An appeal has been launched German Shepherds Miki and Kenai, who both served with North Yorkshire Police and retired just months apart, who each require major operations costing more than £2,500.

The Thin Blue Paw Foundation, a charity supporting working and retired police dogs across the UK, hope to raise £5,000 to cover the full cost of their treatment.

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Kieran Stanbridge, founder of The Thin Blue Paw Foundation, said: “Miki and Kenai both served with enthusiasm and commitment during their time with the police, but the job has taken a toll on their bodies and they’ve been left in daily pain due to arthritis and hip dysplasia.

“Now they both need surgery to repair these major injuries so they can run and play again. We’re incredibly proud to be there for Miki and Kenai, but we need your help, so please donate if you can – every single pound will go to good use.”

Six-year-old Miki, who lives in Northallerton, served as a general purpose police dog from March 2021 until his medical retirement in October 2025.

Miki at full health (Image: Thin Blue Paw)

He was diagnosed with spondylosis, hip dysplasia, and a ruptured cruciate ligament and now, his other cruciate ligament has ruptured meaning he needs further TPLO (Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy) surgery.

Miki lives in North Yorkshire with his former handler Claire Starkey, her husband and their 12 other dogs – including Claire’s working search and detection dog, spaniel PD Jax.

She said: “Miki was so much more than a police dog to me, he is very much my best mate.

Miki with his owner and handler Claire Starkey (Image: Thin Blue Paw)

“Miki was a pleasure to work with and we had some fantastic results; tracking suspects from vehicles, finding vulnerable missing people, locating missing children, and also finding key items of property discarded from burglaries. 

“Miki has been my superhero at work and deserves the very best of health in retirement. He is enjoying retired life; he gets to run through the countryside, albeit slowly, and he can have a ball whenever he wants.”

Kenai, a seven-year-old who served as a general purpose and firearms support dog, retired at the end of last year, but on Saturday (May 9), he broke his leg while playing fetch – less than a month into life with his new owners.

Kenai at the vets (Image: Thin Blue Paw)

His owner, Ashley, said: “As soon as we met him, we fell in love. From day one, it’s like he’s always been with us. He’s such a good dog; he’s like a big puppy. He’s really soppy and soft; you’d never believe that he’d been a police dog trained to bite when needed.

“We’re trying to give him the best retirement we can; every weekend we take him somewhere new to explore so we can introduce him to a normal pet life.

“We were playing fetch and as he caught the ball and turned he suddenly yelped. We rushed him to the emergency vets who carried out x-rays and discovered he’d fractured his elbow.”

Kenai at full health (Image: Thin Blue Paw)

Kenai underwent surgery on May 11 and is now recovering at home.

The Thin Blue Paw Foundation supports more than 180 retired police dogs across the UK with financial assistance for veterinary care, therapy, and medication and also campaign for Pensions for Police Dogs so the cost of their care doesn’t fall solely on their new owners.

To donate to Miki and Kenai’s fundraising appeal please visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/north-yorkshire-police-dogs and to donate to the Thin Blue Paw Foundation, please visit https://donate.thinbluepaw.org.uk/.

There were also “clear examples of companies getting it right”, including every product surveyed from Pollen + Grace, The Gym Kitchen, and Urban Rajah, which all met calorie and salt reduction targets, had no red warning labels on front of pack, and none of their sandwiches were classed as high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS).

Melissa Kerry Samnath, 37, died from blunt force trauma injuries while on a birthday trip to Jamaica. Before her death, she sent her family a desperate text message urging them to ‘call the cops’.

A woman has tragically died following severe blunt force trauma sustained during a holiday in Jamaica. In a disturbing twist, her relatives first learnt of the tragedy through a phone call from the mother of her alleged murderer.

The victim’s family in New York received a telephone call from a woman informing them that Melissa Kerry Samnath had been killed while in Jamaica.

Just weeks earlier, they had received a chilling text message from Samnath, sent shortly before 11pm on the evening of her arrival from Queens Village in New York.

The message stated, “I need you to call the cops. … Look at my location … It is a pink house.” It arrived just over an hour before what would have been her 37th birthday, marking the final communication her family received from her.

