Latest news with #MarkOwen
France 24
7 days ago
- General
- France 24
'There's a logic behind humanitarian assistance and the UN's 408 distribution points across Gaza'
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Tuesday slammed as "unacceptable" the deaths of Palestinians seeking food aid in Gaza, a spokesman said, calling the loss of life in the territory "unthinkable." This as the International Committee of the Red Cross said its field hospital in Gaza's Rafah city recorded 27 deaths on Tuesday, matching a toll given by rescuers after Israeli forces had opened fire near an aid centre. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's Mark Owen welcomes Arwa Damon, former CNN Senior International Correspondent and founder of INARA, for in-depth analysis and a deeper understanding of the unfolding tragedy, including its wider regional and geopolitical stakes. Video by: Mark OWEN
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Exceptionally low river levels forecast in parts of the UK
The UK's rivers are forecast to hit exceptionally low levels in some parts of the country in the next three months, according to the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), raising questions over supplies to households, farmers and warning comes after the driest spring in England since 1961, with northern regions experiencing the driest start to the year in nearly a all of the UK is expected to have below normal river levels in May, apart the south-west of Environment Agency has said that the UK is at medium risk of drought and warned households of the risk of water restrictions. The next 2-3 weeks will be "crucial" in determining if drought will happen, says Mark Owen, head of fisheries for the Angling Trust and a member of the National Drought is the group led by the government that can declare if drought is officially country is not now in drought, but the impacts of the exceptionally dry weather are already being felt. Some farmers are being forced to water their crops instead of relying on rainfall, which is something that normally happens later in the year."We are having a drought now from an agricultural point of view," arable farmer Nick Deane told BBC News from his farm in had to start irrigating his fields in March."We have to ration our water and decide which areas we are going to put that water on in order to keep the crops growing," he warned that an extremely long drought would mean farmers struggle to produce food and more produce would need to be dry and sunny weather this year has led to a larger area of the UK burned by wildfires this year compared to in any other entire year. The last drought was in June-August 2022, which was the joint hottest summer (with 2018) and fifth driest since the 1890s. Five companies introduced hosepipe bans, affecting 19 million people, and waterways had restricted drought was preceded by six months of very dry weather. However, the wet summer in 2024 and moderately-wet winter means water supplies are in a better place now and water companies have larger reserves to rely dry weather earlier in the year has risks. It does "potentially pose a greater risk to water resources later on in the year, particularly if the dry weather continues," says Stephen Turner, hydrologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. Last week, Richard Thompson, chair of the National Drought Group, warned that water companies may need to bring in water restrictions to protect supplies if the dry weather the moment the key questions are when will it next rain and when it does, how much will there be. There are some signs that some rain is on the horizon, with unsettled weather from the west at the end of next week. Drinking water comes from different places depending on the geography and geology of speaking, the south of England takes a long time to get into drought but a long time to leave. That's because a lot of rainfall is stored in rocks underground and takes a long time to reach rivers and water contrast, the north of England quickly enters drought and quickly gets out because reservoirs are more heavily used for water Companies introduce hosepipe bins when water supplies reach a certain low in their drought conditions become severe, the government can restrict irrigation of farms, reduce boats' movement on waterways, and limit water available to non-essential businesses like car washes. In an extreme scenario, it could ration the amount of water available to homes and businesses but that has not happened since 1976. Water industry bosses and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) are calling on the government to do more to ensure the driest parts of the UK have secure water supplies in the face of any future UK, which represents the water industry, is calling for a new national water grid of pipes, canals and reservoirs to be set up in England to move water from the wettest regions to where it is most farmers say they need more government funding and less planning red tape to build their own reservoirs to supply their farms. Mr Deane came together with five other farmers, including fruit growers, to build their own reservoir. It took four years and cost more than £ has proved vital, they say, with 15% of the stored water already used this year in the dry conditions. But the group said obtaining planning permission was costly and difficult.A government spokesman said it was working with the agricultural sector to improve its water supply resilience and establish more groups of farmers who could work together to develop their own added: "Over £104bn of private sector investment has been secured to fund essential infrastructure, including nine new reservoirs, to help secure our future water supply for farmers." Are the dry conditions linked to climate change? The prolonged dry weather is linked to what are called "blocking highs" when a high pressure weather system becomes do not know if this blocked pattern is linked to climate change. Global warming is expected to cause more extreme weather events about our future climate suggest more and longer periods of dry weather as well as periods of less rainfall in the UK. Winters are likely to be wetter and could exacerbate other forms of drought like hydrological or agricultural drought, according to the Met Office.
