NewsBeat

South Lanarkshire pupils given a say in how funding is spent

Published

2 hours ago

8 June 2026

A report presented to the Cambuslang and Rutherglen Area Committee on June 3 highlighted how schools are continuing to embed participatory budgeting (PB) as part of efforts to tackle inequality and improve educational experiences for young people.

Schools across Cambuslang and Rutherglen have allocated more than £121,000 to projects chosen through participatory budgeting, giving pupils and families a direct say in how education funding is spent.

A report presented to the Cambuslang and Rutherglen Area Committee on June 3 highlighted how schools are continuing to embed participatory budgeting (PB) as part of efforts to tackle inequality and improve educational experiences for young people.

Participatory budgeting allows school communities to influence spending decisions by consulting with pupils, parents and staff before voting on projects and initiatives. In South Lanarkshire, schools are required to allocate at least five per cent of their Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) through the process.

During the 2025/26 academic session, schools across the Cambuslang and Rutherglen area committed a combined £121,473.09 to participatory budgeting activity. This represents around seven per cent of the area’s total Pupil Equity Funding allocation of £1.82 million, exceeding the minimum requirement.

The largest allocation came from the Cathkin learning community, which dedicated more than £52,000 to participatory budgeting projects. Schools within the Stonelaw and Trinity learning communities allocated more than £41,000 and £27,000.

Projects selected by pupils and school communities cover a wide range of initiatives, including educational excursions, playground improvements, outdoor learning spaces, sports coaching, creative workshops, digital learning resources and additional support for school trips.

Among the schools allocating funding were Cathkin High School, which committed more than £10,000 towards educational excursions, and St Bride’s Primary School, which allocated £6300 towards a whole-school trip. Cairns Primary School directed over £13,000 towards developing its school hub and outdoor garden area.

The report also highlighted the work of St Mark’s Primary School as an example of good practice. The school has integrated participatory budgeting into its wider Cost of the School Day programme, which aims to reduce financial barriers faced by families.

Through its Cost of the School Day Committee, pupils and families help identify challenges affecting participation in school life and contribute to how funding should be used. The school also provides support through subsidised activities, clothing initiatives, learning resources and free school events.

Education officers said participatory budgeting is now fully embedded within South Lanarkshire schools and will continue to form part of annual Pupil Equity Funding planning. Schools will continue to allocate at least five per cent of their funding through participatory budgeting, with additional training planned for staff during the 2027/27 session.

The initiative is intended to ensure that funding decisions are shaped by those most affected by them, while giving young people practical experience of decision making.

*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.

Source link

NewsBeat

Person hit by taxi outside Durham train station taken to hospital

Published

41 seconds ago

8 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Person hit by taxi outside Durham train station taken to hospital

Emergency services were called to Station Approach at about 1pm on Monday (June 8).

Drivers were urged to avoid the area as 999 crews dealt with the incident. There was no impact on trains arriving and departing the station itself.

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called to an incident outside of Durham Train Station on Monday shortly after 1pm.

“We dispatched one ambulance crew and one patient was taken to RVI for further treatment.”

Durham Police confirmed the incident involved a taxi and a pedestrian.

Source link

NewsBeat

Keir Starmer Warns Big Tech Over Sexually Explicit Images. Experts React

Published

8 minutes ago

8 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Keir Starmer Warns Big Tech Over Sexually Explicit Images. Experts React

UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has given tech companies thee months to make changes so children can’t send and receive sexually explicit images.

Speaking at London Tech Week, Starmer called on tech firms operating in the UK to “introduce device controls” that would prevent sexual images from being shared among children, adding that if they “choose not to, then we will act”.

The announcement comes months after the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) warned child sexual extortion cases in the UK soared by 72% in the space of a year.

Criminals are tricking young people into sending nude or sexual images of themselves which are then used to blackmail them. In 97% of cases, the victims are boys.

More recently, it’s come to light that images of children shared on school websites and social media are also being altered using artificial intelligence (AI) to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Schools are then being blackmailed to pay up or the images are released publicly.

What do experts and parents think of the PM’s announcement?

Welcoming the announcement, NSPCC chief executive, Chris Sherwood, told ITV News: “Online grooming, sexual exploitation and the proliferation of child sexual abuse material could be prevented if tech companies did the right thing and introduced nudity blocking technology on children’s phones.”

