The online retailer is offering £30 off during its Spring Deal Days event, dropping the price from £169 to £139 until March 16

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Amazon has undercut competing retailers with its latest price drop on Apple’s AirPods – but it won’t last long. The e-commerce giant is running its annual Spring Deal Days promotion, slashing £30 off the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.

Normally priced at £169, they’re now available for £139 – a reduction of 18%. This beats the £169 asking price at rivals including Apple, Argos and Very, though the week-long promotion ends on Monday, March 16.

These earbuds are the premium choice of the two AirPod 4 models available, as they include Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), unlike the AirPods 4 without ANC (£99). This technology blocks out ambient noise for a more immersive listening experience.

The AirPods 4 offer several fresh features absent from previous generations, including Conversation Awareness, which lowers volume automatically when you speak before returning it to normal levels. Via Adaptive Audio, the ANC responds to your environment, whilst Spatial Audio gives the sensation that sound is coming from all around you.

Apple has additionally refined the AirPods’ construction for enhanced comfort, even during prolonged wear, whilst the included charging case is said to be the smallest ever produced. When used with the case, the earbuds can provide up to 30 hours of battery life and up to five hours on a single charge, reports the Liverpool Echo, reports the Daily Star.

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Additional standout features include IP54 water resistance and ‘Find My’ compatibility, enabling users to track down their AirPods through their iPhone or iPad if they go missing. Alternatively, shoppers can purchase the identical model for £5.50 monthly through Sky Mobile’s payment scheme. The caveat is that this pricing demands a 36-month contract commitment.

For those taking advantage of Amazon’s Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation offer, shoppers have awarded them an impressive 4.6-star rating based on over 20,000 reviews.

One customer commented: “This latest generation is incredible. I upgraded from the first gen, and the difference is incredible. Active Noise Cancellation is great, and the sound is crystal clear. Battery life is excellent, the touch volume control is fantastic, and they seem durable enough to hold up well with use.”

Another remarked: “Fab AirPods. The sound quality is excellent, and they were very easy to set up straight out of the box. They connect quickly and the battery life has been great so far. They’re comfortable to wear and stay in well, whether listening to music or watching videos.”

One purchaser offered a word of warning to those outside the Apple universe, noting: “They are decent-sounding headphones, I would only get them if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, though. They connect to iPhones and iPads seamlessly, but good luck getting it to do that on anything else.”

One five-star AirPods 4 review states: “Absolute quality, perfect size, fits in the ear perfectly. Easy to use too, functions are easy to change and use, volume control is easy. I love them, the noise cancelling works really well.”

Meanwhile, another pleased customer commented: “Best headphones I’ve had, sound quality great. I struggle with noise-cancelling headphones, and the settings on these really help. I like being able to hear what’s around me and being able to cancel noise.”

The pilots of an easyJet flight to Edinburgh declared an emergency as the aircraft diverted to Manchester.

An easyJet flight has declared a mid-air emergency on route to Edinburgh Airport. Flight EJU7835 departed Amsterdam Airport Schiphol shortly before 6.15am on Thursday, March 12.

The Airbus A320 was due to arrive at Edinburgh at around 7.50am but was forced to divert to Manchester Airport. Data from flight tracking app FlightRadar24 appears to show the plane attempting to land at Edinburgh Airport before performing a ‘go-around’ – a procedure where pilots abort a landing attempt, turn around and try again.

It then turns south and heads towards Manchester before the pilot initiated an emergency procedure known as squawking 7700. The flight was the most tracked globally on FlightRadar24 before it landed at Manchester Airport at around 8.20am.

easyJet have been contacted for comment. It is currently unknown if the flight was affected by the weather after the Met Office issued a yellow warning for winds of up to 70 mph in southern, central, eastern and north east Scotland. Forecasters said in Scotland and England, gusts of 50-55mph are expected widely, while some coastal areas and places downwind of high ground could see gusts of 60mph or even 70mph in a few places.

They warned of potential delays to road, rail, ferry and air transport and said there may be some short-term loss of power and other services. However, no other flights have been unable to land at Edinburgh this morning.

