The Section 34 order came into effect at 8pm on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, and will remain in force until 8pm on Friday, March 13, 2026.
Under the order, police have the power to exclude individuals from the designated area for up to 48 hours.
The notice is intended to reduce behaviour that has contributed to, or could contribute to, anti-social behaviour, crime, or disorder in the area.
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The dispersal zone covers an area bordered by Windermere Road, Chester Street, Hope Street, Henrietta Street, Church Street, Charles Street, Chapel Street (including 91–93), Leigh Road (including 162–164, Hilton Park), the A572 (Spinning Jenny Way/Market Street), A578 (Wigan Road), Parsonage Retail Park, St Helens Road, and Twist Lane.
Neighbourhood Inspector Sam Davies from Wigan & Leigh district said: “These measures are designed to stop further disorder and ensure the continued safety of residents, businesses, and visitors.
“A number of individuals involved have already been identified, and enquiries are ongoing to establish the identities of the remaining suspects.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — An American military refueling plane taking part in the operation against Iran crashed in Iraq and rescue efforts were underway, U.S. Central Command said Thursday.
It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties. A U.S. official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the developing situation, said the KC-135 aircraft that crashed had at least five crew members aboard.
The crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire, the military said in a statement, which described the plane as “a loss.”
U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said that two aircraft were involved and that one landed safely and the other went down in western Iraq.
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A second U.S. official, who similarly spoke on condition of anonymity, said the other plane involved also was a KC-135 tanker.
“More information will be made available as the situation develops,” Central Command said. “We ask for continued patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members.”
The tanker is the fourth publicly acknowledged aircraft to crash as part of the U.S. military’s operations against Iran. Last week, three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire.
All six crew members safely ejected from the F-15E Strike Eagles and were in stable condition after being recovered, the U.S. said.
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Seven American troops have been killed in combat during the Iran war so far, while about 140 U.S. service members have been injured, including eight severely, the Pentagon said earlier this week.
They died one day after the U.S. and Israel launched the military campaign against Iran on Feb. 28. The Islamic Republic has retaliated with missiles and drones against Israel and several Gulf Arab states that host U.S. armed forces.
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The seventh American service member died after being wounded during a March 1 attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia.
Trump joined grieving families for a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base when the remains of the first six soldiers were returned to the United States. Vice President JD Vance, Hegseth and others saluted the seventh flag-draped transfer case as it arrived this week at Dover.
The KC-135 tanker involved in the latest crash is based on the same design as the Boeing 707 airliner and entered military service more than 60 years ago. Like other long-serving aircraft, the planes have undergone various retrofits and upgrades over the years.
The KC-135 tankers typically have a crew of three. It’s not immediately clear what role the extra crew members were serving aboard the flight.
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According to a report from the Congressional Research Service, the Air Force last year had a total of 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve.
Six years ago, as countries around the world went into COVID lockdowns, the air got cleaner. Factories slowed down, roads emptied and aeroplanes were grounded. As people stayed home, the world burned fewer fossil fuels and so carbon dioxide emissions dropped – by around 7% in 2020.
But something else was also happening in the atmosphere. Levels of methane – an extremely potent greenhouse gas that warms the planet even faster than CO₂ – rose faster in 2020 than at any point since records began in the 1980s. And methane levels kept on rising during 2021 and 2022.
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Ever since, scientists have been trying to piece together what caused this sudden mysterious increase in methane. Now, they think they have the answer, and it was partly due to COVID lockdowns.
In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to Philippe Ciais, a researcher at the Laboratory for Climate and Environmental Sciences at Université Paris-Saclay in France, and one of the authors of a new study in the journal Science about the spike in methane levels, who explains how they solved the mystery.
The atmosphere contains a special type of cleaning agent called hydroxyl radical (OH) which is capable of breaking down methane. Ciais calls it the “pacman of the atmosphere”. The production of these OH particles is facilitated by pollution, including nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide (known collectively as NOx) from combustion processes.
“ In the chain of complex chemical reactions in the atmosphere that leads to the formation of NOx, OH is generated,” says Ciais. “When you have a reduced emission of NOx, as it was the case during the COVID, you have a weakening of OH … less concentration of this cleaning agent, and as a result, methane increasing faster in the atmosphere”.
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The study found that around 80% of the spike in methane was caused by a reduction in OH, but increases in methane from wetlands and from agriculture also played a role.
