Archive August 4, 2025

Tributes to Ozzy Osbourne removed from bench will be handed to family

Ozzy Osbourne was laid to rest last week in a private burial surrounded by his family and closest celebrity friends. The public’s support has comforted his passing family.

Birmingham City Council workers and volunteers begin to remove the flowers and tributes left for Ozzy Osbourne(Image: PA)

A sea of flowers, messages and tributes left in Birmingham in memory of heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne are being moved today.

Thousands of fans have visited Black Sabbath Bench on Broad Street in the musician’s home city to lay bouquets, wreaths, posters, balloons, candles and cards since he died at the age of 76 on July 22. They are now being handed to his family, who are still coming to terms with the legend’s death.

The tributes were being stored until earlier, when Birmingham City Council made a cortege procession to place their own flowers on the bench. The Osbourne family visited the bench on Wednesday and received them.

A handful of fans watched on from behind barriers, took photographs and hugged each other as officials in hi-vis jackets collected all the flowers and tributes which had been laid in front of the bench and on the railings behind it. It comes after Sharon Osbourne breaks down in tears at Ozzy’s funeral in heartbreaking scenes.

READ MORE: Strictly’s Anton Du Beke shares heartbreak over wife’s ‘cruel and inexplicable’ diagnosisREAD MORE: John Torode’s businesses collapsed after racking up eye-watering debts

The family stopped to view all the tributes
The family stopped to view all the tributes(Image: Getty Images)

The rock star’s relatives would gather and arrange the mementos, according to the council, and are then stored “with the utmost care in a secure location, ensuring they are protected and treated with dignity.”

Continue reading the article.

According to the council, “they will be passed on to the Osbourne family so that they can keep them as a lasting reminder of the support and affection of the public.”

The Osbourne family said in a statement released by the city council that: “We are deeply moved by the heartfelt tributes that have recently been displayed at the Black Sabbath Bridge and the Black Sabbath mural on Navigation Street.

Birmingham City Council workers and volunteers begin to remove the flowers and tributes left for Ozzy Osbourne
Council workers have been on the streets of Birmingham today(Image: PA)

“These expressions of remembrance reflect the profound impact that Ozzy had on the city and its people, as well as fans from around the world – BIRMINGHAM FOREVER!”

Kelly Osbourne has today paid an emotional tribute to her late father nearly two weeks on from his death. His loved ones announced the sad news via a family statement signed by Sharon Osbourne and four of the Black Sabbath frontman’s six children.

The singer, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019, was “with his family and surrounded by love”. The statement read : “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.

Birmingham City Council workers and volunteers begin to remove the flowers and tributes left for Ozzy Osbourne
Thousands turned out to see honours the music legend (Image: AP)

He was surrounded by love and his family. At this time, we ask that everyone respects our family’s privacy.

Kelly shared an incredible bond with her beloved dad by posting a personal note to him on social media this afternoon.

She remarked, “I’ve sat down a hundred times and still don’t know if the words will ever feel like enough… but from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

“I’ve truly been able to carry myself through the most difficult time of my life thanks to the love, support, and beautiful messages I’ve received from so many of you.” More than I can possibly explain, every kind word, every shared memory, and every bit of compassion have meant.

“Grief is a strange thing; it sneaks up on you in waves,” says the statement “I won’t be okay for a while,” but knowing that our family is not the only ones who are suffering makes a difference.

Continue reading the article.

I’m keeping my eyes on the legacy that has been left behind, light, and love. I appreciate you visiting. I adore you all so much.

Who pressed their Ashes case? Who disappointed? England’s player ratings

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

  • 170 Comments

It was a series for the ages. The best in the UK since 2005? It’s hard to argue.

For the first time since 2004 the game went into the fifth day in all five Tests in the series, leaving players on both sides to summon energy from their depths.

From England there was so much good before they ultimately fell short of winning a five-Test series for the first time since 2018.

