Connect with us
DAPA Banner

NewsBeat

David Attenborough turns 100: The national treasure’s 10 most iconic moments

Published

on

David Attenborough turns 100: The national treasure's 10 most iconic moments

Sir David Attenborough has brought the joy of the natural and animal world to the nation’s screens through his beloved programmes for 70 years.

His reverential, sometimes playful tone has become a mainstay of British television, while his efforts to raise awareness for conservation and climate change have inspired millions.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

NewsBeat

Ryanair flogs budget flights to Spain that are ‘cheaper than buying dinner’

Published

on

Manchester Evening News

Ryanair is selling cheap flights to Spain and, if you’re looking for a bargain deal, there are some crucial things you need to know. Some say they’re so reasonable, they’re “cheaper than buying dinner”

Millions of passengers fly with Ryanair each year but, if you’re planning a trip to Spain, there’s some vital information you should be aware of. Travellers have been informed that Ryanair is selling seats that are “cheaper than buying dinner”, which is fantastic news for those on the hunt for a budget-friendly getaway.

Advertisement

The travel deals were recently highlighted by Spain Explore on Instagram, with the page eager to bring the bargains to people’s attention. The account claimed the airline has announced routes to Barcelona that are “cheaper than dinner” and, after a quick search, it’s clear that some flights from the UK are remarkably good value.

It’s not the only noteworthy update passengers have received about the airline of late either. Just days ago, travellers were cautioned that a straightforward error could end up pushing up the cost of their flights.

Alongside the post, the caption read: “Greece to Barcelona for just $48 (£35.26) on Ryanair. May 26, 2026 departure. This price won’t last long so grab yours NOW before it’s gone.”

However, for those travelling from the UK and Ireland, there are a few key details worth knowing to help secure the best possible deals. Ryanair typically offers very competitively priced flights to Barcelona, with fares frequently starting from around £15 to £25 for one-way tickets from various UK departure points, including London Stansted and Manchester.

Advertisement

They predominantly operate into Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN), typically arriving at Terminal 2B, with fares that are often highly competitive and usually include just a small personal item. The London Stansted to Barcelona route is considered a popular budget option, with one-way tickets occasionally available for as little as £19.

Content cannot be displayed without consent

However, there are several important factors to bear in mind. Generally, you’ll need to book approximately 45 to 60 days ahead to secure the most affordable fares.

Additionally, the lowest prices typically cover only one small personal item. Additional fees may be incurred for cabin baggage or hold luggage.

How to secure the best offers

While a handful of bargain fares remain available this month, June presents flights from as little as £16.99 for one-way trips from airports including Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool on selected dates.

Advertisement

For departures from Dublin, the website presently displays fares as low as €31 (£26.75) on certain days for a one-way trip, though return prices can vary. The cost is dependent on your chosen travel dates.

For those looking to depart shortly, some return flights are also on offer from just €58 (£50.06) in May. However, you’ll need to move quickly to secure these seats, as availability is restricted.

Meanwhile, departures from Glasgow Prestwick tend to be more economical mid-week in June for those planning to visit Barcelona. Some can be secured for as little as €51 (£44.02) for a return journey in May and June.

Bear in mind that flight prices vary considerably throughout the month, so acting swiftly is essential if you’re hoping to secure a bargain fare. It’s also worth noting that prices fluctuate constantly and may mean you’re restricted to travelling on certain dates.

Advertisement

In fact, costs can change several times a day, driven by real-time demand, seat availability and competitor pricing. Airlines are known to employ dynamic algorithms to adjust fares, with prices climbing as flights fill up or dropping to attract bookings, typically mid-week.

Additional factors such as travel dates, route popularity and public holidays can also influence these shifts. It’s well worth keeping this in mind when shopping around for the best deal.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

BBC star makes sweet admission on filming in Belfast for popular crime-drama

Published

on

Belfast Live

The popular BBC series first kicked off in 2023 and has grown in popularity over the years.

Earlier this year, it was confirmed that another series of Blue Lights is on the way.

Sharing a post on social media, the BBC crime drama announced the programme was filming in Belfast.

Advertisement

The series follows police recruits Grace, Annie, and Tommy as they learn the ropes of the police force while working in a high-pressure environment.

As filming gets underway, some of the cast members revealed their favourite things about filming in the city. In a clip shared on BBC’s Instagram, actress Siân Brooke comments: “Belfast is made of the best people, end of.”