Ciais says understanding where the growth in methane came from doesn’t mean the world should go on polluting. Rather, it’s a wake-up call. “ It’s not by continuing to drive more that we will reduce methane. It’s by reducing [methane] emissions,” he said. “That’s the ultimate way we have to prevent methane from increasing and amplify the warming of the climate.”
Listen to the interview with Philippe Ciais on The Conversation Weekly podcast. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany, Katie Flood and Gemma Ware. Mixing by Eleanor Brezzi and theme music by Neeta Sarl.
Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. A transcript of this episode is available via the Apple Podcasts or Spotify apps.
Emergency services were called to the crash this morning (Thursday, March 12)
A man has been arrested after a crash involving a lorry and car. Cambridgeshire Police were called to the incident at around 8.20am today (Thursday, March 12) on Ramsey Road, near Wistow.
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Officers arrested the driver of the car, a man, on suspicion of drunk driving. However, the man has been taken to the hospital with injuries believed not to be serious.
The lorry driver was also taken to hospital. A police spokesperson said: “We were called at about 8.20am this morning to Ramsey Road, near Wistow, to reports of a collision between a car and an HGV.
“The car driver, a man, has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving but has also been taken to hospital for injuries which are not believed to be serious.” The East of England Ambulance Service transported two people to hospital.
An ambulance spokesperson said: “We were called shortly before 8.30am with reports of a road traffic collision on the B1040 in Wistow, involving a car and a lorry. Two ambulances and an ambulance officer vehicle were sent to the scene. Two patients were transported to hospital for further care.”
Ms Long said there were “political tensions” within the four-party coalition
Alliance Party leader Naomi Long has warned that her party’s continued participation in the Stormont powersharing Executive should not be “taken for granted”.
Ms Long said she would have no problem stepping away from the Executive if she believed that it had become too “threadbare” to deliver for people.
The Justice Minister also blasted the “pantomime” politics of the Assembly which she said had become more concerned with “how people dress going into the chamber than how they address each other”.
Ms Long spoke to the Press Association ahead of the Alliance Party conference on Saturday.
The cross-community party currently has two ministers in the Executive, Ms Long and Andrew Muir.
But Ms Long said there were “political tensions” within the four-party coalition.
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She said whether to remain part of the Executive or to go into opposition was something that she “continually measured”.
She said: “Being in the Executive for us is a matter of balance and choice, and so we weigh up on every occasion could we deliver more as part of the Executive than we could outside, or are we just going in and propping up something that is so dysfunctional we won’t be able to deliver anything?
“We made a decision in 2022 to go in because we felt that with the two ministers we could deliver more, I think that was the right decision.
“But that’s a balance that we don’t just make after elections.
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“That’s a balance that we continually measure, because if we get to the point where we feel that our involvement in the Executive is just propping up something that isn’t capable of delivering, that isn’t allowing us to deliver on our priorities, where we are frustrated to the point where we can’t actually do the jobs we’re there to do, then we don’t need to wait for an election to make that change.
“That’s a consideration that we’re constantly weighing in the balance.
“I would just say that nobody should take for granted our continued engagement with the Executive, either before or after the elections.
“We want to be good partners in government.
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“We want to behave constructively, we want to deliver for people of Northern Ireland but, if we’re being blocked from doing those things, if we’re not able to deliver on real change for people, then what would be the purpose of staying there?”
She added: “At the moment we are delivering much more than we could just sitting outside the executive critiquing it.”
“But if I ever felt that the executive was so threadbare that we weren’t able to continue making the change I would have no problem stepping away from that.”
The Alliance leader said she believed global politics was currently in a “negative space”.
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She said she believed standards of debate at Stormont had “declined rapidly” in the current Assembly mandate.
Ms Long said: “I think there have been standards that were taken as normal in the past that have fallen by the wayside.
“There’s been more focus, frankly, on how people dress going into the chamber than how they address each other, which should be the substantive issue of concern.
“I’m as robust as the next person. I can give it, I can take it back, but there is a certain standard with which you should have the exchanges.
“And I do think the way some of our colleagues have been spoken to, not just in Alliance, across parties, it’s just not acceptable. It’s not acceptable.”
Ms Long said there had been a “cheapening” of political discourse in the social media age.
She added: “It’s lean-in to the sort of Trump narrative, where you can say anything, you can be abusive, you can be rude, and people will still think that there’s something powerful about that, or dynamic about that.
