President Donald Trump was almost certainly bound for prison until he won the 2024 election, according to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as the Republican’s personal lawyer.

“Is it an accurate statement to say he either wins in ‘24, wins the White House — it’s either the White House or the big house?” Fox News anchor Sean Hannity asked Blanche on an episode of the Hang Out with Sean Hannity show that was released on Tuesday.

“Oh yeah, absolutely,” Blanche responded.

The Trump official pointed to the cloud of legal scrutiny hanging over Trump during the 2024 election, which included special counsel Jack Smith’s multiple cases against the Republican in Washington and Florida, as well as the then-candidate’s guilty convictions in New York in his hush money trial.

“Don’t forget he had a D.C. case breathing down his neck,” Blanche said. “He had the Florida case which had been dismissed, but they were appealing it, and then he had a judge in New York who, there’s no scenario in which he wasn’t going to send Trump to prison.”

Following Trump’s election victory, the special counsel dropped the federal cases against the president-elect, citing the precedent against bringing an indictment or proceedings against a sitting president.

In congressional testimony last year, Smith said he was confident he would’ve secured a conviction against Trump on his allegations that the Republican conspired to interfere with the 2024 election.

“The timing and speed of our work reflects the strength of the evidence and our confidence that we would have secured convictions at trial,” Smith told the House Judiciary Committee. “If asked whether to prosecute a former President based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether that president was a Republican or a Democrat.”

The president continues to challenge the New York conviction, both in state court and in an effort to move it to federal court.

Since returning to the White House, the president has vowed to seek payback for the alleged “weaponization” of the justice system he claims to have suffered.

The DOJ is investigating an alleged decade-long “grand conspiracy” between officials who investigated or prosecuted the president.

As part of the settlement in his recent suit against the IRS, Trump also sought to create a nearly $1.8 billion “slush fund” to compensate allies and victims” of government “weaponization.”

Assisted by the younger duo of Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham, the 74-year-old took charge of eight matches on an interim basis last autumn and then returned to take the reins from January until the end of the campaign, solidifying his status as a hero in the eyes of Celtic supporters by leading the team to an unlikely double.

Curtis was last seen on Rawson Street in Bolton at around 1:50pm this afternoon (Tuesday June 2).

He is described as a white male, around 5ft 6ins tall, with a slim build, short hair, and shaved sides.

Curtis was last seen wearing a black ‘Technic’ branded hoody with a noticeable white logo in the centre.

GMP put out a statement on social media: “Can you help us find missing Curtis?

“He was last seen on Rawson Street in Bolton at around 1:50pm this afternoon (June 2).

“Anyone with information about Curtis whereabouts should contact us on 0161 856 2661 quoting log 915 of 02/06/2026. Always call 999 in an emergency.

“Officers are becoming increasingly concerned about him and want to make sure he is safe and well.”

Bolton GMP posted the notice to their Facebook page at around 7.15pm on June 2.

The train company runs services through Cambridgeshire

A major train operator that runs services through Cambridgeshire has been nationalised. MP Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, announced on Monday (June 1) that Govia Thameslink Railway, also known as Thameslink, had come under public ownership.

The trainline, which operates trains to London from Peterborough and Cambridge, is the fifth train company to transfer into public ownership under the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act.

Under the new ownership, the Government is committed to delivering a range of measures to improve passengers’ experience. These include:

• Doubling the number of Gatwick Express trains each hour between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria from December, as well as more early morning services on Saturdays and Mondays over the busy summer period
• Providing additional Great Northern off-peak services from Moorgate from December
• Recruiting an additional 75 drivers on Thameslink and Great Northern this year, helping to reduce cancellations
• Enabling passengers to get support from staff directly via WhatsApp if there is disruption to services
• Improving all 115 Class 700 units on Thameslink by carrying out deep cleaning and repairing minor damage, as well as refreshing and resurfacing all toilets to help combat graffiti
• Providing a total of 110 Travel Safe Officers on Thameslink services
• Completing the automatic train operation training programme by December 2026, which will support improvements in punctuality, particularly in recovering delays during disruption.

