Connect with us
DAPA Banner

NewsBeat

The quieter Gulf: Fort Myers and its idyllic island escapes

Published

on

The quieter Gulf: Fort Myers and its idyllic island escapes

At a glance: a more serene Gulf getaway in Fort Myers



Where: Fort Myers, a relaxed coastal city on Florida’s southwest coast

Best for: A smaller-scale beach and city break at a leisurely pace

Don’t miss: Edison and Ford Winter Estates, the former holiday home of Thomas Edison and a museum featuring his inventions

Advertisement

Road trip highlight: Driving out to beautiful islands such as Sanibel and Captiva

Nature fix: Nature is everywhere here, including wild dolphins and manatees

Getting started: Tampa International Airport is a two-hour drive away; Miami International Airport and Orlando International Airport are both around a three-hour drive away

When you’re planning a Florida holiday, there are certain big-hitters you’re almost guaranteed to include: the nightlife of Miami, say, or the theme parks of Orlando. But sometimes the most memorable moments come from the more secluded, under-the-radar spots, such as Fort Myers. A laid-back Gulf Coast escape, here you’ll find friendly neighbourhoods, serene green space, and white sand beaches looking out to a spray of paradisiacal islands.

Advertisement

When you travel with British Airways, Fort Myers is a simple addition to a bigger Florida itinerary, allowing you to experience all its charm with pure ease.

Fort Myers: beautiful beaches and idyllic islands

Postcard-perfect beaches come as standard in Fort Myers

Fort Myers

Advertisement

Whether you’re hoping to kick back with a good book or spend the day splashing in the sea, Fort Myers has a beach to suit. Bunche Beach Preserve is a natural expanse of tidal wetland flanked by salt flats and mangrove forest. Fort Myers Beach is adjacent to city facilities and perfect for families, with picnic areas, paddlecraft launch spots and charcoal grills for barbecuing. Nearby Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina is well placed to provide a beachfront getaway for friends and families alike.

What makes Fort Myers so unique is its enticing islands, many of which have truly breathtaking beaches. Located just off the city’s mainland, Sanibel is a 12-mile-long, three-mile-wide island with alabaster sand. It’s known for its chilled out charm and the colourful shells that wash up on Bowman’s Beach Park or Blind Pass Beach Park.

Or make your way to Captiva, a smaller island that’s accessed via a bridge from Sanibel. This slim strip of island is a good jumping-off point for boat trips and a prime spot to see an epic Gulf Coast sunsets.

Downtown Fort Myers and the River District

Advertisement
Dinner on the river

For authentic Florida food, there are restaurants and bars aplenty in the sociable River District

Fort Myers

Downtown Fort Myers is vibrant and green, with the historic River District showcasing a time-warp of early 20th-century architecture. Here you’ll find museums, galleries and plenty of theatre.

Be sure to visit the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, one of Florida’s most important historical attractions, showcasing the inventions of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. The clapboard house, set in 20 acres of botanical gardens on the Caloosahatchee River in Downtown, dates from 1885 when Edison purchased the property to build a holiday home.

Advertisement

Explore the great outdoors in Florida

Kayak

The Great Calusa Blueway is an unforgettable experience

Fort Myers

In Fort Myers, you won’t get far without plunging into green, whether you’re winding along a boardwalk trail in a tree-dense reserve or taking a leisurely walk along an untamed stretch of sand.

Wild bird populations are especially plentiful, thanks to the mix of coastal shore, mangrove waterways and salt flats. Head to the right places – perhaps out on a paddling trip – and you’re likely to spot plovers, reddish egrets, white ibises and possibly even iconic bald eagles.

Advertisement

The Great Calusa Blueway is home to some seriously big wildlife. Endangered manatees live in the shallow and warm waters of Estero Bay during the summer months and slightly further north during winter, so keep your eyes peeled for one breaching the water in the distance. Bottlenose dolphins are also known to frolic in local waters year-round.

One of the Sunshine State’s unsung gems, Fort Myers has a little bit of everything – beautiful beaches, exciting city life and majestic nature – all within close proximity. It’s an essential stop on any discerning Florida road trip.

