In his latest outburst against Nato allies on Truth Social, the US president said: “Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t ‌want to help open the ​Strait of Hormuz, a simple military ‌maneuver that is ⁠the single reason for the high oil ⁠prices. So easy for them to do, ‌with so ​little risk,” he wrote.

Scarlett Moffatt paid a special visit to the Puzzling World of Professor Kettlestring on Merchantgate yesterday (Wednesday), delighting guests and staff alike.

Visiting alongside her mum, sister, and young son, Scarlett spent time exploring the attraction’s immersive illusions and interactive exhibits.

Scarlett, a York St John University graduate, had already heard about the attraction prior to her visit.

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Experiencing it first-hand, she described the Puzzling World of Professor Kettlestring as “really cool,” clearly enjoying its playful and mind-bending environment.

Scarlett first found fame on Channel 4 favourite Gogglebox before being crowned ‘Queen of the Jungle’ in the 2016 series of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

The operators of the attraction which opened just over a year ago said her visit highlights the attraction’s growing reputation as a must-visit destination for families and visitors of all ages.

With its unique blend of optical illusions, puzzles, and hands-on experiences, the Puzzling World of Professor Kettlestring won New Tourism Business of the Year at the Visit York awards last week.

The actor’s Instagram page confirmed Norris’ death on Friday, March 20.

“It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning,” the statement read.

“While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.”

“To the world, he was a martial artist, actor, and a symbol of strength.

“To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family”

“He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved.

“Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives,” it concluded.

⚠️Breaking News ⚠️

Chuck Norris has passed away at the age of 86!!

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Rest easy Legend🙏 pic.twitter.com/5I5dPmkzSj

— Brandon (@LibOrNormal) March 20, 2026

The actor, who turned 86 earlier this month, was hospitalised in Hawaii on Thursday, March 19, TMZ reported.

This came just days after Norris celebrated his birthday with an Instagram post of himself boxing and training on March 10.

Norris served in the US Air Force and went on to win multiple martial arts championships.

The Delta Force actor is a black belt in Karate, Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Judo.

Norris founded his own discipline, Chun Kuk Do, and he went on to train celebrities in martial arts.

Chuck Norris, the martial arts champion who became an iconic action star and led the hit series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” has died. He was 86.

Norris was hospitalized in Hawaii on Thursday, and his family posted a statement saying he had died Friday morning:

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His late friend, actor and martial artist Bruce Lee, cast him as villain Colt in 1972’s The Way of the Dragon, and late Hollywood legend Steve McQueen then encouraged Norris to continue acting.

His most popular role came in 1993 as the titular character Ranger Cordell Walker in Walker, Texas Ranger.

After the CBS show ended in 2001, Chuck continued playing lead roles in movies until 2006, while his last major film appearance came in 2012 with The Expendables 2.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has rejected accusations that he dragged US President Trump into the war with Iran.

Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Benjamin Netanyahu also denied he “misled” Trump, saying that no-one could tell the US leader what to do.

Israel’s strike on Iran’s South Pars this week – part of the world’s largest natural gas field – led to a spike in energy prices and Donald Trump posting that he had not known about the attacks in advance.

The fallout raised questions over how united Israel and the US remain in their war aims and Netanyahu has said Trump requested there be no further such attacks on energy targets.

Iran has retaliated by striking an energy complex in Qatar and attacking other energy targets in the Gulf.

A woman, 32, and a man, 28, were arrested by Humberside Police after a quantity drugs were found in a vehicle the woman was driving in Bridlington town centre on Thursday (March 19).

The pair were detained on suspicion with intent to supply the class A drugs and the woman was also arrested on suspicion of driving whilst under the influence of drugs.

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A statement from the force said: “Both the man and the woman were interviewed and have now been released on bail whilst officers from Bridlington’s Criminal Investigation Department continue extensive enquiries.

“Proactive stops of this nature are only possible as a result of information received from the public, and we encourage you to continue speaking to us to assist us in delivering a safer, stronger community.

“Incidents such as this support the work we do collaboratively with our partner agencies as part of the Clear, Hold, Build strategy.

“You can also report online, via 101 or always call 999 in an emergency.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Now in its second year, the three-day festival is a collaboration between Blackfriars Restaurant and St Dominic’s Brewery in Newcastle – running from May 22 to 24. 

Rebecca Armstrong, general manager at Blackfriars and organiser of the event, said: “We’re delighted to bring the Beer Festival back for a second year – and with an even bigger line-up.

Blackfriars beer festival in 2025 (Image: Supplied)

“It’s a chance to toast Newcastle’s brewing heritage while supporting a charity that makes a real impact in our communities.

“Whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or simply looking for a brilliant day out, there’ll be something for everyone.”

The festival will feature eight breweries, including Flash House and Wear Beer.

Blackfriars beer festival in 2025 (Image: Supplied)

St Dominic’s, Blackfriars’ onsite brewery launched in 2024, will showcase its growing range of beers, including a Porter, Blonde and Triple alongside other styles.

Visitors can take part in tasting sessions throughout the weekend, with opportunities to meet the brewers and learn about their craft.