Clare Gilbert, who has a teenage daughter, said she thinks Starmer is “right to act”.

“As parents we do what we can, but I am no match for a tech savvy teen. I can have chats with her about being safe online, try and set some boundaries, but teenagers are clever and will find ways around things,” she said.

But the mum added the prime minister “needs to be tough” with tech giants who should be held to account – “and not just with idle threats that aren’t followed up on”.

Dr Catherine Knibbs, CEO of Children & Tech, author and child trauma psychotherapist, said the move, which she welcomes, ought to have come “years ago”.

The online harms expert is also dubious of how effective it will be: “I doubt that OS [operating system] level preventative deployment will work – as he spoke about – as intimate images are also shared via webcams, laptops and tablet systems that are separate to ‘only phones’.

“For me, this shows a lack of depth of understanding of the technological landscape overall.”

She concluded: “Children deserve a well thought out and actionable plan to protect them, not rushed political statements.”

Similarly, Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition, branded the PM’s announcement “an idea without a proper plan behind it” and renewed calls for a social media ban for under-16s, which Starmer is also expected to make an announcement on this week.

But there are some who believe it’s a positive move – and that it can be done.

Bertie Aspinal, co-founder of online child safety app SafetyMode.com, which blocks inappropriate content (such as sexual images) across apps, messages and websites in real time, said the latest announcement “finally moves the conversation towards practical solutions rather than endless debate”.

“For years we’ve been told that stopping children from sending, receiving or viewing explicit images is too difficult, too complex, or simply not possible,” he said.

“The reality is that we already know the technology exists because we’ve built it ourselves. Our software can already block nude images being sent or received on a child’s device.

“The question is no longer whether this can be done, but whether the biggest technology companies are willing to make child safety a priority.”

He concluded that “what matters now is speed” and ended: “Every month spent consulting, discussing and delaying means more children are exposed to content that most parents would never knowingly allow.”

‘Nudification’ using AI tools also a problem in the UK

As well as sextortion, there has also been a growing issue with ‘nudification’ in UK schools. Nudifying tools can ‘undress’ everyday images of people and turn them into pornography – a staggering 99% of nude deepfakes feature women and girls.

Dr Knibbs previously told us that the cybertrauma that occurs from this can result in issues such as suicide ideation, paranoia and destruction of trust among victims. She added that the fear that results from this taking place “has the potential to last a lifetime”.

Use of these apps is widespread. A survey by Male Allies UK of 1,018 boys aged 12 to 16 years old found just under half (47%) knew of sexual AI images or videos being created whilst at school, and two-thirds (67%) said they’d seen sexualised images being shared around school.

Carole Osborne, a mum to two teenage girls and founder and CEO of AI safeguarding platform Aidos, told HuffPost UK the prime minister’s announcement has “been a long time coming”, but suggested it’s a “sticking plaster” in the grand scheme of things.

She said “device controls that prevent children from sending and receiving explicit images, while welcome, are treating the symptom rather than the cause”.

Osborne called for a “fundamental shift” in how we think about child protection in the digital age – “investing in AI and technology for good, building safeguarding in at the point of creation … and working together across government, big tech, schools and parents to prevent these images from ever being made in the first place”.

She concluded: “The problem must be solved at source; everything else is just a sticking plaster.”

Source link

NewsBeat

Huge change proposed that could see every British driver affected

Published

14 minutes ago

8 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Road safety body PACTS has proposed reducing UK speed limits by 10mph, which would see dual carriageways drop from 70mph to 60mph and single carriageways from 60mph to 50mph, as well as blanket 20mph zones across towns and villages

While largely driven by legislation, car manufacturers are continuously striving to make their vehicles safer. Whether through improved crumple zones, enhanced airbags or better seating, the goal is to make any potential accident more survivable.

Yet there remains one factor entirely beyond their control: speed. This is precisely why speed limits exist across the globe.

The faster a vehicle is travelling at the point of impact, the greater the energy involved, and consequently the higher the likelihood of serious injury to those caught up in it.

In recent years, 20mph zones have sprung up across the UK in villages, towns and cities where hazard levels are particularly high.

Now, a proposal put forward to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee by the independent Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) could shake things up considerably.

Alongside suggesting blanket 20mph zones — largely to cut costs on signage — the advisory body also declared it was in favour of slashing national speed limits by 10mph.