Book your holiday to Florida here

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

NewsBeat

Chaos erupts on quiet street as families brawl with weapons in vigilante revenge

Published

on

Daily Record

Armed with weapons including a plank of wood studded with nails, the Jenkins clan started brawling in the street with two brothers who earlier that day had smashed up their house with golf clubs

Shocking CCTV captures armed revenge attack

This is the disturbing moment a family took the law into their own hands and sought retribution for an attack on their property.

Armed with an array of weapons, including a nail-studded plank of wood, the Jenkins family launched into a street brawl with two brothers who had earlier ransacked their home with golf clubs.

Advertisement

Handing down prison sentences to five individuals involved in the incident, a judge at Swansea Crown Court stated that while the disorder had been triggered by the golf club-wielding siblings, the Jenkins family had armed themselves and embarked on an act of “vigilantism” with complete disregard for the impact on the wider community or the terror they would inflict upon local residents.

The court was told that the roots of the violence lay in the belief held by brothers Adam Miller and Kristian Thomas that Corey Jenkins was involved in drug dealing in the Ravenhill area of Swansea.

On June 6, the pair acted on this belief by seizing golf clubs and heading to the Jenkins family home on Rhodfa’r Brain, where they proceeded to smash several downstairs windows.

Following the attack, the two men made their way to the nearby home of a relative, David Dallimore. For the latest court stories sign up to our crime newsletter, reports Wales Online.

Advertisement

In retaliation, four members of the Jenkins family – Paul, Christopher, Corey and Lisa Jenkins – armed themselves with various weapons and descended on Mr Dallimore’s address, where “large scale public disorder” erupted in the street. During the disorder, which was captured on CCTV and mobile phone footage, Corey Jenkins brandished a plank of wood “studded with nails” and a metal pole, while Paul Jenkins carried a hammer and Christopher and Lisa Jenkins wielded sticks.

During the brawl, Thomas “struck out” with a metal pole and struck a neighbour of the Jenkins family, Kirsty Choi, on the head while she was attending to a member of the Jenkins family who was lying on the ground.

Advertisement

Paul Jenkins, 64, Christopher Paul Jenkins, 45, Corey Jenkins, 23, and 45 year old Lisa Dawn Jenkins, all of Rhodfa’r Brain, Ravenhill, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon when they appeared in the dock for sentencing.

Paul and Christopher Jenkins have previous convictions, while Corey and Lisa Jenkins have no prior criminal history.

Kristian Dale Thomas, 39, of Tudno Place, Penlan, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to criminal damage and been convicted at trial of the unlawful wounding of Miss Choi when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

He was described as carrying an “extensive” criminal record, including handling stolen goods, possession of offensive weapons, affray, and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.

Advertisement

Adam Miller, 34, also of Tudno Place, Penlan, had previously pleaded guilty to criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon when he appeared alongside his brother. He was also said to have an “extensive” criminal history featuring offences including affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, arson, public disorder, and criminal damage.

Both men were cleared at trial of violent disorder relating to the Rhodfa’r Brain incident. Mr Dallimore was likewise found not guilty.

Judge Catherine Richards stated Miller and Thomas had sparked the confrontation when, “wanting to take the law into their own hands”, they travelled to the Jenkins’ residence and smashed windows.

Advertisement

She stated the Jenkins family had subsequently armed themselves with weapons and participated in an act of “vigilantism” with no regard for its effect on the broader community or the alarm they would generate among neighbouring residents.

Following reductions for their guilty pleas Paul Jenkins and Christopher Jenkins were each handed 18 months in prison, while Corey Jenkins received 22 months in prison.

Lisa Jenkins was given 18 months in prison suspended for 18 months and was instructed to complete 250 hours of unpaid work in the community and comply with a nightly curfew for the next two months.

After reductions for his guilty pleas, Miller received nine months in prison. Thomas was handed 26 months in prison.

Advertisement

Those defendants given custodial sentences will serve 40 per cent of their terms behind bars before being released on licence to complete the remainder in the community.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Coatbridge High School pupils enjoy employability advice and interactive workshops from housebuilder Cruden

Published

on

Daily Record

The informative move came as work begins on a new housing development for North Lanarkshire Council at Bank Street in Coatbridge.

