wright on the undated video of Hill from approximately 1994. Wright was a contemporary of Hill's in the 1990s, charting the hits "Shut Up and Drive," "Just Another Heartache," "It Was," "Single White Female" and "Jezebel," among others. But she was a closeted lesbian and was terrified that if she came out, she would be ostracized in country music. So she had romantic relationships with such country stars as Vince Gill and Brad Paisley, both prior to their current marriages to Amy Grant and Kimberly Williams, respectively. In Wright's memoir, she writes about how in 2005, her friend and fellow country artist John Rich, told her that it wouldn't be OK to come out of the closet because "people don't approve of that deviant behavior" because "it's a sin." Wright eventually came out of the closet publicly in 2010 after she left Nashville for New York City. After she came out, she received a plethora of support from female country stars, including Hill, Mary Chapin Carpenter, LeAnn Rimes, , the band SheDaisy and the late Naomi Judd. Carpenter, Rimes and the sisters of SheDaisy supported her publicly; she told the Huffington Post that Hill, Yearwood and Judd all reached out privately after she came out. She said no male country stars made any moves of support. Either way, Wright left music altogether during the pandemic and is now happily working as the senior vice president of corporate social responsibility and new market growth at the global workplace experience and facilities management company ISS. 'I know firsthand what it feels like to be afraid that you don't fit in at work,' Wright told Us Weekly in a 2025 interview, adding, "I've always enjoyed figuring things out and finding a way to get a win, whether it be for my paper route customers [as a kid] or my country music fans, or the people I've been able to work with in design build and now facilities management. There's a win for everyone. And good business is making sure that your client is glad they spent their money with you. They do it again, and they'd tell their friends. That's it. That's what country music has in common with facilities management."
Int'l Business Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Poor Families Face Freezing Risks As Trump Admin's Budget Eliminates 'Vital' Program Keeping Them Warm in the Winter
The Trump administration's 2026 budget request cuts funding for an essential assistance program which helps poor families stay warm during the winter months. The administration's proposed cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services include cutting funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federal block grant program which assists millions of low-income households with paying energy bills, reported the Huffington Post. Many of the households that depend on LIHEAP include children, disabled people and seniors. Over 6 million households are actively dependent on LIHEAP for household temperature regulation year round. "Savings come from eliminating radical diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and critical race theory programs, which weaponized large swaths of the Federal Government against the American people and moving programs that are better suited for States and localities to provide," reads the HHS budget brief, which then proceeds to state that LIHEAP funding should be decreased. The administration has already severely impaired the program by putting its entire staff on administrative leave from April 1 through June 2, after which it stated that they would be terminated along with thousands of other federal employees. However, in-progress lawsuits launched in May by a coalition of 20 state attorney generals declared this move unlawful, and asked for the reinstatement of these federal employees. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) made a direct plea to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reiterating how "vital" LIHEAP is to his constituents. "The program supports our most vulnerable populations, including seniors, individuals with disabilities, and households with young children under the age of six," Lawler wrote in a letter to Kennedy. "In FY 2023, 24% of New Yorkers reported being unable to pay their energy bill at least once in a 12-month period. During FY 2023, LIHEAP also helped prevent over 100,000 utility disconnections in New York alone, highlighting this program's critical need." Furthermore, Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski wrote a joint bipartisan letter in defense of LIHEAP. "We write regarding reports that you have terminated staff responsible for administering the Low-Income Home Energy Program," reads their letter, signed by 13 senators. "If true, these terminations threaten to devastate a critical program dedicated to helping Americans afford their home energy bills. "It is an indispensable lifeline, helping to ensure that recipients do not have to choose between paying their energy bills and affording other necessities like food and medicine," said the senators. Originally published on Latin Times
Local Spain
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Local Spain
Boom in motorhomes and caravans causes space issues in Spain's cities