Emergency response squawking 7700 means a general emergency has been declared. It can cover a range of scenarios including a technical or medical emergency. The procedure allows air traffic controllers and ground crews to respond to the emergency in the most effective manner.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Unrelenting Iranian attacks on shipping traffic and energy infrastructure pushed oil above $100 a barrel Thursday, as American and Israeli strikes pounded the Islamic Republic with no sign of an end to the war in sight.

Iran hit a container ship off the coast of Dubai, caused a blaze near Bahrain’s international airport, targeted a major Saudi oil field with a drone and forced Iraq to halt operations at all of its oil terminals after attacking its port of Basra on the Persian Gulf.

Iran flouted a U.N. Security Council resolution from the previous day demanding that it halt strikes on its Gulf neighbors with new attacks also reported in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Sirens wailed before dawn in Jerusalem as Israel intercepted incoming Iranian missiles, and loud booms were heard later in the day in another attack on the city.

Israel launched a “wide-scale wave of strikes” on Tehran and in Lebanon, where Israel says it is targeting Iran-linked Hezbollah militants, 11 people were killed in two early morning strikes.

Since the United States and Israel started the war with a Feb. 28 attack on Iran, Tehran has focused on inflicting enough global economic pain to pressure them to halt their attacks.

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that was not imminent, however, promising to “finish the job” even though he claimed Iran is “virtually destroyed.”

“We don’t want to leave early do we? We’ve got to finish the job,” he said at an event Wednesday in Kentucky.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei hasn’t yet made a statement or been seen since being chosen to succeed his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening day of the conflict. But Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian suggested online Thursday that for the war to end, the world would need to recognize Iran’s “legitimate rights,” pay reparations and offer guarantees against future attacks.

In addition to attacking energy infrastructure around the region, Iran has a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway leading from the Persian Gulf toward the Indian Ocean through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported.

With traffic in the strait effectively stopped, the price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose another 9% to more than $100 a barrel, up some 38% over what it cost when the war started.

Iran fires at Gulf Arab countries and hits ship in Persian Gulf

The U.N. Security Council voted Wednesday to approve a resolution demanding a halt to Iran’s “egregious attacks” on its Gulf neighbors, but Tehran showed no signs of changing its strategy.

As the day began Thursday, a container ship in the Persian Gulf was hit with a projectile off the coast of Dubai, sparking a small fire, according to British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center. It said the crew of the vessel were safe.

In Bahrain, an Iranian attack sparked a major fire on Muharraq Island, home to the country’s international airport. Sirens sounded again later in the morning with more incoming Iranian fire.

Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said an Iranian drone smashed into a residential building, wounding two people. The UAE said it had activated air defenses twice to protect Dubai from attacks, and firefighters extinguished a blaze at a tower in Dubai Creek Harbor after a drone hit.

Saudi Arabia said it shot down a drone targeting the diplomatic quarter of the capital, Riyadh, and also reported downing drones in the kingdom’s east, including at least one trying to target its Shaybah oil field.

Following an attack on Iraq’s Basra port Wednesday that killed at least one person, officials said Thursday that operations were halted at all the country’s oil terminals.

Farhan al-Fartousi, the director-general of the General Company for Ports of Iraq, said the attack targeted a vessel in a ship-to-ship transfer area of the Persian Gulf port.

In the UAE, CitiBank said it would close all its branches except one due to a threat by Iran, not yet realized, to target financial institutions in the region. Other financial institutions have reportedly urged their staff to work from home for the time being.

Explosions heard Jerusalem while Lebanon and Tehran are hit

In addition to the attacks on Jerusalem, in which no casualties were immediately reported, missile launches from Iran and Hezbollah also sent Israelis to shelters in multiple other areas, including Tel Aviv and the northern border with Lebanon.

An Israeli strike hit a car Thursday in Ramlet al-Bayda, a major seaside tourist area of Beirut where dozens of displaced people have been sheltering. Eight people were killed and 31 others were wounded, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. The Israeli military press office told The Associated Press it was “not aware” of a strike at that location.