The result is a squad that will remain largely settled going forward to the Ashes in Australia in November. There will not, and should not, be wholesale changes.

Some have pushed their case but there remains a feeling that others could have done more.

Ben Duckett: The opener’s 149 to set up victory in the first Test was an all-timer of a knock. That he reached 12 in all but one of his eight innings afterwards yet did not make another century was disappointing. Still, given he provides fast starts, is the consistent run-getter in England’s opening partnership and is growing as an influential leader who will take the fight to Australia, Duckett remains one of England’s most important players. 7

Zak Crawley: The right-hander ended the series with no hundreds and an average of 32.22, effectively matching that of his 59-Test career. It means calls for England to move him on will not go away. That remains highly unlikely, however. Captain Ben Stokes and the management regularly pointed to the partnerships he shared with Duckett – 188 in the fourth innings at Headingley, 166 at Manchester and 92 at The Oval – and still believe he is best suited to the pacey, bouncy pitches in Australia. After all of the backing, it would be a massive call to change now. 5

Ollie Pope: Similarly, this was the most Pope of series, with 106 in his first innings and only one fifty afterwards. The discrepancy between his record in the first and second innings – 46.7 compared to 19.8 – remains a concern and did not improve against India. His place is in more doubt because of how highly England rate Bethell but Pope is more likely than not to remain at number three. His captaincy in Stokes’ absence at The Oval was uninspiring. 5

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Harry Brook: Two hundreds and a 99 make this Brook’s best home summer. Another banker for the Ashes. England will need him at his best. 8

Ben Stokes: Stokes back bowling at full tilt, taking 17 wickets across 140 overs, was the biggest plus of England’s summer. Their captain’s 141 at Old Trafford was also welcome and will quieten any talk of a batting decline. The Oval defeat showed how crucial his captaincy and leadership remains and 34-year-old is confident he will be fit from his shoulder injury to play a full part in Australia. If he’s not, England have no chance. 9

Jamie Smith: Smith’s 184 not out in the second Test at Edgbaston was arguably the knock of the series. It showed why England rate him so highly. Concerning, though, was how his summer tailed off with scores of eight, nine, eight and two in his final four innings. He looked tired physically and mentally at The Oval where he failed to take England over the line on the fifth morning. Australia could be even harder on body and mind. 7

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Brydon Carse: Nine wickets at 60.9 across four matches does not reflect how well Carse bowled at times in his first home summer as a Test cricketer. He was England’s best seamer in the first two Tests and his two wickets in the second innings at Lord’s broke open the game. He will have a big part to play this winter. 7

Josh Tongue: Tongue’s series is the hardest to evaluate. Despite playing in only three Tests, he ended up as England’s highest wicket-taker with 19. That flatters him a little, although more of his wickets were top-order dismissals than lower-order by the series’ end – a reversal of his return at the start. He bowled one of the most wayward spells in recent memory in the first innings at The Oval but England will focus on the positives, such as his five-wicket haul in the second. While not a starter, he will be a part of the Ashes bowling group. 6

Shoaib Bashir: Bashir took 10 expensive wickets before breaking a finger in the third Test at Lord’s. In truth, the best two Tests for him were probably those he missed. Liam Dawson did not take his chance in his place at Old Trafford and Jacob Bethell’s spin is not good enough to pass as more than part-time. It may be England return to Bashir after all because, although he leaks runs, no spinner since Graeme Swann has taken wickets more regularly. 6

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Liam Dawson: Dawson could have forced England’s hand at Old Trafford by taking wickets in Bashir’s absence but managed only one in 62 overs. If you expected differently, you probably had not been watching closely enough. Dawson is a steady and accurate spinner but is not one to run through batting line-ups or bowl magic deliveries. That means him and England’s Test team do not feel a natural fit. 4

Gus Atkinson: Eight wickets at The Oval after a frustrating, injury-hit summer were timely for Atkinson. Others – Carse and Archer in particular – had caught the eye in recent months but the Surrey quick reminded England just how dependable he is. Accurate and capable of conjuring wickets from nowhere, Atkinson should take the new ball in the first Ashes Test. 7

Jacob Bethell: This score appears harsh on a supremely talented 21-year-old asked to play in a red-hot finale on the back of one first-class game in seven months. Scores of six and five, including a poor second-innings dismissal, were a reflection of that preparation. England’s faith will not be dimmed, however. He will go to Australia and could yet put some pressure on Pope with white-ball runs against South Africa in September. 3

Who will start the first Ashes Test in Perth?