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“I want to live in a society and I want to do politics in an environment where people are respectful, where people come to the debate not just to read a speech or to drop a zinger, but actually to listen to what their opponents think and respond to it and and hear a different perspective that might actually shape their views.
“I can’t imagine anybody would be impressed by watching the Assembly and some of the pantomime antics that go on down there.
“I can’t imagine any member of the public who sees that as hard work or diligent or professional.”
Ms Long said she understood public anger over a recent independent recommendation for a 27% pay rise for Stormont MLAs.
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She said: “We were very clear in our submission, MLA pay being raised by 27%, it isn’t sensible, it isn’t sustainable. It isn’t credible.
“Particularly when the Assembly does struggle to deliver and connect with the public, but also it isn’t reflective of what’s happening in the wider public sector, where we have real challenges in terms of our budgets and real challenges in terms of pay.
“We have argued that our pay should be linked to other public sector workers, and I think that that is the way it should be.”
Amanda Meadowcroft, 53, of Argyle Street, and Bradley Couzins, 34, of Gillibrand Street, appeared before Manchester Crown Court to be sentenced for fraudulent evasion of a prohibition by bringing into or taking out of the UK a controlled drug.
The charges relate to April 22, when Meadowcroft and her friend arrived back in the UK from the Dominican Republic, where they were met by Border Force agents.
Officers asked Meadowcroft if she had packed the two bags herself, which she denied for one bag but admitted for the other.
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Within the bags, a total of 14kg of cocaine was discovered.
However, Ben Berkson, prosecuting, said that analysis of the drugs showed that they were mostly cutting agents and had trace levels of cocaine in them.
Christopher Green, an expert witness, said that if the drugs were of a high quality, they were worth up to £294,000.
Judge Hilary Manley said: “The facts are simple, you flew from the Dominican Republic to Manchester with luggage that contained cocaine.
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“It was of low purity, and it appeared you had been duped.
“The fact that the cocaine was of low purity is neither here nor there. I will temper [your sentence] to a degree to reflect that purity was low.”
A phone seized from Meadowcroft revealed communication with her son, who had arranged the travel, passports and transport from the airport.
Additionally, within the phone, it showed messages which, Amy Weir, mitigating, argued showed that Couzins had been intimidating and threatening his mother to import the drugs.
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However, Mr Berkson argued that it did not match the messages.
He said: “Couzins is the organiser, directing Meadowcroft and her friend to carry out the offence; she was misled about the nature of the packages.
“Whilst he has appeared to direct Meadowcroft, the crown is of the view that they both played a significant role in the enterprise, and the idea that she was engaged through pressure, coercion, does not match with the messages.”
As a result, Couzins was arrested on August 7 after he had assaulted an emergency worker while trying to smash his phone that had fallen from his pocket.
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Mr Berkson added that at the time of the offending, Meadowcroft had already been serving a suspended sentence for importing 30kg of cannabis, and she admitted that she had breached her suspended sentence.
Kristian Cavanagh, mitigating for Couzins, said that he had been engaging well since getting into prison, particularly with his work and with a trauma therapist at the prison.
He added that since he had a son of his own, he was looking to lead a law-abiding life.
Ms Weir said Meadowcroft was remorseful for her actions and, having been a drug user herself, expressed genuine remorse that she was now involved in a system that exacerbates issues for users.
She said: “This is a remorseful defendant, she used the word ashamed and ashamed she is involved in this offending for the second time.
“She has had issues with drug dependency and has had a difficult time in relation to drug use.
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“She does express genuine shame that she is involved in a system that exacerbates the issues she has as a drug user.
“She has two children and grandchildren, and she is motivated to be a productive member of society, but she knows she is letting them down.”
A tearful Meadowcroft apologised profusely as she was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, while Couzins was sentenced to seven and a half years’ imprisonment.
Charles Lee, NCA Senior Investigation Officer, said: “This criminal family went to great lengths to source and smuggle class A drugs into the UK.
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“The duo planned and executed an operation born out of greed, culminating in a violent assault on an NCA officer. Thankfully the officer made a full recovery.
“Alongside key partners such as Border Force and Lancashire Police, the NCA will continue to disrupt supply chains and bring criminals like Meadowcroft and Couzins to justice.”
“Joe was a much-loved son, brother and partner, his unnecessary death has left an immeasurable chasm in our lives.”