Sharing their thoughts on the city, Martin McCann added: “Belfast is made of heart, soul. It’s Northern Ireland you know, it’s beautiful. It really punches above its weight.”

Meanwhile, other members of the cast, including actors Katherine Devlin and Nathan Braniff, said it was also full of love and good craic as Nathan remarked: “For me, it feels like home.”

Katherine added: “I think it’s because it’s so vibrant as a city, and also, there are so many different textures to it. You have Holywood direction and it’s beside the sea and then you also have inner-city Belfast too.”

Following the announcement that another series was on the way, the BBC shared that Richard Dormer was returning to the role of Gerry Cliff.

Although his character was killed off in series one, fans suspect it’s likely his reprisal will be down to a flashback scene or a storyline surrounding Gerry’s murder investigation.

Fans will also see Hannah McClean as solicitor Jen Robinson and Jonathan Harden as disgraced former Inspector Jonty, in an episode that will answer important questions from the past.

Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, co- creators and co-writers say: “We’re very excited to bring this series of Blue Lights to audiences.

“It reveals a lot of dark secrets, examines what justice looks like in Belfast today, and ties together the past, present, and futures of Grace, Annie and Tommy in an action-packed story. We can’t wait to start filming it!”

Advertisement

A synopsis for the series reads: “Three years into their jobs as response officers, Constables Grace Ellis, Tommy Foster, and Annie Conlon are operating at their limit, facing a new threat on the streets that the police can barely control.

“Meanwhile, the murder trial of Gerry Cliff exposes a dangerous and long-buried secret that leads to chaos both inside the police and across the criminal underworld. As they grapple with big decisions about their future, Grace, Tommy and Annie must find the courage to face the greatest threat they have ever encountered: the truth.”

Blue Lights is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Death of girl, 12 killed by falling tree branch was accidental, coroner rules

Published

on

Manchester Evening News

Brooke Wiggins died after falling from a rope swing

The death of a 12-year-old girl who was killed after being hit by a falling branch while playing on a rope swing has been ruled an accident in court.

Advertisement

Brooke Wiggins died days before she turned 13 on November 9, 2024, after she fell from a rope swing in Banstead, Surrey. South London Coroner’s Court heard how a large branch suddenly snapped before landing on the youngster.

Assistant coroner Ivor Collett said Surrey County Council, which was responsible for maintaining the tree, had been criticised over how it inspected the safety of trees, but concluded it could not have reasonably been expected to do more to prevent it from happening. Mr Collett said: “I see what happened on the awful day of Brooke’s death as an accident which was not readily foreseeable by either of the local authorities involved.

Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter

“I find that they, and Surrey County Council in particular, had reasonable systems in place. Bearing in mind their duties and the risks and the public resources they have to manage, they could not reasonably be expected to have done more in a way which would have prevented this terrible accident.”

Advertisement

The inquest previously heard the tree had been reviewed by Surrey County Council in May 2022. Following the inspection, there was a recommendation to remove ivy covering it to “aid future inspection” of the tree, which, after Brooke’s death, was revealed to have had a “crack” not visible from ground level.

A re-inspection was scheduled for May 2024, but this did not take place because of prioritising other inspections, the inquest heard. The coroner told the inquest on Wednesday, May 6, that there was “no sound evidence that a re-inspection by May 2024 would have revealed either a dangerous crack or a rope swing”.

Mr Collett said: “A criticism made in this case of Surrey County Council has been that its inspection regime was deficient. However, I do not make that finding.

Advertisement

“I accept the need to prioritise tree inspection works. This is not the same statutory territory as highway inspection regimes, it is far more nuanced and must be far more reactive and flexible, especially given the resources available and the huge number of trees involved in the Surrey CC estate.”

The inquest previously heard that a “pathway for avoiding Brooke’s death” was for the erection of advisory notices between May 2022 and May 2024 warning against rope swings.

Mr Collett rejected this in his conclusions because there was a lack of evidence that a rope swing would have been discovered in that period and “it is doubtful that vigorous children and teenagers would take much notice of warning signs”.

Advertisement

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our WhatsApp group by clicking HERE

The assistant coroner told the inquest that a Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) report was “not warranted” as “there is a sufficient system already in place”. Mr Collett ended the inquest by paying tribute to Brooke’s family.

He said: “They have provided a voice for her when she has been unable to speak for herself.

