THE fifth alleged member of a suspected British hit squad is set to face trial in Albania for the execution of a businessman — despite being treated for cancer.
Steven Hunt, 50, a truck driver from Bristol, is wanted for his alleged role in the killing of Ardian Nikulaj at a five-star hotel he owned in seaside resort Shengjin.
CCTV cameras captured the shocking moment a gunman wearing a crash helmet burst in and shot the 51-year-old victim six times at point blank range while he was having a coffee.
The assassin then fled on a motorbike after the April 2023 attack.
Nikulaj is said to have been the latest victim of a 28-year blood feud between two rival families in Albania.
The killing of Nikulaj, who owned the hotel where he was shot, attracted international headlines.
Prosecutors claim Hunt arrived with other British members of the hit squad and helped monitor Nikulaj’s movements.
CCTV footage allegedly shows him at the Coral Hotel after checking in as a tourist.
NINE-YEAR-OLD Hermione de Nocker is a “pocket rocket” who loves dancing and has just completed her latest Brownie badge.
But the youngster has a rare brain disorder that will leave her with dementia and in a wheelchair in her teens.
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Nine-year-old Hermione de Nocker has a rare brain disorderCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
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In a bid to save her own life, as well as around 800 other sufferers worldwide, Hermione has set up charity Hope for HermioneCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
In a bid to save her own life, as well as around 800 other sufferers worldwide, she has set up Hope for Hermione, which earned her the Brownie award for charity.
Hermione said: “I want to help other people like me to have a better life.”
Her vital cause aims to raise money so London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital can keep researching a cure for Beta-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration, which is a genetic mutation.
Mum Caryn, 46, a special needs teaching assistant who lives in Maidstone, Kent, with Hermione, IT boss husband Rory, 45, and son Declan, 14, told The Sun on Sunday: “Hermione is very proud of what she has achieved.
“She is playing a huge part in her own charity organisation, doing fundraising challenges using skills she will lose in the future.
Trial funding
“She is doing a sponsored swim, dance, baking and talking challenge to raise money for Hope for Hermione.
“Everybody who knows Hermione describes her as a pocket rocket. Getting her badge for setting up her own charity has been an absolute dream come true for her.”
Hermione was diagnosed with epilepsy following a seizure at 17 months, then her speech appeared delayed and her parents were told she had autism.
In May last year, they got the BPAN diagnosis.
Caryn said: “We were told that, essentially, toxic iron proteins are deposited into her brain with devastating effects.
Ayrshire boy, 11, born with half an arm missing can finally ride his bike after being gifted £12,000 bionic limb
“They said that by the time she is a teenager it will appear like Parkinson’s.”
But Hope for Hermione (hopeforhermione.com) will help fund a trial by Professor Manju Kurian at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health.
Caryn says: “Although we have received the worst news, we have the ability to have some- thing good come out of the tears.”
Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club.
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The Brownie is fundraising to help find a cureCredit: Gary Stone
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Brave Hermione with her parents Caryn and RoryCredit: Gary Stone
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Hermione as a babyCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
AN ABBA superfan has ended up with 84 Mamma Mia DVDs — as people keep giving them to her as gifts.
Leah Rankin, 22, was gutted when her gran accidentally got her a disc for the second time, forgetting her first purchase.
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Abba superfan Leah Rankin, pictured with dad Ralph, has ended up with 84 Mamma Mia DVDsCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
The uni graduate then ended up with a third when dad Ralph gave her yet another copy.
The gaffe soon turned into a long-running joke, with Ralph, 56, grabbing another 71 identical DVDs for Leah.
Leah, from Bonnyrigg, near Edinburgh, said: “When I opened the first couple of copies, I thought ‘how many am I going to get here?’ and they just kept coming.”
After electronics shop owner Ralph shared the stunt to fellow TikTokers, viewers sent in their own copies of the 2008 flick.
One Abba fan wrote: “I’ve never had more respect for someone before.”
Dad-of-one Ralph has already spent £60 on his collection, but plans to get 500 DVDs for Leah.
He said: “After I’d seen Mamma Mia’s in charity shops and second-hand DVD shops, I thought I’d just start buying them.
“In one shop I found a dozen, and when I went to buy them the lady looked at me as if I was mad.”
Leah admitted she “loves” the hit jukebox musical, starring Meryl Streep — and finds her dad’s jape funny.
But she added: “All my friends think it’s crazy — they’ve seen it on Facebook and TikTok and I just say ‘yeah, that’s my Dad’.”
ABBA: Secrets Behind the Name
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Leah admitted she ‘loves’ the hit jukebox musical, starring Meryl Streep — and finds her dad’s jape funnyCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
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Swedish pop group Abba are one of the biggest selling musical acts of all timeCredit: AFP
FIVE years since the Conservatives delivered on the historic ambition of the British people, the opportunities offered by leaving the EU have never felt further away.
Rumours of Labour signing the UK up to new arrangements all add up to the same thing: Britain getting dragged back into the over-regulated, heavy-handed embrace of Brussels.
