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Strictly Come Dancing’s Michelle Tsiakkas seeking therapy after being ‘axed from show in 30 minutes’

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Strictly Come Dancing's Michelle Tsiakkas seeking therapy after being 'axed from show in 30 minutes'
Michelle Tsiakkas confirmed this month that she’d been axed from Strictly (Picture: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing star Michelle Tsiakkas is reportedly seeking therapy after being ‘axed’ from the show.

The professional dancer confirmed this week that she was among one of several fan favourites who have been cut from the roster.

Other dancers Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Gorka Marquez have also been ‘axed’ from the show.

Michelle, 30, who joined the show in 2022, danced with EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick during his time stint on the competition.

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The pair were eliminated in the tenth week, finishing in seventh place, and Michelle did not receive a celebrity partner the following year.

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In a new interview, Michelle has spoken of her sense of ‘grief’ which followed the bombshell news, and revealed that she’s seeking therapy to help navigate these emotions.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 17: (FOR EVENING STANDARD USE ONLY) Michelle Tsiakkas attends the European Premiere of Cirque du Soleil's "Alegria: In A New Light" at Royal Albert Hall on January 17, 2024 in London, England. Pic Credit: Dave Benett
Michelle has taken the news hard (Picture: Getty Images)
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Anthony Devlin/Hogan Media/Shutterstock (16390580d) (L-R) Michelle Tsiakkas, Kai Widdrington, George Clarke, Vicky Pattison, Alexis Warr, Vito Coppola, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Karen Hauer, Lauren Oakley, Janette Manrara, Aljaz Skorjanec, Ellie Goldstein, La Voix, Katya Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Luba Mushtuk, Layton Williams, Nancy Xu, Julian Caillon, Neil Jones and Jake Leigh Strictly Come Dancing Live UK Tour photocall, Birmingham Utilita Arena, UK - 22 Jan 2026 Stars of The Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour, which opens at Birmingham Utilita Arena tonight (Friday 23 January) before touring UK arenas until 15 February. Tickets and venues: StrictlyComeDancingLive.Com.
Michelle joined Strictly in 2022 (Picture: Shutterstock)

Speaking to The Sun, Michelle claimed that she had been axed during a 30-minute Zoom meeting with a Strictly Come Dancing executive.

Michelle said: ‘I didn’t see it coming. I thought I had more time. When she told me I wasn’t coming back, there was a moment of shock. I felt my story was unfinished.

‘It felt out of the blue,’ she added, describing herself as ‘heartbroken’ by the sense of grief which followed the bombshell.

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She continued: ‘Everything I have known for the past four years has gone. Your brain goes through change and panic. It was so sudden, I had a feeling of hopelessness.’

She said that she was ‘not given a reason’ for her axing, which made the news even tougher to process.

Strictly come dancing AXED Pro Dancer Michelle Tsiakkas is seen for the first time after being AXED by Strictly bosses, as she has a very EXCLUSIVE Chat with the Laughing Donkeys UK with her boyfriend Simone Arena.
Michelle says she was axed during a 30-minute Zoom call (Picture: TheLaughingDonkeysUK)

This, she said, put her in mind of late Strictly star Robin Windsor, who took his own life in 2024, aged 44.

Earlier this month, an inquest ruled that Windsor had taken his own life after a considerable ‘mental health deterioration’ accumulated through childhood trauma, heartache and depression.

Jurors at West London Coroner’s Court were told that Windsor had left a note which said the way he was treated when he was dropped from the BBC show ‘destroyed’ him.

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Describing mental health as ‘a huge thing,’ she went on to talk about the sense of whiplash which followed her sudden axing from the show.

‘Strictly brings so much fame and exposure and then to lose it in a moment is really tough mentally,’ she said.

‘It was really tough for Robin. For me, it’s been a couple of weeks now since I got the news and things are improving. I think it’s just that journey that you go through.’

According to the tabloid, Michelle has sought out a therapist to talk about her experience. Strictly is also said to have offered a welfare team to discuss her future after the show.