The event draws inspiration from medieval “Church Ales” – gatherings where brewers sold beer to raise money for community causes.

Blackfriars beer festival in 2025 (Image: Supplied)

Staying “true to that tradition”, £1 from every ticket sold will be donated to the Newcastle United Foundation.

The foundation uses the power of football to improve lives across the region.

The festival will be held in Blackfriars’ all-weather, dog-friendly Cloister Garden and promises live music from singer-songwriter Sam Rea, BBQ street food and expanded merchandise stalls.

Brewing has long been part of Blackfriars’ history.

Dominican friars brewed ale on the site centuries ago, and the location later served as a meeting place for Newcastle’s Brewers’ Guild.

Today, the festival continues the tradition by uniting the region’s brewing community.

Tickets cost £9.50 and include a St Dominic’s-branded schooner, festival brochure, and a first beer.

They are available from the Blackfriars Restaurant website or contact 0191 261 5945.

Blackfriars is located on Friars Street, Newcastle, NE1 4XN.

Updates about the beer festival can be found by following @blackfriarsrestaurant on Facebook and Instagram.

A person said it “all kicked off” on the night a car containing five teenagers crashed into a Cambridgeshire river. A teenage girl’s body has been recovered, while a man is still missing.

Emergency services were called to the crash in North Brink, Wisbech at around 8.20pm on Tuesday (March 17). A Volkswagen Polo had crashed into the River Nene along the road.

The body of Eden Bunn, 16, from Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire, was found on Wednesday (March 18). Declan Berry, 18, from Wisbech, is still missing.

Three other teenagers, including two 16-year-old girls and an 18-year-old boy, managed to escape the car and were taken to hospital. One person who lives on North Brink, and asked to remain anonymous, told CambridgeshireLive about the night of the crash.

He said: “We saw fire engines on the night, but that’s all we saw. [But] that’s when it all kicked off.”

The man described North Brink as normally a “quiet road”. However, he added: “Except it’s [currently] being used as a diversion at the moment [for Barton Road]. It’s been manic down here since.”

Searches of the River Nene continued on Friday (March 20). Tributes have been paid to Eden and Declan at the crash scene, with flowers laid on the ground.

On Thursday (March 19), Eden’s family paid tribute to her. Her family described her as the “kindest” and “most loving girl”.

They added: “Her horses – Daisy and Dolly – were her world, and she was ours. Words cannot describe the tragedy that will stay with us until we are able to meet her again.”

Declan’s family said: “We are absolutely devastated beyond words and ask for privacy during this tragic time.”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said on Friday that Congress should “preempt state AI laws” that it views as too burdensome, laying out a broad framework for how it wants Congress to address concerns about artificial intelligence without curbing growth or innovation in the sector.

The legislative blueprint outlines a half-dozen guiding principles for lawmakers, focusing on protecting children, preventing electricity costs from surging, respecting intellectual property rights, preventing censorship and educating Americans on using the technology.

The announcement comes as state governments have forged ahead on their own regulations for AI while civil liberties and consumer rights groups lobby for more regulations on the powerful technology. But the industry and the White House have pushed back, arguing that a patchwork of rules would hurt growth. Trump signed an executive order in December to block states from crafting their own regulations.

“The Trump Administration is committed to winning the AI race to usher in a new era of human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security for the American people,” the White House said Friday in announcing its framework. “Achieving these goals requires a commonsense national policy framework that both enables American industry to innovate and thrive and ensures that all Americans benefit from this technological revolution.”

Four states — Colorado, California, Utah and Texas — have already passed laws that set some rules for AI across the private sector, but the White House is calling for “strong federal leadership” to make sure the public can trust how artificial intelligence is being used in their lives. The state-level laws include limiting collection of certain personal information and requiring more transparency from companies.

As backlash against data centers has increased along with rising power prices, the White House had previously stepped up pressure on AI companies and the power sector to do more to address the issue — including having AI companies sign voluntary pledges earlier this month to build their own power generation plants.

The framework recommends against wading into the legal fights between artists and creators and the technology companies that have ingested huge amounts of copyrighted works to build AI systems that can generate new text, images and sound.

The Trump administration “believes that training of AI models on copyrighted material does not violate copyright laws,” according to the document, but acknowledges “arguments to the contrary exist and therefore supports allowing the Courts to resolve this issue.”

There are dozens of lawsuits pending from writers and publishers, visual artists, music record labels and others. Judges have largely sided with AI developers in allowing for the “fair use” of copyrighted works to create something new, but some have questioned how the materials were obtained. A federal judge in September approved a $1.5 billion settlement between artificial intelligence company Anthropic and authors who allege nearly half a million books had been illegally pirated to train its chatbot.

—

O’Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

Three victims of Provisional IRA bombings in England have discontinued their damages claim against former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams.

Their lawyers told London’s High Court their decision on Friday, the last day of the two-week trial.

The claim will be discontinued with “no order as to costs” after “proceedings developed overnight,” according to Anne Studd KC, who was representing the victims.

Mr Adams welcomed the decision, saying it “brings to an emphatic end a case that should never have been brought”.