In Aramoun, a town about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Beirut, another three people were killed and a child was wounded in another early Israeli attack.

In Tehran, security force checkpoints came under attack for the first time on Wednesday night, the semiofficial Fars news agency reported. At least 10 people were killed in the suspected drone assaults.

Israel and the U.S. military’s Central Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment over whether they were behind the attacks.

Casualties continue to climb as conflict continues

At least 634 people have been killed in Lebanon since the latest fighting began, the Lebanese Health Ministry said Wednesday.

The U.N. refugee agency said at least 759,000 people have been internally displaced in Lebanon.

Iranian authorities say more than 1,300 people have been killed there, and Israel has reported 12 people dead. The U.S. has lost seven soldiers while another eight have suffered severe injuries.

___

Abou AlJoud reported from Beirut and Rising from Bangkok. Associated Press writer Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel, also contributed to this report, along with AP journalists around the world.

Ashton Davis, who trains at Bishop Burton College, was awarded Best Apprentice Showing Management Potential in a Manufacturing Environment, at the National Institute of Meat (IoM) and Worshipful Company of Butchers Annual Prizegiving.

The college was also named Best Training Provider at the ceremony, which took place at Butchers’ Hall in London on February 26.

Mr Davis, who is completing his apprenticeship at Cranswick Country Foods plc, was selected from a field of apprentices across the UK.

Paul Nicholson, butchery tutor at Bishop Burton College, said: “We are incredibly proud to see Ashton recognised on a national stage.

“This award is a testament to his dedication, but it also speaks to the quality of our training for the butchery apprenticeship here at Bishop Burton College.

“We strive to provide our apprentices with the skills required to thrive in a modern industry, and seeing our students stand among the best in the country at Butchers’ Hall is the ultimate reward.”

Mr Davis received a £250 prize and a year’s honorary membership of the Institute of Meat.

Bishop Burton College was also named the Best Training Provider (Image: Bishop Burton College)

Both Mr Davis and Mr Nicholson were presented with a certificate of achievement by IoM chief executive Dave Smith and Gwyn Howells, Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers.

Mr Smith said: “Huge congratulations to Ashton Davis and also of course to Bishop Burton College and Cranswick Country Foods plc. achieving this award has meant an exceptional amount of hard work and dedication from all three.

“It’s fantastic to be celebrating today with our biggest ever audience.

“This is proof that there is a real buzz around the meat industry at the moment.

“Ashton is part of a forward thinking, innovative industry.

“With the continued support from his training provider and employer, I am sure Ashton will have a future just as bright as the industry itself.”

The IoM and Worshipful Company of Butchers Annual Prizegiving celebrates the achievements of butchery apprentices, training providers, and employers.

Nominations are vetted by a panel of industry experts, with only 12 categories awarded nationwide.

The event also marks the announcement of the next cohort of IoM-accredited Master Butchers.

Enquiries about butchery apprenticeships at Bishop Burton College can be directed to apprenticeshipenquiries@bishopburton.ac.uk.

Police said an investigation into the shooting is now in ‘critical early stages’

An investigation is underway after gunshots were blasted at a woman in Liverpool.

The shooting happened on Lime Grove, off Lodge Lane in the Toxteth area, at around 12.55am this morning (Thursday, March 12). Armed officers were scrambled to the scene.

Merseyside Police said a woman, aged in her 20s, was shot in the legs. She was taken to hospital from the scene.

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The shooting was believed to have been ‘targeted’ with the attack carried out by someone ‘known to the victim’, police added. A probe is now underway with the investigation in its ‘critical early stages’.

Forensic officers remain on the scene. A police car has been pictured stationed on the road this morning, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Detective Inspector Ainsley McAlice said: “These are the critical early stages of our investigation, and we are looking to establish exactly what happened, where it happened, and to find the person responsible.

“We understand the concern that such any such incident will have in our communities, and initially believe that this was a targeted attack by someone known to the victim. If you know anything or live locally and saw the incident or anyone making off around Lodge Lane or towards Sefton Park, please come forward as a matter of urgency.