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Samaritans are here to listen, day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org for more information.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JANUARY 16: Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas attend the
Michelle was paired with EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick (Picture: Getty Images)

While Michelle doesn’t believe that the BBC axed her due to scandal surrounding her 2024 dance partner, she did say that she believes the cast cull is part of a concerted effort to move on from the past.

31-year-old Jamie’s time on the show was wrought with controversy, first becoming caught up in a ‘sex toy’ row which involved fellow contestant Wynne Evans.

Footage obtained by The Sun on Sunday saw Jamie and Wynne larking around backstage at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena, brandishing a sex toy in front of cameras.

This reportedly earned both parties a telling off from BBC bosses.

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Soon after, news broke that Jamie had been dumped by his girlfriend, amid accusations of cheating.

He was later accused of having ‘boasted about an explicit sex act’ on the Strictly stars’ WhatsApp group.

Strictly's Jamie Borthwick unfazed by shock elimination despite angry viewer backlash
Michelle said that Jamie’s time on the show ‘wasn’t the easiest’ (Picture: BBC)

The alleged comment hit headlines in the wake of Wynne Evans’ infamous ‘spit roast’ gag and subsequent firing.

An insider told The Sun: ‘Wynne made a jokey comment, which was borne out of Jamie looking like a spitroast chicken because of how he warmed up on Strictly, and he got fired.

‘Jamie on the other hand boasted about engaging in a very explicit sex act and no one batted an eyelid.

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‘His message was joked about afterwards as well, as it was a shocking thing for the stars and pros to read.

‘Some of the Strictly lot think the BBC acted too hastily in removing Wynne, because in reality some of the cast were taking it a lot further.’

Jamie had only just resumed filming on EastEnders when a video emerged of him using a slur against disabled people – referring to the residents of Blackpool as ‘m*****s.’

The actor received a three-month suspension for the remark, and was set to return to the soap (again) when the BBC announced that he would not be coming back.

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Strictly Come Dancing 2024,14-09-2024,Generics,Michelle Tsiakkas,NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL 00:01HRS, SATURDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2024*,BBC Public Service,Ray Burmiston
Michelle wasn’t partnered with a celebrity in 2025 (Picture: BBC)

Reflecting on her time with Jamie, Michelle told The Sun that ‘it wasn’t the easiest.’

‘We were getting a lot of critical comments, so that felt like the narrative,’ she said, acknowledging that the star felt a lot of ‘pressure’ after winning the Christmas special in 2023.

Meanwhile, Michelle quit the Strictly Professionals live tour after learning that her contract had been axed.

She spoke out for the first time when she encountered photographers outside Otsi Mabuse’s dance studio in London last week.

‘It is what it is,’ she said, at the time, before thanking those gathered for their support.’

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Metro has contacted the BBC for comment on this story.

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Japanese Grand Prix: What can sport’s bosses do to help keep Max Verstappen in F1?

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Oliver Bearman's damaged Haas is lifted on to a recovery truck at the Japanese Grand Prix

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said: “In general, the reason for adding a 350kW super-clip is that we would like to avoid drivers having to do a lift and coast. Because if there is a lift and coast, there is an even bigger speed differential with the car that is following.

“It is a case that should be studied with a certain level of analytical approach. I don’t think a simple solution exists.

“It is in the agenda of (governing body) the FIA in terms of the aspects of these 2026 regulations that should be improved. We don’t want to wait for things to happen to put actions in place. We have a responsibility to put in place the actions that, especially from a safety point of view, should be implemented.”

There has been an effort from F1, and by extension from the teams, to emphasise the positive aspects of the new regulations, as some see them.

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Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff pointed out after the previous race in China that he and F1 president Stefano Domenicali had discussed the positive reaction from the audience to the new form of racing, which in all three races so far has featured cars passing and re-passing for several laps before the positions stabilise.

Wolff said in Japan on Sunday: “Nobody can complain about the lack of good racing. Would you agree? Yeah or not?”