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The Conservatives delivered on the historic ambition of the British people by leaving the EU five years agoCredit: Alamy
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Keir Starmer was front and centre of the campaign against leaving, and repeatedly voted to keep Britain inside the Single MarketCredit: Rex
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Kemi Badenoch said: ‘I warned repeatedly during the election campaign last year that Labour would try to reverse Brexit freedoms’Credit: PA
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Labour are more interested in cosying up to the European Union than seizing the benefits of Brexit.
Keir Starmer was front and centre of the campaign against leaving, and repeatedly voted to keep Britain inside the Single Market.
I’m certainly not surprised.
I warned repeatedly during the election campaign last year that Labour would try to reverse Brexit freedoms.
I have a particular interest in defending those freedoms.
CIVIL servants and bureaucrats will thwart plans to fix the NHS because they want reforms done slowly, a report by MPs warns.
Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee said officials in NHS England and the Department of Health are “out of ideas and remarkably complacent”.
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An NHS review by Lord Ara Darzi found ranks in Whitehall back offices have swollen while waiting lists have ballooned and patient satisfaction declinedCredit: Getty
A review by Lord Ara Darzi found ranks in Whitehall back offices have swollen while waiting lists have ballooned and patient satisfaction declined.
The PAC accused health officials of being too cautious and blighted by “short-termism”.
Tory MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said: “The Government has transformative ambitions to address the issues plaguing the NHS.
“We were aghast to find some of the worst complacency amongst senior officials in charge of delivering these ambitions.
“Truly fresh ideas and radical energy must be generated to meet the scale of what is required.
“Given the position of the NHS, stale platitudes of incremental change are simply not going to cut it.”
An NHS spokesperson said: “This report contains basic factual inaccuracies and a flawed understanding of how the NHS and the government’s financial processes work.
“While NHS productivity is now improving at double pre-pandemic levels – far from being complacent, NHS England has repeatedly been open about the problem and the actions being taken to address it.
“Reform is part of the NHS’ DNA and has ensured performance improvements for patients in the past year despite capital starvation, unprecedented strikes and a fragile social care sector.”
The Department of Health said: “We have been consistently clear that fixing the broken NHS and ensuring it is fit for the future requires urgent and radical reform.”
Two mums and 56 babies died ‘needlessly’ at ‘appalling’ NHS trust where staff ‘tick boxes and fob patients off with paracetamol’
OUR much-loved astrologer Meg sadly died in 2023 but her column will be kept alive by her friend and protégée Maggie Innes.
Read on to see what’s written in the stars for you today.
♈ ARIES
March 21 to April 20
Welcoming the new moon of new beginnings into your community chart awakens an urge to try a different way of networking.
You have the skills to draw the right people towards you, and it’s up to you to use it.
If a new love interest is your aim, this too can work well when you consider a fresh strategy linked to talking.
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Your daily horoscope for Wednesday
♉ TAURUS
April 21 to May 21
You’re ready to review what success means to you and what you discover can be a surprise.
Your star focus is more on people and experiences than money or status, and the more you reach out, the more you can be rewarded.
In love? The best gift is your time and attention. Single? A self-sufficient Aquarius returns.
Get all the latest Taurus horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
♊ GEMINI
May 22 to June 21
Mercury and Pluto make a match in your chart – in a way that could stop a travel plan but then shows you a new route for getting to where you want to go.
Control is good when it works for you, but not when you work for it – that’s the secret of success.
Passion can be whatever you most desire, so wish wisely!
Get all the latest Gemini horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
♋ CANCER
June 22 to July 22
The new moon plus the sun bring your transformation zone to life and you’re half-way towards a new image before you realise it.
At work, playing the part of a boss, even for the shortest time, shows what you are capable of – and the next step can be right there.
At home, keeping words kind, but firm, finds a “C” solution.
♌ LEO
July 23 to August 23
Your natural ability to lead is enhanced by the new moon and you have the power to start and sustain all kinds of teams.
But it’s very important to find the right way forward for everyone. Beware of leaping in before you are ready.
Pluto introduces a big “D” personality and your heart skips a beat.
Get all the latest Leo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
♍ VIRGO
August 24 to September 22
Scrapping a half-done, or half-hearted career plan and starting again can power your dreams forward so don’t be scared to revise, rethink, reform.
From passion to promotion, you are ready to reveal your true talents.
You can create your own luck when you do the right financial research.
Get all the latest Virgo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
The new moon makes letting go, in life and love, easierCredit: Getty
♎ LIBRA
September 23 to October 23
The star focus falls on parent-child relationships – you have the insight and intelligence to see the way forward but it’s important to act on this.
Any bond can be improved when you give it your whole heart.
Jupiter’s love of personal journeys draws you towards a travel contest linked to a specific location.
Get all the latest Libra horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
List of 12 star signs
The traditional dates used by Mystic Meg for each sign are below.
♏ SCORPIO
October 24 to November 22
Setting aside any idea that a family shape should be fixed, can free you to find your own ideal home.
You know you have strong ideas about the future, and sharing these can be simpler than you expect.