This would mean dual carriageway speed limits dropping from 70mph to 60mph, while single carriageways would fall from 60mph to 50mph.

However, Auto Express reports that regarding the reduction of speed limits on dual carriageways from 70mph to 60mph, the body caveated it by saying this would be the case “where the infrastructure would not support the survivability of people travelling at those speeds if they were involved in a collision”.

While cuts to speed limits on dual carriageways and single carriageways would have a significant impact on motorists, focus remained firmly on the blanket 20mph zones.

PACTS executive director Jamie Hassall suggested it was a matter of reframing the debate.

He said: “It’s about getting everyone in the country to understand what the benefits are.” Those benefits included helping children travel to school more safely, something he maintained the public were broadly in favour of, reports the Express.

This is far from the first time a reduction in speed limits has been on the agenda.

Following the war in Iran sending oil prices soaring to their highest level since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, suggestions emerged that drivers should begin travelling at slower speeds.

Indeed, think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) went as far as proposing that speed limits should be lowered to assist motorists — a measure that ultimately never came to fruition.

Nevertheless, the think tank did suggest that the public ought to be advised on how to drive more economically.

Speaking earlier this year, senior economist at the think tank William Ellis told the Guardian: “The UK cannot afford to sit back and let another energy shock drive up inflation and damage the economy.

“The UK economy and public finances are expected to take a significant hit from the Iran conflict, regardless of whether the government intervenes.”

Source link

NewsBeat

Next of kin appeal help for 80-year-old woman from York

Published

27 minutes ago

8 June 2026

NewsAdmin

‘Derogatory’ word spray painted on van in Harrogate

As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our
articles.

Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local
services.

These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local
community.

It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need
as much support as possible during these challenging times.

Source link

NewsBeat

The Commonwealth Games relay taking aim at ocean plastic

Published

34 minutes ago

8 June 2026

NewsAdmin

The Commonwealth Games relay taking aim at ocean plastic

On World Ocean Day, a campaign linked to Glasgow 2026 is using sport’s global reach to stop one million pieces of plastic reaching rivers, seas and waterways

The ocean has its own international day today, but one campaign is trying to make sure the attention lasts longer than 24 hours.

For the first time, the King’s Baton Relay, the ceremonial journey that leads into the Commonwealth Games, has been linked to the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign, a partnership between Commonwealth Sport and the Royal Commonwealth Society.

Its target is practical and measurable: to stop one million pieces of plastic entering Commonwealth waters before the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, which take place from 23 July to 2 August.

The campaign has already passed the halfway mark. According to Commonwealth Sport’s live tracker, more than 625,000 pieces of plastic have so far been collected by communities along the relay route.

World Ocean Day, marked each year on 8 June, was first proposed at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and later formally recognised by the United Nations. Its purpose is to celebrate the ocean’s role in human life and focus attention on how it can be protected.

At West Kirby beach, Merseyside, in May, Team England’s leg of the campaign saw 25 people collect 21kg of rubbish, including 552 plastic items. Among them were 111 branded items from 56 different brands, a telling snapshot of how packaging waste travels from shops, streets and bins to the shoreline.

More than 625,000 pieces of plastic have so far been collected by communities along the relay route

Ellie Simmonds, the five-time Paralympic gold medallist and former Commonwealth swimmer, joined volunteers on the sand as part of the clean-up.

“Sport is so powerful, it can facilitate change,” she told Positive News magazine. “I am very passionate about water, having spent many years swimming in a chlorinated pool, but since retiring I have been lucky to use my passion and be able to travel the world and work with lots of incredible ocean conservationists and gain lots of knowledge of why water and oceans are so important to preserve and look after.”

The Commonwealth Games, held every four years, brings together athletes from across the Commonwealth of Nations, spanning Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific. The baton relay has long been one of its most recognisable traditions, carrying a message from the head of the Commonwealth to the opening ceremony.

This time, organisers are using that journey as a practical route map for environmental action. Clean-ups are taking place across Commonwealth nations and territories, with athletes, schools, conservation groups and local volunteers asked to take part.

Ellie Simmonds, the five-time Paralympic gold medallist and former Commonwealth swimmer, joined volunteers on the sand as part of the clean-up

The Commonwealth accounts for around a third of the world’s ocean waters, while almost half of Commonwealth countries are Small Island Developing States, many of them acutely exposed to marine pollution, rising seas and the waste that washes in from far beyond their own shores.