Mr Adams, who became ​leader of Sinn Fein ‌in 1983 when it was the IRA’s political ​wing, was for many years the best-known face of the movement seeking to ​end British rule ⁠in Northern Ireland.

He had ⁠long faced accusations that he was a member ‌of the Provisional IRA, including from former members of the
paramilitary group, which ‌he has always denied.

Mr Adams was being sued for £1 in damages by three men.

The three claimants, who were injured in three IRA bombings in the 1970s and 1990s, ⁠were seeking a finding on ​the balance of probabilities that ​Adams was personally liable for ​the bombings as a senior member ⁠of the IRA.

John Clark, a victim of the 1973 Old Bailey bombing in London; Jonathan Ganesh, a 1996 London Docklands bombing victim; and Barry Laycock, a victim of the 1996 Arndale shopping centre bombing in Manchester, all alleged that Mr Adams was a leading member of the Provisional IRA on those dates.

In written submissions for the trial, Ms Studd said the three men claimed that none of the bombings “took place without the knowledge and agreement” of Mr Adams.

In his evidence, Mr Adams said he had “no involvement in or advance knowledge of” any of the bombings and that he was “glad that the IRA has left the stage”.

He accused opponents of Sinn Fein, of which he was president from 1983 to 2018, of having “repeatedly sought to conflate” the party with the Provisional IRA, stressing that they are “separate organisations”.

However, he said that while he believed in the “broad principle that people have the right to resist occupation”, he was “very, very clear that there were dastardly things that were done that should never have been done”.

His lawyer, Edward Craven KC, told the court that the evidence against Mr Adams by the victims was “extremely limited and we say bordering on non-existent”.

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He suggested that the men were using the claim to try to have a “public inquiry-style” hearing into finding historical truths and said it could constitute an abuse of the court system.

The claim should be dismissed for being brought too late, he argued.

In their evidence, the bombing victims said they did not bring claims earlier as they did not realise they could do so, could not afford to, were suffering from mental or physical injuries and feared violent reprisals.

In this statement today, Mr Adams said: “During my two days of evidence, I categorically rejected all of the claims being made.

“I am glad to have been one of those who helped bring an end to the conflict.

“I want to thank all of those who have expressed their solidarity with me and the Sinn Fein team, which worked closely with me.”

Weather warnings remain in place as Storm Therese batters the island

Holiday hotspots Tenerife and Lanzarote continue to endure heavy rains and strong winds today as Storm Therese batters the Canary Islands.

Weather warnings remain in force for all of the Spanish archipelago today, March 20, with amber alerts in place for La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria, where winds are expected to reach up to 100km/h in mountainous areas.

Meanwhile Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are covered by yellow warnings for winds reaching 70km/h. Yellow coastal warnings are in force for all of the islands with force seven winds (50-61km/h) whipping up large swells.

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A special weather advisory has been issued by Aemet, Spain’s national weather agency, and remains in place until Sunday. Forecasting the weather for today, Friday, it states: “The frontal system will finish crossing the archipelago, extending rainfall to the eastern islands.

“Heavy, and locally very heavy, showers are possible into the early morning hours, particularly in southern Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Over the next few hours, a further increase in instability is expected, with showers that may be accompanied by thunderstorms and small hail in the western islands.

“These showers could be locally heavy or very heavy and persistent on the southern and western slopes of La Palma and Tenerife. Very strong gusts of southwest wind are also expected to continue, with a probability of exceeding 90 km/h on the summits and leeward areas of the larger islands. The rough seas will continue throughout the archipelago, with waves exceeding 5 meters in the same areas as on Thursday. “

It warns that the unstable weather conditions are likely to continue into the weekend. The stormy weather has triggered a swathe of warnings from the Canary Islands government, including issuing alerts and pre-alerts for heavy rain, landslides and flooding.

Schools in the Canary Islands have closed today with no in-person teaching taking place. On Wednesday, more than 20 flights were cancelled at airports across the Canary Islands while several more were diverted. Most of them were inter-island flights.

On Tiktok people have shared an insight into the weather in the Canary Islands, with one holidaymaker describing Tenerife as ‘Baltic’. It comes as Aemet recorded the lowest temperature in Spain at Teide National Park weather station on Thursday, where temperatures dropped to -4.5C at 1am, Canarian Weekly reports. Aemet currently forecasts daytime highs of around 18-20 degrees for the Canary Islands.

TikTok user @wendy.utbfashionbeauty4 posted a video on Thursday showing cloudy skies in Tenerife. She said: “This is currently Tenerife, let me tell you it’s absolutely Baltic. There is not letting up in this weather at all. Such a shame, not seeing one person on a sun lounger, everyone’s wrapped up, in coats, anoraks, it’s absolutely freezing, there’s no warm air whatsoever.” She added: “It’s just so sad for those who are landing, the weather app just shows rain, rain, rain.”

Another TikTok user @Payne Life shared a video of storms on the horizon in Lanzarote with the caption: “PoV: you picked the worst time to go to Lanzarote”.

He said: “Have you ever seen such a bleak-looking day”, before sharing clips of the rain and sarcastically saying it’s “beautiful”. Another clip shows torrential rain at the poolside with strong gusts of wind, which he said “looks like a hurricane.”

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