The Bolton Ukrainian Cultural Centre hosted an event in celebration, with many very fine examples of traditional Ukrainian costume on display.

The Bolton centre is a branch of the larger AUGB – the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain – dedicated to promoting and supporting the interests and welfare of the UK’s Ukrainian population.

(Image: HENRY LISOWSKI)

Yaroslaw Tymchyshyn of the Bolton Ukrainian Cultural Centre: “To Ukrainians all over the world, including the UK, this day is highly significant, because it’s about our heritage, culture, and nationality.

“These are the things that Putin is trying to destroy, so that is why it is so important for us.

“The day started around 20 years ago in Chernivtsi and has since expanded, not only in Ukraine but across the world.

“I’ve seen people celebrating Vyshyvanka day in Canada, Australia, America, New Zealand, and all over Europe.

(Image: HENRY LISOWSKI)

“I’ve seen members of foreign delegations wearing Vyshyvankas, I’ve seen people in embassies wearing them.

“It’s just so symbolic for us – Ukrainians in the past have died for wearing them. People used to get thrown in gulags for it.

“That’s why we hold it in such esteem.

“There is an old song in Ukraine about a young man who was thrown in prison. His mother sent him a Vyshyvanka to wear, in the colours red and black.

(Image: HENRY LISOWSKI)

“Red stands for love, black for grief – that just sums it up, really.”

‘Vyshyvanka’ is the casual name for a specific type of embroidered shirt worn in Ukraine and Belarus.

Popular with both sexes, the shirts feature patterns made using a very specific type of traditional Ukrainian embroidery techniques.

(Image: HENRY LISOWSKI)

The shirts feature maze-like patterns in rings around the arms and neck, with black, red, and white being the basic colours and yellow, blue, and green used as supplements.

The Vyshyvanka has also become a symbol of resistance in the years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Vyshyvanka Day began in 2006, the creation of a student at Chernivtsi University in Western Ukraine.

(Image: HENRY LISOWSKI)

One day, she suggested to her friends that they all spend a day wearing Vyshyvanka shirts together, with several students and staff members taking part.

Soon, the day spread all over Ukraine, and then the world, attracting the attention of the global Ukrainian diaspora.

The fifth anniversary of Vyshyvanka Day in 2011 saw a new Guinness World Record set for the largest number of people wearing Vyshyvankas in one place.

(Image: HENRY LISOWSKI)

More than 4,000 people in Vyshyvankas gathered in Chernivtsi’s main square for the event.

That same year, a huge, four-by-ten metre Vyshyvanka shirt was gifted to the university for display in its central building.

Volodymyr Zelensky regularly sports a Vyshyvanka in public appearances, a green one with black detailing around the neckline.

It’s been 35 years exactly since NBC took a gamble with one of its riskiest episodes – one which almost drove Seinfeld’s Larry David to exit the show.

The hit 90s sitcom – co-created by the titular Jerry Seinfeld and Larry – followed the hijinks of a fictionalised version of the stand-up comic and his three best friends: George Costanza (Jason Alexander), ex-girlfriend Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and neighbour Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards).

The comedy has remained one of the most influential in TV history, forging iconic quotes and – much like Buffy – pushing the boundaries of how we create and tell small screen stories.

Nowhere was this showcased more than in the renowned season two episode 11, The Chinese Restaurant, which came out on May 23, 1991 – just about.

At the time of its production, it was one of the most controversial scripts Jerry and Larry had ever presented to the studio, which did everything they could to shut it down.

Let us take you back. The episode follows our usual gaggle of friends (aside from Kramer) who are waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant. The longer they are forced to sit around, the hungrier they get, and they have various little problems they are agonising over.

The whole time, the maître d’ was teasing them with the promise of a table any moment.

A simple but delicious premise, based on Larry and Jerry’s own experience of…. waiting in line at a restaurant.

Set entirely in the Chinese restaurant, it’s shot in real time with no cuts – the format is known as a ‘bottle episode’. But executives thought audiences would lose interest given the lack of a concise plot, planning to pull the plug on the whole episode.

Jerry revealed that NBC’s Warren Littlefield even thought pages were missing when he first read it.

‘The Chinese Restaurant was the point where the network said: “You know, we really don’t understand what you’re trying to do with this show, and we think it’s wrong.”‘ He recalled, according to Vulture.

Given its lack of any discernible storyline, they almost axed it, until the Curb Your Enthusiasm creator threatened to walk out if they didn’t release it.

As Jerry added about their U-turn: ‘[NBC said]: “We’re going to air it anyway.” I was thrilled that NBC took that attitude. We had done enough good things at that point that they were willing to trust us.’

The only alteration they made in the end was deciding to run it at the end of the season in case it turned audiences off the show for good.

But all that worry was for nothing because it has now gone down in the hall of fame when it comes to the show’s episodes, joining other classics such as: The Soup Nazi, The Parking Garage and The Puffy Shirt.