The Sun
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Nepo baby daughter of huge popstar reveals she's launching singing career -can you guess her famous dad?
Beth Allcock Published: Invalid Date, A NEPO baby daughter of a huge Brit popstar has revealed she's launching her own music career. The songstress is following in her boyband father's footsteps, with the vocalist having success both in a chart-topping group as well as as a solo artist. 6 6 6 Willow Owen, one of Take That hitmaker Mark Owen 's three daughters, has now taken to TikTok to show off her impressive vocal talent. The flame-haired teen, whose mum is Emma Ferguson, captioned her latest music clip as "something different." She was seen belting out a tune as she played the keyboard, leaving one fan to remark she had the "voice of an angel." Another follower wrote: "Such a beautiful voice Willow I teared up I'll not lie. "Absolutely on point kiddo." A third then posted: "Definitely got your dad's talent, beautiful voice." The Sun previously told how Willow has been spending time working on music in Los Angeles, where the family live, and has posted a handful of tracks on music-hosting website SoundCloud. Proud dad Mark then shared a link to Willow's latest song Back To Me Now on Instagram. The track shows off her ethereal vocals and it sounds surprisingly polished for someone so young. Three years ago, Willow and her younger sister Fox, now 12, featured as guest backing singers on Mark's 2022 solo album Land Of Dreams. Take That's Mark Owen appears on BBC Breakfast to discuss his new music Speaking to Bizarre at the time, Mark said: 'They are into all their own music but actually they're aware and interested in this, which is nice. 'The girls are singing on the record, doing backing vocals with two girls who have been performing with Foo Fighters, so that was exciting and a nice experience for them.' As well as performing her music, Willow often lip syncs to a variety of videos on her page. FAMILY AFFAIR Actress Emma and Rule The World singer Mark met in 2004, and were engaged in 2006 after being together for two years. What is a Nepo Baby? A 'nepo baby' is a colloquial term used to describe individuals who have gained opportunities or success in their careers primarily due to familial connections or the influence of their well-known or wealthy parents, rather than solely through their own talent, skills, or efforts. The term 'nepo' is short for 'nepotism', which refers to favouritism granted to relatives or close friends, often in a professional context. Key Characteristics: Inherited advantage: Nepo babies often benefit from their family's established reputation, wealth, or industry connections. Access to networks: They typically have easier access to influential networks and resources within their chosen field. Public perception: The term can carry a negative connotation, implying that their success is not entirely merit-based. Industries Affected: Entertainment: Many actors, musicians, and other performers are often labeled as nepo babies if they have famous parents. Business: Individuals who inherit or are given significant roles in family-owned businesses. Politics: Politicians who follow in the footsteps of their parents or other relatives. Examples: Children of famous actors who become actors themselves. Heirs to business empires who assume executive roles. Offspring of political figures who enter public office. The concept of nepo babies is often debated, with some arguing that it undermines the notion of meritocracy. Meanwhile, others believe that it is natural for families to support and help each other succeed. They got married in November 2009 in a church in Cawdor, Scotland. The pair also have three children together. They have a son, Elwood Jack, born in 2006, and two daughters, Willow Rose, born in 2008, and Fox India, born in 2012. The Take That boys have often brought their children to tours and rehearsals and Mark and Gary have children roughly the same age. 6 6 6
The Sun
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Gary Barlow splashes out £20million on three lavish homes – in just a MONTH
GARY Barlow has been busy splashing out tens of millions on luxury property in the last month - in a surprising new business venture. The Flood hitmaker - together with Mark Owen, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and Robbie Williams - shot to fame in the early 90s and has reaped the rewards ever since. 6 6 6 6 The singer is well known for being the main songwriter for Take That, and this, along with touring and releasing music, has boosted his bank balance considerably. The music legend, whose fortune is in excess of £100M, has posh homes in west London and the Cotswolds, but this time he's been throwing his cash about on a different type of investment. A couple of years ago, Gary set up the company GE & GB Property Ltd with Geoff Egan, an expert in commercial property investment. Now The Sun can reveal that the business partners' have made their first move in the game by hoovering up estates in one of the capital's most exclusive areas. They've bought three huge and historic buildings in Richmond, south west London, a few miles from Gary 's own £6M home. The trio are all a a mix of office and retail space at least three stories high - with two on the main high street and another just around the corner. Gary's cluster of properties is likely to have set the firm back at least £21 million - but they're going to rake in £1.8M in rent. Last year, the freehold of an adjacent and similar property to one of Gary's was selling for £7 million - and promising £598,000-a-year in rent. The company filed charges with Companies House, which state that GE & GB Property now own the freehold on the properties. A rep for Gary declined to comment. Gary Barlow left red-faced as he admits he 'hasn't told wife' about 11 month long Take That tour TAKE THAT UPDATE Meanwhile, Take That fans will be pleased to know that the threesome are hard at work on the band's next album. Their ninth record, This Life, went straight to No1 when they released it in November 2023, and now they are back for more. Speaking exclusively to The Sun last month, Gaz told us: 'We're all working on a new Take That record right now. 