Though they have white-ball matches against South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand, England do not play another Test before their Ashes opener on 21 November.

BBC chief cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew: Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Smith, Atkinson, Carse, Archer, Wood.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan: Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Smith, Atkinson, Archer, Wood, Carse/Tongue.

Ex-England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent: Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Smith, Atkinson, Archer, Wood, Bashir.

Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook: Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Smith, Wood, Archer, Carse, Atkinson.

Ex-England spinner Phil Tufnell: Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes, Smith, Atkinson, Archer, Wood, Carse/Tongue.

Related topics

  • England Men’s Cricket Team
  • Cricket

Princess Eugenie enjoys sun-soaked holiday with A-lister ‘brother she never had’

Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, their friends, hosted Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda at their home in Portugal.

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank have welcomed Robbie Williams and his wife to their home in Portugal for a summer holiday(Image: aydafieldwilliams/Instagram)

While many royals are enjoying their summer holidays away from the UK, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank are hosting their A-list friends Robbie Williams and his wife, American actress Ayda Field, for a sun-soaked holiday at their second home in Portugal.

Eugenie, the youngest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, splits her time between her home in Kensington Palace home, Ivy Cottage, and the second holiday home the family own in Portugal.

The celebrity couple and the princess shared a series of snaps on Instagram, as Ayda posted images of the friends bare-faced and smiling after a day in the sunshine. It comes after reports of William and Kate Middleton’s fears over move with kids after Royal Family ‘bad blood’ .

READ MORE: Prince William was ‘human shield’ in tense moment between Kate Middleton and MeghanREAD MORE: Prince Harry ‘admits he is still part of Royal Family and finally sees sense’

Princess Eugenie, Ayda Field
Princess Eugenie is hosting Robbie Williams and his wife Ayda Field at their holiday home in Portugal (Image: aydafieldwilliams/Instagram)

Ayda captioned her post: ‘Obrigada’, which means ‘thank you’ in Portuguese – again suggesting that Eugenie was playing hostess. The families were snapped seeing the sights of the Portuguese town, playing time at the beach and indulging in a spot of golf.

The couple’s daughter Teddy was chosen as a flower girl at Eugenie’s 2018 wedding to Jack despite the couple’s long friendship.

The princess reportedly views Robbie Williams as “the brother she never had,” according to Eugenie and her husband, who is said to have been very close to the Williams family.

After Fergie and Ayda reportedly bonded during a shopping day in St. Barts, their mother, Sarah Ferguson, gave her first relationship in 2011.

Robbie Williams, Ayda Field
Robbie and Ayda attended Eugenie and Jack’s wedding, where their daughter Teddy was a flower girl(Image: PA)

By the time the Williams clan and Fergie and her daughters were on good terms, the couple had already spoken. By the time the family and the Royals were together, the couple had already spoken at Robbie’s Wiltshire home.

Prices start at a soaring £3.6 million for a luxurious villa at the exclusive CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club in Comporta, which is owned by Eugenie and Jack. When Jack began working as a marketing, sales, and promotion specialist for the incredibly stunning resort, the couple relocated there.

Continue reading the article.

The princess, who has previously shared family photos from their time in Portugal, opened up about her sons’ love of the ocean in an exclusive interview with HELLO! last year, as she spoke of August and Ernest, saying: “They love swimming.”