Last Wednesday, Samnath’s niece was required to formally identify her body ahead of a post-mortem examination, which determined she suffered fatal blunt-force trauma injuries to her head.

According to a statement from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, officers were notified on 29 April that Melissa Kerry Samnath had died shortly after being dropped off at Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James.

“She didn’t deserve that,” her niece told The Jamaica Gleaner, using the pseudonym Janice Wynter. She described her aunt as “one of the most loving persons ever”.

“My aunt was very helpful and family-oriented. When my grandfather died – her father – she was the one taking care of my other aunt and grandma,” Wynter remarked. “It has been hard on us. We can’t understand why he did this to her. She wasn’t an evil person. She was the baby of our family. Now we have to bring her body back to bury.”

Officers suspect Samnath connected with her alleged murderer through the internet before travelling to Jamaica to mark her birthday. Authorities eventually traced her to the suspect’s residence in Norwood, St James, though he had already fled the scene.

Investigators reportedly found significant bloodstains and several of Samnath’s possessions within the male’s dwelling. Despite evident signs of violence, neighbours claimed they heard no screams or indications of distress during the evening of the killing, leading detectives to consider whether Samnath may have been silenced.

Authorities have reviewed CCTV footage capturing the suspect transporting Samnath’s luggage while she followed behind from her Airbnb accommodation.

“His mother called to tell us she got a phone call from him saying he killed her and dropped her off in a wheelchair at the hospital. He didn’t even have the audacity to take her into the hospital,” Wynter said angrily.

“There is a murderer on the run, and he is clearly in an area with a lot of tourists. He is dangerous. Women need to be careful because they don’t know what he is capable of.” A GoFundMe page has been launched to assist with covering the costs of the funeral.

The page reads: “Melissa was a strong, loving, and unforgettable woman whose warmth touched everyone around her. She loved traveling, exploring new places, and spending time with the people she cared for most. Her loss has left a deep pain in our family that words cannot fully express.”

Donald Trump has once again taken aim at Sir Keir Starmer

Donald Trump has taken a swipe at Sir Keir Starmer as he fights to keep control of a fracturing Labour Party.

Four ministers, including Safeguarding Minister Jess Philips, have resigned while more than 80 MPs have called on him to quit. However, more than 100 backbenchers have backed Starmer to continue as leader.

President Trump, already a persistent critic of Downing Street’s stance on the conflict with Iran, used a brief appearance outside the White House to issue his latest rebuke.

Preparing to depart for a high‐stakes state visit to Beijing, Mr Trump was asked whether he had any guidance for the British leader, reports the Express.

“My advice has always been: open up,” he said, urging the UK to exploit its North Sea reserves and accusing the Government of squandering “one of the great oil finds anywhere in the world”. He coupled the demand with a call for a far tougher line on immigration, warning that Europe was being “very, very hurt” by current levels.

When pressed on whether Sir Keir ought to step down, Mr Trump answered: “That’s up to him.”

The US President proceeded with his tirade concerning what he characterised as unexploited energy reserves from North Sea oil deposits, declaring: “You’re getting killed on windmilling your country to death.”

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Just days earlier, Starmer acknowledged there exists increased “tension” between Trump and Europe. The Prime Minister issued a warning about strained relationships during last week’s European Political Community summit in Armenia, which was largely focused on the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran.

Addressing the summit, Sir Keir stated: “We cannot deny that some of the alliances that we have come to rely on are not in the place we would want them to be.”

Before setting off for his journey to China, Trump also informed reporters at the White House that he would have a “long talk” with Xi Jinping about the Iran war but added “we have Iran very much under control” so he wouldn’t require the Chinese President’s assistance. The visit, set for May 13-15, will represent the first journey to China by a sitting US president in nearly a decade.

The aircraft crashed in a wooded area of Lamar County, Alabama, near the Mississippi border, with both pilots transported to a medical facility for evaluation

Two pilots successfully ejected from a US Air Force T-38 Talon II jet during a training exercise on Tuesday, according to an official statement from Columbus Air Force Base.

