The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed a wider six-part evidence and engagement programme for the review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

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Individuals claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will have multiple opportunities to share their views beyond a written consultation. It follows the UK Government’s confirming an expanded approach to collecting evidence for its comprehensive review of the benefit.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced the Timms Review will be underpinned by a six-part “evidence and engagement programme” intended to ensure it captures “as many perspectives and experiences as possible”.

The review, headed by Sir Stephen Timms, marks the first complete examination of PIP since its launch in 2013 and is anticipated to deliver its findings later this year. It will assess how the benefit is functioning and whether it remains suitable for future needs. Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment

In addition to the current Call for Evidence, which remains open until 28 May, the DWP has now detailed further avenues through which disabled people, carers and organisations can participate.

Beyond written responses, the programme will feature a new nationally representative survey, commissioned via independent research organisation NatCen, to gather a broader spectrum of claimant experiences, reports the Daily Record.

There will also be organised workshops and discussion sessions with charities, specialists and those with lived experience to examine issues more thoroughly.

To broaden engagement even further, the DWP is launching a “workshop in a box” toolkit, enabling organisations and community groups to facilitate their own sessions and submit findings to the review. The DWP will also draw upon existing research, including academic studies and data already held by the UK Government, to develop a more comprehensive understanding of how PIP is functioning in practice.

Further engagement activities, incorporating accessible formats and face-to-face opportunities, are planned to ensure participants can contribute in ways that best suit their individual needs.

In a statement published on GOV.UK, the review team indicated that the approach is designed to go beyond conventional consultations by combining statistical evidence with first-hand experiences of the benefits system.

PIP is intended to assist with the additional costs associated with living with a long-term health condition or disability, and is paid irrespective of whether the recipient is in employment.

A successful PIP claim is currently worth between £30.30 and £194.60 per week, equating to between £121.20 and £778.40 every four-week payment period.

The number of individuals receiving PIP has climbed to more than 3.9 million, with expenditure forecast to continue rising, prompting ministers to commission a full review.

The DWP has confirmed that no decisions have yet been reached regarding potential changes, and any recommendations will be guided by the evidence gathered throughout the review process.

A steering group comprising disabled people, charities and policy experts is also providing support for the review, with the government stating that the work is being co-produced alongside individuals with direct experience of the system.

The Call for Evidence remains open until 28 May, with findings anticipated to inform recommendations later in 2026. Ultimate decisions on any potential reforms will be made by ministers following the publication of the review’s report.

Views can be submitted via GOV.UK.

He was asked whether he thinks Patrick Kielty will stay on as host amid no confirmation of a contract renewal

Pat Kenny has said it’s his “instinct” that Patrick Kielty “probably won’t stay on” as Late Late Show host.

There has been much speculation surrounding the Co Down comedian’s future as host of RTÉ ‘s flagship chat show as his three-year contract with the broadcaster has come to an end without news of a renewal.

Pat, who hosted the Late Late between 1999 and 2009, thinks changes in Patrick Kielty’s personal life since joining the show may influence whether or not he stays on as presenter.

READ MORE: Patrick Kielty’s RTÉ future remains unclear as he signs off Late Late Show finale amid contract uncertaintyREAD MORE: RTÉ address uncertainty over renewal of Patrick Kielty’s Late Late Show contract

The Newstalk host told the Sunday Independent : “I asked him if he was going to renew and he said he hadn’t at the time [when Pat was a guest on the Late Late back in March].

“I wouldn’t necessarily expect him to confide in me, I don’t know him that well, but the fact that he didn’t say ‘yeah’, obviously he was either still in negotiations or there was some reluctance [on his behalf].

“His domestic arrangements are somewhat more complicated since he split up from Cat [Deeley] – the kids are over in London and he’s up in Northern Ireland, so that must be very gruelling, so I think it’s up to him.

“He has done it for three years, but he wasn’t split up at the beginning, so it may be just wearing him down, though he doesn’t show it on air.

“My instinct is that he probably won’t stay on. Maybe it’s too constrictive. If you don’t have kids, you can carry on regardless.”

When asked if it was time for RTÉ to call a day on The Late Late Show, Pat said it would be “commercially crazy” to do so.

He told the publication: “When Gay Byrne left after 37 years, it was my job to keep the brand alive, which I did for 10 years, and then Ryan Tubridy took over, and it was his job to keep the brand alive.

“But I do know it’s more difficult now. The Late Late Show should be like a rowdy Irish dinner party.

“Someone would sing a song, someone would tell the jokes, there would be a row – that’s the recipe – and of course, there has to be a bit of stardust.

“It gets harder and harder to get the stardust to walk into the studio. The big international stars are more reluctant to travel than they ever were.

“They can do it by Zoom, or they go into a hotel in London and give 20 interviews.”

Patrick signed off from The Late Late Show for the summer on Friday night, but didn’t address any news of a contract renewal.

He told viewers at home: “That is it from us for tonight, and for this season, we hope you have a fab summer. This has been The Late Late Show, I’ve been Patrick Kielty, and playing us out tonight, this is Westlife! Goodnight.”

