Hundreds of tube drivers are set to walk across two days of planned strikes in London.

Commuters are set to face disruption across at least four Underground lines with two 24-hour stoppages scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday.

Drivers with the RMT union previously went on strike in April in a dispute over a four-day working week.

A strike planned for May 19 and 21 was called off at the eleventh hour following progress in talks.

TfL has insisted any such schedule would be voluntary and would not result in a reduction of contracted hours.

Tube services will be heavily disrupted on strike days, which will run from 00.01 to 23.59 on Tuesday, June 2, and then the same hours on Thursday, June 4.

On those days, no service at all is expected on the Circle line or the Piccadilly line.

There will also be no trains on the Metropolitan line between Baker Street and Aldgate, and on the Central line between White City and Liverpool Street.

While other lines including Overground and Elizabeth Line will operate as usual, service levels will vary with trains starting later and finishing earlier than usual, with customers advised to complete journeys before 9pm on both days.

A normal service is expected to run on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, TfL has said.

TfL chief operating officer Claire Mann said the transport authority was hoping to pilot proposals for a four-day week on the Bakerloo line, which it said had support from ‘a significant number’ of drivers.

She said: ‘We are disappointed to see the RMT continue with this industrial action. 

‘We still believe that the points they have raised can be worked out in time, through more detailed discussions and we are continuing to talk to the union’s representatives to find a way to avoid disruption to London.

‘We urge the RMT to work with us so we can resolve this dispute. In the meantime, we are asking customers to check before they travel and allow plenty of extra time for their journeys.’

RMT confirmed this week that strikes would go ahead, citing concerns the proposed four-day week could lead to ‘fatigue, longer shifts and reduced flexibility’.

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Shaw said after the victory at Wembley that she had been “a bit nervous” about announcing her new deal.

Fans had been through an emotional rollercoaster about her leaving, with Chelsea poised to take advantage.

But after a long season, in which Shaw scooped up several individual accolades including the WSL Player of the Year and Golden Boot, she relished getting her hands on another piece of silverware.

“To get the double is a good feeling,” Shaw said. “I’ve always said that Manchester is my home. It took a while, but we finally got [the contract agreement] done.”

At Wembley, her opener was crucial, coming after Brighton had dominated the first 30 minutes and with City struggling to get a foothold.

One moment – a cross into Shaw in the 38th minute – changed the game as the Jamaica striker rose highest to loop a header past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.

That killed Brighton’s momentum and captain Alex Greenwood’s strike just before half-time gave City a commanding lead.

Jeglertz agreed Shaw’s goal gave his side “relief” and her assist for Fujino in the second half put City out of sight. A final goal from substitute Vivianne Miedema confirmed victory.

Despite the noise over the past month, Shaw has remained their standout performer. She was important in the final, was the matchwinner in the semi-finals and finished the WSL season with a double on final day to reach 21 goals in 22 matches.

“I’m very impressed with how she handled that [speculation],” said Jeglertz. “She has never showed any mood that has affected her performance.

“Of course, she knows about the writings. But at the same time, she has been so professional, always performed and always been a good person.”

Rain is due to cross much of the UK after days of soaring temperatures

Thunderstorms and heavy downpours are due to hit the UK in a ‘big change’ in conditions after the end of the heatwave, the Met Office has said. It comes after record-breaking temperatures baked the country earlier this week.

Temperatures soared across the UK, with 35.1C measured in Kew Gardens, west London, and 32.9C recorded at Cardiff’s Bute Park, on Tuesday. On Sunday (May 31), Bushy Park in Richmond upon Thames saw the highest temperature of the day at 24.7C, the Met Office said.

But the weather is due to change from Monday, with heavy rain expected to cross the whole country, particularly in parts of Wales, forecasters have said, with thunderstorms and cooler weather to continue.

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Rebecca Mitchell, senior operational meteorologist at the weather service, said: “Going into next week, there is a big change on the way. We’ve got spells of rain, possible thunderstorms, and some strengthening winds through much of the week. The other part of the story is the temperatures will be much lower compared to the week just gone.

“They’ll be around average for the time of year, which typically is around 17 to 19 degrees in the north and around 18 to 21 degrees in the south, so about 14 degrees lower in some places compared to the previous week.

