People are being warned to be vigilant about scam texts amid the meningitis outbreak, after reports of fake NHS texts – but there’s an easy way to stay safe

Fraudsters are exploiting the fear and uncertainty surrounding the meningitis outbreak to swindle Brits out of their hard-earned cash.

A meningitis outbreak erupted in Kent earlier this month, triggering a national emergency as two individuals succumbed to the infection following an outbreak linked to Canterbury’s Club Chemistry nightclub. As of 22nd March, there have been 20 confirmed cases and nine suspected instances of meningococcal disease, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirming no new infections in the past 24 hours.

In response to the outbreak, the UKHSA, in collaboration with NHS England, orchestrated a vaccination programme against the specific strain of meningitis, known as MenB, responsible for the outbreak. The vaccine was offered to certain groups, including those who have been in close contact with the 29 confirmed or suspected cases, students at the University of Kent residing at the Canterbury campus, and anyone who was working at the Club Chemistry nightclub between 5th March and 15th March.

However, in the aftermath of the outbreak, it’s reported that scammers are attempting to capitalise on the health fears many people are experiencing, aiming to pilfer their money by masquerading as the NHS.

According to a TikTok user named Caroline, who regularly posts scam alerts and advice on her account, some individuals have reported receiving bogus text messages from people purporting to be the NHS, requesting them to schedule a MenB vaccine appointment.

These messages appear “incredibly convincing”, and with people worried about their health – particularly with the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown still vivid in people’s memories – it’s probable that more than a few individuals will be caught out.

However, there’s one straightforward method to verify the message is legitimate. The NHS will never request payment for a vaccine, so if you receive a text or email asking you to hand over cash in return for a MenB vaccine, this is not an authentic message.

Caroline explained: “Scammers are using the recent meningitis outbreak to scam people, and it’s incredibly convincing, so you need to be on your guard. Whenever there’s a health scare in the UK, whether it be Covid, monkeypox or meningitis, scams always spike. During previous health campaigns, thousands of fake NHS messages were reported, and people lost hundreds of pounds.

“So here is what’s happening now; make sure you don’t fall for it. You might get a text message saying it’s from the NHS, saying you have been exposed to meningitis, and you need to book to get your vaccine to make sure you’re safe. Or a WhatsApp message saying meningitis is prevalent in your area and asking you to click a link. Or an email saying you’ve been exposed to it and you need to click the link to schedule an appointment.

“The scary thing is, these messages can look identical to what the NHS would send. But some important things to note are that the NHS will never ask you to click a link and pay to get a vaccine. Or to share personal details or bank information via a link.”

Whilst the NHS may request you to click links to schedule appointments, they will never ask for money or personal details beyond your date of birth. To be on the safe side, you can directly visit the NHS website or use the NHS app, where any legitimate requests for you to make a booking should be visible.

Who is currently eligible for the MenB vaccine?

The UKHSA, NHS England, and the UK government are jointly running a targeted vaccination programme against MenB. The programme might be extended as the UKHSA continues to evaluate the ongoing risk of the outbreak, but it is currently only available to certain groups of people, including:

• Close contacts of those who are confirmed or suspected to have meningococcal disease.
• Students at the University of Kent who normally reside on the Canterbury Campus. This includes those who have travelled home, and also some staff living or working in these halls of residence.
• Students who attend other universities in Canterbury, living in halls of residence or off-campus locations, where there have been cases.
• Sixth form students (Year 12 and 13) attending secondary school or sixth form college in Kent where there has been a confirmed or probable case of meningococcal disease.
• Anyone who visited or was working at Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5 March and 15 March.
• Year 11s in schools where the vaccination offer has already been made.

The UKHSA asserts that the risk of infection to the wider public remains low. Transmission of MenB requires close and prolonged contact to spread, such as residing in the same household, intimate contact, or sharing drinks or vapes. The bacteria are not as contagious as other infections such as measles or Covid-19.

For more information on the vaccine, visit the UKHSA website.

“Yes, Mike Dryden is back in Line of Duty, which is incredibly exciting,” he told The Standard. “I can’t say too much obviously about storylines, but the scripts that Jed [Mercurio] has written are just fantastic. I was absolutely thrilled to be asked to go back. It’s one of the biggest shows in the country and it’s a real honour to work on that show. It’s very special indeed. So yeah, I’m thrilled to be back in the fold at AC-12.”