RTÉ sources told the Sunday Independent this weekend that the general consensus is that Patrick will stay on as host. However, there has been no official confirmation on his future as of yet.

As the show wrapped up on Friday night, a spokesperson for the national broadcaster said: “As The Late Late Show reaches the end of another successful season, we look forward to the programme returning for its 65th year in the autumn.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What’s On newsletter.

The White House was briefly placed on lockdown after a Secret Service shooting near the Washington Monument, moments after JD Vance’s motorcade had passed through the area. A young person was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

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The White House was placed on lockdown following a shooting near the Washington Monument.

A suspicious individual was identified and, after opening fire on Secret Service officers, was shot.

The incident occurred just moments after JD Vance had passed through the area, according to Deputy Director Mathew C Quinn.

At the time, the Secret Service said: “U.S. Secret Service personnel are on the scene of an officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C.

“The incident resulted from a confrontation between an armed individual and Secret Service Police,” a further statement from the Secret Service confirmed,

A young person was wounded in the incident and taken to hospital, with injuries reported as not life-threatening.

The shooting occurred across the National Mall, approximately a mile from the White House.

Despite the distance, the White House was briefly evacuated before the ‘all clear’ was issued.

Washington DC’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) confirmed in a statement that an investigation is under way.

“MPD is on scene of this investigation at 15th Street and Independence Ave, SW. The scene is secure.

“Avoid the area as roads will be closed for several hours. Additional updates to come as information is confirmed,” the department added.

The incident comes just over a week after an alleged gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner with Trump in attendance. Allen faced charges of attempted murder of the President alongside two firearms offences.

Lively also posted on Instagram about the judge’s move, writing: “The last thing I wanted in my life was a lawsuit, but I brought this case because of the pervasive RETALIATION I faced, and continue to, for privately and professionally asking for a safe working environment for myself and others,” she wrote.

This year, the Met Gala wasn’t about subtle glimpses of nipples through sheer dresses, but about sculpted, moulded, and engineered busts as the unapologetic center of attention.

If Fashion Is Art was the brief, then apparently the body itself became the canvas — or more specifically, one very particular part of it.

Afterall, one thing most great sculptures of the human form have in common? Prominent nipples.

Leading the charge, unsurprisingly, were the Kardashian-Jenner dynasty, who arrived in three entirely different outfits that all somehow landed on the exact same… point.

Kim Kardashian opted for a corseted look that leaned into exaggerated, cone-like structure, courtesy of artists Allen Jones and Whitaker Malem — a duo known for turning the human form into something closer to statue than clothing.

Meanwhile, Kylie Jenner took a more illusion-based route in a painstakingly detailed Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown by Daniel Roseberry.

It featured thousands of pearls, hand-painted scales, and enough embroidery to make your head spin, but the real trick was in the barely-there bodice, engineered to mimic the body beneath.

Then there was Kendall Jenner, who turned a humble white T-shirt into something that would make a museum curator weep.

Designed by Zac Posen for Gap, her look referenced classical sculpture, specifically the Winged Victory of Samothrace, proving that even ancient marble knew the power of a well-placed contour.

And just in case you thought this was a family-only phenomenon, Hailey Bieber arrived in a cobalt Saint Laurent gown complete with a gold moulded bustier that was specifically molded to her body.

At this point, it stopped being a coincidence and started feeling like an exhibit in the Vatican Museum.

One user on X wrote: ‘Okay they all look good but so far 3/3 of the kardashain looks have all included their nipples like did they plan that was there a group chat’

Another posted: ‘The way Jenner sisters are matching the NIPPLES detail.’

A third posted a picture of Kendall’s look, captioning it: ‘best dressed of the Kardashian Jenners, but what’s this trend of fake nipples.’

Of course, this isn’t fashion’s first flirtation with the idea.

Designers have been toying with sculptural busts for decades — from Jean Paul Gaultier’s infamous cone bra to Thierry Mugler’s hyper-moulded silhouettes.

It was clear that the most popular interpretation of the Met Gala’s theme was wearable statues, creating a red carpet full of bodies reimagined, exaggerated, and polished into something just slightly uncanny.

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The tapes were recorded in 1991 during private conversations with her friend James Colthurst and formed the basis of Andrew Morton’s biography, Diana: Her True Story.

In them, the late Princess of Wales reflects on her marriage to Charles, her struggles with bulimia, and her views on what was then his ongoing relationship with Camilla.

They also include personal thoughts on her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, as well as comments about Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

The Radio Times reports that in the 30 years since her death, less than an hour of this material has been made public.

The new docuseries, Diana: The Unheard Truth, will air in 2027 to mark 30 years since her death and will include never-before-heard recordings.

Love Monday TV said: “The series will challenge the reductive narrative that has too often framed Diana as a victim of her circumstances.

“Instead, it will show a resilient, perceptive, and relatable young woman, finding herself in the brightest of global spotlights, and navigating the challenges with grace, self-awareness, and determination.”

The three-part series has been created by Love Monday TV, which has secured full access to the archive tapes in partnership with Morton and Colthurst, who also feature in the series.

No broadcaster or streaming platform has yet been confirmed.

The series will also include interviews with those who knew her best.