The new moon makes letting go, in life and love, easier.
If you’ve felt the need to compromise in loyalty terms, this can change – expecting the best of others is not unreasonable when you are offering so much of yourself.
You have planet protection to issue a final warning and to deal with the response.
At work, the person who most loves a joke, can be a serious ally
HOW is Britain meant to absorb a nation-sized population rise in just ten years?
Especially when we have built a tiny fraction of the infrastructure necessary.
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Britain cannot absorb a nation-sized population rise in just ten yearsCredit: Getty
The forecast of a five million net increase between 2022 and 2032 solely from immigration is truly staggering.
It is like importing almost all of Ireland or New Zealand and expecting our existing housing, hospitals, GPs, schools, roads, reservoirs, and those who currently use them, simply to cope.
Even the Government’s house-building targets won’t nearly be enough.
As our population eclipses France’s, we are already about four million homes short.
This explosion is not specifically this Government’s fault, though it was Labour which first embraced mass immigration.
The totals soared beyond comprehension under Boris Johnson.
But Labour now needs a solution.
There is no way Britain can plan and build fast enough to accommodate a surge as vast as that.
The impact on services alone will be horrific.
If Labour won’t cap the annual influx, what will it do?
Earth population to ‘peak’ in 2080s as scientists share exact human count we’ll hit before ‘lower fertility’ sparks fall
Broken NHS
AS we feared, the Health Secretary’s bold ambition to reinvent the NHS appears to be running into a brick wall of apathy.
Officials in his department and at NHS England are “out of ideas and remarkably complacent”, reports the Labour-dominated Public Accounts Committee.
One member says: “The Government has transformative ambitions. We were aghast to find some of the worst complacency among senior officials in charge of delivering those.”
The NHS rubbished their report.
But on Page 17 you can see the real state of it, as elderly patients, robbed of dignity, lie in a packed hospital corridor because the wards are full.
The NHS has had colossal budget rises. But that solves next to nothing, and is a road to ruin, as Wes Streeting knows.
This system designed in 1948 looks unfit for purpose. Time for a new one, Wes.
End this folly
IT’S all very well panicked Home Office ministers running a mile from that disgraceful internal report on extremism.
Minister Dan Jarvis says it is not current Government policy. Fine.
But who wrote it, what job do they still hold in the department and why?
TODAY marks the start of Chinese New Year – a tradition rooted in the lunar calendar.
And with 2025 being the year of the snake, why not scale up your celebrations with a shindig at home.
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We have three cheap and easy ways to celebrate Chinese New YearCredit: Getty
Here’s how to mark the event without forking out a fortune.
RED ALERT: During Chinese New Year, it is tradition to kit out your home with red decorations.
If you have candles, a tablecloth or other decor in that shade, you could get it out.
Or perhaps you could have a go at making your own.
READ MORE MONEY SAVING TIPS
Simply cut red paper into strips without snipping right to the ends, then twist the paper into a circle around a lampshade.
Traditionally, you shouldn’t clean your house on the first day of the Lunar New Year as you’re thought to be sweeping or washing away any luck brought in.
IN FOR A PENNY: Get right into the spirit of the occasion by giving loved ones red envelopes containing cash gifts, a tradition that symbolises good luck and wishes for the year ahead.
If you wanted to follow this custom, you can get your hands on a pack of six red envelopes and cards from Hobbycraft for £2. Just pop in a small coin and give these to your family or guests.
DOCTORS should prescribe exercise to help older folk live longer, a study shows.
Regular workouts were found to reduce the risk of early death by a quarter and also cut the risk of more than 30 common conditions.
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A study claims that doctors should prescribe exercise to help older folk live longerCredit: Getty
Staying active can protect against injuries from falls, keep the brain sharp, stave off arthritis and improve mental health, the researchers say.
Dr Jane Thornton, of Western University in Ontario, Canada, called it an “underused health intervention” and said frailty and old age should not be barriers to exercise.
She said: “They should be viewed as key reasons to prescribe it.
“Older adults who become more physically active potentially add years to their lives.”
In the review of other studies, she found those who exercised more had lower risks from diabetes, lung and heart diseases as well as cancer.
Co-author Dr Samir Sinha, at the University of Toronto, added: “Doctors should encourage gradually increasing activity.”
The NHS uses so-called social prescribing of hobbies for older people.
But 85 per cent of over-65s don’t do its recommended muscle-strengthening twice a week.
Age UK’s Caroline Abrahams said: “Even a small amount of physical activity improves health and wellbeing.”
The 9 best exercises to get a reformer Pilates body without the expense
Maybe you don’t see yourself as a fixer – but this is a role you can make your own.
You are so fair, yet you bring the fun and this can draw work rivals or family members closer. In passion, your chart confirms security matters, even if you pretend it doesn’t.
Red carpets, clothing and picture frames can mark a creative surge for Pisces that propels you forwardCredit: Supplied
♒ AQUARIUS
January 21 to February 18
If you’ve been concealing doubts about a decision, the time to get these out in the open is now.