The aircraft came down in a wooded area of Lamar County, Alabama, close to the Mississippi border.

ABC reporter Austin Pratt, who is at the scene, confirmed that both pilots have been taken to a medical facility where they are currently being assessed by medical personnel.

The official statement from the base read: “The cause of the mishap is currently unknown and will be investigated by a Safety Investigation Board.”

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Columbus Air Force Base is home to the 14th Flying Training Wing of Air Education and Training Command’s 19th Air Force.

The wing’s primary mission centres on specialist undergraduate pilot training using the T-6 Texan II, T-38C Talon and T-1A Jayhawk aircraft.

The incident follows a daring US rescue mission to recover the crew of “Dude 44,” an F-15E Strike Eagle downed over the rugged terrain of southwestern Iran.

After the aircraft was struck by a shoulder-fired missile, the pilot and weapons system officer were forced to eject into hostile territory, triggering the mission to bring them home before they could be captured by Iranian forces.

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The high-stakes operation saw U.S. Special Operations forces and CIA operatives work together to locate the airmen in the mountains of Isfahan province.

While the pilot was snatched up quickly, the weapons system officer spent a harrowing 24 hours evading capture in a mountain crevice before being pulled out under heavy fire.

A survey of more than 2,000 people across the UK who had listed their home in the past three years found that, among those whose properties did not sell, more than a third (34%) said, with hindsight, the price they had set was too high, despite believing at the outset that it was fair.

Filming wrapped in Belfast last month

Game of Thrones and Blue Lights stars are among the big names announced as part of the cast of the upcoming Belfast series Close to Home.

The new Channel 4 four-part drama, based on Michael Magee’s debut novel, revels in the reckless decadence of youth and celebrates a generation growing up in the wake of the troubles.

Produced by the multi-Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning Element Pictures, previously announced to lead the series are Anthony Boyle as Sean, Jessica Reynolds as Mairéad, Seamus O’Hara as Anthony, and Oisín Thompson as Ryan.

READ MORE: Close to Home: House of Guinness stars to reunite for new Channel 4 drama set in BelfastREAD MORE: Channel 4 series ‘Close to Home’ led by Anthony Boyle wraps filming in Belfast

Joining the cast are Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones) as Dearbhla, Conor MacNeill (Industry) as Marty, Gerard Headley (Specky Clark) as Finty, Kerri Quinn (Say Nothing) as Jackie, Hannah McClean (Blue Lights) as Bernice, Jeanne Nicole Ní Áinle (How to Get to Heaven From Belfast) as Julia and Lalor Roddy (That They May Face the Rising Sun) as Fra.

Adapted for the screen by author Michael Magee, the series will be directed by Diarmuid Goggins. Filming wrapped in Belfast last month.

A description of the series reads: “Close to Home tells the story of Sean, a young man who finds himself back in Belfast. Back from university and back into old habits.

“Back on the mad all-nighters, the borrowed tenners and missing rent, the casual jobs that always fall through. Back with his brother, his ma and all the things they never talk about. Back where the promised prosperity of peacetime has yet to arrive and every street has a story to tell. One night, Sean assaults a stranger at a party and everything is tipped into chaos.”

Close to Home was commissioned for Channel 4 by Gwawr Lloyd, Interim Head of Drama and Gemma Boswell, Commissioning Editor, Drama. Executive Producers are Christopher Aird, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures, Michael Dawson, Michael Magee, Diarmuid Goggins and Anthony Boyle. Martin Mahon serves as Producer.

The series will be distributed internationally by Fremantle and is filmed with support from Northern Ireland Screen and Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland. Transmission details will be announced in due course.

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

While some people can spring out of bed at six in the morning and go straight into their day, others prefer to wake up later as they’re most productive in the afternoon or evening. This difference is due to your chronotype – the biological tendency to prefer certain times of day for sleep, waking and activity.

But these aren’t the only factors affected by your chronotype. A growing body of research also suggests that your chronotype can affect the benefits you see from exercise.