“Your CCTV, doorbell footage or other information could be vital evidence. Officers will remain in the area today, gathering evidence and speaking to people locally to provide reassurance, so contact us directly or anonymously via Crimestoppers.”

Information can be given to Merseyside Police’s social media desk using X or Facebook Merseyside Police Contact Centre. You can also report information here https://orlo.uk/2CLH6 or by calling 101 quoting incident reference 23 of Thursday 12 March. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here.

Newcastle-based the Inn Collection Group was previously on board for the project to add a 42 bedroom hotel and restaurant on the seafront at Coatham.

But scrutiny committee members at Redcar and Cleveland Council were recently told the developer was “exploring alternative options”.

It was reported the company planned to invest about £6m in development of the project, which now appears to be in limbo.

Money from the Tees Valley Combined Authority – £294,000 – has been allocated and spent on remediating the land, off Majuba Road, in order to pave the way for construction of the hotel with the council employing a contractor for the required groundworks.

Councillors at a meeting were told that the site – located between the TunedIn! building and a crazy golf course ‘Frosty Penguin’s Putting Adventure’ which opened in 2023 – had “attracted interest from multiple investors, and potential future options may emerge”.

Meanwhile, a council spokeswoman said: “Discussions are ongoing about the future of the site.”

The fenced off site on Majuba Road which has been earmarked for a new hotel. Picture/credit: Google. Free for use for all LDRS partners.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has attempted to contact the Inn Collection Group, only to receive no response to date.

The council, which has an ongoing masterplan in place for the regeneration of Coatham, formalised a heads of terms agreement with the hotel chain in 2020 – a subject to contract framework for negotiations – and planning permission for the development was later granted.

But even then doubts had already surfaced with former council leader Sue Jeffrey questioning whether council chiefs had a “plan B” should the hotel developer pull out.

In an update delivered to the council in March 2024, Councillor Lynn Pallister, the cabinet member for growth and enterprise, appeared to confirm everything was still on track, stating that once remediation was finished “the plan is for the Inn Collection Group to begin developing the hotel”.

She added: “Coatham seafront has received a complete makeover this past year, with leisure facilities on the seafront boosting tourism in the area, and we’ll soon be welcoming a big hotel chain to complement this. 

“The Coatham area is close to Redcar’s town centre, train station and the UK’s largest industrial zone Teesworks, so the hotel will be in a great location.”

Councillor Chris Jones, who chairs the growth scrutiny committee at the council, said he had previously asked officers for an update and it would be a “real blow” if nothing was currently on the table in terms of the earmarked development.

In 2022 tourist visitors to Redcar and Cleveland contributed an estimated £216m to the local economy.

But the same year consultation responses from those working in the tourism sector to a destination management strategy published by the council highlighted how there was a “dependence on day visits”.

The borough was also said previously to have only one hotel with more than 50 rooms which would cater in larger numbers for people wishing to stay overnight.

A new hotel in Coatham was originally discussed for the Coatham green side of Majuba Road.

But following the demolition of the old Redcar Bowl venue that land was allocated for a new 5,000 seater arena project.

The ambitious plans bit the dust last year after failing to attract the required investment.

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana admitted his side were handed a reality check by Paris Saint-Germain after last night’s sobering Champions League defeat.

Liam Rosenior’s young side were more than a match for the holders and fully deserved to be on terms when Enzo Fernandez made it 2-2 shortly before the hour mark.

A catastrophic error from goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, however, presented Vitinha with the chance to restore PSG’s lead with 16 minutes remaining and two late goals from substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia left Chelsea with a mountain to climb in next week’s return fixture.

Ousmane Dembele, recently returned from injury, had earlier given Luis Enrique’s side a 2-1 lead, applying the perfect finish to a sweeping move having tied Fofana up in knots in the process.

‘It’s nothing new,’ said Fofana when asked to assess PSG’s class in attack. ‘I think everyone knows it. Last year, they were European champions, and that’s not for nothing.

‘They have a Ballon d’Or winner, they have Ousmane (Dembele), who is among the best players in the world, even now, even though he’s coming back from injury.