22:12, 12 Mar 2026Updated 22:13, 12 Mar 2026
The family of a soldier who died of a gunshot to the head while waiting to go on a firing range have paid tribute to a “much-loved son, brother and partner”.
Lance Corporal Joe Spencer, 24, from Hampshire, was killed on November 1 2016 when an L115A3 sniper rifle fired a round while he was sheltering from the rain in an Iso shipping container at the Tain Air Weapons Range in the Scottish Highlands. At the end of a seven-day inquest in Winchester, the jury of five women and six men returned a narrative conclusion which said the exact circumstances of how the gun went off remained a mystery.
The jury concluded on Wednesday that “inconsistent range management and adherence to safety procedures” led up to the incident. Speaking on behalf of the family, L/Cpl Spencer’s father, Graham Spencer, said the inquest was “incredibly difficult” but was “something we needed to do to honour Joe’s memory”.
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He added that the family “remain disappointed that not all of those tasked with the safe delivery of the course gave full evidence in court”. Mr Spencer said: “Joe was a much-loved son, brother and partner, his unnecessary death has left an immeasurable chasm in our lives.
“He was our youngest son and we miss him more each day. Joe was kind and compassionate, always smiling, with a quick wit and dry sense of humour.
“Despite being badly injured while serving in Afghanistan, he fought back with incredible determination to continue the career he loved. That was the measure of Joe.
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“It’s more than nine years since Joe was taken from us, however the passage of time has done nothing to ease the grief and sense of loss we feel. It has been hard to focus on remembering our Joe and the wonderful memories we have of him, because so much of our energy has gone into trying to establish the events that contributed to his death.
“The length of time this has taken has been incredibly difficult for the whole family. We’re grateful to Joe’s colleagues who attended the inquest and gave evidence in person. It was clear from their accounts that Joe was a highly capable and well‑respected soldier.”
The youngest of three brothers, L/Cpl Spencer joined the British Army in 2011, and became a member of 3rd Battalion The Rifles. He was deployed abroad on a number of occasions, including operations in Afghanistan, where he was seriously wounded in a grenade attack.
After 18 months of care following the Afghanistan incident, L/Cpl Spencer returned to operational duties and was promoted to the rank of lance corporal in May 2015. The following month he bought a home with his partner.
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Many of the papers lead on Iran’s attacks on British troops at airbases in Iraq and accusations Russia is helping Iran. “Hidden hand of Putin”, reads the Guardian’s headline, quoting UK Defence Secretary John Healey and referring to Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin. It writes Iranian drone pilots are “using methods learned on Ukraine battlefield”, while Russia also benefits “from oil price rise to fund war with Kyiv”.
“UK points to Kremlin following attack on base” says the Times, which also leads with Healey’s “hidden hand of Putin” quote. In a separate story on the front page, the paper splashes: “3D printers could provide personalised hospital food.” It writes edible inks – a science in its early stages – could be used “to build foods layer by layer, creating customised shapes, textures and nutritional profiles”.
The i Paper calls the Middle East conflict “the oil war”, as the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, “vows to make the world pay for Trump’s bombs by blockading shipping”. The UK military “is planning to protect ships in the Strait of Hormuz ‘with major allies’”, with sources telling the paper “Royal Marines have been told they may be deployed at short notice”.
Whether you are a fan of any of the many football teams he managed or, even, the reality TV show I’m a Celebrity… these days in his south-coast retirement Harry Redknapp is a national treasure. Even impartial observers will be watching to see if his horse, The Jukebox Man, can win the blue riband of jump racing, the Boodles Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
But, to borrow from footballing parlance, it is no tap-in for the Ben Pauling-trained eight-year-old who comes in unbeaten in all four starts over fences culminating in the-King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, his last start.
That day the first four all finished within half a length of each suggesting there is not much between The Jukebox Man, who admirably fought back after losing a length at the last, Gaelic Warrior, who was third that day, and the eye-catching finisher Jango Baie in fourth.
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The Jukebox Man will be attempting to do it for Harry, England and St George and Pauling settled his nerves after a difficult week when Meetmebythesea won yesterday.
However, the Willie Mullins stable form – five winners this week so far – means Gaelic Warrior, the trainer’s only representative, will be sent off favourite to give him a fifth win in the race and colourful owner Rich Ricci, who won Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle with Lossiemouth, a first. Patrick Mullins has been saying for a year this is a Gold Cup winner.