People who naturally rise early and feel sharpest in the morning are “early chronotypes”, whereas those who prefer to wake later and function better in the afternoon or evening are “late chronotypes”. People who fall in between are “intermediate chronotypes”.

Your chronotype is determined by your circadian rhythms – the body’s natural daily cycles that repeat around every 24 hours. Although these are strongly influenced by our environment, they function even without external cues such as daylight and food. These rhythms affect our physiology, behaviour and health.

Our circadian rhythms are controlled by the body’s circadian system, which is made up of tiny biological clocks composed of proteins, which are found in organs and tissues. These clocks rely on genes that help coordinate when different processes happen, such as when we feel alert or sleepy.

The circadian system also influences many other bodily functions, including blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar regulation and blood vessel function. As these factors are also affected by physical activity, this may explain why aligning your workouts to your natural chronotype can be beneficial.

Some studies support this, suggesting that the time of day people exercise can influence health outcomes – including cardiovascular fitness and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and some cancers.

However, as these were observational studies (which only show associations rather than cause and effect), they can’t definitively prove that the findings were solely caused by the timing of the exercise.

But a recent randomised controlled trial has investigated whether aligning workouts with chronotype could enhance the benefits of exercise. The researchers specifically looked at people who were at risk of cardiovascular disease.

Participants were grouped according to their chronotype, which was measured using a specialist questionnaire. Morning types exercised between 8–11am and evening types exercised between 6-9pm. A third group exercised at the opposite time to their chronotype (morning types in the evening and evening types in the morning).

Participants whose exercise was aligned with their chronotype experienced greater improvements in blood pressure, aerobic fitness, blood glucose, cholesterol and sleep than participants whose training times were misaligned with their chronotype.

But though these improvements show that timing exercise to your chronotype can enhance its health benefits, there are a couple of important nuances.

Even the group that exercised at the supposedly wrong time still experienced health benefits, showing that exercise is beneficial even when it doesn’t align with your chronotype. The study also did not include intermediate chronotypes, who make up around 60% of the adult population. For these people, the timing of exercise may be less important.

Based on the available evidence, exercise timing appears to be a meaningful consideration, particularly for people who are strong morning or evening chronotypes.

Beyond your chronotype

So how do you know your chronotype?

Most people have an intuitive sense of this based on when they naturally prefer to sleep and wake. However, work schedules and care-giving responsibilities often force us into routines that conflict with our chronotype. Over time, this makes it harder to be sure of your chronotype.

For this reason, researchers developed a questionnaire to help you determine your chronotype. The 19 questions include what time you feel you’re at your peak and how easy you find it to wake up in the morning.

Once you have a clearer sense of your chronotype, you can start thinking about when to schedule your training.

However, chronotype isn’t the only factor that can affect training and how you respond to exercise. This is good news for those who may not be able to align workouts with their chronotype.

For instance, body temperature usually peaks in the afternoon regardless of chronotype, which enhances muscle function. This is why strength, speed and coordination tends to be best in the afternoon, making it a prime window for resistance training and technical practice for most people.

Habitual training time can also shift performance over time as the body adapts to the time you regularly train. So even if you’re naturally a night owl, consistent morning training may eventually make you perform better at that time.

Another critical factor to consider when deciding when to workout is sleep.

If you haven’t slept well the night before, research suggests it’s better to exercise earlier in the day, regardless of your chronotype. This is because the drive to sleep, known as “sleep pressure”, builds steadily from the moment you wake up and peaks just before you fall asleep. By evening, growing sleep pressure makes exercise feel harder and can impair your performance.

Exercising late in the evening can also reduce sleep quality, particularly when the session is intense. As a general rule, leave at least a two-hour gap between exercise and bedtime.

There’s no single best time to exercise that works for everyone. While the evidence on the long-term health benefits of matching exercise time to chronotype is growing, some principles apply broadly.

Peak performance varies by chronotype, and matching your workout time to yours may help you train harder and achieve better health benefits. However, any exercise is better than none – regardless of timing.

If you’re a night owl but can only train in the morning, a warm-up is essential. Wear extra clothing and start with 10-15 minutes of light aerobic activity to gradually increase body temperature and increase alertness.

