The Sun Newspaper

FROM fighting in war zones to surveying the carnage of the LA fires, drones have been hitting the headlines.

But did you know that the UK is emerging as a world leader in the aerial tech?

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The UK drone market generated around £94.66million in 2023 but is predicted to reach as much as £1.5billion by 2031.

Drones are currently being used for an array of tasks including surveying buildings, decommissioning nuclear installations, inspecting dangerous structures and providing emergency searches.

The Royal Mail is even trialling drone delivery in remote areas.

While 84 per cent of budding drone businesses have fewer than 50 employees, analysts Drone Industry Insights said: “The drone market in the UK is among the top in the world, with significant potential for growth.

“The economy in the UK as a whole offers a unique opportunity for the drone industry to thrive, and it has witnessed significant advancements in the use of drones in recent years, particularly in healthcare and delivery.”

Currently the majority of UK firms are drone service providers — offering specialised services such as aerial photography, mapping, surveying and inspections.

However, a growing number of hardware and software manufacturers are setting up, providing a rapidly increasing number of jobs.

Welsh-based firm Tekever recently unveiled the first drone produced entirely in the UK and has doubled its workforce over the last year.

Its customers include the Home Office, Ministry of Defence and RAF, with its AI-powered drones used to detect threats to human life and the environment, such as illegal fishing, oil spills, vessels in distress and wildfires.

The drones are also deployed in Ukraine for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

As well as roles as drone pilots, the sector offers vacancies across operations, engineering, software development, manufacturing and support.

Tekever CEO Ricardo Mendes said: “We’re experiencing rapid growth and developing pioneering technology that tackles some of the most intricate geopolitical, economic and environmental challenges faced by governments, militaries and private organisations. Yet, our success hinges on the exceptional individuals behind the technology

“Our employees tend to stay with us long-term, not just because our work is impactful, but also because we are dedicated to supporting their professional development.”

Graham Brown, chair of drone industry body ARPAS-UK, added: “Drones are faster, cheaper, safer and greener than other solutions for the same job.

“We want businesses, as well as the general public, to understand the immense benefit of drones and understand that there will be positive adoption over the coming years.”

• Find drone jobs at arpas.uk/tag/drone-jobs; tekever.com/careers; dronedesk.io/drone-industry-jobs.

Be ready for Blue Monday

NEXT week sees Blue Monday, dubbed the most depressing day of the year.

But there is no need to feel down at work.

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Lord Mark Price, founder of workplace happiness consultancy WorkL and author of Happy Economics: Why The Happiest Workplaces Are The Most Successful, says: “Companies that prioritise employee wellbeing and engagement not only see a stronger bottom line but also build a workforce that’s motivated, loyal and better equipped to face future challenges.”

Here, he shares his top tips to create workplace cheer . . . 

1. JOB SATISFACTION: Two things drive job satisfaction beyond enjoying what you do – your relationship with your line manager and whether your career is being developed in a positive way. Work on both to feel better.

2. SENSE OF PRIDE: People need to understand how their role is important to achieving the organisation’s objective. Employees who are proud of their workplace are also the best publicity for their organisation.

3. REWARD AND RECOGNITION: Pay has to meet expectations but genuine recognition given regularly for a job well done can mean more and is also a more consistent driver of performance.

4. EMPOWERMENT: Managers need to stop meddling. Trust your teams to find the best solutions without constant input from line managers or senior staff. Bosses should focus on coaching teams to best use their individual expertise and skills, but be there for support if needed.

5. WELLBEING: Emotional, physical and financial wellbeing are all vital. There are any number of initiatives that companies can put in place but underlying everything has to be a belief from employees that you genuinely care about them.

7. INFORMATION SHARING: Concealing information makes employees feel sidelined and suspicious. Employees need a genuine overview of what is going on in their area and elsewhere.

8. FLEXIBILITY: Not everyone can work from home but for those who can, a reduction in travel time in order to support a better work/life balance and to save money is a big driver of workplace happiness. Notably, women are almost twice as likely than men to say flexibility is essential to their job satisfaction.

How home helps

WORKING from home is helping to build stronger communities, a new study reports.

The impact is strongest in urban areas where 44 per cent of residents say neighbourly relations are better.

Overall, Cardiff is the UK’s most neighbourly city, followed by Edinburgh and Nottingham.

Sarah Khan, Head of Churchill Home Insurance which commissioned the study, said: “Two fifths of workers partially or fully work from home, so it is great to see it has helped foster relationships with neighbours and an added sense of security.

“Those relationships can play a vital role in building safe and supportive communities.

“From keeping an eye on your home, and taking in your parcels, to offering a helping hand in an emergency, it’s great to have someone nearby or, when needed, that you can call upon quickly.”

It’s start-up day

TODAY is Founder Friday, the most popular day of the year for people to set up their own firms.

To help aspiring business owners, Sir Richard Branson and social media start-up star Simon Squibb are launching the Elevator Of Dreams at Virgin Hotels London in Shoreditch.

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The wacky idea sees entrepreneurs present their ideas via a video doorbell, with the recording then uploaded to the HelpBnk platform for an audience of global investors to view.

Research shows one in nine workers would like to set up their own company, rising to a quarter for 18 to 24-year-olds.

Sir Richard said: “More people than ever are considering starting their own business. There’s never been a better time to give it a try. I can’t wait to see what founders come and pitch to us in the coming weeks.”

For more information visit elevatorofdreams.com.

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

(15) 140mins

★★★★☆

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IF you are a Bob Dylan fan, you will be used to the guitar- playing genius refusing to conform to popular demands.

Now a story behind the intriguing musical mystery has done the same, with a detailed account of the first four years of his career.

Its gentle pace and regular songs played out in full go against the grain in a beautifully confident way.

Opening in 1961, we meet a 19-year-old Dylan (Timothee Chalamet) arriving in New York from Minnesota.

He has only the clothes he stands in — and his guitar.

Bad boyfriend

Bob makes his way to a hospital to see Woody Guthrie, political folk singer of then-controversial track This Land Is Your Land.

At the bedside of Guthrie, played by Scoot McNairy, is fellow folk singer Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), and Dylan performs one of his songs to the pair.

They recognise his raw talent and he is soon taken in by Seeger and the folk community.

Dylan starts playing dingy open-mic nights and church services, where he meets girlfriend Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning) — real name Suze Rotolo, but changed for the film.

She is seen clutching the singer’s arm on the cover of his 1963 album,

The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.

He soon moves into her New York apartment and wakes at all hours to scrawl down songs.

Dylan behaves like a moody, bad boyfriend, and I was never quite sure what spikey Sylvie saw in him.

Dylan also has a relationship with fellow singer Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and the pair soon make music together, on stage and off.

But it becomes clear that there’s only room for one person in Bob Dylan’s life. And that is Bob Dylan.