For Simmonds, who won medals in the pool before becoming an advocate for ocean conservation, the connection between sport and water is personal.

“With the news that Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games is happening and Team England’s one of their initiatives is looking after the Commonwealth waterways, I thought it was important for me to go to West Kirby beach and help out, pick up plastic and meet lots of the community,” she told Positive News magazine.

Sport is so powerful, it can facilitate change

“Sport is watched by many millions of people across the world and if sport can do that one thing to create change, then it can create that ripple effect, so it’s wonderful to be involved.”

That ripple effect is the real test of the campaign. Beach cleans alone will not solve plastic pollution, but they can remove waste before it breaks down into smaller fragments, create local evidence of the brands and materials most often found in the environment, and give communities a visible way to press for less plastic entering the system in the first place.

The campaign also gives Glasgow 2026 a broader legacy challenge. The Games will bring medals, crowds and television audiences, but this initiative asks whether a global sporting event can also leave behind measurable environmental repair.

Photography: Steve Samosa Photograhy

Be part of the solution

At Positive News, we’re not chasing clicks or profits for media moguls – we’re here to serve you and have a positive social impact. We can’t do this unless enough people like you choose to support our journalism.

Give once from just £1, or join 1,800+ others who contribute an average of £3 or more per month. Together, we can build a healthier form of media – one that focuses on solutions, progress and possibilities, and empowers people to create positive change.

Support Positive News

Source link

NewsBeat

Louise Thompson blasts Euphoria over stoma bag scene: ‘That’s pretty rank’

Published

41 minutes ago

8 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Louise Thompson blasts Euphoria over stoma bag scene: 'That’s pretty rank’

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video

Louise Thompson has taken fierce aim at Euphoria over a controversial moment that features a stoma bag, describing it as ‘upsetting’ and ‘pretty rank’.

The final season of the drama – which came to an end last week – has made headlines throughout its eight-episode run, with viewers criticising its ‘disturbing’ and ‘vulgar’ scenes.

In the penultimate episode, crime kingpin Alamo Brown (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) is speaking to his employee Big Eddy (Kadeem Hardison), who has a stoma bag after surviving a gunshot to the abdomen.

A stoma bag is a medical device that’s used to collect bodily waste and is worn over the stoma, an opening that’s been made in the abdomen.

There are several reasons why a person might need to wear a stoma bag, such as if they’ve been diagnosed with colon cancer, if they’ve suffered an injury to the abdomen or if they have a severe case of inflammatory bowel disease.

In the Euphoria scene, Big Eddy reveals that his stomach has been stapled closed and that he’s now wearing a stoma bag, with Alamo calling the device a ‘s**t bag’ and telling his associate: ‘Don’t be showing that to no motherf***er. Nasty.’

Louise Thompson showed her stoma bag to her followers in the video (Picture: Instagram)

In April 2024, former Made In Chelsea star Louise revealed that she was wearing a stoma bag, having previously been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.

At the time, she wrote: ‘Isn’t it bizarre that this little grey pouch is the price I pay for good health! I say good riddance to that nasty menacing colon!’

Two years later, she has spoken out against Euphoria’s depiction of a character mocking and insulting the use of a stoma bag, questioning if it’s a ‘tad irresponsible’.

Speaking in an Instagram video, she explained that while she’s never watched the drama before, many people have sent her the clip of the scene between Alamo and Eddy.

‘I’m going to direct quote some of the lines in this series, because I’d love to get your thoughts on them. So, he says, “That there’s a s**t bag, huh? All these staples look like railroad tracks, cover that s**t up, that’s nasty. Don’t be showing that to no motherf***er,”’ she said.

‘Obviously, my acting is not very good, and these aren’t exactly words that roll off my tongue, but I’ve been thinking about how I feel about it, because I don’t think it’s that simple.’

Euphoria Series 3, ep1 HANDOUT Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Alamo Brown — Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje joined the cast of Euphoria as Alamo Brown in season 3 (Picture: HBO)

The 36-year-old acknowledged that in her opinion, it’s ‘quite progressive’ for HBO to have featured a stoma bag on a major TV show.