You could find other people feel the same but you won’t know until you ask. You have a strong strand of creative genius, you only need to glimpse an opportunity to know it is for you.
Even on a dull Monday morning you bring the party with a special star sparkle that nobody can ignore.
So this can be a great moment. If you’re in love, taking a day off from discussions and celebrating each other’s more silly side can break a stalemate.
Single? Your fate mate is first to volunteer for a role.
Get all the latest Pisces horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
FOOTBALL host Jeff Stelling has opened up about his daughter’s battle with anorexia.
He said Olivia, 21, got “skeletal” from the mental health condition and spent months in hospital.
Jeff said he faced the “heartbreaking” sight of girls in wheelchairs with no energy to walk.
In 2023 Jeff, 69, told how “a friend” was struggling, and his comments went viral.
He said Olivia was now happy for him to say it was her, and is doing well as a student.
Dad-of-three Jeff has spoken to Parliament on the issue and said: “The reaction was astonishing.”
He said the numbers who relapse is “horrific”, adding: “If they relapse two, three or four times . . . they say they’re going to provide a pathway, in other words we’re not going to try and save you we’re going to try and help you die.”
MATT Smith proves he is the love doctor as he is spotted cosying up with a mystery blonde — days after kissing a model in Brazil.
The Doctor Who star, 42, shared a snog with Jessica Felix, 26, earlier this month but stepped out with a new friend in London’s Notting Hill at the weekend.
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Matt Smith has been snapped cosying up to a mystery blondeCredit: BackGrid
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Matt was snapped days before kissing a model in BrazilCredit: BackGrid
Matt played the Royal in the first two seasons of the popular show.
And when he bumped into Prince Harry at a polo match, the Duke of Sussex didn’t hold back.
Speaking to the BBC, Matt said: “He was like ‘alright grandad? I was like ‘alright mate?’”
He also gushed about getting the chance to play Prince Philip and shared: “I told my grandad I got the part and he went ‘bloody hell you aren’t playing that berk’.
BAYWATCH icon Pamela Anderson looks the business — even after getting snubbed for an Oscar.
The 57-year-old received critical acclaim for her role as an ageing Vegas dancer in The Last Showgirl, and got a Golden Globes nomination.
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Pamela Anderson looks the business — even after getting snubbed for an OscarCredit: Adrienne Raquel
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Pamela received critical acclaim for her role as an ageing Vegas dancer in The Last Showgirl, and got a Golden Globes nominationCredit: Adrienne Raquel
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Pamela posed for Elle’s January digital coverCredit: Adrienne Raquel
Looking on the bright side, she posed for mag Elle’s January digital cover — telling them: “I always say the win is in the work.”
A proud Pamela has revealed what it would mean to win the gong, 33 years after she burst on to our TV screens in her tiny red swimsuit as lifeguard CJ Parker.
Pamela is playing the lead role in The Last Showgirl, which is directed by a member of the prominent filmmaking Coppola family – Gia, the granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola, and niece of Sofia.
She said: “Gia was insistent that we were all going to see it together, and we’re going to see it on the big screen with an audience.
“And so all of us were in tears. She traumatised us.”
In the film, Pamela plays the lead role of Shelly, and she was so desperate to prove herself as a serious actress that she knew she had nothing to lose and everything to gain by giving the part her all.
She added: “My whole life has been like that — ‘What do I have to lose?'”
Pamela Anderson, 56, looks completely different as Baywatch star goes makeup free in mini skirt during NYC outing
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Pamela shows how flexible she is in this imageCredit: Adrienne Raquel
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Pamela strikes a pose in this ensemble topped off with a furry hatCredit: Adrienne Raquel
This means that the US Armed Forces have been able to assist the Department of Homeland Security in stopping illegal migrants from coming in.
Criminals arrested
As for those who might have a case for asylum, Trump has reinstated his “remain in Mexico” policy.
That means that people who are coming to America and then claiming asylum will now have their cases considered outside the country rather than inside.
Then there are the more pro-active stances Homan and Trump have already begun.
ICE officers, among others, have already started raids in so-called “sanctuary cities”.
These are cities run by the American Left which have done a lot of grandstanding in recent years by declaring that normal migration laws don’t apply there.
EXC Human smugglers Choudhry Rashied and Shafaz Khan brought to justice as Home Office reveals horrors of migrant terror
As a result, in recent days hundreds of gang members, drug-dealers and other known criminals have been rounded up in multiple cities.
In Boston, officers arrested rape suspects and gangsters including members of the notoriously violent MS-13 gang.
One Haitian gangster was caught on camera trying to resist officers and screaming “F**k Trump, Biden forever!” and shouting that he was “not going back to Haiti”.
The man in question is reported to have at least 17 recent convictions.
And when the clip of him resisting arrest went viral, Homan had a clear message for him.
The border czar told the media “Well, he’s wrong. He’s going back to Haiti. I can tell you that.”
With all of this going on — and some of it even being supported by the moderate Left — there is one question for Britain in particular.