Directed by Oscar- nominated James Mangold, this film delicately examines the life of a man who is burdened by his own talent.

He loathes fame, yet can’t help getting on stage.

Chalamet does a stunning job of bringing life to a difficult role that he clearly knows will have super-fans dissecting every word.

His singing and playing are immaculate, performing 40 songs with breathtaking imitation.

Norton and Barbaro also both stand out.

The film culminates at the Newport Folk Festival where Bob, loved for his acoustic music, plays new songs with electric instruments.

Whether you are a fan or not, do see this fascinating biopic.

Don’t think twice, it’s more than all right.

WOLF MAN

(15) 105mins 

★★★☆☆

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WOLF Man delivers an impressive – if a little uneven – reimagining of the werewolf legend.

It is from Leigh Whannell, the creative mind behind the latest adaptation of H.G. Wells’ horror classic The Invisible Man (2020).

Christopher Abbott (Poor Things) gives a raw and intense performance as Blake, a husband and father haunted by painful childhood memories and feelings of inadequacy.

His past comes rushing back when his estranged father is officially declared dead years after disappearing near their old home in the wilderness.

Amid a strained marriage, Blake, his journalist wife Charlotte (Ozark star Julia Garner) and their daughter Ginger return to his remote childhood home to settle his father’s affairs.

In the wilderness, the trio find themselves prey to an unknown assailant.

Despite occasional pacing issues, director Whannell elevates Wolf Man beyond simple horror with a powerful exploration of domestic abuse and generational trauma.

His blend of subtext with classic tropes and brutal horror with profound depth brings another impressive adaptation.

HERE

(12A) 104mins

★★★★☆

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CO-WRITTEN with Eric Roth, Robert Zemeckis’s Here – adapted from Richard McGuire’s graphic novel – is a tribute to the lives and histories contained within a single spot of land and its inhabitants.

Set in the living room of a Philadelphia house, the film ambitiously spans generations and weaves together stories of the families that called it home.

The house itself becomes the star, hosting an array of individuals, from aviators and inventors, to war veterans and, eventually, an African-American family, as they leave their mark.

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright are digitally de-aged for certain scenes and deliver warm, touching performances.

Elsewhere, Paul Bettany and Kelly Reilly bring nuance to Al and Rose, a couple grappling with domestic struggles.

Zemeckis employs split screens and static camera shots to honour the story’s graphic novel origins and the film captures the bittersweet beauty of ordinary lives with heartfelt sincerity, earning both tears and laughter.

Ultimately, this story represents one of the first successful uses of de-aging technology.

LINDA MARRIC

ACTRESS Renee Zellweger is about to bring Bridget Jones back to the big screen — after having more transformations than her weight-obsessed character has had big knickers.

Many fans now find the Hollywood star’s changing face over the years as intriguing as her tumultuous love life.

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In a new photo shoot for British Vogue, the 55-year-old actress looks like a dead ringer for a young Sharon Stone, sporting sharp suits and short blonde hair.

While some fans described the look as “beautiful” on Instagram, others weren’t so sure and accused Renee of “being airbrushed to oblivion” and undergoing cosmetic surgery.

One Vogue follower, Karina Barrett, wrote: “A stunning lady that for some reason has been made unrecognisable? Don’t get it?”

Another, Kathleen Pert, added: “My God I hope you did that to her face in production and it’s not permanent.”

A third commented: “Wow surgery is a bit out of control.”

The Vogue shoot has once again put the Jerry Maguire star under scrutiny over her ever-morphing looks.

She has been pictured over the years with an apparently slimmer, smoother-looking face and fuller lips.

Her most startling change was in 2014 when she raised eyebrows on the red carpet of Elle magazine’s Women in Hollywood Awards, where she appeared to have wider, open eyes.

Renee put the 2014 look down to a change of lifestyle after stepping away from a hectic schedule that “didn’t allow for taking care of myself.”

She said at the time: “Not that it’s anyone’s business, but I did not make a decision to alter my face and have surgery on my eyes.

“I’m glad folks think I look different. I’m living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I’m thrilled that perhaps it shows.”

Could it be that British boyfriend Ant Anstead, of Wheeler Dealers fame, is the motivation for her latest “happiness” makeover?

Renee this week let it slip that the couple are now living together in San Diego with Ant’s “little boy” after dating for four years.

‘I like my quirkiness’

Ant, who met the actress while filming an episode of his Discovery+ series Celebrity IOU Joyride, has a five-year-old son Hudson with his ex-wife Christina Haack.

He also shares daughter Amelie, 21, and son Archie, 18, with his ex-wife Louis Anstead.

Eagle-eyed fans have speculated the pair have secretly married as Ant has referred to Renee as his “missus” in several social media posts.

Their union is certainly a happy ending for Renee who has been as unlucky in love as her chain-smoking, singleton alter-ego in the past.

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The double-Oscar winner was previously wed to country star Kenny Chesney for just four months, citing “fraud” as the reason for splitting in 2005.

She was then engaged to comic actor Jim Carrey for a year before being romantically linked to Bradley Cooper, who she met filming 2009 horror mystery Case 39.

Between 2012 and 2019, she was in a long-term relationship with musician Doyle Bramhall, an American guitarist, producer and songwriter who has worked with Eric Clapton and Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters.

Harley Street plastic surgeon Dr Riccardo Frati reckons Renee is likely to have had Botox, fillers and perhaps eyelid surgery — but that ageing and weight fluctuations for roles would have also played their part in the star’s ever-changing looks.

Dr Frati, who has not treated her personally, said: “It is important to remember that when thinking about Renee, we all think about the 32-year-old Bridget Jones.

“However, she had to put on 25kg to play that role. It is also known that she had to do the same for other roles.

“I can see her eyebrows are much higher than before, and this could suggest a brow lift and Botox. Renee has naturally hooded eyes, but by comparing photos, I can see that she may have had eyelid surgery.

“It looks like fillers have been used to create a better balance on her midface and jawline.”

Renee revealed the finds all the talk around her looks “sad.”

She said: “I don’t look at beauty that way. And I don’t think of myself that way. I like my weird quirkiness, my off-kilter mix of things. It enables me to do what I do.

“I don’t want to be something else. I got hired in my blue jeans and cowboy boots with my messy hair. I started working like that.”

Whatever the case, fans are on tenterhooks for the fourth and final Bridget Jones movie, Mad About The Boy, which follows our heroine navigating life as a widow without Colin Firth’s Mr Darcy.

In her Vogue interview, Renee reveals she spent two weeks “undercover” at a London publishing house to prepare for the role of PR girl Bridget before the first movie in 2001.

She says nobody guessed who she was, adding: “Maybe I was out of context or maybe it was having more chubby cheeks. It was odd.”