“Brooke was plainly a light that shone in their lives, and while that light shone far less than half as long as was its due, it clearly shone more than twice as brightly.”

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Why we need to treat Earth like a spaceship

Published

on

Why we need to treat Earth like a spaceship

Four humans recently looped around the Moon. Their vessel, an Artemis capsule, was a thin metal shell whose life-support system kept them alive: it provided a carefully balanced atmosphere, a closed water loop, a finite supply of food and a means for disposing human waste. The life support was not optional. It was a necessity.

Consider this: not once in the history of human spaceflight has an astronaut been known to tamper with their life support system. No one has ever decided to vent some oxygen for fun. No one has argued for a personal right to increase their CO₂ output. Sabotage is unthinkable – socially intolerable. Their fellow crew members and mission control would intervene immediately.

Now consider Earth.

We are doing to our planetary life support what no astronaut has done to theirs. We are damaging it – venting carbon, acidifying the oceans, stripping topsoil and collapsing biodiversity – not maliciously, but with a shrug. It is legal. It is profitable. And in most circles, it is entirely socially acceptable.

Advertisement

The Victorian novelist George Eliot would have understood why. In Middlemarch, she showed us a town that preferred a satisfying, simple myth (that a charismatic quack can cure ills) over difficult, complex truths (the role of germs, statistics, slow systematic change). Humans, she argued, do not naturally reach for what is true. We reach for what is near, simple and emotionally rewarding.

Climate science is the anti-myth. It is delayed, diffuse, impersonal and global. It asks us to change behaviour today for a benefit that will arrive decades away, elsewhere on the planet, for people we will never meet.

This psychological distance is a severe challenge for a brain evolved to flinch at a rustle in the grass, not a graph showing rising parts per million of atmospheric carbon dioxide.




À lire aussi :
Earthrise to Earthset: how the planet’s climate has changed since the photo that inspired the environmental movement

Advertisement

The myths that let us ignore the truth are familiar.

If I recycle, I’m doing my part. (This is insufficient but feels good.)

Technology will save us before it’s too late. (Comforting but improbable, and it delays action.)

It’s already too late, so nothing matters. (This is fatalism as absolution.)

Advertisement

We will adapt. (The laws of nature set hard limits.)

These stories are false, but they are functional. Psychologists call them the “dragons of inaction” – the mental barriers that let us know the truth without feeling its weight. Along with disavowal (knowing something but ignoring it), they allow us to keep flying, driving, consuming and investing, without the discomfort of cognitive dissonance (the stress of simultaneously holding conflicting beliefs).

The Artemis crew members live by a different narrative. They are guided by a simple, undeniable truth. That they are in a small, fragile vessel. The life support is essential. Damaging it is not an option.

Advertisement

Often people don’t treat planet Earth as a precious life support system.
Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

Earth is a vessel too. It is just larger, its support systems less visible, and the consequences of damage slower to arrive. As the economist Kenneth Boulding argued 60 years ago, we must learn to see our planet as a closed system – not an open frontier.

What narrative could protect Earth like it protects astronauts?

Not a policy paper. Not a carbon tax (though we need those). A story.

We have candidate myths already. None is perfect, but each is more powerful than the cold scientific facts.

Advertisement

The one pane of glass narrative outlines that Earth is not a planet we live on. It is a pressurised cabin with a single irreplaceable window. Every tonne of CO₂ scratches a crack in that glass. You wouldn’t hammer the Artemis capsule window. Why do it here?

The blood of the body myth portrays the biosphere not as nature but as the collective and extended organ system of humanity. Deforesting the Amazon and burning oil are not business as usual, they are acts of self-harm.

The crew of the damned narrative hinges on the concept that you are not a consumer. You are a temporary tenant on a multi-generational voyage. Nature and the previous shift built the vessel. The next shift will inherit it. To degrade Earth’s systems is to defile the ancestors and curse the children. That is not a crime. It is a sin that will outlast your name.




À lire aussi :
To address the environmental polycrisis, the first step is to demand more honesty

Advertisement

None of these stories will work if they remain metaphors. They become common sense only when they are visibly, socially and economically enforced – when a CEO who opens a new coal mine is treated with the same universal horror as an astronaut reaching for the oxygen valve.

Imagine every human decision – personal, professional, political – tested against one simple question: “If we were in a capsule looping around the Moon, would this be a safe use of our shared life support?”