When the assembled media paused in responding, Wolff said: “Experts. Old-school traditionalists.”

But that remark could also be addressed at some of the drivers. Verstappen has likened the new F1 to the “Mario Kart” computer game. Fernando Alonso has called it “the battery world championship”.

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Sainz said: “The racing is OK because maybe they are having fun watching on TV. But from a driver’s standpoint you realise there can be 50km/h speed delta. That is not racing. There is no [other] category in the world with these closing speeds. It’s when these accidents can happen.”

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, second behind race winner Kimi Antonelli on Sunday, said: “We understand as a sport there’s a lot of things we need to tweak, a lot of things we need to change. And especially on safety grounds, yes, there’s some things that need to be looked into pretty quickly.”

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Sun sets on long-term test of 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance – Part 4

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Sun sets on long-term test of 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance - Part 4

Normally, my time with a vehicle is limited to a week-long press loan, which is enough to test performance, comfort and tech, but nowhere near long enough to say anything meaningful about how it holds up in day-to-day use over time. This extended stint with a seven-year-old Model 3 has been very different – and in a good way.

Across my time with the car, I didn’t experience a single mechanical or technical fault. No phantom warning lights, no glitches that needed a hard reset, no electrical gremlins lurking in the background. The infotainment system remained stable, the driver-assist features worked consistently, and every powered convenience item – from windows to mirrors to heated seats – behaved exactly as they should.

In an age where many buyers are understandably wary of complex, software-heavy EVs, that fault-free run is worth underlining.

Crucially, the way the car drove at the end of the test was virtually indistinguishable from how it felt on day one. Acceleration remained just as eye-opening as ever; that trademark Model 3 Performance shove never dulled, and there was no sense that the battery or motors were starting to flag. There was no obvious sign of degradation in day-to-day driving, either in how quickly it charged or in how far it would comfortably go between top-ups.

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Of course, my experience is just one viewpoint. It’s clear from owner forums and social media that not every Tesla story is as straightforwardly positive as this, but I can only speak for the car I had on my driveway, and in this case it was as good when it went back as it was when it arrived. For a seven-year-old performance EV that’s now sitting firmly in used-car territory, that’s encouraging.

This is where Tesla’s Certified Pre-Owned programme comes into sharper focus.

Buying a used EV still feels like a leap of faith for many drivers, particularly when it comes to battery health and the sheer amount of technology on board.

Tesla tries to bridge that gap with its CPO scheme, which adds an extra layer of reassurance on top of the brand’s existing battery and drive unit coverage.

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Every Certified Pre-Owned Tesla is put through a detailed inspection and refurbishment process by Tesla’s own technicians, covering core areas such as the battery pack, brakes, suspension, charging hardware, electrical systems and interior condition, as well as verifying that the car has no record of structural damage or airbag deployment. For buyers who don’t want to rely solely on a third-party inspection or dealer promise, that factory-backed assessment carries weight.

​On top of this, CPO cars benefit from a Used Vehicle Limited Warranty, which applies once the original basic new-car warranty has expired. This covers defects in materials or workmanship for a set period or mileage, and runs alongside the longer Battery and Drive Unit Limited Warranty.

For as long as that used warranty is active, Tesla’s Roadside Assistance across Europe also comes as part of the package, providing additional peace of mind.

​Taken together, my time with this 2019 Model 3 Performance and the structure of Tesla’s Certified Pre-Owned scheme paint a largely reassuring picture for anyone considering a used example.

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The car itself proved that an early Model 3 can shrug off several years and a fair chunk of mileage without losing its sparkle. The CPO programme, meanwhile, helps reduce the perceived risk for those coming from more traditional petrol or diesel cars, offering both a thorough pre-sale check and meaningful backup if issues emerge later. While I wouldn’t claim that every used Tesla will be flawless, this particular car showed that a well-looked-after, certified Model 3 Performance can still deliver speed, comfort and cutting-edge tech.