“We’re not expecting too many impacts from this because it has been so dry recently for many places, and actually for some areas the rain will be welcome, I think, for gardeners, farmers, anyone hoping for some rain,” she said. “And then, following that, into Tuesday, we’ve got some heavy showers and potential thunderstorms.

“The main areas likely to see some thunderstorms would be central and southern areas, so Northern Ireland, northern England, southern England, and Wales.”

For the rest of the week, much of the county will see ‘unsettled weather’ along with some sunny spells and highs of low-20Cs, she said. The cooler conditions come after at least 15 people died during the heatwave after getting into difficulties in bodies of water, prompting emergency services to issue safety warnings.

On Sunday morning, South Yorkshire Police said a search remained ongoing at the River Don in Mexborough after the force had received reports that an 11-year-old boy had entered the water on Saturday evening but had not been seen getting out.

Officers were called to the scene at Ferry Boat Lane at 7.59pm on Saturday and emergency crews from the National Police Air Service, Yorkshire Ambulance Service and the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Services also responded, police said.

Offering lifts to friends will be second nature to many, but a potential issue could arise if offering some money to the driver for fuel costs.

Some might not know that charging even 1p more than the genuine cost of a journey (fuel, wear and tear) could classify the trip as ‘hire and reward’.

Under the Public Passenger Vehicle Act 1981, this could see drivers face a fixed penalty and a fine if the situation ended up going to court.

Why does accidentally overcharging for a lift potentially lead to a fine?

Claire Wills-McKissick, temporary car insurance expert at Tempcover, explained: “If you ask your passengers for a contribution to help ease the financial burden, you must avoid overcharging them by even 1p above the genuine cost of the journey, including fuel, wear, and tear.

“To do so, even completely unwittingly, risks crossing the line into a commercial transaction.

“Under the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981, making a profit from a lift – even a small amount – classifies your vehicle as a public service vehicle operating for ‘hire and reward’, which requires a commercial public service vehicle operator’s licence most drivers won’t have.

“This instantly invalidates your standard car insurance policy.

“If caught driving without valid insurance, you face a fixed penalty and points on your licence – and if the case goes to court, fines are unlimited. Recouping costs must be done carefully to ensure you stay on the right side of the law.”

Tempcover shared that 39.2 miles is the ‘tipping point’ where a friendly favour of a lift starts to feel like a financial strain.

It added that sharing the driving duties could be shared to avoid some issues, with the use of temporary car insurance to split time behind the wheel.

Breaking down how this could work, Tempcover shared:

1. The Upfront Agreement

Agree on the split before setting off to avoid the awkwardness of the 39.2-mile tipping point.

1. Consult Government Baselines

Use official HMRC travel and mileage calculators to find a neutral, third-party framework for calculating running costs.

Recommended reading:

Grounding your maths in official Government data helps ensure you are only covering actual expenses rather than generating an illegal profit.

1. Share the load

If you can’t drive, take responsibility for the ‘mental load’ of the trip.

This could be being the navigator in chief, handling the route planner, or being the backseat DJ.

Will you be changing the way you offer lifts? Let us know in the comments.

A survivor of Jeffrey Epstein has accused Buckingham Palace of covering up the actions of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after it received emails which would have shown he shared confidential government information as trade envoy.

Jess Michaels said the palace’s failure to act had wider moral consequences for the victims involved in the scandal surrounding the paedophile and former prince.

She told The Telegraph that by “protecting” Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, the palace had failed his accuser Virginia Giuffre.

“This is what institutions do. They protect powerful men and leave the people they harmed to carry it,” said Ms Michaels, who said she was raped by Epstein in 1991.

“Six years ago, the palace knew Andrew wasn’t just a problem; he could face a criminal investigation. And they sat on it.

“Protecting him meant doubting her. Virginia Roberts Giuffre was telling the truth, and she didn’t live to see them admit it. That breaks my heart and it should break everyone’s.”

Ms Giuffre, who died last year, alleged that she was trafficked to the former prince and made to have sex with him on three separate occasions. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has vehemently denied the claims.

The Independent reported on Saturday that an archive of 30,000 emails, taken from a personal business contact of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, was handed over to Lord Chamberlain, the most senior officer in the Royal Household, in May 2020.

Court documents suggest those emails would have shown that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor was sharing confidential government information while serving as a trade envoy between 2001 and 2011.

