Freedom Day delay fears as Scotland found to have majority of Europe's Covid hotspots

Bolton Council face an ‘incredibly difficult’ challenge over the next two months to distribute a one-off £150 government payment to more than 30,000 households who do not pay their council tax by direct debit.

Judi Love has opened up about her horror at the story involving West Ham player Kurt Zouma kicking his cat in a video uploaded to social media, calling for us all to be more aware of cruelty towards animals. Writing in her weekly column for OK!, the Loose Women star said: "Animal cruelty has been on the rise throughout the pandemic but animals have feelings and emotions, too. We need to ensure that all animals and humans are safe." See what else she had to say below...

Gemma Collins has revealed she's had to have a nurse come to her home and administer an IV drip after struggling to recover from coronavirus. Former The Only Way Is Essex star Gemma, 41, opened up to fans on her Instagram stories as she filmed herself having a vitamin C drip put in and explained she's been feeling "exhausted" lately. As Gemma filmed herself with the cannula in her arm, which was being fixed on by her nurse, she explained to her followers: "So guys, today I am poorly.

The Official Charts Company is launching its latest chart review of the year, this time taking a look back at the hits of 2021.

BBC Breakfast descended into chaos on Wednesday morning (February 16) as one star's phone went off right in the middle of an interview.Hosts Jon Kay and Nina Warhurst were once again replacing regular Monday-Wednesday presenters Dan Walker and Sally Nugent, and chatting to UK citizen Stuart McKenzie - who had lived in the Ukraine for 28 years - via video link.Also joining them in the studio was Petro Rewko, a member of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.But things in the studio soon went belly-up.Jon asked Stuart: "So Stuart, we'll start with you. Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to be in the Ukraine?"He replied: "I came to Ukraine in 1994 for business opportunities..."As Stuart began talking Jon and Sally through his background, his phone began to ring off-screen - but, like a true professional, he ignored the call and carried on talking.However, the incessant noise was clearly affecting Jon Kay, who soon suspended the interview entirely to turn to Petro.He quipped: "We'll come back to you in a minute.

Piers Morgan took to Twitter to share a selfie snap of him snapped next to the Hollywood legend Jim Carrey.The former Good Morning Britain presenter was among the many stars who attended this year's Super Bowl game in California on Sunday.56-year-old Piers keeps his 7.9 million Twitter followers updated about his recent trip to the US with his son Albert Morgan.In one striking snap shared on the platform, Piers posed beside the Ace Ventura actor, Jim, 60, where he looked absolutely starstruck.He posted the many gushing selfies he took with the comedy icon and his son after the Super Bowl game online for his followers to enjoy.A wide-eyed Piers captioned the selfie series: "When you come out of the Super Bowl, spot ⁦@JimCarrey⁩ on a golf cart, take a pic of your son (big fan) running backwards alongside him,""and Jim clocks you & shouts 'Wait…. PIERS MORGAN????!! Man, I'm sorry we've been so hard on you….hahaha' Only in Hollywood, baby."Piers's many Twitter followers were equally as shocked by the bizarre encounter.One avid tweeter commented: "Living the dream Piers Living the dream."Another penned: "A worldstar comedian and his biggest fanboy.

Alex Jones took a break from The One Show and headed away with her husband Charlie Thomson as the pair shared a double whammy of sweet snaps.The duo spent some time in Wales as they tagged the location as Llyn Brianne Dam, which proved to be a beautiful location and made for the perfect backdrop.As they posed looking all loved-up, a large river surrounded by trees and land fell behind them as they made the most of the beautiful scenes for the trip.In one snap, Alex and Charlie leaned in for a cuddle as they wrapped up warm while Alex donned a fresh face and her hair swiftly fell across her face.In a second snap they snapped themselves leaning in for a sweet smooch once again with the lavish backdrop behind them.As they shared the photo to Instagram, Alex wrote: "A rare picture of just the two of us," which soon landed her upwards of 17,000 likes.They were inundated with sweet comments, with one person writing: "What a lovely photo of two loving people," while another wrote: "Beautiful."It is one of Alex's few snaps with her hubby on Instagram, with their last snap posted as they attended a Christmas party.Alex's other snaps include her family life and her children, while also looking at behind-the-scenes snaps from The One Show and celebrity events.Children Teddy, Kit and Annie appear on Alex's Instagram ever since the happy couple welcomed their first born, Teddy, in January 2017.Kit arrived safely in 2019 while Annie was born most recently in August 2021.Each time Alex welcomed a new baby, she confirmed the news on The One Show, where she remains an incredibly popular host on set.Alex is now firmly back on the sofa on the BBC show after spending time away while she was on maternity leave.She had multiple stints where