That is: could we do something similar here?
After all, we know that there are far more than a million illegal migrants in the UK.
Recent reports said that the figure was over a million, but it was over a million eight years ago, and the real figure must now be far higher than that.
Despite the best efforts of the BBC and other media to cover up the story, we have all seen the boatloads of illegal migrants landing on our own border every day.
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Guatemalan migrants are repatriated from America this weekCredit: Twitter
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Eighty Mexican men are deported from the US via a cross-border bridgeCredit: Getty
We have all seen the daily arrivals whose numbers just keep going up year on year.
And we have all seen the UK border authorities — like some US border authorities under Biden — help these people to break the law.
The UK Border Force effectively works as an arm of the smuggling networks.
OUR much-loved astrologer Meg sadly died in March 2023 but her column will be kept alive by her friend and protégée Maggie Innes.
Read on to see what’s written in the stars for you today.
♈ ARIES
March 21 to April 20
Neptune’s deep and dreamy side is felt strongly in your secret self – this is a day to let yourself think big, impossible things.
And slowly start to make them real.
Meanwhile, disrupter Pluto is at work in your social sector – so stay alert to any online traps!
Double-check every form, be wary of friend requests.
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Your weekly horoscope for Friday
♉ TAURUS
April 21 to May 21
As the moon lights up your transformation zone, you are so ready to freshen up your image – either within work, or how you present yourself in terms of fashion or mindset.
The more strongly you suspect others may resist this new you, the more determinedly you should commit to any plans.
Get all the latest Taurus horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
♊ GEMINI
May 22 to June 21
The right partners, in terms of work, leisure, or pleasure may present themselves at what feels precisely the wrong time.
But you can work with this if you give yourself the chance.
So reduce “must-do” promises and talk and listen with an open heart.
An auction-based TV show links to luck.
Get all the latest Gemini horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
♋ CANCER
June 22 to July 22
Today you are a career chameleon, and can integrate into even the most established groups.
But do beware of faking a personality you know is not the real you.
In love, only your authentic self is enough.
If you’ve been waiting for a cash chance to open up again, this can be the day.
Get all the latest Cancer horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
♌ LEO
July 23 to August 23
You have the creative spark to make any event unique and even routine meetings can surprise.
You may love the challenge of the new, but do remember the people and places that have served you well in the past, for the best Leo balance.
Exciting news of a new family member is on the horizon – look and listen.
Get all the latest Leo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
♍ VIRGO
August 24 to September 22
This can be a family-focused day, as you look internally.
Working with what you have, instead of hankering after what you don’t, can keep a plan on track.
Venus is strong in your happy-ever-after chart, guiding you to step away from perfectionism.
Today’s journey has no space for the small stuff.
Get all the latest Virgo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
An auction-based TV show links to luckCredit: Getty
♎ LIBRA
September 23 to October 23
Pluto loves to shock, and this planet mischief could be a key part of your day.
Balance any sudden revelations by showing you are always there for special people, no matter what.
When you sense what new introductions are going to say, or do, this can be the sign you’ve been waiting for, of true love.
Get all the latest Libra horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
List of 12 star signs
The traditional dates used by Mystic Meg for each sign are below.
♏ SCORPIO
October 24 to November 22
The sun and moon link money to your home – this can be your moment to start the planning for an extra-earning family scheme.
Or undertake getting complicated paperwork into a simpler format.
You are ready for the challenge.
As for love, the lighter you keep your touch, the more weighty commitment can be.
As Neptune softens your words, you break through a long-time barrier – but it’s important to remember the difference between telling the truth and saying what you think someone wants to hear.
You have star skills to find a way through.
Jupiter’s health tactics include fun, and so should yours.
IT’S big, it’s blue, it’s made of wool – and she calls it her “Moon Mop”.
One of the first things you notice about Moonchild Sanelly is her “hair”, often worn with lipstick and eye make-up to match.
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Moonchild Sanelly played ten shows at Glastonbury last yearCredit: Phatstoki
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Moonchild says she’s at the point in her career that she’s always been striving forCredit: Supplied
“It literally grew as my career grew,” she tells me via video call from her home in Johannesburg, in reference to the mop’s seriously impressive dimensions.
But I soon discover there’s much more to this trailblazing South African, who — in no particular order — can call herself singer, mother, poet and fashion designer.
Sanelly, 40, is known in the UK for her wild live shows, including TEN performances at last year’s Glastonbury Festival, and her association with Damon Albarn, either through Gorillaz or Africa Express.
She worked with Beyonce, featuring on My Power from the American superstar’s 2019 soundtrack album The Lion King: The Gift.
And she hooked up with breakthrough British star Self Esteem (Rebecca Taylor) for one of last summer’s best-loved songs, Big Man.
“It was ridiculous how well we clicked. We were baddies,” says Sanelly of that collaboration.
“She was going through her own situation and then, when we met, the work just started flowing and we were speaking for each other. It was beautiful.”
Now Sanelly is back with her vibrant, life-affirming third studio album, Full Moon, recorded on the road in Malawi, Sweden and London.