Pupils at Coatbridge High School benefited from various employability advice and interactive workshops delivered by five-star housebuilder Cruden.

Advertisement

The informative move came as work begins on a new housing development for North Lanarkshire Council at Bank Street in Coatbridge.

Cruden has begun work on site at the former Sharks Mouth pub on Bank Street, supporting the local authority’s regeneration plans to deliver much-needed new homes for the local community.

The development will transform the vacant site into 16 high-quality, energy-efficient homes for social rent and supported accommodation, helping meet housing needs while contributing to the ongoing regeneration of Coatbridge town centre.

Ahead of construction starting, Cruden has delivered a series of community benefit initiatives with pupils at Coatbridge High School, aimed at inspiring the next generation to explore careers in construction and the built environment.

Advertisement

This included three STEM-focused measurement workshops with the school’s maths classes to demonstrate how maths applies in real working environments on construction sites.

Cruden also supported the school’s careers day as well as leading a careers advice session and separate CV writing and interview skills workshops.

READ MORE: Specsavers’ Airdrie and Coatbridge staff reach combined 160 years of service

Most recently Cruden hosted a ‘Meet the Apprentice’ session where pupils had the opportunity to hear directly from those in early-stages of their careers in the industry.

Advertisement

These sessions helped pupils understand the practical use of classroom learning and gain insight from Cruden into the wide range of roles available across the construction sector, from trades and apprenticeships to professional and technical careers.

Michael Palethorpe, production and community benefit manager at Cruden, said: “Delivering community benefits is a central part of how we approach every project.

“While the new homes at Bank Street will provide much-needed affordable housing locally, it’s equally important that the development creates meaningful opportunities for the community while construction is underway.

Advertisement

“Our engagement with pupils at Coatbridge High School over recent months has been a fantastic opportunity to show how subjects like maths connect directly to real careers in construction.

READ MORE: Man rushed to hospital with ‘serious injuries’ after single-vehicle crash in Coatbridge

“By giving young people practical insight into the industry and the different pathways available, we hope to inspire the next generation to consider careers in the sector.”

Anna Cairney, DYW programme executive for Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, added: “Positive employer engagement is vital in delivering our mission to give young people meaningful, first-hand experience of the world of work while still at school.

Advertisement

“The range of workshops and activities delivered by Cruden at Coatbridge High School is a strong example of the impact that sustained engagement can achieve.

“These sessions have provided pupils with valuable insight into how their learning is applied in real-world careers, particularly in areas such as problem-solving, measurement, and technical skills.

“Hearing directly from apprentices and construction professionals has helped bring classroom learning to life and encouraged pupils to consider a wide range of future career pathways.”

READ MORE: Singer-songwriter James Grant returning to Airdrie Town Hall

Advertisement

A spokesperson from North Lanarkshire Council said: “This development will transform a vacant town centre site into high-quality homes for local people while supporting the continued regeneration of Coatbridge.

“As well as delivering much-needed housing, it is encouraging to see Cruden engaging with local young people through workshops and careers advice that highlight the wide range of opportunities available within the construction industry.”

*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Resident Evil Zero remake will have online co-op suggests new leak

Published

on

Resident Evil Zero remake will have online co-op suggests new leak
Resident Evil Zero – it wouldn’t take much to improve it (Capcom)

The next Resident Evil remake will make some major changes to the original, according to the latest rumours, with a return to online co-op for the mainline series.

Even with a new hack having taken place this week, and it being the most anticipated video game in history, we still know next to nothing about GTA 6. And yet there are some franchises that leak every little detail long before they can ever be formally announced.

Call Of Duty is one of those and another is Resident Evil, with most of the basics about Requiem having been leaked well before they were officially confirmed. Naturally, the rumours didn’t end there and there’s currently believed to be at least two remakes underway, as well as the inevitable sequel to Requiem.

While talk of a new Resident Evil 1 remake suggests it’s the furthest out, there’s been confusion over whether Resident Evil Zero or Code: Veronica is set to be the next one or not. Capcom hasn’t announced either, but news has leaked about online tests that suggests Zero is well underway.