Whether Texan Renee will want to remain in the spotlight for long after is anyone’s guess.

The nine-time Oscar nominee took a break from acting between 2010 and 2016 and now reveals how she spent the time.

She said: “I wrote music, studied international law. I built a house, rescued a pair of older doggies, created a partnership that led to a production company, advocated for and fundraised with a sick friend, and spent a lot of time with family and godchildren and driving across the country with the dogs.”

It sounds like the perfect life for a certain Bridget Jones.

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SIR Keir Starmer says there are “unbreakable bonds” between the UK and Ukraine — as they sign a 100-year deal today.

The pact comes ahead of potential peace talks between Kyiv and Russia.

US President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to get the two sides around the table “very quickly” once he is back in the Oval Office.

His incoming team have warned it is not “realistic to say we’re going to expel every Russian from every inch of Ukrainian soil”.

But President  Volodymyr Zelensky is seeking security guarantees such as Nato membership before agreeing to enter negotiations.

The Kremlin says it is open to a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Trump.

The PM, making his first trip to Kyiv since entering No 10, will today likely face questions over whether British troops will be involved in policing any peace deal.

But his main focus will be revealing the 100 Year Partnership to rebuild Ukraine with the aid of British firms and private sector loans.

The UK is “preferred partner” for the Kyiv government to rebuild its crippled energy system as well as mining critical minerals and producing greener steel.

The deal will also see coordination in policing the Baltic Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea from Russia, as well as developing drone and space tech together.

The UK has so far provided £12.8billion in support to Ukraine, including £7.8billion of military assistance.

The PM said: “Putin’s ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure.

“Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level.”

Sir Keir’s trip includes meeting schoolkids and ­visiting specialist NHS burn doctors who are training their Ukrainian counterparts.

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THE current frosty temperatures can lead to nasty outbreaks of mould in your home.

This fungal growth in cold and damp rooms is not only unsightly, it can also be a health hazard.

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Calling in professional help will cost you. First, try some easy tips to keep outbreaks under control . . . 

INCREASE AIR: Kitchens and bathrooms are often where mould crops up due to the high levels of moisture in these rooms.

Even in colder temperatures, try to open windows a little when cooking or showering to allow water vapour to escape.

Wipe condensation from windows or walls to help stop the fungus from forming.

MAKE SPACE: Mould builds up where air flow is restricted, such as behind big pieces of furniture.

Clear out spaces where possible and try to avoid pushing sofas or wardrobes up against walls in cold and damp areas of your home.

If you have a fan heater, try directing warm air towards nooks or crannies for a few minutes daily to help dry them out.

DRY OUT: Salt can help remove moisture from damp areas. You could pop some in a small bowl or pot on a shelf in problematic areas and change it over when the salt starts to clump.

Some plants, such as a peace lily, can reduce moisture and help fight mould. Try one in your bathroom or kitchen.

CLEAN UP: Tackle black mould as soon as you spot it to stop it spreading.

You can mix a natural solution of two teaspoons of tea tree oil to two cups of water and use on walls to kill the spores.

Vinegar spray is another affordable treatment. Make up a solution with equal amounts of white vinegar to water, then spray and wipe. Use it on walls when cleaning condensation to prevent outbreaks.

Bleach can be diluted with water to use on walls. If the fungus has got into the silicon in bathrooms, dip cotton wool in bleach and leaving it overnight on the affected area.

• All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.

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Cheap treat

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Every month we’re giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers – whether you’re saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered.

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The more codes you enter, the more tickets you’ll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!

UNDER-pressure Rachel Reeves was given a glimmer of hope as inflation fell — raising interest rate cut hopes.

The Chancellor saw inflation sink 0.1 per cent to 2.5 per cent in December, the drop defying expectations.

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Contributory factors included lower hotel prices and slower air fare rises, say City analysts.

Many reckon the Bank of England will now cut interest rates by 0.25 to 4.5 per cent in February, boosting homeowners.

A second fall is expected at the end of the year.

Experts warned, however, that the Chancellor’s relief would be short-lived.

Retailers have warned that prices will go up to cover costs imposed on them in her Autumn Budget.

The British Retail Consortium has warned food inflation could hit 4.2 per cent this year.

Economists also pointed to a rise in oil prices which could lead to higher pump prices.

PM Sir Keir Starmer refused to rule out more tax rises this year after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the Government had ignored warnings about a borrowing and tax spree.

Ms Reeves agreed yesterday that there was “work to be done” to help families with the cost of living.

The Chancellor will meet ­regulators today, among them Ofcom and Ofgem, to discuss how best to cut red tape.

She said: “Growth is the ­number one mission of this Government so we can put more money in people’s pockets and help fund our public services.

“That can only happen if we tackle barriers to investment.”

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

You are ready to fight fire with fire – and this can heat up your family life in some welcome ways.

A time of not talking and simply expecting conflict to resolve is over, and you find your confident voice.

At work, too, you can be so bold as Uranus ­powers the ask-for-anything cash part of your chart.

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♉ TAURUS

April 21 to May 21

All the gold of Jupiter is ­centred on earning more or making the cash you have go further.

Instead of trusting in luck, you turn to logic and organisation – and you have plenty of both.

As for passion, love that asks a lot is the right romance for you, even if you prefer an easy life. Single? Say yes to a travel offer.

Get all the latest Taurus horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♊ GEMINI

May 22 to June 21

It’s not always simple for you to stick to what you truly believe, partly because you always try to see both sides.

But it is important to choose one option, or individual, and make that your key focus.

You can start to see new ways forward, plus the end of a time of feeling overstretched. Luck knocks twice on a shiny black door.

Get all the latest Gemini horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♋ CANCER

June 22 to July 22

A prize that came so close once before and was then snatched from your grasp can reappear on your horizon.

But you have changed in the time that has lapsed – and you might now want and need very ­different things.

Your love profile is one of the least predictable in the zodiac, and your heart is full of “S” surprises.

Get all the latest Cancer horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♌ LEO

July 23 to August 23

An old name in an old diary or on a calendar can link you to luck – by reminding you of the person you used to be, and who you could be again.

Two very different but equally attractive love directions are calling – but the ultimate choice is 100 per cent yours.

A goal with a ­showbiz link is growing stronger.

Get all the latest Leo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♍ VIRGO

August 24 to September 22

Being a great friend and ­family member is important to you as an earth sign – but it’s also vital to spend time on your own wellbeing.

Taking a break, and giving yourself some space, is a necessity not a luxury today.

Love-wise, if you start the day single, someone with a role in the ­fashion world can suit you so well.

Get all the latest Virgo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♎ LIBRA

September 23 to October 23

Jupiter issues a call to action and luck – how will you respond?

Take time to look at how you are spending your time and energy, and where you can make cuts, to give you room to respond.