‘So yes, for sure, they are great players, they only have great players.’

The tie was still in the balance heading into the closing stages but the impact Kvaratskhelia made coming off the bench is likely to prove decisive with the Georgia international punishing Chelsea’s naivety.

‘We saw it, they bring on another great player (Kvaratskhelia). He hurt us, he scores two goals.

‘Was it a difficult moment? Physically, we were struggling because we pressed a lot, we tried to go man-to-man throughout the match, but they are a great team.

‘Tonight, they showed that, so hats off to them.’

Pedro Neto, meanwhile, has apologised for pushing a ball boy to the ground during a frenetic end to the game.

The incident occurred with Chelsea trailing 4-2 in stoppage time at the Parc des Princes Rosenior’s side sought a late response.

The PSG players reacted angrily after Neto wrestled the ball off the ball boy, leaving him on the ground and sparking a melee, and the Portuguese winger spoke after the match to hold his hands up.

‘I want to come out to say the situation that happened on the pitch, I want to apologise to the ball boy,’ the 26-year-old told TNT Sports.

‘I already spoke with him. With the emotions of the game, we were losing, I wanted to pick up the ball. I gave him a little push and I saw that I hurt him in a sort of way.

‘I’m not like this. I went there to apologise, I gave him my shirt as well. That cannot happen, so I’m really, really sorry about that.’

Neto escaped without any punishment from the referee, and head coach Rosenior also apologised in his post-match press conference.

“If there was anything from our side that was wrong or out of order, I apologise on behalf of the club,” he said.

It was the home side who had the last laugh, though, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scoring his second goal four minutes into stoppage time to make it 5-2 and put PSG within touching distance of the quarter-finals.

MORE: Peter Schmeichel claims £25m Chelsea star has been demoted by Liam Rosenior

MORE: Jamie Carragher urges Chelsea to replace two players after PSG defeat in Champions League

MORE: Pep Guardiola makes honest prediction over Man City’s chances of beating Real Madrid

La Cocina in Richmond closed its doors temporarily at the end of last year after the previous owners stepped down, three years after launching the restaurant.

The much‑loved venue said it was pausing trade while it looked for new owners to “secure its future.”

Taking to social media last night (March 10), staff confirmed La Cocina will reopen on March 14 at 5pm.

The post said: “We are over the moon here at Cocina to announce on March 14, we will be opening our doors again.

“Our inbox is open for bookings from now or contact the restaurant directly, we cannot wait to have our doors open again and for the staff and chef to be back in the building coming back to join our new venture.

“We want to take a moment to give a special thank you to our fantastic new owners, Chris, Lisa and Lorraine who have made this all possible and have secured our future here on Rosemary Lane.

“We also owe another thank you to our original owners, Gary and Dawn, who three years ago opened Cocina’s doors for the very first time, we wish them the very best.

“Here’s to MANY more years of Cocina.”

Since announcing the news, many long‑standing customers have taken to social media to share their excitement.

One person said: “Fabulous news. Very best wishes and loads of love to the new management. I just know you’ll be great.”

Another added: “Great news to hear that Cocina will be opening its doors again, sending best wishes to you all and good luck.”

As the website is currently undergoing a “makeover”, the owners have asked customers to book via the Facebook page, email jaelacocina@gmail.com or call 01748826576.

Rated 3.9 on TripAdvisor, the restaurant has drawn praise for its relaxed atmosphere and fresh Mediterranean dishes.

One reviewer wrote: “La Cocina has been a great place to either grab a quick, little bite or to enjoy a casual dinner with family or friends.

“They have good happy hour prices on margaritas. The quality of the food has always been fresh and delicious.”

La Cocina is based at 7 Rosemary Lane, DL10 4DP, and is a short walk from Richmond’s market place.

“But I do think the idea of a basic level of charter – I don’t know, there might be an example out there – but an overall charter that has a time length like this, I think there should be a standard provision that just goes forever, basically, until Parliament, or whatever the mechanism is, decides through recent debate – actively, actively, not passively – to say, okay, we don’t want the BBC anymore.”