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Billy Connolly mocks misguided reports of his “demise” in an extract from his new autobiography. The Scottish actor and retired stand-up comedian, nicknamed “The Big Yin”, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013. Parkinson’s is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. Often, the disease can become more severe over time. During an interview published in September, it was revealed that Connolly had suffered “a couple of serious falls” and once broke his hip as a result of deteriorating balance. He also expressed having difficulties with walking. Despite these growing physical challenges, the What We Did on Our Holiday star clearly maintains a positive outlook about his health. In his new memoir, Rambling Man: Life on the Road, Connolly clarifies that he doesn’t feel “close to death”. “You see, reports of my recent demise have been greatly exaggerated,” he states in an extract shared with The Telegraph. “There was a week a few years ago where on Monday I got hearing aids, Tuesday I got pills for heartburn, and Wednesday I received news that I had prostate cancer and Parkinson’s disease. But despite all that, I never ever felt close to dying.” Connolly also writes about his feelings of comfort when in a cemetery, and how he reliably makes an effort to attend funerals. He recalls his manager being bewildered by his commitment, telling him: “Billy – even if you haven’t seen someone for 25 years and they die in another country you’ll jump on a plane.” “I just like to see people off,” the comic explains. “It’s important to me. Boys from school. Apprentices from the Clyde. Welders. It’s a bit like a school reunion. Seeing all the people from that place and time – that world I was once part of.” Five years after his diagnosis, Connolly retired from his stand-up career due to the increasing difficulties of the illness, and has previously offered insight into the realities of living with Parkinson’s. Though he said he does not feel close to dying yet, he has spoken with his wife, psychologist Pamela Stephenson Connolly, about the message he’d like on his gravestone when the time comes. He wrote: “I was thinking I’d like: ‘Jesus Christ, is that the time already?’ on mine, but my wife Pamela was shaky about it, so we settled on ‘You’re standing on my balls!’ in tiny wee writing.” Rambling Man: Life on the Road is out now. Read More Billy Connolly says ‘cruel’ Parkinson’s disease has made it difficult to walk Sir Billy Connolly unveils four new drawings for sale Prince William reveals he can’t handle overly spicy food or he’ll ‘start sweating’ Billy Connolly says ‘cruel’ Parkinson’s disease has made it difficult to walk How to get rid of bedbugs: Signs and symptoms amid threat of UK invasion Dawn O’Porter: ‘I fantasise about the other side of menopause’

Majority Leader Steve Scalise is scrambling to lock down the votes to become the next House speaker, but protracted opposition to the Louisiana Republican inside the GOP conference could ultimately derail his bid.

A single ticket, sold north of Los Angeles, is the second-largest lottery win in history.

US citizens are also among the hundreds of people taken hostage by the Palestinian militant group.

BERLIN Germany will ban the pro-Palestinian group Samidoun, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday, adding that its members

SYDNEY Australians are set to overwhelmingly say 'No' to a proposal to constitutionally recognise the country's Indigenous people

The brutal rampage by Islamist militant group Hamas on Israel last weekend involved thousands of rockets and missiles, drones dropping explosives, and untold numbers of small arms and ammunition.

