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US government tries to rehire nuclear staff it fired days ago

The US government is trying to rehire nuclear safety employees it had fired on Thursday after concerns grew that their dismissal could jeopardise national security, US media reported. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) workers were among hundreds of employees in the energy department who received termination letters. The department is responsible for with designing, […]

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Diana Marua throws lavish party to celebrate daughter’s 7th birthday

Kenyan influencer and content creator Diana Marua has gone all out to celebrate her daughter, Heaven Bahati, as she turns seven years old. The proud mother threw a lavish party to mark the occasion. Sharing the cute videos of the expensive decor on her Instagram on Sunday, February 16, 2025, Diana revealed that the party […]

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Dancing On Ice’s Stephen Mulhern leaves fans baffled as they ask ‘what is he wearing’ as he shows off brand new look

DANCING on Ice host Stephen Mulhern left fans baffled as he debuted a bizarre new look on the show.

Stephen looked worlds away from his usual self as he had an image overhaul for the latest round of the ITV skating show.

Screenshot of Holly Willoughby and a man in a light blue suit on a game show.
Stephen Mulhern had an image overhaul this week on Dancing on Ice
He looked worlds away from his usual self

He debuted a shock new hairstyle with luscious flowing looks as he looked unrecognisable at the side of co-host Holly Willoughby.

Stephen’s huge hair was a complete transformation and he even opted for some throwback fashion.

He has a blue suit with an extra-long tie as well as a funky multi-coloured patterned white shirt underneath.

Perplexed at his overhaul, one fan said on X: “OMG What is Stephen wearing?”

Another added: “What does Stephen look like… #dancingonice.”

A third mused: “I wish Stephen would take that stupid wig off.”

But a fourth viewer was impressed as they wrote: “Stephen actually looks better with that wig.”

But there was a very good reason for Stephen’s drastically different look.

This weekend’s show was a 1980s theme and so the presenter had opted to throw it back to the decade in order to honour the period.

All the songs featured on the show were from the 80s with even the regular theme tune and graphics receiving an 80s makeover.

The celebrities all dressed up in their best 80s fashions, with TOWIE star Dan Edgar looking the double of popstar George Michael after dressing as him for his routine.

Dancing On Ice 2025 full line-up revealed

EastEnders legend Charlie Brooks

Traitors finalist Mollie Pearce

Coronation Street favourite Sam Aston

Olympic legend Sir Steve Redgrave

Towie’s Ferne McCann

Comedian Josh Jones

Springwatch presenter Michaela Strachan

Towie’s Dan Edgar

Love Island’s Chris Taylor

Hollyoaks actress Chelsee Healey

Ex-Footballer Anton Ferdinand

Paralympian Dame Sarah Story

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Ex-Champions League club celebrate end of two-year transfer ban by signing NINE players including forgotten Chelsea ace

PORTUGUESE giants Boavista have celebrated the end of a two-year transfer ban by signing a staggering NINE players.

The former Champions League club were unable to sign new talent due to debts to third parties.

Marco van Ginkel of Chelsea dribbling the ball.
Action Images - Reuters
This forgotten Chelsea star has just joined Boavista after their transfer ban ended[/caption]
Marco van Ginkel of Vitesse during a soccer match.
Former Blues man Marco Van Ginkel last played for Vitesse Arnhem
Getty

But they wasted no time in adding to their squad in this window.

The Primeira Liga side completely revamped their squad, even adding a forgotten ex-Chelsea star to their ranks.

The former Blues star joined the Premier League outfit for £8million in 2013 from Vitesse Arnhem.

A box-to-box midfielder, he was dubbed the ‘next Frank Lampard’ at the time of his signing.

However, things didn’t go to plan.

Two months into the player’s career at Stamford Bridge, the Dutchman suffered an ACL injury which forced him to miss the remainder of his debut season.

The man in question is none other than Marco van Ginkel, who made just four appearances in eight years for the club.

Van Ginkel would then go on loan four times, including spells at AC Milan, Stoke City, and PSV twice.

The Eredivisie giants would snap him up in 2021, before he returned to Vitesse last season.

But, he was released in the summer and has been without a club for six months.

The now 32-year-old has the chance of reviving his career in Portugal.

Last week, he was announced as one of nine players who will be joining the club.

Other notable signings include ex-QPR defender Osman Kakay, and former Paris Saint-Germain left-back Layvin Kurzawa, who appeared 154 times for the French champions.