Start with a schedule planned, instead of jumping straight in. You have the ideas. With added strategy you can be unbeatable

Get all the latest Libra horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♏ SCORPIO

October 24 to November 22

The best lessons might not be the easiest to learn – and for you this is especially true at work.

You may wonder how much longer you need to tolerate a difficult situation, but this is actually building your strength.

When it’s time to act, you will sense it. As for love, an open-air hot drink can set the air steamy around “B”

Get all the latest Scorpio horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♐ SAGITTARIUS

November 23 to December 21

If you have been trying on different styles, of fashion, attitude or approaches, this can be the day you decide which to keep.

By next week you can be reaping rewards. You must have the whole truth, half of it will never be enough.

A gift for writing or filming emotional stories is ready to be further developed.

Get all the latest Sagittarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♑ CAPRICORN

December 22 to January 20

Your inner confidence is secretly doubling, and if you need to take a stronger line at home or at work, you can do it so well.

You have the ability to keep everyone listening, even when you have to say difficult things.

In love terms, setting aside big demands and focusing on small intimate gestures can revive romance.

Get all the latest Capricorn horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

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♒ AQUARIUS

January 21 to February 18

Any sense of just going through the motions healthwise can end when you swap a goal that leaves you cold for one that glows with planet heat.

This is Mars’ reverse thrust at work and can lead you to a new sport, fitness group, or eating strategy with a tech connection. Love is equally loyal in two hearts.

Get all the latest Aquarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♓ PISCES

February 19 to March 20

Your personal combination of caring, protecting and surprising is in demand – someone you once met at a “C” event, and can’t forget, can be the key.

If you are settled with a partner, you can be the one who says what both of you secretly think.

Jupiter takes the drudge out of a family duty so it can feel like fun.

Get all the latest Pisces horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

OUR much-loved astrologer Meg sadly died last year 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

A Mars and moon conjunction makes for a memorable start to your day – with a change of address, for home or work, at the heart of it.

This can get you looking again, with extra energy and insight, for the right place for your future self.

The scene of a past celebration can be a clue. Love has a sexy secret side.

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♉ TAURUS

April 21 to May 21

The more you connect earlier in the day the easier things seem, so get important meetings and calls done in the morning.

Saturn’s loyalty can make Venus love seem more stable than it actually is, so try to focus on the future rather than the past.

You can come through with a new set of exciting proposals.

Get all the latest Taurus horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♊ GEMINI

May 22 to June 21

Jupiter’s been lying low in your personal chart – but is ready to rise up now.

This brings love and luck, but only you can decide whether to grab it.

Resist doing what others want, because you worry about their position, or their pride.

Mercury steps in to limit makeover ideas and get a practical plan moving forward.

Get all the latest Gemini horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♋ CANCER

June 22 to July 22

You have a moon of emotional truth until Thursday, so start looking at how you honestly feel and where you hope to get to next.

The right choices will float to the top of your engaged mind.

Physically, Pluto’s input could leave you questioning what is real and what could be fake.

Trust yourself, above all, to tell.

Get all the latest Cancer horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♌ LEO

July 23 to August 23

Today you begin a couple of days of personal moon magic – and the kind of emotional fulfilment you’ve been dreaming of.

It starts with your ability to throw yourself into performances of all kinds and make your mark.

Anything you struggle to say can come through your actions.

Do get back to an “F” friend.

Get all the latest Leo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♍ VIRGO

August 24 to September 22

How you put words together, from speeches to scripts, is unique but do ration this energy as it does come with limits.

Choose the person or project you most want to get closer to and concentrate on that.

Your passion chart is marriage-minded and someone special is starting to see you as a long-term proposition.

Get all the latest Virgo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♎ LIBRA

September 23 to October 23

The more Venus pushes forward, the more Saturn may pull back, so you could find yourself “stuck”.

Just staying in the moment and not expecting too much can unlock something special when you’re not even looking.

Yes, you want to be fair at work, but look again at whether two sides deserve your equal attention.

Get all the latest Libra horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♏ SCORPIO

October 24 to November 22

You are drawn towards open roads and open minds – in love terms, this can make it hard to stay in one place.

But a talented Pisces can have everything you need and more – so do give this bond a chance.

Venus adds romance to routine and even just taking the bins out can be a delight.

Luck checks a ticket in a red coat.

Get all the latest Scorpio horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♐ SAGITTARIUS

November 23 to December 21

You’re ready to take a cash enterprise to the next level – even if other people may not be.

It’s not easy for you to go against the tide of opinion, but consider this carefully.

A couple with a new name, or face, in their household, can be your link to luck.

An early-morning dream of a whole new you can be reality.

Get all the latest Sagittarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♑ CAPRICORN

December 22 to January 20

Accepting partners as they are – including yourself – can quiet a voice of unrest that’s been ringing in your ears.

Your chart has planet tendency to exaggerate and see positive challenges as negative chances.

Sticking to what you know to be true can get you through.

Fitness and “J” can make a success team.

Get all the latest Capricorn horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

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♒ AQUARIUS

January 21 to February 18

All the ways Pluto is upending your plans can come together – as a previously simple goal suddenly gets more complicated.

But this is your chance to reflect, because deep down you may realise this never really worked well for you.

Saturn and Venus have strong cash instincts and so do you.

Get all the latest Aquarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♓ PISCES

February 19 to March 20

The fun side of fitness can be your key to breaking through a health barrier – so look again for an activity that feels good, as well as making you look good.

Serious goals have their place, but you need to stay on the lighter side of life.

You sense some sexy Capricorn eyes on you and then you spot them.

Get all the latest Pisces horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

MOTORISTS are being squeezed at the pumps as freezing temperatures, oil price rises and a weak Pound drive up costs.

The wholesale cost of petrol has shot up by 3p a litre since Christmas, the AA says, while diesel’s spiked by 5p.

The average UK unleaded price was 137.2p a litre at the weekend.

Filling up could cost an extra £1.65 for petrol tanks and £2.75 for diesel.

AA fuel spokesman Luke Bosdet said: “Freezing temperatures and rising pump prices are a bad start to 2025 for drivers.

“Their vehicles are consuming more fuel due to engines having to work harder in winter conditions and any weakness in the pound won’t help because oil and fuel commodities are traded in dollars'”

Mr Bosdet also slammed greedy fuel firms for slapping an extra 2p per litre on petrol in December even though wholesale prices had not budged since October.

He warned: “We will be watching carefully to see the extent the fuel trade takes advantage of upward costs.”

AA analysis shows drivers in the South East are feeling the pinch the most.

The Sun’s Keep It Down campaign with FairFuelUK has helped keep fuel duty frozen for over a decade.

Without it, petrol would average 143.2p a litre.