Advertisement

The latest rumour, from Marcox on X, is that Capcom is currently testing online co-op for Resident Evil Zero, with the remake apparently being codenamed Chambers – after co-lead Rebecca Chambers.

As a reminder, the original Resident Evil Zero on GameCube was a purely single-player game, but it had two player characters, the other being felon Billy Coen. You could switch control between them and when they weren’t split up the AI would control whoever you weren’t.

Expert, exclusive gaming analysis

Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.

Advertisement

This was seven years before the co-op mode in Resident Evil 5 but while Zero may have acted as a useful experiment for the developers, the dual protagonists didn’t add much to the game, which is one of the least regarded of the mainline entries.

That arguably makes the prospect of a remake more interesting, as nobody’s going to care if Capcom make major changes to Zero, especially in regards to co-op.

Advertisement

Resident Evil 5 and 6 are the only mainline entries to feature co-op and after their poor reception Capcom has not returned to the option again, except in the two Resident Evil Revelations spin-offs.

In that sense, Zero might again serve as a prototype for Resident Evil 5, which no rumour suggests Capcom is so far planning to remake. Although that is an especially difficult prospect, as not only did the game have a mixed reception in terms of its gameplay but the African setting caused controversy back in 2009 and has not aged well since then.

At the moment, it’s currently believed that Zero and Code: Veronica will be released over the course of 2027 and 2028, and while this latest leak suggests Zero will be first, that’s not certain.

Resident Evil 10, the follow-up to Requiem, is believed to be aiming for around 2029, with the Resident Evil 1 remake sometime after that.

Advertisement

The further you get the less accurate such dates become though, whether the current information is accurate or not. But with Requiem proving to be the fastest-selling Resident Evil game ever you can guarantee that Capcom will want to follow up on that as soon as possible.

Resident Evil Zero screenshot
The original version didn’t have co-op (Capcom)

Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter.

To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here.

For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

‘Relentless’ thriller Netflix fans can’t help but binge-watch in one night

Published

on

Wales Online

A “criminally underrated” drama with a supernatural twist is ready to stream on Netflix.

Netflix fans are being encouraged to watch this “genuine and powerful” drama that has garnered widespread acclaim from audiences.

Crime drama fans have their next binge-watch sorted, with UK audiences only now discovering the Taiwanese series The Resurrected, which launched on Netflix in October.

Advertisement

The English-dubbed thriller, featuring supernatural elements, tells the tale of two bereaved mothers whose daughters were abducted by a human trafficking ring.

Through a forbidden ritual, the mothers bring back to life a criminal mastermind behind a fraud operation in their quest for vengeance against those responsible for taking their children.

Upon its initial release, the nine-episode drama became a phenomenal success for Netflix viewers in territories including Taiwan, Hong Kong and Thailand, and is now making a lasting impression in the UK.

READ MORE: Is Netflix’s shark thriller Thrash based on a true story?READ MORE: Geordie star begins filming iconic spy thriller for BBC

While one viewer described The Resurrected as “criminally underrated”, another echoed: “Why is this so underrated?!! More people should watch this show.

“It was intense and I couldn’t stop binging through all the episodes.”

A third commented: “It was honestly worth the watch. I’m very particular about the things I watch.

Advertisement

“If it’s boring, I tend to turn it off and never finish it, but I binge watched this all in one night. Finished it at 7am.”

Watch Fury vs Makhmudov with free Netflix subscription

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Content Image

£5.99

£0

Advertisement

Netflix | Sky

Get the deal here

Tyson Fury has come out of retirement to face Russian boxer Arslanbek Makhmudov in a heavyweight clash in London on April 11. The fight will stream live on Netflix, which fans can get for free with Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle or £24 Ultimate TV bundle, the latter of which also includes HBO Max and Disney+.

Another viewer concurred: “This drama has one of the freshest and most creative plots I’ve seen in years.

“The acting is absolutely fabulous – every performance feels genuine and powerful.

Advertisement

“The younger actors deserve special mention too; their performances are truly remarkable and add great depth to the story.”

The Resurrected boasts an entirely Asian cast, featuring Shu Qui from A Beautiful Life, Angelica Lee, known for her role in The Eye, and Fu Meng-Po from Father to Son.