Tesla Model 3 Performance

YEAR BUILT: 2019

MILEAGE: 44,294

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ACCELERATION: 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds

TOP SPEED: 155mph

RANGE: Potential 329 miles (WLTP) when new

PRICE: Estimated £22k to £25k in today’s market

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Arsenal injury update: Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke latest return dates

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Arsenal injury update: Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke latest return dates

“Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes is out of the friendlies against France and Croatia,” read a statement from CBF. “After the game against Manchester City, for the final of the English League Cup, the athlete complained of pain in his right knee. Imaging tests have confirmed that Gabriel is not fit to play in the matches during this international break.”

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As many as 70 Brits detained in UAE over Iran war images under ‘draconian’ laws | World News

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Smoke rises after a strike on a warehouse in Sharjah City in Dubai. Pic: AP

Up to 70 UK citizens have been detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for taking photos and videos of Iranian attacks, it has been claimed by a British-based campaign group.

Detained in Dubai chief executive Radha Stirling said she believed dozens of Britons had been arrested in the UAE for sharing war images under the country’s “draconian” cybercrime laws.

“We’re talking approaching 50 to 70 was my estimate and possibly even more. I think by the end of this we’ll see a lot more, possibly 100, maybe 150,” she told Sky News.

Image:
Radha Stirling

But the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was only providing consular assistance to a “small number” of UK citizens detained over these issues in the Gulf nation.

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“We are providing consular assistance to a small number of British nationals detained in the UAE in connection with this issue, and our ambassador is engaging with the Emirati authorities about their cases,” an FCDO spokesperson said.

Damage from a drone strike at the Address Creek Harbour hotel in Dubai. Pic: AP
Image:
Damage from a drone strike at the Address Creek Harbour hotel in Dubai. Pic: AP

Five Britons are currently receiving consular assistance in the UAE after being detained on such charges, with some already being released, Sky News understands.

Ms Stirling, a human rights advocate and lawyer focused on Dubai, said many Britons had been detained for sharing updates on their welfare, after Iran launched missile and drone attacks against its gulf neighbours in response to US and Israeli strikes.

“Most people did not know and were unaware of these cybercrime laws and the vast extent to which they can be applied, especially in a situation like this,” she said.

“There is no way that any of these people knew that it was illegal to send a private message to colleagues saying, ‘here I am, I’ve arrived at the airport. Is it safe for me to walk through, given this explosion’, and then sharing a photo of that explosion with colleagues.”

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Dubai’s economy hit by Iran war

Read more from Sky News:
Three Lebanese journalists killed in Israeli airstrike
Free public transport in Australian to combat rising fuel costs

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Ms Stirling rejected criticism that Britons who had elected to move to the UAE to take advantage of its tax exemptions were not deserving of government assistance.

“When your citizens are locked up, when they’re arbitrarily detained, when they’re prosecuted under national security laws for simply sending a photo to a loved one, that’s when your government needs to step up,” she said.

“And it’s irrelevant whether there’s tax or no tax in the UAE, our government is obliged to provide that service or else we look weak diplomatically and in the eyes of the world.”

An alert issued by the UAE. Pic: Reuters
Image:
An alert issued by the UAE. Pic: Reuters

Ms Stirling said anyone arrested under cyber security laws could face harsh penalties under the UAE’s strict laws, including a life sentence.

“That’s expats, that’s tourists, some of them for simply sharing a private message saying ‘Mum, I’m okay’, or to a husband or a wife overseas; ‘This building has just been blown up. I live here. Here’s a photo of me in my apartment’.

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“People are just being arrested, prosecuted or charged and potentially even escalated to national security charges in Abu Dhabi, which could see them in prison for life.”

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Palm Sunday procession with donkeys outside York Minster

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Palm Sunday procession with donkeys outside York Minster

Palm Sunday – a religious event which commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover – was celebrated today as hundreds gathered at York Minster to pay their respects.

In the gospel, Jesus arrives riding into the city on a donkey, while the crowds spread their cloaks and palm branches on the street to honour him as their long-awaited Messiah and King.


