It could be the day for the petit basset griffon Vendéen named for Buddy Holly

Nicolas Cage fans are praising the actor after Minnie Driver revealed he once purchased a plane seat for his son’s imaginary friend. Driver shared the story about the National Treasure star, 59, who is father to sons Kal-El, 17, and Weston, 32, from previous relationships, and daughter August, nine months, with wife Riko Shibata, on Instagram on Monday in response to a viral post about Cage. The post, which was shared by the Instagram account @Iamthirtyaf and included an amusing roundup of tweets, memes and anecdotes about Cage, prompted Driver to share her own story about the actor. “Was once on a plane with NC and his son and a seat had also been purchased for his son’s imaginary friend,” Driver wrote in the comments under the viral post. She concluded her comment with a black heart emoji. The anecdote was met with joy from Instagram users, with many praising Cage for the “sweet” parenting moment. “This is amazing,” one person commented, while another said: “That’s so sweet!” “Thank you for sharing that very Nicholas Cage sweet thing to do,” someone else wrote. While the majority of responses to the story were positive, Driver’s recollection prompted one person to joke about a possible alternative reason Cage may have purchased the extra seat on the plane. “Think he just didn’t want anyone else sitting in their row?” they wrote. “Now that’s a whole new level of wealth,” another person commented. Although Cage has not addressed the anecdote himself, he has spoken candidly about the joy fatherhood brings him on a number of occasions. In 2015, Cage opened up about becoming a grandfather after his eldest son, Weston, had children of his own while speaking to People, with the actor telling the outlet: “To see my son with my grandson is as close to a sense of blissful completion I ever had.” In April 2022, after a representative for Cage confirmed that he and Shibata were expecting their first child together,The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent star told Access Hollywood that he was “extremely excited” to be a father again. “My boys are all grown up, and I miss going to the toy store. I miss singing lullabies and rocking in the rocking chair,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting back to that.” The couple, who married in February of last year, welcomed their daughter on 7 September 2022. The Independent has contacted a representative for Cage for comment. Read More Nicolas Cage says he remembers being in his mother’s womb Nicolas Cage explains why he prefers the term ‘thespian’ to ‘actor’: ‘Sorry if that is pretentious’ British toddler has American accent after watching popular YouTube show How do I get a mammogram screening? Hacks for saving money on school uniforms

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What looks more stunning than the randomly swirling bands of dark chocolate in this loaf of white sweet bread? This style of braiding is known in many countries, and is used with different fillings as well,” says former contestant on The Great British Bake Off, Jurgen Krauss. “Always an eye-catcher, it used to be a special treat on our Saturday afternoon coffee table. The rich spices and citrus zest in combination with chocolate make this truly a great braid for any special occasion.” Babka chocolate braid Serves: 15 Ingredients: For the dough: 190g bread flour 140g white spelt flour or plain flour, plus extra for dusting 6g instant yeast 1 pinch salt 40g caster sugar 180ml whole milk 1 medium egg 40g unsalted butter, softened Zest of 1 lemon Zest of 1 orange ½ tsp ground cardamom For the filling: 100g dark chocolate (54% or 70% cocoa solids, to taste) 60g unsalted butter 60g soft light brown sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground cloves 30g cocoa powder Unsalted butter, melted, or apricot jam for glazing Method: 1. For the dough, put all the ingredients in a bowl and, using your hands or a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the ingredients until evenly distributed. Then knead the dough for several minutes until it has a smooth and silky texture. Cover with a tea towel or a plastic bag and leave to prove at room temperature for about one hour. Check with the poke test that the dough is ready. 2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Put the chocolate, butter and sugar into a pan and melt over low heat. Once liquid, take the pan off the heat and add the cinnamon, cloves and cocoa powder. It’s OK if the filling looks grainy. 3. Line a 950g loaf tin with baking paper. 4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a rectangle measuring about 50 x 30cm. Spread the chocolate filling over the dough rectangle, leaving 2cms of the far short edge uncovered. Roll up the dough rectangle, starting at the near short edge. Seal the seam by pinching it. 5. Place the roll on a work surface with the seam facing down and, with a sharp knife, cut the roll lengthwise into halves. Twist the halves together to form a rope. You can do this starting at one end and twist this half of the roll, and then do the same for the other half; this way you don’t have to manipulate the whole length at once. 6. Place your hands palm down on the ends and, with a scooping movement, bring the ends to meet underneath the middle of yourrope. Transfer this into the lined tin, and cover with a tea towel or a plastic bag. Leave to prove for 30 minutes to one hour until the Babka is well risen and the dough starts to feel fragile; a gentle touch with a finger will leave a dent that only slowly recovers. 7. Preheat the oven to 170C fan/gas mark 5. 8. Bake the babka for 30-40 minutes. 9. Melt the butter for glazing or heat the apricot jam with a teaspoon of water. Brush the babka with melted butter or jam as soon as it is out of the oven. Leave to cool for about 15 minutes, then carefully remove from the tin and baking paper. 10. Let the babka cool completely before eating. Stored in an airtight container it will last for three days. ‘German Baking: Cakes, Tarts, Traybakes And Breads From The Black Forest And Beyond’ by Jurgen Krauss (published by Kyle Books on 31 August, £26). Read More The dish that defines me: Evelin Eros’s rum cake ‘It started with a radish’: Chef Simon Rogan reflects on restaurant L’Enclume at 20 The true story – and murky history – of Portuguese piri piri oil ‘My depression stopped me doing what I loved most in life – cooking’ What Bake Off’s Jurgen Krauss really thinks of his shock elimination Quick, moist and flavourful: Jurgen Krauss’s marble cake