Cheltenham Festival day 4 tips and results
1.20: JCB Triumph Hurdle
Marlborough’s tip:SELMA DE VARY
Marcus Armytage’s tip:MINELLA STUDY Unbeaten in three starts, one of them at Cheltenham, for small northern yard
Charlie Brooks’ tip:PROACTIF Hard to see why Willie Mullins’ favourite should be beaten by any of his other runners – had plenty in hand last time
2.00: William Hill County Handicap Hurdle
Marlborough’s tip:JUBILEE ALPHA
Marcus Armytage’s tip:ABSURDE Mixes it on the flat and over jumps, winner of this two years ago, third last year, should be there or thereabouts again
Charlie Brooks’ tip:BOWENSONFIRE Tough as anything and very consistent
2.40: Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Steeple Chase
Marlborough’s tip: PANIC ATTACK
Marcus Armytage’s tip:PANIC ATTACK Has already had a sensational season winning some key races, she can win this on the way to the Grand National
Charlie Brooks’ tip:DINOBLUE She has a fair bit in hand on official ratings
3.20: Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Marlborough’s tip:THEDEVILUNO (Nap)
Marcus Armytage’s tip:MONDOUI’BOY Improving Ascot winner who looks like he will find more improvement for extra half-mile
Charlie Brooks’ tip:MONDOUI’BOY Irish will be hard to beat here, but he was good at Ascot
4.00: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup
Marlborough’s tip:THE JUKEBOX MAN
Marcus Armytage’s tip:JANGO BAIE As long as he stays, appears to have a touch of class
Charlie Brooks’ tip:THE JUKEBOX MAN (Nap) Did well to win the King George at Kempton, this stiffer track will suit him
4.40: Princess Royal Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Steeple Chase
Marlborough’s tip:STATTLER
Marcus Armytage’s tip:WRAPPEDUPINMAY If it has rained all night the ground may have come for him
Charlie Brooks’ tip:PANDA BOY Shrewd trainer, won going away last time
5.20: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Marlborough’s tip:EAST INDIA EXPRESS
Marcus Armytage’s tip:AIR OF ENTITLEMENT Winner at the meeting last year for Henry de Bromhead, dropping back to handicap gives her a big chance
Charlie Brooks’ tip:ROC DINO Very consistent in an open race
Gold Cup runner-by-runner
Envoi Allen Eighth consecutive appearance at the Cheltenham Festival for this 12-year-old. First try over this Gold Cup trip and he’d need a career best to outstay some of his younger rivals at this stage.
Firefox Has had stamina doubts from an early age and whilst he ran respectably in the Irish Gold Cup on his last start, it would take a big effort to improve on that upped even further in trip.
Gaelic Warrior Has become more consistent with experience. Hugely talented and capable of beating this field, but he will need to settle and jump well to be the strongest finisher over this stiff, three-mile-plus trip.
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Gold Tweet French raider who was fancied to run well at the Festival three years ago. Not become a top-class performer since then and has a lot to find on the Official Ratings here.
Grey Dawning Comes into this a fresh horse which has always been the plan. Yet to prove he can beat a few of these but expect an improved performance from last time. Will need to be foot perfect over his jumps, which has sometimes let him down late in races.
Haiti Couleurs Seems to enjoy running from close to the front so will need the race to suit on the stiffer New Course. Acts on any ground but may want rain to come to suit his run style and slow some of his opponents.
Inothewayurthinkin Had a poor season up to now but recent reports suggest he’s coming back to himself. Trainer capable of readying one off such a campaign. However, this edition of the Gold Cup is stronger than last year and will need to be at his peak to win again.
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Jango Baie Confirmed he stayed three miles on his last start in the King George. Beaten by two of these that day and does need the even longer trip and stiffer track to bring about more improvement to reverse the form – general consensus is he will but he’s a strong traveller and it’s not a foregone conclusion.
L’Homme Presse Ran with credit behind a couple of Friday’s opponents this year. A regular in this event and best chances to win perhaps come and gone. If the rain doesn’t arrive he’s likely to be tapped for speed at the business end of the race.
Spillane’s Tower Bounced back at Cheltenham last start which put concerns about the track to rest. Enjoyed the soft ground that day and won’t have enjoyed the recent, settled forecast. A chance if they see rain.
