Featured

    The Queen has joked with two of England’s rugby stars about the fitness levels of the UK’s players as she celebrated the achievements of the Commonwealth. Brothers Billy and Mako Vunipola, who have Tongan heritage but were brought up in the UK, laughed when they said the Queen questioned the widely held view that today’s rugby sportsmen were tougher and fitter. Prime Minister Theresa May and husband Philip made a surprise appearance as did Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson who earlier in the day had given a major speech on Brexit. His brother quipped: I think she was calling us fat which is fair enough. Billy, who has missed out on Six Nations rugby due to a broken forearm, said: It’s a massive honour that we are here and a privilege, something we will probably brag...

    In an address in which Foreign Secretary outlined his vision for the country’s departure from the EU, he also quipped the right deal on aviation and on visa-free travel would allow Britons ever more intensively to go on cheapo flights to stag parties in ancient cities. Mr Johnson said: As I have just discovered we have more than a million who go to Thailand every year, where according to our superb consular services they get up to the most eye-popping things. If we get the right deal on aviation and on visa-free travel both of which are in our mutual interest this expansion of UK tourism will continue, not just beyond the EU, but within the EU itself; and we will continue ever more intensively to go on cheapo flights to stag parties in ancient cities, meet interesti...

    The party’s 50-point animal welfare draft policy also sets out plans to strengthen the Hunting Act to prevent illegal fox hunting, and enshrine the principle that animals are sentient in law. The plans, backed by conservation charity WWF, will be seen as an attempt to wrestle back political ground after the Conservative government announced a series of animal-friendly policies. The proposals also include exploring the potential for elderly and disabled people who move into care homes to keep their pets. Other measures proposed by Labour include mandatory labelling of domestic and imported meat including country of origin and production and slaughter methods, as it seeks to set out its position as the party of animal welfare. Under the plans, landlords would be con...

    The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at the Dartford Crossing was closed after a World War Two bomb was found nearby. The device was discovered shortly before 9am on Tuesday and the Ministry of Defence bomb disposal team is on the way to the scene, Essex Police said. Motorists were caught up in huge queues on the roads surrounding the bridge following the discovery. The bridge has now re-opened but police said it could be closed again later so the bomb could be removed. It comes after a 500kg World War two bomb was discovered in Thames near London City Airport on Sunday. An Essex Police spokesman said: We are on scene at an industrial estate in Oliver Close, Grays after an unexploded World War II bomb was discovered. We were called at around 8.55am today. The Queen El...

    Heathrow Airport has condemned a duty free promotion which was deemed to be 'racist' towards Chinese people. The promotional event held by World Duty Free, a commercial partner of Heathrow which runs shops in the busy airport, required Chinese travellers to pay a minimum spend of £1,000 to receive a 20 per cent discount. Shoppers from elsewhere in the world were given the same discount after spending just £250 on goods. Chinese customers took to social media platform Weibo to express their outrage at the apparent discrimination after it was written about in a blog post that was shared more than 75,000 times. Kayla Luo, accused the airport shop of providing world class racist services and Steven Li added that the promotion is disgraceful and racial discrimination. ...

    Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have arrived at Edinburgh Castle for a one-day visit to the Scottish capital. Meghan Markle greets wellwishers while on a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, as she and Prince Harry visited Scotland. Royal fans braved wet and cold conditions to greet the prince and his bride to be at the start of their tour of the city. In the shadow of the city's world famous castle, crowds gathered on the esplanade on Tuesday to meet the prince and his fiancee as they greeted well-wishers. Later, they will travel to a sandwich shop that supports the homeless and has been visited by number of famous faces including Hollywood star George Clooney. The trip to Scotland is the fourth public appearance Ms Markle and Harry have made together ...