The Resurrected is available to watch on Netflix.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

LIVE – Chorley Road closed in Blackrod as emergency services respond

Published

on

LIVE - Chorley Road closed in Blackrod as emergency services respond

As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our
articles.

Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local
services
.

These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local
community
.

It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need
as much support as possible during these challenging times.

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Gamblers don’t understand ‘free bets’ – and the costs can be huge

Published

on

Gamblers don’t understand ‘free bets’ - and the costs can be huge
Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

“Welcome bonus: get 150% up to £150 on your first deposit”. It’s the kind of offer that greets anyone who visits a British online betting site. What it doesn’t say is that if you decide to spend £50 on this offer, you’d need to stake an additional £750 of your own money before any winnings could be withdrawn.

Recent research by colleagues and I asked nearly 600 UK bettors to work out the true cost of exactly that kind of offer. Nearly everyone got it wrong, underestimating the real amount often by hundreds of pounds.

Financial inducements, “free” bets, deposit matches and welcome bonuses are a standard part of signing up with almost any UK operator. Their behavioural harms are well established. They encourage people to gamble more often, push bettors towards riskier wagers and are linked to chasing losses. The heaviest effects tend to fall on those already experiencing gambling harm.

But behaviour is only half the story. Harm can also stem from something more basic: not understanding what an offer actually requires of you in the first place. That’s where wagering requirements come in – the rules saying you have to bet the bonus amount a certain number of times over before any winnings attached to it can be withdrawn.

Advertisement

Until recently, these multipliers could be as high as 50 times the bonus. Since January 2026, the UK Gambling Commission has capped them at ten times and required operators to make their terms clearer. It’s a meaningful step. But it stops short of requiring operators to show consumers what that ten times multiplier actually means in pounds and pence, and that omission turns out to matter.

Our research

We ran an online experiment with 585 adults who had gambled in the past year. Each participant saw a realistic welcome bonus modelled on a real 2025 promotion, fully compliant with the 2026 rules. Half saw it in the standard industry format. The other half saw the same offer with one addition: a three-sentence example spelling out what the 10 times wagering requirement actually meant for a £50 deposit.

The correct answer was £750. The median estimate was £500. More than 90% of participants underestimated the true cost. Only around 5% got it right.

The £500 figure is telling. It is exactly what you would get if you applied the 10-times multiplier to the £50 deposit but ignored the 150% bonus on top. Most people understood part of the calculation but missed the compounding effect.

Advertisement

Matched bonuses combined with wagering multipliers are among the most common inducements in the UK. Together, they appear to obscure the true cost in a systematic way.

Crucially, this misunderstanding was not confined to any one group. People at low risk of gambling harm miscalculated at almost the same rate as those at high risk. The issue is not that some bettors are bad at maths. It is that the offer itself is structured to make the true cost hard to calculate.

When we added the worked example, attractiveness ratings dropped significantly. Once people could see what the offer required, they found it far less appealing.

Man using online sports betting services on phone and laptop
Over 90% of UK bettors misjudge ‘free bets’ gambling bonuses.
Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock

What bettors told us

Participants’ responses revealed three consistent themes. Many described the offers as manipulative, using words such as “predatory” and “deceptive”. Others argued they were economically worthless, with one participant saying “99% of people will fail to benefit”. Many also called for stronger regulation.

Several made a comparison worth taking seriously: gambling inducements, they argued, should follow the same upfront disclosure rules as credit products. One 23-year-old said wagering requirements should be shown on the advert itself, “similar to how interest rates need to be shown clearly on sites offering loans”.

Advertisement

They may have a point. The Annual Percentage Rate was introduced in UK consumer credit precisely because people couldn’t compare loan products when costs were hidden behind different headline formats. Gambling inducements present an almost identical problem.




Read more:
Why people are watching livestreams of influencers gambling – and how it could be fuelling addiction


Capping wagering requirements at ten times is welcome. But it’s not the same as making costs visible. Even a reduced multiplier still requires a multi-step calculation, and an understanding of compounding that many people do not have.