The Chinese Restaurant is not the only time Larry is known to have tried to quit the show. As he once told the Bill Simmons podcast: ‘It’s tough to take orders and notes from people.

‘I can’t have a boss. I’m always the happiest when I’m in charge of my own stuff.’

Seinfeld is available to stream on Netflix now.

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In a rallying cry as Andy Burnham seeks a return to parliament and Wes Streeting vowed to challenge the PM, Mr Starmer highlighted measures to ease the cost-of-living squeeze on families

Keir Starmer has claimed efforts to cut costs, reduce net migration and boost growth show his “plan is working”.

In a rallying cry as Andy Burnham seeks a return to parliament and Wes Streeting vowed to challenge the PM, Mr Starmer highlighted measures to ease the cost-of-living squeeze on families and vowed his Government will “keep pushing forward”.

It comes in the face of nearly 100 Labour MPs calling for the PM to stand down in the wake of brutal election results earlier this month across English councils, Wales and Scotland.

Mr Starmer, who has insisted he will not walk away from No 10 if the Greater Manchester Mayor wins the June 18 by-election and triggers a leadership contest, has sought to highlight his own record of delivery.

READ MORE: Rachel Reeves slashes VAT rate for summer attractions – from theme parks to zoos

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Keir Starmer

He said: “We now have the fastest-growing economy in the G7, net migration has fallen and NHS waiting lists are at their lowest level in three-and-a-half years. Our plan is working. And as summer begins, we are going further to bring down the cost of living and make life easier for families, so they have more room to enjoy it. This Government will keep pushing forward to deliver the change the country voted for.”

Office for National Statistics figures showed the economy grew by a higher-than-expected 0.6% over the first quarter, between January and March.

Figures this week also showed UK net migration dropped to an estimated 171,000 last year, the lowest level since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The most recent NHS England data shows the waiting list stood at 7.11 million treatments in March, a fall of 110,073 treatments from February.

It comes as Rachel Reeve slashed ticket prices for fairs, theme parks and zoos this summer to ease the cost of living burden on families. The Chancellor said VAT on summer attractions will be cut from 20% to 5% alongside children’s meals in restaurants as part of a “Great British Summer Savings” scheme.

Estimated to cost around £300million, it will also include free bus travel for children between the ages of five and 15.

PHOENIX (AP) — The president of the governing body of Iranian soccer said Saturday the nation’s World Cup training base has been moved to Mexico from the United States after getting approval from FIFA.

Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation, announced the decision Saturday in a statement issued by the federation’s media relations official. FIFA has not confirmed the move.

Iran had been scheduled to train in Tucson, Arizona, but a move has been a possibility because of uncertainty surrounding the war in the Middle East and security concerns. Officials at Tucson’s Kino Sports Complex had no comment.

The federation says the team will now be based in Tijuana, Mexico, just south of San Diego. This year’s World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 and will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

“All team base camps for the countries participating in the World Cup must be approved FIFA,” Taj said in his statement. “Fortunately, following the requests we submitted and the meetings we held with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, as well as the webinar meeting we had yesterday in the Tehran with the respected FIFA secretary general, our request to change the team’s base from the United States to Mexico was approved.”

Iran plays Group G games in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium six days later, then faces Egypt on June 26 in Seattle. The federation said Tijuana’s relatively close proximity to Inglewood, a suburb of Los Angeles, will benefit the team and the new location “includes all training facilities, gym, private restaurant and everything else the team needs.”

Team Melli is appearing in its fourth straight World Cup and seventh overall. It has never advanced past the first round.

Iran’s federation said moving the base camp will resolve potential visa issues since the team will enter the U.S. through Mexico. The president said that the team “may even be able to travel to and from Mexico using Iran Air flights.”

Teams use base camps for training ahead of and after matches.

___

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

A Jet2 flight from Tenerife was forced to make an emergency landing in Porto after the pilot suffered a suspected heart attack

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Passengers aboard a Jet2 flight were left alarmed when their aircraft was forced into an emergency landing following the pilot’s suspected heart attack.

Flight LS1266 was heading from Tenerife to Birmingham, when passengers began noticing some worrying signs. Flight attendants were spotted rushing down the aisle in tears, with 220 passengers onboard, while asking whether anyone had medical training.

The aircraft also experienced an abrupt descent as it diverted to an unplanned landing in Porto, with the plane’s first officer taking command of the controls.

“We were awoken by chaos,” one witness told The Sun, explaining that both they and their partner had been asleep when the incident unfolded.

“Lights began flashing and hostesses who were visibly upset, seeking a doctor.

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“Our two-year-old began crying like many other children onboard because the aircraft was dropping so quickly for an emergency landing.”

Video footage revealed how the aircraft, following a safe landing in Porto at 2.11am on Friday, was swiftly met by emergency personnel who treated the pilot.