Her music embraces South African house music, Kwaito and its sub-genres Amapiano and Gqom, and is described by her as “future ghetto funk”.
Let’s just add that Port Elizabeth-born Sanelly conjures up a mesmerising combination of dancefloor-primed beats, scuzzy basslines and snappy choruses, all underpinned by her hip-hop and jazz sensibilities.
‘I am not limited’
“I can make any genre,” she affirms. “I have fun creating music because I am not limited.”
But before we dive into Full Moon, she gives me a quick run through of how her patented Moon Mop evolved.
“When I was in high school, I put food colouring in my hair every holiday because I didn’t have dye,” she recalls.
“Then, when I went to varsity (the term a lot of South Africans use for university) in Durban, I turned my hair red and kept it that way for seven years.”
Around 2011, despite coming up with it first, she found herself being ridiculed after her red-dye look became an “in-thing” for other artists, including Rihanna.
She says: “I remember, I went upstairs and shaved everything!”
The transition to greenish blue, best described as teal, began when Sanelly moved to Johannesburg but was visiting a friend back in Durban.
She says: “My friend had a lot of wool and she said to me, ‘I know you’re going to have fun with this.’ So I went home and made my mop — it was as simple as that.”
As for getting the Moon Mop patented, Sanelly adds: “Because I’d seen with the red that people had been watching my storyboard, I needed to find a way of protecting it.
“I called my lawyer and said, ‘David, they’re going to steal my idea again.’ He was like, ‘I believe you Moon,’ so he got all the papers to cover it and here we are.”
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Moonchild has worked with Damon Albarn, who ‘loved her work ethic and music’Credit: Supplied
We move on to Sanelly’s new album, the follow-up to 2022’s Phases, which she likens to “an arrival” at the point in her career that she’s always been striving for — finally finding her “whole self”.
“It’s called Full Moon because I feel that I’ve shared things that I’ve never shared on other albums,” she says. “Phases showcased all my sides, the different phases of the Moon, and this one is all those parts of me being in unison with each other.
“It’s the ultimate, what I’ve always wanted.
“It comes with a lot of forgiveness, of letting go, of being comfortable with being vulnerable. My full moon moment.”
Commenting on the album’s exuberant sound, Sanelly decides: “Future ghetto funk is just me having fun. There are no real limits to it — as long as I feel good.
“With this one, I think it explores more of my pop side, which was my intention.”
Next she dives into some of the songs, starting with an opening track, which celebrates her favourite food.
“Scrambled Eggs is my flex, because I don’t spend my money on (fast-food) chains.
“When I first started touring, I was at places where I couldn’t afford breakfast, so for me, it was my luxury. I eat avo(cado) scrambled eggs all day, every day!”
Sanelly turns her attention to Big Booty, which, she says, “is a love letter to my booty”.
“It’s had my back through thick and thin and it helps me shake the world.”
Growing up in a musical family was super-cool because it was the norm
Moonchild Sanelly
Another key track is overtly sexual Gwara Gwara, which has been employed on the official soundtrack for EA Sports’ FC25 game.
Sanelly says: “Gwara Gwara is basically because I’m such a flirt. The deepest story about that one is that I had to learn how to say f* you to a bunch of d*s who wanted to hit it.”
For this irrepressible artist, it has been quite a journey but music has played a big part in her life from an early age.
Her mother’s a jazz singer, her brother’s a hip-hop producer and her cousins are dancers.
“Growing up in a musical family was super-cool because it was the norm,” she says.
“At my grandma’s house, it was gospel. At my mother’s house, it was hip-hop and jazz.
“Everyone loved to dance and, on Sundays before church, it was like a giant celebration as we danced and harmonised.”
Though Sanelly had the opportunity to join gospel groups, the ensemble mentality just wasn’t for her.
“I never wanted to blend in!” she exclaims. “I wasn’t created quiet. I always wanted to make sure that I would shine.”
I can report that Sanelly is a woman of many talents who shines a brilliant light on whatever she does.
At university, her focus was on poetry and rap. Later, she ran a clothing line.
She says: “The fashion helped me get to do gigs and that started to build my profile.
“But music is my primary focus. It’s my entire life.”
‘Genre is chilled’
Sanelly has to juggle her music career, and all her other pursuits, with being a mum to three daughters.
“I’m like the father who goes out and makes the money,” she continues. “I’m a provider and that’s a position I’ve been in for a long time.
“But, with the support system I have, I’m pretty fortunate. I’m definitely not alone.”
She’s also part of a sweet spot for South African music and says: “The scene is ridiculous. The kids are going overseas when, in the past, they weren’t. Especially because of online, they don’t have to go through gatekeepers.
“The genre is chilled and there are all these dance moves to go with it — people with bottles on their heads, balancing acts. It’s a real vibe.
“You might not sleep because it can be explosive and energetic but it can also be beautiful and mellow.
“You can sit down to it, you can dance to it — it’s changing the world. You can pretty much find a party every day.”
Although South Africa is where Sanelly’s heart lies, she was able to spread her wings by recording in three other countries.