‘I don’t know whether that would have kind of existed on TV 10 years ago. I think that it’s important for people to be exposed to these sorts of things that over 100,000 people in this country live with,’ she stated.

However, Louise then continued: ‘I don’t think that the terminology that is used is very appropriate. The framing, the disgust, the “cover that s**t up”, instead of it feeling like representation and fair representation, instead it slightly feels like we’re using someone’s horrendous medical circumstances as a punchline, and I’m not sure how that sits with me, because I only have to think about my former self.’

Louise explained that she was ‘incredibly insecure’ when she was a teenager and ‘struggled with body confidence’, so if she’d had her surgery when she was younger and then seen this scene, it would have ‘made everything 10 times worse for me’.

‘And I also wonder whether it encourages certain people who don’t know better, who might watch that show, to kind of nod along and be like, “Yeah, that is really disgusting.” And then there’s maybe the risk that those people will go and actually feel that in public when faced with meeting somebody that does have a stoma bag,’ she continued.

‘Ultimately, I do think that it does more damage than silence does, because essentially you’re telling everyone that has a stoma bag or that has horrendous scars to cover them up, and that they shouldn’t wear them with pride. I think that’s pretty rank. I’d love to know what your thoughts are on this.’

In the caption that accompanied her video, Louise stressed to her followers: ‘Just a reminder that your life-saving medical device is NOT nasty and does not need to be hidden away or fill you with shame!!!’

She added that the scene in question felt ‘quite jarring and a little upsetting to watch’ given how scarcely stoma bags are shown on TV, adding: ‘I wonder if it’s a tad irresponsible?!?!’

Louise was flooded with responses to her video, with some people agreeing with her and others saying Alamo is supposed to come across as cruel and insensitive.

‘Hear hear (as the proud owner of an ileostomy that saved my life 28 years ago) 👏👏👏,’ Dr Liesel commented on Instagram, while Helen wrote: ‘I have one too and completely agree 👏.’

‘I think it’s about the character not having any grace or empathy. We aren’t meant to be thinking that’s the way to behave. 💜,’ Zoe shared

‘I agree but I think in this instance that was the point of that character, he shows no empathy or compassion to what the previous character has been through,’ Zahra commented.

Metro has contacted HBO for comment.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE: ‘Phenomenal’ true-life Western about man who escaped slavery shoots up Netflix chart

MORE: Hugh Laurie’s blunt response to scathing review of House is utterly brilliant

MORE: I used to reject makeup – Euphoria brought it back into my life

Source link

NewsBeat

All Creatures Great and Small filming update as Samuel West shares first look

Published

53 minutes ago

8 June 2026

NewsAdmin

All Creatures Great and Small fans have been treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the season season filming of the Channel 5 drama

15:03, 08 Jun 2026Updated 15:10, 08 Jun 2026

Samuel West has treated fans to behind-the-scenes glimpses from the seventh series of All Creatures Great and Small.

The beloved period drama has secured a double commission for series seven and eight, with each comprising six hour-long episodes and a Christmas Special. While a transmission date remains unconfirmed, production on the new instalments began in February.

The seventh series of All Creatures Great and Small, adapted from James Herriot’s books documenting his experiences as a veterinary surgeon in the Yorkshire countryside, is anticipated to continue from the 2025 festive special.

Given that new series have arrived annually since 2020, with series five launching in September and series one in October, fresh episodes could potentially debut in autumn, reports the Mirror.

On Friday (June 5), Samuel West, who portrays Siegfried Farnon, offered fans a glimpse into filming for series seven, sharing photographs of his fellow cast members.

In one image posted on X, Callum Woodhouse, who plays Siegfried’s brother Tristan, is seen in full period attire, seemingly taking a break from filming.

Callum beams warmly at the camera while seated in a plush armchair beneath a lamp, with one foot resting on a stool and a coat draped across his legs. Samuel captioned the post: “Callum, comfy.”

In another photograph, Rachel Shenton, who plays Helen Herriot, looked tired as she sat on a wooden chair, her head resting on one hand, eyes shut.

She cuts an elegant figure, dressed in a striking red blouse tucked into a lengthy navy blue skirt with brown shoes. Samuel playfully wrote beneath the post: “Tell me you’ve got a one-year-old without telling me you’ve got a one-year-old #1: Rach.”