Recommended reading:

Contributors will include school friend Delissa Needham, hairdresser Sam McKnight, and astrologer Penny Thornton.

Other voices featured are dancer Wayne Sleep, former bodyguard Ken Wharfe, royal press secretary Dickie Arbiter, photographer Kent Gavin, and journalist Richard Kay.

The programme follows a recent episode of ITV’s Reporting History, which shared previously unbroadcast footage of Princess Diana’s famed visit to Angola in January 1997.

Will you be interested in watching Diana: The Unheard Truth next year? Let us know in the comments.

Departures from what is the country’s third busiest airport were an average of 19-and-a-half minutes behind schedule in 2025, according to analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data by the Press Association.

That was longer than all other UK airports despite representing a 30-second improvement from the previous year.

Flight delays are often caused by issues outside the control of airports, such as air traffic control (ATC) disruption and bad weather.

UK airports with longest delays for departures in 2025 (Image: PA Wire)

Rory Boland, editor of magazine Which? Travel, said the choice of airport “shouldn’t make or break your trip” but “too many holidays got off to a terrible start last year”.

He went on: “Manchester Airport has ranked last in our airport survey for four consecutive years and these new CAA figures validate why this is a particularly poor place to be stranded during delays.

“For passengers already wary of travel uncertainty, seeing such consistent underperformance makes it difficult to book with any real confidence.”

Birmingham Airport had the second poorest flight punctuality last year, with an average delay of 18 minutes and 42 seconds.

In third place was Bournemouth Airport (17 minutes and 18 seconds).

Liverpool John Lennon Airport – less than 30 miles from Manchester airport – had the most punctual flights, recording an average delay of just nine minutes and 24 seconds.

The analysis took into account scheduled and chartered departures from the 23 commercial UK airports with at least 1,000 outbound flights last year.

Cancellations were not included.

The average delay for departures last year was 14 minutes and 54 seconds, down from 18 minutes and 24 seconds in 2024.

Manchester is the UK’s only two-runway airport other than Heathrow, and was used by 32 million passengers last year.

Its scheme to revamp Terminal 3 is ongoing, while a 10-year £1.3 billion transformation which included modernising and doubling the size of Terminal 2, and closing Terminal 1, was recently completed.

A spokesperson for the airport said: “Punctuality is affected by factors that are outside of an airport’s control.

“The two most significant factors contributing to delays in the last year have been industrial action affecting air traffic control in Europe, and the weather.

“These were exacerbated by airspace restrictions above conflict zones meaning airports with significant long-haul networks, like Manchester, were more significantly affected than others.

“As an industry we are working collectively to achieve the best possible on-time departure rates, while protecting flight schedules and avoiding the need for cancellations.”

A spokesman for Bournemouth Airport said the reason for delays are outside its control “in the majority of cases”, and it is “one of the UK’s top-ranked regional airports for passenger satisfaction”.

Birmingham Airport did not respond to a request for a comment.

Depending on the distance of the route and length of delay, passengers booked on delayed flights from UK airports are entitled to assistance such as a reasonable amount of food and drink, a means to communicate and overnight accommodation if required.

Airlines often fail to provide this during major disruption as they are overwhelmed by requests.

Passengers may also be able to claim compensation of up to £520 from the airline if the reason for the delay is deemed within its control, which could be a fault with the aircraft or pilot sickness.

ATC issues are considered to be an “extraordinary circumstance”, meaning affected passengers are not entitled to payouts.

Anna Bowles, head of consumer at the CAA, urged the aviation industry to be “focused on delivering punctual and reliable journeys for passengers wherever possible” as she warned that delays have a “real impact for people heading off on holidays”.

She added: “When disruption occurs, how the industry responds really matters.

“Passengers should be kept informed and given the care and support they are entitled to.”

A spokesperson for trade body AirportsUK said passengers are “benefitting from improvements in the service they receive”, and delays in 2025 were “down significantly on the previous year”.

The players had traded blows for most of Monday evening, with Wu repeatedly edging in front only to be pegged back by the unshakeable Murphy.

Having resumed at 13-12 up, Wu opened with a break of 88 as echoes of his name reverberated around the auditorium.

He also enjoyed runs of 70, 56 and 91 after rolling in a sensational pot on the yellow with the rest.

But he could never quite get clear of Murphy, who has now endured the heartache of losing his past four finals in snooker’s showpiece match.

Murphy, who had been aiming to fulfil a 21-year dream by setting a new record for the longest gap between a player’s first and second world titles, produced some wonderful breaks of his own with an 82, 65, and a sublime 131.

While another half-century gave him a chance to take it to a one-frame shootout, he once again fell short at the final hurdle.

“I’d like to be the first to congratulate Wu Yize and his family, and everyone around him for being a wonderful world champion,” Murphy said.

“I hate being right – I said sometime earlier in the season when we had a great game out in China somewhere, I won that one but I came out afterwards and said that he would be world champion one day. It’s just a real shame that it was today, but I couldn’t have given it any more, I couldn’t have tried harder.

“I played the best shots I could have played and I didn’t get my chance. I couldn’t do any more than that.”