In the first two of those places, far away from big cities, she got to indulge in her favourite hobby — angling.
I haven’t been fishing in the UK but I’d love to.
Moonchild Sanelly
She says: “In Malawi, if I just couldn’t write any more, we’d go fishing. In Sweden, same thing. If we got a block, we’d go fishing. It was freezing but we found a fish and a snake.”
But when it came to sessions in the UK, it was what she calls a very “city” environment, not surprising as she was based in the teeming capital.
Sanelly says: “I haven’t been fishing in the UK but I’d love to. It’s like going on a date for me.
“When people ask me, ‘What do you want to do?’, I’m just like, ‘I want to go fishing or I want to go to a gun range,’ I’m pretty good with guns.”
For Sanelly, coming to Britain is of special significance because she grew up listening to pop from these shores.
“It’s crazy for me to go there now,” she admits. “And it’s super-ridiculous how well I’m received. It’s so heart-warming and I feel it is exactly where I belong.”
Being able to work with artists such as Damon Albarn, Self Esteem and Ezra Collective makes perfect sense to Sanelly.
Otherwise, she considers it would be like “an American artist coming to do traditional Kwaito music in South Africa and just f*ing st up”.
She adds: “I’m always exploring new stuff, always bumping into sounds and other artists.
This helps explain why Damon Albarn was so attracted to working with Sanelly on projects close to his heart.
The collective he co-founded in 2006, Africa Express, visited Johannesburg in 2019 to make an album with local artists.
Felt really comfortable
One review of the resulting EGOLI stated that “Moonchild Sanelly seems to steal every track she appears on” — including standout I Can’t Move, also featuring Albarn.
Sanelly remembers the sessions well: “I wanted to work with whoever was working with Damon and I was thinking, ‘I’m going to show off.’
“Any session he was in, I would just come in. He loved my work ethic, he loved how I work, he loved my music and he loved what I was doing with my art.
“He posted a picture with me and him and the moon shining behind us.”
Sanelly was thrilled to be on the 2020 Gorillaz album Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, lending her distinctive tones to With Love To An Ex.
“My first fashion show after school was to the Gorillaz album, I had it on an iPod,” she says. “When I was in the UK, I went to Damon’s studio and we recorded. I didn’t know what it was for but I felt really comfortable with him.
“Then I got a call to say the track had made it on to the Gorillaz album.”
Since then, she has appeared on stage with both Albarn projects, including an Africa Express shindig in Mexico last spring.
Next up for Sanelly is a UK headline tour in March finishing at London’s Village Underground on the 26th.
Your chance to see the Moonchild shine.
MOONCHILD SANELLY
Full Moon
★★★★☆
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Full Moon is Moonchild’s third studio albumCredit: Supplied
PRIMARK has called on the Government to deliver “tangible” growth rather than “generic words” as waning confidence starts to strangle the economy.
The fashion retailer yesterday posted a 6 per cent slump in like-for-like UK and Ireland sales — its first drop since shops shut during the pandemic.
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Primark yesterday posted a 6 per cent slump in like-for-like UK and Ireland salesCredit: Alamy
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Primark has been helped by its campaigns with Rita OraCredit: The Mega Agency
Eoin Tonge, finance chief of owner Associated British Food, told The Sun: “There is a weakness in consumer confidence that we don’t see in other markets.”
He highlighted that customers were nervous about their own finances because of gloomy warnings that the Budget could impact jobs and hiring, particularly temporary workers, adding: “There is nervousness because those cut-backs will be impacting those on lower incomes.
“There has definitely been too much talking down but now there needs to be tangible talking up. It can’t be generic. We need messages about tangible growth and the route to get there.”
Overall Primark’s sales rose by 2 per cent, helped by its collaborations with Rita Ora and Christmas ranges.
However the UK, which accounts for 45 per cent of Primark’s sales, suffered in comparison with strong sales in Europe and the US.
And a closely watched survey suggested Brits were bracing for “dark days ahead”.
The GfK consumer confidence index has registered steep falls in confidence in family finances and the wider economy.
It is affecting factories too — with them recording the fastest slump in orders and confidence since the pandemic, according to the CBI’s Distributive Trades Survey.
The Primark viral cardigan is finally BACK in stock – there’s new colours and they’re ‘so thick’ and such ‘good quality’
Lloyds boss Charlie Nunn said at the Davos World Economic Forum that there was “nervousness around the economy and negative sentiment”.
And Steve Hare, boss of FTSE 100 tech firm Sage, told The Sun: “When negativity dominates the headlines, it seeps into decision-making. Businesses hesitate to invest. People hold back from spending. Borrowing to grow feels risky. And that’s where we risk stalling progress — not because of economic fundamentals, but because of a lack of optimism.”
Mr Tonge also hit out at the plans to reform the business rates system by offsetting discounts with higher rates for bigger stores.
He said: “I don’t agree with the logic.
“It’s not good for the high street. Bigger stores typically bring footfall to smaller ones.”