Portugal’s sea is “a little rougher,” the author writes. We’ve got our feet in, but Augie’s a fish. We have whales and dolphins all over the walls, and he genuinely enjoys it.

More than 600 former Israeli security chiefs urge Trump to end Gaza war

As dozens of Palestinians died from starvation as a result of Israeli-induced starvation, more than 600 former Israeli security officials have urged US President Donald Trump to end the country’s occupation of Gaza.

Trump received a letter on Sunday making the appeal. Former Mossad leader Tamir Pardo, former Shin Bet leader Ami Ayalon, and former deputy Israeli army chief Matan Vilnai are among its signatories. They demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put pressure on him to put an end to the nearly two-year conflict in Gaza.

More than two million Palestinians are battling the hunger crisis in Gaza, where the protests continue as the country grows in furore.

“Everything that could be accomplished by force has been accomplished.” The Commanders for Israel’s Security (CIS) organization shared the letter in a post on X, saying that the hostages could not wait.

The letter stated that “the Israeli army has accomplished two of its three objectives by force, which is to destroy Hamas’ military formations and governance,” but that “the third goal, which is to bring back all Israeli captives, can only be reached through a deal.”

“Stop the Gaza War!” We ask that you end the Gaza war on behalf of Israel’s largest group of former [military] generals and equivalents from Mossad, Shin Bet, Police, and Diplomatic Corps,” the letter read.

You did it in Lebanon, I say. It was also time to do it in Gaza, it continued.

Translation: We have a rare opportunity to influence a global and regional movement for fundamental change in the Gaza Strip. Trump is capable of doing this. We wrote to President Trump in a letter urging him to end the conflict and bring the hostages back, on behalf of 550 former senior officials from all branches of security and international service. Everything that could be accomplished by force has been accomplished. The hostages are unable to endure. The moment of truth is right now. We urge President Trump to use all of his legal authority right away to do this!

The security officials claimed that Trump’s credibility depends on how well he can “direct” Netanyahu.

Gaza was transformed into rubble

After Netanyahu claimed he wanted the Geneva-based international organization to intervene, Hamas announced on Sunday that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) would be able to provide aid to Israeli prisoners in Gaza.

Netanyahu has refuted Israeli claims that Palestinians are experiencing “systematic starvation,” saying that there is “systematic starvation” occurring in Gaza.

The armed wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, claims that the prisoners “eat what our fighters and all of our people eat.”

According to the group’s spokesman, Abu Obeida, “They will not receive any special privileges amid the crime of starvation and siege.”

Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli army has been fighting in Gaza, killing more than 60 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children, since rejecting international demands for a ceasefire.

The enclave has become rubble-stained and on the verge of famine as a result of the military campaign.

Israeli Prime Minister Yoav Gallant and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant were the subjects of arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court in Gaza in November for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Palestinians won’t tolerate war profiteering in Gaza

When a crowd of people gathered in front of some stores on July 17, I was looking for any affordable food to buy at a market in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza. The owners of the stores were charging exorbitant prices for items that were clearly stolen from aid convoys, and the people were furious.

I witnessed yet another obscene protest two weeks later at the same market. “You thieves, you thieves!” was yelled out in the crowds! and blatantly denigrate the traders.

Without a doubt, store owners are exploiting the famine without mercy and selling aid as if it were a rare luxury item when it is actually meant to be distributed for free. People are taking matters into their own hands because the people have gone too far with it. Price speculators are the subject of protests across Gaza. Shops are being forced to close some locations.

Beyond anything that supply and demand’s forces have dictated, the prices of essential goods have skyrocketed to unimaginable levels. Despite having a limited amount of money to purchase, people can’t explain why goods cost so much. The prices I saw while walking at the market were insane: a kilo (2.2lb) of flour – 40 shekels ($12), a kilo of rice – 60 shekels ($18), a kilo of lentils – 40 shekels ($12), a kilo of sugar – 250 shekels ($73), a litre (1 quart) of cooking oil – 200 shekels ($58).