A Government spokesperson said: “Public ownership is already putting passengers back at the heart of the railway, but it is not in itself a guarantee of improved services. To truly fix the structural issues that have long plagued our railways, we need systemic reform.

“The Railways Bill continues its passage through Parliament and will establish Great British Railways (GBR), a new nationalised rail company, that will integrate the management of track and trains for passengers and freight use every day. It will also create a strengthened passenger watchdog.

“Once established, GBR will maintain and improve the railways and be accountable to passengers, freight customers and taxpayers. GBR will be empowered to build a railway that not only puts passengers and customers first but also supports the government’s missions to drive economic growth and opportunity, by improving connectivity and unlocking jobs and housing.”

It sits high above Pickering, inside the national park, and feels like a place that is lived in year‑round but doubles as a handy base for people who want moorland walks and big skies on the doorstep.

Where Newton-on-Rawcliffe sits

Newton-on-Rawcliffe is a small village and civil parish a few miles north of Pickering, up on the moorland plateau rather than down in the Vale.

It’s part of the North York Moors National Park, so the countryside around it is protected and heavily used for walking, riding and cycling.

Roads from the village drop back down towards Pickering for shops, schools and services, while minor lanes and tracks lead out into forestry and open moor.

At the centre is that well‑known village green and pond, with stone houses and farm buildings facing onto it.

From there, a handful of lanes and short streets run out between properties, but Newton never sprawls; it stays compact, with a clear edge where the last houses give way to fields.

What the village looks and feels like

Most of Newton-on-Rawcliffe is made up of traditional two‑storey stone cottages and farmhouses, many with pantile roofs and long gardens.

A few newer homes and barn conversions have been slotted in over time, but the village still reads as an older, stone‑built place rather than a modern estate.

Around the green and pond you get the “postcard” view – ducks on the water, grass, trees and stone frontages – but step a little further back and you see working yards, sheds and the signs of a lived‑in rural community.

Everyday life and community

Village life runs through a mix of long‑standing farms, residential homes and holiday accommodation.

There’s a modernised village hall with a decent‑sized main room, kitchen and parking, used for local groups, regular classes, coffee mornings and private events.

Many residents head down to Pickering or further afield for work, school and shopping, then come back to a much quieter setting at the end of the day.

That pattern means Newton is not busy in the town‑centre sense, but it isn’t empty either; there’s a steady flow of cars, dog walkers and people going to and from the hall or pub, on top of the usual movement of farm traffic in and out of the yards.

Between green, moor and forest

Location is one of Newton-on-Rawcliffe’s main selling points. Step out of the village and you are quickly into open country: fields, forestry tracks and moorland paths that link into the wider North York Moors network.

Popular spots like the Hole of Horcum, Levisham Moor and Dalby Forest are within easy reach, and there are plenty of shorter loops starting almost from the green for evening walks or weekend strolls.

Down the hill, Pickering provides everyday services: supermarkets, schools, doctors, independent shops and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

Further out, you can reach places like Helmsley, Malton and the Yorkshire coast for bigger trips, but Newton itself remains very clearly a village rather than a small town.

Pub, food and short‑break appeal

The village pub, the Horseshoe Inn, gives Newton upon Rawcliffe a clear social centre as well as somewhere to eat and stay.

It trades on a classic country‑inn mix of bar, dining room and comfortable rooms, with a menu built around straightforward, well‑cooked food.

For campers, walkers and people booking nearby cottages, it’s often the default place for an evening meal without having to drive back down to town.

Around the village, farms and cottages have been turned into small guest houses, holiday lets and campsites, so Newton sees a regular flow of visitors, especially in walking season and school holidays.

Overall picture

Put simply, Newton upon Rawcliffe is a pretty, stone‑built village wrapped around a green and duck pond, sitting high above Pickering on the edge of the moors.

It offers year‑round village life – farms, hall, pub, resident community – alongside an obvious pull for walkers and short‑break visitors who want quick access to trails, forests and big views.

The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast is back for a second season to answer some of the fantastic questions sent in by listeners around the world!