Real Madrid failed to show any ambition whatsoever in their 1-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday night.PSG will take a one-goal advantage into the second leg of the last-16 tie in Madrid after Kylian Mbappe scored a dramatic winner in the 94th minute at the Parc des Princes.Mbappe’s goal proved decisive after Thibaut Courtois produced an impressive save to deny Lionel Messi from the penalty spot in the second half.The 23-year-old striker, who is out of contract with PSG in July and strongly-linked with a move to Real, was the clear star of the show.He collected Neymar’s back-heel on the left wing and skipped in between two Real defenders before slotting underneath Courtois via a slight deflection off Fede Valverde.His 22nd goal of the season – and second consecutive late winner following a 93rd-minute striker against Rennes on Friday – was well deserved.Mauricio Pochettino's side completely dominated the game, firing in 21 shots – eight of which were on target, for an expected goals tally of 1.87 – from their 57 per cent possession.By contrast, Real attempted just three shots in total and did not force Gianluigi Donnarumma into making a single save.HAVE YOUR SAY! Which team will make it through to the quarter-finals? Comment below.Their efforts translated into a measly expected goals tally of 0.14, while they only managed to win one corner and produced just four counter attacks all game.With the away goals rule abolished from Champions League knockout ties, Real manager Carlo Ancelotti appeared happy to settle for a goalless draw from the outset.However, Mbappe’s late impact means they will start with a disadvantage in the second leg at the Bernabeu on March 9.Want to be on the ball with

HYBE boybands Tomorrow X Together (TXT) and ENHYPEN have opened up about collaborating with one another for their joint performance at last December’s 2021 KBS Song Festival.In the newly released ‘BACKSTAGE: TXT x EN-‘ documentary – which features never-before-seen backstage footage of the two boybands, alongside interviews with the individual members – the members of TXT and ENHYPEN talked about how the rehearsals leading up to the performance helped form a friendship between both groups.“I thought we would be competitive, but they came to us first. We were so comfortable with each other in the practice studio,” noted TXT member Beomgyu. His thoughts were echoed by ENHYPEN member Ni-ki, who said that the two groups “became much closer” through the process.

Beck and Lizzo are among the keynote speakers announced for this year’s edition of SXSW Festival next month.The two artists join author Neal Stephenson, director Celine Tricart, Planned Parenthood CEO Alexis McHill Johnson and Brentwood Growth Partners Founder Reggie Fils-Aimé in giving keynote addresses as part of the program.TX IM COMING BAAAACK—- it’s been a min, is @torchystacos vegan

New Zealand has voted to protect LGBTQ youth from so-called “conversion therapy.”In an almost unanimous vote, the New Zealand Parliament voted 112 to eight in favour of banning the controversial  practice. So-called “conversion therapy” is the discredited and dangerous practice that is intended to change, often by force, a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. The New Zealand Herald reported that it is now an offence to “perform conversion practices on a child or young person aged under 18, or on someone with impaired decision-making capacity. Such offences would be subject to up to three years’ imprisonment, and up to five years where it has caused serious harm, irrespective of age.”Leader of End Conversion Therapy NZ Shaneel Lal tweeted, “The ban on conversion therapy is a win for humanity, not just the queer community.

Jamie Redknapp and his wife Frida celebrated their very first Valentine's Day as a married couple this week – but it wasn't quite as romantic as you might think.The newlyweds only recently returned from their honeymoon in the Maldives, along with their baby son Rafael. But it was back to earth with a bump on Monday.WATCH: Jamie Redknapp's baby son is already taking after him!Jamie, 48, shared a snapshot showing the couple looking hot but happy as they posed with their trainer after a boxing session.