The usual aid distribution through the United Nations, which must continue uninterrupted in any warzone, has stopped since Israel imposed a complete blockade on Gaza in March.

Israel established humanitarian hubs to allegedly distribute aid in an effort to fend off international criticism. They have only served as death traps, though. Many people who come in to collect aid are shot, and many of them have died or been wounded.

A significant portion of aid trucks are looted once they arrive in Gaza, but the Israeli government has also started allowing in a very small number. The goods are then resold for outrageous prices.

The individuals in charge of this supply of stolen food are powerful traders and brokers who are frequently protected by local powerful figures or profit from indirect cooperation with Israel. These actions don’t occur naturally. They occur within a purposefully created chaos environment. Exploitation has become the norm, not the exception, as a result of the collapse of state institutions and the absence of legal accountability.

The occupation doesn’t just want to show how weak Gaza is, the Palestinians are aware of that. It is actively trying to demonstrate that it is unelected. Closing the borders is insufficient to accomplish this. Gazans must be forced into a constant state of chaos and conflict.

Here, starvation is a crucial tool. Not just kills, but also kills. Additionally, it alters a person’s personality. A starving person gradually loses the ability to think clearly, to judge or restrain themselves from acting against those who, in their opinion, contribute to their suffering, stripped of the bare minimum needed to survive and subjected to daily humiliation.

Every conflict has its own black markets and war profiteers. However, in this instance, the occupying power encourages these criminal activities because it accomplishes its overall objective. Not because it is making money from them. The Palestinians who choose to engage in this type of extortion are driven by lust, extortion, or survival.

The occupation’s goal is precisely this slow unraveling. The Israeli and international media should be quick to accuse the Palestinians of imploding and declare: “Look, the Palestinian people are imploding. They are incapable of self-government. They are not deserving of a state. This is not a sign of a failed nation, in fact. It demonstrates how successfully the occupation has pushed it toward the brink.

Not the people who no longer have control are at fault. Through starvation, the systematic destruction of healthcare and sanitary infrastructure, the deconstruction of state institutions, and the empowerment of criminals, control has been forcibly taken from them.

Gaza won’t, however. People may cry out and protest, be angry, or become desperate, but they always have a moral compass. This outcry stems from collective disagreement. It is a clear sign that society will no longer tolerate betrayal. When Gaza rebuilds, those who raise prices obstinately during times of siege will be held accountable before courts of justice.

It would be wrong to assume that the occupation has defeated the Palestinians, despite the current collapse. Every crisis produces a new awareness. Every betrayal creates new resistance. Palestinians’ overwhelming majority of people reject using them as torturers’ tools. They oppose erasure and subjugation. They disapprove of the actions of their fellow citizens.

Palestinians continue to demonstrate national solidarity.

Antman will add ‘new dimension’ to Rangers

Images courtesy of Getty

After agreeing to a four-year deal with Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles, Oliver Antman will give Rangers a “new dimension,” according to head coach Russell Martin.

In the Dutch Eredivisie last year, Antman, 23, helped the Go Ahead Eagles win the KNVB Cup and contributed six goals and 15 assists.

He signed for Danish side Nordsjaelland in 2019 before moving to Go Ahead Eagles in 2024 after beginning his senior career with Tikkurilan Palloseura and Gnistan in Finland.

Antman made his 2022 international debut with seven goals and 22 caps for Finland.

The winger expressed his excitement as the team arrived today and that it had been busy days.

“You don’t get an opportunity like this in life, and I was happy when I heard Rangers were interested,” said one fan.

Martin anticipates that he will have an impact both now and in the future as his ninth summer arrival at Ibrox.

The former Scotland defender expressed his delight at receiving Oliver to Glasgow.

We have closely followed him, and his versatility as an attacker will give our squad a whole new dimension.

related subjects

  • Scottish Premiership
  • Rangers
  • Scottish Football
  • Football