Additional photographs featured scenes of the stunning Yorkshire landscape and members of the production crew. In another charming image, Samuel is seen cradling a tiny creature in both hands while beaming affectionately.

He’s attired in Siegfried’s signature tweed three-piece ensemble, complemented by a crimson tie, with his hair swept backwards. A traditional timepiece adorns his wrist.

“And finally, the real star of the show. Plus some guy in a suit”, he wrote alongside the photograph, sparking enthusiasm amongst supporters for the forthcoming episodes.

In the comments section, admirers expressed their anticipation for the new instalments, with one individual posting: “Can’t wait for you guys to grace my screen. In a world of disarray, you and the cast of ACGAS are a breath of fresh air. Plus you are kinda sorta cute.”

Another declared: “The rat and you aside, I adore the love for detail in your costume. The wrist watch is a piece of beauty.”

A third proclaimed: “We love you, Sam! Thank you for sharing these photos!”, while another contributed: “Thank you so much for all the amazing photos.”

“These photos are so wholesome, thank you for sharing. Bring on S7!”, remarked another supporter.

What will season 7 be about?

While Channel 5 remains tight-lipped about the storyline for All Creatures Great and Small’s seventh series, Greg Barnett, the broadcaster’s Commissioning Editor, has hinted at “many new stories still to tell and more unforgettable adventures ahead”.

Barnett commented: “All Creatures Great and Small is a jewel in 5’s drama crown and continues to delight viewers year after year. Its warmth, humour and heart, set against the beauty of Yorkshire, have made it a firm audience favourite.

“We’re thrilled to extend its future with two more series, with many new stories still to tell and more unforgettable adventures ahead for our Skeldale family.”

All Creatures Great and Small is available to stream on channel5.com.

Source link

NewsBeat

Gary Neville offers to stand down from Man United matches if Sky Sports make request

Published

1 hour ago

8 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Gary Neville has responded to Manchester United fan criticism over his punditry

Gary Neville says he’d sit and watch Manchester United matches in the stands if Sky Sports instructed him to cease covering fixtures following accusations from supporters. Former United colleague Rio Ferdinand told Neville that certain fans he’d encountered felt the ex-right-back displayed diminished passion for United.

Neville remains a polarising figure amongst football supporters, with some claiming he favours his former club, while United fans believe he’s occasionally overly critical of them. The 51-year-old acknowledges he may have misjudged the balance over the past decade.

On the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Ferdinand said to Neville: “I spoke to a few United fans. Quite a few of them were saying ‘ask him why he shows less passion and positivity about us now as a pundit?’”

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Neville responded: “It’s a balance though Rio, isn’t it? It’s like, do I want City to win the league? I absolutely don’t want City anywhere near the league title.

“I’ll say it on here now. I don’t want City or Liverpool to ever win a game of football again. I genuinely don’t. But do you know something, to be a professional and do the very best, sometimes I maybe don’t get the balance right with United.

“United are the hardest games I do. People might think that I’m more critical of United when they don’t play well. Sometimes, over the last maybe ten years, the balance, maybe I’ve not got it right.

“If they said ‘to me don’t cover United games for Sky, let me just sit in the stand and watch them.’ I’d say yeah, all day long but I still do the games. It’s difficult.”

Neville also addressed the future of Cole Palmer, who has been connected with a switch to Manchester United from Chelsea. He stated he would be delighted to see the forward arrive at Old Trafford but acknowledged the deal is improbable.

“I do like the signings of [Matheus] Cunha and [Bryan] Mbeumo last summer because they’ve had that grounding in the Premier League,” said Neville.

“They weren’t ‘gold’ but there was a removal of risk because they’d played in the Premier League and they were stepping up a level and they were young and hungry.

“‘Those type of signings are good. There’s talk of Cole Palmer and that looks like a signing that could be gold for Manchester United if he came to Old Trafford.

“I don’t think it would happen though, I think Chelsea will hang onto him. But there’s very few signings like that available, it’s only every few years that these type of players become available.”

Upgrade your World Cup TV setup with the Sky Glass ‘designed for football’

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

from £4.50

Sky

Get the deal here

Sky is knocking 20% off its entire range of Glass TVs to mark the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Until June 17, shoppers can upgrade to the Sky smart TV that’s ‘designed for football’ from £4.50 per month when taken alongside a Sky TV and Netflix package.