If evenings are your only option, opt for moderate or low-intensity activities (such as yoga or a jog) to avoid disrupting sleep.

Katie Macavoy was described as an “incredible mum” with a “big heart”

A devastated father has honoured his “incredible” partner following her sudden death just 24 hours after being discharged from hospital. Cameron Lewis, 28, shared with the ECHO the tragic loss of Katie, mother to their one year old son Dylan, who passed away on April 25.

Katie, 29, had been hospitalised for a month while recuperating from an operation on her spine. Cameron revealed the family had voiced worries about what they suspected might have been blood clots in her arm post-surgery.

He said: “We asked a lot of different doctors about this but we never got anything confirmed. We obviously never thought it would be as bad as it was.”

Katie was discharged on April 24, but Cameron explained she deteriorated rapidly.

He said: “She had only come home the day before and mentioned that when she stood up she became really short of breath.”, reports the Liverpool Echo.

“She stood up to get ready for bed, looked really faint and was struggling to breathe, so I ushered her sit down. She fell and, presumably, had a fit where she lost consciousness.

“I called an ambulance after trying to get her into a safe position. When paramedics arrived she had a second fit, which killed her.

“She was scared and confused in her last moments. I tried to comfort her and calm her so they could help her, but it didn’t help.”

The coroner is now examining the circumstances surrounding Katie’s death.

Cameron explained the pair first crossed paths while at Wrexham University, where he pursued music while Katie focused on ceramics and art. In a heartfelt tribute, he remarked: “Katie was the finest person I’ve ever met. She had such a big heart. She was wary of people, but if you were lucky enough to earn her trust, she had so much love to give.

“She was so caring. No matter how small your problems were, she would take them seriously if they mattered to you.

“She was really smart and so creative.”

The pair relocated to Merseyside half a dozen years back, initially settling in Huyton before moving to Stockbridge Village this past November following Dylan’s arrival.

Cameron revealed they were captivated by Liverpool due to its vibrant music and cultural landscape.

He explained: “We’d visited a lot of different cities, but Liverpool was the closest big city to us. I’ve always loved music and The Beatles, and Katie really loved the arts.

“We loved the city and thought it would be the perfect place to settle down.”

In the aftermath of Katie’s passing, Cameron has journeyed back to Gloucester with young Dylan.

He shared: “We could have stayed in Liverpool, but because Katie died at home it would have been very difficult to remain there.

“At the same time, leaving means leaving behind so many memories. Me and Katie didn’t really have a large support network around us, and I want Dylan to grow up with that support around him.”

Reflecting on Katie’s role as a mother, Cameron painted a picture of the profound connection she forged with their little boy.

He said: “She loved Dylan so much. She would have done anything for him. She was so calm with him; being a mum came naturally to her.

“She always wanted to do whatever made him happy. Her whole focus in life was making him smile.”

A fundraising appeal has been set up to assist with Katie’s funeral expenses, with any surplus funds earmarked for Dylan’s future care.

Reflecting on the outpouring of generosity, Cameron said: “I just want to thank anyone who chooses to donate. It’s easy to see stories like this and think of them as something far away, without realising there are real people going through it.

“So when someone takes the time to empathise and support us, I think that’s an incredibly generous thing to do.”

Those wishing to contribute to Cameron’s fundraising appeal can do so here.

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after the incident involving a black Toyota Corolla earlier this month

It happened in Acaster Lane in Acaster Malbis, York, at 8.11pm on Saturday, May 2, near the junction with Poplar Farm Caravan Park.

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“The vehicle was coming into Acaster Malbis from the direction of Bishopthorpe, and has collided with a 10 year old girl who was cycling in the road. The vehicle has shown some brake lights, before driving off, and failing to stop,” said a spokesperson for the force.

They added that the child received some bruising to her leg, but has no serious injuries and is currently recovering.

Police said they are keen to hear from anyone who saw the collision, the vehicle involved, or its registration plate, as well as anyone who was inside the car or can identify the driver.

Anyone who can help should email matilda.pearson@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting reference NYP-02052026-0616.