The Jukebox Man Lightly raced stayer who should be primed for this race. He has a good blend of speed and stamina, seems ground versatile and confirmed his ability when winning the King George last time. He’s a bold jumper from near the front, so his jockey, Ben Jones, won’t want to commit his mount too early, but the horse a typical type for this race.
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Big-race trends
Triumph Hurdle Nine of the last 12 winners were trained in Ireland, and eight of them ran in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown – four of those won that race, the other four placed. Being a juvenile race, experience is something to consider here, with 10 of the last 12 winners having at least one win over hurdles. However, last year’s 100/1 winner Poniros went against all trends; he had never run over hurdles before.
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Stay away from the top of the market in this one. None of the last 12 winners returned as favourite, with just two winning after being sent off in the top three in the betting. Indeed, 10 out of the last 12 winners were priced 11/1 or higher. This is another race, much like the Stayers’ Hurdle, in which being tried and tested at the trip is paramount. All but one of the last 12 winners have won at least once over three miles.
Cheltenham Gold Cup The big one and a race in which it has paid to back favourites on the whole. Willie Mullins and Henry de Bromhead have trained six of the past seven winners of this race. The starting-price favourite has won four of the previous six Gold Cups, while the favourite has only finished outside the top four once in the last 10 renewals. Each of the last 12 winners has been aged between seven and nine.
Cheltenham Festival day 4 ground and weather
Going Good, good to soft in places.
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Weather Light rain showers and a moderate breeze, 9C.
Betting on Cheltenham?
There’s a lot of competition between bookmakers for customers during the festival and they will often run their best promotions of the year, especially earlier in the week. Take a look at these Cheltenham betting offers to find free bets to use throughout the week.
How to watch Cheltenham Festival day 4
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the first five races of the day on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 12.45pm GMT every day until 5pm GMT. The races can also be streamed via ITVX. There is a preview show each morning from 9am GMT to 10am GMT which is shown on ITV4 and ITVX.
The final race of each day will not be shown on ITV but will be live on Racing TV. Subscriptions for the channel, which shows every race from the Festival, are available through Sky and Virgin Media and online through its website and app.
Paramedics were called to a property in March after the parents of a three-month-old baby found him not to be breathing, an inquest opening has heard. Cambridgeshire Police were called by the East of England Ambulance Service to a property on St John’s Chase in March at around 11am on January 3.
Atijus Elertaitis spent five days in hospital in a life-threatening condition before he died on January 8. The inquest into his death was opened by Coroner Elizabeth Gray at Vantage House on Thursday, March 12.
The inquest heard paramedics attended and carried out 90 minutes of resuscitation before transporting Atijus to Peterborough Hospital. Atijus was then transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital where he was found to have “a bleed on the brain” and “no brain activity”.
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A woman, 25, and a man, 22, both from March, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. They were both re-arrested on Thursday, January 8, on suspicion of murder.
The pair have been released on bail until April 4. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Ms Gray said that the cause of Atijus’ death is “currently pending”. The inquest has been suspended.
Attack at Michigan synagogue was ‘targeted act of violence against the Jewish community,’ says FBI
The FBI is investigating an attack on a synagogue in Michigan as an ‘act of targeted violence against the Jewish community.’ Chief Dale Young of the West Bloomfield Township Police confirmed that the attacker rammed his vehicle into the building and was killed by security guards on site.
The motive for the incident, which took place at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, is still under investigation, according to local authorities. The major synagogue also operates a preschool, according toMLive. No kids or staff members were injured, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard told reporters earlier in the day.
“We have no victims other than one of the lead security people, who was hit by the car and was taken to the hospital for treatment. That individual should be OK,” he told reporters.
The suspect’s car had mortars inside, CNN reports, citing law enforcement sources.
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Bouchard confirmed the suspect drove a vehicle into the building and that “security did engage the suspect with gunfire.” He did not confirm the suspect’s cause of death.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and multiple other agencies are at the scene. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed federal agents are also responding to the incident, which he described as an “apparent vehicle ramming and active shooter situation.”
On Thursday afternoon, President Donald Trump said he’s been “fully briefed” on the incident, which he described as “a terrible thing.”
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WATCH: Michigan lawmaker: ‘We have to stand up to hate’ after 3 religious attacks
Dingell: ‘We have to stand up to hate’ after 3 religious attacks
Graig Graziosi13 March 2026 01:00
Michigan lawmaker who attends Temple Israel says she is ‘absolutely shaken’ following attack
Michigan state Representative Samantha Steckloff said the Thursday attack on her place of worship, Temple Israel, has left her “absolutely shaken.”