Sales are whey off
HIGH whey prices and a rebrand of protein powders have weighed heavily on e-commerce group THG.
The firm posted a 12 per cent slump in sales to £579million in its nutrition arm, MyProtein.
However, its beauty division, which includes Cult Beauty and Glossybox, grew sales by 3.3 per cent to £1.1billion.
THG recently took its tech arm, Ingenuity, private after believing the market did not accurately value the business.
CMA tech check on phones
THE UK’s competition watchdog has launched a probe into Apple and Google smartphones, just days after the regulator’s chairman was ousted for an Amazon executive.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it would investigate how the makers of iPhone and Android mobiles run their software and services.
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The CMA has launched a probe into Apple and Google smartphonesCredit: Alamy
The watchdog is testing whether the firms favour their own apps, internet browsers and operating systems at the expense of other developers.
Last week the CMA launched its first probe into Google’s dominance in web searches.
It comes after the Government forced out the CMA’s chairman, Marcus Bokkerink, and instead appointed former Amazon UK boss Doug Gurr.
The move was seen as deliberately more friendly to Big Tech.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said Mr Bokkerink had been shown the door because he didn’t “share the mission” for economic growth.
Home buy fight
AFFORDING a home is still a stretch for most Brits despite wage growth marginally exceeding house price rises, says Nationwide.
A would-be first-time buyer on an average wage, and with a 20 per cent deposit, would see mortgage payments swallow 36 per cent of their take-home pay, higher than the historical average.
First-time buyer house prices are typically five times salary.
Nationwide said high rents left four in ten first-time buyers turning to friends or family for help with a deposit.
Bank back-track
HSBC is shutting down its payments app Zing just a year after launch.
It was designed to rival Wise and Revolut, letting customers hold cash in different currencies and spend money internationally.
The closure puts 400 jobs at risk.
Beauty revolting
SHARES in Revolution Beauty tumbled yesterday after a warning that its sales would fall by a quarter.
The make-up group, which has dealt with an accounting probe, the exit of its founders, and a legal settlement with its biggest ex-investor, still faces a “transformational” year.
The firm announced an overhaul of around three-quarters of its original ranges to create a “profitable foundation for future growth”.
But sales are still projected to fall by 25 per cent — which shrank shares by 22 per cent.
BUDGETS are often stretched to the max in January and the next payday can still feel quite a long way off.
If you need some extra money, there are a few ways that can help line your pocket.
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Three clever ways to earn extra money in January if your budget is stretched to the maxCredit: Getty
Try one of these options for a cash boost . . .
ANSWER THIS: You can make money for giving your opinions on TV shows. Sign up to theviewers.co.uk and you can earn up to £10 for online surveys.
Or you can also fill out more general surveys to earn cash whenever you have a bit of spare time. Try registering with qmee.com or yougov.co.uk. Amounts vary but you could expect to get up to £6 for a well-paid single survey.
InboxPounds is another company that pays for surveys as well as other simple tasks such as searching the web and is currently offering a £1 sign-up bonus at inboxpounds.co.uk.
READ MORE MONEY SAVING TIPS
MAKE A SWITCH: You can get a free cash bonus by simply switching to a new bank account. Nationwide Building Society is currently offering £175 to switch to its FlexDirect, FlexPlus or FlexAccount current accounts.
Or First Direct is also offering £175 to those who open a 1st Account. You will also usually need to switch through the Current Account Switch Service to get the sum. There are certain terms and conditions that need to be met in order to qualify for free cash. And you should make sure the account suits your needs.
USE YOUR ASSETS: If you’ve got a spare parking space on your drive or land, you can rent it out and make some extra cash.
There are plenty of platforms to match you with people commuting or travelling and looking for somewhere to keep their motor.
Try YourParkingSpace app or JustPark. Just remember that any earnings over £1,000 a year need to be declared to HMRC.
All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
Deal of the day
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Love gift set worth £195 from lookfantastic.comCredit: Supplied
GET your hands on top beauty items including Laura Mercier bath and body oil, Iconic mascara, and Sol de Janeiro perfume mist for £50 in this Love gift set worth £195 from lookfantastic.com.
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Cheap treat
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Pretty pink pot, £8, from DunelmCredit: Supplied
POP a plant in this pretty pink pot, £8, from Dunelm, to add a touch of greenery to your home.
What’s new?
ENJOY Coca Cola Zero with a twist of lime in the latest take on Coke. A two-litre bottle, normally £2 at Tesco, is £1.50 with your Clubcard.
Top swap
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Ski trousers, £180 from hellyhansen.comCredit: Supplied
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Lidl’s take on the mountain essential, £16.99Credit: Supplied
IF you plan on hitting the slopes these ski trousers are just what you need, £180 from hellyhansen.com. Or try Lidl’s take on the mountain essential, £16.99.
SAVE: £163.01
Little helper
SAVE on essentials for your little one, including nappies and food in the Morrisons baby event. A 12-pack of wipes is down from £10.50 to £6 with a More card.
PLAY NOW TO WIN £200
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Join thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle
JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle.
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