“We were stranded in Portugal for over 13 hours without accommodation,” a passenger revealed. “They wouldn’t let us off the plane itself for over an hour. Then we were just left to wander around.

“There was nowhere to stay. They said accommodation was too expensive.”

The passenger noted they had “full sympathy” for the pilot. A pilot was transported by Jet2 from Manchester to Porto to assist in getting them home. Travellers were informed they could receive a complimentary change onto a Jet2 service heading to any of 14 UK destinations within the following week.

Jet2 reportedly said: “Flight LS1266 from Tenerife to Birmingham diverted to Porto on Thursday (21st May), due to one of the pilots feeling unwell.

“At no point was safety compromised, and customers subsequently continued their journey. We would like to apologise to customers for this unforeseen delay.”

The Mirror has approached Jet2 for further comment.

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This was because the Rose and Crown on Bolton Road, Westhoughton, was finally reopening after a major, five-week, £275,000 renovation.

So, from midday onwards, regulars old and new flocked to Bolton Road to see for themselves what all the fuss was about.

(Image: Dan Dougherty)

We managed to finish all the refurbishments on time – just!” said Derek Cooper, the pub’s owner.

“We’ve been pretty hectic all day. We’ve had locals coming back in after five weeks away, we’ve even had old regulars coming in that haven’t been in nine or ten years.”

The pub was indeed very busy by the time I arrived just before 6pm, spurred on both by a sense of occasion and, no doubt, by the fine weather.

New dartboards and, in the foreground, the pool table (Image: Dan Dougherty)

“We asked for the sun, and the sun came out.” said Derek.

“We planned it so we’d open just in time for the bank holiday weekend, especially with Bolton in the final on Sunday.”

Derek showed us around the pub.

“We’ve been on-site for about five weeks and we’ve done a full refurbishment,” he explained.

“Basically, everything is new except the layout, though we have moved the men’s toilets.

The new section of beer garden with booths to the right and children’s play area in the background (Image: Dan Dougherty)

“We’ve got new darts areas, new counters, new furniture, and the outside has been totally repainted and redecorated.”

But the biggest change is outside. The back garden has been completely revamped, with new decking and benches installed.

There are also several roofed booths for people to use during the rainier months, as well as an outside TV, just in time for the World Cup.

New too is the large outside children’s play area, with brand-new play equipment and a soft, wood-chipped floor.

“We’ve touched up everywhere, basically,” said Derek.

Arguably, the most important aspect of a pub is how it serves as a focal point for the community.

It is for this reason that news of a pub closing down can be so upsetting to people. It’s for this same reason that news of a pub reopening often creates such a buzz.

Part of the beer garden with the TV in the background (Image: Dan Dougherty)

This is why the community element is such a strong focus for Derek.

“We’re sorting out a food truck that will be in the car park,” he said, “So that’s a local business.

“She’ll serve takeaways and food for customers, and we’ll also do theme nights.

“We’re also in the process of setting up a darts team, and we’re looking for people to join a pool team.

Derek and Ray underneath the pub’s sign (Image: Dan Dougherty)

“We’re raising money for a defibrillator as well, so we can install one in the pub.

“It’s good to have the pub back up and running for the community.”

“Ending violence against women and girls must remain a priority for all of us. It is vital that women know they are not alone”

A Derry book club is using its sessions to shine a light on hard-hitting subjects that impact its community.

The Deputy Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Alderman Niree McMorris, joined members of the Foyle Women’s Information Network for a special event highlighting the issue of Violence Against Women and Girls.

The Network is dedicated to empowering women across Derry by providing education, advocacy, and community support, and runs a diverse programme of events, including a monthly book club.

This month, the club discussed ‘Nesting’ by Roisin O’Donnell, a book that explores the themes of coercive control, cruelty and manipulation and the complexities of carving out a new life free from oppression.

It was an opportunity to focus on the issues making headlines and the positive mechanisms being implemented locally to support women.

The purchase of the books for the club was funded by the Council’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls funded programme, just one of a number of initiatives being rolled out to tackle the issue.

Speaking after the event, Ald. McMorris said the Network played an important role in connecting women and providing a safe space to engage and learn.

She said: “It was a privilege to join members of the Foyle Women’s Information Network for this important discussion and to see first-hand the invaluable work being carried out to support and empower women across our City and District.

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“Events such as this create safe spaces for conversation, reflection and understanding, while also helping to raise awareness of the support services and networks available locally.

“Ending violence against women and girls must remain a priority for all of us. It is vital that women know they are not alone, that they will be listened to, believed and supported, and that together we continue to challenge attitudes and behaviours that allow violence and abuse to persist.

“I want to commend the Foyle Women’s Information Network for their dedication to advocacy, education and community support, and I’m delighted that Council’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls programme funds this organisation to deliver on the EVAWAG framework. Through partnership working and continued community engagement, we can help build a safer, more respectful society for everyone.”

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