She told CNN that she lives approximately four miles from the synagogue, and said antisemitic attacks were on the rise.
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“When you have so many people blaming the Jewish community across the world for a war that is being done in the Middle East, the divisiveness you have seen boil up for the past few years was just almost ripe for the picking,” Steckloff said.
Graig Graziosi13 March 2026 00:40
FBI Special Agent Jennifer Runyan said more than 100 bureau agents responded to the attack on the Temple Israel synagogue in Michigan on Thursday.
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During a press briefing on Thursday evening, Runyan said that various agents — including bomb specialists and members of its evidence collection and weapons of mass destruction teams — were assigned to work on the attack.
She said the agents are “pursuing diligently and methodically every lead that we have.”
Graig Graziosi13 March 2026 00:20
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Oakland County sheriff vows to protect Jewish community in Michigan
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said during a Thursday night press conference that law enforcement entities in Michigan would work to protect Jewish institutions from further attacks.
“If you think you can target the Jewish community in this county or anywhere in this state, you’re wrong,” he said during the briefing. “We’re going to not only stand in front of them to protect them, we’re coming for you.”
Graig Graziosi13 March 2026 00:00
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Michigan attorney general worries antisemitic attacks will scare people away from visiting synagogues and other Jewish institutions
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Thursday that she fears antisemitic attacks like the one at Temple Israel will dissuade Americans from visiting Jewish synagogues and cultural institutions.
She also said she believes the Iran War influenced Thursday’s attack.
“I think we can absolutely draw a nexus between the war in Iran and the events of today,” Nessel said. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that out of all the synagogues or temples that this individual could have picked, he picked the one that is named Temple Israel.”
Graig Graziosi12 March 2026 23:25
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Report claims that vehicle used in synagogue attack allegedly registered to a man originally from Lebanon whose family members were killed in Israeli airstrikes
A CNN report, citing unnamed law enforcement officials, is claiming that the vehicle used in Thursday’s synagogue attack was registered to a man from Dearborn Heights, Michigan, who is originally from Lebanon.
According to the law enforcement sources who spoke to the network, the man had mentioned to others in the community that Israeli airstrikes had killed some of his family members in Lebanon since the start of the war in Iran.
This report is not confirmed, and the attacker has not been identified by law enforcement.
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Lebanese authorities claim that more than 800,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon following Israeli airstrikes. Shortly after the war in Iran erupted, Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel.
Graig Graziosi12 March 2026 23:22
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani calls attack ‘horrifying’ as NYPD ramps up patrols near Jewish religious and cultural sites
On Thursday, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani denounced the attack on the Temple Israel synagogue in Michigan as “horrific,” saying that his “thoughts are with the congregation and all who are shaken by this act of antisemitic violence.”
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The New York Police Department also announced it will dispatch “high-visibility patrols to Jewish religious and cultural institutions in the city.”
Graig Graziosi12 March 2026 23:10
Oakland County sheriff says attacker’s motive is still under investigation
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said that the motive of the person who attacked the Temple Israel synagogue on Thursday is still under investigation, and acknowledged that there questions as to whether or not the attack is related to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.
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“Obviously what happens around the world sometimes affects us,” he said during a Thursday evening briefing, but cautioned against anyone jumping to conclusions.
“What drove this person into action that has to be determined by the investigation,” Bouchard said. “We can presume, but we have to find those facts, and that’s going to happen over the next days in time.”
Graig Graziosi12 March 2026 22:51
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FBI says attack is being investigated as a ‘targeted act of violence against the Jewish community’
FBI Special Agent in charge of the Detroit field office Jennifer Runyan said during a Thursday night press briefing that the bureau is investigating the Temple Israel attack as a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.”
The bureau is also asking for anyone with images or video of the attack to send it to them via a digital tip line.
Runyan did not provide identifying information about the attacker or their motive.
The FBI will provide another update sometime tomorrow.
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Graig Graziosi12 March 2026 22:38
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard says 30 law enforcement officers in hospital for smoke inhalation
During a press briefing on Thursday, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said that 30 law enforcement officers had to be treated for smoke inhalation caused by a fire during the attack at a synagogue in Michigan.
He said that a private security guard was injured and is being treated after being knocked down by the attacker’s vehicle.