Van Ginkel will be happy to be playing again, although he revealed his career was nearly cut short from that ACL injury when he suffered a rare infection.

He told  Goal: “The danger was there that I would lose my career, of course.

“Especially after the first week of infection, they didn’t know what the infection was doing inside the joint.

Marco van Ginkel of Boavista FC during a soccer match.
Rex
Dutch veteran van Ginkel signed for Boavista last week and made his debut on Friday[/caption]

“After three months I reacted well, but it was going to be a tough, tough time to be at the top level again, to come back and play for PSV, Chelsea or whoever.

“At that moment, it was more about whether I could walk again. Football didn’t matter.

“The infection that came six weeks after my operation killed my knee a bit. That’s why it took so long, it damaged my knee and cruciate and I had to be operated on all over again. It was a very hard time.”

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Most expensive tourist attractions to visit in the UK revealed – with some costing more than theme parks

BRITAIN’S most expensive tourists attractions have been revealed with some costing more than theme parks.

A new study compared entry prices at the UK’s top attractions over the past three years, with some having increases of more than 50 per cent.

York Minster cathedral in York.
Photographers Choice - Getty
York Minister topped the list as the UK attraction with the highest ticket price increase over the past three years[/caption]
People relaxing on the lawn in front of St. Paul's Cathedral.
Alamy
St Paul’s Cathedral also made the list, with prices rising by 25 per cent between 2022 and 2025[/caption]
Aerial view of Westminster Abbey and surrounding London cityscape.
Alamy
Tickets at Westminster Abbey have increased by £5 since 2022[/caption]

The research by consumer group Which? unveiled York Minister as the venue with the largest increase over the past three years.

Since 2022, when it cost just £13 per person to visit the magnificent church, prices have risen a whopping 54 per cent, up to a staggering £20 this year.

If prices had instead risen in-line with inflation, £13 tickets in 2022 would cost just £14.48 as of December last year, an increase of just 11 per cent.

A range of other iconic tourist attractions have also seen above-inflation rises to their prices.

Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, the birthplace of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, raised its prices by 20 per cent from £25 to £30.

This makes it more expensive to visit than some theme parks, such as Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, or Chessington World of Adventures, which all have their cheapest tickets set to just £29.

Major London attractions have also seen their prices spiral upwards, with tickets increasing by £5 at Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Tower of London over the three year period.

This means entry will now set you back £30, £26, and £34.80 respectively.

The worst offender here is St Paul’s Cathedral, in percentage terms, as prices rose by 24 per cent.

Visitors to the Tower of London, the most popular paid-for attraction in the UK in 2023, saw prices increase by around 17 per cent.

Outside of the major cities, Winchester Cathedral also saw a 40 per cent rise in ticket prices, up to £14 in 2025 compared to just £10 in 2022.

Westminster Abbey told Which? that it receives no funding from the Church of England, the UK government, or the Crown, unlike most other cathedrals or churches in England.

It added that entry remains free for those visiting to pray at the site.

Of the 10 biggest cathedrals in the UK, four currently operate solely with voluntary contributions, including Liverpool, Bristol, and Durham, although donations are encouraged.

A spokesperson for York Minster told The Independent that it is free for everyone to attend all acts of worship or to pray at the cathedral.

It added that carers, accompanied children under the age of 18, York residents, and York university students can also visit the place of worship for free, as can those who have a York Pass.

The minster highlighted it does not receive regular government funding, nor church funding beyond its clergy stipends, and that it relies on the generosity of visitors.

It reckons £33,000 a day is needed to ensure York Minster can be open throughout the year.

Research by the trade body the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) in 2024 found that the British Museum was the most popular tourist attraction in the UK in 2023.

This was followed by the Natural History Museum, Windsor Great Park and Tate Modern.

If you are looking to save on your next visit to one of these attractions, using public transport can sometimes make your experience cheaper.

National Rail offers two-for-one tickets to a range of UK attractions including Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral.

Elsewhere, visitors who travel to Blenheim Palace by train, bus or bike can enjoy 20 per cent off admission prices.

This means, tickets would cost just £24, down from the £25 price in 2022.

Blenheim Palace with its lakes and fountain.
Alamy
If you travel by train, bus or bike to Blenheim Palace, you can enjoy a ticket price cheaper than it was in 2022[/caption]

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