President Donald Trump has cast another mail ballot in Florida as he continues to publicly bash the voting method as a source of fraud and push Congress to curtail the practice.

Palm Beach County voter records show the president voted by mail in a Tuesday special election for state legislative seats and that his ballot has been counted. Early in-person voting in the contest ran through Sunday, when Trump was still at his south Florida estate.

The White House did not immediately return an Associated Press request for comment. Aides have said Trump’s ire is directed at states using universal mail-in voting, not individual voters who may not be able to get to a polling place.

Nonetheless, Trump has in the last week called mail-in voting “cheating” and “corrupt as hell.” He is urging Congress to pass the SAVE Act, a sweeping bill that would bar universal mail ballots and limit the options to a select few voters — such as those with disabilities, military commitments or who are traveling on Election Day. The measure faces steep odds in the closely divided Senate even with the president’s pressure.

Trump has fixated on mail ballots since he began falsely claiming that his 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden was the result of fraud. Multiple U.S. courts and Trump’s own attorney general have found no evidence of fraud that affected the outcome, despite the COVID-19 pandemic increasing the share of the electorate that cast mail ballots that year.

“We’re the only country in the world that does it that way. Corrupt as hell,” Trump said last week at the White House when hosting Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.

Dozens of countries, including European democracies that are traditional U.S. allies, use some form of mail-in voting.

Trump said last week that the SAVE Act was the “biggest thing” pending in Washington, even as Congress and administration grapple with the Iran war and a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

Last August, Trump used a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to blast mail voting.

“We’re going to start with an executive order that’s being written right now by the best lawyers in the country to end mail-in ballots because they’re corrupt,” Trump said. “And it’s time that the Republicans get tough and stop it because the Democrats want it. It’s the only way they can get elected.”

The president, who changed his official personal residence and voter registration from New York to Florida during his first term, does not have a standing vote-by-mail request for all elections, according to the county records. That means he has to request a mail ballot for any individual election.

The ballot today includes Florida state House District 87 and Senate District 14.

Trump offered an endorsement late Monday in the House contest via his Truth Social platform.

“There is a very important Special Election tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24th, for Florida State House District 87 in beautiful Palm Beach County. … TO ALL GREAT PATRIOTS IN FLORIDA STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 87: GET OUT AND VOTE FOR JON MAPLES! Polls are open from 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.” Trump wrote, without mentioning that he had voted by mail or at all.

The Florida election comes one day after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a Mississippi case questioning whether states can count mail-in ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but not received until later. Trump has criticized those allowances in 14 states and the District of Columbia.

Neco Williams is in awe of what came before him. The names of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Craig Bellamy revered as everlasting icons of Welsh football.

But is walking in their footsteps a gift or a curse? Living up to the soaring standards set by the aforementioned trio is an expectation Williams and his Wales colleagues have no option but to cope with.

Of course, Williams is working alongside one of his heroes in Bellamy, who is currently Wales head coach.

The pair face a big week. Wales face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday before a potential final against Italy or Northern Ireland next week for a place in this summer’s tournament.

The shadows of Bale and Ramsey et al continue to loom large – but are they an inspiration or a burden?

“A bit of both,” Williams told BBC Sport.

“As kids, you watched the likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Craig Bellamy. You grew up idolising them. You wanted to be like them.

“And now that they’ve retired, it’s the new generation to come in. We’re not a massive country and we don’t have loads and loads of players.

“But the way we are as a team and the togetherness, I think that’s what drives us and gets us through.

“Where I used to see myself as a youngster, now I’m not that youngster any more. I’m more the senior player and I need to mentor these young lads coming through. We’re a family.”

Speaking to Williams, you quickly grasp the level of admiration he holds for Bellamy, who has entrusted the Nottingham Forest full-back to be a key part of the team he hopes qualifies for a second successive World Cup.

Bellamy’s rambunctious and infectious approach to his playing career made him one of the Premier League’s most effective forwards.

Williams says his approach to management is just as enthralling.

“How good he was as a player, he’s the exact same as a manager. He’s obsessed with football,” said Williams.

“He’s just constantly talking about football. He’s obsessed with Wales and you want a manager like that.”

Having qualified for World Cup 2022 through play-off wins over Austria and Ukraine, Williams knows all about what lies ahead over the next seven days.