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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

Your family chart is bursting with potential, but at the same time, the zodiac sends obstacles to overcome.

You can see this as a test, but better to view it as a vision that’s forming, which is still unfinished. So give plans and ideas enough time to develop.

Love may feel full-moon insecure, until tonight.

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♉ TAURUS

April 21 to May 21

You know what you want to say, yet the words still go round in circles.

The full moon can challenge you, but helps you – be doubly sure you only say what you need to. So others can do what they need to do.

In love? Venus firms the friendship part of passion.

Single? A new social contact can be The One.

Get all the latest Taurus horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♊ GEMINI

May 22 to June 21

You could struggle to stay on top of cash questions, as Mars retrograde bites.

The key is to take the pressure off, and expect yourself to come through, because you can.

In passion terms, pushing for more is better than settling for less – you know where this most applies to you.

Single? Look for long shiny hair.

Get all the latest Gemini horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♋ CANCER

June 22 to July 22

Mars is making retrograde waves in your sign.

This can take a personal deal back to square one, but also shows you so clearly a better road you may have missed the first time around.

So focus on the positives, and stay in the “now”.

A Cancer full moon goes all in to being your authentic self, no matter what others expect.

Get all the latest Cancer horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♌ LEO

July 23 to August 23

You have Mercury smart skills to take an existing work team or timetable and turn it into something better.

Be honest with yourself about why you may be choosing not to do this.

If you’re in love, the moon identifies three questions you should be asking.

Single? Venus highlights a new face in a next-level role.

Get all the latest Leo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♍ VIRGO

August 24 to September 22

Friends and family you feel you know inside out can be a source of surprises – adopt the full moon’s acceptance energy and aim to work with this, rather than letting it throw you.

Staying flexible is your secret love skill today.

You tend to discount your creative side, but let Mercury celebrate it, in words and actions

Get all the latest Virgo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♎ LIBRA

September 23 to October 23

Unexpected – and maybe unwanted – feelings flow.

The more you lean into these, instead of turning away, the more you can understand what you really need.

It may not be what you expect.

The full moon encourages emotional highs, but also lows – in between is exactly the right place for a new bond.

Get all the latest Libra horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♏ SCORPIO

October 24 to November 22

Your sense of adventure is switched on and ready for action – as soon as you see the right ticket, or trailer, you will know where you are going next.

This can happen by tonight.

Elsewhere, you see that it’s not enough to say just enough, when you know you need to go further, and deeper.

Luck waits in a “V” location.

Get all the latest Scorpio horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♐ SAGITTARIUS

November 23 to December 21

More serious feelings knock at the door of your easy-going self – will you let them in?

You have a chart of depth today that needs you to respond, so give this plenty of thought.

With Jupiter in your marriage zone, celebrations can be on the cards, but may be the opposite of what you expect.

Love is calm and contented.

Get all the latest Sagittarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♑ CAPRICORN

December 22 to January 20

Your sign is so logical, but the full moon could throw a spanner in the works, especially relating to deals.

Waiting a little longer, or asking a little more, could be options to explore, so delay a signature if you can.

As for love, the best connections may need no words, but actions are important, so monitor your body language.

Get all the latest Capricorn horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

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♒ AQUARIUS

January 21 to February 18

Maybe it’s time to accept that a family, or other close group, will never accept your dreams – so should you change them?

Today you have star support to make this decision.

A moon of health matters suggests that starting a plan, instead of waiting for the right time, can fast-forward transformation.

Get all the latest Aquarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♓ PISCES

February 19 to March 20

There’s no ignoring those creative urges, as the full moon magnifies them.

This can be your day to play with skills, from drama to design, and see which one holds your interest most.

This can be your best future bet.

In love, it’s tempting to do nothing and expect nothing, but Venus says no – and restarts a passion quest.

Get all the latest Pisces horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

THE Chancellor has been accused of ­cooking up a desperate war on waste to cover up her Budget blunders fallout.

Rachel Reeves will lead a drive to tackle waste and inefficiency across the ­public sector.

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But the Tories blasted the move as a political stunt to mask spiralling debt and a series of economic own goals.

Adding to the pressure, a Deloitte survey showed ­business confidence among top finance chiefs has slumped to a two-year low.

Firms are slashing spending and freezing hiring in response to Labour’s national insurance raid.

The study found 64 per cent of CFOs expect recruitment to shrink, with cost-cutting their top priority.

Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith told The Sun: “The war on waste is a ­desperate stunt.

“While the Chancellor’s been clocking up her air miles, it’s not just the weather that is giving Britain the chills.

“Businesses, pensioners and families are all having a bleak time as a result of her Budget.

“If Rachel Reeves was remotely serious about a war on waste, she certainly wouldn’t have to go far.

“Ed Miliband’s madcap energy spending, David Lammy paying billions to give away Chagos, or Angela ­Rayner encouraging civil servants to work from home.”

It comes after a bad week for Ms Reeves as high borrowing costs wiped out a chunk of her £40billion tax rises.

In a bid to regain control, Treasury chief secretary ­Darren Jones insisted the war on waste was necessary to repair years of mismanagement.

He said government departments were bloated and new ways of ­saving cash were needed.

A FORMER Labour minister arrested on suspicion of child sex offences has been released on bail.

Ivor Caplin, MP for Hove from 1997 to 2005, was let out yesterday morning following a sting operation by online paedophile hunters.

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Sussex Police said Mr Caplin, also a former Brighton and Hove city councillor, was one of two men arrested on Saturday afternoon.

Police said: “A 66-year-old man arrested on suspicion of engaging in online sexual communications with a child has been released on bail.

“A 40-year-old man also arrested on suspicion of engaging in online sexual communications with a child has also been released on bail.”

Mr Caplin was suspended from the Labour party last year because of undisclosed “serious allegations”, which he denies.

The former Labour minister was arrested on Saturday after he was filmed allegedly trying to meet with a 15-year-old child he met online.

The ex-Hove MP was stopped at his local train station by activist group Stop Stings who told The Sun they had arranged to meet him there posing as an “underage boy”.

A video showing Caplin wearing a red Adidas cap, dogtooth navy trench coat and ripped jeans went viral last night after it was released on the Stop Stings Facebook profile.

The group’s leader Dean Rowland, who had travelled from Derbyshire with six other members of his team, is heard accusing Caplin of sending inappropriate messages over the internet to a person posing as a child.

He alleges that Caplin, a former defence minister, was at Hove station believing he was going to meet up with a teenager.

Caplin strongly denies he was there to meet a child – and during the exchange, he repeats: “I haven’t done anything”.

The confrontation with Caplin was live-streamed on Facebook, lasting 30 minutes and attracting more than 36,000 views and 3,000 comments.

Mark, one of Stop Sting’s leaders says to the man on the video: “Who you here to meet Ivor?”