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To mark this day in York, a procession – including two donkeys – and led by members of the clergy gathered outside the South Piazza of the Minster to welcome worshippers.

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Crowds were greeted by a choir and led in prayer by Dean Dominic Barrington – holding their palm crosses in the air – before the procession began, entering into the cathedral via the West End.

After entering the Minster, various liturgies, gospels, and hymns were performed with a special sermon read by The Very Reverend Cythia Briggs Kittredge – Dean Emerita at the Semeniary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas.

A spokesperson for the Minster welcomed worshippers ‘most warmly’ to the Palm Sunday Liturgy – noting that it marks the beginning of Holy Week.

The crowd raising their crosses (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

They said: “On Palm Sunday, the Church commemorates Christ’s entry into Jerusalem to accomplish his saving work through his dying and rising again.

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“The Procession with Palms is the first of the commemorative actions of Holy Week. The procession is an act of praise to Christ the King who reigns and triumphs on the cross, and it expresses our readiness to take up our cross and follow our Lord.”

George the Donkey (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

The two donkeys involved in this year’s event were named Gary and George, with this year being the first time that George has taken part in the procession.

This afternoon, the Minster will hold a Choral Evensong service at 4pm, and the Ebor Singers choir will perform John Stainer’s Crucifixion at 7.30pm.

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Sjoeke Nusken clinches seven-goal thriller as Chelsea reclaim second place in WSL

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Sjoeke Nusken clinches seven-goal thriller as Chelsea reclaim second place in WSL

Chelsea reclaimed second place in the Women’s Super League after clinching a seven-goal thriller at Kingsmeadow thanks to Sjoeke Nusken’s winning strike.

Sonia Bompastor’s side are nine points behind WSL leaders Manchester City and aiming to secure a place in the Women’s Champions League next season.

Today’s match looked to be going against them after they surrendered a 3-1 lead to Villa only for Nusken to fire home the winner eight minutes from full-time.

Villa took the early lead after Lucy Bronze gave the ball away to Chasity Grant who, in combination with Lynn Wilms, slotted the ball past Hannah Hampton at the near post with less than two minutes on the clock.

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Chelsea responded in the 20th minute through Sam Kerr who burst through the Villa lines to meet Nusken’s pass and guide home the equaliser from the left side of the box.

Those goals kicked started a thrilling seven minutes as Chelsea first went ahead, through Naomi Girma’s first ever WSL goal, before Lauren James increased the lead to 3-1.

Yet, Villa fought back through a quickfire brace from Kirsty Hanson who twice got on the end of crosses from Wilms to level the match at 3-3 inside the opening 35 minutes.

Sjoeke Nusken scored Chelsea's fourth goal at Kingsmeadow
Sjoeke Nusken scored Chelsea’s fourth goal at Kingsmeadow (Action Images via Reuters)
Sam Kerr levelled after Villa opened the scoring
Sam Kerr levelled after Villa opened the scoring (Action Images via Reuters)

The game settled down after the half-time break with the second half dominated by Chelsea’s control. Alyssa Thompson came close to scoring but headed over the crossbar from four yards out before Nusken settled the clash and collected the three points.

“I think it was a tough game for us, and we are very happy we could score at the end,” the midfielder told Sky Sports after the win.

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“The last 10 minutes we did a lot of pressure, so I think in the end it was a deserved win. They are a really good team. They scored three goals against us so I think they’re showing what they can.”

Kirsty Hanson scored a brace as Aston Villa fought back from 3-1 down
Kirsty Hanson scored a brace as Aston Villa fought back from 3-1 down (WSL Football via Getty Images)
Lauren James was awarded the player of the match for her goal and assists
Lauren James was awarded the player of the match for her goal and assists (Action Images via Reuters)

She added: “It was a tough game, really intense. Aston Villa showed what they could do. We fought well in the end and I think it was a deserved win.