Source link

NewsBeat

Volunteering offers valuable pathway for school leavers in North Lanarkshire

Published

1 hour ago

8 June 2026

NewsAdmin

For those weighing up options such as university, college, employment or alternative routes, volunteering can provide a flexible and meaningful way to explore interests and build experience.

Young people across North Lanarkshire are being encouraged to consider volunteering as they plan their next steps after leaving school.

For those weighing up options such as university, college, employment or alternative routes, volunteering can provide a flexible and meaningful way to explore interests and build experience.

And for those not yet sure what they want to do after leaving school, volunteering can allow you to meet new people, gain confidence and open your mind up to possible next steps. Volunteering is a positive post-school destination for all young people.

A wide range of opportunities are available locally, from helping at events and supporting younger children to getting involved in sport, community projects and environmental improvements.

Taking part can help young people develop important skills that employers value, including teamwork, communication and leadership, while also building confidence and gaining practical, real-life experience.

Councillor Michael McBride, Convener of Education, said: “As our young people look to the future, it’s important they feel confident and supported in choosing the path that’s right for them.

“Volunteering offers a great opportunity to try new things, gain experience and develop the skills that will help them move forward, whether that’s into further education, training or employment. It also allows them to give something back to their communities, which is hugely valuable.”

Volunteering opportunities are designed to be flexible, making it easier for young people to take part alongside job searching, study or other commitments.

*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.

Source link

NewsBeat

Aubrey Plaza and Christopher Abbott make red carpet debut after ‘giving away’ baby gender

Published

1 hour ago

8 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Aubrey Plaza and Christopher Abbott make red carpet debut after 'giving away' baby gender

Aubrey Plaza and Christopher Abbott stepped out for their red carpet debut at the Tonys (Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

Aubrey Plaza proudly cradled her baby bump as she and partner Christopher Abbott made their first official red carpet appearance as a couple last night.

Attending the 79th Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York, the White Lotus actress, 41, beamed as she stood beside Girls actor Christopher, 40.

The Parks and Recreation favourite confirmed in April that she was expecting her first child, having dipped out of the limelight and away from social media when her husband, Jeff Baena, 47, died by suicide in January 2025.

Aubrey, who had quietly separated from Baena in September 2024 but remained in contact with him, already knew Christopher, having worked with him on Black Bear (2020) and the play Danny and the Deep Blue Sea.

It’s believed the couple got together last summer, and they certainly seemed every inch the excited expectant parents on Sunday night.

Aubrey looked gorgeous in a black and white pinstriped dress with spaghetti straps, which hugged her growing belly.

The actress supported Christopher, who was nominated for his performance in Death of a Salesman (Picture: Adela Loconte/Variety via Getty Images)

Aubrey excitedly cradled her bump as she expects her first child (Picture: Dia Dipasupil/WireImage)

She styled her brunette locks in loose waves and complemented her red nails with a matching lip gloss shade, utterly glowing as she posed for photographers.

Christopher, who has starred in Poor Things (2023) and Apple TV series The Crowded Room, meanwhile, put in a dapper appearance, matching his other half in a black velvet suit and white shirt.

He attended the prestigious Broadway award ceremony as a nominee for best featured actor, having played Willy Loman’s son, Biff, in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. The award ultimately went to Becky Shaw performer Alden Ehrenreich.

The couple’s award show outing comes after Aubrey appeared to let slip the sex of her baby.

During a sweet red carpet moment with Susan Sarandon at the Tribeca Festival premiere of The Accompanist, the Happiest Season star lifted her top to show a giddy Susan her tummy.

As she did, Susan, 79, appeared to ask what she was having, with footage capturing Aubrey replying with, ‘It’s a girl.’

The White Lotus star looked radiant in a striped gown (Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

When her pregnancy was confirmed in spring, an insider told People that Aubrey and Christopher ‘feel very blessed’.

‘It was a beautiful surprise after an emotional year,’ they added.

Aubrey hasn’t spoken in much detail about the aftermath of Baena’s death since he was found at home near the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles.

Initially, she and the late director’s family released a brief joint statement reading: ‘This is an unimaginable tragedy.

‘We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.’

Aubrey then briefly appeared on Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special last February, paying a subtle tribute to Baena by wearing a tie-dye shirt, just like they did for their wedding.