Nerves, tension and stress – but Williams insists it will all be worth it if they reach the finals in June.

“It would mean everything,” he said.

“I’ve been blessed enough to get to one and to get to another would be an incredible achievement.

“The World Cup in Qatar – our play-offs were staggered because we played Austria the first game and then because of what was happening in Ukraine, that got pushed on to the summer.

“So it felt like everything about that tournament was a little bit rushed. We were the last team to qualify. We had the last pick with basically everything – the hotels, the travel, the hotels for our family.

“And when we were there, it was all was our first World Cup, so we didn’t really know what to expect.

“I think we’d do better if we get to this World Cup.”

The men, aged 30 and 34, were arrested by Humberside Police on suspicion of the theft of a motor vehicle at 1.10pm on Monday (March 23).

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The pair remain in custody, police said, and are assisting with ongoing enquiries.

It came after police were called to an address in Watts Road in Beverley yesterday afternoon following a suspected theft of the vehicle from outside the home.

A white Transit van was then seen heading south on the Humber Bridge towards Scunthorpe, carrying the stolen Range Rover on a trailer.

A police spokesperson said: “A short pursuit ensued, and the vehicle was stopped in the Lincolnshire area, with the driver and passenger both being detained.”

Police closed Walkden Road, between Chestnut Avenue and Mullineux Street, following the incident at the junction.

The HGV became stuck under the low bridge, prompting a response from emergency services.

The low rail bridge is clearly signposted for motorists (Image: James Jordan)

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Yesterday afternoon, Monday 23 March, at around 4pm, we received a call advising us that a lorry had struck a rail bridge on Walkden Road in Walkden.

“We immediately put in place safety precautions for trains travelling over the bridge and sent a team to inspect the site.

“The railway was fully reopened at around 5.30pm.

“Bridge strikes like these have the potential to be very dangerous and disruptive but they can be avoided.

“We urge drivers to always know the height and size of their vehicles, including any loads they are carrying, and to carefully plan their routes so our infrastructure isn’t put at risk in this way.”

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police confirmed that no injuries were reported.

“Officers were on hand to support with road closures whilst the lorry was removed,” the spokesperson added.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information about a sheep worrying incident on the Ravenswick estate, Kirkbymoorside, that occurred yesterday (Monday) between 5.30pm and 6pm.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “A flock of ewes and six-week-old lambs have been attacked by a loose light-coloured, medium-sized dog that has caused significant injury to multiple lambs and one of the ewes.

“In particular, we need to speak to a potential key witness who may have observed what happened to assist us with our enquiries.

“We also need the woman who was with the dog to contact the police as soon as possible.”

The spokesperson added: “Please be aware that dogs should not be loose or beyond the control of the owner whilst walking in the countryside.

“Loose dogs can have a devastating impact on livestock and wildlife.”

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“Please email calum.sutherland@northyorkshire.police.uk if you have any information that could help our investigation. You can also call 101 and ask for Calum Sutherland.”

If you would prefer to remain anonymous, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or make an online report.

Quote reference number 12260052206 when providing details.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities on Tuesday released American academic Dennis Coyle after holding him for over a year, with the foreign ministry saying the release came on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday that marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

A statement from the ministry said the academic researcher had been released in Kabul, the country’s capital, following an appeal from his family and after Afghanistan’s Supreme Court “considered his previous imprisonment sufficient.”

Coyle was detained in January 2025 on allegations of violating laws, although Afghan authorities never publicly stated what laws he was accused of having violated.

In a separate statement, the ministry indicated the United Arab Emirates and Qatar had helped mediate Coyle’s release, and said Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi had met in Kabul with former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad ahead of the release.

Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department announced the designation of Afghanistan as a sponsor of wrongful detention, accusing it of engaging in “hostage diplomacy.” Afghanistan joined Iran as countries singled out by the United States for detaining Americans in hopes of extracting policy concessions.

Afghanistan’s government rejected U.S. allegations that it detains foreigners to obtain leverage over other countries, saying Afghan authorities arrest people for violating laws not to make a deal.

Afghanistan released Coyle “based on humanitarian sympathy and goodwill, and believes that such steps can further strengthen the atmosphere of trust between countries,” the Foreign Ministry said in its statement, adding that Kabul “also expresses the hope that both countries will find solutions to the remaining problems through understanding and constructive dialogue in the future.”