“We tried to keep the balance [between attack and defence] with our midfield. It was a balance between going up and down with our midfield but I think we did it really well and we didn’t concede any transitions in the end.”

In Sunday’s other WSL matches, West Ham United were held ‌to a 1-1 draw at home by London ​City Lionesses, while bottom side Leicester City take ‌on Brighton & Hove Albion ⁠later at 2.50pm.

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Woman, 22, hit by white van near shop in Grangetown

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Body found in search for missing Sunderland woman Jean, 83

The incident happened at around 12.28pm on Saturday (March 28) at the roundabout on Birchington Avenue, near the Premier store. It occurred as the woman was crossing the road when she was hit by the rear of a white Renault Kangoo van.

She was taken to a nearby walk-in centre for treatment to her injuries.

Cleveland Police are now appealing for witnesses and anyone with information, including doorbell, dash cam or CCTV footage, to come forward.

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A force spokesperson said: “We’re asking any witnesses or people with information who have not yet spoken to police, as well as anyone with doorbell, dash cam or private CCTV footage, to get in touch.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101.

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Navy fits ship with minehunting drones ahead of possible Hormuz deployment

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Navy fits ship with minehunting drones ahead of possible Hormuz deployment

General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the First Sea Lord, said the conversion of RFA Lyme Bay to a minehunting “mothership” was “a perfect example of how we are building a hybrid navy – one where crewed ships and cutting-edge uncrewed systems work together seamlessly to keep our people safe and our seas secure”.

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The Supreme Court takes up the Mississippi case of a Black death row inmate

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The Supreme Court takes up the Mississippi case of a Black death row inmate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Certain names will be familiar to the Supreme Court in the latest case involving a Black death row inmate from Mississippi, with arguments set for Tuesday.

Doug Evans, a now-retired prosecutor with a history of dismissing Black jurors for discriminatory reasons, knocked all but one Black person off the jury that tried and convicted Terry Pitchford.

Judge Joseph Loper allowed it to happen. The state Supreme Court upheld the conviction.

Just seven years ago, in a case involving the same district attorney, trial judge and state high court, the Supreme Court overturned the death sentence and conviction of Curtis Flowers because of what Justice Brett Kavanaugh described as a “relentless, determined effort to rid the jury of Black individuals.”

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Seven of the current nine justices were on the court then.

The Supreme Court has in recent years taken a dim view of defendants’ claims in capital cases, especially in the last-minute efforts to stave off execution. Last week, the court turned away the appeal of Texas death row inmate Rodney Reed over the dissent of three liberal justices, who believe he should be allowed to test evidence that he has argued would exonerate him.

Claim of racial discrimination

But the court in December agreed to hear Pitchford’s appeal relating to a claim of racial discrimination that, in other cases, has gained traction even among some conservative justices.

Pitchford was sentenced to death for his role in the 2004 killing of Reuben Britt, the owner of the Crossroads Grocery, just outside Grenada in northern Mississippi. Pitchford, 40, was 18 when he and a friend went to the store to rob it. The friend shot Britt three times, fatally wounding him, but was ineligible for the death penalty because he was younger than 18. Pitchford was tried for capital murder and sentenced to death.

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The case has been making its way through the court system for 20 years. In 2023, U.S District Judge Michael P. Mills overturned Pitchford’s conviction, holding that the trial judge did not give Pitchford’s lawyers enough of a chance to argue that the prosecution was improperly dismissing Black jurors.

Mills wrote that his ruling was partially motivated by Evans’ actions in prior cases. A unanimous panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the ruling.

In the course of selecting a jury, lawyers can excuse a juror merely because of a suspicion that a particular person would vote against their client.

The Supreme Court tried to stamp out discrimination in the composition of juries in Batson v. Kentucky in 1986. The court ruled then that jurors could not be excused from service because of their race and set up a system by which trial judges could evaluate claims of discrimination and the race-neutral explanations by prosecutors.