Knowing her limits is a “revelation”, says Dawn O’Porter, something she discovered in her mid-40s. For the former TV presenter and author – her latest book, Cat Lady, which was released in October last year – it’s something she’s had to learn. “I love drinking booze and eating really indulgent food, but I’m also really into health stuff as well,” she says. “I’m one of those people that’s really good – if I go to a party and it gets to 10:30pm [and] I’m not really feeling the booze, I just stop drinking – but I can stay out until two in the morning. I’m able to turn it off, and I don’t overindulge when I’m done – which I think is a real mid-40s revelation. “I know my limits – I go to everything, I do everything, I just stop when I know I’m done.” For O’Porter, 44, who shares two sons, Art, eight, and Valentine, six, with actor husband Chris O’Dowd, becoming a mother helped shift her perspective. “Since I’ve had kids, I know that I’m going to get woken up at six o’clock in the morning – you’ve got to make better decisions,” she says. “Like everybody, if I don’t do the work, I don’t get paid – and I don’t have the luxury where I can’t get paid. I have to be at my desk at 10 o’clock in the morning, and before I’ve got to my desk I’ve had to feed two humans, get them dressed, get them to school, walk two dogs, pull the house together and do all this stuff. “I know now that when I go on a big night out – which I do all the time, I love it – the next day is a write-off, so I can only do that once a week. It used to be three or four times a week, and it didn’t affect me in the same way. “I definitely feel like it’s a great thing to get to an age when you know what you can and can’t handle.” This “willpower” is something she admits she “didn’t used to have”. But dedicating time to her wellbeing is important, as being in your 40s is a “weird time”, she admits. “You know what’s coming – menopause is coming. What are we in for? So I feel like I’m going to do my very best for myself until that happens. It might be fine, it might not – I don’t know.” O’Porter adds: “It feels nice to go into it in the best health you can be. I’m not an exercise person – I get really into Pilates for two months and never do it again – so I’m consistent about healthy food and skincare and all that kind of stuff.” She’s reminded of a speech Kristin Scott Thomas makes about menopause in the BBC black comedy Fleabag, where she says: “It is horrendous, but then it’s magnificent – something to look forward to.” O’Porter adds: “As someone who has had cramps and really suffered for so much of my life, I fantasise about the other side of menopause – it’s like this giant mountain you have to get over. “I might smooth through it and not even know it’s happening, or I might be one of those people who has a very difficult time – I’ve got no idea. I just want to feel good when I go into it. “I do feel like there’s this freedom on the other side – I’ll be rid of all the things that have weighed me down physically for so many years, and be pain-free and happy.” A healthy diet is particularly important for O’Porter, who can’t eat gluten because it causes her “quite severe pain”. She says: “I have to think about food a lot more than people who can eat gluten – I really read packages and all that stuff. And I’m obsessed with my skin – I really try and eat food that’s really, really good for my skin.” Other aspects of her self-care routine include taking supplements (“If somebody says it stimulates collagen, I’ll literally buy 10 of it!”), taking Epsom salt baths and carving out the time to read before bed. “I think that’s really looking after myself, [so] when I have nights where I’m completely hedonistic and start drinking at 10 o’clock in the morning and don’t get home until four, that’s fine. Because I take care of myself the rest of the time, I think my face survives the hangovers and the dehydration.” After 15 years living in America, in June this year, O’Porter and her family moved from Los Angeles to London – and she couldn’t be happier to be back. “There’s quite a transient vibe to LA, because very few people are born and bred there – there are some, obviously, but most people have come out for some sort of work experience they’re having. They either stay or go, and there’s this constant movement of people. “It was hard to imagine getting older there and settling, there was always this feeling of no matter who we’ve got in our lives, they will come and go – and that unsettled me in the last few years.” Back in London, “Everything I do is an investment in the future of living here, which feels really lovely,” O’Porter enthuses. “Every relationship I make – all my girlfriends or my mum friends – everybody is here for keeps.” She’s particularly looking forward to spending Christmas on this side of the world. “I started planning Christmas months ago – where we’re going to be, what we’re going to do, because ultimately, I love hosting it. I love doing the whole thing myself.” She’s hoping to host this year, and foresees absolutely no festive pressures, saying: “It doesn’t stress me out at all, I’d say it’s me at my absolute best. “I cook like Christmas Day on every Sunday for lots of people, I love it so much. I get really into it and I start drinking about 10 in the morning – it makes it more fun – we play Christmas songs and get the wine going early and cook all day.” Plus O’Porter – who is offering shopping consultations in collaboration with Etsy ahead of Christmas – is extremely easy to buy for. “I’m really easy. I genuinely say this from the bottom of my heart – go on Etsy and put in ‘cat’ and you can get me anything, any handmade anything – if it’s got my name on it, even better, with a cat on it. I am so simple.” To find thoughtful gifts for loved ones this Christmas and beyond, head to etsy.com/uk. Read More Everything you need to know about bedbugs as increase in numbers is predicted PE ‘enjoyment gap’ widens for girls: Why it matters and how we can help The psychology of Big Brother: How to survive in the house How to support someone coming out in their 30s and beyond Israel-Hamas conflict: How to talk to teenagers about distressing news stories Autumn décor ideas for a seasonal refresh

Kim Jong-un wrote to Vladimir Putin promising to boost ties as North Korea and Russia marked the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations. The North Korean leader congratulated the Russian president on his victory over what he called “hegemony and pressure from imperialists”. He also wished his Russian ally luck in resisting pressure from their common nemesis West over Ukraine. "I hope that the Russian people, who have set out to build a strong nation, will always achieve only victory and glory in their struggle to protect the country’s sovereignty, dignity, security and peace by crushing the imperialists’ persistent hegemonic policy and anti-Russia scheme to isolate and stifle it," the North Korean leader said, as reported by Pyongyang’s state media KCNA. He added that he was extremely satisfied with their "candid, comprehensive" talks during recent visit to Russia’s far east last month. Mr Kim said he is pledging to further develop relations to a "new height". He expressed the “firm belief that the bilateral friendship and solidarity and cooperation, consolidated generation after generation and century after century, will steadily develop onto a new level in the future, too”. Mr Putin also sent a letter to Mr Kim and said their latest meeting was more evidence of developing ties. "I am convinced that to implement the agreements will contribute to further expanding the constructive bilateral cooperation for improving the well-being of the peoples of the two countries and ensuring security and stability in the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia as a whole," the Russian president said. The exchange of letters between the two allies comes nearly a month after Mr Kim made an elaborate six-day visit to Russia, breaking his self-imposed lockdown on foreign visits. Both leaders, united in their fight against the West, discussed military cooperation, a speculated weapons deal and North Korea’s satellite programme. Foreign officials suspected that the North Korean leader was seeking sophisticated Russian weapons technologies in return for the munitions to boost his nuclear programme as recent satellite photos showed a sharp increase in rail traffic along the North Korea-Russia border. A minimum of 73 rail cars with packages covered in tarpaulin left for Russia in the first week of October, sparking wide speculation that North Korea was now aiding Russia in military equipment. Officials in the US and South Korea warned that North Korea and Russia would face consequences if they went ahead with the reported weapons transfer deal in violation with UN Security Council resolutions that ban all weapons trade involving North Korea. Read More US aircraft carrier arrives in South Korea as North's leader Kim exchanges messages with Putin Satellite images show spike in border activity as North Korea ‘supplies weapons to Russia’ for Ukraine war A surge in rail traffic on North Korea-Russia border suggests arms supply to Russia, think tank says North Korea vows strong response to Pentagon report that calls it a 'persistent' threat North Korean leader urges greater nuclear weapons production in response to a 'new Cold War'

New York is dramatically expanding a legal marijuana market plagued by a sluggish rollout of retail stores

The South Asian neighbours are fierce rivals on the cricket pitch - but share camaraderie outside of matches.

It comes after the first meeting of Israel's emergency government, formed on Wednesday.