In 2024, motorhome and campervan registrations reached 6,459 units in Spain, 22.1 percent more than in 2023. This is close to the 6,851 registered in 2020 and just over a thousand units short of the 2019 industry record. And that's not to mention all the motorhome owners that come down from the rest of Europe. Ralf Lüpkes, administrator of the Facebook page Spain Campers, told the Huffington Post that Spain welcomes millions of motorhomes every year and that this growth seems unstoppable. What began as an alternative way to travel and explore the country has now become so popular it causes overcrowding at camp sites, creates environmental issues, and leads to restrictions in many coastal towns. The trend is also contributing to a lack of parking spaces for locals in normal residential streets where residents are now struggling to find spots in which to park their cars. This is particularly problematic on Spain's islands, in locations such as Palma de Mallorca, Fuerteventura, Ibiza or Maspalomas in Gran Canaria. And it's not only holidaymakers who own these motorhomes. Spain's housing crisis has seen many Spaniards have to live full-time in their vehicles as they can't afford the rents or prices of regular properties. In fact, the City Council of the Mallorcan capital brought out legislation in early 2025 which would see caravan and motorhome owners fined for living in their vehicles, only to backtrack on the bylaw after realising they'd be largely targeting vulnerable residents. The lack of campsite facilities in Spain to support both tourists and residents who've fallen on hard times is also to blame for motorhomes taking over cities. Spain is home to around 1,200 caravan sites, while there are nearly 7,000 in France and almost 5,000 in Germany. The lack of services is most evident in coastal areas, especially in Andalusia, Valencia, and Cantabria, but also in Madrid. According to Lüpkes, there are more than 200 campsites and pitches between Orihuela Costa and Málaga, but during the high season they are completely full, with waiting lists as far back as January and February. Some motorhome owners are even resorting to parking on beaches, in vineyards, or even in protected areas, which in many places is illegal. This in turn has created tension and disagreements with local residents and environmentalists. Back in March of this year residents in Fuengirola were furious that camper vans were using public car parks for prolonged stays. In some towns, restrictions and fines have already been imposed to curb illegal parking, particularly in the Alicante province. Santa Pola and Elche have introduced several restrictions and fines. In Moraira, the City Council has discovered illegal dumping and rubbish left in vineyards and streams, leading to increased fines and police controls. In Villajoyosa, the local police constantly pursue illegal camping, but a lack of resources prevents complete control. In Águilas, the situation is similar, despite the signs and rules, motorhomes continue to occupy restricted spaces, which has forced the City Council to strengthen measures to keep them out. Lüpkes proposes installing mobile parking meters and waste collection points in with rates of €9 or €10 per day. José Manuel Jurado, president of the Spanish Association of Caravan Industry and Commerce ( ASEICAR ), believes that regions should open up new sites, which are "positive for the economy of the towns" and for holidaymakers. Jurado believes that Galicia and Castilla y León, have done a good job recently with creating numerous sites specifically for motorhomes and caravans.
Daily Record
22-05-2025
- Climate
- Daily Record
Gardeners urged to place washing up bowl in gardens now
This simple action could help birds during our record breaking driest spring. While the continued dry weather has been a boon for Brits who have soaked up the sunshine, it's causing issues for birds that visit our gardens. And now gardeners are being asked to help our feathered friends out by putting a washing up bowl outside to create a mini pond. Scotland has officially had the sunniest spring on record with a staggering 520.5 hours of sunshine. And the unseasonal lack of rain has meant birds are struggling for water sources. But an old washing up bowl can help them out for both drinking and bathing, say the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Katie Nethercoat, from the RSPB's wildlife team said it will help a lot. She said: 'Lack of rain, hardened ground and rising temperatures can all bring in challenges for our birds. 'Providing fresh, clean bathing and drinking water is a simple but hugely effective way to help wildlife, as well as leaving areas of damp ground and soil.' She said the edges of the bowl will ideally be level with the ground so a spot of digging might be required. She told the Huffington Post: "Using an old washing-up bowl or sink can provide valuable access for wildlife. If the edges are level with the ground, more creatures can get in and out.' If that's not possible, you can create little ramps for the birds with rocks and stones, she suggested. Building a mini pond is fairly simple. Using your old bowl - or even a old water tank or half barrel - move it to the location you've chosen. Any holes will need to be sealed with silicone and then put a layer of clean gravel in bowl. Avoid using soil as this could make your pond green. Then you simply need to fill your pond. It's recommended to use rainwater wherever possible as tap water contains chemicals which aren't suitable for birds. You can plant in the pond too. It is best to put plants in special aquatic plant pots which have mesh sides. You'll also need to use a very low nutrient soil, mixed with grit. You can buy special aquatic soil for ponds. Katie also suggests piling twigs, branches and leaves in a corner of the garden which helps to keep the area wet. This will attract invertebrates which birds feed on giving them a steady source of food. 'Even a mini pond in a pot will benefit wildlife,' the Royal Horticultural Society says. Homeowners are also being asked to leave out unsweetened, stale, dry cereal for the birds instead of binning it. As long as the cereal isn't sweetened and doesn't contain salt, sugar or artificial preservatives, it's safe. And it's another way to help the creatures out. Earlier this year the RSPB warned gardeners to reconsider the use of bird tables in their gardens following alerts that they could be hotspots for spreading lethal diseases. It stopped sales of flat bird feeders on its website after studies indicated they might aid in the transmission of sicknesses like finch trichomonosis, which is hitting finches hard.