Caplin replies: “He’s a … I haven’t met him.”

Mark says: “Don’t start your slippery MP… slippery MP slope with me.”

Caplin replies: “I don’t want to meet anybody.”

Further footage of his arrest was similarly shared on other online platforms.

ARTIFICIAL intelligence is helping women having IVF to get pregnant.

An AI programme matches the strongest sperm with the best quality eggs.

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The first woman to conceive using the programme, a 36-year-old from South London, identified only as Elena, is now 23 weeks pregnant.

She said: “The technology is incredible. It is like a miracle.”

Elena’s treatment was carried out at Avenues Fertility Clinic in Camden, North London.

Medical director Dr Jyoti Taneja said: “We have traditionally selected sperm by analysing shape and other features under the microscope.

“But AI can assess the health in ways such as movement patterns.

“It can make these assessments with more accuracy, in real time and at greater speed.”

One in six couples experience infertility and more than 50,000 patients undergo IVF in the UK every year, with annual increases reported regularly.

It’s claimed the new tech will provide hope for many couples and individuals facing fertility issues.

On average, IVF treatment costs more than £5,000 and only has a one-in-three positive outcome.

Typically, doctors rely on individual evaluations and opinion based decisions concerning the health of the sperm or the egg.

But using AI, doctors are better able to select high quality sperm and eggs.

AI can also analyse massive spreadsheets of data and ultra sound images.

DEAR DEIDRE: HAVE I committed gross misconduct?

I’m the manager of a shop and during the Christmas rush, I mistakenly gave a customer a 25 per cent staff discount instead of the five per cent loyalty saving.

When I noticed my error, I immediately told my boss.

I expected a mild telling off, but they suspended me pending an investigation.

I knew the customer, so it looks like I’ve been giving hand-outs to my friends.

I’m scared that I will never get another retail job.

DEIDRE SAYS: Gross misconduct is any damaging, fraudulent, illicit, offensive or insulting behaviour from an employee.

If things are as you say, your boss is being quite harsh. Mistakes like these are usually handled with a performance review rather than a suspension.

Your first move should be to contact Acas, the independent workplace advisory board (0300 123 1100, acas.org.uk), which can work with you and your employer to resolve the dispute fairly.

REMOTE-controlled sex toys could be “weaponised” against users by hackers.

Cyber menaces are able to bypass security on devices to alter intensity of vibration, causing “significant physical harm”, say experts.

The gizmos’ unencrypted connections, which enable smartphone control, leave them open to “man-in-the-middle” attacks.

The warning comes amid a growing use of internet-enabled gadgets by long-distance couples.

A report, commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, states: “An attacker has the capacity of intercepting a user’s device.

“Intensity of its vibration could then be changed and/or commanded remotely.”

The report adds that associated apps which save X-rated images and chats on weak third party servers can also easily be hacked to access personal details.

Mark Coté, who led the King’s College London research, said apps for women tracking periods, pregnancy and babies are equally vulnerable.

The DSIT said it was committed to bolstering the UK’s cyber defences.

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DEAR DEIDRE: I WANT to cut my toxic father out of my life, but guilt is holding me back.

I’m 40, and the eldest son of four children.

My earliest memories are of Dad shouting at me or calling me names.

Things were slightly better when mum was alive because she’d stand up for me.

Since she died, Dad treats me like an unpaid carer.

I’m expected to help with shopping, cleaning and giving him lifts. But he does nothing in return.

When I was recovering from a major operation last year, he never once phoned to check I was OK.

He’s constantly critical and puts me down.

He even tries to turn my siblings against me, telling them I’ve been slagging them off behind their backs. It’s all lies.

I have a lovely partner now, and a child of my own.

My partner’s family is close and it’s made me realise everything I missed out on growing up.

I’d be a totally different person now if I’d had a loving Dad.

I’m tempted to cut him off completely, but I don’t know if I’m strong enough.

DEIDRE SAYS: Parents are meant to be loving and caring. Your father has never lived up to these standards.

He is draining your emotional reserves even now you’re an adult.

You can’t go on like this, so you have two choices: pull back, or cut ties completely.

If you choose to pull back, let your father live his life as he wants, while you do the bare minimum for him. See him when it’s convenient but stop dropping everything to help. Let your siblings step up.

Don’t feel guilty – often, when we pull back from toxic people, the relationship repairs itself better and faster than when we shout and scream.

If you decide to break away from your father completely, you’ll need support.

Stand Alone (standalone.org.uk) is a UK charity helping people of all ages who are estranged or disowned from family members.

There are support groups and workshops in London, Manchester and Bristol.

DEAR DEIDRE: HOW do you tell a well-meaning relative to back off?

My wife died three years ago, leaving me a single dad to our twin 17-year-old boys.

It’s been tough, but I’ve had lots of support from family and friends.

Except my late-wife’s family are TOO supportive.

They’re constantly spending money on my children and I think it’s sending the wrong message.

I want my sons to grow up knowing the value of money, so I’ve encouraged them to get weekend jobs and save up towards new gadgets or phones.

But whenever I’m not looking, their grandparents slip them money or buy them whatever they want.

It came to a head over Christmas and I’m fuming.

Without telling me, my father-in-law announced his present to the boys was that he was going to buy them a car each.

My sons are obviously over the moon but I’m furious.

As a father, it’s my job to help my sons choose their first car. It’s a rite of passage.

I had also planned to ask my sons to contribute towards the cost from their savings, to teach them the value of money.

I feel they would look after a car better if they had helped pay for it.

But now they have been offered a free car each, I’ll look like Scrooge if I kick up a fuss.

DEIDRE SAYS: Many grandparents indulge their grandchildren.

It may be that your in-laws are trying to compensate your sons for no longer having their mum.

They might also be very keen to nurture their relationship with their grandchildren because it’s their last tie to their daughter.

I understand why the car gesture annoyed you, but I would be surprised if they meant to hurt your feelings or undermine your authority.

Instead, they probably noticed how you have been working hard to provide for your family and thought it would help you out.

Rather than fuming in secret, have an open chat with your in-laws.

You would be perfectly within your rights to ask that they discuss any gifts with you first.

Explain why you would prefer your sons to pay towards the cars, and find a compromise – perhaps the grand­parents could put some of the car money aside to help pay for college?

The last thing you need is for you all to fall out.

My support pack, Standing Up For Yourself, will help you to talk to them without causing a row.

AN Albanian alleged to be a people-smuggling gang’s Mr Big says he should not be deported as he does not like Belgian jails.

Adriatik Hysenlika is facing extradition from the UK to serve a ten-year jail sentence.

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But he claims deportation would deny him access to his two-year-old son, who was born here.

His lawyers also say it would breach his human rights as jails in Belgium are overcrowded.