The U.S. State Department had no immediate comment on Coyle’s release.

Afghan authorities are believed to hold at least one other U.S. national. Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan American businessman who worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company, vanished in the country in 2022.

The FBI and Habibi’s family have said they believe he was taken by Taliban forces, but Afghan authorities have denied holding him.

Habibi’s brother, Ahmad Habibi, welcomed Coyle’s release but said in a statement that “we hope that our family will soon have the same feeling of relief, when Mahmood is returned home to us.”

Hot chicken is the fast food snack du jour and Cardiff’s got a new independent tenders and wings spot in the city centre

A popular city centre curry spot has closed but it’s not all bad news. Chai Street stood at its High Street home next to what was the Kitchen Shop, now Bosco, for more than a decade.

But Chai Street’s unit will not stay empty as it will be filled with Welsh hot chicken shop, Doolally Hot Chicken. It seems hot chicken is the ultimate trend in fast food right now as Doolally is opening right before TikTok sensation, and Drake-loved, Dave’s Hot Chicken is due to open the other end of the street this April.

Dave’s will be found on the corner of Caroline Street and St Mary Street and is known for head-popping hot seasonings and sauces. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here

Doolally’s is blazing its own chicken trail and offering hot chicken boxes, sandos and wings with a system of five distinct global sauce options: Seoul (sweet soy, garlic-forward), Hanoi (tangy chilli, citrus lift), Kingston (smoke first, heat later), Bombay (deep heat, no sugar safety net), and Nashville (extreme heat, zero negotiation).

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They will have beer on tap and five cocktail options, keeping their concept simple and they claim they want to “reduce decision fatigue. Pick your chicken. Pick your heat. Have a beer.”

A spokesman said: “Doolally offers five global flavour lanes aka ‘options’ – each one a distinct cuisine rather than a spice level. Seoul is not a milder Nashville. Kingston is not a smokier Seoul.

“They are separate flavour systems drawn from street food traditions worldwide.”

Doolally is operated by Inspiring Restaurants Ltd, the same team behind Chai Street, which occupied the same address for years.

It’s not just Dave’s Hot Chicken that is planning to open in Cardiff, YouTube sensations The Sidemen have unveiled plans for a city centre restaurant, too. The chains are in addition to other global names like Wingstop, Popeye’s, Slim Chickens and, of course, KFC, to have venues in Cardiff.

Aside from Doolally’s, Cardiff also has a healthy independent hot chicken scene, with Fowl and Fury operating its piping hot tenders, wings and sauces in Canton and Cathays. Mr Croquewich at Bridge Studios will sate your fried chicken hankerings, too, and has some less brain-blowing heat options on their menu.

The March international break is in full swing with several Manchester United players remaining at Carrington over the next two weeks

Manchester United will have several players not on international duty over the next two weeks. As a result, those players will be expected to train at Carrington or work on their respective fitness or injury concerns.

United’s last match before the international break was the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last week, a result which leaves the Reds in third place in the Premier League table and one point above fourth-placed Aston Villa.

Michael Carrick and Co. are not back in Premier League action until April 13, when they will host Leeds United at Old Trafford. United do not have a game the weekend of April 4/5 due to not being involved in the FA Cup, with the quarter-finals taking centre stage.

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While several members of United’s squad are away with their respective national teams, some players are remaining at Carrington to train at the club’s base to maintain their fitness levels.

Patrick Dorgu is continuing to recover from a hamstring injury which has kept the defender on the sidelines since February. United posted a video on their official website of Dorgu working on his rehabilitation at Carrington.

Matthijs de Ligt (back) and Lisandro Martinez are also sidelined with injuries and will be working on their recovery during the international break.

United also confirmed that Bryan Mbeumo had been withdrawn from the Cameroon squad as a precaution, with the forward being withdrawn in the second half of their draw with Bournemouth last week. Before Mbeumo left the squad, the United player had been expected to feature in the friendly matches against Australia and China.

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Benjamin Sesko also withdrew from the Slovenia squad as he recovers from a minor fitness issue, with United hoping to have both players available after the international break.

Mason Mount and Luke Shaw were both not called up to the England squad for the friendly matches against Uruguay and Japan, while Tom Heaton is retired from international football.

Tyrell Malacia and Joshua Zirkzee were not called up by Ronald Koeman for the Netherlands squad for their round of international matches.

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