Exclusive: pendant appears in 1635 painting Sir Thomas Aston at the Deathbed of His Wife that hangs in the Manchester Art Gallery
A Hamnet-era mourning jewel has been rediscovered four centuries after it was immortalised in one of Britain’s most enigmatic and celebrated 17th‑century family portraits.
The heart‑shaped pendant was depicted in Sir Thomas Aston at the Deathbed of His Wife, the 1635 life‑size, mourning masterpiece that was painted predominantly in black and white by the Cheshire artist John Souch. It hangs in the Manchester Art Gallery.
Continue reading...Trump appears to have crossed a line with his Christian supporters. Will it come back to bite him in the midterms?
Donald Trump’s depiction of himself as Jesus Christ and recent spat with Pope Leo XIV could come back to bite him and the Republican party in the midterm elections, according to experts, with some newly aggrieved Christian groups set to play an outsized role in key races across the US.
The president’s Trump-as-the-Messiah Truth Social post sparked immediate criticism among some Christians, including some on the right. Trump, 79, said he thought the AI image of him administering an ethereal light to a stricken man’s head as translucent figures descended from the heavens represented him as a doctor.
Continue reading...Stacey Vint was a long-time addict when she was arrested in Middlesbrough, now she speaks publicly about her experience
The footage spread quickly. A woman falling flat on her face while pushing a burning wheelie bin towards a line of police officers during far right riots in Middlesbrough after the Southport attack. Within hours, the clip had been shared widely online, replayed across news bulletins and turned into memes.
Among those watching was a retired primary school teacher. “I recognised her straight away,” said Satti Collins. “I just couldn’t believe it.”
Continue reading...The slightly retro French dessert of gently set baked custard in a caramel sauce, and all in a few simple steps
I don’t know why this classic French dessert isn’t more popular online, given how pleasant it is to watch a softly set custard jiggling seductively on screen, or to admire the way the light bounces off its glossy, caramel top. Worse still, it’s also increasingly hard to find on menus, too. Well, you know what they say: if you want something done well, do it yourself.
Prep 15 min
Cook 50 min
Cool 4 hr+
Makes 6
Liz Kendall tries to limit fallout from vetting scandal as PM prepares for Commons showdown
Keir Starmer did not gamble with national security by appointing Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to Washington, a cabinet minister has said, as the government tried to limit fallout from the scandal.
With the prime minister preparing for a high-stakes Commons showdown on Monday, Liz Kendall said Starmer should not lose his job over last week’s revelations because he had “made the right calls” on the big issues facing the country.
Continue reading...Determined to see their homes, displaced residents use shaky ceasefire to journey to their villages – but the mood turns sombre when they arrive
Mohammed Ashour was on the road at 5am, speeding towards his hometown of Shaqra. The Lebanese army, the Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah had all told residents of south Lebanon not to return, that it was still dangerous despite a ceasefire. But the 60-year-old had been displaced for 44 days – he had counted each day – and he would not wait another hour before seeing his home.
At 3pm, Ashour was still on the road. The normally two-hour drive turned into 10, as the line of cars returning south stretched for miles down the Lebanese coastal highway. The Lebanese army had worked through the night to repair the Qasmiyeh Bridge into Tyre, bombed by Israel hours before the ceasefire, and cars were inching over the ad-hoc crossing one by one.
“They told me my house was destroyed. But I wanted to come and see it for myself,” said Ashour, still in his car. He had left his family in Beirut, wanting to shield them from the destruction that awaited them in their village.
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