Hysenlika, 43, arrived in Britain in 1998, claiming he was being persecuted in Albania.

He was granted a UK passport in 2007.

But he is said to have raked in at least £1million as the head of a trafficking gang that smuggled illegal migrants into the country hidden in the back of lorries.

Each are thought to have paid up to £23,000.

Hysenlika, of Willesden, North West London, was arrested by the National Crime Agency last August after a request from Belgian authorities, where he had been sentenced in absentia for 60 immigration offences.

Court documents seen by The Sun on Sunday state he was the “leader of a criminal organisation that is, on a large scale and making use of a vast network”.

His gang was said to have been involved in smuggling migrants from Albania and Greece through Belgium, France and the Netherlands into the UK.

Hysenlika is in London’s Wandsworth jail and an application has been made to strip him of his UK citizenship.

Meanwhile, Office for National Statistics figures show Albanians are the most arrested nationality per head of population.

For every 1,000, 209.8 have been arrested.

In comparison, 12 out of every 1,000 Brits are arrested.

In 2023, 3,926 foreign offenders were deported from the UK, of which 37 per cent were Albanian.

WHEN was the last time you told a friend they should watch Coronation Street?

No, me neither. Despite the fact I was once an avid fan.

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We are not alone. Britain’s longest- running soap didn’t even make the top ten TV shows on Christmas Day, with just 2.6million tuning in.

And that was despite the fact it was focused on the departure of show stalwart Gail.

On Thursday night, the soap had the worst ratings ever in its 65-year history — with just 2.34million.

Things are going only one way in Weatherfield right now.

There has been an “exodus” from the show too, with Charlotte Jordan, who plays Rovers Return barmaid Daisy Midgeley, and Sue Cleaver who plays Eileen Grimshaw choosing to quit the cobbles.

While Colson Smith, who plays PC Craig Tinker, and Sue Devaney, who plays Debbie Webster have also been shown the door.

The soap has been hit by a crisis thanks to a combination of soaring production costs and a fall in advertising revenue.

To put it plainly, they have run out of cash because not enough people are watching it.

So it’s goodbye to some of the  beloved characters who cost a bit more and hello to new, cheaper stars who will churn out high-octane storylines in a blatant bid to attract Gen Z to Corrie.

But it just won’t work. and they’ve got it all wrong.

In the desperate hope of pulling in new viewers, panic-stricken Corrie has lost sight of what the loyal viewers want.

And if they don’t sort this mess out swiftly, it won’t just be characters that die but the soap itself.

I know how they can try to fix it. They need to stop booting out actresses like the wonderfully talented Sue Devaney to make way for cheaper actors.

If I’d had to pick someone to get rid of, it certainly wouldn’t have been her.

And filling the cast with young talent to draw in those of the same generation is just ridiculous. I really don’t think 20-somethings want to watch Corrie — it isn’t for them.

Coronation Street was always about a middle-aged audience who enjoyed the dry wit, focus on family life and the warmth it provided from the characters they grew to know and love.

It was about the amazing writers who helped bring characters such as Vera, Jim, Kevin, Toyah, Dev and Rosie slowly, but surely, to life with their gentle humour, often while pottering around their homes or having a pint in the Rovers, without bashing the viewer over the head with sensationalist storylines.

Quality over quantity

It was quality over quantity, brought to us just a couple of nights a week.

But now the dialogue is watered down with a huge cast churning out three hours’ worth of TV with storylines often focused on crime.

I feel sorry for Corrie. Times have changed. Reality TV is huge. Streaming and binge-watching Netflix and Amazon Prime are often our go to.

The way we all watch TV is so different to how it was only a few years ago. But I truly hope they can turn around its fortune.

It would be a crying shame if the only way we ever got to see a glimpse inside the Rovers in the future was by going on the Coronation Street Experience.

It must go back to its roots to come out on top again, so we don’t say “ta-ra” for ever.

Cynthia’s nailed such an impractical look

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IT took five hours for Wicked star Cynthia Erivo to have her nail extensions done last week for the Golden Globes.

That sounds utterly tedious.

But at various events around the globe over the past couple of months, the actress who played Elphaba in the hit musical movie has been showing off two-inch long pointed talons adorned with rhinestones, warped watches, 3D eyeballs and dripping- blood effects.

She says they were designed to feel “dark, edgy and unapologetically fierce”.

But all I can think is “dirty, unhygienic and totally impractical”.

Screw up by jails

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THE obsession some have for bad boys is clear. Last month, people went bonkers over “hot assassin” American Luigi Mangione, despite him being accused of murder.

Millions of fawning fans were calling for his freedom, purely because of his movie star good looks and chiseled abs.

Remember “hot felon” Jeremy Meeks?

His conviction for having a firearm was quickly forgotten when his smouldering mugshot landed him a modelling contract the moment he left jail.

Chloe Green, daughter of Topshop owner Sir Philip Green, even had a relationship with him.

I get it – I’ve dated a few wrong ’uns in my time. But 30-year-old Linda De Sousa Abreu has taken the thrill of getting caught up with bad boys waaaay too far.

This week, she was jailed for 15 months after being filmed having sex with convicted burglar Linton Weirich at HMP Wandsworth, in South London. The video went viral on social media.

She is the latest in a long line of randy female prison officers axed for romping with male lags.

There have been 29 in the last three years, and they are among 50 caught having “inappropriate” relationships.

You could have put money on De Sousa Abreu getting up to no good. When she got the job, she was a wife-swapping OnlyFans star who appeared in online sex films.

Imagine how thrilled she must have been walking into her new role, and the kerfuffle on the wings when she rocked up in her sexy uniform, handcuffs at the ready.

Amazingly, being an OnlyFans creator doesn’t mean an automatic ban from being a prison officer. It’s only if recruiters feel their content could bring the service into disrepute.

Clearly, De Sousa Abreu slipped through the cracks. That’s why young, inexperienced female guards cooped up with a load of sex-starved criminals in an all male jail is absolute madness.

It is time we stop putting them all together.

Blaze hell so tragic

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SEEING the footage of Los Angeles burning is heartbreaking. And I feel sympathy for every one of those involved.

The mega-rich residents and film stars may have the finances to replace the bricks and mortar but years of hard work, memories and treasures have gone up in smoke. It must be horrendous.

And it is awful that, as the enormous plume of smoke blocked out the sunshine across areas of LA on Wednesday, workers – gardeners, builders and delivery truck drivers – continued to go about their business as though nothing was happening.

One Mexican admitted “We gotta pay bills. It’s not like they’re gonna pay us to stop working and leave.”

The LA wildfires will have a ripple effect which will cause devastation to so many.

I just hope that these workers who so desperately need the cash are employed to rebuild these fancy LA homes because otherwise the price they will pay could be the biggest of all.

lTV bosses are creating a dating show for vicars and their equivalents from different faiths including the Muslim and Jewish communities.