Repeated sufficiently, the right conclusion would become habitual. For those resisting, the rest of the crew would intervene. On Earth, there is no mission control – only us.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Renters Right Act explained – six key changes to rentals

Published

on

Renters Right Act explained - six key changes to rentals

The act will introduce six key changes to the way renting works in the UK, affecting both renters and landlords.

The new law also introduces tougher enforcement powers for councils, with fines of up to £40,000 for landlords who break the rules, ensuring that rogue operators can no longer evade accountability.

These changes are:

  1. Prevention of rent ‘bidding wars’
  2. Changes to up-front rent requirements
  3. Abolition of ‘no-fault’ evictions
  4. An end to fixed-term tenancies
  5. More rights for people’s pets
  6. An increase in necessary notice periods

The changes will affect all tenants and all renters throughout the country (Image: Newsquest)

1 – Bidding Wars

Advertisement

The new act will discourage bidding wars on rental properties by making it illegal for landlords to request, encourage, or accept offers above the set price.

Renters outbidding one another for the same property drives rental prices up – this change is intended to do the opposite.

2 – Up front rent

The Renters Rights Act will prevent landlords from asking for more than one month of rent upfront.

Advertisement

Up until April 30, Landlords could ask for five weeks’ rent upfront on properties up to an annual rental value of up £50,000, and six weeks for properties with an annual rental value of more than £50,000

3 – Abolition of ‘no-fault’ evictions

Until May 1, landlords could present tenants with section 21 ‘no-fault eviction’ notices.

This gave landlords the right to evict tenants even if those tenants had not fallen behind on rent or caused damage to the property.

Advertisement

4 – An end to fixed-term tenancies

Renters will no longer have to sign up for fixed-term rental contracts, meaning all tenancies will be organised as rolling, one-month contracts.

The previous industry standard was a six-month contract, in which tenants had to pay rent for a property for at least six months, with some contracts rising to one year.

Tenants will now be allowed to leave a property whenever they like without continuing to be liable for rent payments due to unfulfilled contract obligations.

Advertisement

5 – Pets Rights

Landlords can no longer give blanket refusals to tenants having pets.

If a tenant wants a pet, they can make a request to their landlord. If the landlord cannot provide a good reason for saying no, they must say yes.

6 – Notice period

Advertisement

Landlords who wish to sell a property must give tenants four months’ notice in order to give them time to find alternative accommodation.

However, this only applies to tenants who have lived in a property for more than a year. Tenants who have lived in a property for less than a year cannot be evicted by a landlord at all if the landlord’s reason for eviction is the desire to sell.

Under the new rules fixed-term contracts have become a thing of the past (Image: Newsquest)

Reactions

Reactions have been mixed to the changes, with praise levelled at the perceived increase in fairness the new rules will bring with them, but criticism of the potential confusions and complications.

Advertisement

“The act started under the conservative government, actually,” said Sarah Morris, a business development consultant who does a lot of work in the property market.

“It’s been a bit of a nightmare for agents to keep track of all the changes.”

Sarah believes there will be a period of confusion for both tenants and landlords before people get used to the new rules.

“I think the biggest issue will be for the smaller landlords, because despite the changes being quite widespread, a lot of people don’t seem to know about them.

Advertisement

“Getting the message out is important, and if people don’t understand what is changing, they need to get support.”

There are large fines for people who break the new rules, which will start coming into effect around the end of May, according to Sarah. Starting at £7,000, fines can reach up to £40,000 for repeat offenders.

Some landlords are already selling up in an effort to avoid the new strictures. I asked Sarah if any landlords had been putting last-minute eviction notices in before the new rules ban no-fault evictions.

“Yes, absolutely,” said Sarah. “I know that there were people who were doing that to get ahead of the act.

Advertisement

“You no longer have a fixed-term contract, so all six-month tenancy agreements will have to become ‘assured period agreements’.”

‘Assured period agreement’ is the technical term for the new type of rolling contract that landlords must offer tenants, described above in section four.

“For new tenants just getting into the rental market, they might face more stringent checks from landlords, as they know it will be harder to evict them if anything goes wrong.

“I know some people now require guarantors for all contracts, even in circumstances where they wouldn’t previously have needed them.

Advertisement

“Properties will be held to higher standards than previously, so tenants might see their landlords around and their properties more often for repairs or inspections.”

All landlords must sign up to the new ombudsman database, which makes it easier for tenants to lodge complaints. Failure to do so will result in fines starting from £7,000.