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In Pitchford’s case, the prosecution excused four of the five remaining Black people in the jury pool and defense lawyers objected. Loper, the judge, accepted all four explanations and moved on without analyzing whether race was the reason, Mills wrote.

Issues in Pitchford’s case

The Supreme Court case focuses on whether Pitchford’s lawyers did enough to object to Loper’s rulings and whether the state Supreme Court acted reasonably in ruling they had not.

Joseph Perkovich, who will argue Pitchford’s case Tuesday, said the record in the case clearly favors his client. Loper “did not grasp he had to a constitutional duty to determine whether the reasons the district attorney gave for striking the Black citizens were credible and truthful,” Perkovich wrote in an email. “The judge simply failed even to try to discharge that critical duty, despite the defense’s efforts.”

In the state’s written filing, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch defended the state Supreme Court decision and said Evans did not inappropriately strike Black people from the jury.

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Pitchford should be released or retried if he wins at the Supreme Court, his lawyers argued in written filings. Mississippi said the case should return to the state Supreme Court to review his arguments that the jury strikes were discriminatory.

Flowers was tried six times in the shooting deaths of four people. He was released from prison in 2019 and the state dropped the charges against him the following year, after Evans turned the case over to state officials. Evans stepped down from his job in 2023.

On its own, Mills wrote, the Flowers case does not prove anything. But he said that the Mississippi Supreme Court should have examined that history in considering Pitchford’s appeal.

“The court merely believes that it should have been included in a ‘totality of the circumstances’ analysis of the issue,” Mills wrote.

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Nestle fans can’t wait to try new Yorkie bar spotted on supermarket shelves

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Manchester Evening News

Nestlé has launched a new flavour of Yorkie bar and chocolate fans are already flocking to supermarkets to get their hands on it and see how it compares to the original

Chocolate fans are flocking to supermarkets to snap up a brand new bar from Nestlé which has just arrived in stores. The company has launched a new Yorkie bar flavour – and fans are keen to discover how it stacks up against the original version.

A post on NewFoodUK’s Instagram page reads: “New Salted Caramel Pretzel Yorkie Bar from Morrisons Daily!” Responding to the launch, one user said: “What’s not to love here – the original chunky chocolate with a salty makeover.” Another referenced the brand’s controversial past campaign, adding: “But it’s not for girls.”

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Between 2002 and 2011, Yorkie bars were promoted under the slogan “It’s Not For Girls” – a strategy intended to position the chocolate as a “manly” treat.

Andrew Harrison, the marketing director at Nestlé, said in 2002: “This is a big step for Yorkie as the trucker has been an institution, but we felt that we needed to take a stand for the British bloke and reclaim some things in his life, starting with his chocolate.

“Most men these days feel as if the world is changing around them and it has become less and less politically correct to have anything that is only for males.

“It used to be that men had some areas of their life that were just for them and that was OK. No one cared and most people recognised that men needed places to be, in a simple sense, men.

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“Yorkie feels that this is an important element of men’s happiness and is starting the reclaiming process of making a particular chocolate just for men.”

Despite the campaign having long since ended, many chocolate enthusiasts continue to question the reasoning behind it.

One baffled user posed the question on Reddit: “Why was the Yorkie not for girls? I’ve just seen the advert – what did they mean?”

Others were quick to explain it as a product of its time. One user commented: “Because back then chocolate was advertised as a very female product, see the Flake advert.

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“This was to show that men could eat chocolate too. It was also the marketing style at the time was jokey. As an aside the army would get them in ration packs marked as ‘not for civies’.”

Another user added: “Throughout the 70s and 80s Yorkies were advertised by a trucker as a man’s bar (you know, in the days when women couldn’t drive trucks).

“When that was no longer deemed acceptable they started advertising as not for women. Don’t worry, sexual equality prevailed, flakes were advertised as exclusively for women, by scantily clad women.”

A third user said: “Very of the time marketing. That sort of ‘humour’ was very popular around then (see also: the popularity of lad mags). It was based on the idea that a Yorkie is so chunky that ‘girls’ wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

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