A worked example, shown in the same print size as the headline offer, would take only a few lines. It would not ban anything or restrict choice. But our study suggests it would change how people evaluate these offers. Denmark already requires something similar. Australia, Spain, Belgium and Italy have gone further, banning inducements to new customers altogether.

Advertisement

Worked examples are not a complete solution. But as a low-cost addition to existing Gambling Commission rules, they could help consumers see these offers for what they are before deciding whether to take them up.

The Conversation

Jamie Torrance has received, in the last three years: (1) Open access publication funding from Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO), (2) Conference travel and accommodation funding from the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling (AFSG), (3) A minor exploratory research grant from the ASFG and GREO, (4) Seed Grant funding from the International Centre for Responsible Gambling (ICRG), (5) Studentship funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), (6) Rapid evidence review (RER) funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), (7) Policy Fellowship funding from UKRI, and (8) A Gambling Harms Research and Innovation Partnership (GHRIP) award from UKRI.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Man found dead in Dundee home as police launch probe

Published

on

Daily Record

Emergency services attended but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

A man has been found dead at a property in Dundee.

Advertisement

Emergency services raced to the address on Kinghorne Place in the City of Discovery after receiving a report of concern for a person at 2.45am on Sunday, April 12.

Crews attended but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers from Police Scotland say inquiries into the circumstances surrounding his death are ongoing, however, there does not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 2.45pm on Sunday, 12 April, 2026, we were called to a report of concern for a man at a property in the Kinghorne Place area of Dundee.

Advertisement

“Emergency services attended however the man was pronounced dead a short time later.

Inquiries are ongoing however there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances. A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal in due course.”

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Rory McIlroy becomes a golfing great with back-to-back Masters titles

Published

on

Rory McIlroy becomes a golfing great with back-to-back Masters titles  – live reaction

“I just can’t believe I waited 17 years to get one Green Jacket and now I get two in a row,” he said. “I did the bulk of my work on Thursday and Friday, but I’m just so happy to hang in there and get the job done.”

In terms of being a roller-coaster, it did not begin to rival the unbelievable, gut-wobbling scenes of 12 months before. But then, how could it? In 2025, it had been 11 years since McIlroy had won his fourth major and every year after that he had visited the major that seemingly suited his game most and the pressure had built as he tried to emulate Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player, Nicklaus and Woods in completing the career grand slam.

At least four times in that crazy scenario, he had one arm in that Green Jacket until he finally saw off Rose in a play-off. This time around it was tense, but it was not on the same level. McIlroy knew it would not be as he explained on Saturday night.

Advertisement

“I’d like to think that I’ll play a little bit freer and I’ll play, you know, like I’ve already got a Green Jacket, which I do,” he said. “Sometimes I maybe just have to remind myself of that, but I think as well that the stakes in terms of, like, the pairing will be just a little bit easier. You know, the atmosphere out there will be a little bit easier. Yeah, I’m not worried about that at all.”

Some took that to mean he was not as motivated, but if that is the case they do not know McIlroy and they do not remember 2014. That was his most spectacular year to date when, as a player in his mid-20s, he won back-to-back majors. This now has the feel of those days and it will be intriguing to see where he takes this next. He is playing freely and is highly dangerous.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Cristian Romero: Tottenham captain out for season with knee injury as Premier League survival hopes hit

Published

on

Tottenham's Cristian Romero bites his shirt as he is substituted in their Premier League game against Sunderland

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is set to miss the rest of the season with the knee injury he sustained in their 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.

Argentina defender Romero, 27, looked visibly upset as he limped off following a collision with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky in the Premier League fixture at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

It raised concerns he may have incurred an injury serious enough to rule him out of Tottenham‘s final six games as they battle to avoid relegation.

Following tests, Romero is now expected to miss up to eight weeks with a high-grade partial tear of his medial cruciate ligament.

Advertisement

His chances of being part of Argentina’s squad for this summer’s World Cup are also left hanging in the balance.

Romero’s absence is a major setback for newly-appointed head coach Roberto de Zerbi as he bids to keep Tottenham in the top flight.

De Zerbi said after the match that Romero was a “good player with a big personality” and a “crucial player” for Spurs.