“Ultimately, the plan is to make it a fairer market for everyone; there’s just going to be a bit of an adjustment period.”

Bolton West MP Phil Brickell also commented: “This is fantastic news for renters.

Advertisement

“Around 6,190 renters across Bolton West will have stronger protection due to these reforms brought about by this Labour government.

(Image: Office of Phil Brickell MP)

“Having spoken to people across Blackrod, Bolton, Horwich and Westhoughton these reforms are long overdue.

“These reforms give more stability to renters and prevent Landlords from being able to evict people just so that they can increase their rental income by renting to someone else.”

“Too many renters in Bolton West have been living with the constant fear of losing their home through no fault of their own.

Advertisement

“These historic reforms will make a real difference to people locally – giving renters the security they deserve, protecting them from unfair practices, and helping families put down roots in their communities.

“I’m proud that this Labour government is delivering the biggest upgrade to renters’ rights in a generation.”

Please see the Government website for more information, which provides more details on all the points listed here.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Location, Location, Location star details episode ‘that will never come to air’

Published

on

Wales Online

Kirstie Allsopp made an admission ahead of the new series of Location, Location, Location

Kirstie Allsopp made a surprising revelation on ITV’s This Morning.

The 54-year-old host is due to return to television tonight (Wednesday, May 6) for a fresh series of Channel 4’s Location, Location, Location, alongside Phil Spencer.

Advertisement

Kirstie and Phil are marking 26 years presenting the programme together, so audiences may be astonished to discover that they weren’t initially intended to be matched as a hosting partnership.

While appearing on This Morning, Kirstie disclosed to presenters Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley that she was required to audition alongside other prospective female candidates before securing the presenting role back in 2000.

“I look at the two of you now and you can’t imagine one without the other… I didn’t realise, Kirstie, that Phil made you fight for your place alongside him. You had a screen test with other women,” Ben said, reports the Mirror.

Kirstie revealed: “There was an Italian girl with legs up to here [makes tall gesture]. Legs like Cat’s. Phil really, really wanted her, but the problem was the accent was so strong.”

Phil replied: “That’s not quite true!” before Kirstie continued: “And there was a really sweet girl who was an estate agent, but I think that she was probably intimidated by the whole thing.

“So, he sort of ended up with me by default. We did a non-transmissible pilot. Thank god that will never come to air.”

She added: “We both thought, ‘Oh, that was fun, but we’ve got real jobs.’ And then they commissioned the show, and they asked us to present it.”

Advertisement

The pair went on to confirm that the first three series of Location, Location, Location were filmed while they both held down their regular jobs.

“It was a busy time,” Phil remarked, with Kirstie quipping: “We had no belief in this telly rubbish!”

The latest series of Location, Location, Location returns to Channel 4 at 8pm tonight, with Kirstie and Phil once again steering prospective buyers through an ever-shifting property market.

Advertisement

The series kicks off in Surrey, a popular commuter belt for London workers and a county steeped in quintessential English character. Emily and Jack have postponed their wedding until they secure a home, having so far been disappointed by properties that fail to live up to their brochure images.

Elsewhere, Jane, who has spent her career working across the globe, is eager to settle down in Farnham. Despite Phil residing nearby, it quickly becomes apparent that his local knowledge is no guarantee of a straightforward house hunt.

Location, Location, Location is available to stream on Channel 4

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Coronation Street fans’ Theo Silverton killer prediction and there isn’t one person responsible

Published

on

Manchester Evening News

The abuser was bumped off after a week of dramatic episodes of the ITV soap

Coronation Street fans have made a major prediction about Theo Silverton’s killer – and they’re sure there isn’t just one person involved in bumping off the abuser.

Advertisement

There were jaw-dropping scenes in the ITV soap last week as Theo was among five Weatherfield villains in mortal peril, with one of them confirmed to be being killed off at the end of a dramatic week of episodes that left fans guessing as to who the victim would be.

Fans will recall that the ‘who is it’ storyline was initially confirmed back in February in a flashforward episode of Corrie, in which Betsy Swain was revealed as the one to discover the dead body of one of her neighbours.

Click here to sign up for more Coronation Street updates in our newsletter

At the time, the shocked teen was seen being interviewed by the police after discovering the dead body of someone she knew, before it was revealed that it could be Theo, Carl Webster, Jodie Ramsey, Maggie Driscoll or Megan Walsh.