The idea is they hope to attract candidates like fun-loving Geraldine Granger from The Vicar Of Dibley. I can’t wait.

Imagine Love Island scenes where vicars throw caution to the wind as they shove off their dog collars and give us a glimpse of their chiseled abs before a quick session in a confession box.

Less tea . . . but more sex please, vicar.

l I GET the obsession with Newcastle United. I witness it week in, week out.

Every time they play, The Geordie and our son chant together: “Toon Toon, Black and White Army” at the top of their voices for luck.

And I therefore get why fan Mark Scott, above, thought it was vital that his nine-year-old son Sammy should bunk off school to watch them play at Arsenal.

But what he shouldn’t have done was lie to the lad’s teachers, saying he was ill.

They spotted the boy screaming towards the camera on Sky after Anthony Gordon scored, and marked him down as absent. Good on them.

Lying to people who care for your kids day in day out is never a great idea. If ever the Geordie did the same, I’d tell him exactly where he could stick his Toon Army.

MEGHAN MARKLE is in mourning for her dog Guy.

And when she paid an emotional ­tribute to her rescue beagle on Instagram this week, she spoke for millions of us who still miss our own dogs.

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It is a simple and emotionally devastating little film.

We see Guy when he was a young puppy, given a home by a young, single actress in 2015.

And we see him grow and become part of a family.

With Meghan’s husband Harry.

With her small children. In the car. On the beach.

Pottering about the house.

In the arms of the family who love him, and totally a part of that family.

We see him growing old.

Guy could have been your dog.

He could have been mine. And how fast it flies, the lifetime of a dog.
How heartbreakingly quick it goes.

Guy was nine when he died — a senior dog, but you always hope for double figures.

Stan, our Cavalier King Charles spaniel who died in May, was 12 — a good age for any dog.

But 12 was still too soon. Whatever age they go, it will always be too soon.

Because when your dog dies, you finally understand the true meaning of grief.

No matter how much they love us, we grow away from our parents.

And no matter how much we love them, our children grow away from us.

But a dog is as close on that tear-stained last day as when they came home as a puppy, when laughter was everywhere.

There is a purity about our bond with dogs because their love is so unconditional.

My friend Fred always says that if he locked his wife and his dog in the boot of his car and then came back after four hours, only one of them would be pleased to see him.

Crazy but true!

Dogs love us even when we do not really deserve to be loved.

That is why losing a dog cuts so deep.

Meghan was never more relatable than when she mourned Guy.

Because the unbearable pain she feels knowing that she will never see that dog again in this lifetime is a pain that ­millions of us can relate to.

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And although a dog’s lifetime is so heartbreakingly brief, they still take up a sizable chunk of our own years.

Guy was by Meghan’s side when she was living alone in Canada, filming Suits.

Guy was there all through her courtship with Harry, and the royal ­wedding, and all the ructions, rows and self-imposed royal exile.

A dog is life’s great consolation.

No matter how bad your day, no matter what the world thinks of you, seeing that familiar doggy face, running your fingertips through that fur, always has the power to lift your spirits.

We give our dogs a home. And they give us so much more.

While they live, your dog is always by your side — because there is nowhere else in the world that dog would rather be.

And when they die, the sense of loss is overwhelming.

Grief is indeed the price we pay for love.

Just ask Meghan.

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Only one? Demi should have won Moore

When Demi Moore picked up her Golden Globe for a dazzling performance in The Substance, it was shocking to hear it was the first major award she had received in her 45-year career.

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And the reason it is so shocking is because many of the best films in the Nineties starred Demi Moore.

Off the top of my head I can think of Ghost (1990), A Few Good Men (1992), Indecent Proposal (1993) and of course she produced Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999).

No gong for any of those? Apparently not.

So congratulations to Demi on her very first major award, for a role where she plays an ageing star who finds an elixir that will allegedly give her eternal youth.

Which is ironic, because at 62 Demi really doesn’t look any different from when she was 26 and making pottery seem steamy with Patrick Swayze in Ghost.

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Tribute to the King

IN the week that Elvis Presley would have turned 90, dozens of tribute acts gathered in Birmingham for the annual search to find his top mimic in Europe.

For all serious Elvis contests, the ultimate goal for the winner is playing Graceland, Memphis, home of The King.

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Every summer since 2007, Elvis Presley Enterprises has run a contest there to find “the best representation of the legacy of Elvis Presley”.

The current Ultimate Elvis Tribute Act Champion is Emilio Santoro from Weston-super-Mare in Somerset.

And Emilio can do all the eras brilliantly – the snake-hipped young Elvis, leather-clad comeback Elvis, the lot.

Emilio is astonishing.

When I was a lad, impersonating Elvis was a bit of a joke.

These days, it’s an art form.

Police tuned out…

POLICE have been offering advice to families living near the fabled Fab Four zebra crossing in Abbey Road, North West London.

They are being plagued by drug gangs brazenly conducting their business around the clock.

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One family found junkies shooting up and burning crack cocaine on their doorstep.

Another resident was told he would be “shot and chopped up” after he confronted a dealer carrying out a transaction in broad daylight.

Around 20 cars have had their windows caved in.

The police advice to petrified locals is to fight back by playing a bit of Bach or Mozart.

A Met PC emailed a concerned resident to advise: “You can also contact your housing association/the council and ask them to play classical music as this is proven to deter and prevent crimes.”

Yes, that should stop them! Playing Classic FM to a bunch of violent crackheads who can’t tell their Carl Orff from their Elgar.

I live in the same neck of the woods as the Abbey Road residents and one of my neighbours had the same problem with drugs being bought, sold and enjoyed in his secluded parking space.

It made life a misery for everyone on the street.

My neighbour hired a private security guard for a month to watch over the parking space that had become a crack den, and the problem moved swiftly on.

Which suggests that the one thing that would stop neighbourhoods being blighted by drug gangs is the police turning up.

But of course that is far too much to hope for.

Voters Trump celebs

“You’re all so famous, so talented, so powerful,” compere Nikki Glaser told a room full of movie stars at the Golden Globes.

“You can really do anything – except tell the country who to vote for.”

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A good joke – but also incisive political commentary.

When you are worried about how to pay next month’s bills, you do not need some celebrity millionaire telling you how to vote, or who should be running your country.

Kamala Harris had every star of stage and screen backing her for President, from Oprah Winfrey to Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen.

And the American people still voted for Donald Trump.

Now Tesla titan Elon Musk – the only superstar to endorse Trump – is telling us that Nigel Farage should be replaced as leader of Reform and Keir Starmer should be replaced as the UK’s Prime Minister.

But the world did not listen to Taylor Swift last time.

Why would it listen to Musk now?