Each episode, a curious kid joins host Eloise to ask a top researcher their burning question, such as: why do your fingers and toes go wrinkly in the bath? Why does our taste in food change as we get older? And how high can volcanoes actually send molten lava up into the air?

While we’ve been off air, The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast was named Best Kids podcast at the British Podcast Awards 2025.

Follow us wherever you get your podcasts, or listen on the Yoto Player via the Discover section on the Yoto interactive audio platform for kids.

New episodes every Tuesday from June 9, or listen back to season one here. You can also read lots of answers to questions sent in by children around the world in our Curious Kids series.

Got a question? Pop it in an email, or record it and send us the audio to curiouskids@theconversation.com.

This season of The Conversation’s Curious Kids is supported by the University of Southampton in the UK, a world-leading research-intensive university with a global network of international students and campuses in Malaysia and Delhi.

The Department for Work and Pensions has published guidance on new Eligibility Verification powers that allow banks to run automated checks on accounts receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit and ESA — here is what the rules mean for claimants and what banks can and cannot share.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released guidance detailing what banks and financial institutions may be required to monitor under new benefit Eligibility Verification powers.

The new framework forms part of the UK Government’s broader offensive against fraud and error within the welfare system, and will initially cover those claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Under the Eligibility Verification Measure (EVM), banks may be obliged to scrutinise accounts receiving certain DWP benefits and identify instances where accounts meet specific “eligibility indicators” tied to benefit regulations.

The DWP stated the checks are intended to help detect incorrect payments arising from fraud, claimant error or official error, while also preventing claimants from accumulating substantial overpayments that must subsequently be repaid.

According to the new Code of Practice on Eligibility Verification Notices, banks could be required to flag accounts where savings surpass benefit thresholds, reports the Daily Record.

For Universal Credit, this could encompass accounts holding more than £16,000, which represents the upper capital limit for the benefit.

The guidance further states the DWP may seek information relating to signs that a claimant has spent more time overseas than benefit rules ordinarily permit.

However, the DWP confirmed there are stringent legal restrictions governing what banks are permitted to share. The Code stipulates that financial institutions are forbidden from disclosing transaction details, which means the DWP is unable to access information about what people are purchasing, where they shop, or their individual spending patterns.

Banks are also barred from sharing “special category data”, encompassing details relating to political opinions, religious beliefs, ethnicity, or health information.

The guidance states: “DWP is prohibited by law from sharing personal data with financial institutions under this power, and from requesting transaction information and special category data.”

What banks cannot share

The document further clarifies that the DWP is not permitted to ask banks to search for named benefit claimants.

The code repeatedly emphasises that strict limitations apply to the information banks are able to provide.

DWP said financial institutions are prohibited by law from sharing:

• Transaction histories
• Spending information
• Financial statements
• Special category data such as political opinions, religion or ethnicity

Rather, financial institutions would apply eligibility criteria across their own systems, returning only limited information where accounts match the indicators outlined in an Eligibility Verification Notice (EVN).

The information that may be passed on to the DWP includes account details, names and dates of birth linked to accounts, and specifics demonstrating how an account met the eligibility indicator.

Examples might include confirmation that savings surpassed a certain threshold, or evidence that an account had been routinely used outside the UK.

The DWP emphasised that information returned by banks does not automatically indicate that an individual has acted improperly. The Code states: “No decisions about benefit entitlement will be made automatically on this information alone.”

Instead, the DWP is required to examine the information alongside existing evidence already held within a claim before determining whether further investigation is warranted.

The guidance further confirms that a “Test and Learn” rollout phase will take place, initially involving a limited number of financial institutions prior to any wider expansion.

Throughout this period, the DWP has stated it will evaluate the effectiveness of the system, the accuracy of the data provided, and whether the safeguards in place are functioning as intended before proceeding with broader implementation.

The DWP estimates benefit fraud and error resulted in £9.6 billion of overpayments during the 2025/26 financial year.

Redcar and Cleveland Council is due to begin a formal procurement process this month which will run until the end of July.