Advertisement

The shocked teen was heard explaining that she had been at her mum, Lisa Swain, and Carla Connor’s wedding, and that it was when she decided to head into town that she made the discovery. While the wedding took place in April, it wasn’t until last week that Corrie was seen revisiting that day, with each episode seen from the perspective of a different potential victim.

It was right at the end of the fifth and final episode of the week that Corrie revealed abuser Theo’s time on the cobbles had come to a permanent end, which comes after Todd Grimshaw bravely reported him to the police over the abuse he had subjected him to for months.

In the nail-biting episode, Todd played a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse to outsmart a vengeful Theo. Todd managed to hide, and he called Christina Boyd to let her and George know what had happened. It wasn’t long before Christina set off to go and find him, warning George to stay at the house.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Summer Spellman found herself caught in the crossfire when she came face-to-face with a sinister Theo, who forced her to hand over her phone, which he then chucked out of the window. Soon, outside, a jovial Betsy was given the shock of her life as she stumbled across the villain’s lifeless body.

A ‘whodunnit’ has since got underway, with the six possible killers being confirmed as Todd (Gareth Pierce), George (Tony Mauldsley) and Gary Winass, who are this week seen facing interrogation from DS Lisa Connor-Swain and DC Kit Green, while in the coming weeks, Summer, Christina Boyd and Theo’s ex-wife, Danielle Silverton will follow in their footsteps. But who was responsible for Theo’s demise?

Well, Corrie fans are now predicting it’s a joint effort. One asked: “What if Theo’s death was the result of a group effort? #Corrie.” Another replied: “I’m thinking the same, they all had a go at him.” A third admitted: “That would be an amazing twist!”

Another fan shared: “Melanie is annoying and needs to avoid staircases when Maggie is discharged from hospital. Swain will charge George because DNA will match Theo. Think Summer with Gary’s help murdered Theo. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was a group killing. #Corrie.” A fifth viewer added: “Theo got hit by Carl, then George, then maybe a 3rd time by Summer (or Gary). My guess? A dazed Theo climbed onto the scaffolding to spot Todd from above the street, and a push from a mystery person (Miles) sent him over the edge. Unintentional group effort. #Corrie.”

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Bolton Greens face ‘data breach’ and ‘deselection’ election row

Published

on

Bolton Greens face 'data breach' and 'deselection' election row

The row centres around the closely contested Halliwell ward, currently held by Labour, where Green Party candidate Baggy Khan, 25, is amongst the challengers.

Over the last week, two emails were sent out to Green Party members, the first claiming Mr Khan had been deselected as a candidate over a video where he appeared to film himself driving.

But just days later, a second email, signed by Green Party chair and Halliwell Councillor Hanif Alli, claimed that the first had been “unauthorised” and represented a “serious data breach”.

Cllr Alli said: “This information contained false and misleading information and constituted an unacceptable attack on our Halliwell candidate.

Advertisement

Bolton Green Party chair Cllr Hanif Alli (Image: Newsquest)

“Such conduct falls below the standards we expect and will not be tolerated.

“I apologise to all members for this breach and for the distress it has caused.

“A full investigation is underway, and decisive action will be taken against those responsible.”

He added: “Baggy Khan has my full support. He is a talented young man with a good moral compass who will make an excellent Green Party councillor for Halliwell.”

Advertisement

The email sent out by Cllr Hanif Alli (Image: Public)

Cllr Alli, who became chair of the Bolton Green Party in March, said he and the Bolton Green Party’s treasurer had asked their data officer to report the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The footage appeared to have been posted to Mr Khan’s public Instagram account, showing him sitting in a driver’s seat.

The camera flips to show the steering wheel as the car drives down the motorway.

It is unclear when the video was filmed, but other videos still on his Instagram appear to show him recording while driving in October 2022 and June 2023.

Advertisement

At the time, Mr Khan said the video was “very old” and that he would not be posting anything similar in the future.

But he faced calls at the time from Labour to withdraw as a candidate.

The first unsigned email addressed to Green Party members that went out last week claims that a committee meeting on April 8 this year had voted to deselect Mr Khan.

The email received by Green Party members in Bolton (Image: Public)

It said they took this decision after The Bolton News published an article about Mr Khan’s driving, and says further social media footage emerged of him “using guns”.