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Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson is collaborating with former tennis player Roger Federer for a new collection with Uniqlo. Federer posted a picture of him with Anderson on Instagram with the caption: “Excited for this one… stay tuned.” The nine-piece unisex collection mixes Anderson’s gender-fluid aesthetic with elements of sporty style. Fleece jackets, sweaters, shorts and parkas are offered in neutral colourways – blacks, whites, greys and blues. Polo shirts are a big feature of the mini collection – and were also seen in JW Anderson’s recent Milan Fashion Week show, where models wore sporty styles and rugby-inspired tops. This is the first time Anderson and Federer are teaming up, but both have long relationships with the Japanese retailer. Federer, 41, has been a brand ambassador for Uniqlo since 2018. This was when he broke off his long-standing deal with Nike, and started wearing Uniqlo outfits on the court. In 2018, it was reported that Uniqlo would be paying Federer around £22 million a year for the next decade. Outside of sportswear, Federer – who retired from professional tennis in 2022 – also models the brand’s lifestyle clothing. The Swiss sportsman told Uniqlo: “My style tends toward simple, muted tones and classic looks. That’s me.” Anderson – who is also the creative director of luxury fashion house Loewe – has been creating collaborative collections with Uniqlo since 2017. His most recent spring/summer Uniqlo collection was described as “a modern interpretation of quintessential British style, as always through JW Anderson’s elegant and playful lens”, and was “inspired by the traditional sports of British universities, putting an athletic twist on classic wardrobe staples”. Federer told WWD: “I’ve always wanted to have a collection perfect for playing tennis while also versatile for the other parts of daily life. “I’m fortunate that Jonathan shared this vision. Together we were able to create a stylish and comfortable line rooted in a classic tennis style. Jonathan is talented, creative and incredibly down-to-earth. It has been a pleasure to work with him on this collection.” Anderson told WWD he was “influenced by watching Roger play” when designing the clothes. He said: “We designed a collection that could be worn in an actual match, for a classic look or just as easily be worn around town. We’ve got something that feels elevated, and it is kind of timeless.” Uniqlo’s Roger Federer Collection by JW Anderson will be available in-store and online on August 28, although that might vary in different regions. Prices range from $39.90 to $89.90 (£31.20 to £70.40). Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live N-Dubz cement comeback with first new album in 13 years Irregular sleep patterns linked to harmful gut bacteria, study suggests Babies as young as four months have taste in fine art, study shows