Tottenham are currently 18th in the Premier League – two points behind West Ham, who are just above the drop zone.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Scottish Labour manifesto shows Anas Sarwar is appealing to voters’ minds, not their hearts

Published

on

Daily Record

Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon said Anas Sarwar has opted for a cautious policy programme and he tries to topple the SNP

Advertisement

Anas Sarwar is running against the SNP and his own party in his campaign to become First Minister.

Scottish Labour’s manifesto launch in Edinburgh was unveiled in nightmare circumstances.

With less than a month to go, Labour are over 20 points behind the SNP and taking the flak for the chaos in Downing Street.

The party backdrops at the Edinburgh University venue had an SNP vibe to them – a big Saltire and repeated references to “Scotland”.

Advertisement

You would have required a microscope to locate the word “Labour” when Sarwar took to the stage.

Keir Starmer, whose terrible start as Prime Minister has done so much damage to Sarwar, was nowhere to be seen in the 94 page document.

One senior party figure said: “We would be more likely to put a picture of Peter Mandelson in the manifesto than Starmer.”

READ MORE: John Swinney ‘blagging’ SNP supporters on independence as ‘he knows he’s not going to win a majority’READ MORE: John Swinney put on the spot over SNP record on NHS and energy by angry debate audience

Advertisement

The launch confirmed the progress Scottish Labour has made in the last few years on patriotism.

Sarwar’s party was previously open to the accusation that they were more loyal to UK Labour than to Scots.

His call for Starmer to quit as Prime Minister killed that toxic claim stone dead.

Sarwar was also at his best talking about the country he wants to lead. “Scotland first, everything else after,” he declared.

Advertisement

He also confirmed a shopping list of policies that put the cost of living crisis at the centre of the election.

Boosting tax free childcare, creating 9,000 new apprenticeships and building 125,000 more homes are intended to help people cope with everyday life.

Backing income tax cuts for Scots earning £33,500 or more, as well as a £100m package of support in response to the Gulf crisis, will speak directly to mainstream voters.

Promising to slash NHS waiting times, end the 8am rush for a GP appointment and create a new mental health emergency service also hones in on the SNP’s weakest area – health.

Advertisement

But there is a feeling inside Labour that the manifesto lacked ambition after nearly 20 years in the doldrums of Holyrood politics.

Sarwar has committed to keeping every one of the SNP’s universal benefits, from free prescriptions to no university tuition fees.

Some of the anti-poverty policies, such as on breakfast clubs in primary schools and generous payments for babies, were cut and pasted from the SNP Government Budget.

The manifesto showed Sarwar is promising to be a better custodian of Scotland’s status quo, rather than going for the jugular and backing a fundamentally new approach.

Advertisement

In the question and answer session with journalists, he responded tetchily to the suggestion he was offering “new management” by reeling off all the times the media had predicted a fall for Labour.

“Now you are telling us we can’t win this election. I look forward to proving you all wrong on the 7th of May,” he said, to applause.

But everything about Sarwar’s campaign, from his spring conference in Paisley to the manifesto, shows he is focused on voters’ minds, not their hearts.

He is asking Scots to “hold their nose” and vote Labour tactically, rather than do so with any enthusiasm.

Advertisement

Sarwar is of the view that Alex Salmond’s victory in 2007 is a template of success for him.

Nearly twenty years ago, Salmond tapped into a vibe of change and promised a series of inexpensive but eye-catching populist policies.

Salmond’s energy also led to the SNP beating Labour by a single seat, a result that changed Scotland forever.

Sarwar’s problem is he possesses Salmond’s drive but lacks the pledge card-style policies the former SNP leader had in droves.

Advertisement

The Glasgow MSP believes that once voters are interested in the campaign, they will see Labour as the best option to call time on two decades of SNP rule.

He is confident switchers will deliver him ten to fifteen SNP constituencies.

But anger with the UK Government means he still has three mountains to climb to win the election.

Sarwar has to claw back support lost to Reform, eat into the SNP’s huge lead and halt the rise of the Greens. All in less than 25 days.

Advertisement

If the pro-UK parties pull off a majority, which no poll is showing, Sarwar would then require Reform support to become First Minister.

The best Sarwar can hope for is sneaking a narrow win and crawling into the Bute House.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025