Answering a question from Councillor Karen King at a full meeting of the council, deputy leader Carrie Richardson in delivering an update also said she was “absolutely confident” that a new operator would be secured.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service previously revealed how catering, hospitality and facilities services firm Elior has exercised a break clause available under existing contract terms with the council to relinquish its management of the site from the end of August.

The walled garden, situated off the A174 on the outskirts of Redcar and part of the historic Kirkleatham estate, re-opened to the public in 2021 after a £10m restoration project.

As well as the gardens themselves, which are largely maintained by volunteers, the complex contains a café and events pavilion which regularly hosts weddings and other social functions.

Elior previously said it had contacted members of the public with bookings from September onwards and is understood to have offered full refunds to those affected.

Councillor Mary Ovens said it was the catering element that caused her most concern.

She said: “The biggest complaint I have had from residents and visitors to the gardens is that sometimes they will say the food was fabulous and other times it leaves a lot to be desired.

“It’s very important that we get the catering side right because it is a fabulous facility.”

Elior’s pull-out means the council will take over the remaining lease, but Cllr Richardson has already said the local authority lacks the skills and capacity to run the venue on a permanent basis.

In a statement last month, the council said Elior’s decision to withdraw as operator had caused “great upset” for those who had booked events and it would look to appoint a replacement as soon as possible.

It said it was a “much much‑loved and beautiful venue, valued by residents and visitors alike, and remains an important asset to the borough”.

Elior was handed a so-called concession contract by the council lasting up to ten years to operate the venue.

This meant that, while some initial direct costs were covered by the council, the local authority would not be paying Elior for its services. 

Instead the arrangement allowed the council to receive ‘turnover rent’ from the company, subject to adjustments.

The unfolding situation at the walled gardens comes amidst a masterplan being drawn up by council officers to maximise the potential of the historic Kirkleatham estate, which has several listed building features.

It was also confirmed earlier this year that the Festival of Thrift will return in July after a three year absence. 

An RNLI lifeboat from Kilkeel and the Greenore Irish Coast Guard boat were sent, along with Coastguard rescue teams from Newcastle and Kilkeel.

A rescue operation is under way after a fishing boat with two people on board sank in Carlingford Lough on Tuesday.

The Department of Transport said the Coast Guard received a report the vessel was in trouble near Greencastle Point, Co Down, shortly after 12.30pm.

One person was recovered from the vessel by a local boat and transferred to the care of HSE paramedics at Greenore harbour.

A search was ongoing to recover a second person.

An RNLI lifeboat from Kilkeel and the Greenore Irish Coast Guard boat were sent, along with Coastguard rescue teams from Newcastle and Kilkeel.

The Irish Coast Guard’s Rescue 116 helicopter took part in the search and a Royal Navy helicopter assisted.

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Gardai said they were also on the scene.

The Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Belfast was co-ordinating the response.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 28 years

A convicted murderer took his own life at a Cambridgeshire prison, a report has revealed. In August 2015, Jason Thaxter was remanded into custody and charged with murder.

In December 2016, Mr Thaxter was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with minimum term of 28 years. He was later sent to HMP Whitemoor in March in September 2020.

On August 15, 2023, officers arrived at Thaxter’s cell to give him his lunch when he was found to be unconscious or having breathing difficulties. Thaxter, aged 46, had taken his own life.

A report, recently published by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman looked into Thaxter’s death. The report claimed that in July 2023, around a month before Thaxter died, the prison received information that the 46-year-old was frustrated with the cleanliness of the wing and the current restricted regime.

The report concluded that “Mr Thaxter gave no obvious indication to staff that he was at risk of suicide”. It added: “However, in the months leading up to his death, Mr Thaxter spent frequent periods of the day confined to his cell due to the restricted regime in place at Whitemoor.

“Both illicit drugs and medication, which had not been prescribed to him, were found in Mr Thaxter’s system after he died.”

The report found that although “Whitemoor was unable to deliver a consistent regime due to staff shortages” and that “prisoners had limited access to purposeful activity” the clinical care Mr Thaxter received was “of satisfactory standard” and no recommendations were made by the clinical reviewer.

The inquest into the 46-year-old’s death finished on November 5, 2025 and it was concluded that Thaxter died as a result of suicide.