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Ron DeSantis drew only a few dozen people to a $1 beer campaign event in New Hampshire, according to local reports. The event, held Saturday in Concord, initially drew approximately two dozen people, according to NBC News. The original price for the event — which allows voters to drink a beer with Mr DeSantis — was set at $50, but was later slashed to $1 in order to bolster turnout. The event reportedly started a half-hour late, and only 30 people were in attendance. Discussing the event on MSNBC, reporter Jonathan Allen quipped that "maybe [Mr DeSantis's campaign] should have offered something harder ... maybe half a bottle of liquor or something." He also noted that Mr DeSantis later attended a house party, which only drew about 35 attendees. Allen said that the governor's last few campaign trips have failed to draw many supporters and has resulted in numerous viral clips of the candidate looking awkward while engaging with voters. "So, he spent four days in New Hampshire, he had a couple of good events with slightly larger crowds, but maybe he met 2- or 300 people over the course of four days, which is wasted campaign time at this point in a presidential primary," Allen said. "It also says this comes on the back end of a two-day bus tour of Iowa, where we saw images and recordings of DeSantis struggling to talk with voters, to connect with them, asking a child at one point about the sugar content of his Icee." In the "Icee" incident, Mr DeSantis notes that a child is holding a frozen drink from a local store, and seems to suggest its not a healthy choice. "Oh what is that? An Icee?" he asks. "That's probably a lot of sugar, huh?" Later the same night, an 82-year-old farmer told the governor that he can't work the same acreage he used to since his wife died from cancer, and asked about his thoughts on ethanol as a renewable fuel for cars. Instead of taking the chance to offer the farmer sympathy for his struggles, Mr DeSantis launched into prepared comments about stemming "this rush to electric vehicles." Despite these incidents, Mr DeSantis's team has insisted that he is not struggling to connect with voters, painting the critical coverage as organised media hit jobs trying to undermine the governor. "The media will continue their obsession with endless clickbait stories that do nothing to inform voters, and Ron DeSantis will keep sharing his plans to declare American's economic independence and restore sanity in our country as the next president," Andrew Romeo, Mr DeSantis's campaign spokesman, said. Mr Romeo said that though "some candidates think they are entitled to the nomination, the governor will not be outworked and will fight for every vote, one day at a time." Read More DeSantis wants Kamala Harris to meet the controversial right-wing scholar behind Florida’s slavery curriculum DeSantis-controlled Disney World district abolishes diversity, equity initiatives DeSantis ducks opportunity to attack Trump’s massive campaign spending on legal fees Ron DeSantis mocked for dismal turnout at campaign event offering $1 beer Matt Gaetz calls DeSantis ‘thirsty’ for Kamala Harris invite DeSantis calls new Trump indictment ‘unfair’ - while pushing his own campaign

Keir Starmer has revealed what his last ever meal would be. In an appearance on the Table Manners podcast, hosted by Jessie and Lennie Ware, the Labour leader described what he would eat for dinner if he was to be cast out to a desert island for six months. We're not sure what it says about whether or not he is suited to be prime minister, but here's the munch. He would have a seaweed salad for starter, tandoori salmon from a restaurant in Glasgow he likes with dahl, plain naan and pilau rice, and he would finish things off with a baked lemon cheesecake. He would also have pinot grigio as his drink of choice because his wife likes it. How chivalrous. Elsewhere on the food-themed podcast, Starmer said he used to eat jam sandwiches after school and gave up meat 25 years ago "out of principle" despite loving it. His 15-year-old son brings meat into the house which tempts him but his daughter and wife are fully vegetarian. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter He said the food in the House of Commons is "nothing special" and he never really gets a lunch break. "I've had lorry loads of tuna sandwiches since I've been in this job," he said. He eats them on the road travelling or while he is working and usually gets them from Pret a Manger, which will no doubt lead to accusations he is a champagne socialist from those a bit too far on the left. He hates bananas and can't even smell them and isn't a fan of avocados either. Despite the lemon cheesecake, he doesn't really have a sweet tooth and only eats dessert "rarely". Starmer also spoke about how important family life is to him. He spends every Friday night with his family so he can see his children. He also said he "loves cooking" and uses it to unwind on a Saturday. He likes making tandoori quorn and "elaborate" pasta bakes but his teenage children can be fussy. As for politics, because that is probably just about more important for him to speak about than food (but only just), he joined the Labour Party at 16 because of a "burning sense" that there needed to be change which came from growing up with little money. "It just made absolute sense to me," he said. He said polarization in politics was "corrosive" and spoke out against tribal politicians who do not mix with the opposition. He wants the next general election to come as soon as possible because "people are really suffering now" with bills and mortgages thanks to the current Tory government and said he was driven by the desire to help the country, rather than get the Labour party into power. "For the country's sake we need it [the general election] soon," he said. We'll back him on that, even if he has weird opinions about avocados. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.