The former Duke of York was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in a public office following allegations that he passed sensitive government information to Epstein.

It was revealed last week that Thames Valley Police is also investigating Mr Mountbatten-Windsor for allegations of sexual misconduct in their inquiry into potential misconduct in public office.

Ms Michaels told the newspaper: “I’m glad the UK is finally investigating.

“A little late, but it’s the very least they could do. Meanwhile, our own government named us as victims, shields the men who harmed us and still treats us like the problem.”

In response to claims surrounding the emails received by Buckingham Palace in 2020, a spokesperson said: “Since there is an ongoing police enquiry concerning Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, it is not possible to provide any comment on these matters.”

The palace declined to comment on the claims made by Ms Michaels.

The Independent has contacted Mr Mountbatten-Windsor for comment.

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Agility Parks on the London Ebor Business Park, Nether Poppleton, received the rating, meaning ‘major improvement necessary’ following a visit by City of York hygiene inspectors on March 9.

For hygienic food handling, the inspectors determined ‘improvement necessary.’

For cleanliness and condition of the facilities and the building, it was also a matter of ‘improvement necessary.’

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And for management of food safety, inspectors rated ‘major improvement necessary.’

Agility Parks opened around six years ago as a fitness park with two Ninja Warrior obstacle courses for children of five years up to adults.

With more than 100 linear meters of obstacle course and more than 30 obstacles the park says there is something to challenge all ages and abilities. 

The venue has received great reviews, with Google awarding 4.6 stars out of five, based on 335 reviews.

TripAdvisor awards 4.4 stars out of five, based on 51 reviews. TripAdvisor notes the venue has a large café and bar on two floors catering to a wide range of parties, functions, events and group sessions.

The Shack Café offers jalapeños cheese dogs, salads, loaded fries and stone baked pizzas, plus real espresso coffee. A new cafe bar has also just opened serving a range of beers wines and non alcoholic drinks, the reviews website also said.

The most recent review on TripAdvisor awarded five stars for ‘an excellent birthday party.’

It also said: “My daughter had the best 9th birthday party. Roz & Fin were great! Thank you so much. Everything went very well. Food was great.”

One recent comment on Google said: “This place is miles ahead of the similar sorts of options in York. The staff are brilliant, and genuinely look after the kids (and adults, too). They actually seemed to want to be there!

“Leon was excellent in overseeing my 10-year-old daughter’s birthday party – he was fun, and kind, and helpful, and they thought he was great. Kitchen staff and others went out of their way to make sure we were ok. Very impressed – thank you!”

The Press has requested a copy of the food hygiene inspector’s report under the Freedom of Information Act, which we have yet to receive.

Agility Parks did not respond to our request for comment.

Fears have been raised over the spread of a parasitic worm that could have a devastating impact on the food chain.

The New World screwworm has been found in Mexico just 30 miles from the US border. It’s a devastating parasite that can kill fully-grown cows in less than two weeks.

Its spread has spooked US officials, fearing the US’s food supply could be impacted if it crosses into the country.

The latest detection of the fly was in a six-month-old sheep in the Coahuila state.

As of May 20, there have been more than 171,000 reported cases in animals in Central America and Mexico, and more than 1,960 cases in people.

Why is it so feared? The maggots lay eggs in open wounds, which then feed on the blood of their hosts.

It was eradicated in the US in the 1960s but there was an outbreak in Texas in 1976 which affected more than 1,400,000 cattle. Today, that would cost the economy in Texas alone an estimated $1,800,000,000.

Human transmission is rare but the first ever case of infestation was confirmed in August last year.

The US’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued advice to Americans living near livestock.

It said people should contact their healthcare prover immediately if they ‘see or feel maggots (larvae) in or on a wound or other area of your body’.

Symptoms can also include unexplained wounds that do not heal, a foul-smelling odour from the site of infestation, and seeing maggots in open wounds or in areas of the body such as the nose, mouth, eyes, ears or genitals.

The US Customs and Border Protection office has launched a campaign raising awareness about screwworm.

Donald R Kusser from the Laredo office said: ‘We are working to increase public awareness regarding New World Screwworm so that the public can help prevent this invasive pest from reaching the US and adversely affecting US livestock and pets.’ 

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