Jessica Kiang In a valley in the Swiss canton of Bern dominated by the local watchmaking industry, the first ever International Anarchist Congress was held in 1872. And inside a traditionally made clockwork watch, such as the factories of Bern would have been producing at the time, there is a tiny spiral wheel that balances the mechanism, called the unrueh — the unrest.This dainty coincidence of echoing terminology at most might raise a “huh” from those of us into wordplay and social history and Twitter accounts that exclusively post images of machinery at work.

Bruce Willis might have spent Valentine's Day with his wife Emma Heming Willis and their two daughters, Mabel, nine, and Evelyn, seven, but on Tuesday he planned a special date with two of his eldest daughters.MORE: Bruce Willis delights fans with rare family photo with two daughtersTaking to Instagram, Emma shared the sweetest photo of Bruce smiling widely towards the camera whilst sitting in the passenger seat of a car next to daughter Scout. Behind them, his and Demi Moore's eldest daughter, Rumer, could be seen, with her seatbelt on and smiling at Emma.WATCH: Bruce and Emma's daughter learns how to ride a bike with the help of Demi Moore"If this isn't the cutest daddy-daughter date," Emma wrote alongside the photo, before adding that Bruce was a "girl dad".READ: Demi Moore pays tribute to ex Bruce Willis in the most amazing wayRELATED: Rumer Willis proudly poses in provocative lingerie – fans praise her body and messageBruce has a great relationship with all his daughters and Rumer recently paid tribute to him and mom Demi, 58, for how they have co-parented throughout the years.

Anton Du Beke has taken to Instagram to share three snapshots of his twins for a very special reason.MORE: Anton Du Beke's country home with wife Hannah and twins is full of rustic charm – insideThe pictures show George and Henrietta inside the family home and trying on some new items of clothing ahead of a skiing holiday.WATCH: Anton du Beke's twins gatecrash his live workout"Start 'em young!" Strictly star Anton, 55, wrote. "My little ones ready to hit the slopes in their gorgeous Smalls Merino wool base layers.

center of renewed fervor in recent months, and Amy Poehler's new documentary on the pair aims to shine a different kind of light on their legacy.Poehler, who directed the forthcoming doc, spoke with ET's Matt Cohen at the film's Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday, and opened up about the difficulties she faced when helming the monumental project.«The challenge of this film, because Lucy and Desi are so known, is to figure out almost how to bring them back to life. Make them people again, rather than icons,» Poehler shared.

rescued a clumsy fox who found herself in a tight spot after she got a watering can stuck on her head.Animal rescue officer Natalie Read was called out to Braiswick, in Colchester, Essex, on Friday (11 February) after a man spotted the stricken animal in his garden.Describing how she set the urban fox free after finding it in a panicked state, Natalie said: “The caller said the poor fox had the plastic watering can stuck on her head and was thrashing around trying to get it off; she was clearly distressed.“She’d wedged herself between fencing at the bottom of the garden and must have been exhausted because I was able to catch her easily and carefully prise the can off of her head."Thankfully she wasn’t injured and she was raring to go so I released her and she bounded off back into the safety of the undergrowth. It was lovely to see her running back to her den."Natalie suspects that the animal got the watering can wedged on her head when she peered in to find out whether there was anything to eat or drink inside.She added that the fox was "lucky to be spotted and rescued so quickly" because she "could have suffered serious cuts and injuries to her head" or "may have even died if she’d have been left like that".Anyone who sees a sick, injured or trapped wild animal in need of help is advised to keep a safe distance and monitor, before calling the RSPCA’s emergency hotline for advice on 0300 1234 999.

Manchester City Council made the sudden announcement earlier this week that the speed limit on one of its busiest roads would be dropping.

Blake Lively and her sister Robyn make a stylish duo as they arrive for the Michael Kors Collection Fall/Winter 2022 Runway Show held at Terminal 5 during New York Fashion Week on Tuesday night (February 15) in New York City.

Covid restrictions will be dictated by the number of cases across the country, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said, as she admitted the August 9 'Freedom Day' date is not set in stone. Sturgeon has expressed confidence that the country can move into Level 0 together on July 19, albeit with some restrictions remaining.But she has stopped short of announcing a sweeping end to lockdown and said the Scottish Government must follow the data.

top 10 covid hot spots last week. The Scottish Labour leader wants Holyrood to be recalled as he warned that the exit from the pandemic “rests on a knife edge”.