'We all came off tour at the end of the year and said, 'Right, let's get to work'. 6 'It's been slated for next year. We just don't want to stop, really. 'But I think we're at the point where we don't even really want to make an album, we just want to put singles out. 'We're writing, we're recording, and when we like something, we're just going to put it out.' He adds: 'The albums take years to make. And I often think of our fans, they want stuff now. They don't want to wait for two years.' 6 BOYBAND FAME Aged just 18, Gary shot to fame in 1990 when he joined the boyband Take That, alongside Mark, Howard, Jason and Robbie. In their early days they released songs like Could It Be Magic, Pray, and Relight My Fire. The group were an instant success, and became heartthrobs for teenagers of the 90s, who had their posters plastered on their walls. They were so big, that when they split in 1996, a helpline was set up to deal with the outpour of grief. However, they thrilled fans when they reunited in 2005, and they have never looked back. The line-up has somewhat changed over the years - and they are now down to three members.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Take That star Mark Owen's nepo baby daughter follows in his showbiz footsteps as she launches major venture
Mark Owen 's nepo baby daughter Willow is following in his showbiz footsteps as she has launched her very own singing career. The Take That singer, 53, shares three children - daughters Willow, 16, and Fox, 12, and son Elwood, 18 - with his actress wife Emma Ferguson, who he married in 2009. And Willow has proven she has inherited her father's singing talents as she has released a handful of tracks to music-hosting website SoundCloud. She has released a string of original demos over the past six months, with her most recent song Back To Me Now racking up 2,130 views on the platform in just days. Willow also promoted one of her songs on her TikTok page, where she has already racked up an impressive 55,500 followers. While it is not known if she has officially launched a singing career formally, her ethereal vocals and songwriting skills have already won over legions of fans online. Her father is best known for appearing in Take That alongside Gary Barlow (centre) and Howard Donald (right) and it appears Willow has inherited his talents Doting father Mark recently shared a link to Willow's latest song Back To Me Now on his Instagram page as he shared his pride over her latest venture. It is not the first time that Willow has shown on her singing skills as she and her younger sister Fox both featured on Mark's 2022 solo album Land Of Dreams. Mark told The Sun of his children's talents at the time: 'They are into all their own music but actually they're aware and interested in this, which is nice. 'The girls are singing on the record, doing backing vocals with two girls who have been performing with Foo Fighters, so that was exciting and a nice experience for them.' MailOnline has contacted Mark's representatives for comment. Mark and his family were hit by a difficult time earlier this year as they were among the celebrities caught up in the devastating LA wildfires. The singer and his family were forced to flee their LA home after the wildfire tore through the ritzy enclave of Pacific Palisades. At the time, Mark's wife Emma hit back at those who branded the wildfires a celebrity crisis as she urged people to remember that many other people had lost everything. In a passionate speech, she exclaimed: 'I don't give a s**t about my house, I just want Joyce [her neighbour] to be OK. 'I have got everything I want. I have got my kids, my husband and my animals. I don't care about the rest. Take it. 'I just want Joyce and all the other people who stayed to fight for everything they have to be ok.' Admitting she doesn't wish to cause offence, she continued: 'I hate that this has been publicised as "celebrity houses" and "most expensive houses" and "tinsel town torches". 'No. That is like 5% of California. The major foundation of California is the workers. They are the real belly of LA and they are the people that have nothing left. 'They have no insurance, nowhere to escape too, rescue shelters are overrun. 'I don't want you thinking "Oh it is LA they are all rich they will all be fine," no, there are thousands of people that are not ok.' Emma added: 'I don't want everyone to attack me or to word this in the wrong way. I hope I don't offend anyone but I want you to know that I don't like the way it has been represented. 'This is not just about rich and famous celebs. Who gives a f*****g s**t? It is about real people.' Mark moved to America permanently after selling his sprawling Hampshire home for £6.5million back in August 2021. The singer had been living in California with wife Emma and their three children for the past few years, but previously retained a base in the UK with the countryside pad. However, Mark went on to sell the stunning nine-bedroom property for three-times the amount he paid for it back in 2010.
