Dan Walker and Nadiya Bychkova’s friendship is the talk of Strictly with stars ‘obsessed’ over how close the dance partners remain three years after competing on BBC show

Your support helps The Independent to cover important stories like reproductive rights, climate change, and Big Tech developments on the ground. Donations enable journalists to provide unbiased reporting and analysis across the political spectrum without paywalls. Amidst market turmoil and recession fears sparked by President Trump's trade policies, The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq are facing significant losses, with the latter on track for its worst day since 2022. Full Article

Mike Amesbury, the MP for Runcorn and Helsby in Cheshire, faces a suspended 10-week prison sentence for assaulting a man in the street. He has announced he will "step aside at the earliest opportunity" after being given the sentence, following his guilty plea in January. Amesbury, expelled by Labour after the incident, won the seat last July and is now facing a by-election, potentially timed to coincide with local elections on May 1. Full Article

In a Reddit post, a user questioned why airplane passengers must put their seats upright during takeoff and landing. Experts explained that these are the riskiest parts of the flight, with 49% of deaths occurring during landing. Seats must be upright for impact protection and ease of evacuation in case of emergencies, as reclined seats reduce space for occupants to escape quickly. Following plane safety protocols, such as reading safety briefings and knowing emergency procedures,...

Keir Starmer's spokesman dismissed Donald Trump's claim that Ukraine could cease to exist after its war with Russia, emphasizing the UK's commitment to supporting Ukraine as a sovereign territory for European and British security. The UK government has positioned itself as a diplomatic mediator between the US and Europe, advocating for a lasting peace in Ukraine despite differences with the White House, which has halted military aid to pressure Ukraine into negotiations. Cabinet Office minister...

Lady Gaga's iconic Bad Romance music video, set in a bathhouse under glaring white lights, has been a massive success, earning her Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. Originally planned to be darker, the video was shot in a white box, with Gaga learning the choreography the night before filming. Gaga later incorporated her original ideas for Bad Romance into her recent single Abracadabra, which is climbing the UK singles chart.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrO4YZeyl0Ihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBynw9Isr28https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4M_XYC7qro Full Article

A meteorologist has warned of a wintry blast following a sunny and warm weekend in Scotland, with temperatures dropping significantly by early next week. The change in weather will bring rain and wintry showers, with below-average temperatures expected across the UK. Snowfall is predicted in parts of Scotland, northeast England, and north Wales, with snow depths reaching up to 10cm in the Scottish Highlands. Full Article