Advertisement

But the email said that since the deadline for nominations was at 4pm the very next day, April 9, this meant deselecting him was “not attainable”.

It said: “The committee continue to be in conversations about how we deal with this, and if we are in agreement, the remaining funds for the Halliwell ward’s campaign instead will be reallocated to other target wards.”

The video referred to in the email appeared to show Mr Khan filming himself driving (Image: Social media)

It added: “Furthermore, road safety is a key area the branch will be campaigning on due to the tragic loss of our branch secretary Vicki Attenborough in a road accident in December.”

In response, Mr Khan has said he believes his opponents within the Green Party have been trying to “demonise” him.

Advertisement

He said: “I am a young person entering politics for the first time as I feel my values align with the Green Party and especially their stance on Palestine.

“From day one, I feel that certain opposition parties felt threatened by my candidacy, as I grew up in Halliwell and know so many people, and the attacks against me began very quickly.

“However, more surprising to me was that a very small faction within our own local Green Party has also been very aggressive towards me, and I am still trying to figure out if that is to do with my being Asian, Muslim or something else?

“It has come to a head now as in my opinion, they have clearly broken data protection law in their unruly quest to demonise me.

Advertisement

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the many great wider members of the Green Party who have reached out to support me through this whole episode, which has been invaluable to me.”

The national Green Party has been approached for comment.

Also standing in Halliwell are Philip Booth for Reform UK, Conservative Elizabeth Anne Elliott, Labour’s Safwaan Patel and Liberal Democrat Caroline Anne Turner-Preece.

The election will be held on Thursday, May 7.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Bryson DeChambeau: American to focus on growing YouTube channel if LIV Golf fails

Published

on

A Good Girl's Guide To Murder

DeChambeau’s LIV contract is up at the end of this season and he was looking to sign a lucrative new deal before Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced it was set to pull its financial support, with reports, external suggesting he wants $500m (£370m) to stay.

The two-time US Open winner said he was “completely shocked” by the PIF announcement as he believed it would finance LIV Golf until 2032.

“I haven’t had any communication. And unfortunately, things are moving on in a different direction. Obviously, they wanted to move on,” he said on Tuesday.

LIV Golf, which caused a major split in 2022 when it started luring star names away from the PGA Tour with the offer of huge pay increases, is now searching to find replacement financial investment under a new independent board.

Advertisement

DeChambeau, who joined LIV in 2022, turned down the chance to return to the PGA Tour earlier this year under a returning member programme.

“The egos need to get dropped,” DeChambeau said.

“Everybody needs to come in with a level-headed playing field, with an opportunistic mindset to grow the game of golf.

“That’s why I came over here. That’s why I do what I do on YouTube.”

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Cambridgeshire man died of ‘traumatic injuries’ in Vietnam crash, inquest hears

Published

on

Cambridgeshire Live

The 30-year-old was a ‘temporary resident’ in Vietnam at the time of his death

A Cambridgeshire man died of ‘traumatic injuries’ after a crash in Vietnam, an inquest has heard. Luke Khushil Vaja, aged 30, died on April 16, 2025 in Da Nang City, Vietnam. A written inquest into his death, carried out by Coroner Elizabeth Gray, concluded he died of “multiple traumatic injuries”.

Advertisement

The inquest read that Vietnam Police were called to a single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Tran Hung Dao, Le Van Duyet, Van Don, Nai Hien Dong Ward, Son Tra District, Da Nang City, Vietnam at around 6.25am on April 16. Mr Vaja was found dead by police at the scene, next to a two-wheeled motorbike.

A police report said the incident was a “self-inflicted traffic accident”. The motorbike found next to Mr Vaja was noted to be “slightly damaged”.

After his death, Mr Vaja was brought back to the UK for a CT post mortem to be carried out. This post mortem confirmed his cause of death which was “consistent with reports of a single-vehicle collision”.

The inquest also read that Mr Vaja’s family requested more details from Vietnam Police, including CCTV footage, images of the crash and blood test results. The family has not yet received this.

Advertisement

The family were also advised by the police force that an “investigation is still in progress”. Coroner Gray expressed her condolences to the family and friends of Mr Vaja.

Do you want more of the latest Cambridgeshire news as it comes in from across the county? Sign up to our dedicated newsletter to make sure you never miss a big story from Cambridge or anywhere else in the county. You can also sign up to our dedicated Traffic and Crime newsletters for the latest updates on the topics you are most interested in .

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025